Wascana (2)
1973-74
Don Gutheil - bass guitar, vocals, trumpet, percussion
Daryl Gutheil - keyboards, vocals, trumpet
Richard Peterson - drums
George Martin - electric trumpet, valve trombone, percussion
Bob Deutscher - guitar, vocals, electric piano

    
    Rich Don Bob George Daryl

    Upon Drew and Norman's leaving we embarked on finding a new drummer. We had heard and become acquainted with the Edmonton band The Great Canadian River Race. We asked their keyboard player, Duncan Meiklejohn and their drummer, Matthew Frenette to join forces with us. They passed but Matt recommended a young drummer he knew named Richard Peterson. I met up with and jammed with him in Edmonton, we clicked and he moved to Regina to join the band.

    Rich only stayed with us for about six months but we still had our share of highlights the most noteworthy being as warm-up group in concert at the Saskatchewan Centre For The Performing Arts in Regina for the 11 piece version of  John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. This would have to be my personal career highlight as I got an ovation from the audience after my solo during our performance of  the Billy Cobham tune Stratus in the presence of who I felt at the time and still would say is arguably  the best guitarist in the world! It was great to meet the band which included among others, Narada Michael Walden who went on to be a major record producer for the likes of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey; Jean-Luc Ponty, Gayle Moran (Mrs Chick Corea), Steven Kindler (played with Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck) and of course the man himself, John McLaughlin. I kept a poster from the concert and in 1994 had it autographed by John McLaughlin when he was in Calgary in concert with The Free Spirits.

prized possession

       
Shots from our last gig with Don and Rich at The Old Gold in Regina, Sask


Gerry Stoll, Daryl, Rich and Ken Sinnaeve, our new bass player