Taylor-made brand of jazz combines blues and gospel influences
Dione Taylor has been blessed with the gift of song, and is using that gift wisely. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in jazz/lounge popularity with artists such as Diana Krall, Matt Dusk and Jamie Cullum, yet Taylor's work has, for lack of better descriptive phrasing, more of a classic allure.
"This Country," wrote Herman Melville to his publisher, "is at present engaged in furnishing material for future authors; not in encouraging its living ones." Things have no doubt changed since Melville's 1851 observation, and not just in the United States.
Mamet piece a well-directed attempt
A sign outside welcomes you to Don's Resale. No, this is not a fluke. You have the right address and this is the right place. Walk up some dingy steps and enter into the midst of what looks like an old attic: a vintage Gone with the Wind poster is tacked to the wall, some dusty plates are stacked on the floor, records rest in a cardboard box, an ironing board and some empty beer bottles stand in the corner.
Canadian band mixes booze and rock
At its best, rock and roll is just an extension of misdirected drunken belligerence. This is something Bobnoxious, a hard rocking and hard living Ontario metal/punk band, seems to understand. Hailing from London, Ontario, Bobnoxious follows in the vomit-stained footsteps of bands like The Who and AC/DC, whose passion for rock was penultimate to their passion for partying.
Tykwer's Perfume all flair, little substance
Most film directors, be they involved in fiction or documentary projects, will tell you that smell is the most challenging of the human senses to translate onto the screen. With CGI wizardry, tremendous advances in sound editing over the years and the vibrating chairs they installed in some megaplexes a few years ago, our sight, hearing and tactile senses are easy for most films to target, tickle, take advantage of or isolate.
Eateries serve up authentic Chinese dishes
While General Tao's Chicken is still a Chinese-American favourite, there is no shortage of real Chinese cuisine in the city of Montreal. Going to a Chinese restaurant doesn't have to mean ordering "delicious" sweet and sour soup and chicken or beef broccoli, dishes that are far too Americanized for most Chinese.
Alternative hits worth a listen
1. Aereogramme-Seclusion. This album kicks ass in more ways than Mr. T and Chuck Norris could come up with combined. Lynsey Joss's vocals deftly handle the alternation between breezy, heartfelt synthy ballads and peeling the shellac on the ten-minute powerhouse "The Unravelling," while the rest of the band creates soundscapes and melodies that are puzzlingly delicate for a hard rock album.
Converge-No Heroes. The newest album in Converge's 15 year history, No Heroes is a difficult yet intriguing record to assess. Unlike many metal and hardcore bands trying to find their unique niche in an increasingly saturated scene, Converge does not simply push boundaries; they don't recognize the existence of them.
Theatreb. Alice in Wonderland, Dec. 1 - 10; D.B. Clarke Theatre (1455 Maisonneuve O.). Local theatre company Geordie Productions opens its season with a new version of the perennial children's (and stoner's) classic by Lewis Carroll. Adapted by Montreal actor and writer Harry Standjofski into the 21st century, this play incorporates musical numbers as well.