Big year for Canada at Grammys

LOS ANGELES — Whether Canada’s Grammy nominees end up in the winners’ circle on Sunday is still anybody’s guess. But there’s no doubt they took centre stage late Thursday night.

That’s when the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles threw its annual Grammy bash to celebrate and showcase this year’s nominees from north of the 49th parallel.

“There is every reason to be celebrating tonight ... as long as nobody trashes anything,” half-joked Consul General David Fransen at the celebrity-studded gathering, held under a giant tent surrounding the pool of his swank Hancock Park residence.

“This truly is an extraordinary year for Canada at the Grammys.”

Well, it’s not too shabby, anyway. At the 52nd annual ceremonies this weekend (airing live from L.A. on CBS and Global at 8 p.m. EST, 7 p.m. CST and 6 p.m. MST), 11 Canadian artists — including Nickelback, Michael Buble, David Foster, Drake and Neil Young — will compete for awards in 13 categories.

Another 10 Canucks — Diana Krall, Daniel Lanois, Natalie MacMaster, Oscar Peterson and others — are connected to 13 more nominations. Along with that, Winnipeg’s favourite son Young has been chosen 2010’s MusiCares Person of the Year, while Montreal legend Leonard Cohen is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.

While most of those major nominees were no-shows at the Consulate party, lesser-known candidates such as Montreal trip-hop duo Beast and Aboriginal powwow outfit Northern Cree made the scene. But there was one famous face: The 75-year-old Cohen, clad in his ever-present dark suit and fedora, made a brief appearance to say he was “deeply grateful” for his accolade.

“My great grandfather, Lazarus Cohen, came to Canada in 1869, to the county of Glengarry, a little town in Maberly,” the folk-rock icon said. “On this occasion, because of the great hospitality that was accorded my ancestor who came here over 140 years ago, I want to thank this country, Canada, for allowing us to live and work and flourish in a place that was different from all other places in the world. So I thank Canada for the opportunity that was given me to work and play and flourish.”

Tribute was also paid to the work and life of the late Pierre Cossette, a producer from Canada who is known as the “father of the Grammys” for bringing the award show to television. Mary Cossette, her voice breaking at times, gave a short tribute to her husband, who passed away in September.

For the most part, Thursday’s event — which was simulcast on radio — was a celebration. And while guest-of-honour Cohen didn’t play or flourish on this night, other performers did their best to make a dent in the party din. As the crowd of media, industry types, politicians and celebrities like singer Emmylou Harris and Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha shmoozed, munched fancy canapes and drank (what else?) Molson Canadian, they were treated to short sets by Vancouver singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, Newfoundland orch-rockers Hey Rosetta! and Toronto hip-hopper K’Naan. The latter closed the night with his song Wavin’ Flag, which he recently performed at the Canada for Haiti telethon.

Or rather, he was supposed to close the night — until superstar producer Lanois, who had told reporters earlier he planned to “rush the stage,” made good on his threat. He played an off-the-cuff song set with some members of his new band Black Dub. Then he and Emmylou Harris ended the show with a gorgeous duet, as Lanois called out the ballad’s chord changes to his standup bassist. That performance earned a rapturous ovation from fans who clustered around the stage with their cellphone-cameras hoisted.

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca

Source:torontosun.com/