Where to find Penticton’s own coffee shop troubadour

PENTICTON – There’s a little extra ambience for patrons of Blendz Coffee Shop in downtown Penticton, thanks to one of its regular customers.

Colin Scott frequents the popular coffee stop on an almost daily basis, guitar in hand. After picking up his daily caffeine dose, Scott picks a perch and strums away on his guitar, providing an interesting, quietly played mix of jazz, classical, Middle Eastern and Gypsy genres on his acoustic guitar.

Never loud enough to impede conversation, Scott’s guitar work provides a soothing background ambience that doesn’t seem to get in the way of anyone else’s daily business.

Scott said he’s been dropping into Blendz for about a year now, although he also plays “wherever I happen to be”.

“Most days I have the guitar, except when it’s raining,” he said.

Scott says he enjoys playing at Blendz best due to its location on the corner of Main Street and Nanaimo Avenue.

“I feed off the ambience. Just watching people on the street — my playing echoes what’s going on out there,” he said. “The busier it gets, the busier my playing gets. That’s what makes it fun.”

Scott said his guitar work hasn’t gained him any great notoriety or money. He enjoys playing in public because it gives him an opportunity to meet other musicians.

“It’s not about money. Money is like oil in your car engine – it’s a good thing, but if you have too much oil in your engine, you can ruin it,” Scott said.

“It’s actually one of the highest forms of meditation, because it’s pure spirit,” he said.

Scott is a familiar sight at Blendz most mornings. He can usually be found at a window seat, observing the street for inspiration as his fingers slide over the guitar frets. He figures he plays two or three hours per day on average.

“I keep my expectations low, so I’m never disappointed. As long as people aren’t throwing tomatoes at me, I’m happy,” he said.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.