They are jazzing it in Ottawa!

Photo Credit - Photo Lafontaine Photographe

Ottawa, Ontario, January 7, 2020: Ottawa-based Odyssey Showcase presents its “Ultimate  Valentine to Jazz” in “The Gift of Jazz”, a tribute to Black History Month showcasing music from Africa to New Orleans to The True North Strong and Free. The concert takes place in the National Gallery of Canada Theatre (380 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, K1N 9N4) on Thursday, February 13, at 7:30 p.m.

This one-time performance celebrates the profound impact of Black history and culture on music with host Stefan Keyes (CTV News) and features Deborah Davis and Segue to Jazz.

This event celebrates the courage, determination, grace and unrelenting spirit of men and women who overcame incredible challenges and reflects the history, impact and contributions of these performers on the world of Jazz. Some of the iconic works you’ll hear include Night in Tunisia, Joint is Jumping, Jump Jive and Wail, Miss Otis Regrets, Hymn To Freedom from jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Waller, Louis Prima, Cole Porter, Oscar Peterson as well as a medley tribute to Motown and Aretha Franklin included in the evening’s stellar repertoire.

Tickets for “The Gift of Jazz” are available through Eventbrite or by contacting Odyssey Showcase at (613) 321-2066 or at info@odysseyshowcase.org. 

Thank You to our Sponsors

The Gift of Jazz: From Africa to New Orleans to the True north Strong and Free - Presented by Odyssey Showcase, Sponsored by TD through The Ready Commitment. . The National Gallery of Canada is the proud host venue of The Gift of Jazz.

About Odyssey Showcase

Odyssey Showcase is a registered charity (Charitable Registration #849021944 RR0001) that advances education by providing information to the public and presentations on the history of culture, arts and music. Odyssey Showcase is mandated to present, distribute and archive documentation and history of Canadian art, music, and performance. The focus is to support programming that contributes to the study of both music and history in Canada. Among its other presentations, the organization is particularly well known for its annual joint presentation with TD Canada Trust of Canada Roars: A Musical Taste of our Canadian Heritage.

Media contact: Kita Szpak, KS Communications, kita@sympatico.ca , #613-725-3063

2019 Review of The Gift of Jazz

A splendid Gala organized by the Alexandrion Foundation

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidoforos was the recipient of the humanity award

Written by Justine Frangouli-Argyris



The “Alexandrion Foundation” payed homage to individual excellence in the fields of science, culture and society at their annual gala at Gotham Hall last Tuesday night. It was an amazing event with distinguished guests and esteemed personalities.


The Alexandrion Foundation first organized “The Constantin Brâncoveanu Awards” in 2014 to honor the values of Romanian culture and related personalities who have achieved universal recognition. The recipients are selected from the realms of culture, art and science, in general, and, in particular, from the fields of literature, history, music, theatre, film, social science, architecture, medicine, religion, politics and economics.


This year’s winners were: Mariela Shaker (Music), Adriana Călin (Architecture), Alexandra Nechita (Arts), Baroukh El Kodsi (Medicine), Daniela Rus (Science), Archbishop Elpidophoros (Cults) and Carolyn Maloney (Politics). 


In his inaugural address, Nawaf Salameh, founder and president of the Alexandrion Foundation and the Alexandrion Group, outlined the reasons for establishing the Constantin Brancoveanu Awards in New York and remarked, "…tonight we honor Syria, we honor Romania, Greece and the USA. We honor their culture and human values…”


Alexandrion Group chief executive, Stelios Savva, cited the group's activities, stressing that it is the largest spirits producer in Romania. Mr. Savva proudly announced that the company is currently in the process of undertaking an investment of $100M in a distillery in Putnam, New York and has plans to expand its production of whiskey, bourbon, gin, brandy and vodka to other parts of the country.


The organizers of this spectacular event were Greta Kamaterou, USA Director, Yannis Horozoglou, Alexandrion Group advisor (Athens) and Angela Giannopoulou, Studio3 NYC. Anthoula Katsimatidis was the mc of the fabulous event. 


Among the distinguished guests spotted were Consul General of Greece, Konstantinos Koutras, Metropolitan Joseph of Antiochia, fr. Alex Karloutsos Vicar General of  the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, archimandrite fr Vassilios Drossos from the GOA, bankers, business people, lawyers and young professionals.  

Greek Flavors in Montreal with the celebrity chef Elias Mamalakis!

Famous Greek chef, Elias Mamalakis, is the guest star at the Lyceum of Greek Women of Montreal's (LGWM) 2019 Christmas Gala that will be dedicated, this year, to the "Doveegene project" for the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer, led by Dr. Lucy Gilbert at McGill University (MUHC).

On December 15th, at 6p.m., Elias Mamalakis, with his historic mastery and knowledge of Greek gastronomy, will cook "live" for the guests of the LGWM gala in the ornate "open kitchen" of the Embassy Plaza.

The evening's menu will be based on the recipes of the renowned Greek chef who will impress with his engaging personality and deep grasp of Hellenic culinary art. He will cook also live for the audience.

There will be traditional dances by the "Syrtaki Folkloric Group" and the evening's music will feature "DJ" Manolis Sgourakis as well as the live sounds of "Artemis and Co.," with Artemis Lagopoulou and Petros Plarinos.

Aprodite Salas, CTV reporter and Professor of Journalism at Concordia University will mcee the event.

Oncologist dr. Lucy Gilbert's "Doveegene project" that is developing a "Pap-type" test for the early diagnosis of ovarian and endometrial cancers is currently in its final stages at the MUHC. When completed, it has the potential to save the lives of millions of women that are currently being diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer.

The LGWM hopes to raise $100,000 to significantly contribute to the MUHC's $2,000,000 grand campaign and to be able to name one of the project's rooms, "Melina's Room!", a room dedicated to the 30year old Melina Tsagkaropoulos who is fighting ovarian cancer now. It will also be devoted to the late Greek Minister of Culture and internationally acclaimed star Melina Mercouri! 

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni declared 2020 as the “Year of Melina Mercouri” in memory of Mercouri, who was the first female to take over the culture ministry, and in honor of her contribution to the promotion of “cultural diplomacy” as well as for her dedication to spearheading the drive for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

Join us in this gala to be part of medical history in the world!

For tickets and reservations call now Vicky Georgiadou at 514-814 3064

The Hellenic Initiative Canada, a hopeful project!

A most successful event was organized by the Hellenic Initiative Canada under the leadership of Anna Antonopoulos (member of the Antonopoulos group) as well as other professional young Greek Canadians from the new generation at the fabulous William Grey hotel in Montreal.

The guest speaker was Dr. Hara Tziouvara ,Pediatrician –Neonatologist, President of "Doctors of the World Greece" who described the ten year economic crisis consequences to the young Greek generation and their massive immigration to other countries for a better life. 

The event was presented by the tv hostess Joanne Vrakas.

The Hellenic Initiative Canada proclaims:

Investing in the future of Greece through direct philanthropy.

We empower people to provide direct crisis relief.

We are the Hellenic Initiative Canada (THI-C) - a part of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) global movement of the Greek Diaspora!