Untitled Document

Monday, June 2nd, 2008 8:28 AM PDT

TaTa is TooToo

When you least expect it a regular day can turn into pure magic.
Yesterday was one of those days. I headed out to Carpenteria with the family around 12 noon thinking we could stop for breakfast before heading over to Eddie Tuduri's TRAP Benefit. Eddie is a very unique and cool guy. After a miraculous recovery from an accident he decided to help people with brain injuries etc... through drumming.....
For the whole story go to: http://www.traponline.com/

When we arrived in "Carp" we found a sunny spot called the Cabo Cantina. We sat among the locals and enjoyed the perfect morning and I even enjoyed my coffee out of a styrofoam cup (and I hate styrofoam). I was horrified when about 15 motorcycles pulled up. They made so much noise and the last thing I wanted was for our tranquil patio to be invaded by roudy bikers. They all walked right in to the patio and sat next to us at a big table. I started my deep-breathing so as to not get too annoyed by the behavior I was expecting. To my surprise they were very soft spoken guys mostly bragging about their grandchildren. It's at times like these that I love being wrong.
At theTRAP Benefit we found the place hopping with drummers and all the good folks that come every year. This day was particularly well attended because John Densmore of the Doors was performing and had done a lot of press for this event. I was super thrilled to find out that TaTa Vega was in the house. She is one of my all time fave singers. She is a tiny gal with a huge voice and personality!!
When my turn came to sing (with Jimmy Calire, Eddie Tuduri, Chris Pennick) I asked Tata to sing with me on Hallelujah and she jumped right in with the perfect vocals.
It was heavenly. And under the bluest skys among the sweetest souls we experienced pure magic!!!

Sunday, April 20th, 2008 12:28 PM PDT

The Border Book Festival 2008

Frankly I didn't think we could top last years experience at the BBF.
On Thursday night we had performed in Riverside. I had decided to take a very early flight to El Paso the following morning so I could sing for my school teacher friend Pat's kids at the Vado Elementary in New Mexico. This is a very poor community and Pat is very proud of how these kids cope with all the hardships in their lives.
On three hours sleep I got to the school and saw that the kids had decorated the stage with handpainted versions of all my album covers. It was very hard not to burst into tears. When I walked out on stage to sing, their screaming and clapping was so loud that the floor shook. We had a blast and I signed autographs until the final school bell rang.
That very same evening we were invited to the Border Book Festival's award dinner.I saw my old friend Bob Furgo (we used to play together in Leonard's band).I was presented the Fronteriza Award for promoting peace through music. I was showered with gifts including an amazing photo by Daniel Zolinsky and a gorgeous papel picado featuring all of my album covers by Elena Tirre. I also got to see one of my favorite poets (Quincy Troupe) read with a fabulous group of musicians, lead by Bugs Salcedo, improvising behind him. Nancy Green was on hand to play percussion...You go mija!!
Denise Chavez, the queen madrina of the BBF was the mc for this and all events. I don't know how one person can be everywhere at all times....but Denise can!!!
The next morning I was front row center for the Lucha Libre wrestling match. It was all very exciting until the stage started to collapse and I got very nervous.
I attended Quincy Troupe's informal talk on his carreer and writing. He was very funny doing his impression of Miles Davis. I asked him if he wouldn't mind sitting in with us during our concert. He agreed.
Our concert was in the town square of La Mesilla. The square looks like it belongs in an colonial town in Mexico. Behind the plaza is an old church.
It was a perfect night. I will always remember Bugs Salcedo and Quincy Troupe sitting in. The icing was the whole audience dancing to our last few songs.

Sunday, March 30th, 2008 12:03 PM PDT

Children's Home of Stockton

Michael, Karen and I drove my hybrid up the 101 to our concert in Stockton.
Driving north on the 101 at this time of year is glorious! The hills were lush green with blankets of bright yellow wildflowers covering many miles. Even being stuck in traffic was a pleasure with the surrounding beauty.
We arrived late and our host (Mark Phelps) and his lovely bride(Sue) took us out to dinner at a fabulous greek restaurant. We drank a fabulous bottle of Ojai pinot.
The next day we arrived to CHS to do our concert. This home is where children live who can't be placed in foster homes. For many of them it would be their first concert ever. We arrived to big banners that the kids had made saying:
"Welcome Ms. Batalla, Welcome Ms. Hammack and Welcome Mr. Velasquez".
We had a great time and afterwards every member of the home came up to each of us and shook our hands and thanked us for coming. One lovely girl started to cry. It was very emotional for all of us and I will never forget this day.
My heart is full and I am thinking about a holiday concert at the Children's Home of Stockton.....hmmmm

Friday, February 29th, 2008 11:33 AM PST

Javier Colis rocks my world! Feb 2008

I have been a touring musician with my own band now for over 13 years and at times I wonder if I can keep it up for much longer. The travel is harder than ever these days, the hours are endless at times and as the leader you have to be part mother, friend, boss and therapist to those you travel with. Then there are the musical experiences that fill you with inspiration. It is these moments that a musician lives for. Touring with Javier Colis (rock star from Madrid) was just the inspiration I needed to keep me going. Our tour in February started in New York. I saw him play guitar for the legendary poet John Giorno (of the famed beat poets). John was a riveting reader and Javier's guitar playing drove the poems to wonderfully dynamic levels. I felt transported to another time. A time of creative abandon and romance. Afterwards we drank red wine at "the bunker" with writers, artists and the fabulously talented novelist and music writer Silvia Grijalba. The next night Javier and I did a concert at DROM on the lower east side.My good friends Paul Ostermayer and John Kruth sat in. Hal Willner was there as was John Giorno and my good friend Robert Bower (from Dylan's NY office).
We went from there to New Mexico where we performed on a snowy night at the El Rey to a full house. A few days later I received an email from my friends who live in NM saying that the theater burned to the ground the day after our concert. It was a beautiful venue haunted by New Mexican cowboys and I will miss it.
We finished our tour with a sold out concert in my town. Javier was a smash hit with all audiences. He was described as a spanish Tom Waits. But to me he is the one and only...Javier Colis.
You can view bits of our concert on youtube.com.

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 9:42 AM PDT

It takes the Ojai village!

I am still in an altered state over the great scene here in my hometown on Saturday. Our "Locally Grown" benefit concert (to raise money for nutritional education in our public schools) was a huge success!!! It seemed as though everyone in town and from out of town showed up to support this great cause. I was happy to see Chris Douridas there (Congratulations Chris on your KCRW anniversary!!).
Featured local performers included the winners of the Battle of the Bands competition. It gives me hope to see these very interesting and fearless young musicians supporting each other and giving stellar performances. The Carrot Chorus sang the Salad Bar song and frankly I was nervous about having to follow that show-stopping rendition.

Good job everyone!!!
xoxox
Perla

Monday, April 23rd, 2007 5:56 PM PDT

On The Road Otra Vez

New Mexico is always magic for me! I did a concert in Albuquerque last Thursday and was lucky enough to have the Handsome Family show up and sing a few songs. I LOVE their new cd Last Days of Wonder!!!! Brett, Rennie and I sang Famous Blue Raincoat together and all got misty remembering the good ol' days of touring in Hal Willner's Leonard Cohen Hootnanny (the concert was actually called "Came so Far For Beauty" and the documentary film that was made of that concert was called "I'm Your Man"....confused yet?). The Handsomes (and they are!) invited us over to their home after the concert and we visited only for a brief while because I knew they were preparing to depart on a long tour and I didn't want to be one of those annoying guests that stays too long.
Friday morning the band and I took off towards The Border Book Festival. I was mesmerized yet again by the New Mexican landscape as we made our way across the state to the border town of Mesilla on a very windy day. When we arrived at our hotel I took a long soak in the jacuzzi tub and had no plans to leave my hotel room. I am glad I changed my mind because the evening turned out to be one worth remembering. We did not know what was going on in town but happened on a poetry reading that was part of the festival. We heard several fine poets read poems about war. I was moved to tears several times especially by Nancy Green who also played the flute. We bumped into author, and Queen of the Border Book Festival, Denise Chavez who with her electrifying presence, bright red lipstick and colorful rebozo commanded much attention. She invited us to a meal in one of Mesilla's historic homes which had only recently been lovingly and beautifully restored. We sat outside under the stars and Denise effortlessly held court as she introduced us to everyone that walked by and kept the entire room laughing for hours. I now call her my New Mexican Auntie Mame!
Saturday was a full day starting with a parade of the town's children and their pets. Went to a lecture on Neruda...gave a talk to the local teens...ate home made enchiladas and posole.... and met talented people everywhere I turned.
The concert was a blast. Writer Malin Alegria showed up in a ballgown and tiara! The last song had everyone singing and on their feet dancing!
Being on the road can be exhausting and challenging in every way (and I admit that I sometimes I become a whiney baby), but if being on the road brings me experiences like these I say " pack my bags!".