Ioana
Iliant with The Wally Meyers Trio at the
International Inn, Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada
Wally Meyers (piano), Tony Biegun (drums),
Unknown (bass), Ioana Iliant (vocals)
IOANA ILIANT
December 11, 1939 - December 30, 1990
Romanian-born singer Ioana Iliant began
her career in Eastern Europe and won a
major singing competition in Turkey in
1973 before coming to Canada to appear in
nightclubs. Fluent in multiple
languages, she performed at several
Winnipeg clubs and earned praise from the
likes of Winnipeg Tribune entertainment
writer Gene Telpner, who wrote, "Ioana
Iliant displays onstage a great deal of
vitality that captures the audience."
Bandleader Jimmy King noted, "Miss Iliant
is a treat to listen to. Her Rich
voice, grace, style and ease indicate a
considerable amount of stage experience,
and she is an accomplished musician."
In 1977, Iliant recorded her one and only
album at Wayne Finucan's Fort Garry home
studio, with managers Ann Randall and
Michael Kittner producing for their own
Ran-Kitt record label. Dave
Jandrisch wrote the musical arrangements,
while musician and songwriter Graham Shaw
was hired to provide English translations
for many of the songs.
"I wrote English lyrics to her Romanian
songs," Shaw recalls. "She would
tell me the stories of the songs, and I
would have to write some English words
that conveyed that story. Then she
would sing the lyrics phonetically".
Iliant had a powerful voice well served by
Jandrisch's impressive orchestral
arrangements. She performed across
western Canada with a backing band
consisting of Winnipeg musicians,
including brothers Tony and Ken Beigun and
Allan Duma, and with the Wally Meyers
Trio. Little is known about her
since the latter '70s, although a lone
posting on the Internet indicates she died
in 1990. John Einarson Excerpt from A MATTER OF RECORD as
published in the Winnipeg Free Press,
February 12, 2017, Page 9
L-R:
Ken Biegun (guitar), Tony Biegun (drums),
Allan Duma (keyboards/pedal bass)
Front: Ioana Iliant (vocals)
L-R:
Mark Reimer (guitar), Tony Biegun (drums),
Ioana Iliant (vocals), Unknown (bass),
Allan Duma, (keyboards), Deano Dean (sax)
I was her drummer for three
years on a contract. So was my
brother Ken Biegun and cousin Allan
Duma.. Toured with her all over
Canada, were always treated by her and her
Manager Mike Kittner as family. She
had degrees in music plus a Composer
degree from Romania, and won as top singer
in the European song Festival. Was
and had a huge following.
We played Uncles here in Winnipeg for two
weeks and held over for three more.
The room was packed every day 6 days a
week. Some of my best memories.
She was brought to Canada by Mike Kittner
as a defector and left her daughter and
mother behind. A very long story.
