The sun is out and spring is coming!  A sure sign is the surge of shipments arriving at Edie Hats. The boxes have bloomed into a garden of this season's palette of greens, oranges and pinks. Come visit our garden – er, store – or drop by online since we will be featuring some of these new styles on our window shopping pages soon

Our next musical event at Cafe Fedora's is still a couple of months away, but it will be something extra special so we couldn't wait to tell you about it. We'll be celebrating Ja Pace. Ja is a friend of Edie's – an energetic, talented young salsa and flamenco dancer and stained glass artist from Hornby Island, BC. At the age of five, she was diagnosed with Thalassemia Major “B”.

Thalassemia is a genetic disorder which is characterized by a reduced or erroneous production of hemoglobin, the respiratory pigment contained in the red cells, and the defect first appears in those cells in the bone marrow which eventually become red and white blood cells and platelets.

Until recently, transfusion therapy has been the only available treatment. For Ja, that means regular hospital visits for monthly blood transfusions and a daily subcutaneous drug infusion. But today it is possible to cure the disease through a bone marrow transplant which replaces diseased cells with healthy ones.

At present, bone marrow transplants in Canada are only done with a perfectly matched donor from a sibling. There is no matching donor for Ja. In Italy, however, they have developed a new technique using one of the parents as a bone marrow donor. The results are very promising. Fortunately, Ja has been accepted for this procedure. For Ja, now age 20, this is her best chance for a cure and to live a healthy life. The older she becomes, the more damage blood transfusions and drug therapy will do. Time is very important.

To achieve this goal, Ja and her family must move to Italy for a period of 6 months or more. The operation itself costs around $200,000. At present there is no guarantee that her BC Medical Plan will help cover any of the costs of the transplant.

Edie was moved to help her friend Ja and her family make her dream of a cure come true.

With this event, we at Edie Hats hope to raise awareness of thalassemia and also provide an opportunity, for those who are able, to offer assistance toward the cost of Ja's treatment, and help ease this financial strain on her and her family.

About The Event

The event will have a New York theme and incorporate Cuban music as well as Latin, Bossa Nova, Swing, Jazz and Salsa. There will be music both in the "café" and in the main atrium area. It will be a "happening" night of music, song, and Flamenco dancing!

The event happens at the Net Loft on Saturday, April 29, 2006, at 8:30. Tickets are $39 and are available at Edie Hats or by calling (604) 683-4280. Please note that the ticket is not itself a donation toward Ja's treatment; donations will be accepted separately at the event.

For More Information

A web site for Ja is under construction, where the news during the transplant process is going to be posted. http://www.panchoandsal.net/ja.htm. Questions can be written to Ja’s parents, Francisco and Sally Pace at panchoandsal@shaw.ca.a.org.

Edie Hats special events are generously sponsored by the Arts Club Theatre.

Quote “Edie Hats” and save the booking fee and 20% on all Arts Club show tickets! Call (604) 687-5315 ext. 231.

 Arts Club Theatre
 

Come celebrate life - and help save one, too.

On Saturday, April 29th, Café Fedora's (the “alter-ego” of Edie Hats) will pulsate with the brassy jazz, latin and bossa nova rhythms of "Locura" - ten of Vancouver's finest jazz musicians who have formed just for this occasion. Read their bios here.

The evening also features a blazing dance performance by some of Vancouver's finest Flamenco artists!

This is indeed a very special night, for it's a party with a purpose – to assist talented young artist and dancer Ja Pace in her battle against thalassemia, a debilitating and often fatal illness. We're raising funds toward the expense of a cutting-edge therapy in Italy that may be the only chance for Ja to have a normal life.

For more details about Ja's struggle, check out our events page or this recent Vancouver Province article.


Colourful, exciting and sensual Flamenco will be featured on
this very special evening!

For the occasion, the entire Net Loft will be transformed into a fantasy party atmosphere, inspired by the Latin clubs in New York in the 20's. Dress for fun and for fantasy. Watch... listen... dance... eat... soak up and give out good vibes. Come enjoy the music, laugh, dance, celebrate life – and help send Ja off to Italy with joy and high energy!

Painter David Chin was struck and inspired when he saw the beautiful face of Ja Pace featured on the front page of the Vancouver Province.

After reading her story of her search for a cure to thalassemia, he began painting her image. He came into the hat store one evening , and saw that we were doing a benefit for her. We talked and he decided to paint a series of paintings to be auctioned on the evening to help raise money for her. He was moved with the idea of making paper origami cranes (inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki and the 1000 cranes and incorporating them into his artwork for the event. What he did not know is that Ja's mother Sal read Sadako's story to Ja as a child – and Ja has been making cranes for a long time working towards her goal of a thousand.

A table has been set up in the store for people to make cranes. They will be folded and gathered, art pieces will be created, and we will all take part in the healing prayers borne on the wings of these paper creatures.

For More Information

A web site for Ja provides news updates on her story and her progress: http://www.panchoandsal.net/ja.htm. Questions can be written to Ja’s parents, Francisco and Sally Pace at panchoandsal@shaw.ca.

Edie Hats special events are generously sponsored by the Arts Club Theatre.

Quote “Edie Hats” and save the booking fee and 20% on all Arts Club show tickets! Call (604) 687-5315 ext. 231.

 Arts Club Theatre

Saturday, April 29


"Café Fedora's"
(the Net Loft on Granville Island)


$39 each. Call
(604) 683-4280
to order.


Gladly accepted at any time. Call Edie Hats at (604) 683-4280 to donate any amount.

Please note that the ticket is not itself a donation toward Ja's treatment; donations will be accepted separately at the event.

ion


Pianist and Bandleader
A passionate musician, George has been playing piano since the age of 7, and when at 13 he began studying jazz, the love affair began. Working in Toronto and San Diego until making Vancouver his home in 1992, George has performed in various jazz groups throughout Vancouver from solo work to larger collaborative ventures. He has most recently been involved in exploring the music of South America, studying and performing tango dance accompaniment as well as traditional Brazilian music and percussion.

George has often worked with Ja's parents, Pancho and Sal, and is a family friend. Preparing and arranging the music for this evening has been driven by the love of the music ...and the love of Ja and her family.


Drums
Vincenio has worked the cruise lines all over the world: Asia , The South Pacific, the Carribean and Europe. Vince enjoys Swing and latin gigs. He's worked with Ray Charles' band, and loves the life of a sideman.


Congas and Percussion
Graduated from U-Vic. Works with Rumba Calzata Vancouver, the Victoria Symphony, John Gilliat Group, the NOW Orcestra and spent four years in the orchestra pit for the Vancouver Playhouse.


Tenor and Soprano Saxophone
A professional composer, Graig is also a sound designer. He's played in the Jazz Festival five times, has worked with the South African Big Band revival, Rob Best 's World Jive, Mr Scene, and sings in the well known choir Chor Leoni.


Upright and electric bass
Phil has been playing jazz for 15 years in Vancouver and Mexico. He was based in Veracruz, but is now enjoying fatherhood in Vancouver with his beautiful 1 1/2 year old daughter Nicole.


Trumpet
 www.malcolmaiken.com
A trumpet player, bandleader and educator based in Vancouver, Malcolm is involved in an eclectic mix of innovative projects and collaborations and plays a variety of musical styles and traditions including jazz, Afro-Cuban, and contemporary classical music. His current project is "Tanga!" an explosive 12-piece Latin Jazz Orchestra set to release their first CD, “Simmer and Serve,” in June 2006.

As an educator, Malcolm shares his experience and enthusiasm for music with brass players of all ages through workshops, master classes and private lessons. In addition to his own studio of trumpet students, he has worked as a clinician at schools and music events around BC, and has been on faculty at the Whistler and Sun Peaks music festivals.


Vocals
 www.deborahledon.com
A Cuban-born Canadian who revels in making her own rules, Deborah's spiritual and musical journey began in Havana and has led, with a few character-building detours along the way, to Vancouver. Feisty, funny, and staunchly anti-diva, Deborah Ledon is a thoughtful, passionate teller of personal truths - a composer and performer of songs that try to dig a little deeper, even when it’s not always comfortable. “I’m not a formula writer,” she says, “I just follow my heart and how I hear it.”


Guitar
 www.juandemarias.com
Juan de Marias started his musical studies as a classical guitarist in Barcelona, Spain in 1969, and went on to study flamenco with many fine artists in Spain. He currently works as both soloist and accompanist with numerous performers in Vancouver, and is known for his rich sound and elegant approach. Juan enjoys mixing the complex musical languages of jazz and Flamenco. He crosses between the worlds, performing this evening in both venues.


Flute
Jill represents the true artist as a versatile, multitalented musician, songwriter, and vocalist. From her collective talents we get the true meaning of the "one man (or in this case "one woman") band". When teamed up with other fine musicians such as appear on Corcovado's "Cool Brazillian Music" CD, we see her talents not only as a standalone musician but someone who can truly make any group sound top-notch.