Vic Vogel has a pronounced romantic side that underpins his frenetic exterior. (Photo by Tandy Sauvé)
BY IRWIN BLOCK
The irrepressible Vic Vogel was on the phone from his home near the Jacques Cartier Bridge, searching for words to explain what he does with Cuban music.
Words failed him, so he put down the phone, went over to the piano and played a few bars of the languorous love ballad Claudia by Chucho Valdes.
Then he turned that same melody into a Vic Vogel special, punctuating it with some percussive chords and giving it the bebop edge that is characteristic of much of his musical language.
“I gave it a heart transplant,” is how he finally put it, finding the Vogelesque way to describe what he loves to do and why he has been a headliner at every Montreal International Jazz Festival but one since its inception 33 years ago.
Vogel’s leitmotif, on stage and off: “It’s gotta swing.”
He has a pronounced romantic side that underpins his frenetic and syncopated exterior, and it comes out when he plays solo ballads on his beloved Steinway.
Vogel’s back on Friday, June 29, with his Big Band, at l’Astral, the lovely bar with mezzanine in the Blumenthal Building, 309 Ste. Catherine W., a block east of Bleury.
On the menu, an evening showcasing the Afro-Cuban influence in jazz that has always been a big part of Vogel’s repertoire and personal connection and commitment.
“We’ve always been influenced by Afro-Cuban music—probably 90 per cent of my band book is Latin-oriented.”
“I grew up with Dizzy Gillespie, and he was among the first, with Chano Pozo, to bring in the Afro-Cuban influence.”
Poso played a major role in founding Latin jazz, a blend of belpo and Cuban folk music. He became Gillespie’s conga player and co-wrote the trumpeter’s famous Afro-Cuban compositions, Manteca and Tin Tin Deo.
The son of Hungarian-born parents, Vogel grew up in the Prince Arthur neighbourhood and, surrounded by Jewish neighbours, picked up a smattering of Yiddish. He remembers being a Shabbes Goy, the helpful Gentile boy who turns on lights for observant Jews.
As a self-taught pianist until the age of 10 when he studied classical for a year with Michel Hirby, Vogel learned to play trombone and tuba on his own, performed in show bands in the 1950s and became a busy musical director for CBC and Radio Canada productions. He composed and directed the music for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
He began his jazz big band in 1978 and it became a launching pad and finishing school for many of Quebec’s finest talents, some of whom continue to perform with Vogel.
Among the 17 stalwart musicians who will be with him at this year’s festival gig are saxophone players Alexandre Côté, Jean Fréchette, André Leroux, Al McLean, and Dave Turner, and trumpeters Ron DiLauro, Joe Sullivan, Jocelyn Couture and Jocelyn Lapointe.
The repertoire includes pieces by Gillespie, Cuban jazz heroes Chucho Valdes and Chico O’farrill, and our own Oscar Peterson.
That kinder, gentler side of the Vogel persona emerged on his wonderful 1993 solo album with mainly original material.
It also surfaced in 2008, when Vogel was visiting Cuba and in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, as he recalls the moment, “I saw a piano floating in the damn sea!”
“I was in a village—every town has its cultural centre in Cuba—and I said to myself, when I get home I’m gonna get one.
“I went on the CBC’s Homerun show on radio and when I mentioned I was looking for a piano for Cuba, I ended up getting 15 the same day.
“I had to get a U-Haul to pick up the pianos. There were a lot of pianos in very wealthy homes that were pieces of crap. The people were too cheap to get them out of there themselves. They figured, I am going to get rid of their garbage for them. They got mad when I said, ‘It’s not good enough’.”
“I also got cellos, trombones, saxophones, cellos, violins. I got one violin that a violin-maker told me was a very good instrument but would cost $1,500 to repair. He gave me in exchange eight brand new Yamaha violins for students, with bows and cases.”
The campaign became so popular that this year Vogel has collected enough instruments to fill a container “to the hilt.” The Cuban government agreed to pay for the container.
For Vogel, music with a rhythm and a beat is what it’s all about.
“I’m 76, and I still feel like a kid when I’m up there. That’s what keeps us going.”
He recalled the words of the saxophonist Jimmy Heath, who was Vogel’s guest at a jazz festival gig in 2003.
“The lady from the jazz festival came to pay us. He took the money, but he told her, “I don’t want the money—I want the time. He was 77.
“I know what he means. Instead of getting slower, I’m getting faster, I’m writing faster, because I don’t want to miss out.”
Amy Newborn with Diego and Geordi.
BY BARBARA MOSER
I know we just had a column, penned by our travel scholar, Mark Medicoff, on travelling with dogs, but he didn’t have the pictures to prove it.
This May, Irwin and I took a wonderful 10-day vacation to L.A. to visit my daughter Amy, her partner, Todd, my sister Sheri and my little niece Cleo. We took Diego, our 4-year-old Min-Pin-Chihuahua along with us.
A few passengers asked us about how we managed to get Diego into the cabin, maybe thinking we had snuck him in. People don’t seem to know a dog can travel under a passenger’s seat, provided the dog is under about 15 pounds. On Air Canada, the one-way cost is $50.
This wasn’t the first trip for Diego. We adopted him in L.A. two years ago and brought him across the border to start his new life in a slightly colder climate. (Would you believe he has grown an extra coat of fur for his new habitat?) This was his second time back in L.A. to visit.
Fellow travelers marveled at how quiet he was. He didn’t move the entire six-hour flight. At 10 pounds, he is slightly fatter than when we first brought him, but he loves to snuggle in his case, be it in an airplane or any other indoor venue.
When we landed, our fellow passenger in the window seat had no idea he had been under the seat the entire time.
We were advised by our vet not to tranquilize him because he is small and there can be side effects. Knowing our Diego to be extremely quiet and just happy to be with us, he didn’t need meds for the trip.
There is a limit to the number of small dogs allowed on a flight, so when you make your reservations, check that you have your dog’s ticket, too. Crossing the border was no problem. We had the ticket and no one asked for his vaccination forms, but we had them just in case.
Here are some pictures of Diego and Geordi (Amy and Todd’s dog) rollicking on Malibu Beach, just to show you that it was all worth it. Diego stayed with Amy and Todd when we were at the Tarzana Inn visiting my sister. But we did find out that the inn allows dogs, as do many L.A. hotels, for a fee. At the Tarzana Inn, it was $10 a day.
As far as going to Europe, we haven’t crossed that bridge yet. It will be our next adventure with Diego.
BY BARBARA MOSER AND IRWIN BLOCK
We left magnificent Iguazu Falls, straddling the border of Argentina and Brazil, feeling elated: Yes, life is a trip and our world in its natural splendour can be magnificent.
We boarded the bus heading for Salta—in northwestern Argentina just below the Bolivian border and east of Chile—at 9:45 am. But this 25-hour Flecha Bus ride was nothing like the ride-in-luxury we enjoyed from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu: No service. No drinks. A lousy dinner at 10 pm and an automatic flushing toilet in attack mode.
Still, we managed to sleep well, arrived in Salta and, rolling along with our backpacks-on-wheels, found a wonderful the old and charming Hotel Sarta on one corner of the town’s beautiful central square called Julio 9. We found the hotel ourselves, the price was right, and were we proud of our find! Everything was within a five-minute walk, including an artsy coffee shop, the Fine Arts Museum where we saw children’s interpretations of modern masters and three local artists, the Van Gogh Café, where we had lunch, a string of outdoor vendors selling ethnic jewellery and an archeological museum that happened to be closed for the summer. We hardly left the square.
This town of half a million is all about charm. We settled in for a couple of days and got used to the hospitality and slow pace of northern Argentina before setting out for the Inca villages to the north—Humahuaca, Purmamarca and Tilcara.
The first night we saw a concert/ dance/song performance by local youth of all ages. I believe we were the only tourists among the many proud parents. We were very happy in Salta.
The weather was perfect (30C or 86F in the shade), the city clean and pretty, the architecture some of the loveliest we’ve seen, and the people friendly and helpful. The magenta and yellow Igelsia San Franncisco is the town’s most striking landmark.
Our hotel exuded as much old world elegance as one hotel can, but the outdoor pool-bathtub, with little shade, left a little to be desired.
What a beautiful city! We walked down the small streets off the plaza to find a superb Lebanese restaurant featured in our guidebook.
I discovered a hole-in-the-wall coiffure and had my hair coloured (now you know) and trimmed for a mere $30.
It started to pour as I was being converted back to my younger self, and by the time I had to leave to walk back and meet Irwin at the hotel, there were pools of water on the streets. The thunderstorm seemed to come out of nowhere, typical for this season.
(In Buenos Aires we were drenched at least twice a day and only remembered our raincoats the second day.)
After three nights of exploring this lovely town, we headed out on a short bus ride (four hours) to Humahuaca, our first Inca village on the Salta to Bolivia route.
Richard Galliano plays Bach to Piazzolla at Maison Symphonique de Montreal. (Photo courtesy of the jazz fest)
BY IRWIN BLOCK
Jazz fan or not, there is a tremendous range of music in free outdoor venues and paid indoor ones to satisfy most tastes at this year’s Montreal International Jazz Festival.
The first of hundreds of daily shows starts Wednesday, June 27, and continue until Sunday, July 7, with three big blowout concerts where the crowds are in the tens of thousands. There is almost no place to sit and they are best suited for the hale and hearty.
The best way to sample festival sounds is to spend a few hours checking out the free concerts on a mild afternoon or evening at the various outdoor stages scattered around the festival site. They are in the quadrilateral bounded by Ste. Catherine, de Maisonneuve, Jeanne Mance and Clark. The lineup is posted on site and listed in free festival programs.
Here are my picks for the indoor, ticketed events:
June 28
Singer-songwriter James Taylor returns after a four-year absence to rekindle the light with such songs as Carolina in My Mind, You’ve got a Friend, Fire and Rain. Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, Place des Arts. $95 to $152. Also June 27.
Pianist Rafael Zaldivar, a Cuban ex-patriot, an emerging talent on the local scene, welcomes the great U.S. saxophonist Greg Osby to L’Astral, 305 Ste. Catherine, 6 pm. $27.
Master accordionist Richard Galliano plays everything from Bach to Piazzolla with tremendous verve and colour. Maison Symphonique de Montréal, 7 pm. $57-$65.
Electric bassist Stanley Clark goes acoustic in a duet with virtuosic pianist Hiromi. Théâtre Jean Duceppe, Place des Arts, 8 pm. $65.
June 29
The dream-team duo of pianist Kenny Werner and singer/songwriter/pianist Patricia Barber—love and values are her focus—perform. Maison Symphonique de Montréal, 7 pm. $57.
Saxophonist Wayne Shorter, original, enigmatic, often poetic, arguably the most important jazz musician at this festival, leads a stellar quartet. Théâtre Maisonneve, Place des Arts, 9:30 pm. $66-$82.
June 30
Trumpeter/composer Joe Sullivan leads his local quartet with guitarist Lorne Lofsky in music that is adventuresome and challenging. L’Astral, 6 pm. $27.
July 1
Meshell Ndegeocello, a gifted American singer/songwriter and bassist, meshes idioms, from jazz to hip hop, with her oh-so-smooth delivery and swing. Club Soda, 1225 St. Laurent, 10 pm. $41.
July 2
An exceptional day: Classy bassist Ron Carter, who has graced 2,000 albums, returns with ace guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Donald Vega, Club Soda, 6 pm. $53.
Miles Smiles, a sextet of such Miles Davis alumna as trumpeter Wallace Roney, saxophonist Bill Evans and guitarist Larry Coryell, salute the prince. Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts, 9:30 pm. $56-$65.
They share their lives and art: Pianists Bill Charlap and Canadian-born Renee Rosnes challenge and complement each other. Gesù Centre de créativité, 1202 Bleury, 10:30 pm. $46.
Do not miss the off-Broadway hit The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, the one-woman musical starring Miche Braden, who follows the highs and lows of the most popular blues artist of her era (1894-1937). Cinquième Salle, Place des Arts, 7 p.m., (8 p.m. on July 3). $69. Runs till July 7.
July 3
Master saxophonist James Carter performs with his (Hammond B3) organ trio, the powerful blues singer Miche Braden and Rodney Jones, a superb guitarist. Club Soda, 6 pm. $55.
July 4
Montreal bassist Adrian Vedady is joined by U.S. pianist Marc Copland, a gorgeous improviser. L’Astral, 6 pm. $27.
Ambrose Akinmusire, Blue Note’s new “young trumpet lion,” struts his stuff in a Montreal debut that could be a classic. Gesù Centre de créativité, 10:30 pm. $36.
Saxophonist Remi Bolduc celebrates his 50th birthday with pianist François Bourassa, and other Montreal musicians in their prime. L’Astral, 6 pm. $27.
Born in Russia, raised in Israel, Sophie Millman blossomed as a jazz vocalist in Toronto and travels the world as a star performer. Club Soda, 6 pm. $41.
July 6
Trumpeter Tom Harrell closes the nightly sessions at Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill, with two performances in a piano-less quartet. 1254 Mackay St., 7 and 9:45 p.m., repeating July 7. $49 per set.
Singer Ranee Lee, also a strong actor, re-creates the brilliant, tragic life of Billie Holiday, the greatest of them all, in word and song. L’Astral, 6 pm. $33.
July 8
A staged “battle of the bands,” pitting The Duke Ellington Orchestra against the Count Basie Orchestra, will re-create the swing era. Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, Place des Arts, 2 pm. $85-$103.
Note: Most prices include taxes and service charges rounded out. They may be slightly lower if purchased at the venue. montrealjazzfest.com
In Out of the Fog, two women duke it out over a child in private school. (Photo courtesy of Motet)
BY BYRON TOBEN
Wow. The Montreal Fringe Theatre Festival is entering its 22nd year. Who woulda thunk?
Now, to the chase. Shrewd gamblers quip, “Don’t bet on the horse, bet on the jockey.”
With that in mind, I pick (among English language shows running June 14-24), in alphabetical order:
Act of Rod: Jockey Robin Henderson (of DanceAnimal fame) rides herd as director of sketch comic Rod Ramsey’s space station 2035 TV show, “the most popular in the solar system.”
Harvester: Paul Van Dyck, playwright and director, takes us even farther into the future, 2112, with this story of a man who may be the last person alive.
Hippolytos: Jockey-actors Johanna Nutter and Lindsay Wilson can really emote as Phaidra and the Choros in this modern Aphrodite revenge drama, based on Euripides’s golden oldie (no royalty problems here).
Jem Rolls: Ten Starts and an End: Brit Jem Rolls returns for his 11th straight appearance, a spoken word marvel. He turns 50 for his last show, on June 23.
Jocasta’s Noose: Ann Lambert’s latest play, written and directed by elle-meme. With frequent collaborator Laura Mitchell acting, this teacher-student piece promises inter-generational fireworks.
Nothing Never Happens in Norway: Joanne Sarazen has written book and lyrics for this rollicking musical adaptation of Ibsen. Hendrik has not been channeled since Rover founder Marianne Ackerman’s clever takeoff at Fringe 1991.
Out of the Fog: Jane Gilchrist wrote and acts in this premiere, directed by head jockey Jacqueline van de Geer, fresh from her fine The Dining Room. Veteran Victoria Barkoff dukes it out with Jane over a child in a private school.
Pitching Knife Fight: Walter J. Lyng, The Suburban’s theatre critic, is also a pop-culture guru. Here, he lays on the hype in making a film pitch.
Tough!: Kirsten Rasmussen, back from the Adelaide Fringe, wrote and stars in this story of a lounge singer turned boxer. Shades of macushla, this million-dollar baby is amazing as both herself and her opponent.
Triple Cross: Rover theatre critici Anna Fuerstenberg has the farce with her in writing and directing this tale of the ever popular subjects of money, betrayal and, oh yes, sex.
White River White Tree: A Ghost Story: Ned Cox writes and directs a “proper” ghost story to balance all the light-hearted fun at the Fringe.
Also plan to see:
Jewish Girls Don’t Kayak: Jewishness embracing other cultures, from Ontario; Le Projet Migration: Dance critique of immigration bureaucracy, from California; She Has a Name: On human trafficking, from Calgary; Last Man on Earth: On silent movies, from Toronto; Ukrainian Dentist’s Daughter: Ukrainian identity and the arts, from Seattle.
Most shows are about an hour long. Get the free Fringe guide, which details all. Tickets average $10 with $2 service tax. Three-show pass, $28; six for $55; 10 for $85. 514-849-FEST, montrealfringe.ca
The art of Ann Goldberg and Barry Goldenberg, along with that of other residents, at Residences Symphonie.
BY DANIEL SAILOFSKY
From sculptors and singers, to painters and programs, Donna Farmer and the people who live at Residences Symphonie know how to have a good time.
While Farmer, an animator at Symphonie, may have been the primary group leader and coordinator of this year’s event on May 31, it was the residents who stole the show.
“It’s lovely seeing these people try new things and express themselves through art,” Farmer said. “It’s also a way for them to be with other people and work together.”
Farmer says it is her mission to bring joy and fun to all the residents.
“Most residences have physical activities, which are important,” she said. “But I believe we’ve found a good balance between body and mind, heart and soul.”
At this year’s show, residents’ paintings and sculptures were on display as the Symphonie choir gave a concert.
As each musical number was performed, from Broadway classics like If I Were a Rich Man to such ballads as Hallelujah, Farmer could be seen dancing, conducting and encouraging the choir and audience to enjoy themselves.
“Since I became a caregiver for my mom many years ago, I’ve always been a big advocate for activities for seniors, and this is why.”
Much of the art came courtesy of the husband and wife team Barry Goldenberg and Ann Goldberg. Barry crafted four sculptures; Ann four paintings.
Goldenberg, 62, suffered a stroke 16 years ago and he does not have the use of his dominant right hand.
“It’s a bit harder with only one hand, but I can do it,” Goldenberg said. “At first, I couldn’t even talk, so I’ve come a long way.”
“Barry was a dentist before he had a stroke, so he knew how to carve and was great with his hands,” Goldberg said. “I’ve watched him tie a knot with one hand.”
Shirley Spector’s painting Happy Hydrangeas was particularly eye catching, with its bright colours and intricate details.
“It was my first time painting, so I just tried to do my best, pick out colours and have fun,” Spector said.
“Food, activities, shows, it’s like a cruise ship here,” said Nessa Corber, whose mother and aunt are both residents at Symphony. “I already told my mom, once I’m her age, I can’t wait to come here.”
Pirates and ninjas protest passes The Senior Times offices on Décarie Blvd. in May 2012. Most protests have been peaceful.
BY DANIEL SAILOFSKY
Much has changed since the European colonization of the New World began more than 500 years ago, but one thing remains true: the French and the English remain distinct.
As Dawson student Daniel Etcovitch explained, while the conflict of the day may be tuition hikes instead of land ownership, many francophone and anglophone students have displayed contrasting attitudes.
“There seems to be a cultural divide,” Etcovitch said. “French students seem to have a very different attitude towards education than anglophones.
“The French CEGEPs and universities are the ones that went on strike immediately, as a quick reaction to the tuition hikes. The English students took longer to react and seem more conscious of completing their semester and moving on, stomaching the economic reality of the tuition hikes.”
This is because of the division of wealth between the French and English, said Kayla Christos, a member of striking committee Dawson Persists.
“Whether we like it or not, the English community in Quebec tends to be a lot wealthier than the French, which leads (the English) to believe that a hike of tuition fees would only better the universities and make them more exclusive,” Christos said.
Nicholas Di Penna, a Dawson student who has been actively involved in the protests, also attributes this cultural divide to the oppression he says the French population has dealt with in the past.
“We need to remember that francophone students have had to literally fight for everything they have, whether it was the installment of places like Université de Québec a Montréal and Université de Québec à Outaouais or even the installment of the CEGEP system,” Di Penna said.
Université de Québec a Montréal and Université de Quebec à Outaouais were opened in 1969 and 1981, respectively, after many requests from the French-speaking population.
“English students haven’t had to suffer the same oppression as our francophone brothers and sisters have,” Di Penna said.
Cory Schneider believes much of the oppression felt by francophones is exaggerated.
“French students are more defensive and always have been,” said Schneider, also a Dawson student. “They try to see any little move done by the government as an attack on their rights.”
Christos says this is part of protecting the Québécois identity.
“Fighting for what they believe are their rights is basically a reflex that French people are born with,” Christos said. “The loss of their culture is something they are always trying to avoid.”
Protester Mia Pearson says English apathy may be caused by a lack of understanding, as many documents, articles and debates relating to tuition hikes are only available in French.
“Those who aren’t fluent in French may have a difficult time learning about the issue,” Pearson said.
“Most people criticizing the student movement have a very uninformed view of what is going on,” Di Penna said.
However, Schneider and Etcovitch said that it is the protesters who should be more aware of the bigger economic picture before taking to the streets.
“While I see tuition hikes as a negative necessity, they are a necessity in today’s Quebec economy,” Etcovitch said. “We’re running a deficit, already taking money from the other provinces in equalization payments and our universities are suffering because we haven’t adjusted tuition in decades, not even for inflation.”
“You have to look at the fact that even after these hikes, you can still get an education at one of the best schools in the world, McGill, for a few thousand dollars per semester,” Schneider added. “Go to any average school in the United States and it can leave you in debt for the rest of your life.”
We shouldn’t compare ourselves to other places, Di Penna said.
“Most anglophones see that we have the lowest tuition fees and don’t ponder why that is,” Di Penna said. “Free education is possible here. Taxing two per cent from large corporations would be more than enough for a free post-secondary education.”
Etcovitch, Schneider and Sara Baron Goodman, who were interviewed separately, agreed that while they support the democratic right to strike, they have lost respect for the protesters because of the tactics they have used and the destruction the three say some protesters have caused.
Tensions have escalated since demonstrations began in March, as property has been damaged during demonstrations and traffic and public transit have been affected. There have been allegations of police using unnecessary force.
“I can’t sympathize with the violent and disruptive tactics that protesters have resorted to, which are affecting innocent third-party citizens,” Goodman said.
“It’s completely unfair to impede their fellow students’ education by not allowing them to go to class and to finish their semester, because they’re fighting for the right to education.”
Schneider said his anger toward the strikers comes from the same place. “You can’t complain that a government is being oppressive and infringing on your rights and then go and infringe on everyone else’s rights,” he said.
Di Penna blames the Quebec government, saying this isn’t how the protesters want to be heard. “For years we tried lobbying, peaceful protests, letters and requests,” he said. “The government had ignored us and dismissed our legitimacy. Believe me, if the government hadn’t ignored us, people wouldn’t have felt desperate, desperate enough to use civil disobedience as a tactic.”
“The media writes about students being violent, about traffic being blocked, about the ‘terrorism’ committed by the students,” Christos said. “But they leave out police brutality, the corruption of the government, and the way that the students are being silenced by laws and unfair rules.”
Getting married doesn’t involve just the wedding itself. What it really means is that you are about to set up a new life—and a home—together. You have to combine what you each have and then blend your personal tastes to form a comfortable nest.
Buying furniture can be a long process, from the time it takes to figure out what you need or want to buy, then shopping around for it and finally waiting months for it to arrive.
If, after running around to furniture stores in town, you have not been able to find the chair of your dreams, or perhaps the prices were too high, there are businesses that do most of their selling by catalogues. There is such an enormous overhead to stocking furniture that these stores pass the savings on to you, often 30 to 50 per cent.
Flash Decor is one such company. It has samples on the floor from different companies so you can see the quality of the workmanship.
The storefront of Flash Decor, a family business, has a small showroom of living room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen furniture, but the majority of what they sell comes from 24 catalogues featuring 200 companies in Canada (lots from Quebec), U.S and China. 5343 des Laurentides, Laval. 450-625-3945, flashdecor.com.
For those who have no patience or really don’t like sitting on the floor, Meubles 123 has opened in Montreal. You don’t have to wait for your order, since everything is there to see, sit on, and be delivered within the month.
Meubles 123 sells Ashley Furniture, a well-known North American brand that is sold in easy-to-shop-in mall-size stores, and we are lucky to be the first in Canada to have one. The quality line (16-20 collections) is cleverly displayed: living rooms (sofas start at $399), dining rooms (start at $399), bedrooms and home offices.
If you don’t see the one you want, the friendly salespeople will show you all pieces available in that line, and they have an iPad catalogue for you to peruse. Delivery is three to four weeks. If you want to one-stop shop, you can accessorize with lamps, end tables, TV stands, Sealy mattresses and even some linens. Financing is available. 2101 Dollard, LaSalle. 438-380-3456, furnish123.ca.
Lastly, furnishing a house is not only about the furniture, but also about the accessories. Bouclair, a name you all know, has reinvented itself as Bouclair Home. It focuses on home fashions and the belief that something can look nice without costing a lot of money. The clean, crisply organized stores are a pleasure to shop in. They travel the globe to make sure there are new products every week.
You can easily set up a bedroom (even for kids and teens) with this season’s colours with linens, comforters, duvets, storage ottomans, baskets and mirrors. There are ready-to-hang curtains, blinds in faux wood, or inexpensive verticals or horizontals.
Add spice to your living area with leatherette dining chairs, tons of pillows, vases or jazz up walls with metal wall decor, shelves and picture frames, and finish off the look with lamps and rugs. With 103 stores in the chain, it’s easy to find one near you. bouclair.com.
ARTS
Galerie Mile End • until June 17: Group exhibit: Blanc et Noir. 5345 Parc. 514-271-3383 ame-art.com
Salon de Thé Gryphon d’or • Tues. June 12: Shirley Katz vernissage. 6:30-9:30pm. 5968 Monkland.
BAZAARS
Dorval-Strathmore United Church • Sat. June 16: Garage sale and BBQ, treasures and books galore. BBQ to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society. 9am- 2pm on the lawn. 310 Brookhaven. 514-631-6171
St. Vincent-Marie Church • June 16 & 17: Flea market. 10815 Armand Lavergne. 514-660-0649
CLUBS & GROUPS
Hope & Cope: Bereavement support group meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. 514-340-8222 x853
Single Person’s Association: Dance • Sat. June 16: 8pm. For more activities: home.total.net/~spa. 7771 Bouvier, LaSalle. 514-366-8600
Helvetia Seniors ClubSocial & lunch • Thurs. June 21: Monkland Grille, 6151 Monkland. 450-687-5256
Montreal Urban Hikers: The Botanical Garden • Sat. June 30: 8:30am. Meet at Sherbrooke, east of Pie IX in front of the garden gates. $2 donation. 514-938-4910. ehynes@sympatico.ca, montrealurbanhikers.ca.
EVENTS
Schulich School of Music • until June 15: End of year concerts by students. See website for schedule. 555 Sherbrooke W. mcgill.ca/music/events
Unitarian Church • Sat. June 9: Carmina Choir presents: Life Upon the Wicked Stage – music from a variety of theatrical entertainments. 8pm. Suggested donation $10. 5035 de Maisonneuve W. 514-843-6497
Rialto Theatre • Wed. June 13: Opera da Camera presents: Heroes and Villains. 7:30pm. $20. 5723 Parc. 514-770-7773 (Rialto) or 514 227-0805 (Opera da Camera). operadacamera.ca or theatrerialto.ca
Temple Emanu-El Beth Sholom • Wed. June 13: Tribute to Rabbi Lerner, dessert reception. RSVP: 514-937-3575 x 215. 4100 Sherbrooke W.
Stewart Hall • Thurs. June 14: Benefit concert for NOVA West Island’s Carousel for Children Program. 7pm. 176 Lakeshore, Pointe Claire. 514-630-1220 x1777
Saint George’s Anglican Church • Sun. June 17: Concert of Finnish and Scandinavian music. 3pm. 1101 Stanley. 514-790-1245
Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul • Thurs. July 5: Organ Intermezzi series presents John Grew. 12:15pm. Donations accepted for the ReachOut with Music Program. 3415 Redpath. 514-842-3431, standrewstpaul.com
Westmount Park Lagoon • Sun. July 8: Summer Concerts in the Park series presents Sheila Smith Quartet 2-4pm. 514-989-5226
LIBRARIES
ATWATER LIBRARY: 1200 Atwater. 514-935-7344 atwaterlibrary.ca:
Book club discussion • Wed. June 13: Mary Soderstrom leads a discussion of The Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar. 7:30pm
Workshop • various times between June 19-28: 2-1/2 hours on scanning and picture sharing. Opportunity for the participants’ photos to be part of a digital media exhibit at the library.
beth@atwaterlibrary.ca or 514-935-7344.
JEWISH PUBLIC LIBRARY: 514-345-2627 x3006, jewishpubliclibrary.org
Book review series • Thurs. June 14: Vivianne M. Silver reviews The Arrogant Years by Lucette Lagnado. 2pm. 5151 Côte Ste. Catherine.
ELEANOR LONDON COTE ST. LUC PUBLIC LIBRARY: 5851 Cavendish 514-485-6900
In the Headlines • Fri. June 8, 15 & 22: Hershey Dwoskin speaks on what lies behind the world news headlines. 2 pm. Free.
Concert • Thurs. June 28: Min Rager Quintet. 7 pm. Tickets: $7 in advance $10 day of event.
Past performances at the River to River festival include Laurie Anderson (above), Rufus Wainwright and Chrisette Michele. (Photos: GODLIS)
BY HARRY ROLNICK
One year ago, this column started with a guide to getting almost-free food in Manhattan. That was hardly good enough. So may I apologize by modestly presenting a month of absolutely free music, dance, painting, poetry and theatre amid the most beautiful (and unknown) sites in New York.
Specifically, this is the Tenth River to River Festival (RRF), an al-fresco, 24-hour, seven-days-a-week happening across Lower Manhattan island from the Hudson to the East, and a day/night international celebration.
If you haven’t heard of RRF, put it down to bad bureaucratic planning. After the bombing of the World Trade Centre in 2001, lower Manhattan was polluted chemically (the short term) and psychologically (the long term). Nobody wanted to shop, invest, visit or even think about this, the original Manhattan, where Dutch and British patriarchs had built their houses, some of which still survive.
Luring people downtown for a festival of sorts was a wet balloon until two years ago.
Then, bureaucrats put it in the hands of a group with the unpromising moniker of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. The results so far have exceeded the title for one reason. Not a single one of the events can be compared with any other shows in all New York.
The South Sea Seaport will have dances, paintings, lectures, walking tours.
Rufus Wainwright at the 2011 River to River festival. (GODLIS)
This is also the start of the Montreal Connection, with choreographer Sylvain Émard presenting his Grand Continental, with 200 dancers weaving from there through New York streets.
Rockefeller Park has spectacles, including Philip Glass and a 12-hour marathon for music from the great Bang On a Can Ensemble.
Across on Governors Island, a famed dance company will use the great outdoors to rehearse for a show later in the year. And in an alley, an Irish troupe will present a play by Samuel Beckett.
General George Washington would have felt at home in Fraunces Tavern and Trinity Church, both with their shows.
The result is non-stop artistry. From June 15 to July 17, more than 150 performers will dance, play, speak, sing and play dramas in the most out-of-the-way venues.
Chrisette Michele in 2011. (GODLIS)
Last year, soloists like Patti Smith were giving concerts. This year, the innovation is more international, with guests from Columbia, Ireland, Africa and the Philippines represented, along with a half-dozen American composers.
“We have 92 events doing 145 performances, seminars, exhibitions, walking tours going non-stop over three square miles … three or four different offerings each day,” says Andy Horowitz, who leads the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
“I have no idea how many performers, we’ll have but that’s in the range of a thousand or more.
“The funny thing is that we don’t have or need a theme. Right after last year’s River to River, we would get together and see who was available, who would bring diversity. Yes, we wanted to celebrate Philip’s birthday, and his youth orchestra.
“But you say you represent The Senior Times? Well, we have a staged reading of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, with nobody under the age of 65.
“We discovered a harp-player from Colombia, and we have a very avant-garde choral group from the Philippines.
“Oh, and if you like John Cage, why not Samuel Beckett? We have a reading in an alley. And next door, a Shakespeare company is doing Twelfth Night.”
Along with this is a walking tour of Brooklyn Bridge, with poems by Whitman and Hart Crane, as well as other walking tours of the city.
The budget for the event is minuscule, by New York standards, at $2 million.
“For that,” Horowitz says, “we have corporate sponsors. No profit motive, but instead, yet another way to make Lower Manhattan rebound. The restaurants will, of course make a profit.
“We have a seminar on the glories of local food. Local New York food.”
Lower Manhattan still has a long way to go.
The reconstruction of the World Trade Centre has gone through financial manipulations and corporate arguments that belie the community spirit.
Occupy Wall Street had its origins in a park in the middle of Lower Manhattan. The movement has moved on, but the park is a landmark. River to River has a July exhibition of Occupy photos and documents.
My own feeling, after looking at the 100-odd events, is that because of its lack of any particular theme (no jazz or chamber music festival or art exhibition), it shows diversity and imagination.
The area, 11 years ago, was devoted to outrage. These events are, in many cases, outrageous.
Whatever else you might say about New York, this is the city at its most resplendent.
Photo by GODLIS
Suite charity and other River to River events
June 21: Tiniest Extravaganza: 64 Baby Grand toy pianos, arranged in yin-yang formation with 64 players playing I-ching-inspired music for four straight hours outside while the sun is setting on the seaport. Whew!
June 24: Most Creative Garbage: Kids from Children’s Museum make paintings using recycled bottles, milk cartons and objects found on the streets, along with on-the-spot animation.
June 26-29: Theatrical Alley: Sam Beckett lived abroad most of his life, but he was Irish to the core. Here, in Theatrical Alley, his Act Without Words II is enacted by an all-Irish troupe.
June 27-29: Finest Confinement: Call it Suite Charity, the opposite of outdoor venues. This play takes place in a real hotel room in a real hotel, with the actor wondering what goes on outside the hotel. Not for travelers who hate hotels.
July 2: Got The World On A String: Renowned Mexican visual artist Erika Harrsch and composer Julian Watchner have put together a “kite installation” with music to match, apparently imitating butterflies in migratory flight, the musical equivalent of a visual kaleidoscope. Worth going for one line of description: “Each kite is released into the air, accompanied by a single melodic thread of music which increases in complexity and density as the other kites join.”
July 6-7: Perapatetic Port Pedestrians: The port section of Montreal is fascinating, but New York’s port district was truly where America began. The buildings in this tourist spot originally were part of the American maritime history. This walking tour includes the Fulton Fish Market, once the largest in the world.
July 13: Top of the Taps: Imagine a chorus of 300 tapping feet (presumably 150 tapping people) tap-dancing choreography. The mind boggles.
July 15: John Cage Unleashed: This is an extravaganza of theatre, music, singing, dancing, miming and lighting. Innocently titled Song Book, you won’t be seeing any little Schubert recitals here. Complete surrealism, tremendous fun, unpredictable, and (if the recent San Francisco Orchestra performance was any indication), magically beautiful.
All events and details are online at rivertorivernyc.com. Festival runs June 17-July 15.
The most epic line dance ever imagined
The city of Montreal is accustomed to Sylvain Emard’s choreography breakthroughs.
He has changed styles every few years since his debut in Montreal in 1989. His dances have been sometimes formal, sometimes using actors, at times dealing with portraits, at times exploring memory or other philosophical concepts.
In 2009, he created Le Grand Continental in Montreal. He chooses 200 amateur dancers and, like a good chef in a foreign kitchen, finds whatever local ingredients are at hand to create a dish that has never been seen.
“After 20 years in the business dancing can become just a job to you, This project brought the joy of dance back into my life,” he told La Presse.
In New York, his dancers perform June 22, 23 and 24.
The Senior Times 