Browse "People"

Al Baculis (Joseph George Alphonse Allan). Alto and tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, teacher, b Montreal 21 Nov 1930, d Seminole, Florida 22 Jan 2007; L MUS clarinet (McGill) 1951.

Al (Alexander Peter) Cherny (b Chernywech). Fiddler, b Medicine Hat, Alta, of Ukrainian parents, 1 Nov 1932, d Missisauga, Ont, 23 Aug 1989. As a youth he studied violin with Frank Nowak and in his teens he played country music on CHAT radio, Medicine Hat.

Al-Hajj Sayyd Abdul Al-Khabyyr (né Russell Linwood Thomas), soprano, alto and tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, composer (born 22 March 1935 in New York, New York; died 15 February 2017 in Montréal, QC).

Al (Alan Douglas) Neil. Pianist, composer, visual artist, author, b Vancouver 26 Mar 1924. He studied with Glenn Nelson and Jean Coulthard but, save for some lessons with Wilf Wylie, was self-taught as a jazz pianist.

Alfred Wellington Purdy, OC, OOnt, poet (born 30 December 1918 in Wooler, ON; died 21 April 2000 in Sidney, BC).

This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on May 8, 2000. Partner content is not updated.

Al Rashid, a mosque in Edmonton, was dedicated in 1938 and became Canada’s first mosque. It was funded through community initiatives from the Arab community, led by Hilwie Hamdon. The Al Rashid mosque has played a definitive role in the growth of the Muslim community in Alberta and across the country through many important initiatives. (See Islam.)

Al Razutis, filmmaker, videographer, holographer (b at Bamberg, Germany 28 Apr 1946). Razutis moved to Vancouver from the US in 1968, following graduate studies in mathematical physics.

Albert Samuel Waxman, "Al," TV and movie performer, director (b at Toronto 2 Mar 1935; d there 17 Jan 2001). As Larry King, the title character of CBC-TV's situation comedy King of Kensington (1975-80), he became one of Canada's most familiar actors.

Alain Caron, composer, bassist and arranger (b at Saint-Éloi, Québec 5 May 1955). Known as a virtuoso on his instrument, he was part of the jazz-fusion group Uzeb from 1976 to 1990.

Alain Chartrand, director, author (b at Longueuil, Qué 2 Feb 1946). Alain Chartrand did his secondary studies at Collège Marie-Victorin and then enrolled in the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montréal, playing trumpet and double bass.

Alain Gagnon. Composer, teacher, b Trois-Pistoles, Que, 22 May 1938; B MUS (Laval) 1963, L MUS composition (Laval) 1964. He began teaching himself the piano but continued 1951-8 with Father Philippe-Antoine Lavoie at the Rimouski Seminary.

Alain Grandbois, poet (b at St-Casimir, Qué 25 May 1900; d at Québec City 18 Mar 1975). He is considered the first great modern Québec poet. He travelled the world 1918-39 and shared the hopes and problems of contemporary man.

Lalonde, Alain. Composer, teacher, b Montreal 19 Apr 1951; B MUS piano (Montreal) 1971, premier prix analysis (CMM) 1977, deuxième prix composition (CMM) 1979, D MUS (Montreal) 1996.

Alain Lamontagne. Harmonica player, composer, singer, storyteller, actor, b Verdun (Montreal) 14 Jul 1952. He began playing harmonica in his teens.