5/4/2017: World Premiere of Garden of the Peaceful Dragon @ Harlem Intl. Film Fest
"Garden of the Peaceful Dragon" (dir. Daniel Peddle, prod/editing Karim Lopez) premieres at the Harlem International Film Festival in Harlem, NYC on May 4. I did some original music for the film and contributed some recordings by Ocote Soul Sounds. I can't say enough about the magic and the spirit of this film...the protagonist is one of a kind.
Tickets: http://afro-punksci-ficinema.brownpapertickets.com/
Description, from the Harlem Intl. Film Fest site:
"Opening Night, Thursday, May 4, marks the debut of Daniel Peddle’s GARDEN OF THE PEACEFUL DRAGON, which profiles Burley Luvell Benford III, an elderly African-American veteran who occupies an abandoned piece of government property by the beach in Kauai, Hawaii. After being discharged from the Marines, Benford became one of the first employees of IBM and neighbor to Timothy Leary.
A single acid trip changed his life over-night. Ditching his “suit,” he moved to San Francisco where he fell in with the Beat Poets and witnessed the birth of The Grateful Dead. Legendary music promoter Bill Graham hired him to be a bodyguard for his artists and he spent the better part of a decade jet-setting and hobnobbing with stars.
Looking for another dramatic change of lifestyle, he repaired a schooner and sailed it all the way to Hawaii. Three divorces and four children later, we find Luvell homeless, living out of his pick-up truck on the beach. A man whose incredible life story may have been lost to time is vividly rediscovered in this final chapter of his life.
Preceding the screening of GARDEN OF THE PEACEFUL DRAGON will be the U.S. Premiere of Anneta Lauffer’s short film, AFRO PUNK GIRL, and Eileen Byrne’s short film IRIDESCENCE.
Thursday, May 4
7:30 PM (doors open at 7pm)
Kids Against Malaria: Winner of Pulitzer/CUGH Global Health Advocacy Video Award
I am proud to announce a song/video I collaborated last year on was co-winner of the Global Health Advocacy award from the Pulitzer Center/ Consortium of Universities for Global Health.
Collaborators include:
- Unicef / US State Department / Peace Corps
- CIAMO (Center for Music and Art-Ouidah), music director Sim de Souza and CIAMO
- Filmmakers Jon Fine, Sarah DuPont
- Musicians from Antibalas
- Dah Kidjo
- Logozo (Beninese rapper)
- Angelique Kidjo
- Gangbe Brass Band
Here's the video (English / Fongbe) : (Version Français / Fongbe LINK)
Here's the behind the scenes / making of:
Aretha Carnegie Hall Show Photos / Video
I was blessed with the role of musical director (and flutist/baritone saxophonist) for this show at Carnegie Hall last Monday, putting together charts and arrangements for Antibalas, the ace house band for 18 of the 22 songs performed onstage that evening, among them:
- Living Colour "Rock Steady"
- Kenny Loggins "Until you come back to me"
- Melissa Etheridge "I Never Loved a Man"
- Ceelo Green "The Night Time is the Right Time"
- Taj Mahal and Deva Mahal "Chain of Fools"
- Ledisi "Daydreaming"
- Ruthie Foster "Natural Woman"
- Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) "Don't Play That Song"
- Don Bryant (Hi Records songwriter/singer) "Drown in My Own Tears"
- Bettye Lavette "Ain't No Way
- G-Love "Think"
- Todd Rundgren "Since You've Been Gone"
- Sarah Dash (of Labelle) "Dr. Feelgood"
- Naomi Shelton "A Change is Gonna Come"
- Little Kids Rock "Respect"
- Rodney Crowell "The Weight"
- Antibalas "Who's Zoomin' Who"
- Full ensemble with Living Colour: "Respect" (Reprise
Here are some of photos collected from the roving eyes of the Internet.
Antibalas with vocalist Courtney Trice at City Winery NYC 3-7-2017 / Music of Aretha Franklin Afterparty
New Music / Collaboration // "Gracias" by La Banda Bastön
New collaboration with La Banda Bastön (Mexico) and members of Antibalas (NYC) for their latest album "Luces Fantasmas"
This past spring, Antibalas performed at the Bahidora Festival in Morelos, Mexico. The festival was beautiful and amazing, and we made a lot of new friends, including La Banda Bastön, a hip hop group from Mexico City. A few of us stuck around to DJ/perform at a party in Cholula and then we spent some time at the Bastön studios in Mexico City, working on their new record.
The result: the song "Gracias," from their brand new album "Luces Fantasmas."
Check it here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/luces-fantasmas/id1207376131
Nov. 1 "Words Without Borders" Event in NYC
Words Without Borders translates literature and writing from all around the world. They're doing a party/fundraiser to continue their noble efforts in New York City on November 1 at Three Sixty, 10 Desbrosses St. NY NY at 8:30PM. Click on the image above for the event's Facebook link.
I'll be spinning records-- all vinyl -- lots of new, wild wonderful stuff from all of my excursions.
Please come, dance, and support.
TICKETS / INFO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-wwb-globe-trot-tickets-27776880397
On Tour with Quantic this Fall across US & Canada
A few weeks back I got a call from my friend Will Holland aka Quantic asking me to join his four-piece band for a bunch of dates all across North America in October. The group will include vocalist Nidia Góngora and drummer/percussionist/vocalist Wilson Viveros!
Here is Nidia with a Quantic's Ondatrópica group:
How could I say no? I'll be playing flute, tenor saxophone, percussion, and some keyboards. Come and hear us play.
Ocote Soul Sounds with Brownout / Brown Sabbath
A few weeks back we got the boys together for a beautiful night of music. Our first live Ocote Soul Sounds show since 2012.
Here's a REVIEW of the show from Joy of Violent Movement
and more PHOTOS by William Ruben Helms
Fall 2016 Performances with Antibalas
After a brief respite in August, we are back out on the road, debuting unreleased songs from our upcoming album and some old surprises
Summer 2016 Performances
- July 12: Lowdown Hudson Music Festival (Brookfield Place, NYC) with Antibalas and the Roots (FREE)
- July 15: SESC Pompeia Choperia (São Paulo, Brazil) with Antibalas
- July 17: Instrumenta Brasilia Festival (Parque da Cidade, Brasilia, BR) with Antibalas
- July 22: Amsterdam Bar and Grill (St. Paul, MN) with Antibalas (Info/Tickets)
- July 29: Lincoln Center Out of Doors (Lincoln Ctr, NYC) with Antibalas, in collaboration with Davido. (FREE)
- August 10: Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) with Ocote Soul Sounds, opening for Brownout.