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The meeting of the World Exploiters Front (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, recently concluded its annual ritual as it always does, by reaffirming the necessity to defend and expand the enslavement of humanity and the planet earth. The 1% come to revel in the fact that the Swiss government, using Swiss people's money, employs its military and police to protect the sanctity of fraud, pillage, and genocide. This is especially ironic given Switzerland's much lauded direct democracy and citizen army. Such blatant hypocrisy would be bad enough. But given that the army and police are used against the people, including Swiss citizens, who gather to protest outside the WEF enclave, it is effectively criminal. It extends to a massive police presence in the capital of Bern assigned the task of preventing a demonstration in that city against the WEF. Just walking through town that day it was apparent that these cops, armed to the teeth and dressed like latter day gladiators, were positioned to crush any expression of popular outrage. Muted though it may be in this wealthy country, there is widespread outrage. While it is not clearly enough directed, it is still so disturbing to the bankers and businessmen who control the state that they would rather risk losing the facade of democracy than actually face an aroused populace in the streets. The day of reckoning may be forestalled but it will not be for long. Dr. Doom, aka Nuriel Roubini, gave his prognosis at the WEF meeting and it was bleak. Of course, the populace-particularly of Europe-already know that. It's just interesting to hear one of their own admit that nothing the International Mother Fuckers (IMF) can do will prevent the collapse of their system. It's furthermore, of more than passing interest, that the founder of WEF, Klaus Schwab, himself declared that, “Capitalism, in its current form, no longer fits the world around us,” This can only mean that those whom the WEF represents, are themselves seeking a new form for their rapacious plunder. What might that be? Perhaps, the Chinese model=capitalism without the figleaf of democracy. It certainly looks that way in Bern when even a small outcry is suppressed by thousands of riot police. There are some differences with old-style fascism, for example, the colors of the uniforms and the insignia on the flags. More significant is the enduring hope-wishful thinking, really-that some crusading liberal will come along and save the day. Sorry, folks, that only happens in the Lord of the Rings. Here in the real Mordor, it doesn't work that way. Social democracy is finished and either we realize that and fight for substantive change or we join the line to the abattoir. Oh, it will undoubtedly look like a shopping mall, but it will be a slaughterhouse nonetheless. Instead we must see clearly, think imaginatively and act in unity. We must heed the call of our greatest poets, like Percy Byshe Shelley, who wrote: "Rise like Lions after slumber
2011 will long be remembered as the year when the spell was broken. Capitalism could no longer hide behind a veil of carefully constructed illusions, it was exposed before the world as a disaster. While this had begun to emerge with the first waves of the financial crisis in 2008, capitalism could still maintain a shred of credibility by referring to this as merely a phase in a boom-bust cycle. What turned this into a crisis of legitimacy were the revolutionary storms rolling across North Africa and the Middle East. Quickly joined by the Indignados in Spain and the Occupy Wall Street movement across many countries, it became impossible to ignore that capitalism was being indicted in the court of public opinion for crimes against humanity. The charges: 1. totalitarian rule by a small group of banks and corporations-completely undemocratic and beyond the rule of law, 2. total destruction of the planet earth and all its inhabitants by plunder, waste, pollution and war. Suddenly, mainstream media were made curiously irrelevant. Young people were no longer persuaded that what they read in the paper is true. For one thing, young people no longer read the paper-they're more likely to read Wikileaks. For another, they no longer subscribe to the ideology-blind faith, really-that Progress is the Future and if they just work hard they will get their fair share. Not only because there are no jobs. The endless hoarding of more, more, more is NO FUTURE. Now the young-from Cairo to California-are pointing the finger at the tyrants who have robbed them of any chance to invent a new one! Not only is the equation right-we ARE the 99%-but the consequences of everyone having to think about that fact are unavoidable: Revolution is once again the horizon of possibility. Of course, this poses specific questions for those of us old enough to have participated in the revolutions of 1968 not to mention those even older who participated in those preceding. Thus, the role of mass movements, political parties and state power are being reexamined in light of their renewed relevance. Such questions take particular form from country to country and region to region but they share certain features that are universal, demanding everyone's attention while offering the basis for internationalist solidarity. What, after all, is the common good? What can protect and preserve for the great majority of people the resources of bountiful nature as well as the education, health and welfare of future generations? What can put an end to war, poverty and environmental degradation? Since it is now strikingly obvious that capitalism is the problem and not the solution what will its replacement look like? The new year has only begun. It will undoubtedly be fraught with deadly conflict-just like all the old ones were. But 2012 has this hopeful aspect: what we think and do matters. We can change the world. Therefore, we must.
This month's installment is slightly delayed due to the fact that I was in Ireland and out of internet range until December 5th. The trip was part of the effort to organize the James Connolly-Songs of Freedom project discussed in the October and November news. I went to the National Library in Dublin to see and photograph what may be the last extant copy of the original song book. I discovered that the book differs in certain respects to the reprint that was made in 1925 by the Cork Workers Club of which I obtained a copy early this year. For one thing, the songs contained in the original are not all or even mainly compositions of James Connolly himself, his role being to assemble and introduce them. In the book of more recent vintage, most of the songs are by Connolly. Another difference is the introduction in the original which was written by Connolly and contains his famous declaration of the significance of poetic expression to any revolutionary movement. It concludes with the ringing words, "Until the movement is marked by the joyous, defiant, singing of revolutionary songs, it lacks one of the distinctive marks of a popular revolutionary movement; it is a dogma of a few, and not the faith of the multitude." The more recent book begins by quoting this statement in full but adds an important explanatory note: "This little songbook is based on a selection of songs and recitation which were performed at a concert, given by James Connolly's comrades of the Socialist Party of Ireland and the Irish Citizen Army, to commemorate the anniversary of his birth. The concert was due to be held in the Mansion House, Dublin, on the 5th of June, 1919 with members of the Citizen Army, described in the Souvenier Programme as the "Red Guard of the workers," acting as stewards. However, British Imperialism, which had executed Connolly only three years previously, was intent on coercing those who would, "seek a vent in song, for the aspirations, the fears and hopes, the loves and hatreds engendered by the struggle" and accordingly, the concert was proclaimed under the Defence of the Realm Act (D.O.R.A.) When the people arrived for the concert, they found the Mansion House guarded by armed police and many more police positioned in the nearby streets. Immediately, fully armed groups of the Citizen Army were mobilized. A Citizen Army officer who was trying to resist arrest, fired on the police; his men followed his example and Dublin had its first shooting since Dan Breen and his comrades raised the standard at Soloheadbeg. Several policemen and one civilian were wounded. Later that night, the proclaimed concert was held in the Trades Hall. While the police and the "Red Guard of the workers" faced one another in the street outside, the "joyous, defiant singing of revolutionary songs" could be heard coming from the building." This should give readers today some sense of the circumstances surrounding both versions of Songs of Freedom. Arising as they did out of what was in fact a mass revolutionary movement they are monuments to their makers and to the cause they served. But they are more than that. First of all, some are strikingly beautiful lyrically, evoking powerful emotions even when read on the printed page. Though somewhat archaic in linguistic terms-popular speech has evolved considerably-the meaning is nonetheless abundantly clear as is the literary quality which speaks highly of the intelligence and education of the people who were their audience. Secondly, leaving aside a few specific references, these songs are as pertinent today as they were a century ago. Indeed, stylistic considerations notwithstanding, they could have been written last week. What Ireland faces now is the loss of its sovereignty to the lords of capital in the guise of the IMF and the renewed immiseration of its people. Once again the prospect of mass emigration stalks the land (estimates as high as 100,000 leaving in each of the last two years). Under the banner of "austerity" the working people of Ireland are being told they must shoulder the burden of capitalist crisis. If there was ever a time when James Connolly's leadership were needed it is now. It is in this spirit that the James Connolly-Songs of Freedom project has been undertaken. We will republish both the original song book and the version produced by the Cork Workers Club accompanied by a recording of ten songs whose lyrics were composed by Connolly. In addition will be a couple of songs about James Connolly as well as James Connell's classic, The Red Flag. We hope to begin recording in February, 2012 and bring the project to completion by the end of Summer. A stellar cast of Irish, American and Swiss musicians has been assembled, mixing the influences of traditional Irish music with those from other countries. This is especially significant because as James Connolly wrote in his introduction to the original songbook, "this small bouquet of songs, culled from a very limited garden, is offered until some one with greater means shall present to the American Working Class a more suitable collection drawn not from the store of one nation alone, but from the Socialist poetry of the World". He goes on to add that while every song in the book is written by an Irishman, "This is in no spirit of insularity but rather is meant as an encouragement to other Irishmen and women, to take their part and do their share in the upbuilding of the revolutionary movement of the Working Class." There is much more to report but I will leave off here so as to get this posted. Stay tuned for more info in a couple of weeks.
This is the second installment of regular monthly news-and the news is good! October 31 we finished mixing Yvonne's Moore's new album, Blue Wisdom. Halloween is for night creatures, the Owl of Minerva flies at dusk, and an owl adorns the cover of this album, so it's a fitting day to celebrate the completion of a long and fascinating journey. Funny thing is, what took two years of preparation took two days to record! Not that we planned it that way, exactly. But we all knew how right it was to do these old songs the old way. For a very long time-many decades in fact-this is how recording was done. Musicians played live perhaps hundreds of times and then rushed in to the studio for a few hours or a couple days to record what they performed on stage. In our case it was lots of listening, lengthy discussions, detailed preparation, and plenty of trial and error, that led to inspired performances in the studio. We are very happy with the results. Within the next few weeks details of the album's release will be available on Yvonne's website. The other news this month concerns the James Connolly-Songs of Freedom project and my soon to be broadcast radio show Radio Free Everybody. The radio show is scheduled to be broadcast in January, 2012, the exact date is yet to be determined. It will appear once a month from January through June and if there's an interested audience we will continue. The main thing visitors to this site should be aware of is that while the show is broadcast terrestrially and is available within a hundred kilometer radius of Bern, Switzerland, it is also available online at the Radio RaBe website. There it can be listened to as a podcast or downloaded as a sound file plus it remains in the archive indefinitely. We have already recorded four of the six programs and I will give a complete list of my guests and the topics we covered in next month's installment of the News. As for the James Connolly-Songs of Freedom project, we continue the process of fundraising while simultaneously planning the recording. If we do well with the fundraising we should be in the studio sometime between January and March next year. Our overall target for having the recording and the republished songbook available is late summer or early fall 2012. As you can imagine a large ensemble including 10 or perhaps 12 musicians is as much a feat of organization as of musical performance. It's the exciting prospect of bringing these songs to life that makes it all worthwhile. Connolly's stirring lyrics are more timely than ever and their appeal is international, not only to people in Ireland. For more information on James Connolly check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Connolly The news would not be complete without a status report on my book. Many friends and colleagues have inquired about this project in the last few months due not only to interest in what I am doing but also to the length of time it has taken to get to where I am now. I began seriously working on a book about San Francisco in the Sixties in the middle of 2007. My motive was largely indignation at all the hype and hoopla surrounding the fortieth anniversary of the "Summer of Love" – a non-existent event that has come to be regarded as historical fact. It took the next three years to complete the research. This meant reading more than three hundred books, many essays and articles, viewing documentaries and archive film as well as listening to music from the period. It also entailed 100 hours of interviews and the necessary transcription of the recordings. Now all this effort might seem unnecessary given the fact that I was not only an observer but a participant in the events I am writing about. I was 16 and an active musician living in San Francisco in 1967 and I know that this "Summer of Love" stuff is bullshit. Proving that, however, is another matter. The first thing I discovered upon embarking on my project is that there is no need for yet another of the accounts that have routinely appeared in every succeeding decade since 1967, more often than not retelling the same story, using the same source material and arriving at more or less the same conclusions. But there's no getting around the fact that these innumerable books, essays and documentaries have also to be accounted for as they have come to comprise "the historical record", such as it is. It is not enough, therefore, to simply give my own version of events. That would at best be a memoir, perhaps of some interest but not nearly as important as the task as I have come to conceive it. What the world needs is not "another book about the Sixties" but a radical critique of what has become, in part, legend and lore but, more insidiously, the "standard narrative" appearing even in school textbooks and academic journals. Since in many respects this narrative is seriously flawed-in parts, downright false-it requires a thorough reassessment which in turn requires accounting for the narrative itself. In other words, not only "setting the record straight" but showing how the "record" was created and by whom. In 2010 I contributed an essay to the City Lights published, Ten Years That Shook The City (scroll down this page for more on the book). This is a fine collection of essays that begin the task of reassessment I am calling for. After completing my entry, When Music Mattered, I expected to immediately continue writing my fuller, more detailed exploration which would then become my book. But I was swept away with talks and tours and music so that in the end I had to postpone book work until January 2011. Between January and June I worked more or less full time writing. At that point I had to, once again, suspend operations for my 60th birthday celebration and the performance of Irish revolutionary songs which would evolve into the James Connolly-Songs of Freedom project. This was immediately followed by work on Yvonne's new album which brings us to the present. I resume writing now with approximately half the book completed. But I have used the hiatus to do some reevaluation, particularly in light of the events of this year, 2011, which are not only deeply inspiring but raise anew the need for a radical reassessment of the period they most resemble-namely the Sixties. If 2011 can be compared with any other year within living memory it is to 1968. Revolution is once again on the world's agenda, suddenly, our horizon of possibility. The System is once again the target of the "99%" suffering its depredations. Differences between the two periods are also significant and no comparison should overlook them. But the fact that a young man in Tunisia, Mohamed Bouazizi, would burn himself alive in protest thereby igniting an unprecedented revolutionary storm is a stunning reminder of similar self-immolations which were a hallmark of the Sixties. Also significant is that a highly educated and cosmopolitan generation demanding freedom closely resembles their forbears four decades ago. Toppling despots and targeting the US and European neo-colonialists while inspiring youth in Spain, Greece, the UK and the US to mount mass movements against capitalism is further evidence that a break in the dumb repetition of casual atrocity is now at hand. Last but not least I would like to call attention to the publication of an essay I wrote, Making Music A Racket, which appears in the latest issue of a great online magazine, Stir: Please check it out and comment.
Visitors to this website will have noticed the irregularity with which news is presented. I plan to remedy that situation by providing monthly updates starting with October 2011. Earlier attempts to achieve consistency were foiled by the demands of travel and the erratic schedules inherent in music production and performance. At the same time, maintaining contact with friends, colleagues and the general public has only increased in importance which requires making some changes. To begin with, different projects require different methods of presentation. If my work were focused solely on writing songs and playing in a band, then the "news" and the "live dates" format on this site would be perfectly suitable. They were, in fact, designed for a musician's itinerary in the first place. For the last several years, however, while I've continued to write songs and perform in various formations, I've nonetheless been increasingly occupied writing books, essays and speeches as well as composing music that does not fit into the rock band or popular music format at all. As a matter of fact, the projects I have lined up for the next few years are mainly of a different type than those I've been engaged in previously. Before going into the details, though, I want to call attention to what this website is for and how it can best be used.
Gil Scot-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011)
The poet is dead Gil Scot-Heron, the poet, is dead The poet is dead – No Jump Jim Crows, no Minstrel Shows, no coon songs, Toms or showbiz
Ten Years That Shook the City:
A collection of first-person and historical essays spans the tumultuous decade from 1968, the year of the San Francisco State College strike, to 1978 and the twin traumas of the Jonestown massacre and the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. This volume provides a broad look at the diverse ways those ten years shook the City and shaped the world we live in today. From community gardening to environmental justice, gay rights and other identity-based social movements, anti-gentrification efforts, neighborhood arts programs and more, many of the initiatives whose origins are described here have taken root and spread far beyond San Francisco.
Yvonne and I were approached by Andi Reinhard, a dear friend and fine musician, with the idea of making a tour of Swiss Prisons. This was inspired by an acquaintance of Andi's, Peter Zimmermann, who had spent 30 years in prison himself and had subsequently started an organization, Reform 91, with the goal of contributing to the rehabilitation of prisoners. Since 2010 marked the 20th anniversary of Reform 91 it seemed an opportune time to celebrate its work with music. Yvonne and I enthusiastically agreed to join Andi and the band he is a member of, Notty's Jug Serenaders, in preparing a program to present in whatever prisons would invite us in. Since Reform 91 had contacts in many prisons throughout Switzerland it was their task to approach the institutions with the idea.
November – Swiss Prison Tour Yvonne and I are doing a tour of Swiss Prisons. Our purpose is to support rehabilitation, to offer solidarity and to use music to inspire the struggle for change. We will be joined by our good friends, Notty's Jug Serenaders. Each group will do a set and then we will play together in what we now call the "Tour de Prison Band". Here are the dates. Please note, there are two that are open to the public. Tour de Prison
This year I collaborated with another good friend and artist, Raoul Ris, making his book «bernsehen – bilder & texte. I contributed one of 25 essays/stories to accompany Raoul's fine work. I will also be playing music a the vernissage.
Mat Callahan's San Francisco 26 Dezember 2010 28 Januar Please join me and Shirley Grimes, Yvonne Moore, Sam Baur, Rafi Woll and Wolf Zwiauer in a celebration of San Francisco as I know and sing about it.
Yvonne and I recently returned to Bern from a two week visit to the US. Plans for the trip had been underway since December 2009 when professors at two colleges extended invitations to perform and lecture at their respective schools, American River College in Sacramento, California and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, two other opportunities arose fortuitously adding to the trip's agenda. The first was the completely unexpected discovery of a large cache of video tape documenting the Looters' two tours of Nicaragua, one in 1983, a second in 1987. These tapes had been stored and forgotten in 1998 following the closure of Komotion and my impending move to Switzerland. I had long assumed they were gone forever when my dear friend Mark Pistel contacted me to say he'd found them while clearing out his storage locker. With the gracious assistance of Thad Wharton and Jim Johnson the tapes were rescued and brought to a new facility on a temporary basis with the understanding that they would ultimately find a home in an archive where they could be properly preserved and made available to the public. It was Thad's idea to contact Freedom Archives in San Francisco to see whether there was interest and capacity to handle the project. Thankfully, Freedom Archives had both the interest and the capacity and an important new component was added to our trip. With the thoughtful assistance of Claude Marx, the tapes were delivered and checked to see if they could still be viewed after more than 20 years. Then they were catalogued in preparation for transfer to new storage mediums (hard drives) on their way to being made available to anyone interested in seeing them. This will take some time as there is a lot of material, some shot by crews from Sistema Sandinista Television, in 1983 the official government broadcaster, and some by crews sent with us to Nicaragua by Island Records in 1987. Last but not least, there are tapes shot in San Francisco that were used in a video by Val Landau and Nina Serrano called "Back From Nicaragua" which included not only the Looters but other notable performers such as Joan Baez who'd done concert tours in support of Nicaragua's struggle for independence against Reagan's Contras. Eventually, you will be able to view this material by contacting Freedom Archives: www.freedomarchives.org As if this were not enough, another exciting prospect emerged when a number of us began speaking of a reunion of members and supporters of Komotion International, the artists collective I helped to found in 1986. This started, as is so often the case, with casual remarks made while imbibing alcohol in sufficient quantity! In other words, Claude Palmer and I started talking about this back in December 2009 without any idea of how to make it happen. Once the subject had been broached to a number of Komotioneers-namely, Robin Balliger, Josef Brinckmann, Li'l Mike Martzke, Richard Olsen and Celeste Connor-it became apparent that enthusiasm was general and that we should indeed organize such an event. This eventually took place on September 18th and was a high point of our visit. Not only were many in attendance but it was clear that all of us continue to pursue the creative and social interests that brought us together so long ago. It was particularly inspiring to hear Alejandro Murguia read his poem about Che Guevara accompanied by Claude Palmer's improvisation on the oud. Hopefully, there will be further collaborations and explorations that will carry forward the spirit of Komotion in the future. Prior to the Komotion party, our first public appearance was at a celebration of the birthday of Leonard Peltier. This event was organized by the American Indian Movement (AIM-West) and held at La Pena in Berkeley on September 12th. For those who are unfamiliar with his case, Leonard Peltier was incarcerated 35 years ago for a crime he did not commit, the killing of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Space does not permit a full account of this case but suffice it to say that Leonard Peltier was in fact jailed for being an AIM member and militant opponent of injustice, specifically that injustice perpetrated by the US government against native peoples going back centuries. The fact that Leonard Peltier has remained steadfast in his support for all people struggling for peace and justice while suffering the brutality of imprisonment sets an inspiring example for us all. Free Leonard Peltier, immediately! (More information is available from wikipedia and other internet sites. Also, everyone is encouraged to send letters of support to Leonard Peltier #89637-132 USP-Lewisburg US Penitentiary PO Box 1000 Lewisburg, PA 17837) Next, we drove up to Sacramento and American River College where I delivered a talk to a Music History class and we performed at a dedication ceremony for murals created by students in the Ceramics Department that were installed in various sites around the campus. This ceremony was given greater urgency due to recent budget cuts directed especially at arts education in California. At American River College this has led to the layoff of numerous professors and the reduction of the number of courses offered. Opposition to these cuts has been growing, however, and a big part of the dedication ceremony was calling attention to the role of art in society. In fact, the event was given a title: "The Importance of Art in Society, a mural dedication" and it was presided over by one arts professor, Thomas Powell, who gave brief but clear arguments in favor of an expanded role for arts education. This was further attested to by students who spoke of how art directly impacted their lives. The following night we performed at the E Street Gallery & Studios in downtown Sacramento, an event hosted by Linda Gelfman and her partners in the workspace. We performed among beautiful paintings, sculpture and pottery to a welcoming audience composed of artists and musicians from the area. It was thanks to Linda that we were in Sacramento in the first place since it was on her initiative as a professor in the Ceramics Department that we were invited to American River College. We concluded our visit to the West Coast with the Komotion party and then it was on to Boston. Upon our arrival we performed at a house concert organized by professors from Berklee College of Music and Northeastern University, Victor Wallis and Inez Hedges, who were also our gracious hosts. The concert was well attended and we were greeted with warmth by an audience comprised of academics and activists from the Boston area. Next day, I delivered a talk on Music and Historical Memory at Berklee. Three professors brought their classes to fill the David Friend Recital Hall. Combined with the talk Yvonne and I performed songs which illustrated how contemporary composition can make use of historical themes as subject matter. This was followed by lively discussion with the students and faculty. In an extended question and answer period it became abundantly clear that for these young musicians there was a lot more to making music than getting a gig. I found it exciting that so many focused on substantive issues regarding content and purpose in composition and performance. What are we trying to say and toward what social ends? Particularly refreshing was finding so many young people with so few illusions about the music industry. Of course, file sharing, copyright and other current affairs are without a doubt controversial and require clarification. But it was evident that this group of musicians was not buying the line fed them by the Record Industry Association of America and other business mouthpieces. Perhaps most importantly, they expressed an enthusiasm for music and for critical inquiry in an institution that supports these qualities above all. We were left with a very positive impression of Berklee, its faculty and its general approach to education. Our brief tour now completed we headed for home. We took with us some fond memories and a sense of accomplishment. We want to warmly thank all those who made our visit so rewarding. We hope to see you all again.
Rio, Berlin, San Francisco, Boston
Our visit to Rio de Janeiro was rich in experiences and ideas. As I explained in the previous news entry, Yvonne and I were invited to participate in a conference organized by the Copy/South Research Group. We also performed a brief concert at the end of the proceedings. What many people in the global "North" are not aware of is the intensity with which issues of copyright and patent are being fought in countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, South Africa and the Philippines. In most of the world far more is at stake than teenagers downloading music or the music industry creating moral panic. There are constitutional crises (particularly in Bolivia) that involve the sovereignty of states and call into question the form international relations take, namely the UN and its subordinate organizations (WIPO, WTO, etc.) and various treaties such as the Berne convention. It is inspiring to see how broadly people are mobilizing to resist the neo-colonialist agenda rich countries are pursuing by way of copyright and patent law. Long after decolonization took place formally, the original Conquistadors have reimposed their dominance by using treaties and other legal instruments all based on the Berne Convention of 1886. (link to article: here) This is now being contested in different ways by different countries and by social movements. Copies of the speech I delivered to the conference will be available on this site shortly. The conference itself was composed of seven panels in three days. These were titled: 1.Piracy, File sharing and Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) The presentations provided a great deal of data, analysis and insight. The positions were diverse yet all were highly critical of the copyright system and the injustices it perpetuates, particularly in the global South. Participants came from many countries including South Africa, Chile, Bolivia, Cuba, the Philippines and Brazil. New frameworks for thinking and organizing were offered as well as reports from concrete struggles presently underway-for example, the Pirate Party of Brazil. Also, the current process unfolding now to radically reshape the Bolivian Constitution. This is but a quick glimpse-for more information please visit: www.copysouth.org We did have a chance to explore some parts of Rio during breaks and in the evenings. Also, we stayed a few days after the conference was concluded. We were fortunate to meet a wonderful group of people including some from and familiar with Rio. This enabled us to enjoy camaraderie and lively discussion along with some local perspectives. Visiting any great city one can only catch the most superficial glimpses in so short a time. This is certainly true in the case of Rio- a huge city of more than six million. Nonetheless, the spectacular natural surroundings-the great Bay of Guanabara, the Sugarloaf and Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer), to name just a few-make even a glimpse fantastic. Not surprising, the music we heard was great, the musicianship stellar and the diversity compelling. In a few short days we heard traditional samba, Rio Funk, a Brazilian form of reggae, bossa nova and jazz. We were fortunate to be given the gift of one Cariocas' (native of Rio) personal favorites compiled on dvd. It was a most memorable trip indeed. Next, we will be flying to Berlin to share a stage with my daughter Shannon, Friday August 13. This is a show at the Natur-Park Schöneberger Südgelände with Shannon Callahan Band and Friends. The show is called, Summer Songs Outdoors! On our way back to Europe, we stopover in Boston for a concert Monday night September 20th and a couple of talks at Berklee College of Music September 21st. I'll be furnishing updates on our return.
The month of April was packed with music. Mat Callahan's San Francisco, featuring Shirley Grimes, Yvonne Moore, Sam Baur, Rafi Woll and Wolfgang Zwiauer, played a series of concerts that were a rousing success. The band had such fun together we decided to continue and hope to do another series of concerts at the end of 2010. In the midst of all this, Yvonne and I did a pair of shows in our duet. Quite a contrast to the thunder of the San Francisco band but nonetheless warmly received and enjoyable to do. Last but not least, we began work on Yvonne's latest endeavor: Blue Wisdom. This included rehearsing and arranging songs for a recording which we completed at the end of the month. It's the first step towards bringing this music to the public sometime this Winter.
The band that originally recorded my album "San Francisco" back in 2001 reformed in May, 2009 for one special performance. This was the Tribute To Fabian Kuratli held at the Dampfzentrale in Bern. The entire event was a glorious celebration of Fab's life and music, the example he set and the projects he contributed so much to. I was fortunate to have worked with Fab on many occasions but it was truly a gift to have him working on my own music. His contributions appear throughout the recording, "San Francisco", in percussion he played and the ideas he provided. Reassembling the band was a joy in itself because not only are the musicians all dedicated and accomplished but they are among my closest friends. Of special note was the addition of Sam Baur who took Fab's place with grace and skill. After the performance we all agreed that it would be a shame not to go out and play again. Yvonne Moore volunteered to organize the concerts and so here we are getting ready to hit the road. The band features Shirley Grimes, Yvonne Moore, Sam Baur, Rafi Woll and Wolfgang Zwiauer. We are performing the entire album "San Francisco" plus a few selections from "A Wild Bouquet" which was recorded in San Francisco prior to my move to Europe. A few notes about the album "San Francisco": I wrote this at the end of the 20th Century when I still lived on 17th Street in the city's Mission District. I attempted to capture the moods, the characters and the sounds of the streets in my neighborhood. Naturally, this included my moods and how the clashing clamor affected me. Originally, I intended to record the album in San Francisco and, in fact, the earliest demos were made there. But even as I was writing the songs I was in transition. I had been invited to work regularly in Switzerland and through very good fortune I met Wolfi Zwiauer and Fab Kuratli while working on Shirley Grimes' album "New Waters". Over the course of 18 months Wolfi and I worked together organizing the whole project and it is to Wolfi I owe a great debt of gratitude. He was my collaborator on everything from playing, arranging, recording, mixing and editing. He also introduced me to Rafi Woll who, together with Fab and Wolfi formed the powerful rhythm section that drives the whole album. Without Wolfi this album might never have been completed. We'll be playing a series of shows in April. We hope you will join us and share our pleasure in performing this music. If you want to listen to or purchase the album please visit this site: brokenarrowrecords.com
Dear Friends: The big news now is the release of the latest duet CD "Burn The Boogeyman". Yvonne and I are excited about this since it is the culmination of a year's hard work and not only our own. In addition to the preparation and performance of the music we had the assistance of a number of good friends in completing all the tasks involved. To begin with we had the wonderful photographs, taken by Linda Gelfman, of the El Cucuy burn in Albuquerque which both inspired the title of the album and provided the artwork for its cover and booklet. These were then given artful graphic design by HP Walser who did the same excellent work with our previous album "Welcome". For the recording we had the benefit of engineer Adi Tosseto's experience and his delight in music made the old fashioned way. This means getting the best sound from a real performance, not something artificially constructed afterwards out of pieces recorded at different times. The desired result is created by the musicians and the engineer. It is only assisted by the machines. Making this available to you was the task that fell to Thad Wharton of Broken Arrow Records and, thanks to him, one can access the recordings, the graphics and even T-shirts via various internet links. Please visit the duet site (matandyvonne.com) for all the details.
Dear Friends, Here is a message from Broken Arrow Records: With excitement we let you know that Mat's great album "SAN FRANCISCO" is now available for the first time in the U.S., and worldwide. The album was recorded and released in Switzerland in 2001, but was generally unavailable outside of the country. Further it has been out of print since 2003 – until now. Callahan's "San Francisco", is an epic and utterly distinctive portrayal of his American hometown; it's characters, excentricities and adventures. Featuring the compelling songwriting that is a hallmark of this author/musicians' work, "San Franciso" boasts grand, soaring arrangements with full harmonies and choruses that were a great and favorite trademark of his trailblazing work with the Looters. The first 3 songs are as exciting and powerful as anything he has done, and send the listener off on another exhilarating voyage, truly separate from the normal offerings of popular rock music... starting at "The Land of Miracles" This is actually Mat's most recent recording with a full band, and what a band it was. A stellar lineup of musicians from Bern along with the familiar names of Naomi True, Yvonne Moore and Mat's daughter Shannon who together provide glorious vocals and harmonies. Long-time friend Joe Johnson joined Mat for the first time since he left the Looters after "Jericho Down". The album is currently available exclusively on our website and Mat's, in both digital and physical form (not yet available anywhere else). As well, single songs are available for download. THAD WHARTON | BROKEN ARROW RECORDS
May 22, 2009 15 h Dampfzentrale Bern
A Tribute To Fabian Kuratli Fab was a master musician, inspired teacher and dear, dear friend to many people. I first met Fab in 2000 while working on Shirley Grimes' album "New Waters". We subsequently worked on three more albums together including my own, "San Francisco". Fab's contributions always went beyond providing excellent drumming and percussion. He was engaged emotionally and intellectually in the creation of each project bringing to them his lively, humorous spirit. Often a short remark or an unusual choice of instrument would open up a refreshing approach to a song that would give it just the "vibe" it needed to realize its potential. This was born of a profound commitment to music, to musicians and to community. That's why Fab used his influence within a wide range of musical projects and genres to bring together people in his Musikfestwochen which provided a platform for adventurous exploration outside the commercial mainstream. This is a model that all of us should learn from and use. In many conversations I had with Fab he spoke of the need for musicians to devote some time and energy to such collaborative effort. It might not provide any direct reward such as a gig or money but it would further the cause of music, in the long run benefitting everyone. This gave great encouragement and support to me, personally, for which I am most grateful. It certainly makes me want to rededicate myself to those ideals Fab held so dear. At the Dampfzentrale on May 22, 2009 we will be joining in a celebration of Fab's life. The body may be gone but the spirit lives on in our hearts, in our good works, and most of all, in the groove.
– New CD Preparations for the recording of a new CD have occupied the last two months. We begin recording February 9. We hope to have project completed by the end of February. The Komotion Archive Project is a major new undertaking. It involves archiving all the music, poetry and other performance recorded during Komotion's 11 year run between the years 1986-1997. It also includes the digitization of all the print magazines, album covers and other graphic art produced during this period. We are trying to raise the funds to complete this task. Please look at the short film available on this site (under films) for background information on Komotion International. Contact me directly for more information on how you can help. There will be more news shortly. Stay Tuned!
Mat and Yvonne get ready to record Alex von Hettlingen Thad Wharton
As banks drop like flies and panic stalks the Stock Exchange it's worth noting that this has been an ongoing story for more than a decade. I was living in San Francisco when the mass hysteria called the dot.com bubble was at its peak and everyone believed we'd arrived at an unprecedented departure in human history where money actually grew on trees. The collapse that followed precipitated the next round of speculation until, amidst various wars and terrorist attacks, not to mention stolen elections and other nefarious schemes, the boondoggle reached extremes that have everyone wondering what actually happens when the sky falls. "Uh, can the sky really fall?" "I dunno but I can make you a special deal on these umbrellas I have in stock." I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles And don't forget these chestnuts roasting on the open-fire: A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, without any product or service being delivered. It has been known to come under many guises. A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that involves promising or paying abnormally high returns ("profits") to investors out of the money paid in by subsequent investors, rather than from net revenues generated by any real business. It is named after Charles Ponzi. Last, but not least, the cardinal rule of capitalism:
Mat and Yvonne Say: No Dal Molin! Yvonne and I traveled to Vicenza Italy to participate in the second annual No Dal Molin festival. Dal Molin is the name of a civilian airport approximately 1.5 kilometers from Vicenza's historic city center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). It is this airport that the US government wants to turn into a military installation to house several thousand members of the 173 Airborne Combat Brigade Team. Plans for the base were developed behind closed doors by the US and Italian governments sometime in late 2003 only coming to light in 2006. When residents of Vicenza began to question these plans they were met by evasion and threats first from the Berlusconi government and then by Prodi's short-lived one. But the questions persisted until an alarmed populace began to mount a determined resistance. This quickly developed into a mass movement involving people from every walk of life. Not only were they never consulted about a construction that would have a serious impact on their lives, the idea of yet another American military base (there are already three others in the area) raised profound questions about everything from Italian sovereignty to environmental degradation to the folly of war itself. In a climate of widespread opposition to America's invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the generally bellicose rhetoric of the Bush regime the issue of Dal Molin became a rallying point for a wide range of people for whom enough is enough. Fabian Kuratli
Today is the anniversary of the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima. This event remains controversial due to the weapon's inherent destructiveness as well as the reasons it was used. On the one hand a device with the potential to destroy all human life was actually deployed, demonstrating for all to see what awesome power rested in the hands of the United States government. On the other, the justification for its use-namely that it hastened the end of the war thereby saving lives-has been thoroughly exposed as a fraud. It is beyond all reasonable doubt that Truman and some of his advisors were determined to drop the bomb at all costs and did not want Japan to surrender until they had the chance to do so. An article that appears in today's Guardian provides sufficient evidence to convince any but the most die-hard defenders of US policy of the veracity of this claim. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/06/secondworldwar.warcrimes) Of course, the folly of the act was revealed in its result. It not only failed to deter the Soviet Union which was the Truman administration's real objective (nor had it any bearing on China "succumbing" to the Red Menace soon after) it led to the Soviet Union producing its own bomb and the subsequent proliferation of nuclear weapons that continues to this day. The fact that by the 1960s there were already enough bombs stockpiled to destroy the world-not only once but many times over-gives us some indication of the madness of MAD (mutual assured destruction) which was and tacitly remains the policy of the United States. I suggest that anyone who believes that this state of affairs is sane consider having their own heads examined. That might be more productive than trying to reconcile a logic of victory whereby everyone is killed, including oneself. If sanity has any usefulness as a description or measurement of healthy brain function then the perpetrators of this wholesale terror are not sane. The sooner one divests oneself of the notion that these people are "reasonable" because they wear suits and ties, meet in great palaces and appear shaking hands on TV the sooner one can begin creatively working on solutions to the problem.
I missed the June entry to "News" due to a number of factors. First, my trip to San Francisco provided a quantity of data far greater than anticipated and this has taken weeks to sort through and catalogue (a process not yet complete). I had the good fortune to conduct several interviews with, among others, three members of Country Joe and the Fish (Joe MacDonald, Barry Melton and Bruce Barthol), RG Davis, founder of the SF Mime Troupe, Joan Holden who played a pivotal role in the Troupe following Davis' departure and Joel Selvin (who also provided invaluable research assistance). I want to thank all of these good people for graciously sharing their time and thoughts. Perhaps more importantly, I hope to do justice to their insight which derives from rich experience and from which there is much to learn. In addition to the interviews were visits to three libraries: San Francisco Public Library, Media Resources Center at the Moffitt Library UC Berkeley and the San Francisco State Library. With the help of some conscientious librarians I was able to locate numerous documents relevant to my project and begin the slow process of assembly necessary to both determine what has already been presented to the world (and what has not) as well as verifying or refuting my hypotheses. I will write more soon on what exactly those hypotheses are but suffice it to say that while many fine books have been written on music and politics in San Francisco during the Sixties there are a number of important questions that need to be more fully explored. In fact, as 40th anniversaries are now upon us, the Sixties are being extolled or excoriated in many media today. This, however, is generating more heat than light thereby obscuring rather than clarifying events of great significance. In other words, from the SF Mime Troupe to the Jefferson Airplane, from the Diggers to the Black Panther Party, from the Acid Tests to Zap Comics, from the Free Speech Movement to the New Communist Movement, from Sly and the Family Stone to Santana, concentrated in a small region in a short span of time was a musical renaissance and a social revolution whose impact continues to resonate. Just pouring through the documents and interviews gathered so far has proven to be a large task. And there is much more to do. As soon as I returned to Bern I was off to Italy. It was a much needed break after almost six months of touring, writing, performing and recording. As it turned out, Bush was coming to Rome for a stop on his "goodbye tour". I had been corresponding with an organization called US Citizens for Peace and Justice, Rome and they were participating in a demonstration to indict this war criminal publicly. We were invited to participate at the demo and to play a concert a couple days later. Pictures and reports are available on the website mentioned above. Please have a look. No matter where you're reading this from you will no doubt be encouraged by the efforts this group is making. You will also find that they are connected with like-minded folks in Florence. That is where we went after our short visit to Rome. We met some of the group there and played a concert in the middle of a large street festival called Notte Bianca organized to celebrate the summer solstice, June 21. We were very happy to make the acquaintance of some fine, dedicated people whom we now consider our friends. We will certainly return to Italy to join them in their work. Upcoming in July: July 11 at Kiental Yvonne and I will be performing.
We got back from our East Coast tour in late March. Having spent almost two months on the road I had a lot of catching up to do. In part this was because, before departure, I was engaged to write a twice weekly blog for Allvoices.com. (you can visit the site: www.allvoices.com, if you're interested) Meanwhile, a small pile of requests for articles had piled up on my desk and I had to hunker down to getting them done. Of special note is a review I wrote for Down Home Radio about a truly wonderful book, "American Folk Music and Left-Wing Politics" by Richard Reuss. You can read the review at the Down Home Radio Show website. http://www.downhomeradioshow.com/ On the musical front, there are two new projects underway. First, is that Yvonne and I are preparing to record new album of our duet at the end of the year. We are working with Broken Arrow Records to coordinate a worldwide release and a summer festival tour next year. If you visit one of our concerts, in the meantime, you'll likely hear us trying out the new songs to get them ready for recording this Winter. We are not done traveling this year, however, as we will be playing in Ticino and Italy during the summer. Check out the Duet site for more info. Secondly, I am proud to announce that I was asked to produce An Lar. As their website says: "An Lár (Irish for “the center”) has gained a reputation as one of the most vibrant Celtic Folk Bands in Switzerland in the past few years. Their mix of traditional and contemporary tunes and songs from Ireland, Scotland, Asturias and Brittany enriched with their own material is full of energy and sense of style. Besides the exciting arrangements, a typical An Lár concert features strong lead vocals and the musician’s great virtuosity on a multitude of instruments." In other news, I'm going to San Francisco in a few days to do more research for my next book. As I've written in my newsletter, I'm working with newly founded PM Press on a study of music and politics in San Francisco in the Sixties. While this is, in one sense, my own story, I am not writing an autobiography. While my own experience will certainly inform what I say, I want to provide a more comprehensive view that, hopefully, will explain why San Francisco was the site of a musical renaissance and a social revolution that continues to resonate to this day. This requires pouring over the materials in various libraries, hence my visit to San Francisco. It may come as a surprise to those used to using the internet but a vast amount of data has not been digitized and is only available in the old fashioned form of print (books, newspapers, photographs, posters, etc.). By year's end I hope to have what I need and to begin writing the book. There'll be more news in June. Stay tuned!
Dear Friends: I received this message a couple weeks ago. I agree with its contents wholeheartedly and hope you will consider them carefully. thanks, Mat
To Mumia Abu-Jamal -- my brother in this Struggle; and your family, I offer you my warmest greetings. How appropriate, after so many Perhaps it is destiny that we would find ourselves incarcerated so Perhaps it is destiny that we arrived at a similar truth -- that we Perhaps it was destiny that we were unable to stand idly by with Given the choice of lying down to die or standing up to live, we chose While acknowledging another setback for Mumia in the lack of a new We are every man, woman and child who desires to see a sunrise in a I pray and I live for the day that we meet as free men, and embrace Free Mumia! In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do. Friends of Peltier
We just got back to Bern from our tour of the East Coast. From our first concert to our last we made new friends and introduced our music to new audiences. In Hartford we performed a benefit concert for the Hartbeat Ensemble. This is a fine theater troupe that also teaches drama in Hartford's public schools. Between our sets they showed a film of a play students had written and performed. It was a great example of how arts can play a vital role in education. From Hartford we went to Boston where we played an open mic at the Club Passim. We hope to return there for a proper concert next tour. Then it was on to Willimantic where we performed at a storefront community center known as Wrench In The Works. Both the Hartford show and the Willimantic show were accompanied by performances on local radio stations so the turnouts were good and the public was definitely there to hear our music. The efforts of the organizers of these events were noteworthy and we were very warmly received. In the next few days I'll be posting some news about upcoming events and projects.
There are two noteworthy events in February. First, Yvonne and I are playing a concert in Berlin Secondly, we're joining my daughter, Shannon Callahan, to celebrate the release of her debut album, "Nectar". All of the musicians appearing on the CD will play at this special event. Join us! In March, Yvonne and I will be heading to the East Coast for a tour. Please check the tour dates and come to a show near you. Meanwhile, there is more news to report. In my last update I mentioned that I'd begun work on a new book. Now, I have a new publisher as well. With their help I hope to complete interviews and research this year. Writing will commence thereafter. For more info please contact: PM Press Also, PM has wisely decided to employ the services of a booking agent which will greatly aid in the popularization of the authors and ideas it publishes. Anyone interested in hearing a presentation of the views expressed in "The Trouble With Music" should contact: Jen Angel/ Aid & Abet,
The year begins with: I've concluded a deal for my new book with PM Press. For more information please contact: PM Press We'll be touring the East Coast in March. For more information please contact: Thad Wharton We'll be touring the Northwest in October. For more information please contact: Jess Grant <jessg@speakeasy.net> Finally, we plan to end the year by recording a new album. But we'll be playing the songs all year long and you'll get to hear them if you come to see us play. Stay in touch.
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Content January 2012 October 2011 May 2011 Book Review Autumn 2010 Rio, Berlin, San Francisco, Boston May 2009 November 2008 September 2008
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A RECLAIMING SAN FRANCISCO BOOK