Friday, February 24, 2006

New CD

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Catzie and I will be recording a new CD in the next couple of months. Our CD release party is scheduled for May 19 and 20 at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia, PA: http://www.asianartsinitiative.org/ Please check back to our website or AAI's for more info as the dates approach.

We are very excited about this CD and the work we're creating. BLACK HAIR, BROWN EYES, YELLOW RAGE, VOLUME TWO will demonstrate how our concerns about issues pertaining to the APIA community have grown in very significant ways. In terms of solo pieces, many of my spoken word poems will address anti-Asian violence and human trafficking/sexual slavery—two social problems which affect a vast array of Asian people and cross class, gender, cultural, inter/national, generational, and religious borders. I have also composed poems about domestic violence and the Tsunami tragedy. Catzie’s solo pieces have grown in their expressiveness: experimenting with subject matter and performance styles, Catzie pushes boundaries through her absurdist humor and sardonic observations. Whether commenting on karaoke bar culture or demanding poetry fans, she is able to spotlight the unique yet familiar aspects of these encounters which make them unforgettably funny. Finally, the group pieces we intend to write for the new CD will focus on cross-cultural outreach and understanding as well as intra-/Pan Asian American solidarity. From answering criticism that we are trying to be too black or too white to emphasizing the importance for Asian American unity, our group pieces seek to educate, enlighten, and entertain our audience. Utilizing eclectic writing and performance styles, we will develop a body of work that will draw from hip hop, narrative, theatrical, and musical influences, and we hope this variety will appeal to people of any racial, cultural, economic, religious, or political backgrounds.

We’re excited to announce that—

The CD will be recorded and digitally mixed by DJ Phillee Blunt of Ill Vibe Collective: http://www.illvibe.net/index2.html

Cover art will be designed by Rodney Camarce: http://www.rodneycamarce.com/