Musical tribute to former Ontario Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander.
By michelle-lee The Afro News Toronto
The Jazz Performance & Education Centre, recently obtained charitable status and held its first fundraising gala October 2nd. The event, held at Glenn Gould Theatre, was a $250.00 per person musical tribute to former Ontario Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander. Alexander is an honorary co-chair of the organization with Ontario Chief Justice Warren K. Winkler. Two life long jazz fans, Ray and Rochelle Koskie, the driving forces of the group, said the gala is the first step to building a permanent home for jazz in Toronto, similar to New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Centre, “to inspire and grow audiences for jazz music” in Canada. The current plans call for a 9,000 square foot space that can accommodate a performance hall, recording studio, classrooms, archives and a restaurant. Ray Koskie said, “we know we have to expose the younger generation to jazz in its many different forms” and next month a reasonably priced concert series will begin with Montreal pianist Oliver Jones at the Bluma Appel Theatre. There will also be a children’s jazz music program launched at Casa Loma in the spring.
