]]> New CD release, Summer 2007 Tour, and an ever evolving myriad of projects! Please check KenjiWilliams.com for the latest! ]]>
Spore 031 Newsletter
I have been invited to speak at one of the most influencial and creative conferences in the emerging field of independent media and entertainment. The GEMS conference, in Times Square, New York City.
I will be speaking at the GEMS panel - "Creating and Delivering Transformative Media Experiences" - Dec 9th 3:15- 4:30pm Room A - at the world famous Laugh Factory , NYC. Details below... Please check the full schedule and website for GEMS here!
Featuring ROGER CORMAN, (Filmmaker) - LES GARLAND , (Co-Founder MTV) - LARRY NAMER, (Founder of E! Channel), ED LANTZ, (Harmony Channel) and more very special guests To be announced!
I am honored to be sharing my vision and experiences alongside these, and so many other influencial people. Anyone interested in planting seeds and envisioning a saner, integral world of media, art, and ways to do business should be here!
The Panel That I will be speaking at:
Creating and Delivering Transformative Media Experiences - Dec 9th 3:15- 4:30pm Room A - The Laugh Factory, NYC
The growing lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS) market represents a disposable income of nearly $1 trillion. Lohasians seek socially responsible investing, alternative healthcare, organic food and clothing, yoga and fitness products, eco-tourism and increasingly, “transformative media” that provides inspiration, greater self-awareness, enhanced wellness, personal development or increased social consciousness. This panel of leading edge media professionals explores recent trends in personally transformative media experiences, and how powerful new media delivery systems including mobile video, on-demand television, digital spas, 3D digital cinema, and large-format immersive “fulldome” theaters can enhance this transformative effect. See how media can make a difference without losing its edge.
Ed Lantz (Harmony Channel), Carter Emmart (AMNH), Mike Masucci (EZTVMedia), Kenji Williams (ABA Structure, Remedy Arts inc.), and special guests.
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All my secrets revealed!
I am honored to be the current featured artist on the Harmony Channel TV website... with an in-depth interview by HC's Don Slepian. Click below to check it out!
My music video for the "Death & Rain" Track on the new Faces of Epiphany CD album, has hit a #1 ranking on the newly launched Harmony Channel TV. It aparently reaches 9 million homes, through Comcast cable network.
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I am extremely happy to announce the official USA release of the "Faces of Epiphany" CD album. With already a few flattering reviews, - Thank you!
"Wicked, Evocative"
- Jonah Sharp, Spacetime Continuum, Reflective Records
"I have heard nothing comparable. An outstanding release and timeless classic"
- Mushroom Magazine
I wanted to share this video of my October live show at the Nagisa Music Festival, with you.
This was one of those moments that I cannot explain in words how blessed I feel being able to share my art with so many people. We are one in the dance, blissed in vibration, our ego vanished - the truth inescapable.
My August September gig in Morocco was so magical. The Rhythms of Peace festival on the beach near Agadir was fantastic - but what was even more magical was the jamming that was happening behind the stage, in the tents. I was introduced to so many top Moroccan musicians - Gnawa, Berber, Arabic, Sufi. I was in heaven!
Here's a photo slideshow of my experience... and I soon hope to cut together all the video recordings of all the jams. They were all recorded with high quality microphones and cameras... Morocco delivers this magic that I find nowhere else in the world. A deeply moving experience.
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It is clear that Tokyo has now become a central force in my creativity and evolution as an artist. Tokyo Dream Theater, is a 1 hour show that I wrote and directed, performing for a packed audience on April 30th, 2005. Since the script is in Japanese (as well as my intro speech), here's a little summary of the story that I wrote, and that was translated to Japanese for this project:
Planet Smailliw space beings go to Planet Earth for an update on their DNA seed that was planted a few million years back.
Captain Ekusiad welcomes the audience in the room aboard ABA Structure Mothership 001. Ambassador Awazay went on a Data gathering mission to Earth, to check it out...
What she found, was a rather busy species, controlled by limiting concepts such as linear time, consuming resources at an unsustainable rate.
But, what she saw was most interesting, was Human Art. This was something special, and her best memories of Human Art are what she presents to the audience during the show.
You may view this as sort of a compilation of my collaborations in Tokyo over the years, and how my artistic expression is gravitating more towards art - theater, than towards DJ/Rave culture. This production was so incredibly exciting and stimulating, and I am so thankful to all the incredibly talented artists that worked so hard with me to put this show together. Thank you!
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I am just blown away by this. Not only is the Worldspirit DVD going on a screening tour across Japan organized by Empathy productions, - a group of about 15 performance and visual artists including the 'Aura' artist Shinya Takaoka, put together a mind blowing show called "Unibirth". All inspired by Worldspirit and my music. So much energy was put into making a Tokyo version of Worldspirit... I have really not much more to say... other than, 'what else can an artist ask for?' - to inspire other artists to push the boundaries, work together and create cutting edge, heart opening, evolutionary integral art. I created the soundtrack for this show, and also gave an intro speech.
Check out photos and video of the performance ->
This photo was taken when the screening was supposed to start, but it couldn't because there was a line going out the door, around the corner, and out of the university (San Francisco Art Institute). I was in shock. 250 seat theater, we packed around 350 people, and then simply had to close the doors. Everyone was sitting on the stairs, the aisles, even the stage was packed with people. We unfortunately had to turn away many more... there was literally not an inch of space left.
check out the latest photos and videos of this event. There was a great discussion panel afterwards, with Eric Kalabacos (Producer), Myself (Director and Performer), and Chris Sia (Performer of the 'Lamentations' Chapter of the DVD). I gave a live audio visual performance at the end... Thank you San Francisco!
Check out the videos->
This event was the most unusual and exotic fashion show I have seen. Featuring more than 40 designers, over 100 models, all sorts of musicians including myself, shakuhachi flute, Taiko Drum group Gocoo, singers, Ninja & fire dancing performances, AURA, --- all under the roof of one of the most beautiful shrines in Tokyo, the Kanda Myojin Shrine.
This was a benefit show, with over 2000 people attending. All proceeds went to the children of Afghanistan.
WATCH THE VIDEO!
Exactly 1 year ago today, 12/12/2003, Worldspirit was performed infront of a live audience in San Francisco/Oakland.
So, on this day, it is even more special, as here, in Tokyo, it is the official release weekend of the Japanese version of the WORLDSPIRIT DVD. On friday we had a big opening party (photos to be posted soon), and tonight, on the 1 year anniversary, WORLDSPIRIT was screened at a cool movie theater called "Uplink Factory" in Shibuya. After the screening, we had a "talk show", with an interview of me, and Shinya Takaoka, the "AURA" artist who's video feedback show appears in the WORLDSPIRIT project.
We showed photos, behind the scenes shots, and I must say, speaking 100% in japanese was tough, but extremely rewarding. My Japanese has certainly improved so much in the last 3 years... and especially lately, since talking about deeper things pertaining to Worldspirit.
Both events were extremely successful, - and am again (as always) blown away by the enthusiasm and response of the Japanese audience. I am relieved that all the work put into the Japanese translations and subtitles in the DVD has been received and understood very well with the audiences here.
Don't forget to check out the newly posted online video clip of WORLDSPIRIT (Progress of the Soul)
and get your copy of the WORLDSPIRIT DVDon this special day!
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This fall, performing at Temples seemed to be the theme... Alex Grey's Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York city, and then this amazing event at a Shrine called Kanda Myojin in Tokyo. A fashion show at a Shinto Shrine - filled with Taiko Drummers, Ninja fight performances, and the AURA video artist that appear in the WORLDSPIRIT DVD ... it was such a magical experience. Check out myphoto gallery!
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Now, here's a head scratcher. I went to a Shinto Shrine in Shinjuku the other day with my girlfriend. It was a very big festival, where people would buy large ornamentations to bring home for good luck. The temple grounds were filled with hundreds, thousands of people, small food stands, ornament shops, and ... a "freak magic circus" show... But this one was a special 'snake' show... the only one of its kind in Japan. ( I guess video game culture is killing off this tradition).
So, we went in to check it out, and almost immediately, they had this older woman with incredibly horrid makeup,... handling a live snake (like a garter snake or something). Wondering what she was going to do with it, she immediately took the snake by the neck, stuck the neck in between her teeth, and PULLED really hard! Like elastic snapping, the head came off the snake - the entire audience started freaking out... and she lay the head on the table, and held up the rest of the body. (see photo - sorry its blurry, it was shot with my mobile phone camera)
She then stuck the top of the headless body into her mouth, and started drinking (sucking) the blood out of the snake. I think the worst part, was I looked down on the table, and saw the head of the snake, still moving, trying to move, but not quite realizing it didn't have a body. Its tongue slurping in and out, confused.
But, I don't think anyone was expecting such a shocking thing... certainly I wasn't, at a Shinto Shrine! OK, so I know Snakes are close to dragons, which are powerful symbols in Japanese Shinto spirituality,... and supposedly drinking the blood of snakes (dragons) is incredibly good for your body (Mojo charge). But, to do such a sacrifice for entertainment in a sacred space was a bit of a shock. I was scratching my head, trying to get my head around it (no pun intended). Animal gods playing around? Yin Yang entertainment...? hmmm... You won't see this in "Lost in Translation' ! (crap film)
This was Nov2nd (in Japan), November 1st in the USA. Alas, it was an ominous metaphor for what was about to happen to democracy the very next day, Election day.
Shocked by the circus.