WRITTEN! The Lyrics Of Grandmaster Caz
November 26th, 2012 by chocko
We got this book in the mail recently from The Lyric Book Company. It is a fantastic collection and peek into the lyric books of GRANDMASTER CAZ, Hip Hop pioneer and Captain of the legendary Cold Crush Brothers.
Grandmaster Caz is also known for writing the lyrics to one of the most famous rap records of all time, Rapper’s Delight. Big Bank Hank of The Sugar Hill Gang borrowed Caz’s lyric book, recorded the song in 1979 using Caz’s verses and went on to fame and fortune while Caz never got credited for his lyrics or paid. The incident inspired Caz to write a song, MC’s Delight which is featured in this book along with 43 other songs.
Despite the “Rapper’s Delight” misfortune, Grandmaster Caz went on to appear in the 1983 old school hip hop movie Wild Style which featured an MC Battle on the basketball courts, The Cold Crush Brothers vs. Grand Wizard Theodore and the Fantastic Five. Cold Crush Brothers are also highly regarded as true pioneers of the hip hop genre and are still performing shows, rocking parties and educating new jacks.
Recently, Granmdaster Caz appeared in Ice-T’s 2012 rap documentary Something From Nothing : The Art Of Rap. In the movie Caz steals the show in every scene he is in and also receives much deserved props from many of the film’s subjects including Ice-T, Rev Run of RUN DMC, Rakim and Eminem who regard him as a major influence in their careers.
The book is an excellent addition to any hip hop book or music collection. Nearly every page is a facsimile lifted from the collection of Caz…lyrics written on legal pads, loose leaf paper, the inside of notebooks. It’s all nicely packaged in this book which features clever wordplay, songs that tell stories, and braggadocio lyrics all in the neat penmanship of a true legend of the genre. The book will be getting an early December release. Look for it at a book store near you or pre-order your copy HERE.
here’s a sneak peak inside WRITTEN! THE LYRICS OF GRANDMASTER CAZ
“My style ain’t free, I write and get paid for it
My title is Grandmaster I rhymed and DJ’d for it
Cats tried to battle me, lost and got slayed for it
There ain’t no downfall in sight, though cats prayed for it!!!
I don’t rap I rhyme none bitten and all Written!”
Grandmaster Caz
COLD CRUSH BROTHERS VS. THE FANTASTIC FIVE
GRANDMASTER CAZ in THE ART OF RAP
Tags: book, caz, cold crush brothers, grandmaster caz, hip hop, lyrics, review, the lyric book company, written!, written! the lyrics of grandmaster caz
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Angel Olsen played The Glasslands Gallery
November 26th, 2012 by chocko
ANGEL OLSEN at Glasslands
A couple weeks ago on a Monday night (Nov. 12) Angel Olsen played some tunes at Brooklyn’s Glasslands Gallery. The Chicago-based singer took to the stage after openers Magmana and Bird Call, armed with only an electric guitar. Her mesmerizing voice was at times subtle and relaxed but was able to convey betrayal and inner rage in a way that few singers can. She performed 10 haunting songs of heartbreak, doom and gloom peppered with some self deprecating banter. If I remember correctly, the young, talented chanteuse poked fun at her lyrics and spoke of eating too much garlic and perhaps having stinky arm pits. I first saw Angel play last year at an in-store event at a local record store, Kim’s Video & Music and was hooked. See a video from that performance HERE. Definitely go see her live at a venue near you and buy her music. Good luck finding her limited edition cassettes. You might be able to find her Strange Cacti LP. Definitely pick up her newest album only available on vinyl (get a turntable already!) titled Half Way Home on Bathetic Records.
BIRD CALL
MAGMANA
Bird Call were exciting to watch…heavy on the keyboards with jazzy, pop vocals. They made my head nod and bobble around. Magmana are a great Brooklyn band and I really enjoyed when the blending male and female vocals were in effect. A quick comment about the crowd…very polite except for the feisty NY Times photographer who appeared very cool at first, but when Angel hit the stage and it was time to clock in, it was like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. She got a bit verbally aggressive, and highly territorial with the crowd. Her cameras were also loud and distracting for such a quiet set of songs and she was taking photos the WHOLE time. C’mon now. It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice!
ANGEL OLSEN (GLASSLANDS 11.12.12)
Check out Angel Olsen at the following performances:
Dec 09 2012 Saki Records Chicago, IL 3pm with Foxygen
Jan 04 2013 Bootleg Bar Los Angeles, CA 8pm with Matt Kivel
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Tags: angel olsen, brooklyn, chocko, glasslands, new york city, nyc, review, show, the glasslands gallery
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Alan Lee’s Chinese Kung Fu – Wu Su Temple
November 20th, 2012 by Mr. C
(Grandmaster Alan Lee giving out degree holder certificates after the exhibition)
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Alan Lee’s Chinese Kung Fu – Wu Su Association is a non-profit Kung Fu school that has been a fabric of NYC for 45 years now. Founded and still led by the venerable Grandmaster Alan Lee, this temple teaches an eclectic mix of traditional chinese martial arts blending northern and southern styles of kung fu including weapons, grappling, & ground fighting. The unique fusion of training methods both traditional and modern techniques is what sets this school apart from other chinese martial art kwoons. Some of the senior teachers of the temple have been with the school since the 1970s and continue to pass on their knowledge and endless encouragements to their students.
We had the pleasure to attend Alan Lee’s Chinese Kung Fu – Wu Su Association’s 45th annual exhibition last Sunday with plenty of chi & adrenaline flowing throughout the show! The demonstration included fist form routines, fighting dancing (shadow boxing), internal forms, fighting, self defense, breaking, weapon routines, animal routines and fighting, and the nail bed discipline! The animals unleashed segment displaying the various animal styles including tiger, crane, snake, mantis, & eagle was one of my favorite portions of the exhibition as well as the various breaking demonstrations!
(Tiger vs Eagle)
If you are interested in learning more about chinese martial arts or just looking for a no-nonsense workout, go visit Alan Lee’s Chinese Kung Fu – Wu Su! There’s a reason why this organization has been around this long!
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(Concrete block break while suspended)
(Childrens class fighting atop concrete blocks)
(Broadsword vs 3 sectional staff)
(Internal form)
(Concrete slab break x 3)
(a battle royale free for all of sorts)
(Concrete slab break)
(Nail Bed Discipline)
Tags: alan lee's kung fu, demonstration, kung fu, martial arts
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— a weekend stroll in New Chalk City! —
November 19th, 2012 by Mr. C
A stroll around NYC this weekend included stopping off at Cotton Candy Machine, an art boutique in Brooklyn housed with creations by Tara Mcpherson & other contemporary artists specializing in art prints, posters, apparel, books, toys, and more! Art work in all different forms pop out at you when you enter the store which usually leaves the wallet high & dry! The rad T-Shirts designed by Tara are hard to resist as well! I kept on eyeing David Choe’s book but fought the urge at $45. Sean – one of the owners/manager/nice guys at Cotton Candy Machine mentioned that Tara is releasing a special print on black friday. And like Arnold said – We’ll be bach’!
(Tara Mcpherson’s LILITU won 2012 Toy of the Year at the Designer Toy Awards)
Next we hobbled over to the Williamsburg Waterfront to our final destination in Brooklyn to take a sneak peak at the Renegade Craft fair. But before we did that we had to enter the 36 chambers and one of them was Smorgasburg, a flea market of food vendors of sorts! There is where I reunited with Lumpia Shack – a 2012 market vendor award winner at the Vendy Awards at Governors Island! For all that do not know, Lumpia is the filipino answer to the fried chinese spring rolls. This time at Lumpia Shack, we tackled the sweet & savory versions of the crispy little morsels! We had the honey banana turon and the peking duck! I definitely have to add these two to the arsenal right besides the classic pork version!
(Honey banana turon lumpia sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar)
(Peking duck lumpia topped with minced ginger & scallions w/ hoisin & sriracha sauce)
Next, we did a battle royale speed tag round at the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Market which was encased in two football field continuous row of tents in parallel. The beginning and ends of both tents had a heavy duty blower heater to keep the shoppers warm! All market vendors focused on DIY and indie-craft culture offering unique products including jewelry, ceramics, accessories, artwork, shirts, leather, food, & more! The two tables that got my attention were the different sized journals made from recycling old books and Left Field Cards which sold some really creative & playful postcards inpsired by a spin on baseball cards. The postcard set that I bought was called “Marvelous Moustaches”. I thought the cards were hilarious and even contained one of my favorite NY Yankees of all time – Don Mattingly!
(The Marvelous Moustache postcard set by Left Field Cards)
(Maria “TooFly” Castillo at the Ladies Love Project at University Settlement)
Our last but not least – major stop – the LADIES LOVE PROJECT HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP was located back at the island of Manhattan. Tucked away on Eldridge street would lay home to the University Settlement Center which is a celebrated art and community space located in the Lower East Side. The center plays host to a unique mix of upcoming and established talent. Last Saturday – the Ladies Love Project Holiday Pop-Up Shop would call it their home for a one day celebration. Art pieces on canvas, jewelry, t-shirts, graffiti, make-up, nails, live music, toys, & more could be found here – all created & fronted by local artists! It was really cool to see SHIRO – a graffiti artist from Japan selling merchandise at her table including mini tote bags, coloring books, & pillows all designed by her! Shiro said she is about to start another writing project on the walls at 5 Pointz in Long Island City in a few weeks or so. And of course Maria “TOOFLY” Castillo was in the Ladies Love building as well, another local NYC Graffiti writer aficionado. TooFly is one of the founders of the Ladies Love Project created to recognize and showcase female designers, entreprenueurs, & artists alike! Respect to all the ladies!
(Shiro at the Ladies Love Project)
Tags: ladies love project
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SWEET DREAMS at DOC NYC – New York’s Documentary Festival
November 14th, 2012 by Mr. C
Directors: Lisa Fruchtman & Rob Fruchtman
From one emotional & inspiring documentary to the next, Sweet Dreams might have just taken the cake or more appropriately – ice cream – in my DOC NYC book! Sweet Dreams starts off the film with a history lesson on the horrific incident in 1994 in Central/East Africa – the Rwandan genocide that claimed one million lives. With the 40 years of Belgian rule in Rwanda, the ‘Tutsi’ social cast group were favored over the ‘Hutu’. With the subsequent Independence of Rwanda came Hutu power and oppression of the Tutsi. The government ordered all Hutus to do their country duty and kill all Tutsis which might have entailed murdering their neighbors, friends, & family which resulted in one million lives lost and a nation with lost souls, hopes, & dreams. 17 Years later the country is still mourning in conjunction with trying to mend broken hearts and trust between the groups.
The real sweet dream & reconciliation starts when an all woman drum team consisting of the Tutsi and Hutu come together as one and form as INGOMA NSHYA. They come from all different backgrounds – widows, orphans, and children of perpetrators/killers from the genocide. Rwanda’s first women Drum team brought back hope and unity for the country! The sounds emitted by the drum pounds by these ladies were powerful, rhythmic, & graceful!
Another sweet dream would be realized by the members of Ingoma Nshya as the prospects of the ladies learning a new skill and developing a new food palate with the possibility of starting up an ice cream shop in Butare is coming to fruition. The know how, love, and generosity would be fueled by Alexis Miesen, one of the founders of Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn. The film documented the enthusiasm of the ladies and even more so the hope in their eyes. The skills, equipment, and training in making ice cream provided to the drum team would be a known, a given. The hard part of this business ordeal would be for the ladies to create a cooperative, a shareholder of sorts that would need investments towards the establishment. All in all, decisions would be made, a leader would be elected and shareholders will be chosen which leaves a few in the dark. Their ice cream shop would be called INZOZI NZIZA (Sweet Dreams)!
I loved how the director framed the story choosing horrific images of the past while fast forwarding to the present day, showing tender & conflicted moments while still highlighting the innocence and hardships between the subjects. Some of my favorite moments of the film without giving out spoilers are when the President of Rwanda stops by the village for a Q&A with the residents, the drumming aspects of the team, and the scene when the ice cream machine is in desperate repair before the grand opening of the store. The marketing strategy devised by Inzozi Nziza was also a fun moment!
I definitely recommend SWEET DREAMS to all! After watching this film, I can safely take a step back and honestly say hey, we don’t have it that bad afterall. It’s tough for me to picture what the Rwandan’s went through with all the bloodshed and lives lost but still have a heart in them to reconcile the past. I guess it’s just the human process to move on, learn from our mistakes to not repeat it so the harmonious living can go on.
I was looking forward to seeing 3 members of the Ingoma Nshya Drum team from Rwanda perform at Washington Square Park in NYC last Sunday but I had to dash back into the theatres for another screening. I will be looking out for you – Ingoma Nshya and maybe have some ice cream at Inzozi Nziza someday!
Here’s a great article on Gothamist about Jennie and Alexis – the owners of Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn.
Tags: doc nyc, documentary
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Sunday afternoon in the park
November 13th, 2012 by Mr. C
I was roaming around Washington Square Park looking for the Rwandan drummers from the Sweet Dreams documentary but instead ran into Sneak Thievery – an orchestra dishing out some hot & smoky jazz & blues tunes! Sneak Thievery band members were armed with a trumpet, banjo, upright bass, & drums as they took us back to the times of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Bessie Smith, & Louis Armstrong! They even encouraged me to pop out my quirky two-step! Their rendition of St. James Infirmary blew my toupe off!
I never did find the Rwandan drummer performance at the park because I had to dance back to IFC Center for the screening of DRIVERS WANTED.
After that I ran into Paul the Birdman of Washington Square park along with his friend Larry Reddick tending to their flightful friends of the park! No lie, they had a pigeon that they were identifying as Choco! Check out this gothamist article for more information on The Birdman and Choco?!
Tags: birdman, blues, jazz, pigeons, washington square park
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2 Movie Reviews by Dreaming Bear
November 12th, 2012 by chocko
The following reviews are by a special guest writer, DREAMING BEAR. She came out of her Jersey cave to check out 2 films at the Teaneck International Film Festival (Nov 9-11, 2012). Take it away, D. Bear!
The Puffin Foundation of Teaneck, New Jersey, produced its 7th annual grassroots film festival this year. Focusing on activism, diversity and change, this year’s Teaneck International Film Festival’s theme was one of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Some of this year’s offerings included the French film, Free Men showing how Jews and Muslims worked together during World War II and a number of very interesting documentaries such the Israeli movie Four Hundred Miles To Freedom. In addition to the outstanding content and quality of the films, some showings included live music, snacks, and post-film discussions. The ticket price was very affordable and the small venues located throughout Teaneck made the whole experience very personal and enjoyable.
Special thanks to all the volunteers and to the organizations, businesses and individuals whose financial support makes the whole festival possible.
CLOUDBURST
DIRECTOR: Thom Fitzgerald
This film is both a laugh-out-loud and wipe-your-tears winner!
Olympia Dukakis plays Stella, a fiesty, foul-mouthed, Tequila drinking 80 year old with a dogged determination to keep her long-time partner, Dot, played by Brenda Friker, out of a nursing home and the clutches of her controlling granddaughter.
The two women running from the law, embark on a road trip to Canada where they could legally be married. They meet all kinds of adventures and characters along the way. Mostly, however, they are given the opportunity to explore their deep devotion to each other and to have it profoundly affect the people around them.
Cloudburst is a heart-lifting celebration of the resiliency of the human spirit and our will to achieve our greatest desires in life – to love and to be free to be who we truly are. I give it the highest recommendation.
DRESSING AMERICA: TALES FROM THE GARMENT CENTER
DIRECTOR: Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher
This inspiring and informative documentary opens with Charlie, an 86 year old textile salesman in NYC’s garment district, who has served many of the same families in the clothing manufacturing business for over 3 generations.
While Paris has generally been considered the birthplace of couture, the post World War II Jewish immigrants to NYC were the true pioneers of the fashion industry in the United States.
They came here with not only their superb skills and handmade tools, but a deep desire to better their lives in a new country filled with opportunity. And they did just that – elevating the humble “schmatte” trade to a high art form, filled with elegance. For these people the industry was more than a job. It was a personal dream, a family affair, a culture, a whole way of life. In many cases that is still true today.
All of this and more is explored in this thoroughly enjoyable and educational film. Plus, we get a lot of Jewish humor and a bit of kvetching. What’s not to love?
(TEXT BY DREAMING BEAR)
Tags: cloudburst, dreaming bear, dressing ameriica, movie, new jersey, nj, review, teaneck international film festival
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DRIVERS WANTED at DOC NYC : New York’s Documentary Festival
November 12th, 2012 by Mr. C
(Photo credit: Joshua Z Weinstein)
Director: Joshua Z Weinstein
Producer: Jean Tsien
Drivers Wanted was a fun & eye opening documentary about a NYC Taxi fleet company with its charming but no-nonsense owner Stan, & a few of their colorful characters that roam the big apple as their cab drivers. Stan’s company established in 1956 as – 55 Stan Operating Corporation is run out of Long Island City, Queens off of Vernon Blvd, not too far from where we usually romp around looking for new graffiti in LIC on Jackson Avenue at 5 Pointz.
The taxi garage at 55 Stan is a straight up timewarp. It seems like nothing has changed since they first opened up in 1956 unlike the vehicles, mechanics, & drivers that have probably pilfered through there since. The aged & bruised lockers that are scattered about in the breakroom, the Ms. Pacman arcade that chomps around and lightens up the grim space, the plexi or perhaps bulletproof glass that separates the dispatcher and the cash from the cabbies at checkin/checkout, and the high pitch echoing sounds of impact guns powered up by air compressors in the garage as bolts are being unhinged, all form a sense of day to day hustling at LIC in the NYC. The other constant of course is Stan – a man that runs his cab company with an iron-fist but has a heart of a lion that truly cares for his drivers – a lion king of sorts of his domain. Stan joked in the beginning of the movie that he was like the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz, that when you opened up the curtain or the window to reveal the Wiz – out would spill a short and spunky Jewish guy doling out words of wisdom! Stan remains active in his company as he dispatches, answers the phone, & assigns cabs to his drivers as well as recruiting for new cabbies at a nearby hack licensing center.
(Stan at the lobby of IFC after the screening)
Another charismatic character in the garage is Spider, a 90 year old cab driver who has roots in the south but has found a home in NYC driving a cab for 67 years now. With a cigar in tow and with his own feisty outlook in life, he drives a cab a few days a week as well as helping out at the garage. Spider even accompanies Stan while he looks for new recruits acting as a driver/lookout for traffic cops while Stan passes out flyers at the hack training center.
The main character that the camera follows around is Eric, a chinese immigrant who drives a tour bus that recently had his work schedule scaled back to just driving 1 day a week. He struggles to support his two kids and wife. We follow Eric as he obtains his cab license and captures the attention of Stan who is always on the prowl looking for a few good men/women to navigate his yellow cabs!
Eric and his family graciously opens up their lives so that we may get a peek at his trials and tribulations of working as a new cabbie for the best Taxi Fleet company in NYC as Stan describes it!
(Eric’s 2 kids, Joshua Z Weinstein(director),Stan, & Jean Tsien-producer)
Drivers Wanted is a documentary that is polar opposites of the well known “Taxicab Confessions” show on HBO. This film focuses on the person behind the wheel of a yellow cab, their lives, their families, and how they came about driving as a hack in the city that never sleeps. It will take us viewers on a fun filled glimpse of the outspoken Stan and his company – 55 Stan Operating Corporation along with a few chosen drivers including an experienced old lion (Spider) and a rookie (Eric). I can tell you after watching this documentary, I have a whole new found respect for cabbies and what they have to go through to survive. It really touched a nerve in me. From the amount of money the drivers have to pay ($160) to lease the taxi per shift to the fare jumpers to driving in haphazard weather conditions – all the way down to the everyday hustle.
Stan was in attendance at the screening and I asked him after the Q&A if he was a fan or have watched “TAXI” the 1970’s sitcom with Danny Devito, Tony Danza, & Judd Hirsch AND Stan said his company was the inspiration for that show! I wasn’t sure if he was serious or if he was Stan being Stan but I wasn’t about to argue with him!
If you get a chance to see DRIVERS WANTED – do it! It’s charming, it’s touching, it’s real, it’s New York! I believe the director Joshua Z Weinstein mentioned that it will have a week run at RERUN Theater starting November 30th in Brooklyn! Go for yours!
There was a brief Q&A after the screening of Drivers Wanted at IFC Theater – DOC NYC Festival. Joshua Weinstein (director), Jean Tsien (producer), Stan, and Eric’s wife and two kids were in attendance! Eric couldn’t be there because he was working! All hail the yellow cab!
(Q&A after the screening)
(photos and video by mr c)
Tags: doc nyc, documentary, ifc, movies
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DOC NYC: New York’s Documentary Festival November 8 – 15
November 9th, 2012 by chocko
DOC NYC is happening right now! Here are a couple movies that I’ve had the extreme pleasure to watch and I recommend that you check them all out on the big screen at the IFC Center and SVA Theatre in New York City during the DOC NYC Festival which runs from November 8-15. Chocko and Mr. C will have more reviews in the near future but also be sure to check out Unseen Films for excellent DOC NYC coverage.
RADIOMAN
DIRECTOR: MARY KERR
A film that follows around a quirky, magnetic character who hangs around movie sets and movie premieres in New York City all day and night. He rides a bicycle everywhere he goes, wears a radio around his neck (hence the nickname) and everybody in the movie making business knows him. Once an alcoholic and homeless, Radioman (still looking a bit dusty and musty) is now a fixture on every movie set in NYC, hustling for autographs and food from crafts service tents. He even manages to get cameo parts in feature films. The film focuses on the weird character that is Radioman and his love affair with the movie industry, at home (a fortress of clutter and collectibles) and at work. There are plenty of interviews and kind words from big time celebrities such as Tom Hanks and George Clooney. I ran into Radioman on plenty of occasions in my early days of collecting autographs. He knew all the actors and directors and always had insider info-where all the the movies were going to be filmed and who was going to be there (this was before smart phones existed). Don’t miss this film about a true legend of the streets and movie sets of New York City. I enjoyed this documentary a lot!
RADIOMAN sceens 7:45 PM, Fri. Nov. 9, 2012 and 11:00 AM, Thu. Nov. 15, 2012 at the IFC Center.
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FAR OUT ISN’T FAR ENOUGH: THE TOMI UNGERER STORY
DIRECTOR: BRAD BERNSTEIN
Tomi Ungerer was a child who lived in Europe during World War II which to this day affects his daily struggles of living in paranoia and dealing with trauma and constant nightmares. After discovering America through the Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalogues, Esquire and New Yorker magazines, Tomi left Europe for America in 1956 with $60 in his pocket and an incredible talent for drawing. He would soon be signed to HarperCollins where he became famous for illustrating children’s books. Tomi’s peers Maurice Sendak and Jules Feiffer describe him as “drowning in talent” and as a “wonderfully brilliant and innovative mad man.” Tomi’s career came to a screeching halt and was blacklisted in American publishing after creating Fornicon, a self published book which featured highly erotic art. The movie is a wild ride and features Tomi’s amazing illustrations come to life through animation. Tom Ungerer is a pure genius and it is awesome that he is getting more recognition. If you see one movie during DOC NYC make sure it’s this one. Don’t miss out. Highly recommended!
FAR OUT ISN’T FAR ENOUGH: THE TOMI UNGERER STORY screens 1:45 PM, Sat. Nov. 10, 2012 at SVA and 11:30 AM, Tue. Nov. 13, 2012 at IFC Center
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SHEPARD & DARK
DIRECTOR: Treva Wurmfeld
The film follows the complex and unlikely friendship between Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright/actor Sam Shepard and close friend for nearly 50 years, Johnny Dark, a present day homebody, amateur archivist who works odd jobs and has a penchant for writing and getting stoned. The two kindred spirits met in the 1960’s in Greenwich Village in NYC, married into the same family and when Shepard abandoned his wife and son, Shepard and Dark still remained friends and corresponded faithfully through letters and photographs. The friendship gets put to the test after they decide to publish their letters and are presented the daunting task of sorting through endless pages of letters and photos while reliving and confronting the past. The film is fun to watch because the director Wurmfeld has great subject matter to work with. Shepard speaks with a charming midwestern twang and despite his fame, lives like a cowboy and struggles with the balance between solitude and companionship. Dark is a likeable character because he is genuine. He enjoys the writings of Kerouac and The Beat Generation, the companionship of his dogs and getting high on marijuana. Go see this film about a truly odd couple! It is a film that sheds light on the imperfections of humanity and friendship.
SHEPARD & DARK screens Saturday Nov. 10 at 9:30 PM and Monday Nov. 12 at 2:00 PM at the IFC Center
Tags: doc nyc, far out isn't far enough, movie, radioman, review, shepard & dark, tomi ungerer, unseen films
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Men At Lunch – DOC NYC – New York’s Documentary Festival
November 8th, 2012 by Mr. C
Director: Seán Ó Cualáin
Men At Lunch was a very touching documentary ode to NYC & the blue collar workers that helped build the city vertically with the rise of steel and concrete. It told the tale of a rapidly changing New York City in the early twentieth century amongst the Wall Street crisis, high unemployment rates, and with the city banks collapsing. One of the most recognizable images of all time in NYC circa 1932 is a photo with 11 ironworkers sitting on top of a steel beam suspended 57 stories high with a Canyon of Manhattan underneath them, Central Park behind them, and the hudson river in the distance while the workers were casually having lunch! This simple yet audacious image represented the celebration of the legend of the working man. The ironworker earned $1.50 an hour which was a pretty decent living at the time with one major or should we say fatal drawback – death – 2% of the workforce annually would die working on the skyscapers. These 11 nameless iron immigrant workers symbolized the fabric of the poor and working class of NYC while simultaneously elevating the common man as a superhero while they perched in the sky!. In the 1920’s, the biggest Jewish, Italian, & Irish populations in the Americas were found in the big apple and they all had something in common – growing up in the school of hard knocks! The Irish, Mohawk Indians, Germans, and the Scandinavians were known to brave the dangerous work of balancing on steel beams to build the skyscapers of Manhattan.
Along with those brave enough to work on the steel beams suspended in the canyons of NYC were the crazy anonymous photographers doing similiar circus balancing acts while documenting the ironmen! Much thanks & credit have to be given to these photographers, for they gave the workers a grandiose aura about them in a still photo that otherwise they would have not possessed while on the ground mingling with stockbrokers, athletes, artists, & women in speakeasy’s.
The director of the film – Seán Ó Cualáin attempts to demystify the anonymous 11 ironworkers in the famous photo known as – Lunch atop a Skyscraper and perhaps provide a few answers that might lead us a little bit closer in identifying 2 of the workers in the photo which leads us to a pub in Shanaglish, Ireland. Other evidence stored at the Rockefeller Center Archives and the Iron Mountain Storage facility in PA will provide further proof of authenticity in the image.
The director does a great job in celebrating the tradition of the ironworkers and their importance in creating the foundation of the skyline of NYC as we know it today. Lunch Atop a Skyscraper is a true symbol of courage and resilience of NYC and the people that call it home.
Men At Lunch screens at the DOC NYC Festival on Saturday November 10th & Wednesday November 14. Check the DOC NYC schedule for more info here.
Tags: docnyc 2012, documentary, film
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Crucial Fiction + Young Puns 2
November 8th, 2012 by chocko
This Ron English mural featuring his character The Temper Tot recently went up on Mulberry Street between Canal and Hester in Little Italy, New York City. It’s English’s first Manhattan mural in more than two decades so be sure to check it out. The “Art Of Comedy” mural was completed to coincide with the New York Comedy Festival. Street artists Hanksy and Gilf! are also taking part in the project between Canal and Broome Streets. Keep your eyes peeled for some pop culture mashups.
Also, be sure to save the day for Ron’s show Crucial Fiction: Solo Exhibition at Opera Gallery NYC
Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 to Thursday, November 29, 2012
Location: Opera Gallery NYC: 115 Spring St
Here’s another piece, done by NYC’s Hanksy who also has a show, Young Puns 2-Now with More Pun. It’s his second no holds barred solo exhibition which lampoons Tom Hanks and other celebrities such as Danny DeVito and Al Pacino. Stop by the Krause Gallery in the Lower East Side for some clever wordplay and cheesy, tongue-in-cheek art.
Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 to Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Location: Krause Gallery: 149 Orchard St at Rivington
(photos by chocko)
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Tags: crucial fiction, graffiti, hanksy, ron english, street art, young puns 2
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Girl In A Coma played Lincoln Center
November 2nd, 2012 by chocko
Girl In A Coma (Nina Diaz-guitars + vocals, Phanie Diaz-drums and Jenn Alva-bass) rocked the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center in New York City last Thursday, October 25, 2012. It was a free show and if you came, expecting some jazz guitar or the soothing sounds of a violin concerto…you came to the wrong place. With Halloween looming, the “Ghouls In A Coma” came to rattle your skull and do the monster mash!
I first saw the band at a couple of shows in Los Angeles opening for Tegan And Sara. They had me hooked with their intense punk attitude on their versions of “Ven Cerca” by Los Spitfires and “Do You Wanna Dance” made popular by The Beach Boys and The Ramones. Maybe it was the way Nina bounced around with her guitar and intense vampire-like stare and wailing vocals or the way the thundering rhythm section made me want to stomp around like Godzilla. I don’t know, but I have been a fan ever since and seen them play more shows than I can remember.
The fine trio from San Antonio, Texas recently won an Independent Music Award (IMA) for the Indie/Alt. Rock Album category and flew to NYC from Atlanta for one show in the middle of a tour with Cursive and Minus The Bear. They seem to keep getting better with every performance and record they put out. Their recent album Exits & All The Rest is out now on Joan Jett’s label, Blackheart Records and it is a perfect mix of post-punk with a dash of rockabilly, some Morrissey (after all, their name was inspired by a Smiths lyric!) with a heap of Tejano and indie rock.
Girl In A Coma performed a full set which featured songs from all four of their albums including a brand new tune “Invisible”, a captivating version of “Walkin’ After Midnight” the sultry and swoon-inducing “Monte” and a Spanish version of their newest single “Smart.” Check out some footage below of “Cemetery Baby” a Chocko favorite from the new album.
Here’s a video for “Smart” off their most recent album Exits & All The Rest…watch GIAC narrowly escape the danger of oncoming trains. Follow the girls as they explore creepy, abandoned buildings and then rock out!
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Tags: blackheart records, giac, girl in a coma, jenn alva, lincoln center, new york city, nina diaz, phanie diaz
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