[Studio NYC] Press Release : Michéal Castaldo

January 13th, 2012

By Michala Smith | Edited by Jerry Kann

New York , NY — Our friend, musician and olive oil connoisseur Michéal Castaldo, has created another musical masterpiece. His new album, Olive You (subtitled: Classic Italian Songs to Feed the Heart & Soul), releases on January 31st. It would make the perfect gift for “il suo amore” on Valentine’s Day. Directly from his press release:
The album’s lead single and critically acclaimed track, PRAY’R, has already garnered the No.1 spot on Amazon.com’s MP3 Classical Songs Chart in only three weeks from its initial release. Not only did Michéal grab the top single sales slot, he nudged out long-lived chart-toppers like Andrea Bocelli, Sara Brightman, Neil Diamond and Bette Midler. Also, PRAY’R hit Amazon.com’s No.1 positions on the Top Rated Classical Song and Hot New Releases in Classical charts.

You can purchase the MP3 download before the CD releases on Amazon.com. For more information, go to his website at www.michealcastaldo.com.

[Brasil] Artist Profile : Wilson Neto

December 15, 2010

Fortaleza, Brasil — Sitka Creations is happy to have been found by Brasilian artist Wilson Neto (and friends)

By Michala Smith

Mr. Neto is another export from Brasil that we Americans can be envious of. Wilson is a self-taught artist who has been hitting the art scene at full speed since 1996. With more than 20 exhibitions in both the United States and Brasil under his belt, he continues to take the art world by storm, using his own unique sense of style and his zest for the peculiar. He loves to twist popular works of art with his contemporary vision, spinning them right onto book covers, oil barrels, telephones, and postcards. Currently, he is continuing his study of the fusion of “high” art—work you’d see at galleries and museums—with “popular” art—familiar images from animated movies, advertising, comic books, and graphic novels. He is also making headway on how to use his craft on unique canvases. He works as an illustrator for several publications, including Cru-a magazine (an art journal from Portugal), Aldeota (a Brasilian magazine), and several Brasilian government publications and book covers. His colorful perception of art is proof that Wilson Neto is indeed in a league of his own.

Mr. Neto can be reached by email via his site wilsonneto.com.

[Studio MV] Event Review: SAND – Through Our Eyes

By Kelly Kidson

SAND

Sand may be regarded as synonymous with excursions on Martha’s Vineyard, but this past weekend, SAND was something more than simply the soft ground that gives way underfoot.

The exhibit “SAND – Through Our Eyes” was a collection of documentary styled photographs from the Island’s next generation of photographers. SAND opened to a full house Saturday, May 3rd, at the Featherstone Center for the Arts.

SAND is what the all girl collaborative comprised of Sarah Felder, Amy Sertl, Nicole Mercier and Danielle Fogg call themselves; an acronym of their first names. The girls’ collection on display at Featherstone encompasses their work from the last 8 months; exploring the secret and often forgotten places of Martha’s Vineyard. It provided a refreshing “un-island” perspective of life on the Island.

Under the direction of Janis Baer, from the Center for Creative Expression, the girls spent time after school and on the weekends, capturing moments and inspiration from places around the island such as; Webb’s Campground, Cedar Tree Neck, Leonardo Bros. Junk Yard and The FARM Institute. A separate area, the “back porch”, at Featherstone featured SAND’s on location photos for a behind the lens look at the girls doing what they do best; exploring Martha’s Vineyard and taking photographs.

Visitors to Featherstone were greeted with the group’s photo; standing in front of a graffiti tagged “no girls allowed’ wall, reminiscent of childhood camp. Yet, this is no children’s camp; the work presented reflected the talents of a group much older than their average 17 years. Each girl offered their own vision, their own unique perspective on each area of the Island they documented. Sarah stated she wants to create photos that she can “look at and instantly know why she likes it”. I, for one, found myself repeatedly circling back to her “Squares”, a black and white photograph of an abandoned urinal. Amy, looks to capture a moment, a second in time to make it last forever. Nicole, who has been studying photography since the 7th grade, challenges herself with the use of a trusted Holga camera, the effect is stunning. Danielle however, I think summarized the overall feeling of the exhibit. Her biography stated “my life in the photography world is just a beginning spark to the fireworks I want to create”. Girls, we are all looking forward to the future fireworks show!

For more information contact:

Featherstone Center for the Arts
30 Featherstone Lane
Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
www.featherstoneart.org

Additionally, watch for the SAND Exhibit coming to Sitka’s Studio on Hines Point soon!
Details to follow.

Danielle Fogg

[Studio BG] Film Review: The Belgrade Phantom – Beogradski Fantom (Serbian & English)

The Crew at Sitka is happy once again to share a review from our own blogger Lidija Butkovic. Lidija covers all that’s happening in Art & Culture from her vantage point in Belgrade, Serbia. Thanks again Lidija!

The Belgrade Phantom
The Boy Who Shaked The System

The Belgrade Phantom

Based on a true story.
Review by Lidija Butkovic
Photo: Dom sindikata, Belgrade

Director: Jovan Todorović
Screenplay: Jovan Todorović, Bogdan Petković
Production: Emote productions, Belgrade / Tivoli-Film productions, Budapest / Camera Fx, Sofia
Cast overview: Milutin Milošević, Radoslav Milenković, Marko Živić
Genre: Thriller
Duration: 82 minutes
Country: Serbia
Trailer: The Belgrade Phantom Trailer
Distributor: Tuck
Premiere: March 29, 2009 at the Sava Center, Belgrade

During the last year of Tito’s rule, while the president of SFR Yugoslavia was in Cuba attending The Summit of Non-aligned Movement, a mysterious boy with a stolen white Porsche 911 appears in the Belgrade streets. For ten nights he drives through streets of the capital at over 200 kilometers an hour (124 MPH), contrary to traffic regulations, at times even driving in the opposite direction. Each night “The Phantom”, that was the nickname given him by the people, announces his route through the most popular Belgrade radio station “Studio B”. Each time futile, Yugoslav police – Narodna milicija – tries to catch him. Inspector Fanđo, with his Ford car, also joins in the chase of “The Phantom”. What started as a game has turned into a serious political problem.

For more information watch:
The Belgrade Phantom Trailer

—
Beogradski Fantom
Dečko koji je uzdrmao sistem

The Belgrade Phantom

Review by Lidija Butkovic
Dom sindikata, Beograd

Režija: Jovan Todorović
Scenario: Jovan Todorović, Bogdan Petković
Produkcija: Emote productions, Beograd / Tivoli-Film productions, Budapest / Camera Fx, Sofia
Uloge: Milutin Milošević, Radoslav Milenković, Marko Živić
Žanr: Triler
Trajanje: 82 minuta
Zemlja porekla: Srbija
Web: www.tuck.rs
Distributer: Tuck
Premijera: 29. mart 2009. Sava Centar, Beograd

Poslednje godine vladavine Tita, dok predsednik SFR Jugoslavije boravi na Kubi na Šestom samitu nesvrstanih, na ulicama Beograda se pojavljuje misteriozni dečko sa ukradenim poršeom. On deset dana juri ulicama glavnog grada brzinom i do 200 kilometara na čas, ne poštujući saobraćajne propise, vozeći i u suprotnom smeru. Svake večeri Fantom, kako ga je narod nazvao, najavljuje svoju maršrutu putem talasa tada najslušanije gradske radio stanice – “Studija B”. Svaki put tadašnja Narodna milicija bezuspešno pokušava da ga uhvati. U poteru se uključuje i inspektor Fanđo sa svojim fordom. Ono što je počelo kao igra prerasta u ozbiljan politički problem.

Film Beogradski Fantom snimljen je po istinitoj priči. Glavni junak, Vlada Vasiljević, avgusta 1979. godine, “pozajmljuje” automobil Porše Targa 911s poznatog jugoslovenskog tenisera Ivka Plećevića. Vlasnik prijavljuje krađu, ali je milicija sa svojim “zastavama” nemoćna. U zemlji u kojoj politička policija predstavlja stub socijalističkog jednopartijskig režima, njena nesposobnost dovodi u pitanje sposobnost čitavog sistema. Fantom postaje heroj grada koji svako veče dobija sve više simpatizera koji se masovno okupljaju kako bi ga podržali i navijali za njega. I baš ta masa, tih par hiljada ljudi, sprečiće njegovo hapšenje kada mu milicija bude postavila blokadu poslednje noći na trgu Slavija.

Iako je ovo prvenstveno igrani film, u njemu su se našli autentični intervjui i arhivski snimci. Snimanje je i počelo i završeno 2006. godine, ali je komplikovana postprodukcija zahtevala mnogo više vremena tokom kog su igrani delovi filma usklađivani sa arhivskim materijalom i intervjuima. Samo istraživanje trajalo je godinu dana.

Osnovnu emociju ekipe iza kamere više nego dobro izneli su nosioci glavnih uloga. Milutin Milošević (Fantom) je bez ijedne izgovorene reči, samo pogledom i pokretom, uspeo ne samo da oživi ovu urbanu legendu, već i da izrazi postojanje konstantnog prkosa u jednom mladom čoveku. Izuzetno zahtevnu ulogu imao je i Marko Živić (Fanđo) jer se “pravi” Fanđo, inspektor koji se trkao sa Vladom, pojavljuje u dokumentarnom delu filma. Zahvaljujući ubedljivom odgovoru na ovaj glumački izazov, Živića ubuduće sigurno treba mnogo ozbiljnije shvatati.
O Fantomu i njegovim vožnjama u filmu govore i Ivko Plećević – teniser kome je Vlada ukrao poršea, fotoreporter Ilija Bogdanović – jedini čovek koji je uspeo da uslika Fantoma, Marko Janković – novinar u čijoj je emisiji Vlada najavljivao svoje vožnje, kao i njegovi prijatelji i očevici događaja.

Autori su prilično verno rekonstruisali epohu i dočarali nam Beograd s kraja sedamdesetih godina. O kakvom i kolikom je poslu reč shvatiće svi oni koji su prestonicu posetili u poslednjih pet godina – veštom kompjuterskom obradom sa snimaka ulica uspešno su uklonjeni bilbordi i svetleće reklame.
Ipak, ono po čemu će se film najviše pamtiti jesu akcione scene jurnjave kolima po slabo osvetljenom Beogradu. Upravo je to ono što izdvaja Todorovićev film i pokazuje šta je moguće napraviti sa prilično ograničenim budžetom, ali odličnom ekipom i savršenim kapiranjem na relaciji režiser – glumac.

Ovo ostvarenje je dugo najavljivano i očekivano. Ali, što se retko dešava u srpskoj kinematografiji, čekanje se isplatilo. Film je iznedrio jednu novu generaciju, drugačiju ideju i pozitivan stav. Dočekali smo priču o jednom davno prošlom vremenu i jednom Beogradu koji više ne postoji; mit o dečku koji je uzdrmao jedan sistem, ali i priču o jednom narodu koji već tradicionalno proglašava herojima one čije je “čojstvo i junaštvo” prilično diskutabilno. Konačno, bio heroj ili samo dečko s asfalta, Vlada Vasiljević je nesporno (p)ostao urbana legenda.

Za više informacija pogledajte:
Youtube – Beogradski Fantom

[Studio MV] Event Review: Turkish Film Festival @ MFA BOSTON (English & Turkish)

Sitka Creations is pleased to offer the first review by our own Web Marketing Manager, Kelly Kidson. Kelly currently resides in Rhode Island, but as of June 2009 will be covering Southeast Asian Art & Culture from her vantage point in Nong Khai, Thailand.

—
Merhaba Boston!

By Kelly Kidson
Turkish translation by Naim Uygun

Three Monkeys

The 8th Annual TURKISH FILM FESTIVAL opened March 27th to a sold out audience at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The festival was opened by Erkut Gomulu, founder and director of the Boston Turkish Film Festival and was co-presented by the Turkish American Cultural Society of New England.

The film chosen to open the week long festival was Üç maymun (English Title: Three Monkeys); a 2008 Turkish film directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

The title “Üç maymun” refers to the traditional Japanese proverbial principle of the three monkeys that “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”; the same evils which Ceylan’s characters choose not to hear, see or speak of. We follow one family and a troubled politician as they attempt to avoid hardship and responsibilities that would otherwise be impossible to endure. The family endures these trials by attempting to ignore the cause; the truth. The plot centers on the question: Does playing “Three Monkeys” invalidate the truth of its existence?

Ceylan’s style of directing is evident throughout the movie. The film lacks any background music other than an uncomfortable cell phone ring, rain and nature; when asked about this, Üç maymun actor, Ercan Kesal, quoted Ceylan as saying “the music of life is more effective than background music”. Ceylan wants the viewer to make their own emotional connections with the individual characters. For example, he includes a fourth family member, a small boy, who in the movie we never learn the exact story of, but we are certain that both the father and son have feelings of unresolved guilt towards him. Ceylan’s photography background is also evident, the film being filmed in digital and faintly devoid of many colors other than washes of sepia and aqua infused with bright light and dark contrasts. Three Monkeys brought Ceylan the Best Director Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Along with the actress Ayça Damgaci from the film My Marlon and Brando, Üç maymun screenwriter and actor Ercan Kesal was seated in the audience. Kesal accepted the 2009 Boston Turkish Film Festival Excellence in Turkish Cinema Award following the screening in behalf of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who was unable to attend the opening. Kesal also hosted a Q & A session following the movie and joined viewers at the film’s reception. Three Monkeys was Kesal’s first feature film; he jokingly told the audience that had anyone told him in 2007 that he’d be in Boston in 2009, he would have thought that would be a subject for a movie in itself. Kesal revealed to his American audience that he is actually a doctor by profession with a political background. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Anthropology.

The Turkish Film Festival runs at the MFA- Boston until April 5.

Other highlights include:

My Marlon and Brando / Gitmek by Huseyin Karabey – Saturday March 28, 2009 3:00 p.m.

“In March 2003, as American bombs began falling on Baghdad, Turkish actress Ayça Damgaci left her flat in Istanbul and headed for the Iraq border. Behind that cordon was Kurdish actor Hama Ali Khan, the love of Damgaci’s life- her moon and stars, her Marlon and her Brando, her everything. Hüseyin Karabey makes his narrative debut retelling the tale of Damgaci’s quixotic road trip to the war zone, with Damgaci playing herself and Khan appearing in the actual video love notes he sent to her during their time apart.” -Gitmek Facebook Page

Dot (Nokta) by Dervis Zaim – Friday, April 3, 2009 8:00 p.m.

“The film takes its subject from calligraphy; it is also shaped by the art form in terms of both form and content. The majority of Islamic poets interpreted everything in life as a book or a verse and endeavored to see calligraphy in everything animate and inanimate that existed in life. The value system shaping Ahmet, the lead character’s central dilemma thus derives from the moral values typically associated with a calligrapher. Ahmet is, after all, a calligrapher, but one who has committed murder…The crux of the film could be described as an examination of the link between actions, the people behind those actions and their consequences.” – Dervis Zaim, Director & Scriptwriter

Istanbul Film Festival, Turkey (2008): Best Director Award
Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt (2008): Best Digital Film Award

All films produced in Turkey and are in Turkish with English subtitles, unless otherwise noted. See MFA of Boston’s website for full listing for all 13 films and show times.

All screenings take place at:
Remis Auditorium
Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston

Official Festival Website:
www.bostonturkishfilmfestival.org

—

Merhaba Boston!

Three Monkeys

By Kelly Kidson
Turkish translation by Naim Uygun

Bir MFA , Boston’da bir hedef kitleye satmak için 8.YIL Türk Film Festivali 27 Mart akşamı açıldı. Festival, Boston Türk Film Festivali direktörü Erkut Gömülü ve Yeni İngiltere’nin Türk Amerikan Kültürel Topluluğu eş başkanı tarafından açıldı: www.tacsne.org

Festivali açmak için seçilen film Üç maymun idi ( Ingilizce başlık: Three Monkeys ( Üç Maymunlar )). Nuri Bilge Ceylan tarafından yönetilen bir 2008 Türk filmi).

Üç Maymunlar (Three Monkeys) başlığı, üç maymunun geleneksel Japon atasözünde geçen ilkeyi ima eder: “ şeytan görme, şeytan işitme, şeytan konuşma”, Ceylan’ın konuşmamak, görmemek veya konuşmamak için seçtiği karakterlerin aynı şeytanları. Biz; onlar, aksi takdirde katlanmanın imkansız olacağı meşakkat ve sorumluluklardan kaçınmak için teşebbüs ederken bir aile ve bir politikacı izleriz. Aile, nedeni, doğruluğu ihmal etmek için teşebbüs ederek bu denemelere katlanır. Entrika, şu soru üzerine odaklanır: “Üç Maymunlar” oynama, onun mevcudiyetinin doğruluğunu geçersiz yapar mı?

Ceylan’ın yönetme tarzı, film boyunca bellidir. Film, rahat olmayan bir cep telefonun çalması, yağmur ve doğa’dan başka herhangi bir arka fon müzikten yoksundur. Bunun hakkında sorulduğu zaman, Kesal, Ceyla’a “ hayatın müziği arka fon müziğinden daha etkileyicidir.” deyişi gibi aktardı. Ceylan, bireysel karakterlerle onların kendi duygusal bağlantılarını yapmak için seyirciyi ister. Örneğin, o, dördüncü bir aile üyesi dahil eder, tam hikayesini asla öğrenmediğimiz sinema filmde küçük bir çocuk. Fakat, bize, hem baba hem de erkek çocuk çözümlenmemiş (tereddütlü) suçun duygusuna sahip olduğu bellidir. Ceylan’ın fotoğrafçılk geçmişi de bellidir: dijital filme alınmış film, ve mürekkep balığı boyası ile ve parlak ışıkla demlenmiş açık deniz mavisinin çalkantı seslerinden ve siyah tezatlardan başka birçok renklerden zayıf olarak (hafifçe) mahrumdur. Üç Maymunlar ,Ceylan’a 2008 Cannes Film Festivalinde, En iyi Yönetmen Ödülü getirdi.

“Benim Marlon ve Brando” dan aktris (kadın oyuncu) Ayça Damgacı ile birlikte, senaryo yazarı ve aktör Ercan Kesal hedef kitle (seyirciler) içinde oturdu. Açılışa gitmesi mümkün olmamış olan Nuri Bile Ceylan’ın adına perdeyi (elemeyi) izleyen Kesal, Türk Sineması Ödülü’nde 2009 Boston Türk Film Festivali Üstün Başarı ‘nı kabul etti. Kesal, aynı zamanda, bir Soru ve Cevap oturumuna ev sahipliği yaptı. Filmin kabul töreninde küçük izleyiciler katıldı ve film izledi. Üç maymun /Üç Maymunlar (Three Monkeys), Kensal’ın ilk filmiydi; dinleyicilere, kendi içinde bir sinema filmi için bir konu olacağını düşünmüş olacağını, onun 2009’da Boston’da olacağını, 2007’de ona hiç kimse söylemiş miydi şaka yollu söyledi. Kesal, onun Amerikalı dinleyicilerine (seyircilerine), gerçekten siyasal bir geçmişi ile bir doktor mesleği olduğunu belli etti (açığa vurdu). O, halen Sosyal Antropoloji’de bir PhD mesleğini devam ettiriyor.

Türk Film Festivali MFA-Boston’da 5 Nisan’a kadar devam eder.

Diğer öne çıkanlar şunları içerir:

Benim Marlon ve Brando / Gitmek by Huseyin Karabey – Cumartesi 28 Mart 2009 öğleden sonra 3.00

“2003 Mart’ında, bir Amerikan bombaları Bağdat üzerine düşmeye başlarken, Türk aktris Ayça Damgacı, dairesini İstanbul’da bıraktı ve Irak sınırına doğru gitti. O kordonun arkasında, Damgacı’nın hayat aşkı – onun (bayan) ayı ve yıldızları, onun Marlon ve onun Brando’su , her şeyi, Kürt aktör Hama Ali Khan vardı. Hüseyin Karabey, onun sahneye ilk çıkış öyküsünü, Damgacı’nın savaş bölgesine don kişot gibi idealist ve hayalci yol gezintisini tekrar söylettirerek, Damgacı bayanın kendisi ile oynayarak ve Khan hakiki video aşkı notlarında görünerek yapar. O (bay) onu (bayanı), onların birbirinden ayrı zamanlarda gönderdi.”- Gitmek Facebook Page

Derviş Zaim ile Nokta (Dot – Cuma, 3 Nisan 2009 öğleden sonra 8:00)

“Film, güzel yazı sanatından (kaligrafiden) konusunu alır, o, hem biçim hem de içerik cinsinden sanat biçimi ile şekillendirildi. İslam şairlerinin çoğunluğu hayatta her şeyi bir kitap veya bir dörtlük gibi yorumladı ve kaligrafiyi , hayatta mevcut olan canlandırılmış ve canlandırılmamış her şeyde görmek için çaba gösterdi. Değer sistemi Ali şekillendirir, Önde giden karakter’in merkez açmazı (ikilemi) böylece tipik olarak bir kaligrafçı ile ilişkin moral değerlerinden ortaya çıkar. Herşeyden sonra, Ahmet, bir kaligrafçıdır, fakat cinayet işleyen biridir. Filmin en önemli noktası, faaliyetler, o faaliyetlerin arkasındaki insanlar ve onların sonuçları arasındaki bağlantının bir sınavı (irdelemesi) olarak tarif edilebilir. “- Dervis Zaim , Direktör ve Senaryo yazarı

İstanbul Film Festivali, Türkiye (2008): En iyi Direktör Ödülü
Cario Uluslararası Film Festivali, Mısır (2008): En iyi Dijital Film Ödülü

Tüm filmler, aksi belirtilmedikçe, Türkçe ve İngilizce alt yazılar ile Türkiye’de üretildi.Tüm 13 film için ve şov zamanları için tam liste için MFA web sitesine bakınız.

Tüm Sahnelemenin olacağı yer:

Remis Odotoryumu
Hoş Sanatlar Müzesi
465 Huntington Bulvarı, Boston

Resmi web sitesi:
www.bostonturkishfilmfestival.org

“Y.Müh. Naim Uygun, İstanbul, Türkiye tarafından Kelly Kidson’un makalesi İngilizce’den tercüme edilmiştir.”

[Studio MV] Event Review: Loirra Burra & Pierre @ CHE’S LOUNGE, Martha’s Vineyard

By ARIV

“Drive safe, slumbering mules.” This was the gestalt credo of the two bands that combined to shake the drywall off the studs Saturday, March 7th at CHE’S LOUNGE located in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts.

Up first was a three piece progressive-punk setup named LOIRRA BURRA, which is a Portuguese colloquialism that translates interchangeably as, well, we’ll say “slumbering mule” or “ignorant bimbette” (for the sake of causing no offense to you, our dear readers) according to our most trusted dictionaries.

The room was tight and suffocating with the smell of untreated armpits, high school sophomores with too much makeup and not enough sleep, a fake plastic tree enduring a torrential pounding of kick drum cataclysms, a sound engineer leaping over couches and laps to save a wavering tom tom, staccato runaway lacerations and train wreck harmonies, and a Bono-esque excursion into the audience by a flat-cap wielding bass player. All of this was set into a very pleasant froth by LOIRA BURRA, Martha’s Vineyards own, and the prevailing flagship of ABOVEGROUND RECORDS.

Natasha, oh Natasha, the ethereal unreachable ideal of a lover’s broken heart; this is the cold molten core of the headlining band PIERRE‘s lyrical content. Just how do they manage to push through and relieve such a ubiquitous but yet so personal universal angst? Cooper, the lead singer and guitarist explains “we lift amps for strength”.

By an impressive use of dynamics and unkempt hair, the high school heart breakers PIERRE, pummeled threw an extremely compelling and innovating arranged set of classic pop-rock discordant rambles, leaving each member of the audience satisfied as if they had just attended a well managed hors d’oeuvre soirée. In my mind, the set was a little short, they had the audience but there wasn’t enough material; however, all was not lost! Their final sonic ode to youthful incompleteness became the Coda, by an outro soundtrack, laced heavily with Public Enemy, Public Enemy Number One. I’m sure Chuck Dee is a safe driver.

“Drive safe LOIRA BURRA.”

Additional Links:
MySpace | CHE’S LOUNGE

[Studio MV] Event Review: Thievery Corporation @ TERMINAL 5, NYC

By ARIV

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I’ve heard this phrase for most of my adult life, but I never really understood its meaning. Surely everything in my great granddad-esque, mechanistic, deterministic view of the universe can be added to or subtracted from up and down the ladder so to speak so that every little bit is always accounted for. No wool pulled over our eyes and nothing should ever be swept under the rug. Ahh, phrase origins….but that’s another path.

Where we are right now is TERMINAL 5 in Manhattan, NYC on February 25 at approximately 10 p.m.; and the DJ headphone wielding dynamic duo/silver surfers of all things electronica/dub and groove were in the house. Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, the co-founders of a booty-shaking synergistic system of bump and wiggle called Thievery Corporation were on the 5th day of their Northeast tour of the States.

Because of technical difficulties, I missed the opening of their set, but still got to munch down on an excellent buffet of: bass, congas, horns, bare Brazilian mid-riffs, sitar, black leggings housing a Latina songstress, a light show that I got a slight tan from, two horn players that looked like they were peeled off from the bottom of a NYC subway train, a Hispanic percussionist who also shared duties on the mic; channeling lyrics penned from the art damaged mind of David Byrne of the Talking Heads, a wiry olive toned hippie-esque barefoot black toenail polished Hugo Boss suit wearing bass player, a reggae styled guitarist with flam and bouyance whose red scarf seem to blow in a wind that did not exist and three MC’s straight out of Kingston who were dressed like their were ready for a south African jungle safari.

Well anyway, these are the parts that made the whole greater than its own addition. This is truth my friends, I learned something that night, and its not that recording video and smoking pot at a public venue is legal, but I understood why the whole is greater than its parts.

I first heard the latest Thievery album on CD, and honestly, I was not really moved at all. That is because I believe now, that I was just experiencing the parts. Being at TERMINAL 5 and being at ground zero with the live band; my reactions towards the “parts” was vastly transmuted, every song sounded ten times better, every bass thump, and sitar jangle peculated with new meaning and weight.

HEY, I WAS AT A LIVE SHOW!
and the show was great. 10+

EMERGENCE: the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions.

Additional Links:
ESL Music | Artist | Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation

[Studio BG] Event Review: 10th International Guitar Art Festival – English & (Serbian & English)

By Lidija Butkovic

Respect

The 10th International Guitar Art Festival was held from February 7 to 14 in the “Sava Center,” Belgrade Arena and Kolarac Foundation Hall. The slogan for this year’s festival was “Respect”. At one of the biggest European guitar festivals, the Sava Center gathered 30 of the most famous names in classic guitar from 14 countries. The audience had a chance to listen to live performances from Ennio Morricone, Sting and Vicente Amigo. In addition, numerous master classes, lectures, promotions and exhibitions were organized for the Festival.

For more information visit:

www.gaf.co.yu
www.fest.rs
www.kadmusarts.com/festivals

Deseti međunarodni Guitar Art Festival održan je od 7. do 14. februara u “Sava centru,” Beogradskoj areni i Kolarčevoj zadužbini. Povodom obeležavanja jubileja ovogodišnji slogan glasio je “Respect”. Jedan od najvećih evropskih festivala gitare okupio je 30 najvećih imena klasične gitare iz 14 zemalja. Između ostalih, publika je imala priliku da uživo čuje Enija Morikonea, Stinga i Visenta Amiga. Tokom Festivala održane su i brojne majstorske radionice, predavanja, promocije i izložbe.

Guitar Art je zvanično otvoren u subotu, 7. februara, koncertom španskog flamenko virtuoza Visentea Amiga, koga mnogi smatraju naslednikom velikog Paka de Lusije. Ovaj gitarista je do sada objavio pet studijskih albuma i nastupao sa najvećim savremenicima na gitari kao što su Pako de Lusija i Meola, pa čak i sa rok imenima poput Satrijanija, Stiva Veja, Kejta Ričardsa i Boba Dilana. Sarađivao je i sa uglednim autorima kao što su Alehandro Sanz, Sting i Migel Bose.

Sutradan, 8. februara, popularni britanski muzičar Sting je zajedno sa bosanskim lautistom Edinom Karamazovom priredio ekskluzivan koncert, u okviru zajedničkog albuma i turneje “Songs from the Labyrinth” (“Pesme iz lavirinta”). Album čine pesme proslavljenog elizabetanskog kompozitora Džona Daulenda koje su stvarane u kasnom 16. veku, a pisane za lautu i glas. Visoki tiraži i široka prihvaćenost albuma od strane kritike do danas predstavljaju jedan od najvećih uspeha među izdanjima klasične muzike.

Poslednjeg dana Festivala, 14. februara, publika je imala priliku da prisustvuje nesvakidašnjem spektaklu – koncertu proslavljenog italijanskog kompozitora Enija Morikonea.
Ovaj osamdesetogodišnji velikan je najviše prepoznatljiv po muzici za više od 500 filmskih i televizijskih dela, među kojima su najpoznatije kompozicije za filmove “Dobar, loš, zao,” “Bilo jednom u Americi,” “Za šaku dolara,” “Lolita,” “Misija na Mars,” “Malena” i “Nesalomivi”. Pored filmske muzike, Morikone je komponovao više od stotinu dela. Kao dirigent imao je priliku da rukovodi najvećim svetskim orkestrima kao što su Filharmonijski orkestar i hor milanske Skale, Orkestar rimske opere, Londonski simfonijski orkestar i Nacionalni orkestar Španije. Počasni Oskar za doprinos umetnosti filmske muzike uručen mu je 2007. godine.
Poslednje festivalske večeri on je, praćen ovacijama oko 15.000 posetilaca, tri puta izlazio na bis. Tokom trosatnog nastupa, maestro je sam dirigovao svojim stočlanim simfonijskim orkestrom “Roma Sinfonietta” i akademskim horom “Obilić”. Za ovu priliku Morikone je u svoj koncertni program, osim filmske muzike, uvrstio i svoja dela za klasičnu gitaru koja se retko izvode a koja su bila povod njegovog gostovanja na Guitar Art Festivalu.


PROGRAM
7. februar – Vicente Amigo Group
8. februar – Sting & Edin Karamazov
9. februar – Alirio & Senio Diaz, Edin Karamazov kvartet, Kazuhito Yamashita, Vojin Kocić
10. februar – Badi Assad, Xuefei Yang, Pavel Steidl i Gabriela Demeterova, Roland Dyens
11. februar – Dušan Bogdanović, Vera Ogrizović, Srđan Tošić, Aleksandar Hadži-Đorđević, Zoran
Anić, Vesna Petković, Darko Karajić, Miloš Janjić, Zoran Krajišnik
12. februar – Costas Cotsiolis, Zoran Dukić, Aniello Desiderio, Roberto Aussel, EOS Guitar Quartet
13. februar – Miroslav Tadić, Vlatko Stefanovski i Teodosije Spasov
14. februar – Ennio Morricone & Roma Sinfonietta (solisti: Carlo Marchione & Roberto Fabbri)

Za više informacija posetite zvanični veb sajt:

www.gaf.co.yu
www.fest.rs
www.kadmusarts.com/festivals

[Studio MV] Event Review: Thievery Corporation’s Radio Retaliation

Sitka Creations is proud to offer the first of our music reviews by our DJ ARIV. The CD we have chosen for this review is the latest by the Thievery Corporation: Radio Retaliation.

And here it is, thank to ARIV! More to follow in the future.

Is the state of the world getting you down? Senseless rampant murder, greed, gaping inequalities, and the corporate induced decline of our marvelous jewel of a planet, earth, got you a little irked? Maybe even got your ire up? Want to get tough and start to do something to help? Then grab your coolest fedora, liberally splash on some of your most expensive French cologne, and head down to the swankest, hipster-infested social club you know and get political. Start effecting real change towards true global betterment — Thievery Corporation style!
“Radio retaliation,” the fifth studio album from Washington D.C. world/electronic outfit Thievery Corporation, is out to peel some evil dictator’s wig back. Enlisting the diverse talents of Nigerian afro-beat staple Femi Kuti, Brazilian vocalist Seu Jorge, Indian sitar virtuoso Anushka Shankar, and Slovakian violinist Jana Andeuska, T.C. assembles a gritty team of crack commandos to put the fear of god back into big business Enron styled CEO thugs and profiteers.
“Radio Retaliation is definitely a more overt political statement,” says Garza one of the two core members of T.C. “There’s no excuse for not speaking out at this point, with the suspension of habeas corpus, outsourced torture, illegal wars of aggression, fuel, food, and economic crisis. Its hard to close your eyes and sleep while the whole world is burning around you. If you are an artist, this is the most essential time to speak out.”
WORD! FIGHT THE POWER!
Has illegal whale poaching off the northern coast of Japan got your blood pressure up? The solution is simple; just scan the club for a cute little honey, pull her close and jam though the injustice with the deep sub-woofin’ floor poundin’ head bobbin’ dub soaked bounce of “sound the alarm,” the first track on the record. This is classic T.C., with vocal phenomenon Sleepy Wonder pontificating in the booth.
Mandala follows, a high energy track brimming over with generous portions of percolating cosmic sitar, working over a classic breakbeat and at about 130 beats per minute, this track is sure to smack some conscience into sleazy southeast Asian underground slavery bosses and have them come out of the dark and confess their inhumane trespasses against innocence.
And really, what better way to get focused, organized, and proactive than receiving a near contact-high by listening to the eye-glazing thick syrupy Kingston dub title track, “Radio retaliation.” Hey man, we gotta save the planet! But not right now cause it is obvious somebody has a bad case of the munchies. Nuff said.
I can go on like this for every song on “Radio retaliation,” but I think you know what I’m saying, and if you don’t then all I can say is that this record ain’t bad. It’s not a step backward, but there is nothing new to be seen here either. However, it definitely meets the T.C. status quo and really isn’t that what we all want to do, deep down. Meet the status quo — then just chill. Well then keep chillin’ brothas ‘n sistas, keep chillin’.
ARIV.