Listen for Life is honored to bring an impressive roster of world-renowned musicians to three cross-cultural Listen for Life Musicfest 2012 events in Southern California, September 21-29, 2012, to celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace and kick-off a world tour to promote peace around the globe.  Three years ago, the United Nations asked Listen for Life to create music festivals worldwide to raise awareness for Peace Day.  This year’s Musicfest concerts feature legendary blues and rock musicians (present/former band members of Eric Clapton, Guns N’ Roses, Dave Matthews Band, Carole King, Billy Preston, John Lee Hooker, Lionel Richie, Sergio Mendes, Toto, and Asia) who are coming together for the first time to form the Listen for Life All-Star Band to promote world peace through music.  Joining them at all three concerts are top music masters from nine world cultures, sharing their ethnic music traditions individually as well as collaboratively in combination with the all-star band.

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With the World Cup and Olympic Games coming to Brazil in the next few years, bringing unprecedented international attention to the country, the Cultural Sector of the Brazilian Consulate-General in Los Angeles is preparing for its global close-up by expanding its Brazilian Hour radio program into new multimedia platforms, including a new media-rich website as well as a brand new streaming music app.  With a 34-year history showcasing the country’s music and culture, the program is one of the longest running international radio shows in the U.S. – its mission to provide audiences worldwide with a rich and deep taste of Brazilian culture.  The expanded multimedia offerings will allow a new generation of listeners across the globe greater access to enjoy the show’s music along with guest interviews and exclusive features on the web, as well as through the mobile application.

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Live Talks Los Angeles, which produces compelling talks, will once again bring an A-list roster of personalities to Los Angeles venues this Fall, launching its new season with Molly Ringwald in conversation with Meghan Daum on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at Track 16 in Santa Monica.  The new Live Talks LA schedule also includes events with Hollywood legend Penny Marshall, rapper-producer Wyclef Jean, comedian Chris Elliott, atheist magician Penn Jillette, bestselling author Mitch Albom, acclaimed writer T.C. Boyle, bestselling author-physician Oliver Sacks, internationally acclaimed author Sandra Cisneros, author, social critic, and political activist Naomi Wolf, and gay activist Bishop Gene Robinson.

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A fresh idea in collaborative fundraising will take place on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at a private home in Los Feliz from early afternoon until late night.  Synergy = Music + Sustainability is an innovative, multicultural, experiential event to help raise funds for two dynamic, solution-based nonprofits based in LA: Arts:Earth Partnership (AEP) and NextAid.  Music and arts producer, Jonathan Rudnick (theLIFT/Noise Pop Culture Club/Giant Step co-founder) is at the helm bringing the best talent Los Angeles has to offer to this consciousness-raising event. The fundraiser will run from 4:00 to 11:00pm and is taking place at Synergy House, a beautiful Mediterranean/Spanish historical eco-home with detached studio space and a lagoon pool just east of Hollywood off of Franklin Blvd.  The exact location will be revealed upon ticket purchase.  Tickets range from $20 to $50 and are available at www.synergy-la.eventbrite.com.

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ARTScorpsLA/ACLA Emerging Producers presents Beat the Drum‘s second annual drum festival, Beat the Drum: East Los Meets West Los, to be held on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 8:00pm, at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood.  Doors open at 6:00pm for picnicking, drum technique demonstrations from South Mexican and Central American traditions, live screen printing and painting, and dancing by the Capoeira Collective in the Ford Theatre Plaza.  At 8:00pm, audience members will be ushered into the venue in a percussive, celebratory parade led by Aztec drumming.  The main event features performances by Atabey (traditional Puerto Rican Bomba), East LA Taiko (Latin, Afro-Cuban, Japanese fusion) featuring drummer Fredo Ortiz of the Beastie Boys, and CAVA (Bolero/Tropical with primal Taiko & Cajon drumming).  Joining East LA Taiko in a groundbreaking collaboration will be Lysa Flores (Alice Bag, El Vez, Jonathan Richman) who will merge her sultry vocals and feminist Chicana lyrics with the power of Japanese Taiko drums.  Tickets are $20-$40; some discounts apply*.  The event will be held at the Ford Amphitheatre located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068.  For tickets and additional information, please call 323-461-3673 (323-GO-1-FORD) or visit http://fordtheatres.org/en/events/details/id/362 and https://www.facebook.com/BeatTheDrumLA.

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Dance Camera West (DCW), recognized internationally for its annual presentation and celebration of dance on screen, announces its 11th annual Dance Camera West Dance Media Film Festival.  This year’s festival takes place at high profile Los Angeles venues including LACMA and The Hammer Museum, from Thursday, June 28 to Saturday, June 30, 2012.  The festival will feature 20 films in four screenings over three days representing work from Italy, France, the UK, Canada, Sweden, France and the US.  Please visit DCW’s website for continuous updates at www.dancecamerawest.org.

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SASSAS’ concert series, sound., returns for a 14th season, kicking off with the Los Angeles premiere performance of Oakland-based experimental duo myrmyr at the Kings Road Park Pavilion on Saturday, June 30, 2012.  Produced by the Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS), the sound. concert series pushes new music boundaries by creating unique listening experiences for audiences that combine experimental music and unconventional settings.  Known for entrancing ambiences and intricate layered melodies, myrmyr creates an intimate post-classical atmosphere inspired by folk elements of the duo’s common Eastern European ancestry.  The June 30th myrmyr sound. event starts at 5:00pm.  Advance tickets are $12, $10 for SASSAS members/students/seniors, and can be purchased at www.sassas.org/sound/2012.  Tickets are $15 at the door.  Kings Road Park Pavilion is located at 1000 North Kings Road, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
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Live Talks Los Angeles, which produces compelling talks with fascinating speakers, will once again bring an A-list roster of personalities to the El Rey, Track 16, and Aero Theatre in the coming months. The schedule includes National Book Award and Oscar-Winning Writer Live Talks Los Angeles who will talk about his upcoming novel, In One Person (6/21, Aero); Top Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who will reflect on his life via his forthcoming memoir, Yes, Chef (7/10, Track 16); and Studio 360‘s Kurt Andersen, who will discuss his upcoming tour de force novel, True Believers (7/26, Track 16).  Also on the calendar is a special concert event by The Rock Bottom Remainders, the all-author rock band with Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan and Matt Groening among its members, who will hold their last public concert, after performing together for 20 years (6/22, El Rey). Most events start at 8:00pm with receptions preceding the talks. Ticket prices range from $20 to $295.  Please visit Live Talks LA’s website for additional details, updates and tickets at livetalksla.org.

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Town & Country, the brainchild of singer/frontman Rob Shapiro and songwriter/producer Brian Woodbury will bring its expansive Americana to the M Bar for an album release show on Thursday, June 28, 2012.  Says Shapiro, “We think country music belongs to the whole of the country, not just one region or one politics.” Woodbury adds, “We’re inspired by the great storytellers of [Nashville’s] Music Row, but we come at it from a more left coast perspective.”  Town and Country’s set will begin at 10:00pm.  They will be joined by the illustrious songwriter (and KPFK “The Music Never Stops” host) Mr. Smolin (9:00pm) and Gwendolyn (11:00pm) and her new-fangled country band, another left-field Americana combo.  M Bar is located at 1253 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90038 (323-856-0036; www.mbaronline.com).  Admission is $5.  For more information please visit www.TownandCountryBand.com.

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The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS), is pleased to announce its 12th year of concerts and events in Los Angeles. This year’s summer calendar features Blast! [9], the annual SASSAS garden party and fundraiser, which returns for a second year to Malibu, CA on Sunday, June 10, 2012, with food, beverages, a silent auction featuring works by several artists included in Made in L.A. 2012 and live music from 4:00 to 8:00pm. In addition to Blast!, the upcoming SASSAS 2012 schedule also features the sound. concert series, soundShoppe and the third year of its exclusive Listening Party dinners. Tickets for Blast! [9] are $50 and can be purchased at http://www.sassas.org/blast. Read the rest of this entry »