'He was old school': Saskatoon's musical community remembers cultural icon Maurice Drouin

Musicians across Saskatchewan are mourning the death of well-known jazz pianist Maurice Drouin.

Drouin, 82, died after performing a set at the Hawood Inn in Waskesiu, Sask. on Saturday. Drouin has been a pillar in Saskatoon's jazz community for decades, performing countless gigs across the city.

"He played until the day before he died," Don Griffith, musician and artistic director of The Bassment, told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning. "That's the kind of guy he was, you know? Here's an 82-year-old man, driving from Saskatoon in this cold snap to to play a gig up in Waskesiu. That says it all."

Drouin learned to play the piano by ear and carved out an audience by relentlessly playing concerts for decades.

"He would call three months before a show and ask how tickets were," he said. "He's the only musician who would do that. He knew that in order to play at The Bassment again, he had to have those seats full."

Over the years, Drouin mentored countless musicians, especially singers.

"Maurice, with his business savvy, knew that you're going to get more gigs if you have a singer on stage than if you have a trumpet player on stage," Griffith said. "All those singers became famous because of Maurice and learned because of Maurice." 

Now, musicians are busy getting ready to say goodbye.

"He was old school," said Griffith. "I think he sort of stopped listening to the radio in about 1965. He knew what he liked and that's what he played."

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be released soon.