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The Queen of Quirk Column
May 2007
By VERONIQUE CHEVALIER
 ecords Worth A Listen
The Heimlich Manoevuer
Richard Ruin & Les Demoniaques
Label: Le BonBon Noir
Berlin's Richard Ruin is the latest incarnation of the spirit that has impelled such illustrious predecessors, as Weimar Republik-era Kurt Weill, David Bowie, and Tom Waits. Like those other celebrated aristocrats of haute ennui, Ruin rhapsodizes eloquent about the tarnished beauty to be found in the brittle existence of the demi-monde and under classes. A couple of glam rock's most respected veterans popped by to do guest turns- Larry Mullins (The Swans, Iggy Pop) and Thomas Wydler (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds). Dedicated to "the Sick, Sad and Lonely Ones. The One-Legged, the Poor, and the Left Overs", this would be an apt soundtrack to accompany a Hieronymus Bosch retrospective.
Separated By Birth
Vermillion Lies
Label: Unsigned
This self-produced recording is chock full of original compositions by "uniQue" (with a capital 'Q', as they like to put it) dark-folkster sisters Zoe and Kim Boekbinder, creative spirits who outgrew the narrow confines of their tiny hometown of Monterey, California, early on. It is easy to imagine just by virtue of their instrumentation, (found objects, such as vintage typewriters, old gas cans, eggbeaters, bicycle bells, and even a piece of an F-18 jet) how their ensemble "Vermillion Lies", must have raised more than a few local eyebrows. The offerings on this collection run the gamut of the eccentric, ranging from the coy lament of a lady land shark, to a theme song for the circus of the undead. These prettily executed sonic miniatures will seep into the periphery of your consciousness and leave delicate tracings of crimson and sepia in their wake.
Room Nineteen
Wolfgang Parker
Label: Roadstar Records
Thanks to the wonders of MySpace, someone at Brit label Roadstar Records (a subsidiary of indie giant Millennium) happened upon the music of Wolfgang Parker, and in October of 2006, they signed him. It's not difficult to understand why his Columbus-based trio is gaining a following across The Pond, and their upcoming European tour later this year could catapult them into the big leagues, perhaps to follow in the footsteps of fellow Ohioans, The Pretenders. Although definitely hard rocking, and at times tinged with punk underpinnings, Parker is a breed unto himself. Admittedly, today he presents a sharp sartorial package onstage (think GQ Cover Model), but he never short-changes loyal audiences, who clamor for his relentless and incendiary brand of rockabilly swing. For energy level, think Brian Setzer on speed and steroids. For lyrical impetus, think Lou Reed meets Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
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Theatrical To Do's
The Master of the House
By Shmuel Hasfari
Directed by Richard Stein
US Premiere, Moulton Theatre, Laguna Beach, CA
According to Jungian psychology, the image of the house in the collective consciousness symbolizes the psyche, so by extension, home renovation gone awry could easily represent a descent into irrationality, with much resultant mayhem. And so it does, in this complexly interwoven tragicomic vehicle by playwright Shmuel Hasfari. Four years ago, this play was awarded his nation's most prestigious Award for Best Play, by The Israel Theatre Academy.
I attended the Opening Night Gala for the official US Premiere of The Master of the House (TMOTH), at the Laguna Playhouse Moulton Theatre, with my friend John Weiss (aka DJ Johny Radio), whose mother, veteran actress Bryna Weiss, (in the role of family matriarch Zippa) was one of nine performers who comprised the excellent ensemble, cast by Michael Donovan, CSA, and directed by Playhouse Director Richard Stein. (Ms. Weiss has racked up a considerable list of credits, which range from theatrical appearances at the Kennedy Center, in Washington DC, to guest roles in prime time television programs such as Desperate Housewives, The Drew Carey Show, and NYPD Blue, to co-starring with Alan Arkin in movie The Slums of Beverly Hills. She is also an award-winning director, teacher, theatre producer, and an affiliate artist with the Center for Jewish Culture & Creativity.)
I had the privilege of an introduction to Mr. Hasfari at the meet-and-greet before the show, and despite the fact that, for the last 25 years, he has been considered one of the top playwrights in his native land, he was as mortified as a boy on his first day of school. Opening night jitters just seems to be a fact of life, no matter how accomplished an artist, so I soon wished him "Mazel Tov" and left him in the able care of his friends.
The play opens with a short film about Bauhaus Architecture in Tel Aviv (where the play is set) narrated by one of the characters in the cast, Yoel Ben Ephraim- a newspaper columnist, (played by Jonathan Goldstein), whose area of expertise is that self-same architecture. (In 2003 UNESCO designated Tel Aviv, also known as "The White City", as a World Cultural Heritage Treasure, because of its extensive collection of functional, unornamented Bauhaus buildings.)
This unadorned architectural style is an apt metaphor for the lives of the play's inhabitants as well. Set in "The White City" during "Black March" (March, 2001, when Israeli experienced a spate of terrorist bombings, during the second Palestinian "Intifada"- uprising), TMOTH centers around the lives of an extended family, The Ben Ephraims, and their journey through the perils of life lived during the uncertainties of war, as well as the loss of loved ones via means rapid- the young son Yuval Ben Ephraim (played by child actor Tyler Logan), one of many innocents killed during a suicide bombing in 1996, as well as death by means much slower and more insidious- the family patriarch Shayeh Ben Ephraim (played by Joseph Cardinale), who is succumbing to Alzheimer's.
Interwoven through the story, much like a patchwork textile, are numerous subtexts revolving around the characters that are the sons of Shayeh and his wife Zippa- Yoel, and his brother Motti, (played by Barry Allen Levine), and their respective wives, Naomi- an attorney (played by Elizabeth Tobias) and Nava- a psychologist (played by Stacie Chaiken). Completing the cast are Andrew Ross Wynn, as the wily, jack-of-all-trades renovator, Yigal Kasdosh, and Brett Ryback as his sidekick and son, (who also happens to be one of Nava's therapy patients) Ro'i Kasdosh.
Although many of the details of the story moor it firmly to that specific time frame in Tel Aviv, there is enough universal appeal in the characterizations, and the telling of the tale to make it accessible to people everywhere. One such detail that provided much comic relief, and proved once and for all that tradesmen the world over look much the same from the back, was the opening of one scene with portly Yigal bent over, wrangling with the unclogging of an unruly toilet, his "plumber's cleavage" prominently displayed for the audience's edification.
Such levity goes a long way in counterbalancing the sobering facts of life lived in the middle of a war zone. The ghost of his murdered child is more real to Yoel than the needs of his long suffering wife Naomi. He fears her need to renovate their dwelling because he clings to the false security of a past that never was, represented by a style of architecture that existed for but a brief moment in history.
By the end of the play, we discover that all was not was what it appeared with the befuddled father, Shayeh. Not only wasn't he the towering intellectual and model Socialist worker that his sons believed him to be (he took bribes as a public official), but much to the chagrin of his wife Zippa, he can't seem to recall where in the old apartment he stashed his treasure trove of ill-gotten gains.
The play ends with all former illusionary bonds between wives and husbands, parents and children shattered, as each is left to rebuild his or her life in ways they could not have foreseen. Although the voyage has been bittersweet, the outcome resonates with the authenticity of true human progression, and the resultant hard-won fruits of personal evolution.
I believe that THMOTH, which was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will be well received by theatergoers and critics alike, here in America and beyond. I can only hope that, as the play progresses to bigger venues and ever-growing audiences, the play's author will no longer be dogged by opening night butterflies, for that hardly seems a fate befitting the creator of what is surely a classic-to-be.
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Dance Directives
Poisoning The Well
TRIP Dance Theatre @ The Unknown Theater, Hollywood, California.
It is often said that art imitates life, and Poisoning The Well (PTW), TRIP Dance Theatre's multi-media theatrical presentation, proved the point well. PTW kicked off the company's tenth season (and its second one as the official resident company at the Unknown Theatre, which was opened a year and a half ago in Hollywood by proprietor Chris Covics).
Founded in 1996 by artistic director Monica Favand Campagna, the company combines dynamic contemporary dance with original music, created by her husband, lead composer and music director Charlie Campagna, Their productions also feature stunning sets and other visual components, including video art and film by Carol Gehring, as well as Ms. Favand Campagna's award-winning costume designs.
PTW is powerful work, tackling humankind's complex relationship with the earth. In addition to the aforementioned narrative devices, this production also featured shadow play, as well as original music performed on amplified handmade psalteries, specially designed by Charlie Campagna. World-class percussionist Hector Torres was a featured soloist, and he and guitarists Campagna and Andy Tabb played live - with the addition of electronics and traditional string and percussion instruments to the line up.
With beautiful simplicity, stark drama and well-placed humor, this acclaimed ensemble brought to life the worlds of cranes, trees, monkeys, fish, humans and polar bears in arctic landscapes, swirling gyres of plastic, rice patties, red tides and forests of aspen trees, in a juxtaposition of the way nature feeds our souls, as we humans are simultaneously destroying the sources of the very beauty we most crave.
Choreography is by TRIP Artistic Director Favand Campagna in collaboration with the dancers of the company: Denesa Chan, Andriana Mitchell, Craig Ng, Tomas Tamayo, and Taryn Wayne.
A two-time Lester Horton Dance Award winner for costume design, Favand Campagna created attire for the dancers incorporating recycled materials such as bubble wrap, plastic bags, metal keys and plastic bottle tops.
The journalistic series and exposé run by the Los Angeles Times entitled "Altered Oceans" inspired Favand Campagna to take action to raise environmental awareness through her art, so she set about to create a work that would both entertain and educate. Nature has inspired her choreographic work for over a decade. PTW is both an ode to the beauty of the natural world, as well as a vehicle for underscoring the tragic encroachment of human generated ecological disasters all over the globe.
The water well is symbolic of community in indigenous cultures spanning the globe - from the I Ching of China to the "Vesica Piscis" symbol of the Celts. The well provides the liquid so essential to daily living and represents the source of life, as well as providing a central meeting place. PTW examines the ramifications of unsound environmental practices on numerous levels from the macro- to the micro-, and how they affect not only humans, but all other forms of life on the planet- on land and at sea.
Several comedic sequences, such as "Text Off," give audience members the opportunity to decide which species get to share our earth's shrinking real estate, and which should be dispatched. There is also a filmed cooking show sequence featuring recipes for red tide sushi and peanut butter and jellyfish sandwiches, which humorously expose the consequences of human inattention to urgent environmental issues.
Rather than being simply a one-sided onslaught, offering no hope or possible antidote to the burgeoning environmental challenges facing the globe, special program notes were provided to give interested individuals ways to find out more about a particular issue, and educational resources are also available on the company's web site.
As part of the process of creating Poisoning the Well, all members of TRIP Dance Theatre have donated to an environmental cause, educated themselves about several environmental issues and spent time in nature - collecting props they chose specifically to be used in this work.
The creation and production of this exemplary production was made possible in part by funding received from the Dance: Creation to Performance Program, funded by The James Irvine Foundation and administered by Dance/USA.
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Carousing At The Cabaret
Cabinet of Curiosities @ Fright Night
California Institute of Abnormal Arts, Burbank, CA
A phantasmagorical showplace fit for the most seedily decadent of productions, The California Institute of Abnormal Arts, (CIA) is the scene of monthly cinematic criminality known as Fright Night Los Angeles. CIA proprietor Carl Crew, one of the club's three co-owners, takes morbid pleasure in operating the venue's ticket booth, replete with an automated cleaver that strikes suddenly and almost, but not quite, too close for comfort, as patrons reach into the booth's window to get a hand stamped after paying the $10 admission.
Noah K, the organizer and impresario of the Fright Night experience, is a promoter who comes in once a month to screen double features of the most terminally appalling horror films of the '40s, '50s and '60s. On the night I was in attendance, with my friend, Goth chanteuse and songwriter Julie Octane, we suffered through the opening offering, campily abysmal The Indestructible Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr., in what had to have been one of his least memorable roles. (To give you an idea of the lowbrow vibe of the flick, the leading male character, a good cop, of course, was named, I kid you not, "Dick Chasen").
When the movie screen was finally blank, and the evening's door prizes were handed out, Yours Truly found herself the recipient of an oversized white T-shirt emblazed with the logo from the film Saw 2. (I never saw 1 but the shirt was as close as I'd care to get to either version).
After the prize drawing, a number of sinisterly flamboyant latecomers swept in to fill in whatever chairs had been vacated by the earlier clusters of filmgoers, and soon the CIA's shabbily elegant velvet stage curtains were drawn back to reveal the musical guests of the evening, Cabinet of Curiosities (CofC).
A husband and wife duo comprised of Trey Brinkley on piano, and Evelyne Bennu, on a standup double bass she has christened Galatea, CofC, although familiar to the more discerning patrons of the dark arts in Los Angeles, is not by any means a typical LA club band. In fact, they rarely play publicly, as Evelyne is much in demand as a studio and session player.
The ensemble's sonic oddities were perfectly at home in the nightmarish tableaux that comprise CIA's spooky décor, (which is renowned for its sideshow oddities, including the alleged mummified remains of a faerie creature from England). CofC's works sound hauntingly familiar, and yet are completely original, with Brinkley's classically derived compositions perfectly cradling the lyrics of Bennu's surreally lush and shadow-infused lullabies, which she sings with sultry, charmingly French-accented self-assuredness.
Although quite sophisticated musically, there is an underlying sentimentality to their sound that can surreptitiously seduce even the most jaded listener. The duo, attired in garb that could easily have been appropriated from an oversized dollhouse belonging to the favorite offspring of an 18th Century Czar, cast a spell of enchantment with their passionate, yet precise chansons.
Also joining the duo onstage for part of their set, was exotic performance artist and couturier Drewbird, attired in a reptilian print spandex unitard and headgear of her own devising. As she slithered, slinked and hypnotically blinked about the floor at their ankles, her impromptu Cobra dance added an understated dramatic enhancement to CofC's ethereal offerings.
Some of the songs in their set included "City Problems" a quirky laundry list about the perils of urban existence; "Transformation" celebrates the joys of accepting the fact that one is strangely unlike the masses; and "Eager Vampires" is a tragic tale of a small child's unfortunate, and less-than glamorous, induction into the heartless ranks of the undead.
Working in organic symbiosis, the trio of performers transported their rapt audience to misty netherworlds where mischievous spirits play naughty little pranks on the unwary. This was cabaret of the most deliciously understated and diabolical sort, with Galatea the bass sometimes acting as a fourth performer, adding piquant punctuation to the cavalcade of Waltzes, Tangos, Bossa Novas, Blues, and strangest of all, a Japanese nightclub classic from the '40s, which the singer delivered in perfect form!
As it turns out, Bennu and Brinkley lived in Tokyo for 8 years. The couple first met years earlier when their paths crossed while on vacation in Germany. Within months, Evelyne moved to New York City to be with her beloved. A real-life Cinderella, she was discovered by a talent scout for a big Japanese modeling agency whilst walking down a Gotham street one day. On a whim, she told them she would not accept their offer unless they paid for Trey to come as well. So badly did they want her that they complied with her impromptu demand without opposition.
In Japan, Evelyne quickly became the darling of the jet set, including Haruomi Hosono, the bassist for the hugely popular Yellow Magic Orchestra. Initially a writer of fictitious ghost tales, she soon found herself in demand as a lyricist. Eventually landing as a performer on Tokyo Rock TV, she and the show's producer soon parted ways over artistic differences, so calling upon Trey's musical prowess, (he had been in a band during high school), the duo decided to start their own ensemble when they moved back to the U.S.
They initially called themselves Intrance and played flesh raves, which were fetish-themed events featuring industrial music. They even attracted the eye of one of Rob Zombie's producers, who worked with them for four years.
The ensemble's current sound is the product of years of personal, as well as professional evolution. Bennu is proud that their artistry alone sustains them, although she still makes occasional forays into the dark world of fetish modeling whenever the spirit moves her. Aptly named, Cabinet of Curiosities creates obscure, yet accessible music that clings nebulously to the recesses of the psyche, long after the final refrain has sounded.
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Bump & Grind Royalty
Chaz Royal's London Burlesque Ball
London, UK
Over the past decade, the almost-forgotten art of Burlesque has attained near mainstream popularity in North America. More recently, this Burlesque Revival has shimmied its way back across The Pond, and is currently taking the UK by storm. It was only a matter of time before this Neo Burlesque Renaissance would blossom into an opportunity for the infamous promoter Chaz Royal, aka The King of Burlesque.
The Royal One has produced Burlesque events in over 200 cities and has successfully booked Burlesque tours across North America, the UK and Europe. 2007 finds him presenting an international showcase in a contemporary city that continues to maintain its nostalgic aesthetic and reputation as one of the greatest cultural epicenters of the world.
The London Burlesque Festival will expose Londoners, as well as Burlesque connoisseurs from across the globe, to over 75 of the world's best ecdysiasts, selected from over 300 applicants hailing from North America, Europe, Australia, the Netherlands and the UK. The festival will feature a variety of acts, ranging from the nostalgic traditional style of Burlesque's early years to '50s "Bump and Grind", as well as more avant-garde interpretations that are growing in popularity with Neo-Burlesque's younger set.
There will be 5 showcases of sultry song, sizzling strip tease and Burlesque pageantry, featured in three of London's finest districts over the span of four fabulous nights, from Wednesday, May 9th through Saturday, May 12th.
The Glitterati Opening Gala opening party on Wednesday will allow artistes and admirers to mingle in an intimate setting, and there will be photo ops with the latest stars of shimmy and shake. The event will be hosted by one of Neo-Burlesque's pioneers, and founder of the Fluffgirl Burlesque Society, from Canada, Cecilia Bravo, aka "The Carol Burnett of Burlesque." Entertainment will also include Burlesque performances punctuated by local musical guests, '60s raunch quintet, The Fabulous Penetrators and the musical styling of international jet setting DJ, Healer Selecta.
Thursday's "Locals Only Revue" promises to be a whimsical evening filled with the best of British Burlesque, hosted by the lovely and witty Miss Ivy Paige, who has graced stages and cabarets across the UK and Europe. There will be over 20 sassy strip teasers, from the fresh-faced English roses of the UK's famed countryside, to the poshest and sauciest London lasses. Featured artists include the UK's premiere Neo-Burlesque company, Brighton's Vavavavoom; there will be a reading of erotic poetry by Anne Pigalle; and some of London's best troupes, such as The Teasemaids, and The Boushy Pearls will doff their loveliest lingerie for appreciative audiences.
Friday features the "Battle Royal Newcomers Contest" and one of Neo-Burlesque's rising stars will have a chance to shine brighter than the rest. A showcase and competition featuring Burlesque neophytes, participants will be competing for the coveted title of "Best Newcomer" as well as for cash and prizes. The winner will be selected on the basis of audience response so the public is invited to root for their favorite contestant. Once their sequined brassieres come off, applause will be the only support these lovely ladies will have!
The festival's close on Saturday will feature two extravaganzas in one night- the earlier VIP Reception, and the Jetsetters Ball, which will share the same show, but will cater to late night revelers, who may wish to shake a their tail feathers on the dance floor, after the main attraction.
Both events will showcase la crème de la crème of International Burlesque. Featuring fetish cover model and American Burlesque beauty, Angela Ryan, aka "The Living Doll"; belly dance and Burlesque sweetheart Miss Beeby from Amsterdam; a re-appearance by Canadian Cecilia Bravo, as well as notable Burlesque stars from around the globe, including Kisses Cause Trouble from Paris, Fleshoticas from Norway, Angela Eve from Chicago & many more. Comedic strip tease artiste from San Francisco, The Indra, along with co-host Vincent Drambuie of Seattle, will host this grandiose gala. The pinnacle of all the festival's showcases, with its cavalcade of Burlesque beauties and finery, this International Gala will be one curtain call not to be missed.
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Latino Beat
Quetzalcóatl
Dedicated to presenting the richness and variety of traditional Latin American music, from indigenous roots to contemporary expression, Quetzalcóatl (pronounced ketz-al-KO-watt) celebrates the depth and history of Mexican and Latin American culture, very much alive today and still evolving. The group takes its name from the Aztec and Toltec plumed serpent God of wind, and master of life- the compassionate teacher and unifier of people, whose symbol embodies the basic energies of the universe.
Using more than 30 different traditional instruments, this extraordinary ensemble has delighted audiences in major concert venues throughout Mexico, the U.S., Canada and Europe. The group has also performed their music for television and films, including on-camera appearances in The Net, starring Sandra Bullock; American Me, produced and directed by Edward James Olmos who also stars in the film, and most recently The Maldonado Miracle, produced and directed by Salma Hayek for Showtime, starring Peter Fonda, Mare Winningham and Ruben Blades.
Based in Mexico and the US, Quetzalcóatl is directed by Alfredo López of Mexico City. A student and performer of regional music since he was 11, Alfredo infuses the group with his passion for scholarship, and for the preservation of authentic musical forms.
He has mastered more than 20 styles of Latin American traditional music, skillfully plays over 30 instruments, and is also a consummate vocalist. He began private formal musical studies at 17 and taught traditional music and dance in Mexico City and in rural communities in Oaxaca, Jalisco, and Michoacán. He also attended the Instituto Politecnico Nacional in his country's capital, and with fellow students formed the group Chicahuastles.
Alfredo then resumed private studies, this time with Adrian Nieto Arenas, a member of the renowned group Los Folkloristas of Mexico. In 1981, he formed another group, Ti Feu ("ugly one" in the Zapotec language) and spent two years touring Europe before founding Quetzalcóatl in the early '80s.
In 2002, Alfredo composed and directed the music for the pageant play La Virgen de Guadalupe for the Latino Theater Company of Los Angeles. The theatre piece was directed by film and theatre director Jose Luis Valenzuela, and was the first play to be performed at the new Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles. In addition to touring and performing with Quetzalcóatl, Alfredo teaches Latin American folkloric music in Mexico, and Los Angeles.
Alfredo's cohorts in Quetzalcóatl consist of:
Luis Hirales of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. He is the Chairman of the Department of Cultural Activities at the Mexicali Campus of Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC).
Hugo Macario, from Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico, is a new member of Quetzalcóatl. Hugo, and is of Purépecha (Tarascan) heritage, which makes him a descendant of one of the main indigenous groups that originally inhabited Central Mexico.
Luis Felipe González, widely known as an Afro-Cuban singer and instrumentalist, is also a celebrated virtuoso of the Venezuelan harp, for which he has received many awards and honors.
Ignacio "Nacho" Marquez is also from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, and began teaching popular music and guitar at the age of 19. He has been a member of the faculty of the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC) for more than 10 years.
Delfino Vicente Guerrero, harpist, comes from a long line of performers of jarocho music, a musical style from Veracruz, Mexico, made famous by the song "La Bamba.".
These are the six members of the group, who are based in Mexico, but as is sometimes the case with busy professionals who have conflicting schedules, local musicians are occasionally brought in when the original members are unavailable for tours.
Quetzalcóatl has also released an award-winning, self-titled CD, showcasing their diverse talents. It contains 14 songs, performed on 30 instruments, and features traditional musical forms from 5 regions of Mexico, as well as Cuba, and Venezuela.
With so many accolades and academic honors behind them, it is easy to overlook the fact that the music that Quetzalcóatl makes is as joyous as it is infectious. Many of the songs in their repertoire are based on regional styles using a 6/8 rhythm syncopated with 2/4 and 3/4 rhythms, as well as incorporating some of the African grooves that were imported with the slave trade. What this boils down to is music that makes a body want to move to the beat.
Quetzalcóatl is sponsored by Luna Blanca, Inc., which was formerly a division of David Greene Productions, Inc., headed by the Emmy award-winning director of Roots, Rich Man, Poor Man, Friendly Fire and others. Recently deceased, his widow Lauren Rickey Greene continues working with the group, in conjunction with music-industry executive Billy James. Billy has worked for Columbia, Epic, Elektra and RCA. He has managed Jackson Browne, the Winter Consort, and is best known for advancing the early careers of The Doors, Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, The Byrds and Bob Dylan.
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