Lisa See's "Shanghai Girls" - sisterhood, immigration, fear, and acceptance ... the future of theatre in Southern California ... Dinner Party Download ... Avatar v. Lorax ... rare beer.
Gerald Wilson, El Chicano, and 'Viva Tirado'
LA and the jazz world are mourning Gerald Wilson, a worldwide jazz giant who lived in LA and who died Monday at the age of 96. Gerald Wilson was a jazz trumpeter who played in the big bands, he was a bandleader, and he was a venerated teacher.
RELATED: Gerald Wilson's son talks about his dad on KPCC's Airtalk.
But Wilson was also a composer, and he wrote the song "Viva Tirado," which became a huge hit for a band out of East LA called El Chicano, and was later sampled by Kid Frost. As Oliver Wang wrote a few years ago on his blog:
"Viva Tirado" is at the center of a rather remarkable, multi-generational conversation between L.A.'s Black and Brown communities. After all, here's a song, originally written by a Black composer in honor of a Mexican bullfighter, covered by a Chicano band steeped in Black R&B and jazz, then sampled by the first major Chicano rap artist. It seems no matter where the song goes, it's always a bridge between cultures. -- Oliver Wang
Just how big Gerald Wilson's composition (he always called them "numbers") was comes through loud and clear in this 2009 Off-Ramp interview between Jesus Velo of the band Los Illegals, and one of his heroes: the late Bobby Espinosa of the band El Chicano, who remembered when "Viva Tirado" hit it big in 1970.
Watch El Chicano perform "Viva Tirado" live in 1971
Lisa See's "Shanghai Girls" on sisterhood and the immigrant experience
UPDATE: We're reposting this 2010 interview so you're not left with a pre-cliffhanger!
Southern Californian Lisa See is touring the country with the paperback edition of "Shanghai Girls," a meticulously researched novel about two young Chinese women who flee Shanghai in the late 1930s. It's a harrowing journey as they face the Japanese, race laws, and the Red Scare. Off-Ramp host John Rabe met See in Chinatown -- one of LA's four historic Chinatowns -- to talk about the book.
Commentator Hank Rosenfeld on "Avatar:" Dr. Suess was there first, Jim."
Off-Ramp commentator Hank Rosenfeld (seen above perusing a self-help classic) enjoyed watching James Cameron's Oscar nominated film "Avatar," but he says Dr. Suess's "The Lorax" was shorter and sweeter.
(Photo: John Rabe)
Dinner Party Download says, "Samuel Beckett waited for Andre the Giant?"
Bestselling author Joshua Ferris talks the walk... Renassance Italy burns in vain... and Rico learns what locavores do when it snowcavores.
State of the Theater
In the wake of the collapse of the Pasadena Playhouse, KPCC's Steve Julian ask what is the state of theater is Los Angeles.
Paul Millet, of the The Nom de Guerre Theatre Guild, Michael Michetti of Boston Court Theater, Ben Hill of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Terence McFarland – LA Stage Alliance, Evan Henerson – theater critique and Frank Manano of the Inland Valley Repertory Theater
Rare Beer at Golden State
If you're into beers, head over to Golden State on Farifax. Right now, Golden State has the only keg of Deschutes Brewery's "Abyss" a dark, flavorful beer that's 20% alcohol, which will literally knock your socks off if you have too much. They'll also be release a sour beer in a few weeks. Queena Kim gets a taste with co-owner Jason Bernstein.
Lucky Member to win gig from Mateo Stoneman, Off-Ramp mariachi
Someone who donates to our on-air fund drive Thursday evening (listen between 5:45 and 7:00 for details) will win the services of Off-Ramp mariachi Mateo Stoneman for one hour ... here's the latest piece we did with Mateo, and an extra cut of his music. To hire Mateo yourself, or buy a CD, call or email him. He's at 323-215-6479 or ml_stoneman@hotmail.com.