Month: February 2014

‘Ink’ Kansas City & ‘The Pitch’ on Making Movies

On By scenebyginaIn music, People1 Comment

Two excellent Kansas City entertainment publications have written about Making Movies‘ five year anniversary as a band, which they’ll celebrate with two shows: one on Thursday, Feb. 13 (sign up for this secret show at their website), and on Friday, Feb. 14, respectively.

First up, in The Pitch:

“The foursome — Panamanian-born brothers Enrique and Diego Chi, Mexican-born Juan-Carlos Chaurand, KC-born Brendan Culp — are used to the confusion of new fans when they explain that their psych-rock and Latin-jazz fusion sprouted in decidedly unspicy Midwestern fields.” – The Pitch Kansas City magazine on Making Movies 5-Year Anniversary as a band. Read the Q&A w the band here: http://bit.ly/1fhUQUu

Screen shot 2014-02-12 at 7.57.56 PM

 

I also love this quote from the interview in The Pitch:

“I remember when we played the Buzz’s Homegrown for the Holidays show in November, and it was for an audience for all these kids that probably had never heard a band sing in Spanish. Maybe 400 people there had heard of us, but the other 1,200 had no idea who we were. We brought El Grupo Atotonilco [a traditional folk-dance group], and they went into their dance routine, and the look on these kids’ faces — you know, 96.5 the Buzz listeners, 18-to-23-year-old people who are just there to see an indie-folk band the Mowgli’s. And their faces light up. They don’t know what they’re seeing.” — Lead singer/songwriter, Enrique Chi

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The band also got a nice write-up in Kansas City’s Ink magazine:

“That’s kind of our mission: to breathe life into those old rhythms that are hundreds of years old. If one of my songs can’t sit on top of those old rhythms, then we have to move on. Those rhythms make almost any kind of person want to move. And the more authentic and legitimately we play those rhythms, the better it translates.” — Lead singer, Enrique Javier Chi in Ink Magazine Read the whole thing here: http://bit.ly/1g8ZCYk

Screen shot 2014-02-12 at 8.26.22 PM

Um Novo Movimento: Zuzuka’s Baile Crunkin’ in Brazil!

On By scenebyginaIn music, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Keep up with Zuzuka Poderosa’s happenings in her motherland, BRAZIL!! Click through to CONRAZON’s blog!

conrazon's avatarconrazón

Zuzuka Poderosa has been in Brazil the last few weeks, hanging with family and performing amazing shows in Curitiba ( see photos ), Sao Paulo (thank you Avalanche Tropical & Dago Donato !) and in Rio with Rio Neurotic Bass. Follow her on Instagram for hilarious and beautiful transmissions from the Queen herself: @ZuzukaPoderosa

Earlier last month, Zu put out the banger “Baile Crunk” citing her inspiration in making it with Miami’s Burt Fox: “The idea of this track is about how South America meets the South of North America mixing the dirty south influence and the lyrics, traveling all the way to NY, making Baile Crunk. ” Rio the Janeiro, Atlanta, Miami, Rio De Janeiro , Tennessee & H- town!”

Spin Magazine picked the song as a “Rap Song of the Week” in mid-January and the song’s been making the rounds while we wait…

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20 Signs You Really, Really Hate People

On By scenebyginaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’m an extrovert and a people person for the most part, but some of these I can relate with. Mostly, why would anyone actually CALL ME on a phone when there is text, email, and social media? Ha.

Natalie Koh's avatarNatalie-Kay-Es-El

1. The idea of getting your ass out of bed, dressing up and stepping out of your front door is just

Michael scott no

2. When you take public transport, you can’t help but think:

theres-too-many-people-on-this-earth-we-need-a-plague

3. You’re on your way to meet a friend and then you get a text from her saying she’s brought a tag-along.

This is your reaction:

dont need another friend

4. You find yourself praying that plans get cancelled all the time.

cancelling plans

5. When you get invited to a house party, you pray to God they’ve got a pet so you can act busy and not interact with actual human beings.

Credit: Gemma Correll Credit: Gemma Correll

6. When people tap you on the shoulder, or try to do that cheek-kissy thing that white people love, or touch you in any way:

you-dont-know-me-like-that

7. When someone whips out a camera and everyone squeals in delight, you’re just like:

Robert Downey Jr Pained Photo Taking

8. You loovvvveee the internet. And the invention…

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Monastic Life At The Top Of The Charts

On By scenebyginaIn musicLeave a comment

Screen shot 2014-02-11 at 4.06.01 PMVia NPR MUSIC:

When the sisters of Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles aren’t hard at work on the monastery grounds, they’re topping the charts with albums of sacred music. The group’sAngels and Saints at Ephesus topped the Billboard classical charts, and now it’s releasing its latest, Lent at Ephesus. Mother Cecilia, prioress of the abbey in rural Missouri and the group’s arranger, tells NPR’s Renee Montagne, “We’re not fabricating anything; this is just music we’re pulling from our life, our everyday life.”

“We’re hard workers,” Mother Cecilia says. “We really follow the rules of St. Benedict very closely — his ora et labora, which is ‘pray and work.’ And we have a small farm. We have a cow to milk twice a day, rain or shine, whether it’s 100 degrees or 20 below. And then, of course, the processing of the milk; we make all sorts of dairy products for our table. And, of course, the recreation and our meal times fill up the day.”

Read more & listen to some of the music here.

Free download: SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL STARS

On By scenebyginaIn music, New YorkLeave a comment
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars

Grab a free download from the terrific “Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars” here.

SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL STARS will play @ Apollo Theater for “AFRICA NOW!”
Presented in partnership with World Music Institute
Saturday, April 5th, 2014
253 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027
$25, $35, $45 / 8:00 PM /
www.cumbancha.com – http://sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com/– https://www.apollotheater.org/all/details/127-africa-now

Africa’s most inspirational band, “Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars,” celebrates ten years together with its finest album to date. Libation’s “around-the-campfire” intimacy, honest soulfulness, and technical prowess reveal how far the group has come while remaining true to its roots. Produced by Chris Velan and mixed by Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray,Patti Smith, and David Bowie, Libation embodies the contagious joy, optimism in the face of struggle and love for their fellow man that has earned the All Stars a devoted following across the globe.

US & Canada Release Date: March 18, 2014

After a 10-year adventure that has taken them from the squalor of refugee camps to the world’s biggest stages, Africa’s most inspirational band continues to ascend with what will surely be hailed as their best album yet.  For these beautiful recordings,Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars go full circle to the acoustic, “around the campfire” sound that appeared on their first album, much of which was recorded in the refugee camps during their years in exile from Sierra Leone. Back then, the group was in a very different frame of mind, had yet to tour the world, and were still raw in their sound. Over the years they have evolved to become one of Africa’s most recognized bands with fans across the globe. Libation‘s acoustic intimacy, toe-tapping rhythms, catchy melodies, honest soulfulness, socially conscious lyrics and musical dexterity reveal how far the group has come while remaining true to its roots.

It’s a family reunion as well, as they join forces again with Chris Velan, the producer of their debut album Living Like a Refugee. The new album, which will be released in the US and Canada on March 18, was recorded amidst the Green Mountains of Vermont and mixed in London by renowned British producer Iestyn Polson, known for his work with David Gray, Patti Smith, David Bowie and others.

The album takes its title, Libation, from the ritual pouring of a liquid that is common in African cultures. A libation is poured as an offering to a god or spirit, to honor the ancestors, and in memory of loved ones who have died. Often, when a libation is poured it is an invocation for sacred spirits to be present at a special event such as the welcoming of people into the community, for a wedding, birth or funeral or the coronation of a king or other ruler. After the tracking of the album was finished, for example, the members of the band celebrated the occasion by pouring a libation, both as a celebration and to remember the numerous beloved members of the band who have passed away over the last ten years and could not take part in the session. The title offers a celebration of ten years together, a chance to remember those who have joined the ancestors and hope for many years of success ahead.

** Thanks to Ryan from Press Junkie PR for the press release!

Las Cafeteras: this band is SO great. Catch them if you can.

On By scenebyginaIn music, New York1 Comment
Las Cafeteras
Las Cafeteras

Voted LA’s ‘Best Latin Alternative Band,’ 

Las Cafeteras comes to the East Coast to 

do more than just play music.

Los Angeles, CA (February 6, 2014) – After a successful 3-month Northwest and Midwest Tour this past fall that had them open for groups like Juanes, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Las Cafeteras hit the road again.

This time, Las Cafeteras are going to different parts of the country and will be engaging communities in the East Coast (Boston, New York, Philadelphia), Texas (Austin), Florida (Miami), and Northern California. Along with their performances, Las Cafeteras will also be having cultural exchanges with universities, museums, and immigrant rights organizations with the purpose of sharing stories from their respective cities.

Las Cafeteras’ musician David Flores says, “we believe that we are all the same because we are all different and we want to use our tour as a platform to inspire people across the country to share their story through poetry, storytelling and art.”

We’re ALL Connected Tour 2014

2.20.14 Club Europa New York, NY
2.21.14 Location TBA Boston, MA
2.22.14 Boston College Boston, MA
2.24.14 The Legendary Dobbs Philadelphia, PA
2.25.14 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
3.5.14 DeAnza College Cupertino, CA
3.7.14 Fulton 55 Club Fresno, CA
3.13 & 3.14.14 UC Berkeley Berkeley, CA
4.1.14 Hispanicize Miami, FL
4.3 & 4.4.14 University of Texas Austin, TX

*Thanks to Digital Girl PR for the press release!

Film on gentrification to be shown at Fordham University

On By scenebyginaIn New York, People1 Comment
El Barrio
El Barrio

Fordham University will screen “El Barrio Tours (Gentrification in East Harlem),” a documentary about gentrification and blurring of the line between East Harlem (often called ‘El Barrio’) and the Upper East Side, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at its Lincoln Center campus. Room location and RSVP here.

The guest speaker will be Mark Naison, Ph.D., professor of history and African American history at Fordham.

The film is the brainchild of East Harlem’s Andrew J. Padilla, who is a Fordham alumnus (2011). Though his roots in “El Barrio” go back to when his grandfather first moved to East Harlem 60 years ago, the filmmaker says it’s getting increasingly difficult to live there due the higher cost of living gentrification brings with it.

Read more about the film and Padilla via DNAInfo.

See a trailer for the documentary below: