Everyone loves music, and our love affair with Asian-American musicians continues in this week’s Media Releases. In this department, we showcase the latest new release CDs and DVDs featuring Asian-Americans. Join us as we explore the latest offerings from our more artistically-inclined brethren.
CDs
“A Maiden Calling”, Jhameel
Jhameel, who we’ve featured here before, released his new music video for song “A Maiden Calling” this week, after moving from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. The young musician, who received a degree in Arabic from University of California, Berkeley, is known for his surprising vocal breadth and channeling Prince and Michael Jackson, among others.
All the Times We Had, Ivan & Alyosha
Borrowing their name from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan & Alyosha are a Seattle quartet founded by Ryan Carbary and Tim Wilson. Other members of the band, which gained prominence at the SXSW music festival in Austin, include Tim Kim and Pete Wilson. This is the group’s first feature-length album.
We’ve Got a Map, Tidelands
Musical duo Gabriel Montana Leis and Mie Araki combine to form Tidelands, a folksy medley the San Francisco musicians’ website calls “uniquely arranged with looped guitars and vocals, glorious horns, Moog synth bass lines, and boy / girl harmonies.” The band is touring Portland and Eugene, Ore., at the end of the month, two places near and dear to my heart. This album was priced at $6.99 last night. Click the picture for details.
DVDs
Blue Like Jazz, Miramax Lionsgate
A 19 year old tries to escape his conservative upbringing in Texas by escaping to a college in Portland, Ore. (recurring theme?). There, he flounders with trying to hide his background and come to terms with who is he, spiritually and emotionally. Chuck David Willis plays a robot, according to IMDB, and is perhaps the film’s only Asian-American cast member.
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Universal
A boy must confront the grumpy Lorax to win the affection of a girl in this Dr. Seuss adaptation. Perhaps there’s a metaphor for being Asian-American in here, but this is no Up. It does feature Iranian-American Nasim Pedrad of Saturday Night Live fame, as well as Zac Efron and Danny DeVito.