Giant trolls have a message for humans about protecting the planet
The Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo and his team have created 170 troll sculptures from discarded materials such as wooden pallets, old furniture and wine barrels.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Flaco Jimenez, Texas accordionist who expanded popularity of conjunto and Tejano music, dies at 86
HOUSTON (AP) — Flaco Jimenez, the legendary accordionist from San Antonio who won multiple Grammys and helped expand the popularity of conjunto, Tejano and Tex-Mex music, died Thursday. He was 86. Jimenez's death was announced Thursday evening by his family on social media. 'It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez. He was surrounded by his loved ones and will be missed immensely. Thank you to all of his fans and friends—those who cherished his music. And a big thank you for all of the memories. His legacy will live on through his music and all of his fans,' Jimenez's family said in a statement. His family did not disclose a cause of death. Jimenez's family had announced in January that he had been hospitalized and had been 'facing a medical hurdle.' His family did not provide any other information on his medical condition at the time. Born Leonardo Jimenez in 1939, he was known to his fans by his nickname of Flaco, which means skinny in Spanish. He was the son of conjunto pioneer Santiago Jimenez. Conjunto is a musical genre that originated in South Texas and blends different genres and cultural influences. According to the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, the development of conjunto 'began more than a century ago when Texans of Mexican heritage (Tejanos) took an interest in the accordion music of German, Polish, and Czech immigrants. The ensuing Tejano accordion music, accompanied by the bajo sexto (replacing the European tuba) soon came to represent the Tejano way of life, which was closely associated with working in the agricultural fields. The music remains unchanged and serves as a symbol that binds many Tejano communities in South and Central Texas.' Jimenez refined his conjunto musical skills by playing in San Antonio saloons and dance halls. He began performing in the 1960s with fellow San Antonio native Douglas Sahm, the founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet. Jimenez also played with Bob Dylan, Dr. John and Ry Cooder. Throughout his career, Jimenez added other influences into conjunto music, including from country, rock and jazz. In the 1990s, Jimenez was part of the Tejano supergroup the Texas Tornados, which included Sahm, Augie Meyers and Freddy Fender. The group won a Grammy in 1991 for the song, 'Soy de San Luis.' Jimenez also won another Grammy in 1999 as part of another supergroup, Los Super Seven. Jimenez earned five Grammys and was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He was also inducted into the National Hispanic Hall of Fame and NYC International Latin Music Hall of Fame and was named a Texas State Musician in 2014. When Jimenez was named a 2022 National Medal of Arts recipient, the White House said he was being honored for 'harnessing heritage to enrich American music' and that by 'blending Norteño, Tex Mex, and Tejano music with the Blues, Rock n' Roll, and Pop Music, he sings the soul of America's Southwest.' 'Flaco, your legacy will forever be remembered with fond memories. We appreciate the gift of your musical talent, which brought joy to countless fans. Your passing leaves a void in our hearts,' the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum said in a post on social media. Kyle Young, the CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, said Jimenez 'was a paragon of Tejano conjunto music.' 'Whether he was recording with Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt or the Rolling Stones, or working with his own supergroup, the Texas Tornados, Flaco drew millions of listeners into a rich musical world they might not have discovered on their own,' Young said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Danny Ocean gets on a tropical vibe for ‘Babylon Club'
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Danny Ocean wants to take his fans to a tropical paradise where they can relax and feel good about the music of his album 'Babylon Club.' The album is a way to expand the world of Babylon beyond just the name or his fan club and his 'Babylon Girl' battle cry, which began when his hit 'Me Rehúso' launched the Venezuelan urban artist to global fame. 'We're called Babylon Club, and I think it's very much in honor of them,' he said of his fans in an interview ahead of this week's release of his album. 'And it's also like this utopian place on the beach where you arrive, that space in your life where you realize that not everything is work and that life is beautiful too, that you have to live it and that life is one.' The inspiration of the beach, tropics and Caribbean comes from taking time to heal the soul, to be with your loved ones and leave obligations for a while. The cover with Ocean in front of a palm leaf and blue water suits him very well with the song 'Crayola,' in which he creates a tropical vibe by diving fully into salsa. 'I'm from the Caribbean too. In the end I love merengue, I love Afro, I love everything that is tropi sounds,' he said. Recruiting big stars for 'Babylon Club' Creating the sounds of 'Babylon Club' meant international teamups and a trip to Ocean's song vault. For 'Priti,' the album's first single, he traveled to Panama to work with Sech in his native country. 'He received me with all the love in the world. We went out to get to know his country, we had a good time,' he said. 'Then we became very close friends, which is the nice thing about collaborating, that sometimes you go out meeting a colleague and leave as a friend of this person.' Louis BPM, his guest on 'Sunshine,' is a fresh voice of urban music in Venezuela, originally from the Pinto Salinas neighborhood of Caracas. 'I had been listening to him for a while, and I liked it a lot. I really liked his voice, I really liked how he writes his reality,' said Ocean. He said he feels the need to share more urban music created in Venezuela. 'It is very difficult to come from a place where there is no industry and where there is no education. It's difficult to go out and compete abroad, but that's where we are,' he said. 'We are all set to push our culture outside and make ourselves known.' Mexico City was where Ocean and Kenia Os collaborated on 'AyMami,' a song he previously recorded but never released. 'I did 'AyMami' about eight years ago and suddenly last year I stumbled upon the demo again. I heard it, I said wow!' he said. 'She has a very good vibe… She works a lot and is doing something all the time, and that is a great plus in this industry.' The beach inspired other songs, including the flamenco-ish 'Corazón,' which was born while Ocean was sitting with friends in Miami playing a guitar he likes. 'Arena,' about a crush at first sight on a Venezuelan beach, features Puerto Rican star Arcángel while 'Anoche', with the Spanish singer Aitana, also transport listeners to the shore. Sending a message of 'strength and patience' to migrants The album is accompanied by a short film, created with videos of five of his songs, which begins with 'Priti.' It features performances by Venezuelan María Gabriela de Faría and her husband Christian McGaffney and portrays people years after they have emigrated, when they are working hard. 'I'm like her little angel who appears in various circumstances and tells her to escape, she's going to the beach … a beach that in the end is Babylon Club,' he said. 'I'm not saying stop working or anything like that, but get away, give yourself some time for yourself, you deserve it and remember that life is beautiful too.' Ocean, 33, identifies with De Faría's character and believes that the same thing happens to many immigrants. 'At least I can talk about Venezuelans, that we are kind of trapped a little bit in work, work, work, work, that sometimes we forget a little about living life, you know?' he said. Ocean will begin a tour in September that will take him to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. He immigrated to the United States almost a decade ago with the goal of fulfilling his dream in music. In the face of changing immigration policies and raids, he expressed solidarity with migrants. 'I know it's a very, very sensitive issue. And I know that many of us are going through a very particular uncertainty right now, and it hurts, it hurts to see your people also go through this uncertainty,' he said. 'As a migrant, I can tell you that what happens is scary, you know? And the only thing I can say is to send strength and patience to the people.'
The Province
3 hours ago
- The Province
Amusement park ride in Saudi Arabia collapses and injures more than 20 people
Published Aug 01, 2025 • 1 minute read This is a locator map for Saudi Arabia with its capital, Riyadh. (AP Photo) AP RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The collapse of an amusement park ride in western Saudi Arabia has left more than 20 people injured and prompted authorities to close the park and order an investigation, state media said. The accident occurred in the Al-Hada area of the city of Taif on Wednesday, when the '360 Big Pendulum' ride snapped in two, sending the part carrying people crashing to the ground. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Terrifying moment amusement park ride collapses in Saudi Arabia, leaving 23 people injured.3 people are in critical condition after the ride broke in half at the Green Mountain Park in Taif, Saudi Arabia. — Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 31, 2025 Video footage posted on social media showed the pendulum swinging riders, who were strapped into their seats, in a wide arc several times before the pendulum arm snaps, sending the passenger section crashing to the ground. The regional government said in a statement that the Taif governor, Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, had ordered an investigation and the park's closure. It said some of those injured received first aid at the amusement park, and others were taken to a hospital. It did not specify how many people were hospitalized. State media said 23 people were injured, and that there were no fatalities. Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks Sports Crime
