On December 29th Los Angeles’ best drummers and
DJ’s will gather to celebrate and perform at the showing of "Keepintime:
Talking Drums and Whispering Vinyl," a short documentary film that has
won both national and international acclaim.
Nu-Mark (Jurassic Five), Jrocc (Beat Junkies),
DJ Babu Beat Junkie/Dilated Peoples), Madlib (Loot Pack), DJ Short Kut (Skratch
Pickles/Beat Junkies) will all perform along side of the prolific drummers that
are featured in the documentary. DJ Shadow will also be on site to perform a
special set.
Expected at the event are prolific drummers Earl
Palmer the most recorded drummer of all time, Paul Humphrey who played on Marvin
Gaye’s "Let¹s Get It On," and James Gadson who gained popularity
for sharing the stage with D### and The Blazers, Charles Wright and Bill Withers.
The film is dedicated to the late Roy Porter,
who played on "Night in Tunisia" with Charlie Parker, and who was
also supposed to be in the film but passed away before funding was found for
the project.
"Keepintime" won the Audience Award
at the DFilm Festival in Seattle, and has been shown at various places around
the world such as Rock Steady Film Festival in New York, South by Southwest,
the Edinburgh Film Festival, Black August in Cuba, Digi Dance at the Sundance
Film Festival, and locally at Track 16 in Bergamot Station.
The film was also shown as part of DJ Shadow’s
18-city tour in Europe and the U.S, and was the headliner for the Getty Museums
Deep Fried Live event this summer. DJ Shadow was responsible for editing together
the soundtrack of the film, and also composed the theme.
Brian Cross (B+), a Los Angeles-based photographer,
and author of "It’s Not About A Salary: Rap, Race and Resistance in Los
Angeles," organized the project with backing from Tokion magazine.
"There hasn’t been the right space for this
dialogue," Cross told AllHipHop.com. "Where DJ’s and drummers can
actually interact and not just play on top of each other. The film explains
the possibility and creates the chance to have a live performance. The intention
is to do a series with hip-hop producers and the musicians who influence them."
Cross recently completed "Brazilintime,"
which was funded by the Red Bull Music Academy. This film explores the links
between Brazilian music and it’s cross-pollination with American soul. He intends
to bring both the DJ’s and drummers from "Keepintime" to Brazil.
The December 29th showing of the film will be
the last chance to see all of the drummers and DJs together. It will also be
recorded live for the production of a DVD.The event is expected to be sold-out,
and many legendary musicians and performers will be in attendance.
"The real possibilities in music are not
being explored by the MTV’s or BET’s. We need to really listen to our elders.
This is my way of ancestor worship," said Cross.
Tickets to this historical musical event are
$20. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are available at: www.Templebarlive.com, www.elrey.com,
Aaron¹s Records, Fat Beats, and www.keepintime.com.
