Recording - Gonzo Magazine.

Transcription

Recording - Gonzo Magazine.
‘Tis
the
sea
son
Recording
DIANA
Scott LittleJohn
Reminisces
FREE
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07 Publisher’s Letter
08 We Are The City
10 CrowdedHouse
14 He Said/She Said
16 Gift of Culture
20 Greg Sczebel
22 Word on the Street
24 Recording Diana
A Band on a Hill Cannot Be Hidden
BC’s Best Food, Music & Entertainment
4 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.COM
Indie Film Reviews
08
Scott Littlejohn Reminisces
28 Light and Shadow and H.E. Kuckein
30 Spotlight
32 The New Philosophers
Reviews on Music
COVER PHOTOGRAPH: shorefire.com
Interview with Jodi King
ON THE COVER
DIANA KRALL
20
24
PUBLISHER Brad Krauza
EDITOR Dean Unger
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cassandra Redding
ADVERTISING & SALES Perry Mack,
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Publisher’s Letter
By Perry Mack
There is “Heart” in Art
works of art which I treasure.
As the Christmas season approaches, the pessimists in
our society will invariably re-visit sentiments about the
commercialization and consumerism that has become
typical of the holidays. Essays on how we’ve lost the
“true meaning” of Christmas are numerous - the authors:
disenchanted children that likely didn’t get what they
wanted during the gift-giving season and now they’ve grown
up to vent their disappointment in prose.
The socks, underwear, ties, trinkets, games and gadgets are
gone - or buried - in boxes destined to one day find their way
into a garage sale of my own. But, the art is everywhere,
every day. It’s part of my life and defines my environment,
my home and sanctuary, my office and my inspiration.
Cities that never sleep are now the norm. We ourselves are
sleep deprived, we move from one blast of stimulus to the
next, our list of ‘to dos’ never seems to end. Then comes
Christmas, which, for many of us, becomes another ‘to do’
list.
I don’t believe you can say “You’re one in a million to me”,
with a gift that’s one of millions, so I’m going to suggest we
make a change this year, you and I. Let’s not go to the mall
and crank through a list of what’s on sale, have it wrapped,
throw it under the tree and then give thanks when it’s all
over. Let’s really look for gifts for the important people
in our lives - gifts that truly say we appreciate them for
yesterday, today and tomorrow. Therein lies the beauty of
art. Even a well done art print can speak to us emotionally in
a way that an Xbox never will. A gift of art can say what we
want to say but aren’t always able to articulate.
My father died when I was 24. I was in my final year of an
honours degree in marine biology. My mother immersed
herself in a hobby: garage sailing. Every Friday night, with
military precision, she would plot a time-dependent route
and with religious intensity, we’d leave the house at 5:30
am Saturday morning. I was not the ‘Good Son’. Typically,
I barely had two hours sleep. Sometimes I had just arrived
home after a night of debauchery, and I was invariably
hung over. I drove poorly while she would navigate (several
curbside garbage cans will never be the same).
She didn’t collect trinkets, she collected art and antiques for
resale and for love. Art became my Christmas and birthday
gifts. Let me be clear about myself: I am ‘designed’ for math
and science’. I’ve never been accused of being a sensitive
person. I am not in touch with my feminine side. My body
has the scars, screws and stitches of almost 45 years of
contact sports and I’m still adding to the collection. I also
have a collection of Satsuma and cloisonne pottery, a statue
of a jade horse, a bronze of a renaissance architect and other
My mom has Alzheimer’s now. Her memories, like
ghosts, have gone from once lucid, to now faint wisps. She
introduced art into my life. Those gifts I received from her
during my twenties not only revive great memories with
her, but provide me with a sense of wonder and appreciation
in and of themselves every day. She created an appreciation
for art in a son who was all logic, science, testosterone and
alcohol.
You may be thinking ‘I can’t buy a print to hang on
somebody’s wall’. ‘Art is too personal.’ That’s what makes it
a great gift. Art has many forms. What comes to each of our
minds first when we think of art, is as unique and emotional
as art itself. To some of us, it does mean a painting, others a
photograph, music, artisan jewellery, a new book or an old
book. It’s a live performance, vintage clothing, a night out to
a comedy club or a dinner at a fine restaurant.
Art in all its forms is embodied with emotion. It draws life,
love, and passion from the artist. Its substance is the stuff
of dreams, perspiration and inspiration. It sometimes costs
a bit more than you want to spend but it’s never too much.
These are gifts that last. They hang on walls enriching
our personal space, or live forever in a memory, never
tarnishing and always lasting as long as they’re needed.
How do you know where to start? Ask your special someone
what comes to mind when they think of art or look for art in
what you know they love - like jewellery or clothing. A lot
more art went into things a century ago – even tools, guns
and machines. Then walk the streets of your town centre and
you’ll invariably find small shops that stock small quantities
of unique gifts. How do you know when it’s right? All good
art speaks to you; it also gives voice to your appreciation and
respect when given as a gift.
So let’s make a pact, the two of us, you and I: let’s not simply
create a list of things “to do” that we knock off our dreaded
seasonal “shopping list” just hours before deadline. Let’s
spend some time finding a special gift or two. Because art is
from the heart.
7 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Concert Listings at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
These days most of us live very busy lives. A thousand years
ago, when the candles were lit, it meant all the work was
done and we had time to appreciate each other and let the
important people in our lives know that we cared.
For my mothers’ birthday one year I took her to see
Phantom of the Opera in Toronto. One of the players was an
old friend who gave us a backstage tour. I’ll never forget that
time with her.
As young as they are (drummer Andy Huculiak is 20 while
vocalist/keyboardist Cayne McKenzie and guitarist David
Menzel are still 19), even a quick listen to their debut album
In a Quiet World, and you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re
seasoned musicians with decades of experience to draw from.
Late last year, they received $150 000 prize money after
winning the Peak Performance Project music competition.
Money that can go a long way for a small Canadian indie
band. And for this band in particular, it helped fund a crossCanada tour.
Barely a week before they jet off on an impressive Eastern
Canada tour, I sat down with the Okanagan boys in the very
coffee shop Andy used to work at, to talk about music, faith,
and fame.
You guys are quite young, just out of high school. How does
it feel to be playing at some very respectable clubs so
soon?
(David) It’s really cool, one thing that’s different though, is
we started playing clubs when we were a little bit younger,
so now it feels like we are allowed to be in those clubs.
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(Andy) Yea, before, there was this one show at Vancouver
in the Media Club, it was our first show in Vancouver. And
we were too young to be actually hanging out in the bar area,
so we had to sit in the back room, then we had to go on stage
and play and then we went to the back room again, we were
really wanting to see the bands we were playing with so it’s
nice to be able to do that now.
(Cayne) Even though, like David said, we’re old enough to
be in those clubs now, we were playing 2 years prior to being
legal age, but now we’re getting to play in cooler clubs than
we did then, like the Horseshoe [in Toronto], we got to play
at the El Mocambo, we played at the Commodore, but that
was all after we were legal age. It’s awesome, I think we all
just feel so lucky to be able to live this life.
What were you doing before you were
making music full time?
A Band on a
Cannot Be
years serving popcorn. That was so funny, because we
were there so long and we never got promoted. Everyone
got promoted except us. [laughs]
Actually, the front cover of our album is 9X9 squares of
hanging pictures of film, and we got the film from the
theatre because they just throw away movie trailers.
Cayne, you’re classically trained on the piano…
(Andy) I was working here, [at Bliss].
(David) I was in construction, and I still do a day here
and a day there.
(Cayne) Yea, David was the coolest, he still is the coolest.
David has a motorcycle, he’s got the really sweet hair.
(Andy) Cayne and I actually worked at a call centre for
World Vision, which was good.
(Cayne) And then we worked at the movie theatre for two
(Cayne) This is hilarious, we need to change our bio…I
guess it depends on what you define as being classically
trained, like I was in piano lessons, was taught by
a classically trained lady. But I never took Royal
Conservatory and I can’t read music very well.
I’m trained on the piano, but maybe not classically
trained.
Who does the composing of your music?
Book Your CarBQ
All proceeds go to the SPCA
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Your music has been described as positive and uplifting,
would you agree?
(David) All three of us are pretty positive guys, there’s no
attitude, like we’re not rock stars, so I think that’s a pretty
fair description of our music. We do put a lot of emotion into
our music.
(Andy) It’s not to say that we don’t have songs about really
sad things for us, but they may not come across as sad for
somebody else. I don’t think we’re ever trying to write
depressing music but some themes we choose are sad ones.
What’s the story behind your name?
But then we found out there were like a million other “the
Citys” in Canada alone, so now we’re officially “We Are The
City”.
Photos and Story
By Kate Mukasa
(Cayne) All three of us do. Our writing process is like, one
person will come, and it’s really such an even spread of who
comes with an idea. It will be such a small idea, a lyric or a
small idea of what a song could be about, or just two chords,
or a little melody, and then we will all sit in the room, and
just bounce ideas off each other, then we write the song
together. So the song belongs to all of us.
What other musicians inspire your music?
(Andy) Um, before it was like a lot of European bands, like
Coldplay, Mew, and Radiohead. But recently we’re starting
to become more influenced by bands we’re friends with
with, indie Canadian bands like Said the Whale, Adaline,
Yukon Blonde, and Debra Jean Creelman (formerly Mother
Mother).
We don’t take as much music style
from them, more how they present
themselves, and what they’re doing.
(Cayne) Since we’ve been on tour a
few times now, we’ve kind of exhausted
our “stage 1” style of music, which was
those european bands, because we’ve
listened to their music so many times
on tour. Now it’s like, the bands we
meet, and the bands we become friends
with is the new music we get to hear,
because we are constantly exposed to
new music from these Canadian bands.
(Cayne) The reason we’re in the band is just to kind of, love
people. That’s why we like the name so much, because if you
have this light of kindness around you, you can love people.
And it’s so important for us to love on people, and that’s why
we like that name.
So, you are Christian guys, but you’re not a “Christian
band”.
(David) Yeah, we would stay away from being in the
Christian market, it’s easy to feel like that’s the way to go. I
mean, it’s really easy to get young fans, you know you’re in
a couple Christian magazines, we don’t say no just because
it’s a Christian thing, but I would hate it if someone ever
though we were doing Christian things just to get the money
or publicity, or the popularity.
So what is this album all about?
(Andy) The album we recorded in the fall of 2008, yeah it
was a long time ago. We recorded with our now good friend,
producer Tom Dobrzanski (Said The Whale, Hey Ocean,
Lotus Child), we spent about a month in the studio and then
Continued on page 34
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a Hill
e Hidden
(David) We are The City was originally just The City, and
we took that from a verse in the Bible. Andy and I were in
church one day and it comes from Matthew 5, and it just
says, “a city on a hill cannot be hidden” and we thought
that was pretty cool. Just meaning that God’s light shines all
around, you can’t hide that. We thought that was a cool thing
to live by.
This award
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located
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prized Lake Ok
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al, rustic and
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ired and locally
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Globally insp
a local favorite
be
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g, Cabana
tin
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Caba
The Minstrel
fe
a
Cafe & Bar
C
l
e
celebrates
r
t
it’s 10th year
Mins
anniversary with
a musical diary of local &
International acts and Global Culinary
Regale. Voted: Best Place To Eat And Hear
Live Music!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Nov 4 Redgy Blackout
Nov 9 The Warped 45’s
Nov 10 Mike Plume
k’s
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osting th
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every
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P: 250-86
Blue Gro
tto
The Blue Grotto is a well established Blues and Classic
Rock, live music venue located at 319 Victoria street,
Kamloops B.C. This 21-and-over establishment is a great
place to meet with friends as well as listen to some very
talented musicians.
Live music every Friday and Saturday night with the
occasional midweek show or fundraiser. They are very
proud to have hosted some big names such as Trooper,
Honeymoon suite, Daniel Wesley and Divine Brown
and many more.
CROWDE
Visit their website at www.minstrelcafe.
com for current listings. 4638 Lakeshore Rd.,
Kelowna 250.764.2301. Entertainment Charge
Varies.
Check out www.thebluegrotto.ca for more
information and event listings. Email all booking
enquires to teri@thebluegrotto.ca
Rose’s
nna’s
Waterfront
a
H
&
Pub
&
’s
Hanna’s Waterfront
Rose
Lounge & Grill (above Rose’s),
two COOL places, one HOT location.
Two separate kitchens & two separate menus.
Rose’s offers all you need & more, great patio, DJ &
dancing, two pool tables. Hanna’s Lounge & Grill
offers a beautiful room, ambience, an amazing new
Seafood Menu using as much certified organic food
& sustainable seafood possible.
They have the best patio in the world showcasing
the beautiful lake & valley. Join them at Rose’s &
Hanna’s and you will be happy you did.
1352 Water Street Kelowna B.C.
Rose’s 250-860-1141 * Hanna’s 250-860-1266
www.rosespub.com * www.hannaslounge.com
The Blue Ga
tor
Boasting to be the interiors home of the blues,
the “Gator” has also been known to periodically
showcase some of the valleys most popular classic
rock combos, such as the Young’Uns who always
pack the house. Whoever is playing weekends,
be it the soulful, heartfelt originals and blues
classics of Poppa Dawg, the skillfully mastered
harmonica stylings of Sherman “Tank” Doucette
or the humorous antics of the Zamboni Brothers,
you’ll find you won’t be sitting too long because the
clientele loves to dance…..and dance they do! The
Blue Gator has defined itself as the perfect place for
the baby boomer generation to mix and mingle.
441 Lawrence Ave, Kelowna, BC
Phone: (250)860-1529 Fax: (250)860-1537
E-mail: info@bluegator.net www.bluegator.net
North Forty
out the brand new menu.
Come down and check
Wednesdays as well
on
gs
win
0
They offer $0.3
rsdays come in for
Thu
On
.
pm
as karaoke at 9:30
food and amazing
ap
che
free pool all day, live DJ,
ling Fajita’s
sizz
e
s featur
drink specials. Friday
g Islands at
Lon
&
s
zer
aly
Par
ka
for $8.95, Vod
5 for doubles. Saturdays
$4.25 for singles and $6.7
special for $8.95, and
feature a steak sandwich
Islands at $4.25 for
g
Lon
&
s
zer
aly
Par
Vodka
oters are also on
Sho
s.
ble
dou
for
5
singles, $6.7
y $3.50. Sunday’s
onl
for
ay
urd
special every Sat
3pm to 7pm.
from
io
pat
has an open jam on the
down to
on
e
e! Com
All musicians are welcom
competitions
gue
lea
l
bal
ley
vol
ch
watch the bea
for open volleyball
on two courts or sign up
games on the weekend.
land, (250) 765-9433
#150 HWY 33 West in Rut
EDHOUSE
Whiski-Jack’s
There’s no bette
r place to come
and watch all yo
sports and every
ur
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cover on any of
25 flat screens an
the
d two 100” projecto
rs. If it’s music an
partying you cra
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ve, live bands are
featured every Fr
and Saturday an
iday
d Jam Sessions on
Su
nday. With great
food and drink sp
ecials every night
of the week, there’
something for ev
s
erybody at the
hottest spot on
Westside.
the
So come down to
their fully licensed
patio, enjoy the
new menu and ch
eck out the renov
ations in the pub
and beerstore.
2442 Drought Rd,W
estbank, B.C., 250
-768-3122
Pogue Mahone
Pogue Mahone
Pub is the best
place to go in Ka
for great food an
mloops
d live music. Ev
ery Tuesday is ac
night. Saturday
oustic
s bring out some
of the best band
Kamloops and
s from
surrounding ar
eas. Their summ
offers plenty of
er patio
room to relax an
d soak up the su
good food and go
n with
od company.
They’re located
at 843 Desmond,
just off Tranquill
behind the 7-11.
e Road,
ourho
b
h
g
i
e
sN
Friend Pub
od
Friends
Neighbourhood
Pub and Liquor
Store, conveniently
Boucherie
located on Hwy 97 and
is well
b
Pu
s
end
Fri
.
ide
Road on the Wests
you are here
’s Caesar, but while
known for its Friend
ry day of
eve
ls
cia
spe
ner
or din
try one of their lunch
and they
ht,
Nig
ay
Legs are Saturd
the Week. King Crab
For the
ys.
sda
dne
We
and
ndays
feature Wing’s on Mo
hts and
y show all the UFC Fig
sports enthusiast, the
ion, or
vis
tele
een
scr
big
16’
sporting events on our
/60” flat screens.
one of our many 46”
ays and
11- Midnight on weekd at 10 AM,
Friends Pub is Open
ens
Op
re
Sto
uor
Liq
nds.
til 1:00 AM on Weeke
9-4757.
ok events call 250-76
7 days a Week. To Bo
s!
end
Fri
at
See you
Look them up on
the net, just type
in Pogue Mahon
check out their
e, and
events calendar
on Facebook.
CROWDE
unge
Shine Lo
Ric’s Grill
Ric’s Grill is a restaurant devoted to the passionate
craft of cooking and the art of hospitality. Ric’s
proudly serves only Sterling Silver™ AAA premium
Alberta beef, organic chicken, wild-caught top-layer
fish and shellfish. We start with the freshest and
the finest ingredients available to create traditional
and original recipes with influence from around
the world. A delicious menu paired with an
outstanding wine list and casual, elegant decor is
the perfect atmosphere for a casual lunch, intimate
dinner or large party. Enjoy our lake view dining
room, cozy booths, private dining room or our
seasonal park side
patio...it’s all here!
210 Lawrence Ave. Kelowna B.C. 250.869.1586
In the heart of Kelowna, across from City Park
Dave’s S
ports
SHINE in the Okanagan! Shine by Ric’s is Kelowna’s
finest urban lounge. Our unique and inspiring menu
brings the taste of the big city to downtown Kelowna.
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Indie Film Reviews
HESaidSHESaid
From Melissa MacDougall and Tavis MacDougall
14 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Waste time at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Scene from Saving Carren
Saving Carren
She Said: Co-directed by Deb
Gregory and Heather Arment, the
thought-provoking documentary,
Saving Carren, follows the unexpected
turn of events of father Ron Clem, a
retired LA police officer, and daughter,
Carren, in a turbulent ride through
the depths of methamphetamine use
and the pathway into and out of drug
addiction. With potential to burn, the
graphic imagery of drug use, rape,
and prostitution into the collective
retinas of viewers, Saving Carren took
an unconventional route in their reenactments. The use of animation and
the lack of realistic scenery serves the
film well.
Focused more on the journey to
rock bottom and back rather than
raw displays of addiction typically
associated with this subject matter,
Saving Carren allows the viewer to
realize the unconditional love shared
between parent and child, with the
underlying message ringing loud and
clear. Flanked by disparaging, cliched
scenes of emaciated junkies with
sunken eyes, we watch Carren spend
her savings, and then her body, in hot
pursuit of her next fix, while her father
searches for a way to keep her alive.
to keep big city sins from affecting
his family, Ron Clem, a retired Los
Angeles cop, relocates to a so-called safe
Montana town, which ultimately sets
the stage for his daughter to become
exposed to all that he tried to avoid.
Saving Carren follows daughter
Carren along a path of drug addiction
and prostitution, and even though
it’s illustrated through animation, we
see what most people never do, and
are provided the harrowing details of
Wrought with honesty, Saving Carren
the catalyst that begins to unravel the
is a disturbingly beautiful and poignant threads of her life.
tale of innocence lost and the struggle
In the end, viewers are left with the
against the domination of addiction.
haunting realization of how one
decision can change the course of our
: Though not the typical ‘Say
lives forever. However excruciating
NO to Drugs’ documentary, Saving
Saving Carren is to digest, it offers hope
Carren reveals life from the addict’s
to both faces of addiction and does so
point of view and the lengths a father
with purpose.
will go to save his child. In an attempt
He Said
GPS
She Said:
In the comical and
enlightening eight minute short
feature, GPS, starring Javier Martin,
viewers are treated to a sublime display
of terrible acting and laughable chimedin music that ends one scene and begins
another. The superb tongue-in-cheek
mockery rounds out this film perfectly,
and ultimately relays the baseline
message with volume and hysteria.
He Said: GPS, a less than ten minute
look into the reliance on technology,
sums up the question of whether or not
we have become too dependent on all
things electronic, and pushes a theme
about artificial intelligence over-ruling
the human thought-process.
Most certainly riddled with quirky
references, GPS is artful in the
direction it manages to take. Each
frame is brilliantly executed with
cheesy winking and melodic overtones,
establishing a finished product that
leaves one deep in consideration of
where exactly society and the evolution
of technology is headed.
A WAKE
She Said:
A Wake, filmed in
Cambridge, Ontario and directed by
Penelope Buitenhuis, is one of those
beautifully executed, brilliantly twisted
films that lead viewers through a
funhouse of warped mirrors. All is not
Scene from GPS
Scene from A Wake
as it seems from the first frame to the
last word spoken. Often exaggerated
acting is backed up by intimate,
improvisational dialogue creating
scenes that are rich with desperation,
chaos, and belligerence while
producing an end result that leaves the
audience marvelling in every sublime
minute.
At the wake of once-popular theatre
director, Gabor Zazlov (portrayed by
Nicholas Campbell), the dizzying pasts
of the seven supporting character cast
(Graham Abbey, Raoul Bhaneja, Sarain
Boylan, Martha Burns, Tara Nicodemo,
Krista Sutton and Kristopher Turner)
once again become relevant as they
delve into the thespian life they broke
away from and the bitter events that
tore them apart. Though definitely
peculiar, it’s because of this that the
film works and maintains devoted
attention throughout.
Simply put: I adore A Wake.
LEO’S VIDEOS
He said:
A Wake keeps you on the
edge of intrigue from beginning to end.
Filled with the characters you might
actually have had contact with in your
own life, from the prim-and-proper to
the wild-and-out-of-control, you never
truly know what’s going on. Until the
credits roll.
With an ad-libbed script that helps to
maintain realism, you’re left thinking
that this is more documentary than
fictional. A sordid reason to gather lost
friends and colleagues, a myriad of
skeletons come out and open doors that
they have tried to keep closed in one
aspect or another. Neither friends nor
foes, all characters have an intertwined
connection with each other as the film
digs up past relations and experiences.
Truth, in one way or another, can be
cleansing and painful, and is the focal
point of Awake. You’re left rethinking
your own life and questioning yourself.
Very few films have the ability to achieve
this, but Awake does so with such ease.
250 861-8437
Kelowna’s largest video rental store with over 10,000 titles.We have 26 separate
categories of film in over 20 languages and specialize in festival films!
Over 650 Blu-Ray Titles • New new releases $5 • Old new releases $3 • Library stock DVD’s $2.50 •
Blu-Ray $3.50 • Many more deals available in store • All prices include Tax
Come check us out at 2680 Pandosy St. or visit www.leosvideos.blogspot.com for more info.
15 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Concert Listings at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
With a glimpse into a society thriving
off the pulse of technology, GPS delivers
an end result of what would happen
should we replace our own decisions
with the battery-operated brain of a
machine.
Give the Gift of Culture
Create a Gifting Experience and a Lasting Impression
by Dean Unger
T
here’s nothing more frustrating than giving a gift to
someone that is only going to get used once or twice
before being stuffed to the back of the closet, or filter its
way down to the bottom of the toy box.
We’ve all been there: your kid sees the latest, greatest
toy advertised on television; their enthusiasm saves time,
and you can be assured they’ll be ecstatic come Christmas
morning. You get to the store only to find that they are
almost sold out. There’s no time for due diligence so you
make the purchase only to experience frustration and
disappointment on the “big morning”, at the shoddy
workmanship and an unkept value proposition. Your child’s
initial excitement quickly fades and the toy sinks into
obscurity.
16 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER-10 I want to stay warm this winter? GONZOMAGAZINE.com
Or, you set out to buy gifts for brothers and sisters,
uncles and aunts, and realize you’ve not enough time or
opportunity to find out what they might want. Nevertheless,
you think you’ve got a handle on it. You head out with your
apt sense of style and taste and, after a few hours at the mall,
come out with something for everyone – on time and on
budget. It’s only months later you find the unique wicker
picnic basket set that you got for your brother’s wife, sitting
on the shelf in the local thrift store; or, you find out from
your sister’s mother’s best friend that your mom re-gifted
the full-suite his and her “clapper” set you got for her and
dad.
It’s easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of gift-giving, but
letting your enthusiasm cloud sound judgement often ends
up costing you needless money.
In digging around a little, I asked people to think of the top
three or four gifts they’ve received throughout their lives:
What gifts meant the most to them? Do they still own said
gifts? and, why were the gifts meaningful to them. A few of
the answers I’ve received: front row tickets to see Pink Floyd
at B.C. Place in 1987; an original painting from Okanagan
artist, Bev Doolittle (purchased at a second hand shop for a
fraction of its actual value); a signed, numbered art print by
Kelowna artist, Mal Gagnon; a case of wine from the Mission
Hill, Select Lot Collection.
By putting some thought into it and giving cultural items as
gifts to people you care about, you can create a meaningful
experience for yourself and for those to whom you are
gifting.
ART
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Buying art for others takes some planning, but makes
for a lasting gift that may even be passed down through
generations. Depending on the person you’re buying
for, whether avid collector or novice, good art comes in
many respectable forms: art card collections, open edition
lithograph or serigraph prints, limited edition; signed,
limited edition; artists’ proofs and others. Firstly, find out
what interests the person you are buying for: What are their
hobbies? Are there other telling items in their home that
suggest their passions? Next, do a little market research.
With a little digging, you can discover up-and-coming local
artists whose originals are still available at a reasonable
price, and notable artists who’ve already achieved some
level of fame. Lastly, visit a few reputable art galleries and
talk to the pros behind the counter for tips and insider
advice.
LIVE THEATRE
Up until the mid-twentieth century, live theatre was a
huge pop-culture draw. Not surprisingly, the advent of
mass media has pushed dramatic
stage performance to the periphery.
However, today, most who’ve seen a
live stage performance say all it takes
is one good show and you’ll be hooked
for life. There is an intimacy, a unique
aesthetic and a magical quality with
live stage that cannot be reproduced
in any other media form. Live theatre
events are happening year-round
at theatres around the Okanagan:
The Powerhouse Theatre in Vernon,
Kelowna Actor’s Studio, Blackbox
Theatre in Kelowna, Creekside Theatre
in Lake Country, to name a few.
has also seen many wineries building
world-class dining establishments
on-premises, replete with live
entertainment. Make a weekend trip
of your wine gift buying experience
and regale yourself in some of the
cultural experience many wineries
pride themselves on. Local vintner’s
of note: Raven Ridge Cidery, Mission
Hill Winery, Gray Monk Winery,
Burrowing Owl, St. Hubertus, and
many, many more.
LIVE MUSIC
1.Time. Think in terms of months
ahead, not weeks.
2. Covert intelligence – ask around and
find out what is near and dear to the
hearts of friends and family you are
gifting.
AUTHENTIC, NON-GREASY
CLASSIC HAND-TOSSED PIZZA
Licensed Dining Room
13204 Kelly Ave, Summerland, BC
Open 7 Days A Week
250.494.1000
Mention you saw this ad in
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3. Use lay-away options to spread
out the spending and soften the afterChristmas hang-over.
4. When you’re not sure what to get, gift
certificates are a viable option. Not only
do they allow the recipient to pick out
what they really want, it also provides
them a day’s shopping excursion; pair
the gift certificate with a lunch voucher
Prima Pizza.indd
and you’ve provided a memorable
cultural experience.
1
3/23/10 2:37:21 PM
UTILITY & DECORATIVE ARTS & CRAFTS
Head of Citibank’s Art Advisory
Service, Francesca Guglielmino, said
recently in an article on Forbes.com,
that although there are fluctuations
in value and demand, art is a viable,
long-term investment. Of course,
odds of scoring an Andy Warhol
or a Matisse are against you, but
there is value in investing in good
quality, contemporary art. Pottery,
art photography, multi-media and
graphic art are among a few genres
worth looking at. Some of the
important details you’ll need to equip
yourself with, outside purely aesthetic
reasoning, are: authenticity, quality,
condition and rarity.
WINE CULTURE
Most wineries prepare for the
Christmas Season by offering gift
baskets, special blends or vintages,
select blends, ice-wines and all manner
of wine accessories. The last decade
PLACES TO FIND GIFTS OF CULTURE:
Brilliant Smiles, Crystal Mountain
Resort, Frock Clothing, Funktional,
Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna
Chief’s Junior B Hockey Club,
Mimi’s Italian Grill, Montanas
Cookhouse, Papitos Pizza, Prestige
Hotels & Resorts, Ric’s Grill, Shine
Lounge, Ten Fashions Bridal
Boutique
IMA
BC Interior Music Awards
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011
Kelowna Community Theatre
Editor’s Note: I’d like to offer a formal apology
to Canadian Painter, Rod Charlesworth, who kindly
advised after the September/October issue hit the
newsstands, that in our Canadian Impressionist
Painter, Rod Charlesworth article, we referred to him
as Rod Charleston throughout. Thank you Rod for
your stellar sense of diplomacy and understanding. The
corrected article has been posted to the Gonzo Magazine
website. Check out his work at Tutt Street Gallery,
or at his studio website: www.rodcharlesworth.com/
biography.html.
www.SelectYourTickets.com
Nominations Now Open @
www.BCIMA.org
facebook group:
BCIMA
Presented by
twitter.com/BCIMA
Media Sponsor
17 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER-10 I Looking for your holiday spirit? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
The resurgence of the grass roots
movement in live music has many topshelf acts playing smaller community
venues, restaurants, and clubs across
the country. Often the entertainment
for these places is booked up to six
months in advance, providing plenty
of opportunity to give the gift of a
night out for dinner and a band. A
sampling of notable musicians who’ve
played intimate venues here in the
Okanagan over the past few years:
Buckwheat Zydeco, Maria Muldaur,
David Lindley, Stacey Earle, Duke
Robillard, Zappacosta, John Mann,
Oysterband, Harry Manx, Willie Royal,
Jimmy Bowskill, Barney Bentall, Fred
Eaglesmith, and the late Jeff Healey.
Here are a handful of pointers to set you
on the high road of quality gift giving at
a manageable price:
Prima
Pizza
& RESTAURANT
Mimi’s
Italian
Grill
on Bernard
W
by Dean Unger
hen I walk into a restaurant,
if the server brings me an
excellent cup of coffee, odds are
95% or better that the best is
still to come.
When you think of the old country, of
Italy, you think of culture and tradition.
The country has a rich culinary history
that has blossomed over centuries;
cherished family recipes are passed
down through generations. This rich
culture has not only survived, but has
thrived because it has always been
about good friends, family and food. Sal
Gupta and wife Juliette, have teamed
up with Sal’s brother, Sunny, to bring
this old country taste and simplicity to
Kelowna.
18 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Waste time at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
“Every detail was carefully considered,”
says Marketing Manager, Leanne Beler.
In the kitchen, the philosophy of Chefs,
Andrew Thomson and Aneeta Shourie,
is about keeping it simple. Authentic,
quality ingredients are prepared to
bring out the best possible flavours.
“Preparing food is about enhancing
and refining tastes, not masking them,”
says Chef Thomson. “By selecting the
correct ingredients, and by blending,
braising, sautéing - by preparing them
in the correct manner, we bring out
just the right flavour before combining
the next ingredient. The end result is
exquisite taste.”
“Everything is hand-selected and
hand-prepared. You allow the natural
taste to speak for itself. We make our
own gnocchi and homemade ravioli
daily. What can’t be grown here, is
brought in from Valoroso’s – Italian
cheeses, pastas, specialty meats, and
the extra virgin olive oil that is part
of the signature cooking. We bring in
fresh bread every day from right across
the street at The Bread Co. We don’t
scrimp on ingredients but we make
sure its affordable for our customers,”
says Thomson. “Eating should be an
experience – not just a meal.”
On a tour of the restaurant, Chef
Thomson showed me to the glass-front
walk-in wine cooler, also home to
two immense wheels of ParmigianoReggiano. Wines are selected by Val
Lessard; her goal is to serve excellent
wine that is not overpriced. The menu
is loaded with traditional Italian
dishes as well as the chefs feature of
the day. Come prepared for a profound
spaghetti experience, try the oldcountry spaghettis, fabulous thin crust
pizza, fresh hand-made ravioli, insalata
salads, antipasti appetizers, and Mimi’s
Classico including veal parmigiano,
chicken diavolo, halibut puttanesca and
more.
A special thank you to my server, Jenelle
Ouellette - the service was warm and
friendly; the coffee was excellent.
19 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Concert Listings at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
“By design, the feel is contemporarymodern, with warm colours, good lighting
and with plenty of natural light in the
daytime. The art work and photography
top off the ambiance to deliver a unique
juxtaposition of modern look with
maximum casual comfort. When you
come in, you feel immediately that you
are in good hands, and we make sure our
customers leave smiling and feeling well
fed.”
Interview with
20 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Greg
Sczebel
How many artists bring you Starbucks coffee? I’m talking
high-Pumpkin Latte’s here. Greg Sczebel smiles, owning his
urban, Buddy Holly look, as he walks into Q103•1 studios in
Kelowna. If you haven’t heard of Greg yet, you will soon. I, for
one, will be one of those annoying friends who will hit him up
for backstage passes in the future, bragging to anyone within
earshot that we go ‘way back’.
Troy – You’ve already covered a lot of ground across this
wacky continent, anything measure up to beautiful BC?
GS- There’s great places all over Canada but there’s no place
like home and I’m not just saying that.
We believe you.
I’ve toured across Canada a few times, but BC is my
favourite.
Let’s talk awards. You’ve got a Juno, where do you keep it?
By Troy Scott
In my back pocket. Just in case.
Comes in handy in long club lines right? BANG, here’s my
Juno - I’m Greg Sczebel, let me in this joint...
I wanna propose to them to get a key chain or a fob size one,
it could come in handy.
Juno is a big deal, but you’ve also won - and I gotta stress
this... You’ve WON The John Lennon International Song
Writing Contest... TWICE. How did you take that in? That’s
a big freaking deal.
It’s a different kinda deal for me, the Juno is very special and
important because it means that Canadians validate what I
do. The John Lennon award is also very special because, it’s
JOHN LENNON! It’s created after him and they’re looking
for great songwriters, and it’s a huge honour...
Photo Credit Nathan Pawluck
and you WON it TWICE!
I didn’t plan on it.
different shades of Mood-lighting, which is perfect for car
dancing.
thought 15 would be good enough...
So the first time, it’s gotta be like winning the Nobel Prize INowould’ve
20. They threw in Magenta and Puce! But seriously, I’m
or the Pulitzer. So,justification - YES! I’ve done it, and then an independent
artist and I’m broke, so I gotta spread the
word about my music. I asked the fans to help me spread the
you go and win it again...
No key chain?
No key chain.
So with that award you were able to go down to LA and
record a track with producer Toby Gat?
Yeah, he wrote and produced ‘If I Were A Boy’ for Beyonce
and ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ for Fergie, he’s kind of a monster!”
Studio time in LA is mega money, were you watching the
clock yelling ‘we gotta put this to bed!’?
They gave us one day, all expenses paid. Toby has a whole
house dedicated to recording and a $100,000 Tesla electric
car in the driveway. We really hit it off right, and wrote and
recorded a song that day!
You also received a Nissan Cube for winning a nation-wide
talent search, and you’re re-gifting it!?
(Laughs) Well, usually re-gifting has a negative connotation,
and it’s not that I don’t like the car, ‘cause I love it. It has 20
word about my music for a year, on Facebook, Twitter and
other challenges - then I’d send out ballots and have a draw!
www.wingregscar.com, right?
Yup, I just closed the contest so stay tuned for the winner!
What are you going to WIN next?
I’m hoping the Peak Performance Project, which you guys
(Q103•1) are a part of.
$100,000 on the line and you’ve done everything from a Glee
video to serving water on a Westjet flight for it!
Yup. A Juno award winner serving water on a flight to
Edmonton. Classic.
Greg has 2 hits on Canadian Radio at the moment from his
album ‘Love & The Lack Thereof’: ‘Causin’ A Commotion’ and
‘I’ve Got That Feelin’. Check out Greg’s progress and his music
on www.gregsczebel.com
Troy Scott is the Music Director of Q103•1, and of the HANK
FM format for the United States. Troy lives in Kelowna BC.
troy@q1031.ca www.twitter.com/TroyScott
21 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Didn’t get the Shot? Pixs at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
And I’m very thankful for it.
The music scene that will help you find your Merry-Ho-Ho.
by Jennifer Conklin
A
hhhh, Christmas. It’s getting to be that time again…
BUY BUY BUY. It is really hard not to get sucked
into the void that is seasonal consumerism. I have
made a point to avoid this in my own life, but battling
a lifetime of conditioning is no easy task. I am
fortunate, however, that I am not afflicted with the
“upgrade disease”; I have no desire to go in debt to have a
giant, fancy flat screen TV or iThings in abundance. I will,
though, spend a stupid amount of money on goofy Jesus
novelties and things of a taxidermy nature. We all have some
sort of monkey on our back, don’t we?
Speaking of gifts I love to get (hint, hint), Trent Reznor
(Nine Inch Nails) just sent me an awesome one! Okay,
he and Atticus Ross sent it to a lot of people but that’s
neither here nor there. The pair just did the score for David
Fincher’s film, Social Network, and gave away a 5 track
sampler EP. Need I remind you that Trent gave away his last
album, The Slip, for free, exclusively on his website: www.
nin.com? There is also a generous sample of free tracks from
How to Destroy Angels on the same website and all sorts of
other freebies for fans. This guy has it figured out: if people
are going to download for free he may as well GIVE it to you,
thus canceling the victimization factor. In the meantime,
he nabs your email address to tell you about all the cool
stuff he is up to and offer you SPECIAL goodies you cannot
download. Genius.
Ryan McMahon has been working with an amazing young
lady named Megan McNeil for the past few years. At 19,
she is currently fighting a four-year battle with a rare form
of cancer, but somehow managed to get around to write a
song called the Will to Survive. The song was produced by
Garth Richardson (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ozzy, Kiss, etc).
Ryan was brought in to help arrange some parts of the song,
play guitar, and sing. There is now a video for the song that
has nearly 15,000 views on YouTube. Megan was invited to
perform at this year’s Music Therapy Ride in Whistler,
with special guests Raine Maida & Chantal Kreviazuk.
Both guests played a song each, and Chantal sat in with
Megan and Ryan to play piano on the Will to Survive track.
Ryan now has a big project on the go: releasing 2 albums
in 6 months. The first album is titled All Good Stories,
and possesses a stripped down, solo/acoustic sound/feel.
Recording for record two starts soon and will be called
Put the Past in a Flask & Drink It. This project will be
a heavier, full band album, featuring Ryan McMahon
& the Company Damn. If all goes according to plan, by
next summer both albums will be packaged together in a
double album on CD and vinyl. Ryan’s Christmas plans are
good and simple: one hometown show at the Ladysmith
Sportsman Inn a few days before Christmas and then just
to lay low and avoid what he calls “the dead-end that is
making promises on December 31 that you’ll only keep for a
week...at best.” Good advice!
Saw the most excellent show at Victoria’s Lucky Bar
recently. Start With the Cobra rocked the crowd’s
craniums loose with openers The Stockers and The Zip
Guns from Vancouver. There were rumours aflutter for
a while that SWTC were on their last legs together, a fact
which, if true, I found to be terrifying as they are the best
thing going live around here and beyond. Perhaps not
coincidentally, guitarist, Christian Head, has a new band
in the works called Buzzard. Haven’t heard them yet but
it seems there is a lot of interest afoot. SWTC played a
Rifflandia Festival show with Dead Eyes Open, Class of
1984, Run Like Hell and The Dayglo Abortions this week
and confirmed it was their last show. I do not accept this of
course because 1) - you need a 65.00 + SC + HST Rifflandia
wristband to get into such shows, meaning most of their
biggest fans were not there (turnout was less than ideal)
and 2) - aside from my personal mortification and denial, I
4
1
3
2
As it turns out, I am not going to have to pull a Bill Vander
Zalm and start a petition to get the guys back on stage. They
are just taking a breather and will write their next record and
get back together at some later date. Whew.
1. Trent Reznor from NIN.com 2. Start With the Cobra, photo credit Jennifer Conklin
3. Lina Morgan and Lady Gaga circa 2007, photo from Google Images
4. Kanye West from Wallpaper Designs
attention for one whole article, no small feat. His wit and use
of insult conspicuously veiled in truth is astounding! Get
Googling!
Being severely unhip, I don’t get the Lady Gaga
phenomenon either. I don’t find her terribly original or
fabulous, so reading that she’s accused of ripping off the late
Lina Morgana’s look, style, and stagecraft (according to
After six years, A Perfect Circle has reformed and is
the NYPOST.com) isn’t all that shocking. Lina died in 2008
planning a US tour later this year. Tour dates are yet to
by jumping out a hotel window, but had previously recorded
be confirmed, but the band will be playing small clubs in
with Gaga before the Lady Gagster was famous. Lina’s mom,
Phoenix, L.A., Seattle, San Francisco and Las Vegas etc.
Yana Morgana, also told the paper that Gaga assumed her
The lineup remains the same. Original members Maynard
daughter’s dark side, saying: “[Gaga] talks about having a
James Keenan and Billy Howerdel, as well as James Iha,
dark and tragic life, but she had everything she wanted in the
formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins, on guitar; Josh Freese world. She went to [the same] high school as Nicky Hilton;
on drums and Matt McJunkins on bass. Seeing as they aren’t her parents were rich. But Lina did have a tough life.” Gaga
headed up to Canada and I haven’t managed to see these
hit the national stage a month after Lina died. Personally,
guys live, aside from a really good bootleg a fellow fan sent
wearing a meat dress to any event is just a cry for help, in
me, this may inspire me to take a trip to Seattle when they
hit Washington State. No word on whether a new album is in my humble opinion. She did go to school with Nicky Hilton
after all, I am sure she was not afforded attentive parents
their future, but one can dream.
On Cracked.com there is an article called What if Kanye West and this, my adoring public, is precisely why you should be
nicer to your kids and pay attention to them – so they don’t
is Retarded?. You should take the time to read it because it
turn into attention whores.
is really funny. I cannot even name one Kanye West song,
but the fact I know who he is bugs me! Why must these icons My Christmas Wish List: Baby Jesus figurines, stolen
lawn gnomes, cute taxidermy squirrel (or something small
of celebrity nothingness be burned into my psyche via the
like that, just not all ratty and ugly), sparkly glass pickles
media for doing nothing short of boring? Why!? Okay, I will
for my Christmas Twig (aka Tree), a Rick Springfield Cruise
give him credit for calling out George W Bush on live TV
that one time saying GWB did not care about black people… Package, full size Trailer Park Boys “Conky” puppet, and a
slurpee machine with pepsi, sprite, orange and lime flavors
that was entertaining. This article truly made my day
though. I applaud Daniel O’Brien for managing to hold my only. Merry Ho-Ho!
23
just cannot accept that the guys don’t want to go out with a
bang. Sure, playing with the Dayglos may be some sort of
landmark event - I don’t know - but I have seen this band
pack venues. A mere forty people showing up willy nilly
for a festival show is NOT a finale they should be willing or
prepared to accept.
Interview with Scott Littlejohn
24 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Recording Diana
When did you get involved with the
music and recording industry and why?
I quit my gig selling real estate at 25,
took an 8 week recording course in
Vancouver, bought an 8-track multitrack and mixer, and converted a tiny
old guest cottage at our place into a
recording studio - ‘Intimate Sounds’
(‘cause it was so small!). I bought into
to the idea that if you pursue your
passion the money will follow. I’d been
writing and playing in bar bands for
a few years, so it seemed logical at the
time.
a disconnect between the Vancouver
music scene and ours, but e-marketing
and distribution has been a game
changer. It still comes down to
musicians having the business and tech
savvy to get their voices heard. Music
sense and business sense aren’t always
equally developed in musicians. Other
Nanaimo musicians I’ve worked with
have managed to gain some broader
recognition - blues man, David Gogo,
jazz sisters, Ingrid and Christine
Jensen, singer songwriters, Allison
Crowe and Hayley Sales come to mind.
What, in your opinion, makes the
Do you see a lot of un-harvested talent difference between people with talent
that are successful with their music,
coming out of Nanaimo? Have you
recorded and/or worked with other and those who have talent but do
musicians who’ve acquired a certain not find the level of success they are
after?
level of notoriety?
The high school music programs
here on the Island are very strong,
and the Island tends to attract artistic
people anyway, so there is a lot of
musical talent here, especially in
jazz. Whether it gets ‘discovered’ is
another matter. In the past, that 30
miles of water separating Vancouver
Island from the mainland, has meant
Now if I only knew why some talented
folks ‘make it’ and some continue to
shine in obscurity, I’d have a different
job description! I do believe that people
make their own luck - to a point.
Having your radar always tuned to
potential opportunities, is also key. You
never know when a connection is going
to turn into something important, so
networking and getting your music in
front of as many people as possible is
always job one. In fishing terms, a great
lure or bait means nothing if isn’t in
front of a fish.
How did you come to know the Krall
family?
Nanaimo isn’t a big town, and my
main awareness of the Krall family
was due to her father’s accounting
practice, from my days as a realtor. A
few years after I got into the recording
business and had moved into a
storefront, I started hearing about a
young jazz pianist who was playing
local restaurant gigs: Jimmy Krall’s
daughter. The story went that she’d
grown up listening to jazz at home as
her folks had an extensive jazz record
collection, and that, in turn, led to her
piano and singing. In the early days she
was trying to emulate the greats. Her
mom, Adella, sang in a choir I often
recorded. Jim was no slouch on the jazz
piano either.
When did you first hear Diana sing?
What was your impression at that
time?
Well. When Rick and I heard the
voice that girl had, it sounded more
like the smooth and sultry sound of
a seasoned jazz singer twice her age the contrast of the sound coming out
of the speakers and this pretty young
lady making them was jaw dropping.
After a few bars, Rick stopped her and
said she HAD to sing on the demo, and
thankfully Diana’s reluctance to sing
was overruled. That little 1986, six song
demo, with tunes like ‘Fly Me to the
Moon’, ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’,
‘As Time Goes By’, and even a version
of ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’,
turned some heads when people heard
how young the performer was. Back
then, Diana didn’t think her vocals
were anything special, but I think her
legions of fans today would suggest
otherwise.
Was she always into Jazz?
As mentioned, jazz was always playing
in the Krall residence, and friends have
told me that a very young Diana loved
to ape Ella, like most kids into music do
with their idols.
You mentioned she went through
a rough patch with respect to
relationships in her life. Why was she
pessimistic about finding the right guy
during that time (just before she met
Elvis Costello)?
Diana’s transition from a student of
music playing restaurant gigs, to the
global star she is today was hardly
immediate. I remember bumping into
Jim a few years after we worked on
that first recording. Diana had been off
to school in Boston studying jazz, and
then to L.A. to keep learning her craft,
studying privately with the likes of Ray
Brown.
While I was doing sound for a couple
of her gigs back here in Nanaimo, I
was saying how proud Jim must be
of Diana, after hearing how much
she’d improved. And proud though
he obviously was, at that time he
wondered if it was ever going to pay
off - so much time and toil had been
invested, and it was jazz after all - not
pop or rock.
Such dedication to her passion left
less time for fun and personal life as
it does for most young people. As her
career took off, she was increasingly
performing and travelling in the
company of musical celebrities more
and more. But being a small town
family person, I think whenever she
was back home on the Island and she
looked around at her friends’ lives
doing all the usual ‘normal life’ things
- building nests that included spouses,
homes, and children, I think there was
a growing desire to find a place for that
Continued on page 38
25 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Didn’t get the Shot? Pixs at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
I was recording a lot of jazz with Rick
Kilburn, a Nanaimo area bass wiz
who’d spent 10 years as a session player
in New York. He was asked to produce
a demo for young Diana Krall. After
a meeting with her family, it was
decided to record a few jazz standards
at my little studio. In spite of being
around twenty years old in her first
recording situation, Diana was very
relaxed and immediately likeable. She
wanted to be known as a jazz piano
player primarily, so while she warmed
up on some prepared material, Rick
and I shared raised eyebrows at the
quality and maturity of her playing.
Then Rick asked if she would do a song
with vocals. Unlike the confidence
she had with her playing, she told us
she wasn’t a singer and just wanted to
do instrumentals. With some gentle
coaxing, we talked her into at least
trying a vocal tune and set up a mic
with the piano.
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at the Kelowna Community Food Bank, local merchants have
contributed thousands of dollars in gift certificates for the tree
- as a thank you for your donation. Give a gift, receive a gift!
Contributors: Brilliant Smiles, Crystal Mountain Resort, Frock Clothing, Funktional, Kelowna Art Gallery,
Kelowna Chief’s Junior B Hockey Club, Mimi’s Italian Grill, Montanas Cookhouse, Papitos Pizza, Prestige
Hotels & Resorts, Ric’s Grill, Shine Lounge, Ten Fashions Bridal Boutique and many, many more.
On the eve of his eightieth birthday, Canadian Impressionist
Painter and Architect, H.E. Kuckein, for the first time,
speaks candidly about his work.
28 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
“The oil paint on these paintings burns quite vigorously,”
Ebe Kuckein says, sipping at his coffee. He reclines on the
couch in his living room where the sun has broken through
the garden window and lights the large bookshelf behind
him. “Once a year we would have these burning parties. I
would gather all of the canvasses that were not good enough
to sell and pile them on our property. Our friends would
come over and we’d light them on fire. It was a spectacle; the
flame took to the oil paint in quite dramatic fashion.”
This seemingly incendiary act may at first seem selfdeprecating, but Kuckein has produced more than 1000
paintings in his time, and is collected world-wide. His
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scrutiny over his work is his assurance that nothing substandard will end up on a client’s wall.
Kuckein embraces his stock-in-trade in utilitarian fashion.
To date, and in the old school tradition, his paintings have
never been reproduced. “It’s mostly about the work. I don’t
like the word ‘artist’. I am a painter. When I think of artists, I
think of men flying around on a trapeze. Therefore I prefer to
be called a painter.”
Kuckein is a tall man, presents a strong European build classical in appearance in many ways. He is bold in opinion,
yet discerning; a distinct metaphor to his painting. Raised
near Königsberg (now Kaliningrad), East Prussia, he
studied during WWII under F.W. Schulz – an artist who he
says greatly influenced him early in his painting career,
and of whom he continues to speak highly. The end of the
war brought Kuckein to Vancouver, where he continued
architectural studies that he had begun in Germany. Since
then, and after a successful career in architecture, he has
travelled the world gathering ideas for his painting.
At the turn of the century, once it became economically
feasible to travel abroad, painters started to travel to
broaden their perspective and to inform their interpretation
of form and about subject. In this way, painters who were
serious about their work began to form a unique style and
approach - a way of seeing the world that was a product of
their experience. For Kuckein, travelling brought with it the
opportunity to snap slides, and gather ideas as he went.
“I opted to travel by freighter ship and by train. When you
travel, you can’t get a tactile sense for the place unless you
get out there and experience it for yourself. Going by train
was slow but you get to see everything, and its easier to
take in the details. I wasn’t going just to get there, you see,
though it was often difficult to travel this way,” Kuckein
says. “But I would snap plenty of slides - even of things that
did not impress me at that moment. Then later, when I went
through them from time to time, I would see something that
I would like to paint. I reasoned that, with the slides, I would
never run out of ideas; I could simply take them out and they
would still be fresh and new to me. Or so I hoped... India
surprised me. I was enchanted by the images there and the
quality of the light. It was surprising how pleasant the place
was: there were times when it might have been dangerous
– that much is true – some of it was unpredictable, but it all
turned out well.”
Along with the immutable dynamics that must come with
principles of engineering and structural science, there is a
dichotomy: although his work aptly imparts a theme and
an object, the paintings unquestionably leave something up
to the imagination, and to individual interpretation. Each
painting is a dream-scape where meaning is not overt, but
is left almost entirely to the observer. In fact, if left up to
emotional sensibilities and intuition – which is perhaps how
a painting is best observed – his work indeed aptly captures
a placid warmth: conjures images of picnics in the Italian
countryside, or warm, breezy afternoons on a beach in
Spain.
“I don’t want to call it spirituality...” says Kuckein, “...Let’s
call it the mood of the painting, and how I feel about the work
as it emerges... I wouldn’t go as far to say it is epiphany, but
from time to time I realize that I can indeed paint a little,” he
says, smiling and sipping again at his coffee.
Kuckein began painting as a child, when he was twelve. “My
brothers were also painters. When they were fulfilling their
obligations I would sometimes relieve them of their paint
boxes and do a little painting of my own,” he says, smiling
again. “When I returned to visit from Canada one year, my
mother and father had framed the paintings and hung them
on the wall.” He says that in those paintings, he can see the
genesis of a style which remains true in his present work.
A three-room loft overlooking the living room forms some
of Kuckein’s studio. In the antechamber at the top of the
stairs, perhaps two dozen finished canvases are neatly
stacked against various walls reserved for just that. The
second antechamber is reserved for administrative duties
Continued on page 36
29 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Didn’t get the Shot? Pixs at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Although he is mostly self-taught, Kuckein’s style has
been characterized as figurative vs. new abstraction, and
described as possessing a captivating aesthetic symmetry.
The images he creates conjure emotion the way that a
childhood memory or a special place might be remembered;
the emotional high points of experience. In this way,
Kuckein’s paintings are indeed a visual interpretation. He
speaks a language of landscapes that can only be translated
through sophisticated imagery. The walls of the buildings
in his paintings not only reflect, but seem to emit a quality
of light by which you could take the time of day. The quality
of luminescence, the play of light and shadow in and
around the structures in his work, indeed suggest a deeper
understanding of form and presentation.
Spotlight
ULTIMATE GIFT CD REVIEWS BY JOHN THE ROCK DOCTOR
All Night Long
Buckcherry (Universal)
This a big, stupid, knuckle draggin’ rock &
roll album… freakin’ AWESOME!
“We set out to make a great rock & roll
record” says lead vocalist Josh Todd,
and they’ve succeeded. “A-N-L” has
All Night Long
the raw, bluesy feel of classic AC/DC
Buckcherry
and Kiss, with the melodic swagger of
vintage Aerosmith. This record doesn’t
chase trends or try to be hip, these guys
clearly love playing this kind of music. Co-produced by Marty
Frederiksen, it’s great sounding, anthemic- the dirty, greasy
kind of stuff I used to blast in my old Firebird way back when.
Equal parts AC/DC, London Quireboys and Rhino Bucket, this
won’t win awards for subtlety. It’s an energetic set that makes
you want to grab a guitar and bash out some chords. “All Night
Long” is a hairy Friday night looking to happen.
HOT SPOTS: “Dead”, title track, “I Want You”
30 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Night Owl? Music, News, Videos 24/7 at GONZOMAGAZINE.COM
Couldn’t Stand the Weather
Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble
(Epic/Legacy)
20 years ago this year, Stevie Ray rode a
helicopter into the side of a ski hill. His
old label marks that anniversary by reCouldn’t Stand
releasing his first album, expanded to two
the Weather
CD’s.
Stevie Ray Vaughn
This reissue is an embarrassment of
& Double Trouble
riches. The first disc contains the original
album, plus studio outtakes - 3 of which
are previously unreleased. Disc two is
an unreleased concert, recorded at The Spectrum in Montreal
in 1984, three months after the album’s original release. You
can hear the sweat as he plays, while Double Trouble swaggers
underneath. Did Stevie Ray make a deal at the crossroads? It
wouldn’t surprise me if he did. “Couldn’t Stand The Weather”,
even this reissue, has always felt haunted. I hope he’s enjoying
his immortality.
HOT SPOTS: “Cold Shot”, “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, “The
Sky Is Crying”, “Pride & Joy”
Live at the Isle of
Wight Festival 1970
The Who
House on Fire
Erin Haley (Independent)
This is the second album for this
impossibly gorgeous young country
singer/ songwriter for Barrhead and, to be
blunt, she’s kickin’ ass and takin’ names.
Produced by Douglas Romanow, “House
House on Fire
On Fire” is an energetic style of country
Erin Haley
with rock running gear, not really hick at
all. The songs exude passion and belief,
which is what got my attention. “I have
to believe it to sing it” says Haley. “If I don’t feel it, then people
listening won’t feel it either.” “House On Fire” features the
cream of the crop of Toronto and Nashville session players- put
that together with Haley’s enthusiasm for the songs and its no
wonder this disc leaps out of the speakers. Erin Haley may not
be a household name yet, but that’s about to change.
HOT SPOTS: “Waiting For The End Of The World”, “That’s Just
Love”, title track
Infinite
Stratovarius (Armoury Records)
This is a deluxe double disc reissue of
Stratovarius’s 8th album, “Infinite”,
originally released in ’00. It’s also my first
encounter- and what a trip!
As the band galloped through several
Infinite
tracks, it felt like Styx, Queensryche and
Stratovarius
Dream Theatre all at once. The music gets
hard and fast, remaining melodic while
retaining an air of mystery as “Infinite”
remains accessible. This type of music is big in Europe, but
not so much on this side of the pond. If you’re already a fan,
the draw for you will be the second disc, which features the
demos of “Hunting High And Low”, “Millennium”, “Phoenix”
and “Infinity”. Prog rock can be like jazz in that it may feel just
outside of our ability to grasp, but there’s something here that
seems to reach me.
HOT SPOTS: “Mother Gaia”, “Hunting High And Low”, “Why
Are We Here”
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 The Who (Eagle Records)
“LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970” The Who (Eagle Records) ***
The Who’s legendary set at that most famous of festivals is now available on CD - and a
smart sounding package it is too. This was The Who at what is arguably their ferocious
peak. They’d already toured “Tommy”, an album which forms the bulk of this show,
and were working on its follow up, what would eventually become the magnificent
“Who’s Next”. The sound quality is startling, and the stage banter from Pete puts you
in the audience. Two problems for me, though: the songs from “Tommy” were played well, but all I could think of was pulling
out the original studio album to give it a spin. And, I’ve never been a big Keith Moon fan, finding his chaotic drumming almost
nonsensical. His feral attack lent The Who’s music a certain brutish charm, but in a live setting, it’s too much. There’s no denying
the significance of this release as an historic rock & roll document.
HOT SPOTS: “Young Man Blues”, “The Acid Queen”, “I Can’t Explain”
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Jodi King
32 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
By Dean Unger
T
hese days, music is meaning and it’s context. Songs
used to be for the sake of the cadence and the melody.
Today many of our song writers not just write about,
but actually think about things like justice, equality,
opportunity; about the big picture and the private
battles that many of us fight from day to day. This is
the new texture and the new reality of Canadian music.
“It’s easy to forget Africa when we’re caught up in our own
lives here in the West. We get complacent. I’ve spent time in
Liberia and it rocked me to the core. I left there with more
questions than I came with.”
Jodi King is a woman of stark contrasts: she likes the
thought of home, she likes to bake cookies; she conveys a
positive message despite growing up in a generation where it
must be hard not to think of the state of the environment, the
war, global politics, and the economy. She’s a small-town girl
with traditional roots that shine in her music. But beyond
the safe reality of tea parties and home in mid-western
Canada, there is a modest hero.
Her heart is huge, and without realizing it, she emulates
Jung’s earth-mother archetype, on her quest to restore
fertility to a wasted and desolate land – literally and
metaphorically. Jodi views and experiences life up close and
personal; she wants to touch, to feel, and to taste, but her
compassion threatens to overwhelm her. She must always
be wary she doesn’t give herself away. What she keeps, she
pours into her music.
hilosophers
“I’ve always been a fan of tea parties... Even as a kid. I drink
tea with clean, fresh water, everyday, and I sometimes take
it for granted. Then I went to Africa and when I got back, the
simple act of having a decent cup of tea became a privilege.”
Jodi explains that to her, a cup of tea – and coffee for that
matter – when considered in contrast with the scarcity of
clean water in many parts of Africa, is an extravagance, a
luxury most people that live there will never enjoy. “I often
wondered if all of the money collected in the name of so
many charities was really finding its way to where it was
needed the most.”
After much introspection, she says she struck on the notion
of doing something with her passion for tea parties. “The
trend here is to throw money at a problem,” says Jodi, “But
I think we’ve hurt more than we’ve helped. I wanted to
do what I could to make a difference. I looked into several
possibilities and came across an organization called
Lifewater.ca.” She explained that Lifewater invests in the
basic infrastructure of communities in need. Donated money
is used to drill wells, build washrooms, and provide for basic
needs.
“I decided to travel to Africa and see first-hand what people
were up against there, and what I saw rocked me to the
core.”
Back home in Winnipeg, Jodi says she chose to live
downtown because she wanted to see what life was like
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33 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Didn’t get the Shot? Pixs at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Photo Credit Strut Entertainment
Continued from page 9
a few more weeks of mixing. We put that out this January.
Which is crazy because we recorded it in 2008, so it feels like
forever ago.
(Cayne) I think that first albums are kind of interesting
because you almost have your whole life to write those
songs, like we recorded it when we were 18, so you have 18
years to write these songs. So you would think that they’d
all be about different things, but when the album was done,
it turned out they were all about this similar theme. Which
I think is kind of like about family and our opinion on
spirituality.
(Andy) It’s a very introspective kind of album.
(Cayne) That’s what I’d say it’s about, taking a look at
yourself.
If you had to look at another musicians career and aspire
to what they’ve done, who would it be?
(Cayne) Maybe not the exact type of music, but the career I
admire is Tegan and Sara, because they’ve just been going
for a long time and they really work so hard, and they’re still
so nice.
(Andy) They still have a great personality. They’ve
released so many albums but each one they get a little more
successful…
34 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
Photo Credit Strut Entertainment
for people there. “There is a huge homeless population
in Winnipeg,” she says. “One day I was walking through
the park near my home and came across this young girl
wandering delusional and alone. I smiled and said hello to
her. We talked for a while and I remember thinking that,
despite how we might be inclined to judge a person in those
circumstances, she is just like the rest of us. I gave her my
phone number and said she could call if she wanted to. I
guess one night, the cops picked her up and mine was the
only phone number she could remember. The police phoned
me and asked if she could live with me. I told them no, but
that I was committed to the friendship. It’s been adventure
ever since. There’s a song on the album called “Kristen” that
I wrote about her. When I was recording in Los Angeles, I liked to spend time
exploring the culture there at street-level, and I saw this
guy wearing a Superman costume - tights and a cape - and
as I got closer I saw his eyes, and I thought ‘Is this it? Is this
what you’re really here for?’ Most people who go to L.A.
want to take something away with them. I wanted to leave
something behind.”
With so much compassion, her music is a manifestation
of her astute perception. She is not addled, or beguiled;
her philosophy keeps her grounded, while her big heart
threatens to consume her. She manages to keep it real and
what she cannot give out of compassion, she pours into her
music.
“I know I can’t save everybody. Of that much I’m clear. You
have to hope. You can’t not have hope. So I dig deep, head
down.”
(Cayne)…and each album is a little bit better, and little bit
different and it’s just like really cool to see a band that’s been
going for 10 years, I think it’s 11 years now and they’re so
nice.
(David) Yea, Tegan and Sara, there’s other bands too, but
I wouldn’t wish that we would get super famous really
quickly. Like I wouldn’t want to be in Coldplay’s shoes right
now at least, at all. I like that we’re still a small band, I would
like it eventually.
Like Kings of Leon had a really cool thing, like until their
last album, they were only really big in the UK and some
other places, but not so much in North America. They had a
following, but they weren’t the biggest band in the world.
And that I would like too, if we had a following in Germany,
the UK, and Canada, but we weren’t world stars, I think that
would be cool.
35 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Didn’t get the Shot? Pixs at GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
36 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
www.power104.fm
continued from page 28
and houses his desk, a clever arrangement of scale model
trains, and another assortment of finished canvasses. Here
though, there are two original drawings in ink – a complete
departure in style and technique from what he has become
known for. “Pointillism,” he says. “These were done one dot
at a time.” The smaller of the two is a waterfront cityscape –
another pointillism drawing, with crisp, clean presentation
such that it seems the air in the picture itself would be sharp
and cold to breathe. The other is a larger piece – an aerial
perspective of Vancouver Harbour, the West End, and the
North Shore Mountains - the whole comprising what must
be millions of dots: in its microcosm, its an infestation of
dots in various densities to deliver the right effect; back far
enough out of it and it looks like you’re looking at a drawing
made with tone and texture and fluidity. Kuckein says the
piece took 1700 hours (the better part of two dedicated years)
to complete.
On the wall, as you leave the room, a painting that seems
in stark, bold, contrast to Kuckein’s other work, hangs to
the left of the door. It is reminiscent of the Group of Seven
style. “There have been many who have looked at that
painting - people who should know it, and have snubbed
it, or – even worse – walked right by it without paying any
mind.” He lifts it from the wall and turns it around to reveal
his hand-writing on the back of the canvas: “A tribute to
Matisse” - a near-perfect replica of one of Matisse’s quaint
village canvasses. There are perhaps another dozen of
Kuckein’s paintings stored here as well. All of the paintings
are stored there like that and present an odd juxtaposition - a
warehouse of images: sophisticated landscapes and simple
buildings and the intricate play of light and shadow on and
around the former.
“Look here,” Kuckein says as he fishes on his desk for a
book about Nicolas De Stael. “Do you see when these were
painted?” He asks, holding the book open to a page showing
The Football Players. The date below the picture reads 1952.
“De Stael was considered very avante garde; they didn’t
know what to make of him. There was nothing to compare
it to,” he says with obvious admiration. As I leave the room,
I notice a small canvas in some ways similar to De Stael’s,
though unquestionably, is Kuckein’s own. The arrangement
and colours combine to a striking, yet calming effect. The
shapes which cleverly suggested seven or eight players
standing in the field around the ball, the non-descript faces,
yet, with enough detail to provoke recognition, reminded of
youth soccer games on school fields in the morning sun; and
at the same time, in different light, imply a fevered match of
men’s soccer - international calibre - and the light streaming
off the canvas throwing itself out into the room. It seems at
that moment, to be the quintessential ‘Kuckein’.
“When I decided to commit myself wholeheartedly to my
painting, I resolved that I would paint only what I wanted,
and that I would do it in the way that I wanted. It was that or
nothing. It has made it more interesting to me.
“When you spend so much time with a painting and it
comes out like you wanted, or perhaps better than you had
imagined it to be, it becomes part of you.”
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for being such a brave and strong
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continued from page 25
in her own life. She just hadn’t met her life partner yet.
When I last spoke with her a few years back at her sister’s
beautiful and private wedding (I was helping with sound,
not a guest), overlooking a picturesque harbour just south
of Nanaimo, we had a minute to catch up and she was
telling me about how she was friends with Elton John and
Clint Eastwood, and how she had taken this amazing flight
over the international date line on New Years Eve, just as
the calendar turned over from 1999 to the year 2000, along
with a bunch of other music stars; it was a novelty to be
the first folks to usher in the new millennium. And while
she said it was a blast, and that most of the celebrities that
were becoming her new friends were just down to earth
folks you’d want to spend some time with, at that time there
was a bit of a world weary melancholy to her. That might
have just been some mild exhaustion at the pace she’d been
keeping lately, but it seemed to me that there was a part of
Diana that, seeing sister Michelle getting married, made her
wonder if finding her own true life’s love was a piece of life’s
experience that might just pass her by.
Later, when the twins were born and she and Elvis still lived
in the Nanaimo area, you’d hear reports from friends that
they’d seen Diana and her boys at the mall or a restaurant
just being mom. That felt right to me. Apparently you can
have it all if you have incredible talent, training, determined
passion, a big heart, the support of family and friends, and
keep your head screwed on right! In a world of celebrities
doing crazy things, it’s nice to see someone like Diana make
it.
As for there being something in the water in Nanaimo and
the Island that spawns musical talent, I’d like to think that’s
true. Teaching in the Jazz Faculty at Nanaimo’s Vancouver
Island University for 20 years and seeing the calibre of
players that come through our program, I’m continually
amazed to live and work here.
Scott opened Nanaimo’s first studio/mobile recording and
live sound biz (B.C. Recording Ltd.) in 1979. He designed
the Studio Recording class at VIU’s Bachelor of Music in
Jazz Studies and has been an instructor there for 20 years.
Some of Littlejohn’s students include VIU jazz alumni, Juno
nominated guitar wiz, Marc Atkinson (Mark Atkinson Trio),
sax player David French who just toured with Alexis on Fire,
and drummer Pat Steward (The Odds, Bryan Adams, Colin
James).
38 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER-10 I Thinking Something? Want to be Heard? GONZOMAGAZINE.Com
It wasn’t too many months later that I heard that she and
Elvis were an item and were getting married. I was so
pleased for her because the Diana I’d known was anything
but flighty: if Diana was getting married it was because she’d Photo Credits Robert Maxwell
found the real deal.
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