LongBeachCulture.org CenterStage Blog

by Sander Roscoe Wolff

We live in a city of nearly half a million people, yet only a small fraction of the residents participate in the most basic form of community advocacy: voting. Long Beach, according to the 2000 census, is home to the sixth highest poverty rate of any city in the country. While our municipal leaders, new and old, have made great strides in many areas, working diligently to maintain, if not improve, the quality of life for many of the City’s residents, they do not always recognize the value of an unhindered and dynamic cultural landscape, nor how to step out of the way so that it can flourish.

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“FIRST THE QUESTIONS, NOW THE ANSWERS ARE NEEDED!”

The Long Beach Creativity Network and LongBeachCulture.org sponsor a community forum to seek answers and solutions.

“Building a master cultural plan for the Long Beach creative community” is the continuing theme in the second of a series of community forums organized to spark dialogue. The next forum is Wednesday, September 6, from 7-9pm at 2nd City Council Art Gallery + Performance Space, 435 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach. Their telephone number is (562) 901-0997. Free parking is available next door in a parking lot.

On August 2nd, a forum held at the Koos Art Center in the East Village generated a long list of questions and common issues facing the creative community in Long Beach. The September 6th forum will explore answers to the questions raised and solutions to the issues identified.

Network co-founder Antonio Pedro Ruiz explained, “A master cultural plan is needed to guide future creative development and that plan must come from the creative community.”

The Creativity Network and LongBeachCulture.Org are seeking broad community participation. The results of these forums will be posted on various websites including LongBeachCulture.org and widely distributed to the creative community, City Hall and the Arts Council for Long Beach.

Sander Roscoe Wolff, Executive Director of LongBeachCulture.org, said “We’re tapping into a vast source of talent and creative energy. I feel confident that our combined efforts will be consequential.”

The Long Beach Creativity Network is an informal network of visual artists, television producers, and members of the performing arts. Gallery owners, arts administrators, and art lovers are also represented. Founded last October, the Network sponsors monthly mixers at artful locations in an effort to bring the creative community together for dialogue and creative action.

LongBeachCulture.org is a free arts portal that provides powerful on-line tools designed to empower artists of all kinds to promote themselves, their work, and their events. It has been serving the community for more than 6 years. Visit the website for continuing and updated information on the community forums.

For further information:

Antonio Pedro Ruiz, 562-430-8637

Sander Roscoe Wolff, 562-716-8088

CREATIVITY NETWORK FORUM SUMMARY

On Wednesday, July 26, The Long Beach Creativity Network and LongBeachCulture.org co-sponsored a community forum at Koos Art Center. The topic was Building a Master Cultural Plan for Long Beach’s Creative Community. We asked the participants to list three goals, priorities or issues facing the city’s creative community. The following are the responses. In most cases, we’ve transcribed the exact wording of the responses. We’ve also listed multiple versions of one idea to demonstrate that this was an important and consistent issue.

On Wednesday, September 6, 7-9pm, a second forum is scheduled to address solutions and actions in response to this list. Location to be announced.

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”…Artists and a vibrant arts community are critical to the cultural life of Long Beach and its economic future. The city should review all policies, procedures, and regulations to ensure that it is viable to live and work in this community.”

The quote is from the Long Beach Community Cultural Plan issued in February, 1996. More than ten years ago. In the past year, I know of at least three artists who have moved out of Long Beach because they just couldn’t afford to live here anymore.

The Community Cultural Plan mapped out a series of recommendations that, if all of them had been enacted, would have made Long Beach a culturally competitive city. But the economic health of the city in the intervening years, lack of leadership, vision and just plain ordinary guts has stopped this city dead in its cultural path. Yes, there are great things happening here. Who knows about them? From the excitement of Homeland Cultural Center to CalRep to International City Theater, a wave of great creativity awaits us. And no one can argue that more cannot be done.

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By Greggory Moore

“You guys were fantastic,” I said as I handed over $10 for C.O.M.A.’s CD immediately after they finished their set. “That was the greatest jazz performance I’ve seen.” What I meant by my embarrassed gush was not that I’m an expert on live jazz, nor that C.O.M.A. deserves to be summed up as “jazz” (quotation marks as the use of the word becomes increasingly suspect). The impetus behind my remark was two-fold: 1) this is where I’d long hoped to find jazz in this era; and 2) the three gentlemen of the California Outside Music Associates are exceptional at playing it.

At first blush it appeared C.O.M.A. would be a straight-ahead combo, even though the sax and drums were complemented by a five-string electric cello instead of stand-up bass. The opening segment of the first of their two longish pieces didn’t belie this notion, even as the tightly controlled frenzy evinced the uniqueness of including non-standard instrumentation, something that made the trio sound impossibly big. But as they progressed, switching up what they were doing before any of it got even a little stale, it became clear that a different aesthetic was at work. Yes, it would be surprising if these boys were not fans of John Coltrane and Charles Mingus, but no more so than if they weren’t also fans of bands along the lines of Phish, The Flaming Lips, Velvet Underground, and maybe even Sonic Youth. The result is something like Pharoah Sanders working under the auspices of Angelo Badalamenti, but incorporating a wider musical and technological range. The latter included use of a theremin and digital delay, but the effects were always an organic part of the sound, not an alteration of it (and so “effects” only on a technicality). That is part of what C.O.M.A. seem to have taken from certain contemporary non-jazz bands: they play “effects” merely as an extension of their instruments. The (e.g.) digital delay might be simply another drum or string. Also, the “jazz” that they play is not simply jazz.

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SoundWalk2006 has a new date!!! This year’s event will take place on Saturday, October 7th.

The SoundWalk website has been updated and the submission information is now available. Please forward to any and all that may be interested in participating in this year’s third annual event.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best,
FLOOD

SoundWalk2006
((October 7th))
www.soundwalk.org

@ {open}
144 Linden Ave.
Downtown LB 90802
562.499.OPEN // accessopen.com

Friday, July 21st / 8:30pm / donation$

C.O.M.A.
+
Minus Radio

info:
C.O.M.A.
(California Outside Music Associates)
C.O.M.A. California Outside Music Associates inspired by the influences of Ornette Coleman and world music, blend sound creating a free expressive music. Originating from backgrounds in music education and performance, their styles have ranged from classical to modern rock and everything in between. Dax Compise and Brian Clark are both graduates of the Conservatory at the University of the Pacific (UOP), and John Vaughn has a bachelors and masters degree in music as well as a long history of working the east coast and mid-west jazz scenes. Their debut CD on Edgetone features original composition featuring their unique explorations and solid music traditions.
www.edgetonerecords.com/coma.html

Minus Radio
This will be their LAST SHOW EVER!!!!…Long Beach’s Minus Radio consisted of Bill Cutts, Rudy de Anda, and Gerardo Gonzalez playing some good ‘ol psychedelic / jazz / experimentation but if you’re looking for a description of their music, here are some of their favorites:
“It’s like if Captain Beefheart wrote punk rock.”
“…beefheartian no wave hardcore.”
“…it sounds a little like Mark E Smith fu*king Thurston Moore in the back of Atreyu’s car.”
www.minusradio.com

**UPCOMING SHOWS**

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Long Beach Creativity Network
and
LongBeachCulture.Org
present
“BUILDING A MASTER PLAN
FOR THE LONG BEACH CREATIVE COMMUNITY”
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
7-9PM
Koos Art Center
530 E. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802
562.491.7584
The Arts Council for Long Beach is developing an updated Strategic Plan that will guide its mission for years to come. This presents an exciting opportunity to engage in a dialogue about the direction of the Creative Community in Long Beach. Broad participation is crucial so that a diverse and representative cross section of our City’s population is included. Please join us in exploring new ways the Creative Community can use its economic and political strengths to advocate for positive change.

Free parking is available on the street. There is a public lot located on the North side of Broadway between Long Beach Blvd and Elm. Cost is $4. There are entrances on Elm and on Broadway.  
For more information, please contact Antonio Pedro Ruiz, 562-430-8637

In order to advance the aims of the organzation as outlined in the mission statement, the East Village Arts District, Inc. has adopted the following change of format for Last Saturday:

Monthly Last Saturday event promoting exhibitions in galleries and shops

Quarterly Last Saturday street festival to promote local artists and performers

Annual schedule for Last Saturday:

The remaining dates for Last Saturday in 2006 are:
July 29, August 27, September 24, October 29, November 26

Please email lastsat@eastvillageartsdistrict.com with questions.

*when coordinated through LastSaturday and in accordance with permit regulations

The Long Beach Creativity Network
in association with
LongBeachCulture.Org
and
Gallery 33 East

Present

An ASIA IN RED Creativity Mixer 

Gallery 33 East
3202 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 

Thursday, July 27, 6:30pm 

562-433-1496 
Meet and network with other members of Long Beach’s growing creative community. Chat, exchange ideas and business cards, drink some wine, eat a little food, chart Long Beach’s creative future.

Thursday, July 27, 2006
6:30-8:30pm

Food, drink, meeting great people!
What else could you ask for?
How about Art?

Enjoy
ASIA IN RED
Photography by Jane Iverson
Beaded Textiles by Michelle McNeil

Please feel free to bring an appetizer to share, a refreshment to toast but most importantly, bring yourself and a friend.

For more information, call Antonio Pedro Ruiz, 562-430-8637

CREATIVITY IS……..ACTION!