alicia bay laurel

Verandah Porche and Patty Carpenter wrote Alibi Lullaby, a commentary on the Bush years. Here, watch it on YouTube, performed by the Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band, along with the relevant visuals, the scenes usually deleted from the mainstream nightly news.

An recent article in the New York Times that references Verandah Porche and Packer Corners Farm (aka Total Loss Farm).  Here's the interactive online version of the article.  Click on "Guilford."

 

Tags: music jazz vermont protest katrina georgewbush verandahporche poetry iraqwar totallossfarm poet pattycarpenter dysfunctionalfamilyjazzband alibilullaby guilford

August 5, 2008
The second Tokyo exhibition of the original Living on the Earth drawings and layouts (created in 1969 and 1970), opened today at the Mirai Garou (gallery) in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. Above, my drawing and design for the invitation.

Ohta-san, the curator of the gallery, requested that I create a current piece of art as a centerpiece for the show, preferably a scene of Tokyo. I drew the view from neighboring Mori Tower (the building next door to the building where the gallery is) looking out to orange and white Eiffel-like Tokyo Tower. Since I often draw goddesses, I was not surprised when Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess who is the mother of Japan, floated into the sky behind it.

Here's the photo on which I based my drawing.

 
I missed the opening, since I am preparing to leave shortly for two weeks in Vermont, for events that were booked long before the art show, but, happily, Keisuke Era, from Artist Power Bank and Kurkku, sent me three photos. Above, some of the crowd that came for the opening.

The layouts and drawings in beautiful driftwood frames created by Yuji Kamioka are here displayed in an elegant white room.

The cozy bar at Mirai Garou, with one of my two-page layouts on the wall.

Tags: aliciabaylaurel artist art japan livingontheearth tokyo kurkku artgallery roppongihills moritower tokyotower miraigarou

August 5, 2008
Today “Floozy Tune,” the opening cut on my 3rd CD, What Living’s All About, has placed in yet a SECOND international songwriting contest, as Honorable Mention (7th place) in the World division (which includes jazz), in the Indie International Songwriting Contest. Here’s their profile page on me.

The first award for “Floozy Tune” was in the Top 20 Finalists in the Jazz Division of the Unisong International Songwriting Contest, in 2007.

Tags: music jazz wlaa aliciabaylaurel blues singersongwriter floozytune indieinternationalsongwritingcon

April 15, 2008. The next morning after our return from Hazu, Kaorico and I breakfasted on kiwi, miso soup with tofu and wakame sea vegetable, green salad with sesame-miso dressing, rice, and two different cooked vegetable dishes. Japanese food is amazing. It looks beautiful, tastes great, and you feel good afterwards. How great is THAT?

After breakfast we visited a local music store to see if someone there could repair the jack on my guitar, which had become unreliable in sound output. No one could. So, for the rest of my tour, I played the guitar into a microphone instead. Back in LA, I took it to a guitar repair shop, and discovered the problem was only dirt in the jack, which the repair guy removed with a cotton swab. Even I could have done that., if I had been able to figure out what to do.

Next I traveled by train into Tokyo. I saw this anti-litter advisory in the Harajyuku station.

My mission for the day was to meet with Keisuke Era and Junko Tamaki, who are organizing an art show of the original drawings and layout of Living on the Earth at the Kurkku complex in Harajyuku,. I delivered the work, for which master craftsman Yuji Kamioka would eventually create 178 one-of-a-kind drift wood frames. We would only show 30 pieces in the upcoming show, but we would have other shows in the future, until all the images were sold.

Yuji showed me a sample of the frames. I was delighted.

On my way back to Harajyuku Station, I walked through one of my favorite Tokyo places. Takeshita Street, a bustling neighborhood where throngs of high school and college aged people shop, eat and go to night clubs. It has the air of a carnival, and there are lots of people in costume.

This lovely girl in white agreed to let me take her picture.

Easter on Takeshita Street

A very theatrical storefront.

The bargain rack. One thousand yen is about $10.00

The layered look is much favored here.

Next, I took the train to Shibuya to buy art supplies at Tokyu Hands, a department store selling only art and craft supplies. The intersection outside of Shibuya station reminded me of Times Square, with its gigantic animated signs.

Tags: aliciabaylaurel artist art japan livingontheearth tokyo japanesefood kurkku artistpowerbank artgallery honshu shibuya harajuku trains guitarrepair

April 13, 2008, Hazu, Japan. Meet Shige and Mik-chan, the organizers of the Rock on the Rock Festival in Hazu, a beach resort just outside of Nagoya city. Shige owns a nightclub in Tokyo called The Loft Project, where I am invited to play next on my next tour. Mik-chan produces music events in Nagoya. This is their tenth year producing this festival.

They did this festival with a lot of style. For one thing, all of the musicians and staff were guests in a first class hotel…

...with a view of the ocean from every room and TWO onsen (hot springs spas) downstairs.

I was issued an All Access Pass, so I could go anywhere during the festival..,

...and a festival t-shirt…

...with my name on it as a headliner. Wow!

Here’s the festival schedule. I play in the afternoon on the second day.

Kaorico gave me a gorgeous set of new clothes to wear at the festival…

...and she sold my books and CDs at her booth…

...and what a booth it is…

...complete with driftwood sculpture.

Here’s Kaorico with one of her staff at the festival, both resplendant in Little Eagle clothes, handmade in India in a fair trade factory from organically grown cotton.

Next booth over from hers is the Slow Turtle (referencing the Slow Life movement) t-shirt booth, owned and produced by her ex-husband and dear friend Haru.

I love Haru’s sign “Welcome to Heaven.” That’s how it felt at the festival that day.

Looking down to the dome stage and the beach from Kaorico and Haru’s booths…

...and the driftwood gate through which festival goers passed to visit the booths.

Behind the booths was a picnic area for staff only, overlooking the ocean, with barbeque grills beside the tables. We were offered trays of vegetables, fish and meats, which we could grill on the barbeque. Kaorico and I made a vegan selection and she grilled it for us. Oishi! (Delicious!)

Down by the dome stage, where I played later, stood two more booths…

...one of which, Paraiso, sold records and books.

The next day at the hotel, owner of Paraiso told me he’s going to carry my records and books in his store!

Before my set, I enjoyed listening to an avant-garde piano and drum duo…

...And just before my set, the world music band Tayuta, with their wonderful singer, Hirono.

The audience was dancing wildly to their music.

The day after the festival, I met the members of Tayuta in the hotel lobby and we planned to meet again in Tokyo.

My wonderful translator, Mackie, is the leader of a rural commune based band called the Mountain Rockers.

We kept telling jokes. We had the best time. People said we were like an old married couple.

I couldn’t have wanted a more ideal environment to present my music as that psychedelically decorated dome. I’m playing my Traveler Guitar, a great little electric guitar that fits in the overhead compartment.

Of course, I also brought my good old workhorse Guild F45CE, in a sturdy Gator flight case. I need two guitars when I perform, so that I don’t have to bore the audience by re-tuning the guitar every time I change from standard to open tuning.

The next day, Kaorico and I drove back to Hayama, and were blown away by a sunset view of Mount Fuji as we passed the town of Fujikawa (Fuji River).

Tags: music aliciabaylaurel japan musicfestival travelerguitar mountfuji honshu nagoya hazu kaoricoago littleeagledesigns rockontherockfestival tayuta gatorguitarcase

On April 10, Kaorico (this how she spells her name) Ago, founder, owner and designer of the fabled Little Eagle Designs, Japan's premier natural fiber folkwear clothing company, met me at Tokyo's Narita International Airport. She treated me to a quiet green car seat on the airport express train to Zushi, where we were met by her kindly father, known to me only as Papa-chan (Papa Dear), greeted at the front door by her sweet mother, introduced to me as Michiko-baba (Grandma Michiko), and Kaorico’s athletic and musical 12 year daughter Ryo. I slept deeply at their home. The next morning I looked out from the balcony of Kaorico’s third floor room (which she sacrificed for my stay; she slept in another room) to the coastline of Hayama, the closest beach resort town to Tokyo.

Kaorico is, IMHO, a woman of deep spirituality, which expresses itself in her activities (walking in Dennis Banks’ Long Walk for Freedom), her company’s motto (“live for journey, on the road forever under the blue sky”), and her decor (lots of natural and handmade things, and lots of altars).

Here is her “on the road” altar.

I offered her a print of my four “Feeling Good” paintings and she placed in on one of her driftwood altars.

In her living room, with a sunken dining area in the center…

..Kaorico served our elegant breakfast: miso soup with tofu and green onion, Michiko-baba’s homemade pickled cucumbers, a small green salad with grated daikon and strips of nori, and rice.

After breakfast, I took at long hot soak in the furo overlooking a bamboo grove.

After the bath, I repacked my things for a three day jaunt to Hazu, a beach town outside of Nagoya city, to sing at a rock festival where Kaorico and her staff will be selling Little Eagle clothes.

We packed up Kaorico’s car and drove for six hours to Nishio, where the Little Eagle warehouse is.

This is no ordinary warehouse. For example, check out the door handles on the front door. Handmade from driftwood with peace sign hardware.

The staff were busy coating wire hangers with strips of rags to make funky-elegant shabby-chic, recycled, display hangers.

Sakura, the ten-year-old artist daughter of Kisaki, the warehouse manager, was busy weaving strips rags into a beautiful fabric.

Kaorico (on the left) and her staff were delighted to see each other, and preparations for the clothing booth at the festival were going apace. Another example of Kaorico’s shining heart and soul in the material world.

Tags: japan tofu japanesefood shabbychic hayama honshu littleeagle nishio hazu kaoricoago furo nori driftwood

I’m playing two concerts in Vermont in August 2008, plus I’ll be leading my visualization shrine built from recycled stuff workshop! Above is the poster for the concert at Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury on August 14, 7 PM at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, 1302 Main St.  You can phone Tara Holt at the museum for more information at 802-748-2372.

The shrine building workshop will be held at Lareau Farm Pavilion on August 17 and the concert will be at Valley Players on August 18, both as part of the month-long Vermont Festival for the Arts in Waitsfield.

After that I’m heading down to Packer Corners Farm for a communal 40th reunion.

Tags: aliciabaylaurel vermont livingontheearth tour concert fairbanksmuseum vermontfestivalforthearts shrineworkshop packercornersfarm totallossfarm

I love this animated video and hope everyone living on this planet watches it.  

 

 

Tags: environment sustainability recycling imperialism environmentalism labor globalwarming consumerism green pollution government industry exploitation corporations workers thirdworld dioxins cancer toxins zerowaste