Big Year For Canada At Grammys

[bridger15]

http://www.winnipegsun.com/entertainmen ... 66276.html

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Big year for Canada at Grammys

By DARRYL STERDAN, QMI Agency

LOS ANGELES — Whether Canada’s Grammy nominees end up in the winners’ circle on Sunday is still anybody’s guess. But there’s no doubt they took centre stage late Thursday night.

That’s when the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles threw its annual Grammy bash to celebrate and showcase this year’s nominees from north of the 49th parallel.

“There is every reason to be celebrating tonight ... as long as nobody trashes anything,” half-joked Consul General David Fransen at the celebrity-studded gathering, held under a giant tent surrounding the pool of his swank Hancock Park residence.

“This truly is an extraordinary year for Canada at the Grammys.”

Well, it’s not too shabby, anyway. At the 52nd annual ceremonies this weekend (airing live from L.A. on CBS and Global at 8 p.m. EST, 7 p.m. CST and 6 p.m. MST), 11 Canadian artists — including Nickelback, Michael Buble, David Foster, Drake and Neil Young — will compete for awards in 13 categories.

Another 10 Canucks — Diana Krall, Daniel Lanois, Natalie MacMaster, Oscar Peterson and others — are connected to 13 more nominations. Along with that, Winnipeg’s favourite son Young has been chosen 2010’s MusiCares Person of the Year, while Montreal legend Leonard Cohen is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.

While most of those major nominees were no-shows at the Consulate party, lesser-known candidates such as Montreal trip-hop duo Beast and Aboriginal powwow outfit Northern Cree made the scene. But there was one famous face: The 75-year-old Cohen, clad in his ever-present dark suit and fedora, made a brief appearance to say he was “deeply grateful” for his accolade.

“My great grandfather, Lazarus Cohen, came to Canada in 1869, to the county of Glengarry, a little town in Maberly,” the folk-rock icon said. “On this occasion, because of the great hospitality that was accorded my ancestor who came here over 140 years ago, I want to thank this country, Canada, for allowing us to live and work and flourish in a place that was different from all other places in the world. So I thank Canada for the opportunity that was given me to work and play and flourish.”

Tribute was also paid to the work and life of the late Pierre Cossette, a producer from Canada who is known as the “father of the Grammys” for bringing the award show to television. Mary Cossette, her voice breaking at times, gave a short tribute to her husband, who passed away in September.

For the most part, Thursday’s event — which was simulcast on radio — was a celebration. And while guest-of-honour Cohen didn’t play or flourish on this night, other performers did their best to make a dent in the party din. As the crowd of media, industry types, politicians and celebrities like singer Emmylou Harris and Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha shmoozed, munched fancy canapes and drank (what else?) Molson Canadian, they were treated to short sets by Vancouver singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, Newfoundland orch-rockers Hey Rosetta! and Toronto hip-hopper K’Naan. The latter closed the night with his song Wavin’ Flag, which he recently performed at the Canada for Haiti telethon.

Or rather, he was supposed to close the night — until superstar producer Lanois, who had told reporters earlier he planned to “rush the stage,” made good on his threat. He played an off-the-cuff song set with some members of his new band Black Dub. Then he and Emmylou Harris ended the show with a gorgeous duet, as Lanois called out the ballad’s chord changes to his standup bassist. That performance earned a rapturous ovation from fans who clustered around the stage with their cellphone-cameras hoisted.

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca

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Canadian Blast 2010 Grammy Awards
CBC Radio3 Flickr photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbcradio3/ ... 177797345/

Second on LC's left is Consul General David Fransen, Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles

[ladydi]

Great photo Arlene! Kudos to the consul-general for making sure Leonard was in the centre of the photo. I know we will all be with Leonard in spirit at the dinner and presentation tonight, and so proud of Canada for all the nominees past and present!

[sturgess66]

Diana - according to the press release by Nick Patch of the Canadian Press - picked up by most papers, Leonard Cohen was the "guest of honor" for the event. Entirely fitting in that he is "Leonard Cohen" - and this is a "lifetime achievement" award. And, as such, front and center is where he should be! I believe he stayed for the more official part of the event - where he spoke briefly and eloquently - and then he left.

Leonard Cohen pays respect to Canada in L.A.


Leonard Cohen, seen performing in 2009, was the guest of honour at the Grammy Awards gala at the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles Thursday night. (Chris Pizzello/Associated PRess)

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2010 ... z0e6j55PyU

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2010 ... z0e6hDU0Fd

I like this picture -


http://blog.canoe.ca/ent/2010/01/29/gra ... _the_consu

[LEONKA]

Arlene and sturgess66

Thanks for the pictures and links to information about the Grammys.

[bridger15]

Here is a wonderful article by one of Canada's most respected cultural commentators, Martin Knelman. You can see him being warmly greeted by both LC and Kory in my posted videos from outside the special grammys. He is wearing a light blue blazer and carrying a tote bag.

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/mu ... an-tribute

Knelman: Bashful Leonard Cohen thankful at Canadian tribute
Published On Sun Jan 31 2010

By Martin Knelman Entertainment Columnist

LOS ANGELES—Always a class act, Leonard Cohen demonstrated the power of minimalism with a brief but unforgettable appearance on Thursday evening at a Canadian government bash celebrating honorees at Sunday night's Grammy Awards.

Avoiding an adoring mob that included scribes and photographers as well as fans, the great 75-year-old troubadour skipped the shmooze but materialized magically on stage at the right moment to say a few well-chosen words before disappearing again, almost in a puff of smoke.

We won't know until Sunday night's telecast who or how many of the Canadians nominated in 13 categories – including Nickelback, Michael Bublé and Drake – will be among this year's Grammy winners. But no matter what happens, two of this country's icons are bound to be celebrated.

Cohen receives a lifetime achievement award, which was presented Saturday afternoon at a special advance ceremony.

And Neil Young, chosen as person of the year for his charitable work as well as his music, was the guest of honour Friday night at the annual $1,200-a-plate Musicares fundraising dinner.

The mood was ebullient at the elegant Hancock Park official residence of consul-general David Fransen, despite the fact that a number of the honorees did not show up, most notably Young, who has reportedly been devastated by the sudden death last week of his close friend and filmmaking collaborator of many years, Larry Johnson.

Among the nominees who were at the party: David Foster, the powwow band Northern Cree and the Montreal electronic duo Beast, who will segue from the glitter of the Grammy awards to the grittiness of the Horseshoe Tavern for a performance on Friday.

The guests enjoying Niagara wine and Molson beer included many notables from the music world, including producer/musician Daniel Lanois and singer Emmylou Harris, who ended the evening on a bubbly note by performing an unscheduled duet.

They upstaged several emerging Canadian artists who were given a chance to be in the spotlight by playing their music during the party – Vancouver songwriter Dan Mangan, Newfoundland's Hey Rosetta! and Toronto hip-hopper K'Naan who performed his song "Wavin' Flag," now the official anthem of this year's World Cup.

When he was invited to the party, Cohen told the consul-general he would like to participate – if he could avoid being the centre of attention.

"Leonard is a very gracious man," says Fransen. "I think he was concerned because he did not want to distract attention from the other honorees."

Robert Kory, Cohen's manager and lawyer – who kept Cohen in a kind of plastic bubble, seeing no one during his exhausting world tour – negotiated a plan that would shield him at the party.

Instead of mingling with other guests, Cohen – wearing his trademark fedora – was ushered to the private den of Fransen and his wife. Then at the right moment, he went directly to the stage appearing in a kind of chorus line with other Grammy hopefuls.

And then he delivered a message that, like his greatest songs, came across as true, pure, courtly and straight from the heart.

"My great grandfather, Lazarus Cohen, came to Canada in 1869," he began. "On this occasion, because of the great hospitality accorded to my ancestor, who came here over 140 years ago, I want to thank this country for allowing us to live and work and flourish in a place that was differ from all other places in the world."

When the presentation was over, one of Cohen's friends from those golden days of his youth in Montreal, Aviva Layton Whiteson, stepped onto the stage to give him a kiss and murmur: "Leonard, you're an icon."

Then Cohen made a fast yet dignified exit, braced for bigger crowds and more adulation as Grammy weekend continues.

mknelman@thestar.ca

[burningviolin]

Nice suit!

[Quasand]

We can now call Leonard Cohen a two-time Grammy winner.

2008 River: The Joni Letters (Album of the Year)
2010 Lifetime Achievement

[ladydi]

Hey Quasand,

Thanks for your input...on all numerous threads! We've got the idea!