Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 45

Coronavirus And Travel: What Should You Do?

Coronavirus And Travel: What Should You Do?
With widespread panic about the coronavirus, I thought a timely look at the facts was in order. There is disinformation, but there are also more than 102,471 COVID-19 cases worldwide, with at least 3,491 deaths. On the flip side, 57,463 people have recovered. Here are some immediate questions answered.
Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay What's my risk of coronavirus exposure if I travel now?That depends on where you are headed. First, since the risk level can change daily, you'll want to consult the government's travel advisories.

• In Canada, you can check here for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Travel advice
• In the USA, you can check the CDC website

As I write this, there is an elevated risk associated with traveling to, and travelers from, these locations:

• China
• Italy (Northern Italy)
• South Korea
• Iran
• Singapore (Canada only)
• Hong Kong
• Japan

In some cases, your flight may already be cancelled. Air Canada, British Airways, and others have already axed all flights to the Chinese mainland for the time being.

In some areas, you may be subject to specific entry and exit restrictions because of the risk of contagion. Check with the foreign diplomatic mission of your destination online to be sure.
Can I cancel my trip without paying a huge penalty?That again will depend on what type of ticket you purchased (i.e. a refundable ticket) and whether or not you added that kind of coverage to your travel insurance package.

TIP: Standard travel insurance, even with trip cancellation, does not cover the case where you are afraid of an outbreak at your destination. For that, you will have to add CFAR - or Cancel For Any Reason - coverage. That type of coverage usually has to be purchased when you buy the trip, and at least a couple of weeks before the trip. (Note: CFAR policies are illegal in the state of New York.)

NOTE: In Canada, two of the major carries - Manulife and TuGo - have stopped selling new coverage for trip cancellation due to fears of the coronavirus. In usual cases, trip cancellation is covered in the event of a travel advisory, but now that it is a known issue, other than existing cases so far, the companies say it is no longer covered by their policies. Again, that does not apply if CFAR insurance is purchased.

The same rule applies if you are already on your vacation, and an outbreak occurs nearby - you want to come home early. A regular policy will leave you out-of-pocket. A CFAR policy will at least reimburse the additional charges you incur when you book your new flight home.
Image by jodeng from Pixabay Can I change my flight/booking?Some airlines, notably American, Delta, Frontier, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Spirit, and United Airlines in the US, along with Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM, will let you reschedule your booking with no or minimal fees. In Canada, Air Canada and WestJet are following suit.

• Some restrictions may apply.
Is domestic travel safer?It may be...for now. However, with domestic cases on the rise in North America, it may not present any less of a risk.
What basic measures can I take?First, educate yourself on the virus. It is not airborne, and can only be transferred via direct contact with bodily fluid (such as bits of mucus that may fly into the air when someone coughs).

• Wash your hands well and frequently;
• Cough into your elbow;
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Whether you head out on the road, or stay at home, stay safe!

Harlem Stage: Jason 'Timbuktu' Diakité's A DROP OF MIDNIGHT March 30 to April 4 2020

From a media release:

Harlem Stage:
Jason 'Timbuktu' Diakité's
A DROP OF MIDNIGHT
March 30 to April 4, 2020
• Buy Tickets

Harlem Stage WaterWorks commissioned artist, Jason ‘Timbuktu’ Diakité, is one of Sweden’s biggest hip hop artists and a best-selling author, and the result is A Drop Of Midnight.

Through storytelling and live music, Diakité brings his biography, A Drop of Midnight, to life at Harlem Stage. Born of American parents with roots in Harlem, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania, this first-generation Swedish artist takes us on a journey that explores racism, bigotry, migration, identity, ancestry, and family, through an unflinching narrative that dares to ask the questions: Where do I belong? Who are my people?  Does my skin define me?  What does blood memory, legacy, and ancestry mean to an African-American family that left Harlem for Sweden?

A Drop of Midnight takes us on a journey from the deep south and slave plantations by way of Harlem to a small Swedish town.

Directed by Farnaz Arbabi, production dramaturgy by Jonathan McCrory, composed by Erik Hjärpe, and accompanied by a live band, The RakiemWalker Project. 

WATERWORKS
JASON ‘TIMBUKTU’ DIAKITÉ'S
A DROP OF MIDNIGHT
MARCH 30–APRIL 4, 2020
Support for this  project is provided by  The Swedish Embassy
Additional support is provided by the Swedish Arts Council
Tickets: $25/$35
Harlem Stage | 150 Convent Avenue | New York, NY 10031 | 212.281.9240

New single: EllaHarp - Screaming Into The Void (Independent / February 5, 2020

New single:
EllaHarp - Screaming Into The Void
(Independent / February 5, 2020
• Stream via Spotify.

"Screaming Into The Void' was written in a moment of frustration about releasing music in the digital age. In many ways it's easier than ever to make a splash, but amidst the overwhelming quantity of music coming out on any given day it can feel a lot like you're making literally no difference whatsoever." - EllaHarp

EllaHarp weaves her instrument, and ghosts of the blues and Celtic melodies and idioms, into a layered pop song on Screaming Into The Void, her latest single. The harp dances in and out of vocal harmonies, with poetic lyrics about trying to make your mark.

Time, it's the enemy,
It's the only thing we own

It's a beguiling combination of elements that reaches beyond folk and roots to pop and blues, and a universal kind of beauty that's very appealing.

Ella Dawn Jenkins, aka EllaHarp, Ella Dawn Jenkins is a true independent artist - she not only writes her own music, she produces her own releases, and designs her own harp, clothes, and jewellery. 'Screaming Into The Void' is the first single (and title track) to be released off EllaHarp's upcoming sophomore album, 'Screaming Into The Void' to be released later this year.

Her goal is to push the harp out of the musical cage it's been put in, and make it part of the regular every day of contemporary blues and other music. Her independently released debut album 'Who Asked You Back' received airplay on over 85 radio stations nationally and internationally, and reached #4 and #2 on Roots Music Reporter Top 50 Folk and Top 50 Contemporary Folk Album Charts.

Since releasing her 2018 album, EllaHarp has toured 7 states and a province with over 150 live performances, from Bay Area festivals to Irish pubs in Honolulu to 'The Bitter End' in NYC to opening for Grammy winning singer Mya in San Diego and showcasing at Canadian Music Week 2019 in Toronto.

Websites:
Official: https://ellaharp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaHarpMusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllaHarpMusic
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ellaharp/
Bandcamp: https://ellaharp.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ellaharp

Snowbird, from her 2018 debut album Who Asked You Back?

Jazz solo guitar: Riccardo Chiarion - Quiet Stories (Drawnmusic / 10 January 2020)

Jazz solo guitar:
Riccardo Chiarion - Quiet Stories
(Drawnmusic / 10 January 2020)
• Stream it on Spotify
• Stream it on YouTube

Flawless technique, a golden tone, and a fluid sense of interpretation characterize this solo jazz release by Italian guitarist Riccardo Chiarion. Chiarion has been active in the Italian and international jazz scene since 2003, and he's recorded with a who's who of that world in performing ensembles as well as in many recordings. On Quiet Stories, he showcases his own talent as a solo guitarist


Solo instrumental albums risk becoming a kind of self-indulgent exercise; Chiarion has evaded that turn with a nice sense of variety in the tracks. Delicato is a moody piece that goes through tempo and rhythmic changes, while Green is more melodic, and falls neatly into the contemporary jazz idiom.

Hidden Blues is...definitely bluesy, with a few changes thrown into the usual 5-4-1 harmonics. It's like a meditation on the blues, rather than a song with classic blues structure. He mines hidden complexities and turns up a few surprises for anyone expecting the usual 12-bar pattern.
Riccardo ChiarionTracks like Meetings and Sentimentale, as you would imagine, takes it down a notch for a slow and rapturously romantic exploration of jazz melody. Your Lives adds a Latin feel to the mix. Again is a standout track. Strongly rhythmic, it's lit up by his superbly tasteful sense of melody and embellishment.

Chiarion teaches guitar and jazz ensemble at the Trieste "Giuseppe Tartini" Conservatory.

Tracklist:
1. Delicato
2. Green
3. Hidden Blues
4. Sentimentale
5. Your Lives
6. Piccoli Passi
7. Meetings
8. Again
9. Fields And Sky
10. Silence

Stay in touch:
Official website: www.riccardochiarion.it
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riccardo-Chiarion-Chitarrista-223549084375920/
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/riccardochiarionmusic

Preview: Huet//Fournier//Kuhl - Rarefied Air (Furniture Music Records / March 27, 2020)

Preview:
Huet//Fournier//Kuhl
Rarefied Air (Furniture Music Records / March 27, 2020)
• Stay In Touch

Alex Fournier is a double bassist and composer based in Toronto nowadays. He's teamed up with Edwin Huet (Electronics and Live Processing) and Mike Kuhl (Drums/Percussion) on this release of new music.
Alex FournierThe album consists entirely of improvised material, and was recorded in one session in Baltimore, MD, in April 2018. Elements of melody and rhythmic patterns break out of a seamless flow of music, incorporating a range of sounds and propelled by a sense of experimentation. Alex's bass is a constant and insistent thread throughout the music.

The music is atmoshperic, and built up on layers of texture. In Xiode, he bows the bass against a splash of cymbals and other percussion. It's agitated and moody. Rarefied Air has a spacey sound, all electronics and jangly percussion against an uncertain bass line. It builds to a sense of disquiet. Conjuration is minimalist in approach, adding electronic dimensions to plucked bass.

It's an absorbing exploration of sonic possibilities, with a sense of momentum and quirky mood changes to keep it interesting. Have a listen to Conjuration to preview the release.

Teesri Duniya Theatre Montreal presents COUNTER OFFENCE March 11 to 29 2020

From a media release:

Teesri Duniya Theatre Montreal presents
COUNTER OFFENCEWritten by Rahul Varma
Directed by Arianna Bardesono
March 11 to March 29, 2020
“I'm doing something ancestors could not do when they stepped on the soil of Canada—the Chinese head tax, residential schools, #metoo, spouses kept apart right after their marriage because of the so-called immigration backlog—history can't be rewritten but hopefully can guide us to a more just future.”—Moolchand

• Get tickets

Montreal, February 2020- First produced at the Strathearn Intercultural Centre to critical acclaim and subsequently translated into French as L’Affaire Farhadi with similar success, the themes in Counter Offence are as current as ever. With this in mind, multi-award winning, published playwright and Teesri Duniya Theatre artistic director Rahul Varma has updated his play to further heighten the relevancy.

In counterpoint, domestic violence and racism blur, distorting the issues while officials satisfy their own agendas. Teesri Duniya Theatre is proud to present this important show playing at the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts from March 11-29, directed by Arianna Bardesono. Continuing their mandate to encourage dialogue, the company will hold post-show talkbacks on March 16, 22, 24 and 29. An ongoing, evolving art display by marginalized artists will be in the lobby complementing the production. Mature content—ages 13+.

Counter Offence is a collision of virtues. Shazia, an Indo-Québecoise woman with traditional Muslim parents, is in an abusive relationship with her husband Shapoor, an Iranian facing immigration issues. What happens when the fight against racism comes into conflict with the struggle to end violence against women? Working backwards through flashbacks, the intersection of the two is explored, examining the consequences of gender versus race and skin-colour; forcing us to question our own prejudices and motivations.

Reflecting the streets of Montreal, the talented, culturally diverse cast including Persian, South Asian, Haitian and Italian actors - Maureen Adelson, Amena Ahmad, Michael Briganti, Davide Chiazzese, Alida Esmail, Minoo Gundevia, Amir Sám Nakhjavani and Arun Varma.

From playwright Rahul Varma: “Whenever I spoke to peers about the play’s themes, their usual comment was: ‘This happens a lot in your community, doesn’t it?’ From what I knew, yes it did. But I was surprised they didn’t ask the same question of themselves. According to available statistics and cultural evidence, spousal abuse occurs in the white community just as it does in the South Asian community, and perhaps more often. I was perturbed by the dichotomy that Canadians perceive domestic violence as a crime if the perpetrator is a white male, but a cultural value if he is a person of colour. Throughout the writing process I was confronted with issues of race, multiculturalism and gender. I struggled with how far a multicultural society and its laws tolerate cultural differences that could have coercive effects on women; a complicated issue which posed new questions.”
Teesri Duniya Theatre COUNTER OFFENCE (Rehearsal image courtesy of Teesri Duniya Theatre)For director Arianna Bardesono, it’s disconcerting that Counter Offence is still so timely. “Twenty-five years later, issues of conjugal violence and racial profiling in the police force have far from disappeared… I’d say the play has landed in 2020 in its own time. This compelling work raises a healthy debate on the boundaries we draw around what racist behaviour might be. It points at how ‘politically correct’ can sometimes lead to ideological extremes (and who pays for it), and how we often tend to deny healthy differences,” she said, adding, “All this told through each character’s rich, truthful contradiction.”

Counter Offence “is about violence, from the domestic to the systemic, the intimate to the institutional,” says Amir Sám Nakhjavani (Shapoor). He continues, “The play also presents a critical view of our criminal and immigration systems. Without being an apologist for crime, the helplessness and despair that individuals experience at the inhumaneness of the state is distilled through the funnel of individual action and often manifests as brutality towards others. We have to reassess how we respond to that as a society.” For Alida Esmail (Shazia) the stage is an important mirror for exploring complex social realities, and Counter Offence does exactly that. “People should see this play to open a dialogue with a larger group of people. They should come if the description of the play makes them uncomfortable, unconcerned and/or excited,” said Esmail.

Creating the present-day courtroom and the interiors of memory, and incorporating Persian and Indian colours, textures and patterns, is the always creative, META-nominated Zoe Roux, set and lighting design; the talented Rehan Lalani, sound design; and inspired costume designer, Erika Parra Bernal.

Counter Offence is published by Playwrights Canada Press.
Teesri Duniya Theatre’s Counter Offence, March 11-29
at Segal Centre for Performing Arts, 5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine Rd.
Opening night is Wednesday, March 11, 8pm
The show runs: Mon.-Sun. 8pm—NO SHOW ON FRIDAYS—plus Sundays & Tues. Mar. 24 at 2pm
Tickets: $25-$29; Monday night promotion—50%* off the second ticket (*by phone/door only)
514 739-7944 or online at Segal Centre
www.teesriduniyatheatre.com www.facebook.com/events/218818525670152/

Pay-It-Forward: Purchase a Counter Offence 'suspended ticket' which goes directly to a member of a community organization, giving the gift of theatre to someone who cannot otherwise afford it.

A reel of previous productions:

Opera Meets Soul | Alicia Waller & The Excursion: Some Hidden Treasure

Alicia Waller & The Excursion: Some Hidden Treasure
Journey through the Female Soul
(Innova Recordings / Feb 14, 2020)
• Buy the Digital CD
• Listen on YouTube

Multi-talented Alicia Waller is a New York City based soprano and composer and songwriter, and her focus is the female voice. She's a trained opera singer who grew up listening to pop and RnB vocalists like Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Anita Baker, and her work embodies all those influences


Some Hidden Treasure is her first release, including four original songs that explore various facets of American music with her operatic vocal instrument. She's worked with bassist and co-producer Marcos Varela along with the musicians that make up her band, The Excursion.

“When I went into this, I didn’t know exactly what was going to come out,” Waller states in a media release. “I just knew that I wanted it to sound ballsy and new. I wanted the voice to have a touch of classical and jazz, but the instrumentation to feel like soul music. I wanted it to sound like it came from the gut.”

The results are intriguing, a seamless fusion of all those threads into four tracks. The musicianship is superb, with her warm, rich soprano propelling the momentum. The lyrics are intriguing as well. Some Hidden Treasure is about falling in love with a friend, her big voice set against a languid groove and layers of piano and golden guitar lines.

Clouds is atmospheric and spotlights Waller's voice at its most beguiling - flexible and virtuosic, while making it all sound easy. The song adds strings and interesting percussion to the mix of instrumentation, swelling with her fluid voice.
Alicia Waller (image courtesy of the artist)In Soul, the guitars have a dirty edge, and the drum kit is more prominent. It has more than a shade of classic Motown sound, building on a groove, but then breaking into a completely different rhythm...and then another. It mirrors the lyrics, which go through pursuing, then refusing, then getting seductive with a lover.

Just Step Back is a vocal tour de force, a slow, sexy, yet frenetic examination of how to leave a bad relationship.

The marriage of operatic vocals and American popular music genres isn't necessarily an easy mix; it requires a true understanding of both musical modes. Alicia Waller's debut release proves you really can have it all, along with a stylish and sophisticated sense of songwriting and composition that makes it memorable.

Lo-fi | Mother Yeti: My Best Please (Neurodisc/Global Heist Recordings January 21, 2020)

Lo-fi
Mother Yeti: My Best Please
(Neurodisc/Global Heist Recordings January 21, 2020)
• Stream it on Spotify

Trippy, psychedelic, lo-fi...Mother Yeti takes sweet folky vocal harmonies, a dash of retro pop-rock, Americana, and other influences to come up with this enjoyable album.

Multi-instrumentalist Bill Tracy is the mastermind behind most of the album, (read: wrote & played most of the instruments). The title track is one of the exceptions, features Zachary Calkins on keyboards in a song with a swingy groove.

On Someone's Happy, growly guitars give way to pop vocal harmonies, all of it over a syncopated rhythm. As a songwriter, the band's sound layers acoustic guitar and keyboards over a solid rhythm section. It's reminiscent of 1990s bands like Blind Melon - or farther back to melodic pop groups like ELO.

In Grateful Space, the vocals are spacey, with a super 70s sound that runs through several changes in tone and rhythm. They use the pop format to explore a jazzy kind of sensibility.

The song Push The Weather includes Cooper Trail on the keys, and the song Wanted it Funny has Jim Rizzuto on drums - the other two guests on the album. Wanted It Funny is a pop song with a punk heart that builds in intensity. The reverb is strong in this one. Roller Blade Shades pulls out a strong RnB beat, with a funky groove.

Live, Mother Yeti is a 3- to 5-piece band. The band started as a jam session between high school buddies in Boise Idaho. Nowadays, they're based in the Pacific Northwest.

There's a lot of retro sounds out there these days; Mother Yeti elevates the bar with premium musicianship and great songwriting.

Tracklist:
1. Someones Happy
2. My Best Please
3. Graceful Space
4. Wanted it Funny
5. Roller Blade Shades
6. All By Myself
7. Push the Weather
8. Over My Head
9. In Your Eyes
10. Sober Head
11. Get off on Mondays
12. Fim

Musicians:
Bill Tracy: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard; Jim Rizzuto: Drums; Joseph Hein: Bass; Zack Degler: Vocals, Guitar; Zachary Calkins: Keyboard, Synth

Stay in touch:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motheryeti/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mother_yeti
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motheryetiband/
Bandcamp: https://motheryeti.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mother-yeti
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNaowynOVcqeQrY4fYZZi3Q

Dream Vacation: Casa Angelina on Italy's Amalfi Coast

From a release:

Dream Vacation:
Casa Angelina
on Italy's Amalfi Coast
• Check it out

Cut into the Amalfi coastline in charming Praiano sits Casa Angelina. With a clean, refreshing aesthetic and touches of refined Italian elegance, tranquillity is the theme at this cliff-side boutique hotel. While its design ethos and down-to-earth luxe vision push the boundaries of tradition, this romantic retreat remains firmly rooted in its surroundings.

All rooms have sea views over Positano and Capri
Private driveway and complimentary valet parking for easy access
An eclectic collection of modern art

From the Etro cotton sheets to the pristine white interiors of your room, a stay at Casa Angelina is a faultless experience. By day sip the hotel’s own champagne beside the pool. Or zip down to La Gavitella beach, where you’ll find a dedicated area for Casa Angelina guests. Enjoy the lively atmosphere, or explore secluded coves aboard the hotel’s private boat. As afternoon turns to evening, feed your soul at sunset meditation class, then feast on fine dining dishes at Un Piano Nel Cielo.

Outside Casa Angelina waits the authentic Italian charm of Praiano. This peaceful village is a jewel on the Amalfi Coast, set midway between popular Positano and Amalfi. Take a leisurely stroll to discover San Gennaro, a golden church glistening among the whitewashed houses. Or explore further afield, driving along winding roads to medieval Ravello. If you’re less about sights and more about the spritz, take a seat in a Praiano bar and soak up the views.

44 ROOMS / 2 RESTAURANTS / 4 FLOORS
Adults Only / Beach / Fine Dining / Pool / Rooftop / Modern design

* All guests must be aged 12 or over. When making a reservation, please include any guests aged 12 or over within the number of adults.

Casa Angelina
Via Capriglione 147
Amalfi Coast
Praiano 84010 Italy

Taktus Duo - Mirrored Glass (Parma Recordings / January 24, 2020)

With material from a media release:

Taktus Duo - Mirrored Glass
(Parma Recordings / January 24, 2020)Greg Harrison, Jonny Smith marimbas
• Stream it on Spotify

On Mirrored Glass, Toronto's Taktus Duo, percussionists Greg Harrison and Jonny Smith, interpret the work of composers Ann Southam and Philip Glass through the bright sound of the marimba.

Similarities and differences - the underlying theme of Mirrored Glass (Parma Recordings). The two sides of the album were recorded in different studios with different recording engineers, providing a contrasting sonic experience.

On the first side of the album, Taktus performs arrangements of Southam’s Glass Houses and Rivers 1. The duo uses electronic processing on their instruments to create an effect similar to the sustain pedal on piano. The dissonances have an interesting effect with the marimba's tone - one that isn't heard in traditional uses of the instrument.

The second side features arrangements of Glass’s Etudes and Music in Contrary Motion. The duo creates a mesmerizing web of rhythm and sound, more sombre in mood than in the Southam pieces. Dynamic range is somewhat more restricted with marimbas than a Steinway grand, but they play with a dazzling rhythmic perfection that makes you forget everything else.

Offbeat musical experiments like this one can reveal new dimensions to familiar music; the talented duo add bright notes and a strong rhythmic focus to the works of well known composers in this compelling release.