Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Stand By Me! On Sunday it was Sing By ME By Stephen Weir The festive season came alive in North Toronto as the Kingdom Choir delivered a stirring performance at the George Weston Recital Hall, located within the Meridian Arts Centre on Yonge Street. On the late afternoon of December 1st, the nearly sold-out audience was treated to a captivating showcase of Christmas carols and gospel music, all performed with the choir's signature warmth and powerful harmonies. For many in attendance, this concert marked a cherished seasonal tradition, as the acclaimed ensemble brought the spirit of the holidays to life through music. Led by Karen Gibson, affectionately known as the "godmother of British gospel," the 15-member group, accompanied by two musicians, returned to Canada with joyous energy. Like Santa spreading cheer, the Kingdom Choir enchanted the audience with a blend of traditional carols, uplifting gospel melodies, and their iconic rendition of Stand By Me, which became ...

Cécile McLorin Salvant, This Saturday Night By Stephen Weir Now it's our time! After the Swifties have packed up and headed off to Vancouver, Toronto gets its turn to shine with a performance by one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of our time. Cécile McLorin Salvant, 35, is a Haitian-American jazz vocalist who is in high demand worldwide. She has quickly become one of the most highly regarded US-based jazz vocalists of her generation, earning a trunk full of music awards along the way. Her stunning vocal range and ability to reimagine jazz standards have earned her praise from critics and fans alike. Cécile has performed in Canada five times already, and this Saturday will mark her sixth performance in the country when she brings her current tour to Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre. The concert will take place on Saturday, November 30th, 2024, at the Weston Recital Hall, located at 5040 Yonge St., Toronto. The show is set to start at 8:00 p.m., and tickets are still available, ...

Lakecia Benjamin'd Sax Schooling Toronto   Stand back. Don't sit down; Lakecia Benjamin will blow you out of your seat anyway. Jazz fans in the city have wanted to see and hear her since 2012 when she burst onto the world stage with her saxophone with the release of her first album, "Retox".  She has been in this country only a few times, playing backup alto sax for some of America's top performers, including Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys. But next Friday, she will take to the Meridian Arts Centre North stage, and it will be her music, her hip look, and her own band for the very first time on a Canadian stage. Although she wasn't sure which country the Caribbean Camera was calling from when we reached her at her home in NYC last week, she was excited to talk about her upcoming tour, which includes stops in Turkey, Germany, Norway, and this single Canadian performance, making for a busy fall schedule. She told us she was up for all the gigs that she will be pla...

Never mind Crawfish and Carnival, love infused Jazz at the George with Louisiana’s red-hot singer, Quiana Lynell  by stephen weir Hectic just doesn’t cut it when describing jazz singer Quiana Lynell’s life these days. Two better words just might be airport and hotel! The red-hot jazz singing sensation from Louisiana is en-route to Toronto for her long delayed Canadian debut concert.  But in between leaving her home two days ago in the Deep South and experiencing her first Deep North winter next week, she has taken her quartet to Europe to perform. The vocalist extraordinaire is booked into the George Weston Recital Hall, next Saturday night (Feburary 15th) as part of the Jazz at the George concert series.  The George bills itself as Canada’s best recital hall and one of the world’s top venues; it is part of the Meridian Arts Centre complex on Yonge Street in North York. On Wednesday, the Caribbean Camera's Stephen Weir caught up with the winner of th...

FINAL TOUCHES MADE ON THE MANDELA WALL Signs - Mandela Exhibition In North Toronto By Stephen Weir : Dusting. Straightening.  Turning on the museum lights. The final touches on the exhibition MANDELA are being made in preparation for today's official opening!  The doors will open to the public after lunch for MANDELA, a blockbuster-touring exhibition created by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. It is all happening in North Toronto at the Meridian Arts Centre 5040 Yonge St, the show runs till January 5 th  2020. Mandela in Toronto - Toronto Star photo For show goers, a wall of battered “whites only” signs is the first thing you see as you enter the exhibition. Be prepared for what is described as a  “rich sensory experience of imagery, soundscape, digital media and objects!” This multi-media exhibition has been created in collaboration with the South Africa’s Apartheid Museum. MANDELA explores Nelson Mandela...