Featuring Keenan Webster, Marwan Mograbi, Desi Ramone, lovemando, Michael Jost and more
All posts by Radio Venice
Keenan Webster
Founder of SankofaAfrica, Keenan was born in Nashville, Tennessee. His love of music deepened as a teenager in Los Angeles, California, where he began his music studies with Master Teachers from Africa and Cuba. Surrounded by a highly spiritual family, he has spent his life focused on studies of music, religion and history.
He is influenced by music giants John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Taj Mahal, El Hadj Kouyate, Toumani Diabate, Robert Johnson, Slip James, Johnny Shines, Habib, Koite and Keltigue Diabate. The music traditions of Latin America, Sumatra and India also infiltrate his style.
Keenan performs the 21 string kora (11 played by the left hand and 10 by the right), a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin with a long, hardwood neck. Strings were traditionally made from thin strips of hide, for example, antelope skin – now most strings are made from harp strings or nylon fishing line.
It doesn’t fit into any one category of musical instruments and is classified as a “double-bridge-harp-lute”. He also performs on the balaphone (from West Africa), West African drums from the Mandingo or Mende people, the flute and saxophone.
Keenan Webster on Radio Venice
Radio Venice S05.E11 – May 21, 2017
Radio Venice S05.E10 – May 14, 2017
Follow Keenan Webster
Radio Venice S05.E10
Featuring DLEE, Mr. Motes, Keenan Webster, Michael Jost and more
Radio Venice S05.E09
S05.E09 Highlights
More videos will be added over time!
Full Show
Featuring The String Revolution, Matt DeMerritt and Michael Jost, as well as Ruth Chase and Solo Scott from the West of Lincoln Project
The String Revolution
Based in Los Angeles, California, The String Revolution is comprised of four professional guitar players who are not only stellar guitarists, but also create distinctive sounds with their guitars: mimicking percussion, special effects, melodic grooves, bass lines, and more. Their knowledge of a wide range of musical styles, guitar techniques, and a clear dedication and passion for the project brought The String Revolution together.
These musicians are at the top of their game, embarking on a debut recording followed by worldwide touring. Their shows include original compositions as well as memorable covers arranged in fresh and surprising ways. With entertaining guitar chops, exceptional musicianship and an international background, The String Revolution is no doubt a new and unique force in the world of music and guitar performance.
Janet Robin is the brainchild of The String Revolution. She was named one of the “Top ten female guitarists” by Guitar World Magazine. She has also been enjoying her career as a solo artist releasing CDs and touring internationally.
Daniel Schwarz has amazing acoustic guitar abilities and skills on the slide guitar, dobro and mandolin. He is an acclaimed music composer and musician who tours frequently in Europe.
Art Zavala Jr. brings a unique, musical guitar perspective to the project, including singing, experimental rhythms, different tunings and original songs.
Markus Illko proves his classical training as well his fluency in many other styles of music. He brings inventive fingerstyle, impeccable technique, and arrangement talent to the project.
The String Revolution on Radio Venice
Radio Venice S05.E09 – May 7, 2017
Follow The String Revolution
West of Lincoln Project – Ruth Chase
Ruth Chase is primarily a project-based artist whose award-winning series, West of Lincoln Project, probed into the lives of individuals who grew up in Venice, CA, sharing stories of adversity transformed into valuable life wisdom. She is a California-based painter that uses biographical portraiture to communicate stories of compassion, and valuable insight that promotes positive social change. Her work includes the use of social media in her creative process to stimulate conversation around human value, as well as engaging the public to actively participate in the final outcome of her work.
The West of Lincoln Project reveals the wisdom that comes from growing up in Venice. Born and raised in Venice herself, Ruth presents an authentic and intimate view of the Venice community.
11 Individual Painted Portraits of people who grew up in Venice: Meta Zimmerman, Brad James, Fernando Manzanilla, David Fowler, Rhonda Lynn Wise, Eddie Hadvina, Leonard Duran, Elaine Leslie, Solo Scott, Gloria Olivas Omar, and Ruth Chase.
Additionally, the “West Of Lincoln” painting is a college of personal stories from people from all over the world, and across many decades. Every participant submitted an image and a recorded an audio clip about their experiences and memories of Venice CA.
Born 1965, grew up on Paloma Court in Venice, CA.
Fight for your passion like your life depends on it, because it literally does. Growing up in Venice made me who I am and afforded me a lot of opportunity. At the age of seven, I got a surfboard for Christmas and I was off and running, obsessed, and became passionate about surfing from then on. That art, or talent, kept me sane amidst all the insanity.
– Solo Scott
The Opening Reception for the West of Lincoln Project is on Saturday, August 5, 4:00–8:00 pm @ Venice Arts, 13445 Beach Ave, Venice Marina, CA
Ruth Chase and Solo Scott on
Radio Venice
Radio Venice S05.E09 – May 7, 2017
Follow Ruth Chase
Radio Venice S05.E08
Featuring Cristina Vane and Kevin Witucky, David Sparrow, Michael Jost, Tonan Ruiz, Sky Willie and Hailey Demian
Radio Venice S05.E07
Featuring Louise Goffin, Jason French, Michael Jost, Isaac Irvin and Hailey Demian
Louise Goffin
You can usually find singer-songwriter and producer Louise Goffin sitting in a studio somewhere, trying not to throw her guitar into the mixing console while painstakingly fine-tuning her forthcoming collection of explosive choruses and implosive laments. This Sunday, however, she’ll be stopping in to Radio Venice to play us some of her songs live. If you can’t wait for the world to change, you can pick up her latest release, The Essential Louise Goffin, right now.
Louise Goffin on Radio Venice
Radio Venice S05.E07 – April 23, 2017
Follow Louise Goffin
Louise Lynn Goffin, is a singer-songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and recording artist. She produced Carole King’s Grammy Nominated Album “A Holiday Carole,”
Louise grew up in an A-class University with a virtual PhD in Popular Music in the making. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she was brought to Laurel Canyon, when her parents, Carole King and Gerry Goffin were part of pop culture’s migration to the West Coast, California.
Her musical talent provides the right color of instrumentation while her lyrics and top-line vocal phrasing often brings an emotional vibrancy to the music she helps create. On Carole King’s holiday record, she brought out the best in King’s vocals, which puts her own indelible stamp on the music, lending a special seasonal flair.
Louise’s debut public live performance was opening for Jackson Browne at Troubadour when she was 17 years old. Her debut album Kid Blue was released on Elektra/Asylum. After recording and releasing its follow up self-titled album, Louise was invited to England in 1984 by Dave Robinson, then running Island Records for Chris Blackwell. Goffin found solace in the UK after meeting with the team and potential producers and permanently moved there for 10 years. Upon hearing her demo of “Fifth of July,” WEA in the UK signed Louise and released This Is the Place. The album included the VH1 classic video hit “Bridge of Sighs.” When the album was released in America, Louise appeared on The Today Show and Jay Leno.
Goffin has also enjoyed playing with other known musicians such as Roland Orzabel in the major Tears for Fears world tour and Peter Gabriel in Bath, England. She then travelled with the band for four months. Other cameos include playing banjo with the iconic Bryan Ferry in his video “I Put a Spell on You” and a duet with Carole King on the theme song for the hit TV show Gilmore Girls, on the song “Where You Lead.”
She now enjoys a hands-on approach to her musical and visual self-expression, directing & editing videos on her laptop when she has time between developing new artists, recording her own singles, performing live, and raising her two boys.
Jason French
With Afro-Brazilian roots on his father’s side and Native American and Portuguese blood on his mother’s, French grew up singing in church (his dad was a preacher). He learned to play piano and guitar on his own around the age of ten. After teaching himself to play his dad’s long-neglected acoustic guitar, French tried his hand at songwriting, largely inspired by the soul singers, hip-hop artists, and reggae musicians he loved most. In creating his debut album, French is working to shape his sensitivity and imagination as a songwriter into music that’s uplifting in the most unlikely of moments. “I do try to be a positive force,” he says. “I truly think that music can help you get through the hardest times, and I want my own music to be something that helps people lean toward hope.”
Jason French on Radio Venice
Radio Venice S05.E07 – April 23, 2017
Follow Jason French
