The Jesse Burch Band members Jason Pritchett (bass), Jesse Burch (guitars and lead vocals), and Mike Chamzuk (drums), won the talent showcase at the PNE this year.
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By Black Press - Surrey North Delta Leader
Published: September 02, 2008 3:00 PM
Updated: September 02, 2008 3:19 PM
The Jesse Burch Band of South Surrey won Red Robinson’s Talent Showdown at the PNE over the weekend.
It wasn’t the first time Burch has competed in the event, which jump-started the career of country singer Lisa Brokop and international singing star Michael Buble.
Burch’s trio, which has been playing together for a year, was chosen from 13 contestants in the final showdown.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Burch, bass player Jason Prichett (younger brother of Canadian country star Aaron Pritchett) and drummer Mike Chamzuk won with their performance of Show Me the Sugar, an original song.
“I kind of had a pretty good feeling that we nailed it. It just felt right,” Burch said after the event.
While he didn’t know any of the other contestants, Burch said the band was up against heavy competition.
“You get some really good talent up there and they don’t make it through, and you’re like, ‘why?’ ”
The band was called first to play in the final Saturday night, and performed for hundreds of people on the stage, used afterwards by Chilliwack.
To go along with the title, the band has $10,000 in prize money they plan to use on promotion and recording.
Burch – who also operates the Jam Room music store and instruction studio in Rosemary Heights – hopes the winnings will help the band on its quest to tour and play bigger shows.
With a demo CD that can be heard on the band’s website (www.jesseburch
band.com) and a full CD expected to be released in the next year, Burch said he’s confident the band will soon make it big.
“It’s just a matter of time before something big happens,” he said.
Burch lives on the Semiahmoo Peninsula and describes himself as a self-taught singer-songwriter.
The Jesse Burch Band plans to perform at next year’s Cloverdale Rodeo and the Merritt Mountain Music Fest.
- by Hannah Sutherland
