Page 950 | Good Times

Music Picks July 6 – 12

GT Staff

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July 6, 2016

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WEDNESDAY 7/6

EXPERIMENTAL-POP

HEAVEN FOR REAL

It shouldn’t be a surprise that a new band like Heaven For Real can so effectively marry unusual music with pop vocal hooks. Alternative rock bands have been doing it as long as there’s been rock. But … wow. These guys take some mellow rock beats, avant-garde noodling guitar licks and low-key catchy vocals melodies, and create something totally fresh. The Nova Scotia quartet will be releasing their debut LP on July 15, and it’s an oddball-pop gem. It brings to mind bands like Wire, but rather than beating you over the head with their odd approach to songwriting, they ease you into it with a spoonful of sugar. AARON CARNES
INFO: 6:30 p.m. SubRosa, 703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. 426-5242.

THURSDAY 7/7

FOLK

SLAID CLEAVES

Part of the vibrant Austin, Texas music scene, Slaid Cleaves is deeply rooted in the folk-music tradition. In his early years, he drew heavily from Hank Williams material, which he used as a jumping-off point for his own melodic and lyrical style. Cleaves is now known around the world as a master craftsman of songs as he works raw ideas and material into shape with an economy of words and an insightful heart. He then sets them free again to connect with listeners how they may. His latest album, Still Fighting the War, is an emotional, pointed exploration of veterans coming home, having challenges, and not getting the help they need. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $20. 335-2800.

JAZZ

HRISTO VITCHEV

Born in Bulgaria and raised in Venezuela, Hristo Vitchev has earned international attention while becoming a vital creative catalyst on the Bay Area jazz scene, particularly through his collaborations with other notable guitarists. His stellar quartet with powerhouse bassist Dan Robbins and veteran drummer Mike Shannon builds on his longtime partnership with Brazilian-born, Portland-based pianist Jasnam Daya Singh (formerly known as Weber Iago and Weber Drummond). It’s easy to get lost in the music’s shimmering timbres, but there’s tremendous harmonic depth and melodic invention along with the rippling sheen. ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $18/adv, $23/door. 427-2227.

FRIDAY 7/8

ROCK

COFFIS BROTHERS

Gritty, raw and chock full of the blues, the Coffis Brothers and the Mountain Men are about as Santa Cruz as a band can get. Jamie and Kellen Coffis were born and raised in the local hills, blending a sound that combines their hometown with the polished styles of Tom Petty, Steve Earle and Neil Young. Their 2014 album Wrong Side of the Road is packed with stories of rambling through the American countryside, heartbreak, and personal redemption by staying true to their goals. They will be joined by another local favorite, McCoy Tyler, who will be debuting new music with a new band. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $9adv/$12door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 7/9

NEW ORLEANS

JON CLEARY

Originally from Kent, England, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Jon Cleary went to New Orleans after graduating from art school, and embedded himself in the city’s historic and lively musical environment. Now a celebrated blues, funk and New Orleans-style pianist who has performed with Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, B.B. King and many more, Cleary has established himself as a mainstay of the Crescent City scene and beyond, even taking home a Grammy this year for Best Regional Roots Music Album with his 2015 album Go Go Juice. CJ
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

HIP-HOP

KUNG FU VAMPIRE

Since 1999, this San Jose rapper has combined hip-hop with over-the-top lyrics about monsters and gore, forging a style that has earned him a dedicated audience. Fans of Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid and Tech N9ne are probably already picking out their face paint in anticipation of this Saturday’s all-new show, with Kung Fu dropping his latest album, Look Alive, that night. MW
INFO: 8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12adv/$15door. 429-4135.

SUNDAY 7/10

AMERICANA

THE HARMED BROTHERS

Does the Northwest have its own flavor of American roots music? There is a lot of it up there, like Portland’s Harmed Brothers, a two-piece with guitarists Ray Vietti and banjo player Alex Salcido. Perhaps the reason Northwest towns like Portland have so many indie-folk bands is that they’re the kind of places that attract brokenhearted drifters and wide-eyed dreamers—what better style of music is there for restless souls than folk and bluegrass? The Harmed Brothers are pros, or at least such true-spirited wandering souls that their music spills over with passion and heavy-hearted emotions. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

ROOTS ROCK

DANGERMUFFIN

Hailing from Folly Beach, South Carolina, Dangermuffin is not your typical Appalachian/roots/rock/groove band. Much of their music is about spirituality and truth seeking; meditation and yoga are regular events, and the band members—Dan Lotti, Mike Sivilli, Steven Sandifer—are all vegans. Perhaps most interestingly, the musical frequency the band records its albums in is chosen for its “nurturing potential.” Most artists today record in 440 Hz, but Dangermuffin records in 432 and 444 Hz, ancient frequencies, the latter of which was preferred by Vivaldi and violin maker Stradivarius. On Sunday, the visionary band hits Felton. CJ
INFO: 7 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $10. 335-2800.

MONDAY 7/11

COUNTRY

WHEELER WALKER JR.

Rolling Stone deemed Wheeler Walker Jr.’s new album Redneck Shit “country’s filthiest album.” This isn’t embellishment. The album is really gross. His song “Sit On My Face” isn’t just a sex song, it’s an “I’m so horny I’ll put up with an unhygienic woman” gross-out tune. He even uploaded a video to YouTube detailing the very specific sex act he wants to do to Adele. Musically, he plays pretty straightforward outlaw country. He’s the perfect artist for anyone that likes 2 Live Crew for their lyrics, but prefers Waylon Jennings’ sound. AC
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

IN THE QUEUE

LIF

Hip-hop staple out of Boston. Wednesday at Catalyst

STAR LA’MOAN & THE KITCHENETTES

Blues, gypsy jazz and swamp rock. Wednesday at Don Quixote’s

SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL-STARS

African and world beat from a band of former refugees. Thursday at Moe’s Alley

KUNG FU VAMPIRE

San Jose-based rap artist and group. Saturday at Catalyst

ALEX ABREU

Santa Cruz-based singer-songwriter. Saturday at Crepe Place

Be Our Guest: Dayna Stephens Quintet

A&E
Music

Cat Johnson

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July 6, 2016

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A native of the Bay Area, tenor saxophonist and composer Dayna Stephens is celebrated as one of his generation’s greatest instrumentalists and bandleaders. With a tone described as sinewy yet supple, and an improvisational ability that the New York Times describes as flowing “with unusual flow fluency,” Stephens draws inspiration from tenor greats Lester Young and Dexter Gordon, as well as soul and pop vocalists, including Luther Vandross and Tony Bennett. Stephens has performed alongside Brad Mehldau, Kenny Barron and many more jazz greats. His quintet for this performance features standout jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs.

INFO: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $22/adv, $27/door. 427-2227. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Friday, July 15 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Love Your Local Band: Hartle-Kaiser-Sunshine

A&E
Music

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July 6, 2016

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Love Your Local Band: Hartle-Kaiser-Sunshine

Eric Clapton was the young protégé guitarist in the Yardbirds in the early ’60s, but a lot of his fans really consider him to have hit his artistic peak in the ’70s. For this reason, local musicians Matt Hartle, Henry Kaiser and Sunshine (Garcia) Becker are focusing specifically on this period for a special one-off tribute show.
“The ’70s period was really good rock ’n’ roll music, including Cream, including Derek and the Dominoes, stuff like that,” says guitarist Hartle.
Kaiser will also be playing guitar, and Becker will serve as the lead vocalist. They will also be backed by several musicians, making up a full band, but won’t just be playing the songs as written. In fact, they are taking them into completely unusual directions, giving each famous Clapton favorite an entirely new groove. Some examples include “Cocaine,” which will be done in a salegy rhythm; “Badge,” which will have a ska feel; “Little Wing,” in a carnival style; and “Let It Rain,” done as bluegrass.
In other words, it will be completely unique, oddball takes on Clapton favorites like you’ve never heard them before. The idea originated from local experimental guitarist Kaiser. The other members of the band are excited to follow his lead and go into the crazy places he takes them.
“Kaiser’s a crazy guitar player, very eclectic. I’ll probably be the eye of the hurricane while he goes off to the Netherlands. I hope to join him there for a little while, too,” Hartle says.

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 8. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton, $12/adv, $15/door. 335-2800.

What excites you the most?

Columns

Matthew Cole Scott

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July 6, 2016

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“Hanging out with my 15-year-old dog.”

Bonny Weston

Santa Cruz

Educator

“The appreciation of true life and those that actually embrace it.”

Matthew Miller

Santa Cruz

Sales

“Going to a live concert.”

Mariah Zunca

Lompico

Caregiver

“Shuggie Otis. Look it up, yâ€™all!”

Matt Wolfe

Santa Cruz

Blues Musician

“Itâ€™s been a while, but probably going 155 miles per hour with a â€™93 Camero Z28 on the backroads of South Carolina in the middle of the night.”

Teddy Grindy

Hollywood

Movie Star

Opinion July 6, 2016

Steve Palopoli

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July 6, 2016

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Santa Cruz is known for its history of progressive politics, but I’d venture to guess that most people who live here now don’t actually know a lot about that history. When exactly did this city become a bastion of liberal ideals? What were the events that shaped its current political landscape?
Kara Guzman’s cover story this week on the sorry state of Lighthouse Field offers some insight into those questions. If it surprises you to read that, then you’re likely to learn something from her recounting of the fight to save Lighthouse Field in the early 1970s, and how it kick-started a political movement and an entire generation of Santa Cruz politicians. I certainly learned a lot about the cultural significance of Lighthouse Field—and I thought I already knew the story.
Guzman unpacks not just the historical context of Lighthouse Field, but also the current political one. Are the problems there going to be solved without some progress made on Santa Cruz’s homeless issues? Her story is very clear on the answer.
In the end, it’s the complex tale of a Santa Cruz landmark most of us don’t think twice about when we pass it. The next time you see it after reading this story, you will.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

River Safety Revisited
In response/rebuttal to Ms. Sheridan and Ms. Mio’s letter “River Safety” (GT, 6/22): I am a 30-plus year canoeist on western U.S. rivers, lakes, ocean and particularly the San Lorenzo from Glen Arbor to the sea. Having reviewed the more than 200 pages of the City’s paddling committee minutes, one may readily conclude your true agenda has little to do with boater safety and everything to do with a narrow waterfowl “protection” agenda that excludes any paddling activities whatsoever. Your histrionic dispatch is a transparent attempt to prop up the city’s unconstitutional no boating ordinance (9.66.090 MC) by “fowl” intent.
Additionally obvious:

    Neither of you have knowledgeable river-paddling experience, as all hazards you raise are known to experienced river-craft paddlers.
    The pilot program bird survey strategy proposed cannot possibly produce accurate before and after (paddling event) bird counts with only one biologist trying to cover the multi-channeled vegetated San Lorenzo riparian corridor. Kindly tell us how one knows if a bird was missed or already counted!
    Every paddler I know can swim, right their craft and remount it.
Crafts under 16 ft. do not require registration.

Finally, paddler access to navigable waters is strongly protected by Article X Sect. 4 of the California Constitution, as well as Sect. 3 of the 1850 California Admission Act into the Union. When ducks are granted voting rights and our state Constitution is amended to take away our “always attainable” and “forever free” access to navigable waters, I will hang up my paddle.
Until then, I’ll continue boating the San Lorenzo, inviting a City citation for violation of 9.66.090 MC and a court test to put this unconstitutional obstructing ordinance to rest.
J. Golder
Active Recreation Coalition | Santa Cruz

Online Comments
Re: Mark Mesiti-Miller
Thank you for this thoughtful and forward-looking article.
The era of auto-centric suburban planning is ending, and for good reason. We’ve discovered that more and more people, and especially young people, reject the passé “American Dream” of large front and rear yards, a car for every driver, and utter dependency on driving to accomplish the simplest daily tasks. Some of us have lived in transit-friendly cities and loved it. More and more are loving—or looking for—a simpler life with smaller homes and yards and, dare I suggest, no need for an automobile at all. Transit-oriented development and pedestrian and bike-friendly communities attract economic investment, and our civic leaders know this. Both the Santa Cruz Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce support the current vision of building a trail while preserving the corridor for future rail transit, and the kind of sustainable development that will come with it.
Some of our major employers, Dominican [Hospital] and Plantronics, support the transportation improvement plan with its investment in the rail with trail vision, possibly taking a cue from Panasonic North America and others that are taking an active role in supporting the renaissance of smart transit and the shift away from highway commuting.
— Barry Scott
Re: Cat & Cloud Coffee
My wife and I chipped in to their kickstarter, and we get a monthly shipment from them. We totally look forward to that package in the mail—amazing beans make amazing coffee. I’m not a morning person, so they give me something to look forward to.
— Daniel Liston

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Submit to ph****@*******es.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.

GOOD IDEA

SAFE HARBOR
County leaders have embarked on a vision for a mixed-use, tourist-friendly site near the upper Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor. The 8.3-acre vacant parcel at the intersection of Brommer Street and 7th Avenue has harbor access, and the county is seeking proposals for a landmark project with lodging, destination-oriented commercial uses and a large, public open space. The countyâ€™s economic developers, who are required to sell the property, want to create a project for public good. Bids are due by Aug. 12.

GOOD WORK

STORIED HISTORY
The Capitola Museum, located at 410 Capitola Ave., will celebrate its 50th birthday on Saturday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On the museumâ€™s website, curator Frank Perry calls it â€œa wonderful opportunity to look back at the first half century and acknowledge the many donors, volunteers and others who have helped the Museum preserve our local history.â€ There will be outdoor displays, activities for kids, souvenirs, and refreshments. Former director Carolyn Swift will share memories of the museum, followed by a cake cutting.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

â€œLighthouses are not just stone, brick, metal, and glass. Thereâ€™s a human story at every lighthouse.â€
-Elinor Dewire

High Marks for Soquel Vineyards

Josie Cowden

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July 6, 2016

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The Bargetto twins, Peter and Paul, invited me and my husband for lunch on one of the days they were bottling. Bottling is exhausting, so they were all glad to sit down with us and take a break.
The Bargettos, along with their partner Jon Morgan—who was scurrying around that day doing a multitude of jobs—are the main team behind the wonderful wines produced at Soquel Vineyards. As Peter poured some of his 2014 Partners’ Reserve Nelson Vineyard Chardonnay to have with our lunch, it struck me what top-notch wines are coming out of Soquel Vineyards—and what a ton of work it is to run a winery.
But it can pay off hugely, as is the case with this superior Chardonnay ($28). It got a 91-point rating from the July issue of Wine Enthusiast, and a double gold from the 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
“This steep mountain wine dances across the palate with apple and pear,” say the proprietors, “and follows with layers of sweet French oak. Lemongrass flows from the bouquet—classic!” they add. It’s well worth a trip to Soquel Vineyards to try this Chardonnay and all the other wines they make. They have a welcoming tasting room and a beautiful patio where you can sit and linger.
Soquel Vineyards, 8063 Glen Haven Road, Soquel, 462-9045. soquelvineyards.com. Open for tasting Saturday and Sunday.

La Vie’s Flu Fighter Wellness Shot

I recently had a terrible bout of flu, which totally flattened me. While still feeling miserable, I happened to be at the Walnut Creek farmers market and came across our local La Vie products. One of them was a small bottle with “Flu Fighter” on the label ($3), so I gave it a whirl and downed it. Fresh ginger juice, oregano oil, fresh lemon juice and cayenne—all organic—zapped through me and I experienced a little surge of energy. While not a cure for flu (I actually ended up with antibiotics), the “Flu Fighter” certainly helped, and it tastes great.
For locations of La Vie wellness products, visit drinklavie.com.

Artists Protest Limits on Pacific Avenue

Local News

Ardy Raghian

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July 6, 2016

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Artists Protest Limits on Pacific Avenue

Standing beside a folding A-frame plastered with experimental art pieces and protest signs on Pacific Avenue, artists Alex Skelton and Joff Jones have spent endless hours downtown suggesting passersby stop to check out their art or maybe even make a donation that will help them afford to stay in Santa Cruz. Their trippy psychedelic art features subjects ranging from the pastoral to pop culture—nature, a shipwreck, even the cartoon character Waldo.
But in the last year, they say they’ve had no choice but to shift focus, and their creative sides have taken a back seat to their activism. Skelton and Jones have been arrested three times since July of 2015, each time for refusing to sign a citation issued to them for distributing artwork outside of an exempt zone on Pacific Avenue.
There is no need, they argue, for the 27 blue-marked zones that dictate where artists can and can’t set up—since, they say, it is their “constitutional right” to display their artwork in a public space. “Restrictions are meant to keep people safe. There are already laws in place to deal with obnoxious people disturbing the peace and aggressive panhandlers,” says Skelton, beside a picture of a person with a television for a head.
But that isn’t how the First Amendment works, according to City Attorney Tony Condotti. He defends the city’s policy, saying Skelton’s rights are not being violated, because it’s within the city’s right to place restrictions on the time, place and manner in which these First Amendment activities take place.
“There are numerous places available for people to engage in freedom of expression,” says Condotti. “It only regulates the locations that they set up, so that they don’t obstruct the sidewalks and clutter up the streets.”
Outside experts, too, seem to agree that there’s nothing unconstitutional about what the city’s doing, as long as it provides enough space for artists and activists. “Sidewalks and streets are public forums for speech. But cities may have time, place, and manner restrictions that serve an important government interest and leave open adequate alternative places for communication,” UC Irvine Dean of Law Erwin Chemerinsky tells GT, adding that he doesn’t know the specifics of the city’s setup. “Generally this would be allowed so long as there are adequate places available for the street performers.”
The exempt zones are a fairly new concept on Pacific Avenue. They first hit the street in December 2014, in the wake of a controversy over beloved accordionist Frank “The Great Morgani” Lima, who temporarily retired from playing the mall after being threatened with a $300 ticket. A total of 63 color-coded spots were marked along Pacific—yellow for performing, red for vending, and blue for either. This spring, the Santa Cruz City Council voted unanimously to ban commercial vending entirely, and there are now 30 blue boxes for performing and selling original artwork.
Because Skelton and Jones are artists, they won’t be affected by the commercial vending ban—or at least they wouldn’t be if they wanted to sell their paintings in the designated spots, something they refuse to do.
They were first arrested on Aug. 20, 2015, after refusing to sign a citation for not being in an exempt zone, instead promising to appear in court.
“My mom told me don’t sign anything unless you know what it means,” Skelton says. The Santa Cruz Police Department took them into custody, booking them into jail as per police protocol.
Skelton and Jones have mastered the skill of garnering attention for their cause—dressing up as Founding Fathers after their first arrest, and as television reporters at another protest. During their third arrest on May 1, a friend videotaped when 11 officers showed up, and the video now has more than 32,000 views on Facebook. In the two months since, they’ve continued to set up outside of exempt spaces, and haven’t had any interaction with law enforcement, aside from “casual waves” from cops, they say.
Assistant city manager Scott Collins says the exempt spaces are meant to establish a balance between freedom of expression and commercial and pedestrian activity. He says they were originally established because of complaints from people saying they “didn’t feel comfortable walking on the sidewalks,” since they were cluttered with people panhandling and fighting over popular locations.
“It’s not like we’re seeking to turn into Los Gatos, where there is no freedom-of-expression activity. A lot of people like coming here for these activities and performers,” says Collins.
Skelton, who’s 34, has traveled to dozens of cities, ranging from Seattle to Berkeley, to sell his art—or, as he says, “share my personal ideas with people through art.” He says he’s never had a police officer threaten to cite him outside of Santa Cruz.
It may actually be a misconception, though, that the City of Santa Cruz is somehow more restrictive than other places. In Seattle and Berkeley, for example—both considered liberal, artsy communities—it is illegal to distribute artwork, or engage in any other vending, in a public space without a permit. Applicants are screened first, and then awarded a permit. In Santa Cruz, there is more flexibility; all one has to do is situate themselves within an exempt zone, within a one-hour time limit.
Collins says says the time limit for each zone provides everyone who wants to display their art or perform a level playing field, and that people can’t stake claims to “hot spots.”
Skelton argues the time limit is “ridiculous and unnecessarily restrictive,” but concedes in his five-and-a-half years setting up on Pacific Avenue, he’s only ever been asked to give up his space once, and he found another one down the block.
Condotti says that Jones and Skelton persistently trying to get arrested creates a drain on city resources. And, in a way, the activists agree.
“They [the police department] don’t seem to enjoy using their time this way. It’s a waste of their time and resources,” says Skelton. “We’re just showing people pictures and talking to them, and the city’s making that a crime.”

Cutting Back on Crumbs

Local News

Georgia Johnson

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July 6, 2016

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A few morsels of food left behind in the woods can spark unintended consequences that ripple through the food chain, and kids at a forest school in Little Basin are learning all about it this summer. Ravens and jays are attracted to food waste left over from visitors, and the city-slickin’ birds threaten the marbled murrelet—a species of seabird that nests in the forests—by feeding on the single egg it lays each season.
With the small endangered seabird in mind, the Web of Life Field (WOLF) School has implemented a program to reduce the human food entering the food chain. WOLF School has brought the California State Parks “Crumb Clean” initiative to the 534-acre Little Basin campgrounds—just in time for both the summer camping rush and the Murrelets nesting season.
“It allows us to bring kids to a public land, and in return take care of it,” says Heather Butler, WOLF School director.
WOLF School naturalists are promoting proper garbage disposal and airtight container storage for food, and discouraging wild animal feeding.
Before setting up camp, visitors will be required to sign a Crumb Clean Commitment. Educational talks and campfires will also be available to visitors to learn more about the importance of the murrelet to the redwood ecosystem.

Farm Bureau Director on How to Buy Direct

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July 6, 2016

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Farm Bureau Director on How to Buy Direct

Did you know there are more than 50 farms in the area that you can buy directly from?
Sure, farmers markets are cool, but so is driving up to a farm and buying your produce a few feet from where it was grown. The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau has been maintaining a map for residents of where they can find these farms. It’s been updated every year for the past 41 years, and focuses primarily on Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, with a few farms in Monterey and San Benito counties. Just a few years ago, they even developed an interactive mobile app version. We spoke with Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Executive Director Jess Brown about this cool local farm guide.
What inspired this map?
JESS BROWN: What has really changed over the past 41 years is the strong interest in the public in dealing directly with the growers. People want to know exactly where their food comes from. Forty-one years ago the farmers market hadn’t really started. This was at the forefront of this public interaction directly with the farmer. Slowly farmers markets started sprouting up. It was a slow process. Now we have several farmers markets within the map.
What kinds of foods are available to get fresh off the farm?
It depends on the season. In the spring there’s this big surge for berries because people know that those are being picked fresh, and some of the places have “U-Pick” operations where you can go out and actually pick yourself. Of course when you get to the fall, people want to go where the pumpkins are. You move into Christmas and there’s Christmas trees. Apples are a big deal here. Row crops, meaning vegetables, are a big deal. We have egg farms. You could create a menu—breakfast, lunch and dinner—from those farms. Probably the one thing that we don’t have a lot of is livestock.
Why have farms always thrived here?
Agriculture has always been a leading industry in this area because the cool coastal climate makes it conducive to grow a lot of the crops, like Brussels sprouts, artichokes, cauliflower, apples. You don’t find a lot of the stone fruits like peaches—you might find those in Santa Clara. So there’s a wide variety on the map.
724-1356, sccfb.com.

Film Review: ‘The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

A&E
Film

Lisa Jensen

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July 6, 2016

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Film Review: ‘The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

Some people talk about building a wall. (OK, one fool in particular.) The perfect antidote to that mentality is The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. This beguiling and bittersweet documentary chronicles the efforts of the renowned cellist to found a performing group of international musicians from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, whose entire existence is dedicated to both cultural diversity and common humanity.
Filmmaker Morgan Neville won an Oscar for the fabulous 20 Feet From Stardom, giving back-up singers—the unsung heroines of rock ’n’ roll—their well-deserved moment in the spotlight. He knows a great music doc needs to feature not only wonderful music, but also dynamic personalities to perform it, and The Music of Strangers is incredibly rich in both.
In 2000, Yo-Yo Ma got the idea to search the world for masters of traditional instruments for a workshop and performance he wanted to stage at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and raised in the U.S., Ma embodies the spirit of internationalism. His idea was to follow the ancient “Silk Road” trade route, from Venice to China, scouring the world for master musicians.
And what an ensemble he came up with, fascinating in the ways their various instruments, and their playing, as well as their diverse personalities, mesh. Music is the defining element in all their lives, and none has been unscathed by political upheavals.
Kinan Azmeh, a clarinetist from Damascus, brings dozens of wooden flutes to children in Syrian refugee camps. Wu Man survived Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China by her skill on a lute-shaped string instrument called the pipa.
Iranian Kayhan Kalhor is master of another traditional stringed instrument, the kamancheh. When “the revolution” (he says, derisively) hit Iran, he had to leave the country, on foot, with only a backpack and his kamancheh. A rootless loner for years, making his living from an instrument no one outside of Iran had ever heard of, he was able to go home in 2009, where he unexpectedly fell in love and married. But, unable to stomach the government’s repressive policies, he left again. Now he and his wife carry on their ardent relationship via Skype.
Then, there’s earthy and raucous Spaniard Cristina Pato, who plays—bagpipes. If, like me, you thought that instrument was exclusive to Scotland, think again. “If you are from Galicia,” she laughs, “you have the choice to either play soccer, or play the bagpipes!” And she plays them like no one else—swaying her hips, stamping her feet, half-singing around the mouthpiece, coaxing out exotic, hypnotic melodies. Fun flashback footage shows her as a young woman with green hair playing the pipes in a rock combo.
After Tanglewood, the players were looking for an excuse to keep up the ensemble, beyond the fact that it was just so much fun playing together. One year later, 9/11 happened. In a world turned instantly xenophobic, Yo-Yo decided it was more important than ever to maintain and promote the cooperative spirit of the ensemble. “My father doesn’t think of himself as a cellist,” says his son, Nicholas. “He wants to change the world; he just happens to have a cello in his hand.” Six albums and several globe-trotting performances later, the Silk Road Ensemble continues.
Insightful commentary is provided by the musicians themselves, other musical observers, and various composers who have written for the ensemble. “We don’t all necessarily speak perfect English,” says Chinese composer Tan Dun. “But we all speak perfect music.” And the musical performances are mostly thrilling, whether on a concert stage, or in an open courtyard in Venice, or around a dinner table, where the musicians start exuberantly chiming their wine glasses.
These folks understand that music can’t “stop a bullet,” or “feed the starving.” And some critics complain they are “diluting” cultural music traditions by blending them in the ensemble. But the film demonstrates how the ensemble helps its members keep their individual musical identities alive, while challenging the fear of the “other” so prevalent in today’s world.

THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
(***1/2) out of four
With Yo-Yo Ma. Directed by Morgan Neville. An Orchard release. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes.

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

WEDNESDAY 7/6

EXPERIMENTAL-POP

HEAVEN FOR REAL

THURSDAY 7/7

FOLK

SLAID CLEAVES

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $20. 335-2800.

JAZZ

HRISTO VITCHEV

FRIDAY 7/8

ROCK

COFFIS BROTHERS

SATURDAY 7/9

NEW ORLEANS

JON CLEARY

HIP-HOP

KUNG FU VAMPIRE

SUNDAY 7/10

AMERICANA

THE HARMED BROTHERS

ROOTS ROCK

DANGERMUFFIN

MONDAY 7/11

COUNTRY

WHEELER WALKER JR.

IN THE QUEUE

LIF

STAR LA’MOAN & THE KITCHENETTES

SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL-STARS

KUNG FU VAMPIRE

ALEX ABREU

Bonny Weston

Santa Cruz

Educator

Matthew Miller

Santa Cruz

Sales

Mariah Zunca

Lompico

Caregiver

Matt Wolfe

Santa Cruz

Blues Musician

Teddy Grindy

Hollywood

Movie Star

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

La Vie’s Flu Fighter Wellness Shot