Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 69
February 20, 2018
Cirque du Soleil 'Crystal' - First Production On Ice - Coming to Hamilton & London June 2018
From a media release:
Cirque du Soleil’s First Ever on Ice Production
CRYSTAL
is coming to London and Hamilton June 2018
Tickets on Sale March 2 in Hamilton & March 5 in London Ontario
• For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/crystal
Toronto, ON, February 20, 2018 – Cirque du Soleil is coming to London and Hamilton with its 42nd creation and first ever on ice experience. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL, explores the artistic limits of ice for the first time in the company’s 34-year history. This unique production pushes boundaries of performance by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination. CRYSTAL will be presented in:
• London, ON at the Budweiser Gardens from Thursday, June 14 through Sunday, June 17, 2018; and
• Hamilton, ON at the FirstOntario Centre from Wednesday, June 20 through Sunday, June 24, 2018.
In CRYSTAL, gymnasts and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines for a world class audience experience. Synchronized skating, freestyles figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside traditional circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial traps and hand to hand. The result is an adrenaline-packed show for the whole family that pushes the boundaries and surpasses all expectations!
Tickets for CRYSTAL are available online exclusively to Cirque Club members starting Tuesday, February 20 at 10:00 am. Cirque Club membership is free and benefits includes access to advance tickets, special offers and exclusive behind-the-scenes information. To join, visit www.cirqueclub.com. Public tickets for performances of CRYSTAL will be available starting March 2 at 10:00 am in Hamilton and March 5 at 10am in London.
Watch world-class ice skaters and acrobats explore their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL fuses circus arts and the world of ice skating in a stunning new production that will take the audience on a journey into a surreal world where figure skating blends with acrobatics and aerial prowess.
More about CRYSTAL –
A Breakthrough Ice Experience
Follow Crystal, the lead character, on an exhilarating tale of self-discovery as she dives into a world of her own imagination. Feel the adrenaline as she soars through this surreal world at high speed to become what she was always destined to be: confident, liberated, and empowered.
Follow #CRYSTAL and #cirquedusoleil on social media
Cirque du Soleil’s First Ever on Ice Production
CRYSTAL
is coming to London and Hamilton June 2018
Tickets on Sale March 2 in Hamilton & March 5 in London Ontario
• For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/crystal
Toronto, ON, February 20, 2018 – Cirque du Soleil is coming to London and Hamilton with its 42nd creation and first ever on ice experience. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL, explores the artistic limits of ice for the first time in the company’s 34-year history. This unique production pushes boundaries of performance by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination. CRYSTAL will be presented in:
• London, ON at the Budweiser Gardens from Thursday, June 14 through Sunday, June 17, 2018; and
• Hamilton, ON at the FirstOntario Centre from Wednesday, June 20 through Sunday, June 24, 2018.
In CRYSTAL, gymnasts and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines for a world class audience experience. Synchronized skating, freestyles figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside traditional circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial traps and hand to hand. The result is an adrenaline-packed show for the whole family that pushes the boundaries and surpasses all expectations!
Tickets for CRYSTAL are available online exclusively to Cirque Club members starting Tuesday, February 20 at 10:00 am. Cirque Club membership is free and benefits includes access to advance tickets, special offers and exclusive behind-the-scenes information. To join, visit www.cirqueclub.com. Public tickets for performances of CRYSTAL will be available starting March 2 at 10:00 am in Hamilton and March 5 at 10am in London.
Watch world-class ice skaters and acrobats explore their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL fuses circus arts and the world of ice skating in a stunning new production that will take the audience on a journey into a surreal world where figure skating blends with acrobatics and aerial prowess.
More about CRYSTAL – A Breakthrough Ice Experience
Follow Crystal, the lead character, on an exhilarating tale of self-discovery as she dives into a world of her own imagination. Feel the adrenaline as she soars through this surreal world at high speed to become what she was always destined to be: confident, liberated, and empowered.
Follow #CRYSTAL and #cirquedusoleil on social media
February 18, 2018
Culture Critique: A Dangerously Sanitized World
Culture Critique:
A Dangerously Sanitized World
Decades ago, I was standing in downtown Hamilton waiting for a stoplight when I noticed a pigeon in distress. It was walking in circles on the road just off the sidewalk, disoriented and apparently sideswiped by a car. It was about to be hit again, and so I knelt down to pick it up and carry it to relative safety by a bush nearby.
A woman started berating me. Are you crazy? Do you know how many germs those things carry?
Silly me. I saw a beautiful bird with iridescent purple feathers. As a point of fact, pigeons are admired for their intelligence and grace in most other parts of the world.
But not here.
Out Of Sight, Out Of MindIn what we call Western society, the world we accept at reality is, to be trite, like the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It's a version of society that is sanitized at a very basic level - everything that is dirty and distressing is removed from view. Or, the official version of what we acknowledge, at any rate.
We want the glossy, pretty version of reality that TV shows us. You know, in TV land where people's hair and make-up are always just right, nobody ever goes to the bathroom, and they rarely even eat, for that matter. Nothing is messy, unless it's meant to be SIGNIFICANT. As in, showing poverty or bad people.
Anyone, and anything, that reminds us of the dirt under the rug is to be despised and degraded. The list of those we collectively despise for handling the rough edges of reality that we'd rather not face in our sanitized bubble is long.
It includes:
Garbage collectors,Janitors and cleaners of all kinds,Maids,Dishwashers,Personal care workers...Anyone who looks after another person or animal on a physical basis is subject to the same prejudice to a lesser extent:
Nurses,Child care workers,Mom.Human civilization has meant encroaching on the territory of many land animals. There are a few exceptions - animals who have learned to live with us, adapted, and whose range has actually increased with the coming of human development. They live on our refuse. And, we despise them all.
Coyotes,Raccoons,Seagulls,Pigeons.We complain that they get in the way of our enjoyment of the space money entitles us to.
Raccoons finding dinner by Christina Welsh
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... HypocrisySo, we hate the people who clean up our mess, but never examine why we make such a mess in the first place. We look down on the animals who do us the favour of eating some of the enormous amounts of garbage we create. We snigger at garbage collectors, but then learn very quickly how vital they are to the ordinary, everyday world we enjoy when they go on strike. We just don't want to see them.
It's a logic that disassociates the average citizen from most of the reality of their world, to the point that most of us can easily forget about all that dirt and ugliness most of the time. Out of sight, out of mind.
It lets us be blind to what is going on under our very noses. And, the implications are far greater than elevating the status of garbage collectors in our world. It's a state of mind that lets us knowingly pollute the environment we live in, safe in the belief that somehow we will manufacture domes or some other sci-fi solution that will remove us from the necessity of living in a polluted world.
It's why so many people can be taken by surprise by people like Harvey Weinstein, whose abusive behaviour went on for decades. People knew, but it was swept under the rug along with so much else. It becomes a way of life.
It's what leads to colonialism, both historic and contemporary. We can turn up our noses at dirty, polluted developing countries because it's all happening somewhere else. We know - if you must point it out - that there is a direct link between all that and the cheap clothes we wear and cheap goods we purchase, but as long as we're not confronted with the reality, we're already so very practiced in dissimulation that it comes as second nature.
It's how we can say we love animals as a society, yet subject so many of them to cruel and horrific fates.
We despise butchers too.
But, we love the steak.
A Dangerously Sanitized World
Decades ago, I was standing in downtown Hamilton waiting for a stoplight when I noticed a pigeon in distress. It was walking in circles on the road just off the sidewalk, disoriented and apparently sideswiped by a car. It was about to be hit again, and so I knelt down to pick it up and carry it to relative safety by a bush nearby.
A woman started berating me. Are you crazy? Do you know how many germs those things carry?
Silly me. I saw a beautiful bird with iridescent purple feathers. As a point of fact, pigeons are admired for their intelligence and grace in most other parts of the world.
But not here.
Out Of Sight, Out Of MindIn what we call Western society, the world we accept at reality is, to be trite, like the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It's a version of society that is sanitized at a very basic level - everything that is dirty and distressing is removed from view. Or, the official version of what we acknowledge, at any rate.
We want the glossy, pretty version of reality that TV shows us. You know, in TV land where people's hair and make-up are always just right, nobody ever goes to the bathroom, and they rarely even eat, for that matter. Nothing is messy, unless it's meant to be SIGNIFICANT. As in, showing poverty or bad people.
Anyone, and anything, that reminds us of the dirt under the rug is to be despised and degraded. The list of those we collectively despise for handling the rough edges of reality that we'd rather not face in our sanitized bubble is long.
It includes:
Garbage collectors,Janitors and cleaners of all kinds,Maids,Dishwashers,Personal care workers...Anyone who looks after another person or animal on a physical basis is subject to the same prejudice to a lesser extent:
Nurses,Child care workers,Mom.Human civilization has meant encroaching on the territory of many land animals. There are a few exceptions - animals who have learned to live with us, adapted, and whose range has actually increased with the coming of human development. They live on our refuse. And, we despise them all.
Coyotes,Raccoons,Seagulls,Pigeons.We complain that they get in the way of our enjoyment of the space money entitles us to.
Raccoons finding dinner by Christina Welshhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/... HypocrisySo, we hate the people who clean up our mess, but never examine why we make such a mess in the first place. We look down on the animals who do us the favour of eating some of the enormous amounts of garbage we create. We snigger at garbage collectors, but then learn very quickly how vital they are to the ordinary, everyday world we enjoy when they go on strike. We just don't want to see them.
It's a logic that disassociates the average citizen from most of the reality of their world, to the point that most of us can easily forget about all that dirt and ugliness most of the time. Out of sight, out of mind.
It lets us be blind to what is going on under our very noses. And, the implications are far greater than elevating the status of garbage collectors in our world. It's a state of mind that lets us knowingly pollute the environment we live in, safe in the belief that somehow we will manufacture domes or some other sci-fi solution that will remove us from the necessity of living in a polluted world.
It's why so many people can be taken by surprise by people like Harvey Weinstein, whose abusive behaviour went on for decades. People knew, but it was swept under the rug along with so much else. It becomes a way of life.
It's what leads to colonialism, both historic and contemporary. We can turn up our noses at dirty, polluted developing countries because it's all happening somewhere else. We know - if you must point it out - that there is a direct link between all that and the cheap clothes we wear and cheap goods we purchase, but as long as we're not confronted with the reality, we're already so very practiced in dissimulation that it comes as second nature.
It's how we can say we love animals as a society, yet subject so many of them to cruel and horrific fates.
We despise butchers too.
But, we love the steak.
NuMusic/Classical DOROTHY HINDMAN: TIGHTLY WOUND (Innova Recordings - Nov 17 2017)
NuMusic/Classical
DOROTHY HINDMAN: TIGHTLY WOUND
(Innova Recordings - Nov 17, 2017)
• Buy the CD
The music of American composer Dorothy Hindman is sparkling and engaging, contemporary in flavour and offering unusual sounds and evocative melodies.
The compositions on American composer Dorothy Hindman's Tightly Wound cover a period from from 1994 to 2016, showcasing the range of her musical vision. In contrast to most classical recordings, the CD is made up of 15 short tracks on two CDs, the longest of which clocks in at less than 15 minutes. It adds to the sense of immediacy of the music, and creates unusual effects.
The instrumentation is spare, with an insistent rhythmic pulse to the music, often accompanied by a strong sense of theatricality and drama. Tracks like Tickling, the first movement of the Setting Century Symphony as performed by Ensemble Ibis, are especially kinetic.
Time Management is a piece for solo bass. As played by Robert Black, the double bass whines, mourns, sings, and murmurs expressively as the music examines the difficulties of juggling the facets of modern life.
There is a theme to each composition. Heroic Measures, Taut, and Needlepoint, look at the distressing degeneration of of cancer, and Setting Century, for example, is inspired by the death of a parent and the sharp focus the event gives to our own sense of mortality.
Road to Damascus performed by the Amernet String Quartet is dark and moody, full of tension and conflict. It's a highlight on an engaging album.
DOROTHY HINDMAN’s music has been described as “bright with energy and a lilting lyricism” (New York Classical Review), “dramatic, highly strung” (Fanfare), “varied, utterly rich and sung with purpose and heart” (Huffington Post), “powerful and skillfully conceived” (The Miami Herald), “music of terrific romantic gesture” (The Buffalo News) and “one of the hopes of the present chamber music” (Kulturni Magazin UNI). She is Associate Professor of Composition at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, Florida.
Composers: Dorothy Hindman
Performers: Ensemble Ibis, Shawn Crouch, Mari-Liis Pakk, Jason Calloway, Pulse Trio, Robert Black, Karen Bentley Pollick, Ivan Sokoloff, The Danilevsky Trio, Corona Guitar Kvartet, Amernet String Quartet, Paul Bowman, Craig Hultgren, Duo46
DOROTHY HINDMAN: TIGHTLY WOUND
(Innova Recordings - Nov 17, 2017)
• Buy the CD
The music of American composer Dorothy Hindman is sparkling and engaging, contemporary in flavour and offering unusual sounds and evocative melodies.
The compositions on American composer Dorothy Hindman's Tightly Wound cover a period from from 1994 to 2016, showcasing the range of her musical vision. In contrast to most classical recordings, the CD is made up of 15 short tracks on two CDs, the longest of which clocks in at less than 15 minutes. It adds to the sense of immediacy of the music, and creates unusual effects.The instrumentation is spare, with an insistent rhythmic pulse to the music, often accompanied by a strong sense of theatricality and drama. Tracks like Tickling, the first movement of the Setting Century Symphony as performed by Ensemble Ibis, are especially kinetic.
Time Management is a piece for solo bass. As played by Robert Black, the double bass whines, mourns, sings, and murmurs expressively as the music examines the difficulties of juggling the facets of modern life.
There is a theme to each composition. Heroic Measures, Taut, and Needlepoint, look at the distressing degeneration of of cancer, and Setting Century, for example, is inspired by the death of a parent and the sharp focus the event gives to our own sense of mortality.
Road to Damascus performed by the Amernet String Quartet is dark and moody, full of tension and conflict. It's a highlight on an engaging album.
DOROTHY HINDMAN’s music has been described as “bright with energy and a lilting lyricism” (New York Classical Review), “dramatic, highly strung” (Fanfare), “varied, utterly rich and sung with purpose and heart” (Huffington Post), “powerful and skillfully conceived” (The Miami Herald), “music of terrific romantic gesture” (The Buffalo News) and “one of the hopes of the present chamber music” (Kulturni Magazin UNI). She is Associate Professor of Composition at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, Florida.
Composers: Dorothy Hindman
Performers: Ensemble Ibis, Shawn Crouch, Mari-Liis Pakk, Jason Calloway, Pulse Trio, Robert Black, Karen Bentley Pollick, Ivan Sokoloff, The Danilevsky Trio, Corona Guitar Kvartet, Amernet String Quartet, Paul Bowman, Craig Hultgren, Duo46
February 16, 2018
Riviera Maya Deal: Ocean Coral & Turquesa - Room Upgrade & 15% Off - Till Feb 27 2018 Only
From a release:
Riviera Maya Deal:
Ocean Coral & Turquesa - Room Upgrade & 15% Off - Till Feb 27 2018 Only
Dream of sunnier days with this summer pre-sale and oceanview upgrade at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa resort by H10 Hotels. This five-star resort, which received the Condé Nast Traveler award for the best international resort in 2013, is located on the sea front in the area of Puerto Morelos-Riviera Maya.
Ocean Coral & Turquesa Resort near Puerto Morelos-Riviera Maya
The Details:
• Travel between 01/05/2018 - 31/12/2018
• Rates are per room per night in double Junior suite, free upgrade to Ocean View - starts at $203USD per night
• Includes free transfers from CUN (Airport-Hotel-Airport)
• Taxes included
• Non-refundable rate
• Subject to availability
How to Book:
• Here's the link - Click on "MAKE A RESERVATION" in the top right corner -it's offer #4
• Add the upgrade in the comments
• 15% additional with promocode: OCEANDEAL15
Ocean Coral & Turquesa boasts exclusive suites, theme restaurants, meeting rooms, Despacio Spa Centre, the Dive It! Diving Centre and many other entertainment and sport offerings.
Hotel Details:
591 Rooms
Free Wi-Fi at the hotel
Business Centre with Internet access (with additional charge)
4 outdoor swimming pools, 1 children's swimming pool and Jacuzzi
Babysitter service (with additional charge)
Boutique/souvenir shop
Laundry service (with additional charge)
This resort is all-inclusive. Some restrictions may apply.
All Meals Included Daily (Buffet Breakfast, Buffet Lunch, and Buffet or a La Carte Dinner at Any of the Resort`s Restaurants)Unlimited Domestic and International BeverageGratuities and taxes are included.Buffet and à la carte meals, snacks, and beverages includedRoom service during certain hoursIn-room minibar (all beverages included)Entertainment and many activities and classes are also included.
Dining
Enjoy a true gourmet experience at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa. We offer a delicious range of international food, signature cuisine and themed bars and restaurants to please even the most demanding tastes.
Bluemoon RestaurantCasa del Mar RestaurantSensai RestaurantHacienda Los Girasoles RestaurantRitratto d'Italia RestaurantRoute 66 RestaurantTerraza d'Italia RestaurantVilla Marina - Caribbean Grill & Margarita LoungeLa Petite CreperieMike's CoffeeSnack BarsBar Chill-Out AquaPool Bar BlueFresco Bar
Spa Treatment
In the Despacio Spa Centre you can enjoy our water area and fitness room as well as an inspiring range of beauty treatments and massages. Let yourself be pampered by our highly qualified team of professionals, allowing you to unwind and fully rejuvenate.
The Sporting Life
Golf is a game of details. At Ocean Coral & Turquesa we take the utmost care of these details, offering golf courses close to the hotel, special greens fees and personalized packages. Our resort provides a wide range of sports activities organized by our Blue Team entertainers:
Day and night entertainment program, beach activities, beach volleyball, floodlit tennis court, floodlit sports center, table tennis, windsurfing (with additional charge), catamaran (with additional charge), kayak (with additional charge), aerobic, bocce, and more.
Riviera Maya Deal:
Ocean Coral & Turquesa - Room Upgrade & 15% Off - Till Feb 27 2018 Only
Dream of sunnier days with this summer pre-sale and oceanview upgrade at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa resort by H10 Hotels. This five-star resort, which received the Condé Nast Traveler award for the best international resort in 2013, is located on the sea front in the area of Puerto Morelos-Riviera Maya.
Ocean Coral & Turquesa Resort near Puerto Morelos-Riviera MayaThe Details:
• Travel between 01/05/2018 - 31/12/2018
• Rates are per room per night in double Junior suite, free upgrade to Ocean View - starts at $203USD per night
• Includes free transfers from CUN (Airport-Hotel-Airport)
• Taxes included
• Non-refundable rate
• Subject to availability
How to Book:
• Here's the link - Click on "MAKE A RESERVATION" in the top right corner -it's offer #4
• Add the upgrade in the comments
• 15% additional with promocode: OCEANDEAL15
Ocean Coral & Turquesa boasts exclusive suites, theme restaurants, meeting rooms, Despacio Spa Centre, the Dive It! Diving Centre and many other entertainment and sport offerings.
Hotel Details:
591 Rooms
Free Wi-Fi at the hotel
Business Centre with Internet access (with additional charge)
4 outdoor swimming pools, 1 children's swimming pool and Jacuzzi
Babysitter service (with additional charge)
Boutique/souvenir shop
Laundry service (with additional charge)
This resort is all-inclusive. Some restrictions may apply.
All Meals Included Daily (Buffet Breakfast, Buffet Lunch, and Buffet or a La Carte Dinner at Any of the Resort`s Restaurants)Unlimited Domestic and International BeverageGratuities and taxes are included.Buffet and à la carte meals, snacks, and beverages includedRoom service during certain hoursIn-room minibar (all beverages included)Entertainment and many activities and classes are also included.
Dining
Enjoy a true gourmet experience at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa. We offer a delicious range of international food, signature cuisine and themed bars and restaurants to please even the most demanding tastes.
Bluemoon RestaurantCasa del Mar RestaurantSensai RestaurantHacienda Los Girasoles RestaurantRitratto d'Italia RestaurantRoute 66 RestaurantTerraza d'Italia RestaurantVilla Marina - Caribbean Grill & Margarita LoungeLa Petite CreperieMike's CoffeeSnack BarsBar Chill-Out AquaPool Bar BlueFresco Bar
Spa Treatment
In the Despacio Spa Centre you can enjoy our water area and fitness room as well as an inspiring range of beauty treatments and massages. Let yourself be pampered by our highly qualified team of professionals, allowing you to unwind and fully rejuvenate.
The Sporting Life
Golf is a game of details. At Ocean Coral & Turquesa we take the utmost care of these details, offering golf courses close to the hotel, special greens fees and personalized packages. Our resort provides a wide range of sports activities organized by our Blue Team entertainers:
Day and night entertainment program, beach activities, beach volleyball, floodlit tennis court, floodlit sports center, table tennis, windsurfing (with additional charge), catamaran (with additional charge), kayak (with additional charge), aerobic, bocce, and more.
February 14, 2018
On Writing: Stealth Journalism In The Digital Era
On Writing:
Stealth Journalism In The Digital Era
This is for you – us – out here in the trenches, freelance writers in the post-journalism era, forced to pander to the whims of the masses and their clicks – the all-important clicks we are paid for. Pop culture is king, and we all know it. But, even with that narrow agenda, it’s still possible to slip some real journalism – or at least something that feels much more like it – into even the most sensationalistic listicle, I swear
Beyond the SEO optimized headline and that first keyword-rich paragraph, there are ways to insert facts, science, knowledge, and context into your pieces. Maybe even ideas – but let’s not get crazy.
Caveat – Let’s be realistic. I fully understand, as we all do, that in order to ensure a steady income, these tactics won’t be feasible all the time, and that you will inevitably have to write something about someone with large breasts, and/or not a lot of clothes, on a regular basis. You will never change that, only slide in a little truth once in a while.
Here are some ideas on how to do that.
Twist that TrendWe are all slaves to the SEO gods these days, but there may be ways and means of subverting the inherent negativity on some occasions. For example, you may find that Muslim or Islam, or some combination of those terms, is trending. A cleverly worded piece could end up talking about the diversity of the Muslim world beyond extremism and fundamentalist Arabic cultures. You could call it, 10 COUNTRIES WITH THE HOTTEST MUSLIM BABES! And, you’d also cash in on the pervs searching for “hottest Muslim babes” you SEO genius you.
Ask WhyRemember, behind your lurid clickbait headline, there is an actual story waiting to be told. You will still have to call it something like, 10 REASONS WHY THE AMERICAN SOUTH IS RATCHET AF! But, you can actually turn it into a factual look at the reasons and causes behind poverty and other social ills. I was actually able to slip in a sly plug for diversion programs in lieu of criminal charges for juvenile offenders into a pop culture listicle. True story!Don’t Pick on the DisadvantagedYour task may be to find 8 PICS THAT PROVE RUSSIANS ARE AS CRAZY AF! But, you can still have principles, dammit. By all means, pick on consenting adults, but leave out anyone with clear mental health issues, poor street people, or someone who just “looks funny” – there are more than enough violent drunken fights and crazy drivers caught on dashcams to satisfy your needs.
Humanize the BreastsIf you are writing for that coveted 18 to 34 male demographic – and it seems like we all are – then you will have to write girlie stories. And, while you will have to look for the best pictures to include, knowing most people won’t go much beyond them to read your words, you can still take the time to find the girl inside the girlie story. There are actual people behind the glamour, glossy lips, and spandex. They probably do interesting things, or maybe they are into worthy causes. Or both. There will be ways to turn them into a real person; you just need to try.
Elevate the DiscussionMost of the time, you will be looking for THE 25 HOTTEST PRINCESS LEIA COSPLAYS! but there may be times that you can take a subject and push the envelope. How about 12 EXAMPLES OF FASCISM IN THE JEDI CODE? I mean, those bastards run around playing mind games on people with questionable and secretive motives. Who made them space cops? It would be a surefire hit among internet nerd-dom with the right social media connections, and you may just awaken a few nerds and geeks to certain connections with current political realities in the process.
Those are just a few ideas. Journalism may be dead, but if we join together, we can elucidate, clarify, and provide context to these mofos whether they like it or not.
Stealth Journalism In The Digital Era
This is for you – us – out here in the trenches, freelance writers in the post-journalism era, forced to pander to the whims of the masses and their clicks – the all-important clicks we are paid for. Pop culture is king, and we all know it. But, even with that narrow agenda, it’s still possible to slip some real journalism – or at least something that feels much more like it – into even the most sensationalistic listicle, I swear
Beyond the SEO optimized headline and that first keyword-rich paragraph, there are ways to insert facts, science, knowledge, and context into your pieces. Maybe even ideas – but let’s not get crazy.Caveat – Let’s be realistic. I fully understand, as we all do, that in order to ensure a steady income, these tactics won’t be feasible all the time, and that you will inevitably have to write something about someone with large breasts, and/or not a lot of clothes, on a regular basis. You will never change that, only slide in a little truth once in a while.
Here are some ideas on how to do that.
Twist that TrendWe are all slaves to the SEO gods these days, but there may be ways and means of subverting the inherent negativity on some occasions. For example, you may find that Muslim or Islam, or some combination of those terms, is trending. A cleverly worded piece could end up talking about the diversity of the Muslim world beyond extremism and fundamentalist Arabic cultures. You could call it, 10 COUNTRIES WITH THE HOTTEST MUSLIM BABES! And, you’d also cash in on the pervs searching for “hottest Muslim babes” you SEO genius you.
Ask WhyRemember, behind your lurid clickbait headline, there is an actual story waiting to be told. You will still have to call it something like, 10 REASONS WHY THE AMERICAN SOUTH IS RATCHET AF! But, you can actually turn it into a factual look at the reasons and causes behind poverty and other social ills. I was actually able to slip in a sly plug for diversion programs in lieu of criminal charges for juvenile offenders into a pop culture listicle. True story!Don’t Pick on the DisadvantagedYour task may be to find 8 PICS THAT PROVE RUSSIANS ARE AS CRAZY AF! But, you can still have principles, dammit. By all means, pick on consenting adults, but leave out anyone with clear mental health issues, poor street people, or someone who just “looks funny” – there are more than enough violent drunken fights and crazy drivers caught on dashcams to satisfy your needs.
Humanize the BreastsIf you are writing for that coveted 18 to 34 male demographic – and it seems like we all are – then you will have to write girlie stories. And, while you will have to look for the best pictures to include, knowing most people won’t go much beyond them to read your words, you can still take the time to find the girl inside the girlie story. There are actual people behind the glamour, glossy lips, and spandex. They probably do interesting things, or maybe they are into worthy causes. Or both. There will be ways to turn them into a real person; you just need to try.
Elevate the DiscussionMost of the time, you will be looking for THE 25 HOTTEST PRINCESS LEIA COSPLAYS! but there may be times that you can take a subject and push the envelope. How about 12 EXAMPLES OF FASCISM IN THE JEDI CODE? I mean, those bastards run around playing mind games on people with questionable and secretive motives. Who made them space cops? It would be a surefire hit among internet nerd-dom with the right social media connections, and you may just awaken a few nerds and geeks to certain connections with current political realities in the process.Those are just a few ideas. Journalism may be dead, but if we join together, we can elucidate, clarify, and provide context to these mofos whether they like it or not.
February 5, 2018
Save 30% 6 Columbus - a SIXTY Hotel New York City
With material from a media rlease:
Save 30%
6 Columbus - a SIXTY Hotel
New York City
The Deal is:
• 30 percent off rooms and suites
• Available for stays through March 2018
• Use Promo Code SIXTYTHIRTY - limited time offer
• Book Now
NEW YORK CITY - Stay midtown in a chic boutique hotel and save through March in a limited time offer. Mid-century modernist design and a location in the heart of all the city has to offer sweetens the deal.
Above 6 rooftop bar - 6 Columbus hotel, New York City
At 6 Columbus, you'll be in the Columbus Circle neighborhood, close to some of the city's iconic cultural institutions like the Museum of Arts and Design, Lincoln Center, home to The Metropolitan Opera and The New York City Ballet, and Central Park.
Columbus Circle welcomes a gathering of tourists and New Yorkers alike on a daily basis due to its proximity to some of the most sought after restaurants and shopping opportunities.
Columbus Circle, New York City
While you're there...
ABOVE 6
6 COLUMBUS' ROOFTOP BAR FEATURING STUNNING VIEWS OF CENTRAL PARK AND COLUMBUS CIRCLE
Above 6 is the midtown bar scene’s best kept secret. Voted one of Fodor’s “8 best New York City Rooftop Bars,” Above 6 is a hidden gem, conveniently located directly below the Time Warner Center, and just off of Manhattan’s historic Columbus Circle.
With 36 seats this rooftop bar is complete with an all-weather retractable roof, views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Above 6 offers beer, spirits, extensive single malt whiskeys, sake, hand-picked wines, as well as signature and classic cocktails.
Offering the full dinner menu from the NY Times Two-Star rated Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Above 6 menu highlights include Fried Chicken Wings, dazzling sushi platters and a wide array of appetizers and bar snacks.
This zen tavern space is wonderfully suited for casual after-work or pre-theater drinks, and is also available for private events.
Reservations: 212.397.0404
Hours: Open 5pm to Midnight, Nightly
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill - 6 Columbus hotel, New York City
BLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR & GRILL
COMFORTABLE, INTIMATE, AND INIMITABLE, BLUE RIBBON IS A MIDTOWN INSTITUTION.
6 Columbus hotel, New York CityBoth a renowned Japanese Izakaya and a sleek, inventive cocktail bar, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill is comfortable, intimate and perfectly suited to its sleek surroundings at 6 Columbus – a SIXTY Hotel. The restaurant is one of the premier Midtown dining destinations, serving sushi sourced from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, along with an array of innovative Japanese delicacies.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill pairs dazzling sushi and sashimi with a multitude of cooked dishes, such as Blue Ribbon’s signature Asian Fried Chicken, Surf & Turf and Salmon Teriyaki.
Perfect for an after work sake flight, a quick pre-theater meal, or a decadent night on the town, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill will make your taste buds sing with its vast array of authentic Japanese cuisine and Blue Ribbon original offerings. If ever there was a restaurant with something for everyone, this is it.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill is open 7 days a week.
Save 30%
6 Columbus - a SIXTY Hotel
308 W 58th Street
New York, NY 10012
1-877-636-5862
Save 30%
6 Columbus - a SIXTY Hotel
New York City
The Deal is:
• 30 percent off rooms and suites
• Available for stays through March 2018
• Use Promo Code SIXTYTHIRTY - limited time offer
• Book Now
NEW YORK CITY - Stay midtown in a chic boutique hotel and save through March in a limited time offer. Mid-century modernist design and a location in the heart of all the city has to offer sweetens the deal.
Above 6 rooftop bar - 6 Columbus hotel, New York CityAt 6 Columbus, you'll be in the Columbus Circle neighborhood, close to some of the city's iconic cultural institutions like the Museum of Arts and Design, Lincoln Center, home to The Metropolitan Opera and The New York City Ballet, and Central Park.
Columbus Circle welcomes a gathering of tourists and New Yorkers alike on a daily basis due to its proximity to some of the most sought after restaurants and shopping opportunities.
Columbus Circle, New York CityWhile you're there...
ABOVE 6
6 COLUMBUS' ROOFTOP BAR FEATURING STUNNING VIEWS OF CENTRAL PARK AND COLUMBUS CIRCLE
Above 6 is the midtown bar scene’s best kept secret. Voted one of Fodor’s “8 best New York City Rooftop Bars,” Above 6 is a hidden gem, conveniently located directly below the Time Warner Center, and just off of Manhattan’s historic Columbus Circle.
With 36 seats this rooftop bar is complete with an all-weather retractable roof, views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Above 6 offers beer, spirits, extensive single malt whiskeys, sake, hand-picked wines, as well as signature and classic cocktails.
Offering the full dinner menu from the NY Times Two-Star rated Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Above 6 menu highlights include Fried Chicken Wings, dazzling sushi platters and a wide array of appetizers and bar snacks.
This zen tavern space is wonderfully suited for casual after-work or pre-theater drinks, and is also available for private events.
Reservations: 212.397.0404
Hours: Open 5pm to Midnight, Nightly
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill - 6 Columbus hotel, New York CityBLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR & GRILL
COMFORTABLE, INTIMATE, AND INIMITABLE, BLUE RIBBON IS A MIDTOWN INSTITUTION.
6 Columbus hotel, New York CityBoth a renowned Japanese Izakaya and a sleek, inventive cocktail bar, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill is comfortable, intimate and perfectly suited to its sleek surroundings at 6 Columbus – a SIXTY Hotel. The restaurant is one of the premier Midtown dining destinations, serving sushi sourced from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, along with an array of innovative Japanese delicacies.Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill pairs dazzling sushi and sashimi with a multitude of cooked dishes, such as Blue Ribbon’s signature Asian Fried Chicken, Surf & Turf and Salmon Teriyaki.
Perfect for an after work sake flight, a quick pre-theater meal, or a decadent night on the town, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill will make your taste buds sing with its vast array of authentic Japanese cuisine and Blue Ribbon original offerings. If ever there was a restaurant with something for everyone, this is it.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill is open 7 days a week.
Save 30%
6 Columbus - a SIXTY Hotel
308 W 58th Street
New York, NY 10012
1-877-636-5862
January 31, 2018
FABnyc Announces 2018 Artists in Residence
From a media release:
FABnyc Announces
2018 Artists in Residence
NEW YORK CITY - FABnyc (Fourth Arts Block) is thrilled to announce the FABnyc Storefront Artists in Residence for 2018! We had over fifty applications for our very first residency program in our storefront space and were humbled to receive many strong applications by a wide range of artists. Chinatown Art Brigade will be on the block into the spring developing Placekeeping - Here to Stay a multilingual, multimedia project that will feature short video and audio stories of tenants who live in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Manhattan’s Chinatown and LES.
A projection from CAB's Here to Stay series and Untitled (Carl Beam), 2017 by NADIAdditionally we are announcing that Native Art Department International will be in residence at the Downtown Art building into the summer thanks to a collaboration between DTA and FABnyc. We are excited to host them as they develop Expanding the Scope, an effort in solidarity and trust building between Native Americans, artists and arts organizations.
FABnyc's mission is to strengthen the cultural vitality of the Lower East Side
CAB Steering Committee: Anna Ozbek, ManSee Kong, Tomie Arai, Betty Yu, Liz Moy, courtesy of the artists
Chinatown Art Brigade
Our work is driven by the fundamental belief that collaboration with and accountability to those communities that are directly impacted by racial, social and economic inequities must be central to our cultural, art, or media making process.
In 2015, artists Tomie Arai, ManSee Kong and Betty Yu formed the Chinatown Art Brigade (CAB), a cultural collective that recognizes the power of art to advance social justice. CAB is comprised of Asian American social justice minded artists, cultural workers, mediamakers, tenants and residents who have roots in activism and movement-building work in Chinatown and NYC. CAB believes that art, culture and media work must serve and advance social justice movements.
Maria Hupfield, courtesy of the artist and Jason Luja, courtesy of The Institute of American Indian Arts
Native Art Department International
Native Art Department International is a collaborative long-term project created and administered by Maria Hupfield and Jason Lujan. It focuses on communications platforms and art world systems of support while at the same time functioning as an emancipation from identity-based artwork. It seeks to circumvent easy categorization by comprising a diverse range of activities, such as curated exhibitions, video screenings, panel talks, collective art making, and an online presence, each which contain an undercurrent of positive progress through cooperation and non-competition.
FABnyc Announces
2018 Artists in Residence
NEW YORK CITY - FABnyc (Fourth Arts Block) is thrilled to announce the FABnyc Storefront Artists in Residence for 2018! We had over fifty applications for our very first residency program in our storefront space and were humbled to receive many strong applications by a wide range of artists. Chinatown Art Brigade will be on the block into the spring developing Placekeeping - Here to Stay a multilingual, multimedia project that will feature short video and audio stories of tenants who live in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Manhattan’s Chinatown and LES.
A projection from CAB's Here to Stay series and Untitled (Carl Beam), 2017 by NADIAdditionally we are announcing that Native Art Department International will be in residence at the Downtown Art building into the summer thanks to a collaboration between DTA and FABnyc. We are excited to host them as they develop Expanding the Scope, an effort in solidarity and trust building between Native Americans, artists and arts organizations.FABnyc's mission is to strengthen the cultural vitality of the Lower East Side
CAB Steering Committee: Anna Ozbek, ManSee Kong, Tomie Arai, Betty Yu, Liz Moy, courtesy of the artists
Chinatown Art Brigade
Our work is driven by the fundamental belief that collaboration with and accountability to those communities that are directly impacted by racial, social and economic inequities must be central to our cultural, art, or media making process.
In 2015, artists Tomie Arai, ManSee Kong and Betty Yu formed the Chinatown Art Brigade (CAB), a cultural collective that recognizes the power of art to advance social justice. CAB is comprised of Asian American social justice minded artists, cultural workers, mediamakers, tenants and residents who have roots in activism and movement-building work in Chinatown and NYC. CAB believes that art, culture and media work must serve and advance social justice movements.
Maria Hupfield, courtesy of the artist and Jason Luja, courtesy of The Institute of American Indian Arts
Native Art Department International
Native Art Department International is a collaborative long-term project created and administered by Maria Hupfield and Jason Lujan. It focuses on communications platforms and art world systems of support while at the same time functioning as an emancipation from identity-based artwork. It seeks to circumvent easy categorization by comprising a diverse range of activities, such as curated exhibitions, video screenings, panel talks, collective art making, and an online presence, each which contain an undercurrent of positive progress through cooperation and non-competition.
The Beauty of Song: Festival de la Voix March 16-18 and March 23-25 2018 in Montreal
From a media release:
Festival de la Voix celebrates the beauty of the human voice
Vox Aeterna presents
Festival de la Voix, 5th edition
March 16-18 and March 23-25 2018
• Tickets to individual concerts available on Brown Paper Tickets
• Register for Workshops- Half Price before March 1
• Passports coming soon
MONTREAL - From March 16 to March 25 in the West Island (Lachine, Beaconsfield, Dorval, Pointe-Claire), Festival de la Voix brings communities and all ages together to sing, sing, sing!
This year’s 5th anniversary edition features six exciting, varied concerts, as well as five outstanding workshops. On offer will be an eclectic mix of styles including a St. Patrick’s Day celebration with Dave Gossage; a Broadway revue with a tribute to Leonard Bernstein; the Festival’s anticipated Grand Concert—this year showcasing out of town guests and choirs; Golden Voices, a concert honouring seniors and featuring a youth choir and ladies barbershop; ‘La musique de chez nous’ reflecting the many Quebec cultures; and Choralissimo! with four exceptional choirs.
• For information: (514) 758-3641 info@festivaldelavoix.com
• Check website for various venue locations: www.festivaldelavoix.com
ConcertsSix exciting concerts will be presented at the fifth edition of the Festival de la Voix.
Acappella SoundsSaint-Patrick's Day Concert
Friday, March 16th, 2018, 10:30 a.m.
L'Entrepôt Concert Hall, 2901 boul. St-Joseph, Lachine, H8S 4B7
The Festival de la Voix Celebrates Saint-Patrick's Day at the beautiful historical building L'Entrepôt Concert Hall on the banks of the Lachine Canal. Featured in this concert are virtuoso Irish flutist Dave Gossage, Irish fiddler Kate Bevan-Baker and guitarist Patrick Lesyk; Irish dancers who have competed both at the national and international levels and the Irish-Canadian soprano Colleen Bartley.
Broadway in Beaconsfield!
Sunday, March 18th, 2018, 3:00 p.m.
Christ Church Beaurepaire, 455 Church Street, Beaconsfield, QC
Starring three fabulous singers: Laura Coulter-Low, Suzanne Rigden & Brandon Howard Roy, together with pianist Michael Woytiuk! This Broadway review will feature the best of Broadway solos, duets and sing-along with the audience including: The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starmania, Nelligan and Fiddler on the Roof with a special tribute to the music of Leonard Bernstein: Westside Story and Candide.
Grand Concert: “Music That's Out Of This World”
Friday, March 23rd, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Église de la Présentation, 665, rue de l’Église, Dorval, QC
Vivaldi’s Gloria excerpts interpreted by the world-renowned Ensemble Caprice with recorder virtuoso Matthias Maute, soprano Samantha-Louis Jean and the Choeur Vox Aeterna directed by Margo Keenan will be featured in the Festival de la Voix’s Grand concert "Music that’s out of this world". Ensemble vocal Neptune weave musical magic with their Swingle Singers renditions from Bach to the Beatles.
Ensemble Caprice:
Golden Voices
Saturday, March 24th, 2018, 2:00 p.m.
Dorval Strathmore United Church, 310 Brookhaven Ave, Dorval, QC
Golden Voices honoring senior citizens and their families, will feature the sublime voices of the McGill Conservatory Youth Choir under the direction of Penni Clark, the golden voice of soprano Chantal Parent with Michael Woytiuk at the piano, accordionist virtuoso Daniel Benedetti and ladies barbershop at its best with the fabulous Acappella Sounds under the direction of Tracey Larder.
Zal SissokhoLa musique de chez nous
Saturday, March 24th, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Norwegian Cultural Assocation/Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5065 Sherbrooke, Lachine, QC
La musique de chez nous, a new concert at the Festival de la Voix, features music reflecting the many cultures of Quebec. Featured artists are blues and roots singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Rob Lutes; kora virtuoso Zal Sissokho and the rich and beautiful voice of Monique Fauteux (of the legendary Quebec group Harmonium) together with Kerry-Anne Kutz, Artistic Director of the Festival de la Voix.
Choralissimo!
Sunday, March 25th, 2018, 5:00 p.m.
Église St-Joachim, 2 Sainte-Anne Street, Pointe-Claire, QC
Featuring four exceptional choirs, past and present finalists in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs (CBC Music, National Council for the Arts):
Choeur du Plateau conducted by Roseline Blain
Les Muses Chorale conducted by Xavier Brossard-Ménard
Adleisia, co-conducted by Virginie Pacheco et Amelia McMahon
The Sainte Anne Singers conducted by Margo Keenan
Les Muses Chorale conducted by Xavier Brossard-Ménard
Festival de la Voix celebrates the beauty of the human voice
Vox Aeterna presents
Festival de la Voix, 5th edition
March 16-18 and March 23-25 2018
• Tickets to individual concerts available on Brown Paper Tickets
• Register for Workshops- Half Price before March 1
• Passports coming soon
MONTREAL - From March 16 to March 25 in the West Island (Lachine, Beaconsfield, Dorval, Pointe-Claire), Festival de la Voix brings communities and all ages together to sing, sing, sing!
This year’s 5th anniversary edition features six exciting, varied concerts, as well as five outstanding workshops. On offer will be an eclectic mix of styles including a St. Patrick’s Day celebration with Dave Gossage; a Broadway revue with a tribute to Leonard Bernstein; the Festival’s anticipated Grand Concert—this year showcasing out of town guests and choirs; Golden Voices, a concert honouring seniors and featuring a youth choir and ladies barbershop; ‘La musique de chez nous’ reflecting the many Quebec cultures; and Choralissimo! with four exceptional choirs.
• For information: (514) 758-3641 info@festivaldelavoix.com
• Check website for various venue locations: www.festivaldelavoix.com
ConcertsSix exciting concerts will be presented at the fifth edition of the Festival de la Voix.
Acappella SoundsSaint-Patrick's Day ConcertFriday, March 16th, 2018, 10:30 a.m.
L'Entrepôt Concert Hall, 2901 boul. St-Joseph, Lachine, H8S 4B7
The Festival de la Voix Celebrates Saint-Patrick's Day at the beautiful historical building L'Entrepôt Concert Hall on the banks of the Lachine Canal. Featured in this concert are virtuoso Irish flutist Dave Gossage, Irish fiddler Kate Bevan-Baker and guitarist Patrick Lesyk; Irish dancers who have competed both at the national and international levels and the Irish-Canadian soprano Colleen Bartley.
Broadway in Beaconsfield!
Sunday, March 18th, 2018, 3:00 p.m.
Christ Church Beaurepaire, 455 Church Street, Beaconsfield, QC
Starring three fabulous singers: Laura Coulter-Low, Suzanne Rigden & Brandon Howard Roy, together with pianist Michael Woytiuk! This Broadway review will feature the best of Broadway solos, duets and sing-along with the audience including: The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starmania, Nelligan and Fiddler on the Roof with a special tribute to the music of Leonard Bernstein: Westside Story and Candide.
Grand Concert: “Music That's Out Of This World”
Friday, March 23rd, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Église de la Présentation, 665, rue de l’Église, Dorval, QC
Vivaldi’s Gloria excerpts interpreted by the world-renowned Ensemble Caprice with recorder virtuoso Matthias Maute, soprano Samantha-Louis Jean and the Choeur Vox Aeterna directed by Margo Keenan will be featured in the Festival de la Voix’s Grand concert "Music that’s out of this world". Ensemble vocal Neptune weave musical magic with their Swingle Singers renditions from Bach to the Beatles.
Ensemble Caprice:
Golden Voices
Saturday, March 24th, 2018, 2:00 p.m.
Dorval Strathmore United Church, 310 Brookhaven Ave, Dorval, QC
Golden Voices honoring senior citizens and their families, will feature the sublime voices of the McGill Conservatory Youth Choir under the direction of Penni Clark, the golden voice of soprano Chantal Parent with Michael Woytiuk at the piano, accordionist virtuoso Daniel Benedetti and ladies barbershop at its best with the fabulous Acappella Sounds under the direction of Tracey Larder.
Zal SissokhoLa musique de chez nousSaturday, March 24th, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Norwegian Cultural Assocation/Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5065 Sherbrooke, Lachine, QC
La musique de chez nous, a new concert at the Festival de la Voix, features music reflecting the many cultures of Quebec. Featured artists are blues and roots singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Rob Lutes; kora virtuoso Zal Sissokho and the rich and beautiful voice of Monique Fauteux (of the legendary Quebec group Harmonium) together with Kerry-Anne Kutz, Artistic Director of the Festival de la Voix.
Choralissimo!
Sunday, March 25th, 2018, 5:00 p.m.
Église St-Joachim, 2 Sainte-Anne Street, Pointe-Claire, QC
Featuring four exceptional choirs, past and present finalists in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs (CBC Music, National Council for the Arts):
Choeur du Plateau conducted by Roseline Blain
Les Muses Chorale conducted by Xavier Brossard-Ménard
Adleisia, co-conducted by Virginie Pacheco et Amelia McMahon
The Sainte Anne Singers conducted by Margo Keenan
Les Muses Chorale conducted by Xavier Brossard-Ménard
January 29, 2018
Jazz CD Release: Heavyweights Brass Band - This City (Lulaworld, March 9, 2018)
From a media release:
Jazz CD Release:
Heavyweights Brass Band - This City
(Lulaworld, March 9, 2018)
• Preorder/Buy the CD
• Check out the CD Release Party in Toronto at Lula Lounge on March 29, 2018
In their highly anticipated third full-length album, the Heavyweights have taken a pilgrimage to the city that has inspired them since their inception. Recorded in New Orleans, the cradle of jazz ,with a second-line of special guests from groups such as Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trumpet Mafia and many more, the Heavyweights bring a fresh, energetic take on a deeply grounded tradition.
Not forgetting their roots in Toronto, where they cut their teeth in the most diverse and multicultural music scene on the planet, the album also furthers their hometown collaborations with the 10-time Grammy contributor Kevin Breit on guitar and Canada's reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel Jackie Richardson on vocals. This City paints a beautiful duality between two cities that have informed their music and is without a doubt the strongest release from Canada's reigning champions of feel-good horn music.
Inspired by the New Orleans brass band tradition, the Heavyweights' original stance keeps one foot firmly rooted in the rich legacy of jazz, while one foot steps forward into the future. Like the music's originators, the Heavyweights are unafraid to incorporate influences from disparate areas of the musical spectrum, from pop hits of the day to original compositions, from R&B and funk throwbacks to the infectious rhythms of Latin America, all woven together with the thread of adventurous sophistication.
The uppercut ascent of the Heavyweights' arc has been the result of relentless dedication. Touring across Canada and sharing the stage with such influential groups as The Roots, Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble has helped build the group a loyal following.
This City will be officially released on Friday, March 9th by Lulaworld Records, and they will celebrate the release with a show on Thursday, March 29th at the Lula Lounge in Toronto.
• Check out important links for the Heavyweights here.
Personnel:
John Pittman - Trumpet
Chris Butcher - Trombone
Paul Metcalfe - Tenor Saxophone
Tim Richards - Tuba
Lowell Whitty - Drums
featuring: Jackie Richardson - Vocals; Kevin Breit - Guitar and Mandolin; Roger Lewis - Baritone Saxophone; Ashlin Parker - Trumpet; Joe Lastie - Bass Drum; Eugene Grant - Vocals, Congas, Trumpet; Marla Dixon - Vocals
Track Listing
1. Hands Down Lo’ (Butcher) 3:35
2. Tell Me Something Good (Stevie Wonder) 4:51
3. Two Foot Ticket (Richards) 3:49
4. I’ve Got Time For You (Metcalfe) 3:18
5. Roger’s Intro (Roger Lewis) 0:40
6. Dance Out on the Corner (Metcalfe) 5:15
7. Rosco’s Big Hit (Richards) 3:52
8. This City (Steve Earle) 3:03
Jazz CD Release:
Heavyweights Brass Band - This City
(Lulaworld, March 9, 2018)
• Preorder/Buy the CD
• Check out the CD Release Party in Toronto at Lula Lounge on March 29, 2018
In their highly anticipated third full-length album, the Heavyweights have taken a pilgrimage to the city that has inspired them since their inception. Recorded in New Orleans, the cradle of jazz ,with a second-line of special guests from groups such as Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trumpet Mafia and many more, the Heavyweights bring a fresh, energetic take on a deeply grounded tradition.Not forgetting their roots in Toronto, where they cut their teeth in the most diverse and multicultural music scene on the planet, the album also furthers their hometown collaborations with the 10-time Grammy contributor Kevin Breit on guitar and Canada's reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel Jackie Richardson on vocals. This City paints a beautiful duality between two cities that have informed their music and is without a doubt the strongest release from Canada's reigning champions of feel-good horn music.
"Ever since the Dirty Dozen and the Rebirth created the genre "New Brass Band," their tradition has been innovation. This tradition is alive and well with this offering from the Heavyweights Brass Band. Expect big things from this band." Davis RoganWhether receiving props from The Roots on Twitter, jamming with puppets on CBC Kids' Mamma Yamma, recording with the legendary Giovanni Hidalgo or being championed by influential DJ and tastemaker Gilles Peterson, The Heavyweights Brass Band pack a one-two punch of crossover appeal and respect from music's elite.
Inspired by the New Orleans brass band tradition, the Heavyweights' original stance keeps one foot firmly rooted in the rich legacy of jazz, while one foot steps forward into the future. Like the music's originators, the Heavyweights are unafraid to incorporate influences from disparate areas of the musical spectrum, from pop hits of the day to original compositions, from R&B and funk throwbacks to the infectious rhythms of Latin America, all woven together with the thread of adventurous sophistication.
The uppercut ascent of the Heavyweights' arc has been the result of relentless dedication. Touring across Canada and sharing the stage with such influential groups as The Roots, Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble has helped build the group a loyal following.
This City will be officially released on Friday, March 9th by Lulaworld Records, and they will celebrate the release with a show on Thursday, March 29th at the Lula Lounge in Toronto.
• Check out important links for the Heavyweights here.
Personnel:
John Pittman - Trumpet
Chris Butcher - Trombone
Paul Metcalfe - Tenor Saxophone
Tim Richards - Tuba
Lowell Whitty - Drums
featuring: Jackie Richardson - Vocals; Kevin Breit - Guitar and Mandolin; Roger Lewis - Baritone Saxophone; Ashlin Parker - Trumpet; Joe Lastie - Bass Drum; Eugene Grant - Vocals, Congas, Trumpet; Marla Dixon - Vocals
Track Listing
1. Hands Down Lo’ (Butcher) 3:35
2. Tell Me Something Good (Stevie Wonder) 4:51
3. Two Foot Ticket (Richards) 3:49
4. I’ve Got Time For You (Metcalfe) 3:18
5. Roger’s Intro (Roger Lewis) 0:40
6. Dance Out on the Corner (Metcalfe) 5:15
7. Rosco’s Big Hit (Richards) 3:52
8. This City (Steve Earle) 3:03
Jazz CD Release: Heavyweights Brass Band - This City (Slammin Media, March 9, 2018)
From a media release:
Jazz CD Release:
Heavyweights Brass Band - This City
(Slammin Media, March 9, 2018)
• Preorder/Buy the CD
• Check out the CD Release Party in Toronto at Lula Lounge on March 29, 2018
In their highly anticipated third full-length album, the Heavyweights have taken a pilgrimage to the city that has inspired them since their inception. Recorded in New Orleans, the cradle of jazz ,with a second-line of special guests from groups such as Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trumpet Mafia and many more, the Heavyweights bring a fresh, energetic take on a deeply grounded tradition.
Not forgetting their roots in Toronto, where they cut their teeth in the most diverse and multicultural music scene on the planet, the album also furthers their hometown collaborations with the 10-time Grammy contributor Kevin Breit on guitar and Canada's reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel Jackie Richardson on vocals. This City paints a beautiful duality between two cities that have informed their music and is without a doubt the strongest release from Canada's reigning champions of feel-good horn music.
Inspired by the New Orleans brass band tradition, the Heavyweights' original stance keeps one foot firmly rooted in the rich legacy of jazz, while one foot steps forward into the future. Like the music's originators, the Heavyweights are unafraid to incorporate influences from disparate areas of the musical spectrum, from pop hits of the day to original compositions, from R&B and funk throwbacks to the infectious rhythms of Latin America, all woven together with the thread of adventurous sophistication.
The uppercut ascent of the Heavyweights' arc has been the result of relentless dedication. Touring across Canada and sharing the stage with such influential groups as The Roots, Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble has helped build the group a loyal following.
This City will be officially released on Friday, March 9th by Lulaworld Records, and they will celebrate the release with a show on Thursday, March 29th at the Lula Lounge in Toronto.
• Check out important links for the Heavyweights here.
Personnel:
John Pittman - Trumpet
Chris Butcher - Trombone
Paul Metcalfe - Tenor Saxophone
Tim Richards - Tuba
Lowell Whitty - Drums
featuring: Jackie Richardson - Vocals; Kevin Breit - Guitar and Mandolin; Roger Lewis - Baritone Saxophone; Ashlin Parker - Trumpet; Joe Lastie - Bass Drum; Eugene Grant - Vocals, Congas, Trumpet; Marla Dixon - Vocals
Track Listing
1. Hands Down Lo’ (Butcher) 3:35
2. Tell Me Something Good (Stevie Wonder) 4:51
3. Two Foot Ticket (Richards) 3:49
4. I’ve Got Time For You (Metcalfe) 3:18
5. Roger’s Intro (Roger Lewis) 0:40
6. Dance Out on the Corner (Metcalfe) 5:15
7. Rosco’s Big Hit (Richards) 3:52
8. This City (Steve Earle) 3:03
Jazz CD Release:
Heavyweights Brass Band - This City
(Slammin Media, March 9, 2018)
• Preorder/Buy the CD
• Check out the CD Release Party in Toronto at Lula Lounge on March 29, 2018
In their highly anticipated third full-length album, the Heavyweights have taken a pilgrimage to the city that has inspired them since their inception. Recorded in New Orleans, the cradle of jazz ,with a second-line of special guests from groups such as Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trumpet Mafia and many more, the Heavyweights bring a fresh, energetic take on a deeply grounded tradition.Not forgetting their roots in Toronto, where they cut their teeth in the most diverse and multicultural music scene on the planet, the album also furthers their hometown collaborations with the 10-time Grammy contributor Kevin Breit on guitar and Canada's reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel Jackie Richardson on vocals. This City paints a beautiful duality between two cities that have informed their music and is without a doubt the strongest release from Canada's reigning champions of feel-good horn music.
"Ever since the Dirty Dozen and the Rebirth created the genre "New Brass Band," their tradition has been innovation. This tradition is alive and well with this offering from the Heavyweights Brass Band. Expect big things from this band." Davis RoganWhether receiving props from The Roots on Twitter, jamming with puppets on CBC Kids' Mamma Yamma, recording with the legendary Giovanni Hidalgo or being championed by influential DJ and tastemaker Gilles Peterson, The Heavyweights Brass Band pack a one-two punch of crossover appeal and respect from music's elite.
Inspired by the New Orleans brass band tradition, the Heavyweights' original stance keeps one foot firmly rooted in the rich legacy of jazz, while one foot steps forward into the future. Like the music's originators, the Heavyweights are unafraid to incorporate influences from disparate areas of the musical spectrum, from pop hits of the day to original compositions, from R&B and funk throwbacks to the infectious rhythms of Latin America, all woven together with the thread of adventurous sophistication.
The uppercut ascent of the Heavyweights' arc has been the result of relentless dedication. Touring across Canada and sharing the stage with such influential groups as The Roots, Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble has helped build the group a loyal following.
This City will be officially released on Friday, March 9th by Lulaworld Records, and they will celebrate the release with a show on Thursday, March 29th at the Lula Lounge in Toronto.
• Check out important links for the Heavyweights here.
Personnel:
John Pittman - Trumpet
Chris Butcher - Trombone
Paul Metcalfe - Tenor Saxophone
Tim Richards - Tuba
Lowell Whitty - Drums
featuring: Jackie Richardson - Vocals; Kevin Breit - Guitar and Mandolin; Roger Lewis - Baritone Saxophone; Ashlin Parker - Trumpet; Joe Lastie - Bass Drum; Eugene Grant - Vocals, Congas, Trumpet; Marla Dixon - Vocals
Track Listing
1. Hands Down Lo’ (Butcher) 3:35
2. Tell Me Something Good (Stevie Wonder) 4:51
3. Two Foot Ticket (Richards) 3:49
4. I’ve Got Time For You (Metcalfe) 3:18
5. Roger’s Intro (Roger Lewis) 0:40
6. Dance Out on the Corner (Metcalfe) 5:15
7. Rosco’s Big Hit (Richards) 3:52
8. This City (Steve Earle) 3:03
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