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Brian Dugan

Stories from Brian Dugan

IWM Everyone
Reinventing the Media
Veteran news experts congregate at Vienna’s Burgtheater to engage in a discussion on the role of journalism in democracy
Brian Dugan
20/12/2010

A crowd swarmed the entrance of Vienna’s Burgtheater on Sunday morning Nov. 21, the stairways and halls rumbling with a mix of languages. The event at hand, part of the Institute for Human Sciences European Debates series (IWM Europäische Debatte) had drawn a crowd early on a Sunday morning when most would have preferred to stay in bed. But the all-star cast set to appear apparently had encouraged a number of people to set their alarms.

07 Nicolas Cage and UNODC
Nicolas Cage: Organizing Against Organized Crime
Celebrity power at work; American film star turned philanthropist promises to “stop being an actor and start taking action”
Brian Dugan
01/11/2010

The corridors of the United Nations headquarters were lined with employees, cell phones in hand, ready to snap a picture. A large security and media team swarmed the premises – not for a visiting head of state, as one might expect at an international governmental organization. It was for the American actor Nicolas Cage.

All That Jazz: October, 2009
To Sit, or to Stand?
Christopher Anderson
Brian Dugan
01/10/2009

Now that the jazz scene has returned to the cozy environs of Vienna’s Klubs and Kellers, it’s time to entertain the question nagging aficionados the most. Is jazz best enjoyed sitting or standing?

Recent concerts in the Began in Africa series at Porgy & Bess exemplified the pros and cons of seating. Afrobeat legend Tony Allen attracted enough people to warrant removal of the tables and chairs in front of the stage. Fortunately at the Porgy, those who arrived early nabbed one of the tables in the wrap-around balcony. For Allen’s concert, though, even those sitting couldn’t resist the urge to stand and wiggle to the groovy beat.

All That Jazz: September, 2009
Back to the African Roots
Christopher Anderson
Brian Dugan
01/09/2009

Imbube, Mbalax, Jiti, Kizomba, Apala, Soukous, Taarab and Highlife. Sound familiar? These are not brands of beer, but rather the styles of African music that in one way or another have influenced the formation of blues and jazz.

Last issue’s “Hot Sounds for Summer” showcased Vienna’s Jazz Fest, which featured one particular incarnation of this fusion of influences: Afrobeat. Those of you who witnessed Seun Kuti and the Egypt ’80 at the Rathaus’ Arkadenhof in July experienced the full-blown energy of the genre. If you missed it, no worries; September has more Afrobeat and African-imbued jazz to come.

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