Documentary film: Battle for Brooklyn

Battle for Brooklyn explores the poorly understood phenomenon of eminent domain abuse. A feature-length documentary from filmmakers Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley, and David Beilinson, this film investigates how real estate developers, local government, community activists, and the media have clashed over the largest single-source development project ever proposed in New York City.
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Widely known as the Atlantic Yards project, this undertaking has for the past four years been a major source of contention as local residents resist a billionaire developers attempt to use eminent domain to seize their homes and businesses. Done in the name of “development,” schemes such as this one eviscerate private property rights and make a mockery of the Fifth Amendment–and yet they freely exploit lucrative taxpayer subsidies, easements, and tax abatements.
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Japan indie music scene: Osaka’s “.es” = Dot Es…introducing themselves

Text by Sara Dotes

Photo by 稲垣元則

In 2009, .es started out as contemporary multi-media music unit based at “Gallery Nomart” in Osaka, Japan. .es consists of Takayuki Hashimoto (guitar, alto saxophone and harmonica etc), Sara (piano, cajon and dance etc ) and Satoshi Hayashi, modern art director and producer of .es. Hashimoto and Sara are multi-instrumentalists and also Sara occasionally dances with Hashimoto’s sound. Their live music performances all have a different theme and they choose instruments appropriate for each theme. All of their performances are in an improvised style.

The two members of .es (Hashimoto and Sara) came to respect and play various musical styles such as rock, punk, classical music, flamenco, and increasingly found themselves wanting to express the impulse on principles and unchangeable soul.

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Documentary film – “Passione: A Musical Adventure” by John Turturro

Date:  June 22 — July 5
Venue: Film Forum (West Houston Street, West of 6th Avenue)
Time: daily at 1:00, 2:50, 4:40, 6:30, 8:20 and 10:10

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Little wonder that PASSIONE, John Turturro’s wild, colorful, sexy ode to the music and people of Naples, was “rapturously received” (Variety) and interrupted by “spontaneous outbreaks of applause” (Sight + Sound Magazine) in Italy, where it played for more than four months (its soundtrack on the charts for five). A brilliant actor in film, theater, and television, Turturro is also the director of three features (including the hilarious, irreverent ROMANCE & CIGARETTES, which premiered at Film Forum) and a man whose talents are fueled by an unquenchable zest for life. He describes PASSIONE as “a musical adventure that comes directly out of the people and the volcanic land they inhabit. Conjuring ancient stories and myths that still live — of love, sex, jealousy, and social protest — each song is a small screenplay, an emotional postcard. I tried to see if I could understand in a small way, a little bit of the soul of the city, while at the same time killing clichés about it. There are places you go and once is enough. Then, there’s Napoli.”

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The “Undead Jazzfest” YouTube Trailer!!

The Uudead Jazzfest is just one week away and they just released this special UNDEAD JAZZFEST YouTube trailer, which features 1 second of music from every musician playing in the festival, recorded privately, taken from a song, or left on an answering machine! Please check it out.

Read more about this festival and schedules!

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Event: ISTANBULIVE 3 – Sounds of Civilizations

Date: Friday, June 17, 2011
Time: 6pm-10pm
Venue: Central Park/Mainstage (NY)
Ticket: free

Istanbulive is returning to SummerStage for an unprecedented third year. Over 12,000 fans have attended the previous two editions. This year one of the most famous and influential Turkish artists of all time – world renowned composer, writer, film director and musician Zülfü Livaneli will perform. 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of his career. He will be joined on stage by NY Gypsy All-Stars and other guests for an amazing summer outdoor event. Also on the bill is MANGA, an alternative / hip-hop / electronic / rock band with a legion of loyal fans spread across Europe. With a Best European Act award at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards under their belt and a second place ranking at the 2010 Eurovision Song contest, maNga is an energetic force of musicianship. Continue reading →