Drink Poetry - Slean poems on wine bottles (Update)

Sarah's poetry will be landing on Southbrook's new bottles of wine, Poetica

Information regarding the launch of the wine, availability, other poets involved, and more can be found in the following Quill & Quire report of October 31st.

Bottling poetry

October 31, 2008 10:42 AM By Danielle Ng-See-Quan

Just when you thought the combination of poetry and public transit couldn’t be topped, along comes a new pairing to shake things up all over again: poetry and wine.

Poetica, a new wine label that will feature Canadian poems on each bottle, is the brainchild of Ontario vintner Southbrook Vineyards. The limited edition label series – which will be available only to regular Southbrook customers – will reportedly consist of the vineyard’s best annual output of chardonnay and cabernet merlot. The labels will feature excerpts – or, in some cases, full-length works – by poets such as bpNichol and P.K. Page.

According to Southbrook director of customer experience Elena Galey-Pride, the new label was devised in order to celebrate the company’s relocation to Niagara-on-the-Lake, after more than 17 years in Richmond Hill. Graphic designer Laura Wills, who was hired by Southbrook to create the labels, says she read “hundreds and hundreds” of poems for the project, and contacted the poets (or their estates) directly for permission to use their work. According to Galey-Pride, all but two of them immediately agreed to the project (she wouldn’t say who the two holdouts were). In return for their involvement in the project, poets will receive a case of wine.

The full poet line-up for the label’s launch, besides Nichol and Page, includes Christopher Dewdney, Wendy Morton, Lesley Choyce, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Stephen Elliott-Buckley, Charles G.D. Roberts, Steve Venright, Martin Tielli, and Sarah Slean. Going forward, each new year will bring two more vintages and two more poets.

Poetica launches in Toronto on Nov. 19 at an invitation-only event for the wine biz and the arts and literature communities.

Update, 2008-11-19 - Launch
The launch party took place as schedualed today at The Richmond. The event featured two poetry readings but Sarah was not scheduled. Posters of some of the wine bottles were also displayed that may contain an enlargement of Sarah's poem.
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Southbrook-Vineyards-921327.html

Update, 2008-11-21 - Sarah's poem
The poem of Sarah's included, is actually an excerpt her song Your Wish is My Wish from her 2004 album Day One. To see the bottle, learn more about wine, and cost information see the following page:
http://www.southbrook.com/Poetica_2005chardonnay.html

Sarah Slean is acting in the film, Last Flowers

between takes
Originally uploaded by zablotny

Sarah is making a return to film in a CJ Wallis short film titled, Last Flowers. Sarah's acting debut to film came in 2005's Black Widow.

Currently, not much has been published on the film as it just stated filming on October 30th (and wraps this Wednesday). In Sarah's recent Question and Answer session she didn't mention the film in her list of projects but did bring up working on a Modern Man movie.

Many thanks to a Flickr user who has provided me some greater information and has uploaded an excellent set of photos to flickr in his set for Last Flowers. You can view the images here.

From the film's faecbook page, the following information is revealed:

Last Flowers is an uplifting dramatic short film about an author named Harvey Harris.

With Harvey’s latest novel being universally rejected, he is feeling more distanced than ever from the world and everyone that surrounds him - a desperate move leads him to sneaking into the very funerals he writes about as a bizarre form of self-help therapy, gaining temporary love and acceptance from those people who are at their most vulnerable and self-less state of mind.

The death of Harvey’s mother, coupled with a chance meeting of a strong-willed woman named Mona, will force Harvey to confront his greatest fears about loss and rejection and how to find a way to connect through the most severe forms of disconnection.


Written & Directed by: CJ Wallis
Produced by: Elli Weisbaum
DP: Robert Walsh
Original Score: Kevin James Maher


Cast: Joseph May, Sarah Slean, Troy De Lottinville & Rikki Gagne

I encourage you all to join the facebook group as they will be posting news, pictures, and video from the production. Currently, they have one video of Sarah walking herself to the piano with a wine glass in hand.

I was also able to receive the following information.

Last Flowers is being screened at 2009's sundance film festival, and is directed by CJ Wallis. It's been an absolute blast to work with Sarah, and everyone is having a fantastic time. There will eventually be a DVD release of some form with lots of extra fancy things.

The 2009 Sundance Film Festival is only 74 days away.

The film director CJ Wallis has put Sarah Slean in his 'Top 4' on his myspace page for the film Heat Sink. The site's picture page and the film's poster shows a strong resemblance to Sarah's keyboard following her 2005 concert at the Phoenix.

Update: 2008-11-13
Exclaim magazine has a few updates on Last Flowers. The film is to be 20 minutes long and hopes are for public viewing to start in early 2009. The film's music is being scored by Fake Shark of Real Zombie,

Sarah to Play Art of Time Benefit Concert - Nov 5th

Sarah who has played 2 concerts with the Art of Time Ensemble in 2007 and recorded with in 2008 is set to play their first ever benefit concert on November 5, 2008. Tickets are priced at $250 for this unique event held at the Integral House.

A press release posted at ArtworldList provides the following details:

Top talents Sarah Slean, Ted Dykstra, Shauna Rolston, Artistic Director Andrew Burashko and others perform at Art of Time Ensemble 10th Anniversary Gala Benefit

On the occasion of Art of Time Ensemble’s 10th Anniversary Season, Artistic Director Andrew Burashko is pleased to announce the company’s first annual Art of Time Ensemble Gala Benefit. This one-of-a kind fundraising event will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at Integral House, one of the most talked about homes in the city that Lisa Rochon of the Globe and Mail has described as “a sumptuous house designed to liberate music and man.”

This gala evening features an elegant cocktail and dinner reception with unsurpassed performances by top-tier artists in a private home built with a love of great architecture and music: the breathtaking surroundings of Integral House, the home of mathematician, musician and author Dr. James D. Stewart.

Performers include highly acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Slean, award-winning actor Ted Dykstra, lauded cellist Shauna Rolston and consummate pianist and artistic director Andrew Burashko.

The Art of Time Ensemble is one of Toronto’s most innovative and artistically resonant music ensembles. It has attracted the interest and participation of some of Canada’s best performers in creating new and exciting opportunities for collaborations between the performing arts; provoking, entertaining and breaking down barriers, revealing the vibrancy of classical music as a contemporary artistic expression and appealing to a range of audiences.

“The Art of Time seems like a game of artistic hopscotch, in which everyone is invited to jump over the notional barriers between music, dance and visual art, and between high art and low. It’s a game worth playing.” - Robert Everett-Green, The Globe and Mail

The Art of Time Ensemble’s 10th anniversary season is sponsored by BMO Financial.

The Art of Time Ensemble Gala Benefit
Featuring performances by Sarah Slean, Ted Dykstra, Shauna Rolston
and Artistic Director Andrew Burashko
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 from 6:30 to 9:30pm
at Integral House, 194 Roxborough Drive
Tickets - $250 each (partial tax receipts issued)
Information & Tickets: 416.880.7693 or email anna(NOSPAM)@artoftimeensemble.com
Visit artoftimeensemble.com

The poster image used and further information can be found on the Art of Time website.

Sarah to Tour Germany & Switzerland in 2009

Perhaps as a follow up to her album The Baroness being released in Denmark, it was announced at the Wine and Grape Festival concert that Sarah will touring in Germany. The St. Catherine Standard confirmed that this will take place in January and will be followed by visiting Switzerland.

With the Baroness's recent release in Denmark, this could be a sign that the album might be released across Europe in a fashion similar to Day One.

For those who have not kept a close eye on SarahSlean.com, this December Sarah will be playing her annual Christmas show at Harboufront/Enwave Theatre on December 19th. Harbourfront's website indicated a date of December 20th leading to some speculation that a second concert may be confirmed at a later date.

The Baroness released in Denmark

According to the Denmark website of Warner Music, The Baroness was released this week in Denmark.

We will post back if any other countries pick up the album or at the first sight of any new tour news.

TV Reminder: Beautiful Noise / Berkley Session is Tonight

Just a short reminder to set your VCR/PVRs as Sarah Slean's concert special, The Berkley Sessions is on Bravo! TV tonight at 8:00PM EST.

Upcoming Concerts

Just a reminder that SarahSlean.com has announced new concerts for Sarah in Toronto in addition to her concerts this weekend in Newfoundland posted under the tour page.

After the War (More info)

Thanks to Jan and the good people at PaulGross.org for a few more details are available on the song titled After the War. It was written and released on the album "Two Houses' by Paul Gross 10 years ago and inspired by the events of Passchendaele.

In interview from 2005 Paul was asked about using the song in the film.

Not sure that we'll use any contemporary music in the movie at the moment. I've been leaning toward using compositions from the period. I think I'm going to use Alina, Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Part for the last 5-10 minutes of the movie. I'm pretty sure that will guarantee there won't be a dry eye in the house.
- Pual Gross, 2005, paulgross.org

In 200y he was asked about the use of After the War in Passchendaele again. He responded;

I don't think I'll be putting any contemporary music into Passchendaele - in fact, we're planning to do a big orchestral score which doesn't sit so well with strumming guitars. On the song-writing front, David Keeley and I are discussing doing another recording session when we both have the time clear on our schedules.
- Paul Gross, 2007, paulgross.org

You can sample the original song on youtube.

Sarah Sings for the Movie Theme of Passchendaele

Sarah Slean sings a new song titled, After The War, for the Canadian made film Passchendaele. The film premiered at this year's Toronto International Film Festival and may be released across Canada later this Fall. Thanks to Yen on SarahSlean.com for pointing out that the song is played over the final credits. It has been mentioned that film director Paul Gross co-wrote the song but I have yet to find a solid confirmation that.

MSN/Sympatico caught up with Sarah during the film festival to gather her thoughts on the after parties and who she might be voting for in the next federal election. You can read that article and funny headline here. Toronto Life also indicates that Sarah attended the Hello Couples party.

The new pictures of Sarah shown in recent editorials were taken at this year's Film Fest and can be found on GettyImages.

Update 2008/10/14 - An image of Sarah at the Hello party on the red carpet can be found here.
http://www.wireimage.com/ItemListings.aspx?igi=332723&nbc1=1&NavTyp=CAL