Nov 14, 2008

Cutting arts funding would be short-sighted decision

Letters

I have just been informed that the Town's Budget committee is proposing a two-year phase out of the Town’s support for the Oakville Arts Council and the Town's allocation of money for the Cultural Grants program that funds numerous non-profit arts groups in town.

Can this really be happening, that we can be here again, defending the Oakville Arts Council against another potential crisis?

As many people in Oakville will remember, in 2005, a previous board of directors attempted to close the Oakville Arts Council after 26 years. But people cared and stood up.

A team of individual citizens, including myself, stepped in, re-built, re-hired, re-trained and got the organization back on track, serving an increasing membership and the community with a more focused mandate.

We did this in partnership with the Town of Oakville, working with the Town’s departments and processes, assisting the Town’s paid staff and paid consultants while volunteering our own time.

We did this in faith that we were working together to build the infrastructure that would contribute to Oakville being not only a livable town, but a vital, enjoyable, stimulating, engaging and meaningful town to live in.

We each put in hundreds of hours, in spite of busy careers, demanding businesses, families and our own creative and cultural practices. Now stabilized, the organization just celebrated its 30th anniversary and is building the momentum to make huge impacts on the cultural and creative health of our community and its citizens.

I am one of the many people who has given my time, my money and my name to ensure that the people of Oakville have a central organizing force for the creative and cultural aspects of life in our town. If I were to add up the value of the unpaid time and the cash and in-kind support that I alone have given to the Oakville Arts Council over the last six and a half years, it would almost certainly add up to more than $50,000.

And so it is with outright outrage that I attempt to fathom that the budget committee for an extremely affluent town of more than 170,000 people can hold out the idea that we can no longer afford to give a mere $75,000 in core operating money to the Oakville Arts Council, nor $98,000 to the many groups that are supported by the cultural grants program.

This is ridiculous — if I, as one very small business person, can give that much, surely a town of 170,000 mostly affluent people can easily maintain a contribution of around a dollar a year each.

To put this in perspective, we're talking about an annual expense that is the the equivalent of a few sips of one medium latté, or an eighth of one glass of wine.

To fall into to talking about cutting the Oakville Arts Council’s operating money and the Cultural Grants program represents an old-style, faulty, artificial lifeboat decision-making approach — "tough economy, throw out the arts". I say ‘no’.

We are stronger and saner than that — we know that we can still afford the pittance that has gone to support the arts — in fact, we can afford to give a whole lot more and to do so will not make us poorer, but infinitely richer.

Every dollar of Town support is always multiplied several times over by the value of work freely given by hundreds of volunteers at the Oakville Arts Council and the groups that get Cultural Grant money, and is magnified further by other cash and in-kind donations and sponsorships. And this is multiplied further by the economic stimulus created by people who purchase tickets, go out for dinner before a show, take their kids for ice cream after a rehearsal, purchase new costumes, buy musical instruments, etc. Yet the core operating money from the Town is, and always will remain, an essential element in keeping the cultural organizations strong — public money gives culture and creativity asolidgroundtostandontobe able to do the rest. Continuing to support the arts with Town money is a strong statement about who we are as a people.

I know that others are going to make the case for why culture is important. I know that others are going to present the facts on how the Oakville Arts Council and the Cultural Grants programs impact on the community. I will not, in this letter, begin those arguments, as they will be made well by others with research, thoughtfulness and unspeakable levels of patience.

I simply ask that the Town does not break faith with the hard work that its citizens have been doing to improve this community.

I also ask that the whole citizenry of Oakville is represented, and its money stewarded, in ways that makes us proud of the society we are building. In 10 years or 25 years from now, there will not be a soul that stands up and says ‘I am so glad that we stopped supporting arts and culture.’

However, if we continue to support the arts, 25 years from now, as future citizens harvest the fruits of a vibrant cultural town, they will surely occasionally look back and be thankful of what we prepared for them.

I ask that council acts as true leaders and uses this time to invest even more in what matters most in life and in communities, especially when times get tough.

CJ MARTIN

ATHENA nominees rise above as role models News

Oct 29, 2008

They are women of substance — they are powerful, have worked hard and care about others — leaders.

They are the 2008 ATHENA Oakville nominees and tonight one will be selected as the 2008 ATHENA Oakville award winner though all are honoured for having been nominated.

They include: C. J. Martin, owner of CJ’s Café in Bronte; Alison Thomas, president of the Canadian Association of Nephrology Nurses and Technicians; Jane Thomas Yager of Wellspring Halton/Peel; Wendy Perkins, executive director of Home Suite Hope Shared Living; and Elka Ruth Enola, a local poet and photographer.

The 2008 ATHENA Oakville gala is being held at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre tonight. It begins with a champagne reception and includes dinner as well as a keynote address from Marina Nemat, author of Prisoner of Tehran.

At age 16, in 1982, Nemat was arrested and sent to the notorious Evin prison in Iran for writing in her school’s newspaper in the wake of the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Nemat was sentenced to death, but had her sentence reduced to life in prison when one of her interrogators decided to marry her.

He was killed 15 months later, but his family worked toward her release.

Nemat, a Christian Iranian, returned to her family and later married her boyfriend of six years and left Iran. Today Nemat lives in Canada with her husband, and children aged 15 and 19.

She remains an outspoken champion of freedom and individual rights.

Following Nemat’s address, the 2008 ATHENA Oakville award recipient will be named.

Thomas has excelled in the field of nursing and has mentored students and staff nurses.

As president of the Canadian Association of Nephrology Nurses and Technicians, Thomas was elected by her peers across the country and leads the association in its focus on excellence in patient care and education for nephrology.

Martin, uses her café to showcase local musicians, artists, poets, and writers.

She is a community organizer, entrepreneur, published author and mentor. She has worked for environmental organizations from Canada to Australia and has been active in the United Way, Bereaved Families of Ontario and Oakville Arts Council.

Enola is a poet and photographer who has brought positive and enthusiastic energy to Oakville and is involved in various organizations including: WHAM (Women of Halton Action Movement), SAVIS (Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services), Amnesty International, the Halton-Peel Humanist Society, which she founded, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Mensa.

As a member of Amnesty she organizes a Taste of Justice in Oakville to benefit the campaign to stop violence against women. Enola is also the moving force behind the Poetry Café series in Oakville.

Yager is soft spoken, caring, supportive and tuned in to others. She has devoted the majority of her professional life to providing education and mentorship to women.

Through the nurse practitioner program at McMaster University, Yager has guided students in their chosen field.

At the Ontario College of Art and Design, Yager identified mental health issues as a key issue amongst the young female students and championed better access to support.

At Wellspring Halton/Peel, Yager facilitates the Healing Journey program for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Meanwhile, Perkins has boldly, relentlessly and fearlessly championed homelessness in Oakville. It has become the calling card of Perkins who has made her own home here for more than 20 years.

Her work with the Salvation Army and her founding work in creating Home Suite Hope have made it impossible for the Oakville community to ignore homelessness locally.

Perkins has also mentored a group of native women from The Six Nations Reserve for many years.

Though only one will walk away with the title, all have the honour of being nominated.

The ATHENA Award program began more than 25 years ago and today more than 6,000 awards have been presented across North America and more recently in China, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Sept. 12th, 2008

CONNECTING CULTURES - NATURE RULES:
Azhar H. Shemdin shows off her work in an exhibition called Nature Rules at CJ's Café, 2416 Lakeshore Rd. W. The show features art connecting the Canadian environment with Shemdin's Kurdish cultural heritage of northern Iraq. She has been painting in her Kurdish homeland and this show will connect both cultures. Exhibition hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show continues until Oct. 7.

Music in the Square Saturday

Arts & Entertainment
Aug 13, 2008

A series of outdoor concerts called Music in the Square that take place in Centriller Square outside of CJ's Café in Bronte Village continues on Saturday.
The concert will run from noon to midnight and feature retro rock.

Performers are: The Diamond Effect (noon), Hat Trick (1:30 p.m.), The Marawders (2:30 p.m.), Three Finger Arrow (4 p.m.), Cliff Lee Band (5:30 p.m.), SKP (6:45 p.m.), Stress Management (8:15 p.m.) and Solid (9:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.)

Admission to all performances is free. CJ's Café is located at 2416 Lakeshore Rd. W.

For information, go online to www.cjscafeinbronte.com.

CJ’s hosts stellar line-up at Music in the Square

Arts & Entertainment
Jul 24, 2008


Civic Holiday Monday has long been known as the day for Art In The Park in Bronte – one of the finest fine art shows in the country.

This year visitors to Bronte can also enjoy live music in Centriller Square , which is just East of Bronte Road on the South side of Lakeshore. Musicians are lined up to play from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm, in front of CJ’s Café in Bronte in Centriller Square .

The day of music is a co-production of CJ’s Café in Bronte and local music organizers, Redman Live, a classic rock/country duo. Redman Live is Hank Redman and Julie Cutler, who are both very active on the local music scene.

Hank hosts a monthly series called a Night In Nashville featuring country, roots and folk artists at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville . Just this month Hank placed second in the Indietalent.ca Idol contest - a singer/songwriter contest with finalists from across the GTA.

Julie is also an award winning singer/songwriter winning her first award at age 13. Julie proudly hosts a monthly "Evening of Music at the Moonshine Cafe featuring fabulous female performers. Now in its third year it is a night that celebrates the joys of being a woman in music.

Redman Live's debut CD released to a sold out crowd in November, 2007 is selling around the world. The first two singles are receiving radio play across Canada , Europe and Australia . Please visit their website www.redmanlive.com for more information. Redman Live has put together the line-up for August 4th, and will also be performing as well as hosting. Redman Live mixes new country and classic rock cover songs with their own original material for a one of a kind show. The have been performing together for over 10 years now.

Kim Jarrett is a Toronto singer/songwriter who has been quietly collecting fans with her smart and pervasive live presence, and mature, straightforward songs, since the release of her self-titled debut CD in September 2002. With influences ranging from 1980's Top 40, to 70's rock and beyond, Kim's music is a pleasing blend of pop, roots, country and folk. Often described asfolk/blues - her clear, strong voice, combined with her personal lyrics, has universal appeal. Add in bass player Mike Constantino and you have an act not to be missed.

Carrie-Lynne Perry and Lawrence De Maeyer serve up poppy folk story telling in a new, duo format.For most of both their musical lives they have been with a touring band most recently known as Big Love. Now a duo called Carrie & Lawrence, they definitely keep the spirit of Big Love alive and well - as well as sharing some new original offerings.

Peter and Claire Matthews have been making music together since 1991. Originally from the county of Essex in England, they began touring the well-established folk club circuit in the United Kingdom performing alongside the likes of Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies, Martin Simpson and The Oyster Band (with June Tabor) and Jim Couza, and going by the name of Face to Face. This basically folk driven band was very well received and garnered great reviews for many years.

Performing as a core duo, but also in collaboration with other like-minded musicians enabled Peter and Claire to explore many different genres of popular music but one thing stayed the same throughout – their love of melody and harmony which, to this day, is still their passion.

To find out more about events going on at CJ’s Café in Bronte, go to www.cjscafeinbronte.com.

Celebrate Canada Day all day long in Bronte
From pancake breakfast in the morning to fireworks at night

Arts & Entertainment
Jun 28, 2008

Celebrate Canada Day in Bronte on Tuesday, July 1.

From 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., the party will be on Lakeshore Road West, Bronte Road, south of Lakeshore and in Heritage Waterfront Park.

It kicks off with a Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8-11 a.m.

The party will be capped off with a fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Throughout the day, there's fun for kids from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with face painting, a balloon clown, inflatables, painting the world's biggest birthday card and free birthday cake for kids.

On the boardwalk stage, there will be a Meet-and-Greet with Ariel the Mermaid and performances by Juno Award-nominated Lenny Graf and cool kidertainer Sir Jerry.

There will be music for everyone, a Shopper's Bazaar, Bronte artists, Taste of Bronte Food Marketplace and a Beer'n'Burgers Garden sponsored by the Kinsmen Club.

From noon to 5 p.m. on the Boardwalk Stage, catch the pop/jazz of Don Campbell, Bronte Idol Emilia Sadowski, Joharah of BellyUp Belly Dance Studio and pop/Thai music by Nong Patinya Tangtrakui.

On the Gazebo Stage in Heritage Park from 1-10 p.m., catch the rock folk, blues and Celtic fusion of Fiddlestix, the country/pop of Ryan Laird and Juno Award-nominated headliner God Make Me Funky.

In Centriller Square, located at 2416 Lakeshore Rd., from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., listen to the Celtic and folk tunes of Adrian Hardie on Americana acoustic guitar, Two Twenty Two, the music and comedy of EFG, folk duo John and Sheila Ludgate, the Chicopee Ridge Bluegrass band and the folk and bluegrass of Miss Behavin'.

Closing the lineup will be Brendan Galloway from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For information, visit www.brontevillage.net .

Oakville Arts Council celebrating 30 years

Arts & Entertainment
Jun 26, 2008

Tomorrow night, June 27, from 8 pm to 11 pm, the Oakville Arts Council (OAC) will celebrate its 30th Anniversary at CJ’s Café in Bronte with a Latin Jazz Under the Stars party.

The event is also the Season Finale for the Café’s Music After Eight Series, which started in June 2007, with the idea of bringing great talent to this intimate venue and giving a cut of the proceeds to local charities. In its first year, the Music After Eight series of concerts has raised over $1,500 for local charities, including the Oakville Arts Council, Oakville and District Humane Society and Food For Life Canada

On June 27, the goal is to raise $10,000 in one night to benefit programs provided by the OAC. It is the mission of the Oakville Arts Council to cultivate the arts and enrich the creative life of the community of Oakville.

“This is going to be a huge party,” says CJ Martin, owner of CJ’s Café in Bronte and board member of the Oakville Arts Council. “The entire front yard is going to be roped off so we’ll be under the stars. We’re going to have Trio Del Fuego playing two sets of instrumental versions of classic pop and rock songs with a Latin twist. Trio Del Fuego is made up of Bronte local Eddie Paton, with Geoff Hlibka and Tom Bigas - two virtuoso Latin guitars combined with world ethnic percussion.
These are three seasoned musicians who have toured extensively and whose studio credits include several gold and platinum albums by Juno nominated and winning artists. They will do crowd pleasing pop standards with rumba, flamenco and Latin jazz embellishments.”

In the break between their sets, Mercedes Bernardez, a local ballet master and Latin dance teacher, will be on hand to teach the basics of Latin dance.

There will be an all-night buffet table, cash bar, and the evening will conclude with cake and ice cream and free champagne to celebrate the OAC’s 30th.

There will also be silent auction items so people can walk away with some examples of Oakville ’s creative talents, and a 50/50 draw – because everyone likes cash too!

“The evening is shaping up to be a good fundraiser as well as a good party, says Martin. “We already have several cash sponsors on board, and many other contributors. Cooper Construction, Monday Night at the Movies, Rosehaven Homes have already committed sponsorship dollars. I am donating the use of the Café, and Bronte businesses are providing all the food for the buffet. Peller Estates is providing wine at-cost and Pat’s Party Rental is giving us a discount on our rental needs. Trio Del Fuego has also capped their fee to make it a better fundraiser, as has Mercedes Bernardes – everyone has really pulled together on this!”

“We can sell up to 150 tickets,” says Martin, “and since many of the other concerts in this series have sold out, I’d advise people to get their tickets early.”

“And in case people are worried about weather concerns with having the party outdoors,” Martin reassures, “We’re going ahead no matter what the weather is. If it is good weather, we’ll be in the front yard. If there is rain, we will re-configure the space so the party uses the inside of the Café and the covered walkways in front of and behind the Café.”


After this Season Finale, the Music After Eight series of concerts at CJ’s Café in Bronte will take a break for the summer and resume in September for Season Two of bringing great creative talents to Oakville audiences while raising money to develop Oakville ’s creative life!

Tickets to this party are $30 and can be obtained from the Oakville Arts Council at 905-815-5977 x 3, or CJ’s Café in Bronte, 905-465-0411.

Celebrating Canada Day in Bronte

Arts & Entertainment
Jun 25, 2008

Large Medium Small Print This Article Tell a friend Celebrate Canada Day in Bronte on Tuesday, July 1.
From 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., the party will be on Lakeshore Road West, Bronte Road, south of Lakeshore and Heritage Waterfront Park. It kicks off with a Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8-11 a.m. and will be capped off with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Throughout the day, there's fun for kids from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with face painting, a balloon clown, inflatables, painting the world's biggest birthday card and free birthday cake for kids.

On the boardwalk stage, there will be a Meet-and-Greet with Ariel the Mermaid and performances by Lenny Graf and Sir Jerry.

There will be a Shopper's Bazaar, artists, Taste of Bronte Food Marketplace and a Beer'n'Burgers Garden.

From noon to 5 p.m. on the Boardwalk Stage, catch Don Campbell, Bronte Idol Emilia Sadowski, Joharah of BellyUp Belly Dance Studio and Nong Patinya Tangtrakui.

On the Gazebo Stage in Heritage Park from 1-10 p.m., catch Fiddlestix, Ryan Laird and God Make Me Funky.

In Centriller Square, at 2416 Lakeshore Rd., from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., hear Adrian Hardie, Two Twenty Two, EFG, John and Sheila Ludgate, the Chicopee Ridge Bluegrass band, Miss Behavin' and Brendan Galloway.

For information visit www.brontevillage.net .

Volunteering reward enough for Halton's Women of the Year

By Melanie Cummings, Special to the Beaver

News
May 09, 2008

Volunteering is not an option; it's a responsibility in Mary Jane Howie's mind.
Dekyi-Lee Oldershaw lives by the maxim of trusting in those whom she depends on and caring for those who depend on her.

The reward of a smile and fellowship after voluntarily investing 40 hours of her time advocating on accessibility issues is all the payment Joan Gallagher-Bell needs.

With attitudes such as these it is little wonder they are Halton's Women of the Year.

This trio, as well as 11 other female community leaders, was honored Tuesday night at the 10th annual awards event organized by the Women's Centre, an organization dedicated to empowering the region's female population.

Howie's empathetic arms stretch far beyond her Oakville home to Africa, India, Romanian and Peru, places where she has vaccinated children against polio with fellow Rotarians and worked in orphanages with Global Volunteers.

She has accrued a bevy of awards for her efforts too, including the Girl Guides of Canada's Meritorious Service Award, given because she founded a troop for mentally and physically challenged girls and women.

"With all of the accomplished women in this room, I am proud to be part of this community," Howie told the audience of about 175 who gathered at Glen Abbey Golf Club for the fundraising event and awards ceremony.

The formidable foes of blindness and Multiple Sclerosis have never gotten in the way of Gallagher-Bell's determination to open up the mobile world to people with disabilities.

"I am the richest lady I know," Gallagher-Bell said of her life.

As co-vice chair of the Halton Region Accessibility Advisory Committee her years of dedication caught the attention of the provincial committee focused on increasing access to public buildings, spaces and transportation for all Ontarians.

Healing figures prominently in Oldershaw's life. The former Tibetan nun has dedicated her time to helping others tap into their strengths and skills in Australia and Oakville where she founded the Lamp on the Path, a self-help organization based on the teachings of the Buddhist leaders such as the Dalai Lama.

A former national-level athlete and coach of the first all-female national level kayak team; Oldershaw has dedicated three decades to transforming the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual powers within people.

"I am certainly thankful to all of the men and women who have helped me grow inside and out," added Oldershaw.

The remaining 11 women recognized through the Women's Centre's celebration of excellence were:

- Marg Bartlett, Anita Boyce, Judi Perry Brinkert, Michelle Knoll, CJ Martin, Marlene George, Rev. Dr. Morar Murray Hayes, Penny Mackenzie, Diana Tuszynksi, Joyce See, and Ronica Sharpe.

While regional chair Gary Carr described these women and all community volunteers as "priceless heroes," keynote speaker and former Oakville mayor Ann Mulvale said each nominee has "left a legacy with someone in the community, made history and is a driving force for positive change."

Get away to Tuscany via Bronte

By Paloma Migone, Special to the Beaver

Arts & Entertainment
Apr 11, 2008

If time won't allow a 7,000-km trip to explore the ancient architecture and charming countryside of Tuscany, Italy, head to CJ's Café in Bronte and contemplate Tuscan sceneries at the Bella Tuscany fine arts show.

Painters Jan Davidson, Roxana Sato, Sandra Iafrate and Dawn Angela Seeley have put together a seven-stop show, showcasing Tuscany through four distinctive artistic styles in Oakville, Stratford, Niagara Falls, Beamsville and Toronto. The paintings of the four artists will take spectators on a journey through the picturesque landscapes of the unique Italian region.

"We are representing the beauty that we have discovered in Tuscany and we want to share that with art lovers, Tuscany lovers and people that may want to travel to Tuscany," said Iafrate, who was a journalist before picking-up the brush.

The Bella Tuscany concept was formed when CJ Martin, owner of CJ's Café in Bronte, 2416 Lakeshore Rd., invited Seeley to present her Tuscany paintings at the Café. Martin was familiar with the artist's work since she had joined Seeley on an Artist's Get-Aways--an expedition Seeley has been organizing since 2001.

The artist later invited her three friends to join the show, compiling a five medium collection: watercolours, acrylic, gilding, oils, and mixed media. Seeley knew Davidson and Sato from a Get-Aways in 2005 and met Iafrate at her book launch, An Adventure In Tuscany, last October.

"We had all painted quite a bit in Tuscany. We had quite a prolific portfolio between us of different mediums showing all our Tuscany experiences. It's unusual to see a show with a theme that's not limited to one medium," said Seeley, a full-time artist and former graphic designer.

Their Tuscany experiences began in the summer of 1986, when Iafrate visited the Italian region and gathered photographs and studies that would later turn into paintings. Sato first visited with family in 2002 and "just fell in love with the place."

"Tuscany is about the light, the colours, the country style. It's a paradise for an impressionist artist, the way the light changes and the colours. You can use a limited palette and it can give you so much," said Sato, who studied chemical engineering before discovering her artistic talents.

Seeley first traveled to Tuscany with friends; it was one of the many destinations she visited to paint plein air (on-site), an experience that led to the inauguration of Artist's Get-Aways. In 2007, Davidson joined Seeley and a group of artists on a trip to Anghiari, Tuscany making it her first time in the region.

"It was very exciting and rewarding. You have to experience Italy. You can read about it in a book, but you have to go there. The smell, the light is different and it's really wonderful to try and capture that on canvas," said Davidson, who used to be a nurse.

All four friends plan to expand their collection at a fall trip to Tuscany.

They will meet at a later date, since Seeley is going on her annual get-away and the rest are visiting with family and friends.

While the artists enjoy the Tuscan sun, Bella Tuscany will continue it's southern Ontario tour, which lasts until January 2009.

For Bella Tuscany's itinerary visit www.sandraiafrate.com/Bella .htm. For information on Artist's Get-Aways visit www.dawnangela.com.

Addison returns to stage

Arts & Entertainment
Mar 20, 2008

After a three year hiatus from singing, Kim Addison is returning to the stage at CJ's Cafe Friday, March 21 This is a not-to-be missed chance to see a bold and passionate singer in an extremely intimate space while enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and socializing. The evening also raises funds for the Oakville Arts Council.

According to Jazz Til Midnight Radio Host Doug Collar, “What is refreshing about her work is the blending of her unique voice with some of the hippest arrangements I have heard in a long time. Kim is contemporary in her approach to the big band format; she crackles with excitement and swing.”

Kim was playing clubs by the time she was 17 years old and began her career belting out R & B and rock but changed course dramatically when she enrolled in Humber College’s Jazz Studies program.
There she fell in love with the old standards and soon was singing in Humber's top jazz ensembles including Pat Labarbara's combo and Trish Colter's vocal jazz ensemble.

After graduating with honours, Kim applied to The University of Toronto's Jazz program and was one of four vocalists accepted into the small and elite program.

Kim has performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival, The Distillery Jazz Festival, The Rex, The Montreal Bistro, and many other venues in and around Toronto.

Kim has also produced and released two CDs. Her first, Waiting for the Words, is a compilation of originals Kim wrote early in her career.

"You" was featured on many Canadian and US pop stations. The second CD, Born to Be Blue, features some of Kim's favorite jazz standards plus a couple of originals arranged for quartet and three horns by Paul Ashwell. Born to Be Blue has aired on stations such as Jazz FM 91.1, including Heather Banbrick's "Sing Sing Sing" as well as Jaymz Bee's "Jazz in the City", on CBC and Jurgen Gothes "Discdrive", Ross Porter's "After Hours", Katie Malloch's "Jazz Beat", and on Doug Collar's "Jazz 'Till Midnight".

While studying, Kim taught music lessons at four different private music schools until opening The Addison Music Learning Centre in Glen Abbey. Addison Music has been voted number one music educator for a number of years. Addison employs over 23 teachers and has 1,000 students.

The demands of running the business have kept Kim so busy she finally decided to retire from performing. Until now.

“Kim has been pivotal in building the Music After Eight Series,” says Martin, “using her connections to bring in people like Bonnie Brett and Heather Bambrick, and then staying in the background and helping serve bar at the shows! She has been incredibly committed to this Series, and I figured it was time that she was the one put in the spotlight. It’s kind of a tough-love thing you’ve got to do sometimes – being busy with business can take all your energy, but it is so important to put some priority on your own creative expression.”

Performing with Kim this evening will be Oakville musician Phil Kane on guitar, and bassist Jeff Beauchamp. The group's "Classics" concert will feature jazz standards and a few recognizable favorites from the 70s, "a la jazz".

Kim’s appearance is part of a monthly program of Music After Eight shows at CJ’s Café in Bronte, which is building a solid reputation for high-quality on every level. Several of the shows have sold out. Tickets are $20 and include all food and coffee, plus a cash bar. Parking is free and right behind the building.

Get tickets in advance by calling CJ’s Café in Bronte at 905-465-0411. CJ’s Café in Bronte is located at 2416 Lakeshore Road West, between Licks and Denningers. For other details go to www.cjscafeinbronte.com.

Local singer returns to stage at CJ's March 21

Arts & Entertainment
Mar 14, 2008

Oakville artist Kim Addison is getting back into music after a three-year hiatus from singing and performing. On Friday, March 21, Addison will appear at CJ's Café in Bronte from 8 - 11 p.m.

The concert also raises funds for the Oakville Arts Council.

Addison started singing at an early age, and was playing in clubs by age 17.

A graduate of jazz from both Humber College and the University of Toronto, Addison has since been featured at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Distillery Jazz Festival, The Rex, the Montreal Bistro and many other venues in the Toronto area.

Addison has produced and released two records to date.

The first, Waiting for Words, is a compilation of originals she wrote early in her career.

A pop tune on the record, You, was featured on many Canadian and U.S. radio stations.

The second record, Born to Be Blue, features some of Addison's favourite jazz standards along with a couple of her originals, arranged for quartet and three horns by Paul Ashwell.

Born to Be Blue has received airplay on stations such as Jazz FM 91.1 and the CBC.

Addison taught music lessons at four different private music schools while attending Humber and the University of Toronto.

She later opened The Addison Music Learning Centre to share her love of music with others.

Addison Music has been voted number one music educator for the past few years.

The company employs more than 23 teachers and at least 1,000 students attend Addison weekly.

The demands of running the business are the reason Addison retired from singing, but she was recently convinced by owner of CJ's, CJ Martin, to get back into it with a comeback concert.

Performing with Addison on Friday, March 21 will be Oakville musician Phil Kane on guitar, and bassist Jeff Beauchamp. The concert will feature jazz standards and a few recognizable favourites from the 70s done "a la jazz".

Addison's appearance is part of a monthly program of Music After Eight shows at CJ's Café in Bronte.

Tickets cost $20 and include all food and coffee, plus a cash bar. For tickets, call CJ's Café in Bronte at 905-465-0411.

It's located at 2416 Lakeshore Rd. W.

My True Nature

Arts & Entertainment
Feb 07, 2008

Jackie Osmond Patrick is only the second artist to have both the front and back gallery spaces at CJ’s Café in Bronte, with a show called My True Nature.

Jackie is a mixed media artist working in photography, acrylic, watercolour, charcoal, glass, clay and soapstone.

My True Nature will feature mainly photography and acrylic work.

Jackie was born in Surrey, England and emigrated to Canada in 1967. Her father was an artist who taught Graphic Design and Illustration at Sheridan ITAL for 20 years. She herself completed both an honours degree in Art and Art History from U of T and an Arts Diploma from Sheridan College, then followed in her father’s footsteps, teaching at Sheridan in the Illustration and Art Fundamentals Programs.

Her most recent work in photography is greatly influenced by a spiritual journey of rediscovery and growth. Over the past three years she has been working exclusively as an artist, traveling extensively throughout North America and abroad. In 2005 she began a creative coaching company called Authentic Soul, inspiring others toward self-expression.

Jackie is drawn to landscapes and especially perspectives that make organic forms appear sensual and abstract. Her work has appeared in many galleries and juried shows.

In addition to selling her artwork, Jackie is also selling photographic calendar as a fundraiser for Holly Taylor, her two-year-old grand niece, who has schizencephaly, a disorder where one quarter of the brain is not developed. The money raised from the calendars will help with various treatments for Holly, including Ability Camp.

It's a five-week camp in Picton, which includes conductive education five to six hours per day, and includes hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

More info can be found at www.Help4Holly.com and www.josmondpatrick.photo reflect.com

CJ’s Café in Bronte is located at 2416 Lakeshore Road West, just east of Bronte Road. A map and further details can be found at www.cjscafeinbronte.com.

CJ's Cafe in Bronte.

Portrait of a lady
By Sandra Ferrari

Jan 31st, 2008

After opening her art-inspired café in Bronte Village in April of 2006, C.J. Martin was thinking beyond gingerbread steamers and cocoa-topped desserts. Food for thought is among the daily dining specialties CJ's Café, served with a side of nurturing for hungry local artists.

“I’ll take people who I know haven’t had a solo show yet, and I know that they don’t have enough material for a solo show, and will pick a date six months from now so that they have something to work on,” said Martin, who is a self-encouraged artist, published poet and former worker for the Oakville Arts Council.
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"As we grow into adulthood we don’t let ourselves be playful. We have to be working hard because that’s what our culture values.”
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In her bustling café, artists come and go regularly, taking turns reading their works aloud, filling the coffee-scented air with their music, displaying their work on the walls and generally contributing to a creative space for artists and non-artists alike.

Just a few short years ago, Martin found herself barred behind a desk as an executive for a non-profit government agency in Toronto, reading policies, not poems, and thinking finances, not fine art.

“[I was] working very hard in doing policy stuff and doing financial stuff and doing all of this very professional stuff, and then [I thought] where was the ‘play’ part?" said Martin, who did not always make creativity a priority.

In forcing herself to take a continuing education Fine Arts program at Sheridan College, she had reservations about not taking a professional class instead.

“It took me a while to give myself permission to do it,” said Martin, who was a Sheridan student nine years ago.

As education tends to focus on career building, students young and old might find their creative selves lost to their professional ambitions.

“For lots of people, you get caught up in not justifying [your creativity] because it doesn’t seem like it’s making you a lot of money, it’s not making you get ahead. As we grow into adulthood we don’t let ourselves be playful. We have to be working hard because that’s what our culture values," Martin said.

Martin bought the café with the specific intention of it acting as an artist’s café. According to Martin, it’s fulfilling its mission.

“When I’m standing here at the counter, opening up as someone who is creative, people start opening up about their creativity, saying that they used to write when they were younger but they haven’t done it in a twenty years or they’ve always wanted to take a painting class, but didn’t know if they were any good,” said Martin. “[Here I] can start channeling them, engaging them and inspiring them.”

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PHOTO BY SANDRA FERRARI
CJ Martin holds up the cover for her poem, "But Tonight."
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But Tonight

There will come
a time

When the moon
will not exist

And the sun will
have given up its
form

To lose itself in
nothingness,

And all that we
now dream on

Will have slid to
shadow.

But tonight


Moonlight
dances

On the fading
Autumn leaves

And caresses the
smooth skin

Of the responsive
lake

And I have you in
my arms

And the air is
sweet

With the scent of
things falling
away.

Sultans of String serenade at CJ's

Arts & Entertainment
Jan 24, 2008

Music After Eight at CJ’s Café in Bronte returns for 2008, with a dynamic program that starts up Friday, January 25, when the award-winning Sultans of String will take audiences on a wild and improvised musical journey that romps through an energized adventure of Latin, jazz and folk rhythms.

The Sultans of String are Kevin Laliberte, Chris McKhool and Drew Birston. They are #1 in Top Ten World/Folk Canadian Campus & Community Charts, and gaining commercial exposure with excellent reviews from around the world. Their hit CD LUNA, is now carried by Festival Distribution.

Join the Sultans of String in their exploration of world rhythms in this mesmerizing global concert experience. The concert runs from 8 pm to 11 pm, with doors opening at 7:55. Three courses of refreshments are served, and there is a cash bar. Tickets are $20, and should be ordered in advance as shows in this series have sold out, leaving late-deciders disappointed. Tickets are available at CJ’s Café in Bronte, 905-465-0411.

This concert is part of an ongoing series that delivers diverse, top-level professional music in a relaxed, intimate, social setting. The line up for 2008 is booked until May, continuing on Friday, February 22, with local classical guitar virtusos Trevor Burt in a concert being billed as A Gentle Night for the Soul; on Friday, March 21, local jazz siren and music entrepreneur Kim Addison gives us a rare Oakville concert, with cool tunes from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme and Frank Sinatra; on Friday, April April 18th, jazz diva Heather Bambrick does a return engagement at CJ’s, this time with her folk-pop-country group, the V-Girls; and Friday, May 30th, local arts entrepreneur and jazz professional Darla McNevin teams up with local folk singer-songwriter Heidi Ann Crocini for a unique concert fusing their two diverse backgrounds.

To find out more about the Sultans of String, go to www.sultansofstring.com . www.cjscafeinbronte.com. CJ’s Café in Bronte is located at 2416 Lakeshore Road West.

Hear the Hands of Rhythym at CJ's on Sunday

Arts & Entertainment
Jan 10, 2008

Hands of Rhythm’s Kevork Guerguerian brings West African Drumming to CJ’s Café in Bronte on Sunday January 13, from 11 am to 1:30 pm, as part of CJ’s Live Music Sundays Series.

After that, starting Tuesday, January 22, Kevork will teach others West African Drumming in a series of six evening classes, running on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, from 8 pm to 9:30 pm, until April 8, also at CJ’s.

Hands of Rhythm works with corporate clients such as North York General Hospital, 10,000 Villages and Waterfront Festival in programs to build teams and assist in personal development.
Kevork’s philosophy is that connecting to the heart of drumming expands our consciousness, and that it brings powerful healing changes to all areas of our lives through the joy and fun of creating music together.

Come hear what Kevork can teach you on Sunday January 13, and get ready to experience the rhythms of life through the classes that start on Tuesday January 22. Find out more about Kevork and Hands of Rhythm at www.handsofrhythm.com, and more about CJ’s at www.cjscafeinbronte.com. Sunday the 13 is a free concert, and registration for the classes is $150 (or $140 if you have your own drum). Register at CJ’s Café in Bronte. Some bursaries may be available for those currently experiencing financial barriers to participating.

CJ’s Café in Bronte is located at 2416 Lakeshore Road West , between Licks and Denningers. The phone number is 905-465-0411.