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LE NEWSLETTER
March 13, 2008
Happy Easter (already!)! Seems like this snuck up on us this year so for those that
celebrate it, please enjoy safely.
I'm so happy to bring you my coverage of the 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta with stories of individuals include the people that attend the regatta, the boating
enthusiasts, those behind the regatta, and the locals that enjoy the nightly
parties featuring local talent as well as the headlining talent - Shaggy and Alison Hinds.
Scroll down and find out what interests you - take your time and take a walk
into your weekly entertainment news!
::TOP STORIES::
Morning Without Music Is A Dwindled Dawn
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com
- Brad Wheeler
(March 19, 2008) In his documentary film and just-released album Here Is What Is, Daniel
Lanois searches for the "source of the art." Specifically the
hunt is for the origins of music and song, but the process would apply to any
art form. The search begins in Lanois's Toronto recording studio then moves to
a church in Shreveport, La., and then to Morocco where he hooks up with Brian
Eno and U2. What he finds is that music comes from within one's self, starting
humbly and poorly formed - something from nothing - and builds out from there.
The secret is that there's no secret. Lanois has worked with some of the most
accomplished recording artists of his time (Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and
others), but the résumé and gold records count for little in the cold light of
dawn. Recently, Quebec native Lanois spoke about the process of making music
and chasing "sonics," his word for sound-crafting techniques.
"I was a Globe and Mail delivery boy for a good four years
[in Ancaster, Ont.]. I had some fairly serious routes, so I got used to getting
up at 4 in the morning. I was living in this fascinating world, of a little kid
walking and delivering papers for a couple of hours. I loved it; it was
fantastic. I've been getting up at 4 in the morning ever since, except now it's
to go down in the studio to work on my sonics.
"There's something sacred about that time of the morning -
the first stroke of expression and no distractions. The sonics, and early
mornings, have always been part of my thing. That was what was happening then,
and it's still kind of happening now. I'm so grateful that we have the ability
to wake up in the morning and be excited about possibilities and song ideas.
"I guess part of me likes to be sure that I'm being driven by
the right force. There are times when I look at what's going on around me, and
people having massive successes and commercial hits. I've gotten them myself,
with U2 and Peter Gabriel and all that. But we never go into those records
thinking we know how to make a hit. We have to turn up in the morning in the
sandbox and have to invent something and get excited and discover magic. That
part of the project never changes, whether you have commercial success or not.
"It's something that keeps me humble. I'll go in tomorrow,
and it doesn't matter that I have 10 Grammy awards - it's not going to help. I
have to go in and feel the spark and start building a sculpture and harness all
the beauty that's available to me.
"So, every day is like starting all over for me. And I like
what Brian Eno says in the film, about how that's how things start, in a small
way. It's like that for everybody, really. It's easy to assume that someone
else has all the gifts and all the successes and access to the machine. But it
only ever starts with a little spark."
HERE IS WHAT IS
Daniel Lanois
Maple Music
***½
Deep into his eighth studio album, in a serene Bono moan-croon,
Daniel Lanois asks for dreams, colours, ideas and crashing thunder - "Give
me faces that I've never seen, take me places I have never been." The
melody of I Like That is as simple as the song's little wishes and
wants. But small things can resonate big in the hands of a gifted producer and
musician, and Lanois exploits his talents, sublimely, on the album Here Is
What Is.
With legendary Band pianist Garth Hudson and limber jazz drummer
Brian Blade, Lanois weaves a fascinatingly textured, spiritual soundtrack, from
Louisiana gospel to the hazy gleam of Where Will I Be to Brian Eno
interview clips to the spun silver of Lanois's steel guitar. It all comes in
shimmering waves, with gentle laps, crashing tops and deeper pulls underneath.
Don't fight it - go with the undertow.
B.W.
Murray Questions Handling Of Flubbed Juno Nominees
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com
- Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
(March 19, 2008) TORONTO — Canadian singing legend Anne Murray is questioning
the
integrity of the Juno Awards after initially being left off the list of best album nominees.
An error in the way sales figures were calculated at first omitted Murray, and
after being corrected resulted in six candidates vying for a trophy instead of
the usual five.
Speaking by phone from a tour stop in Bethesda, Md., Murray said Tuesday that
means “the person who is not supposed to be in there could conceivably win.”
“It was strange because I knew what my (sales) numbers were and I saw some of
the other numbers and I thought, ‘Well, how did they figure that?”' Murray says
of the initial list of nominees announced Feb. 5 in Toronto.
“Because it is strictly numbers with the album of the year, and so I was
surprised.”
“You wonder how seriously they take it, the counting and all of that.”
The Juno Awards will be handed out April 6 in Calgary.
Ten days after revealing the nominees, officials said they had incorrectly
factored in digital sales and should have included Murray's disc, Duets:
Friends and Legends in the best album category and Jill Barber in the best
new artist category.
That put Duets up against Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing,
Celine Dion's comeback disc, Taking Chances, Dion's French disc D'Elles,
Feist's breakout The Reminder and Michael Buble's chart-topping Call
Me Irresponsible.
Nominees for the best album category are determined by calculating the average
of net sales, in part drawn from figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. The
winner is then voted on by members of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts
and Sciences (CARAS).
CARAS, which runs the Junos, would not say which of the other five albums or
best artist nominees would have been excluded if the error had not occurred,
but said the differences between the fifth and sixth rankings were very small.
Spokesman Stephen Stohn said the error only came to light when Murray's label,
EMI, and others contacted CARAS with concerns a mistake had been made.
In order to make sure the incident is never repeated, Stohn said CARAS has
formed a committee of music label representatives that will review all future
nominee lists one day before they are officially announced.
“Next year this type of discussion, rather than happening after the nominations
are announced, will happen with a very closed and very confidential group of
people who are in the know, to just look and say, ‘Listen, does this all make
sense? Does this jive with what we know?' ” said Stohn, who admitted he's had
to field questions from several people trying to figure out who are the
unintended nominees in the two categories.
Music watcher Larry LeBlanc said the bungle has sent waves through the
industry, noting he, too, has been drawn into speculation with other insiders
over who is the “weak link” in the best disc category.
“The Anne Murray gaffe was flabbergasting,” says LeBlanc, a veteran music journalist
who wrote the liner notes for the “Duets” disc.
“It casts a doubt on all but one album” in that category, Murray's disk.
Barber said she has mixed feelings about the incident, in which she was
belatedly added to the roster of best new artist nominees.
“I felt a little bit of disappointment that I wasn't included in the initial
big unveiling but I mostly just felt really excited to now be included,” she
said by phone from Vancouver.
Barber faces off against Belly, Jeremy Fisher, Justin Nozuka, Serena Ryder and
Suzie McNeil. She's also up for best roots and traditional album.
Despite her comments, Murray said the flap doesn't bother her that much.
“It matters not, it's splitting hairs at that stage,” said Murray, who is also
up for best pop album and is slated to perform on the show.
“They're all really good-selling albums and all good, upstanding artists, so
whoever wins, may the best man win.”
Juno organizers also made a mistake in the rap recording of the year category.
After they realized that rapper Classified had been nominated for the same
release last year, they dropped him from the category and added rapper JDiggz.
Anthony Minghella, 54: Directed English Patient
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
(March 18, 2008) LONDON (AP) – Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella, who
turned such
literary works as "The English Patient,'' "The Talented Mr.
Ripley" and "Cold Mountain" into acclaimed movies, has died. He
was 54.
Minghella's death was confirmed Tuesday by his agent, Judy Daish.
No other details were immediately available.
"The English Patient," the 1996 World War II drama, won
nine Academy Awards, including best director for Minghella, best picture and
best supporting actress for Juliette Binoche.
Based on the celebrated novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje,
the movie tells of a burn victim's tortured recollections of his misdeeds in
time of war.
Minghella (pronounced min-GELL'-ah) also was nominated for an
Oscar for best screenplay for the movie and for his screenplay for ``The
Talented Mr. Ripley.''
His 2003 "Cold Mountain," based on Charles Frazier's
novel of the U.S. Civil War, brought a best supporting actress Oscar for Renee
Zellweger.
The 1999 "The Talented Mr. Ripley," starring Matt Damon
as a murderous social climber, was based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith. It
earned five Oscar nominations.
Among his other films were "Truly, Madly, Deeply"
(1990), and last year's Oscar-nominated "Michael Clayton," on which
he was executive producer.
Minghella was recently in Botswana filming an adaptation of
Alexander McCall Smith's novel "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency."
It is due to air on British television this week.
The book is the first in a series about the adventures of
Botswanan private eye Precious Ramotswe; a 13-part television series was
recently commission by U.S. network HBO.
Producer David Puttnam said Minghella was "a very special person.''
"He wasn't just a writer, or a writer-director, he was
someone who was very well-known and very well-loved within the film
community," Puttnam told the BBC. "Frankly he was far too young to
have gone.''
Minghella also turned his talents to opera. In 2005, he directed a
highly successful staging of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the
English National Opera in London. The following year, he staged it for the
season opener of New York's Metropolitan Opera. It was the first performance of
the Met's new era under general manager Peter Gelb.
Jeff Ramsay, press secretary to Botswanan President Festus Mogae,
called Minghella's death a "shock and an utter loss.''
He said the director had been coming to the country ahead of the
detective film and learning about Botswana.
Ramsay said Minghella had told him how he had been forced to shoot
"Cold Mountain" in Romania and that it had "seemed wrong."
He said this made the director "more sure that the film could only be shot
in Botswana.''
Born the second of five children to southern Italian emigrants,
Minghella came to moviemaking from a flourishing playwriting career on the
London "fringe" and, in 1986, on the West End with the play,
"Made in Bangkok," a hard-hitting look at the sexual mores of a
British tour group in Thailand.
He worked as a television script editor before making his
directing debut with "Truly, Madly, Deeply," a comedy about love and
grief starring Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman.
In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Minghella said
``English Patient," which starred Binoche, Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott
Thomas, was the pinnacle of his career at the time.
"I feel more naked and more exposed by this piece of work
than anything I've ever been involved with," Minghella said.
He said too many modern films let the audience be passive, as if
they were saying, "We're going to rock you and thrill you. We'll do
everything for you.''
"This film goes absolutely against that grain," he said.
"It says, `I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make some connections.
There are some puzzles here. The story will constantly rethread itself and it
will be elliptical, but there are enormous rewards in that.'''
Ivan Dixon, 76: Hogan's Heroes Co-Star
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- The Associated Press
(March 19, 2008) CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ivan
Dixon, an actor, director and producer best known
for his role as Kinchloe on the 1960s television series Hogan's
Heroes, has died. He was 76.
Dixon died Sunday at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte after a
haemorrhage and complications from kidney failure, said his daughter, Doris
Nomathande Dixon of Charlotte.
Actor Sidney Poitier said the two men became friends after Dixon
was his stunt double in the 1958 movie The Defiant Ones.
"As an actor, you had to be careful," Poitier said in a
statement. "He was quite likely to walk off with the scene."
Dixon began his acting career on Broadway in plays including The
Cave Dwellers and A Raisin in the Sun. On film, he appeared in Something
of Value, A Raisin in the Sun, A Patch of Blue, Nothing
But a Man and the cult favourite Car Wash.
But he was probably best known for the role of U.S. Staff Sgt.
James Kinchloe on Hogan's Heroes, a satire set in a German
prisoner-of-war camp during the Second World War. Kinchloe, in charge of
electronic communications, could mimic German officers on the radio or phone.
While her father was most proud of work in plays such as A
Raisin in the Sun and for films such as Nothing But a Man, he had no
mixed feelings about being recognized for the role of Kinchloe, his daughter
said.
"It was a pivotal role as well, because there were not as
many blacks in TV series at that time," Nomathande Dixon said.
"He did have some personal issues with that role but it also
launched him into directing."
Dixon also earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the
CBS Playhouse special The Final War of Olly Winter.
In addition to acting on television, he also directed hundreds of
episodic shows, including The Waltons, The Rockford Files, Magnum,
P.I. and In the Heat of the Night.
Born April 6, 1931, in New York City, Dixon graduated in 1954 from
North Carolina Central University in Durham.
His honours include four NAACP Image Awards, the National Black
Theatre Award and the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award from the Black American Cinema
Society. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild of America and the
Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
In addition to his daughter, survivors include his wife of 53
years, Berlie Dixon of Charlotte and a son, Alan Kimara Dixon of Oakland,
Calif.
Two sons, Ivan Nathaniel Dixon and N'Gai Christopher Dixon, died
previously.
At Dixon's request, the family said, no memorial or funeral is
planned.
ABBA Drummer Dies In Accident In Spain
Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Ciaran
Giles, The Associated Press
(March 17, 2008) MADRID, Spain–A drummer for the Swedish pop band
ABBA was found dead
with cuts to his neck in the garden of his house on the Spanish island of
Mallorca but police said Monday an autopsy showed it was an accident.
A neighbour found the body of Ola Brunkert on Sunday evening at his house in a coastal area outside the
eastern town of Arta, a Civil Guard spokesman told The Associated Press on
condition of anonymity.
He said an autopsy was carried out and confirmed initial investigations.
"It was an accident," he said.
The spokesman said Brunkert hit his head against a glass door in his dining
room, shattering the glass and cutting himself on the neck. He managed to wrap
a towel around his neck and left the house to seek help but collapsed in the
garden.
Brunkert lived in the coastal apartment complex of Betlem in the municipality
of Arta, in the eastern part of Mallorca.
Brunkert had lived in Arta for around 20 years. His wife Inger died less than a
year ago, said an Arta municipal official.
ABBA band member Benny Anderson told the Swedish daily newspaper Expressen that
he was sad to hear of the drummer's death. "It is tragic," he said.
Band member Bjorn Ulvaeus added that Brunkert had been "one of the
best."
"I remember him as a good friend when we worked together in the mid-1970s.
He was a very creative musician who contributed a lot when we toured together
and worked in the studio," Ulvaeus told Expressen.
According to ABBA's official website, Brunkert and bass player Rutger
Gunnarsson were the only musicians to appear on all ABBA albums.
Brunkert, who was 62, first played with ABBA on the group's first single,
"People Need Love," and toured with the band in 1977, 1979 and 1980.
He had been a jazz drummer and a member of the blues band Slim's Blues Gang,
before joining pop group Science Poption in the mid-1960s.
ABBA, with the four regular members Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad,
Ulvaeus and Andersson, was one of the world's most successful bands, with album
sales of more than 370 million. The group has not performed together since
1982, but continues to sell nearly three million records a year.
::ST.
MAARTEN HEINEKEN REGATTA 2008::
March 6-10, 2008
With the sun shining and the city bustling with
regatta fever, I attended the exciting 28th
Heineken Regatta in the lovely
and warm St. Maarten. Welcome
to my travel log with its fusion of stories about individuals, places to shop
and restaurants
- and of course, the regatta! The
stories of individuals include the people that attend the regatta
and the locals that enjoy the nightly parties featuring local talent as well as
the headlining talent. This year, the musical headliners which were of
particular interest to me was
soca queen, Alison Hinds and Mister
Lover Lover Shaggy, who created
quite a buzz by his presence on the island.
St.
Maarten is the smallest Island in the world to be shared by two sovereign
governments-namely the Dutch and French. Both Dutch St. Maarten and French St.
Martin have maintained a peaceful coexistence for over 350 years, the longest
of any two bordering nations, with euro, dollar and
Netherlands Antilles guilder accepted as currency. Another unique factor on the island is that the
shopping is completely duty-free!
I stayed on the Dutch side at the Wyndham
Sapphire Beach Club and Resort in Cupecoy Bay which is at
one of the furthermost tips of the island. It is the perfect location for
its independent couple travellers - meaning you have a full suite, including
kitchen, Jacuzzi on your private outdoor deck, little grocery store accessible
and it is a definite plus to rent a car, as I spent a small fortune on taxis to
get around the island. You can take the girl out of the city but you
can't take the city out of the girl!
**************************
****************************
::MARCH 4, 2008::
Canadian content in the regatta!! While
I was in St. Maarten I came to learn that a work colleague from Toronto was
also not only attending the regatta but in the regatta - what a small
world! Caroline Burns and her
husband Mike sailed on the boat Grand Illusion. Here’s what she had to
say about participating in this year’s exciting regatta:
“My husband, Mike, and seven sailing buddies participated in the 2005
Heineken Regatta and enjoyed it so much they entered again this year. We
chartered a 50' Beneteau, named Grand Illusion,
and entered the Open Class. While some on board were a little
overwhelmed, I enjoyed the rush of the wind and power of the waves as we
practiced tacking and jibing.
The second and third days of the race were calmer so all 10 of us boarded the
Grand Illusion to experience racing. It was exciting and an adrenaline
rush at the start as 12 boats in our class all waited for the sound of the horn
to start the race. Even though most of the crew weren't 'qualified'
sailors we competed well and had enough of a competitive edge to place 6th
overall. The weather was fantastic for each day of racing and the on
shore entertainment was outstanding! And then there were the restaurants
and shopping! We will definitely go back!”
Ed Furry sat beside me on the plane and he was one
of the crew for the boat Storm,
classified as Spinnaker 3 in the regatta. (Ed owns and operates Sail 22 (www.sail22.com)).
Turns out that Ed also managed
the acclaimed Morning Light, a 52’
race boat whose legacy will be captured in a full-length documentary film,
produced by Roy E. Disney's Pacific High Productions in association with
Disney Studios. The target release date is in 2008. In July, a young
crew will sail the Morning Light in the Transpacific Yacht Race, a biennial
2,225-nautical-mile sail from Los Angeles to Honolulu. 15 crew members were
selected from more than 500 applicants after intensive tryouts in Long Beach,
Calif., last summer. They are training in Hawaii. Crew members will range
in age from 18 to 23 at the time of the race, the
youngest ever in the Transpacific Yacht Race.
My
sacred first stop on my first night was to get some of the best ribs and fish
on the island, from Johnny
Under the Tree! He cooks with his huge grills under the trees
where many travel to and wait their turn to get their ribs, chicken, mahi
mahi. Unbelievable as usual. As usual, the people in St. Maarten
extended a courteous and friendly hand to the many many tourists from all over
the world - most in town for the regatta.
********************************************************
::MARCH 6, 2008::
I
spent this day in Philipsburg exploring the popular boardwalk, shops,
restaurants and meeting up with one of Canada's most-published travel writers, Melanie Reffes, one of the islands most
notable writers and publishers, Lasana Sekou,
House
of Nehesi Publishers, and his colleague, Arsene Reiph, at the
trendy and fab Holland House hotel. Check
out an article on Lasana's life, inspirations and his latest poetry book by
Melanie Reffes HERE.
Meanwhile the regatta held the Budget Marine Commodores Cup followed by the
welcoming Party at Port de Plaisance.
********************************************************
::MARCH 7, 2008::
Over
the years the regatta has grown out to be the biggest regatta in the
Caribbean. This year I wanted to experience aspects of the island that I
had not yet explored.
One of these days was at the beach of Grand Case
on the French side of the island. A sweet and fun couple, Bill and Ellen
Roeger from Philly, let me accompany them to the French side this day to
discover the unpopulated and beautiful and beach. With it's white sand
and crystal blue water, it is spotted with little shops that serve you food and
drinks just steps away from your beach chair, which include Creole Rock Cafe (ask for Fabiola) and Lolos (great ribs for only US$6!). While
enjoying the day, the boats from the regatta breezed by in the high winds and
gave us a beautiful spectacle to observe.
Later
that day, there was a press conference at the Sonesta
Maho Beach Club and Casino featuring the artists performing during
the four days of the regatta. Attending the press conference were El A Kru, Antigua’s most popular exports with
five International Soca Award nominations in 2007. Representing St.
Maarten was Jacob of Intwine, named
so because of their cultural roots and different musical influences.
Grammy award winning, Jamaican American Shaggy,
on the cusp of the release of Intoxication, has once again found that
perfect balance of slick and streetwise. To date, Shaggy has sold over 20
million albums worldwide.
He spoke this day on going indie and breaking away from his former major
label and their inconsistencies and commitment to his career. Shaggy
stated that music industry execs "don't understand the culture of
dancehall or reggae and our music has suffered. I urge the media and all
people to support our music."
Born in Barbados, Alison Hinds,
the Queen of Soca, is known for her uplifting music known for its infectious
rhythms and spirited spicy lyrics that inspires jubilant audience
participation. Alison spoke on the challenges of being a woman in the
music industry, specifically in her genre of soca. She said one of the
secrets of her success is that "when I perform, I really enjoy what I
do." Alison's concert was held on International Women's Day and her
message for women in the industry was to "beware of invisible eyes"
meaning that people are watching women closely and to represent yourself well
at all times.
All artists were very gracious with their time, answering questions and
posing for pictures.
********************************************************
::MARCH 8, 2008::
More
exploring of the famed Philipsburg with its local vendors and many shops
catering to the vacationer who likes good duty-free deals. Lots of
shopping available, though not much in the way of variety. Jewellers
abound with the most bling you could ever hope to see. One of those was Grand Jewelers on Front Street -
ask for Sunny. And the most
amazing home-made ice cream ever at Vanille et
Chocolat. Have a seat in their funky parlour, indulge in their
delicious delights, right on the boardwalk.
The
regatta had most classes race from Simpson Bay to Marigot followed by the
prize-giving ceremony and party at Waterfront in Marigot featuring Alison Hinds.
********************************************************
::MARCH 9, 2008::
Closing
day of the regatta - which means all the hype of this entire regatta is leading
to this. This night is the final musical showcase featuring Shaggy. Given the many traffic
constraints of the island, especially during the regatta, I set up shop for the
evening early at The Wharf, owned by Elvis Bennett of Trinidad. The place was
hopping all night with good food, good people and general excitement as the
final concert was being held across the street at Kim Sha Beach.
The
entire show was hosted by Gee Money
and Empress, two well-loved radio
personalities on the island.
Youth Waves was one of the opening acts for Shaggy
and what an exciting show they gave! They even managed to keep all the
Shaggy fans entertained for their full show. Highly energetic and
talented group for sure with their unique blend of Reggae, Zouk, Soca, Calypso
and R&B.
Shaggy
fans were not disappointed when he hit the stage with a host of other artists
performing alongside to fully compliment the mega talent of the Grammy-award
winning Big Yard recording artist. His band was killer and drove the fans
into a frenzy while they were grinding to the beats on the beach of Kim
Sha. An outdoor concert with all these talented artists and the rest of
the world just faded away ... except for those that stood beside the 7' speakers!
Tons of fun, tons of people, tons of great music and tons of traffic!
********************************************************
::MARCH 10-12, 2008::
I
spent my last two days in St. Maarten in my beloved Philipsburg at the very
cost-effective Seaview
BeachHotel - right on the beach. “Seaview Beach
Hotel, was opened with two floors and eleven rooms as the island's first
modern hotel in 1948.” (Excerpt from National Symbols of St. Martin
- A Primer by Lasana M. Sekou).
While this hotel is not as 'plumb' as other hotels on the island, the price is
right at the starting price of US$100/night, which includes WiFi for $9/day,
direct access to the beach and the many restaurants and shops in Philipsburg!
Lest
we forget the results of all the toil and drama that unfolded during the
regatta, here are
the closing press releases from the regatta with exciting plans for 2009!
With the 2008 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta on the Books,
Organizers Look Ahead to the 29th Running of the Great Celebration of Caribbean
Sailing and Partying
Source: Heineken Regatta
St. Maarten, N.A. (March 10) – The sensational 28th edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta finished in fine
fashion last evening with the traditional prize-giving ceremony on Kim Sha
Beach followed by musical
entertainment by Grammy-winning recording artist Shaggy,
who had an overflowing throng of thousands of sailors and islanders dancing by
the sea.
The Fleet is In: TP 52 Panthera, SeaCart 30 True Look,
and a Pair of J/Boats Among Big Winners at 28th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
Source: St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
St. Maarten, N.A. (March 9, 2008) – The 28th edition of the St. Maarten
Heineken Regatta wrapped up today, in similar fashion to the way it began: With
clear skies and a steady breeze offering ideal conditions for a
record-setting fleet of competitors. And after the series’ final race, a
point-to-point contest from Marigot, on the island’s French side, to
Philipsburg on the Dutch side, an impressive array of winners emerged.
::SCOOP::
Literary Lasana: St. Maarten’s Literary Powerhouse
By Melanie Reffes, Excerpt from Nights Magazine
Flashing his mega-watt smile and wearing a crisp white button down shirt, Lasana Mwanza
Sekou is a happy camper people-watching at the bar in the popular
and swank Holland House on Front Street in Phillipsburg. With the cerulean sea
on one side and a bustling hotel lobby on the other, there’s no shortage of
fodder for his imagination. “People and their stories are what inspire me,” he
smiles stirring a strong cup of coffee.
As the founder of House of Nehesi– the largest publishing house in the Eastern
Caribbean - the 48 year old is a literary powerhouse with a string
of eleven books of poetry, monologues and short stories to his credit. He
was a James Michener Fellow at the University of Miami, knighted by the Queen
of the Netherlands and the recipient of a fellowship at the International
Writers Workshop in China in where he created his critically-acclaimed 37 Poems
–referring to the thirty-seven square miles of his beloved St. Maarten.
Born Harold Lake in Aruba, he grew up in St. Maarten and studied in the United
States where he changed
his name to Lasana Sekou - African words for poet warrior. After
publishing his first collection from his dorm room at the State University of
New York, he returned to St. Maarten having written four more volumes of
poetry. On a roll, he expanded his portfolio to include co-directing
Traditions – the Islands first drama extravaganza and producing the critically
acclaimed Fete CD of traditional music by the legendary Tanny and the Boys.
Ten years after it was first published, Brotherhood of Spurs, Sekou’s powerful
collection of short stories chronicling three centuries of St. Maarten history
has been reprinted for a new generation of readers. The Salt Reaper, poems that
delivers his thoughtful message of Island independence is taught in high
schools and universities. His work is performed on stage, included in literary
journals such as Callaloo and the Caribbean Writer and translated into Spanish,
Dutch, German and Chinese.
Despite being one of the most prolific writers in the Caribbean with a schedule
that would exhaust someone half his age, Sekou is a humble guy when he talks
about the accomplishments of HNP over the past quarter century. “We are getting
an increasing number of writer inquiries from around the world, “he says with a
shy twinkle, “imagine that?”
HNP has published the work of thirty authors including former Nigerian diplomat
Fabian Badejo, controversial American author Amiri
Baraka and high school teacher Wendy-Ann Diaz whose children’s book Claude’s
Adventures came out last year. “Caribbean writers are
world-class, “Sekou beams,” this new generation is hungry for recognition which
today is a realistic goal.”
In addition to mentoring young talent, Sekou is the project manager for the HNP
non-profit Foundation which promotes the arts through events like the annual
Book Fair held alternately on both sides of the Island in June.
Back at the bar in the Holland House which is getting crowded during Happy
Hour, Lasana is still sipping the café he’s nursed for nearly an hour while he
chats to just about everyone who recognizes him . On his drawing board include
another collection of short stories, a documentary about Ponum - the
traditional slavery dance and speaking at conferences around the world.
“Even while I’m on the road, “he says, “I always look forward to coming
back home.”
www.houseofnehesipublish.com
Mark the Calendar:
6th annual St. Martin Book Fair - June 5 - 7, 2008
Founded in 2003 by Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers,
the St. Martin Book Fair is one of the must-see events on the Island.
Held every June alternately on both sides of the Island, the fair attracts
bookworms who come for three days of readings, workshops and a chance to meet
dozens of authors from around the world. ”
Amongst the new crop is Brother Rich, Nana Sweetie – an anthology of short
stories, vignettes and poems written by thirteen aspiring writers who took part
in the House of Nehesi Creative Writing Program. “As its editor, “said Rhoda
Arrindell, “I am honored to be selected by the book fair to represent St.
Martin writers.” According
to coordinator Shujah Reiph, the event is now gaining the recognition it
deserves. “This year we were contacted by tourists from New
York and Puerto Rico, who are coming in just for the Book Fair, “ he said
proudly, “ News about our cultural event is growing here at home and abroad.”
6th annual St. Martin Book Fair - June 5 - 7, 2008
Visit
www.houseofnehesipublish.com
for information.
::MUSIC NEWS::
Vancouver Rockers Ladyhawk Takes Their Best Shots
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Raju Mudhar, Entertainment Reporter
(March 16, 2008) Calling your album Shots is a pretty good
indicator that you like to drink. Add a back
CD photo of band in mid-beer spew, and all suspicions are confirmed. Good thing
the music fits, too. Vancouver's Ladyhawk celebrate the grand tradition of dirge-y drunk rock with the
boozy, bruise-y songs that make up the band's excellent second album. Cups will
certainly runneth over when the boys stop in at the Horseshoe next Saturday
evening.
It might seem out of control, but in truth the band is pretty deliberate,
according to guitarist and singer Darcy Hancock – who with guitarist/vocalist
Duffy Driediger, bassist Sean Hawryluk and Ryan Peters on drums make up the
band.
"We don't really just jam to see what happens. We kind of like to know
what we're doing, you know," Hancock says. "We write at practice, so
we probably had about half of this album written by the time the first one came
out (in 2006)."
From the opening salvo lyrics of "Get back to your city, boy" on
short stunner "S.T.H.D." which is all raucous vocals and distortion
to the relative balladry of "(I'll be Your) Ashtray" and "Faces
of Death," the Ladyhawkers' sense of purpose is well evident.
Everyone lives in Vancouver now, but they returned to their hometown of Kelowna
to record this album, because, well, it was cheap.
"Everyone in Vancouver who was offering their space was charging way too
much money. We knew the people who are running an art gallery in this house
until it gets developed (in Kelowna) and we called them up, and it was 200
bucks. So it was a lot cheaper, and there was free food from the parents'
house."
Of course, the house lacked heating or plumbing, which added a bit of drama.
Good thing too, as their friend, Rob Leickner, filmed a documentary about the
making of Shots.
The result, Let Me Be Fictional, is now making the rounds of the
festival circuit, just as the band gets a further bit of buzz south of the
border through being touted by National Public Radio's Carrie Brownstein, of
Sleater-Kinney fame.
Back north of the 49th, the band readies for a cross-Canada tour with
Immaculate Machine in the east and the very sonically appropriate Black
Mountain in the west.
While his bandmate jokes on NPR.com about how every Toronto band is a
collective with a glockenspiel and flutes, Ladyhawk seem to follow more of a
lunchpail, rock 'n' roll aesthetic. That might because the Vancouver scene
seems to have changed – and perhaps for the worse – over the past few years.
"I think when we started, there felt like a bit more of a scene and a
community (in Vancouver), and now there doesn't totally feel like one,"
says Hancock.
As for the band's name, like with many things, it seemed like they had to drink
on it.
"I'm pretty sure that the idea came possibly from the movie (Ladyhawke),
says Hancock. "Duffy was just trying to think of band names one night, and
he really liked that one ... he wrote about 50 names for us to choose and we
were supposed to put a star beside the ones we liked, so whatever one got the
most stars was supposed to be our name. We all hated Ladyhawk. And then, there
was no doubling up of any stars on any name, so we kept thinking about it, and
got drunk and ended up going, `ah, yeah, sure.'" he says.
"I really wanted to be called White Chocolate. But now I know it doesn't
really suit us. It doesn't make sense."
Pink Martini - Straight-Up Fun With A Global Twist
Excerpt from www.thestar.com - John
Terauds, Music Critic
(March 17, 2008) There is such a manufactured quality to so much
adult-contemporary music,
that experiencing something authentic is as refreshing as the first breath of
spring.
Portland, Ore.-based band Pink Martini made its Massey Hall debut on Saturday night, 14 years after they
were founded as a local for-fun-and-charity quartet.
Pink Martini now headlines top musical venues, including selling out a
multi-night gig at the Hollywood Bowl last year.
The band has grown to number a dozen – still led by ebullient, bleach-blond
pianist Thomas Lauderdale and fronted by siren-diva China Forbes. But they
still hum along on the happy energy of people who are doing this more for fun
than profit.
For an unbroken two hours, we were treated to a musical buffet from all corners
of the globe.
The band interspersed its often quirky songs with instrumental numbers
showcasing the considerable talents of the percussion players (who have an
affinity for the Latin dance floor), trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, violin
and even a full-size harp.
The bulk of the music came from Pink Martini's third, and most recent, album, Hey,
Eugene.
It's a wacky mix of music from films of the 1950s and '60s, with new creations
by Forbes, Lauderdale and other members of the band.
As Forbes explained before singing the album's title track, the song was
inspired by meeting a semi-drunk man at a New York City party, who declared
that Forbes was the best salsa dancer he had ever seen. He insisted on getting
her phone number, and she never heard from him again.
One of the movie songs, "Taya Tan," is a whimsical affair that
recalls something Melina Mercouri would have sung several decades ago.
We found out from Lauderdale that it comes from a Japanese B-movie called The
Black Lizard.
The world influences may be there – and one can hear them in the inventive
orchestrations – but the focus with Pink Martini is on music as a form of
escape.
Whether it is Lauderdale's arms flying up and down the keyboard with great
flourishes, or Brian Davis's lovely conga work, there is a happy lightness to
this band that gives their shows an intimacy and immediacy that manufactured
bands like Il Divo just can't match.
The positive energy is infectious.
The last time Pink Martini came to town, 2 1/2 years ago, they played the
Phoenix, a standing-room-only venue that encouraged audience members to pair up
and dance in front of the stage.
Massey Hall makes no allowances for dancing, but as the audience stood and
clapped along with a rousing encore of jazz-favourite "Brazil" (which
the band recorded on its debut album, Sympathique, more than a decade
ago), you could tell that people were itching to break free of the confining
rows of seats.
The musicians, casting big, grateful smiles at their listeners, looked like
they could keep going for the sheer pleasure of it.
The audience wouldn't have minded.
South African Idol Winner Heinz Winckler Stars In Rent
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Raju Mudhar, Entertainment Reporter
(March 15, 2008) It was supposed to be an Idol-stuffed run
of Rent that hits the Sony Centre next
week for five shows – but that might be up in the air.
This touring production of the venerated Broadway show was supposed to feature Anwar Robinson (a seventh-place
finisher in the 2005 edition of American Idol) and South African Idol
winner Heinz Winckler. Unfortunately,
Robinson suffered a knee injury and has left the production to heal. That said,
according to Winckler, things are definitely looking up.
"Anwar's been out for a couple of weeks but he should be back just before
we get to Toronto. That's been a big adjustment for the whole cast," he
says on the line from the show's run in Tulsa, Okla.
"A couple of weeks ago, I got sick in Chicago, and then one of the other
guys had a back injury and then it just seemed like everything was going wrong.
"For, like, three shows, we had to use all of the (understudies) in the
cast because we had about four or five people out. That was a huge challenge
and our stage manager was having a rough time, almost pulling his hair out just
trying to figure out who to put in and how ... Thankfully, that's over with now
and things are going much more smoothly. And we're looking forward to getting
Anwar back soon."
Winckler, who plays the HIV-positive Roger in the production, won the inaugural
South African version of Idols in 2002 and has released two albums in
his home country.
He's now focused on breaking through on this side of the ocean and has been
using musical theatre as his avenue to gain a foothold in North America.
"My approach at this stage is to do the best job I can," he says.
"I'm hoping to get a record deal in the States. I'm trying to get my green
card to stick around in America, and try to work both sides of the career. I
would love to get a record deal and make that work, and I'm really enjoying
musical theatre and acting so I'd like to pursue that as well."
Winckler says that when he auditioned for Rent, he'd never seen the
award-winning play – and that actually worked in his favour.
"I had already done another audition for Hairspray, which was the
same casting company, and they referred me to the Rent people. So by the
time I got there, they kind of knew a little bit about me and actually
preferred that I hadn't seen the show before.
"Then, the day after, I went to see the show on Broadway and I loved
it," he says. "I was blown away. I needed to see it again because it
was a fast-paced show, and I felt like I missed a couple of things."
Of course, while watching the show, he was transfixed by the actor playing his
part and kept wondering what his own take would be. As well, after he got the
job and got to rehearsals, it was evident to him why the musical is such a
success.
"You kind of realize the genius of (writer) Jonathan Larson and how well
the show is put together and the music works, and that comes across because it
is so different from anything else you've probably seen before that," he
says.
"You really walk away with a kind of high spirits, because it makes you
really go out and say, `Yeah, there's no day like today and I should make the
best of every moment that I'm alive.' That's the big message of the
story."
He says he's excited about coming with the show to Toronto, as he actually
performed here as Tony for a short run in West Side Story in 2004.
"I spent about four weeks there. I didn't really do anything tourist-y,
but I did go to a lot of barbecues and little parties at people's houses. So I
did get a chance to enjoy some Canadian and Toronto hospitality."
Rent runs at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts from March 19–22.
For tickets and info, call 416-872-2262 or go to ticketmaster.ca.
Perez Hilton - Gossip Monger Becomes Hit-Maker At Festival
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com -
Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press
(March 17, 2008) AUSTIN, TEXAS — Last year, when gossip blogger Perez Hilton came to the South
by Southwest music festival, he was just a spectator.
This year, he arrived as one of the music industry's key playmakers - and his
newfound power was on full display as he played host to one of the festival's
more coveted parties.
"Thank you Perez!" Robyn, the Swedish-born pop star who is releasing
an album in the United States this summer, gushed on stage Saturday night as
she performed in front of a packed crowd filled with industry insiders,
artists, and the typical hangers-on. Even more people lined the block around
the venue in downtown Austin, hoping for a chance to see acts ranging from
Internet darling Katy Perry to established artists such as Robyn and N.E.R.D.
"There's a lot of great acts performing these past couple of days, but not
all on the same stage on the same night," boasted Hilton, sporting
bleached blond hair with streaks of pink. "The musicians performing speak
for the evening."
They also speak to Hilton's ever-increasing clout within the music industry.
While his site routinely posts salacious details about perennial gossip targets
such as Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and the crew from The Hills, he
also regularly gushes about his favourite artists and songs - like Robyn.
Numerous articles have been written crediting Hilton (real name Mario
Lavandeira) for helping to boost an artist's sales and profile from his
postings: The New York Times reported last month that Warner Bros. Records was
in negotiations to give Hilton a development deal that would make him an
executive on the label.
"It's very flattering," Hilton said with a smile about all the
attention.
So, not surprisingly, Hilton lined up a few key artists to perform at his party.
The biggest act was undoubtedly N.E.R.D., the trio led by superproducer
Pharrell Williams, who said Hilton's site is a key outlet for groups such as
his.
"He's connected to the kids, he's connected to our demographic - people
who want to be in the know, and he's opinionated and that's what makes it
work," Williams said.
Hilton's ability to create buzz for an artist is hard to duplicate, Perry said.
"Managers in the industry want their acts to be featured on his blog
because it does give a lot of press, and hopefully good press sometimes,"
she said. "He's got some pretty good ears. He's featured myself and some
friends of mine so we're grateful." (Recently, Hilton heaped praise upon
the Montreal band The Mission District on his website, which the band says
helped raise their profile.)
Not everyone is happy about Hilton's success. As popular as his showcase may
have been, there were some at SXSW who grumbled about the fact that a gossip
maven has decision-making power in the industry.
But Hilton insists he and his site have musical integrity.
"I only post things on there that I really enjoy and love and support -
there's no payola Perez," Hilton said. "So I think readers who read
my site know there's an authenticity there and they really respond to that."
Hilton said even though he gets managers and record label executives begging
him to promote their artists, he gets most of his tips from fans who send him
music links online, and he insisted he isn't swayed by pushes by industry
insiders.
Hilton may be giving his own advice to artists soon, if the Warner Bros. deal
works out. And while he's known for his scoops, he's still peeved at the Times
for revealing the tidbit.
"I'm such a fatalist I don't like making announcements like that unless
it's done. Hopefully it's going to happen - we've been talking for a while
now," he said.
Not that Hilton's depending on that label or any other to secure his place in
the music industry.
"If it doesn't happen, I'll just do it on my own," he said.
Usher Grown And Sexy On New Album
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
(March 17, 2008) *Collaborators on Usher’s new album "Here I Stand," due in
June, reveal
that he’s all ‘growed’ up now…if his new material is any indicator.
They say the new husband and father will give his fans a blend of mature
music and songs that will give the women something to move to.
"He's a grown man now," producer Polow Da Don says of the
R&B singer's mature sound on the new album.
Polow, who produced the album's first single and current #1 song in the
country, "Love in This Club," worked on two other records for the
album as well.
"This one joint is called 'Angel,' " Polow said. "I think it's
the best and biggest song I've been a part of. Usher and Nelly actually wrote
the song together. Me and this dude named Brian Kennedy produced the record. We
was all in the room, kicking it, talking. This is when we had our first real
conversation about dude getting married…’
Polow said "Angel" was cut right around Christmas, during the time in
which Usher's dad was gravely ill (Usher's father died earlier this
year). He says:
"[Usher] was open with his feelings and emotions at the time," Polow
added. " 'Angel,' it's the full circle of his life. The first verse is
dedicated to his mother. She's his angel. He's [singing] about being a little
kid, being a badass and taking his mother through the hardship and not
realizing the whole time she was always there. She is his angel. The second
verse is about meeting this woman who is now his wife. No matter how bad he
treated her or what he did - not recognizing she was special, thinking she was
just a girl - as things unfold, she's his angel. And he's a grown man now. The
third verse is about him and his wife having a child, and now he has to be a
protector. Everything is the other way around. His son is now his angel that he
must protect. Everybody is gonna love it, and it makes you think [about]
whoever in life has been there for you."
The third song Polow recorded with Usher is way more physical than emotional.
" 'Lights, Camera, Action,' we made that song after the first night we
played 'Love in This Club' at the club, Jermaine Dupri's club," Polow
recalled. "It's a nice little way to tell a girl, 'Let's make a porno.' It
could be with your girl or a new girl. It's telling her, 'You know you love right.
... There's something I wanna do with you I never tried before.' The song goes,
'First I go hit the lights/ I set up the camera/ Then we get to action.' It's
dope. It's a dance joint. Usher's album is strong."
Former Roc-A-Fella R&B artist Rell wrote the title track, which is produced
by the Grammy Award-winning team Dre & Vidal.
"It's a ballad," Vidal Davis said. "Classic. It's a smash. It
shows that despite all the things he's been through, he's still here. The first
time [Usher] heard it after Rell wrote it, he said, 'I gotta cut that.' He's
really grown [on] this album. He's talking about some issues."
Dre & Vidal worked with Usher on 15 songs last year in New York and Atlanta
and finished with him in August. "Here I Stand" is said to be
addressing Usher's fans and family. "The song is saying, 'No matter how
far I go, no matter how long it takes, her
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