24.4.09

Freedom songs for the Centre for Philippine Concerns

The Centre for Philippine Concerns pairs up with artists to spread the word on oppression factors in the Philippines

by Stefan Christoff

In the Philippines, music has always played a key role in social movements, from the internationally celebrated protests that led to the ousting of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 to more recent struggles surrounding political killings that have targeted union leaders and human rights workers (violence that has been tied to the current president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an key ally of the Canadian government in Asia).

Artists in the Philippines have often been politically persecuted because of the important role that cultural workers play in the major social movements in the country. Under Ferdinand Marcos, poets, writers and musicians faced prison, and more recently artists including filmmakers and poets have faced kidnappings clearly linked to the government security forces of President Macapagal-Arroyo.

This weekend (Saturday, April 25, 2009 -ed) in Montreal, artists will raise awareness and express solidarity with Philippine social movements as well as the local struggles faced by migrants from the Philippines, namely Filipinos working in homes as nannies or house cleaners here under Canada's Live-in Caregiver Program.

One of the artists performing on Saturday night is Filipino folk singer-songwriter Levy Abad (see photo), a celebrated cultural figure within progressive movements in the Philippines and within the diaspora community in Canada (Abad is currently based in Toronto).

More at: Hour.ca - News - A song for the Centre for Philippine Concerns:

20.4.09

RYTHMES & RESISTANCES de Manille à Montréal


concert/bénéfice pour le Centre d'appui aux PHILIPPINES (CAP-CPC)

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SAMEDI le 25 AVRIL 2009
20h00 $5-10 au Bar Populaire
6584 St. Laurent
Métro Beaubien
Montréal, Québec
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un évènement chaleureux de musique sur scène pour soutenir le travail de solidarité, d'information et de mobilisation fait par le Centre d'appui aux Philippines à Montréal et à travers le monde...

les artistes participants:

* KALMUNITY VIBE COLLECTIVE
des membres du collectif artistique connu pour leur musique enlevant qui va du funk, soul, rap au jazz. Kalmunity exprime et fait la promotion de l'art comme outil de communication et de militantisme pour le changement social. http://www.kalmunity.com

* LEVY ABAD (voir photo)
artiste/chanteur/compositeur originaire des Philippines qui habite à Toronto, Levy Abad Jr. est membre fondateur du collectif PATAC, un organisme qui œuvre à faire rayonner la culture et les luttes du peuple des Philippines par le biais de la musique, la photo, le spoken word, l'imprimé et d'autres médias artistiques. http://www.patac.org

* ACALANTO
un ensemble de musique d'origine Latino-américaine connu tant pour ses compositions originales que pour son répertoire de musique classique des mouvements de résistance dans les Amériques. http://www.ensembleacalanto.com

* VALERIE KHAYAT
montréalaise d'origine italo-Libanaise, poète, auteure-compositeure, elle fait partie du milieu artistique montréalaise depuis 2004. Son premier receuil de poésies, The Road to Vesper, et son premier CD, Resonance in blue, sont parus en 2007.
www.valeriekhayat.com

pour plus d'information, contacter le Centre d'appui aux Philippines - Centre for Philippine Concerns, Montréal, Québec, Canada

tel: +1 514 342-2111
email:capcpc[at]web.ca

RHYTHMS & RESISTANCE from Manila to Montreal


benefit concert for the CENTRE for PHILIPPINE CONCERNS (CAP-CPC)

-------------------------
SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2009
20h00 $5-10 Bar Populaire
6584 St. Laurent
Metro Beaubien
Montreal, Quebec
-------------------------

an event featuring live music to express solidarity and build support for the ongoing and critical work undertaken by the Centre d'Appui aux Philippines - Centre for Philippine Concerns in Montreal and internationally...

performances from:

* KALMUNITY VIBE COLLECTIVE
members from the celebrated arts collective which play music spanning from funk, to soul, to rap, to jazz, Kalmunity is dedicated to promoting and perpetuating the potential of art as a tool for communication and activism for social change. http://www.kalmunity.com

* LEVY ABAD
noted songwriter/singer living in Toronto who is a founding member of Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture (PATAC), an organization of Filipino artist that strives to promote Philippines, its people, culture and struggles though music, photo, spoken word, print and other artistic medium. http://www.patac.org

* ACALANTO
a Latin American music ensemble which plays popular original and classic songs bound to resistance movements in the Americas. http://www.ensembleacalanto.com

* VALERIE KHAYAT
a performing poet/singer-songwriter with a background in communication & philosophy, in 2007 Khayat released her first book of poetry, The Road to Vesper, and her first full-length CD, Resonance in blue. www.valeriekhayat.com

for more information contact the Centre d'appui aux Philippines - Centre for Philippine Concerns, Montréal, Québec, Canada
tel: +1 514 342-2111
email:capcpc[at]web.ca