Take their debut album, Thickets and Stitches, and you can go from funk to lazy folk all within a couple of tracks. Singer and guitarist Will Sprott’s voice floats above the music, his drawl hanging from word to word. If you haven’t already heard their music, it’s a must. The group’s second album, Don’t Throw Me Away offers even more variety with horns and harmonicas echoing through tracks, equal parts blues, folk and 1950s pop sounds. The group plays tonight, its first show at San Francisco’s Fillmore, opening up for Morcheeba.

You cannot talk with artists or musicians alike in San Jose and not mention the Mumlers. In fact, they usually make the mention first and share stories about high school, or parties or strange encounters. The Mumlers grew up in San Jose and chose to stay in their hometown, even after being signed to Galaxia Records. Fresh off a six-week tour and a collaboration effort with San Jose’s Left Coast Live, Will Sprott shares some interesting happenings (and people) from their journey to date.

SJ FAM: Of all the locations you were able to play at, what stands out most?

Will: My favorite venue was in Birmingham, Alabama—the Bottle Tree. When you’re on tour, you’re hungry and don’t get to take showers as often as you want to. Here, they had a huge box of socks waiting for us. You don’t understand, socks are like gold. It was the greatest thing, free socks, a great meal and silver airstreams out back so that you don’t have to stay in a hotel.

SJFAM: What has been your strangest show?

Will: One time, we got asked to play a boat festival in San Francisco. It was yacht day or something. Anyway, they offered us a lot of money and it was only four days in advanced and they needed a musical act. We’re not sure how they found us but we said sure. They told us they were expecting half a million people at the festival and we get there and it’s set up for a huge crowd, huge metal barriers to create a buffer 15 feet between the stage and it’s on the pier. There’s a really elaborate sound system and it was just a monster stage. We’re used to playing stages that are cramped but here we were all spread out. We played for two hours for a crowd of about three people. We had a lot of fun playing for nobody. It was really bizarre.

SJ FAM: Your artwork, both on fliers and on your album covers are distinct. Who does the work?

Will: The majority of show fliers I do myself but we do have a few people that send us artwork. If anyone asked me, I say sure. I love to draw. That was my sort of passion growing up. I don’t mind drawing flyers but I don’t have much time to do it. There’s a girl, Maxine from San Jose, that has done a few. That’s been really neat. The cover for our last album was done by Mitsy Avila Ovalles. She’s from San Jose and is friends with a couple of our band members. I’m a big admirer of her artwork. She’s my favorite artist from San Jose. The first album cover was done by Lori Damiano. I really liked her drawing. She’s an animator, not out of San Jose.

SJFAM: Who would be your “dream” show with?

Will: If we could play with someone like Otis Redding, the best performer of all time. It would have been really amazing to share a stage with him. At Left Coast Live last year, we got to play with Booker T and that was amazing too. Definitely Buddy Holly, Cam Calloway, Howlin’ Wolf, and Beatles.

SJFAM: What’s the one thing you always make sure to pack?

Will: My guitar.

The Mumlers open for Morcheeba at the Fillmore tonight, 8 p.m.

Story By m. flores, Photos courtesy Josh Marcotte of Lost San Jose

SJ FAM is looking for 5 of San Jose’s top artists to participate in our 2nd Annual Art & Sole.

Requirements:

• Each artist will be asked to design 2 shoes: 1 male and 1 female shoe to auction off at the 2nd Annual Art & Sole.
• Artist will be given 2 weeks to design 2 pairs of shoes, finished products must be returned to SJ FAM by Friday, August 27. Shoes will be provided by event sponsors.
• Since bidders have an option of purchasing shoes as is or having a replica made in their own size, artist may need to create a 2nd pair of each shoe to tailor the shoe size of the bidder.

Benefits:

• Selected artist will receive 50% of the total bids placed on each of his or her shoe. Bids will starts at $50 per shoe.
• Artist will be promoted on www.sjfam.com

If you are interested in being an artist for Art & Sole please send an e-mail of interest to submissions@sjfam.com

Please include:

• Contact information
• A brief description of your interest
• Link to portfolio

Deadline for submissions: August 7, 2010

Calling all Fashion Designers, Artists, and Musicians…Are you interested in being a part of this year’s SubZERO Festival?

Kick off summer with SubZERO, a diy, artistically bent, hi/lo-techno mashup where street meets geek.

SJ FAM is doing a vendor recruit for San Jose’s SubZERO Festival that will take place on June 4th. The recruitment starts NOW!

In order to be considered one of SJ FAM’s referred vendors for the SubZERO Festival, please email the following items to events@sjfam.com:
Letter of intent (Why do you want to be a part of SubZERO?)
Electronic portfolio
Submission deadline is Saturday, May 1st.

So let’s kick off the summer right and get our local San Jose Fashion, Art, and Music community recognized!

To learn more about the SubZERO festival, please visit: www.subzerofestival.com

]]> http://www.sjfam.com/2010/04/19/subzero-festival-returns-june-4-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.sjfam.com/2010/01/20/fame-fashion-art-music-exhibition/ http://www.sjfam.com/2010/01/20/fame-fashion-art-music-exhibition/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:14:21 +0000 Ria http://www.sjfam.com/?p=511 ADMISSION
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Lupus Foundation of Northern California

ARTISTS
AG Originals
ARMOgedon 2057
Carly Ivan Garcia
Nick Giannini
Same10
WaDl

STORES
Azuki Boutique
Medium Rare/Oh Dang! Magazine

EXHIBITORS
Adapt
Buddha Apparel
Casanova Fresh
Clout
Cukui
Drastik Tactiks
Fully Laced
Goodjoe
Halloway
IMPRM
Jordan Louie
RADisRAD
Shalom CPP
Shorty Fatz
Sick Star Clothing
Suhreal
The Imaginary Zebra
Unbound Vision

ENTERTAINMENT
DJ Quantum
DJ Traps

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
The Bangerz

RUNWAY
presented by John Agcaoili {DSOTM}

HAIR
Umbrella Salon

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jordan Louie

FOOD & BEVERAGES
Hannah {Mini red velvet cupcakes}
Treatbot {Premium ice cream truck}

GIVEAWAYS
Ironlak

For more information, please visit www.bobbivie.com

The destruction has not ceased, and the people of Southeast Asia & the Pacific are STILL in dire need of aid.

Typhoon Ondoy has flooded various locations within the islands, and has caused great tragedy to the lives of the people, their homes, and their family.

Join us for an evening of entertainment…
SONG : MUSIC : DANCE

Featuring:
Amy Serrata
April Chase
Don P
Tracy Cruz
VIP San Jose
DJ Sigo
DJ Dose

ADMISSION COST: $10
Door Sales Only

This is a family event…all ages are welcome.

SEE YOU THERE!

Proceeds from The Typhoon Ondoy Benefit event will go towards the American Red Cross international response funds and will be designated for the typhoons and floods in the Southeast Asia & the Pacific.

Singer + Songwriter, Amy Serrata creates music intended to heal and bring people together. Amy’s interest in singing arose at an early age listening to the sounds of Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong to name a few. She sung in choir and started singing  lessons at the age of 10 years old when she attended Nido De Aguilas, an international school in Santiago, Chile. As she got older she sung in several gospel choirs and through that experience continued to develop her vocal improvisational skills.

Through college she studied Illustration with an emphasis in Fine Arts. During this time she took a break from singing, little did she know how much she would come to miss it. In 2006, Amy started singing with the Stanford University Gospel Choir. A couple years later a friend of hers encouraged her to create her own music. She let that thought simmer and shortly after began to improvise using poetry that she had previously written. The melodies started to naturally form and she then worked with producers: Hyp, HMD & Nyambezi collaborate with for her first self-titled album, ‘Amy Serrata’.

Amy is currently focused on putting together a band to perform at various venues as well as collaborate with other artists and musicians.

Listen to more of her music at www.myspace.com/amyserrata or visit her site at amyserrata.com

www.southfirstfridays.com

The premise is to showcase the talent and creativity of local artists using shoes as their canvas. We hope to accomplish two visions from Art & Sole; to establish a network of fundraising events for charities, and to bring awareness to local artists. The affluent young and hip audience we hope to attract will also realize, through Art & Sole, that the city renowned for being the capital of Silicon Valley is also a growing haven for art and culture.

Art & Sole has selected Soles4Souls as this year’s beneficiary. Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Soles4Souls has a simple mission: To impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. Art & Sole will also broker direct donation to Soles4Souls for those individuals that cannot make the event. Admission to Art & Sole grants access to an array of entertainment, including a silent shoe auction, live performance by local R&B singer Tracy Cruz, music by DJ Bside, and give a-ways. In addition, raffle tickets will be given to individuals that donate a pair of shoes. Proceeds for charity will come from the silent auction, donations, and the $10 admission charge.

We invite all to join us on this special night of art and music. This is a great way to support your local artists and enjoy a beautiful evening, while giving back to a worthwhile cause. To learn more about Art & Sole or for media and sponsorship opportunities contact us at info@sjfam.com.

Click here to RSVP.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Featured Artists:

Abraham Menor (www.brainsoiled.com/)

Christine Benjamin (www.cbillustration.squarespace.com)

DeeJae Paeste (www.deejaepaeste.com/)

Fernando Amaro Jr. (http://force129.blogspot.com/)

Orly Locquiao (www.hbtat2.com)

Sandy Munio (www.munio-ink.com)

Sean Boyles (www.seanboyles.com)

________________________________________________________________________________________

Official Shoe Sponsors:

________________________________________________________________________________________

Event Sponsors:

________________________________________________________________________________________

Shoe Drive:

We will be hosting a Soles4Souls shoe drive the day of the event. We need the ‘gently worn’ shoes taking up space in your closet. For each pair of shoes donated, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of our fabulous prizes donated by our sponsors. “It is estimated that Americans have 1.5 billion pairs of unworn shoes lying in their closets. We can use each and every one of these pairs to make a tangible difference in someone’s life.”

This Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 pm

Justine Manalac

A.J. Valdez

Mary Lou Herrera

Congratulations to third round winner Vanessa Molina

To view short video clips of last week’s contestants check out their

YouTube Channel

The best voices in San Jose will engage in a singing competition to kick off Scion Music in the Park concerts at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in July and August.

The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize, an opportunity to sing the National Anthem at a 2009 San Jose Earthquakes game, a night of fun in downtown, and a Downtown Ice skate party.

A panel of local celebrity judges, who will take into consideration the audience response to each singer, will select the winner each Thursday. First rounds occur Thursdays, July 2-Aug.6.  The six preliminary round winners will square off in semi-final rounds Aug. 13 and Aug. 20.  The finals will be Aug. 27.

San Jose Has Talent begins at 5:30 p.m. before the opening band, so come early to the show!

July 2 winner: Samantha Worrall

July 9 winner: Nyjki Canete

July 16 winner: Vanessa Molina

Call 279-1775 ext. 330 or email talent@sjdowntown.com for information.   Click Here for official rules

For more information, please visit www.sjdowntown.com.

(Source: www.sjdowntown.com)

THE ART OF WAR

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Independence High School
1776 Educational Park Drive
San Jose, CA 95133

General Admission
$15.00
$12.00….TBA
First something something at the door gets something something

Crew VS Crew
*Minimum 4
*Maximum 8
*Only one commando/routine allowed per battle.

Prize
First Place
*$1,000
*$xxx will be added to the first place prize for every 100 people that come after attendance has reached 500.
For example:
500 people = $1,000 1st Place
600 people = $xxxx 1st Place
10,000 people = $xxxxx 1st Place
*ARMOgedon 2057 canvas

Judges
*Alien Ness {President, Mighty Zulu Kingz}
*Bboy Flomaster {Footwork Fanatix}
*Cros1 {Freestyle Session // Armory}
*PoeOne {Mighty Zulu Kingz // Rock So Fresh // Style Elements}

DJ’s
*DJ B-Ryan {Little Green Apples // Main Ingredientz Crew}
*DJ Basic {Little Green Apples // Main Ingredientz Crew}
*DJ Quantum {HeadHunters}

Host
*Bboy Prolific {Flava Squad}
*Dolby Digital

Performances
*DJ Traps {Freshmen} Showcase
*Ill-Literacy
*Hella Hung VS NastyRay
*Live MPC performances with Deja Vu & DJ Quantum
*Freestyle Wars {Graffiti Battle}
*The Bangerz (Fingerbangerz) performing & showcasing live on turntables & drum machines

Contests
*Reprezent Clothing goodie bag & $50 for flyest graffiti outfit
*Most 1990′s/2000′s
*Most Halos

A portion of the proceeds will be benefit the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.

Exhibitors
*aristocrats-sj.com
*armo1.com
*azukiboutique.com
*boogerkids.com
*breezyexcursion.com
*cloutonline.com
*cukui.com
*dturbanartwear.com
*fullylaced.com
*freestylesession.com // armoryhiphop.com
*highglossonline.com
*motivatemovement.com
*myspace.com/agoriginals
*myspace.com/reprezentclothing
*shortyfatz.com
*suhreal.com
*thebboyspot.com
*wearehalloway.com

Supporters
*buddhapparel.com
*exact-science.com
*sickstar.net
*socialvillains.com

Click here for more information.