U of A MD provides dose of Cohen

In 2002, Dr. Kim Solez was visiting Aberdeeen, Scotland, trying to organize a medical meeting for the next year, when he realized that nobody was paying any attention to him.

"All they wanted to talk about was Robbie Burns, and what everybody was doing for Robbie Burns night," he recounts. "I thought, what a phenomenon! Then it occurred to me; why is only Robbie Burns honoured in this way, and why not do the same thing for Leonard Cohen?"

Now, most people wouldn't react in such a way, but Solez had already had an earlier Cohen epiphany. It was in 1987, when he moved from Baltimore and his position at Johns Hopkins University to Edmonton to become chair of the Department of Pathology at the University of Alberta. Trying to get a feel for his new country, he took his family on a road trip through B.C., ruminating all the while on the recent changes in his life. At one point, the CBC program As It Happens came over the radio, with an extended segment on Cohen. Solez was immediately entranced, not only by the music, but also by the extent of Cohen's artistic endeavors and philosophy. "It's not just about the music; there are novels, poetry, songs, there's a whole graphic arts side to him - he's just a cool person with a lot of depth that goes beyond any one medium."

Spurred on by this and his Aberdeen experience, plus a subsequent visit to an international Cohen event in Greece, Solez went ahead with Edmonton's first Leonard Cohen Night in September of 2002. The event was a success, and the subsequent celebrations built on the initial momentum, bringing local musicians like Ben Sures, the Chickadivas and Terry Morrison to entertain, along with spoken word artists, art and photography exhibits. This year's Leonard Cohen Night, which celebrates the Montreal native's 71st birthday, will showcase the talents of local musicians Dale Ladouceur and Ann Vriend among others, along with a lecture by Cohen biographer Ira Nadel. On a lighter note, Solez will once again use his Sony Aibo Robotic Dog to 'sing' Cohen songs, in this case The Great Event, an aptly chosen number, since Cohen programmed his own computer to sing it in the album version.

"In a way, it's kind of a symbol of what we've been doing from the beginning," notes Solez.

There is an Edmonton link of sorts; Cohen visited our city for five weeks in 1967, after which he quickly rose to his current level of celebrity. "Every time he recited or sang, the room was suddenly packed. People were showing up at his hotel room. The visit to Edmonton changed his life; it was his first real taste of fame."

More importantly, it was an encounter with two University of Alberta undergrads that prompted him to write one of his most enduring songs, Sisters of Mercy. Last year's Leonard Cohen Night was notable for the unveiling of a lost photograph showing Cohen with his twin muses.

Solez, an expert in nephrology and transplant organ biology, is best known outside Cohen circles for writing the book on assessing the condition of transplanted organs in organ recipients. His reputation in the medical field, he says, has been buttressed by his decision to move to Canada. While his passion for the art of Leonard Cohen is the prime motivator of the event that he spends a great deal of time planning, he's also quick to note that there are other, equally important reasons for his yearly event.

"It's also about celebrating the richness of Canadian culture," he insists. Solez is serious about that; through his efforts, Ann Vriend, a contributor to the last two Leonard Cohen Nights, and a fan who counts Cohen as an influence on her own songwriting, will be playing Berlin's version of the festival in August of 2006. "It's quite an honour," she says, "and I'm grateful that Kim has given me the opportunity to do this."

"I've really benefited tremendously from being here," Solez continues. "Most of the things that I'm well known for are in medicine. I think if I'd stayed in the U.S, I don't think I could've done those things. There just isn't the freedom, the culture to so those things. I am very high on Canada. Celebrating Cohen is just a way for me to celebrate this region, this city, this country."

Leonard Cohen Night 2005 takes place on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Westin Hotel (10135 -100 St.), starting at 5:30 p.m.

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