Politic?

Hanging Loose

"Right now I need a bit of a break [from writing]. Hitting the deadlines in the last year or so was a bit of pressure on top of the job so I'm spending my spare time now doing a bit of music instead."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Matthew Sherwood for National Post Prime Minster Stephen Harper performs with his band Herringbone at the 2013 Negev Dinner, hosted by the Jewish National Fund of Toronto, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013.

He's a natural. Really, anyone who describes Stephen Harper as stiff and boring, disinterested and off-putting, should have a look at one of those videos of this musician-author-politician-economist performing on stage. As he has done on a number of occasions. His ease and comfort is palpable. His talent and enjoyment in what he's doing is obvious and calls out for appreciation. This is a multi-talented individual.

He has quite the musical ensemble to back him up, a band that consists of three musicians calling themselves Herringbone, set to release their first CD. They practise out of the suburban Ottawa basement of Blackberry staffer Andre Van Schyndel. The three band members also include Phil Nolan and Richard Linke, both teachers, performing Celtic, folk and golden oldies.

"My sense is that they're highly regarded musicians in their circle, but I don't think there's a larger demographic of people familiar with their work. I see almost a sense of self-deprecating smile on stage from the guitarist. They're having fun. This is what music should be: having fun with this", commented A.J. Sauve, spokesperson for the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest in Ottawa.

Prime Minister Harper doesn't perform regularly with them, he won't be on their forthcoming CD, but he has appeared in public with them, and as a quartet they're quite wonderful, confident and professional. Mr. Harper's own singing and piano-playing repertoire is quite wide-ranging, from Stompin' Tom Connor's songs, to John Cash, Buddy Holly, Neil Diamond, and The Beatles.

Prime Minster Stephen Harper performs with his band Herringbone at the 2013 Negev Dinner, hosted by the Jewish National Fund of Toronto, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013.

He does musical justice to them all, with perfect timing and intonation. That he fully enjoys the music and is fully integrated with the band when they're performing is obvious and creates a sense of enjoyment for the listener. When Mr. Harper first appeared on stage at the National Arts Centre in 2009 accompanied by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the event was a revelation.

His subsequent, infrequent but wonderfully engaging performances have had an air of spontaneity and exuberant joy about them, tinctured with a placid contentment. With the publication of the hockey history book he has spent years of occasional moments writing, Mr. Harper has for now put writing behind him. A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs & The Rise of Professional Hockey has received excellent reviews, as much for its carefully researched content as for the writing style of its author.

"As for ... why the PM is part of a band, I think the demonstrations of the Prime Minister's passion for music, such as [at the Negev dinner], speak for themselves", said Carl Vallee the Prime Minister's press secretary. "I play a little bit in my spare time in a band and had an opportunity to have Bryan Adams come over and play with me a little bit. I don't think that would happen if I wasnt Prime Minister", he informed a student group in 2010.

There are rumours circulating that after a diplomatic political trip to Israel, Mr. Harper may announce he will be stepping down from his office as Prime Minister. This writer is among one of doubtless many who hope that may not be so, not just yet. Canada needs more, much more of Stephen Harper. I daresay, I hope he hasn't overlooked the obligation to send a complimentary copy of his new book to Yann Martel.

Play on, Mr. Prime Minister!