Entertainment

A Beach author is reviving an old way of publishing a novel. Brian Panhuyzen is serializing his latest novel Night is a Shadow Cast by the World for eight weeks on Open Book: Toronto’s website, openbooktoronto.com. Two chapters of the book will appear each week until the end of February. The novel will also be available in that newest of formats the e-book as well.
“I love this experimental blend of 21st Century innovation, the e-book, and the literary tradition of serialization,” said Panhuyzen.
Novel serialization is an old method of bringing a book to the public’s attention, and was used by Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy among others. E-books are growing so much in popularity that recently Amazon reported downloads of e-books for its popular e-reader, the Kindle, actually outsold regularly published hard copy books.
Night is a Shadow Cast by the World opens as a DC-3 suddenly lands behind the house of a young couple. The husband, Cordell, goes out to investigate and, as his wife Marla watches, he gets on board and the plane takes off. Marla wonders whether he left willingly or was kidnapped, and left looking after his little bookstore while he’s gone. Cordell, on the other hand, is on the adventure of a lifetime wondering if – and hoping – he will make it home in the end.
Panhuyzen is an author, a pilot and a former book publisher. His previous book The Death of the Moon is a collection of short stories that was listed among the best of the year by January Magazine.  You can find out more about Nightis a Shadow Cast by the World by visiting nightisashadow.com.
Open Book: Toronto is an online literary magazine celebrating Toronto’s busy literary scene. You can find out more at openbooktoronto.com.
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Beach jazz and blues singer Zoe Chilco will be appearing at the Emmet Ray Lounge, 924 College St. near Dovercourt, Jan. 29 from 9 p.m. onwards. Joining Zoe for this gig will be Mike Allen on guitar and John Deeshan on sax. For more information visit Chilco’s website at zoechilco.ca. To reach the Emmet Ray Lounge call 416-792-4497.
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The Uptown Swing Band will be performing at one of their favourite venues when they take the stage at the Gladstone Ballroom, 1214 Queen St. W., Feb. 2 from 8 to 11 p.m. The $10 cover will get you a night of superb dance band music in the restored splendour of the Gladstone Hotel’s historic ballroom. While you’re there you might run into Jazz FM’s Jaymz Bee and Glenn Woodcock. This performance by the Uptown Swing Band is part of a Jazz Safari.
If travelling to the West End is difficult for you, the Uptown Swing Band will be performing on this side of the Don River Feb. 12 from 5-8 p.m. at Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E. Cover is $10.
For more information on the band visit uptownswingband.com.
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Music for the Soul: Beach Jazz and Reflection begins its 2012 program with a special performance by jazz greats Joe Sealy, piano, and Paul Novotny, bass, with special guests the Nathaniel Dett Chorale under the direction of Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, Feb. 4, from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. at St. Aidan’s Church.

Sealy and Novotny are well-known to those who have attended the Jazz Vesper services in the past. Their excellent playing has made both musicians among the most sought-after in Toronto.
The award-winning Nathaniel Dett Chorale, named after Canadian composer R. Nathaniel Dett, was formed in 1998 and continues to bring audiences some of the best in afrocentric classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. The group has performed at events honouring such world leaders as Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu, and was the only Canadian ensemble invited to perform at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009. This will be a unique opportunity to hear the Nathaniel Dett Chorale in such an intimate venue. For more information visit nathanieldettchorale.org.
Music for the Soul will be taking place at St. Aidan’s Church, 70 Silverbirch Ave. For more information call 416-691-8082.
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Pegasus Dance Studios presents it 10th annual Dances Of Offering Benefit Concert, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m., at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St.
Each year Pegasus Dance Studios brings members of the Toronto dance community together to “celebrate and give back to our city through an evening of dance.”
This year the concert will raise funds for the paediatric ambulatory clinic at Toronto East General Hospital.
Dances Of Offering combines the talents of student dancers with professional choreographers. Joining the staff and students of Pegasus will be Dora Award-winning Nicola Pantin, choreographer Jessica Houghton, the students of Earl Haig/Claude Watson and Father Redmond performance schools and many others.
“What began as a small student-produced show has turned into an eagerly anticipated event to warm up the cold February month,” said Pegasus Artistic Director and co-founder Jane Davis Munro.
Tickets to Dances Of Offering are $35 for adults and $25 for children. To order go to dancesofoffering.myevent.com, and click on Buy Tickets. You will receive a confirmation to print out and bring to the Betty Oliphant Theatre.
Pegasus Dance Studios is located at 361 Glebeholme Blvd. in the Coxwell and Danforth area. For more information call 416-469-2799, or visit pegasusstudios.com.

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