Liberation Theologian Francisco Herrera Uses Songs to Promote Social Justice

New album Honor Migrante crosses physical and musical borders




Growing up in the border town of Calexico, Francisco Herrera always straddled two worlds. “My siblings and cousins and I used to sing rancheras and some mariachi at family parties, and when we got a little older we started some garage rock bands,” he recalls of his early musical exploits. But as he became more involved in the church and in particular with the Latin American school of Liberation Theology, Herrera began exploring ways to use music to further his goals of social justice.

Herrera traveled extensively throughout Latin America working with community organizations even as he finished his four years at seminary school, all the while toting his guitar and whipping it out for events, actions, and church meetings. “Reflection, meditation, prayer, all those things are important. But they’re important so you can play a role here to make social change. De ahí nacen all those misas that have a social message.” He deftly weaves between English and Spanish as he explains the philosophy of Liberation Theology as he sits under portraits of his two heroes, Che Guevara and Monseñor Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop who was assassinated in 1980.

Francisco Herrera’s new album, Honor Migrante, is full of songs that reflect his passion for social justice. The themes range from immigrant rights to globalization, and the music itself crosses genre borders from traditional-sounding norteño and corrido tunes to post-modern electro-cumbia and Latin Rock wet with soulful vocals, wailing electric guitars, and a ripping Fender-Rhodes solo. All these sounds are melded smoothly together by veteran super-producer Greg Landau (Maldita Vecindad, Susana Baca) who met Herrera in the late 1980s on the Nueva Cancion circuit.

Francisco Herrera will be presenting the songs from Honor Migrante with an all-star band at an annual event called Premio Mujer 2010, an award ceremony to honor notable women in the community. Premio Mujer 2010 will be presented at the Events Center at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, 1111 Gough Street in San Francisco on May 22nd at 6pm. More information at: http://www.franciscoherreramusic.com

New Product: RMV420 Rack Mound Vaporizer and some DUB

I went over to Megasonic Studios in Oakland to check out the new product, RMV420 Rack Mounted Vaporizer, now shipping from Model42, so we set up a little Dub station to try it out. I don't partake myself, but you can see that the unit lends itself to the rack dub gear. We set up the Korg Mono Synth into the Roland Space Echo into the MU-TRON for some crazy dubiness.

Oakland Singer Discovers Musical Roots in New Orleans

New album by CHELLE! and Friends brings Louisiana spirit to the Bay Area

Oakland, CA

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Michelle Jacques always chose French as her elective language in school. “I never knew what attracted me to the French language, and I never knew why The Bay never quite felt like home until I started my research.” In 2008 Jaques, also known as “Chelle” to her many listeners, fans, and students, was awarded a City of Oakland Individual Artist Grant to travel to New Orleans “to research my people. Creole people. New Orleans music, culture, language, and people.”

This research ultimately sprouted the heartfelt new album “Voodoville” by her group, CHELLE! and Friends, which will celebrate with a CD release party and concert Sunday, April 18th at Coda Jazz Supper Club in San Francisco.
“There are lots of New Orleans natives in the Bay Area, and we want to reach out to them,” proclaims Chelle. “Join in the celebration! It’s not just a celebration of the new CD, it’s a celebration of New Orleans – of the music, of the people, of the culture.”

It was Chelle’s quest for her own identity that began that journey. “I wanted to know who I was. I knew there was more to me. I wanted to know the history of my family.” Chelle’s mother had worked as a young woman in the French Quarter and her father was a trumpet player from New Orleans. “I grew up with the music,” she explains, “but my research has helped me understand how creative New Orleans people are, and all about the history, the Creole language, and the culture.”

Chelle will debut the culmination of her work with her group CHELLE! and Friends, a unique blend of talented instrumentalists and well-versed a cappella style singers, whose vast experience ranges from Al Green and Zap Mama to Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra. The album “Voodooville” is out April 18th on Jenpet Records, and the CD release party at Coda Jazz Supper Club is not to be missed, so laissez le bon temps rouler!

http://www.chellemusic.com

SF Weekly Article

Saw this great article in the SF Weekly, enjoy! Goodfeather will be playing at the Red Devil Lounge, 1695 Polk at Clay in San Francisco, on Wednesday, April 21st at 8pm with Bright Blues and Red Penny One.

http://www.sfweekly.com/events/goodfeather-1936367

Song Stories

By Hiya Swanhuyser

Warm, honest vocals à la Jack Johnson, a honeyed acoustic guitar, and philosophical lyrics characterize the songs of Goodfeather. Fans of Dave Matthews, this is the up-and-coming artist you dream of: the folky, Indian John Mayer; the one-man Bay Area ALO. Goodfeather is about positivity, an occasional reggae beat layered on his own elastic strumming, and most of all about finding redemption. His own story is a rather irresistible cinematic journey: Born in Wasilla, Alaska (we’re guessing he was never a Palin voter — too young), he lived in foster homes until he emancipated himself at 16 to go be a heavy metal dude in Los Angeles, where he picked up guitar skills and some bad habits. Enter stage left an uncle, with whom he traveled the country, getting a grip on his culture and his approach. Then when beloved troubadour Floyd Red Crow Westerman passed on a few years back, Goodfeather picked up a guitar again in Oakland — he knew some of Westerman’s great old songs, and people wanted very much to hear them. They liked Goodfeather’s original songs, too. “Basically,” he explains on his Web site, “the (Native American) community instantly plugged me in.” An eponymous album produced by Greg Landau soon followed; hear the results tonight.

Bright Blues and Red Penny One.

Interview with Francisco Herrera

I interviewed Francisco Herrera about his new album, Honor Migrante, out now on Round Whirled Records. The video is on YouTube, enjoy.