XXY for the Oscar

the superb film xxy has been chosen for the oscars and the goya awards!!!!!!!! congratulations lucia!!!!!!!!

the original soundtrack, by daniel tarrab, will be released by a french label soon, and will feature my piece "el rayo rubio"

saturday

rise al 6:00

breakfast at viejo lobo at 7:15 and off to canal 7; a busy day for la national film chamber orchestra...














2 buster keaton movies ("the boat" and "the boxer") and 2 mountain movies at canal 7




















off to malba for a john ford movie ("straight shooting") and a dramatic film by josef von sternberg.

the control room at malba cine caught fire a couple of weeks ago...apparently an oscar winning argentine producer/musician demanded chorizos to be cooked for him...the restaurant oven caught fire... and the oven pipes are just behind the control room... so things at malba cine are chaotic...like the sound system condition...the power amp made terrible noises. for the first show not to be cancelled I ended up 15 minutes sitting on the floor pressing the chassis tight...this prevented the noise...and myself from playing...fortunately a good power amp was produced for the second show. I rather play!

back home ultra exhausted

venues in buenos aires

there's very few small venues in buenos aires where independent rock can take place, after many have been closed down after the cromagnon disaster. claps is one of them, and many things are prohibited here, like dancing, standing, smoking...












... even flushing the toilets

a painting by moni that has been accompanying the league of crafty guitarists' rehearsals in buenos aires last may, has been selected for the exhibition of the uade prize at museo metropolitano de buenos aires,

info on moni's work at www.moniperalta.com.ar
info on the exhibition at www.uade.edu.ar/DIC/Noticia.aspx?IdNoticia=28

wednesday

I was invited to write a story for ludovica's new book! and by chance I just found a copy of an old edition...



I sent the story this week... and it was aproved!

I've been listening to jeff beck a lot these days, I also bought a cd by horacio malvicino (classics played on gtr).

listening to stravinsky piano music

I received a cd by sandra corizzo; impecable

here some word by daniel baremboin (from the wolf prize speech)...

Domingo, 9 de mayo de 2004

" ... Quisiera expresar mi profunda gratitud a la Fundación Wolf por el gran honor que se me concede hoy. Este reconocimiento es no solamente un honor, sino también una fuente de inspiración para una actividad creativa adicional.

Fue en 1952, cuatro años después de la Declaración de Independencia, cuando yo, un muchacho de 10 años, vine a Israel con mis padres desde Argentina.

La declaración de Independencia fue una fuente de inspiración para creer en ideales que nos transformaron de judíos a israelíes. Este destacable documento expresaba un compromiso: "El estado de Israel se consagrará a sí mismo al desarrollo del país para el provecho de todo su pueblo; será fundado en los principios de la libertad, la justicia y la paz, guiado por la visión de los profetas de Israel.

Garantizará la completa igualdad de derechos sociales y políticos a todos sus ciudadanos sin tener en cuenta las diferencias de fe religiosa, raza o sexo; asegurará la libertad religiosa, de conciencia, lengua, educación y cultura."

Los padres fundadores del Estado de Israel que firmaron la Declaración también se comprometieron ellos mismos y a nosotros " A perseguir la paz y las buenas relaciones con todos los pueblos y estados vecinos".

Me estoy preguntando hoy con profundo pesar: ¿Podemos, pese a todas nuestras conquistas, ignorar la intolerable brecha entre lo que la Declaración de Independencia prometía y lo que ha cumplido, la brecha entre la idea y la realidad de Israel?

¿ Se ajusta la Declaración de Independencia a las condiciones de ocupación y dominación sobre otro pueblo? ¿ Hay algún sentido en la independencia de uno a expensas de los derechos fundamentales del otro?

¿Puede el pueblo judío, cuya historia es un archivo de sufrimiento continuado y persecución implacable, permitirse a sí mismo ser indiferente a los derechos y sufrimientos de un pueblo vecino?

¿Puede el estado de Israel permitirse a sí mismo un sueño irreal de fin ideológico al conflicto en vez de perseguir un final pragmático, humanitario y basado en la justicia social.?

Yo creo que pese a todas las dificultades, objetivas y subjetivas, el futuro de Israel y su posición en la familia de las naciones ilustradas dependerá de nuestra capacidad de hacer realidad la promesa de los padres fundadores como ellos la canonizaron en la Declaración de Independencia.

Siempre he creído que no hay solución militar al conflicto judeo-árabe, ni tampoco moral, ni una victoria estratégica y desde que una solución es inevitable me estoy preguntando: ¿por qué esperamos? Es por esa razón que funde con mi difunto amigo Edward Said un taller para jóvenes músicos de todos los países del Medio Oriente, judíos y árabes.

Pese al hecho de que como arte, los músicos no pueden comprometer sus principios, y la política por otra parte, es el arte del compromiso, cuando los políticos trascienden a la existencia actual y ascienden a la más alta esfera de lo posible, pueden ser unidos allí por la música. La música es el arte de la imaginación por excelencia, un arte libre de todos los límites impuestos por las palabras, un arte que toca el fondo de la existencia humana, un arte de sonidos que cruza todas las fronteras. Como tal músico puedo tomar los sentimientos de israelíes y palestinos a nuevas esferas inimaginables.

He decidido por tanto donar el dinero del premio a proyectos de educación musical en Israel y en Ramallah.

Gracias."

Daniel Barenboin
Traducida para El Observatorio de Palestina por Carlos Sanchis

a week

I was invited to play as charly's guest at la trastienda last week, but a scandal broke...charly was severely hit in his face by a venue's patovica (security guy) in an attempt to help his assistant. so tuesday show got cancelled by the venue. a pity. and charly has a black eye...

thursday: I played with mussa phelps and friends with trinchera ensamble from mexico. such wonderful images!!!!!!!!

friday: mix of kabusacki & band live cd

visited charly at home in the evening, we watched the beatles' help. his humour got better. I learn so much by listening to beatles with ch... his remarks are so bright

then off to retiro...bus to cordoba to play with francisco

saturday: bochaton at casa babylon, tomates asesinos was one of the opening bands. bus ride feeble, hotel feeble, but I get to play live to an audience. such a privilege. coffee with horacio sairafi at a very nice little restaurant. showtime: 4:30 am. ouch.

we packed our gear and ran to bus station. breakfast and bus depated at 8am. got back home after a feeble bus ride at 19:00, so happy to be back home.

I was invited to a tour in brazil to perform with a dance company. it's not happening, to my relief...I'd love to do it but my schedule is so busy here in argentina...

this photo was taken at lete, tokyo, earlier this year

la national film chamber orchestra recorded music for buster keaton last saturday. in the evening I played with mussa phelps and trinchera ensamble (mexico) at fuga jurasica. a few years ago while playing in that festival, a guy came to me and offered 10c "to buy a little bit of charisma" (well, I couldn't get any for that sum yet....)

a trip downtown this morning

photo session with nora lezano at home at noon

watched stewart copeland's dvd

listened to almendra and jeff beck's blow by blow in the car

agenda gets complicated... a possible trip to brazil must be confirmed soon

here's more info on the live in tokyo at kinema club 2006 cd, released recently by ewe

www.japanimprov.com/indies/ewe/tokyokinema

last week samalea/kabusacki at c.c. rojas (with special guest tito losavio on perc!), a rehearsal and a gig at la cigale with bochaton, today recordings at canal 7 with la national film chamber orchestra and an improv performance with futura bold and trinchera ensamble, from mexico

conjunto di nero at festival internacional last wed

charly at la trastienda on tuesday

a trip to brazil to play with an argentinean dance company is possible but not confirmed yet

good news: joanna newsom is playing in buenos aires on oct 5th!!!!!!

another photo by damian benetucci taken at nd ateneo last april... samalea & kabu band will be on stage tomorrow at centro cultural rojas...

this week rehearsal with francisco (a new song and new versions of great oldies) and tuesday and wednesday to la trastienda to see charly's show. first night was great but the second was stunning, rocking!!!!!!!!!!










I look forward for much more soon....



today: a visit to charly and a show with flopa at la cooperacion!

what a serious guitarist!!!!!!!! here's a photo by lula bauer ( www.flickr.com/photos/liera ) taken at the concert with flopa at cc cooperacion,

la national film chamber orchestra played at malba on thursday and sunday, and recorded at canal 7 on saturday, nosferatu, sunrise, dante's inferno, buster keaton and other gems of silent cinema...



sama is back with us,

we rehearsed for saturday's concert today with sama, matias and maria eva....excitement

last friday moni and I went to see living colour at el roxy. vernon is stunning!!!!!!!!!!! I hope to see them again today

tomorrow...flopa

(photo: www.fotolog.com/fran_bochaton )

francisco bochaton & band played last night at claps, a sold out show although there was room in the venue for more people...there were about 40 fans of francisco left outside...in the cold...ouch! dancing and standing is also prohibited by the government of the city. it was a hot performance but audience is barely allowed to tap their feet and shout...

la national film chamber orchestra played at malba yesterday and today (buster keaton, chaplin and lloyd)

I will also be rehearsing with flopa's band this evening between 0:00 and 02:00 am

listening lately to wilco's and bjork's new records. wilco is becoming one of my favorite bands!

busy orchestra

visited charly on wednesday evening, we watched the 60's experience show featuring mc guinn and eric burdon, also the lennon/ usa documentary. here's a photo of charly with andrew loog oldham singing "playing with fire" at the 55 birthday concert last year...




friday: recordings for flopa's new album...such beautiful songs!!!!!!!! we recorded at juan ravioli's home studio; he is producing. I used my g&l telecaster through boss compressor, rat, boss giga delay and flopa's fender hot rod deluxe

saturday was a very busy day for la national film chamber orchestra, matias (with flu) and I recorded at canal 7 in the morning: documentary films about esquimos and natives from northamerica

here's a photo of one of the machines from the canal's museum...



and we did 2 shows in the afternoon at malba



on sunday the vazquezs came for lunch; great time...

wednesday

last friday we did more mixing with sama and daniel ovie at concreto, here's a photo of the soundcheck of thet show, taken by damian benetucci

saturday: la national film chamber orchestra recordings at canal 7 (from 7:30 in the morning) and a show with francisco bochaton at claps

sunday: 3 shows with la national film chamber orchestra at malba

there are 2 shows with flopa coming up...and also recordings

busy

mixing of the samalea/kabusacki concert at nd ateneo began at concreto, by daniel ovie...sounds good already,

a live album may be released soon






saturday very busy at canal 7 (studio 1 this time) recording with la national film chamber orchestra, then birthday party at home, the I played with flopa at el nacional,

acute pain in my shoulder...very tired...but great show...I love flopa's songs!!!




sunday: nina's birthday in the morning, rehearsal with flopa in the afternoon

watched shrek at home with the family in the evening. rest.

Flopa / El Nacional

Snowing in Buenos Aires!

it snowing here in buenos aires...last time it did around 1910...

friday: aad completed

saturday: la national film chamber orchestra recorded in canal 7 (first movie was stunning, about the mongolians and the russians!), then rehearsal with flopa's band

sunday and monday with family,

francisco's new album , tic tac, is out and it's great. here's a photo of bochaton's band with gillespi, from www.fmrockandpop.com ... and playing with bocha's band...

Los Gauchos Alemanes

XXY, Lucia Puenzo's wonderful new movie, featuring the piece El Rayo Rubio in its soundtrack, is still doing well in movie theaters in Argentina... and now also in Italy!!!!!




Los Gatos are back, Soda Stereo is back, The Police is back, and here's a photo of Los Gauchos Alemanes!!!!!

pic by Mariana Scaravilli, I guess

Thursday

Listening today while ordering my studio: Jim O'Rourke's Eureka; Yamamoto's Crown of Fuzzy Groove, Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and to Stravinsky's Piano Music.

Guitar lessons in the morning, time with little U in the afternoon.

Here's a photo taken by Alicia Patricia at one of the shows with Flopa at Thelonious, taken from www.emocionhomicida.blogspot.com ...



... and a drawing by Pablo Rodriguez Jauregui...

Busy Wednesday

La National Film Chamber Orchestra recorded at canal 7 this morning.

Guitar lessons in the afternoon.

A photo by Damian Benetucci from the show at ND Ateneo, April 12th; soon a live album will be mixed, mastered and released... the band: Kabu, Ezequiel Araujo, Matias Mango, Luis Suarez, Mariano Suarez, Maria Eva Albistur and Fernando Samalea.