It’s Been A Long Time, But I Can’t Stop ‘Til The Break Of Gong

Hello kulintang fans!

The last blog post was quite a while ago.  Looking at the timeline of content posting stings a little bit, but I am encouraged by all of you who comment, reblog, follow, like, and subscribe to Kulintronica feeds and also everyone who talks to me in person about how they have been looking for music like Kulintronica that brings indigenous Filipino music into today. 

Inspiration is not in drought in the San Francisco Bay Area where a persistent and eclectic multi-cultural artist community won’t let a weekend go by without offering something eye-opening. 

This last Sunday I was inspired by another Filipino musician whom I admire for pushing the boundaries of Filipino music and also his methodically sound approach to life. It was at Porchfest in historic Napa while a reggae band pumped gritty beats from the lanai that Florante Aguilar asked me when the next kulintang electronic dance music show is. 

I told him it wouldn’t be until September 26 and mumbled a couple of words as I went to sip my drink.

“Album launch?” he asked in confirmation.  As someone that has released at least five albums and a movie featuring ground breaking Filipino guitar music, he knows that type of gig well. 

“Yup… I’ve been working on this so long it almost hurts to think about it.”  In that candid moment it was all I could think of saying.  The first tracks for the project were recorded many years ago.  A crowd of Porchfest revelers sitting in picnic chairs or leaning against their bicycles applause as the Trevor Lyon band introduced their musicians at the end of their set on the porch outside. 

“Anything worthwhile takes a long time to do,” he said, as the band outside drops into their encore number. Florante continued to prepare for his set with the Latin Filipino Connection and I went back for another helping of inasal, absorbing what the virtuoso said. 

  
What: OPM Republic presents “‘Til The Break Of Gong” Album Launch

When: Saturday, September 26 at 6pm

Where: Somar Bar in Oakland Uptown

I hope all my treasured kulintang fans have been well, and you all can expect to hear more about this and other recent developments in the Kulintronica world. 

Stay tuned and use the hashtag #TilTheBreakOfGong to hear more about the album launch on all platforms. 

Thanks

Kulintronica T-Shirts now available at upcoming gigs!

Because you asked for it!  Wear Kulintronica t-shirts by Ugat clothing and show the world that kulintang is the future…

 

Available at any Kulintronica gig and also direct from here.

Upcoming gigs:

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Maseg VIP Crowdfunding Launch Party

Philippine Center at the ground floor lobby of the Philippine Consulate of San Francisco

447 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Carmen Colet (Asian Art Museum Commissioner and SFMSCC Chair) and Kularts in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco invite you to 

MASEG: VIP Crowdfunding Launch Party!!!

Kularts the nation’s premier presenter of contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts, is kicking off a summer crowdfunding campaign commission and produce a groundbreaking dance production of Maseg (Typhoon) by Philippine Master Dance Artist Jay Loyola Dance and composer Florante C. Aguilar at historic Brava Theater in San Francisco.

To Kick-Off the campaign, we invite you to our exlcusive VIP Launch Party. Light refreshments and bites provided by Local Lift.

Live Calligraphy by Kristian Kabuay and music by Kulintronica

RSVP at:
http://maseg.eventbrite.com/?aff=efbevent

Maseg VIP Crowdfunding Launch Party

 

Thursday, July 27, 2014

2nd Annual Kundiman 808

A Variety of Voices of Filipino American Culture

Raising    Domestic    Violence     Awareness

Poetry.  Music.  Art.  Dance.  Filipino Martial Arts.  Live!

Join us for the Second Annual Kundiman 808 at the Filipino Community Center’s Ballroom in Waipahu!

Date: July 27, 2014
Time: 4:30 – 8:30 PM
**FREE and open to the public**

Kundiman is a genre of Filipino love songs. Under colonial rule, it was developed into a secret method of expression for one’s love of country and desired freedom.

Kundiman 808 is dedicated to celebrating youth, culture, and community building through various art forms such as music, dance, spoken word, storytelling, live art and more. This year we are also raising awareness about domestic violence.

Emcee: Paul Martin
DJ: Seph1

Performances by: Tekniqlingz | Kulintronica | Bandalan Doce Pares Association, HI | Faith Pascua | Ozzie Jaramillo & Nikko Magtoto | Ricky Rapanut | Agaton Pasion, Jr. | Ashley Galacgac | Ajax Maharlika | Marcus Mateo | AkaVibes

Live Art/ Art Displays by: Laetitia Marie Mahoney aka Chika | Ramir Belmes | Marc Galacgac

For more information on Kundiman 808 of 2014, click here.

Co-sponsored by:
ESSA (Ethnic Studies Student Association of UH Manoa)
KmB
Consortium for Health, Safety & Support
Made in Hope

Kundiman 808

Cynthia Alexander is coming to San Francisco

Reverberations at Pa’ina Lounge, San Francisco on June 20, 2014

Singer, songwriter, and virtuoso guitarist Cynthia Alexander comes to San Francisco for two very special events.   If you haven’t heard her soulful and poetic tagalog music, then click this video right now.

She is also featured at the Union Square Philippine Independence Day Celebration “Kalayaan SF” Cynthia recently performed with my kulintang teacher Guro Danongan Kalanduyan at Seattle’s Philippine Independence Day Celebration “Pagdiwirang.”

Kulintronica on Tour: Kulintang EDM in New York City

Taking kulintang electronic dance music to the city that never sleeps for the 116th Philippine Independence Day Celebration.  116 years after Filipinos liberated themselves from the Spanish crown, we close down 15 blocks of Madison Ave. for a parade and fiesta weighing in at 150,000 people, under the theme of “Triumph.”

Many thanks to Mr. Steven De Castro.  Be sure to check out his documentary on political musician Fred Ho, who used kulintang in a number of his compositions; most prominently on “A Song For Manong (The Soundtrack to Part 3 of Bamboo That Snaps Back).”  This musical journey takes you to the struggle of the International Hotel aka the I-Hotel, and features traditional kulintang playing from my teacher Danongan Kalanduyan.

And, if you haven’t seen it yet, here is Video Blog Episode 17 announcing the first leg of the Kulintronica Summer Tour

 

“Calling My Name” Unplugged performance

Without electronic instruments for a change, Ron performs “Calling My Name” with songwriter Kristine Sina, keyboardist Mark Tayag Davis, and dancers Jericho Rose and Lady Kalayaan.

Kulintronica Video Blog Episode 16 “New Gigs Announced”

 

New performances announced in four cities!  Also, studio updates on the full length album, the follow-up EP, and the next single “Release Me.”

• May 10, 2014 “Fiesta Filipina” Honolulu, Hawaii
• May 17, 2014 “Asian Heritage Street Celebration” San Francisco, California
• May 24, 2014 “Tuklas: Discovering Our Indigenous Roots” Los Angeles, California
• June 1, 2014 “Philippine Independence Day Parade” New York, New York

Look for “Release Me (Julius Papp Afrobeat Remix)” available now on King Street Sounds.

 

 

Kulintronica Video Blog Episode 15

 

Updates from San Diego, SFJAZZ Center, the emerging world of kulintang yoga, more typhoon relief events;all over a funky guitar jam in the studio.

Video Blog Episode 14

 

Some updates to get caught up in the world of kulintang electronic dance music.

Kulintang in the yoga studio!

 

Playing kulintang for typhoon Haiyan relief at a Tigerwave Yoga event

Does sound assist in your yoga practice?  Does live music make for a good sound?  Kulintronica partnered with singer Christine Jugueta and Tigerwave Yoga’s Natalie Macam to take steps towards a unique yoga experience.  We raised funds for Typhoon Haiyan Relief through Save The Children! and got two radio features showcasing our efforts.  [photos by Live Free Productions]

First ever kulintang kirtan at the Tigerwave Yoga fundraiser for Typhoon Haiyan in Los Angeles’ Mahasukha Center

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s “Daily Track” for February 25, 2014!

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s Daily Track for February 25th, 2014

So excited to be a Daily Track in Radio Repbulic’s 2014 calendar (see the profile here)!  I am not the first Filipino artist from outside the Philippines to be listed here, and I’m not even the first artist from California to be listed here, but I do believe I am the first kulintang player to be featured here.  I’m so grateful to be mentioned in the same lineup with OPM artists 6Cyclemind, Sugarfree, Gloc-9, Denise Barbacena, Uela Basco (of the Chilitees), Mishka Adams, Indio I, and Nouvul.

As mentioned in the article, I am a huge OPM fan and when I am in the Philippines I spend quite a bit of time seeking out new music and enjoying the vibrante Pinoy Rock scene in Manila.  Eraserheads’ “Aloha Milkyway” was my first OPM album; and their “Natin99,” Up Dharma Down’s “Bipolar,” and Kjwan’s “2StepMarv” were very influential to me and I had these in heavy rotation when I was first developing the Kulintronica sound.

Kulintronica is Radio Republic’s Daily Track for February 25th, 2014

Just minutes before the Daily Track was posted, I completed this video blog that gives what would have been all the latest Kulintronica updates had this latest development not taken place.

Next gig:

February 26th, 2014 – Hult International Business School