Author Archives: Todd

Sewers flow into False Creek again! We are canceling dragon boat practice, as warning is from Burrard Bridge to Science World.

Leave a reply

3 Sewers have flowed into False Creek AGAIN!


“Vancouver Coastal Health issues warning over False Creek water quality”

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=ec729ea2-5735-4c57-acac-ea0d9aa2cd6f&k=60005

Worse than last time, on the Canada Day weekend.  Affected area is now Science World to Burrard Bridge, not just the East Basin – East of Cambie Bridge.

We have now canceled the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team practice scheduled for Sunday, August 3rd.

Stephen Wong sent us this advisory, I have just talked with Stephen Mirowski.

PLEASE ENJOY BC DAY LONG WEEKEND – Away from False Creek.

alternatives:  go to Pride Parade…. or go to Powell St. Festival…
or go to BC 150 celebrations in Victoria.

Pollution in False Creek is fast becoming a civic issue.  This is an unnecessary serious health risk to a popular recreation area in Vancouver, as well as a structural issue for outdated sewer and overflow pipes in our city.

Cheers, Todd

Royal BC Museum invites 6 new people to “The Party” including Trevor Linden, Dal Richards, Red Robinson, Ida Chong and Todd Wong!

1 Reply

Trevor Linden, Red Robinson, Dal Richards, Ida Chong and Todd Wong are the newest invitees to the Royal BC Museum's exhibit “The Party” to celebrate BC's 150 year history.

If you could invite 150 of BC's most colourful citizens throughout it's 150 year history to “The Party” who would you invite?

Governor James Douglas or Pamela Anderson?  Architects George Rattenbury, Arthur Eriksen, or James Cheng?  Athletes Joe Sakic, Karen Magnusson, Steve Nash or Nancy Greene?  Artists Emily Carr, Toni Onley, Jack Shadbolt or Robert Davidson? Community Activists Nelly McClung, Rosemary Brown or the Raging Grannies? 

Inspirational icons Terry Fox or Rick Hansen?  Politicians Svend Robinson, Grace McCarthy, Dave Barrett, Kim Campbell or Amor de Cosmos?  Musicians Bryan Adams, Diana Krall, David Foster or Sarah McLachlan? Authors Jane Rule, Douglas Coupland, Dorothy Livesay  or Joy Kogawa? 

Actors Chief Dan George, Yvonne De Carlo, Kim Catrall or Bruno Gerussi?  Environmentalists David Suzuki or Roderick Haig Brown?  Business leaders Tong Louie, Jimmy Pattison or Nat Bailey? And what about “Hanging Judge” Begbie, Expo Ernie or Mr. Peanut?

The Royal BC Museum's website says”


The history of our province is filled with fascinating people. Find out who they
are. Uncover their stories. These are the guests invited to The Party so far.


All of the above are all invited as guests… and now… Gung Haggis Fat Choy founder Todd Wong has joined them along with new invitees Trevor Linden, Ida Chong, Dal Richards, Red Robinson, and Jennie Butchart – the inspiration behind the Butchart Gardens.

Photo Library - 2904 by you.


Todd Wong stands beside BC hockey player Sakic, beneath author & friend Joy Kogawa, activist Betty Krawcyk, and nearby Gov. James Douglas, when he visited the exhibit on April 23rd – photo Deb Martin.

To see the picture of me in the exhibit check out http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx
and scroll to the far right.  The picture was taken by my friend
Richard Montagna. So far only six of the most recent invitees are on
website.  The official press release announcement will be on August 6th.

Read Todd's August 8th account of visiting his picture at the Royal BC Museum:

“Toddish McWong” installed at the “Free Spirit” exhibition at Royal BC Museum

The Royal BC Museum website says:

Todd Wong
“Passionate about intercultural adventures, “Toddish McWong” founded Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a Robert Burns / Chinese New Year event that has been celebrating with an annual dinner since 1997.”


It is indeed an honour to be included with so many illustrious and
creative BCers.  It's amazing to think that Gung Haggis Fat Choy has
created such an impact, inspiring dinners in Seattle, Whistler, Ottawa, Wells BC
and Santa Barbara California (that I know about).  As well there has been the 2004
CBC television performance special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy“, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival.

I had visited the exhibit on April 23, when I traveled to accept my BC Community Achievement Award.  We were excited to see the picture of Joy Kogawa, which I had taken.  Joy was one of the original 132 persons chosen for the exhibit, but it was challenging to find a full length picture of her, so I volunteered myself and girlfriend as photographers for her. 

Check out my story about bout finding Joy's picture and visiting the exhibit “The Party”:

CIMG0087 by you.
Todd stans in front of “The Party” in front of his friend Joy Kogawa. – photo Deb Martin

Todd's adventure in Victoria: Traveling to “The Party” at BC Royal
Museum

I guess it is time to write that  “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” book I have wanted to for awhile… or a theatrical play about the mythical Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner called “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”

I personally really think it is time for post-multiculturalism, when we can embrace a mix of cultures as well as creating our own new cultures and traditions out of that mix. 

150 years ago, James Douglas was BC's first governor.  But a lot of people don't realize that he was born of mixed Scottish and Creole bloodlines in Guyana. He married a Metis woman, Amelia Connolly,
whose father
was an Irish-French fur trader and whose mother was a Cree Chief’s
daughter. Author and friend Terry Glavin told me that Douglas had envisioned a new land where people from all over the world could come and live harmoniously in peace.

Racial and cultural issues have always been part of our province's history, whether it was wars between the Haida and the Kwakiutal, Black American or Chinese miners coming to BC for the gold rush, the Potlatch Law, the Chinese Head Tax, the Komagata Maru incident, the internment of Canadian born Japanese-Canadians during WW2, or even the present day First Nations treaty negotiations, migrant farm workers from Central America, nurses and nannies from the Phillipines, rising immigration from Hong Kong and China.

Here are the write-ups for my fellow newest invitees to The Party.

Ida Chong:
This Victoria native first entered politics in 1993 and three years later became the first Canadian-born  person of Chinese ancestry elected to the British Columbia legislature.

Dal Richards (1918 – )
A member of the Kitsilano Boys Band in his youth, this Vancouver native began his professional musical career 70 years ago, and is now playing more gigs than ever.

Red Robinson (1937- )
At the age of 16, he was one of the first Canadian disc jockeys to play Rock'N' Roll.  He is a member of the Canadian Broadcast hall of fame, and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Trevor Linden  (1970 – )
This National Hockey League All-star played 16 of his 19 seasons as a Vancouver Canuck.  A holder of many team records he retired in June 2008.

Jennie Butchart (1866-1950)
Wife of Portland-cement pioneer Robert Butchart.  Her inspired creations of Butchart Gardens in the limestone quarry at Tod Inlet became a world-renowned destination for visitors to British Columbia


http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx

Okanagan Wineries: Mission Hill, Quail's Gate and Gray Monk

Leave a reply

The Okanagan Valley has some of the best wineries in the world.

For the past 4 years I always try to stop for a visit after dragon boat racing in Vernon.  I first visited Mission Hill Winery back in 2001 after my first visit to the Kelowna Dragon Boat Festival.  Mission Hill has always been a favorite wine of mine, ever since tasting their Grand Reserve Barrel Select Chardonnay that won the IWSC trophy for Best Chardonnay.  The legendary story is that the judges couldn't believe it was a BC Canadian wine that won, and re-tested.  Mission Hill won again.

This year's Okanagan road trip began last week on Friday July 25.  On our way to a dragon boat race meeting at Kalamalka Lake, I thought there was enough time to stop at Gray Monk Estate Winery.  It is just a 15 minute drive West  to Okanagan Centre, just north of Winfield, between Kelowna and Vernon on Highway 97.  We drove past Arrow Leaf Cellars, which also has some nice wines I have tried.  We crested the hill, and looked out over the expanse of green vineyards overlooking a beautiful blue Okanagan Lake.

The wine-tasting service was very friendly at Gray Monk Estate Winery, and the tastings were free!  There also a large new patio restaurant where we saw musicians setting up at for the 6pm dinner crowd.  We tried the Chardonay unwooded, the Seigerebbe, Gewertztraminer, Reisling.  For reds we tasted the Merlot . One of our friends doesn't usually drink reds, and the tannins really puckered her face.  But she did try the Odyssey Series Merlot which was remarkably smoother.  I walked out with the Gewertztaminer ($16.99) which had wonderful sweet lychee accents, as well as the Kerner Late Harvest ($16.99).  My friends bought a Seigrebbe ($16.99) and a delicious Pinot Gris ($17.99) that we drank that night with dinner.

Dragon Boat weekend was spent mostly consuming Peach Cider and lager beers.

But on Monday, we headed to Mission Hill Winery.  This is definitely a recommended stop for any Okanagan vacation.  My traveling mates Dave and Brooke were excited to visit these Northern Okanagan wineries.  It was Brooke's first time in the Okanagan.  If you can take the tour, you will see a commissioned Chagall tapestry, and see a video that identifies the top wine growing areas in North America as Napa/Sonoma Valleys in California, the Williamette Valley in near Portland Oregon, and BC's Okanagan Valley.  A rose garden greets visitor's arrival.  And an archway marks the entrance to the winery grounds.  On Monday night, Mission Hill was also hosting a music concert in it's amphitheatres.

It's now a Gung Haggis dragon boat team tradition to take a group picture in front of the Archway, with any of our winery tour travelers on the Monday.  We had 11 people for our picture, all made more exciting because of the recent engagement of two of our paddlers who met on the team in 2006. Richard offered to take some “engagement” pictures of Wendy and Jonas at the winery grounds.

Inside we tried the 3 tastes for $5, sharing with each other to try some of the other wines.  The wine sommelier asked if we were a tour group.  When we identified ourselves as a dragon boat team, she said that Mission Hill had a brand new dragon boat team. We offered a race duel for a wine prize!

I chose to sample the 2005 Reserve Merlot, 2005 Reserve Shiraz, 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  With my friends I also sampled the Reserve Pinot Gris, as well as the 2004 Oculus ($69.99), Mission Hill's signature blended wine.  The Oculus is a very smooth full-bodied wine that is saved for special occasions.  I opened a bottle of of the 2002 Oculus in Victoria, when we celebrated my receiving the BC Community Achievement Award.  It seemed fitting to celebrate BC excellence together.  I walked out taking the Reserve Cab Sauv and the Reserve Shiraz with me.

Next we went to Quail's Gate Winery, which is a short 2 km from Mission Hill.  Both wineries also have restaurants.  But last year, Quail's Gate opened up a new tasting room and wine store, as their previous “cabin” had been outgrown. This year it had been Mission Hill's turn to expand their wine store and tasting bar, nearly doubling their space.  But it is Quail's Gate's tasting bar that has a large window that overlooks Okanagan Lake.  It is so tempting to just stay there all afternoon sipping wines and gazing at the scenery.

Quail's Gate serves up samples of their dessert wines in little chocolate tasting cups. As a special engagement treat, I bought tastings of the Riesling Icewine ($34.99) an Optima  ($32.99) for Wendy and Jonas.  The wine host slowly poured the icewine into the chocolate cups until it just rose just above the edge.  He said to be careful handling the cups, and described it as “liquid gold.”  Wendy really liked the icewine. My girlfriend usually likes the Optima because it is less sweet.

Wendy and Jonas bought the Gerwertztraminer, and we decided to have a dinner party and I would bring the Gray Monk Gerwertz for comparison tastings. 

Nice wines… always good for an excuse to go dragon boat racing in the Okanagan

Gung Haggis paddles hard for 2nd place in Mixed C Championships Vernon Dragon Boat Race

Leave a reply

Gung Haggis paddles hard for 2nd place in Mixed C Championships Vernon Dragon Boat Race

Gung Haggis group picture - photo Samis by you.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team: front row kneeling – Steven, Jane, Debbie, Todd, Marion, Julie, Tzhe, Stuart, Brooke; standing – Kristine, Pat (host), Jim, Ernest, Dave, Deb (host), Hillary, Wendy, Jonas (back), Ashleigh, Tony, Alissa, Richard (back), Gayle, Mary, Stephen (back), Raphael, Dan.

Winning vs Fun….  Vacation vs Serious Competition.

We put FUN first… and “WINNING at all costs” last, with Haggis somewhere in between…..

Jim Blatherwick and the team - photo Brooke Samis

Jim and Jonas warm up with the team.  Lots of kilts worn by team members Marion, Stuart, Todd, Tzhe and Jim! – photo Brooke Samis

Julie, Ashleigh and Brooke - photo Dave Samis

Drummer Julie, 3 year veteran Ashleigh, rookie initiate Brooke – all happy to be on the team and in Vernon – photo Dave Samis

Gung Haggis passing the swimming dock - photo Brooke Samis by you.

Gung
Haggis team paddling out past the dock, Todd steers dressed in kilt
with Julie as drummer dressed in Hawaiian style grass skirt. Our hosts,
Pat and Bill Martin's waterfront home where many of us stayed and where
we held team bbq Saturday night, is in the background  – photo Brooke
Samis.

We were in C Championship semi-final… on Sunday morning.  We were boat #3.

It was exciting with all the wind swept waves in the tourquoise green waters of Kalamalka  Lake, like paddling in Hawaii.

“Hawaii 5-0 paddling,” I yelled out to the team.  “Lean out, paddle hard – just like outrigger paddling!”  We did a start piece and a power series.  We turned the boat around with our back to the wind to await being called to the start line.

Wind kicked up…. all boats called to start line…  Boat #2 turned sideways and was hit by
a broadside wave, and gently tipped over.  All paddlers in the water….  Chase
boats on scene.  All boats recalled to start line.  Races delayed for
an hour afterwards….

Races started up again at 12 noon, after winds died down.
I steered…  water is still bouncy….  can't hold the boat on
course.  Boat veering right.  Let it run… hold the boat.  Boat beside us narrowly passes us.  Gain control.  Start again… 
We are way behind 3 of the teams, but we still pass a team on far right.  We feel good about our finish, we recovered well.  I feel I made the right corrections for controlling these keel-less Dynasty boats from Calgary.  Despite the steering mishap, our time was a decent 2:45.25.  We are set for the next race.


Gung Haggis team recovers from steering mishap.  Todd is steering as the boat bounces across the tops of wave swells.  Drummer Julie gives the team directions to keep them going. – photo courtesy of  Ben Lee.

C Finals – we are boat #2 in Lane 1. (all teams are moved one lane over.)
Water not as bouncy.  We know we can do well.
good start.  Neck and neck with lane boat #3 in lane 2.  They are the
Red Hot Chili Peppers from Kelowna.  I know the drummer and steers from
the inaugural  Vernon races in 2005.

Still neck and neck…  Julie called a power series, and we moved up a
seat, just passing the team on our right.  Were we first? or second
now?  There was another team in the middle lane. I called a finish, and
the team dug deeper.  We called out our favorite cue word, “More, More
More” – inspiring us to reach more, dig deep more, give more power.  It
was close.   We crossed the finish line.  We we 1st?  Were we 2nd? 
Were we 3rd?

We headed to the beach.  We talked to our team mates who didn't paddle – but watched the race, and our friends. 
“2nd… unofficially,” they told us.  Team Rift Raft was 1st… but we were gaining on them… another 50 m, and we would have had them.

A good hard race.  The boat stayed straight.  We powered hard.  Our paddles were deep.  We got 2nd place in the C Championship with a time of 2:28.29, just 2.1 seconds behind the first place of 2:26.19 by Rift Raft.  Yay!

We were signed up for the 3rd annual demonstration water-ski pull.  The team that pulls a water skier up for the longest time… wins registration for next year's Greater Vernon Dragon Boat Race.  2 years ago, none of the successfully teams managed to pull their water skier – but our skier (Ashleigh) popped up the fastest before she lost control.  Last year we tried again, but no pop up for Ashleigh.

This year, the winds picked up again soon after the finish of the Mixed Adult A Championship.  We were standing in line, waiting for the water-ski pull meeting, when white cap waves accompanied gusty southerly winds.  The water ski pull was soon canceled.

We headed to the beer gardens for the medal ceremony.  The women's races were announced first.  Unfortunately, the C Finals didn't have medals, as race organizer Shawn Samol explained this would be rectified for next year.  B Finals and A Finals were next announced.  The Extreme Currents women's team from Kamloops were the top women's team for the 4th year in a row.  Mana Wahine, a 2 year old women's team from Chilliwack came 2nd.

Next the C Championships were being announced.  Several of our team members moved closer to the stage, as we were ready to accept our medals.  We made sure everybody wearing a kilt was there.  Shawn Samol again explained that they didn't have medals for the C Finals and that it would be rectified for next year.  They did announce the winners.  3rd was Red Hot Chili Paddlers from Kelowna who were DQ.  2nd was Gung Haggis Fat Choy.  1st was Team Rift Raft.

Mixed B Finals were won by Calgary Racing Club, Fluid Motion was 2nd, with SDR – Shaggin' Dragons Reloaded coming 3rd.

The A Finals were very exciting and very close.  Sudden Impact Black came first by a micro-second of  2:09.47 vs. 2:09.61 for Pacific Reach 2 (winners for previous 3 years in Vernon).  Extreme Currents from Kamloops beat out Topmade Fusion with a time of 2:14.50 vs 2:14.88

Gung Haggis paddlers all had lots of fun.  That's what counts.  We paddled 3 races + the 1000m demonstration race where we came first after passing 3 teams.  Today we were on the water 3 times, where our 1st race was cancelled because of high winds, after a team tipped into the water after being hit broadside by a wave.  Our 2nd race where I lost control of the boat in windy conditions that made it hard steering with the waves, but regained control for a good finish… and our 3rd race where we went neck and neck to the finish line with Red Hot Chili Paddlers on our right, passing them but coming a very close 2nd place to the boat in lane 4.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team paddles Vernon: wins 1000m mini-Guts& Glory race

Leave a reply

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team passed 3 teams on their way to the finish in the 1000m Mini-Guts & Glory C Division.

GHFC 2008 by you.

Todd Wong steers the Gung Haggis dragon boat team, with Julie Wong as drummer.  The team is heading to their 2nd 200m sprint race. photo courtesy of Dave Samis.

We are having an INCREDIBLE time up here in VERNON….

The weather is beautiful, the sand is hot, the water is cooling.  And we visited the Grey Monk winery before attending the Vernon dragon boat race meeting on Friday night.

Today we paddled 4 races and had a blast. 
200m  0:58.80
200m  0:56.64
500m  2:31.34
1000m with turn 5:57.690

It was challenging as we are not used to racing 200m sprint races.   Our first 200m sprint was frantic, as we struggled to get used to the Dynasty dragon boat from Calgary.  Our 2nd sprint race was much better.  We got race jitters out of the way… and we improved from a 0:058.60 time to 0:56.30.  We improved by almost 2 seconds, but we know we could still do better.

Our 3rd race was a 500m race, and somehow after the 200m sprint races… this 500m seemed impossibly l-o-n-g.  Our rate was too high, and we struggled.

We came into the 1000m race, knowing we really enjoyed it last year. 

We raced 5 boat heat.  500m, turn around, race 500m back.  Boats proceed one at
at time, 10 seconds apart. 

We were boat #4.  We set a nice easy pace… that allowed us to reach out further.  Pretty soon we were catching up to the boat ahead of us.
We passed boat #3 in this
mini-Guts and Glory race, as we approached the turn, then then passed
the #2 boat on the turn.  We challenged the #1 boat in the lead… in
the final 100m… spooked them
good… and crossed the finish line FIRST!

There are 18 Women's Teams
There are 18 Mixed Adult Teams
We are headed into Mixed Adult C Finals.
First race at 9:15 tomorrow morning.
Mixed Adult C Championahip around 12 noon.
Then we will enter the Water Ski Challenge.

GHFC boys 2008 by you.

It's a tradition that a picture of team members be taken in the waters of Kalamalka Lake.  Tzhe is on the far left wearing his kilt, followed by Jonas, Dave, Todd, Ernest, Raphael, Jim, Tony and Stephen.  The girls asked the boys to show some leg, and this was the result – just before the boys all fell in the water!  Tomorrow we'll show you a pictures of the Gung Haggis girls in the water! – photo courtesy of Dave/Brooke Samis

Check out our Vernon races from 2007 & 2006

by
Todd
on Sun 29 Jul 2007 07:30 PM PDT

by
Todd
on Wed 01 Aug 2007 03:09 PM PDT

by
Todd
on Wed 16 Aug 2006 12:23 PM PDT

NO PRACTICE ON SUNDAY….
Sorrry…. we tried to work something out… but it didn't happen,.
We will see you on Tuesday 6pm.

Theatre Under the Stars: Anything “Jesus Christ Superstar” can do, “Annie Get Your Gun” can do better

Leave a reply

Annie Get Your Gun and Jesus Christ Superstar are the two musicals appearing at this summer's Theatre Under the Stars at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park.

Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie Get Your Gun – in repertory
produced by Theatre Under the Stars
July 9th to August 16th 2008
Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park, Vancouver BC

It's always the sign of a good show when you spend the next day humming
and singing the songs from the show you saw the night before.  I loved
the movie soundtrack for Jesus Christ Superstar, as it was one of the
first records I ever bought.  I remember seeing Annie Get Your Gun on
television when I was young, and of course “There's No Business like
Show Business” is an Irving Berlin classic song.

Jesus Christ Superstar opened on July 9th, and Annie Get Your Gun
on July 10th alternating evenings for this Vancouver summer tradition. 
The first started off as a concept album before being presented as a
rock opera, while the 2nd is a traditional Broadway musical. Each very
different but both filled with very familiar songs. Irving Berlin was a
mainstay for popular music in the 1930's and Annie Get Your Gun is
pretty well a musical masterpiece.  Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote Jesus
Christ Superstar early in his musical career, long before his Phantom
of the Opera masterpiece.

Jesus Christ Superstar opens with the character Judas feeling that Jesus is going down the wrong path in his ministry, affected by the huge rising popularity.  This sets the dynamic tension between the two pivotal characters.  Songs in the first act are memorable with “Everything's Alright” and “I Don't Know How to Love Him.”  Costumes are contemporary as soldiers carry rifles instead of spears, and allusion is made to current political tensions in the Middle East.

Mat Baker does a splendid job as Jesus.  He sings well and carries himself believably with compassion.  Adam Charles seems to play Judas as a punkish angry young man, which short changes the depth of love that Judas has for Jesus. Tamara Vishniakoff has a strong voice, and plays a credible Mary Magdelene but she rushes her beautiful aria of “I Don't Know How to Love Him.”  The first act closes with Judas' decision to betray Jesus. 

Annie Get Your Gun opens with the “Buffalo Bill's Wild West” show coming to town where the show's sharp shooter Frank Butler challenges anybody in Cinncinati Ohio to a contest.  Young Annie Oakley shows up from the backwoods as a sharp shooting country bumpkin and ends up falling in love with Butler without realizing that it is him she will be facing in the shooting contest.  This sets up a competitive rivalry that dooms their romance but also drives them together.  Songs such as “No Business Like Show Business” and “They Say it's Wonderful” are standards that will bring back familiar memories even if “The Girl That I Marry” was sung by Kirsten Dunst in Spiderman 3.

Meghan Anderssen is spectacular as Annie Oakley, and Warren Kimmel strongly plays her foil Frank Butler.  While the show plays up its campy humour, everything seems to fit perfectly.  Anderssen as the backwoods Annie sings “Doin' What Comes Natur'lly” and “You Can't Get a Man with a Gun” with a no-holds-barred intensity. 

Jesus Christ Superstar's spare set is used well simulating both temple interiors and exteriors, but the overall blocking of the cast is stilted and doesn't utilize the stage well. A round turning stage in the middle is used to good effect for scenes when Jesus is approached by the lepers, and well as the ensemble pieces such as Hosanna.  Contrarily, Annie Get Your Gun features a lush set with large curtains that simulate both a circus big top and later a New York ballroom.  The turning stage reveals its true purpose under the big top of Wild Bill's Wild West show.

The second act of Jesus Christ Superstar is dark as it focuses on Judas' betrayal and the crucifixion of Jesus.  King Herod's Dream is a campy highlight that portray's Herod as a “king of  bling” gangsta pimp. And while songs like “Could We Start Again Please” and “I Only Want to Say” are powerful ballads, much of the music is bombastic 4/4 rock and funk, which does not make a nice relaxing evening in the park.

The second act of Annie Get Your Gun opens with Annie and Frank on two separate continents in two different Wild West shows after an aborted marriage proposal.  But by chance, the two groups come together in New York. Annie is a much more mature and worldly woman, singing “I've Got the Sun in the Morning and Moon at Night.”  The action culminates in the immortal song “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.”

Intercultural content for JC Superstar harkens to the clash between religions and cultures, and how both Pilate, Herod and the Church of the time all felt threatened by the rising popularity of Jesus.  The United Nations charter of Human Rights did not exist at the time to assert “peaceful right to co-existence” and we all know what happened to both Jesus and Judas, end of story.

Annie GYG was re-written to expunge its dated view of First Nations people.  Songs like “Colonel Wild Bill” and “I'm An Indian Too.” have been dropped.  Chief Sitting Bull is a wise elder that gives Annie advice.  And… there is an intercultural romance between two performers of the Wild West show, that is threatened because the young woman's older sister doesn't like the fact that her younger sister's suiter is of mixed heritage being half First Nations… (okay they say the word Indian in his show).

It's hard to compare two very different shows.  JC Superstar has
dancing go go girls and Annie GYG has corset and fishnet clad circus
performers.  JC Superstar has a soaring ambitious musical score with
screaming guitars, and Annie GYG has a swing orchestra with soaring
violins.

But while Jesus Christ Superstar somehow felt still unfinished and in need of another week's rehearsal, Annie Get Your Gun showed up on opening night with both guns blazing, and deservedly earned actor Meghan Anderssen a standing ovation.  Her energetic slapstick acting is perfect for the role. If there's only one night to go to Theatre Under the Stars, then go see Annie.  But be warned, with either show, you will be humming the songs the next day.

Fireworks and Godzilla music? that's just weird….

2 Replies

Godzilla music was used for the Canadian entry for HSBC Celebration of  Light Vancouver fireworks competition on Wednesday July 23.

I sat in front of Kitsilano pool along the sea wall, as the “radio warning” told citizens that the city was under attack, and to stay indoors.  It was exciting.  Radio stations all day had been saying that Godzilla movie soundtrack music would be used by the Canadian fireworks entry Archangel Fireworks for the HSBC Celebration of Light.

I brought my big boom box because music on a good speaker system is important for a good synchronized fireworks show.  I am constantly surprised by the numbers of people who don't bring music.  At English Bay Beach, the sound delay is frustrating if you are further away from the speakers, because it the synched-up sequences are all delayed.
 
We marvelled at the synchronizaton of the opening music… were the the single chords supposed to be foot steps?  As a single burst of light timed with each chord?  Cool…

Was the Godzilla monster approaching?  What was happening? Were there  airplanes attacking the monster or ground troops when the march type music came on?

The music left me empty… it was hard to relate to if you didn't know the story.'

Maybe I should have printed out the program from the website that listed some of the song titles such as

  • Godzilla Rises from the Sea
  • Mechagodzilla 2
  • Monster Battle March
  • Giant Bees
  • Storm Over the Sea
  • The Giant Crab

The program left a lot to the imagination, and I was yearning for something that could connect more emotionally with the audience.  I imagined what the fireworks would be like if Star Wars music had been used, or a James Bond score. 

My favorite fireworks music has often been classical.  Familiar stuff like William Tell overture (Lone Ranger Theme), Sabre Dance, 1812 Overture.  I started imagining what the fireworks would be like if they based the theme on the movie Fantasia with Bach's Tocatta in D Minor or Beethoven's 5th Symphony, or Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice.

A good fireworks event should not only have good choreography and synchronization, it should have music that the audience can relate to emotionally.  I can remember years ago listening to China's first fireworks presentation with  Chinese music… which was generally lost on a non-Chinese audience.  The attention wanders… and the audience is lost.  China's program this year will feature a wide diversity of music, some with Asian themes, some by Western artists.

But the best part of the music was the final sequence… sort of a traditional feel-good romantic fan-fare where good conquers evil and all the people in the city are saved.  After the fire works were over, a lot of people around us thanked us for bringing the portable stereo.

Too bad the Godzilla music fizzled.  It started off so promising…

Harry Aoki Tribute concert is a wonderful multicultural music event and establishes the Aoki Legacy Fund for St. John's College, UBC

Leave a reply

Harry Aoki is a musical legend.  He has a strong vision about music, and how it crosses boundaries and builds bridges to help enrich both culture and society, as well as personal lives.

Harry
Aoki stands beside his musical friend Themba Tana and holds his special
gift from the evening, a yellow cedar paddle carved by Chief Cedric
Billy, mast carver of the Squamish Nation.  Harry has a long time
respect for First Nations heritage.  – photo Todd Wong

Last Sunday's Harry Aoki Tribute concert July 20th, at the Firehall Arts Centre
not only highlighted Harry's musical legacy through a wonderful
multicultural music event, but it also established the Aoki Legacy Fund
for St. John's College, UBC.  Here's the program write-up for The Aoki Legacy Fund:

Harry Aoki, musician/composer/ethnomusicologist, ahs devoted most of his life to the presentation of world music and intercultural dialogue to promote harmonious diversity in society.  Ted Aoki, universtity teacher/scholar/philosopher, has devoted his career to progressive education for intercultural understanding.  The Aoki Legacy Fund is to be used in support of the Aoki vision, through sponsoring or co-sponsoring events that use muisic, dialogue and other cultural productions, for the explicit purpose of celebrating and promoting intercultural understanding.

The musical program featured many musicians and friends, with some such as mezzo-soprano Liya Ahmad flying in from Edmonton, and pipa player Xiao Yu flying in from Florida to perform.  Long time Aoki supporter Cath Bray flew in from Nova Scotia.  There was also a very special surprise appearance from Harry's brother Ted Aoki, who arrived from Edmonton.

Harry Aoki was featured at this year's Vancouver International Jazz Festival, participating in the JazzStreet presentations at the Vancouver Public Library on June 10th.  Another highlight for Harry this year was performing “Star Dust” on his harmonica with the Dal Richards big band at the Britannia  High School Reunion in May 2008.

Harry Aoki performed at the first public open house event at Historic Joy Kogawa House in September 2006.  Harry had been a big supporter of the “Save Kogawa House campaign,” . – photo Deb Martin

I have known Harry since 2002, and he gladly performed at some of our awareness-raising or fund-raising events for Joy Kogawa House, as well as attended our literary events.  It was a real honour to participate in the Harry Aoki Tribute concert with so many wonderful musicians such as CBC radio journalist Margaret Gallagher, oboeist Janine Oye, drummers Thema Tana and Albert St. Albert, pianist Alison Nishihara, cellis Kira Van Deusen, and shakuhachi player Al Ramos.

Harry has been producing an event held at the National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centre, called First Friday Forum.  He brings together musicians and stories and songs from ethnically diverse cultures, and demonstrates the links between them. 

The first half of the tribute concert started off with emulating the format of these forums,  by inviting all the performers on stage to perform a musical soundscape.  Themba Tana and Albert St. Albert played percussion to start a musical journey around the world, that represented music and stories from the world's 5 major continents.  Margaret Gallagher followed by singing the celtic song  “Danny Boy”, followed by an Indonesian song titled “Putri Gunung” accompanied by Sutrisno Hartano who played an Indonesian gamelan instrument.

“Moo Li Hua” is a traditional chinese song known as “Jasmine Flower”, was played by clarinetist Janine Oye and accordionist Todd Wong.  I had a lot of fun practicing this traditional song with Janine, as we played it first by alternating 8 bars of music, then by playing a musical game of tag, as Janine followed my playing, two bars behind me to create “a round.”

Highlights of the event included:
A reading of “My Enemy” by Duncan Shields in English, and Chigusa Sherry Barnes in Japanese, while Janine Oye and FFF Friends accompanied them performing a Harry Aoki composition “Yoko's Theme.”

“Bachianas Brasilieras” sung by mezzo-soprano Aliya Ahmad with Kira Van Deusen on cello and Alison Nishihara on piano.

Last Import - 24 Todd Wong plays “Dark Eyes” – photo Deb Martin

“Harry loves Romanian and gypsy music,” I told the audience.  I once asked him if he could attend a concert with me, and he told me “No… I have to go on a cruise, with Gypsy musicians.”  For Harry I played the traditional song “Dark Eyes.”

Co-MC Jan Walls recited the words to the Hoagy Carmichael song “Star Dust,” as Harry went to pick up his harmonica and returned to centre stage.  Ken Keneda accompanied Harry on piano, as Harry performed a very touching harmonica solo of  “Star Dust” – one of Harry's favorite songs.  You can hear a You Tube performance of Harry playing “Star Dust” at the 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, accompanied by Jaye Krebs on piano.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/gung-haggis-fat-choy-207-harry-aoki-stardust/2045846013

It is hard not to have met Harry, and been touched both musically and personally by him.  I think of Harry as a courageous man, who at age 21 left Vancouver in 1942 on his own, to avoid being forcibly sent to the  Japanese-Canadian internment camps during WW2.  He couldn't take his violin with him, but he took his harmonica.  Harry knows that he can reach people through music, and his life has become a tribute to end racism through musicians playing together, and people learning about intercultural cross-boundary similarities of the world's musical cultures.

Janine Oye, Harry Aoki Sherry Tanaka, Bev Nann, Todd Wong – photo Todd Wong

Janine Oye, Harry Aoki, Chigusa Sherry Barnes, Bev Nann and Todd Wong, share a moment with Harry after the concert as all the performers and the event organizers went for dinner at the Congee Noodle House. 

vancouveriam.com video of SUCCESS “Walk with the Dragon”

Leave a reply

“Walk with the Dragon” is one of Vancouver's biggest Stanley Park events.  It is an outdoor fundraiser for SUCCESS.

Here's a great video of the event, by Vancouveriam.com VJ Becky  with a interviews with SUCCESS executive director Tung Chan.

DSC_8072b42903 - Overview VIP TENT - 2-foto pano 2

Check out my friend Patrick Tam's pictures on his flickr site.

According to news reports, over 13,000 people attended, raising more money than last year to help this immigrant support service organization. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a02c8cba-a127-40c0-a1a1-4a58fda21252

Earlier this year I had bought a 12 foot long dragon that we used in the St. Patrick's Day Parade… and I thought it would be great to bring down to the “Walk With The Dragon Event.“

I have never attended the event because unfortunately, I am usually out of town or dragon boat racing. 

I was planning on attending this year, but had to move the Gung Haggis dragon boat team practice into the morning because I was a performer for the Harry Aoki tribute event in the afternoon.

Oh well… there's always next year

3 accordions Saturday morning at the Vancouver Folk Festival… I am in accordion heaven!

Leave a reply

Lots of accordions at the Vancouver Folk Festival on Saturday morning.
Kiran Ahluwalia

It is a beautiful sunny morning at Jericho beach with drifting clouds giving some respite to the late morning festival goers at the Vancouver Folk Festival.  My girlfriend and I bicycled over to the Jericho Beach Park site.  As we lock up our bikes we listen to Kiran Aluwalia and Maeve Mackinnon are performing at the Mother Tongue workshop at stage 3.  We walk in past the children's area and watch Chibi Taiko performing Japanese taiko drums on stage.

LAU

We make our way over to Stage 4 where Spirit of the West is setting up with LAU, an acoustic trio – but one of Scotland's most innovative traditonalist musicians.  This workshop is called Celtic Connections.  Each group plays a turn.  Spirit of the West opens with “Another New Year's Day.”

LAU opens with some easy banter about the band finding it way too early to play in the morning.  It is actually only 11:25… but “way to early, even in Scotland.”  They play a gentle accoustic suite of songs that morphs into a chaotic frenzy.  Martin Green is hammering his 48 button accordion in time with rhythmic guitarist Kris Drever, and fiddler Aidan O'Rourke.  Too bad the sound system guys haven't woken up yet to balance this mix.

Spirit of the West

Spirit of the West introduces guest fiddler Kendel Carson from the band Outlaw Social,  She makes a great addition both musically and visually.  They perform a song titled “King of Scotland” that celebrates the passing of Idi Amin.  Tobin Frank is playing his 120 bass piano accordion.  Geoffrey Kelly plays his flute with runs that are impossibly fast and rhythmic.  Incredible.

Del Castillo

We walk over to stage 6 where the American flamenco-gypsy band is playing.   It is a
high-energy Chicano band that sings in Spanish, combining old-school
Gitano with nuevo flamenco and churning polyrhythmic percussion.  They really have the audience going.

Over at stage 5, DNA 6 is hosting Sounds of the City with Delhi 2 Dublin.  Lots of rap hip hop but when the 2 bands work togther, the celtic fiddle of Kytami and sitar player Andrew Kim make it very world fusion.

Charanga Cakewalk

Walking back to stage 6, we follow the full sounds of accordion with a wonderful rhythmic beat.  Charanga Cakewalk is busy inciting the audience to dance.  They are described in the program as “a pan-Latin American martini of equal parts traditional instruments and deep urban grooves.”

Red Chamber

On the way walking out of the park, we discover Red Chamber is playing.  I am always amazed at the fast string plucking of the Chinese instrument called the Chinese zither.

Then I spot Spirit of the West co-founder and flautist Geoffrey Kelly grabbing a coffee.  I introduce myself, and we chat about the time he performed with The Paper Boys for the CBC television performance special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”  It was the first ever music video ever filmed in The Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens. 

“We had a lot of fun,” Kelly recalls, “Jim was great on Chinese flute too.”

Hmmm…. maybe The Paperboys with Geoffrey Kelly will be featured guests at the 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner?  It could happen…. The line up is always about what inspires me, and who I meet in my travels.