(Published by Zocalo Magazine on May 1, 2014.) All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the mid-‘80s and through the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Downtown was considered a schlumpy locale eschewed by seemingly many Tucsonans. It was the artists, musicians, the writers and photographers, galleries, bars, a handful of entrepreneurs, restaurants, long-established families, some smart investors and … [Read more...]
Ryanhood’s Return
(Published by Zocalo Magazine on April 5, 2014.) “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…” – Theodore Roosevelt After a couple of years of lying low due to music business and touring burn out, Tucson’s power-pop duo Ryanhood released a gorgeously melodic, folksy, acoustic guitar-driven 12-track disk at the end of 2013. The two 32-year-olds, Ryan Green and Cameron Hood, have scribed lilting songs on Start Somewhere that show a Zen … [Read more...]
A Light Parade, Old Pueblo Style
(Published by Zocalo Magazine on Dec. 1, 2013.) It is crazily popular. Tucsonans love this parade. It’s an eclectic, Old Pueblo eccentric glorious mishmash of goofy to serious entries – storm troopers meeting dog groups meeting accordion players meeting high school marching bands meeting church groups. There are local dignitaries in convertibles; car clubs, scooter clubs, motorcycle clubs; dance troupes, mariachi and folklorico groups. All of these various Tucsonans coming together … [Read more...]
Back to Basics
(Published by Zocalo Magazine on Nov. 11, 2013.) “Simple is harder than complicated,” reflects environmental engineering student Andrea F. Corral. Her cohort Vicky Karanikola agrees enthusiastically, “Yeah! Everything is so technologically advanced that you forget the simple. Our designs have to be simplified, they have to be simple to work.” These University of Arizona doctoral environmental engineering students are discussing the challenges of going back to basics, to help a village in … [Read more...]
The Chords You Need
(Published by Zocalo Magazine on May 11, 2013.) It’s a beautiful spring Saturday in the Sonoran Desert; birds are chirping, fruit blossoms are fragrantly blooming and “Electric Caribou” is dancing forth from the speakers. This is an afternoon with The Modeens; singer/guitarist/songwriter Jamie Laboz, bassist/singer/songwriter Cristina Williams and drummer Jeff Diday. Missing is keyboardist/harmonica/contributing singer/songwriter Dave Prival as the herpetologist is in Cali tracking a … [Read more...]