Whatcha Listenin' To?

Tania Lo, co-producer of the documentary Long Road North, knows a party isn't a party without a little Michael Jackson

by Erica Gehrke

Tania Lo Co-producer of Long Road North, a documentary film chronicling the 19-month, 18-country bicycle journey Tania undertook with Gwendal Castellan
and Ian Hinkle. longroadnorth.com

What’s on your playlist? My hipster friend comes over once a month with a new mix of the latest music-making noise on iTunes. I throw it onto my playlist, which is populated with some old-skool hip hop, dub, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, a little bit of classical piano, and a splash of Latin reggaeton, cumbia, and Cuban son. The most-played song on my playlist is “Mas Que Nada” by Jorge Ben, performed by my good friend Isabelle Cardona.

Cutting-edge or cacophony? Cutting-edge.

If we hacked into your iTunes, we’d be surprised to hear Amy Winehouse. She surprised me with the depth of her repertoire.

Guilty pleasure time: what kind of ear candy do you sometimes listen to? Hard Candy by Madonna; just when I thought her time had passed, she pulls out the stops and produces an album that is another stamp in time.

You wouldn’t be caught dead listening to Coldplay or Rush.

People who love to dance should listen to “Sexy Results” by MSTRKRFT. It’s the quickest way to get people dancing in my living room on warm summer nights.

Your favourite song of all time is “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson. Despite his lamentable reputation, the party hasn’t reached its climax until you’ve heard some MJ.

What was the last live music event you attended? In my front yard at my wedding! Amazing blues artist Mathieu Fromont of Bo Weavil played a live set to friends and family and the entire McSpadden Avenue neighbourhood.

If you could hang out with any musician—living or dead—who would it be?
M.I.A. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with someone who is able to articulate social politics, realism, and humour through different forms of art?

If there were a soundtrack to your life it would be Carmina Burana, an intense compilation of music about love, lust, and having a good time, performed by a chorus of 200 and an orchestra of 100.

—Erica Gehrke

See Long Road North at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Fall Speakers Series, Nov. 20, 7 pm, Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Ave. (North Vancouver).