Following the success of their sold-out encore collaboration with jazz songstress Madeleine Peyroux, Art of Time Ensemble takes on the music of a legendary songwriter in Magic and Loss: A Tribute to Lou Reed. Canadian pop and rock stars will perform a broad sampling of Lou Reed's music, backed by peers from the jazz and classical world at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre (231 Queen's Quay W.) this weekend, Feb. 27 and 28.
Among the performers are long-standing Art of Time collaborators Sarah Slean and John Southworth, with singers Tom Wilson, Shakura S'Aida and Jessica Leung making their Art of Time debut. Margo and Michael Timmins (members of the 2015 Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame inductee, The Cowboy Junkies) round out a stellar line-up of Canadian talent. Throughout a long career, from recordings with his band The Velvet Underground to work as a solo artist, Reed has influenced music of all genres. In Magic and Loss, Art of Time's artistic director Andrew Burashko has programmed a diverse retrospective of Reed's discography, assembling a set list that goes beyond the obvious choices and reflects the varied nature of Reed's work. "When I first encountered Lou Reed as a teenager, I really admired his disregard for the path well-traveled. He was never one to follow a trend, always one to set it. I have such respect for his unwillingness to compromise as an artist; he embodied integrity," said Burashko. "In Magic and Loss I've created a program that strives to show as many facets of Reed as possible, and paired the songs with performers who embody the songs' spirit."Videos