All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Jenny and the Mexicats: 10 Years of Music Without Borders

By Mario A. Cortez

The story of Jenny and the Mexicats is one that could have only happened the way it did, with a diverse group of musicians coming together on the road through music.

The band, made up of English lead singer and trumpetist Jenny Ball, Mexican buddies Luis “Icho” Dias and Alfonso “Pantera” Acosta, on bass and guitar respectively, and Spanish percussionist David Gonzalez, fuses the worlds of blues, Mexican zapateado, cumbia, jazz, pop, and flamenco to create a sound that reflects the multicultural background and influences of its members.

Looking at this eclectic ensemble’s story, it would appear as if its members came together as an act of destiny.

In 2008, Ball was touring through Spain as part of a travelling orchestra. During a stop in Madrid, she met “Icho” and “Pantera” at a flamenco bar and instantly connected with their way of thinking about music. The newly-formed bond was so strong that Ball moved to Madrid shortly after her orchestra’s return to England, despite her not speaking any Spanish at the time.

With Gonzalez’s arrival to the group, the four-piece was complete and ready to embark on a project which to this day has yielded inventive studio productions and much acclaim from fans and critics.

Their self-titled first production debuted in 2011 and introduced the world to their world-influenced, bilingual stylings through songs like “Verde Mas Alla,” “Anthem Song,” “Flor,” and “Me Voy a Ir.” In the process, their debut record earned a certified Gold Record award and international recognition.

2014 would bring “Ome,” their second album and a relocation from the Spanish capital to Mexico CIty. As a result of the move, this new record displays more prevalent influences from Mexican music which could be felt through new hits such as “Boulevard,” and “Frenetico Ritmo.” The album’s lead single, titled “Labios,” was used in the soundtrack to Mexican romance flick “Amor de Mis Amores,” released that same year.

2017’s “Mar Abierto,” their latest studio feature, brings a mature sensibility without abandoning the group’s unique and infectious sound. Songs such as “Why Why” and “Born in the City” capture the sonic mashup of cultures Jenny and the Mexicats is known for, but brings a poignant undertone through the lyrical work of Ball.

Today, 10 years after coming together and completing numerous studio projects, Jenny and the Mexicats is celebrating a decade of making music with a tour that will span both sides of the Atlantic and the U.S.-Mexico border.

As part of this tour, Jenny and the Mexicats will play at The Casbah in Little Italy on July 25, in what will surely bring fans from both Tijuana and San Diego to experience the band’s unique and diverse style.

The celebration doesn’t stop there, however, the band has also released a nostalgic video which calls back to the early days of this project, revealing the experiences which have lead this group to become a favorite among many.

The story of Jenny and the Mexicats is one that could have only happened the way it did and today, 10 years later, it is a story that continues to show that for music there is no nationality of borders.

Turkey’s ever-closer ties with Russia leave US lacking key ally on Syria

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Limiting US influence in the Middle East is not the only shared interest of Russia and Turkey’s autocratic leaders

As the prospect grows of military confrontation with Russia in the skies over Syria, the US is counting on support from European partners such as France and the UK. But help from a key regional ally – Turkey – is less certain, despite its position on Syria’s northern border and opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

There are echoes of 2003, when Turkey refused to back the US-led invasion of Iraq. Whose side Turkey is on is a question increasingly exercising Washington policymakers as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s president, builds closer ties with Russia.

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‘It’s a turning point’: Oklahoma teachers buoyed by success of 110-mile march

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Marchers mobbed at state capitol after concluding their historic march to call for greater funds and increased wages

“Uh-oh, Trojans coming through! Uh-oh, Trojans coming through!” shouted the three dozen members of the Douglas high school marching band as black and Latino teenagers banged on drums and set the beat.

Oklahoma’s teachers may not have won their call for increased wages and funding for education – yet. But after completing a 110-mile march from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to highlight the parlous state of their school system there was an air of expectation and excitement as they and their supporters reached the state capital.

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Maps show spring arriving earlier

From Joshua Stevens at the NASA Earth Observatory:

But over the longer term, climate change is causing spring to begin earlier and earlier across the United States. These maps reveal just how much earlier spring is arriving in National Parks across the country. The data were published in 2016 by ecologists from the National Park Service, working in collaboration with colleagues at other agencies and institutions.

Griddy.

Limited to only national parks, the view still provides a good idea. For a model-based view at higher granularity, check out the USA National Phenology Network.

Tags: first leaf, global warming, NASA

Israel Bars Entry of Dublin’s Mayor Over BDS Ties

No free speech allowed?

Jerusalem/PNN/

Israel government barred Dublin Lord Mayor Mícheál Mac Donncha on Tuesday from entering Israel because of he supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel movement.

According Haaretz  news paper the Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry, in charge of fighting delegitimation of Israel, said the reason for the decision was was Donncha’s ties with the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which promotes boycotts of Israeli companies and international companies who work in Israel.

According to the ministry, the mayor promoted the IPSC’s ideas through the city council and publicly expressed support for them.

Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said that “the policy I set is clear: He who works consistently to boycott Israel will not enter here.”

In January, Israel summoned the Irish ambassador in Israel for clarification and to express dissatisfaction in light of a proposed bill in Ireland’s national parliament calling for a boycott of Israeli settlements.

For more news on this issue clik her