With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Pasadena City College celebrates 100th anniversary with free Ozomatli concert
Raul Pacheco of Ozomatli performs onstage at SXSW Outdoor Stage during the 2017 SXSW Conference and Festivals.
(
Nicola Gell
/
Getty Images
)
In the early nineties, Raul Pacheco enrolled at Pasadena City College with the intention of learning from jazz trumpeter Bobby Bradford. On top of being a gifted musician, Pacheco recalls Bradford's humor — and his commitment to students’ professional growth.
Listen
• 0:48
Pasadena City College celebrates 100th anniversary with free Ozomatli concert
At one point, Bradford asked his class point-blank: “How many of you want to do this for a living?” About half the students raised their hands.
“OK,” he said, “this is for you, this is the most important thing I’m going to tell you about being a musician. You ready? Pay attention: Save. Your. Money.”
Support for LAist comes from
Pacheco went on to become a singer-guitarist for the band Ozomatli. Since his time at Pasadena City College, he and his bandmates have won multiple Grammy Awards and toured the world. And on Saturday, they’ll return to Pasadena City College for a free concert in celebration of the school’s 100th anniversary.
Come for the education
Pacheco’s community college days are long behind him, but Bradford’s advice still resonates.
“Being an artist has a lot of ups and downs,” Pacheco said. Bradford wanted his class to know that “it's an adventure to be a musician. It's doable. But you have to think of things besides your scales and chords.”
Pasadena City College was founded in 1924 with 267 students. Today, it has more than 20,000 and offers nearly 150 associate degree programs. The campus was the first home of KPCC, the public radio station now known as LAist. Notable alumni include baseball hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson, sci-fi writer and MacArthur fellow Octavia Butler, novelist Reyna Grande, and film critic Carlos Aguilar. Four Ozomatli members, including Pacheco, have studied music at the campus. Pacheco said students will be invited to join Ozomatli onstage at the centennial celebration.
“I learn a lot from playing with other people,” he added. “So I'm looking forward to having some young person come up and, like, blow us away.”
Stay for the party
The PCC block party starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.
Support for LAist comes from
What to expect: The Lancer Marching Band will perform its own rendition of “Happy Birthday.” The college will have food trucks and free cupcakes, and student video producers will gather oral histories of local residents’ experiences with PCC. The videos will be showcased at a future Centennial Celebration event. Ozomatli takes center stage at 2:30 p.m.
Good to know: It’s free and open to the public, no ticket required. On-campus parking is available for $2/day.
Address: 1570 E. Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91106.
More information: You can find the event schedule and campus map on the school’s website.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist