Cultural Gift Giving for the
2004-05 Holiday Season

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This holiday season, as you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and the New Year in January or February with many different cultures, please support principles of peace and diversity. Remember to buy local, support community organizations and artists, value education and care about the people of the world. With that in mind, we offer some great gift suggestions.

ORGANIZATIONS Peace Kids Culture

PUBLICATIONS Books Local Region

TRAVEL & MEDIA Travel Film Music

SUPPORT PEACE

Give a $10 Membership to the Houston Peace and Justice Center in the name of a loved one. Includes a subscription to the Peace News. Call 713-522-9850.

Or, support our neighbors' valuable work for peace:
Give a Membership to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio. The Eseranza Center works on international issues, from indigenous concerns and migrant labor, to the crisis of violence against women of Juarez.


SUPPORT KIDS

Support MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through Arts) by donating in the name of a loved one.

Provide a child's scholarship to Camp Dos Cabezas, a cultural education camp for at-risk youth. Contact info@houstonculture.org to find out what it takes to be a mentor and scholarship provider. Contribution to this effort will be recognized in the name of your family.


FOR THE KIDS

Give a membership to The Cildren's Museum of Houston.


SUPPORT CULTURE

Give a Subscription to Cultural Survival, a quarterly publication promoting the rights, voices and visions of indigenous peoples. Student or senior: $25; Individual: $45; Family: $70


BOOKS/CULTURES

Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad by Stefan Falke and Geoffrey Holder, published by Pointed Leaf Press.

A World of Decent Dreams Photographed by Ellen Kaplowitz, published by Weatherhill.


BOOKS/REGIONAL HISTORY

I Would Rather Sleep in Texas by Mary Margaret McAllen Amberson, published by Texas State Historical Association.


BOOKS/AMERICAN HISTORY

Bound for Glory: America in Color, 1939 - 43 by Paul Hendrickson, published by Harry N. Abrams.
A stunning visual portrait of the nation at the end of the Great Depression, photographed in color.

Public Enemies: Americas Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933 - 34 by Byron Burrough, published by Penguin Press.


REGIONAL INTEREST

Give a Subscription to Louisiana Cultural Vistas, a quarterly publication of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Annual Subscription: $12; Endowment Membership: $35.


THE TRAVELER

Give an annual National Parks Pass, including admission to America's National Parks. $50


DVD/DOCUMENTARIES

Great documentary films to give on DVD:

When the Maintains Tremble (20th Anniversary Special Edition), directed by Newton Thomas Sigel and Pamela Yates
Rigoberta Menchu's inspirational and crucial journey from oppressed indigenous Guatelalan to Nobel Peace prize winner.

Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers and Tides, directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer
Goldsworthy creates art in nature, which is subject to movements and time, and is only preserved in this film.

Control Room, directed by Jehane Novjaim
An inside view of outsider (non embedded reporters) media coverage of modern events, great for discussion.

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, directed by Errol Morris
A powerful study of a major decission maker of the Vietnam era and the unclear, haunting script of the twentieth century.


THE MUSIC LOVER

CDs to suit almost all tastes make great stocking stuffers:

TEXAS LEGENDS    REGIONAL    BLUES    EIGHTIES MUSIC    CROSS CULTURAL

MODERN WORLD POP    MODERN POP    HIP HOP    AFRICAN    LATIN/CARIBBEAN

LATIN/REGIONAL    LATIN/NORTH AMERICAN    LATIN/SOUTH AMERICAN

LATIN/BRAZILIAN POP    ASIAN    EUROPEAN


TEXAS LEGENDS

• I Found a Dream by John Vandiver on Jelly Roll Records
(Legendary Houston folk and blues man, from the circles of Lyle Lovett and Nancy Griffith, recorded at Poor David's Pub in Dallas, Texas in 1984, before his life was tragically cut short.)

• Iron Leg by Mickey and the Soul Generation on Cali-Tex
(Rare early 1990s recordings by San Antonio funk and soul explorers.)


REGIONAL

• Musique Creole by The Carriere Brothers on Arhoolie
(Early African American creole music influenced by Blues, Cajun, Zydeco and Polkas in rural Louisiana.)

• Cajun Champs by Various Artists on Arhoolie
(Compilation of legendary and historic masters of Cajun music.)

• Live at Waterloo Records by Marcia Ball on Alligator Records
(A limited edition of the regional favorite performing live at the Austin record store.)


BLUES

• Lightning in a Bottle Soundtrack by Various Artists on Columbia Legacy
(From early spititual and African traditions performed by Mavis Staples ans Angelique Kidjo, to regional favorite Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, to modern innovators Chuck D and India Arie. With a host of giants, Odetta, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and more.)

• Music Makers with Taj Mahalby Taj Mahal and guests on Music Maker
(As Taj Mahal says, "Music Makers dispels the notion that real blues musicians are long gone.")


EIGHTIES MUSIC

• The Name of This Band is Talking Heads by Talking Heads on Sire/WB/Rhino
(Talking Heads hits are rarely heard in the band's earliest and best form as this long-awaited double CD release reveals.)

• London Calling (25th Anniversary Legacy Edition) by The Clash on Epic Legacy
(The Clash transcended the synthetic decade and transformed music beyond its time by drawing from the roots of rock. The bonus recordings offer great comparative insight into the band produced and unproduced.)

• Greatest Hits by Brenda Fassie on Narada
(The South African queen of pop mastered the eighties sound and conquered the pop world with her amazing voice. She survived Soweto and Apartheid, but not AIDS. Procedes from this compilation benefit Nelson Mandela's 46664 Foundation to improve the lives of Africans infected by HIV/AIDS.)


CROSS CULTURAL

• Mapou by Rene Lacaille on Riverboat Records/World Music Network
(A creole music document of African and European origins, with influence from India and Magagascar, that developed on La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Accordionist and singer Lacaille issues one of the most unique collections of the year.)

• Lagrimas Negras by Bebo and Cigala on Calle 54 Records
(Cuban master pianist Bebo Valdes collaborates with flamenco vocalist extraordinaire Diego El Cigala to render an exquisite set of Latin classics.)


MODERN WORLD POP

• Gran Hotel Buenos Aires by Federico Aubele on Eighteenth Street Lounge Music
(An exceptional Brazilian dub set produced by Thievery Corporation.)

• Covert Movements by 60 Channels on Supa Crucial Recordings
(A highly innovative and funky American take on dub style.)

• Brazil Remixed by Various Artists on Groove Gravy
(A fun mix of Brazilian electronica.)


MODERN POP

• Outernational Sound by Thievery Corporation on Eighteenth Street Lounge Music
(Rather than follow the disco or techno paths of most club acts, Thievery Corporation explores classic funk and soul, and even drops a track of hometown Washington DC go go sound.)

• Mosquitos by Mosquitos on Bar None Records
(An exciting debut with quirky pop songs like "Boombox" sung by bossa nova vocalist Juju Stulbach.)

• Passionoia by Black Box Recorder on One Little Indian
(Intentionally pretentious, dark and sarcastic, but fun.)


HIP HOP

• Ancestry in Progress by Zap Mama on Luaka Bop
(An unlikely genre for the legendary Zap Mama and an unsuspected surprise for hip hop fans, features guests like Erykah Badu.)

• African Rap by Various Artists on World Music Network
(The American artform set to the many innovative and distinctive styles of African pop music.)


AFRICAN

• Morocco by Various Artists on World Music Network
(The most competant collection of musical mastery this year, with artists like Nass El Ghiwane.)

• Diam by Daby Toure on Real World
(An innovative style with traditional wisdom of Mauritania.)

• Raise Your Spirit Higher by Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Heads Up International

• Bush Taxi Mali (Field Recordings from Mali) by Various Artists on Sublime Frequencies
(For the music lover who really wants to hear the music originators.)


LATIN/CARIBBEAN

• Somos Boricuas: Bomba y Plena en Nueva York by Los Pleneros de la 21 on Henry Street

• Materia Prima by Viento de Agua on Smithsonian Folkways
(A great rendition of Puerto Rican bomba and plena music by masters of their family traditions.)

• Llego Tete by Teresa Garcia Caturla on Pimienta

• Quimbombo by Quimbombo on Testa Dura Records


LATIN/REGIONAL

• Para Mis Amigosby Robrto Martinez on MAS
(A superb document of traditional New Mexican music.)


LATIN/NORTH AMERICAN

• La Bomba: Sones Jarochos from Veracruz by Jose Gutierrez y los Hermanos Ochoa on Smithsonian Folkways


LATIN/SOUTH AMERICAN

• Jolgorio by Peru Negro on Times Square Records
(A great anthology of African musical traditions in western South America.)

• Si, Soy Llanero by Grupo Cimarron on Smithsonian Folkways
(Skilled masters perform musical traditions from the plains of Colombia.)


LATIN/BRAZILIAN POP

• Uma Batida Diferente by Bossacucanova on Six Degrees

• Sincerely Hot by Domenico + 2 on Luaka Bop

• Brizzi do Brasil by Various Artists on Amiata Records
(Legends of Brazilian music, including Caetano Veoso, Tom Ze and Virginia Rodrigues, render classical compositions by Italian Aldo Brizzi.)


ASIAN

• Tana Tani by State of Bengal vs Puban Das Baul on Real World
(India/UK colaboration by vocalist Puban Das Baul and drum programmer Saifullah Zaman.)

• Day of Colours by Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali on Real World
(Pakistani masters following in the footsteps of Sufii master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, holding their own in performance energy and dedication to Qawwali.)


EUROPEAN

• Cositas Buenas by Paco de Lucia on Blue Thumb Records
(An outstanding flamenco recording.)

• Gypsy Swing by Various Artists on World Music Network
(A fun and lively set of Frech jazz influenced gypsy music, with several historic tracks by Djanjo Reinhardt and his Hot Club of France.)

• Give Us a Penny and Let Us be Gone by Teada on Green Linnet

• ar an bhfidil (Irish Fiddle Music from Sligo) by Oisin Mac Diarmada on Green Linnet
(As perfectly traditional and beautifully played as any cultural origins recording.)

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HOUSTON INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE   info@houstonculture.org