To read more about the lineup, download a sample mp3, see a video etc, and show times & details read more here @ the complete entry

If you’ve ever heard 1969′s epic track “The Creator Has a Master Plan” that Thomas co-wrote with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, you’d know the singer I’m talking about. Thomas was close to Babatunde Lea and is probably best known for his stint with Pharoah Saunders, but he also sang with Carlos Santana and Freddie Hubbard’s bands.

The vocal sound of Leon Thomas, who as Lea says, “colored outside the lines” with his voice, was a distinctive and unique presence in 70′s jazz. Thomas, who also toured as Santana’s vocalist in the early 70′s, had solo albums out on Bob Thiele’s infamous Flying Dutchman label, and employed techniques that took from American Indian and African vocal traditions, and was even called a jazz “yodeler”.

According to biographer Gary Graff, Lea’s heartfelt tribute was a decade in the making. He brought in Saxophonist Ernie Watts, whom he’d met in 2002 while playing in Bill Cosby’s ‘Cos of Good Music’ ensemble at a Playboy Jazz Festival. Pianist/singer Patrice Rushen is an associate from LA whom Lea had long wished to record with, while bassist Gary Brown was an old Bay Area friend with whom Lea had played with for nearly 30 years. The lynch pin, for Umbo Weti, though, is vocalist Dwight Trible, whose voice and delivery “just screams Leon Thomas,” according to Lea, and who worked with Lea on a recorded suite and soundscape for the opening of San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD). “It was a no-brainer to bring Dwight in for Umbo Weti because, his sound comes directly out of Leon and all that innovation Leon was doing.”

“My idea was to have this group that would have the spirit be able to go wherever the muse would take us,” Lea explains. “Basically, all I was asking everybody to do was play. A lot of times now things are so arranged and over-produced — throw a 16-bar solo there, an eight-bar solo here and keep it under six minutes…I wanted people to do it like Pharoah and Leon used to do it. They used to “play,” and if some of the stuff went 12 minutes, 15 minutes, longer, then fine.

Here’s a video about the new album
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0HV-8G_zRg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Download their version of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boom Boom’

Babatunde Lea
“Boom Boom” (mp3)
from “Umbo Weti: A Tribute to Leon Thomas”
(Motema Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

To hear additional previews or purchase the mp3 or CD of the music visit Amazon here.

Show is $15 in adv, $20 @ Door
Thursday March 18, 2010 at 8PM
Yoshi’s, San Francisco
1330 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA

Fortunately, you still have time familiarize yerselves with his saga, and a musical legacy that was obscured by bad business breaks, pride, and deep prejudice, the kind that was not only racial, but sexual & medical …

Almost strangled to death by the umbilical cord at birth in 1925, Jimmy Scott was soon orphaned by a car crash, along with his 9 other siblings in depression era Cleveland. If the odds against him were not bad enough, they were further stacked by a strange genetic pituitary hormonal defect known as “Kallman’s Syndrome”. This medical disorder accounts for his somewhat effeminate looks & unnaturally high singing voice. Basically Scott’s pubescent development was stunted, causing his arms to appear longer than the rest of his torso while the diminutive singer never developed facial hair.

Finding solace away from the bleak foster homes on stages, he sang in combos of the post war R&B era, notably as a featured singer with band leader Lionel Hampton, with whom he made his recorded debut in 1950 (although his name did not appear on the label). After the chart making & touring stint with Hampton ended, Scott began dividing his time between night spots in Cleveland, New York and Newark, New Jersey.

Unable to secure proper record deals, or even respect on the road from fellow musicians due to his androgynous appearance, Jimmy Scott’s show biz career was a hard road. That road hit a brick wall by the late 1960′s when tight fisted Herman Lubinsky of the Savoy label refused to release Scott from a long dormant contract, and legally prevented comeback albums for Atlantic & Ray Charles’ Tangerine label from being released purely out of spite.

Jimmy’s numerous shots at stardom had been so hampered by fiscal mismanagement & bad business dealings, it lead to failed relationships, drinking and drugging, and a career ending downward spiral that took him away from the limelight for decades, until a break finally occurred when he was well into his 60′s.

Strangely enough, it appears death is something he won’t take sitting still, and is actually the catalyst that has brought Jimmy Scott’s career back to life…

read more about the show, plus detailed info on his life & career accomplishments below the fold
more on little-jimmy-scott

Career:

Jimmy Scott tried his luck on a smattering of labels, working notably with producer Fred Mendelsohn in the early 50′s. They got some interest going with a tune released on the Roost label called “I Won’t Cry Anymore”, it eventually became a big hit, but for another larger label, called Columbia, and the singer who got the hit, was actually a white Italian guy named Tony Bennett. Other labels Scott flipped obscure sides for included Coral & Regal.

It is said that 50′s singing sensation Johnny Ray, stole the stage act after seeing “crying” Jimmy Scott perform. Ray went on to great acclaim, while Scott ended up humbly opening for the crooner who grew famous by imitating Jimmy’s heartfelt & teary eyed performances. Ray committed suicide at the peak of his career, but not before turning on a Georgia raised singer who made the 3rd generation appropriation of Scott’s shtick a big part of his stage act, that guy was James Brown….

Jimmy Scott outlived them all…but he never got the notoriety.

Even after a late career renaissance brought him to new audiences around the world, Scott copes with the fact that his type of fame is fleeting. He has duly noted this phenomena when he sang onstage in the 1990′s with the Grateful Dead to an arena crowd of thousands in his hometown of Cleveland, the local daily paper still referred to him as an “unknown female singer”.

Since the quirky career kickstart given to the 67 year old Scott after an appearance at Doc Pomus’ funeral, he has continued touring, recorded some 8 or so albums on half dozen labels since hitting retirement age, made a movie about his life called “Jimmy Scott, If You Only Knew”, and added a 5th wife in 2003 to his bio as well.

Now with his aged infirmities creeping in, ever dapper, Scott is performing while even restricted to moving around via wheelchair…

but dammit, he just won’t quit…

Music is his life, once saying “I love performing. You live with reality every day. You can’t miss it. We can try to avoid a lot of trials in life, but it’s better to overcome than avoid. That’s what music has been for me. It’s been my opportunity to overcome.”

All Hail The Tough & Tender Little Jimmy Scott whose motto is :

“It’ll work out in the end. You gotta believe” – Jimmy Scott!

Strangely enough, it appears death is something he won’t take sitting still, and is actually the catalyst that has brought Jimmy Scott’s career back to life…

By the late 70′s and early 80′s Scott was reduced to playing low rent bars and seedy nightclubs for pocket money. Eventually, some of his only gigs were occasional charity appearances at senior citizen homes. Scott’s humble menial day jobs at Bob’s Big Boy and in a Cleveland Sheraton hotel gave him a mindset that was set far from keeping abreast of the changing tastes of a fickle record buying public at the tail end of the 20th century.

In 1985, at age 60, he returned to the eastern seaboard, and for the first time in over a decade started working small clubs in New York and Harlem, perhaps getting occasional nostalgic write ups in the NY Times or Village Voice. Despite thin crowds at first, he kept at it, no matter how hopeless or slow going it seemed. Soon little bright spots would appear. Things like getting invited onstage by blues vet Ruth Brown or old friend Milt Jackson would liven up his schedule & sagging fortunes.

Scott’s subsequent shift back into the public eye ironically began to truly gather momentum at The Riverside Funeral Home on St.Patrick’s Day 1991. The sad/happy occasion was legendary rock n roll songwriter and old friend Doc Pomus’ funeral. Pomus ( aka Jerome Felder ) was a remarkable songwriter, whose library of classic early rock & roll classics include “Save The Last Dance For Me”, and “This Magic Moment”.

Said Jimmy of meeting Doc: “I met Doc Pomus when he came to see my show at the Baby Grand in Harlem around 1945 or ’46. Doc showed me how to get around on the New York Subway system, then took me home to have dinner with his mother, father, and little brother, Raoul Felder (Raoul was so stuffy, snooty, and studious at the time; he later became one of the country’s top celebrity lawyers)… bringing me home and having dinner with his family was my most cherished memory of Doc.

Ever since Jimmy had met Pomus back in the 40′s, they had stayed in touch. In fact, in 1987 Doc even wrote a letter to trade publication Billboard extolling Scott’s virtues, decrying the hard times he was going through, and warning the record industry not to sleep on a chance to catch the long overdue second coming of Little Jimmy Scott.

Now a few years later, Scott sat Shiva and was asked by Doc’s family to perform “Someone To Watch Over Me” at the funeral, along with backing from fellow old timers Dr. John on piano and Fathead Newman on sax. Scott arrived early and sat unasumedly with hands folded in the back with his 4th wife Earlene. After the colorful eulogies, Jimmy’s haunting voice overthe tinkling keys stunned the room, with many so far back they could barely see his tiny head over the crowd. The room was filled with dozens of music biz luminaries, like Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, and the aforementioned Seymour Stein of Sire who felt it was almost his spiritual duty to Doc to simply offer Scott a dignified deal.

Jimmy later told a reporter in 2000 of the bittersweet good fortune coming from his friend’s death, ” The next day, this cat from Warners comes over with a contract. It was like Doc’s hand reaching out from the grave.”

He went on to many new career highights ranging from appearing on television shows & sold out shows across the US & Europe to even performing onstage at Bill Clinton’s inaugural ball gala in DC. Said Scott in a 200 era interview of his new found glory, “…if you dance long enough, somebody hear you tapping your toe.”

A favorite of performers ranging from Billie Holiday & Dinah Washington, to Frankie Lymon & Frankie Valli. Amongst his admirers include Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby and John Lennon, all whom knew of and expressed respect of his work. Some more of Jimmy Scott’s long list of fans and admirers have also included amongst them Red Foxx, Bill Clinton, Marvin Gaye, Ossie Davis and Amiri Baraka.

Said Quincy Jones once of the time he spent backing Jimmy,
‘Night after night, I’d be sitting back there in the trumpet section, listening to this man cry his heart out. He’d just tear you up, you could sense Jimmy taking us all to an emotional level that was high and deep at the same time…Jimmy would tear my heart out every night with his soul-penetrating style”…

Even Madonna has said “Jimmy Scott is the only singer who makes me cry,”

to get tickets for this week’s rare San Francisco performances of the legendary Jimmy Scott, click here:

There is only 1 8pm set per night, tickets are $18

http://www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco/jazzclub/artist/show/1122

Jimmy Scott’s Official Bio Webpage: http://www.jimmyscottofficialwebsite.org/biography.htm

Anime, Manga and overall Japanese culture fans will be ecstatic to hear that Viz Pictures (an offshoot of local Anime and Manga publisher Viz Media) is a partner in building a “J-Pop Center” in Japantown! The Center will include a theatre for showing releases from Viz Pictures, Anime and other Japanese features. Also expected are a branch of the already popular Kinokuniya Bookstore, a cafe and some Japanese clothing shops… a one-stop J-Pop shop!

The website for the Viz Cinema does not show a lot of information at the moment, but it does state that it is slated to open in Winter of this year.

For those unfamiliar with Sugar Pie, she’s a local treasure who was raised on Buchanan street, as well as Etta James cousin and an R&B recording artist since 1955 when she got her start on Federal Records courtesy Mr. Johnny Otis.

Back in the day she recorded tracks with her cousin Etta and Willie Dixon that were hits on the Chess & Checker labels, and she’s still going strong today with her latest CD “Refined Sugar” (found on iTunes).

I caught her last year at the San Francisco Blues Festival where she stole the set she shared with the aged Jimmy McCracklin’. I was impressed with this diminutive lady’s feisty persona, with her seasoned & saucy sense of fun and frivolity.

Not bad for an old gal whose stage show with backflips was permanently curbed via lost hip movement when she was knocked over by a careless scooter operator in 2004, ( not too mention burned out of her North Oakland apartment two years later and had been left homeless…)

She’s a fighter, a survivor, and a truly fun & inspiring performer to witness…

Born to an African American momma with a Filipino father, she was a bi-racial celebrity long before Tiger Woods, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Nicole Richie or even Barack Obama made such circumstances fashionable.

Here’s some mighty fine mp3 samples of music from her long & winding career which included early stints on long lost R&B labels like Jody, Rhythm, Aladdin, and Music City…

Her first taste of solo success occurred in 1959 when the Veltone label released I Want To Know.

This track established her as a name in the biz, and soon she was signed to Chess in Chicago alongside younger cousin Etta. Sugar Pie wowed them on stage, being regularly compared to dynamite, but she also knew how to control herself. Despite her sexy charms, and a two year stint on the road with James Brown, who recounted in his autobiography, that she was the only female in his revue with whom he never slept.

Sugar Pie could have been a bigger star, but for whatever reason, The Chess Bros. played the protective mogul role and held her potential at bay for seven years, keeping her busy as a writer and background vocalist, only releasing one rare 1961 album by the lady.

She cut 30 sides for Chess records, most of which were shelved and never hit the streets. While Sugar Pie got a $10,000 advance from the notoriously stingy Chicago honchos that ran the label when she signed on, they stiffed her on royalties for decades, even though she wrote many songs for other artists including Fontella Bass, Etta James, Little Milton and Minnie Ripperton.

Here’s a Checker single

Sugar Pie DeSanto – Soulful Dress

Sugar Pie went along on the 1964 Folk-Blues Fest tour of Europe, but as the only female artist, and basically an opening act… She also let the other musicians on that run including Muddy Waters & Willie Dixon know that she wasn’t part of the backstage buffet, telling the SF Bay Guardian in 2004

“I refused all them old goats,”

Here she is from that run backed by Willie Dixon and band on her answer song to Hi Heel Sneakers known as Slip In Mules.

Sugar Pie DeSanto w/ Willie Dixon – Slip In Mules
from: American Folk Blues Festival ’64

By the early seventies she’d settled back into the San Francisco Bay Area for good, and over the next 35 some years has made some sporadic funky & bluesy tracks for her manager’s Jasman Records… Here’s one such cut from 1972 that was resurrected and licensed by the always fine & dandy crate digging Ubiquity label not long ago for their Bay Area Funk, Vol. 2 collection…

Sugar Pie DeSanto – Straighten It Out With Yo Man

See ya’ll down in the basement laters …

pic: The Zygmundt Arendt House project was spearheaded by SF’s Department of Human Services, and the photo courtesy Community Housing Partnership (CHP) who are now in charge. The project is named after a Polish immigrant & railroad worker who died in 1998 and left approx 6 million in stocks & real estate to build housing for the poor.

Since 2000, Pelosi’s 8th Congressional District has received a total of almost $24 million dollars in affordable housing projects that have helped finance 45 projects to create 4,441 new rental units and 15 owner-occupied units.

Unique projects awarded grants in 2007 include the 275 10th Street Supportive Housing facility and Octavia Court in San Francisco. The 275 10th Street Supportive Housing facility will provide housing for 134 very low-income homeless individuals w/ seven fully ADA-accessible units, as well as units for visually and hearing-impaired residents. The Octavia Court project promotes independent living for people with developmental disabilities including space for a vocational arts program, with a gallery and studios.

Projects funded this year in Speaker Pelosi’s home district include:

– 275 10th Street Supportive Housing (San Francisco County)

– Octavia Court (San Francisco County)

– 53 Columbus Avenue (San Francisco County)

– Civic Center Residence (San Francisco County)

– Mason Street Housing (San Francisco County)

– Polk and Geary Senior Housing (San Francisco County)

– Zygmundt Arendt House (San Francisco County)

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a gov’t sponsored enterprise that delivers low-cost funding and other services that help member financial institutions make home mortgage loans and provide credit to support communities and ‘hoods in need.

The Bank is part of 12 banks in the FHLBank System, owned by over 8,100 financial institutions from all 50 states, U.S. possessions, and territories. Created in 1932 during the depression, the FHLBank System, was created during in order to provide funds to savings and loan (thrift) institutions to make mortgages more affordable. The FHLBs are supposed to fund community investment programs that help members create affordable housing and promote community economic development. The Banks members — its shareholders and customers — are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, thrift and loans, and insurance companies headquartered in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

Other banks in the FHLB system are :

* Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis
* Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle
* Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka

Clip from a similar recent Nevada announcement in which politicos, developers & FHLB all helped break ground on a 10,800 Sq. Ft “Rescue Mission” in Las Vegas that promises job training to those willing to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile back in SF, the AHP helps to provide moderate and low-income families with access to broader housing options, said Lawrence H. Parks, Senior Vice President, Legislative and External Affairs, FHLBank San Francisco.
Parks, who served on the staff on the late Ron Brown, holds a law degree from Yale, and prior to that graduated from Temple University.

“With the help of Speaker Pelosi and our member institutions, we are helping to ensure that families and individuals of all income levels have access to affordable housing in San Francisco.”

Parks said the support provided by the AHP was particularly important during the current downturn in the housing markets.

The Federal Home Loan Bank system is doing what it was designed to do — providing stability and support to the housing markets, particularly in tough economic times, Parks said.

Designed as a flexible, competitive funding source, the AHP provides grants and below-market loans to develop and rehabilitate single-family and multifamily projects targeting very low- to moderate-income households. Member financial institutions, in partnership with community-based housing sponsors, submit applications for specific projects and programs twice a year. Since the programs inception in 1990, the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco has awarded approximately $460 million, which has assisted in the development of more than 80,000 units of quality affordable housing in Arizona, California, Nevada, and other areas served by its member institutions.

SOURCES: Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Wikipedia, SF Gate

Tues Dec 18th from 7-9pm at Ida B Wells High School Auditorium at Hayes & Pierce where reps from the city and neighborhood groups will be taking feedback and sharing results of their latest dreams for dominating Divisidero into submission with their “master plan”.

The MTA, the Bike Coalition and all yer other fave special interest groups will be loving every minute of it, so why not join the flourescent lit fun?

You can attend, sit in the back and find out which side of the dividing line you wanna be on.

Either way, get ready for lots of construction in 2009, whose dust & disturbance will bring you the potential “benefits” of : less bus stops, more aesthetically pleasing lighting, wider medians and sidewalks, and numerous traffic altering concepts galore…

Businesses that have something to fear besides impaired access during construction, include the “Touchless” car wash and the ARCO station in particular, both whose “egresses” are mentioned in the latest study by name.

Despite the high tabs at the box office and of course the bar, no doubt the old wooden dance floor will be packed and straining under the weight of audiences excitedly clamoring to catch the band some 20 years after their first sold out west coast shows in the same venerable venue.

Indeed that cold November night in 1987 they had Joe Strummer of The Clash along with them on guitar, and it was a very foot stompingly wild & whiskey soaked occasion. It was so uh, magically momentous actually to see the wily assemblage holding court back in the day that I’m not sure I’ll join in the fray at the Fillmore this year. I wouldn’t want to taint the foggy veils of my already perfect memories ya know?

The band came through last year as well, and they heartily held the fort down for several nights, and I heard few complaints, despite the progressively debilitated condition of lead singer Shane MacGowan. It’s just amazing to me that the fragile freak o’ habit known as Shane’s still alive, while the seemingly invincible Joe Strummer is dead…

Click to head below the fold, and download a couple mp3 tracks of rare live material. One is a celtic folk infused version of Bobby Fuller’s classic tune “I Fought The Law” ripped from some rare vinyl with Joe Strummer & Shane MacGowan trading off on raspy lead vocals…

The Pogues well earned reputation as drunken pub louts ignores their impressive balladry, stirring poetic lyrics and at times erstwhile musicianship. Their 2nd album, and real breakthrough to critical acclaim was “Rum Sodomy & the Lash” which was produced by Elvis Costello and released in 1986. The record was different from nearly anything churning out of speakers in the sterile & synthetic hair farming 80′s music scene. The subject matter of songs like “The Old Main Drag” about a wasted street hustler plying his trade in alleys amongst the “she males”, beaten by coppers, “shat on & spat on and raped & abused’ weren’t likely radio ready. The album also featured songs like “A Pair of Brown Eyes” and “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”, both tunes that depicted poignant poetic moments of reminiscence by bitter veterans of useless bloody battles, lamenting their roles as long forgotten heroes of wicked wars. These songs remain vital today, if for subject matter alone, and are just two of many epics in the band’s remarkable catalog of tearjerkers & crowd pleasing singalongs.

By 1987′s “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”, the band had hit it’s peak as songwriters & live performers, and made their first foray to the west coast. I got to open for the Pogues debut at The Fillmore back in 1987, and it twas indeed a thrill, especially discovering that they had large roadcases filed with ice for their own onstage bartender…
Strummer was on the tequila train, while MacGowan was already under doctors orders not to drink hard liquor, so his solution was to consume several bottles of port onstage instead.
Here’s the robust list of standard items in their standard contract rider:

Liquids

24 bottles of Beer
2 bottles of gin
2 bottles of vodka
2 bottles of dry white wine (Soave or Frascati)
1 bottle of Martini
1 bottle of brandy
1 bottle of champagne
1 bottle of ginger beer
2 bottles of Coke
2 bottles of sparkling water
2 bottles of still water
1 bottle of iced tea
1 bottle of Rock shandy
2 bottles of non-alcoholic Beck’s

Miscellaneous
48 large, clean towels
( I believe the 4 dozen towels are to clean up the gob & puke…)

The band had a good time, and a good run, and this town, full of Irish ex-pats, always heartily embraced them. While they did make an appearance once at Berkeley’s Greek Theater, opening for Bob Dylan while supporting their Peace & Love album, most of their regional shows were at The Fillmore, including there return in 1988 and several solo MacGowan shows when he was still estranged from his former bandmates.

It was sad in the early 90′s when an ecstasy & dope addled Shane left the band…or was kicked out or whatever the hell happened… and even sadder still they are trying to do it all over again…

But like any family reunion, sure there’ll be camaraderie, as well as ugliness & drunken recriminations, and nothings ever what it was, but that’s not without it’s benefits as well…

I guess it’s sorta like that final Rat Pack Tour… the one where everyone knew it was the last one, and ya sorta just gotta go…
Who doesn’t want to see a senile Sinatra spill that last drink on the teleprompter, or this time around, Shane for that matter?

Maybe I’ll drop a C-Note to get in the door and then spend some more dough I don’t have. I’m sure it will be fun no matter what condition anyone onstage is in. We’ll collectively celebrate our triumphs & tragedies, and live & laugh like there’s no tomorrow…

Heck, the last time I saw Shane play , with his “other” band the Popes, I think I was handed a ticket in a bar, quickly slammed some shots of whiskey, jumped into the swirling pit and lost my salmon dinner in a sloppy mess on the middle of the ballroom floor…
The band played on.. and the crowd sang along on every song…
ah…Good Times…

Here’s a cell phone vid excerpt from one of their Fillmore shows last October…

Here’s those mp3 tunes I promised ye:

First up a feisty take on Bobby Fuller’s classic signature tune I Fought The Law, later interpreted by Joe Strummer with The Clash, and here finally filtered through the Pogues blustery banjo & pennywhistle circus…

The Pogues w/ Joe Strummer – I Fought The Law

By the time this next track was recorded in 1991, Shane MacGowan had really slipped into a cartoonishly grotesque caricature of himself. Somehow, he’s kept this debauched act up for another 15 years or so as a solo act,

So in the interests of fairly charting the decline, we’ll also hear a barely coherent MacGowan attempt to drunkenly pronounce the title of his not so poetic single “Yeah Yeah Yeah” from his last tour with the band in 1991

The Pogues – Yeah Yeah Yeah

Anyhow…

Sláinte!!!

Amongst the choices we have to enjoy their influence on our cultural landscape include:

Author Naomi Klein, who when she’s not grilling Alan Greenspan on the radio, is speaking at the First Unitarian Universalist Center on Franklin St, exploring the subject of “disaster capitalism” seen in the rampant corporatization occurring in the wake of cataclysmic events. Hiding in plain sight in the aftermath of either forces of nature or war, greed has replaced need and Klein’s new book “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism” explores how. Klein identifies a “disaster capitalism complex” building a booming niche amidst the traumatic breakdowns after events like Katrina, WTC collapse, the Sri-Lankan Tsunami and and the Iraq war. Using highly visible examples of corporations enriching their coffers at the troughs of trauma, she extends her analysis to include numerous instances over the past 50 years where a common economic ideology has slipped in to win similar spoils amidst a backdrop of human suffering. She’s even narrated a short film on the subject, click pic at right to preview the flick. She dissects the politics & policies of mass manipulators that have enacted egregious economic blackmail techniques into so many ravaged regions from Latin America and Eastern Europe to South Africa, Russia, and now of course the U.S and Iraq. Is your interest piqued? Then head down to 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary), seating starts at 7 pm.

Or maybe you need something besides a shocking mental exercise, how about a series of Beginner’s Hula Hoop classes for ladies, or perhaps some Punk Aerobics?

At Thee Parkside aerobics instructor Gina “Lunges” Lovoi has tailor-made rock n roll infused workouts for all levels every Wednesday from 6ish to 7:30. Yer DJ is Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vocalist Spike, and unlike most gyms, there’s plenty of beer, cocktails and even burgers and french fries available to ease those post work out pains & hunger pangs…

Hula heads should boogie on down to 1805 Divisidero to work those abs, and be prepared to take this class run by Isabella Zamor seriously folks, as the instructor’s fees reflect that she surely does… more info at http://www.hoopgirl.com

…and for those in the mood for something a little less strenuous on the brain or body, like say kicking it to some live music, there are plenty of female talents lurking about on stages in venues ranging from The Hotel Utah to The Fillmore tonight, with several of these ladies listed after the jump. So whether you want to see a lesbian Led Zeppelin cover band, ambient indie rock from Arizona, or hear an upcoming jazzy chanteuse on tour from Rome Italy, a local lady comedian or attend a gala affair in Alamo Square… simply read on, and check out some mp3 samples and videos.

Slim’s features a show by Lez Zeppelin, a New York City-based all-lady Zeppelin tribute act that has won a national rep, even releasing an album produced & mastered by the same studio vets as Page & Plant used back in the day.

The APAture event presented by Kearny St Workshop at Intersection for the Arts on Valencia has several local ladies of note presenting work including tonight’s musical performance featuring Aireene Espiritu, other participants this year have included filmmaker Emiko Omori, and visual artist Misako Inaoka and comic artists Lark Pien.

Local lady comedian Alicia Dattner will be onstage at The Make Out Room, there will be boy comedians too, but I bet Dattner throws down, and not just “like a girl” … as heard in this mp3 podcast , done with her Grandma.

What gal doesn’t love herself some gala action? Tonight, weds Sept 26th, The SF Neighborgood Parks Council holds their”Only in San Francisco” gala affair atop Alamo Square park from 6-9. All those dog walkers & tourists better watch out as the tents & tuxedo crowd swarms the site for silent auction items and biodynamic wines. Amongst the local retaurants backing the event include Absinthe, NOPA, beard Papa, Patxi’s and many more…

For the less affluent set, also in town from the tiny desert outpost of Gilbert AZ comes Lydia, an energetic young emo-esque indie rock act featuring keyboardist/co-vocalist Mindy that’s been building momentum on the road to ruin.
Lydia
“Smile, You’ve Won” (mp3)
from “This December; It’s One More And Im Free”
(Hourzero Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Even the king of mopey males, Morrissey has a lady opening his series of 4 shows at The Fillmore this week, that being Kristeen Young, the half Apache warrior woman whose albums are produced by famed veteran producer Tony Visconti. One British music rag recently referred to her as like “Kate Bush fronting Metallica”.

For the mellower set, I suggest songstress Sylvie Lewis who will make an appearance at Hotel Utah, bringing her sweet voice to the venerable venue. Sylvie made her first album, “Tangos and Tantrums,” in Spain in 2005 where she apparently also learned to make some damn good sangria. She continued living in Spain and worked on her second album ‘Translations’ which emerged in the summer of 2006 before she moved to Rome Italy. Her light hearted jazz influenced music’s been compared to everyone from Diana Krall to Doris Day and she’s only in town tonight, so now your’s chance to catch her before she plays some far pricier venues in the future.

Amongst the presenters gathered by organizer & concerned mother of two Leela Gill were reps from SF’s Drug Court, the Mayor’s Deputy Chief of staff for Public Safety, reps from the DA’s office and the headliners of the event… D5 Supe Ross Mirkirimi, as well as the affable Captain Ehrlich of Park Station and Lt. John Murphy of the Gang Task Force.

While no solutions were likely to come from the meeting, there was some info shared, the usual venting, some back slapping, connections being made and the sense that there are many people concerned about doing some positive things in a city that can’t afford any more negatives.

Some random opinions on the meeting, and also after the jump : some potentially useful numbers you might want for reporting crimes, or contacting city agencies about issues.

The police presented crime stats showing that overall crime was down, and that San Francisco was the only major city to have a decrease in homicide last year. Jeff Ross of the DA office touted that of the actual homicide cases where people are willing to testify, they have a very high conviction rate.

One of the main concerns for residents was hearing how the new civil injunctions & “stay away” orders copied after LA’s ordinance might play out in San Francisco. Capt Erhlich assured one questioner concerned about civil liberties that no one “innocent” will be targeted via the anti gang injunctions. Well, that sounded good, problem solved there…

Next…

Erhlich suggested at one point that recidivism & crime in San Francisco is basically due to people not voting for the right judges. He assured us that San Francisco is definitely not contributing to the state’s prison overcrowding, our criminals are walking amongst us, with nary a fear of potential incarceration. Carrying a loaded concealed firearm is a misdemeanor that is actually less serious legally than having a three inch knife.

When someone asked Capt Erhlich why he couldn’t clear the disruptive elements gathered at certain intersections, or have officers that concentrate on these zones, he basically said he didn’t want to be perceived as racial profiling, and he didn’t have the authority or right to just interrupt gatherings at will.

That seemed a pat answer, if an ultimately feeble excuse, since anyone knows when the police want to do something, such as for example clear a street after a North Beach or Haight Street Fair, it’s just simply done…often brutally, but efficiently in the end. Anyone not listening to orders to disperse in those cases certainly knows what a nightstick tastes like.

The cops, DA and Mayor’s reps generally patted themselves on the back, cited their successes, and if needed, either nodded, or outright ignored the evidence presented that suggested anything otherwise. The Police seem to always resist the suggestion that they are often of touch with the city’s neighborhoods. One African American elder decried that the Police at a recent shooting site refused to gather info from witnesses & instead simply told anyone approaching them with info to “Get Back”.

People seemed outraged at the growing safety issues , unsolved crimes and scourge of broad daylight shootings. It’s apparent that most are being committed by a handful of thugs or “gang members” who loiter in known areas, yet the police seem baffled or incapable of increasing patrols or even taking statements or info from the few eye witnesses who’ve willingly come forward. While it’s true that a “no-snitches” mentality hinders prosecutions, the factors that have contributed to a shocking rise in juvenile crimes in are known to all.

While Mirkirimi has long labored & attempted to legislate some community policing in this town, Capt. Ehrlich stated he already had a handful of foot patrols. I guess why try more?

Supe Ross Mirkarimi who despite his good intentions & responsive relations with community members, occasionally tends to drift into that bellowing righteous soap box orating style that screams he’s not really listening or addressing anyone topic or subject in particular, but is practicing an inaugural address.

Mirkirimi did suggest that he’s looking into creative options to control the systemic decline in our cities federally controlled but long neglected public housing. He also mentioned looking into code enforcements that will punish property owners that are contributing to the crime problems in the area by attracting loiterers and other nuisances. The parking lot at Grove & Divisidero that’s owned by a local body shop, but used as a gathering spot was mentioned in particular by neighbors who wished the police would patrol it better. The cops seemed to think they already patrolled it enough.

In the meantime, while listening to the same old spiels, neighbors passed around a clipboard to create neighborhood watches, and exchanged contact info.

Here’s some numbers & email addresses that you may want for your own reasons…

Police Non Emergency Dispatch (suspicious activity, complaints etc) – 415 553 0123

SFNeighborhood Emergency Response Teams 415 558-3456

Office of Citizen’s Complaints (Police Misconduct) 415 597-7711

new City everything number – 311

City website http://www.sfgov.org

Police Chief : Heather Fong – heather.fong@sfgov.org

District Attorney : Kamala Harris kamala.harris@sfgov.org

If you live North of The Panhandle, check into NOPNA at NOPNA.org

Fillmoe Nation Vol. 1 coming this spring will represent Click Clack City’s “Uptown”, while Fillmoe Nation Vol. 2 to be released a few weeks later is a collection focused on “Downtown” based rappers. Messy recently told hip hop fansite BallerStatus.net,

“I wanted to give people that had not had their shot, an opportunity to express themselves, I wanted to put them on, give them a chance” He added “I have seen people I grew up with killed in this violence and I want to play my part by trying to help the community,” said Messy of the situation. “I decided to make these albums, so I could show not only SF and Fillmoe what is happening in our communities, but also the country — the violence that happens in our neighborhoods everyday and the need to stop it.”

More on Messy Marv, links, mp3′z of his “Muzik for Tha Taliban”and additional info after the dreaded jump…

Marv achieved his “baller status” through many guest appearances on other rapper’s CD’s, plus his solo releases like “Discobayish” & “BANDANNAS, TATTOOS & TONGUE RINGS”, that have reportedly sold over 50,000 units total.

Amongst other interests, Marv has also recently affiliated himself as a pitchman for East Bay based beverage “Hunid Racks”, a self proclaimed “Energy Drink For Real Hustlers” that’s endorsed by plenty pimps & playas alike. His duet with local rapper Yukmouth is one of the beverages theme songs and can be heard on this mp3 below (also featured on the drink’s MySpace page)…

Yukmouth & Messy Marv – Sippin’ On 100 Racks (mp3)

Marv’s last CD “Muzik Fo’ Tha Taliban” apparently wasn’t as well received in the hyphy nation as previous efforts, with critics citing it’s perceived Anti-American title. Last week SF Weekly published a cell phone interview with Marv by writer Sam Chennault, in which Marv defended the album and did some damage control.

“Muzik fo Tha Taliban was in no way to disrespect the United States of America,” Messy clarifies. “I’ve been getting a lot of bad reviews because of the title, but I was just trying to paint a picture of our own war within our own community. I was trying to give the people a soundtrack for this war. It’s the same thing as in Iraq. We got a war going on over there [in Iraq], but they missing the war that’s going on right here.”

Here’s another track from Messy Marv, from a documentary soundtrack CD put together by one of the Fillmoe’s fave son’s JT The Bigga Figga.

Download

Messy Marv – “Thug Life” (mp3)
from “Juvenile & JT The Bigga Figga Present: Gotta Get It – Original Documentary Soundtrack”
by Various Artists
Get Low Digital

• download more at iTunes Music Store
• download more at eMusic
• Stream from RealNetworks / Rhapsody

To hear more Messy Marv, head over and befriend this purported peacemaker on his MySpace page, where almost 12,000 fans already have…

MySpace.com/messymarvonline

Messy Marv’s Fillmoe Nation Vol. 1 compilation is slated for release March 20, Vol 2 follows in April, and both will be released through Marv’s Scalen LLC P&D deal via indie imprint SMC Recordings, a label that’s actually distributed by Fontana, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.