Whetzel does it live...

I Have a Secret (Palmwine Guitar) :: Oh Yeah! (Throat Singing)
Run Time: 3min 09sec :: 1min 52sec
Creator's Page: Directed and shot by gALLIxSEE::media:: with second camera work by the lovely Greg of Innermission Online Additional Information: Music Performed by James Whetzel of Funketabla

James’ West African Palmwine style guitar song “I Have A Secret:


Six beats translated into throat sung “oh yeahs”:


It's so much more fun to watch when it's live... James did his last show in Seattle before heading on a cross-country road trip at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Greg of Innermission and myself were on hand to capture every last bit of his strange and wonderful brand of musical delights. And check that backdrop- someone asked me if that was CGI- ha!

Be sure to take a peek at the new Funketabla website. James is now on the road and has been posting vlog entries of his trip there. He bought a little point and shoot still camera with video capabilities and is having a good ol' time with it. Check it out
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A lil' Tabla Poetry for Ya, babe...

Dhagenatin/If You Find One (Tabla Poetry #1)
Run Time: 1min 0sec
Creator's Page: This is another video collaboration between gALLIxSEE::media:: (me!) and James Whezel of Funketabla.com


***Click to Play!!!***


James Whetzel and I have a lot of fun with our collaborations. This one was shot in a day on location in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. It happened to be snowing that day. Unprotected bald heads and snow make for quite a bit of cursing and hilarity. I'm not normally one to laugh at others' pain, but this was just funny (you have to watch the video all the way through to know what I'm referencing here).

James called me just after Christmas to tell me he wanted to make this video. He had performed his tabla poetry compositions for a group at a Christmas party and the response was quite positive. We chose quintessential Seattle locations and backgrounds for this video: Lakeview Cemetery (where we shot the snow scene), Volunteer Park Conservatory, and paintings/sculptures from Seattle Artists Francis Celantano and Parks Anderson, respectively.

If you're wondering what exactly Tabla Poetry is, James explains it like this:

"What it is is putting English words to the rhythms of tabla compositions. First there is a simple gat (tabla composition) and then an English poem set to the melody and rhythm of the gat."

I've included the lyrics in the image below. Whaddya think? Tabla Poetry #2 will be in production in March... and it looks to be even more interesting than #1... we're shooting on location at the Seattle Center with a cast and full run of the grounds. And I even get a PA this time! Hooray! Stay tuned...

::Blessings (and laughter) for the New Year::

A New Years Blessing (Sarod Lang Syne) ::&:: New Years (By Ze Frank)
Run Time: 1min 04sec :: 2min 54 sec
Creator's Page: New Years Blessing is by me, Alli of gALLIxSEE::media:: with music performed by James Whetzel of Funketabla. New Years created by Ze Frank, of The Show infamy...




Well, 2007 is indeed upon us. And the time has come to make those dreaded resolutions, eh? I guess I'm already a bit ahead of the game, since I've been making my resolutions every day, year round. heheh. Naw, I'm making my list of what I want to change this year like all the rest of y'all. One of those goals is to produce more original video for the sake of my sanity and creative outlet. The one above that you (hopefully) just watched is just such a project: it's a collaboration between myself and mister James Whetzel. We shot all of the performance footage in the last three days and I collaged it with some of the highlights from my trip to India and Thailand this past spring. A sort of year in review, if you will.

What's that? You want to know the rest of my intentions for 2007? Oh alright. In 2007 I'm going to:
* Produce at least one new, original video every month (yay!)
* Make at least one pod for Current TV (I know, I know...)
* Get the Smiling Flower series up and running
* Practice yoga every day
* Travel to at least 7 new countries (hey, it's 2007, right?!)
* Buy a new camera (ooooh I've been eying the new Canon Hx-A1)
* Be great~full for all that I have, in each and every day.
* Laugh more and bring laughter to others

Of course, good ol' Ze Frank is lightyears ahead of me on the last one. Here's a piece he did in the spirit of New Year's that's sure to inspire smiles and smug nods all around: