Ming Wu Photography

Bluesfest: Day 1

The first day of the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.

Highlights that I covered:
Amanda Rheaume

Flash Lightnin'

Amos The Transparent

MonkeyJunk

Jon & Roy

Jeff Beck

The day after Canada Day, feeling abit drained but I did go and check out the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
In previous Jazz Festival the festival ended on Canada Day but this year it is extended until this Sunday.

Well playing tonight were:
André Leroux Quartet

The 3 Tenors

Wayne Shorter Quartet

It was a nice night of jazz music.

Ottawa Jazzfest: Opening Day

Tonight was the official opening day of Ottawa's Jazz Festival.

Playing at Confederation Park were:
Alicia Borisonik

Dave Douglas

Roberta Gambarini

It was a nice event of music.
The weather hold up and it didn't thunderstorm like the weather report mentioned.

Surprise free show at Ottawa Jazzfest

Tonight was a surprise free show at the 29th edition of the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Even I wasn't aware about it either.
Playing at Confederation Park were:
Souljazz Orchestra

Pavlo

Terence Blanchard

I wasn't aware that tonight was a free show.
Thought Thursday was the kick off to the festival.
It was a nice evening for great music at the park.
The weather was nice.
Surprised alot of people came to the festival.

SPAO: Likeness

On June 12th I went to SPAO for a exhibition called Likeness.
It is in part of Festival Karsh.

Featuring photographers of:

Andrew Balfour

David Barbour

Matthew Carrington

Brandon Clarida

John Conway

Joël Côté-Cright

Clive Cretney

Magida El-Kassis

Tony Fouhse

Jon Hobin

Ian James Hopkins

Rob Hughes

Pedro Isztin

Joy Kardish

Maggie Knaus

Karina Kraenzle

Aislinn Leggett

Martin Lipman

Kimberly Malysheff

Angelina McCormick

Amanda Meehan

Rozemarijn Oudejans

Erin Riley

Joseph Jeremie Roy

Michael Schreier

Sarai Strikefoot

Michael Tardioli

Genevieve Thauvette

Michelle Wilson

Greg Zenha

Their works were mostly portraits of people, showing how Karsh was influential in taking the photos.
There were some unique ones and some bizarre and some artsy like.

Met some people at the event, even the Ottawa Folk Festival people were in attendance.
The food was great.

This exhibit runs from June 12 - September 12, 2009

Here are some photos.

I like these photos.

Festival Karsh: Sound and Vision Event

On June 15th I went to the Library and Archives Canada for the Festival Karsh Portraits of Musicians and Composers and Studio K: A Karsh Experience.
It was mostly in the lobby area.
Alot of people showed up.
They had a nice grand piano and music was played.
The food there was great.
NIce to see people enjoying his works and listen to nice music
Here are the photos.

Tea with Trudeau Stories

June 11th, I went to the Ottawa Little Theatre to attend the Magnetic North Theatre Festival's Tea With The Artist.

Here is the info:
Sarah Stanley gets right to the heart of the creative process in these intimate artist interviews, where every day is a different flavour. A festival favourite!
Also in the theatre there is some photos Yousuf Karsh's which is in part of Festival Karsh. Mostly theatre photographs that he took.

Anyways going back to Tea with the Artist.
It was my first time and it was nice atmosphere drinking tea with the cast and director of Trudeau Stories.

I was surprised that Brooke was very nervous doing it in Ottawa because its was where everything happened when Trudeau was Prime Minister during his time.
Also nervous that people didn't want to see a different perception of Trudeau.
I asked Brooke the question if any family members has seen it and apparently they haven't.
Very informative, funny and entertaining.

Sarah Stanley was good at asking the questions to Brooke and Allyson McMackon (The director).
Love the question that Allyson picked up from the gold teapot which was "When did you color your hair?".
Again I will say that Brooke is an amazing actress and a lovely person.

Trudeau Stories will play until June 13th.

Festival Karsh

Today I went to a media only tour for Festival Karsh.
If you don't know this year Ottawa is marking the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Another summer event in Ottawa that people should check.

At the Library and Archives Canada, they have a free exhibition called Studio K: A Karsh Experience.

This exhibition shows his love with theatre and music. In the theatre section you can experiment with lights, costumes and cameras.
While the music section, you see his portraits of famous artist and listen to a clip of their songs.

Then there was a double decker bus that took us at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
With the tour they did a trail on what is going on through the city while celebrating Festival Karsh.
Various locations that will feature his works are Bank Of Canada (Portrait of Queen Elizabeth and Mackenzie King), The Hardy Arcade (His first studio), Bytowne Museum (Portraits of famous Ottawans), Fairmont Chateau Laurier (Famous portraits of Churchill, Einstein and Stephen Leacock), Clarendon Lane between George and York St (Portarts in the Courtyard), National Art Gallery (Art of the Celebrity Portrait exhibit) and many more if you go to Festival Karsh.
I got the media kit and a nice red hat which had a K on it.

Canada Science and Technology Museum has a exhibit called Karsh: Image Maker will run from June 12 to September 13, 2009.

Where you see his famous portraits and also the museum acquired his equipment IE 4X5 Camera, cameras, enlarger and brushes.

My favorite portraits that I love at the exhibits are:
Audrey Hepburn
Alfred Hitchcock
Bryan Adam (I was surprised that he took a photograph of him)
Anita Ekberg (She almost look like Sofia Loren)
Queen Elizabeth
Sir Winston Churchill

Glenn Nuotio - Club Saw

On Saturday night during the Magnetic North Theatre Festival.
I attended a show at Club Saw, it was a performance by Glenn Nuotio.
I missed out Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir due to being a really late night show.
Maybe next time I will check them out.
Here are photos from Glenn's set.