Art & Music Magazine
www.artnois.com
No. 4 February 2013
We Survived
Artnois Team Magda Becerra Artnois Co-Founder, loves anything creative, manages all artwork, and final editing. magdabee.com magda@artnois.com
A note from the Team
Well we are very happy and excited that the Maya were WRONG and that we are all still alive. We have been keeping busy as always trying to discover new artists we can share with all you wonderful people. In this issue we tried to incorporate a little more music for you to listen to including a few beat producers.
Jesenia Meraz Artnois Co-Founder, brings music to your ears. Always looking for new music and artists to share with the world. jessy@artnois.com
As far as artwork goes, we discovered a couple great artists including an amazing photographer Ryan Schude whose work is on the cover. Be sure to read about his work as he is part of a possitive movement in the creative community.
Omar Lazcano Where would we be without him! He is Magda’s right hand man. Loves Illustrator. omar@artnois.com
Thanks for supporting us and showing your love.
Carlos Rubio Music Assistant Tells it like it is.
Artnois Team
Shelley Pham Design Assistant Comes with a rainbow and a pot of gold. Patty Nunez Design Assistant Thank her creative mind. Trang Nguyen Writing Assistant You can’t spell ‘strange’ without ‘Trang’
Art & Music Magazine 2 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
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contents
Issue 4 February/March 2012
06
24
On the cover
Real life Workaholics
Ryan Schude
The Memories
14
Mr Green
26
Producer from New Jersey
16
LOCUST
Stop by and be friendly
18
La Chamba
Get your dancing shoes
22
Agent X
Collage Art
Chelsea Brown Warrior Women
30
Gr818ers
32
Hello Seahorse! Sing your heart out
36
Drinkify
46
Kazia Pe
50
Anthony Dortch
How you do express emotion?
54
Ricardo Garcia Conductor of art
58
Dimitri Lazaroff Enjoy his soothing seascapes
38
62
Passionate beatmaker
Reflective beats of the past
Shag
42
Jason Krause
Surreal or abstract?
L’Orange
66
The Growlers
These guys are awesome
Contacts: PO BOX 923082 SYLMAR,CA 91342, tel. 818.584.1868, magazine@artnois.com, www.artnois.com About ARTNOIS: ARTNOIS Magazine was started by two young female students, Magda and Jessy. While they both share common interests, Magda has a passion for art and Jessy has a passion for music. Seeing as neither one had the time nor the skills they wished they had to create jaw dropping art or inspiring music, they decided to make a magazine featuring all the great artists who do. Art and music is motivation for both to do something great. They hope this magazine will help do the same for you.
3 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
February 2013 Events in Los Angeles
Fri 2/1
More info here.
Whiskey Blue W Hotel
BOOMBOX
1ST FRIDAYS @ THE W
9:00 PM - 2:00 AM 930 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles CA Free Event More info here.
Flypoet Spokenword & Music Showcase
The Savoy Entertainment Center
214 S La Brea Inglewood, California 90703 $15 More info here.
Sat 2/2
Family Art Stops
Getty Center, Museum galleries
Every Saturday 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. FREE! sign-up required 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90265 More info here. Mixture @ E3rd E3rd Lounge
9:30 PM - 2:00 AM
734 East Third Lounge, Los Angeles CA (Downtown) Free Event! More info here. ROMANTIC & ECLECTIC VIOLIN DUO FREE CONCERT IN WEST HOLLYWOOD
3:00pm-4:10pm FREE! 625 N. San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, 90069 4 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Grand Star Jazz Club
Special guests: OH NO, EXILE, DISIA$E, + KNXWLEDGE 6th Annual Celebration of the Life & Music of Detroit’s finest...J DILLA9:30 pm - 2:00 am 21& over, Ladies free before 11 pm $5 before 11 pm w/ RSVP, $10 otherwise 943 Sun Mun Way Los Angeles, CA 90012, China Town More info here.
Sun 2/3
FREE IMMIGRATION SEMINAR FOR ACTORS AND ARTISTS The Meeting Room
5pm - 7pm 2999 Overland Avenue Suite 205A Los Angeles California 90064 Free seminar will include: Presentation by attorneys on visa options with emphasis on EB1 and O1 applications. Appetizers, beverages, and parking. Free review of your resume by experienced immigration attorneys after presentation. More info here.
Trio :// DOLORES PETERSEN Presents The Gardenia
7066 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood California 90038 $15 More info here.
Thu 2/7
Free Screening: ‘Skyfall’
Ackerman Union Venue - Grand Ballroom (2400)
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Free admission with BruinCard 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90024 More info here.
CHAMBERS, HERBERT & ELLIS \\: Jazz Vocalese
Stand-Up on the Spot: COMEDY SHOW! BEER! The Little Modern Theater
6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90038 7:45p to 9:15p $8 or 2 tickets for $10. Includes free More info here.
Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk
102 West 4th St. Los Angeles, 90013
9:00 PM (213) 784-2598 More info here.
Fri 2/8
COMBICHRIST (DJ SET) Das Bunker
10:00pm to 3:00am 4067 W Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019 18+ With I.D. 10$ all nite More info here. Zombie Romance Art Show
Artist WAnted! Prizes for winners! 11437 hawthorne blvd. hawthorne, CA, 90250 21+/fullbar/bands/DJ
Tue 2/12
Fat Tuesday: Mardi Gras Feast Hm157
Wed 2/6
Thu 2/14
3110 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA, 90031 7:30 pm Ticket info here.
Sat 2/16
Viva La Graza! Guilty Studios
3243 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles Ca. 1 pm to 10 pm Art, Fashion, Music, Cars and more!
Fri 3/01
KISHI BASHI, SHUGO TOKOMARU, TALL TALL TREES Troubadour
9081 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA All Ages, 8:00 pm adv tix $13/day of show tix $15 More info here.
ALLAH-LAS
Natural history Museum of Los Angeles County
Doors open @ 5:30 pm Tickets: $18 900 Exposition Blvd. 91207, Los Angeles, CA More info here.
Sun 3/03
HEART-ON: ART SHOW AND DANCE PARTY The Airliner
Monthly on the first Sunday of every month 8:00 pm 18+ Cover: $5 2149 No Broadway, Los Angeles, California More info here. KUMPANIA MOVIE & ARTE Y PUREZA FLAMENCO W/ KUMPANIA CAST El Cid
KUMPANIA reveals a subculture of Los Angeles never seen on film before. The artists are Gitano, Spanish, Japanese, Mexican, French and more. 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Tickets: $25 4212 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA, 90029 More info here. TORO Y MOI, SIKANE, + DOG BITE Fonda Theatre
Tickets: $25 6126 Hollywood Blvd. 90028, Hollywood, CA More info here.
March 2013 Mon 3/04
NAME THAT TUNE-LA’S FIRST MUSIC TRIVIA NIGHT The Must Wine Bar
Every 2 weeks 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm 118 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, California More info here.
Thu 3/07
JAZZMOOV: FUNKY, JAZZY, SWINGY, AFRO/LATIN HOUSE MUSIC. New Orleans cuisine served till late! Nola’s - A Taste of New Orleans
DJs for the night: MZA & SEVEN57. Percussionists: E$+GATO. 21+ Free before11 pm, $5 after 734 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 More Info Here
Sat 3/09
VERY BE CAREFUL
Grand Star Jazz Club
Richi P’s Birthday: Barrio Funky presents VBC, Alexander El Gran, Chris Acosta, Soul Libre and King Steadybeat 943 Sun Mun Way Los Angeles, CA 90012 China Town 21+ 9 pm, $10 More info here. DAN CROLLS + TRAILS AND WAYS Bootleg Bar
Doors open @ 8:00 pm
21+ Tickets: $8 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA More infor here.
SAT 3/16-17
BEAT SWAP MEET LOS ANGELES 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
The Record Bar @ Grand Star Jazz Club
Beat Swap Meet is a celebration of vinyl culture. DJ’s spin all records, for sale or trade. Casual Drinking for 21+ All Ages, 12 pm - 6 pm Free with canned food. 943 Sun Mun Way Los Angeles, CA 90012 China Town More in here.
Wed 3/20
KCRW PRESENTS LIANNE LA HAVAS El Rey Theatre
El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 90036 $22 tickets: More infor here.
THE SPITS, NIGHT BEATS, + TIJUANA PANTHERS Observatory
3503 South Harbor Boulevard, Santa Ana, California 92704 5:30 pm $ 20 - 40 More info here.
Sat 3/30-31
PAID DUES INDEPENDENT HIP HOP FESTIVAL NOS Event Center
689 South E Street, San Bernardino, CA All Ages, 12 pm - 1 am Gen Admission: $76 VIP: $186 Line-up Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar + Schoolboy Q + Ab-Soul + Jay Rock) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Dom Kennedy Tech N9ne De La Soul Hopsin Immortal Technique Joey Badass Grouch & Eligh More to be Announced More info here.
YASIIN BEY (MOS DEF) Belasco Theater
Doors open @ 8 pm Gen Admission: $35 6126 Hollywood Blvd. 90028, Hollywood, CA More info here.
Fri 3/22
THE PHARCYDE’S BIZARRE RIDE, BURGERMA, BLACK LIPS, NICK WATERHOUSE, BLEACHED, 5 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Ryan Schude 6 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
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“What you see here is an eclectic selection of images made between 2008 and 2012. Many are collaborations with other photographers and artists. There is no theme connecting the images but I feel they represent the range of visual styles I use as well as a consistent use of narrative, humor, and production design. “ Ryan Schude Previous Page: Theater: This is a good example of the location determining much of the narrative. Tamar Levine approached me wanting to work on a fashion series together, based loosely around a movie theater. We scouted several vintage theaters around LA and developed this story largely after finding one with the right look. Here you see fresh movie-goers entering before the rest of the series unfolds into a twilight zoned trap that leaves them forever looping the same film over and over into eternity. 2012. Bottom: What If: Part of a group art show curated by Paul Octavious and Joe Van Wetering in Chicago during the summer of 2010. The theme was “what if...?” and asked each artist to finish the question any way they choose. This photo illustrates the question, “What if you had unlimited strength?” and shows a girl lifting her cousin of the same size over her head. Slightly veering from many of the rest of my work aesthetically, a very simple environment and even simpler lighting was used to focus the attention on the concept over the production.
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Toaster: The main subject in the bathtub, Lauren Randolph, had just finished a year long self-portrait series in which a new photo was created every day. I wanted to make my own portrait of her suggesting how “burnt-out” or “fried” she must have been with the whole project after 365 consecutive days. Unable to find a suitable bathroom where she could enact the metaphor of being finished, a set was built instead to control every aspect of lighting and production design. Her sister and cat were enlisted as co-stars similar to many of her own self portraits from the series. 2010.
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Phoot Party: Phoot Camp is a creative retreat for around 30 photographers who congregate at a different location every year and make photos together. This was the 2nd year in 2010 set at a mansion in Calabasas, California and a collaborative effort with Lauren Randolph. The story was a play off of a common situation that occurs when teenage kids are left at home alone over a weekend when their parents are out of town and decide to throw a party. Each subject was also a photographer who was given a specific role for this group portrait.
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Carol: Portrait of the actor Carol Lyn Black in her home in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The painting of Carol was a prop in a television show she had a role in which she was able to keep after they were done filming. She is 89 years old and still drives herself all around the county for her acting work. Collaboration with Ross Feighery, 2012.
Fred & Wendy: Part of a 5-image series for a fashion feature in RE:UP Magazine in 2008. Each image in the series was shot with different subjects in their own homes around Los Angeles and the surrounding suburbs, this one in Granada Hills. The concept began around the pair of sneakers and found an aesthetic solution to incorporate such an out of place item for that particular room in their home.
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Red House: A simple narrative based around children’s rebellion in the face of parental strife. A collaboration with Justin Bettman in 2012, we started with that idea and began scouting houses with the perfect front window to allow us to see the argument inside as well as the kids outside. Once we came across this house in South Pasadena we knew it would be perfect and began sourcing props and vehicles to set the scene. Each actor was cast for their respective roles and improvised dialogue and actions throughout the shoot to give realism to their characters.
Cory: Still photo shot on the set of a music video for the band Eating Faces. The song is called Promised Land and tells the story of two brothers who have lived together in the same cabin all of their lives with an agreement on a joint suicide pact set for a time when they felt completely satisfied with their time spent on earth. The set was built in studio and art directed by myself along with the two bandmates, Collins Schude and Callin Passero in 2010.
At The Inn: Author Davy Rothbart wrote a short story by the same title which tells of an adventure he had staying overnight at an abandoned motel, on a dare, and being visited in the middle of the night by what appeared to be a young girl but what may have just as easily been an apparition. Created as a collaboration alongside Dan Busta in 2011, we found this motel and staged every detail to resemble our interpretation of Davy’s experience.
www.ryanschude.com 13 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
INterview
Green
Mr A producer from Highland Park, NJ. 14 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
“I make it. I don’t have many restrictions or rules about what kind of songs to use, I just use whatever grabs me at the moment.” How did you get into producing beats? I started off as a DJ using nothing but vinyl. It was right when peoples started making beats on laptops using Cool Edit Pro and Fruity Loops. A couple years later I started making my own beats on a laptop so I would have something to scratch too. Eventually I got pretty good at it and I realized that I should get people to rap to my beats. It was mostly because of my friend and college roommate Voli (Volatile); he was a dope rapper/producer and he told me I should pursue hip hop. If I had never met him, I would have never ended up making hip hop music.
How do you decide what songs to chop up for your beats? I just go by feeling. If a song feels like something I can make a beat out of, I make it. I don’t have many restrictions or rules about what kind of songs to use, I just use whatever grabs me at the moment. Sometimes I take requests or people hire me to sample certain things for them but for the most part I just go by feeling. I’ve been making beats for about ten years now.
Do you do anything other than produce beats? I deejay, write lyrics, executive produce videos, run my store (greenhiphop.com), compose music for tv, mix/master songs. I do a lot of things but making beats is my favorite thing to do. I’m really lucky that I get to do it for a living. Do you feel that someone has played a major influence in the way you produce music?
before I had ever met him in person and now it has over 2 milliion views online. Shows:
A few people... my boy Volatile, Dj Premier, Rza, Prince Paul, Alchemist, Dj Premier. Do you have any special techniques when creating a new beat? I have a lot of techniques but you have to watch my show “live from the streets” to see them. What other type of musicians have you enjoyed working with the most? I like working with MC’s that are genuinely excited about music. In the music business sometimes you come across people that are only in it for the money and they are less fun to work with. I like working with people like me that love doing this. I’ve worked with artists in every continent. The internet is also a really great way to work with people far away. It’s weird to work with artists that you’e never met in person but it really does work. Pace Won and I did our song hip hop like that and it worked well. We recorded that song
On January 31’st the album I produced for Chank Smith drops. He’s a new rapper from Primm Nevada... you can get it at chanksmith. com. I’m also working on an album with Malik B from the Roots. My final project for the year is the Live from the Streets album. If you haven’t heard my music and you want to hear it check out livefromthestreets. com, facebook.com/ mrgreenhiphop or on twitter @greenhiphop. Mr. Green has a message for you!
Much love to everyone reading this that supports what I do, I wouldn’t be here without you. -Peace, Mr. Green
LISTEN 15 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Locust
16 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
“Dear Locust, Try not to disappoint me. -God”
www.facebook.com/locustsongs 17 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
L a ChambA A band who aspires to ‘... stimulate the senses, animate the soul’ How was La Chamba formed? Alex, Arturo and Jason attended school at UC Santa Cruz (and) met through cultural work (there) and neighboring communities of Watsonville, CA. Arturo and Jason met in education classes and their passions for learning and the arts sealed their friendship. A persisting musical presence brought together by deep
dences in the bay. Alex pitched the idea to Jason in a Chinatown bar, about bringing that “descarga” jam flavor to L.A. It started with Jason on the drum After Santa Cruz, Alex moved to set and alex on guitar. East LA and Jason moved back As a community organizer, to South Central Los Angeles. Arturo moved to San Francisco. Jason met Carlos through a Alex and Jason felt nostalgic for mutual friend at a migrant the reputable “descargas” (jam rights hunger strike and Carlos would later come on board sessions) that would ensue at with the unique bass bump various house parties hosted at their resiand tone. Jason asked Carlos appreciation for tone, melody and rhythm kept themusical spirit alive in our college homes!
to help create the Social Arts Collective known as LA MINA, and they moved together in an artistic live work space. Carlos had a background in punk and ska bands in the San Fernando Valley. Throughout this time of transition, the trio would carve their identity through blues/rock experimental jam sessions. Our sound quickly became infused with latin percussion from other band members that later stepped down, then later morphed into cumbia chicha.. We had found the "right fit” of personalities, motivations and passions for musical creation among a group of young, talented people. It seemed like the cards had been laid out...the musical courtship that sparked in Santa Cruz would materialize into present day " cumbia chicha in Los Angeles. What was your mission when initially forming the band? Our motivation behind LA CHAMBA was a humble endeavor in co-creating, playing and performing music that can inspire dance, stimulate the senses, animate the soul, generate activism and promote working life in its raw dimensions. Our mission formed when we began to entertain our families and friends at gatherings with our early songs...word quickly spread that we provided a fun and electric style of music that was danceable. Soon we were invited to play at parties, gatherings, non-profit organizations fundraisers and more.
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folks together in times of stress and daily bustle, to dance, let loose, and be themselves. We feel that our music appeals to people of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs; be it for the melodies, rhythms or lyrics. Behind the music that we create, there is an authentic and precise intention to present a story, (a reality that regardless of one’s political bias), carries truth and presence in the world. We present a raw reality of stories, or “cuentos” of what is possible with hard work, humility, and passion. We work towards bringing a soundtrack to life itself. If people want to attach a political message or dissect our song into something deeper, that’s up to them: as long as they don’t try to exploit our intention or categorize us into simple definitions. Our message is the music, and the music brings good folks to the dance floor! Your name La Chamba translates to put in work, can you elaborate on what this means to you? Our mission grew as interest for the infectious energy of live Chicha spread. We were at the forefront of a Chirevival in the city of Angels.
cha
Do you think your mission has changed? Collectively, we have taken great initiative to better our musical talents. Our mission has grown to encompass an entertaining chicha - electric time of grind and good honest fun, with a message of working people that truthfully represents us and our upbringing. Can you tell us a bit more about your personal message? Our personal message has come to embody universal themes of love, hard work and life itself. We work towards universal subject matter that people can relate to. We are driven by the thought of leaving something substantial, a testament for future generations to come, to share musical consciousness, soul, musicianship, essentially “our”story. Our social message is connected to our personal message. In a sense who we are, and what we do is part of the message- to bring
The name “La Chamba” is very substantial and multi-dimensional, and powerfully complicated as well because it pays tribute to the wholeness of work. It is a term that is widely used throughout latin-america, an informal term...street slang if you will, representative of the working classes- it is blue collar, it is no collar, it’s the desperation of a failing economy, the light at the end of the tunnel to a hungry family, it’s exploitation, it’s innovation, it’s freedom, persistence, dignity and despair. “Chamba” is a word meant to transcend barriers and speak to a population of people that have direct experience with the hustle and bustle of daily life. Growing up in working class African American, Migrant and Latino families and neighborhoods, we were exposed to the difficult and intertwined realities that shaped us. We were essentially raised with a hard work ethic in a community continuously plagued with a workless circumstance. “Chamba” pertains to that drive and motivation to labor for a brighter future. Why is all your music in Spanish? Although our lyrics are presented in Spanish, we believe that some instances in our music when we collectively chant, we are able transcend language. Some of our lyrics are popular words and are often recognized by beginning Spanish lan 19 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
“ Without an audience, there is no music. Period. ”
spoke to our musical influences, but also to our realities of life in hard work, in essence, our “Chamba.” The history of chicha music is well connected to a movement of migrant peoples from pueblos to city. It is a song of hybrid identity, in search of opportunity and conflict with assimilation: music made by people in transition, which confronted social issues in their Peruvian barrios with a musical culture that was raw, real, contagious, and most importantly their own. Do you feel you strive to represent any particular group of people?
We are just being us. We don’t try to represent any particular group but guage learners and can be easily identifi- ourselves…It’s hard enough to have clear able. The cool thing is that folks from sev- insight about who we are as growing individuals with our own emotions, eral parts of the world have enjoyed our flaws, aspirations and perspectives. In music and attended our performances, some ways, by simply being ourselves, we most recently friends from Japan. are expressing a universal characteristic Some songs don’t have words but are de- of the language which is song and dance. fined as “Descargas” (jam instrumentals) In this sense, we are connecting to people all over the world struggling to be themthat carry tunes and rhythm that we believe to surpass linguistic borders. We are selves with who they are and what they continuously working towards a creative have. In this connection, we are seeking to understand life on a planet faced with process that builds on a worldly more universal perspective either through lyr- hardship, love, laughter, dreams and the human experience. We feel that atics or sound. tempting to represent an entire group of We recognize that making the language transition for a musician is like taking the people, a nation, or a generation would be naïve and very limiting. Although we plunge: many have tried; few have actually succeeded in creating hits. There are recognize that we are children of a rich ethnically and musically diverse story, those artists like La Lupe, Ruben Blades, environment, and circumstance, we are Jose Feliciano that have created world weary of a society caught up with making recognized classicslike Feliz Navidad for generational, racial, cultural categorizaexample. For the time being we will contions. Needless to say, we try not to fall tinue writing in Spanish, but it’s artistic into that typecasting, by keeping our mulicense that will give us the leeway to exsic and ideas diverse and open to world periment with language, or some variant suggestion. We do not wish or aspire to of it. We’ll see. represent any particular group rather, we are influenced by people, experiences, Out of all the genres, why mix movements, relative to our personal cumbia with psychedelic? lives.; Cumbia mixed with psychedelic sound Sometimes we are quick to judge is not new. We borrow from the radition performers and their methods of of Peruvian guitar giants like Enrique Delgado, Juaneco, and mentor and friend engaging the crowd. Can you describe one of your shows from your Jose L. Carballo. As we dug deep and perspective? found homage in chicha, we came to realize that the sound felt just right. In When we engage a crowd we put our many ways, the unique mesh of cumbia personalities to work. Our shows emand psychedelic sound that produces body who we are. Whether it’s Mario’s “Chicha” or Peruvian Cumbia music psychedelic side stepping and guiro closely represented our upbringing and lived experiences. Chicha carried hints of sparking, or Arturo’s precise manual bell work and sweaty cymbal crashing Alex’s influences from the 1960s classic timbales, or Carlos’ deep bass thumping rock guitar giants like Jimi Hendrix, Jimi and groove swinging, or Jason’s jump Page and Carlos Santana. It not only 20 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
and growl conga hair swinging, or Alex’s electrically cool winged flying guitar solos and moves…we perform with our hearts in our hands and instruments…we give what we expect, a good time! Why do you feel the audience is an important part of your performance? Without an audience, there is no music. Period. No celebration, no dancing, no electricity of bodies in motion. We work together to make our performance a good time. Our audience performs with us. They dance and sweat and show off their personalities. We’ve played for kids and youth that have robbed the attention of the dance floor by displaying their talents. We’ve had people get up on stage with us, folks buying us drinks, trying to high five us or take pictures with us while we’re playing. Sometimes our own band members will escape during a solo and join the audience. You just never know what to expect. There is no other place more real and raw than the dance floor, and we love it! A performance is a personal investment and a spiritual experience. There’s a sense of communication going on between the audience and the musicians, and if that communication is breached it can be difficult to perform, if it is enhanced the performance is elevated and the energy rises. The musicians get positive vibes from the audience and vice versa. When the audience comes up on stage and dances, when they invite their shy friends to come out and let loose, or chant the lyrics with us and let go of social norms of comportment we play our instruments with that much more enthusiasm. The audience makes an investment to travel, pay and listen to us play; we try to reciprocate that positive energy with every performance. Collaborations: We have collaborated with Jose l Carballo a master of the fuzz tone and one of the godfathers of chicha music. It has been a blessing and honor to have a local legend so near to our home that can provide guidance and advice, and join us on occasion to showcase his intricate skills on the strings.We have (also) collaborated on shows with local Angeleno bands such as Las Cafeteras, Buyepongo, Chicano Batman, El-Haru Kuroi, La Santa Cecilia, Very Be Careful. Additionally, we have shared the stage with Chicha Libre all the way from the East Coast, and
Photos by Miguel Morales Cruz from project Polvo De Luz
most recently Caribbean Dandy DJ Collective from Japan. Any shows coming up? For Information on upcoming shows. Reach us on our like page on : Facebook, Instagram and visit our Youtube Channel to stay connected! Also, you can pick upour 4-track EP entitled “ARANA� at any of our shows.
Arturo Blanco (timbales) was born and raised in the Bay Area (but) now resides in Los Angeles
Alejandro Araujo (guitar) was born and raised in East L.A.
Jason Zepeda (congas, lead vocals) was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles and now resides in East LA
Mario Gonzalez (guiro) was raised in South Central LA, then East LA
Carlos Zaragosa (bass) was Raised in the San Fernando Valley
Listen 21 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Agent X
A multimedia collage artist who creates visual commentary of 1920’s to present pop Culture and it’s elements.
Agent X creates pieces by incorporating iconic imagery from 1920’s to present and applying non traditional and found materials. Influenced by artists such as Takashi Murakmi, Romare Bearden, Jean- Michel Basquiat and Robert Rauschenberg, Agent X creates experimental, multimedia collages, painting, and 2D work. His work is an amalgamation of diverse cultures past, present, and future, and his signature “collage street intellectualism” is a commentary on the urban experience. The phenomena of pop culture, technology, fashion, music, politics, and race are central to his practice of designing experiential works.
IC 1267
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“Untitled 19502345” Mixed Media on Canvas, 24”x36”, 2012;
“Untitled 19502345” merges imagery from Futurist concepts and real and imagined dreamscapes. The 1950’s car is afloat in a multicolored sky. A comment on the new industrial age and the current economy, the piece inserts an Asian child into a traditional 1950’s “all-American family”. The sky is the limit in terms of how and where money can now be made.
“Pull” Mixed Media on Canvas, 24”x36”, 2012;
“Pull” is a comment on gun control laws and urban gun violence. The question of “shot or get shot” weighs heavily on the minds of youth across North America.
Smokin
“Golden Girlz”, mixed media on canvas, 24”x36”, 2011
agentx.com 23 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
The
Memories by Carlos Rubio
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Listening to The Memories is like listening to music as you’re waking up from a dream; you know it’s there, you know you like it but you’re not quite sure what it is. You try to make sense of it but all you have is a warm, fuzzy feeling. In this case it’s all the reverb, feedback, and lo-fi sound. It reminds me of a picture with lots of noise and soft edges; from a distance it looks good but as you examine it closer there aren’t enough sharp edges to make things out clearly. This could very well be it’s intent: to have music with an ethereal quality that makes you feel like you’re in the clouds…or high, as this group has a fondness for being. Unfortunately, like a dream state, the music on the album is over way too soon. This is a very short album; in fact, it’s entirety can be consumed in less than twenty minutes or about the time it took me to wash and dry a pile of dishes. That’s not to say it’s not a
good twenty minutes; it’s just that you can’t really sink your teeth into it the way you’d like; think more appetizer than meal. Since the album is so short the tracks feel more like intro’s or out takes than fully formed songs. They begin, start to build momentum, and as soon as you’re about to buy in, they’re over. Often times I found myself thinking this is pretty good, only to have the song end and move onto the next track. This is not so much a criticism as an observation but yes I would like more. And that’s the charm of this album; for all its brevity and noisiness I found myself enjoying it, particularly the track, Fourth of July. Because so much of their music vacillates between dreamy and melancholic I couldn’t really tell if the reminiscing was with fondness or sadness but it did have me singing:
Like listening to My Bloody Valentine or Ariel’s Pink Haunted Graffiti, the Memories, are not about the individual parts but the music as a whole, even if that music is not always in sync or in melody. Still, there is absolute charm and energy to it and I have had no problem listening to it over and over. However, lyrics lovers beware: there are very few on this album and those that exist sound convoluted. It’s all about the musicianship here. Ultimately this album sounds more like a string of demo’s made in a garage than a polished, well produced set of music. That’s not a bad thing but it’s something the listener should be aware of before jumping in. I for one, like it but couldn’t help myself from thinking only twenty minutes? Really? C’mon guys, give me more.
“…hanging on the porch and it wasn’t half bad…”
Photo by Brian
LISTEN 25 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Chelsea Brown
As hot in the dark
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Running Eagle
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Pine Leaf/Woman Chief/T
Tomoe Gozen 28 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Chelsea Brown draws and paints sword wielding, hordeleading badass ladies bent on revenge and wreaking havoc. Working mainly in oil paint and graphite, she is inspired by all things epic, legendary and womanly. With a background in costume design, her work is heavily character driven portraiture infused with narrative. She both creates characters and re-imagines historical figures geared towards emulating female heroes of fiery self-assuredness and primal combative natures. Chelsea recently completed her debut solo exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery. In February 2013 she will also showing at D-Structure, in San Francisco’s Lower Haight neighborhood, in the art collective Paint Pens in Purses’ group show Icecream Girl.
Two Spirit
Horned Creeper
War Faces 29 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Gr818ers A COLLECTIVE EMPOWERING YOUNG INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ART AND HIP HOP
The GR818ERS is a community organization based out of the San Fernando Valley (in the Los Angeles County) promoting social justice through Hip Hop culture. The GR818ERS was founded in 2010 by three young community leaders: Eric “Rox Swift” Chapman, Lorenzo “Devious” Chapman, and Pierre “Pierre Boogie” Arreola. They came together in an effort to provide their underserved hometown of Pacoima, California with a positive community movement. Using only their raw talent, creative genius, and passion for Hip Hop, the trio organized
local Hip Hop artists and activists to host performances, community events and workshops. In 2010, The GR818ERS hosted their first event, “A Family Affair,” a family festival featuring the elements of Hip Hop culture, marking the beginning of their journey as a family under Hip Hop. Starting in January of 2011, they hosted two events every month―”Art in Motion,” a free community arts show, and “Flava of the Month,” a dance and music festival known as a Hip Hop jam. The GR818ERS welcomed the summer of 2011 with “Graff Yard
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Boogie,” an invite-only event featuring live graffiti artists producing beautiful murals on the walls of The GR818ERS’ home, The Dojo. In the summer of 2011, The GR818ERS coordinated a youth program at North Valley Caring Services (NVCS) through Brown University’s Royce Fellowship for Sport and Society― teaching music, dance and art as platforms for self-expression and nonviolence to youth ages 5-15. Additionally, they coordinated Hip Hop workshops reaching over 200 youth a week across the County of Los Angeles through the City
of Los Angeles’ Summer Night Lights program. At the end of the summer, the GR818ERS celebrated their first year together as a movement at the 2nd annual “A Family Affair,” where they brought together all their newfound admirers, supporters and partners. They continued to host two monthly events throughout the year, capping off their first year as a movement in December with “Flava of the Year,” their biggest Hip Hop jam. In 2012, The GR818ERS aimed to
focus on quality over quantity with their events; “Flava of the Month” became a bi-monthly event series and “Art in Motion” took the form of themed, seasonal art shows. This gave The GR818ERS an opportunity to reach out and help current community initiatives, as well as, to expand their own horizons through the movement they developed. Individual GR818ERS began to come up with more innovative ways of bettering their community using their unique talents and abilities. The GR818ERS brought in the summer of 2012 with
the 2nd annual “Graff Yard Boogie,” celebrating their reception of the Starr Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship through their continuing partnership with Brown University. Through the Starr Fellowship, The GR818ERS returned to NVCS to host a youth program emphasizing Hip Hop culture as intercultural education. In addition to coordinating the summer youth program, two GR818ERS began working for a community development organization in
and consistency drew in larger crowds throughout the year, and, in December, The GR818ERS hosted the 2nd annual “Flava of the Year,” celebrating another successful year changing the face of the 818. These diverse experiences came together into a truly multidimensional and innovative curriculum that The GR818ERS have piloted at North Valley Caring Services and integrated into their educational programming. The new school Hip Hop movement has inspired many people around the world to take a stand in their community using
Pacoima called the Youth Policy Institute, teaching Hip Hop and Mixed Martial Arts to youth ages 4-10; while, another GR818ER traveled to East Africa to work with a human rights organization called Invisible Children on a documentary featuring dance as the universal language. As the summer of 2012 came to a close, The GR818ERS hosted the 3rd annual “A Family Affair,” celebrating their second year together as a positive movement in their community. Their dedication
Hip Hop as their vehicle for social change, most notably Project 401, a Hip Hop collective in Rhode Island; for the past 3 years, The GR818ERS have mentored and trained Project 401 to develop as community organizers, teaching artists and social activists. The GR818ERS are currently in the process of registering a nonprofit by the name of Hip Hop 4 to continue developing communities throughout the County of Los Angeles and spread their movement all over the world.
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Hello Seah
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Band members: Denise – Vocals, Oro de Neta – Keyboards, Bonnz – Drums, Joe – Guitar
in person. He had a friend (named) Julio who was the first guitar player in the band. The two of them knew Bonnz from Where are you all school. We invited Bonnz from? to play the drums for the live acts. He immediately Joe: The band was formed became the 4th member. in Mexico City. Denise When we were about to was born in Los Angeles start writing the songs for but grew up in Mexico Bestia (album), Julio left City, Oro de Neta and the band. And soon after Joe are from Cd. Juarez, that record was finished, Chihuahua. Bonnz was we met Joe and invited born in Mexico City. How him to play with us for long ago was the band the live acts. He soon too formed? The band was became a member of the formed 6 years ago. band. That has been the Since then the line-up has band since then. slightly changed, Bonnz join the band a couple Why did you choose of months after it was to write music in both formed. I joined in 2009. Spanish and English? How did you all unite? Denise: I met Burgos through Myspace. Soon after we decided to meet
Denise: We have been writing songs in Spanish since the Bestia record. Before that we had both songs in Spanish
and English but it was important for us to work on a language to communicate with our public. We went for Spanish because it’s the language we speak between us and the language we speak in our country. ...We are (not) bilingual any more. We just released our 3rd LP called Arunima and it’s all entirely written in Spanish. But I do think it is important to speak more than one language. Communication is life.
Do you wish to reach a particular type of crowd through your music?
for example, we record each drum separated and then we created the pattern sampling each sound. It has a lot of synth lines and a lot of sonically experimentation thanks to the producer of that album, who was Yamil Rezc.
All: We welcome anyone who wants to get onboard with us. We do not discriminate by genre, color, language, personality... Our music is for anyone who wants to Is there one instrument you think is vital to the feel the stories we tell. sound of your music? The song Despues from the album Bestia Bonnz: I think the sound of our music is the result is extremely easy to of every element involved. rock to and it seems But the voice of Denise to reach a level of the use of synthesizers transcendence. What Whom would you say and a lot of breakbeat is this song about and have been your most how do you feel about rhythms are essential. influential role-models? it? Is there anything you All: Life itself. Our families Bonnz: Denise is the one wish the public learns and how they brought us who wrote the lyrics, through your music? up. Music. Art itself. but musically it was a We love learning from life. very fun song to do. We Bonnz: We just want to It is the best teacher. experiment with different make the audience feel something. We like that recording technics, and
“...Our music is for anyone who wants to feel the stories we tell”
horse!
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every person can give their own meaning of what are we saying. It can be feelings of sadness or joy it depends on each person. Was the style of your music defined initially after creating the band? Bonnz: It totally developed organically. We never think about the style of genre we are doing, we just do what we want and mix everything we have listened to. We like to have the freedom of explore through genres. Where exactly have you performed? All: We have performed in a lot of cities from Mexico like Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puebla, Queretaro and many more. (In) the USA we have played some tours in California, Texas, NY,
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Chicago. We played Coachella Festival last year. We’ve (also performed in) Colombia, Panamá and Puerto Rico. How is the music scene in Mexico different from here in the U.S.? Bonnz: It’s not that big, but it’s growing very fast. The independent and rock movement in Mexico is younger than in the U.S. In Mexico we suffered a hole in the 60s to 80s because of the government censure. So, the bands that are very big here are acts that started in the late 80s and early 90s. We don’t have these big rock idols from the 60s or 70s like other countries. But right now there’s an opening from the media and the mainstream to the new indie and rock acts, so that’s very good. There’s a lot of new venues and clubs in Mexico City and
everyday you can go to a show. I think the scene is going in the right direction. You have quite a few albums out, do you think your music has changed over the course of creating these? Joe: Yes, every album has been through a very different process from the composing to the recording periods. We do try to change the way we do things to get different results. The sound has changed a lot over the years, we always try to incorporate new things we learn along the way and we embrace change as a part of the band. Out of all the albums which has the most music that you can relate to at the moment? Joe: Every album represents
a specific time and place for the band...Although we have changed, the songs still represent a part of us. At the moment the new album is what we relate the most, but we enjoy playing all of the songs. What type of instruments do you use? Joe: The sound relies heavily on synthesizers. Oro de Neta uses a Roland JUNO and fender rhodes. It is also very percussive, we have a percussionist supporting the live show. Upcoming shows: At the moment we’ve finished a short tour around Mexico and we are still promoting the new album “Arunima.” The plan is to keep promoting and launch a new single for the first trimester of 2013.
Photos by Gomez Garzon Gabriela
“we always try to incorporate new things we learn along the way and we embrace change as a part of the band “
Listen 35 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Don’t drink alone, Drinkif “The xx”
10. oz Beer Serve on rocks Garnish with pickled asparagus.
“James Brown”
1 bottle Cabernet Serve at room temperature.
“Johnny Cash ”
4 oz. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey 4 oz. Honey Combine in highball galss and serve. Stir quickly.
“Janet Jackson” 8 oz. Vodka 8 oz. Coco López Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve.
VIA
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fy suggests... “Jessie Ware & Sbtrkt” 10 oz. Arak 10 oz. Wheatgrass juice 2 oz. Lime juice Combine in highball glass and serve. Garnish with maraschino cherry.
“Santigold” 1 Red Stripe Serve cold.
“Wax Tailor”
6 oz. Gin 6 oz. Bitters 1 bottle Macallan Scotch Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve. Stir vigorously.
“Tennis”
4 oz. Vodka Serve on rocks. Stir vigorously. Garnish with fire.
“Curtis Mayfield” 6 oz. Hennessy Serve on rocks. Stir quickly.
“Beastie Boys”
12 oz. Lemon Vodka Serve on rocks. Stir vigorously.
“Animal Collective” 1 Brooklyn Lager Serve Cold.
“Jill Scott”
8 oz. Hennessy 8 oz. Ice Cream Combine in highball glass and serve.
“l’orange”
12 oz. Vodka 12 oz. Lemon Juice
37 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Shag
You are currently in college, what are you studying for?
I’m currently studying Computer Science Engineering at the University of North Texas. It’s a tough major, but I’m doing well so far, we’ll see how I keep progressing. Is producing music you see yourself doing for a long time? Oh, most definitely. I may produce less quickly as I take on more and more responsibility in my non-music life, but it’s definitely something I see myself doing forever. It’s also pretty hard to tell what kind of genres and styles I’ll experiment with in my career, but I also
see myself trying out a wide array.
How old were you when you started producing music? How did you get started? I was 15 or 16. The first music I made was so terrible, and it wasn’t hip-hop. I started editing songs just to make my friends laugh. I had this phase I call the “Microsoft Sam” phase where I would record the text-to-speech voice Microsoft uses and make raps out of it. I also edited the clean version of “The Whisper Song” using Microsoft Sam to fill in the dirty word blanks. Priceless. After that, I started other stuff for myself; but it was a
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weird techno-sounding kind of music. My room sounded like an 80’s gay bar. I experimented with making that, and then some hard-style. Once I realized that was doing nothing for me, I started trying out beats. I had been getting into hiphop at about that same time. Since then, it’s just been progression and dedication.
a Computer Science Engineer major with a passion for beats
apparent to the listeners. I like having something to give to people. I think it’s awesome that people around the world can enjoy something I’m putting out. I guess I also like the idea of leaving something behind me, sort of as a legacy almost. I don’t know if that’s lame, but I dig it.
any neighbors. I guess that’s where I planted my musical roots, but other than that, I really don’t think my living spaces have affected my musicmaking decisions. Who would you say are your major influences?
Dilla, Madlib, Afta-1, FlyLo, Premo, Sun Ra, Do you think your Chick Corea, Gillespie, home town played a Freddie Joachim, Percy role in your decision to Heath, Milt Jackson... too Why do you produce make music? music? many Jazz artists and producers to name. Those I grew up in the suburbs are some of the standIt’s a good outlet for most of my life. I lived in outs though. moods, frustrations, anger, etc., etc. I produce the country on some land for awhile when I was because it’s a good way How did you come up to convey how I’m feeling growing up, and I had the with your name? opportunity to play the to other people. I feel drum set a lot while I was When I first started like a put a piece of my there without having to mood into every song I making music, I make, and I try to make it worry about pissing off submitted all my
music to this site called Newgrounds. My username there was ShaggyHaired. As I started getting more popular and more serious about it, I figured a shorter and catchier name would be better. So I dropped most of it and just left Shag. It also means sex. I didn’t choose it for that connotation, but that’s cool I guess. Do you have a lot of friends who are into the same music as yourself? If so, do you think they influence you in any way? Actually, my core group of friends aren’t into the stuff I like at all. Some of them think it’s”elevator music” (they’re idiots). I only have one friend who is, and he’s a producer himself. Him and I definitely influence each other though. We send each other new beats constantly just so the other one can check it out and drop some feedback. We both feed off each other and are progressing in our own distinct directions. It’s awesome how that can happen. Which upcoming
musicians do you relate constantly growing and changing. I’m just as to the most? excited to see where it goes as the fans are. I don’t really know. I dunno if I really relate with any of them. With Out of all the beats on the state music is in, everyone and anyone can your album 1992, which would you consider catch a buzz, and they your jewel? can all have different backgrounds and ideas. It’s a toss-up between Mystic Bounce and the I dunno if you consider title-track, 1992. I love the Danny Brown up and emotion and build-up in coming at this point, 1992. I put a lot of work but I seriously respect into that song, and I like that dude. His grind is how it turned out. The ridiculous; he’s on so many different tracks its sample was awesome and what I added on to unreal. And he’d been making music for a long it just worked. It’s one of those tracks that just while before he even comes together. Mystic got a buzz at all. That’s Bounce was good for me awesome to me and I simply because of the wanna emulate that. mixing. I think that’s the What are some of your best mix I’ve ever done. long-term goals when it All the instruments hit hard and sound clear and comes to your music? I’m really proud of it. I’d like to work with my If you could choose favorite rappers. Any of them. That’s my long term only 3 artists to sample music from for the rest goal. I wanna be “that” producer at some point. of your beat making career, who would you The one that everybody pick? needs a beat from on their next album. And Lonnie Liston Smith, Sade, there’s really no telling & Aphrodite’s Child. where my music will go from here. It seems Who are some to change just as often musicians/artists you as I do as a person. It’s
wish to work with in the future? Anyone and everyone. But my dream choices are Danny Brown, Common, Black Thought, Blu, Homeboy Sandman... I think that’s it.
Listen 39 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Jason Krause An interview of an artist with a fascinating interest in cells and insects
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On top Left Pendulum Scale Top Middle Abandoned Top Right Fruit Lamp and Stinger Bottom Left A Hiding Host Bottom Middle Pungent Romantica Bottom RIght Jungle
Are paintings the only type of artwork you do? It seems like you would be good with sculpting. My primary focus is working with paintings. I also create drawings with ink and gouache in predominantly black and white tones. I have done some sculpting but it’s not something I ever really got involved with. 41 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
What mediums do you use? I prefer to use acrylic and oil enamels. I find these work well for me in developing layers of color and patterns because of the quicker drying times. I can also easily adjust to either a matte or gloss finish. Your paintings are all abstract but very intricate, what is the process like for creating a new piece? Do you know what it will look like before you get started? I usually start with sketches to form a basic
14 rings
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idea. The final images are more of an improvisation of the preliminary sketches. I overlap patterns and and other elements in the actual painting. This process takes a direction of its own. What or who influences your work? Any masters of abstract expressionism? Some of my influences are painters Sigmar Polke, early Valerio Adami, Barbara Rossi, Oskar Fischinger, and constructive sculptor Naum Gabo. Does music play a role in your work? Frostbite Maquette
Music has a minimal influence. A couple music
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“...originally based on specific s styles that influence my work avant garde electronic music from the late 50’s and ambient music. How long have you been painting and how long did it take for you to develop or discover this style of painting?
paintings. Three to four months for larger paintings. This can sometimes take longer depending on how much free time I have available.
abstract there appears to be insect influence. Is this something you plan or is there a certain attraction to these elements?
Is there a particular message you try to translate through your paintings?
I am somewhat influenced by insect life in my paintings. This goes back to my general interest in nature and science. Insects are often seen as antagonists in nature and have various effects on the environment.
On average how much time does it take to complete a painting?
This a little difficult for me to answer. Basically my artwork is meant to show an abstract view of patterns found in nature. I tend to include images of objects or animals camouflaged or disguised in these pattern. Distorted landscapes in some of my work represent erosion and cycles of the earth. It appears abstract at first, but then there are recognizable elements hidden within.
Approximately one month for smaller
Even though your paintings are
I have been painting consistently for approximately 20 years. My style have evolved over the past 13 years. My work was originally based on specific scientific images and histology. Over the years my style has evolved into more abstract designs and patterns.
MAGAZINE London, N°15, january 2012
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Do you any upcoming shows or exhibiting anywhere? I am not showing anywhere at the moment but I am looking into showing at some different venues and galleries
scientific images and histology�
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KAZIA 46 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
PE 47 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Untitled Untitled
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Untitled
LOLITA , MIXED MEDIUM , 10 x 15 cm
Untitled Untitled
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Anthony Dortch A beautiful ode to our human emotions as experienced in everyday life
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“We all have our unique hopes and fears, dreams and pains, talents and experiences. Those near and close to us, our family and friends, know where we’ve been , accept what we’ve become and still gently allow us to grow. Such growing space provides that unique opportunity for the extraordinary, based upon my time honored belief that no one is ordinary. A combination of psychological intuition, observation and experience has inspired me to craft
visual interpretations of peoples’ environments through the medium of modern technology and materials. New experiences have led me to create energetic dreamscapes portraying an odd mixture of human composition, emotional experience and surreal motion that focuses on the idea that people are connected to themselves, their experiences and to the world in such a way that we are not apart from our reality but a part of it. The evolution of my work incorporates the use of ink, photography,
and my knowledge of comic book art to produce images that focus on a panoply of experiences while using a build up of brush strokes and bold colors. Inspiration is often found by looking to past artists like Caravaggio for his use of light and expression, Boghosian and Peters for their mixed media construction pieces, the futurist for the use of movement, the impressionists for the use of color and brush stroked, and Bennett for his use of color and detail to transform portraiture to a vibrant array of color. “ -Anthony
dortchdesigns.com 53 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Ricardo Garcia Ricardo Garcia’s conscious efforts in his body of work, encourage self-discovery for the participant. His imagery unveils itself through the viewer’s active awareness.
Black Dress
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Yellow
Bunny Men
s
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Harmony
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“
...as a conductor of music will do, but I’m a conductor of art, as if I was conducting a symphony on my canvas...
-ricardo garcia
“
garciaricardo.com China Girl
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Islands, 48”x27”, tempera & pigments on primed canvas, signed & dated, sealed
Dimitri Lazaroff
Minotaur planting a tulip, 11”x8.5” pencil on paper 58 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Centaur, 11”x8.5” pencil & ink on paper
Shipwreck, 28”x16” tempera & pigments on prepared hard canvas, signed & dated, sealed
Avalanche, 24”x16”, tempera & pigments on primed hard board
Black Jupiter, 20”x16” tempera on primed canvas, signed & dated, sealed 59 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
China noord 1998, 30”x24”, tempera & pigments on primed canvas, signed & dated, sealed
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Sunday afternoon, 24”x20” tempera & pigments on prepared hard canvas, signed & dated, sealed
Perfect day, 30”x24” tempera & pigments on prepared hard canvas, signed & dated, sealed
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/dimitri-lazaroff.html 61 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
L’ ORAN 62 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
NGE
INTERVIEW
“I didn’t realize that jazz and poetry could be combined into something that could express so much, literally and figuratively.” How did you get into producing your own music? I remember being a kid and cycling through the radio with a cassette recorder in hand. I found the jazz station and it was like nothing I had ever heard. I loved the raw sound of the AM radio and (I) preferred when the connection wasn’t perfect. It was that imperfection that made it so beautiful to me. I started listening to hip-hop when I was nine or ten. I first heard the Digable Planets and Tribe Called Quest. I didn’t realize that jazz and poetry could be combined into something that could express so much, literally and figuratively. Your music is said to be influenced by the 1920-1950’s. Is this true? When I started producing, I looked for soul samples from the 70s and 80s, but the issue was that I never listened to a lot of the music that’s commonly sampled in hip-hop. It created a separation from my music and myself. If my music (is) reflective of an era, it’s because I see myself in the art of that time. I think (one) of the main reasons that I’m attracted to the early 1900s is because they now come without pretense. What artists are your favorite from these decades? Billie Holiday is at the top of my list, but I love Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong, The Ink Spots, Glenn Miller... They all come with this amazing, pure bravado. You can hear Billie Holiday sing different versions of the same song over and over again and feel something new from each breath. Why is Billie Holiday artwork on one of your album covers? (The album) Old soul was a tribute to Billie Holiday. I sampled her exclusively throughout the album, which was intended to be biographical as well. From the first track to the last, it charts her life from being sent away to boarding school (The Good Shepherd) to her death (The Night, The Mourning).
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When I’m feeling uninspired, I have a selection of Billie Holiday records that I put on and work with. She’s not particularly easy to sample, but I feel her music so deeply that it inspires me. Most recently, I sampled her on The Mad Writer (We Call It Despair) Is Film Noir really a high influence in your music as well? I love film of the 1930s-40s. There is an unhinged element to these movies that go beyond the script. It’s the movement of the times. The fashion, the tongue in cheek, rapid fire delivery, the framing, the shadow. I can appreciate it as I cannot identify with it. It soothes my soul in a modern world, filled with constant choice. Which are your top Film Noir films? Asphalt Jungle, Gun Crazy, The Third Man How would you describe North Carolina? I moved to North Carolina when I was 8, but I call it home. NC is beautiful. I left a little over a year ago, and I’ve become much more indebted to the state in my absence. I realize how the geography and culture have shaped who I am today. How about for hip-hop producers, do you feel it’s any different? Is it competitive to try to get recognized? Music isn’t easy. I think professors tend to tell actors, “If you can do anything else, do it” and I can understand that rationale. No matter where you live, it’s going to be hard to break through. I’ve tried to focus myself on my work and letting the people that follow my career know how much I appreciate them though. How has living there influenced your music?
Hip-hop is split into so many sub-sects of what’s “hot” I think the diversity of tastes, and the times I’ve been pulled in so many directions helped snap me back to my influences like elastic. It helped me find myself in music. Are there any other cities and/or experienced which have played a major role on how you produce your music? Please elaborate. I’ve wanted to live in NYC for as long as I’ve known what New York was. It’s the mecca of hip-hop and a lot of the musicians that I grew up listening to were from there. But, more than it’s historical value, there’s something to be said for millions of people gathering in one place. It’s like religion. There’s a magnetic quality. Other than produce beats, do you participate in music creation in any other way? I play various instruments, but I’m far out of practice. I’ll write on my acoustic guitar from time to time, but for the most part, I like to keep myself cocooned in the work in front of me. I do continue to write, if even therapeutically. You have a single out with Blu, how was it like working with him? I’ve admired his work for a long time. I think he did a great job. I tried to approach that track with the mindset of- “What would I love to hear Blu on?” We were going to go through beats to see what he would sound best on; I immediately stopped and told him that I knew exactly what beat I wanted to work with. Luckily, he liked it.
musicians? Which ones? Erica Lane is one of my closest friends and will probably appear on most of what I release. She’s extremely talented and my favorite person I’ve ever worked with. I’ve also worked with yU on two songs now. He is a supremely underrated and prolific MC. I want to work with artists that have inspired me personally. Everyone that appears on The Mad Writer has moved me deeply at some point in my life. How do you feel about your music? I have a love/hate relationship with my own music. I tend to lean towards depression and self-loathing, and I project that on to my work. It becomes consuming to work on a project, and I’ll throw away hundreds of beats before the album comes out. But I think that overanalyzation and self-critiquing ends up making the music distinctly personal. Where do you wish to take your music? I would like to work on a full project with another artist, whether that’s an MC, singer, poet or something else entirely. I would also like to go into using some live instrumentation and continue to cultivate my own sound. Do you have any upcoming albums or shows? I’m very much interested in touring Europe this summer.
Have you worked with other
lorangeproductions.com 64 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
“I’ve tried to focus myself on my work and letting the people that follow my career know how much I appreciate them”
LISTEN 65 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Meet The Growlers: Brooks Nielsen on vocals; Matt Taylor on lead guitar; Scott Montoya on drums; Anthony Braun Perry on the bass; and Kyle Straka keyboard and guitar.
Now that their newly released album, Hung at Heart, is out, it is only natural that they will soon roam the musically oriented lands of Europe. Sadly, if you weren’t able to catch ‘em here at one of their weekly shows in Long Beach, you probably won’t be able to see them for a while. This Cali quintet is currently touring throughout the U.S. and plans to venture off to Europe in March (2013). Since 2006, when they first got in the game, they have been getting much fame with their melodious lyrics and unique sense of style. When you listen to Brooks’ mellow and magnetic
66 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
voice, you find yourself curiously anticipating his next word, very much like a child listening to one of his father’s grand bedtime stories. Immediately afterwards, you are lured into a zone of psychedelic sounds from Taylor’s majestic guitar skills. Each song is a refreshing new story with tactful compositions. When asked about his music-making experience with Taylor, Brooks declared, “He is constantly making weird shit and I think to myself, ‘How the hell am I supposed to sing to this?’ but I figure it out. I am a workaholic, so we do very well together.” What a simple way of creating authentic music. As Tyler plays
his melodic tunes, Brooks tries to find the right words. He simply emits a clever line and develops a unique story out of it. It’s improvisational art at its best. Brooks and Matt make a perfect match that transcends any sound system. When asked about their unique and outrageous style of clothing, they attributed it to findings at thrift stores where they often shop. They get most of their wardrobe there because they refuse to succumb to corporate brands. A very modest approach, if you ask me. “Rejecting influenced styles is how our style became unique...” says
Brooks. They reflect these same views on the track “In Between”, from their latest album Hung At Heart, notably in the lyrics: “...in between. Not hippie, not square, just in between...”.
They are a group of five adequately appointed guys looking to meet quirky and whimsical crowds while earning a living. Although touring is fun and adventurous, this group of artistic musicians looks forward to meeting new audiences the most.
committing to the band because they “were tired of being poor.” Although this may be true, the band has a very genuine passion for making music. Their music has a style comparable to garage and rock and roll bands from the 60s and 70s, albeit much more psychedelic. It’s a sound accompanied by swaying hips and nodding heads. It transports you to a realm of chill 70s-esque and surf-like tunes. There are multiple similarities to predecessors, such as The Doors, Dick Dale, and even the Seeds, but through modern eyes and unique minds.
They admitted to initially
We wish the best of luck for
these hard working fellows!
Listen to them on Spotify or you tube.
Listen 67 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
68 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
69 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013
Art & Music Magazine 70 ARTNOIS No 4, February 2013