TAIWAN - april 2009 - UNiQue tEa ShoP

Halloween 2009 - NYC parade before the horrid rain

it rained like a motherfucker once it turned dark but these are some of the best moments before twilight

DONYALE LUNA - a troubled sprite

yes, i'm back and of course it has been too long but i'm gonna make up for it with a lot of good shit. so for the time being here are some of my preoccupations. glancing through a DAZED AND CONFUSED from a month or 2 ago, i saw some lovely pictures of a black woman. the pictures so dazzling i had to do more research on this woman. 

so now I know that she was an avant garde heroine as well as a body discarded to the 70's never to mature. though her politics are somewhat understandable in someways and offensive to black people in other ways, it was a the way then. except that for her, the idea of being multiracial and not black as it was defined then meant having to decide black or not. 

Unfair. 

especially now but that was a different time and to be black was a clear curse or show of strength. some would say it is the same now but frankly it isn't. and that goes beyond just obama. 

having looked at as many pictures as I can, i can somewhat bet that she felt radical and in the fashion world that meant being around almost solely white americans and white europeans. that was the world then. she would be shaken now though. of course many of the major publications are still focused on white models,etc. still how long can that last. just the other night, mrs obama chose an indian american designer. as the numbers different from the "norm" grow in influence so the old mantle will fall. 

regardless of all that talk, it should be known that donyale was a soldier and she fought hard by creating.....she was one of the many black radicals of that time. though she is gone, the photos can still show us now what it also meant then. 

LA BRUHA DESI LA - POPPY FLOWER RHYTHMIC MUSIC - new project CD out and about so check it out

These are the 2 covers for the new CD - POPPY FLOWER RHYTHMIC PARTY (also called POPPY FLOWER RHTYHMIC MUSIC). I only spent at the most 5 months I guess about working on this but it's thick. only 2 or 3 songs are under 5 minutes. it became such a beast that it is now officially 2 cds. couldn't help it. Right now i'm in the process of trying to get this into some well known stores in the tokyo area. if anyone is interested in purchasing please contact me through the comment section. if there is enough interest, i will try to get it also distributed online. 

as for now, please go to my myspace to hear other tracks and by all means feel free to download the below link. this track is NOT on the CD so feel free to distribute  to others.

http://rapidshare.com/files/258916709/omar_omar__remix_1_.mp3.html

for listening check out:                               www.myspace.com/labruhadesila

                                           www.myspace.com/labruhalanegra

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 6)

finale

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 5)

a bit more

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 4)

AWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 3)

Again we go marching on!!!!!

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 2)

Some strange errors are making it a bit hard for me to do this upload in mass so unfortunately we have to go in bits. Sorry if a thematic ark is missing in the photo selection. it can't be helped.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 2: GATAX = HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + EYE - (pt 1)

next on the event list is a different and very exhilarating affair. The first event was more aquatic and calm. this time with drums involved, the manic level rose a bit. major vibes in the area. it's nice to see this type of performance NOT in  a dingy tokyo club.  everyone's reaction to the music reflects so. there were unfortunately some sound problems for eye as he didn't have a sound man helping out. but naturally an improviser, he stayed steady. outside of the boredoms, eye has kept quite quiet on the performance scene since 2003 only doing art and dj work. here is to hopefully more collaborations. this is one of 2 or 3 posts. All photos taken by myself

- la bruha la negra

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 1: HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + OTOMO YOSHHIDE - (pt 2))

More photos to share - all photos taken by myself

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS event 1: HISHAM AKIRA BHAROOCHA + OTOMO YOSHHIDE - (pt 1)

Taking place at a new exciting art site set up in harajuku, tokyo, VACANT is hosting the curation of Hisham Akira Bharoocha's CIRCLE OF FRIENDS exhibition. To celebrate, hisham got together for the first time with otomo yoshihide who himself had just finished an exhibition at VACANT (ENSEMBLES). A good crowd came out and this was the result. 

Feel free to take a look at the site of VACANT as well : www.n0idea.com

OMAR OMAR remix 1 (original from upcoming CD --- pOPPy Flower rhythmic music---

this post is special because it is my project or should I say new project. La bruha la negra has morphed a new twin which is LA BRUHA DESI LA, a name for my computer works. I am quite excited about this as the first CD is close to completion. It will be 10 tracks and quite intense. My hope is that people can listen to it from start to finish and here that there is a sonic story. No words but there is something there. There is no label at this time but I hope that people will listen to DESI LA's myspace which is below and also download the free track (not on the CD), made especially for the internet. This track is free free free. Please pass it around and give it to others. If you like it, support it and spread it. The CD itself will not be free so please enjoy this tidbit. 

                www.myspace.com/labruhadesila

---- this is a remix of  an album track called omar omar.  PLEASE DOWNLOAD:)

http://rapidshare.com/files/258916709/omar_omar__remix_1_.mp3.html

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - live in tokyo

I have collected a lot of animal collective live material but this concert which I recorded in Tokyo stands as the best in my eyes. One only need to compare this to recent shows in new york which were like greatest hits packages. Quite uninspiring. This is  a gem so please enjoy it. 

http://rapidshare.com/files/258930796/5-02_live_at_the_liquid_room-tokyo__march_2008__part_1_.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/258936029/animal_collective_-_live__part_2_.mp3.html

GROUND ZERO - 1998 (otomo yoshihide)

otomo yoshihide, the noise musician extradonaire is approaching or already has turned 50. Hence this year is packed with Otomo events and exhibitions throughout tokyo and of course other parts of japan. Just to think that Otomo, noise musician has become a fixture of society would have been unthinkable over 10 years ago. Of course ground zero, his main band at that time (1998) had achieved a certain amount of fame per se and toured through europe and america. since then partly due to dedication, connections, musical variation, etc. he has achieved the type of noteriety that many wish they had. Like his contemporary, Otomo has a zillion musicians at his disposal to achieve various projects and he also NHK support to make one of his cash cows, soundtracks. Otomo originally started working internationally producing the phenominal soundtrack for THE BLUE KITE. This was a chinese film and at that time, he was very concerned with collaborating with other asian musicians. Those times died after ground zero's dissolvement but luckily have become once again important with his recent ASIAN MEETINGS. 

Otomo's new jazz orchestra is by far (outside of his soundtracks), his most famous and lucrative pursuit (it does help to have star KAHIMI KARII in the band) but in my heart, this band has the power to send you to jazz god but also drive you to the door. The first 2 times I saw the band, I was enthralled. The last time which was last year, was absolutely horrible. The room was totally packed with adoring fans but the only thing I wanted to do was leave. Otomo's music spoke to me in the past and I bought EVERYTHING with his name on it no matter how shitty. After coming to japan however with his change in music toward silence, though I still support him, there are often several concerts where I ask, what the hell are you doing? 

Otomo's greatest gift is not as a guitarist which is his most often used instrument recently but his arrangement and people skills. Trust me, if I played my guitar with feedback for an hour, not one person would come to see me. When Otomo does not touch a conventional instrument, his true powers arise. This past year, Otomo provided the live solo soundtrack to an experimental movie. The movie was shit but the soundtrack was heavenly!! It is only these times when I can remember why I love him. So here is a treasure to celebrate the good from the bad. I don't believe in telling a musician that everything they do is good. Criticism is sometimes necessary. Regardless, though to my knowledge this CD is not in print, it is one of the most important CD's he has ever produced. Sorry for it being separated. This is GROUND ZERO's last CD recorded live called :::::: GROUND ZERO - LAST CONCERT::::::

please note: if this CD is put into print again, this LINK will be terminated

http://rapidshare.com/files/258914645/01_Multi-Gravity-1.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/258914646/02_Multi-Gravity-2.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/258914647/03_Consume_Red.mp3.html