Internationally acclaimed playwright, Philip Kan Gotanda, started his creative career as a songwriter/musician around 1978. In addition to writing songs, he was working on his first play, The Avocado Kid, or Zen and the Art of Guacamole.
Inspired by the Asian American and other movements of color in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Asian American musicians created art that directly engaged issues of identity, community, and social change. Music was seen as an integral part of the movement, providing a soundtrack for the political struggles to empower our communities.
This recording is of a concert on June 2, 1979, at the Chinese Cultural Center in San Francisco, CA. Twelve songs written and performed by Gotanda are included on this CD plus two bonus tracks including live performances from 1978 with Peter Horikoshi, and the band, Bamboo Brew.
Even though CDs might be considered a dying form of media, it’s the booklet with the lyrics and introductions that will make this purchase worthwhile. The Japantown Art & Media (JAM) Workshop, which produced the concert in 1979, was started by artists and musicians who were truly talented. The silk-screened poster for the concert, as well as the artwork for the CD, were designed by Zand Gee. She also designed and printed the original poster for the concert, which is in the center of this booklet.
