The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.2005, Page 8

94
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 59 #3
In This Issue
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014, PAP # 8000
118th year/118. Argangur
Visit us on the web at http://www.logberg.com
PHOTO STEINBOnOJOBJABTWON
Lost in the Prairies
Ten-year-old Gufljon
Mrflarson emigrated to
Canada in 1896 and spent
12 years trying to gel back
to Iceland. His granddaugh-
ter tells the story / page 2
PHOTO 8TEINP6R OUOBJARTSSOH
Skagfirska
songsveitin tours
They electrified audi-
ences in Lundar, Winnipeg.
Riverton. Mountain. Gimli
and Wynyard — L-H talks
to choir conductor Bjdrgvin
1>. Valdimarsson / page 5
Cold Front records CD in Winnipeg
A busy viking
Kent Ldrus Bjbmsson
wears a lot of hats — not
only is he the founder of
Nordic Trails, he’s also a
tour guide / page 16
Stcin|>dr Guflbjartsson
Winnipeg, MB
The jazz trio Cold Front
has recorded its first album,
which will be launched next
year. The trio got a standing
ovation at many concerts in
Manitoba in the beginning of
the year and the audience
reacted in the same manner
during Isicndingadagurinn,
the Icelandic Festival of Man-
itoba. in Gimli.
The trio consists of world-
famous bassist Steve Kirby;
Richard Gillis, who plays the
trumpet; and guitarist Bjdrn
Thoroddsen.
Bjorn Thoroddsen has
been a frequent visitor to
North America in recent years
and his performance has real-
ly been noticed. Saskatchewan
native Richard Gillis, who is
of Icelandic descent, has been
performing with Bjdm and
Guitar Islancio for four years.
ter.” Bjbrn says.
Richard Gillis is an asso-
ciate professor at the School
of Music at the University of
Manitoba and a very active
jazz performer. Steve Kirby is
the Director of Jazz Studies at
the University of Manitoba, a
position he lias held since last
fall. Originally from St. Louis.
Missouri, he taught there and
in New York before moving to
Winnipeg. His career as a jazz
musician spans more than a
quarter of a century and he lias
performed with many world-
famous jazz musicians.
The trio will perform at
the Jazz Festival in Reykjavik,
Iceland, in the end of Septem-
ber and then return to Win-
nipeg to participate in Iceland
Naturally’s Icelandic week
October 3 - 10.
"It has always been my
dream to take this step and
perform witli the best,” says
Bjorn.
Their collaboration with Steve record a disc and perform at
Kirby started this year. They various festivals in North
held 10 concerts in Manitoba America. “Our cooperation
in February and decided to has worked very well and the
form the trio Cold Front, future looks bright in that mat-
PHOIO 8TBMM5R OUBBiSRTEEON
Jazz trio Cold Front (Steve Kirby, Bjorn Thoroddsen and
Richard Gillis) performed at the Johnson Hall in Gimli as
part of Lslendingadagurinn.
The Ldgberg-Heimsrkingla today