Tonight I got the chance to perform at the kickoff celebration for the 1-year countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC.
The collaboration was pulled together by Sal Ferreras, and included drummers, dancers and singers from the Four Host First Nations (Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations), and some Chinese and Punjabi drummers as well as Eileen Kage and me on Taiko. It included the two time world champion hoop dancer, Alex Wells, and Musqueam dancers doing a traditional dance representing some of their history, and a beat-boxin’ rapper named Ostwelve.
Six minutes and ten seconds of drumming and singing and dancing at the top of a show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, that featured quite a few more very talented artists, with Sarah McLachlan closing out the show.
It was a blast.
Yes, there’s controversy and yes there were protests, but for our small part, we participated in a pretty dang cool little bit of music making.
The theatre staff was great, the production folks were great and the Local I.A.T.S.E. folks took very good care of us before, during and after the show…which I got to see part of…so that was great, too. I’ve been hoping for a very long time to see a live performance of “Angel” (I like the song. A lot!), and that particular dream was fulfilled this very evening.
As I was being helped out of the loading dock, I caught a recap of the evening’s activities on the news and managed to see Eileen drumming behind Ostwelve for nearly 3 whole seconds…!!!
Seriously, though, meeting all of the other artists and learning more about their rhythms, dances and traditions…was just a fantastic experience.
Thanks, Sal! You rock! All of you folks do…
I have a lot more I want to say, but I am a bit too tired.
I will add, however, that I still have the protective temporary crown on my newly root canal-ed molar, and that I am going in for a permanent restoration soon!
I love my friends and family. I feel very blessed this evening.