(416)
677-5883
langfieldent@rogers.com
www.langfieldentertainment.com
LE NEWSLETTER
February 21, 2008
OK - why is it only February and I'm sick of winter already?
Cold, grey, snowy - gotta love it!
Just two more days before the renowned Harlem Gospel
Choir hits the stage at Sony Centre on February 23rd. Then right after that, Living Color
guitarist and multi-Grammy winner, Vernon Reid, and the electric jazz band, Myid on February 27th. And added to the list this week is at Harlem where friends of Carl Cassel (also of Irie Food
Joint) invite you to a memorial art auction and dinner commemorating the great Chef Keith White on February 28th.
So, tell all your friends who you know that play percussion to check out my
proposal to apply for a gig in Tokyo with Cirque du Soleil! Who knows where this may
lead? And a special offer for post-secondary graduates of Canadian music
programs from MusiCan.
Oh my - so much news this week yet again so scroll down and find out what
interests you - take your time and take a walk into your weekly entertainment
news!
::HOT EVENTS::
Members of Harlem Gospel Choir -
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Source: Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
The world famous Harlem Gospel Choir is one of the
pre-eminent gospel choirs in the world. It travels the globe, sharing its joy
of faith through its music, & raising funds for children's charities. The
Choir was founded in 1986 by Allen Bailey, who got the idea for the Choir while
attending a celebration in honour of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the
renowned Cotton Club in Harlem. The Choir presents the finest singers and
musicians from Harlem's Black Churches.
The Harlem Gospel Choir has shared its message of love, peace and harmony with
thousands of people from various nations, backgrounds, and cultures. The Choir
strives to make the world a more loving and peaceful place, and through its
music and dynamic performances creates a better understanding of the
African-American culture and the inspirational music called Gospel as it
relates to the Black Church. The theme of every performance is bringing people &
nations together & giving something back. The Choir's songs of
gospel and inspiration will touch the depths of your soul and raise your
spirits to angelic heights.
Click on the songs below to hear a clip!
“Perfect
Praise”
“O
Happy Day”
“They blended the groovy with the sassy, the funky with the sweet… all the
singers were strong both in solo and in harmony.”
The Herald Sun, Melbourne
“I feel truly blessed. Thank you for the tribute”
Nelson Mandela
“Joyous music that spreads its infectious and irresistible message of
celebration of the human spirit”
Newcastle Herald, Australia
“Run to get tickets to this exhilarating spectacle!”
Times Picayune
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2008
MEMBERS OF HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR
The Sony Centre For The
Performing Arts
1 Front Street East
8:00 PM
For tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca or
(416)872-2262
For group tickets, call (416)393-7463 or 1-866-737-0805
Click HERE
to buy now!
Grammy Award Winner
Guitarist Vernon Reid Joins My id For Special Toronto Show – February 27, 2008
Source: Evelyn Cream, Athena Music International
The id: the unconscious source of psychic energy derived from
instinctual needs and drives.
My id: the
conscious musical illustration of my instinctual needs and drives.
Living Color guitarist and multi-Grammy winner, Vernon Reid, joins Toronto
electric jazz band, My id, for a special concert at the Revival Music Lounge on February 27th. Reid, known for his guitar
virtuosity and ground breaking work in rock, jazz, fusion and R&B, has
worked with some of music’s most talented including: Mick Jagger,
Bill Frisell, Carlos Santana, Public Enemy, Garland Jefferies and James Blood
Ulmer.
My id’s debut CD features Reid, Allman Brothers bassist, Oteil
Burbridge and singer Hassan Hakmoun. Reid will play the entire show with
current My id line-up. My
id’s concert on February 27th features Aubrey Dayle on
drums, Rich Brown on bass, Robi Botos at the
piano and Michael Stuart on saxophone.
Toronto based drummer, Aubrey Dayle, formed My id as a group that pools on its
musicians’ collective experiences in jazz, rock, world beat, R&B and hip
hop. The result is melodic songs, great rhythms and virtuosic
instrumentalism.
www.myspace.com/myidmusic
www.myspace.com/vernonreid
FEBRUARY 27, 2008
MY ID FEATURING AUBREY DAYLE WITH SPECIAL GUEST VERNON REID
Rich Brown, bass; Robi Botos, piano; Michael Stuart, saxophone
REVIVAL MUSIC LOUNGE
783 College St. (at Shaw)
8:00 pm
TICKETS: $18.00 advance, $22.00 at the door.
Tickets available via www.ticketweb.ca or by phone
888-222-6608.
More background:
There is also a social component to My id. Contemporary music has traditionally been
a voice for a community of people who need to express their frustrations,
challenges and triumphs in a way that is sophisticated and subtle, yet
effective – similar to the work songs used by African slaves in the United
States and the Caribbean to communicate vital information to each other. My
id continues this tradition in a way that will help us examine and
re-examine our ever emerging global community.
A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Lupus Canada (www.lupuscanada.org).
Normally the body’s immune system makes proteins called antibodies to protect
the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign material. With
Lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances
and its own cells and tissues and makes antibodies directed against
itself.
Dayle has Lupus. The lifestyle
of a working musician is hectic and stressful, traveling to a new city each
day, no home cooked meals for weeks and numerous sleepless nights in hotel room
beds. Yet Dayle has found a way to balance this lifestyle and his
illness so he can continue his passion - making music.
An Art Retrospective Honouring Late Chef
Keith White - Thursday, February 28
Harlem Restaurant creates a chef's bursary through the George Brown Chef
School in Keith's name.
On Thursday, February 28th join Carl Cassell and friends in a memorial art auction and
dinner
commemorating the great Chef Keith White who died on January 28th this year. Many food lovers will
remember Keith, who in his later years, helped sparked the culinary path that
led the Irie Food Joint to its success on Queen Street West.
The night of fundraising will feature a savoury three-course dinner presented
by Master Chef Anthony Mair. DJ Carl Allen, the city's award-winning turntablist,
will lay down the evening's sound work, and Carl Cassell's art auction will set
the creative backdrop of a 10-year retrospective showcasing his one-of-a-kind
pieces in Hair, including portraits of the Urban Vanguard Series I &
II.
Come join us in raising our glasses to Keith White and to the young chefs
following him in their love of culinary art.
YOU MUST RSVP TO ATTEND or call 416-368-1920.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
AN ART RETROSPECTIVE HONOURING TORONTO'S
LATE CHEF KEITH WHITE
HARLEM
67 Richmond Street E. (at Church St.)
6 pm; Canapés at 7 pm
Three-course dinner served at 8 pm, followed by an evening of music
RSVP TO ATTEND DINNER at carl@iriefoodjoint.com or call 416-368-1920
::OPPORTUNITY::
URGENT Job Opportunity in Tokyo – World Percussionist – Cirque
du Soleil
I am a partner with Cirque du Soleil with the casting of musicians and
singers. (Yeah, I know - cool gig). One of their requests is for a world percussionist.
This position needs to be filled IMMEDIATELY (meaning in March 2008 with
rehearsals in Montreal)! You MUST be available from March 3, 2008
to August 8, 2010 (two year commitment).
Let me know at your earliest convenience if you or someone you know would be
interested as there is a VERY short timeframe involved. Here are the
qualifications for the role – if you do not fit these requirements in their
full capacity, your application cannot be considered for this particular
position.
Qualifications for World Percussionist Position:
Frame drums (middle east- India)
Drum stick technique
Cajon
Shakers
Hand drums (no congas, bongos, timbales)
Tablas (an asset)
Shakers and toys
Extreme precision with click tracks
Creative and able to play outside traditional patterns (fusion of
genres)
Is this your experience? Yes? If so, this is what I'd
need from you right away:
Application MUST include:
A résumé (including date of birth, nationality, complete contact
information, years and locations of training and professional experience);
One or several photo(s);
An audio demo (mandatory). We want to hear at least three or four
pieces, of different styles and rhythms, from your favourite repertory. It is
important that we hear you clearly. We only accept recent recordings (produced
in the last 12 months);
A videotape (mandatory). Take about three minutes to introduce
yourself to the camera. State your name, date of birth, summarize your career,
and tell us why you are interested in working with us.
Please include excerpts of performances you have given, or record
two complete songs of your choice;
A list of instruments you play and photos (if possible).
Ensure that when you do the video that you
introduce yourself, etc. first as explained above. They also may want you
to record one of their songs on videotape.
Write to me HERE if you plan on submitting an application.
I need to forward your name on to Cirque du Soleil – good luck!!
MusiCan Announces Fred Sherratt Award
Source:
CARAS
(February 19, 2008) MusiCan, the charitable
arm of the Canadian Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences (CARAS), together with
CTVglobemedia (CTVgm), announced today the establishment of the MusiCan Fred Sherratt Award to be given in this inaugural year to 11
outstanding post-secondary graduates of Canadian music programs.
Each recipient will receive $3,500 and a trip to Toronto including
transportation, meals and accommodation. All 11 recipients will attend a
reception and spend an educational day at MuchMusic and CHUM FM. The awards
will be granted annually beginning Spring 2008.
Broadcasting pioneer Fred Sherratt was instrumental in building CHUM Limited
into one of Canada's leading media companies. He served as Vice-Chairman of the
company from 2000-2003 and prior to that, he played a number of roles including
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He was inducted into the
Canadian Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Hall of Fame in 1995 and in 1993
received the Ted Rogers Senior/Velma Rogers Graham Award for his “pioneering
spirit and contribution to the broadcasting system.”
“We are grateful to CTVglobemedia for this incredible contribution allowing us
to continue to support young Canadian talent and to be able to honour Mr.
Sherratt's contribution to the development of radio and television in Canada,”
said Srinka Wallia, Executive Director, MusiCan.
“We are delighted to fund these new awards as part of CHUM Radio and CTVgm’s
overall significant contribution in support of MusiCan’s mission. And I am
thrilled that they have been named in Fred Sherratt's honour. Fred has been a
champion of Canadian talent throughout his entire career,” said Ivan Fecan,
President and CEO of CTVglobemedia.
The MusiCan Fred Sherratt Award will be available to post-secondary graduating
students of the 11 colleges and universities across Canada already partnered
with MusiCan, including:
The Art Institute of Vancouver, Vancouver, British Columbia
The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta
Capilano College, North Vancouver, British Columbia
Fanshawe College, London, Ontario
Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, Alberta
Harris Institute for the Arts, Toronto, Ontario
Humber College, Toronto, Ontario
Musitechnic Educational Services Inc., Montreal, Quebec
Selkirk College, Nelson, British Columbia
St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia
Trebas Institute, Montreal, Quebec & Toronto, Ontario
About
MusiCan
MusiCan, the music education charity of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts
and Sciences (CARAS) is helping keep music alive in schools across Canada.
MusiCan’s mission is to ensure that children in Canada have access to a
comprehensive music program through their school. MusiCan is supported by various
initiatives such as the platinum selling JUNO Award nominee compilation CD,
annual contributions by CTVglobemedia, EMI Music Canada Inc., SONY BMG Music
Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada Ltd., as well as
Songwriters’ Circle sponsored by CMPA and SOCAN, Juno Cup and individual and
corporate contributions, including The Keg Spirit Foundation and SIRIUS Canada
Inc.
Since 1989, scholarships have been awarded annually to exceptional students
enrolled in post-secondary Music Industry Arts Programs. These Scholarships
have assisted many young Canadians with the help they need to develop their
talent, and launch their careers. Winners are selected by the heads of programs
at participating schools, based on a number of criteria, including good
academic standing, excellent performance ability, strong leadership skills and
a consistent dedication to improvement and excellence in their work.
For more information on MusiCan, please visit www.musican.ca
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada’s premier multimedia company with ownership of
CTV, Canada’s #1 television network, and The Globe and Mail, Canada’s #1
national newspaper. CTV Inc. owns and operates 27 conventional stations across
the country, with interests in 35 specialty channels, including Canada’s #1
specialty channel, TSN. CTVglobemedia also owns the CHUM Radio Division, which
operates 35 radio stations throughout Canada, including CHUM FM, Canada’s #1 FM
station. Other CTVglobemedia investments include an interest in Maple Leaf
Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors
and the Air Canada Centre; and an interest in Dome Productions, a North
American leader in the provision of mobile high definition production
facilities.
::TOP STORIES::
Oscar Nominee Jason Reitman Finds
Himself Caught Between Hollywood And His Canuck Roots
Excerpt from www.thestarcom - Peter Howell,
Movie Critic
(February 17, 2008) PARK CITY, Utah–It's
the morning of the Oscar announcements, and Jason
Reitman could hardly seem more connected. But
look closer.
He's dressed in the casual winter wear that is the mandatory garb of the
Sundance Film Festival, currently in session, for which he is on the judging
panel for short films.
He has a cellphone that seems surgically attached to his ear, like the Hollywood
mogul he's become, as he fields congratulations and interview requests
regarding his Best Director nomination for Juno, one of four bids for his hit comedy at
the Feb. 24 Academy Awards – the others are Best Picture, Best Actress (Ellen
Page) and Best Original Screenplay (Diablo Cody).
The Montreal-born Reitman, 30, is still on the phone as he sits for a delayed
interview with the Star. But who could blame him? He's just been
nominated for an Oscar, for crying out loud, which is as big a surprise to him
as it is an honour.
"Man, getting that nomination!" he says, as he finally silences the
cell.
"I was on Good Day L.A. this morning and they introduced me as,
`Hey, we have Oscar nominee Jason Reitman on the phone!' I was like, wow. They
include it as part of my name. I'll have that for the rest of my life."
Yet even though Reitman can rightfully call himself a true insider – he also
writes and produces – he still feels very much like an outsider in many
respects. Ten years after he made his film debut at Sundance, a comedy short
called Operation that attracted attention mainly for his surname (he's
the son of producer/director Ivan Reitman of Ghostbusters and Stripes
fame), he still feels caught between cultures.
He's a hockey-loving Canadian living in Hollywood. But most Canadians –
including many government and movie industry bureaucrats – believe him to be
American.
He's actually Canuck through and through. The eldest of three children of Ivan
Reitman and Geneviève Robert was born Oct. 19, 1977 in Montreal. His parents
moved to California when he was a child and he went to school there, but he
never renounced his Canadian citizenship nor applied to be a U.S. citizen (he
works stateside courtesy of a green card).
He's married to a Canadian, Vancouver-reared Michele Lee, whom he credits with
making him switch hockey allegiance from the L.A. Kings to the Canucks. The
couple have a 17-month-old daughter, Josephine.
More important is that Reitman considers himself Canadian, and also views Juno
in the same light, since it stars two Canucks (Ellen Page and Michael Cera) and
was filmed entirely in the Vancouver area. Juno was the runner-up
audience award winner at the most recent Toronto International Film Festival,
and his debut feature Thank You For Smoking was a sensation at the 2005
TIFF, where it set off a bidding war among eager prospective distributors.
"Yeah, it's a tricky thing," Reitman says, stroking his beard
reflectively.
"I grew up in L.A., but my family's Canadian, so I feel like I grew up
with their values. I'm in Canada a lot. I shot a movie there, I shot a lot of
commercials up there and almost my entire family lives there. The Toronto Film
Festival is now basically my home."
His Oscar nod reminds him of another outsider feeling for anyone from the
Reitman clan: if you make comedy, the Academy doesn't want to know you. At
least until now.
"Believe you me, I was raised in a household where I heard all the time
about how the Academy ignored comedy – and they do. My dad deserves nominations
four times over. I'm just hoping that through this independent push of the last
10 years, where movies like mine and Little Miss Sunshine and Sideways
have started to get nominations, that we're starting to get a little
respect."
But nothing excites a parent more than seeing a child succeed, and Reitman Sr.
was on the phone with tears of joy to congratulate Jason for the Best Director
nod that he'd never managed to secure for himself.
"He's never been nominated and he was pretty shook up. He was over the
moon and just so, so proud. I never really understood that feeling until now. I
had a daughter a year ago, and I didn't know what pride was and I didn't know
what fear was until I had my child."
Becoming a dad helped him make Juno, both a departure from and an
extension of the worldly cynicism of Thank You For Smoking, which
satirized hypocrisy and political correctness about human vices.
"I was directing a birth scene three months after I watched my wife give
birth. There's a reason why the third act of Juno is so potent. It's
because I was this new father that was really going through the emotions of
what all the characters were feeling."
Reitman knew he had to make Juno the moment he read the script by
stripper-turned-writer Cody, who managed to make being an accidental teen mom
seem both funny and profound.
Like most folks, he was surprised by the film's sleeper success. When it
debuted at TIFF last fall, no one seriously thought it would be a major Oscar
contender or a box-office powerhouse that has earned more than $100 million and
counting.
"I never felt certainty. Last night I went to sleep thinking, `Whatever
happens, happens.' It would be wonderful to get nominated for Best Picture and
I would try to calm myself knowing the fact that I was going to get a free
Nintendo Wii (as a Sundance promotion) today ... I tried to think about that
instead of the nominations because you can drive yourself crazy."
He's given a lot of thought as to why Juno made such a big impact when
so many other comedies just come and go.
"I think it has to do with a couple things. One, it's a great screenplay
and it has great performances in it. Two, it came out at a time when there is
all this dark material out there, heavy-duty dramas that are often about things
that we actually have no personal experience with.
"Whereas Juno is a film that speaks to people who reacted to it for
the same reason that I did. It deals with an idea that we can all understand:
What is the moment that you decide to grow up?"
Part of growing up is realizing what helped you get there. And Jason Reitman
knows one thing he'd really like to do: help his dad get some sort of
recognition for his own huge contribution to cinema – and also to Canadian
culture.
"You know what he needs?" Reitman says. "This is what he doesn't
have; he doesn't have the Order of Canada.
"Yeah, seriously. He needs a pin! I want a pin for him. That's cooler than
an Oscar. You can't wear an Oscar. But you wear the Order of Canada pin
everyday. I remember I was at a thing in Denver once and I see a guy across the
room with a pin and I'm like, `Ah, it's Norman Jewison!' I knew, because of the
pin. All the way across the room. That pin is cool."
Jason Reitman now has the clout to make that pin for his dad happen. He could casually
mention it at the Canuck Oscar nominees' luncheon at the Canadian Consulate
General in Los Angeles, to which he's been invited along with Ellen Page.
An honour like that would go a long way to making both Reitman Jr. and Sr. feel
like genuine insiders, at least within their own country.
Feist Shines On The Olympic Stage
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com
- Kerry Gold
Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad Countdown Concert
Featuring Feist, Ron Sexsmith, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and others At
the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver on Tuesday
(February 14, 2008) It might have been the night to kick off the two-year
countdown to the 2010 Olympics,
but for most of the sold-out crowd at the Vancouver Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday,
it was all about the headliner with the signature voice: Feist.
The Calgary-raised indie pop singer entered to a roar of applause and finished
with an extended standing ovation from the crowd of about 2,700. A sure sign of
Grammy-nominated Feist's draw power were the empty seats that filled only when
she appeared, 2½ hours into the nearly four-hour show.
It wasn't the first Olympic event for Feist - as a child, she performed in the
1988 Calgary Olympics with 1,000 other children at the opening ceremonies.
Tongue firmly in cheek, she referred to the two years of rehearsals she endured
as "a great way to spend your early carefree years," to much audience
laughter.
Because it was a night devoted to the Olympics as much as the diverse musical
artists on the program, it occasionally had the overly long, disjointed feel of
a well-organized variety show. By the time Ontario's master of the melancholy
song Ron Sexsmith made it to the stage, a big portion of the audience had
cleared out for an impromptu intermission.
It also happened to be a night to celebrate the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra,
which had just picked up a Grammy. The VSO was a guiding presence throughout
the program, which included Sexsmith, Quebec singer and multi-instrumentalist
Jorane, Dene folk singer Leela Gilday and Toronto's Suzie McNeil, best known
for her big vocal performances on Rock Star: INXS.
The Cultural Olympiad 2008 event started off with the requisite promotional
video and words from Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee chief executive
officer John Furlong, while Premier Gordon Campbell watched from the audience.
Between performances, emcee Ben Mulroney plugged Canadian
Idol and provided French translation.
Conductor and pianist Bramwell Tovey played David Foster's Can You Feel It? The tattooed McNeil belted out a song
called Believe, rife with the uplifting platitudes so
favoured by feel-good events.
Aboriginal music award winner Gilday reminded us of the not-so-beatific
Downtown Eastside, with her song Calling All Warriors,
dedicated to the women who have gone missing there.
If the universe were just, Sexsmith and Jorane would be superstars by now. The
Quebec cellist and pianist has a stunning voice and eccentric songwriting style
that melded perfectly with a symphony orchestra. Sexsmith gave his usual stoic
delivery with heart-melting vocals, acoustic guitar in hand, and the VSO
provided the rush-of-sound on songs such as Gold In Them
Hills.
At around 10 p.m., Feist appeared, the new-found Canadian mainstream star.
Dressed in head-to-toe white, her black hair framed around her face, she worked
through a random sampling of material, including Feel It
All, The Park, So Sorry,
When I Was a Young Girl, Honey
Honey, Sealion and, in a duet with Sexsmith, Brandy Alexander, a song they had written together. She
can get the audience going with a couple of guitar notes, then begins the Feist
groove - she bobs at the knees, boogies around the stage, appears to wildly
enunciate even though you often can't make out the foggy words.
If the show had a stiff, corporate feel early on, Feist provided light-hearted
relief. She was also full of praise, for the VSO, Sexsmith and her band, which
accompanied the orchestra to thrilling effect on her hit song 1234.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Episode Of The Border Turns Actors Into
Activists
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Bruce Demara, Entertainment Reporter
(Feb 18, 2008) In a world where children
are routinely pressed into service as soldiers and forced to
commit atrocities, two actors guest-starring on tonight's episode of The Border come at the issue from perspectives an
ocean apart.
Bayo
Akinfemi, 38, who came to Canada as a refugee from Nigeria, said the issue of
child soldiers is one all Canadians need to understand better.
Isaiah Grant, a life-long Hamilton native, said
playing a part in The Border opened his eyes to the ongoing genocide in
Sudan and the role thousands of child soldiers play in the conflict.
"It took a lot out of me. I remember auditioning and leaving there, I was
shaking," said Grant, 17, of his first television role.
"It was very important for me to do (the role) justice and not let them
down because I know there's child soldiers that have emigrated to Canada. I
felt that I couldn't go in there and just read lines and act like it was
nothing. I had to dig deep," Grant said.
The episode, "Family Values" (which airs tonight at 9 p.m. on CBC),
begins when a Hollywood star
(reminiscent of Angelina Jolie), who adopts a war orphan from Darfur (played by
Grant), comes to Canada to attend an international conference on the issue.
In hot pursuit is a Sudanese commander (played by Akinfemi), claiming to be the
boy's father but more intent on preventing him from providing key evidence
against the country's warlords.
To Akinfemi, who fled from Nigeria because as a political activist his life was
in danger, these young soldiers are held in thrall to their commanders in a way
that's both diabolical and understandable. "The psyches of these kids are
so eroded that they see (my character) as a father, even though he makes them
do all these unspeakable things. He's the only father figure that they
know," Akinfemi said.
After landing the part, Grant said he began researching the issue of child
soldiers and the situation in Darfur, including harrowing first-person accounts
from the children themselves. He used that material as an "inner
monologue" during his portrayal.
Grant is also organizing a daylong event at his high school slated for May,
called "Culture Shock," to increase public awareness.
The episode has also changed his perspective about the usual teenage things,
like brand-name sneakers.
"Buying clothes with these nice name brands, it's not important to me any
more. It's not important at all," he said.
The UN, which has appointed a special representative on the issue of children
and armed conflict, has estimated thousands of children are recruited as
soldiers every year, naming 13 countries across the globe, seven in Africa,
that are of particular concern. A UN report last month noted that 60 per cent
of the victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic
of Congo are between the ages of 11 and 17.
Akinfemi said his knowledge of the issue made appearing in the episode
particularly important.
"I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled, when I learned I got the part. When
I read the episode, I'm like, `Oh, I've got to do this, I've got to do
this,'" said Akinfemi, who previously starred in the CBC miniseries Human
Cargo, which also dealt with the issue of child soldiers as well as refugee
smuggling.
And while Akinfemi still struggles in Canada to find roles as an actor and
supplements his income with odd jobs, he sees a lesson for his own two children
and students he teaches part-time at the Toronto Film School.
"Look at the horrors that these kids from Africa and ... from all these
war-ravaged countries, look at the horrors they have to deal with,"
Akinfemi said.
"You see it on TV all the time. These are realities and ... I look at my
kids and it's like, `You have no clue how good you've got it,'" said
Akinfemi, who has become a Canadian citizen.
::TRAVEL NEWS::
Exciting Trips For Solos In New Year
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Special To The Star
(January 05, 2008) Whether your New Year's
resolution is to escape the cold, to socialize, sightsee or
simply rejuvenate, there's a diverse assortment of vacation options for the solo traveller.
Singles Travel International has more than 30 trips for 2008, including a
singles Baja Weekend Getaway Cruise for the 30s to 40s aboard Royal Caribbean's
Monarch of the Seas. Trip leaves from Los Angeles and runs from Feb. 29 to
March 3. Prices start at $339 with a single supplement of $170. Benefits
include a welcome aboard party, a happy hour club, singles-only seating,
singles-only land tours, a singles farewell party and a visit to Ensenada,
Mexico.
If cruising isn't your style, the same company has all-ages Rio de Janeiro,
Buenos Aires and Iguassu Falls trip from Feb. 17 to 24, which includes seven
nights four-star accommodation, sightseeing, tango and more. Prices start at
$1,759 for a shared room and $2,499 for a single. Additional charges include
airport transfers, certain activities and flights. For more info: www.singlestravelintl.com or call 1-877-765-6874.
Renewal is a key trend for travel in 2008, so if you're looking to add
something Zen to your holiday, A Taste of Health presents a Holistic Holiday at
Sea from March 30 to April 6 aboard the Costa Fortuna. The cruise leaves from
Fort Lauderdale and includes specially prepared meals, lectures, yoga, Pilates,
meditation classes, cooking classes and other activities. Stops include Puerto
Rico, St Maarten, Tortola, and the Turks and Caicos.
Prices for a double start at $1,195. Single occupancy rates are approximately
1 1/2 times the double occupancy rate, though roommate shares may be
possible. To inquire about availability and prices call 1-828-749-1959 or visit
www.atasteofhealth.org
Longitude 180, a high-end Canadian travel company offers an exclusive path to
wellness with its Tahiti Long Well-Being Program in Bora Bora and the Tuamotus.
Winter/spring dates are Feb. 22 to March 2 and April 25 to May 4.
This trip includes spa treatments, a private yoga and Reiki Master for the
duration of the trip, sightseeing, meditation and a chance to reconnect with
nature on the island of Tikehau. Prices without airfare start at $10,350 with a
single supplement of $1,500. Check out their other trips at http://longitude180.ca
or 905-479-8054.
Kudos to Signature Vacations, which continues to offer special packages for
solo travellers. Sample trips include an all-inclusive vacation at Blau
Colonial in Cayo Coco, Cuba, that includes flights, airport transfers, single
room, meals, water sports and other activities. Many dates are available and
prices range from $1,109 (April 25) to $1,689 (March 7) for seven nights plus
tax. Other solo offerings include Holguin Cuba and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,
with no single supplements, though not all dates are available. For information
visit signaturevacations.com (under special packages click on singles).
If you want to avoid a solitary Valentine's Day, Meet Market Adventures is
offering a Club Getaway Sports & Adventure Valentine singles cruise from
Feb 10 to Feb 17 from $729, airfare not included. With dance classes, daily
deck parties, golf lessons, ping-pong tournaments, cooking classes, wine
tastings and more, you should find something to keep yourself occupied. If not,
try the excursions in San Juan, St. Thomas, Catalina Island, Casa de Campo and
Nassau. The downside? Single rooms are 100 per cent of the double occupancy
rate, but sharing is available. Call 1-866-907-4006 or go to www.meetmarketadventures.com
For some female bonding, the Ultimate Girls Getaway provides an escape to
Bermuda from April 10 to 13 with an eclectic assortment of speakers including
Canada's own Dini Petty; author Lisa Earle McLeod; and Natalie Smith-Blakeslee,
medium psychic and pet communicator.
Activities include cooking classes, a Little Black Dress Calypso Party and
sightseeing. Program takes place at the chi-chi Fairmont Southampton. Price for
a double room is $899 for three nights. Room shares may be available or call
for a single supplement rate.
Call 1-888-495-2135, visit www.ultimategirlsgetaway.com
or book travel through Merit Travel (905-887-8787.)
::MUSIC NEWS::
Could $5 A Month Save The Music
Industry?
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Greg Quill
(February 20, 2008) The Songwriters Association of Canada proposes a $5 monthly fee on
subscribers’ Internet bills that would make it legal to download music and
hopefully save the failing music industry.
THE PROBLEM
Sales of CDs are down 20 per cent worldwide and 35 per cent in Canada, compared
to 2006.
An estimated 1.6 billion music files are downloaded in Canada each year on
"grey-market" peer-to-peer systems, representing $1.6 billion in lost
revenue, using the iTunes price model of 99 cents per download.
The total number of purchased downloads in Canada was 38 million in 2005. The
ratio of shared to paid downloads is 98:2 (98% shared files vs. 2% purchased
downloads).
Virtually every song ever recorded is available through peer-to-peer
file-sharing (more than 79 million recordings). Only 3 million songs are
available on legal sites.
Sources: Songwriters Association of Canada; Canadian Record Industry
Association; PricewaterhouseCoopers LLB
WHAT'S THE PLAN?
SAC is calling for the creation of the Right to Equitable Remuneration for
Music File Sharing, which would make it legal to share music on peer-to-peer
networks in exchange for the monthly fee. The fee – amounting to an estimated
$500 million to $900 million annually in Canada – would be administered by a
collective of artists, songwriters, music publishers and record labels.
"Monetizing peer-to-peer file-sharing would generate significant new
revenue for creators and the music industry," says acting SAC president
Eddie Schwartz, "and re-establish revenue levels (for songwriters) that we
haven't seen since 2000-2001."
THE FORUM
SAC, which represents the interests of Canadian music composers and lyricists,
is advancing its radical proposal at a public forum tomorrow at 7 p.m. at
Oakham House at Ryerson University. It hopes this will be the first step
towards legitimizing peer-to-peer music file-sharing activity in this country –
and perhaps eventually all over the world – while compensating music creators
at the same time.
For more information go to songwriters.ca, or call 1-866-456-7664.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR CONSUMERS?
SAC argues the fee would remove the stigma of illegality from file-sharing and
represents exceptional value to the consumer, since it would allow unlimited
access to the majority of the world's repertoire of recorded music.
The plan renders digital rights management and the legal protection for digital
locks, which prevent copying and file-sharing, "obsolete," Schwartz
says. "The simple truth is that there's no way anyone can stop free
file-sharing. It's exciting to discover new music and natural to want to share
it. File-sharing isn't about the marketplace, it's social activity, a way to
seek out like-minded people, and music has always been used that way. The SAC
proposal may not be the silver bullet that saves the music industry, but it
could be the greatest opportunity independent artists and music consumers have.
There are no middlemen, no gatekeepers, no owners of the means of music
distribution in this proposal. Consumers can interact directly with the
creators of music."
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES?
Internet Service Providers may resist adding $5 to customers' monthly bills.
The four major record labels, which have traditionally dominated music
distribution, oppose all attempts to establish alternatives or competitors.
The federal government, which will have to be convinced of the merit of the
changes in the Copyright Act, is reluctant to intervene in the marketplace
unless in the public interest.
Songwriters and authors will have to give up their long-established right to
approve or disapprove of the use and means of dissemination of their work. The
only right they will have is the right to be paid for peer-to-peer downloads.
Internet users who do not download music – paid or otherwise – will balk at
paying an extra $5 a month.
Source: David Fewer, staff counsel with the Canadian Internet Policy and
Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law
CHORUS OF SUPPORT
"I wholeheartedly believe that this model for file-sharing should be
embraced in all countries. Let's get it rolling and it can be a template for
other performing rights societies throughout the world. With dwindling record
sales because of the thievery, this might be the new paradigm of income source
for all songwriters."
–musician Randy Bachman
"The Canadian Music Creators Coalition endorses the Songwriters
Association of Canada in pushing this proposal forward. We think the Canadian
government should be facilitating discussion over the merits of this
forward-thinking approach. This is the first progressive proposal we've seen in
Canada to address file-sharing ... a made-in-Canada approach to (the issue).''
–Andrew Cash, spokesperson for the organization that monitors legal and
policy issues affecting Canadian musicians
"With the Internet I have virtually unlimited access to millions of music
files. Amazing, right? Well ... yes and no. I'm a songwriter. Songwriters
create ideas. We're inventors. Think about the light bulb and the telephone.
People don't mind paying for their telephone and electricity each month, but
somehow they think music should be free. The truth is, music has value too. We
believe access to online music should remain unlimited. We're just asking that
the value of our music be acknowledged and that we be fairly compensated."
–Bryan Adams collaborator Jim Vallance
"I think if there was an ISP tax of some sort, we can say, `All music is
now available and able to be downloaded and put in your car and put in your
iPod and put it up your ass if you want, and it's $5 on your cable bill.'"
–Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails
South Asian Group Reworks Cohen Classic
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- John Goddard, Staff Reporter
(February 14, 2008) A Leonard Cohen song reworked as an Indo-jazz tune is
drawing new fans to
Toronto fusion band autorickshaw.
"It seems to be an entry point into our music," vocalist Suba
Sankaran says of the song "Bird on a Wire" and its effect on listeners
here and overseas.
"People say, `Leonard Cohen – I've been listening to him for years.'
"I say, `Really? But you live in Bangalore.'"
Last week, autorickshaw received a Juno nomination for Canadian world-music
album of the year, So
the Journey Goes, which includes the Cohen song. And for the same disc, the
quartet is up for an Independent Music Award, an international prize, in the world-fusion
category.
"We remain steeped in the traditions of the classical music of
India," Sankaran is quick to add. "We don't want to get away from
that too much and just become an avant-garde jazz band."
Autorickshaw formed in 2003 when Sankaran, a Toronto native of South Asian
heritage, met Ed Hanley, a Toronto anglo-Canadian who had studied North
Indian-style tabla drumming for 13 years.
They brought in Rich Brown on bass and Debashis Sinha on percussion – since
replaced by Patrick Brown – and named themselves after urban India's motorized
three-wheeled taxi, itself a hybrid of tradition and modernity.
They view their music as true Indian-Western fusion.
"You often hear a band doing X and Y fusion when they know a lot about Y
but almost nothing about X," Hanley explained recently at a coffee shop
with Sankaran.
"So they'll take an X element that is really identifiable – maybe put
their guitar through an amp so it sounds like a sitar – but they're really just
playing a jazz tune.
"It has nothing to do with Indian music. They've just coloured it."
By contrast, autorickshaw's musicians know Western and Indian classical forms
well. In all their work they display true cultural adventurism, their version
of "Bird on a Wire" offering a handy example.
They began with a bass line that changed the 3/4 time signature to a
seven-beat rhythm, like a slow 7/4, Sankaran says. They also transposed
the bass line to the Lydian mode, a Greek scale that includes all the white
keys on the piano from F to F.
"(The Lydian mode) has an equivalent in South India – the Kalyani raga,"
Sankaran says. "So we had the two sides meet.
"We manipulated the melody so we could fit into this particular mode and
at the beginning I do these South Indian traditional improvisations, the
authentic microtonal inflections."
Autorickshaw plays the first of three scheduled 2008 Lula Lounge concerts next
Tuesday, the others slated for May 29 and Sept.25. Tuesday's appearance
includes local guests Mark Duggan on percussion and Dylan Bell on keyboards.
Gospel Reggae Singer Omari Making
Strides With Help
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
-
(February 14, 2008) *Twenty-eight-year old
gospel singer Omari has hit pay dirt with the thought-provoking
single, Help which emerged as a hit last year. The accompanying music video for
the track continues to enjoy steady rotation on RETV, Music Plus, Tempo, BETJ
and Sky TV in the UK.
"The idea for Help came about at a time when I was in a state of
depression. I was pretty much lost and I used to think I could never become
anything in life without holding on to others," Omari said in a recent
interview. He added "I was driving by Riverton City dump one day and the
idea for the song started to materialise. The song is like an autobiography
based on what I have experienced."
Omari, whose real name is Andrew Edwards, grew up in Mandeville and attended
Manchester High School.
"Music has always been a passion for me ever since I was in high school. I
actually wanted to become a secular artiste but I got saved just as I was about
to leave high school and the gospel route was what I decided to pursue,"
Omari revealed.
His first recording was the Danny Browne-produced single Joy to the World and
later recorded How We Celebrate Christmas.
"I was in a group called Rappers for Christ from 1997 to around 2001. I
decided to go the solo route so I hooked up with Danny Browne from Main
Street," said Omari.
Omari was once the road manager for gospel deejay Prodigal Son. After Prodigal
Son relocated overseas for a short while, Omari said he felt his world was
crumbling. "I didn't know what else to do and things were falling apart
for me. But eventually I overcame the hurdles and soldiered on," he said.
Since the success of Help, Omari's life has seen a drastic turnaround. He is
now in demand for gospel shows both locally and in the Caribbean. He has also
been getting attention from the local media. "The song has really done a
lot for me and opened up some doors that were not readily available to me
before. But the one thing that I have always wanted was for the song to make it
beyond the gospel arena. Help is really a cry for Jamaica and what people are
experiencing," he said.
Omari's star has been shining over the last few weeks. He recently won awards
for Best Male Vocalist and Best Video for Help in the Mega Jamz Gospel awards.
Additionally, he picked up three nominations in the inaugural Reggae Academy
Awards. He has been nominated in the categories Best Video and Best Gospel Song
for Help, and Best Gospel Male Vocalist.
"I am really grateful for the recognition and I give all praises to the
Father above," Omari commented.
Omari's follow-up single is titled Speak Life. The accompanying music video is
currently in the pipeline. His debut solo album is expected to be released this
summer.
Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff:
Legendary Soul Hitmakers Impressed By New Breed - Part I
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
-
(February 18, 2008) "The way me and Gamble worked
in the ‘70s – I wouldn’t say we couldn’t do it, but&huff(l)(unfated-blk-bgrd-med).jpg)
the energy wouldn’t allow us to do it
[now]. I’m not going to get trapped in that illusion. I’ll mess around and have
a heart attack." -- Leon Huff
*There are very few hitmakers that have the clout and legendary masterpiece
catalogue as the music duo of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, aptly known as Gamble & Huff.
The two music maestros are the men behind such hits as Lou Rawls’ “You’ll Never
Find Another Love Like Mine,” Teddy Pendergrass’ “Turn Off the Lights,” The
O’Jays’ “Darling, Darling Baby,” and so many, many more, bringing Philadelphia
soul music to the world.
In 1971, the duo formed Philadelphia International Records (PIR) and cut a
major deal with the largest label at that time, CBS Records and its president
Clive Davis. Now, the two have scored a major agreement with mega label
Sony/BMG.
“We’ve just signed a deal and we’re re-releasing all of our catalogue,” Gamble
told EUR’s Lee Bailey. “We have a licensing arrangement. We’re releasing
product, but we haven’t any new product. We have a tremendous catalogue and
that’s what we’ve been working on.”
The thought of the music legends simply re-releasing their classics may not sit
well with some fans; both Gamble and Huff explain that this is merely the
process and path of legendary music.
“It’s a traditional process. It’s what all the big music labels do every ten
years,” Huff said, continuing that the duo may be inspired to do some new
music, too. “If something special comes along that would spark our creative
activities, we would consider it. We pick and choose. We don’t have that energy
that we had in the ‘70s. We can’t just pick any person that sings.”
Huff reminisced on his days in the studio with partner Gamble. At times they
spent entire days and nights churning out hit songs.
“We worked seven days a week, almost 24 hours a day,” he said “We’re not trying
to compete with the hip-hop guys and all that, but if there is an artist that
really excites us, then we’ll get involved with it. At this time, we’d like to
set our music for TV programs and movies and commercials and everything you can
think of.”
Gamble revealed that there are a few current artists that have piqued his ears,
including American Idol Fantasia, but that the two don’t have any current plans
to pursue new projects.
“I think she’s a great artist,” he said of the singer. “There’s a couple of
other ones out there, but that’s a lot for us right now, and the industry is
not what it used to be. The music is different.”
Huff reiterated the fact that the industry has made some changes and that the
hit team has, too; one being to just slow down, enjoy life, and get more rest
than they did in their heyday in the ’60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.
“Music comes in all different forms – in business, too,” Huff added. “The way
me and Gamble worked in the ‘70s – I wouldn’t say we couldn’t do it, but the
energy wouldn’t allow us to do it [now]. I’m not going to get trapped in that
illusion. I’ll mess around and have a heart attack. When me and Gamble worked
it was a lot of intensity; a lot of energy. I’m not going to stay up ‘til 4
o’clock in the morning. That’s what we did.”
After all that work to create songs, their hits are now going to work for them.
Gamble & Huff classics have resurfaced quite often in many different
formats – television shows, movies, commercials.
“I think it’s just as rewarding,” Gamble said of comparing producing the hits
with having them be a part of productions. “For example, you take the Donald
Trump ‘Apprentice’ show; ‘For the Love of Money’ has been the theme song for
that for seven seasons. You got the Coors beer commercial, ‘The Love Train’ had
been on that, you got ‘The Rubber Band Man.’ You got so many songs from our
catalogue that