Here are some more images from Edmonton’s inaugural Nuit Blanche on 2015 September 26:
Moon Rise over Canada Place
Inside Edmonton’s City Hall – The Art and Architecture
City Hall Roof with Projector
Bikes in the Night
Art Gallery of Alberta
“The World We Want (outside the Winspear)
Citadel Theatre
Edmonton Public (Stanley Milner) Library
The Balloon-filled Pedway
and back to my favorite:
Ouroboros in City Hall
2015 September 26, Nuit Blanche finally comes to Edmonton. Here are some images from the first couple of hours of the all night arts celebration in and about Churchill Square.
Shortly after 7 PM the crowds start to gather in Churchill Square with the wish trees.
“Imagine Peace” banner in front of City Hall
Inside City Hall – a seemingly simple, yet fascinating dynamic creation – Ouroboros
A small street market for the night
“It’s not art – or is it?”
A colorful forest of wishes
The moon rise over Churchill Square and Canada Place
The World We Want
See more on the part 2 post: Nuit Blanche II
A early afternoon stroll in downtown Edmonton revealed a lot of natural and man-made beauty.
City Hall
Colorful Library Parkade Entrance
One of the things that most caught my eye was the progress on the Kelly Ramsay Tower construction. Especially impressive was seeing the unveiling of the historic facade at the base of the building.It seems they have done a great job in cleaning up the brickwork and restoring it to its former glory.
“Looking Way Up” – construction on the Kelly Ramsay Tower
the historical facade on the Kelly Ramsay Tower
planters outside the library
Falling Leaves beside City Hall
A few months back I posted Revitalizing 96th about the status of the project which is completely updating Edmonton’s 96th Street between Jasper Avenue and 103A Avenue, dubbed “The Armature” and anchoring the Quarters Districts.
Work has continued through the summer and it appears that most of the paving, with the black,white and grey paving stones is complete.
96th Street Looking South
The area is still a construction zone, the street is not open but the sidewalks on both sides have been opened up for a few weeks.
Sidewalks Open
The remaining work seems to be the landscaping details – new trees have recently been planted, there are beds of perennial grasses and installation of some street lighting appears to be next.
Final Landscaping on 96th Street (looking north)
While the street paving appears to be done, pallets of bricks suggest that more work remains. Hopefully it can all be finished up before the snow falls.
Paving Stones Remain
At the south end of the street, the new Hyatt hotel is looking good – appearing nearly complete from the exterior.
New Hyatt Hotel Nearing Completion
Hopefully this brilliant hotel will soon spur on other developments on this about-to-be-beautiful street which is currently very barren in terms of any commercial buildings.
Another (the third) in my unplanned series of portraits of Edmonton citizens. What I find interesting is that these people all asked me to take their photo. I never went out planning to take portraits of random people on the street, I never asked them if I could take their photo. They asked me and I have had no reason not to.
Street Portrait
This gentleman approached me as I was walking home. He said to me, something to the effect, “May I ask you a question?; please don’t judge me” He went on to tell me his story: He has had better days but now finds himself homeless, living in the river valley. Most saddening he says he has lung cancer and only 2 months to live.
Nonetheless, he appeared strong, his voice and spirit, that afternoon. He asked me to take his photo and asked if I would post it online. I said I probably would if that was okay with him. Regrettably I did not write down his name and have forgotten. But we shall not forget his face and spirit.
My other street portraits posts:
On Wednesday, June 24th the early afternoon jazz concerts in Churchill Square continued. This day it was the Latin jazz sound of the TILO PAIZ QUINTET. The leader of the group is drummer Tilo Paiz, originally from El Salvador.
Tilo Paiz, drums
“Join in, have fun”
This post is a continuation of my 2015 June 23rd post where I shared some images of The Heavyweights Brass Band. This post is the same band, same performance but images that are a bit more fun.
Trumpet vs. Trombone
Blue Plunger (used on St James Infirmary Blues)
Jazz Works Hands
Occasionally the guys put down their horns and add some vocals as in the tune “Float“:
“Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Brass Band”
Adding to the fun at the Edmonton performance was one guy from the audience (in a big cowboy hat), dancing away in front of the stage:
Drummer and Dancer
The Heavyweights Brass Band
Today (2015 June 23) on The Works stage in Churchill Square, Edmonton was a band that blew me away – The Heavyweights Brass Band.They are a Toronto-based, New Orleans influenced group. Being a trumpet player myself I have passion for brass instruments in general and trumpets in particular. This band features TWO excellent trumpets as well as a trombone and sousaphone and sax and drums – what a powerful sound!
John Pittman and Jonathon Challoner on trumpets
Some may wonder why there would be two trumpets in a sextet but there was more than enough work to keep the two of them busy. Each took a turn with some impressive solo work and when they teamed up it was great.
Also very impressive was saxophonist Paul Metcalfe.
Paul Metcalfe
Metcalfe was a passionate performer and the composer of a number of the band’s original pieces. The original pieces were good as were their versions of traditional jazz pieces (St. James Imaginary Blues was great) and some unexpected jazzifying of rock/pop tunes including Rush’s YYZ and Michael Jackson’s Beat It.
Christopher Butcher, trombone
Butcher, who lived in Sherwood Park for a number of years, was the band’s leader on stage.
Rob Teehan, Sousaphone
Lowell Whitty on drums
It was a very enjoyable show and although I had intended to just be there for the first set, I just had to extend my lunch hour and stay around for the second set. I also had to buy one of their CD’s – their latest Brasstronomical.
This performance in Edmonton was just one stop in their cross-country tour this summer. I doubt that I’ll get a chance to see them again soon but I will definitely look for a future opportunity.
Today I spent my lunchtime in Edmonton’s Churchill Square taking in three of my favorite things: sunshine, art and jazz. As part of The Works (Art and Design Festival) and tying in with the Edmonton International Jazz Festival there are daily jazz concerts from 12:00 to 2:00. Today on stage was the John Sweenie 4Tet.
The John Sweenie 4Tet
The quartet’s leader is Edmonton saxophonist John Sweenie:
John Sweenie
Stefan Kijek on keyboard
Murray Smith on drums
Murray Wood on bass
With some solid original works and good takes on classics, the John Sweenie 4Tet delivered a very enjoyable performance! I look forward to hearing them again someday and hearing other jazz artists over the rest of this festival.
Last summer I noticed that 96 Street (between Jasper Avenue and 103A Avenue) in east downtown Edmonton, disappeared! It was blocked off, dug up and even no longer appeared on Google Maps. I found the construction annoying as a pedestrian and a driver and especially last autumn when construction activity stopped, the roads remained closed and the sidewalks and were largely in-accessible. Construction resumed this spring but it was still not clear to me what was going on.
Yesterday afternoon I walked a bit out of my usual path to check out what might be happening. When I got to 96 Street and 102 Avenue, I saw, I understood and I was impressed.
A block worth of black, white and grey paving stones could be seen through the construction fence and on one section of sidewalk that is open.
Patchwork Paving – on 96 St. in downtown Edmonton
Snipped Light Poles
Fortunately there are not many businesses along this stretch of 96St. that will be affected by this long and disruptive project but the venerable Double Greeting Wonton House is one that will no doubt be glad when the work is done and appreciate the extra traffic that should then be attracted to the area.
Double Greeting, waiting
Work is still ongoing and I would guess it will take most of the summer but by its completion I am finally going to believe that this downtown revitalization east of 97 Street, is more than just a plan. I say that having listened with anticipation to a number of announced plans going back to the early-90’s.
Cutting and Laying
Capping off 96 Street at Jasper Avenue is the new Hyatt hotel, that is nearing completion. There is a lot of construction in the downtown area, many building certainly larger than this one and arguably better situated but this Gene Dub design may be the most architecturally interesting and attractive building going up in the City.
Hyatt Hotel construction (June 2015)
Work Still to Be Done
Circles
YEGmonton 