Kobo Town Up for World Music JUNO

Kobo Town Caribbean music Nominated for JUNO

By William Doyle-Marshall

Kobo Town, a Toronto-based music band headed by Trinidadian composer and arranger Drew Gonsalves, is among nominees in the World Music category for a JUNO award by the Canadian Academy of Dramatic Arts for their latest recording “Jumbie In the Jukebox”. Presentation will take place in Winnipeg March 30 and the band is due to appear live on the awards show.

 Band members are Drew Gonsalves, Lindsey Wellman, Derek Thorne, Patrick Guinta, Robert Milicevic, Francesco Emmanuel, Jan Morgan, Don Steward, Walter McLean and Roger Williams.  “We are excited by the JUNO nomination. It was an unexpected but pleasant surprise,” Gonsalves explained.

                                                    Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town leader

  The list of World Music nominees for this year are Jumbie in the Jukebox Kobo Town; Sabor A Café  -- Adonis Puentes Tumba King; Lamentation of Swans – A Journey Towards Silence -- Azam Ali and Loga R.Torkian; Walk to the Sea by David Buchbinder & Odessa/Havana; and Lume, Lume Lemon Bucket Orkestra.  

   The songs on Jumbie in the Jukebox were written over a number of years and Gonsalves and his colleagues chose the title because they recorded in the Stone Tree Studios down in Belize in a sleepy town called Benque Viejo del Carmen (usually shortened to "Benque") a town in the Cayo District, in the far interior of the country. The producer always joked that the studio is a graveyard of musical equipment. “We were recording on all these old interesting equipment of microphones and amplifiers and a lot of the sounds that were coming out were really evoking the different eras of Caribbean music because we used all that equipment too back in the day on all those old Lord Kitchener and Mighty Terror albums and it was really evoking a lot of the sounds that are very familiar on those recordings,” Drew recalled. He got the idea about a juke box that was possessed by a Jumbie and was making it spit out all these sounds from different eras of the Caribbean’s musical history.

In Kobo Town’s first album “Independence” it pays tribute to and acknowledges the immense debt it owes to those Trinidadian songsters who have passed on and who created, enriched and preserved the musical patrimony from which the band draws inspiration. They include Brian Honore, Andre Tanker, Roaring Lion, Lord Kitchener, Atilla the Hun, King Radio, Lord Caresser, Growling Tiger, Lord Executor, Mighty Growler, Lord Invader, Mighty Spoiler, Ras Shorty I and Lord Pretender.  

    It is customary for Caribbean creators of music and other artistic expression to do their work in silence and resist the temptation to be recognized. This is usually left to a manager or someone associated with a label, in the case of music, to submit the work for consideration. In this instance Kobo Town took some prodding via numerous phone calls until Gonsalves yielded on the last day before entries closed. The band’s latest recording “Jumbie in the Jukebox” was eventually presented for consideration by the Canadian Academy for Recording Arts and Sciences. Over the years some Caribbean creators awarded by the Academy included John (Jayson) Perez, Lillian Allen, Eddie Bullen, the Sattalites and Leroy Sibbles. “We are in a category with a lot of artists who are very good. It’s a pleasure to be counted among them. Of course everybody has their hopes on the award but just to be nominated has been an honour,” Gonsalves acknowledged.

   Kobo Town toured Europe and the U.S.A. last year promoting “Jumbie in the Juke Box” and Gonsalves described reception as very interesting. “Touring is always interesting because you never know what to expect and I’ve been very pleased with peoples’ reaction. It has been very encouraging and it makes the long drive and the sleepless nights and the nights on the road a fulfilling one.

   CARAS is dedicated to year-round initiatives that foster the talent of Canadian musicians and provide opportunities for homegrown artists to showcase their work. Now in its third year, the JUNO Concert Series is an important element of this year-round mandate.

Inconvenient Indian Wins Top Book Prize

Book on Native People Captures Top Literary Prize

By William Doyle-Marshall

Thomas King who was a Native Indian activist in the 1960s and 1970s emerged winner of the 2014 RBC Taylor Prize of $25,000 for literary non-fiction for his book “The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America”. Announcement was made during a Monday gala luncheon at the King Edward Hotel downtown Toronto. King was among five outstanding finalists. Andrew Westoll, one of the jurors wished all the authors could be winners.

  King is a novelist, short-story writer, nonfiction author, screenwriter and photographer. He was born in the U.S., the son of a Greek mother and a Cherokee father. Since migrating to Canada he accepted a position in Native Studies at the University of Lethbridge and soon began writing serious fiction which earned him the distinction of being one of the finest contemporary Native American writers.

  During the very popular Sunday morning brunch hosted by ace bookseller Ben McNally, King reminded Canadians that his publication became a reality as he could not find books that dealt with Canada’s First Nations communities. After many years teaching about Native Indians, the author was disturbed by the absence of books on the subject. He observed that patterns created 400 years ago still exist as very little progress has been made. Never-the-less King is hoping for a different kind of conversation. Back in the beginning newcomers to Canada harboured concerns about living with First Nations people. He laments that Canadians don’t know their history.

                                            Author Thomas King and his wife Helen

   The annual Ben McNally’s annual Sunday morning brunch for finalists at the King Edward Hotel has grown into a must attend affair for Torontonians with a taste for good literature, especially in the non-fiction genre. Noreen Taylor, widow of Charles Taylor, a respected Canadian journalist, launched the Charles Taylor Foundation in his honour more than a decade ago. Since then Canada has been introduced to some of the most creative and insightful authors who have been sharing information with readers about matters that are near and dear to our hearts. This year finalists for the RBC Taylor Prize for Literary Non-fiction captured a range of issues and Ms. Taylor calls them ‘remarkable’. At Sunday’s brunch, she invited the audience to join in a love affair with some of Canada’s finest authors.

   David Stouck delves into the life of Arthur Erickson who grew up in a family with a father whose legs were blown off during World War combat. However the subject of Stouck’s book is known as a famous architect who loved to be at the center of things and above all have a good time.

What is important to Erickson’s work in relation to today the author told the attentive Sunday morning gathering the buildings he created across the country were stacked with ideas that revolved around interdisciplinary studies, transparency in justice and perhaps Erickson could be regarded as a pioneer in green architecture. This is a man Stouck said who loved life and made sure to have friends among the rich and famous in Hollywood and the Royal Family. And if you don’t mind a little gossip, the author also included some of that juicy practice in “Arthur Erickson: An Architect’s Life”.

  Graeme Smith told the gathering it is important to rub their noses into the Afghanistan scene where the Canadian flag is to be lowered in Kabul as this country withdraws its involvement in that war that has claimed the lives of many civilians there. Smith sounds troubled that there will be a questionable election of a new president. From this foreign correspondent’s perspective, it will not be a democratic election. Further the author of “The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our Ware In Afghanistan” predicts this could be a summer of increased violence – as a couple thousand civilians will be killed. The peace and stability Canadians were told were being restored in Afghanistan when troops were first assigned there was not achieved.

Despite his gloomy picture of the outcome of the Afghanistan war, Smith is hopeful, all is not completely lost if a lot is done to make sure the Afghan State gets what it needs to survive--$6 billion a year to keep its security force.”

   J.B. MacKinnon’s “The Once and Future World: Nature As It Was, As It Is, As It Could Be” started for him in British Columbia where he observed big box stores were taking over spaces that were once occupied by what he thought were indigenous shrubs to the territory. Many of us can relate to the situation right here in the Greater Toronto Area as we observe transformation of a landscape that now resembles major European cities complete with pollution of all sorts. He evoked much laughter while relating the story about salmon spawning in a certain B.C. location which attracted a massive crowd eager to see 12 salmon showing life that was once taken for granted. Any thoughts about re-wilding the world you may have, MacKinnon would smile with pleasure.

  Charlotte Gray was attracted to the “Massey Murder” by the court case involving teenaged domestic worker facing a murder charge over the shooting death of her employer. It prodded her to write about the social history of Canada during the First World War. She realized a true crime would be a wonderful doorway into that period of Canadian history. This meant finding a crime with lots of different elements and themes for her to follow up and explore what was going on behind the scenes. That meant spending a lot of time in Old City Hall where police cases are still tried. She was struck by the surrounding with lots of people bustling around, lawyers in gowns. Nobody who hasn’t spent time there could really understand what’s happening. No doubt things are still the same.By William Doyle-Marshall

Thomas King who was a Native Indian activist in the 1960s and 1970s emerged winner of the 2014 RBC Taylor Prize of $25,000 for literary non-fiction for his book “The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America”. Announcement was made during a Monday gala luncheon at the King Edward Hotel downtown Toronto. King was among five outstanding finalists. Andrew Westoll, one of the jurors wished all the authors could be winners.

  King is a novelist, short-story writer, nonfiction author, screenwriter and photographer. He was born in the U.S., the son of a Greek mother and a Cherokee father. Since migrating to Canada he accepted a position in Native Studies at the University of Lethbridge and soon began writing serious fiction which earned him the distinction of being one of the finest contemporary Native American writers.

  During the very popular Sunday morning brunch hosted by ace bookseller Ben McNally, King reminded Canadians that his publication became a reality as he could not find books that dealt with Canada’s First Nations communities. After many years teaching about Native Indians, the author was disturbed by the absence of books on the subject. He observed that patterns created 400 years ago still exist as very little progress has been made. Never-the-less King is hoping for a different kind of conversation. Back in the beginning newcomers to Canada harboured concerns about living with First Nations people. He laments that Canadians don’t know their history.

   The annual Ben McNally’s annual Sunday morning brunch for finalists at the King Edward Hotel has grown into a must attend affair for Torontonians with a taste for good literature, especially in the non-fiction genre. Noreen Taylor, widow of Charles Taylor, a respected Canadian journalist, launched the Charles Taylor Foundation in his honour more than a decade ago. Since then Canada has been introduced to some of the most creative and insightful authors who have been sharing information with readers about matters that are near and dear to our hearts. This year finalists for the RBC Taylor Prize for Literary Non-fiction captured a range of issues and Ms. Taylor calls them ‘remarkable’. At Sunday’s brunch, she invited the audience to join in a love affair with some of Canada’s finest authors.

   David Stouck delves into the life of Arthur Erickson who grew up in a family with a father whose legs were blown off during World War combat. However the subject of Stouck’s book is known as a famous architect who loved to be at the center of things and above all have a good time.

What is important to Erickson’s work in relation to today the author told the attentive Sunday morning gathering the buildings he created across the country were stacked with ideas that revolved around interdisciplinary studies, transparency in justice and perhaps Erickson could be regarded as a pioneer in green architecture. This is a man Stouck said who loved life and made sure to have friends among the rich and famous in Hollywood and the Royal Family. And if you don’t mind a little gossip, the author also included some of that juicy practice in “Arthur Erickson: An Architect’s Life”.

  Graeme Smith told the gathering it is important to rub their noses into the Afghanistan scene where the Canadian flag is to be lowered in Kabul as this country withdraws its involvement in that war that has claimed the lives of many civilians there. Smith sounds troubled that there will be a questionable election of a new president. From this foreign correspondent’s perspective, it will not be a democratic election. Further the author of “The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our Ware In Afghanistan” predicts this could be a summer of increased violence – as a couple thousand civilians will be killed. The peace and stability Canadians were told were being restored in Afghanistan when troops were first assigned there was not achieved.

Despite his gloomy picture of the outcome of the Afghanistan war, Smith is hopeful, all is not completely lost if a lot is done to make sure the Afghan State gets what it needs to survive--$6 billion a year to keep its security force.”

   J.B. MacKinnon’s “The Once and Future World: Nature As It Was, As It Is, As It Could Be” started for him in British Columbia where he observed big box stores were taking over spaces that were once occupied by what he thought were indigenous shrubs to the territory. Many of us can relate to the situation right here in the Greater Toronto Area as we observe transformation of a landscape that now resembles major European cities complete with pollution of all sorts. He evoked much laughter while relating the story about salmon spawning in a certain B.C. location which attracted a massive crowd eager to see 12 salmon showing life that was once taken for granted. Any thoughts about re-wilding the world you may have, MacKinnon would smile with pleasure.

  Charlotte Gray was attracted to the “Massey Murder” by the court case involving teenaged domestic worker facing a murder charge over the shooting death of her employer. It prodded her to write about the social history of Canada during the First World War. She realized a true crime would be a wonderful doorway into that period of Canadian history. This meant finding a crime with lots of different elements and themes for her to follow up and explore what was going on behind the scenes. That meant spending a lot of time in Old City Hall where police cases are still tried. She was struck by the surrounding with lots of people bustling around, lawyers in gowns. Nobody who hasn’t spent time there could really understand what’s happening. No doubt things are still the same.

The panel of jurors selected the finalists from 124 non-fiction books authored by Canadians and submitted by 45 publishers.