mud in your i

La Mitad

2012-02-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

Mario Mendez-Peñate was thirteen years old in 1959 when Fidel Castro’s army rode into Havana and turned his quiet childhood in Miramar upside down. Within months his parents had shipped him off to a boarding school in the United States, and he would never return. Fifty years later, Mario’s son Andrés travels to Havana, following the threads of his Cuban identity through the streets and parks, backyards and beaches, where his father’s childhood memories float like a distant dream.

Bird Dog summer

2011-06-16T15:31:00.001-07:00

We are back live on June 28th @ Piano's! Here's a little clip from around the way.

Save The Bay

2011-05-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I just finished for a Rhode Island non-profit organization which does great work in science education and environmental advocacy. They recently lost 1 million dollars of federal funding and are currently trying to fill that gap so they can maintain their great programs.

A Wife Alone - Shooting this July

2011-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am producing and editing a new feature written by good friend Justin Reichman. It is provocative story set in his home town, Rochester, NY. To help raise funds, I produced this video for their kickstarter campaign. If you are interested, I'd be happy to tell you more about it. We'd love your support.

The Lisps Music Video - Are We At The Movies?

2011-05-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Here's the brand new music video which I shot along with Pamela Romanowsky for my friend César and his band The Lisps. It is the lead single from their new album which is really great. Check em out online for more info www.thelisps.com I was shooting with my Canon 7D and Sigma 50 lens... which has a really nice depth of field. Go Lisps!

New/Old Dance video

2011-05-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Looking through some old hard drives, I found this footage which I shot with my friend Doug Letheren, almost four years ago when he had just finished at Julliard. He is now a member of the Bat Sheva dance company in Tel Aviv. Anyway, I let the footage sit around for years, trying several times to find the right music to set to his choreography, but never coming up with anything I liked. I finally happened upon this tune from James Blake's EP Klavierwerke, last fall. And now, in my recent bit of unemployment had the time to finish a little video. Hope you like it.

'La Mitad' premiering April 10th at the Havana Film Festival NY

2011-03-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished the documentary I began filming in Cuba in 2008. It will be premiering as part of the Havana Film Festival NY - a great festival of Cuban and Latin American films, which I have enjoyed several times in the past. This year is especially cool because it is included in the larger Sí Cuba Festival, which is bringing many of the top musicians, dancers and artists from Cuba to New York for the first time in decades (since before Bush tightened travel restrictions). For more info about my screening and the festival click this link. Details for my screening are here. Below is a brief description of my film.

La Mitad is the story of a father and a son. Mario Mendez-Peñate was thirteen years old in 1959 when Fidel Castro’s army of bearded revolutionaries rode into Havana and turned his quiet childhood in Miramar upside down. Within months his parents had shipped him off to a boarding school in the United States, and he would never return. Fifty years later, Mario’s son Andrés travels to Havana, following the threads of his Cuban identity through the streets and parks, backyards and beaches, where his father’s childhood memories float like a distant dream.

Bird Dog Live

2011-02-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

(new press shot by Hiroki Kobayashi)

We are happy to be playing several shows in NYC over the next month or so. We will be playing some new tunes at some great venues, and would love if you could join us.

Sunday Feb 27th, 9:30pm - Rockwood Music Hall
Saturday March 19th, 9:00pm - Piano's Upstairs Lounge
April 1st, 9:00pm - The Rock Shop

Also, if you missed our gig at The Living Room last week, here is a taste of what happened:

Read My Letter - Live @ The Living Room NYC by bird dog

Bird Dog EP finally finished!

2011-01-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

I am really happy to share Bird Dog's debut EP with everyone. Please feel free to download it off of bandcamp and share it with your friends and fam. We would love to see you at a show sometime soon!

Urban Design video for Providence

2010-10-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is a video I made in collaboration with the Friends of Kennedy Plaza in Providence, RI. It's kind of a pitch for their new vision to redesign this large urban space in downtown provi, and make it a place where people will actually want to hang out (right now its mainly a bus hub).

Vinyl release for Thundersnow Road in NC

2010-09-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Paul and I went down to the Nasher Museum in Durham, NC to perform an acoustic set for the release of Thundersnow Road - a vinyl compilation of musical responses to my friend Xaviera Simmon's photography:

Last spring we wrote and recorded a song in response to Xai's photos, which were commissioned by the Nasher for their show The Record - the first museum exhibition focused entirely on the interaction between visual art and vinyl. We were lucky enough to be included on the final 12 inch along with great musicians from bands like TV on the Radio, My Morning Jacket, Superchunk and Les Savy Fav. For more info click the link.

Hulu picks up Wah Do Dem

2010-08-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

Now you can watch the whole dang thing on the internet (if you are in the US). I recommend full screen.

New Album, New Name

2010-08-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

Just spent a week in the studio with the band (missing several key members in this photo). Our new album should be mixed and finished in a month or two. Look out for our new sound, and a new band name, coming soon (hopefully).

Wah Do Dem hits the streets in NY/LA/Boston

2010-06-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to finally bring out Wah Do Dem for a limited theatrical run. It will open on June 18th at Cinema Village in NYC and The Egyptian Theatre in LA. On June 25 you can catch Max's reggae misadventure in Boston at the Somerville Theatre. Please support the film and send your friends. If we do well at the box office it will allow us extend the film to more cities. The DVD, soundtrack and Video-On-Demand drops in October.

If you are in Brooklyn this Sunday please come to our Wah Do Dem Reggae Block Party in Ft. Greene, featuring performances by several artists from our soundtrack, and beautiful summer vibes all around. Here is the flyer designed by our friend Moon of Lustre Kings:

Summer Music

2010-05-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

We've got some new shows coming up:

June 19th we will be performing at P.S. 1 in Queens somewhere in the vicinity of 12pm to 4pm as part of my friend Xaviera Simmons' Country/Roots afternoon of music in the courtyard. She will be djing and other acoustic troubadours will strum guitars and yoddle. Xai has some sweet photos up in the Greater NY show at the museum, which you should see.

July 2nd we are playing an overnight campout at the Queens County Farm. It is an all you can eat pig roast/keg party. Should be blast. Bring your tent and some marshmellows.

July 31st. Hank's Saloon. Gettin dirty on Atlantic once again, for some Saturday night rockin' and rollin.

New video for Dylan Coulter

2010-04-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I cut for my friend Dylan Coulter: a behind the scenes look at his muddy photo shoot for Men's Journal. Music by K'naan. Enjoy.

Back in the Studio

2010-04-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Working on some new tracks this past weekend for my friend Xai's photo-inspired record Thundersnow Road. Here's Rick Kwan, friend and recording guru at the control panel. Music coming soon...

Bless up Jamaica

2010-03-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Sam and I just returned from JA, where we screened Wah Do Dem at the Reggae Film Festival, and again at Hellshire beach in Kingston. We got to chill with our Jamaican brethren Mark Gibbs (above) as well as the Congos, Carl Bradshaw, Major Lazer and many others. Truly a blessing. Check our facebook for more images and movies.

SF, Spokane, UCLA & USC

2010-02-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

Sam, Sean and I are headed to the West Coast for screenings of Wah Do Dem. Here are the details:

Feb 4th - San Francisco Indiefest, 7:15 & 9:30
Feb 6th - Spokane Int. Film Fest, 8:30
Feb 9th - UCLA - 8:00
Feb 10th - USC - 8:45
* new t-shirt design by Hannah Rawe

Shots in the Dark @ Union Pool

2010-02-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Our live debut last week. We'll be at Pete's Candy Store March 14th at 9pm.

Hellbent Hooker - Long Black Train

2009-12-17T09:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a live video I made for Hellbent Hooker, featuring madman T-Bone on vocals. This was the warm up for Duke Riley's naval art battle at the Queens Museum last summer. Rock on.

Shots in the Dark

2009-12-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

<a href="http://shotsinthedark.bandcamp.com/album/the-franklin-ep">Moving Targets by Shots in the Dark</a>

This is the EP I recorded in August w my good friends Mark, Paul and Carter. Mixed by Rick Kwan over the last few months. Hope you like it and feel free to download/share w your friends.

Half Seas Over - Live @ Nublu

2009-11-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

A new vid for my friends Half Seas Over. Their excellent new album is coming soon on Brownswood Recordings.

Vancouver FF

2009-11-04T07:28:00.000-08:00

Our favorite new friends. The Korean filmmaking team which made "18" (director Kun-Jae, and co-stars Min-Ji and Jun-Yeoung) and the super mellow directors of "The Anchorage" Curtis and Anders. Good times in Canada.

Extra footage

2009-09-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

My new doc La Mitad, is in post-production.

Wah Do Dem @ London FF and Vancouver FF in October

2009-09-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

SCREENING SCHEDULE:

Vancouver:

October 2, 2:50pm

October 7, 9:00pm

October 10, 12:20pm

London:

October 16, 6:15pm NFT2

October 17, 7:00pm Studio

October 18, 4:15pm ICA

3rd of July

2009-09-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

A short film I wrote and directed in 2007.

Wah Do Dem - Free outdoor screening in Providence, RI Friday 8/28

2009-08-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Free Screening at Grant's Block (Corner of Westminster/Union St. Downtown)

Movie Starts at 8pm. Followed by Music from Sean Bones, and djing by Damien Ewens and Sammy Fleischner.