Category: Sound

Justin Katz (Epic Arts, Paradox Media, Rosin Coven) dropped me an e-mail last week asking me to throw down some HappyFt zaniness for ArtSFest’s Spectra Ball. If it wasn’t for Justin’s support (along with Epic Arts’ Jess Ivry and Tim Barsky), the world would probably never get to hear the meshing of styles and cultures that leak out of my brain’s ears. Looking over this line-up, I’m humbled to be among a throng of amazing performers for this last night of DJing before I head East.

My set is early and I think I’m still doing between act fills. That’s the best way to throw out my many genres and cartoon tangents. Who needs a big set to get the good times going?

Continue reading “4/8/2006: DJ HappyFt Spins @ ArtSFest’s Spectra Ball”

New Year’s night, Tim Barsky wandered up to the Big Tadoo puppet stage at the Sea of Dreams. We ended up hanging out, having a great discussion about history, and he asked me to perform at the Everyday Theatre (EDT) afterparty in early February.

He showed up at the puppet stage a few hours later, and asked if he could beatbox. I said sure, and helped him set up the PA and mic. It was late (Tim’s stint on mic could have been the last performance in the whole Sea of Dreams show) and the PA was loud. He lasted 5 minutes before security tried to shut us down twice. I cut Tim short and he finished at the same time a security guard approached him to tell him to quit.

I have a special place in my heart for beatboxing (Yuri Lane, and Mixtape from Mars with Kid Beyond have been in two of my shows), especially when the performer is a radical storyteller like Tim. Please join us this Sat. to “pass the hat” for Everyday Theatre:

Saturday February 4th
MIXTAPE VOL. 2 – New Works Showcase by EDT, creators of The Bright River and
EDT Afterparty featuring live music by Dr. Abacus, DJs Laird, Aspect & happyft

Show: 8pm @ The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby at MLK, Berkeley
Afterparty at Epic Arts Studios, just two doors up at 1923 Ashby, Berkeley

Continue reading “2/4/2006: DJ HappyFt @ Mixtape Vol. 2″

Embarka Records and Electric Vardo present
A Night in Tunisia with MC Rai: A CD Release Event for Raivolution
January 27th
9 pm -2 am

CELLSpace
2050 Bryant, San Francisco
$10 advance $12 door
Buy advance tickets

Continue reading “1/27/2006: MC Rai Live at CELLspace”

MC RAI :RAIVOLUTION:

ARABIC ELECTRONICA debut from from Embarka Records

Raivolution-The debut album from singer MC RAI. A hard hitting collection of tracks that brings the underground alternative music world to the doorstep of the Sahara. The disk spans the range of styles with Arabesque bumping grooves, Raggaton, Indy Rock, Hip Hop and straight up Rock Anthems. Although the vocals are in Arabic, the emotion that comes off the music is universal and heartfelt.

Continue reading “Embarka Records Debuts”

dearest radical + exotic Organisms,

Warm and plant-like INVITE to Podp’s FIRST 2xX cd Releases Party !!

Podp mixes radical world, global electronica, and recombined bits from the mass media wash cycles into “Pan Optic Radio” Soundscapes for Indymedia and radio worldwide, and occasionally as LiVe performance in special locations conducive to Art and Politics and bridging Theater of Cruelty with resistance. A movement which exists at least since John Heartfield, J.J. Grandville, or Bosch. Today it’s called Culture Jamming.*

In the last few years, Pan Optic has also become an Ost Bloc musika magnet…which is to say: the cruelty reaches a danceable phase, like a war cry at full moon, or lovers in their womb fleeing from the world.

Continue reading “ECR/Podp Berlin Annex Update”

Roma dance class led by Sani Rifati from Voice of Roma.
Continue reading “World Remix Photos”

Go here for more information.

World Remix is a concert series celebrating music traditions from around the world and all the cross-cultural collaborations flourishing in the global community. While respecting the sources of musical traditions, World Remix also wants to recognize the fusion that blends those sources. The event also seeks to bring awareness to the issues facing the peoples in the featured regions. Past World Remix concerts have featured Yair Dalal, Lumin, and the Ali Khan Band and have raised awareness of issues of immigration, national borders, and the struggle between Israel and Palestine.

August 5th, 6th, AND 7th Bay Area Massive!

Music Of Northern Africa with MC Rai and Jef Stott.
Vocalist MC RAI and producer Jef Stott will bring the sound of the Magreb to the Bay Area for a weekend of shows August 5th, 6th and 7th. MC Rai’s brand new CD “RAIVOLUTION” will be available at all shows!

Friday August 5th Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom St
San Francisco
9-11pm
$10
An evening of traditional and comtemporary music from the Northern Saharah and the Mediteranean. The performance will be a fusion of Rai music, dj culture and sufi rhythms of the desert. The Red Poppy art house will be transformed into a verdant oasis of sound as the chill beats and hypnotic music fill the night air. Featuring Suzie Goldenstein on percussion.
Contact todd@redpoppy.org for info

Saturday August 6th
Van Kleefs in Oakland
Too Hip to Handle: Belly Dance Shakes Cafe Van Kleef
Cafe Van Kleef
1621 Telegraph Ave @ 17th in Oakland
Saturday, August 6th @ 8:30 pm
Cover Charge: $9
Belly dance isn’t just for restaurants anymore. Kristina is returning to Oakland’s hippest jazz bar, Cafe Van Kleef, with music by producer Jef Stott on oud and laptop, Scott Sterling on dumbek drum, and vocals from Tunisian singer MC Rai. Their marriage of classic Middle Eastern music and dance with modern sound and movement appeals to venues and audiences not normally drawn to belly dance.

Too Hip to Handle in Wine Country: Belly Dance Goes North
Schellville Grill
22900 Broadway in Sonoma
Sunday, August 8 @ 4pm
Escape from the city for a fine afternoon of fine wine, delicious food, and dance and music from the hottest in Borderless Music from the same talented folks who brought belly dance to Caf? Van Kleef. Kristina, Jef, Scott, MC Rai, and company will be performing their much-lauded set of energetic, original modern Middle Eastern world music for the Sunday afternoon patrons of this extremely popular North Bay hangout. Come enjoy the sun and party wine country style.
For directions and reservations call 510-366-4144.
For more info go to www.thenekyia.org/

Electro Acoustic Music of Eastern Europe and the Middle East

Friday May 27th
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom St. @ 23rd in the Mission District, San Francisco.
415-826-2402
$10
Door 7:30
Show 8-10PM

Electro Acoustic Music of Eastern Europe and the Middle East featuring
Kazakhstani singer Irina Mikhailova and instrumentalist Jef Stott with
special guest Persian percussionist Emam. Lumin brilliantly fuses the
ancient and the modern, a live combination of Sufi trance, Balkan Choir
and modern ambient sensibilities. This intimate performance will feature
sets of traditional acoustic Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey and beyond as
well as live world electronica.

Lumin will be offering advance copies of their latest studio recording
for sale at the show.

Born in Kazakhstan, Mikhailova is an enchantress who sings in a voice
that fuses her native Kazak and Russian roots with Eastern European
vocal styles and Middle Eastern effects. Producer Jef Stott weaves it
all together, playing oud, saz and yali tambur as well as providing a
magic carpet ride of rhythmic samples and sensuous soundscapes to sooth
the soul. The duo will be joined by master percussionist Emam on tabla
and dumbec. Emam is founding member of the world fusion group Ancient
Future and a long time student of Zakir Hussein.

www.luminmusic.com
www.irinamikhailova.com

This nights performance will begin with traditional music for the oud by
Jef Stott. Starting with melodies from Persia and Turkey, we will follow
the migration of this instruments music across the North of Africa,
finally arriving at the South of Spain.

Guitar Box Story is a musical tale of the marriage of the Spanish
guitar, and the Peruvian Cajon (box). Calling upon the spirit of
Flamenco, named by the melodies from Andalucía and the rhythms of
Bulerías, Solea, and Tangos, this duo demonstrates how these instruments
have traveled across cultures and continents, resulting in an
intricately woven song between the voice of guitar and the percussion of
the Cajon.

It’s a great opportunity to experience the musical link between the
music from the north coast of Africa and the south of Spain.

Doors open at 7:30. Show at 8pm.
The Red Poppy Art House is at 2698 Folsom St (at 23rd) in SF. 94110
email: arthouse@redpoppy.net
phone: 415.826.2402

March.05 – ELECTRIC VARDO – Blue.Cube.sF

DAS COLLECTIVE = DJ Dragonfly (gatheringforgood.com) + DJ Sep(KPFA/Dub Mission) + DJ Amar (Bansuri.net) bring you an unique Global experience featuring Live Music, DJs, Dance, Visual Art and Culinary Delights. The focus of this opening night will be on the East: South Asia and Beyond, enticing the crowd with infusions of Ragas from the streets of Calcutta complemented by the spicy flavors of Bengal, moving into rhythmic motion with Bhangra dancers, Live Percussion and DJs spinning Tribal Breaks, Exotic House, Global Chill, Middle Eastern Drum & Bass, and rhythms & melodies from the far off saffron scented lands.

Artists for the night include: the DAS Collective (DJs Dragonfly-Amar-Sep), Live Asian percussion ensemble TABLA RASA, Live middle eastern drum & bass masters LUMIN, Guest DJs SOULSALAAM, JIMMY LOVE and members of the DHAMAAL Collective, Dance performance with DHOL RHYTHMS Bhangra Dance Troupe and FREDERIQUE of Belly Groove, plus a special evening Dinner Lounge with live performances by KITUNDU + SUKHADIA on Phonoharp and tabla, and TEED ROCKWELL performing Hindustani Ragas on Chapman Stick. Visuals by DAS Collective Residents, Art installations by JIMMY LOVE, Guest Chef AMAR, and in house Chef STERLING with Liquid Diva SALIE behind the bar.

Cover: $12 after 10pm, $10 before 10pm or with advance purchase (no cover for dinner guests)

Doors: 7pm – Happy Hour 7-8pm (free entry before 8pm)
Dinner w/ live music: 8-10pm, dinner menu will be posted on new website: www.electricvardo.com
Call 415-259-8629 for dinner lounge reservations ($25 prix fixe menu, walk-ins welcome)
Polo’s Blue Cube is at 34 Mason St. in San Francisco.
Event time: 8pm-4am
www.electricvardo.com
info., advance tix, dinner reservations: 415-259-8629
Online tix at www.jambasetickets.com

Don’t forget that my studio mates are performing with MC Rai (he’s currently working on a great CD at the SoundLab) this Friday at the Red Poppy Go there for more info. Costs $10 for this intimate evening of Middle Eastern music.