Live at Juanita’s

Just posting up some audio links from a recent gig I did in L.A. to celebrate some wonderful people’s birthdays.  The first mix is more on the funky mid-tempo vibe with a lot of Latino styles thrown in, the second more strictly Latino, and the thrid more on the late night Baltimore, Baile-Funk and Pop thang. Its far from perfect, with plenty of sloppy mixing thrown in, but I wanted to share what I’ve been listening to and playing out lately. All can be listened to or straemed from this page.  Enjoy and as always, commetns are appreciated.

Holla.

Funky Boss
No Nos Parara
Bmo and Pop

Walking in the Suburbs

Back in California, I found myself walking the two two miles between the Pleasant Hill BART station near San Francisco, and my father’s house, ruminating on being the only walker on a completely non-commercial strip of what essentially amounts to highway. On a two week trip back to the US, I had an interesting time observing cultural and societal differences between Guatemala and California. That suburban walk was certainly a huge diversion from my ultra-urban life living in the center of Xela. Here, its impossible to leave the house without a few buenas dias to strangers, as well as the inevitable conversation with at least one person that I know. Obviously like an urban environment anywhere in the world, but it was a large difference in my trip.

I also noticed a marked difference in the social formalities exhibited by the two cultures. Here in Guatemala, at least in my experience, there is a large amount of what feels like genuine cultural nicety. As mentioned above, there is constant greeting on the streets, even to gringos in a neighborhood where the sight of is common. This as opposed to walking down the street and feeling resentment for being yet another traveler. Walking into and out of stores always comes with its own share of niceness, in greetings and goodbyes. All this combines to allow one to feel very welcomed into the place, as if in some way surrounded by friends. To me, getting back to LA was a marked contrast. There is of course a world of formality as well, but in some way it feels and looks SO much more forced. The attitudes of waiters and waitresses, that of store clerks. Its a subtle difference, but struck me nonetheless.

Other than that, I of course enjoyed the food cultures of LA and San Francisco. And the artistic culture, getting out to museums and photography shows and concerts and DJ events. All that is lacking pretty intensely here in the Guatemalan highlands, in no small part due to the cultural and intellectual genocide carried out here with the help of my very own government. But those thoughts can be saved for another post.

November 5th

If any of you are still wondering, I’ve bought a ticket for Guatemala and depart LAX the morning of November 5th. That will mark the end of 3 great and full months in Los Angeles. Burning Man, a beautiful trip to Kings Canyon (I haven’t posted any pics to the blog yet – they’re here), a photo published in Citizen L.A. (see below) and now a gallery show at the Dale Youngman Gallery in Downtown L.A. (featured photos are here).

Leaving Burning Man this year, I said I wanted to take my photography more seriously. I didn’t imagine it would be the photos I took there that would lead to this being a reality. Ever since being offered the gallery show, I’ve thought a lot about what it means to be an ‘artist’. With so many possible meanings, I’ve come to the conclusion that anybody who believes in their own creative potential can be an ‘artist’; a photographer, a DJ.

I’ll leave with a link to The Dynamics‘ sublime cover of Curtis Mayfield’s immortal ‘Move on Up’; I think it is apropos for this evening. The Dynamics are a contemporary Reggae group out of Lyon, France currently playing mostly cover songs. Their album drops soon – watch out for it!

Move On Up

Junctions

There was something about this image that struck me. I was about to go into the Santa Monica DMV to take care of some business and saw this girl taking a bite into a donut. So there it is.

Two weeks into my Los Angeles adventure here, and having scattered thoughts. Society has provided me with so much conditioning to NOT be OK with doing anything but focusing on work in the traditional sense. Today I woke up and did some shopping for Burning man in downtown L.A. Explored the fashion district and wholesale toy district. I enjoy being able to enjoy a city that I’ve lived in on and off my whole life but now have a different type of freedom to explore. In any case, the trick for me at the moment is to internalize a feeling of being ‘ok’ with what I’m doing. I want to set off to Latin America knowing that a) it is the right thing to be doing and b) I will be involved with passion in new and exciting things when I return.

This time now is for preparing for preparing for the trips I am setting out on guilt free, and then for enjoying them, and THEN for being present in my life when I return. I think part of the problem is that extended time in L.A. provides me with a certain stagnation, even though there is so much going on. I went to the Sunset Junction last weekend, sort of a hipster-fest in Silverlake. Fun, saw the Buzzocks for a second, met up with D from Santa Cruz. I’ll post a few pics form that day below:

And also this picture, which to me speaks volumes about being back in my hometown, around familiar architecture, culture and religion. And I loved the shot:

Music for Lovers Only

I wanted to post a quick link to a mix put together by my friend “Just” Justin and myself last year. We called it ‘Music for Lovers Only’, a title I’m sure most of you remember from a Jackie Gleason record. This is better, I promise.

Its mostly Jazz and classic Downtempo with a few new beats in there as well. Click below to hear it:

click

And speaking of loving music, I just found an incredible blog called “Awesome Tapes from Africa.” It consists mostly of recordings of tapes that the author bought in Africa and has recorded & posted. I’m listening to ‘Yolele’ from the 8/12/07 post right now and its really incredible. A little bit dark with strings and vibes and a sublime vocal over it.

Still adjusting to L.A. here, trying to explore as much as possible. Slowly getting addicted to the trend that is Pinkberry. Who ever thought of sour frozen yogurt with lychees, Oreos and Mochi balls before?! Its great. I’ve got my complaints too but overall things are nice, with more developments to come.

Playground

In some ways Los Angeles is a giant playground. Especially coming from a place as small as Santa Cruz. I’m feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of culture and activity taking place at the moment. Since I’ve been back I’ve seen an incredible free show consisting of a performance by the Universal Consciousness Orchestra with their tribute to the incredible Alice Coltrane, and followed by a set by Coltrane’s nephew Flying Lotus. I’ve been to Funky Sole, seen Daedalus perform for free at an art opening, found a great yoga studio, and on an on. Beyond all of that I’ve been truly on vacation, with only the greater questions to ask of life and not much of the day-to-day anxieties that are often typical my life. And yet, beyond all of this, beyond the fact that I’m basically quite happy and relaxed at the moment, I feel that Los Angeles is not for me. Owing to the prevalent aesthetic concern and modes of socialization, the traffic, the cost of living. I’m amazed at the ways that I am both attracted to and repelled by aspects of life that make up this great metropolis. I think now that I will spend two months here, peppered by Burning Man and some backpacking, and then start to travel. And then, who knows, maybe I will choose to return here but that decision remains to be made.

Below is a picture from the Universal Consciousness Orchestra show:

City of Angels

Today was the move day. I drove a 15ft. Budget truck down to Los Angeles and have officially moved back home. Its quite a strange feeling really, to move home after 5 years away. Time spent in such a different type of city, in such a more committed way. I all of a sudden find myself without so many of the routines and spaces that I’ve been used to. The room, the house, the walk downtown, room mates my age. Its like I need to psyche myself out and absorb the fact that things are actually different, and will continue to grow more so. This move was really quite easy, very smooth. Some might suggest that this indicates a move that as meant to be. I buy it.

I was in San Francisco last weekend for D’s 30th birthday. Great weekend, lots of people to visit. I went to a photography show at Camerworks SF gallery, a great Non-profit gallery in Mission in SOMA. I was particularly struck by the work of Greg Halpern, who was showing his ‘I’m Afraid I Love You’ series of photographs of Buffalo, NY. The pictures have a strong Egglestonian quality, suggesting a wealth of humanity through their mundane subjects and muted colors. None of the work from the show was on his site, but I included the picture above. Seems fitting for the move I made today.

Beginning the Journey

So, I’m here on my second to last night in Santa Cruz, preparing for a marathon packing day. This blog will host travel stories and photos as they unfold. For now, here’s a picture of the great ice cream (!) cake that was given to me by Steve and Sharon last night at my going away party. Hopefully indicative of sweet things to come.