LOVE ANGELES

Steve Lopez on Nathaniel Ayers

Source: LA Times - I heard that Nathaniel Ayers, musical genius and inspiration behind the film the Soloist, performed at Agape in Culver City on the eve of Christmas along with Rickie Byers Beckwith. Wow, how I would have loved to be there! Anyhow, here's a clip from 60 Minutes demonstrating the beautiful friendship formed between LA columnist Steve Lopez and the schizophrenic homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers. Steve Lopez has chronicled the life of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, who sleeps each night on one of skid row's most dangerous streets, in his columns listed here.

Yuval Ron - Holding the Light

Friday, December 18, 2009, 8:00 pm

Holding the Light - An evening of mystical music, meditation and kabbalistic stories with Rabbi Steve Robins, Cantor Eva Robins and Yuval Ron (Oud)

Location: A private home in Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, call or email for address, directions and more info: 323-463-7728 nvayshlm@hotmail.com

'Tis the Season with Ryan Farish

Our friend and inspiration Ryan Farish recently released a sneak peak into his new holiday album entitled Spirit...

Sample and download the album on itunes now and keep up to date at RyanFarish.com

A couple months after the birth of Love Angeles, I bumped into a very interesting man visiting from North Carolina at West Hollywood's Urth Cafe named Jerry Lee Davis. That day, I was truly aware of the impression he had left upon me (I even wrote an entry about it.) In dialogue, Jerry mentioned that he was a published author, filmmaker and businessman which, I admit, although it was inspiring to me, was not the source of my being impressed. I had the sense that Jerry was making a difference on the planet everywhere he went, simply by being the humble, caring and charismatic person he is. I immediately knew that I would be working with Jerry in many capacities for the bettermant of humanity and specifically through the upliftment of entertainment media. Last June, he packed his car and relocated to LA. We got to work immediately.

Shortly after, we formed a production company known as Done Media Group with a mission to use the power of the media in all its many forms to promote necessary and positive change in the world. We co-created and developed a variety of television shows, docu-series and documentaries which are either currently in pre-production or waiting to be picked up. This is a very exciting time for the company and I assure you that updates will be following very soon.

Ok, now that we got you caught up with all of that good news, I can tell you a little about the vision I have for a musical compilation entitled, you guessed it - Love Angeles! Well to be specific, the working title is actually Love Angeles: Volume 1 Love.

Much like the successful Cafe Del Mar compilation series, I envision an annual album celebrating the spirit of creative dreamers by the artists of "dream city." There is a movement happening in the world right now and each city will begin molding and reflecting her energy in its own unique ways. Love Angeles: Volume 1 Love will be one of these reflections born out of the world's most influential city. Now that the intention has been called forth, we look forward to selecting the music which finds its way to the track list. If you or someone you know has created music and would like to be considered for selection on the first volume, email forrest@donemediagroup.com.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. A few weeks ago, during a sunset meditation overlooking the sands of Santa Monica, I caught a glimpse or two of the first album cover. The visual for the album cover depicted the magnificent brightness of our Sun blocking out everything else in the background. I went home and came up with roughly 30 sample images that told my experience. I decided that I would share a few of the possible prints with the community above. (FYI - those are real pictures of our Sun)   

Lucky Dube was tragically shot in South Africa in October 18th 2007 and I almost forgot to give him the love and respect that he deserves! We miss him but his powerful love and spirit live on in many others around the world. Lucky's Spirit continues to inspire me through his lyrical message as you may have noticed via the past articles of Lucky on Love Angeles.

Lucky was born in Ermelo, formerly of the Eastern Transvaal, now of Mpumalanga, on August 3, 1964. His parents separated before his birth and he was raised by his mother, Sarah, who named him because she considered his birth fortunate after a number of failed pregnancies. Along with his two siblings, Thandi and Patrick, Dube spent much of his childhood with his grandmother, while his mother relocated to work. In a 1999 interview he described his grandmother as "his greatest love" who "multiplied many things to bring up this responsible individual that I am today."

As a child Dube worked as a gardener but, realizing that he wasn't earning enough to feed his family, he began to attend school. There he joined a choir and, with some friends, formed his first musical ensemble, called The Skyway Band. While at school he discovered the Rastafari movement. At the age of 18 Dube joined his cousin's band, The Love Brothers, playing Zulu pop music known as mbaqanga whilst funding his lifestyle by working for Hole and Cooke as a security guard at the car auctions in Midrand. The band signed with Teal Record Company, under Richard Siluma (Teal was later incorporated into Gallo Record Company). Though Dube was still at school, the band recorded material in Johannesburg during his school holidays. The resultant album was released under the name Lucky Dube and the Supersoul. The second album was released soon afterwards, and this time Dube wrote some of the lyrics in addition to singing. It was aroung this same time when he began to learn English.

Love Angeles: Volume 1

A couple months after the birth of Love Angeles, I bumped into a very interesting man visiting from North Carolina at West Hollywood's Urth Cafe named Jerry Lee Davis. That day, I was truly aware of the impression he had left upon me (I even wrote an entry about it.) In dialogue, Jerry mentioned that he was a published author, filmmaker and businessman which, I admit, although it was inspiring to me, was not the source of my being impressed. I had the sense that Jerry was making a difference on the planet everywhere he went, simply by being the humble, caring and charismatic person he is. I immediately knew that I would be working with Jerry in many capacities for the bettermant of humanity and specifically through the upliftment of entertainment media. Last June, he packed his car and relocated to LA. We got to work immediately.

Shortly after, we formed a production company known as Done Media Group with a mission to use the power of the media in all its many forms to promote necessary and positive change in the world. We co-created and developed a variety of television shows, docu-series and documentaries which are either currently in pre-production or waiting to be picked up. This is a very exciting time for the company and I assure you that updates will be following very soon.

Ok, now that we got you caught up with all of that good news, I can tell you a little about the vision I have for a musical compilation entitled, you guessed it - Love Angeles! Well to be specific, the working title is actually Love Angeles: Volume 1 Love.

Much like the successful Cafe Del Mar compilation series, I envision an annual album celebrating the spirit of creative dreamers by the artists of "dream city." There is a movement happening in the world right now and each city will begin molding and reflecting her energy in its own unique ways. Love Angeles: Volume 1 Love will be one of these reflections born out of the world's most influential city. Now that the intention has been called forth, we look forward to selecting the music which finds its way to the track list. If you or someone you know has created music and would like to be considered for selection on the first volume, email forrest@donemediagroup.com.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. A few weeks ago, during a sunset meditation overlooking the sands of Santa Monica, I caught a glimpse or two of the first album cover. The visual for the album cover depicted the magnificent brightness of our Sun blocking out everything else in the background. I went home and came up with roughly 30 sample images that told my experience. I decided that I would share a few of the possible prints with the community above. (FYI - those are real pictures of our Sun)   

We Didn't Forget Lucky

Lucky Dube was tragically shot in South Africa in October 18th 2007 and I almost forgot to give him the love and respect that he deserves! We miss him but his powerful love and spirit live on in many others around the world. Lucky's Spirit continues to inspire me through his lyrical message as you may have noticed via the past articles of Lucky on Love Angeles.

Lucky was born in Ermelo, formerly of the Eastern Transvaal, now of Mpumalanga, on August 3, 1964. His parents separated before his birth and he was raised by his mother, Sarah, who named him because she considered his birth fortunate after a number of failed pregnancies. Along with his two siblings, Thandi and Patrick, Dube spent much of his childhood with his grandmother, while his mother relocated to work. In a 1999 interview he described his grandmother as "his greatest love" who "multiplied many things to bring up this responsible individual that I am today."

As a child Dube worked as a gardener but, realizing that he wasn't earning enough to feed his family, he began to attend school. There he joined a choir and, with some friends, formed his first musical ensemble, called The Skyway Band. While at school he discovered the Rastafari movement. At the age of 18 Dube joined his cousin's band, The Love Brothers, playing Zulu pop music known as mbaqanga whilst funding his lifestyle by working for Hole and Cooke as a security guard at the car auctions in Midrand. The band signed with Teal Record Company, under Richard Siluma (Teal was later incorporated into Gallo Record Company). Though Dube was still at school, the band recorded material in Johannesburg during his school holidays. The resultant album was released under the name Lucky Dube and the Supersoul. The second album was released soon afterwards, and this time Dube wrote some of the lyrics in addition to singing. It was aroung this same time when he began to learn English.