Kelly Hughes Live!

Winnipeg's only live talk show, Kelly Hughes Live! brings you all the trappings you've come to expect from the television talk show: comedy, music and celebrities. The only difference is that (with the exception of a few ringers like Kids in the Hall's Kevin McDonald and Hugo-nominated writer Nick DiChario), it's all local heroes. Guests like Tina Keeper, Fred Penner, Al Simmons, Brian Glow, Margaret Sweatman and Robert Enright have been joined onstage by the likes of stellar Winnipeg musicians The Paperbacks, Todd Hunter, Ingrid Gatin and Rollin Penner and the Traveling Medicine Show. (But it's not like TV in that you will have to leave your house.) It's the TV talk show without the TV. For past Kelly Hughes Live! shows, click here.

Bookstore Owner Kelly Hughes has worked as an actor (Pacific Theatre), a pre-teen TV star (Let's Go!), an arts administrator (Winnipeg Cultural Alliance), and an operations manager (WHERE Winnipeg). He founded Aqua Books a decade ago, and is somewhat infamous as the writer of This Week at Aqua Books. He does dozens of media interviews each year, and has done hundreds of speaking/hosting engagements over the last two decades, from the kindergarten class at Kumsheen Elementary, to the Burnaby Correctional Centre for Women.

Friday, September 3/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Into THIN AIR I
Host Kelly Hughes interviews writers Charlene Diehl, Ariel Gordon and Jordan Wheeler, with music by classical guitarist Skender Sefa

Charlene Diehl is possibly best known in these parts as the brightly plumaged dynamo at the hub of the THIN AIR writers festival. But she is also a hard-working poet, and the author of the new book, Out of Grief, Singing.

Ariel Gordon is a Winnipeg-based writer and editor. She has two chapbooks to her credit, The navel gaze (Palimpsest Press, 2008) and Guidelines: Malaysia and Indonesia, 1999 (Rubicon Press, 2009). This spring, Palimpsest published her first full-length poetry collection, Hump. She is the 2010 recipient of the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Writer. When not being bookish, Ariel likes tromping through the woods and taking macro photographs of mushrooms.

From the Charles Gordon First Nation (Southern Plains Cree), Jordan Wheeler has been writing professionally since 1982 and working in film and television since 1984. An author (Brothers In Arms, Just A Walk) and columnist (Winnipeg Free Press, Weetamah), Wheeler’s focus since 1992 has been scriptwriting, story editing and show running for television drama including the award winning series North of 60, The Rez and renegadepress.com. He’s been nominated for numerous awards including three Geminis. He won one, but still smarts at losing to Paul Haggis in ’94.

Skender Sefa is a professional classical guitarist with four full length classical guitar CDs on the GFI Masterworks, Uncontrollable Records and Marquis Record Labels. He teaches classical guitar performance and music theory at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts and is a Director of the Winnipeg Music Festival and the President of the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society. In recognition of his career in classical guitar performance, Skender has received awards from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Manitoba Arts Council. In addition to performing, teaching and recording, Skender is an active music adjudicator/clinician.

Friday, September 10/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Fall Arts Preview I
Host Kelly Hughes interviews WSO resident conductor Richard Lee, Juno winner Steve Bell and U of M Jazz Studies director Steve Kirby, with music by jazz pianist George Colligan

Richard Lee is currently Resident conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conductor of the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, as well as Music Director of the Korean Canadian Symphony Orchestra, based in Toronto. He has also appeared with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Quebec Bach Festival orchestra, the Huntsville Festival Orchestra and the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as working extensively with the Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinu in the Czech Republic. His work has been broadcast and recorded by the CBC/Radio-Canada. Musician, news junkie and connoisseur of fine ales, whiskies and cigars, Richard maintains residences in both Winnipeg and Toronto.

Steve Bell is the best-known Christian musician in Canada. Before embarking on his solo career he was a long-time member of the group Elias, Schritt, and Bell. He has sixteen albums and two Junos under his belt.

In the summer of 2003, Steve Kirby accepted the position as the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Manitoba. Since then, Steve has overseen a full-fledged rejuvenation of the jazz scene in Winnipeg. Steve also performs locally with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and his own critically acclaimed ensemble: The Oceanic Jazz Orchestra for which he composes and arranges all of the music. Before coming to Winnipeg from New York, Professor Kirby established himself an enviable career as a double bass player, performing, recording, and touring with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Elvin Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Cyrus Chestnut, Abbey Lincoln, Steve Turre, James Carter, Stefon Harris, Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron, Kathleen battle and many others.

George Colligan is a New York-based jazz pianist, organist, drummer, trumpet player, educator, composer and bandleader. He was on the faculty of teh Julliard School for two years, and is now Assistant Professor for the U of M's Jazz Studies program.

Friday, September 17/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Into THIN AIR II
Host Kelly Hughes interviews Writers Festival performers Ismaila Alfa, Ignatius Mabasa and Dominique Rey, with music by Naomi Guilbert and Hiroshi Koshiyama of Fubuki Daiko

Ismaila Alfa was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. He completed his early school years in Edmonton, then moved to Winnipeg. After starting a civil engineering degree at the University of Manitoba, he followed his musical dreams and spent eight years touring North America as a hip hop musician. Magnum KI, a band he formed in 2005 with DJ Michael Arnone, opened for the legendary band The Roots at this year’s TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival. When he’s not on a stage tangling with words, he is an audio technician, jingle writer, and traffic reporter for CBC Radio.

Ignatius Mabasa is an acclaimed writer and storyteller from Zimbabwe. He has published stories and poems for children and adults in both English and his native language, Shona. His most recent book, The Man, Shaggy Leopard and Jackal and other stories (Lion Press), was nominated for Zimbabwe’s National Arts Merit Award as the best book in the children’s literature category. Mabasa has performed his stories and poems in many countries, and will spend the fall term in Winnipeg as storyteller-in-residence at the University of Manitoba’s Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture.

Dominique Rey is a painter, photographer, video artist and performance artist. She has shown her work across North America with solo exhibitions at Plug In ICA, Clark Gallery, Michael Gibson Gallery, Alternator Gallery, Gallery TPW, Truck Gallery, Gallery One One One and La Maison des artistes. As part of the Winnipeg Cultural Capital of Canada 2010 program, Dominique was selected as the Arts Ambassador for Visual Arts.

As founding members of Fubuki Daiko, Naomi Guilbert and Hiroshi Koshiyama have shared a stage with luminaries such as Blue Rodeo, the Nylons, the McGarrigle Sisters, Cake and a ventriloquist. They received their formal training from the founder of North American Taiko, Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka. After leaving the San Francisco Taiko Dojo and moving to Winnipeg, they’ve been in constant contact, rehearsing, performing, touring, and writing/editing bios for close to fifteen years. Not once have they ever wanted to kill each other (well, maybe once).

Friday, September 24/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Pop Star
Host Kelly Hughes interviews music writer John Kendle and super-producer Chris Burke-Gaffney, with music by Arun Chaturvedi

John Kendle is the editor of Uptown Magazine and managing editor of the Canstar Community News weekly papers. He is president of Manitoba Music, the provincial music industry association, and sits on the board of directors of the West End Cultural Centre. He’s been writing about music in Winnipeg since 1985 and claims he still loves it.

Chris Burke-Gaffney started his career as singer/bassist for The Pumps (Polygram). He signed his first record deal as a teenager and toured the country with the likes of Triumph, Guns and Roses and AC/DC. Fifteen years ago, he turned his attention to producing and managing other artists, his most famous protégé being Chantal Kreviazuk.

Arun Chaturvedi is a Winnipeg based producer, songwriter and artist. As lead singer and guitarist for Driver, Arun has released two albums and two music videos, and has toured Canada extensively with Theory of a Deadman, Grady, The Headstones, Thornley and more.

Friday, October 1/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Fall Arts Preview II
Host Kelly Hughes interviews Larry Desrochers (Manitoba Opera), Columpa Bobb (MTYP), Casimiro Nhussi (NAfro Dance) and Steven Schipper (MTC), with music by Prairie Jewel

Larry Desrochers has been General Director and CEO of Manitoba Opera for a decade. He has also worked in theatre, festivals, film and events, and is the Founding Executive Producer of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. Other positions include Associate Artistic Director of the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Director/Producer of the 1999 Pan Am Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Executive Director of the Winnipeg Film Group. His stage directing credits include the premieres of plays Transit of Venus and Shakespeare’s Dog for MTC, and the operas The Magic Flute, Otello and Transit of Venus for Manitoba Opera. In 2003, the U of W made Desrochers a Distinguished Alumni in recognition of his contribution to the arts community in Manitoba.

Columpa Bobb is best known for her role as Mary Cook on the CBC series North of 60. She is the daughter of poet and writer Lee Maracle and the great-granddaughter of actor Chief Dan George. She is the program director for the Aboriginal Arts Training and Mentorship program at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People.

Casimiro Nhussi is a professional African dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and musician from Mozambique. Starting his career as a dancer, Casimiro then became the principal dancer, and then the Artistic Director of the Mozambique National Song and Dance Company. Currently Casimiro is the Artistic Director and Founder of Winnipeg only African contemporary dance company, NAfro Dance Productions.

Since opening for Doc Walker, Prairie Jewel has grafted an edgy, urban cynicism into the best of Canadian folk music's storytelling tradition. With voices that play like evening sun on dappled wheat fields, Sarah Hatherly and Katherine Johnson's crystal tones and rich harmonies hypnotize audiences. Their playbook swings from hymn-like acoustics in The Parting Glass, to a sharp-tongued, street/folk hybrid in their original Orange Girl. With strong musical backgrounds, Prairie Jewel writes, sings and plays as only true blue prairie gals can.

Friday, October 29/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! Halloween
Host Kelly Hughes interviews illusionist Brian Glow and SF writer Nick DiChario, with music by Absent Sound

Brian Glow is an internationally renowned illusionist who has one of the largest touring illusion shows in North America. Since 1973, his concerts have toured to over 40 different countries.

Friday, November 26/10 7pm

Kelly Hughes Live! 42
Host Kelly Hughes interviews CFL legend Troy Westwood and greyhound rescuer Michaela Lamoureux, with music by Newfie rocker Elton Adams

Troy Westwood played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for seventeen years, and holds numerous club records, including all-time scoring leader. He has also been a boxer, tap dancer and award-winning musical artist (as Little Hawk). Westwood is currently on air talent for Winnipeg's QX 104.

Michaela Lamoureux runs Hi-Speed Hounds, a non-profit, all-volunteer greyhound rescue organization. Every year, thousands of greyhounds are retired from racing with nowhere to go. Michaela rescues dogs from all over the U.S. (greyhound racing is illegal in Canada) and finds them loving homes.

Elton Adams has been performing for his fellow soldiers since he joined the military at the age of 17. While serving his country in Afghanistan in 2008, MCpl Adams performed his song What A Soldier Left Behind, with Canada's beloved rock band Blue Rodeo. He released his first rock album in March 2009 (most of the songs on the album were written in Afghanistan) upon returning to Canada. In addition to having his songs chart across the country, MCpl Adams has received numerous awards for his music contributions to the Canadian Forces.

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