Changing Times Blog

Tara Ellis “Big Poppa” Music Video

Tara Ellis, a high voltage singer will release her new EP, Live & Die In LA, produced by Benny Cassette,(Crimson World) on Tuesday, December 16, 2008. Ellis has been setting a new standard for the Los Angeles music scene for the last year,  and her album Live & Die In LA has emerged as a tribute to some of the greatest hip-hop artists of this generation.

“One day I’m sitting in my living room and Biggie Smalls video comes on Big Poppa. I remember saying out loud “I miss this guy, and I miss when lyric writing was an art. What’s happened to the life that words use to have?” So I began some research on some of my favorite old school Hip-Hop songs and read through the lyrics. Inspired through melody, I sat down with my guitar and wrote my own version of these songs. This is my way of reminding the world of how great some of these artists are, and on the flip side how much the art has gone down hill, backwards and completely out of touch. You decide which one is which.” ­ - Tara Ellis

Listen to the rest of her brand-new album at http://taraellis.bandcamp.mu

Tara Ellis New EP Release

(af) The sensational Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Tara Ellis certainly knows how to draw in a crowd, with her ability to produce heartfelt music in the form of musical Devotion while also making tracks which leave her own mark on the popular music scene. Many people may recognise Tara’s alternative soul sound from her contribution to the Dawnbreaker Collective but what you might not know is that she has collaborated with; Will I Am, Eve, Ghostface Killah and The Procussions just to name a few.

With a full length pop rock album on the way and a variety of mixtapes to her name, I’m sure Tara will be someone to keep an eye out for. The ‘country girl’ meets ‘the city’ charm in her personality shows her versatility as a vocalist and her latest project, a self produced Mixtape titled ‘Live and Die in LA’ is a fine example, it blends old school Hip Hop classics to acoustic guitar, 808 hard snares and pop melodies. It doesn’t matter if you know Dr.Dre is a rapper and not a real physician, Tara’s unique take on the tracks are a bold rendition which still reflect her own style leaving you reminiscing or discovering the days when Tupac and Biggie were living legends and Gangsta Rap dominated LA.

This ‘chick’ is certainly true to herself, and that personal insight can be heard in her lyric’s quest for universal fellowship, which relate to her love of life and the Baha’i Faith. When a fresh angle on commercial music is hard to come across, this artist is a gem who has her own light to shine and it all began while rocking out on the guitar at the age of 15.

Listen to the new EP ‘Live and Die in LA’ now (bookmark both…you must)

http://taraellis.bandcamp.mu or find Tara at http://www.myspace.com/taraellis

A behind the scenes look at Tara Ellis and the making of her new album:

And so we Bend

I am beyond tired. I don’t think that Bahá’í students, or any student for that fact, know what tired is.

I think tired is an understatement resigned for moments that begin with: “Hey, how are you today?”, masking the true depth of the feeling.

We are exhausted.

The weight of the world weighs heavy on our shoulders. We carry the burdening gift of knowing that our future is beautiful, but that beauty will come at great cost and great sacrifice. Not only must we strive to become learned and educated, but we must push each and every day to better ourselves, showing the peoples of our world that humanity can reach the unknown.

We are stretched like the skin of a drum that beats on, the inevitable beat of life, moving with no repose, no rest.

When will we break? Never.

We are tired because we choose to be. This is our path and we choose to walk it, knowing full well that we can no longer avoid the fire. We need to
charge headlong into it with so much force that the wind of our passing extinguishes it.

Only then can we resign ourselves to sleep. Only then, once we have risen above our limits, can we close our eyes and dream. And we dream knowing full well that tomorrow will bring more fire.

The fire is love disguised and we embrace it.

We are all students.

Life is our school.

by Robert Gillies, the next John Mayer (Rob will perform at CT08!)

Prayer for Marriage - Shadi Joy Toloui

Shadi Joy and her fantastic voice produce this beautiful intonation of a Prayer for Marriage by ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

O my Lord!  O my Lord!  These two bright orbs are wedded in Thy love, conjoined in servitude to Thy Holy Threshold, united in ministering to thy Cause.  Make Thou this marriage to be as threading lights of Thine abounding grace, O my Lord, the All-Merciful, and luminous rays of Thy bestowals, O Thou the Beneficent, the Ever-Giving, that there may branch out from this great tree boughs that will grow green and flourishing through the gifts that rain down from Thy clouds of grace. Verily, Thou art the Generous.  Verily, Thou art the Compassionate, the All-Merciful.

Download the MP3 (2.76MB) or listen to the song here:

How Ya Livin’? - Chicago

Bring the hustle back! Creativity at the roots by these fellas in 1995 Chicago.

Badasht Musical Empowerment Tools

This is good news for guitar/piano beginner/professional alike. The entire fantastic Badasht CD produced by JB Eckl and Eric Dozier is now available with guitar tabs, sheet music AND video instructions on how to play the songs. They provide three videos to every song: A live performance, guitar instructions, and guitar instructions with simple chords.

Your contribution to the next musical fireside?

Everything here: at Badasht Community
http://www.badasht.net/community

WorldArtCollective on TV

(ky) New Zealand artist Shahriar Azdollah’s work has made it onto national TV in New Zealand.   This is just the  latest in a flurry of media attention, which his installations have attracted.

Shahriar uses facebook as a tool in his work to bring together people from around the world to speak up against the injustices faced by Baha’is in Iran.

You can see the TV clip here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO69jp7g3no

To get involved with the World Art Collective on Facebook click here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8214654241

Harmony Film Fest

(ky) The glamour of Film Festivals; red carpet, beautiful stars, champagne flowing, debauched after-parties, and the inevitable tabloid scandals.  Then, maybe after all this excitement you’ll stop and think about the films themselves.  But only maybe.

This might describe some festivals, but Harmony is one that’s trying to promote something rather different. Founded in 2003 by Artist and Filmmaker Mehrzad Mumtahan, the Festival is growing year on year, and attracting entries from both Australia, where it’s held, and overseas.  Inspired by Baha’i teachings it promotes harmony and discourse amongst filmmakers about pertinent social issues.

This year’s winner of the Jury prize went to Sarah Tracton, a profoundly deaf Australian filmmaker. Her film ‘White Sound’ sensitively explored the idea of soundless existence.

The Audience also had the chance to vote and their award went to “Channel B Presents“, written and produced by Dellaram Jamali.  Together with a group of peers from Victoria, she has entered the Film Festival before, making it to the final every time.  This year, their film was about ‘Joy’ and questions the intense consumerism all around us ‘It seems in today’s society, the only way we can be happy is if we buy our way into happiness. We thought it would be a good idea to work with this concept and turn it into something which the audience could relate to and hopefully enjoy.’  (Watch the video down below)

To nurture diverse future talent, organizers hold annual film camps, where industry professionals teach and train less privileged communities in the Australian Outback. They also work with various educational and governmental institutions to encourage positive filmmaking.

And finally, as a treat for those of you coming along to Changing Times this year, there will be a screening of the winning films.

Watch award-winning ‘Channel B Presents’ now: