Montreal Archives - Good News!

THE DESIRE CARD, THE MENTOR, and SLOW DOWN

Austin Tang — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 17:11:23 +0000

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Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE DESIRE CARD, THE MENTOR, and SLOW DOWN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. His Alaskan Gold Rush novel THE ANCESTOR is forthcoming in 2020. He is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box.

His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screen craft and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New PlainsReview, Underwood Press, Monologing and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com

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Giorgia Fumanti was born in the medieval village of Fivizzano in Tuscany, she shares her thought on the International Day of Conscience and performs

Austin Tang — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 20:57:24 +0000

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https://www.giorgiafumanti.com/en/
raised in the nearby small city of Aulla at the foot of the 13th century castle (Fortezza della Brunella) and in Monterosso al Mare, a small town in one of Italy’s most beautiful regions, the famed Cinque Terre. Giorgia studied voice at the highly esteemed Music Conservatory of Parma, Italy, (Conservatorio di Musica Arrigo Boito) where her unique soprano voice and talent quickly came to the attention of the heads of Decca Music in the UK, Sony Music, Warner Music and EMI Music in New York with whom she signed her first international recording contract. Her first international release, “From My Heart”, with EMI reached the Billboard’s Top 20 Crossover Chart and peaked to No. 1 in Japan and South Africa. With successive albums that all achieved varied success in various parts of the world, including “Elysium” that also charted in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart and her most recent album “Amour” which peaked to No. 1 in the sales charts in Canada, Giorgia has established herself as one of the top female Classical Crossover singers in the world.
The Universal Peace Foundation (www.upf.org) named Giorgia Fumanti, this past year, Ambassador for Peace. Giorgia received this lifetime distinction following her performance in Central Park, in New York City, for the International Day of Peace celebrations. Other achievements include being awarded the Public’s Choice Award at the Kremlin in Moscow at the AMA Music Awards, the prestigious Premio Lunezia Nel Mondo Award in Carrara, Italy and the Personality of the Year by the CIBPA Association in Montreal, Canada.
Very important invitations
Giorgia Fumanti has had the honor of being selected to sing the theme song “Better City, Better Life” for the Shanghai World International Expo. She was the special guest at the Beijing Olympics for CCTV, at the Closing Ceremony of the Shanghai Special Olympics and other important celebrations and sporting events such as singing the National Anthem at the NHL All Star Game in Dallas, Texas and at the Opening Ceremony of the International SportAccord Combat Games in Beijing alongside Jackie Chan. Giorgia also had the honor to perform for Vice President and Noble Peace Prize winner, Al Gore, for various US Governors, as well as for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion and many other personalities all over the world. She recently was asked to perform as special guest in New York City at both Central Park and the world-famous Times Square as part of the International Day of Peace celebrations decreed by the United Nations.
She participated in 3 PBS TV Specials in the USA, “Heavenly Voices”, “Sharing Christmas with John McDermott” and “Benise’s Spanish Guitars”. Yukari Nakano, the famous Japanese figure skating champion used Giorgia Fumanti’s song “Aria” in her Grand Prix Exhibition Programs.
She has performed all over the world with some of the most prestigious symphony orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London), the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the MBC Pops Orchestra and the Iksam Philharmonic Orchestra in South Korea, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan), the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra (Taiwan), the Guangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra (China), the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the RAI Symphony Orchestra (Rome) and many others.

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Canada’s National Treasure OLIVER JONES

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 19:47:22 +0000

Collaborates with Montreal’s Classical Violin Virtuoso

Josée Aidans on Just for My Lady

“…the greatest living jazz musician in Canada.” – NPR’s “A Blog Supreme”

Stream Tracks from Just for My Lady

On Just for My Lady (available tomorrow – July 9), revered Canadian jazz pianist Oliver Jones joins forces with classical violinist Josée Aidans for a swinging encounter that recalls the great Oscar Peterson/Stephane Grappelli collaborations of the mid ’70s. The album marks Jones’ 23rd release on Justin Time Records. “I normally do 45 to 60 concerts a year, but this year won’t be as many,” he says. “I’m trying to slow down. Next year will be my 80th year, so it’s been a long road, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Actually, the last eight or nine years I’ve enjoyed it more than ever.”

That joy is evident on this latest recording. While showcasing several Jones compositions, including the title track and his three-movement “The Saskatchewan Suite,” the album also features an inspired cover of Michel Legrand’s “The Windmills of my Mind” and a swinging take on the Gershwin number “Lady Be Good,” a longstanding jazz jam vehicle that is also closely associated with the aforementioned jazz violin icon Grappelli. From poignant ballads and earthy blues numbers to irrepressible swingers, Just for My Ladytouches all the bases while showcasing the remarkable talents of the 79-year-old pianist-composer and the in-demand violinist (a key player in the string sections for Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand). The two principal soloists are capably supported by the accomplished rhythm tandem of veteran bassist Eric Lagacé and rising star drummer Jim Doxas.

The centerpiece of Just for My Lady is Jones’ “The Saskatchewan Suite,” which was commissioned in 2012 for the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival’s 25th anniversary. While the original commission was for big band, Jones has adapted the three-movement suite here for quartet. The first movement, “Prince Albert Sunrise,” is a reflective ballad that has the maestro painting beautiful tones and textures with cascading arpeggios while the classically-trained bassist Lagacé contributes some virtuosic arco work. Movement two, the boppish “Regina Sky,” incorporates a motif from Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation” while drummer Doxas is featured on some hip fills. Movement three, “Saskatoon Spirit,” is a Latin-tinged number with a busy, intricate line doubled by piano and violin.

Jones mentions that in 2009 he recorded Pleased to Meet You with the late, great pianist Hank Jones, who was 91 at the time of that Justin Time session. “He was still full of as many ideas as any young player out there,” says Jones. “He was truly an inspiration, and was one of my favorite musicians. I’m hoping I make it to age 91. My mother’s cousin just died at 114 in Barbados and he was the second oldest man in the world. And my mother lived to 102. So, let’s hope that I’ll be a young 80 and be able to continue for another few years.”

About Oliver Jones:

Given his genes, and the vitality that he demonstrates at the keyboard on Just For My Lady, Canada’s national treasure may be around for many years to come. A late bloomer in the jazz world, Jones was already in his 50s when he made his first recording. Born on September 11, 1934 in Little Burgundy, Montreal, Quebec, Oliver Theophilus Jones began studying at age five with Madame Bonner in Little Burgundy’s Union United Church, made famous by Trevor W. Payne’s Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir. He later studied with Oscar Peterson’s sister Daisy Peterson Sweeney. In addition to performing at Union United Church when he was a child, he later performed solo at the Cafe St. Michel as well as other clubs and theaters in the Montreal area. From 1964 to 1980, Jones served as musical director for the Jamaican calypso singer Kenny Hamilton, who made Puerto Rico his base of operations.

In 1980, Jones returned to Montreal and teamed up with bassist Charlie Biddle, working

in clubs and hotel lounges around Montreal. From 1981 to 1986, they performed at Biddle’s, the popular club owned by the Canadian jazz bassist. In 1983, Jones released his first Justin Time recording, Live at Biddle’s, a trio recording with bassist Biddle and drummer Bernard Primeau. He followed up in 1984 with the solo piano album The Many Moods of Oliver Jones, which included liner notes by his mentor, Oscar Peterson. In 1986, Jones won a Juno Award (Canada’s GRAMMY®) for Lights of Burgundy and in 1989 he won the Félix Award for his album Just Friends. He taught music at McGill University in Montreal in 1989 and the following year his tour of Nigeria was the subject of a 1990 National Film Board of Canada documentary, Oliver Jones in Africa. He has toured internationally since then and makes regular appearances at the Montreal Jazz Festival. In 2005, his album with vocalist Ranee Lee, Just You, Just Me, was released to critical and popular acclaim. His previous Justin Time studio recording was the acclaimed 2011 holiday album, A Celebration in Time, which paired the 77-year-old pianist with singer Ranee Lee, the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir under the direction of Trevor W. Payne and the Daphnée Louis Singers from Haiti.

Upcoming Oliver Jones Appearances:

August 17 / Festival Saint-Zénon-De-Piopolis / Piopolis, Quebec

September 22 / The Segal Centre / Montreal, Quebec

Oliver Jones· Just for My Lady

Justin Time Records · Release Date: July 9, 2013

For more information on Justin Time Records, please visit: Justin-Time.com

For media information, please contact:

DL Media · 610-667-0501

Matthew Jurasek · matthew@dlmediamusic.com

Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos

and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our new website: dlmediamusic.com

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Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition at Museum of Fine Arts – Montreal Canada

editor — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:00:00 +0000

Discovering Montreal Canada By Terri and Martin Hirsch We departed Quebec City by VIA Rail Canada for a three hour trip to Montreal. A First Class Lounge afforded us newspapers, complimentary snacks and beverages and internet accessibility. As we passed through small towns and forestry, this comfortable scenic route was enhanced by a hot lunch with a glass of wine. Shortly after, we arrived at our hotel across the street from Montreal’s Central Station. The Hilton Montreal Bonaventure Hotel is situated on top of a 17-story building, the Place Bonaventure. This unique hotel offers beautiful guest rooms, suites, an executive club room and magnificent views of the city. On the rooftop is an outdoor pool, heated year-round. It also offers a business center, high-speed wireless Internet and more than 42,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Hilton Montreal Bonaventure is linked to the underground metro system in the downtown section of the City. In the 1950’s a metro system was built underground. When it was first built it only had office buildings and a shopping area. Today, Montreal is a world-class cosmopolitan city with an underground that has just about everything except a funeral parlor. Montreal’s underground city is 20 miles in length and consists of pedestrian walkways and tunnels linking metro stations. Touring the walled city of Old Montreal, we admired a house on one side of the street dating back to 1875 and a boutique hotel on the other side of the street. Narrow-cobblestone streets and 18th and 19th century Victorian buildings were made out of grey stone. This charming historical part of Old Montreal consisted of numerous museums, public squares, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and shops specializing in furniture, fashion and gourmet groceries. In short, there is something for everyone. In another part of the city we noticed homes with outside staircases made of broad iron. This design dates back to a time when homes in the city’s well-to-do neighborhoods were set back from the street. When this trend started duplex and triplexes appeared with outer staircases of all different shapes and sizes. Our guided tour continued through Saint Laurent Boulevard where lounges, bars and discotheques are Montreal’s nightlife hot spots. Another nightlife area was the Plateau Mont-Royal with its colorful bars, restaurants and cafes. While the Plateau Mont-Royal is a dynamic and trendy section, a trip to the top of Mont Royal Park will give you a grand view of the City of Montreal. This lookout was landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted, known for his work in New York Central Park. Following our tour, we headed downtown for lunch at Garcon. Garcon is a gourmet restaurant, located in Montreal’s famous Golden Square Mile. This French cuisine was a perfect dining experience with wine and a glorious lunch. After lunch we took the train to Montreal’s Botanical Gardens. An open mini-train was available at designated stops to take us around the Gardens. Some of the highlights were an indoor insect pavilion and a Japanese Garden that had a Tea Room, Bonsai Courtyard and a Peace Bell. This Bell is a solemn reminder of the bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. From Montreal’s Botanical Gardens a shuttle bus took us to the Biodome, an institution that revolves around education, conservation and research with the aim of protecting our planet’s survival. Here, plants and animals, cliffs and waterways are recreated with stunning realism. A constantly revolving ecosystem keeps the air in the tropical gardens hot and humid. As you walk from section to section the temperature changes so plants and animals can adapt to their own environment. A pathway ran alongside an underwater observation where we spotted hundreds of fish swimming in a basin filled with sea water. This pathway continued past a saltwater marsh where seabirds and penguins were on display. In the Biodomes’s Polar World we were surrounded by the Arctic penguins and the Antarctic ice. As we walked through the door of The Visitors from Madagascar we stepped into a habitat typical of the island of Madagascar. Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa. On display were frogs, geckos, fish and lemurs, which had faces like foxes, big eyes and long stripped tails. Throughout this exhibition a nature interpreter was on hand to answer questions. The Visitors from Madagascar exhibit will be on display until November 16, 2008. The Olympic Park, originally built in 1976 for the XXI Olympics games, was made up of a Stadium, a Tower and Sports Center. A 30-minute guided tour took us through the history of the Olympic Park’s past and modern architecture. Today, the Sports Center has seven pools, a widely equipped fitness center and numerous tennis courts. Afterward, we entered a two-level cable car to the top of the Tower Observatory that took approximately 2-minutes. This funicular is the only one in the world that works on a curbed structure – a hydraulic system which allows the cabin to remain horizontal at all times. At the top of this inclined tower a spectacular panoramic view of Montreal could be seen. The following morning we toured the Museum of Fine Arts. Admission to the Museum’s collection is free at all times in the Jean-Noel Desmarais Pavilion. A recent acquisition being presented from June 19 to December 7, 2008 evolved around an exhibition celebrating momentous events in the history of Montreal. It featured a selection of painting, drawings and photographs. A temporary exhibition of American Prints between the Wars in the United States depicted a period of dramatic transformation that saw the growth of major metropolitan centers. At the Museum of Fine Arts Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion an exquisite temporary exhibition on the life of Yves Saint Laurent was presented from May 29 to September 28, 2008. Yves Saint Laurent is famous for revolutionizing the foundation of modern women’s wear. When Yves Saint Laurent decided to end his career in 2002 a foundation was created to preserve the five thousand items of clothing designed by him, as well as more than fifteen thousand drawings, sketches and miscellaneous items. This exhibition was divided into four themes. In ‘The Stroke of a Pencil’ a selection of predominantly black garments were highlighted by touches of shades of pink, red and white on bubble skirts, trapeze dresses and voluminous cloaks. ‘The Yves Saint Laurent Revolution’ dressed women in the style of men using pantsuits inspired by men’s tailoring, such as safari jackets and pea coats. The ‘Palate’ theme is known for its candy-colored hues. In his homage to Morocco, he turned to brightly colored fabrics of motifs and created dresses with a splashy effect: turquoise and pink, green and orange and black and blue. In the ‘Lyrical Sources – In Remembrance of Things Past’ exquisite dresses of the 17th and 18th centuries were on display. The Yves Saint Laurent exhibition will be presented at the de Young Museum in San Francisco from November 1, 2008 to April, 2009. Our next stop was the Pointe-a-Calliere, Museum of Archaeology and History at 350 Place Royal. Pointe-a-Calliere is a museum complex in the heart of old Montreal. The Museum officially opened on this site in 1992 to mark the 350th birthday of the foundation of the city. An archaological crypt and the remains of structures erected over the centuries lies beneath this complex. Numerous models showed how Place Royale evolved from Native times to the 19th century. Through artifacts we relived the history of this site with stones and paved streets from the late 18th century and the base of a fountain that enclosed Customs Square. This section told the story of a city under a city with the first Catholic Church, marketplace, business district and Governor Callier’s residence. Another exhibition ‘Montreal Love Stories’, the Cultural Connection tells the story of men and women who have come from afar and chose to settle and live in Montreal. A series of intimate portraits, letters, photos and video projections gave us glimpses into the lives of people who made their homes in this cultural crossroad that Montreal has become through the centuries. For information on Via Rail Canada: http://www.viarail.com For information on Montreal: http://www.VisitMontreal.com or http://www.tourisme-montreal.org For Heritage and History: www.old.montreal.qc.ca Or Quebec Region: http://www.quebecregion.com

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