Friday, October 23, 2009

Rest in Peace Anne Winter

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Anne at a Culture Under Fire Event at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City Missouri, August 1991

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I remember this event was actually rained out. It was one of many that Anne hosted, or had a big part in. Even though the rain precluded the use of a stage and pa system, parts of the event still went on, including accoustic music and painting. Anne can be seen in the background in the yellow shirt.

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Memorial in front of YJ's...

In December 2004, David Ford had an art opening that was part performance piece, in which Anne and her kids participated. I know the video is about 40 minutes long, but she is somewhere at about 8ish. You can hear her in the background talking about her kids school as well as see her in the piece.

My experience with the local diy underground music scene basically began one night in 1988 when I was spinning the dial of my stereo looking desperately for something different in the wasteland of the Kansas City radio station pickings.  I tuned in to a song that I'd never heard before.  I'd like to think it was "Holiday in Cambodia' by the Dead Kennedy's, it was probably something different, but that is what sticks out in my mind.  I listened to that song with excitement and interest... it was followed by another song, then another, then a female voice -- not polished like all the other DJ's on the radio, but it was nice -- like a friend who had just invited you down to her basement to listen to a home made tape.  It was Anne Winter doing the Orphan Annie show on KKFI.  I had discovered the left end of the dial and a beacon of something different.  It is interesting to see how one person can touch so many.  As I was thinking of what to say in light of Anne's passing, I began examining my experiences with the Kansas City area music and arts scene over the past 20 odd years.  Almost every aspect of it was touched by Anne Winter in some way.  To find out what was going on and to break out of my cocoon, I started listening to KKFI, and heard for the first time in 1988, the Orphan Annie show.  I went to the KKFI first birthday party at the Foundry, in March 1988.  The Foundry was a co-op gallery sort of place that was run in part by her husband, Kurt.  I went to a big outdoor Artists for Amnesty event at Volker Park in 1989 -- Anne was running that.  Every trip to Kansas City from rural Missouri wasn't complete without a stop to her store.  Often I could find out exactly what was happening in the Kansas City area from a trip there.  I'd visit and collect flyers from the shelves which were right next to the front door.  I could talk to Anne or one of her knowledgeable workers, who were usually playing in one or two of the bands that were playing about.


Saturday, October 17, 2009

Third Friday

GETTING CAUGHT UP ON MY EDITING...


It is fun to go around on first Friday in the Kansas City crossroads arts district with someone and take in all that is around you and their responses to the art... especially when you have a camera.  So I tried this little experiment to see how it work.  I did it later with the Mayor of Kansas City, Mark Funkhouser, and his wife, Gloria Squitiro....


Before I went out with the Mayor in August, I went out with several other people I could recuit for the effort.  The first victim, er, uh assistant in this effort was Ken...



A Great Art Friday


Friday 16 October was  a great night to show support for art in Kansas City, and from what I can tell, Kansas Citians did.  Charlotte Street foundation had an event going on as did many others.  I was only able to make it out to one event, and that was the Hobbs building open studios.  Parking was kind of hard to come by in the west bottoms not only for the haunted houses which are in full swing, but for people coming to the Hobbs, and that is encouraging.




Regular Features



I have cross pollination of blogs going on with Chrometuna, and his regular talk show, which runs starts at 3 a.m. daily, so if you are up that late, go to www.justin.tv/chrometuna and chat with him...
Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv



Monday, October 12, 2009

Maximon

07/17/2008 21:44:56 Saint Simone shrine at YJ's Snack Cafe at 128 West 18th Street in Kansas City Missouri07/17/2008  21:44:56  Saint Simone shrine at YJ's Snack Cafe at 128 West 18th Street in Kansas City MissouriEvery year in Kansas City, the patron saint of excess and vice makes his appearance in human form, usually around the end of October. Some lucky person, or persons allow his spirit to be channel into their body, and local people in the know, mainly artists who hang out around YJ's Third World Snack Cafe make offerings. It is said that if you made it home alright, safe and snug in your bed, after having a long evening of too much imbibement of some sort, then you can thank Saint Simone for your healthy situation. This year, it is rumored that Maximon will make his appearance sometime around the 28th of October, as he did in 2007 in New York. I thank Tiffany Thompson for shooting this video. I have just gotten around to editing it....
07/17/2008 21:43:14 Ste. Simone
07/17/2008  21:43:14 Ste. Simone
Sunday 28 October 2007 22:23:00Sunday 28 October 2007  22:23:00

In Other News

Reports back from Trucktoberfest in Topeka Kansas seems to be on the happy side. As promised, some folks uploaded some videos....


Again, I'm behind in my editing, so when I get around to it, I'll have some videos from the June 5th 2009 Truckhenge.

As Always

I try to have some regular features on this multi-media blog...

First is the livestreaming....

I am trying to make an effort to stream the Sunday night Jazz Jam at YJ's regularly from 8 to 10 p.m. Last Sunday, unfortunately, there was no jam, so I didn't. But Sunday 11 October, there was a jam, and there was a stream. If you click the on-demand button on the stream, you can see everything I've streamed so far...

Also, I have cross pollination of blogs going on with Chrometuna, and his regular talk show, which runs starts at 3 a.m. daily, so if you are up that late, go to www.justin.tv/chrometuna and chat with him...
Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv

Finally...
I have my handy dandy google calender with all the upcoming events in the area and beyond...


I am putting a call out for some hep with the calender and with covering the local art happenings. I am looking at you boB and Ryan...


Saturday, October 3, 2009

1st 1st Friday for this blog

Tom Deatherage & the Late show Gallery
I set out purposely for the Late Show. I've been there before. I was introduced, as many people were by Bill Drummond. Tom is a very energetic survivor who lives and breathes art. I talked with Tom on camera about his current and future shows.

Tonight's show was featuring an artist named Travis Pratt. I also talked with him on camera about his show at the Late Show Gallery...

My great journalistic skills were showing when I realized I left the battery at home for my still camera. Maybe, I'm just trying to do to much...

Take 2 Productions Video projection

Unexpectedly, as in, I didn't plan it with my handy dandy google calender, I stumbled upon this display....
It was put on by Take 2, or T2. The people who were putting it on were a little mum about what it is all about. They just said go to the website... so there ya go.


Millage Gilbert

My last stop of the evening, or I should say our last stop as I had Tima along with me, was where I started -- YJ's Snack Cafe at 128 west 18th street. The had the great Kansas City Bluesman, Millage Gilbert playing out front. The chill early October evening with the harvest moon were the perfect setting for the impromptu street festival.


Chrometuna

This is unrelated to first Friday in KC. I have this incredible backlog of stuff I need to edit. I finally got through with my walk and talk with boB Cutler, otherwise known on the internets as Chrometuna. He has a nightly show he does on Justin.tv, which I have enbedded in my blog here....
Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv
As I type this, he and some of his friends/bandmates are putting on a festival in Topeka called Trucktoberfest. It is being held on the grounds of Truckhenge. They did this festival in the spring. Talk about the things I need to edit -- I was there with cameras, but it is part of the backlog. However, Justin.tv has a replay function much like livestream does, so if the people who put on Trucktoberfest tried to stream it, maybe it can be replayed. If not, I'm sure boB, or someone will upload videos. Mr. Cutler is very well known for his outspoken opinions, and his well traveled punk pedigree, which includes working for the likes of Patti Smith, and DOA among others. His band with his brother and friends is called the Klusterfux.

In the beginning of March, we walked around his hometown, Topeka, where he let fly some of his opinions...

Check out the Chrometuna show on justin.tv every night at 3 a.m.


Click the on Button to see what is being streamed on Svoboda...

If you click on the "On Demand" button on the bottom of the player, you can see Sunday nights stream.... just click on Sunday night, 27 September 2009.










Monday, September 28, 2009

The life of the art, live on your browser....

Sunday 27 September 2009
Sunday night this blog embarked on a new, somewhat cutting edge adventure in blogging. As I have written before, this is a multi-media blog. The main emphasis of multi-media blogging is live streaming, or as some have called it, life streaming. I have been involved in the jazz jams at YJ's for several years. Lately I've started streaming the jazz jams live. With the introduction of the new blog, Svobodakc.com, I am hoping to do more events live. Eventually I'd like to go for sponsorships and grants for these streams in order to try to bring Kansas City's arts scene to the world. For now, it's just a little hobby that I do to keep myself busy. I am using a combination of software, hardware and mobile devices to try to bring live events to the web, anywhere, anytime... anyway. I am testing out software that acts as a switcher and streaming program. So far it has proven to be very powerful and effective. One problem, though, to anyone who has seen the SvobodaKC.com stream, is that the software puts a bug on the output. When I scrape together the funding, I will get rid of that, as long as I see no major flaws in the system. As far as the jazz goes, in the city and at YJ's, I have seen a number of quality individuals who are keeping Kansas City's musical legacy alive. I like to call it the legacy in blue. One big shame in our fair city is that we have such a great heritage in music, but much of it is like a lot of neighborhoods in this city, abandoned and weed choked. I visited Memphis, Tennessee in March 08, and found a city that was proud of it's musical history and has turned it into an economic powerhouse. Our city's musical legacy goes to waste economically for this city, as we let it crumble on the east side, mired in racism and short sightedness. When will people wake up and see that there is a great economic opportunity here? Preserving our musical legacy is not merely a historical nice thing to do, but is an important part of who we are as Kansas Citians. Just as important as our national parks and monuments, the legacy that jazz has left on the world is greater than any mass media movement ever, and Kansas City was central to the development of that legacy. However, too often, hearing the words, "this is a Pendergast town" often means that we are haunted by destructive selfish forces that hold us down and make us a backwater in the eyes of many people in this world. So, it is heartening to see people doing something to preserve this legacy, from all the individuals who keep the Mutual Musicians Foundation going, to the jazz jams, such as YJ's, where musicians get to develop their chops, to all the youth programs that pass on the legacy, these people deserve our appreciation and support. Maybe someday, the jazz district will be a profitable enterprise, and not an expensive museum of sterilized history. I am thinking Beale Street here. As far as my live streams, I'm going to break a little rule of mine here, and include it in the calender.

Sunday 27 September 2009
Sunday 27 September 2009
Sunday 27 September 2009
Sunday 27 September 2009
Sunday 27 September 2009
Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv
I will see how this works in addition to what I stream on livestream....
Click the on Button to see what is being streamed on Svoboda...

If you click on the "On Demand" button on the bottom of the player, you can see Sunday nights stream.... just click on Sunday night, 27 September 2009.



Friday, September 25, 2009

Bobey

I began putting my new Google Calender to use. I walked to Screenland tonight for a showing of Berdella, the Movie. Perhaps you've seen stickers with the menacing man wearing glasses with the word Bobey beneath it.
Photo of Routeburn Flats, on the Routeburn Track in New Zealand." I talked with the directors of the new movie tonight. They said that no matter what, anything involving Bob Berdella in this city would evoke emotion and controversy. To make a horror flick is what these two directors, who both have day jobs wanted to do. They chose subject matter involving a real looming figure in the not too distant history of Kansas City where there are real people who still remember and still feel the pain of that history, some of whom were in the Screenland Theater as I talked to Bill Taft and Paul South, the creaters of this newest addition to the horror genre in Kansas City. They say Berdella will run through Sunday at Screenland. Showtimes are Saturday, September 26th at 7:00and Sunday, September 27th at 7:00. The website for the movie has everything you need to know and more. I took on some pretense of being a reporter tonight and shot some video, asked some questions on camera and took some pictures.
Friday 25 September 2009
Screenland in Kansas City Missouri.
Friday 25 September 2009
Screenland post modern sign in Kansas City Missouri.
Friday 25 September 2009
Bobey t-shirt, Screenland in Kansas City Missouri.
Friday 25 September 2009
Berdella t-shirts, Screenland in Kansas City Missouri.
Friday 25 September 2009
Berdella posterst, Screenland in Kansas City Missouri.
Friday 25 September 2009
Screen shot of Berdella: the Movie, at Screenland in Kansas City Missouri.



Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv
I will see how this works in addition to what I stream on livestream....
Click the on Button to see what is being streamed on Svoboda...




Thursday, September 24, 2009

More Mission Statements, or is that missing statements?

I got some mention on another blog....here. It feels good to be noticed. Now, if I can only do something worthy of notice. Other than lifes regular trials and tribulations, I haven't been fully able to take on this other full time, albeit, unpaid second job. I have been updating the google calender regularly as a feature of this page, but I wasn't able to make it out and report on one of the events in that calender as I planned. I believe that was a film fest at
La Esquina (an Urban Culture Project space). Not so good for a mulit media blog that is supposed to report on the arts in KC. Hopefully I can do better tomorrow and at least sample some of the life of Kansas City. I could use some help on that. So, if you are inclined to help the creative scene (cue ray of light from the heavens here) then befriend me at my facebook account www.facebook.com/svoboda.kc

I could use help with the calender, especially. However, if you are looking for an excuse to get out and sample some of the area arts/culture/music, I could use some help in the way of pictures and perhaps even a few written words on what the event was and what happened. Now, I realize that by saying that, I am opening myself up to a whole lot of garbage. By that, I mean, for instance on my calender, I don't think that having ad nauseum repeating daily events such as Billy Bob's Band at Klebe's Kountry Klub that happens every MTWRFSSu night or Karoake Night at the Swingers Club, or things like that would be appealing to anyone, and would make it hard to find events that people would be interested in. So, I have to make exceptions to that, like, for the most part, no bands, unless it is a festival of some sort or if it has some other special attributes. Like for instance, Bob McWilliams, who does Trail Mix on KPR out of Lawrence, has a lot of interesting folk programs that he does and participates in. You will note he is hosting Greg Greenway in his livingroom in Lawrence, Kansas on Thursday 8 October.
Bob McWilliams.
Bob McWilliams, who hosts Trailmix on KPR.

I've beat some bushes amongst my friends to see if they are interested in lending a hand. I have a good friend in Topeka who is interested in some cross-pollination among sites. He does a show on Justin.tv every night and often during the day. It has proven to be very popular. I asked him if I could embed it here....
Watch live video from Chrometuna's Super Natural Boloney on Justin.tv
I will see how this works in addition to what I stream on livestream....
Click the on Button to see what is being streamed on Svoboda...




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