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SP Courthouse to be Demolished, Replaced with Apartments

Hunter Chase
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SP Courthouse to be Demolished, Replaced with Apartments

Project is committed to 20 percent affordable housing

The San Pedro Courthouse, which closed in 2013 when the local court was consolidated into the Long Beach Court, will be demolished and replaced with an eight-story mixed use apartment building. It is reportedly scheduled for demolition at the end of 2021, with construction on the project to begin in summer 2022.

On Aug. 10, the Los Angeles County Supervisors voted unanimously to lend $1,000,000 to the developers, Genton Cockrum Partners.

In January 2021, the supervisors approved a lease for the project. The county owns the property but is leasing it to Genton Cockrum. It will have approximately 300 units and at least 20% will be affordable housing. It will be 336,514-square-feet, with about 559 parking spaces and 25,479 square feet of commercial space. This will include a new food market or food hall. In addition, there will be 6,000 feet of open space.

Initially, only 11% of the units were going to be affordable housing. But the developers changed it to 20% to acquire a Revenue and Taxation Code Section 214(g) Welfare Exemption towards its property taxes, according to a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn. This is an exemption that charitable organizations apply for and having 20% affordable housing is one of the requirements.

One of the other requirements is to have a loan from a government entity, which is why the county lent them $1,000,000, said Liz Odendahl, communications director for Hahn. The developers don’t need the money, they just need a loan to prove a partnership exists.

“We stepped in to do this $1 million loan to signal the partnership that we’re on board with this project,” Odendahl said.

Genton Cockrum Partners will prepay $1 million in rent to the county anyway, according to Hahn’s motion. The exemption will reduce the amount of annual rent the developers will have to pay by $12,500 for 20 years. Instead of paying $187,980 per year, they will pay $175,480 per year.

Hahn said the project will be a good fit for San Pedro.

“We are making sure it lives up to our town’s values and is not only going to be union-funded, but union-built,” Hahn said in a statement. “It is the kind of development the downtown area needs and will not only mean more people living and shopping in downtown, but also has space for a much-needed grocery store or food hall. This project has been a long-time coming and I am going to do everything I can to move it along quickly.”

However, not everyone feels the same way. San Pedro resident Steve Casares said he has mixed feelings about the project.

“I don’t like when public land is turned over for commercial purposes,” Casares said. “Especially considering most public lands are ‘Leftovers’ that no one wanted. At the same time, we need the housing and development in the downtown area. We really need to establish historic status BEFORE permits are pulled. By that time, it is too late.”

San Pedro resident Ziggy Mrkich said that new construction in downtown San Pedro should be limited to 4th Street, 5th Street and Pacific Avenue between Channel and 3rd streets.

“Keep these huge new construction projects taller than three floors off of 6th [Street],” Mrkich said. “This is an eight-story building that will dwarf the older ones on 6th. It will stick out like a sore thumb.”

Lee Williams, former chairman of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, said he supports the project.

“Projects like these are essential for the rebirth of the downtown district,” Williams said. “This one especially since it offers housing for varying incomes and more daytime foot traffic to support longer hours for our restaurants and small businesses.”

The county purchased the property in 2016 from the state of California and sent out a request for proposal to develop the project. In that same year, the county entered an exclusive negotiation deal with Holland Partner Group. Holland Partner Group presented at eight stakeholder meetings and three community meetings and completed a community survey, according to Genton Cockrum’s application with its Department of City Planning. However, the exclusive negotiation with Holland Partner Group deal ended without reaching an agreement.

Because of this, the county put out a second request for proposal in 2018. A committee formed by the Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Works chose Genton Cockrum to build the complex in 2019. The county agreed to a six-month exclusive negotiation deal with Genton Cockrum, during which time they were required to create designs for the project and secure permits with their own funding.

Genton Cockrum gave presentations of the project at three stakeholder meetings, according to its application with its Department of City Planning. It met with the joint meeting of the planning and land use committees of the three San Pedro neighborhood councils, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and San Pedro Historic Business Improvement District.

Diana Nave, chairwoman of Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee, said that she could not find any evidence the neighborhood council had taken any position on the project.

“As I recall a public hearing was not required so there was no real opportunity for public input other than comments to the developer at the Joint Committee meeting,” Nave said.

Javier Gonzalez-Camarillo, chair of the Plannng and Land Use Committee of the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council, said his committee has seen a presentation on the project at the joint meeting earlier this year.

“We all have concerns about the particular massing of the project and how it’s going to blend in with the current downtown area,” Gonzalez-Camarillo said.

He pointed out that most buildings in the area are one or two stories.

“It’s going to make an impact,” Gonzalez-Camarillo said. “Hopefully a good impact. I mean, I’m definitely one that is looking for a little bit of a boost in the downtown area. But I also know that there’s people that have some concerns about that, given the scale and mass of this particular project.”

This project meets the legal requirements for the number of parking spaces — something which a lot of nearby developments fail to meet.

“Even though we have adequate parking here, I mean it’s the amount of density that is ultimately proposed,” Gonzalez-Camarillo said. “So, that combined with two or three other projects not too far from there would reduce parking, creating a concern that there might not be enough parking when they all get built.”

Genton Cockrum did not respond in time to comment on this story.

Oil Terminal Project Highlights Larger Issues

Paul Rosenberg
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Oil Terminal Project Highlights Larger Issues

Commissioner Diane Middleton challenges staff on leasing policies

Homeowner activist Janet Gunter made another attempt to get action on a threat she’s been fighting for decades at the Sept. 22 Harbor Commission meeting. “The city and Port of LA have continued to deny that they have any way to remove or relocate the highly explosive 25 million gallon Rancho butane storage facility,” but that wasn’t true, she argued in her comments on a proposed project to combine the operations of the NuStar and Valero oil terminals (Berths 163 and 164) into a single new wharf structure, with new 30-years leases for both companies.

Rancho “serves primarily now as the remote storage location for excess butane gas produced by the Valero refinery located some 8 miles away,” Gunter explained. Thus, “This agenda item offers a unique opportunity to intervene in the interest of public safety, and the protection of the port itself. Valero is seeking the renewal of their lease. Prudent behavior would mandate that Valero’s renewal is contingent upon the agreement to halt storage at Rancho and find space on their own grounds, or elsewhere.”

After public comment, Commissioner Diane Middleton queried Director of Environmental Management Chris Cannon, “Do I correctly understand that item 7 has to do with Berth 163 and ‘64 and that it has no relationship to what Ms. Gunter referred to as the Rancho site?”

Cannon confirmed this impression by referencing his initial presentation, when he had quoted from the State Lands Commission website.

“MOTEMS stands for Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards, and they have established minimum engineering, inspection and maintenance criteria for all marine oil terminals in California. They’re to prevent oil spills and protect public health, safety and the environment,” he’d said. “So that’s what this is about.”

In one sense he was right: that was the primary purpose of the project. But the environmental document itself said that 30 year leases for both companies were included in the project — though their details were not spelled out.

“A proposed lease will come later,” port spokesman Arley Baker told Random Lengths News. The environmental analysis “required analysis of the lease duration and operations,” he explained. “The proposed lease will require separate action by the board and the city council.”

The connection Gunter drew was through those leases — specifically Valero’s lease. And though it might have been premature to take action, commissioners certainly could have sent a message in advance. We know that because Middleton herself later did precisely that.

“There are a number of federal, state and other regulations pending, with reference to the eventual cessation — hard as it is for us to imagine now — of fossil fuels,” she noted. “So, whenever anything comes before this board that has to do with long-term leases for anything involving fuels, I’m going to look at it real carefully in terms of how do we get out of it, because … there will be conflict,” she said. “We understand now that we’re talking about 2030 and 2035, and of course 30 years goes to 2051, but just a heads up to staff. Be prepared. I’m going to ask all those questions.”

It was encouraging to hear Middleton raise this important issue. But, then, why not see the issue with Rancho LPG in the same light?

Gunter raised a second question as well.

“Why does the port resist sending out requests for proposals for these lease renewals? How else does one really understand the actual value of their leases unless they are offered in a competitive market?” She asked. “It is the people of the state that are the losers if these leases are not realizing their true market value,” she said.

Because this raises the question of public trust doctrine, overseen by the State Lands Commission, Random Lengths asked them about these concerns.

“The commission is fully committed to ensuring all of the state’s trustees are honoring their fiduciary duties to the people of California,” Controller Betty Yee, current head of SLC responded. “We have a long history of working with the port in its capacity as a trustee to ensure it is meeting its public trust obligations. We will do our due diligence in this instance, as always, to ensure the proposed action is not at odds with the port’s public trust obligations.”

Former port attorney Pat Nave told Random Lengths that the workings of the global shipping industry made such an approach infeasible. In the 1980s, he explained, Harbor Commission President Fred Heim had proposed an open-bidding system, and it was considered, but ultimately rejected.

However, the specifics of marine oil terminals may be different, especially considering the issues raised by Middleton. The case isn’t closed. It might only be getting more complex.

Supervisors Vote to Extend County COVID-19 Tenant Protections Through January 2022

Reporters Desk
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Supervisors Vote to Extend County COVID-19 Tenant Protections Through January 2022

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Sept. 28 voted to extend LA County’s temporary eviction moratorium through Jan. 31, 2022. These protections, which went into effect March 2020 and set to expire on Sept. 30, provided a set of affirmative defenses against evictions for residential and commercial tenants, as well as mobile home space renters.

The updated policy, now renamed the county’s COVID-19 Tenant Protections Resolution, continues to provide a defense against eviction for residential and commercial tenants, while also expanding the owner move-in provisions.

Notably, the updated resolution expands the owner move-in exception to allow property owners or their qualifying family members to move into up to two units as their principal residence(s) if the single-family home, condominium unit, mobile home space, duplex and/or triplex was purchased by the property owner on or before June 30, 2021, and if certain conditions are met. It also clarifies provisions not preempted by State law, such as residential nonpayment of rent due to COVID-19 financial hardship.

For more information about the LA County COVID-19 Tenant Protections Resolution, visit dcba.lacounty.gov/noevictions.

For any additional questions about landlord/tenant laws and programs in LA County, visit rent.lacounty.gov.

For more information about the Housing is Key rent relief program, visit housingiskey.com.

Media kit available at bit.ly/TenantsMediaKit.

Menduina Schneider Gallery Appreciating San Pedro

Melina Paris
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Menduina Schneider Gallery Appreciating San Pedro

Artist couple creates recognition and space for artists in the breadth of a redoubling arts district

Alejandra Schneider and Jorge Menduina of the Menduina Schneider [Men-doo-wi-na – Shni-der] Art Gallery, or MS Art Gallery, have a mutual love for fine art. Alejandra is an accomplished artist, curator and teacher, and her husband, Jorge, is a writer and artist. In 2016, the couple opened their gallery on 7th Street in downtown San Pedro.

Before opening the gallery, they were involved in the art world through secondary markets and auctions. The couple said they always knew there was an art world in San Pedro. They came to town by way of Long Beach in 2015, one year before opening the gallery. As they ventured out to visit the different studios they also witnessed the makings of an arts scene in that artists they knew from Los Angeles at that time started moving here, like Nancy Crawford and James Harter, who are their neighbors, and others.

Jorge noted that San Pedro offered both galleries and studios in the downtown arts district and that really appealed to them. It was different, more geographically close here, and located in one area, in contrast to what they found in the more spread out Long Beach arts district.

Soon after they started looking, their space on 7th Street became available. Menduina Schneider Gallery is the only gallery space in the building, the rest are live-work studios.

The gallery is housed in the once San Pedro News Pilot building and it even has the grooves in the floor from the old printing press. The building — now owned by Robin Hinchcliff, who owned the former Angel’s Ink Gallery in the same location — has been transformed into a creative community with a total of 10 live/work artist studios and a gallery. Tenants come from Switzerland, France, Japan, Columbia, Canada and the United States. They call it a mini United Nations.

The Menduina Schneider Gallery specializes in Latin American art. Coming from Buenos Aires, the bustling capital city of Argentina, the couple know many established artists, some well-known as masters, who show work frequently outside of Argentina. This is largely how they curate works, through artists they know. Another significant benefit is that Alejandra is very skilled in utilizing social media. When the pandemic hit, they had to reinvent themselves, Jorge said. They reached out to basically every social network they knew, artists’ web pages and all of the various social media platforms.

Through these efforts, an idea was born in the Menduina Schneider Awards. They put the word out through their networks for artists to submit their works. The award was open to all international artists in the following mediums: sculpting, painting, mixed media, drawing and digital art. Artists participated from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Spain, Taiwan, the Netherlands, the U.K., Uruguay and the United States. The winner would be represented for one year by the gallery.

Many artists sent in their work. The gallery shared videos of the works online during the summer of 2021 because of the pandemic, but next year the winner will be physically represented in the gallery. They discovered that people were waiting for somebody to build a bridge and reach out because everyone was isolated. That really paid off, Jorge said, because they’ve had many people that inquire about the gallery.

Menduina Schneider hosted an opening day for their salon online, via Instagram, on Zoom with the winning artist that was shared around the world. Jorge and Alejandra take time to explain every single painting and give their interpretation of the artists’ works. It was a four-hour live session because they showed almost 70 paintings. Alejandra said the artists told them they have never had an experience like that in any gallery in the world, online. They were very happy to have the attention towards their work.

This year’s winner was Piro Pascal of France for Les 7 Sacrements / The Seven Sacraments [drawing on Velin d’Arches]

“It [proved to be] very interesting for the artists to speak to a gallery in the US, to show their paintings and to network. It was an incredible contact for both parties,” Alejandra said.

Jorge concurred, saying they learned a lot and it was a rich and rewarding experience. He posited the reason they have been successful in getting artists is because they have both masters and emerging artists who can show alongside each other, which elevates everybody and provides recognition.

“It’s good for everybody,” Jorge said. “I’m a writer, I know rejection really well. Alejandra is an artist and knows how hard getting recognized is. It’s also a way for us to give back and because of the art itself, not how much something costs but the value of it.”

Their call for artists happens all the time. They just completed their 6th Salon of Paintings with 47 different artists from 23 different countries. Again, the winner will have a show and receive representation by the gallery for one year. It’s something that means something to the artist, more than a certificate, Jorge said, which doesn’t really help the artist.

The jury for the shows was made up of four important people in the art world; president and CEO of Museum of Latin American Art, Dr. Lourdes I. Ramos-Riva (Puerto Rico), Christian Mac Entyre, artist (Argentina), Nector Mejia artist (Colombia) and Yoel Diaz Galvez, artist (Cuba). The winner is decided by simple majority.

This years winner of the Menduina Schneider Award was Piro Pascal of France for “Les 7 Sacrements”/ “The Seven Sacraments”

The first prize recipient was from France, the second prize winner was from Spain, the third place winners were shared between Brazil and Columbia. Menduina Schneider does not do the selection because it would be a conflict of interest.

Looking back over this volatile past year, plus, Jorge noted what happened in San Pedro during the pandemic was that hardly any galleries closed down. He said there was a lot of support from the Waterfront Arts District and the City of Los Angeles had many grants, which many cities across the country did not have.

“The state of California was gracious with our gallery and I think that should be highlighted,” he said. “There was a lot of help, talking to people in other countries and in other states, that people didn’t have.

“[San Pedro] is a very diverse place and there are really very nice people here. Everyone is ready to lend a hand to help,” Jorge said.

Details: www.msartgallery.com

This Weekend: Carson Celebrates With Jazz Fest + Filipino American History Month

Reporters Desk
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This Weekend: Carson Celebrates With Jazz Fest + Filipino American History Month

Donald Hayes Headlines the City of Carson Jazz Festival

Musician, arranger, orchestrator, artist and feature film/television composer Donald Hayes will lead the line-up for Carson’s Annual Jazz Festival Oct. 2.

One of the most sought-after musicians and arrangers in the country, Donald Hayes has worked with the biggest artists in the world including Beyoncé, Babyface, Janelle Monae, Robin Thicke, Earth, Wind and Fire, Justin Timberlake, Black Eyed Peas and James Brown to name a few.

The virtual event will take place at 6 p.m. by logging on to http://carsonca.gov/Jazz. One of the longest running events in Carson, the Jazz Festival is well attended by residents of the South Bay each year.

Other performers include Jazz in Pink, Del Atkins and the Legacy Ensemble and CSUDH Dominguez Hills Jazz Ensemble.

Cable Channel 35 (Spectrum)

Cable Channel 99 (ATT)

Time: 6 p.m. Oct. 2.

Cost: Free

Details: 310- 847-3570, carsonca.gov/Jazz

Venue: Virtual

Filipino American History Month Celebration in Carson October 2

Filipino American History Month is a month-long celebration in Carson showcasing amazing talents and performing artists in music, creative arts and other varied forms of entertainment from the Filipino American community.

Headlining this year’s event are Shekinah Austria and Garth Garcia. Shekina Austria is an actress, model, host, singer and songwriter.

Garth Garcia is known as the FilAm Prince of Old Pinoy Music. He is a decorated recording artist and songwriter with Ivory Music & Video and has an array of awards and nominations such as The Outstanding Filipino Awards Nominee for 2021.

Performers also include Carson Street Dance, Hollywood Dance Moms and Pamana Kali Filipino Martial Arts.

A program featuring awards for community leadership, youth achievement, and heroism will also take place on October 2. The awardees are Philippine Nurses Association of Southern California and West L.A. Subchapter (PNASC WLA), Council of Young FilAms in Medicine (CYFAM), Filipino Young Leaders Program (FLYPRO), Consul General Ed Badajos and Ella Jay Basco for Youth Awardee.

Time: 8 a.m. located at This event is open to the public and admission is .

Cost: Free

Details: 310-847-3570

Venue: Congresswoman Juanita Millender- McDonald Community Center, East Parking Lot, 801 E. Carson St., Carson.

Great Day For Bruce’s Beach: Hahn’s Statement on Governor Signing Bruce’s Beach Bill, SB 796

Reporters Desk
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Great Day For Bruce’s Beach: Hahn’s Statement on Governor Signing Bruce’s Beach Bill, SB 796

 

Manhattan Beach, CA — Today, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn Sept. 30, will join Gov. Newsom as he signs SB 796, legislation that will give LA County the authority to return property once owned by Willa and Charles Bruce to their descendants.

Bruce’s Beach was once a thriving resort for Black residents. But in the 1920s, the City of Manhattan Beach used eminent domain to take the land, under the guise of building a park.

In April, Hahn announced her intention to return the now county-owned property to the Bruce family. However, she needed state legislation to allow the transfer. She brought the idea to State Senator Steven Bradford who authored the legislation which got unanimous support in both the Senate and Assembly.

Hahn has released the following statement:

“This is a milestone for us, and I want to thank not only Governor Newsom for signing this bill into law, but Senator Bradford for his leadership and the entire state legislature for their unanimous support. The work is far from done. Now that LA County officially has the authority to transfer this property, my goal over the next several months will be to transfer this property in a way that not only works for the Bruce family, but is a model that other local governments can follow. Returning Bruce’s Beach can and should set a precedent for this nation and I know that all eyes will be on Los Angeles County as this work gets underway.”

Tomorrow, Sept. 31, Hahn will introduce a motion directing the county to prepare to accept the amended deed from the state (the state has until the end of this year) and pursue a process to identify the legal heirs of Willa and Charles Bruce.

Gov. Newsom Signs Landmark Police Accountability Bill Into Law

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Gov. Newsom Signs Landmark Police Accountability Bill Into Law

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sept. 30 signed into law a bill that will hold police accountable for violating civil rights in the State of California.

Authored by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Senate Bill 2 will end absolute immunity for officials who engage in malicious prosecution, injure, or kill people in custody, as well as those who intentionally deny medical care to inmates in jails or prison. The bill also creates a statewide decertification system for police, preventing officers who have been charged with serious misconduct—excessive force, sexual misconduct, dishonesty—from simply relocating to another community.

The Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021 (SB 2) is named for an unarmed Black man who was shot and killed in broad daylight by Sergeant Michael Robbins, a Gardena police officer wielding an automatic rifle. Kenneth Ross was Sergeant Robbins’ fourth victim. Sgt. Robbins remains a police officer to this day and has faced no accountability for his actions.

Prior to SB 2, numerous state-level governmental immunities in California made it enormously difficult for citizens or the families of victims to seek recourse after their rights, or their loved ones’ rights, were violated by law enforcement personnel. These immunities protect officers who act outside of the law they are charged to uphold and devalue the rights of the civilians they swear to protect.

SB 2 eliminates some of those state-level immunities, creating an avenue for individuals to exercise their civil rights and seek justice.

California joins Colorado, New Mexico, Connecticut and New York City in passing civil rights legislation that ensures law enforcement officers can be held accountable in court for wrongdoing and that victims have clear pathways to justice. Legislation addressing law enforcement immunities and the civil rights of victims of police misconduct has been introduced in a number of other states in the last year, including New York, Washington and Louisiana.

In Back-to-Back October Shows, Another International Musician Comes To Grand Annex Stage

Melina Paris
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In Back-to-Back October Shows, Another International Musician Comes To Grand Annex Stage

Giuseppe “Peppino” D’Agostino, known for his open tunings and finger styling, come’s to the Grand Annex stage on Oct. 10.

Italy-born, California-based guitarist and composer has toured across the globe and performed with guitar legends like Leo Kottke, Tommy Emmanuel, Larry Carlton and Sergio Assad..

The self-taught musician began choosing and playing tunes by ear. Inspired by far flung influences like the flamenco work of Paco de Lucia and the pop sounds of the Beatles as well as Carlos Santana and Leo Kottke he was composing and performing throughout Italy by the age of 18. He recorded his first two albums in Italy, Bluerba [1981] and Silk and Steel [1983] with fellow musicians who appreciated American bluegrass and new acoustic styles. Soon, D’Agostino took the leap and moved to America in 1985.

After arriving in America, D’Agostino started busking with his guitar at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Through an email, the musician wrote about his time there.

“Years ago, when I was playing in the streets at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, I had to capture the attention of the tourists to generate some income for myself,” D’Agostino wrote.

“I was successful at it because I chose from a wide repertoire of well known songs but mainly because I was in ‘the zone’ as I was performing often with my eyes closed. People could connect to me because I was deeply connected to the music. It was certainly a very formative experience for me!”

By the time he emerged on the acoustic guitar scene, D’Agostino became a leading member of the second wave of the great finger stylists that helped redefine the instrument in the 1990s. His technique, penchant for open tunings [tuning strings differently, forming pleasant chords and strumming without pressing frets or strings down, creating a new tonality] and percussive effects are the basis of his compositional style. His virtuosity and his emotional charge have also influenced the younger generation of fingerstyle guitarists.

Eventually D’Agostino toured across the globe performing with guitar legends. He has recorded 19 CD’s and performed in more than thirty-five countries at international festivals and concert halls. In 2017 Guitar Player listed D’Agostino as one of the 50 transcendent superheroes of the acoustic guitar. His CD, Every Step of The Way, was awarded the bronze medal for best acoustic album of all time by Acoustic Guitar’s People’s Choice Awards. Recently he had his first sold-out tour in China and he composed a soundtrack for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

D’Agostino’s repertoire is always changing and adapting to the connection he makes with his audience. His live performances combine complex, up tempo instrumentals, and beautiful arrangements. Audiences at Grand Annex can expect to witness a variety of guitar techniques and musical styles including classical, Brazilian and jazz.

In addition to performing, D’Agostino gives guitar workshops, master classes and seminars worldwide. He also scores documentary soundtracks as well as video games like Sims or Dragons of Atlantis.

Giuseppe “Peppino” D’Agostino
Time: 8 p.m. Oct.10, wine tasting at 7 p.m.
Cost: Tickets: $28; Cabaret Tables $132 to $152
Details: www.grandvision.secure.force.com/ticket/peppino-DAgostino and www.kalakoa.com
Venue: Grand Annex, 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro

International Musicians Bring Musical Medicine to Grand Annex in October

Melina Paris
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International Musicians Bring Musical Medicine to Grand Annex in October

In October the Grand Annex presents two back-to-back exciting shows through Kala Koa Entertainment. On Oct. 9, five-time Grammy winner Bakithi Kumalo performs and on Oct. 10, Giuseppe “Peppino” D’Agostino, known for his open tunings and finger styling, will come to Grand Annex’s stage.

Master musician Bakithi [pronounced Bagiti] Kumalo, famous for his bass lick in Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al, will perform standards and songs from his upcoming album What You Hear Is What You See. More on the album later.

Kumalo, who is known as a storyteller, is named as one of the top 50 greatest bass players of all time, having played with luminaries like Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Gloria Estefan and Josh Groban. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa Kumalo worked as a session musician in South Africa during the 1970s and early 1980s, eventually becoming a top session bassist and accompanying international performers during their South African tours.

In 1985, during the sessions for Graceland. Kumalo was introduced to Paul Simon by producer Hendrick Lebone. Despite his nervousness in meeting the American pop star in a studio setting, Kumalo said Simon immediately gravitated to his bass style. Since then, Kumalo has toured regularly with Simon.

Growing up amid traditional African music and listening to popular American music on the radio, the bassist fuses these elements with rhythmic and harmonic complexity. Kumalo told RLN by phone that Los Angeles is his third home, after South Africa and New York. He has played in LA so many times and with so many people. He even opened the Kodak Theater in the mid 1990s with Paul Simon.

“It’s like coming back home for me… it’s big,” Kumalo said. “ The fact that I’m coming with my own project and working with musicians from LA like Ron DeJesus I’m just very excited.”

To bring his own band and his own music, Kumalo said, is all about the stories and what got him here.

“It’s me telling my story,” he said. “The playing side is the cream on top. It’s about me saying thank you to America and the rest of the world, that they have accepted my bass playing and now I’m seeing young bass players say to me, ‘Hey, my dad used to rock me when I was a baby playing the Graceland album.’”

Kumalo said it’s about keeping Simon’s legacy going and to keep educating young people about his music. Simon travelled to South Africa and got Kumalo out of the place where he was, as he tells the story. Kumalo then had know idea who Simon was… but Simon gave him the opportunity and he took it.

“Now is my chance to give back to him, to say thank you Paul … ,” Kumalo said. “Because I don’t think, sometimes with musicians, that we … thank people we played for. My thing is to have fun and I’m going to get people to sing along.

“Of course because of this pandemic, every moment that you’re on stage you feel like, ‘wow God saved me to be up here standing and talking to these people coming to watch us play.’ It’s exchanging gifts, so I’m excited about it.”

Kumalo said the pandemic has been devastating. He lost some of his family members. Clubs, restaurants and schools closed down. It’s a chaotic situation. But at the same time, he said we have to make sure that every day is a gift to be out there and not think about all these negative things.

“Let’s have fun, let’s play music, let’s talk, let’s sing,” Kumalo said.

Kumalo and his band are going to mix it up. He’s going to showcase American music he’s played to highlight the other side of the music, not just his music that people are familiar with. Most importantly it’s going to be about Kumalo’s new music played for the first time from What You Hear Is What You See.

That title, he said, means we live every day and our eyes can see things. During the pandemic he had to spend a lot of time “knowing” both his instrument and himself, because he usually moves from “hotel to hotel, plane to plane.”

“I’m home and I’m exposed to everything,” he said. “That’s when I started to put all these pieces together that I had been writing.

“What You Hear Is What You See, because … we hear about Mexico and the borders and all the Hatian people trying to run away from their dictator — and then getting whipped. It’s so painful to hear those stories. But this record represents everything. It represents love, sadness, pain. Music is our medicine to keep it going. So, what you hear is what you see.”

Kumalo exemplifies this idea. Coming from South Africa, he said at 10-years-old he [felt] like ‘what the hell is going on?’ It was chaotic. As he grew up every day things got worse with a lack of food and clothing. The system was brutal he said and he had to find a shelter. He found a shelter in his bass and decided to stick with it. He said it wasn’t easy. His parents didn’t have money and they couldn’t buy him an instrument. But he went to every part of the township and listened to bands play.

“Sometimes they gave me the chance to play — and maybe get some other bass player kicked out of the gig, you know, because I was young and [talented] For me, it was like, find what works for you. I tell my kids when you go to school don’t expect the teacher to give you [anything]. You have to earn it, you have to find it, you have to be the best at it and come out productive and produce. It starts with you.”

Kumalo recalled as a child, when he was starting to get into music and American music, he dreamt about being in America. He remembered seeing a picture of Diana Ross on an album and thinking ‘she is so beautiful I have to meet this lady someday.’ Years later, after he came to America, Kumalo got a call from Ms. Ross, who was recording a Disney song and wanted a South African person to put the vocals on it. When she asked for him, he said just a second, put the phone down and he had quite a momentous thrill. Kumalo said many people knew him from session work so they told her about him and she called him.

“That’s why I wanted to come here because this is an amazing place,” he said. “I’ve been all over the world and there is no place like America. You have to earn it too. It’s not like it’s just unbelievable, you have to work for it.

“Paul gave me the wings to fly, I am flying.”

Kumalo has two more upcoming shows. He’ll be at Vibratos to play two sets at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, which goes hand in hand with his Grand Annex show. He will also perform at The Musician’s Institute in Hollywood on Oct. 8.

Bakithi Kumalo
With Ron DeJesus, guitar, Dan Boissy, saxophone, Tony Moore, drums, Munyungo Jackson, percussion, Hans Zermuehlen, keys.
Time: 8 p.m. Oct. 9
Cost: Tickets: $23; Cabaret Tables $112-$132
Details: www.grandvision.secure.force.com/bakithi-kumalo and www.kalakoa.com
Venue: Grand Annex, 434 W. 6th Street, San Pedro

Feuer Calls For Debates

Reporters Desk
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Feuer Calls For Debates

LOS ANGELES — LA City Attorney and Mayoral Candidate Mike Feuer challenged mayoral candidates to a series of debates across the city with the first debate focused on homelessness.

The City Attorney said voters deserve to know much more about the candidates and what they stand for because in many ways their safety, livelihoods, and quality of life depend on it.

Feuer pointed out that this will be the first Mayoral election in an even year with a long slate of statewide and federal campaigns potentially diverting attention away from what would normally be a singular municipal election for voters. He called for taking a deep and substantive dive into every issue and let every voter from every neighborhood in Los Angeles ask any question they want. He added the time to capture the attention of Los Angeles voters is now – before the melee of 2022 begins.

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