KPCC: Arts News

2012 Grammys: Adele top winner with 6, including best record, song and album

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:10:26 -0800

Adele addresses the audience after receiving her fifth trophy during the 54th Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, February 12, 2012. Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Adele, who captured the world's heart with an album about a broken romance, emerged as the top winner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, winning six trophies including the prestigious trifecta of record, song and album of the year.

The singer, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night's final award, album of the year, for "21." It was last year's top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year's charts.

Her victories tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening.

"Mom, gold is good!" Adele shouted as she took the album of the year trophy.

The celebration of Adele, a big-voiced, soulful singer, came on a night where the Grammys marked the loss of one of music's great female voices — and one of its most prized talents overall. Whitney Houston died the night before the Grammys, casting a shadow over music's biggest night.

But while her death lent a somber overtone to the evening's show, it did not overwhelm it, perhaps best proved by the show's closing number, a rollicking jam session featuring Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Dave Grohl among others.

The night's other big winners were Grohl's Foo Fighters, who won five Grammys. They noted that they made their album "Wasting Light" in a garage.

"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do," Grohl said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for "Walk." ''It's not about being perfect. It's not about sounding absolutely correct. It's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). ... Long live rock 'n' roll!"

Among the evening's performances was a dance-heavy number by Chris Brown, and performances by McCartney and Springsteen, who kicked off the show by performing his new song "We Take Care of Our Own," a rousing song that references the troubles of the nation.

But the evening's most moving moment came as Jennifer Hudson — who has called Houston an inspiration and one of her biggest idols — emerged to sing one of Houston's signature songs, "I Will Always Love You." Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, Hudson appeared to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line, "Whitney, we will always love you."

The show started off on a somber note, as host LL Cool J appeared in black, and told the audience: "There is no way around this. We've had a death in our family."

He then led the audience in prayer to "our fallen sister."

"Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us," he said, as celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert bowed their heads in prayer. "Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit."

He then introduced a clip of a glowing Houston singing "I Will Always Love You." In his performance of "Runaway Baby," Bruno Mars also mentioned the death: "Tonight we're celebrating. Tonight we're celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston."

And Stevie Wonder said: "To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you."

The show, as usual, was heavy on performances more than awards. Among those was Chris Brown, who was performing on the stage for the first time since he dropped out of 2009's broadcast; his attack on Rihanna the night before led to both of their absences, an assault charge for Brown and a career low.

But 2011 marked an amazing comeback for Brown and he was rewarded with two planned performances during the show, the first time he and Rihanna performed at the same event since the attack (she sang solo and with Coldplay during the ceremony).

Brown also won best R&B album: "First and foremost, I gotta thank God, and thank the Grammys for letting me get on this stage and do my thing," he said "All my fans, I love you. We got one. Thank you."

Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver beat Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole and Skrillex for best new artist, accepted the award with admittedly mixed emotions.

"It's really hard to accept this award. Well, there's so much talent out here, like on this stage. There's a lot of talent that's not here tonight. It's also hard to accept because when I started to make songs I did it for the inherent reward of making songs, so I'm a little bit uncomfortable up here," he said. "But with that discomfort I do have a sense of gratitude. I want to say thank you to all the nominees, all the non-nominees that have never been here and never will be here."

The Grammys did their best to keep a tone that balanced the many moods of the night: The Foo Fighters performed in a tent outside the Staples Center, where the awards were being held, amid a throng of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to Etta James, the legend who died last month.

There was also a tribute to the recently reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three remaining members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California rock sound and harmonies back to life.

Glen Campbell, who announced his retirement last year after disclosing he had Alzheimer's disease, also performed with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, singing his classic hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy."

The Foos and Brown also returned for another dance-themed performance, a first for the Grammys. It also featured deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne.

And with Lady Gaga not performing, Minaj stepped in to give the night's most bizarre/headscratching performance. The rapper-singer's number included a clip that referenced "The Exorcist" and a stage show that had her levitating on stage amid a church-like background, with hooded choir members and religious imagery.

Whitney Houston fans pay tribute at hotel where pop singer died

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:00:15 -0800

Flower tributes are left at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for Whitney Houston in the early hours of Feb. 12, 2012 in L.A. She had died hours before at the hotel. Credit: Toby Canham/Getty Images

A shrine of roses and lit candles stood on Saturday night near the Beverly Hilton Hotel at the intersection of Santa Monica and Wilshire, where fans of superstar Whitney Houston paid their respects. The legendary entertainer died in the hotel Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a real tear jerker that she had to go like that," said Connie Gordon of Cleveland, Ohio. "[She] died alone. That’s just so sad.” Gordon came to Los Angeles to attend the Grammys.

Thirty-four-year-old Karen Babajide of L.A. said she'll remember the pop artist for pulling through tough times.

“And that’s what I admire about her," said Babajide. "Anytime you can fall face down on the ground and pick yourself back up it’s amazing.”

Gloria Barber of L.A. most remembers a pregnant Houston in the 1993 video “I’m Every Woman” from the “The Bodyguard” soundtrack.

“She had her baby girl a month before I had my son and just her music and just all that she went through - just watching her life and it’s just sad,” Barber said.

Biggs Smith believes Houston’s celebrity worsened her struggle with drug addiction. Smith is a recovering alcoholic who’s 10 years sober.

“As long as you’re signing the check people look the other way," said Smith. "And that’s the sad part about it.”

Actor Monet Mitchell of Philadelphia filmed a small role several months ago in a movie Houston starred in: a remake of the 1976 classic “Sparkle.” Houston was also an executive producer on the film, which is reportedly scheduled to be released in August.

“She made me feel welcome," Mitchell said. "She told jokes and she definitely had a little diva, a little attitude with her. But if you’re a legend, you have to exude that confidence. But she also cared about people.”

Legendary record executive Clive Davis, who discovered and mentored Houston, hosted his annual pre-Grammy party at the hotel hours after Houston's death. Artists attending the party, where Houston had been scheduled to appear, doled out responses on the red carpet. They included Sheila E, who stopped to talk with NBC4.

"She was a wonderful person. She was a great friend. And, I’ll remember, she recently came to the last two performances that I just had here in LA. She was having a great time," she said.

Also among the attendees was producer Jimmy Jam, who had worked with Houston.

"There’s some bit of irony that Clive Davis was the one that introduced us and he’ll be the one to lead us through tonight, I think in a celebratory fashion," Jam said.

Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock attended the party with a heavy heart.

"This is going to change everything, but the spirit of Whitney Houston and her connection with the Grammys is going to be married in an incredible way," Hancock said.

The Grammy Awards start tonight a 5 p.m. at the Staples Center and will air on CBS at 8 p.m.

Whitney Houston dies in Beverly Hills at 48 (photos, videos)

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:16:32 -0800

Artist Whitney Houston performs onstage at the 37th Annual American Music Awards on Nov. 22, 2009 in Los Angeles. Credit: Matt Sayles/AP

Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster announced her death Saturday. Authorities are trying to determine a cause of death. Houston was found unresponsive around 4 p.m. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Police said there were no signs of foul play or trauma.

Houston had been expected to attend a pre-Grammy musical tribute to music executive Clive Davis, her mentor. The L.A. Times reports Houston had been seen behaving erratically in the days leading up to her death.

At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry. From the mid 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists, wowing audiences with effortless, powerful vocals. Her vocal style was rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Houston's success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale."

She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who sounded so much like Houston she first debuted that many thought it was Houston.

But by the end of her career, Houston became a cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

Houston seemed to be born into greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

She began singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform.

"The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club ... it was such a stunning impact," Davis told "Good Morning America."

"To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine," he added.

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with "Whitney Houston," which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. "Saving All My Love for You" brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. "How Will I Know," ''You Give Good Love" and "The Greatest Love of All" also became hit singles.

Another multiplatinum album, "Whitney," came out in 1987 and included hits like "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the "Soul Train Awards" in 1989.

"Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?" she told Katie Couric in 1996. "You're not black enough for them. I don't know. You're not R&B enough. You're very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them."

Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to refute those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop's pure princess while he had a bad-boy image, and already had children of his own. (The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support.

But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed.

"When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place," she told Rolling Stone in 1993. "You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that's their image. It's part of them, it's not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy."

It would take several years, however, for the public to see that side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with "The Bodyguard." Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the "Bodyguard" soundtrack was named album of the year.

Houston returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with "Waiting to Exhale" and "The Preacher's Wife." Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, "My Love Is Your Love," in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut "It's Not Right But It's Okay."

But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, she said by the time "The Preacher's Wife" was released, "(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. ... I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. ... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself."

In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007.

Houston would go to rehab twice before declaring herself drug-free to Oprah Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns.

She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown's reality show, "Being Bobby Brown," provided another example of her sad decline.

Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album "I Look To You." The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum.

Things soon fell apart. A concert to promote the album on "Good Morning America" went awry as Houston's voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice.

A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations.

This story has been updated.

Car horn symphony coming to LA, courtesy of artist Zefrey Throwell

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:09:54 -0800

Passat CC R-Line Steering Wheel Retrofit Credit: jaronbrass/Flickr (Creative Commons-licensed)

For his most recent project, artist Zefrey Throwell has decided to take to the highways. Throwell hopes to record the horns of 1,000 cars across Los Angeles, folding them into a sonic movement for the third piece of his "Entropy Symphony."

With the help of Los Angeles Nomadic Division, a non-profit public art initiative, hopeful participants send in the make and model of their car. Participants are then emailed an MP3 based on the tone of their car horn. This Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m., the selected musicians are to honk their horns in rhythm with the MP3, wherever they are.

“The entire symphony is about the sound society makes when the gears kind of grind to a halt,” said Throwell.

For the third movement of the conceptual “Entropy Symphony,” Throwell is flying into L.A. and asking the Hertz rental car company for their best horn. However, Throwell does have his own car horn tone preferences.

Throwell acknowledged, “I’m a big fan of the meat and potatoes of America — the Honda Civic horn is really something quite shrill and beautiful.”

The first movement recorded walkie-talkie responses as he ran rampant through the Whitney Museum in New York, attempting to break every museum rule he’d ever heard. Movement two took place in Berlin with 100 air horns playing in the streets throughout the entire city.

“People were out in a snowstorm playing the air horns across all of Berlin," Throwell added, "using it as the resonating chamber for the symphony."

Throwell was also the man behind "Ocularpation: Wall Street," a large-scale art project. Despite the name, it preceded the Occupy movement.

The five-minute outdoor performance stretched the entire length of Wall Street and featured each of the 50 performers enacting common Wall Street jobs — custodian, businessman, trader — while slowly striping nude.

"The idea came to me while talking to my mother," said Throwell on his website. (Warning: Some images on the site contain adult material). "She was a public school counselor for 30 years and was forced to come out of retirement to look for a job in her mid-60s because she lost almost all of her retirement savings in the crash of 2008."

"At first she was depressed, and then she became furious that the entire financial structure of Wall Street is almost totally opaque and inaccessible to many of the people it affects the most."

Correction: This story initially identified Zefrey Throwell as an L.A. artist, while he's actually based in New York.

Pan African Film Festival features black-themed films from around the world

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:49:24 -0800

Credit: Screenshot from "Chico & Rita"

Starting this weekend, thousands of film buffs will pack a Los Angeles multiplex to support dozens of independent movies about the African diaspora from around the world. The Pan African Film and Arts Festival returns to Baldwin Hills for its 20th anniversary.

In 1992, festival executive director Ayuko Babu helped launch the festival at the Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.

“There was a brand new theater, brand new Virgin Records store ... and we had all five screens,” Babu recalled.

Babu’s voice maintained a steady rhythm as he spoke about the history of the event that gathers filmmakers from Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Europe and the United States. But he paused a bit as he reflected on the way his father – who’d had an extramarital affair - shared with him a memory of visiting a “picture show.” That’s what folks called films in the 1940s.

The movie Babu’s dad saw in Amarillo, Texas was so powerful it changed his life.

“The story’s about a man who had children that he didn’t take care of," said Babu. "And the children had a hard life and the man had a terrible life. And he made up his mind right then at the movies that he would take care of me and my brother.”

Babu’s father didn’t recall what movie that was or who starred in it. But he remembered the film’s powerful themes of reconciliation and responsibility. Babu said the conversation with his dad just before he died helped motivate him to launch the first Pan African Film Festival.

Roman Michael of LA, 27, said he’s eager to show his movie to festival audiences. It’s a drama called “5 Minutes.” It’s about a black attorney’s obsession with being on time and the way that threatens his relationship with his son:

“The budget was about $30,000," Michael said. "And it was very difficult to do. I actually quit my job to pursue this vision and this dream that I had so I could really devote all my attention on it.”

Michael fused his credit cards to pay for the film; he also knocked on lots of doors to ask for money. He wrote the script, assembled a crew and he starred in it. Tickets for at least one of Michael’s festival screenings have already sold out.

Throughout the next 10 days organizers will show about 150 movie, including features, documentaries and short films.

Yep, plenty to choose from.

Education consultant Graciela Italiano-Thomas is from South America. Her husband Mckinley, a retiree, was born in Mississippi. They sat together at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza food court scribbling notes in a festival program, mapping out the movies they plan to see, including "films that address mythical issues in Africa as well as women’s issues,” Italiano-Thomas said.

Her husband chimed in.

“There’s a reference here having to do with ‘no liberation for lesbian and gay categories of individuals.' I thought that was very sensitive on the part of the film festival to bring that in and it critiques how the African American church has been remised. That was the reference.”

Shea Harrison produced that documentary, called “LA Black Lesbians: The Black Church.”

There’s also buzz about another documentary: “The Education of Auma Obama,” which explores the President’s campaign four years ago through the eyes of his native Kenyan sister.

Nigerian-born Branwen Okpako directed the project.

“He needed to find out about his African roots and she was able to help him gain access to the family and to the story of the family – on with which she had to of course spend her life dealing with and balancing,” Okpako said.

At least one festival entry is an Oscar nominee this year. It’s “Chico & Rita” – an animated musical love story set against the backdrops of Havana and New York during the 1940s.

Chico & Rita - Official US Trailer from GKIDS on Vimeo.

Festival director Ayuko Babu said that each year, the event selects films that steer clear of stereotypical black images that he maintains Hollywood – and even successful filmmakers beyond "Tinsel Town" – tend to portray.

Even though that kind of movie generates box office success, Babu counsels aspiring filmmakers: Don’t aim to make millions of dollars.

“You can maintain your conscience because you don’t have to sell out... you have less compromises and you can still do conscious work,” Babu emphasized.

Festival organizers will exhibit more than just films. Patrons can attend art displays, fashion shows, children’s events and workshops sponsored by Black Enterprise and the Organization of Black Screenwriters. The Pan African festival spills out of the Rave Cinemas into the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw mall through February 20th.

Pan African Film Festival, world's largest black-themed film festival, returns to LA

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:35:54 -0800

A screenshot from the trailer of romantic comedy “Think Like A Man.” Credit: MyTrailerIsRich/Youtube

More than a hundred filmmakers from around the world will see their movies on the big screen starting Thursday at the 20th annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

The world’s largest black-themed film and arts festival launched with a star-studded preview of the romantic comedy “Think Like A Man.” The movie’s based on the bestselling book by celebrity comedian Steve Harvey.

Most filmmakers in the lineup aren't that well known. Their projects originate in the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Canada.

That’s a clip from the French-produced film “Black Venus,” based on the true story of an enslaved South African woman whose master displayed her as a sideshow freak to 19th century European audiences.

“You are about to witness a truly remarkable phenomenon," the master calls. "A female savage from the dark continent Africa.”

Festival organizers will screen that movie and about 150 others during the 11-day event. After a couple of years in Culver City, the films have returned to Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza at the Rave Cinemas.

'Chronicle' opens at number 1 in the box office

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:44:09 -0800

The low budget movie “Chronicle” won the box office this weekend. The story of a group of unknown kids with superpowers has nudged the world's most famous teen wizard out of the top slot.

"Chronicle," with a cast of unknowns as youths who gain telekinetic abilities, debuted as No. 1 with $22 million.

Sunday studio estimates put "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe's ghost story "The Woman in Black" just behind with a $21 million opening.

Both movies packed in solid teen and early-20s crowds, Hollywood's bread-and-butter demographic that had been giving movies a pass during a box-office slump late last year.

Hollywood finished the first month of 2012 with strong revenues that are running well ahead of last year's lackluster receipts.

The previous weekend's top movie, Liam Neeson's "The Grey," slipped to No. 3 with $9.5 million.

Mel Gibson may be witness in discrimination trial; officer says he was discriminated against for arresting Gibson

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:18:21 -0800

Mel Gibson Credit: kjd/Flickr.com

Mel Gibson may be called to testify in an upcoming trial to determine if the officer who arrested him on suspicion of driving drunk suffered discrimination.

The trial will focus on what happened to Deputy James Mee after he arrested the actor-director in 2006, and whether he endured discrimination because he is Jewish.

Mee's attorneys are hoping to show that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department moved to protect Gibson because the star had a close relationship with the department before his arrest.

Attorneys for the county have denied Mee faced discrimination or retaliation.

The case is likely to focus heavily on Gibson's arrest, when the actor made anti-Semitic comments that Mee claims his superiors forced him to remove from a report.

Mee also alleges he was ostracized and his opportunities for promotion were blocked after he arrested Gibson.

Gibson's reputation was damaged for years after details of the arrest - including his now-infamous anti-Semitic and sexist rant - were leaked to celebrity website TMZ.

The actor apologized for his conduct, and his conviction was expunged in 2009 after he completed all the terms of his sentence.

Sheriff Lee Baca also could be called to testify, according to a witness list filed Thursday.

Attorneys for the county are asking a judge to block jurors from seeing a video of Gibson in a jail booking area and a public service announcement that Gibson recorded for the agency prior to his arrest.

Gibson appeared in a deputy's uniform for the spot, and Mee's attorneys claim it is important context for jurors to consider.

Gibson's work as a spokesman for the department helps explain "the circumstances that serve as a backdrop to the harassment and hostile work environment that Deputy Mee suffered," his attorneys wrote in a court filing. Gibson "wasn't just another arrestee. He was the 'public face' of the department."

Neither Gibson nor Baca have been deposed in advance of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on Feb. 14. If they are called as witnesses, Baca's testimony is expected to last about an hour, while Gibson may spend about 90 minutes on the witness stand.

"He'll do whatever is legally appropriate," Baca's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. "We look forward to telling the whole story."

Gibson's spokesman Alan Nierob declined comment.

In all, 28 possible witnesses are listed in a pretrial filing, but it's unlikely all will testify.

Mee's attorney Etan Lorant said he has been unable to serve Gibson with a subpoena but may not need to call the actor to the stand if he is able to show jurors footage from an interview with Diane Sawyer after the arrest.

Superior Court Judge Barbara Scheper ruled last month that the case should go to trial if it cannot be settled, but noted that Mee's attorneys might have trouble proving their case.

"While I think it's thin, I think there are enough facts to create a question for the jury to decide," Scheper said during a January hearing.

She noted that Mee remains a deputy, although he no longer patrols for drunken drivers in the coastal community of Malibu.

Occupy LA demands return of murals painted in City Hall park; city says OK

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:14:35 -0800

A protester from the Occupy LA movement spraypaints a barrier built around the fountain at the center of City Hall's south lawn. The spraypainted plywood is just one of the murals Occupiers are demanding be returned. Credit: Eric Richardson / blogdowntown

Members of Occupy Los Angeles called on the city today to return murals painted during the two-month protest in City Hall Park.

The Department of Cultural Affairs, which took possession of the murals, asked in early January for interested parties to submit plans to take possession of and preserve the murals. The department didn't receive any letters of interest before last Monday's deadline.

The murals include a 24-by-16-foot panel depicting a greedy, monstrous federal reserve bank in the guise of an octopus, tentacles gobbling up cash and foreclosed homes. Other panels include spray-painted signatures of Occupy demonstrators. They were painted on plywood built to protect a fountain outside of City Hall while hundreds of people camped on the lawn.

Because the murals were on city property, Los Angeles officials took possession of them. The murals are being stored in a clean, dry storage facility at Piper Technical Center, according to Cultural Affairs and Arts Manager Pat Gomez.

In a letter to the department this week, members of the protest group said the city "misunderstands the true purpose and value" of the murals.

"By naming them 'artifact,' you describe our once-living art as lifeless and attempt to frame our movement as such," the letter read. "We assure you that the occupation is very much alive and well."

Department of Cultural Affairs General Manager Olga Garay received the letter this morning. Garay said she is not opposed to giving the murals back to Occupy L.A. and does not want to get into an adversarial relationship with the movement.

"I don't think there is an intrinsic difference in what the folks at the Occupy L.A. movement want and what we're trying to do," Garay said.

She acknowledged that preserving the murals would require space and money but said she intends to meet with Occupy L.A. to find "a solution that utilizes resources that might be available to us that might not be available them."

Garay said she would defer to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whom she credited with trying to preserve the murals after ordering a police raid to evacuate demonstrators from the City Hall lawn last November.

Garay said there are cultural organizations in the city that could store and preserve the murals "that are not philosophically at odds with what the Occupy L.A. movement is attempting to do." She named the Social and Public Art Resource Center in Venice as an example of an organization with "similar philosophical underpinnings" as Occupy L.A.

SPARC was founded in the 1970s to create public art as an organizing tool. The group prides itself on creating murals that highlight contemporary political and economic issues relevant to women, the working poor, youth, the elderly and newly arrived immigrant communities.

"I think we can solve this," Garay said.

MOCA: More than 230 works of art acquired in 2011

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:37:45 -0800

Outside the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Credit: Christopher Paulin/Flickr (Creative Commons-licensed)

There’s more to see and enjoy these days at Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art.

In the last year, MOCA added more than 230 items — many from a single donor.

“Not since the economic downturn have we seen this level of generosity," MOCA chief curator Paul Schimmel said in a press release.

More than half the works come from Laurence Rickels, a UC Santa Barbara professor of German and English literature, psychotherapist and prolific arts writer. His interests are described as being in the intersection between psychoanalysis, technology and Nazis.

Rickels lived in West Hollywood for years and donated 122 works of art to MOCA after he moved to Germany. The collection includes work from the 1990s that focused on queer identity, conceptual photography and Gothic themes. The donation includes works by conceptual godfather John Baldessari and photographer Catherine Opie, known for her freeway overpass photos.

Right now the museum is showing works by Jackson Pollock and contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman, part of a gift from benefactors Beatrice and Phillip Gersh.

Correction: The headline of this story originally said that the items were added in 2012; they were added in 2011.

This story has been updated.

Latina playwright adapts Chekhov play in “El Nogalar”

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:07:59 -0800

Tonya Saracho adapted Anton Chekhov's 1904 Russian play "The Cherry Orchard" in "El Nogalar" set along the United States border in Northern Mexico. Credit: Submitted by Tonya Saracho

Anton Chekov wrote “The Cherry Orchard” in 1904, telling the tale of a Russian matriarch who loses her land because she’s unwilling to change.

The dynamics of that family resonated with playwright Tonya Saracho. She left her native Sinaloa, Mexico as a child, has lived in the US since 1989 and today carries a green card.

She adapted Chekov’s work last year, setting it in a pecan orchard, as you would find along the Mexico – Texas border.

“El Nogalar” got its West Coast premiere over the weekend at Hollywood’s Fountain Theater.

When the work first premiered in Chicago last year, Saracho was called “the Chicana Chekhov.”

Saracho said she decided to take away some characters from Chekhov’s play in her version.

“I took away all the dudes, except for one. I took Yasha away. The man with the funny shoe that makes a sound, the student revolutionary, except for Lopahkin - the guy who buys the orchard,”she said.

“El Nogalar” follows a Mexican family’s experience as their way of life is threatened by drug cartels. The play is mostly in English, but has bits of Spanish and Spanglish sprinkled in. It’s a tragic comedy that examines the choice between adapting to change or being left behind.

Saracho said she can identify with some of her characters in “El Nogalar.” She has zig-zagged back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico most of her life. She said her characters represent various points of view of women living along the U.S. border with Mexico.

“The youngest daughter has lived 15 years in the United States from boarding school to boarding school, so she’s Americanized. She doesn’t speak Spanish that well anymore. She is an American for all intents and purposes – so, there’s that point of view," she said. "There’s a point of view of someone who wants to come to the United States. It’s like a mixture of cultures. A border life - it’s not quite the border, it’s like an hour away from the border - but a border life is porous and it navigates both worlds.”

“El Nogalar” plays in Hollywood through March 11.

Etta James honored at Inglewood Cemetery memorial

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:26:49 -0800

Etta James performed at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Etta James’s fans lined Manchester Boulevard Friday for a public viewing of the late blues singer at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

The first people in line arrived almost three hours before the viewing. Most of those in line were women. Some brought their own chairs. They chatted, made made friends, and shared their favorite Etta James songs and stories. Latashira Hudspeth, a new fan, came with her grandmother.

"I seen Cadillac records and I liked Beyonce in it," Hudspeth laughed. "That’s when I first heard the songs."

People shuffled into the mortuary under the glow of the Friday night sunset. In the entrance, a banner with James’ picture welcomed her fans while, at the exit, speakers blared her songs.

Etta James will be buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery, also the final resting place for Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald.

Brass instrument thefts continue as Anaheim school is hit

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:34:35 -0800

Brass instruments Credit: jesman/Flickr.com

A recent rash of brass instrument thefts at Southern California public schools has left many students idle in band classes, but a local business is stepping up on Sunday to help an Anaheim junior high school that lost $20,000 in instruments just a few weeks ago.

Sycamore Junior High School band director Rich Gordon says there was little to stop these instrument thieves.

"[They] completely broke our door, came into the room and then broke a few more doors once they got inside the room to get to the storage rooms where the instruments were," said Gordon.

Thieves took tubas, trumpets, saxophones and a snare drums — and left behind flutes, clarinets, sound equipment and a laptop.

Gordon’s been able to borrow a few instruments but some students still have to pretend to play during band practice.

Now, Gordon’s colleagues at nearby schools are telling him they no longer keep their instruments in the band room.

"They’ll find another room on campus that you wouldn’t normally suspect the instruments to be located in," he explained, "or they’ll get some storage sheds on campus that maybe are a little more secure."

Other band directors who’ve suffered similar losses told the L.A. Times the thefts are due to the popularity of bands that play brass-rich norteño music. Gordon, who gave police a list of the instrument serial numbers, says that makes sense.

"Originally the police thought maybe they were melting down the metal, the brass, and selling the metal," said Gordon. "But I’m doubting that considering what exactly has been stolen and targeted; it seems like they’re targeting these expensive instruments, they know exactly what they’re getting and they know that they’re getting a lot of money for them."

The House of Blues in Downtown Disney called to help. Sycamore Junior High’s band will play at the venue’s gospel brunch this Sunday morning for a fundraiser to help the band replace its instruments.

Tupac FourSquare map created by English hip-hop fan

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:00:03 -0800

Tupac Shakur Credit: Associated Press

For a walk on the wild side, follow Paul Rayment’s digital map pinpointing places of interest surrounding the life and death of Tupac Shakur, the rapper who held Los Angeles near and dear in songs like "To Live and Die in L.A." and "California Love."

The map plots Tupac as he zigzags from his pre-fame days in Baltimore to school in Oakland to his record label in L.A., and on to Las Vegas — where someone shot him in 1996 when he was 25 years old.

“Some of them had to be included like where he was shot and hospitals — that kind of thing," creator Rayment said. "But, I wanted to do something more original. For instance, what he did in school, how he was first talent-spotted."

Rayment doesn’t dare call himself an “expert” on Tupac, but he has been a diehard fan for 17 years.

"He wasn’t the best M.C., but there’s never been anybody quite like Tupac," he said. "He was raised by somebody who was a Black Panther — so he’s always kind of had that militant attitude, but he’s an artistic person, he’s very creative, very poetic. And I think when you combine that militance and creativity, you get this really interesting mix."

Rayment, who lives in Leeds in Northern England, promotes a video game research company for a living and plays in digital media for fun. The 30-year-old said he never thought the Tupac map he created would get much notice. But after he posted it on his Twitter account, fans around the world have chimed in to offer feedback about places he should include.

The map uses social media site FourSquare. It allows smartphone and computer users to “check in” to places they’ve visited.

Another FourSquare function lets users make lists of places to create custom tours. They drop pinpoints, then add their own two cents of information. The maps are free and accessible to anyone, so any user can add more information.

Rayment’s surveyed Tupac’s lyrics to inspire points on his map, but he said he’s come up short.

"Few places are actually mentioned as locations," Rayment said. "There’s loads of mentions, for instance, of street names, of cities. But you can’t really add them on FourSquare. It’s got to be like a specific area — like a restaurant, or a bar, or a school, or something like this — or a nightclub."

So if you find the rose that grew from concrete Tupac wrote about, you’d better be able to say right where it is.

Rayment said he’s completed a map of places Jay-Z mentions in his New York-inspired “Empire State of Mind.” He also hopes to map the creative trajectories of other famous rappers, such as the Notorious B.I.G., who famously died in L.A.

International Jazz Hall of Famer John Levy dies at 99

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:22:50 -0800

The late John Levy speaking at the 2006 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Gala. Credit: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

Groundbreaking jazz manager John Levy has died. Levy was the first prominent African American personal manager in the jazz and pop music scene.

Levy was already an accomplished double-bassist before he became a manager in the 1950s. He hailed from New Orleans and performed with the likes of Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner and others. After joining pianist George Shearing's original quintet, he eventually became Shearing's full-time manager.

Later, Levy formed his own management agency, John Levy Enterprises Inc.

Over the years, Levy represented nearly 90 artists, including Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Mann and Nancy Wilson.

Here's a rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," sung by Nancy Wilson:

In 1997, Levy was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame, and in 2006, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Levy as a Jazz Master, the nation's highest jazz honor.

Devra Hall Levy posted on her husband's website that he passed away Friday in his sleep at his home in Altadena. He would have turned 100 in April.

And the nominees are: A complete list of Oscar nominations

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:38:07 -0800

Actress Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts, announce the nominees at the 84th Academy Awards Nominations Announcement, January 24, 2012 at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. Martin Scorsese's lavish 3D adventure "Hugo" won 11 Oscar nominations Tuesday, just ahead of hotly-tipped silent movie "The Artist" with 10 nods for Hollywood's top awards. Credit: Robyn Beck/Getty Images

Oscar nominations came out and Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" lead the way with 11 nominations, including best picture and another direction nod for the Oscar-winning director.

KPCC's Steve Julian spoke to Nicole Sperling, who covers the nominations for the LATimes. No surprises in the list, she said.

"There was nothing, you know, incredibly shocking," Sperling said.

As a result of a rule change requiring films to receive five percent of first-place votes, only nine films are making a show for best picture: silent film "The Artist"; family drama "The Descendants"; Sept. 11 tale "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"; Deep South drama "The Help"; romantic fantasy "Midnight in Paris"; sports tale "Moneyball"; family chronicle "The Tree of Life"; and World War I epic "War Horse."

The rule change didn't do that much for the list of nominees, Sperling said.

"It really didn't make things that exponentially different," she said. "I think it's too early to tell if it's working or not."

A complete list of 84th Annual Academy Award nominations announced Tuesday:

Best Picture: "The Artist," ''The Descendants," ''Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," ''The Help," ''Hugo," ''Midnight in Paris," ''Moneyball," ''The Tree of Life," ''War Horse."

Actor: Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"; George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball."

Actress: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn."

Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"; Nick Nolte, "Warrior"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"; Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close."

Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help."

Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"; Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"; Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life."

Foreign Language Film: "Bullhead," Belgium; "Footnote," Israel; "In Darkness," Poland; "Monsieur Lazhar," Canada; "A Separation," Iran.

Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"; John Logan, "Hugo"; George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, "Moneyball"; Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."

Original Screenplay: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"; J.C. Chandor, "Margin Call"; Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation."

Animated Feature Film: "A Cat in Paris"; "Chico & Rita"; "Kung Fu Panda 2"; "Puss in Boots"; "Rango."

Art Direction: "The Artist," ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," ''Hugo," ''Midnight in Paris," ''War Horse."

Cinematography: "The Artist," ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," ''Hugo," ''The Tree of Life," ''War Horse."

Sound Mixing: "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," ''Hugo," ''Moneyball," ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon," ''War Horse."

Sound Editing: "Drive," ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," ''Hugo," ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon," ''War Horse."

Original Score: "The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams; "The Artist," Ludovic Bource; "Hugo," Howard Shore; "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias; "War Horse," John Williams.

Original Song: "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets," Bret McKenzie; "Real in Rio" from "Rio," Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett.

Costume: "Anonymous," ''The Artist," ''Hugo," ''Jane Eyre," ''W.E."

Documentary Feature: "Hell and Back Again," ''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front," ''Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," ''Pina," ''Undefeated."

Documentary (short subject): "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement," ''God Is the Bigger Elvis," ''Incident in New Baghdad," ''Saving Face," ''The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom."

Film Editing: "The Artist," ''The Descendants," ''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," ''Hugo," ''Moneyball."

Makeup: "Albert Nobbs," ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," ''The Iron Lady."

Animated Short Film: "Dimanche/Sunday," ''The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," ''La Luna," ''A Morning Stroll," ''Wild Life."

Live Action Short Film: "Pentecost," ''Raju," ''The Shore," ''Time Freak," ''Tuba Atlantic."

Visual Effects: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," ''Hugo," ''Real Steel," ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes," ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

Chinese New Year starts with a bang in LA's Chinatown

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:12:45 -0800

Posing with the kitchen god. Credit: John Rabe

The Lunar New Year began at midnight Monday. Los Angeles' Chinatown welcomed the Year of the Dragon Monday morning.

In the traditional Chinese calendar, this is the beginning of spring. You get together with friends and family, clean the house, clear up all your debts, forget old grudges and set off firecrackers.

Lots of firecrackers. At just this one event, at the Teo Chew Association in Chinatown, the pyrotechnician told me he brought about half a million firecrackers to light Monday morning.

It sounded like it.

And this is only the beginning. The biggest event is probably the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown, which happens Saturday at 1 p.m.

The photos were taken in the Teo Chew Association, a group that aids Chinese from many countries when they come to the U.S.

'Michael Jackson' music lab lets Hollywood students follow in former pop star's footsteps

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:48:11 -0800

A Google Maps screen shot of the front of Gardner Street Elementary School. The school will showcase its new music lab Monday. Credit: Google Maps

The Hollywood elementary school that saw Michael Jackson through sixth grade will host an open house for its Michael Jackson Music Education Lab on Monday morning. It's the second building the campus has dedicated to the singer; silver letters in front of the school auditorium already read "The Michael Jackson Auditorium."

Gardner Street Elementary School plans to showcase the lab and new music curriculum during a small reception at 11:00 a.m.

"This was his classroom," said Leslie Holmes, a parent that started the non-profit fundraising organization Friends of Gardnerville. "He actually signed the chalkboard that was in the classroom."

According to Holmes, the chalkboard is now a wall decoration, replaced with whiteboards and a room of 40 personal computers and M-Audio MIDI keyboards.

The school's new music curriculum will teach students how to read music, play piano and compose music in an interactive way with a program called MusIQ. The first lesson has students distinguishing between high and low notes, and the final lesson will include them composing original songs.

So far, six classes shuttle through the music lab. Holmes said the kids love it.

"The looks on their faces when they come into this lab is heartwarming. They come in saying 'Awesome,' 'This is fantastic' and 'This is so cool,'" Holmes said.

According to Pescador, the Latino Theater Company hasn’t allowed her institution to properly display these treasures in the historic bank building converted into a theater complex nearly 30 years ago.

"It’s unfortunately very sad that we have a teeny, tiny space down in the basement as the gallery. It’s kind of embarrassing to present a Latino Museum that can only showcase 30 pieces of art," she said.

Pescador said the relationship soured early on when the Latino Theater Company didn’t contribute its share of money to pay for maintenance and major renovation costs. The Latino Museum sued the Latino Theater Company. The theater company responded with a countersuit.

Nearly four years of mounting acrimony played out last Tuesday during an eviction hearing in the marble-walled chambers of the Los Angeles City Council.

The Latino Museum’s lawyer told city council members that the theater company was to blame. Evelina Fernandez, a Latino Theater Company co-founder and board member, answered by describing her group’s impact on the city’s cultural and financial health.

"We have created hundreds of jobs at the LATC," said Fernarndez. "We have a staff of 12 people, many of them are here today, year round, seasonal staff of hundreds of actors, musicians, directors, producers, designers, technicians."

Council members were considering an 18-page notice of default that listed dozens of lease violations – failing to put money into a maintenance and renovation fund to failing to turn in sales tax receipts or cash register tapes to the city. The city also faulted both parties – the museum more than the theater company – for failing to live up to their programming pledges.

Jose Luis Valenzuela, board president and artistic director of the Latino Theater Company, said he believes the organization is doing more than the LATC alleges.

"...and we have promised to create a world class cultural center and I must tell you that we have been doing that," Valenzuela said. "I must tell you that in the last six years the multicultural programming at the LATC has been critically acclaimed and has included local, national, and international theater and dance."

Valenzuela has a distinguished artistic career. He’s also played a role in L.A. politics as a fundraiser and contributor to the campaign of current Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Latino Museum officials said the theater company’s political clout has kept the city bureaucracy from addressing its complaints.

One city council member said the matter was delicate; the entire L.A. city council recessed into closed session to discuss the eviction. After that, Councilman Tony Cardenas called for a vote, moving that they begin the eviction process and that it last for 45 days.

With the understanding, Cardenas said, the city could retract the eviction if the Latino Museum and the Latino Theater Company amicably separated from the LATC. Latino Museum Executive Director Ana Pescador said that will allow her organization to step up efforts toward finding another home.

"We went to UCLA, USC, Loyola," Pescador said. "I believe they do care about our collection ... we have a great treasure in our hands which we would like to share it with Angelenos."

The Latino Theater Company has a full plate as it hosts a five-day playwrights festival at the LATC starting Wednesday, in addition to preparing for its next season of plays.

Shhhhhh: 'The Artist' takes top honors at the Producers Guild Awards

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:29:56 -0800

(L-R) Producer Thomas Langmann, director Michel Hazanavicius, actress Berenice Bejo, actress Penelope Ann Miller, and actor Jean Dujardin attend the premiere of "The Artist" at the Paris Theater on November 17, 2011 in New York City. Credit: Marc Stamas/Getty Images

Portions of "The Artist" are deathly quiet, yet the quirky film proved its Golden Globe win was no fluke as it took the top prizes at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, in Beverly Hills.

The old-time Hollywood-based black-and-white "The Artist" continued its dominance over the George Clooney Hawaiian drama "The Descendants".

Of 172 reviews counted on the site Rotten Tomatoes, "The Artist" a love-letter to Hollywood currently holds an impressive 97% positive rating with only 5 reviews giving it the thumbs-down.

The film that stars virtual unknowns Jean Dujardin (as the silent film star George Valentin, who is reluctant to enter the world of talkies) and Berenice Bejo (as the new It girl, Peppy Miller) also beat out heavy hitters like "War Horse," ''The Help," ''Hugo," ''Midnight in Paris," ''Moneyball" and that other Clooney film, "The Ides of March."

Although many consider the Weinstein Company film an underdog to win the Oscar, it shouldn't be. "The Artist", which also co-stars Uggie, an adorably talented Jack Russell Terrier, has already won top honors at Cannes, the Critics' Choice Awards, the London Film Critics' Circle, the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and at the Women Film Critics Circle, among others.

With so many honors already under its cummerbund, the film seems now to be the likely favorite for Best Picture at the Oscars, whose nominations are expected to be announced Tuesday morning.