October @ LULA

October is a month of Jazz at Lula Lounge. Launching September 28 with Luisito Orbegoso's Alta Descarga, Lula Lounge's Latin Cool Jazz@Lula series will be in full flight this month.

In the words of New Orleans jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton, jazz was born with a "Spanish tinge." In our Latin Cool series, we'll hear salsa spill into jazz and back again, reminding us of the intertwined histories of the two. The month begins with Gary Topp's presentation of celebrated Brazilian guitarist, Badi Assad. Assad has been receiving rave reviews across North America for her stunning and hypnotic performances. Later that week, Montuno Police, lead by Rick Shadrack Lazar, return to Lula with their fusion of North American Jazz and the rhythmic and melodic influences of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Arabic music. On October 13, Canefire will release their new album Kaiso Blues. Canefire features the steel pan drum in a way that you've never heard it before. The night will include performances by special guests Eliana Cuevas and David Rudder.

Oct 2: GARY TOPP PRESENTS BADI ASSAD

Oct 5: MONTUNO POLICE

Oct 13: CANEFIRE CD RELEASE PARTY

Latin Cool will feature two giant acts on either end of the Latin Jazz spectrum. On October 6 and 7, Timbales master Ralph Irizarry takes a break from his Latin Jazz outfit Timbalaye to present the New York's hottest salsa group SonCafé. With admirers such as Tito Puente and Ray Baretto, Irizarry is truly a musician's musician. Then, from October 18 to 21, Lula moves into outerspace with the free improvisational jazz of the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of Marshall Allen. Many of the current Arkestra musicians have been there since the the group's beginning and continue to push the edges of interplanetary jazz experimentation.

Oct 6 & 7: RALPH IRIZARRY AND SONCAFÉ

Oct 18 to 21: GARY TOPP PRESENTS SUN RA ARKESTRA

Tickets go on sale October 3rd for a special double concert on October 26, with the Hilario Duran Trio and Argentinian interpreter of Brazilian guitar and music Beto Caletti. Composed of Cuban pianist Duran, veteran bassist Roberto Occhipinti and percussionist Mark Keslo, The Hilario Duran Trio is perfection incarnate. Beto Calleti joins us after an tour of Central America and is quickly gaining an international reputation for his unique presentations of Brazilian music and is even enjoying enthusiastic reviews by Brazilians themselves.

Oct 26: HILARIO DURAN TRIO! and BETO CALETTI DOUBLE BILL

Doors @ 7:00pm, Show @ 8:00pm, Admission pay what you can!!! proceeds go to the bands

Event Details And Photos: BRING BACK OUR CBC

Featuring perfomances by:

Amanda Martinez + Kevin Laliberte

A world of musicians and a world of listeners all miss their CBC. We miss you too. Whether we're back on the job or back on the picket line on October 4th, come and show what a world of difference CBC makes to you.

Meet your favorite host! Jowi Taylor, Garvia Bailey, Matt Galloway, Andy Sheppard, Philly Markowitz, Brent Banbury and many more will be present...

Every month Lula opens its door to local charities and non-profit organizations raising funds to support their work. This month we are very pleased to be host events for The YWCA's Week without Violence, Nightswimming Theatre and a local group supporting efforts to bring relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Please join us on these evenings to support these very worthy causes and transform the world while having a great time.

Oct 17: YWCA GIRLJAM3

Oct 24: SPLASH!: NIGHTSWIMMING'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Oct 25: Hurricane Katrina Relief

MPC Music's series of Evenings of Jazz in support of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation continues on October 12. Each of these evenings feature internationally renowned jazz pianist Norm Amadio and vocalist Tommy Ambrose elegantly serving up the jazz classics of yesteryear. MPC's series will continue through the winter with 2006 dates to be announced soon.

Oct 12: MPC MUSIC PRESENTS AN EVENING OF JAZZ

On October 27, M3 presents the 2nd annual Chet Baker Tribute to remember the late, great Chet Baker. Few musicians have embodied the romantic, and ultimately tragic, jazz figure as totally as Chesney "Chet" Baker (1929-88). Unschooled yet eloquent in his music, and a life in the fast lane who somehow managed to survive for nearly six decades, the Baker mystique has only reinforced one of the most haunting trumpet styles and ingenuous approaches to jazz singing. The October 27 concert will feature Danny Depoe and Laila Biali with special guest of honour: Paul Baker (son of Chet Baker).

Oct 27: M3 PRESENTS THE 2ND ANNUAL CHET BAKER TRIBUTE

Friday and Saturday dinner dance lesson and show packages are perfect for birthday celebrations, stagettes and anniversary parties. Call to reserve a table for groups large and small. We have an amazing lineup of salsa bands for October Fridays and Saturdays that will make your party one that is talked about for years to come. Our beginner salsa lessons ensure that every guest is ready to join in the fun when the music begins.

Check out the November schedule for three very exciting Gary Topp presentations. Next month Topp will treat Lula audiences to the Habana Sax, John Cale and Village Warsaw Band.

This year Lula Lounge will welcome the new year with Café Cubano. Chef Crinson has prepared a special 3 course tropical fusion New Years Eve menu featuring items such as pan-seared swordfish marinated in Cuban rum. The evening includes a beginner salsa lesson, champagne at midnight and dancing all night to live music.

Dec 31: NEW YEAR'S EVE

Lula Lounge is the ideal spot for your office holiday party. We can help you organize the perfect party for your staff this December. From food, to dance lessons and all types of live entertainment, we’ll make your holiday event planning easy as pie.

In mid-September Lula owner and creative director Jose Ortega visited New York City to attend a special launch party for his contribution to a stamp series for the United States postal system.

In addition to running Lula Lounge, Ortega is a well known illustrator and public artist who has designed mosaics for two New York City subway stops.

The stamp series was commissioned by the postal service as a way of celebrating the important contributions of Latin Americans to American culture. The New York launch for the stamp series took place at the Copacabana and was graced by a performance by the legendary trombonist and band director Willie Colon.