California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Canterbury Knolls

Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography's Official Map of Canterbury Knolls, available on art prints and a wide variety of merchandise Canterbury Knolls is a South Los Angeles neighborhood bordered by Manchester Square, Morningside Circle, and Vermont Knolls to the south; Hyde Park to the west; Chesterfield Square to the north; Vermont Square to the northeast; and Vermont-Slauson … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Canterbury Knolls

California Fool’s Gold – Exploring Wilshire Park

This installment of California Fool's Gold concerns Wilshire Park.  Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography's official ink map of Wilshire Park, available on art prints in several sizes and reproduced on a wide variety of merchandise Wilshire Park is a small, Midtown neighborhood whose borders are formed by Olympic Boulevard on the south, Crenshaw Boulevard on the … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold – Exploring Wilshire Park

On the margins’ margins – Asian Latinos – Latasian 101

A common misconception about Latinos they are a racially homogeneous people. In Los Angeles and elsewhere, the word "Mexican" is used to refer to pretty much anyone who looks like they may have roots south of the Rio Grande, regardless of country of origin. I assume the same goes for Puerto Ricans and Cubans in areas where … Continue reading On the margins’ margins – Asian Latinos – Latasian 101

The Roots of Jazz: Ragtime

Although for most people the strains of "The Entertainer" and other rags now primarily evoke quaint, scratchy images of silent films projected at the wrong speed, when ragtime first appeared around the 1870s, it was the soundtrack of Missouri's whorehouses, parlors and gambling clubs. St. Louis in the 1870s Ragtime was also one of the first … Continue reading The Roots of Jazz: Ragtime

The Roots of Jazz: Cakewalk

A performative, competitive dance known as the chalk line walk first appeared around the 1850s on the plantations along the Gulf Coast. Its origins lay in the African-derived dance known as the bamboula -- also the name of a drum -- and it was performed in New Orleans, where on Sundays slaves were allowed to … Continue reading The Roots of Jazz: Cakewalk

The Evolution of the Music Video

Video and the Radio Star I think it's safe to say that many, if not most, people seem to assume that music videos began with the initial broadcast of MTV on 1 August 1981. That first video, the Buggles' excruciating "Video Killed the Radio Star," came out in 1979, so what were they singing about? Were the Buggles prophets or … Continue reading The Evolution of the Music Video

Cash Money Records – The Independent Years (1991-1998)

By now, anyone that reads this blog and is a fan of the many, great New Orleans labels that sprouted in the fertile hip-hop delta back in the '90s may've wondered why no Cash Money thus far. Well, I've been working on it but the greatest of labels required a lot of work. Hope you … Continue reading Cash Money Records – The Independent Years (1991-1998)

Fucking with the Tombstone! — A history of New Orleans’s Tombstone Records

This blog entry is a look back at one of New Orleans's more obscure hip-hip labels, Tombstone. Tombstone Records was a notable New Orleans Rap label in the 1990s that released a handful of high caliber releases that sold over 100,000 albums around the South in three years before abruptly ceasing operations after a series … Continue reading Fucking with the Tombstone! — A history of New Orleans’s Tombstone Records

Moon Missions and the Children of Major Tom — The End of the Space Age and the Music Which Followed

It's the 40th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, and looking back at that achievement it's obvious that one of the many repercussions was evinced in the music of the era. In addition to the space rock of bands like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind and sci-fi minded funk acts like Funkadelic, the glam rock … Continue reading Moon Missions and the Children of Major Tom — The End of the Space Age and the Music Which Followed

Greenland –> Naalakkersuisut – and Inuit cinema and music

Though Greenland has been home-ruled since 1979, on 21 June 2009, the Danish government made steps toward granting Greenland full independence. In a 2008 referendum, 76% of the 58,000 residents of the sparsely populated island voted for self-rule and the Danish government has been handing over control of services to the local government and making symbolic … Continue reading Greenland –> Naalakkersuisut – and Inuit cinema and music