The estate of the late Cecil Carnes revitalizes performing arts and music program

Phil Collins didn’t expect his project to have legs. But New Music Works has been a runaway success thanks in no small part to Cecil Carnes, who donated her estate to the music and performing arts organization upon her death in 2011.

“I never thought of New Music Works as having staying power beyond what I was able to put into it,” Collins says.

Founded in 1979 by five composers, including artistic director Collins (who’s served in that position since 1982), New Music Works organizes concert series and is “dedicated to presenting music of our time in concert,” according to their website.

Carnes offered her estate to New Music Works back in 1997, at a musical function.

Check out our new photo intern Sal Ingram’s “Around Town” project, wherein he takes photos at various events in the county.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Lymphatic treatment with local massage therapist Miriam Janove

The mind/body connection that inspired this blog series becomes all too real to me when a stressful workweek results in a persistent headache or unbearable neck and shoulder tension. There are many ways I cope with this strain—exercise, baths, yoga, wine (the latter of which might not be doctor approved…)—but the ultimate solution is a session with Miriam Janove, the certified massage therapist behind Santa Cruz Bodywork and a guaranteed muscle melter.

We continue in the theme of this week’s cover story, ‘Pioneer Women,’ with two more profiles of local female change-makers 

Rising International
Carmel Jud knows a thing or two about following dreams. In 2003, when the global plight of women became too important of a cause to her, the local abandoned a promising advertising career in order to establish the Santa Cruz-based nonprofit Rising International. The organization seeks to empower women around the world by selling their handmade crafts at home shopping parties reminiscent of those held by companies like Avon. Since its launch, Rising International has helped homeless women, women with AIDS, and human trafficking survivors in more than 45 countries.

Films This Week
Check out the movies playing around town.
With: Reviews IN DARKNESS,
Movie Times click here.
Santa Cruz area movie theaters >

Blind Hawaiian rocker and multi-instrumentalist, Dayan Kai, heats up with sixth album
It’s not uncommon to experience a sense of déjà vu, when listening to Dayan Kai’s songs “Right Your Wrong” and “Give Free Your Love.” While the former is a classic rock anthem carried by distraught, raspy vocals, and the latter is a piano- and organ-laden, gospel-like number, both contain the same lyric: “Yesterday is just a fantasy.”

This is in no way due to a lack of songwriting material, though. For as long as Kai can remember, the succinct, anxiety-filled revelation that “Yesterday is just a fantasy,” has plagued him. Born blind, he admits, “I had to develop my memory because I couldn’t write them down so much.” Kai recalls the popular childhood game of Telephone—“By the time it gets back to you it’s something completely different from what you said,” says Kai. “Everything we think has happened is just our own perspective on what has happened … when will my perspective no longer be valid?” he often wonders.

At age 5, Salifou Kone’s grandfather gave him the nickname “Malima,” meaning “the way it is.” Twenty three years later, the nickname has taken on new meaning as the West African-born musician writes songs that tell stories of orphans, peace, love, humanity, daily life, and experiences in his homeland. “I write about what I see,” he explains.

Burning Man pioneer joins other local artists to present ‘A Festival of Fire and Light’ at the MAH
Spend an hour talking with local fire sculpture artist Lucy Hosking, and you’ll be inundated with stories about a childhood obsession with electronics and mechanics, making gunpowder as a teenager, working as a sound engineer for the Black Mafia in Philadelphia during young adulthood, and more recently, pioneering Burning Man.

A small sample of Burning Man culture—including Hosking’s well-known creative fire sculptures—will be exhibited at “GLOW: A Festival of Fire and Light,” on March 16 at the Museum of Art & History. The event will celebrate light, art, and performance, with glow-in-the-dark dances, flaming sculptures, LED light shows, and more.