Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy is looking like the streets we named after him -- permanently under construction...
Directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi, Blue Scholar's "Back Home," off of the recently released Bayani, is powerful, poignant and necessary. Sure, the video's not terribly original (cemetery setting, weeping widows, kids holding portraits of lost loved ones) but it captures the inevitable suffering and pain that comes with war.
I know I've posted about Blue Scholars before but I'm just geeked off the fact that there are still some rap cats making meaningful music instead of those annoying ass dance songs. If only the masses would start taking note...
Posted by at 7:52 PM | Comments (3)
Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy is looking like the streets we named after him -- permanently under construction...
Directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi, Blue Scholar's "Back Home," off of the recently released Bayani, is powerful, poignant and necessary. Sure, the video's not terribly original (cemetery setting, weeping widows, kids holding portraits of lost loved ones) but it captures the inevitable suffering and pain that comes with war.
I know I've posted about Blue Scholars before but I'm just geeked off the fact that there are still some rap cats making meaningful music instead of those annoying ass dance songs. If only the masses would start taking note...
Posted by at 7:52 PM | Comments (3)
Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy is looking like the streets we named after him -- permanently under construction...
Directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi, Blue Scholar's "Back Home," off of the recently released Bayani, is powerful, poignant and necessary. Sure, the video's not terribly original (cemetery setting, weeping widows, kids holding portraits of lost loved ones) but it captures the inevitable suffering and pain that comes with war.
I know I've posted about Blue Scholars before but I'm just geeked off the fact that there are still some rap cats making meaningful music instead of those annoying ass dance songs. If only the masses would start taking note...
Posted by Zoneil at 7:52 PM | Comments (3)
I've never been one of those New Yorker magazine junkies, like many people I know. I guess I'm more of a secret New Yorker junkie because I have enough things piled up in my life to feel guilty about not getting to. But the annual "Summer Fiction Issue" is kindof a must for me. I picked it up a few weeks ago on the way back from a trip to Mexico and have been carrying the increasingly more tattered thing around with me ever since.
Not only does it have an excerpt from Junot Diaz's new novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but it has an amazing debut story by Korean American writer David Hoon Kim about a Japanese adoptee who was raised in Denmark and is living in Paris, entitled Sweetheart Sorrow.
I had met Fumiko almost two years earlier, in the Métro. She was not the first to mistake me for one of her countrymen. To anyone seeing me walking around in Paris, I probably look about as Scandinavian as the Emperor Hirohito, even if the only thing I am able to say in Japanese is "I don’t speak Japanese.” I am unable to pronounce the name of the city where I was born.
“But you look so Japanese,” an exasperated Fumiko told me that day, her French much more foreign-sounding than mine. Words, in her mouth, always seemed to have one syllable too many. We stood facing each other, surrounded by commuters, in the stale air of the subway car.
“Really.” I let the sarcasm settle in. “I had no idea.”
When I told her where I was from, she screamed. Several people looked at us. “De-eh-enmark? Wouah!” A pause. “So you speak”—another pause—“Danish?” She even managed to give “Danish” an extra syllable.
“Yes.”
Fumiko was from a small town in northern Japan; she was auditing courses at the École des Beaux-Arts. She smoked Marlboro Lights, which she pronounced Maru-boru Right. She owned an Aiwa mini disk player, which, she told me, used a special lithium-ion battery. The friendlier she became, the more I found her friendliness irritating, presumptuous. I had met people like her before, Asians who thought I had something in common with them. In Denmark, I had grown so used to looking different from everyone around me that I was able to forget what I looked like. In France, I was made aware, all over again, of my appearance: from French students frowning over my un-French, un-Japanese name to panhandlers in the street who shouted “Konnichiwa!” when I walked past, no doubt the only Japanese word they knew.
I found the investigation of language and love and race to be fascinating -- partly because these identity issues were transposed into a European setting. Anyway, I highly recomend a read and then checking out the Q&A with Kim afterwards.
Kim talks about his decisions to set his story in France -- where he lived for a long time:
I didn’t feel I could compete with native French-speakers writing about their own people; just as, in English, there were writers, of Asian descent or not, writing about the U.S. much better than I ever could. At the same time, I wanted to be true to myself as a writer. I’ve always felt that it doesn’t matter what you write about; what matters is how you write about it.
I am often thinking (and writing) about this issue between the quality of the writing and the theme. I agree -- at the end of the day -- it is HOW YOU WRITE but I think it is important for Asian American writers to really make an effort to push outside of the box and write about characters not heard of before, like Kim's Japanese-Danish Blatand.
Posted by neela at 2:01 PM | Comments (3)
I've never been one of those New Yorker magazine junkies, like many people I know. I guess I'm more of a secret New Yorker junkie because I have enough things piled up in my life to feel guilty about not getting to. But the annual "Summer Fiction Issue" is kindof a must for me. I picked it up a few weeks ago on the way back from a trip to Mexico and have been carrying the increasingly more tattered thing around with me ever since.
Not only does it have an excerpt from Junot Diaz's new novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but it has an amazing debut story by Korean American writer David Hoon Kim about a Japanese adoptee who was raised in Denmark and is living in Paris, entitled Sweetheart Sorrow.
I had met Fumiko almost two years earlier, in the Métro. She was not the first to mistake me for one of her countrymen. To anyone seeing me walking around in Paris, I probably look about as Scandinavian as the Emperor Hirohito, even if the only thing I am able to say in Japanese is "I don’t speak Japanese.” I am unable to pronounce the name of the city where I was born.
“But you look so Japanese,” an exasperated Fumiko told me that day, her French much more foreign-sounding than mine. Words, in her mouth, always seemed to have one syllable too many. We stood facing each other, surrounded by commuters, in the stale air of the subway car.
“Really.” I let the sarcasm settle in. “I had no idea.”
When I told her where I was from, she screamed. Several people looked at us. “De-eh-enmark? Wouah!” A pause. “So you speak”—another pause—“Danish?” She even managed to give “Danish” an extra syllable.
“Yes.”
Fumiko was from a small town in northern Japan; she was auditing courses at the École des Beaux-Arts. She smoked Marlboro Lights, which she pronounced Maru-boru Right. She owned an Aiwa mini disk player, which, she told me, used a special lithium-ion battery. The friendlier she became, the more I found her friendliness irritating, presumptuous. I had met people like her before, Asians who thought I had something in common with them. In Denmark, I had grown so used to looking different from everyone around me that I was able to forget what I looked like. In France, I was made aware, all over again, of my appearance: from French students frowning over my un-French, un-Japanese name to panhandlers in the street who shouted “Konnichiwa!” when I walked past, no doubt the only Japanese word they knew.
I found the investigation of language and love and race to be fascinating -- partly because these identity issues were transposed into a European setting. Anyway, I highly recomend a read and then checking out the Q&A with Kim afterwards.
Kim talks about his decisions to set his story in France -- where he lived for a long time:
I didn’t feel I could compete with native French-speakers writing about their own people; just as, in English, there were writers, of Asian descent or not, writing about the U.S. much better than I ever could. At the same time, I wanted to be true to myself as a writer. I’ve always felt that it doesn’t matter what you write about; what matters is how you write about it.
I am often thinking (and writing) about this issue between the quality of the writing and the theme. I agree -- at the end of the day -- it is HOW YOU WRITE but I think it is important for Asian American writers to really make an effort to push outside of the box and write about characters not heard of before, like Kim's Japanese-Danish Blatand.
Posted by neela at 2:01 PM | Comments (3)
I've never been one of those New Yorker magazine junkies, like many people I know. I guess I'm more of a secret New Yorker junkie because I have enough things piled up in my life to feel guilty about not getting to. But the annual "Summer Fiction Issue" is kindof a must for me. I picked it up a few weeks ago on the way back from a trip to Mexico and have been carrying the increasingly more tattered thing around with me ever since.
Not only does it have an excerpt from Junot Diaz's new novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but it has an amazing debut story by Korean American writer David Hoon Kim about a Japanese adoptee who was raised in Denmark and is living in Paris, entitled Sweetheart Sorrow.
I had met Fumiko almost two years earlier, in the Mtro. She was not the first to mistake me for one of her countrymen. To anyone seeing me walking around in Paris, I probably look about as Scandinavian as the Emperor Hirohito, even if the only thing I am able to say in Japanese is "I dont speak Japanese. I am unable to pronounce the name of the city where I was born.
But you look so Japanese, an exasperated Fumiko told me that day, her French much more foreign-sounding than mine. Words, in her mouth, always seemed to have one syllable too many. We stood facing each other, surrounded by commuters, in the stale air of the subway car.
Really. I let the sarcasm settle in. I had no idea.
When I told her where I was from, she screamed. Several people looked at us. De-eh-enmark? Wouah! A pause. So you speakanother pauseDanish? She even managed to give Danish an extra syllable.
Yes.
Fumiko was from a small town in northern Japan; she was auditing courses at the cole des Beaux-Arts. She smoked Marlboro Lights, which she pronounced Maru-boru Right. She owned an Aiwa mini disk player, which, she told me, used a special lithium-ion battery. The friendlier she became, the more I found her friendliness irritating, presumptuous. I had met people like her before, Asians who thought I had something in common with them. In Denmark, I had grown so used to looking different from everyone around me that I was able to forget what I looked like. In France, I was made aware, all over again, of my appearance: from French students frowning over my un-French, un-Japanese name to panhandlers in the street who shouted Konnichiwa! when I walked past, no doubt the only Japanese word they knew.
I found the investigation of language and love and race to be fascinating -- partly because these identity issues were transposed into a European setting. Anyway, I highly recomend a read and then checking out the Q&A with Kim afterwards.
Kim talks about his decisions to set his story in France -- where he lived for a long time:
I didnt feel I could compete with native French-speakers writing about their own people; just as, in English, there were writers, of Asian descent or not, writing about the U.S. much better than I ever could. At the same time, I wanted to be true to myself as a writer. Ive always felt that it doesnt matter what you write about; what matters is how you write about it.
I am often thinking (and writing) about this issue between the quality of the writing and the theme. I agree -- at the end of the day -- it is HOW YOU WRITE but I think it is important for Asian American writers to really make an effort to push outside of the box and write about characters not heard of before, like Kim's Japanese-Danish Blatand.
Posted by neela at 2:01 PM | Comments (3)
The New York Academy of Medicine released a report in May on the needs of APIs living with HIV/AIDS in the New York City area.
Some key findings show no real surprises (many barriers to care like cost and language, evidence that APIs delay testing, and overall low knowledge of HIV prevention and treatment), but something to note:
• Extreme Isolation and Mental Distress Because of HIV Stigma. Reluctance to disclose one’s HIV status because of HIV stigma was a major theme in the qualitative interviews. Many participants experienced extreme social isolation because of their fears about disclosing their HIV status and the sometimes negative responses they received when they did disclose. Social isolation appears to have had significant negative mental health consequences. 71% had low or very low mental health scores, compared to 50% for the cohort. (emphasis mine)
Yet even given these high levels of isolation and mental distress, relatively few had utilized mental health services; providers said the barriers were both clients’ reluctance to seek mental health services and the lack of appropriate services. Once again, we see mental health as a major unaddressed issue in our community.
There are many APAs around the country trying to bring more attention to the issue of AIDS in our community and prompting folks to get tested (Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon got an oral test in front of the press in May). But at the same time, HIV clinics and researchers are seeing their funding slashed as the result of an administration that prefers to promote abstinence instead of sex ed to combat AIDS. Here in San Francisco, a Japanese American researcher at UCSF who worked with Asian and transgender communities was recently fired (he claims racial prejudice and lack of concern for transgendered communities).
I wrote about undocumented Asian immigrants living with HIV/AIDS in New York City in HYPHEN’s Fall 2006 issue (The Music Issue), and it never fails to amaze me how invisible this issue is to our community. Maybe people think it’s a nonissue; it has fallen off our radar since the ’80s and ’90s when it was on all the celebrities’ lips and lapels. Or, more disturbingly, maybe people think that Asian Americans simply don’t get AIDS. I once read a submission from a writer who didn’t use condoms because he assumed the Asian women he slept with were “clean” (his words).
So what to do? Volunteer with or donate to APA AIDS/HIV research and service groups, don’t assume HIV is just a gay or White issue, get tested regularly and for God’s sake, use a rubber.
Posted by lisamac at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
The New York Academy of Medicine released a report in May on the needs of APIs living with HIV/AIDS in the New York City area.
Some key findings show no real surprises (many barriers to care like cost and language, evidence that APIs delay testing, and overall low knowledge of HIV prevention and treatment), but something to note:
• Extreme Isolation and Mental Distress Because of HIV Stigma. Reluctance to disclose one’s HIV status because of HIV stigma was a major theme in the qualitative interviews. Many participants experienced extreme social isolation because of their fears about disclosing their HIV status and the sometimes negative responses they received when they did disclose. Social isolation appears to have had significant negative mental health consequences. 71% had low or very low mental health scores, compared to 50% for the cohort. (emphasis mine)
Yet even given these high levels of isolation and mental distress, relatively few had utilized mental health services; providers said the barriers were both clients’ reluctance to seek mental health services and the lack of appropriate services. Once again, we see mental health as a major unaddressed issue in our community.
There are many APAs around the country trying to bring more attention to the issue of AIDS in our community and prompting folks to get tested (Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon got an oral test in front of the press in May). But at the same time, HIV clinics and researchers are seeing their funding slashed as the result of an administration that prefers to promote abstinence instead of sex ed to combat AIDS. Here in San Francisco, a Japanese American researcher at UCSF who worked with Asian and transgender communities was recently fired (he claims racial prejudice and lack of concern for transgendered communities).
I wrote about undocumented Asian immigrants living with HIV/AIDS in New York City in HYPHEN’s Fall 2006 issue (The Music Issue), and it never fails to amaze me how invisible this issue is to our community. Maybe people think it’s a nonissue; it has fallen off our radar since the ’80s and ’90s when it was on all the celebrities’ lips and lapels. Or, more disturbingly, maybe people think that Asian Americans simply don’t get AIDS. I once read a submission from a writer who didn’t use condoms because he assumed the Asian women he slept with were “clean” (his words).
So what to do? Volunteer with or donate to APA AIDS/HIV research and service groups, don’t assume HIV is just a gay or White issue, get tested regularly and for God’s sake, use a rubber.
Posted by lisamac at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
The New York Academy of Medicine released a report in May on the needs of APIs living with HIV/AIDS in the New York City area.
Some key findings show no real surprises (many barriers to care like cost and language, evidence that APIs delay testing, and overall low knowledge of HIV prevention and treatment), but something to note:
Extreme Isolation and Mental Distress Because of HIV Stigma. Reluctance to disclose ones HIV status because of HIV stigma was a major theme in the qualitative interviews. Many participants experienced extreme social isolation because of their fears about disclosing their HIV status and the sometimes negative responses they received when they did disclose. Social isolation appears to have had significant negative mental health consequences. 71% had low or very low mental health scores, compared to 50% for the cohort. (emphasis mine)
Yet even given these high levels of isolation and mental distress, relatively few had utilized mental health services; providers said the barriers were both clients reluctance to seek mental health services and the lack of appropriate services. Once again, we see mental health as a major unaddressed issue in our community.
There are many APAs around the country trying to bring more attention to the issue of AIDS in our community and prompting folks to get tested (Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon got an oral test in front of the press in May). But at the same time, HIV clinics and researchers are seeing their funding slashed as the result of an administration that prefers to promote abstinence instead of sex ed to combat AIDS. Here in San Francisco, a Japanese American researcher at UCSF who worked with Asian and transgender communities was recently fired (he claims racial prejudice and lack of concern for transgendered communities).
I wrote about undocumented Asian immigrants living with HIV/AIDS in New York City in HYPHENs Fall 2006 issue (The Music Issue), and it never fails to amaze me how invisible this issue is to our community. Maybe people think its a nonissue; it has fallen off our radar since the 80s and 90s when it was on all the celebrities lips and lapels. Or, more disturbingly, maybe people think that Asian Americans simply dont get AIDS. I once read a submission from a writer who didnt use condoms because he assumed the Asian women he slept with were clean (his words).
So what to do? Volunteer with or donate to APA AIDS/HIV research and service groups, dont assume HIV is just a gay or White issue, get tested regularly and for Gods sake, use a rubber.
Posted by lisamac at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
In D.C., a judge is suing an elderly Korean American couple for $67 million in damages for allegedly losing his pants...
The administrative law judge, Roy L. Pearson, Jr., claims the family-run Custom Cleaners, owned by an immigrant couple that doesn't speak English and works a 70-hour week, breached the District's consumer protection laws by displaying a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sign in their window while misplacing his pants.
While pundits are having a heyday lampooning the lawsuit, the New York Times reports, the trial is being held-up by activists as a case book example of the abuse of lawsuits and the legal system in the U.S..
The defendants lawyer, Christopher Manning, wrote in court papers that ,“The plaintiff has decided to use his intimate knowledge of the District of Columbia laws and legal systems to exploit non-English-speaking immigrants who work in excess of 70 hours per week to live the American dream."
Nuff said. Read the whole sad tale--lurid details of the plaintiff claiming the laundrette maliciously replaced his designer pinstripes with cheap knock-offs!
Posted by melanie at 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
In D.C., a judge is suing an elderly Korean American couple for $67 million in damages for allegedly losing his pants...
The administrative law judge, Roy L. Pearson, Jr., claims the family-run Custom Cleaners, owned by an immigrant couple that doesn't speak English and works a 70-hour week, breached the District's consumer protection laws by displaying a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sign in their window while misplacing his pants.
While pundits are having a heyday lampooning the lawsuit, the New York Times reports, the trial is being held-up by activists as a case book example of the abuse of lawsuits and the legal system in the U.S..
The defendants lawyer, Christopher Manning, wrote in court papers that ,“The plaintiff has decided to use his intimate knowledge of the District of Columbia laws and legal systems to exploit non-English-speaking immigrants who work in excess of 70 hours per week to live the American dream."
Nuff said. Read the whole sad tale--lurid details of the plaintiff claiming the laundrette maliciously replaced his designer pinstripes with cheap knock-offs!
Posted by melanie at 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
In D.C., a judge is suing an elderly Korean American couple for $67 million in damages for allegedly losing his pants...
The administrative law judge, Roy L. Pearson, Jr., claims the family-run Custom Cleaners, owned by an immigrant couple that doesn't speak English and works a 70-hour week, breached the District's consumer protection laws by displaying a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sign in their window while misplacing his pants.
While pundits are having a heyday lampooning the lawsuit, the New York Times reports, the trial is being held-up by activists as a case book example of the abuse of lawsuits and the legal system in the U.S..
The defendants lawyer, Christopher Manning, wrote in court papers that ,The plaintiff has decided to use his intimate knowledge of the District of Columbia laws and legal systems to exploit non-English-speaking immigrants who work in excess of 70 hours per week to live the American dream."
Nuff said. Read the whole sad tale--lurid details of the plaintiff claiming the laundrette maliciously replaced his designer pinstripes with cheap knock-offs!
Posted by melanie at 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
The film Colma opens this Friday in SF, and I'm excited to see it. I missed this one at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival because it was sold out. This time I'm buying my tickets in advance.
The story takes place in Colma, which is a suburb of SF where the dead outnumber the living 1500 to 1. It folllows best pals Rodel, Billy, and Maribel, who find themselves in a state of limbo. Fresh out of high school, they're trying to figure out how to weather the ups and downs of early adulthood.
Yes, it's a musical. I know some of you might be opposed to the idea of a musical, but get over it. I've heard this is a really really good film. We interviewed the directors in issue 10 of Hyphen (our music issue, naturally).
Screening & Party Info
COLMA: THE MUSICAL Opening and After-Party
Exclusive Engagement: Landmark Embarcadero Theatres from June 22
One Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
June 22 - 28 showtimes: Daily at 12pm / 2:30pm / 5pm / 7:30pm / 10pm
AFTER-PARTY: CAAM (that's Center for Asian American Media) will be hosting an informal after-party after the 7:30pm and 10pm screenings on Friday, June 22 at:
FRISSON
244 Jackson Street (two blocks from the Landmark Embarcadero)
9pm - 1am (immediately following the evening screenings)
More Info About the Film
COLMA: THE MUSICAL world premiered at the 2006 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award. Catchy melodies, thoughtfully funny lyrics, and appealing teenage protagonists bring South SF’s cemetery town to life in this
highly original musical about… Colma! Three best friends sing, dance and dream their way through a city where the dead outnumber the living.
The film, directed by Richard Wong and featuring H.P. Mendoza, who wrote the script and music, went on to become a favorite on the festival circuit and earned IFP Gotham Award and Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Missed it at the SFIAAFF? Don't miss the chance to catch what critics are calling "[a] giddy, unexpected pleasure" (LA Weekly) and "one of the most entertaining films we've seen in a long time" (SFist).
If you've seen it once, come see the new theatrical version, re-edited by Oscar winning editor Lisa Fruchtman.
For more information about the film, visit their website. For more information about Landmark Theatres and show times, click here.
Tickets
Advance tickets available here.
And New York, you're next. Colma opens July 6th at The Quad 34 (W 13th Street New York City).
Posted by Melissa at 10:53 AM | Comments (6)
The film Colma opens this Friday in SF, and I'm excited to see it. I missed this one at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival because it was sold out. This time I'm buying my tickets in advance.
The story takes place in Colma, which is a suburb of SF where the dead outnumber the living 1500 to 1. It folllows best pals Rodel, Billy, and Maribel, who find themselves in a state of limbo. Fresh out of high school, they're trying to figure out how to weather the ups and downs of early adulthood.
Yes, it's a musical. I know some of you might be opposed to the idea of a musical, but get over it. I've heard this is a really really good film. We interviewed the directors in issue 10 of Hyphen (our music issue, naturally).
Screening & Party Info
COLMA: THE MUSICAL Opening and After-Party
Exclusive Engagement: Landmark Embarcadero Theatres from June 22
One Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
June 22 - 28 showtimes: Daily at 12pm / 2:30pm / 5pm / 7:30pm / 10pm
AFTER-PARTY: CAAM (that's Center for Asian American Media) will be hosting an informal after-party after the 7:30pm and 10pm screenings on Friday, June 22 at:
FRISSON
244 Jackson Street (two blocks from the Landmark Embarcadero)
9pm - 1am (immediately following the evening screenings)
More Info About the Film
COLMA: THE MUSICAL world premiered at the 2006 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award. Catchy melodies, thoughtfully funny lyrics, and appealing teenage protagonists bring South SF’s cemetery town to life in this
highly original musical about… Colma! Three best friends sing, dance and dream their way through a city where the dead outnumber the living.
The film, directed by Richard Wong and featuring H.P. Mendoza, who wrote the script and music, went on to become a favorite on the festival circuit and earned IFP Gotham Award and Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Missed it at the SFIAAFF? Don't miss the chance to catch what critics are calling "[a] giddy, unexpected pleasure" (LA Weekly) and "one of the most entertaining films we've seen in a long time" (SFist).
If you've seen it once, come see the new theatrical version, re-edited by Oscar winning editor Lisa Fruchtman.
For more information about the film, visit their website. For more information about Landmark Theatres and show times, click here.
Tickets
Advance tickets available here.
And New York, you're next. Colma opens July 6th at The Quad 34 (W 13th Street New York City).
Posted by Melissa at 10:53 AM | Comments (6)
The film Colma opens this Friday in SF, and I'm excited to see it. I missed this one at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival because it was sold out. This time I'm buying my tickets in advance.
The story takes place in Colma, which is a suburb of SF where the dead outnumber the living 1500 to 1. It folllows best pals Rodel, Billy, and Maribel, who find themselves in a state of limbo. Fresh out of high school, they're trying to figure out how to weather the ups and downs of early adulthood.
Yes, it's a musical. I know some of you might be opposed to the idea of a musical, but get over it. I've heard this is a really really good film. We interviewed the directors in issue 10 of Hyphen (our music issue, naturally).
Screening & Party Info
COLMA: THE MUSICAL Opening and After-Party
Exclusive Engagement: Landmark Embarcadero Theatres from June 22
One Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
June 22 - 28 showtimes: Daily at 12pm / 2:30pm / 5pm / 7:30pm / 10pm
AFTER-PARTY: CAAM (that's Center for Asian American Media) will be hosting an informal after-party after the 7:30pm and 10pm screenings on Friday, June 22 at:
FRISSON
244 Jackson Street (two blocks from the Landmark Embarcadero)
9pm - 1am (immediately following the evening screenings)
More Info About the Film
COLMA: THE MUSICAL world premiered at the 2006 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award. Catchy melodies, thoughtfully funny lyrics, and appealing teenage protagonists bring South SFs cemetery town to life in this
highly original musical about Colma! Three best friends sing, dance and dream their way through a city where the dead outnumber the living.
The film, directed by Richard Wong and featuring H.P. Mendoza, who wrote the script and music, went on to become a favorite on the festival circuit and earned IFP Gotham Award and Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Missed it at the SFIAAFF? Don't miss the chance to catch what critics are calling "[a] giddy, unexpected pleasure" (LA Weekly) and "one of the most entertaining films we've seen in a long time" (SFist).
If you've seen it once, come see the new theatrical version, re-edited by Oscar winning editor Lisa Fruchtman.
For more information about the film, visit their website. For more information about Landmark Theatres and show times, click here.
Tickets
Advance tickets available here.
And New York, you're next. Colma opens July 6th at The Quad 34 (W 13th Street New York City).
Posted by Melissa at 10:53 AM | Comments (6)
John Chao and Ashley Yao are Misha, a charming duo from New York and Taiwan, whose equally charming new album drops today on Tomlab. Already hailed as "perfect summer pop," Teardrop Sweetheart is ice cream for the ears on a hot sunny day and is just as delicious.
Watch for a full review in the upcoming issue of Hyphen. In the meantime, download a couple songs the band wanted to share with Hyphen readers (below) and visit the band's myspace page for more info.
Download "Summersend"
Download "Weatherbees"
Posted by christine at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
John Chao and Ashley Yao are Misha, a charming duo from New York and Taiwan, whose equally charming new album drops today on Tomlab. Already hailed as "perfect summer pop," Teardrop Sweetheart is ice cream for the ears on a hot sunny day and is just as delicious.
Watch for a full review in the upcoming issue of Hyphen. In the meantime, download a couple songs the band wanted to share with Hyphen readers (below) and visit the band's myspace page for more info.
Download "Summersend"
Download "Weatherbees"
Posted by christine at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
John Chao and Ashley Yao are Misha, a charming duo from New York and Taiwan, whose equally charming new album drops today on Tomlab. Already hailed as "perfect summer pop," Teardrop Sweetheart is ice cream for the ears on a hot sunny day and is just as delicious.
Watch for a full review in the upcoming issue of Hyphen. In the meantime, download a couple songs the band wanted to share with Hyphen readers (below) and visit the band's myspace page for more info.
Download "Summersend"
Download "Weatherbees"
Posted by christine at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
Featured in our music issue last year were the Native Guns, consisting of radical Pinoy emcees Kiwi and Bambu and Chinese American DJ, Phatrick. The group has since parted ways to pursue solo careers.
Bambu’s second solo album, I Scream Bars for the Children, which we review in our upcoming issue, was released at the end of April. The video for its lead single, “Pull it Back,” directed by Erica Eng, just dropped…
Bambu, who’s also a community activist who works with youth and whose music strives to end violence on the streets, has had critics question the message of this defiant “fuck authority” anthem. We followed up to get his take on the song:
“When, especially in my/our communities, we're being violently attacked on a daily basis, I advocate for armed self-defense and I stand by the phrase, ‘An eye for an eye.’ I think for too long we've been nice. We've been clinging to ’the dream’, but the enemy ain't playing that game. So the song, at a glance, does sound like we're putting ourselves on the offensive front, but really, the song is about just doing something (marching, rallying, etc.) -- the same as with the "gun" reference in the Native Guns name, It's time we stand up and fight the fire with fire. Sounds cliché and corny, but I do believe it's necessary. We have a whole lot of unity, love and peace songs, and not enough "let's get our freedom" songs.”
***
For folks in the Bay Area,Kiwi, the other voice of the Native Guns, will celebrate the release of his new project, The Summer Exposure Mixtape, at Poleng Lounge tomorrow night with One Struggle, Praxis Rock and DJ Phatrick. More info about the event here,
***
And last but not least in hip-hop news, the Seattle-based duo Blue Scholars, which consists of Filipino emcee Geologicc and Iranian producer/DJ Sabzi, dropped their second full-length album, Bayani, yesterday. We review the album in our upcoming issue, but why wait to read the review? Why not listen to their music on their myspace page and judge for yourself? (If “North by Northwest” doesn’t make your head nod, then clean out your ear wax.)
Posted by melanie at 5:15 PM | Comments (6)
Featured in our music issue last year were the Native Guns, consisting of radical Pinoy emcees Kiwi and Bambu and Chinese American DJ, Phatrick. The group has since parted ways to pursue solo careers.
Bambu’s second solo album, I Scream Bars for the Children, which we review in our upcoming issue, was released at the end of April. The video for its lead single, “Pull it Back,” directed by Erica Eng, just dropped…
Bambu, who’s also a community activist who works with youth and whose music strives to end violence on the streets, has had critics question the message of this defiant “fuck authority” anthem. We followed up to get his take on the song:
“When, especially in my/our communities, we're being violently attacked on a daily basis, I advocate for armed self-defense and I stand by the phrase, ‘An eye for an eye.’ I think for too long we've been nice. We've been clinging to ’the dream’, but the enemy ain't playing that game. So the song, at a glance, does sound like we're putting ourselves on the offensive front, but really, the song is about just doing something (marching, rallying, etc.) -- the same as with the "gun" reference in the Native Guns name, It's time we stand up and fight the fire with fire. Sounds cliché and corny, but I do believe it's necessary. We have a whole lot of unity, love and peace songs, and not enough "let's get our freedom" songs.”
***
For folks in the Bay Area,Kiwi, the other voice of the Native Guns, will celebrate the release of his new project, The Summer Exposure Mixtape, at Poleng Lounge tomorrow night with One Struggle, Praxis Rock and DJ Phatrick. More info about the event here,
***
And last but not least in hip-hop news, the Seattle-based duo Blue Scholars, which consists of Filipino emcee Geologicc and Iranian producer/DJ Sabzi, dropped their second full-length album, Bayani, yesterday. We review the album in our upcoming issue, but why wait to read the review? Why not listen to their music on their myspace page and judge for yourself? (If “North by Northwest” doesn’t make your head nod, then clean out your ear wax.)
Posted by melanie at 5:15 PM | Comments (6)
Featured in our music issue last year were the Native Guns, consisting of radical Pinoy emcees Kiwi and Bambu and Chinese American DJ, Phatrick. The group has since parted ways to pursue solo careers.
Bambus second solo album, I Scream Bars for the Children, which we review in our upcoming issue, was released at the end of April. The video for its lead single, Pull it Back, directed by Erica Eng, just dropped
Bambu, whos also a community activist who works with youth and whose music strives to end violence on the streets, has had critics question the message of this defiant fuck authority anthem. We followed up to get his take on the song:
When, especially in my/our communities, we're being violently attacked on a daily basis, I advocate for armed self-defense and I stand by the phrase, An eye for an eye. I think for too long we've been nice. We've been clinging to the dream, but the enemy ain't playing that game. So the song, at a glance, does sound like we're putting ourselves on the offensive front, but really, the song is about just doing something (marching, rallying, etc.) -- the same as with the "gun" reference in the Native Guns name, It's time we stand up and fight the fire with fire. Sounds clich and corny, but I do believe it's necessary. We have a whole lot of unity, love and peace songs, and not enough "let's get our freedom" songs.
***
For folks in the Bay Area,Kiwi, the other voice of the Native Guns, will celebrate the release of his new project, The Summer Exposure Mixtape, at Poleng Lounge tomorrow night with One Struggle, Praxis Rock and DJ Phatrick. More info about the event here,
***
And last but not least in hip-hop news, the Seattle-based duo Blue Scholars, which consists of Filipino emcee Geologicc and Iranian producer/DJ Sabzi, dropped their second full-length album, Bayani, yesterday. We review the album in our upcoming issue, but why wait to read the review? Why not listen to their music on their myspace page and judge for yourself? (If North by Northwest doesnt make your head nod, then clean out your ear wax.)
Posted by melanie at 5:15 PM | Comments (6)
Tak Toyoshima's Secret Asian Man comic strip is being picked up by United Features, which will distribute it to daily newspapers around the world.
Toyoshima says on his blog that "this year is going to be a year of challenges and changes. Thanks to all of you who have been supporting the strip for years and to those who criticize me, disagree with me and tell me I’m a moron."
According to United Features, Secret Asian Man will be the first nationally syndicated comic strip featuring an Asian American main character. United Features will begin distributing it July 16 to newspapers and at www.comics.com.
Secret Asian Man has been weekly strip in Boston's Weekly Dig and other publications (including Hyphen Issue 5).
I LMAO when I see Secret Agent Man, and hopefully, as United Features development editor Ted Rail says, "You don't have to be Asian to love Secret Asian Man!"
Posted by harry at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
Tak Toyoshima's Secret Asian Man comic strip is being picked up by United Features, which will distribute it to daily newspapers around the world.
Toyoshima says on his blog that "this year is going to be a year of challenges and changes. Thanks to all of you who have been supporting the strip for years and to those who criticize me, disagree with me and tell me I’m a moron."
According to United Features, Secret Asian Man will be the first nationally syndicated comic strip featuring an Asian American main character. United Features will begin distributing it July 16 to newspapers and at www.comics.com.
Secret Asian Man has been weekly strip in Boston's Weekly Dig and other publications (including Hyphen Issue 5).
I LMAO when I see Secret Agent Man, and hopefully, as United Features development editor Ted Rail says, "You don't have to be Asian to love Secret Asian Man!"
Posted by harry at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
Tak Toyoshima's Secret Asian Man comic strip is being picked up by United Features, which will distribute it to daily newspapers around the world.
Toyoshima says on his blog that "this year is going to be a year of challenges and changes. Thanks to all of you who have been supporting the strip for years and to those who criticize me, disagree with me and tell me Im a moron."
According to United Features, Secret Asian Man will be the first nationally syndicated comic strip featuring an Asian American main character. United Features will begin distributing it July 16 to newspapers and at www.comics.com.
Secret Asian Man has been weekly strip in Boston's Weekly Dig and other publications (including Hyphen Issue 5).
I LMAO when I see Secret Agent Man, and hopefully, as United Features development editor Ted Rail says, "You don't have to be Asian to love Secret Asian Man!"
Posted by harry at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
With contestants baring all to raise money for a good cause--from revealing the passion behind their leadership in the Asian American community to stripping off their shirts in the sleepwear round -- it's fair to say that this year's Mr. Hyphen 2007 competition lived up to the success of last year's inaugural pageant (and then some). Riding on her own coat tails, once again the righteously funny Ms. Ali Wong emceed the event, held Saturday night at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
In the end, Luke Patterson won the crown and $500 for his non-profit of choice: Great Leap, an LA-based multicultural arts organization. It was a great show. And along the way, with the bravado on stage and the fanfare in the audience, it was hard to tell who had more fun — the handsome and talented contestants or their admiring public. Here are some memorable moments from the evening. Share yours in the comments:
Talent.
Representing an East Bay community development organization, Tingwei Lin got the show off on the right foot with his humorous Napoleon Dynamite dance routine. Jeff Sichaleune put the "rare back in librarian" (because he is the "shhh!") with some creative story-time reading that charmed the crowd with his wit and originality. Jason Woo skipped winning hearts and minds and went straight to where he knows it counts: whetting appetites with an apple pie-making demonstration. (Is there anything sweeter than a man who can cook... except, perhaps, one also willing to work the stage for a good cause?)
Fashion.
The men of the Mr. Hyphen competition had no trouble hamming it up for the crowd during the Casual Wear segment. Anthem Salgado strutted down the catwalk evincing the poise n' swagger of a professional model. (Although it was hard to catch a view around his large and spirited fan-base, brandishing signs with unabated enthusiasm.) Billy Yeh ambled up to front and center stage, tossed back the edges of his jacket from the hips, to whoops and hollers. Armed with a huge contingent of fans from his dragon boat racing team, Jason mimed a cell phone with his thumb and pinkie, and silently whispered to the audience "Call me," ending with a nod that threw ladies in the audience into rollicking yelps. Luke spun around in a hyphy hoodie, licked his fingers and slicked back his eyebrows, inflaming the already lit audience into a regular riot.
Sleepwear.
The sleepwear segment brought the best out in the crowd (and arguably the contestants) as blazers gave way to boxers on stage. "Ladies--get ready to throw up your underwear with your numbers and MySpace URLs!" warned Ali.
Anthem whipped about the stage while twisting his traditional Filipino malong into a number of outfits, displaying some serious coordination. Sporting a Japanese kimono, Luke surprised emcee Ali with a bit of flashing. Jeff strut his stuff in a Playboy smoking jacket.
One of the most memorable highlights of the evening has to be when Jason took stage in his fire fighter gear, turning an audience (well lubricated after filling-up during the last bar call at intermission) into a maelstrom with a strip tease worthy of a bachelorette party fantasy.
Q&A. In the Q&A, Jason roused cheers by saying, "We define ourselves in this moment in time. Each one of us has the ability to define what it means to be Asian American." Asked what stereotype he dislikes most, Jeff pointed to the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Growing up with a Laotian heritage in the Midwest, Jeff said he dreaded being offered misguided compliments like "You're really good at kung fu, right? or "Your English is really good". (He says would reply to the latter with a wry, "So is yours").
Coronation.
The judges awarded Jeff Sichaleune First Runner-up and Jason Woo Second Runner-up. And Luke Patterson took away the crown, winning the judges over with his a combination of eloquence and playful gallantry. As a final surprise, Yul Kwon winner of last season's Survivor, showed up for the coronation... transferring the crown and the blingy belt from Mr. Hyphen 2006, Robin Sukhadia, to Luke.
If you can't get enough Mr. Hyphen, check out Mocha Monkey and Vaindeer for more pictures of the event and after-party. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the next issue... or Mr. Hyphen 2008. See you next year!
Posted by melanie at 11:31 PM | Comments (7)
With contestants baring all to raise money for a good cause--from revealing the passion behind their leadership in the Asian American community to stripping off their shirts in the sleepwear round -- it's fair to say that this year's Mr. Hyphen 2007 competition lived up to the success of last year's inaugural pageant (and then some). Riding on her own coat tails, once again the righteously funny Ms. Ali Wong emceed the event, held Saturday night at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
In the end, Luke Patterson won the crown and $500 for his non-profit of choice: Great Leap, an LA-based multicultural arts organization. It was a great show. And along the way, with the bravado on stage and the fanfare in the audience, it was hard to tell who had more fun — the handsome and talented contestants or their admiring public. Here are some memorable moments from the evening. Share yours in the comments:
Talent.
Representing an East Bay community development organization, Tingwei Lin got the show off on the right foot with his humorous Napoleon Dynamite dance routine. Jeff Sichaleune put the "rare back in librarian" (because he is the "shhh!") with some creative story-time reading that charmed the crowd with his wit and originality. Jason Woo skipped winning hearts and minds and went straight to where he knows it counts: whetting appetites with an apple pie-making demonstration. (Is there anything sweeter than a man who can cook... except, perhaps, one also willing to work the stage for a good cause?)
Fashion.
The men of the Mr. Hyphen competition had no trouble hamming it up for the crowd during the Casual Wear segment. Anthem Salgado strutted down the catwalk evincing the poise n' swagger of a professional model. (Although it was hard to catch a view around his large and spirited fan-base, brandishing signs with unabated enthusiasm.) Billy Yeh ambled up to front and center stage, tossed back the edges of his jacket from the hips, to whoops and hollers. Armed with a huge contingent of fans from his dragon boat racing team, Jason mimed a cell phone with his thumb and pinkie, and silently whispered to the audience "Call me," ending with a nod that threw ladies in the audience into rollicking yelps. Luke spun around in a hyphy hoodie, licked his fingers and slicked back his eyebrows, inflaming the already lit audience into a regular riot.
Sleepwear.
The sleepwear segment brought the best out in the crowd (and arguably the contestants) as blazers gave way to boxers on stage. "Ladies--get ready to throw up your underwear with your numbers and MySpace URLs!" warned Ali.
Anthem whipped about the stage while twisting his traditional Filipino malong into a number of outfits, displaying some serious coordination. Sporting a Japanese kimono, Luke surprised emcee Ali with a bit of flashing. Jeff strut his stuff in a Playboy smoking jacket.
One of the most memorable highlights of the evening has to be when Jason took stage in his fire fighter gear, turning an audience (well lubricated after filling-up during the last bar call at intermission) into a maelstrom with a strip tease worthy of a bachelorette party fantasy.
Q&A. In the Q&A, Jason roused cheers by saying, "We define ourselves in this moment in time. Each one of us has the ability to define what it means to be Asian American." Asked what stereotype he dislikes most, Jeff pointed to the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Growing up with a Laotian heritage in the Midwest, Jeff said he dreaded being offered misguided compliments like "You're really good at kung fu, right? or "Your English is really good". (He says would reply to the latter with a wry, "So is yours").
Coronation.
The judges awarded Jeff Sichaleune First Runner-up and Jason Woo Second Runner-up. And Luke Patterson took away the crown, winning the judges over with his a combination of eloquence and playful gallantry. As a final surprise, Yul Kwon winner of last season's Survivor, showed up for the coronation... transferring the crown and the blingy belt from Mr. Hyphen 2006, Robin Sukhadia, to Luke.
If you can't get enough Mr. Hyphen, check out Mocha Monkey and Vaindeer for more pictures of the event and after-party. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the next issue... or Mr. Hyphen 2008. See you next year!
Posted by melanie at 11:31 PM | Comments (7)
With contestants baring all to raise money for a good cause--from revealing the passion behind their leadership in the Asian American community to stripping off their shirts in the sleepwear round -- it's fair to say that this year's Mr. Hyphen 2007 competition lived up to the success of last year's inaugural pageant (and then some). Riding on her own coat tails, once again the righteously funny Ms. Ali Wong emceed the event, held Saturday night at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
In the end, Luke Patterson won the crown and $500 for his non-profit of choice: Great Leap, an LA-based multicultural arts organization. It was a great show. And along the way, with the bravado on stage and the fanfare in the audience, it was hard to tell who had more fun the handsome and talented contestants or their admiring public. Here are some memorable moments from the evening. Share yours in the comments:
Talent.
Representing an East Bay community development organization, Tingwei Lin got the show off on the right foot with his humorous Napoleon Dynamite dance routine. Jeff Sichaleune put the "rare back in librarian" (because he is the "shhh!") with some creative story-time reading that charmed the crowd with his wit and originality. Jason Woo skipped winning hearts and minds and went straight to where he knows it counts: whetting appetites with an apple pie-making demonstration. (Is there anything sweeter than a man who can cook... except, perhaps, one also willing to work the stage for a good cause?)
Fashion.
The men of the Mr. Hyphen competition had no trouble hamming it up for the crowd during the Casual Wear segment. Anthem Salgado strutted down the catwalk evincing the poise n' swagger of a professional model. (Although it was hard to catch a view around his large and spirited fan-base, brandishing signs with unabated enthusiasm.) Billy Yeh ambled up to front and center stage, tossed back the edges of his jacket from the hips, to whoops and hollers. Armed with a huge contingent of fans from his dragon boat racing team, Jason mimed a cell phone with his thumb and pinkie, and silently whispered to the audience "Call me," ending with a nod that threw ladies in the audience into rollicking yelps. Luke spun around in a hyphy hoodie, licked his fingers and slicked back his eyebrows, inflaming the already lit audience into a regular riot.
Sleepwear.
The sleepwear segment brought the best out in the crowd (and arguably the contestants) as blazers gave way to boxers on stage. "Ladies--get ready to throw up your underwear with your numbers and MySpace URLs!" warned Ali.
Anthem whipped about the stage while twisting his traditional Filipino malong into a number of outfits, displaying some serious coordination. Sporting a Japanese kimono, Luke surprised emcee Ali with a bit of flashing. Jeff strut his stuff in a Playboy smoking jacket.
One of the most memorable highlights of the evening has to be when Jason took stage in his fire fighter gear, turning an audience (well lubricated after filling-up during the last bar call at intermission) into a maelstrom with a strip tease worthy of a bachelorette party fantasy.
Q&A. In the Q&A, Jason roused cheers by saying, "We define ourselves in this moment in time. Each one of us has the ability to define what it means to be Asian American." Asked what stereotype he dislikes most, Jeff pointed to the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Growing up with a Laotian heritage in the Midwest, Jeff said he dreaded being offered misguided compliments like "You're really good at kung fu, right? or "Your English is really good". (He says would reply to the latter with a wry, "So is yours").
Coronation.
The judges awarded Jeff Sichaleune First Runner-up and Jason Woo Second Runner-up. And Luke Patterson took away the crown, winning the judges over with his a combination of eloquence and playful gallantry. As a final surprise, Yul Kwon winner of last season's Survivor, showed up for the coronation... transferring the crown and the blingy belt from Mr. Hyphen 2006, Robin Sukhadia, to Luke.
If you can't get enough Mr. Hyphen, check out Mocha Monkey and Vaindeer for more pictures of the event and after-party. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the next issue... or Mr. Hyphen 2008. See you next year!
Posted by melanie at 11:31 PM | Comments (7)
Sarode artist Alam Khan talks to Mr. Hyphen 2006.
This interview was originally taken for Hyphen Magazine in May 2006
Sitting and talking with Alam Khan, 25, at the world famous Ali Akbar College of Music in Marin, CA, is like sharing a sacred meal with a rising acolyte at an ancient temple. One of the youngest sons of Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, Alam radiates seriousness and an intense self-awareness about his role as one of the youngest torch-bearers of his father’s and grandfather’s legacy. Born in America, Alam began studying sarode with his father at age seven, and has performed with him around the world including at the prestigious Dover Lane Music Conference in Kolkata, India and at Carnegie Hall in 2005 with Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. In 2004, Alam made his debut solo sarode performance accompanied by the great tabla wizard, Zakir Hussain. Alam’s focus is teaching, guiding instrumental and vocal classes at the Ali Akbar College of Music, where hundreds of students from around the world come to learn the classical musical traditions of North India.
I had a chance to talk with Alam while in between classes he was teaching at the Ali Akbar College of Music.
Being part of a musical lineage is an important part of who you are. You are one of the only people I know that can say they come from a long lineage in a family dedicated to this music. This interview is partly about your relationship to your lineage and your thoughts about the meaning of lineage. But I wanted to start with something simple…
Tell me about where you are now with your music?
Right now I am practicing rigorously and taking all my father’s classes. I instruct review classes, and give private instruction to students at the College. I am performing regularly as well, which involves contacting organizations and promoters and that takes up a lot of time.
As far as India, I played several times on this recent tour [Spring 2006]. I have a number of concerts being lined up by people who want to arrange performances for me in India for next year. I feel like I have been accepted in India, which means a lot to me being American.
Was this something you were worried or insecure about?
Not really, not musically, at least. I feel confident in what my father has taught me. I am confident fully in everything that he has taught me but I think vocal music would be harder for me to be accepted in, especially since I don’t speak the traditional languages very well. I am trying, but I don’t know them. I can’t speak fluently, and this is something that I would like to learn eventually. I am hoping to learn Hindi soon.
But instrumental music, I feel completely Indian in my playing. If you listen to me playing, you wouldn’t feel that I was not from India. And this is not an egotistical thing that I am saying, it is just confidence in my playing because I have been taught by my father to sound that way. I have been taught to play purely, and I have had the correct training, and I am still receiving that traditional training from my father. So I don’t feel that my sound would sound foreign.
I didn’t feel that I wouldn’t be accepted in that sense. I was more concerned with my ability to perform solo, to captivate an audience, to portray a raga, to play new variations, because these are the markers that determine authenticity. Not just playing in a boring or amateurish way…
I don’t consider myself a good musician or a learned musician. “I think I am just learning, that I am a student, and that I will always be a student…over there in India and here, I have been given good feedback and they are enjoying the music I play. So, in that sense, I wasn’t worried about being accepted…I was worried that they would just find me not ready to play at a solo level, not being able to play long enough performances, be conditioned enough in a solo setting by Indian standards…
I was very happy to be received well in India, and them wantin