AND LARRY YASKIEL IS AWARDED …..

AND LARRY YASKIEL IS AWARDED …..

by Norman Warwick

Magazine editor and former music industry executive,

LARRY YASKIEL

among four UK nationals in Spain named in

 Queen’s Birthday Honours

A very official looking press release from The British Embassy in Madrid arrived in our office e mails, last week, with the word EMBARGO stamped across it.

Larry Yaskiel, who founded one of the oldest English-language publications in Spain, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the British Community in Lanzarote, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, published on Thursday 2 June 2022. 

Larry Yaskiel moved to Lanzarote in 1981, in search of relaxation after a hectic life in the music business, where he contributed to the success of many top names. However, needing an outlet for his creativity and ambition, he soon established the Lancelot Island Journal, a quarterly magazine, which quickly became a valuable source of information for British residents; helping them to integrate into island life. Larry also used the magazine to share his knowledge of the connections between the UK and Lanzarote, which have proved a valuable resource for both British and Spanish students, and led to his 2018 book “The British Connection to Lanzarote and the Canaries”. Some of the most fascinating links include the numerous references to Canary wines in Shakespeare and his theory that La Graciosa is the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”. On World Tourism Day in 1994, the President of the Lanzarote Cabildo presented Larry with the Distinguished Services to Tourism Award.

Her Majesty´s Ambassador, Hugh Elliott, (shown left with his wife between Larry and Liz).:

 “Larry has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, which makes him a fascinating writer and wonderful company.

My wife Toni and I were lucky enough to catch up with Larry and his wife Liz earlier this year. He has an unrivalled understanding of the connections between the UK and Lanzarote, which he has shared in his articles for over 20 years, as well as in his landmark book. Larry has also been a great support to our consulate in Las Palmas, building relationships with Lanzarote decision makers and acting as a spokesperson for the British community. I am delighted that such a longstanding and important cultural ambassador has been honoured for his work.”

Mr. Yaskiel told Sidetracks And Detours “It is humbling to receive the British Empire Medal from Her Majesty the Queen for basically carrying out a job which gives me such pleasure. God Save the Queen.

I would never have reached this stage without the solid support of my beloved wife, Liz, who has been my gracious partner in every aspect of my life including the production of Lancelot Island Journal from the very beginning.”

The four UK nationals named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List include

 A British Empire Medal (BEM) to Larry YASKIEL, Honorary Editor, Lancelot Island Journal, Lanzarote, Spain. “For services to the British community in Lanzarote”.

An MBE to Heather Rosemary MUNTANER, Lately headteacher, Queen’s College, Mallorca, Spain. “For services to the promotion of British education, language and culture in Spain”.

 A British Empire Medal (BEM) to Brandon JONES, Founder of Gay Sitges Link, Sitges English Theatre Company and the Welsh-Catalan Cultural Association, Sitges, Spain. “For services to the British community in Sitges, Spain”.

 A British Empire Medal (BEM) to Beverley THOMPSON, Finance Director, Vice President and volunteer, MABS Cancer Support Foundation, Murcia Province, Spain. “For services to voluntary charitable work in Spain”.

We at Sidetracks And Detours certainly know how hard Larry Yaskiel and his wife Liz work to promote Lanzarote, and, indeed, they and the quarterly Lancelot magazine were hugely instrumental in my wife Dee and I  falling in love with this island.

We managed to keep the secret of Larry´s honour until theeverything was done. Indeed, it was all done very quickly, because the following day, Wednesday 2^nd June, whilst I was watching BBC 1 announcing on the news other recipients, Lancelot Digital reported that

The editor of Lancelot in English, Larry Yaskiel, is today in Madrid, where he went to the British embassy for the Jubilee events of Queen Elizabeth of England, who celebrates 70 years at the head of the royal house. Yaskiel also received the prestigious Medal of the British Empire, from the hands of Ambassador Hugh Elliot, for his nearly 40 years becoming a bridge between British and Lanzarote culture. “Four medals of the British Empire have been awarded in Spain, three in the peninsula, and the fourth to me, in Lanzarote,” he says, pointing out that he has been awarded as an honorary editor in Lancelot Island Journal. “All the work we’ve done has been within the journal Lancelot, you can’t separate our trajectory here from Lancelot,” he explains, listing everything that has been done. 

Larry Yaskiel is proud to receive this distinction, highlighting himself as the only journalist to receive it. “I am the first journalist to have received it. They usually receive it, consuls, diplomats… but not a journalist.”   Larry’s merits would not be so much if the figure of his wife, Liz, who in the shadow has been decisive in the long life of the Lancelot Island Journal, is not highlighted.

We are sure the other recipients of honours mentioned in this article are equally deserving of their award. Congratulations to them all.

There are plenty of arts events to celebrate, too, on Lanzarote this month, including at perhaps the island´s most prestigious gallery.

Sensitive Bodies is the collective exhibition proposed by The Lanzarote Art Gallery.

It was born from with the double ambition to present through a new reading a synthesis of the personal exhibitions made in the past years and to propose a preamble of the new projects designed for the near future. The same interdisciplinary vocation animates the exhibition, which combines the history of anatomy with contemporary artistic research. To explore the complexity of the human body, different ways of thinking about the body: physical, material and sensitive. A clear anthropological position on the value of corporeality, recognizing its due importance at the time when the virtual made it increasingly ephemeral.

We have also been informed by the kind folk at The Adsubian Gallery on mainland Spain at C / Principa 10a, 03786 L´Atzuvia, www.adsubiangallery.com phone 0044 634 312 826 of a forthcoming exhibition by Klementyna Hokun, a Ukrainian artist with a wealth of talent and experience, who has very recently had to flee her home due to the on-going conflict.

Klementyna will hold her first exhibition at the gallery from the 11th of June 2022 to the 30th of July 2022. 

She gave Sidetracks And Detours a brief description of what her work is about.

 I want to say few words about my paintings for the exhibition. First of all, the most important for me is to learn the world around me, a world full of colours and life. I am interested in all manifistations of life in movement, feelings, emotions. I am inspired by birds, animals, people, both children and adults. Difference is the language of beauty for me. All the time I am surprised by unusual combinations of colours, shapes and surfaces. So for me this exhibition is about delighting of life and its beauty.“

Klementyna graduated from the “Taras Shevechenko“ State Art High School, Class of Painting in 1991. After which she worked sketching costumes and scenography for the Kyiv Studio Theatres. From 1990 to 2000, she conce n trated on easel painting. Many of her works are now in collections in the USA, Canada, France and Germany. 2000 to 2006 Klementyna taught interi or design at the “Union of Designers of Ukraine“ becoming a member in 2002. Since 2005 in addition to her painting, Klementyna has conducted  art therapy sessions at the Pavlov Rehabilitation Centre in Kyiv, and the Glevas Regional Pyschiatric Hospital

In September 2013, as head of a team of 5 artists, Klementyna took on a project to paint the Hotel Bavaria in Poltava, Ukraine , in a Bavarian style. Over 400 square metres was painted with a variety of genre scenes, and completed within three mon ths. Just in time for Christmas.

Klementyna has painted many works of art in both private and commercial properties. Examples of which are the beautiful ceiling in the restaurant “Lileya“ in Poltava, Ukraine, and the wall of a private apartment in Kyiv, painted on 2015. and the wall of a private apartment in Kyiv, painted on 2015. In 2017 Klementyna began teaching at the College of the Acadamy of Fine Arts, at the Faculty of Design in Kyiv, where she developed courses of interior decoration styles and sketching master classes.

In 2017 Klementyna began teaching at the College of the Acadamy of Fine Arts, at the Faculty of Design in Kyiv, where she developed courses of interior decoration styles and sketching master classes.

Klemetyna took on an unusual project for her, very special because of the style (she used the Byzantin style as a base) the topic (each painting describes scenes from the life of the saint Spiridon Thrimyphus) and the specifics of the work. She had to co-ordinate everything with the recor of the church at each step pof the way

In 2019, together with 3 other artists (from Russia and Brazil), Klementyna won an award for the mural painting “MuralTh is Izmir 2´. It was a project very close to Klementyna´s heart. It was painted in the historical Kadificale district of Izmir city in Turkey . The vast majority of people living in this area being Kurdish and Syrian refugees. A muslim community with their special culture and t raditions. The mural was very near to a big school, and every day the children would visit her there . Within the first week of working on the mural, children began to ask if their portraits could be included. For most of them their portarits served as a gr eat source of pride, not only for themselves but their families. Many of the relatives from Kadificale would visit the mural to look at the portarits of the child ren. The idea behind his project was to colorise the life around the people in this district. To help them out of depression and to change their lives somehow for the better. Klementyna was very moved by the number of people, young, old, men women, who came to thank her for her work.

In June 2021 small village near Kyiv, Ukraine) A project for the Jewish Refugees community in Anatevka (a The mural was based on the musical “ Fidler on The Roof “, the story about life of the Jewish people in Anatevka before the First World War.

Since the war began she has also created a mural that still stands as prayer for the ´closure´ of the sky above Ukraine.

The Adsubian gallery also informs us of 2 PAINTING COURSES Main Street, 7, in front of the gallery of L ́Atzuvia Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 July 2022 Artist professor VICENTE PELEGERO AGUSTÍ Sunday 3 July – EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF THE STUDENTS FROM 18.15h An opportunity for friends and family to see the works of art of the students. All welcome Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July 2022 Artist teacher FEDERICO ROMAGUERA Sunday 10 July -EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF THE STUDENTS FROM 18.15h An opportunity for friends and family to see the works of art of the students. All welcome Each course 2 days, hours every day 9.00 – 18.00 There will be a break of one hour.   30 euros each course – please visit or call the gallery to make the reservation A deposit of 15 euros is required each course The canvas will be included. Students who bring their own paint and brushes.    A maximum of 10 students each year. Check out their wev site for further details

The aforementioned Larry Yaskiel MBE, was an effective mover and shaker in the music industry back in the day, and much the same can be said now of Rob Adams these days on the UK jazz scene. Both men are associated with ´music that´s going places´.

We can place the two men together in this article because, as Rob reminds us, ít´s June, there´s jazz and its time for the Glasgow Jazz Festival.

Back to an in-person programme from June 16th to19th, the festival includes a rare Scottish appearance on the final night by bassist Buster Williams, whose quartet with drummer Lenny White played a memorable gig in Bill Kyle’s Bridge Jazz Bar in the noughties. Williams’ illustrious CV includes work with Mary Lou Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Miles Davis and most famously, Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band. The festival’s opening night includes solo performances by two generations of Scottish jazz piano greatness, Brian Kellock and Fergus McCreadie. 

Recently awarded BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist status, Fergus McCreadie takes his trio to the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on Sunday 26th as they continue to promote the pianist’s latest five-star album, Forest Floor. This will give Aberdeen jazz fans a chance to give the trio a great send-off before they join the Scottish contingent at the massive Love Supreme festival in Sussex from July 1 to 3.

Saxophonist Brian Molley’s quartet plays in Edinburgh on Thursday 16th, Glasgow on Friday 17th and Greenock on Thursday 30th. The quartet’s new album, Intercontinental, with special guest, Indian percussionist Krishna Kishor, is released on June 17th and has already been described by Italian magazine Windout as “an emotional and profound journey” and by Jazztastic as “totally mesmerising.”

Matt Carmichael plays at Glasgow Jazz Festival on Saturday 18th and before that the saxophonist tours the English midlands with his quartet, playing gigs in Stratford (8th), Kidderminster (9th), Birmingham (10th) and Bishop’s Castle (11th). Matt recently signed with leading European jazz label Edition Records and will release his second album, Marram in November

Jazz in June   Aberdeen Blue Lamp Sun 5: Blue Lamp Community Jazz Big Band (2pm) Lemon Tree Sat 18: Jazzing Through Time (workshop 11:30am)  Sun 26: Fergus McCreadie Trio Dundee The Caird Sun 12: Dundee Schools Soul Jazz Collective led by Gordon MacNeil Sun 26: East Coast Jazzmen  Edinburgh Jazz Bar Wed 1: Nimbus Sextet Wed 8: Prime Trio Wed 15: Martin Kershaw plays Gershwin Thu 16: Brian Molley Qrt Wed 22: Jazzmain Thu 23: Wendy Kirkland Trio Wed 29: Fraser Urquhart Trio Glasgow Blue Arrow Sat 4: James MacKay Qrt Thu 16: Paul Harrison: Alice in Wonderland Fri 17: Brian Molley Qrt/Nimbus Sextet Sat 18: Binker Golding/Matt Carmichael Sun 19: Anita Wardell Trio/With love from Glasgow  Fri 24: Stuart Gorman Qrt Sat 25: Wendy Kirkland Trio City Hall Thu 16: Brian Kellock + Fergus McCreadie Drygate Thu 16: Trypl + Paul Towndrow Trio Hug & Pint Thu 16: Voka Gentle Sat 18: Noushy Qrt Sun 19: Maya Delilah Oran Mor Fri 17: Ryan Quigley Big Band Sat 18: James Taylor Qrt Sun 19: With Love from Glasgow St Lukes Sat 18: Marianne McGregor/Georgia Cecile Sun 19: Buster Williams Qrt Greenock Beacon Arts Centre Jazz Club Thu 30: Brian Molley Qrt London 606 Club Mon 6: Laura Jurd Sat 11: Brandon Allen Sat 18: Pat Clahar Tue 21: Dan Reinstein Mon 27: Emily Francis Trio Wed 29: Tara Minton Thu 30: Christian Garrick Ronnie Scott’s Wed 1: Tim Garland – Vigil Songbook Sun 5: Sarah Gillespie Fri 17-Sat 18: Billy Cobham Mon 20: Soft Machine Mon 27-Thu 30: Jon Cleary Nairn Nairn Community Centre Sat 25: Ben Crosland Qnt Karen Marshalsay (below) plays Scottish Harp Music at Shambellie House, New Abbey, Dumfries & Galloway, Friday 17th May 7:30pm   Playing music from her album The Road to Kennacraig (4 stars-The Scotsman) on all three Scottish harps (gut-strung, wire-strung and the buzzing, distinctive-sounding bray harp Tickets from shambelliehouse.org