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By Thaai Walker
It’s a Monday afternoon and Kareem Chadley, 25, is in the sultry studio spinning tracks for his hip-hop Web radio show. The Japanese peace activists have just arrived for their tour. And a couple of high school students outfitted in oversized T-shirts and baggy shorts just walked through the door, each hoping for a coveted spot in a program designed to help them become tomorrow’s broadcasters. It’s just another day at Youth Radio, the award-winning media outlet that has been turning Bay Area teenagers into young radio DJs, reporters and commentators since 1992.
Having made its home in Berkeley for nearly 15 years, Youth Radio is uprooting and moving to Oakland. Unlike its raw and funky Berkeley space on University Avenue, the new downtown digs at 1701 Broadway will be a spacious and polished state-of-the-art facility.
“There’s going to be a lot of synergy in that area with all of the music venues and theaters,” says McCrae Adams Parker, director of youth development and training. “We’re really happy to be in the mix there contributing and vibing off that energy.’’
More than 10,000 young people have gotten their first taste of the media through Youth Radio, which trains youngsters ages 14 to 24 in
broadcast journalism, music recording and engineering, video production and graphic design and Web production. Advanced training, college prep and career assistance are also offered.
Claiming to reach more than 27 million listeners every month through public and commercial outlets, including its own Web station and National Public Radio, the nonprofit offers news stories and heartfelt commentaries on topics ranging from immigration to same-sex marriage to emerging music movements.
But it’s not all about broadcasting at Youth Radio. Some of the kids who have walked through the door were in danger of not graduating high school but did, “after catching fire here,’’ says broadcast training director Jason Valerio. Many go on to careers in journalism, and others end up returning to Youth Radio as adults to help a new generation bring its voice to the airwaves.
“I’ve met great people,’’ says 17-year-old Lauren James. “And I’ve learned to be confident in myself and to speak on what I feel.’’
Youth Radio streams online at www.youthradio.org. Shows produced by Youth Radio can be heard on KQED-FM, 88.5; KPFA-FM, 94.1; KCBS-AM, 740; KISQ-FM, 98.1; and KLOK-AM, 1170. Listeners can also download shows via iTunes at www.apple.com/itunes/. For more information, call (510) 841-5123.
Swingin' Sistahs
Ellen Seeling wants change. The veteran trumpet player and musical director of the Montclair Women’s Big Band can’t stand seeing “kick-ass women players” without the opportunities and re
cognition they deserve, merely because they are female. “I’m tired of having people assume I’m not as good as everyone else. So is every other woman player I know,” says Seeling, who has played and recorded music professionally for more than 30 years.Seeling and saxophonist Jean Fineberg founded the Montclair Women’s Big Band in 1998, and they call it a political move. The goal? Increase exposure, foster community and find work for about 20 of the best female musicians they know. Even though the freelance musicians don’t plan on making a living through the band (they all play in several), Fineberg says the group has become “wildly successful.” For drummer Kelly Fasman, it means more than activism and great soloists. “We have a great time when we play together,” she says.
The band released its first CD—an album full of superb jazz standards—in 2005 and has played nearly 100 gigs since its conception. And, Seeling says, the band is only becoming bigger, better and funkier. “We’re not going anywhere,” she says.
On Nov. 8, they’ll swing it at the Great American Music Hall as part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival, which boasts a big-name playbill, including Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane’s wife, Alice, and son, Ravi. For more information about the festival and other upcoming shows, visit www.montclairwomensbigband.com.
—Christopher Danzig
This is such a critical season for the Golden State Warriors: Frustrations are mounting. Reputations are at stake. Jobs are on the line.
The pressure to end a streak of 12 consecutive years missing the NBA Playoffs is intense, fueled by performance guarantees from team members. Shooting guard Jason Richardson, the team’s best player, pledges this will be the year the Warriors crash the postseason party. Point guard Baron Davis, the team leader, vows to take his game to a new level, maintaining the pedestal the team placed him on when it gave him the keys to the franchise just over a season ago. Former Warriors great Chris Mullin—now the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations—swears he’ll resurrect the franchise he once carried. “We’re optimistic about winning more games,” Mullin says. “That’s what we’re all about. It’s going to happen.”
Now it’s time to play ball. Here are two things to watch for this season:
1. Baron Davis’ Health
It’s been four years since he’s played a full season. Last year, a severe ankle sprain cost him 26 games, which killed the Warriors’ chances. The Warriors are a dynamic team when Davis is healthy and playing his best; they won’t have a shot if he’s not.
2. Monta Ellis’ Growth
Though he didn’t get regular playing time until late in the season, Ellis had a surprisingly productive rookie campaign‚ especially considering he was fresh out of high school. He played so well the Warriors are banking on him to be a star of the future. It will be interesting to see how he responds to responsibility and expectations.
Golden State Warriors Preview
This is such a critical season for the Golden State Warriors: Frustrations are mounting. Reputations are at stake. Jobs are on the line.
The pressure to end a streak of 12 consecutive years missing the NBA Playoffs is intense, fueled by performance guarantees from team members. Shooting guard Jason Richardson, the team’s best player, pledges this will be the year the Warriors crash the postseason party. Point guard Baron Davis, the team leader, vows to take his game to a new level, maintaining the pedestal the team placed him on when it gave him the keys to the franchise just over a season ago. Former Warriors great Chris Mullin—now the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations—swears he’ll resurrect the franchise he once carried. “We’re optimistic about winning more games,” Mullin says. “That’s what we’re all about. It’s going to happen.”
Now it’s time to play ball. Here are two things to watch for this season:
1. Baron Davis’ HealthIt’s been four years since he’s played a full season. Last year, a severe ankle sprain cost him 26 games, which killed the Warriors’ chances. The Warriors are a dynamic team when Davis is healthy and playing his best; they won’t have a shot if he’s not.
2. Monta Ellis’ GrowthThough he didn’t get regular playing time until late in the season, Ellis had a surprisingly productive rookie campaign‚ especially considering he was fresh out of high school. He played so well the Warriors are banking on him to be a star of the future. It will be interesting to see how he responds to responsibility and expectations.
—Marcus W. Thompson II
When Oakland-based metalworker Miya Ando Stanoff was 5, her father, who had a hobby of tinkering with old cars, introduced her to welding. “I remember thinking that it looked like fireworks,” she says. “I was totally enthralled.”
Now in her early 30s, Stanoff uses the metal-finishing techniques she first learned as a little girl to make two-dimensional artwork. She sands, grinds, welds and brazes, applying layers of powdered metals, acid etchings and lacquers onto canvases of industrial steel panels that range in size from 2-foot to 8-foot squares. “I work on lots of different pieces at once, and that’s only because it a very physical process,” says Stanoff, who carries only 100 pounds on her 5-foot-4-inch frame. “I’m not a muscle beast. I don’t fit the general demographic description of a metal worker.”
Stanoff, who is a descendent of Japanese sword makers, grew up in a rural community in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and spent summers at a Buddhist temple in Okayama, Japan, where her mother’s family lives. In 1998, while enrolled in an East Asian Studies master’s program at Yale Univeristy, Stanoff decided to leave academia behind and pursue art full time, using abstract concepts of Buddhism and Bay Area scenery (i.e., fog, water and city skylines) as inspiration for her work. “I wanted to roll up my sleeves and bang on metal,” says Stanoff, who apprenticed with a metal worker in Japan and developed her craft at metal fabrication shops around Oakland and through “kitchen stove” experiments.
Since 2002, Stanoff has shown more than 100 pieces, which range in price from $1,500 to $6,000, at galleries in Oakland, San Francisco, New York City and Japan. “I have a lot more to say,” says Stanoff. “I just want the pieces to get bigger and bigger.”
See more of her work and learn about upcoming exhibits at www.miyaandostanoff.com.
ABOUT AN ARTIST
Woman of Steel
When Oakland-based metalworker Miya Ando Stanoff was 5, her father, who had a hobby of tinkering with old cars, introduced her to welding. “I remember thinking that it looked like fireworks,” she says. “I was totally enthralled.”Now in her early 30s, Stanoff uses the metal-finishing techniques she first learned as a little girl to make two-dimensional artwork. She sands, grinds, welds and brazes, applying layers of powdered metals, acid etchings and lacquers onto canvases of industrial steel panels that range in size from 2-foot to 8-foot squares. “I work on lots of different pieces at once, and that’s only because it a very physical process,” says Stanoff, who carries only 100 pounds on her 5-foot-4-inch frame. “I’m not a muscle beast. I don’t fit the general demographic description of a metal worker.”
Stanoff, who is a descendent of Japanese sword makers, grew up in a rural community in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and spent summers at a Buddhist temple in Okayama, Japan, where her mother’s family lives. In 1998, while enrolled in an East Asian Studies master’s program at Yale Univeristy, Stanoff decided to leave academia behind and pursue art full time, using abstract concepts of Buddhism and Bay Area scenery (i.e., fog, water and city skylines) as inspiration for her work. “I wanted to roll up my sleeves and bang on metal,” says Stanoff, who apprenticed with a metal worker in Japan and developed her craft at metal fabrication shops around Oakland and through “kitchen stove” experiments.
Since 2002, Stanoff has shown more than 100 pieces, which range in price from $1,500 to $6,000, at galleries in Oakland, San Francisco, New York City and Japan. “I have a lot more to say,” says Stanoff. “I just want the pieces to get bigger and bigger.”
See more of her work and learn about upcoming exhibits at www.miyaandostanoff.com.
—Sarah Thurmond
Emerging Oakland Acts
As Oaklanders, we have bragging rights to some of the most respected names in the music industry. And, our musical offspring—from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Green Day to MC Hammer—is as diverse as our community. The next generation of Oakland bands holds just as much range and promise. Here’s a look at five Oakland acts on their way up:
Each member of this all-star cast has had solo success, and together they create music reminiscent of ’60s gypsy pop. The band recently had a song (“City of Love”) on the Bewitched soundtrack and is currently being courted by Capitol Records execs. Don’t be surprised if you hear them on the radio soon. www.persephonesbees.com.
A veteran of the folk trio The Be Good Tanya’s, Holland began her solo career a few years back and is currently touring and promoting her new album, Springtime Can Kill You. Her voice is incredibly distinctive and beautiful—a blend of Appalachian grit and modern folk. www.jolieholland.com.
The Lovemakers have been fueling the New Wave revival for years. The sound is high energy, synthesized and fun, and the band has incredible stage presence, often pushing the envelope with behavior that, if done in public, would warrant arrest. www.thelovemakers.com.
If country rock is your thing, then Dave Gleason is your man. He has an über-talented backup band that will surprise you with the prettiest three-part harmonies you’ve ever heard from gruff-looking guys. They play locally almost continuously when they’re not touring, so be sure to check them out soon. www.dave-gleason.com.
After 14 years of making socially conscious hip-hop, The Coup is still reinventing itself. The 1998 release Steal this Album put The Coup on the map, and the group continues to create music that fuses soul with funk, always keeping politics at the forefront. www.thecoupmusic.net.
Persephone’s Bees
Each member of this all-star cast has had solo success, and together they create music reminiscent of ’60s gypsy pop. The band recently had a song (“City of Love”) on the Bewitched soundtrack and is currently being courted by Capitol Records execs. Don’t be surprised if you hear them on the radio soon. www.persephonesbees.com.
Jolie Holland
A veteran of the folk trio The Be Good Tanya’s, Holland began her solo career a few years back and is currently touring and promoting her new album, Springtime Can Kill You. Her voice is incredibly distinctive and beautiful—a blend of Appalachian grit and modern folk. www.jolieholland.com.
The Lovemakers
The Lovemakers have been fueling the New Wave revival for years. The sound is high energy, synthesized and fun, and the band has incredible stage presence, often pushing the envelope with behavior that, if done in public, would warrant arrest. www.thelovemakers.com.
Dave Gleason’s Wasted Days
If country rock is your thing, then Dave Gleason is your man. He has an über-talented backup band that will surprise you with the prettiest three-part harmonies you’ve ever heard from gruff-looking guys. They play locally almost continuously when they’re not touring, so be sure to check them out soon. www.dave-gleason.com.
The Coup
After 14 years of making socially conscious hip-hop, The Coup is still reinventing itself. The 1998 release Steal this Album put The Coup on the map, and the group continues to create music that fuses soul with funk, always keeping politics at the forefront. www.thecoupmusic.net.
—Louisa Dale
In urban circles, word of mouth travels at the speed of a proverbial BART train. So it was only a matter of time before hipsters got wind of Oakland’s Air Lounge, which is just a cocktail olive’s throw from the 12th Street station.
It’s been almost one year since the lounge opened last December, but the buzz has yet to subside. “We haven’t had a slow weekend since we opened,” confides co-owner and former nightlife promoter Gary Jacques, who, in 2005, joined forces with industry gurus Abdul Qudus, Antonio Nunez and Robert Nunez (owner of Dolce in San Francisco). Their mission? To breathe new life into the city’s scene.
The fellas introduced their concept below street level in the Old Oakland Historic District and named it Air in honor of the outdoor brick patio—the ideal place to cool off after tearing up the darkly lit dance floor. “When you walk outside, the air just hits you,” Qudus explains. The mod interior, awash in shades of sky blue and nimbus cloud, is sleeker and sexier than your average Oakland scene, which makes it popular among twenty-something, single professionals. But on any given date night, couples like to cozy up on the twin-size beds (complete with faux foam mattresses) to sip, schmooze and recline to the DJ-spun sounds of house, reggae, soul and R&B.
Despite an influx of the cool crowd, Air retains a cozy, laid-back vibe, thanks to a friendly team. But night owls should remember to dress to impress (no tennis shoes or sports apparel) and grab dinner beforehand—appetizers only are served on Fridays from 7 p.m. until the kitchen runs out.
For a nighttime experience that’s sure to take your breath away, check out Air Lounge, 492 Ninth St., (510) 444-2377, www.airoakland.com.
IN THE SCENE
A Breath of Fresh Air
In urban circles, word of mouth travels at the speed of a proverbial BART train. So it was only a matter of time before hipsters got wind of Oakland’s Air Lounge, which is just a cocktail olive’s throw from the 12th Street station.It’s been almost one year since the lounge opened last December, but the buzz has yet to subside. “We haven’t had a slow weekend since we opened,” confides co-owner and former nightlife promoter Gary Jacques, who, in 2005, joined forces with industry gurus Abdul Qudus, Antonio Nunez and Robert Nunez (owner of Dolce in San Francisco). Their mission? To breathe new life into the city’s scene.
The fellas introduced their concept below street level in the Old Oakland Historic District and named it Air in honor of the outdoor brick patio—the ideal place to cool off after tearing up the darkly lit dance floor. “When you walk outside, the air just hits you,” Qudus explains. The mod interior, awash in shades of sky blue and nimbus cloud, is sleeker and sexier than your average Oakland scene, which makes it popular among twenty-something, single professionals. But on any given date night, couples like to cozy up on the twin-size beds (complete with faux foam mattresses) to sip, schmooze and recline to the DJ-spun sounds of house, reggae, soul and R&B.
Despite an influx of the cool crowd, Air retains a cozy, laid-back vibe, thanks to a friendly team. But night owls should remember to dress to impress (no tennis shoes or sports apparel) and grab dinner beforehand—appetizers only are served on Fridays from 7 p.m. until the kitchen runs out.
For a nighttime experience that’s sure to take your breath away, check out Air Lounge, 492 Ninth St., (510) 444-2377, www.airoakland.com.
—Stephanie Simons
An Eco Economy
When the reality of low pay set in, Chris Sparks, 35, quit his job as an emergency medical technician and wondered about the future. Sitting on his front porch a few days later, he took one look at his truck, thought of the car payments and his impending marriage and decided to make that truck work for him.
What followed was the birth of a very successful new East Bay business, appropriately called EcoHaul, which has infused a much-needed environmental ethos into the waste removal and hauling industry. “I brought my love of environmental responsibility to business,” says Sparks of the business he founded in 2004.
Like other companies, Sparks and his team can help clean out your home or office after that remodel—but the real trick is what EcoHaul does after the trucks are full. Although it takes a little more effort and forethought, their goal is to find a second life for the items collected and keep them out of landfills, a practice known as landfill diversion. The company boasts an impressive and industry-leading 80 to 90 percent recycle and reuse rate.
“We focus on recycling through reuse,” says Sparks. “Reuse benefits people and takes less energy than recycling.”
Since getting its start, EcoHaul has grown by leaps and bounds becoming a favorite for East Bay residents and businesses such as Kaiser Permanente and Century 21. The company has also done jobs for high-profile clients such as Carlos Santana and Lucasfilm Ltd., which used EcoHaul to remove Star Wars memorabilia filling more than 35,000 square feet of shelf space. According to Sparks, working in the environmentally conscious Bay Area makes his job that much easier. “People are inherently concerned with the environment,” he adds. “We are just there to catch the ball.”
To learn more, contact EcoHaul at (800) ECOHAUL or visit www.ecohaul.com.
What followed was the birth of a very successful new East Bay business, appropriately called EcoHaul, which has infused a much-needed environmental ethos into the waste removal and hauling industry. “I brought my love of environmental responsibility to business,” says Sparks of the business he founded in 2004.
Like other companies, Sparks and his team can help clean out your home or office after that remodel—but the real trick is what EcoHaul does after the trucks are full. Although it takes a little more effort and forethought, their goal is to find a second life for the items collected and keep them out of landfills, a practice known as landfill diversion. The company boasts an impressive and industry-leading 80 to 90 percent recycle and reuse rate.
“We focus on recycling through reuse,” says Sparks. “Reuse benefits people and takes less energy than recycling.”
Since getting its start, EcoHaul has grown by leaps and bounds becoming a favorite for East Bay residents and businesses such as Kaiser Permanente and Century 21. The company has also done jobs for high-profile clients such as Carlos Santana and Lucasfilm Ltd., which used EcoHaul to remove Star Wars memorabilia filling more than 35,000 square feet of shelf space. According to Sparks, working in the environmentally conscious Bay Area makes his job that much easier. “People are inherently concerned with the environment,” he adds. “We are just there to catch the ball.”
To learn more, contact EcoHaul at (800) ECOHAUL or visit www.ecohaul.com.
—Daniel Jewett
OAKLAND MADE
Trail Mix Reinvented
John Winslow doesn’t like raisins. And when out hiking with his friend Gabe Bruck, Winslow would often leave clumps of the dried fruit at the bottom of their bag of trail mix—much to Bruck’s chagrin. But this annoyance turn
ed into inspiration during a backpacking trip in Big Basin Redwoods State Park in 2005. Wondering why there wasn’t a brand that could cater to individual tastes, Winslow and Bruck, both 25, came up with the idea for their online, Oakland-based business.
Finding the right name for the company was a struggle for the two friends, who first met at Piedmont Middle School at age 12. “We wanted something outdoorsy, something a little whimsical,” Winslow says. Bruck’s uncle, David Bruck—who is also the company’s business adviser—suggested “Barking Buffalo,” which Winslow and Bruck instantly liked. And so Barking Buffalo Custom Trail Mix went live in May after months of fundraising, Web site development and focus groups with outdoor enthusiasts. To spread the word, the partners hit the trails on the weekends, handing out samples to other hikers.
Just a few months after launching their site, Bruck and Winslow receive between 20 and 30 orders a day. Customers can choose up to six of 24 ingredients for a 12-ounce bag of trail mix, which cost between $3.54 and $9.54 plus shipping, depending on the items selected. Barking Buffalo offers ingredients ranging from the standard (peanuts, banana chips and raisins) to the premium (dried peaches and raw walnuts) to the supreme (Scharffen Berger chocolate chunks and California pistachios). For those who don’t have the interest or time to design their own mix, Winslow and Bruck have created a series of four “no-brainer” mixes, including the “Wake Up,” which consists of Semifreddi’s almond biscotti bits, dried apricots, roasted almonds and chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Barking Buffalo trail mixes can be ordered online at www.barkingbuffalo.com.
ed into inspiration during a backpacking trip in Big Basin Redwoods State Park in 2005. Wondering why there wasn’t a brand that could cater to individual tastes, Winslow and Bruck, both 25, came up with the idea for their online, Oakland-based business.Finding the right name for the company was a struggle for the two friends, who first met at Piedmont Middle School at age 12. “We wanted something outdoorsy, something a little whimsical,” Winslow says. Bruck’s uncle, David Bruck—who is also the company’s business adviser—suggested “Barking Buffalo,” which Winslow and Bruck instantly liked. And so Barking Buffalo Custom Trail Mix went live in May after months of fundraising, Web site development and focus groups with outdoor enthusiasts. To spread the word, the partners hit the trails on the weekends, handing out samples to other hikers.
Just a few months after launching their site, Bruck and Winslow receive between 20 and 30 orders a day. Customers can choose up to six of 24 ingredients for a 12-ounce bag of trail mix, which cost between $3.54 and $9.54 plus shipping, depending on the items selected. Barking Buffalo offers ingredients ranging from the standard (peanuts, banana chips and raisins) to the premium (dried peaches and raw walnuts) to the supreme (Scharffen Berger chocolate chunks and California pistachios). For those who don’t have the interest or time to design their own mix, Winslow and Bruck have created a series of four “no-brainer” mixes, including the “Wake Up,” which consists of Semifreddi’s almond biscotti bits, dried apricots, roasted almonds and chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Barking Buffalo trail mixes can be ordered online at www.barkingbuffalo.com.
—Ellen Keohane
