Exhibit at SFMOMA examines important global and local issues

Six Lines of Flight, a new exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, probingly examines many of the underlying conflicts of modern life from the perspective of modern artist collectives based in six cities around the world.

Subtitled “Shifting Geographies in Contemporary Art,” the new show is based on the premise that “contemporary art is no longer defined by a few primary cities but is instead shaped by an interconnected constellation of diverse communities,” a notion that decentralizes the artists perspective in a refreshing and interesting way and immediately broadens the scope of work to thoughtfully examine the pressing issues of our times. Rather than a pretentious, cerebral exhibit of skill or boundary pushing for its own sake, viewers of Six Lines of Flight are treated to creatively posed insight from the perspective of working modern artists from six cosmopolitan yet underrepresented cities in within the contemporary art landscape. Collectives of artists from Ho Chi Minh City, Cali, Colombia, and Tangier are among the six lines of flight featured in this exciting new exhibit that is thoroughly accessible to those who feel that discussions on contemporary art often leave out the rest of us. Bravo to SFMOMA for taking a chance on a refreshingly different kind of art show. Six Lines of Flight will be showing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art through December 31, 2012. The museum is located at 151 3rd Street, between Mission and Howard streets, in San Francisco. More information at http://www.sfmoma.org

Reviews of Carne Cruda - Oakland's TIght

I found a couple of reviews of Carne Cruda's "Oakland's Tight" album, something that I poured an incredible amount of effort into. I'm glad that some people liked it:

http://www.examiner.com/music-in-los-angeles/schwindy-s-indie-music-spotlight-carne-cruda-review

Carne Cruda catches the attention before you even hear the music. Just have a look at that cover of Oakland's Tight (Round Whirled Records, 2010). And if you think that's interesting, you should see the inside cover photo which shows all the band members in luchador masks, kind of like a less formal version of Rob Zombie's El Superbeasto.

Then you put the album on and you are greeted by the title track, which is a fusion of ska, jazz, and funk and sings the praises of Oakland. Now, maybe you're wondering how anyone could write an entire song praising Oakland. I can't say. I've never been there. All I know is that it's not a bad thing to be proud of your hometown. Oh, and does your town boast artists like MC Hammer and Too Short? Then perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to criticize Oakland.



The jazz and funk are still present in "Spirit of Carnaval," but as you would imagine, the song also has some heavy South American flavor. The vocals of Dandara Backen are the perfect compliment to the melody, which is sure to get you moving.
The band performs a cover of "Ring of Fire" on this album, which is probably unlike any cover of the song that you have ever heard. Unless you've heard another version of this tune that sounds like Latin ska with shamisen. Yes, you read that correctly. Latin ska with a Japanese twist.

And then there is "Quitate La Mascara." Now I would probably like this song anyway because I have a thing for songs about luchadors (the classic garage song "The Crusher," "Viva del Santo" by Southern Culture on the Skids). But this song is more than a song about a luchador. It's a song about what can happen when a band decides it doesn't want to follow any formula. This song is one part rockabilly (the intro), one part garage (the sax, particularly at the end of the song), one big part Latin funk, and all madness. It's brilliant.

By now, loyal reader, you know that I enjoy bands that don't sound like 40 other artists. If you are like me, you should add Oakland's Tight to your collection. I doubt you have anything quite like this album.



AND ANOTHER ONE at FabrikaLink.com

http://www.fabrikalink.com/index.php/music/cd-reviews/939-carne-cruda-oaklands-tight

Carne Cruda - Oakland's Tight
August 09, 2010

East Oakland was the place of birth for this peculiar band called Carne Cruda. A band that came together from the mixture of salsa bands, funk groups, cumbia conjuntos, jazz combos, rock power trios along with the fire of the hyphy, norteno and banda beats. Quite a mix huh?

Collaborating with Grammy nominated producer Greg Landau (former guitarist that shared the stage with none other than Silvio Rodríguez, Mercedes Sosa and Pablo Milanés) to create their new album “Oakland’s Tight”. This ambitious and visionary project seeks to shake everyone’s booty, no matter what your genre preference is, literally. I can guarantee that at some point or another you are going to like what you hear. This 12 song album brings is tunes that will take is to Mexico, Brazil, to some sexy island in the Caribbean (remember that when you hear Anachro-Syndicalism). My personal metaphor for this band? A bouncing ball that is all over the place but with a certain charm and interesting twist to it.


Although I am not a huge fan of norteno or banda beats, I do appreciate the risk and ambition that they had to bring us such experimental latin sounds. The production of the album is a clear A+, not to mention the incredible musicianship. Because the members of this band have been part of many other bands, they were able to bring big time guest artist to be part of the album like Omar Sosa (Cuban free-jazz pianist), Dandha da Hora (from the funksters SambaDá). Among my favorite tunes is Ring of Fire, a Johnny Cash all time classic with a Brazilian twist to it. The reason why I enjoy so much this tune is that to me it is amazing how this band’s creativity can extend to bring an oldie, mix it not only with new beats but also put a Brazilian hint to it! Simply BAD-ASS!


This band can make it big time, not only for their huge variety but the amazing creativity they have… oh yeah and I absolutely LOVE the lucha libre mask look on them!



By Claudia Camargo

Songs from La Mission CD Release Party

We will be throwing a big CD Release Party and Lowrider Car Show for the release of Songs from La Mission on Halloween, October 31st, 2010. This will be a great San Francisco Halloween event. $20 gets you a free CD with entrance, La MiSSion Band will be rocking live, and then Salsa dancing with Mambo Street, plus lowrider cars and more.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103816053015816 is the facebook event link, see you there.

Film Premier

I composed the music for a new documentary film for the Freedom Archives, the film is called "COINTELPRO 101" and it will premier Sunday, October 10th at 4pm and 7pm at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco. Here is the trailer:



I composed all the music for this film, there will be a discussion afterwards with special guests as well.



More information about this film can be found at: http://www.freedomarchives.org/Cointelpro.html

Songs from La Mission

Our record label Round Whirled Records just put out a new CD, Songs from La Mission, and it's selling like hotcakes. The CD has 12 new Latin-oldies style lowrider classics perfect for cruisin' the low-lows. We've heard lots of comments like "how come I never heard that Mary Wells B-side?" and "is that Carlos Santana or Ralphie Pagan playing guitar in that one scene.." Well, they are all original songs, except for our version of William Devaugn's "Just Be Thankful," that we recorded for the movie La Mission. That is me playing guitar. Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.roundwhirledrecords.com/lamission.cfm

Songs from La Mission

We just put up the Songs from La Mission CD on the Round Whirled Records website, if you want to hear the music we did for the movie La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt you can here them here: http://www.roundwhirledrecords.com/lamission.cfm

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.

The Spirit of Carnaval

In February Carne Cruda went down to San Diego with Dandara Bracken / De Bahia a Bahia. My cousin Nicole Landau shot this video while we were there. Enjoy!

New Puppy

There's a new puppy in the family, she's half Chihuaha and half Yorkshire Terrier, or Chorkie for short. Here is a video of her trying to get my other dog RockXena the Warrior Princess to play with her.

San Diego Brazilian Carnaval

Heading down to Carnaval San Diego this Saturday to play with De Bahia a Bahia featuring Carne Cruda and Dandara. It's gonna be a blast! Here's a preview:

Native Singer Dons Baseball Cap in Lieu of Feathers

When Native American singer and activist Floyd Red Crow Westerman passed away in 2007, Jeremy Goodfeather’s Hunka (adopoted) mother asked him to play a few songs at the Oakland memorial, a request that launched an unexpected series of events for the San Francisco resident. “I had established myself as a community member within the Native circle, but people had no idea I could sing,” recalls Goodfeather, who’s debut album is out now on Round Whirled Records. “When they heard me playing Floyd’s songs, and some of my own, Native Americans are so politically involved that they began asking me to play shows and perform in public. Basically, the community instantly plugged me in.”

Another community member suggested that Jeremy Goodfeather apply for the Native American Cultural Equity grant through the San Francisco Arts Commission, culminating in his collaboration with four-time Grammy®-nomminated record producer and San Francisco native Greg Landau, who produced his touching and profound 12-song album, simply titled “Goodfeather.”

“With all this support from the Native community, I feel like I just wandered into music again,” Goodfeather modestly proclaims. But in reality the road to discovering his true inner songwriter was a long and arduous one; sharing the conservative hometown of Wasilla, Alaska with Sarah Palin left it’s mark on the songwriter as well. His father was a Mohawk from New York State and his mother was a mexicana from Texas, tracing her roots to before it was part of US, it’s own country, or part of Mexico. When his family dissolved, young Jeremy became a ward of the state, living between extended family and foster homes until he finally emancipated himself at 16.

“I wanted to be a rock star, so I moved to LA and joined a bunch of heavy alt-metal bands.” But after struggling with drug and alcohol abuse and the LA lifestyle, Jeremy realized that he didn’t have anything to say and called it quits. “I stopped writing music, hung up my guitar, and just traveled around with my uncle for a few years. I learned about what it is to be native, ideals, values, belief systems. That also includes political views, because as Native Americans we have no separation between church and state, political parties, and all that. It’s all the same to us.

“My whole world view changed during that period traveling around with my uncle. I learned who I was, or at least who I wanted to be. But I was just doing all that for myself, so I could find a way to live that worked for me. It wasn’t about the music.” The song “Wonderful Teacher,” track 10 on Goodfeather’s new album, is dedicated to his uncle, who passed away.

But the lessons live on in Jeremy’s songs. “When I write, I have no agenda of portraying any particular thing. It’s a reversal of me, me, me, self, self, self, and a move toward interdependence, interconnectedness, and symbiotics. The truth.” In his song “Dance Into the Light” he describes that relationship:

And everything is beautiful/
And everything is good/
From an insect to the space shuttle/
To this strung-up piece of wood

“We’re all part of the same system. Everything depends on everything else. If essentially we’re all related, we should respect one another. It’s real simple. You wouldn’t chop off your own foot.”

While Goodfeather’s songs stem organically from this basic philosophy, he is wary of classifying his music as “Native American.” After all, music is music. “I’ve been on stage with performers wearing fake feathers, loin clothes, just doing it up. I don’t carry that external image, and the Native community seems to really appreciate it. It’s Hollywood that pushes the image, but Native people are hungry for something more authentic. Now I’ve wandered into this area where the Native community has asked me to represent it, and when I go on as ‘the Native American act’ many people are surprised that the music actually has substance.”

And the substance is there. Each song has a story, a deeper message inspired by his connection with his community. “Many people might not know it,” Goodfeather explains, “but there is a large Native American population right here in the Bay Area. They were lured here off of the reservations with the promise of jobs in the 1960s.” It’s this very community that has encouraged Goodfeather’s creative spirit and pushed him to the forefront of the Native American music scene, armed not with the cliché feathers and hackneyed songs about the four directions, but with his everyday construction worker’s baseball cap and something real to sing about.

“I struggle against the stereotypes because they’re limiting,” Goodfeather asserts. “’Oh, you’re the Native artist, we’ll put you between the magician and the marionettes.’ You end up being treated like a novelty act.” But when you hear Jeremy belting out his heartfelt lyrics while he strums his “strung-up piece of wood” also known as a guitar, it’s clear that the vibrations causing the air to transmit sound are modern-day continuations of something set in motion ages ago, and that those vibrations are being transmitted throughout the universe for all to feel and hear.

Find out more about Jeremy Goodfeather at http://www.goodfeather.com. His new album, Goodfeather, is available on iTunes and http://www.roundwhirledrecords.com.

Music for The Oak Park Story documentary

I've been working as the Music Supervisor and Composer for a short documentary called "The Oak Park Story" directed by my old teacher from high school Valerie Soe. She was my teacher in the Film and Video department at School of the Arts in San Francisco. In fact, she just blogged about it here:

http://theoakparkstory.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/la-musica-de-the-oak-park-story/

I'm also working on the score to another documentary called CoInTelPro 101 for The Freedom Archives about the FBI's program to undermine leftist organizations. Here's the trailer with my intro music:

Birthday Hambo

This weekend is Doug Engelbart's 85th Birthday and what he wants to do for his birthday party is dance the Hambo. If you don't know who Doug Engelbart is, you can read this book about his hypothesis of augmenting human intelligence using technology and collaboration.

So I borrowed an accordion and started practicing. The Hambo is a Swedish folk dance. The amazing Dandara Backen will lead the dance instruction portion, Eric Matsumo will play bass, and I'll play accordion. Here's how far I've gotten so far:

Review: Circular Colectivo by Maldita Vecindad y Los Hijos del Quinto Patio

Gigantic Mexican rockstars Maldita Vecindad are back with their first album in over ten years, and diehard Maldita fans need not worry: it rocks.

The long awaited release is now out in Mexico and was recently picked up by Tomas Cookman's Nacional Records for release in the US and on iTunes, et all. The Mexican ska-sters churn out their signature high-energy ska with smart, politically conscience lyrics and tons of cool touches that make the record sparkle.

"El Paiz de No Pasa Nada" sets the pace for the album with the classic Maldita sound, reminiscent of their biggest hit "Pachuco," the driving snare drum and quick, tight guitar skanks pushing the rest forward. The poetic lyrics about the craziness of modern life come swirling through degenerative delays while Sax adds his signiture horn lines behind the rocking number. Follow it directly with "Quinto Patio Ska" and the Maldita sound is all there. Rocking guitar lines set it all up, and the energy comes right through.

A very cool intro to "Expedientes Marcianos" features dialogue from an old Mexican wrestling movie, with "Santo llamando al Blue Demon" setting up the interplanetary tale of underground resistance. The "alien" theme is continued on the next tune, "Sur del Sur," the coro "Voy a cruzarme hoy" set to a jumping Palo de Mayo rhythm and of course breaking down to the compulsory punk-ska sections. The outro has lead singer Roco spewing a tribute to all the countries of Latin America in a fast-paced montuno that inspires a renewed look at Bolivar's vision of a unified Latin America through the eyes of modern globalization.

"Pura Diversion," the story of the Fút Callejero, is the unofficial theme song of the FIFA Cup of Nations, and my vote is to make it official. Once again Maldita aims at rocking down global capitalism, this time through the good times enjoyed on the soccer field. Fútbol is the one place where the poor man can beat the rich one, el juego del barrio. By the way, "fútbol negocio no es de nosotros, sin comerciales, pura diversion," puts the essence of soccer into just a few poignant words indicative of the band's political outlook.

Overall the sound of the album is solid. The energy and excitement of this raw rock band is not lost in the pristine production and sharp sonic sculpting that Circular Colectivo boasts. All the swirling delays and effects just add to the passion behind Roco's vocals, the bright sparkle of Pato's guitars, and the driving force of the drums. The carefully crafted lyrics and thoughtfulness of the compositions don't detract from the rockingness of the songs. And the songs are not just shallow, pop-punk radio targeted schlock; Maldita has something to say, and not just lyrically. If McCluhan's thesis is correct and the medium really is the message, these guys are doing it right. It's the whole package, the music, the guests, the poetry, all coming together to deliver a powerhouse listening experience.

Veteran fans, rejoice. Newcomers, take notice. Maldita is back and rocking hard.

Review: Africa by Philip Montalban

Philip Montalban continues in the tradition Afro-Nicaraguan music with this cool album of Soca, Palo de Mayo, and Reggae from the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Singing in Spanish, English, and Misquito (a semi-indiginous language from the Misquito coast of Central America) Philip sings his songs of life from a struggling region of the world.

Originally from Bilwí (Puerto Cabesas in Spanish) on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua, Philip Montalban is half Misquito indian and half Afro-Nicaraguan. In the semi-autonomous Atlantic Coast Region of Nicaragua live a people whose heritage is mixed, stemming from the co-mingling of escaped African slaves, black caribbean immigrants, Moravian missionaries, Native Americans, Victorian British traders, Garifunas, Dutch, English and Spanish pirates, and of course the dominant culture of the politically defined nation of Nicaragua. In Bluefields and the rest of la costa region, Nicaraguans from Managua and beyond are known as "paniaman" (translation: Spanish [speaking] men) in the very caribbean-sounding dialect of English that is commonly spoken, and since the official language is Spanish the costeños live an existence increasingly influenced by the dominant hegemonic culture of Nicaragua.

Coming this rich and diverse cultural background it makes sense how Montalban here explores the musics of his region and beyond. Having got his start in the 1980's revolutionary Afro-Nicaraguan reggae band "Soul Vibrations," who rose to the position of Official Band of the First Lady under the Sandinista government, Montalban is aware and proud of his African yet uniquely Nicaraguan heritage. Here in "Africa" he delves deeper into the true position he holds as a cultural liaison between Latin and caribbean music. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Misquito, he let's them all loose here among the various rhythms deployed. Palo de Mayo, a style specific to the Bluefields region of Nicaragua, gets it's roots from the Maypole dance brought over by the British who set up trade posts along the Atlantic coast. The soca that is so popular in Nicaragua and throughout the Caribbean is well represented here, as is Montalban's own favorite, Afro-Nicaraguan reggae as only he can play it. In fact, no International Reggae enthusiast can have a complete collection without this shining example of authentic Nicaraguan Reggae performed by one of the genre's groundbreaking founders Philip Montalban.