HONG KONG / ART BASEL / EUROPE SPRING 2019
2019 Tour Recap: Art Basel in Hong Kong, Europe, NOLA Jazz Fest
I’m back home in a moment of repose and pivot after five weeks on tour with Antibalas.
We began the tour in late March in Hong Kong (our first trip there and only other Asia appearance outside of Japan). We played the LACMA X UCCA Party connected to Art Basel.
I wasn’t sure what we were in for but it was a beautiful and strange night filled with immersive dance and theater performances, lots of people in couture, and a performance before us by Vava, an MC from China who put on a really good show.
The jet lag was intense and at times, crippling.
We had a few days to walk around before the next leg of the trip.
Part Two: Europe
From Hong Kong we flew via Moscow to Paris. It was not a nice flight, and the transfer was hectic.
We arrived in Paris and none of our checked luggage had arrived: no clothes, nor instruments (except for what we gate-checked and carried by hand.
Luckily our stuff arrived the evening before our first show in La Rochelle.
We set off on the next 3.5 weeks in a sprinter van and 4-person car throughout France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, England and Ireland.
Sugar Club, Dublin Ireland.
The shows were a lot of fun and the level of production overall was tremendous, a much higher level than what we normally experience at clubs of the same size in the US. A large part of this has to do with two things: culture is taken seriously as a profession and social benefit/right and 2) The state (at local, regional and national levels provides financial support to both venues and festivals which allows them to staff each event with capable staff who are trained and getting paid okay.
It was non-stop, and has to be when you have 12 people on the road all needing to eat, drink, sleep and move. We can’t really afford many days off.
In Zurich, we made a horn squad field trip to the workshop of Thomas Indirbinen who makes some of the most divine instruments I’ve ever seen and played. These baritone saxophones are so balanced and resonant, top to bottom. Saving my Swiss francs…
The squad was top notch and we had Jerome Bach on sound and tour managing. I can’t imagine having done this run without him.
Part Three: New Orleans / Jazz Fest / Music Box Village
The Music Box Village is hard to describe: it’s a cluster of home-made buildings made from repurposed materials that are musical. Each one has different sounds (percussive, chimes, horns, metal, strings) and can be played with the other buildings. Everything is mic’ed or has electric pickups and the sound is fed and mixed through a soundboard.
We did a hybrid performance using our own instruments integrated with the sounds of the buildings. We had two days to get the repertoire and new compositions and set together. On day one it poured for five hours straight so our rehearsal was confined to the warehouse.
The day of the show we had pure sunshine and got to work setting up and testing the sounds.
On tour with Antibalas worldwide in 2019
On tour across North America, Europe and beyond with Antibalas, celebrating 20 years of making music together.
We’ll be performing in the US, Canada, Western Europe this spring. See the map and itinerary below for the updated schedule:
UPDATE: Antibalas-Journey Back to the Motherland film on Kickstarter
UPDATE: We hit our and exceeded our goal!
Antibalas has just 24 hours to meet our Kickstarter goal of $50K to film our upcoming musical pilgrimage to Lagos, Nigeria.
In the past 29 days, over 421 supporters around the world have gotten us over 90% of the way there. Please help us reach this goal, and thanks to everyone who's already generously contributed.
Jamcruise 2018: Reflections
Putting aside for a moment the strangeness of being on a massive floating city and fraught politics of global capitalism inherent in pretty much everything we do, Jamcruise 16 was amazing and along with going to Cuba and Benin, probably the richest musical experiences of my life.
Five days, nights and morning of performing, listening, collaborating and creating with some of my most favorite and esteemed musicians, people I listened to and adored well before I ever imagined myself playing music: Maceo Parker, George Porter if the Meters, Steel Pulse, John Scofield, to make just a few.
I am truly grateful to have been a part of this and in awe of the tremendous amount of work it took to put together such a magical event. It was transformational and I want to see this happen again and that far more people- musicians and fans can experience this.
I am fascinated by the concept of modifying the concept of a cruise ship into something more sustainable. How could it run with a zero carbon footprint, with equitable labor practices, cooperative ownership, healthier connections with the people in the different port cities to build systems which promote economic self determination and cultural understanding and appreciation.
The cruise ships are sophisticated, well oiled machines and I wonder how much of this is possible only because of all the social and environmental costs and externalities that are hidden from us. Having several friends from Nicaragua who have spent decades working on and off ship, it is a mixed bag. It does offer new possibilities, relationships and income not possible at home. At the same time, the work is intense and demanding and full of assaults to ones dignity. And the price of being separated from ones family and community for periods of nine months at a time over several years.
All that to say that in addition to my gratitude to the people who organized the event, I am even deeper indebted to the people on the ship grinding tirelessly to create a space for other people to experience such an intensely joyful event. Til next time.
On Tour with Antibalas: West Coast / Rockies Spring 2018
Antibalas Spring 2018 tour dates on West Coast, Colorado and Idaho. Teaching at Penn State Spring 2018.
The year is off to a busy start. All this amidst the backdrop of total chaos. Cold days, hot days, snow in weird places, the threat of nuclear war and the daily erosion of democratic systems.
I digress. I'll be continuing the album tour for Antibalas's new album "Where the Gods Are In Peace." We're just back from Philly, DC, and Jamcruise 16, and our next stops are in Brooklyn followed by a West Coast run and dates in Boise! and Colorado. See upcoming dates below and check back for new additions or sign up to the Antibalas MAILING LIST.
I'm also teaching a semester-long undergraduate course titled AFAM 197 / MUSIC 297 "African Diaspora Music" at The Pennsylvania State University to 18 students. We're four weeks in. So far, so good.
Upcoming Performances
New Antibalas Album out 9/15 on Daptone - PREORDER & Tour Dates
Antibalas announces release of 6th studio album, 2017-2018 tour dates.
That's right. We've made another album, our sixth full-length record in 19 (!) years.
This one is called "Where the Gods Are In Peace." Daptone will be releasing it 9/15/2017. Click HERE or on the cover image below to pre-order the album.
We'll be on tour in the fall throughout the US and beyond. Confirmed tour dates below:
Aretha Carnegie Hall Show Photos / Video
I was blessed with the role of musical director (and flutist/baritone saxophonist) for this show at Carnegie Hall last Monday, putting together charts and arrangements for Antibalas, the ace house band for 18 of the 22 songs performed onstage that evening, among them:
- Living Colour "Rock Steady"
- Kenny Loggins "Until you come back to me"
- Melissa Etheridge "I Never Loved a Man"
- Ceelo Green "The Night Time is the Right Time"
- Taj Mahal and Deva Mahal "Chain of Fools"
- Ledisi "Daydreaming"
- Ruthie Foster "Natural Woman"
- Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) "Don't Play That Song"
- Don Bryant (Hi Records songwriter/singer) "Drown in My Own Tears"
- Bettye Lavette "Ain't No Way
- G-Love "Think"
- Todd Rundgren "Since You've Been Gone"
- Sarah Dash (of Labelle) "Dr. Feelgood"
- Naomi Shelton "A Change is Gonna Come"
- Little Kids Rock "Respect"
- Rodney Crowell "The Weight"
- Antibalas "Who's Zoomin' Who"
- Full ensemble with Living Colour: "Respect" (Reprise
Here are some of photos collected from the roving eyes of the Internet.
Antibalas with vocalist Courtney Trice at City Winery NYC 3-7-2017 / Music of Aretha Franklin Afterparty