Myths; Visions; Journeys and Heights of PASSION- Part II
(Tango-ing in Toronto, The Hulk Meets Atlas and Sasha Lazard gets the Pendulum to FLY!!!)

When I last wrote about these three hot fusion acts… they were just on the brink of bringing the world to our living rooms with passion, fusion, rhythm and style. Then, I took a little holiday from my hectic NYC life for some R & R in Canada.

I went to Toronto for a little music north of the border and got struck by the whirling heels of the Gotan Project. Literally right off the plane, upon entering my boutique-y hotel lobby, the sounds of “Santa Maria” were pulsing about me! Torontonians were tango-ing behind me in the downstairs lounge and the party was in full swing. Up in my hotel room playing on TV, was a popular gay-themed pay cable hit show (filmed in Toronto), and the same tune was beating in the background. Hitting a few clubs along my vacation up north (as well as back here in NY later in the week)… the same (both in original and re-mix forms). It seems the world has discovered Gotan. Rock-on, tango! Rock on, Gotan! Mix-on DJ’s. There has to be at least five re-mixes I have heard so far. I am now in dire need of a few new dance lessons and higher heels.

OK. So a few days later, I walk outside into the unbearable New York summer heat and the unavoidable reminders of this Big Superhero Movie Phenomenon called “The Hulk”… literally everywhere I go, “The Hulk.” Only, the news is not just about the man in green… Apparently, the soundtrack is making headlines as well!

“Danny Elfman's best score! Ever! Oh my God! This has to be Danny Elfman's best film score to date! … Oh and what about the vocals of Natacha Atlas! whoa!! (Listen to Captured and The Truth Revealed) … When I saw the movie and heard a female voice in the music, I was trying to recognize it… it's... Natacha Atlas! The Egyptian woman! That made the movie even better for me! I love her music and I'm so glad Mr. Lee chose someone from an Arab background, especially with what's going on today. Let "The Hulk" show the world how good we are when we work together. Like Natacha Atlas once said... the fact remains that racism is world-wide and endemic, but probably one of the main things to be done is to promote multicultural and intercultural relations in the very young, as this awareness will permeate into society, and cultural differences will not become an issue. Yes, by all means continue! Make ART for PEACE!!!! Good job Mr. Lee, Mr. Elfman, and Ms. Atlas!”

Yes, I am a writer (LC)… But I could not do better than this – you go “Korben” from Langhorne, Pennsylvania and Natacha!!! SOURCE: Amazon.com and Natacha Atlas

Brings me back to my opera sista, Sasha Lazard. As you know, I have gotten to know Sasha quite well. In doing so, I couldn’t help but get closer to her as she is just the sweetest, most charming talent I’ve met in a long time. So, in hanging with her, I learned of some of her travels and performances. I asked her to submit some performance tapes to me… then, YO! She gives me a performance she had done with “The Pendulum Flyers” (www.pendulumdancetheatre.org). Lord! Unbelievable. Beautiful. Fuse together the soaring vocals of Sasha Lazard and these airborne angels and you have got an audio/visual fantasy... Indescribable by words or two-dimensional pictures alone… I said to her, THIS has to be shown to an audience. So, a video is being made as we speak. All I can say is… LOOKOUT for a new, hot, performance-based “Ode To Innocence – Aerial Version (featuring the Pendulum Flyers)” coming to a TV screen near you. This sizzling, sexy new video will literally send you spinning, have you smiling and make you want to rig up some sort of jungle gym thing to swing from your ceiling; while playing Sasha’s Myth of Red CD in the background.

Don’t tell mama I told you to do this though- you are on your own! And… don’t be upset if you are not as graceful as Suzie Kenney and her troupe of Flyers, these guys are serious dancers and have the rhythm, beauty and timing of, well… a Pendulum.

Yup, the trend continues. Great talent does have lasting power. When you base music on the classics or world sounds then add fun and funky layers of rhythms, exotic instruments, electronica and trip-hop or play in whatever way... You can come up with new classics. That’s Entertainment. The moral again is always maintain the ultimate feeling when experiencing or creating any and all music… PASSION.

Don’t forget, you found all three beautiful fusion acts on TR!O. popular, culture, tv. And as always… you ROCK for watching!

The End… maybe ;o … x.LC • www.triotv.com • www.lenachen.com