| The Buffalo News / Gusto Friday, November 28, 2003 Restless and wild ************************* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE musicians-united.com 5th release In an effort to capture and commemorate a significant slice of local original music history, www.musicians-united.com The new disc includes live performances from last fall’s Tralfamadore Café event by the Jumpers, Pauline and the Perils, the Stains, the Vores, Davy and the Crocketts, the Tourists/Third Floor Strangers, Lip Service, and the Method. As with the Tralfamadore event, the CD opens with three tracks from Terry Sullivan, Joe Bompczyk, and Bob James, who formed the nucleus of the Restless, one of Buffalo’s most popular original bands ever. At the height of its popularity in the mid-‘80s, the band released an LP on Polygram/Mercury Records and had a music video in medium rotation on MTV. To kick off the CD release, several of the bands from last year’s event will again appear Friday, November 28, 2003 at the MohawkPlace. The show begins at 10:30 p.m. Scheduled performers include: Terry Sullivan, Bob Kozak and friends; the Vores; David Myles Meinzer; the Maria Sebastian Trio; and Ministers of Love/Bob James. Other acts will be announced at a later time. "This CD makes a point," project director Bob James, said. "These bands sound better now than they did during that late ‘70s and early ‘80s Buffalo music scene. After previewing rough mixes of last year's reunion event, we felt we owed it to the bands and the community to make this great show available to everybody." www.musicians-united.com ************* The Buffalo News PUNK CUT: A CD RELEASE PARTY BRINGS By JEFF MIERS - News Rock Critic REVIEW WHAT: CD release party for "This Is It: Greater Buffalo's Greatest Hits, 1977-1984" WHEN: Thursday night WHERE: The Tralf The Tralf was packed with the cream of the crop of Buffalo rock 'n' roll Thursday as musicians-united.com celebrated the release of "This Is It," a two-CD retrospective of the Buffalo rock/punk/new wave scene between 1977 and 1984. The evening kicked off with a three-song set from Bob, Joe and Terry, an act consisting of the core unit that comprised the Restless, the band many feel bridged the gap between the '70s punk scene and the environment that would soon produce the Goo Goo Dolls and Ani DiFranco. The band, led by vocalist Terry Sullivan, guitarist Joe Bompczyk and guitarist/event coordinator Bob James, offered a scorching set -- consisting of "I Wanna Know," "In the City" and "It's Over" -- that brought the still-arriving crowd to its feet. Particularly notable was the blistering twin-guitar attack of Bompczyk and James, the soulful vocals of Sullivan and a dynamic rhythm section led by fill-in Howard Fleetwood Wilson, a man who many in the audience called the hardest-hitting drummer in Buffalo. Next came the Vores, a punky outfit whose lean, angular new-wave-meets-punk sound urged a number of attendees to hit the dance floor, pogoing as if the first Patti Smith Group record had just hit the shops. The Stains followed with a brave, adventurous set that found a brief history of the band's punky-pop being condensed into one continuous medley of edgy numbers; keys flowed together, attitude-heavy numbers morphed and the delighted audience offered audible support as the band cranked through an inspired set. "This is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time," said John Lombardo, guitarist and vocalist with 10,000 Maniacs and John and Mary, and a man extremely familiar with the '77-'84 scene. James followed with a solo acoustic version of the Third Floor Strangers favorite "Lorraine," which brought the crowd to its feet -- again. Next, guitarist Bob Kozak -- the man referred to by an area Atlantic Records representative as the best songwriter to come out of Buffalo, ever -- joined James for a power-pop-infused number. It's interesting to note that seven songs on the just-released "This Is It" CD -- an effort that might be seen as a primer in late '70s, early '80s Buffalo rock -- were penned by Kozak. An inspired set by the Method was given added weight by the appearance of former Pine Dogs vocalist Gretchen Schulz, who offered meaty rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, complementing animated leader Gary Zoldos. Pauline & the Perils took the stage next, and vocalist Pauline Digati urged the crowd to dance; they complied, and for the rest of the night -- long after the Perils finished their inspired punk-pop set -- the area in front of the stage was transformed into a dance floor full of pogoing rockers. The Jumpers filled the headliner spot, and excitement surrounding their three-song set was palpable throughout the evening. "The Jumpers were the most butt-kickin' band to ever come out of Buffalo," said Dave Olka, known back in the day as Friday Night Dave. "They sounded like the Beatles 'Paperback Writer' meets the Rolling Stones 'Jumpin Jack Flash.' " As the band played, the joint hopped; dancers who lined the perimeter of the stage raised their fists in the air as Sullivan led the group through a set of up-tempo, four-on-the-floor rockers that would've made the White Stripes, Hives and Strokes hang their heads in shame. As the band's set ended, many in the crowd exchanged numbers and made plans to catch the Jumpers next two reunion shows, which take place tonight and Saturday in Mohawk Place. In all, the evening was an inspiring one, as folks who had comprised one of the healthiest scenes in Buffalo rock history came out to kick it, in the process supporting a good cause. Criticisms? Well, it would have been nice to see Buffalo's present and previous generations of rockers in attendance; aside from Doombuggy guitarist Tyler Harrington, no representative of the next generation of Buffalo bands made their presence known. (For shame! How can we forge our future without offering props to our past?) All told, a riveting evening of teenage kicks. Yep, we got our ya-yas out. e-mail: jmiers@buffnews.com ******************** Benefit CD marks WNY's formative music years KEVIN J. HOSEY, Newsroom Director They may have started out just wanting to play music, but the class of 1977-1984 of Western New York musicians blazed a trail of legendary songs and band names, and appear to have spawned some top-selling acts. Celebrating many of these musicians as well as youth violence prevention, Musicians-united.com will present a multimedia release of the "THIS IS IT: greater buffalo's greatest 1977-1984" benefit CD at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Tralfamadore Cafe on Theatre Place in Buffalo. Tickets are $13 in advance and $17 the day of the show. The double-CD will feature 46 songs by the best of Western New York's early punk, new wave and rock scene, including released, unreleased and live songs. Organizing the project is Bob James, creative director of Musicians-united and a guitarist/singer in several of the bands, including the Edge, the Restless and Third Floor Strangers. The Future Leaders Network, the benefit program of Musicians-united.com, received a Civic Improvement Award April 30 from the National Civic League for building student leadership teams that use project skills to improve school safety, learning and relationships. It also won recognition from the White House Conference on School Safety in 1998 and 1999, the latter for its "War Is Over" CD and campaign for nonviolence. James discussed how the new CD started. "I've been thinking about this for a while," he said. "After the first benefit CD in 1999, I realized I still have a closet of material I haven't done anything with yet. "Among that was some material by the Restless and the Enemies, and the Enemies and Restless stuff, I think, sounds just as good as anything that was actually released," he added. "I was sitting on a lot of stuff I thought this area would appreciate hearing." Among the members of the Enemies is drummer Pete Secrist of Clarence. The band released an album, "Products of the Streets," and several singles, and after reforming about two years ago, released a new CD, "In the City." The Restless, with singer Terry Sullivan, guitarist Joe Bompczyk, James, bassist Guy Pelino of Clarence (Bompczyk and Pelino now with the Enemies) and drummer Frank Luciano, was first named the Edge; after the change, released an album on Mercury Records and had a video, "I Wanna Know," on MTV. The Goo Goo Dolls recorded a version of the Enemies' "Disconnected" on their multiplatinum "A Boy Named Goo" CD; a version by the Enemies appears on "This Is It." The CD started with James finding much old material at his residence as well as contacting two longtime musician friends, Dave Meinzer and Bernie Kugel. "They helped me with the whole vault of Buffalo College of Musical Knowledge (a prolific local record label), which was studio quality," he said. "It grew and became a much larger project than I expected. I met with Dave and Bernie and decided that if it was to be a single CD, it would have to be just of released material. But we have some really good unreleased and live material and some weird lineups. I have enough for three, four or five CDs." He explained the time period. "The beginning year, 1977-78, seemed to be when it really started, the international punk and new wave scene," James said. "It seemed that the era we started ended in the early 1980s; we could have extended it. By 1983-84, a lot of those bands had become other bands." The bands on "This Is It" are, in order of appearance: the Blue Reimondos, the Jumpers, Lip Service, Davy and the Crocketts, the Tourists, the Enemies, the Scooters, the Vores, Bob Kozak, Extra Cheese, the Good, the Toys, Third Floor Strangers, Pauline and the Perils, the Cobras, Detours, the Stains, Lou Rera, the Beez, the Method, the Edge, New Toys, the Throbs, the Jetsons, Moti, Bob James and the Restless, the Elements, Paper Faces, the Riddlers, the SplatCats and the Restless. Among the members were: Jerry Augustyniak of the Stains and Elements, originally from Sloan, who became the drummer for 10,000 Maniacs; Paul Roalsvig, formerly of Clarence, known as Yod Crewsy, who played guitar for the SplatCats and later for the Jack Lords and Dark Marbles; Jim Celeste of Amherst, Tom Fischer of Cheektowaga and Kevin McCue, formerly of Williamsville, who played drums, bass and guitar, respectively, for the Riddlers; the late Tim Switala of Amherst, drummer for Pauline and the Perils. Also, Dave Meinzer and Dave Zwink, singer/guitarist and drummer from Davy and the Crocketts, came from the Town of Tonawanda and graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School; Bob Dye, singer/guitarist from the Detours, is an East Aurora native; artist Gary Nickard of the Vores lives in Amherst; the Method singer Gary Zoldos lives in Cheektowaga. Photographer Biff Henrich, guitarist and singer with the Vores, will play with Nickard, Henrich's nephew, Scott Ryan from East Aurora and drummer Patrick Heyden of Kenmore at the show. "Scott, who is in Resident Trademark, is 13 1/2; he's my nephew and he won't freeze on stage," Henrich said. "He is the most mistake-free and he is the newest to the music." He noted that it was no coincidence that he and Nickard are now known best as artists. "All of us were going to art school when we started, in the department of photography at UB," Henrich, head of Keystone Film in Buffalo, said. The lineup for the Oct. 24 show is: James, Terry Sullivan, Joe Bompczyk and Fritz Van Leaven playing some Restless and Enemies songs opening, along with the Jumpers, `Pauline and the Perils, the Vores, the Riddlers, Davy and the Crocketts, Lip Service, the Stains/Elements, the Method and Third Floor Strangers. James discussed Tim Switala, the drummer for Pauline and the Perils and other bands, writer, graphic artist, promoter and producer, who died Oct. 11. "Tim's life campaign was to overturn the mundane with this creative internal cerebral motor that always ran in the red. Like Lennon, he had this rare capacity to see through and to the other side of things," he said. "He was the best essence of 'alternative' and seemed destined to prove that there is no box. "The now historic 1988 ``We Killed McKinley' Buffalo music compilation LP and Rockwell Hall showcase was a 100 percent Tim concept - irreverent, head turning and unexpected and it was the coolest thing we did with Maxwell Records. I wish he were here," he added. "As I've worked on this, I've seen a lot of the old articles he wrote. He always had some unique sense of how to market something to make it interesting; he was brilliant." Henrich also recalled Switala. "I was shocked; he wrote a nice, extensive article on the Vores for the Prodigal Sun," he said. "The last conversation I had with him was on the horror movie book he was writing." The local clubs and local recording studios the bands played at included McVan's, the Schuper House, Gabel's, the Continental, Harvey and Corky's Stage One, the Masthead, the Spectrum, Buffalo State College, the State University at Buffalo, Mark Recording Studios, the Loft Recording Studios, BCMK, Trackmaster, Select Sound, Maxwell Studios and Trelaine Records. The CD will be on sale for $13 at the Tralfamadore Cafe, Home of the Hits and New World Record, both on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, and at the Web site: www.musicians-united.com. Some of these bands will also play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25-26, at Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St., Buffalo: Oct. 25, the Jumpers, the Vores and In the Mirror at 11 p.m.; Oct. 26, the Jumpers, the Ministers of Love, the Evictors with Fred Mann and The New Chemistry at 8 p.m. Both shows are $7. ************************** Hit Parader Magazine Lyrically Speaking Angry. Confused. Happy and in love. Other than words - what do these expressions have in common? With all these emotions running free in our world today, why not collaborate your thoughts and hook'em into a composition? Huh? A song. Yes, that's right, a lyrical masterpiece. How hard can this achievement be anyway? ...Since we are on the subject of honoring great song writing, there's an inspirational compact disc from musicians-united called Liberation: War Is Over. This Buffalo-based disc features a handful of national recording artists from the Goo Goo Dolls to 10,000 Maniacs who have donated a track to promote safe schools and future leaders [network]. You can purchase this collection on their website at www.musicians-united.com. ************************ Musicians band together to oppose violence Musicians, artists, students and other Western New Yorkers have joined forces with best-selling musicians to promote anti-violence in schools and elsewhere. The CD and anti-violence effort also includes a short recorded comment of the late John Lennon and has been endorsed by his widow, Yoko Ono. Both James and Davis pointed to the endorsement Yoko Ono gave to the project, as well as the use of a clip of John Lennon speaking of continuing to work for peace instead of giving in to apathy. James appears several ways on the CD, having co-written, sung and played guitar on “War Is Over,” wrote, sang and played guitar on “Wisconsin Skies” by the Ministers of Love and wrote, plays guitar and sings backup on the re-recording of “Blood,” a song he previously recorded with the Rain, with Maria Sebastian now singing lead. Geoffrey Fitzhugh Perry, who grew up in Lancaster, plays violin on “America” with the AWS Strings and voices, “America the Beautiful” with the AWS Strings and on “Blood,” and also plays strings on “Wisconsin Skies.” © 2001 Kevin Hosey / The Bee Group Newspapers ***************************************** BUFFALO NEWS - JULY 27TH, 2001 GUSTO REVIEWS - CD for a cause WAR IS OVER Bob James remembers the dread at reading the first line in lawyers' note: "Please be advised we represent Yoko Ono." James was putting together "Liberation," the second CD in his "War Is Over" project that works to end youth violence, and had contacted Ono for permission to use a John Lennon voice clip. His apprehension became elation when he realized the letter was permission to use the clip. It was a turning point for a project that was on its way to earning support from an impressive list of national acts. The 20-track "Liberation" CD contains songs, some previously released, from the Indigo Girls, Patti Smith, Nils Lofgren and the Goo Goo Dolls, in addition to Buffalo-based musicians and students. James said everyone he asked was willing to help. Tonight's [tuesday's, July 31st] CD release concert includes performances by James, Alison Pipitone, Maria Sebastian, LeeRon Zydeco and Gary Zoldos, who all appear on the benefit album. The idea for the "War Is Over" campaign for non-violence came to James through Lennon's messages of peace and goodwill. James wanted to bring awareness, and hopefully a solution, to the growing violence he sees in schools as a trainer in educational reform and director of Future Schools Network. CD sales and related merchandise support the network, a state-recognized model for student leadership training that increases school safety. The original 1999 recording showcased 21 tracks by area musicians and was followed by a concert and series of awareness-raising activities. James said the initial idea was good, but lacked the wide, national scope that may help bring the new disc more attention. Those who donated their talents said they were pleased to be involved. "Bob's doing a good thing by bringing attention to this problem. It's a great effort to make people aware of how important it is to get things under control before we get into trouble," said Gary Mallaber, a Buffalo native whose vast resume includes work with Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison and Steve Miller. His new band, In From the Cold, contributed the song "It Might Appear" to the compilation. Robbie Konikoff of Audio Magic Studios recalled the day James approached him. "He told me he had a terrible feeling we would start seeing violence in schools - that was two days before Columbine. He got my immediate attention." Most of the songs were worked on in some way - recording, mixing, mastering - at Audio Magic, where studio time and skills were donated by Konikoff and Dave St. Onge. Konikoff said the cause was so important, he had no choice but to get involved. "I just had to do this, and I'm thankful that I had the opportunity. Our door is always open to worthwhile causes for younger people. We have to be involved in these issues because they are so important," Konikoff said. "I've spent many years watching the importance of music and creation of music and how much it can make a difference for younger people." Musician Ron "LeeRon Zydeco" Davis worked on what could be considered "It's a timeless song. The way Emmi sang it juxtaposed her innocence against the heavy philosophical load Lennon was carrying," Davis said. "I think Lennon would have liked it." WHAT: CD release party featuring Bob James, Alison Pipitone, Maria Sebastian, LeeRon Zydeco and Gary Zoldos WHEN: 9 p.m. tuesday july 31st} WHERE: Crocodile Bar, 88 W. Chippewa INFO: 853-2762 ********* BUFFALO NEWS - July 10, 2001 NEXT MAGAZINE A CD for peace By KATIE BAYNES - NeXt Correspondent - 7/10/01 It's not OK. All of the turmoil that has touched our nation - the violence, the shootings, the rage from children directed at peers and themselves - is not OK, but it can get better. Local musicians have united in a "War is Over" campaign for non-violence, recently releasing a second compilation CD titled "Liberation: War Is Over." It features performances by local talents such as the Goo Goo Dolls, Ani DiFranco, 10,000 Maniacs and In From the Cold and includes a sound clip introduction from John Lennon. One of the 20 tracks, "Last Colorado Sunrise," is a contribution from Hallie Clarke, an Orchard Park High School senior who wrote and performs the piece, dedicated to students at Columbine High School. Gary Zoldos, a project organizer and featured artist on the CD, says safety in schools was a top priority in the making of this CD. He views music as a deterrent to violence. "If a kid has two hands on a guitar, he can't pick up a gun," says Zoldos. Other acts include Willie Nile, Patti Smith, Nick Distefano, Maria Sebastian, Ministers of Love, Nils Lofgren, Alison Pipitone, Indigo Girls and Lee Ron Zydeco. "I'm hopeful that the songs I write and record in some small way help to spread a feeling of good will toward men and women on the planet," said Willie Nile. "War is Over" can be purchased at Media Play, Borders and New World Record. Find more information at www.musicians-united.com. Katie Baynes is a senior at Williamsville East High School. © 2001 The Buffalo News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 6, 2001 CONTACT INFORMATION: Ron Davis 716-835-9014 Musicians-United Kicks off National Release of With participation of national recording artists, this project supports youth leadership team training programs in New York State as a proactive model for violence prevention BUFFALO, NY – Musicians-United, a Buffalo-based alliance of national musical artists, announces the national kick-off of their “Liberation: war is over” awareness campaign and release of their 20-song compilation CD that features contributions from leading recording artists such as the Goo Goo Dolls, Ani DiFranco, Willie Nile, 10,000 Maniacs, Indigo Girls, Nils Lofgren, Patti Smith and Gary Mallaber. Also appearing on the Buffalo-produced CD are regional artists Alison Pipitone, Maria Sebastian, Ministers of Love, Gary Zoldos, Nick Distefano and LeeRon Zydeco. The CD, featuring a spoken sound clip by John Lennon and a version of his song “Imagine,” has received the endorsement and support of Yoko Ono. The official announcement of the national campaign and CD release will be held at a music jam event at the Crocodile Bar on Chippewa on Tuesday, July 31st, 2001, from 9 - 12 pm. Featured performers at the show will be: Alison Pipitone, Maria Sebastian, LeeRon Zydeco, Gary Zoldos, Bob James and surprise musical guests. Opening the evening’s agenda at 9:00 PM will be a brief outline of the Musicians-United mission by founder Bob James, a team leader and musician who is Director of the Future Leaders Network. The non-profit organization designs proactive violence prevention programming and is currently active in five counties throughout NewYork State. The Future Leaders program engages students in adventure-based challenges, wilderness survival teambuilding, and focus groups on school safety that help to reduce risk and promote healthy choices. “The purpose of the event is to create awareness of our ‘War is Over’ campaign and CD and the effectiveness of youth leadership and team training programs in teaching kids the proactive, creative thinking skills they need to face problems such as intolerance and school violence,” says Mr. James. “I work on the front lines and see the power of this type of programming and the value it brings in changing a school’s culture. School violence is not due to a lack of metal detectors. Tolerance, understanding and a team spirit comes from youth & staff development and empowering students as leaders. We want to invite others to join our growing roster of artists and supporters in promoting grassroots social change.” (Additional details on the programs can be found at www.futureleadersnetwork.org.) Musicians-United was established as a dedicated fund-raising arm for the Future Leaders Network program, which is primarily funded by State and Federal Grants. The “Liberation:War is Over” CD campaign is the first in a series of initiatives planned by Musicians-United. The organization is a non-profit alliance of artists and citizens whose mission is to create and deliver innovative multi-media events and solutions that promote social change. ************* The New York Times - April 24, 2001 ``Liberation: War Is Over,'' which was produced in Buffalo, is the follow-up to 1999's ``War Is Over -- Musicians United for Safe Schools.'' Last Friday's release date coincides with the second anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colo., in which 13 people were gunned down by two students. The CD also includes songs by the Indigo Girls, E Street Band member Nils Lofgren and Patti Smith. On the Net: Web site: http://www.musicians-united.com. ******************* Ani DiFranco And Goo Goo Dolls Contribute To Anti-School-Violence CD (4/24/01, 6 p.m. ET) -- Buffalo, New York natives Ani DiFranco and the Goo Goo Dolls have spearheaded a hometown-produced compilation CD that was released last week to commemorate the second anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings. The 20-song disc, Liberation: War Is Over, is the second in the series of War Is Over discs backed by John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. Ono also supported the first disc, War Is Over--Musicians United For Safe Schools, which was an effort to promote awareness of school violence in the wake of the April 20 incident in which 13 teenagers were gunned down at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Proceeds from the album are earmarked for a New York State student leadership training program, which has shown to reduce violence in public schools. Also appearing on the disc are the Indigo Girls, E-Street Band member Nils Lofgren, Patti Smith, 10,000 Maniacs, and various regional acts. -- Darren Davis, New York ********************** Associated Press - April 20, 2001 Goo Goo Dolls, Ani Difranco, 10,000 Maniacs appear on benefit CD Buffalo, NY (AP) The Goo Goo Dolls, Ani Difranco, 10,000 Maniacs and others appear on a new CD released Friday to benefit safe school and youth leadership programs in the state. The CD, produced in Buffalo and called “Liberation: war is over,” is a follow-up to the 1999 CD: “War is Over - musicians united for safe schools." The release date coincides with the second anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colo., in which two students killed twelve others and a teacher before killing themselves. Among others appearing are the Indigo Girls, E Street Band member Nils Lofgren, Patti Smith and Willie Nile. Three tracks on the 20-song disc are contributions from Buffalo area students, including one written and performed by Orchard Park High School senior Hallie Clarke and dedicated to the students at Columbine. Entitled “Last Colorado Sunrise,” the song was produced in Nashville by Rick Vito, who has played guitar for Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. On the Net: www.musicians-united.com ********************* for immediate release April 20, 2001 Goo Goo Dolls, Ani Difranco Appear Buffalo, NY A national CD to benefit safe school and youth leadership programs in New York State is being released on April 20th, the second anniversary of the school violence tragedy in Littleton, Colorado. Appearing on the CD are Goo Goo Dolls, Ani Difranco, Indigo Girls, E Street Band member Nils Lofgren, Patti Smith, 10,000 Maniacs, Willie Nile, and drummer Gary Mallaber’s new band In From The Cold, along with several regional acts including Alison Pipitone and Lee Ron Zydeco. Three tracks on the 20 song disc are contributions from local students, one written and performed by Orchard Park High School senior Hallie Clarke and dedicated to the students at Columbine High School. Entitled “Last Colorado Sunrise”, the song was produced in Nashville by Rick Vito (guitarist with Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne and others). The locally produced CD is called: Liberation: war is over. Information is available on the website: www.musicians-united.com, a national alliance based in the Greater Buffalo area. Sales of the CD and related merchandise support a state recognized model for student leadership training that increases school safety. Future Leaders Network is a regionally based project that recently received a $75,000 grant from the New York State Education Department to provide programs at a number of schools in Buffalo seen to be at risk for violence. The current release is a follow-up to the 1999 CD War is Over - musicians united for safe schools, that came to the attention of Yoko Ono who is providing support for the current release. Contact: Bob James, Project Manager, * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * January 28, 2000 WAR IS OVER RECOGNIZED Buffalo News - Toni Ruberto The Buffalo-based "War is Over: Campaign for NonViolence and Musicians United for Safe Schools" continues to gain national momentum. The War is Over website (www.WarisOver.org) has recently been added as a link to the Yoko Ono (www.instantkarma.com) and Willie Nile (www.willienile.com) home pages and to www.GandhiKing.com, which promotes the lessons of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Gibson/Epiphone is donating two John Lennon-style guitars; one will be autographed by national music names and auctioned on eBAY to benefit the cause. Last spring [March 1999], the campaign released the "War is Over" compilation CD featuring music by 21 regional acts. In December, the www.BuffaloSafeSchools.org website was launched, and an enhanced CD is due in mid-April with concerts and school-based community events planned to raise awareness and funds for school programs that reduce the risk of violence. ********************** March 1999 WAR IS OVER CD Benefits Non-Violence SUNY College @ Buffalo THE RECORD During the second annual Season For Nonviolence, the Center of the Living Word in Clarence and Rita Eisenbeis, principal of the Lorraine Academy School 72, brought Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Arun Gandhi, to the Buffalo area to continuespreading his grandfather’s message of nonviolence. The Season For Nonviolence joins together more than 400 organizations, such as theCenter, the United States Foundation and the United Nations, in a globallyunified grassroots movement to commemorate the assassination anniversaries of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., who were killed 51 and 31 years ago,respectively. Gandhiand King practiced and preached nonviolent lifestyles. The Season For Nonviolence, held from January 30 to April 4, uses events such as Arun’s visit to promote peaceful solutions to potentially violent problems. Arun visited several schools, including the Franklin Middle School inKenmore on March 12 and the Frederick Law Olmstead School 56 on March 15. He also spoke at the Williamsville Meeting House on March 14 where Bob James,local musician and director of Future Schools Network, performed John Lennon’s“Imagine” before Arun’s speech. James said that he hadn’t heard about the Season For Nonviolence or their work when his mind spawned the idea of blending his experience in the fields of music and education by putting together a compact disc featuring area musicians, called“War Is Over: A Campaign For Nonviolence,” to benefit safe school programs for Buffalo public schools. “After I decided to put the ‘Campaign For Nonviolence’ on the CD, I found out thatGandhi’s grandson was coming to town two weeks before our event was kicked off to talk about the exact same issue.” James said, “It was like synchronicity.” The“War Is Over” CD release party will be held at 7 p.m. on April 3 at the Tralfamadore Café. Performing will bethe Steam Donkeys, the Jazzabels and James’ bands, Ministers of Love and 7thSon, who reunited for the project. The CD gathers together 19 local musicians, including Redheaded Stepchild, MichaelOliver and the Gretchen Schultz, along with four Grover Cleveland high school students. In conjunction with the CD release, James said that a series of awareness-raising activities, including an appearance on March 26 on “AM Buffalo” with Arun and feature concerts, will be held throughout the year to continue the concept ofthe Season For Nonviolence. James saidthat the idea for “War Is Over” came to him while he listened to the John Lennon anthology in December of 1998. “WhileI was listening, I came up with the idea and I decided to call it ‘War Is Over’after the billboard John and Yoko hung in Times Square that said, ‘War is over, if you want it,’” James said. “I remembered how he used his celebrity to speak out against war, and I wanted people to recall the ‘60s, when music was a social force and communities weremore involved in issues.” The money raised will be used to introduce and maintain programs, such as peer mentoring and mediation, improved tracking programs of student behavior patterns and town meetings with parents. “The peer mediation groups are important because sometimes, without realizing it, ateacher will osculate a situation,” said Alison Pipitone, who contributed a newly-recorded acoustic track to the disc called, “First Time.” “There needs to be someone who speaks younger people’s language.” James said that Future Schools Network, in partnership with local leaders and citizens, will try to define what connects with students on an individuallevel. “We want to really engage the students in different methods ofself-expression. Then they’re going tohave something that attracts them into staying in school and trying to achievesomething,” James said. “If we try to forceall the kids into a standard box of performance, then you’re not reallyrecognizing how uniquely individual these kids are.” James said that he believes one of the biggest problems with some of the violence prevention programs stem from not working on root causes of violence. “You can talk about schools having a zero tolerance for violence to solve conflicts,but unless we own up to the fact that society doesn’t practice that theory,we’re not going to move forward.” He said, “Problems need to be worked out by having input from the individual, their family, their school and their community. We need to really get the message out there that our society practices violence on a daily basis. If you look at the newspaper, you see stories about violence in the schools and how it won’t be tolerated, and then right next to that story, you’ll see something about how we’re bombing Iraq, how it’s acceptable to solve problems with violence.” James also said that he would like to bring Musicians United for Superior Education programs into more area schools. Geoff Perry of Fitzhugh and the Fanatics said that he joined the project because he supports the efforts of groups such as M.U.S.E. “Kids need all the help they can get,” he said. “Music is the best way to reach kids and have a positive impact on them." Perry said that the track he contributed to the project, “Seventh Heaven,” deals with being persistent in order to make dreams become a reality. He teaches music at the Frontier school systems, the Waldorf International School, and he gives private lessons. He also has written a book titled, “Teaching Fiddlejam: The Book” and plans on releasing his second Fanatics disc on Hot Wings in early summer. Hot Wings will also distribute the “War Is Over” disc. Kilissa McGoldrick Cissoko, art administrator of M.U.S.E. and member of the Jazzabels, said that when James came to her with this project, she had been familiar with the large amount of need for artistic and creative outlets in the schools. “Bob had a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge,” she said. “I like his community approach. What we have to do is become involved and ask ourselves, ‘What are wedoing to create safe schools?’ We can’tsit around and ask, ‘What are the schools doing for us?’” Cissokosaid that M.U.S.E. teaches culturally diverse music and dance traditions, which help young people to learn about other cultures and achieve personal, social and academic skills. Cissoko and Jazzabel partner Cathy Carfagna furnished James with an acoustic piece, “LittleBird,” which has been previously released on their CD “Skyway.” Cissoko plays bamboo flute and Carfagnasings and plays acoustic slide guitar. While some of the songs on the disc don’t deal directly with the message of nonviolence, Mark Freeland’s “Fighting’s A Drag Because You Wreck Your New Clothes” being a notable exception, most of them focus on larger themes, suchas persistence, hope and empowerment. Redheaded Stepchild offered James a studio version of their arrangement of Memphis Minnie’s “Down In The Alley” for the project. Vocalist Kathryn Koch said “The blues empowers people and it has always been about overcoming adversity. ‘Down In The Alley’ expresses the inspiring voice of a strong woman from another era.” Koch said that she considers herself lucky to have been able to attend School 56 and the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts. “There wasn’t a lot of the problems that some city schools have. I wanted to do something that would help out those schools.” A campaign guidebook, which profiles the artists on the CD, along with their stories of nonviolence, will also be released on April 3. © march 1999 donia clark |