“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” ~ MLK, Jr.
The year 2014 is upon us and as we come to terms with tragic consequences of global apathy, the creative mind and spirit of the earth and universe instills in us the will to live.
As the late great troubadour Pete Seeger, who passed away this week, said: “The key to the future of the world, is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known.” May his spirit and legacy live through us. We lost another world legend this past year as well in Nelson Mandela. Both men that lived long and inspired lives fighting in their own way for justice, equality, and community. Let us move forth with the spirit of both.
Pharrell Williams needs no introduction. He’s a producer, songwriter, activist, filmmaker, interviewer, etc. His creative spirit knows no boundaries, so we will do well to listen to his words. “I just appreciate where music is right now…so many original artists…musicianship is now going to be back at all time high”:
I am in love with the Los Angeles band, La Santa Cecilia, named after the patron saint of music. They play an eclectic fusion of everything soulful – from boleros to rancheros, cumbias to klezmer, folk and jazz/jam to their own unique take on the Beatles. Lead singer La Marisoul is absolutely adorable and on stage is simply fierce – simmering with sultry vocals. Guitar player Gloria Estrada is a complete bad-ass; laid back as cool as any blues cat out there. The guys in the band, all 100% on point: percussionist Miguel Ramirez, drummer Hugo Vargas, Alex Bendana on upright bass, and Jose Carlos on Requinto and accordion. This band is tight – solid and all smooth as can be, each member with their own unique style and coolness.
They are coming up strong this year with songs appearing on shows including Weeds and Entourage, playing SXSW, the Hollywood Bowl, and the GRAMMY block party. They are generating quite a buzz, with veterans of the music biz being blown away by their sound. La Santa Cecilia…I guarantee we will be hearing a lot more of them and thank goodness for that because they are the real deal.
With all the insane anti-immigrant sentiment going on around the country and most notoriously in Arizona, it got me thinking of Woody Guthrie’s timeless folk song, “This Land Is Your Land.” Over the years, so many diverse musicians have done their own take. I’ve always loved Mexican-American singer Lila Downs’ version, speaking for the voiceless migrant laborers in “Pastures of Plenty”:
Recently I was watching the movie, Up In The Air. The opening song was the coolest, most soulful version I’ve ever heard by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings:
Johnny Cash’s Version:
Los Lobos with the Grateful Dead:
Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen’s version during Obama’s pre-inauguration concert:
Chicago folkloric group Sones De Mexico “Esta Tierra Es Tuya”:
And the original:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me.
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
I saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me.
I roamed and I rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
While all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me.
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
A voice was chanting, As the fog was lifting,
This land was made for you and me.
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me.
This past weekend was full of musical and cultural inspiration as I journeyed through the land of my birth, Los Angeles. First up was DJ Moonbaby’s set at the Natural History Museum’s First Friday event near downtown Los Angeles. The DJ booth was set up in front of a replica of giant African elephants across the hall from the giant T-Rex. Moonbaby played her own eclectic mix of electronic groove a la Portishead and then some old school hip hop and funk. One of my favorites (you know I love that funk) was Rick James’ “Give It To Me Baby,” a classic late 70s/early 80s funk dance hit complete with the horns. Here’s a performance from the 1982 Grammy Awards show:
After that my friend and I headed west, meandering through downtown LA, Echo Park (the area I spent the first few years of my life), through memories in Hollywood to enjoy a late dinner at Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. This was the spot for grabbing a late night meal after a hard night of dancing or seeing a music show when I was a wild teenager. Their bar, the Kibitz Room, has its own place in the LA music history as many great musicians have jammed there after hours. Guns N Roses were just an unknown band playing there back in the 80s. After all these years, I finally took a closer look at the mural outside of Canter’s depicting the history of the Jewish community in Los Angeles. I happen to be a huge fan of LA murals and this one was quite moving. Here’s one of the scenes:
As we left Canter’s, my friend popped in Chavez Ravine by Ry Cooder, an album that tells a story of one segment of the Chicano community in Los Angeles by chronicling the history of a barrio that was destroyed to make way for Dodger’s Stadium. On this album, Cooder brings together many Mexican-American musicians including some of the guys from Los Lobos and the legendary Chicano musician and activist Lalo Guerrero. Here is one of my favorite tunes by Lalo from this album, “Chuchos Suaves”:
Here is Lalo doing his ode to the blues, “Muy Sabroso Blues”:
My mom and I went out to Malibu on Saturday to spend some time at the beach for mother’s day and we saw pro surfer, Laird Hamilton, when we were having lunch. He is a big wave surfing legend, known for doing what no human does, surfing these mega monster big waves:
Later on that same day, walking through the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, a cacophony of sounds greeted me as dozens of street performers lined the street. A band that really drew me in was a horn ensemble, playing haunting minor chord infused Eastern European folk tunes, the Petrovic Blasting Company:
Los Angeles has much more to offer than my tiny slice of life and I hope to bring you more future posts on the cultural and musical diversity and history of this mega-tropolis. Happy traveling…
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