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THE LINK - CULTURE CORNER
An eclectic mix of feature interviews with Canadian authors, artists and musicians.
Making one of Canada's oldest pianos playable
It's a 'square' piano that dates back to 1777. It was donated to Carleton University in Ottawa in the 1980s. Until now, it could not be played. But this year John Hall, curator of the Canadian Piano Museum in Napanee, Ontario, was called in to restore the piano. Carmel Kilkenny talks to him about the history of the square piano and about how it's linked to other pianos.
Frommer's Canada guidebooks, edited by Gene Shannon
When you're planning a vacation in Canada, it would be really helpful if you could get tips from local residents all across the country about the best places and events to see in their region. Well, Frommer’s guidebooks have done just that in their latest Canadian editions. Marc Montgomery speaks Gene Shannon, editor of Frommer's Canada guidebooks about the books, interesting sites missed by most tourist information sources, and also tips on ways to save money.
Northern Deco by Sandra Cohen-Rose
On June 28th, 2011, there was an evening walk in the Outremont neighbourhood of Montreal. It was organized by Art Deco Montreal, and two members of the group took people on a tour of some of the architectural treasures of this era, followed by supper in a local bistro. Sounds like a lovely evening! Much of this love and appreciation began with Sandra Cohen-Rose, who back in 1996 published a book called "Northern Deco: Art Deco Architecture in Montreal". Carmel Kilkenny talks to Sandra Cohen-Rose about that book and the art deco movement, then and now.
Marinda and Solari
Theirs is a story of love for each other, and for music! Montreal-based duo Marinda and Solari join us for a conversation about their collaboration and their self-produced debut album "Motif."
Annie Becker
There are many different routes to making it as a singer songwriter. Many people spend years becoming a so-called "overnight sensation." That can involve years of playing for unappreciative audiences, in non-typical performing situations, or dingy bars, as background music, or before or after more popular acts, or also, as in Annie Becker's case, busking on the street. Marc Montgomery speaks with Annie Becker, a young woman who is a definite up and comer on the music scene, about her debut album called All About the Beez Neez.
Arrival City by Doug Saunders: The Final Migration and our Next World by Doug Saunders
He's a journalist with Canada's Globe AND Mail newspaper, and the European bureau chief, based in London, England. Doug Saunders' work has taken him around the world into places most of us will never see. He's witnessed the movement from rural to urban that is one of the great migrations of our time and he's written about the phenomenon in his book, Arrival City. As it says on the inside flap, "For the first time in history, there are now more people living in cities than in rural areas." Carmel Kilkenny talks to him about his observations and his ideas.
Philip Slayton, author of Mighty Judgement: How the Supreme Court of Canada Runs Your Life
The Supreme Court of Canada may be one of the most powerful institutions in the land, but it's one Canadians know very little about. Marc Montgomery talks to author Philip Slayton, whose book Mighty Judgement - How the Supreme Court of Canada Runs Your Life, suggests that the secretive court has evolved into a political institution, with a tiny group of unelected individuals making fundamental decisions about Canadian legal and social policy.
D'Arcy O'Connor, author of Montreal's Irish Mafia: The True Story of the Infamous West End Gang
Since the early days of Canada, Montreal has been one of the most important cities in the country. A port, and major immigration destination, various communities grew along with the city, although not necessarily with the same economic success. In the west end of the city, a large but very poor Irish community existed. Many young boys from the area engaged in petty crime, just to survive. Following the second world war, as youngsters grew, the petty crimes became a little bigger as well, truck hijackings for example, bank robberies, and control of the ports, then drugs, and murder. Groups of criminals from the area became collectively known as the West End Gang. Author D'Arcy O'Connor researched the history. Marc Montgomery talks to him about his book, Montreal's Irish Mafia: The True Story of the Infamous West End Gang.
Singer-songwriter Ann Vriend
Carmel Kilkenny speaks with Vancouver, British Columbia-born and Edmonton, Alberta-raised performer Ann Vriend. This young singer-songwriter is currently on tour in Canada and while she was in Montreal she stopped by The Link’s studio to talk about her music, her current tour and what’s she's looking forward to as she criss-crosses Canada.
Culture Corner - Suzanne Desrochers, author Bride of New France
There have been many myths about the "Filles du Roi" or the King's Girls. They were from France and they were sent or they agreed to make the dangerous and uncomfortable voyage to the colony of New France. Mostly city women, they knew only tales of having to face bitter cold and so-called savages, and that they'd been sent to marry men they didn't know. Suzanne Desrochers studied their history and their myth as part of her thesis and out of that she wrote a fictional account of the women, based on historical data. Marc Montgomery talks to her about her book, Bride of New France.