May 2010

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.
Meanwhile, I was invited to attend a conference in Rio de Janeiro June 27-30 organized by The Copy South Research Group. The Group's work addresses "issues in the economics, politics and ideology of copyright in the global South". Please visit their website for more information at: http://www.copysouth.org/

The invitation was a result of my book, "The Trouble With Music" and the questions it raises about "intellectual property", specifically file sharing, copyright and music. It is often forgotten in the wealthy countries of the global "North" that more than two thirds of the world's population has no computers and is not connected to the internet in any way. Moreover, the manner in which the great majority of the world's people are affected by copyright or patent is in a life and death struggle with giant corporate and state interests over land, water, mineral and agricultural resources and products. Songs, stories, fabric design and other creative products are also involved but not in the way it is portrayed by the Entertainment industry in its highly publicized campaign against internet "piracy". Indeed, the problem is quite the reverse in many cases involving indigenous peoples or cultural traditions that have brought into the world a vast treasure trove the Disney Corporation or Universal Music would like to get their hands on to turn into their property. I've written elsewhere about this and I invite people to look in the newsletter archive (on this site) for more details. Furthermore, a paper I originally presented to the European Consortium of Political Research in 2009 will be published in July by the periodical "Socialism and Democracy". It is entitled: "Distinguishing Friend From Foe in the Intellectual Property Debate" and can be accessed by purchasing the magazine or visiting their website: www.sdonline.org.

Later this year Yvonne and I will be returning to the West Coast for some concerts. We hope to have the itinerary in place soon but at the moment we can say we will be appearing in the San Francisco Bay Area in early September. Between now and then I hope to make significant progress on the writing of my next book. As many of you know it concerns San Francisco in the Sixties, particularly the intersection of music and politics. At present I am wrapping up the transcription of more than 60 hours of interviews I conducted over the last three years as well as completing other research. It is difficult to predict how long a project of this scope will take. I had hoped to have it done by the end of this year but I know now it will take a good deal longer, perhaps until the end of 2011. In any case, I am frequently reminded how necessary such a history is. Mostly this comes in the form of spurious attacks and relentless efforts to discredit that fill most media. The Sixties, according to these sages, were no more than "an intellectual and moral wasteland whose only worthwhile contribution to Western Culture was a handful of memorable songs". (that's Mark Goldblatt from the rightwing National Review) Naturally, this just further fuels my indignation giving me more energy to continue. I will furnish updates of my progress in future installments. Stay tuned!

 

Mat Callahan's San Francisco

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

 

September and Beyond

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.

In mid September we'll be heading down to Italy for some concerts. The highlights will be a benefit concert in Florence for the women's group Libere Tutte followed by a concert at the Arcobaleno in Rome where we performed last year. The Arcobaleno is a warm, inviting social center that hosts diverse events, cultural and political. We'll be visiting with our friends in US Citizens for Peace and Justice in both Florence and Rome and hope to contribute to their dedicated work. Upon our return we'll be touring Switzerland in support of "Burn the Boogeyman". Hope to see you somewhere along the road.

Meanwhile, I've been working on a number of writing projects as well as participating in related conferences. In July a piece I wrote for Socialism & Democracy, "The Nature of the Beast", was published. It can be found at www.sdonline.org. September 12, I will present a paper on intellectual property to a panel convened by the European Consortium for Political Research in Potsdam, Germany. The paper, called "Notions of Property and Property in Notions", is an exploration of contradictory claims, for example, those made by large corporations and those made by musicians, farmers and indigenous peoples. It is a product of my engagement as an NGO at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and with Pete Seeger's proposal which I originally presented in Geneva in 2006. The most recent paper will be published soon. Visit this site or write to me directly for more information on how to get a copy. Lastly, I contributed a chapter to a book on San Francisco in the Sixties that is being organized by Chris Carlsson and will be published next year by City Lights. I believe it will be called "Ten Years That Shook The City" and my piece is concerned with the role of music. There will be further announcements closer to publication but I'm sure you can visit the City Lights website to find out all about it – http://www.citylights.com/publishing/

Amidst all the forgoing activity I'm still working on my own book about San Francisco in the Sixties (title to be determined). The research goes well and I've reached the point where I can begin writing. Almost. There are still some interviews to transcribe, a few more to do and a small mountain of books to plow through before I'll be satisfied my grip on the subject is sufficient. But my visit to San Francisco in March this year made the parameters clear, provided much of the material I need and deepened my conviction that the book is necessary. There are not only gaps and obfuscations in the public record that need to be filled and clarified, there are important questions of history, music and philosophy that must be addressed. For example, what is being effaced by commemoration? (this year it's Woodstock, next year Kent State, maybe...) The paradox here is that our attention is being drawn to something in order to prevent us from seeing it. We are convinced Woodstock is important by virtue of the fact that it is being commemorated while we are learning to forget the reasons it happened in the first place. This is not unlike the way magic tricks work. We may yet ask if it remains important because the music made since pales in comparison. But this then turns historical and musical developments into matters of taste; aesthetics separated from lived life. What were decisive moments of public involvement in history making become mere trifles for private consumption.

Forgetting isn't always a bad thing. It can be useful to disabuse oneself of false notions and waste no more time thinking about them. It can also be most helpful to get over the pain of injury, physical or emotional. But the forgetting that's being prescribed in regards to the Sixties is akin to Prozac being prescribed for unhappiness. It is the careful orchestration of masks whereby a mystery is manufactured out of events which actually occurred for concrete and knowable reasons. Indeed, there are important lessons to be learned if we remember what we were fighting against. This is why it is not enough to marvel at the music-although that's a great place to start. One must come to grips with, A, the Vietnam War and the Black Liberation Struggle which occupied the attention of millions upon millions of young Americans at the time and, B. Revolution of some kind-political, cultural, spiritual or all three-was underway and was viewed as a necessary step towards human liberation. While glimpses of this certainly poke through in many accounts it is nonetheless the overriding message that those were crazy times never to be repeated, thank God! Meanwhile,the movie of Woodstock is definitely worth watching if for nothing else, Richie Havens' stunning performance – just be sure to ask yourself who was crazy and who was sane.

I'll be reporting on all the above in coming installments. Stay tuned!

 

 

July 1, 2009

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"
                ("...comes Miss Tiffany, and she says 'don't give up'...),
venturing "Out West"
            ("don't remember too many buckaroos, but do remember Black Panthers, Little Red Books and the Family Stone"...),
missing the Mission "They All Come Down"
         ("half expecting Jesus to appear on 16th Street, because they all come down, to my neighborhood"),
visiting "St. Anthony's"
              ("...go down Golden Gate and Jones, put some flesh back on my bones...")
and ending "At My Father's Grave"
              ("wondering what remains of him, here inside of me...")

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
1395 San Carlos Ave., Suite C, San Carlos, CA  94070
Ph.: 650.654.1700 | Fx.: 650.654.1700
twharton@brokenarrowrecords.com | http://www.brokenarrowrecords.com
SF

 

May 22, 2009 15 h Dampfzentrale Bern

A Tribute To Fabian Kuratli
24 January 1970 – 6 August 2008

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.

 

January / February 2009

– New CD
– New Book
– The Komotion Archive Project

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.
We are going San Francisco in March where I hope to complete the research for my new book. The remainder of 2009 will be devoted to performing our new music and writing the new book.

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!

 

November 2008

Mat and Yvonne get ready to record

As the year winds down Yvonne and I are gearing up to make another album. The response to "Welcome" has been overwhelmingly positive and we are encouraged to continue. Even in today's anxiety ridden climate-particularly within the field of music making-we are enthusiastic about recording and hopeful about getting the result to its intended audience. Mind you, this is not about "business" as in Music Business (or any other profit making venture, for that matter). We need to sustain our efforts as does anyone but the point of all this is not to "move units" as the industry puts it. Rather, we seek to establish a living connection with people like ourselves who share our love for music and for life. We are confident that with sufficient work and careful planning we can make that connection and thereby contribute to the struggle all of us are waging to make the world a better place.
Presently, we are rehearsing a new repertoire developed over the last year to be recorded in January. As many of you know, we consider our music "organic" in the sense that its ingredients do not include the toxins routinely introduced into the music making process by the corporate-controlled Entertainment Industry. To begin with, the songs are written from our own experience and heartfelt conviction. They are not made to order by purveyors of "pop" pabulum to be foisted upon hypnotized consumers. They are not made for "consumers" at all. Indeed, we view our music as being part of an exchange between producers, or put another way, between people who are productive. Not only do we all have to work for a living but more fundamentally, we are all working to make a Life. If we bring our albums to market it is with the hope that they will nourish in the same manner the farmer we buy our lettuce from nourishes us. What would please us greatly would be if that very farmer (whom we visit every Tuesday morning in Bern) found our music as healthful as we find his vegetables!
Meanwhile, we have recently enlisted the aid of Alex von Hettlingen who will take on the booking of concerts for us. Alex is an old friend and veteran of the music scene in the Bern region. For a number of years he was responsible for organizing shows at the well known venue the Bären in Münchenbuchsee (a town near Bern). We are grateful for the interest he has taken in our music and the invaluable assistance he will provide in helping us reach our audience. Along with Thad Wharton of Broken Arrow in San Francisco we now have the basis for greatly expanding our efforts in the US and in Europe. Thanks to both of these guys for their enthusiasm and support.
We will keep everyone informed of the album's progress but we expect to have it available in early Spring 2009. If you want more information regarding either live performance or recordings please contact the following:

Alex von Hettlingen
Schulhausstrasse 10
3052 Zollikofen
Mobile +41 (0)76 412 02 99
booking@matandyvonne.com

Thad Wharton
Broken Arrow Records
1395 San Carlos Ave.
Suite C
San Carlos, CA 94070
650-654-1700
www.brokenarrowrecords.com
info@brokenarrowrecords.com

 

October 2008

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."
There had long been a few lonely voices suggesting that there might be a problem with a three trillion dollar war being lost while the US was no longer making anything it could sell except debt. The facts on the ground were for the "reality based community" and this had been superceded by Empire, our Empire which could do as it wished. Well, well, well. Just how old this story is-and how pathetic-is clear enough when one considers that the following song was published in 1919-

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.
They fly so high,
Nearly reach the sky,
Then like my dreams,
They fade and die.
Fortune's always hiding,
I've looked everywhere,
I'm forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.

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.
Pyramid schemes are illegal in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Malaysia, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Iran. These types of schemes have existed for at least a century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme

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.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme

Last, but not least, the cardinal rule of capitalism:
"There's a sucker born every minute."-PT Barnum
ps: it was later stated that ol' PT actually said "customer", not sucker. But what's the difference?

 

September 2008

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.
The festival itself was an enthusiastic expression of solidarity involving many local residents, young and old, in building and maintaining a large site that resembled a town. Two stages, a large kitchen and dining area, a radio station, information booths, book stalls and more were set up in a field donated by a local farmer much to the chagrin of those in authority who'd blocked usage of other public sites. Among the performers were world renowned dramatist, Dario Fo, widely influential journalists Marco Travaglio and Oliviera Beha and numerous musical and theatrical groups. In addition, a series of debates were held that engaged hundreds of people in lively discussion. Yvonne and I were warmly received by an appreciative audience. Clearly, the fact that I'm a US citizen was part of this. While most Vicenzans know that the American people and the American government are not the same it helps to have an actual American state this openly. Furthermore, it is of no small significance that people far and wide are making this struggle their own. It is no longer a local matter only concerning residents of Vicenza or, for that matter, Italy. What it has already achieved has repercussions far beyond one particular locale or country.
First of all, construction of the base has been effectively delayed for more than a year. Though the authorities constantly spread disinformation designed to convince people that the base will be built regardless of their protests this is by no means a foregone conclusion. The spirit of resistance has taken root and is spreading with unpredictable consequences for the US and Italian governments. There is mounting opposition in other parts of Italy including movements such as No TAV against hi speed trains, in Chiaiano near Naples against a hazardous rubbish incinerator, a committee against a new Italian base at Mattarello in Trento all gathering under a pact of mutual aid and lending support to the No Dal Molin campaign.
Second, and most important, this sustained, well organized expression of the popular will has provided an inspiring example of what happens when people unite. As one young activist told me, "What we see here in this movement is equality. All of us together for a common purpose." That this is a far cry from and far better than the phony "democracy" referred to ad nauseam in tedious speeches by politicians is obvious to anyone who has experienced it. The lesson is clear: only by mobilizing the citizenry can there be a citizenry. Only by making public demands in the public sphere can there be a public informed and empowered to act in the public interest.
That this lesson is not lost on the powers that be was made painfully obvious when the police attacked a peaceful demonstration which took place in front of Dal Molin on September 6, the day before we arrived. If the intended result was to intimidate the people of Vicenza then its failure was made immediately apparent by an hilarious "Oscars" ceremony held on September 10 in front of the world renowned Teatro Olimpico in the center of Vicenza. This satire included the screening of a short film (the winner of the "Oscar") showing the police assault. The rally was a spirited act of defiance as well as a means to build for a larger demonstration planned for Saturday, Sept. 13.
While we could not stay due to commitments in Switzerland, we received reports that approximately 8,000 people turned out in the pouring rain to march from the Teatro Olimpico to Dal Molin. In a short email, Stephanie Westbrook of US Citizens for Peace and Justice in Rome told us: "We left from Teatro Olimpico and marched out toward the site of the new base. Before leaving the center they put up a colorful cardboard tower made by the No Dal Molin children to see if riot police would charge in and tear it down...Started raining half way through. We put up another tower at the site of the new base. 200 police in riot gear inside the fence, but this time they stayed 30 meters away. The No Dal Molin Fanfara Band led us in music, plus music and speakers from truck. Much talk about police violence the previous Saturday, and the upcoming referendum (Oct. 5). Calls for resignation of police chief. Most demonstrators arrived at festival. Main tent packed. We were all soaked but in good spirits."
The referendum Stephanie refers to is to enable the citizens of Vicenza to decide the future of Dal Molin. Not surprisingly, Berlusconi has stated that this will have no bearing on the actions of the central government. Apparently, his definition of democracy is passive acceptance of whatever he and his cronies say or do. But for the people of Vicenza any mandate he might feasibly claim to have since being reelected Prime Minister does not include making Italy a colony of the United States. Nor can it overrule the inhabitants of a region who want to determine what happens where they live. Ironically, the Lega Nord that blusters so much about "independence" for the industrious northern Italians from their supposedly lackadaisical southern counterparts, has said nothing about Dal Molin. Apparently, independence for them means complying with the wishes of a foreign occupier, namely the US. But such confusion and corruption are common in politics these days, not only in Italy but throughout the world. What the movement in Vicenza offers is a genuine alternative; a challenge to all the parties and politicians without exception. While there is a diversity of views amongst those opposed to the base certain themes, continually articulated, form a growing consensus: an end to war and militarism, protecting and nourishing the environment-particularly air, water and food, and the vigorous defense of human rights. Guided by such principles this struggle gives all of us the opportunity to actively participate in changing the world. We want to express our gratitude for and solidarity with those making their stand in Vicenza. No Dal Molin!

Fabian Kuratli
24 January 1970-6 August 2008
musician, teacher, friend
his life was an inspiration to all who knew him
he set an example of dedication and integrity we all can learn from

 

August 2008

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.
Meanwhile, I continue working on all the projects I've mentioned in previous entries here. Production of An Lar's new album is underway as is work on the next Duet album due to be recorded in January. Research continues on my book including reading dozens of other books and articles as well as continuing to interview participants in the era (see May and July news for more on the project). And, of course, Yvonne and I continue to perform with some regularity. A visit to the Duet website will fill you in on all the details. A new installment of my newsletter is planned for September and some articles I've written for other publications will soon be available. (I'll announce the actual dates and links when I have them)
If you're in the neighborhood and are so inclined, drop by one of our concerts and say hello.

 

July 2008

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.
July also marks the beginning of the An Lar project mentioned in my last news entry (see below)
Also, I am preparing another newsletter for publication in September.

May 2008

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."
http://www.anlar.ch/site/e/home.html
I can attest to the truth of that statement. I consider myself a fan of their music and it is with great pleasure I join them to make their next recording.

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

April 18, 2008

To Mumia Abu-Jamal -- my brother in this Struggle; and your family,
friends, and supporters.

I offer you my warmest greetings. How appropriate, after so many
years, that I now send you word from a cage housed in the very same
state as yours.

Perhaps it is destiny that we would find ourselves incarcerated so
near, under similar circumstance, by similar forces, using similar
excuses, for a similar love of our people.

Perhaps it is destiny that we arrived at a similar truth -- that we
had to stand in opposition to a similar oppression.

Perhaps it was destiny that we were unable to stand idly by with
similar brutality all around us, and similar violence thrust upon us,
as the only means to survive.

Given the choice of lying down to die or standing up to live, we chose
to live. Standing up and living is our only crime in this, the land
of the free and home of the brave. Our dream is still alive, and as
hunger striker Bobby Sands once said, you can lock up the dreamer but
you cannot place chains around an idea.

While acknowledging another setback for Mumia in the lack of a new
trial, I am hopeful for the new sentencing hearing on April 19. Like
so many before us, our smaller victories will one day result in our
ultimate triumph, and we will carry on the Struggle until that day.
For we are one, and we are many. We are forever, we are timeless. We
are Crazy Horse, we are Geronimo, we are Mumia, we are Leonard
Peltier, we are Malcolm X, and we are Martin Luther King. We are the
voice of justice and natural living. We are the American Indian
Movement, we are the Black Panthers, we are MOVE, we are the Viet
Cong, we are the Irish Republican Army, and the Palestinian Liberation
Organization.

We are every man, woman and child who desires to see a sunrise in a
land of freedom and opportunity, a land of plenty and not hunger, a
land of choices without fear, a land of progress without brutality.
We are not only the citizens of Belfast and Pine Ridge, Philadelphia
and Gaza. We are children of Earth, a place worth living in and not
just surviving in. A place where every life, no matter if it is
wrapped in brown skin or black, red skin or yellow, white skin or any
color skin, is precious to our God and to each other.

I pray and I live for the day that we meet as free men, and embrace
each other in our own communities, with our families and the world as
witness to our liberation and our triumph. For make no mistake the
world is watching, and our children are learning. And every slight,
every insult, every injustice, every bruise, every injury, every lost
battle, every second behind bars, will be redeemed in the colorblind
laughter of our children. Theirs is the future that we struggle for,
and why we will never stop speaking the truth.

Free Mumia!

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,

Leonard Peltier
Lakota, Anishinabe

Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org

March 27, 2008

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.
Next day we drove back to Boston where we were to give a presentation at world famous Berklee College of Music. The professor in a class called "Modern Political Thought" invited us to perform as well as talk about music. 25 young music students were in attendance and there was much lively discussion. This focused mainly on how music can affect social change. This included questions of how one could function in the music business while staying true to one's principles. Hopefully, we provided some food for thought. It was certainly encouraging to us to meet such thoughtful young people.
Next we went to New York City where we performed two concerts, one at a nightclub called Banjo Jim's the other at a social center called the Brecht Forum. The show at Banjo Jim's was a monthly event with several performers including a group from Cincinnati, the Tillers, and our host, Eli Smith. The Tillers and Eli were both outstanding. It definitely got us fired up to play. The following night, however, was the first disappointment of the tour. Due to poor organization little publicity had been done and the turnout at the Brecht Forum was small. But we made the best of a bad situation by sitting in a circle with the other musicians and swapping songs. It was a lot of fun and inspiring to hear three young musicians sound so good.
In Baltimore we had a divided evening. First half was a book talk about "The Trouble With Music". Then there was a short break and we played a concert. Red Emma's Book Store is a well organized and very popular collective space so there was an enthusiastic atmosphere from the outset. The book talk got everyone involved and discussion could have gone on much longer than the 90 minutes alloted to it. But everyone wanted to hear us play so our host segued nicely into the concert. From there we continued south with stops in Richmond and Harrisonburg in Virginia and finally Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
The high point of the whole tour was at the Little Grill in Harrisonburg. A sizable crowd turned out on a night when the city was overflowing with concerts. In fact, our host was a bit nervous until show time when the Little Grill suddenly filled up. Opening the show was a young guy from Harrisonburg named Josh Warner who did excellent versions of many classic country, folk and blues tune accompanying himself on guitar, banjo and harmonica. This was just the introduction we needed and we gave a spirited performance of our own.
All in all, the tour was good. Though a few events didn't meet our expectations others exceeded them. We learned some valuable lessons about preparation and working together with local organizers to present the best possible event for all concerned. It certainly convinced us of the need to get out there with our music. And we're grateful to all the wonderful folks whose hard work and dedication made this possible. Thank you all.

In the next few days I'll be posting some news about upcoming events and projects.
Stay tuned!

 

February-March 2008

There are two noteworthy events in February. First, Yvonne and I are playing a concert in Berlin
Tuesday, February 19.
Showtime: 20:00
Hofperle
Im Haus der Neukoellner Oper
U7 Karl-Marx-St. 131/133 12043 Berlin
Tel.030/5682 9429, hofperle@gmx.net

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!
Quasimodo, Saturday February 22
22:00-21.00 einlass
www.quasimodo.de
Kantstr. 12A
10623 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 318045 - 6
Kosten : 15
for more info check:
www.myspace.com/shannoncallahanmusic

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
Ramsey Kanaan
PO Box 23912
Oakland , CA 94623
510 703 0327
ramsey@pmpress.org

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,
jen@aidandabet.org
www.aidandabet.org
510-910-5627

 

January 2008

The year begins with:
A new book. a new publisher, new tours and new music. I will be furnishing more details shortly. Here are the basics-

I've concluded a deal for my new book with PM Press. For more information please contact:

PM Press
Ramsey Kanaan
PO Box 23912
Oakland , CA 94623
510 703 0327
ramsey@pmpress.org

We'll be touring the East Coast in March. For more information please contact:

Thad Wharton
Broken Arrow Records
650 654 1700
1395 San Carlos Avenue Suite C
San Carlos, Ca. 94070
info@brokenarrowrecords.com

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.