Jamie Bestwick plays live for two shows Aug. 27 and 28 on CTV starting at 8 p.m.

Huntsville’s Jamie Bestwick will join musical director Orin Isaacs and the 20-piece Canadian Idol orchestra at the John Bassett Theatre next week to play double bass for Big Band Standards Week.

The show, airing live on Aug. 27 and 28 on CTV at 8 p.m., will also feature Canada’s first teen idol, Paul Anka, known for hits like My Way, Put Your Head On My Shoulder, She’s A Lady, Diana and the Johnny Carson Theme.

This will be Bestwick’s second year playing for Canadian Idol (last year the show featured Tony Bennett), but it’s a gig that almost didn’t happen.

“I’d been looking forward to doing the show for months and then I got an e-mail saying the producers had decided not to do a big band show this year. I was  devasted and surprised because it was so popular last year.”

Then, just a couple of weeks ago, Bestwick had another e-mail saying he was back in.

“Apparently the special guest who was going to work with the top four stars and bring in his own group had bailed. The producers had to quickly rethink and they decided to bring back the big band, so I’m also back and in the show,” Bestwick explained.

Life has been good for Bestwick, a former Huntsville High School student who recently completed his final year of studies with honours in the acclaimed jazz music program at Toronto’s Humber College, earning a Bachelor of Music degree.

Recent performances include Miss Saigon at the Huron Country Playhouse in July, and Cats, also at the Huron Country Playhouse in June. Coming up in October and November is a run of Crazy For You at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse and a trip to Winnipeg next spring to work on the show Hired Gun.

Bestwick also finds time to perform in his home town and will be playing with Tim Sullivan at Aroma Dining and Drinks on Main Street tomorrow night, Aug. 23 from 7 to 10 p.m.

For more information and updates, visit Bestwick at www.homepage.mac.com/jbestwick.