Apr 28, 2012
Circles

As you may know, I spent this past semester teaching a Canadian Studies course based on the Six String Nation project at George Brown College. The division head who invited me to do the course, Crystal Kotow-Sullivan, also invited me to do the presentation for staff at an end-of term event at the St. James campus yesterday. It was a terrific event and I was thrilled to be part of it but was surprised to learn that it was also something of a send-off for Crystal as she begins retirement!

Still, there was another surprise in store: one of the performers, professor Reeves Miller [funny, two sojourners from the Canterbury Tales!] (pictured) got up to play a marvelous song I hadn't heard before. When I asked whose it was he told me it was a song made famous by Chris Kearney. Now, I already know a Christopher Kearney in St. John's who provided the labradorite that is inlaid on two of Voyageur's frets but he never mentioned anything about being a songwriter and, hey, what are the odds? So I looked up the song, "Rocking Chair Ride" and sure enough, up popped up a video with images of St. John's! I immediately rang up Chris and it turns out that Christopher J. Kearney, who made the song an international hit in 1972 and now lives in Santa Fe NM, is his cousin!

Thanks to Crystal, Tensing, Andy and the rest of the players and attendees.
 Posted at 10:56 AM


Looking Back at Learning Forward

Learning Forward Ontario is a new educational conference that had it's inaugural gathering in beautiful Hockley Valley a couple of days ago and I was very glad to be asked to give the Six String Nation presentation following Wednesday's dinner.

Since I was headed Orangeville way, I thought it might be a great opportunity to catch up with friends Laura Bird and Javier Santamaria and since the conference wasn't quite sure what kind of talent they might have available to play Voyageur, I asked Laura if she might be available to be on standby. That turned out fantastically well: teacher Mary Jo Drager was scheduled to play but came down with a migraine midway through dinner. Teacher Christina Schilling did play her song but had just the one prepared so Laura stepped in (pictured) and delivered a beautiful and poignant musical tribute to Jack & Olivia that had audience members frantically scribbling her name on notepads.

It was great to meet so many teachers there from as far away as Dallas, Texas - who connected to Voyageur in their own way. Always great to make new friends.

Thanks to all the musicians, sound man Colin, David Jaeger and the staff at the Hockley Valley Resort. Special thanks to conference director Amy Lin.
 Posted at 9:28 AM

Apr 27, 2012
An Out of This World Encounter

When it was announced the Canadian Astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield would be the first Canuck to command the International Space Station in 2013, we proposed the idea to the guitar-playing spaceman that he take Voyageur with him. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of room on those Soyuz capsules he's flying these days - not to mention the potentially rough splash downs!

Still, he liked the idea of it and is still going to be the first person to record an album in space (with a more portable and zero-G guitar already on the space station and producer Paul Mills manning the audio equivalent of Mission Control in Ontario). In place of taking my guitar into orbit, Chris sent along his self-designed Mission Patch, which has been sewn into Voyageur's guitar case. And before he heads back to the ISS (via Houston and Kazakhstan, we had a chance to meet yesterday afternoon so he could get one earthbound shot with the Six String Nation before lift off. 

He was a genuinely great guy and it was great to hear him run through a few songs on Voyageur - even better to find myself singing along with him on a rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"! (pictured).

Safe travels, Colonel! Special thanks to Paul Mills and Ron Skinner.
 Posted at 8:00 AM

Apr 26, 2012
The Week of the Heritage Fairs

Yesterday it was the Durham District School Board in Whitby, today it was the Toronto District School Board's Toronto East Regional Heritage Fair at the Scarborough Civic Centre.

First of all, haven't been to Scarborough Town Centre in years - totally "Logan's Run"-type architecture right down to the amazing futuristic bucket chairs in the lounge!

Two groups of students today - all of whom had done their own amazing work on projects around Canadian history and heritage, many of which had specific resonances within Voyageur. Congratulations on all of your great work and good luck to everyone in scoring the awards come Thursday!

Thanks to those who played the guitar for the presentation, including teacher Trevor Wong (pictured) who did The Hip's "Wheat Kings" and Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69" and students Hamayal Chaudry and Krithika Ragupathi (who was joined by her friend for a tune by One Direction).

Special thanks to Rob Mewhinney and the staff, teachers and student participants of the Toronto East Regional Heritage Fair.
 Posted at 6:35 PM

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