Sunday, April 29, 2007

updates

Just played an amazing gig with Kenny Muhammad, Masai Electro, Krussia and Yo Yo Beats. It was the screening of the documentary, Planet B-Boy(www.planetbboy.com) at the Tribeca Film Festival. 6,000 people came out to see the movie and live shows. I rocked with the beatboxers(I tracked them down when Benson Lee, the director, asked me to get some guys together--I have a song in the film, written by Flavio Lichtenthal). I also rocked with MC/poet/singer Toni Blackman. The day was incredible, a groundbreaking, record-setting convergence of talent and positivity. Congrats to Benson Lee and everyone who made this film. It's a major milestone in hiphop and urban culture. The bboy demonstrations, and the ones you see in the film are unbelievable. My friend Ana says the film is definitely worth buying, and she never says that about any film!

Before that, I played with Sxip at Joe's Pub, great show, man the sound is SO GOOD there. Masai came through and joined us on the last tune, and the rafters started caving in.

Before that, I played at Rebar in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Beautiful space, beautiful time, great beers! Hope to play there again soon.

Been working on Roots and Branches, by Jesse Phillips-Fein, a dance piece working with Arab and Jewish youth. We've been meeting with an awesome Debke troupe from Bay Ridge, incorporating some modern-style gestures into their traditional style movements, and I've been providng all the beats for the runthroughs etc. We'll be performing June 2nd at the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival. It should be a beautiful, fun piece. I also collaborated with Jesse at her class she teaches at Brooklyn Friends' School, we worked on vocal sounds and the kids came up with some awesome beatbox/vocal effects/throst singing combinations. It was really fun jamming with them all.

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