street roots
5
June 22, 2012
NEW BEAT from page 4
you’ve dealt with this too.
S ea n Ghazi: What is very interesting to
me is on face value there is a lot of judging
that goes on. You look different, you sound
different, your passport is a different color. It
takes a little bit of due diligence to get that
perception changed. On my way to the U.S.
from Malaysia, I would be stopped by very
gruff immigration agents. And then they see
the level of Visa that I have and the
demeanor would immediately change.
M.Z.: It s a situation that feels like you are
guilty until proven innocent. It is a global
issue, and it’s one of the conundrum of our
species.
S.G.: (In a mock French accent)“Will you
be having the Conundrum de Species? It’s
slightly on the spicy side. You might want to
have the white wine with that.” (Laughter)
M.Z.: The challenge to me, having lived in
many places in the world, how do we break
away from that guilty-until-proven-innocent
approach to others, to other people. It takes
a lot of trust. The general tendency in the
political climate today, which is security —
national security and all of this. It is basically
just banner waving. It is not really giving us
any more security. I don’t believe that. We
are basically creating more resentment
throughout the world and less security.
Ultimately, constantly seeing people with
suspicion just breeds more discontent and
less understanding. I think we can learn to
appreciate one another a little more. And
then it goes both ways, when you extend
appreciation, it comes back to you.
S.Z.: What was it like moving to the United
States?
M.Z.: I was 15 years old when I moved to
Portland. We had lived in New York for a
while, when I was 1 3 .1 went to middle
school there for about six months. And it was
a disaster. §gw e moved back to Peru.
' ''is,
S.Z.: What was disastrous about it?
M.Z.: Well, my mom came to school one
day to see what was going on because she
was surprised that I didn’t have really any
homework.
I like school. I like learning. I had good
teachers everywhere I went. I found people
who really loved to teach. At the school in
New York, there was hardly any class, much
less homework. We lived in a pretty bad
neighborhood — a horrible neighborhood. It
was violent. Someone shot at the car once.
The bullet ricocheted off the side (of the
car). It didn’t hit any of us, but it was ... kind
of frightening.
My mother came to school one day and
saw that kids were basically just shouting and
throwing paper, and the teacher was just
reading the newspaper, sitting there waiting
for class to end. There was nothing they
could do. A lot of these kids had weapons
and the teachers had no authority. Try as
they might, there was nothing the teachers
could do.
S.Z.: You left New York, went back to Peru
and then moved to Portland when you were 15
years old. What brought your family here?
M.Z.: My mom, Luciana Proano. She is a
bit of an adventurer, and my stepdad, who is
from here. His name is John Butler. He is a
jazz guitarist - a fantastic musician. He
taught me how to play guitar. In fact, I
learned how to play guitar before I played
drums. That’s one thing that most people
don’t know, they say, “Oh you’re playing
guitar on the album, what’s going on?” I have
always (played guitar) I just didn’t really do it
much because it wasn’t the focus of my
career.
♦
S.Z.: You’re really blessed with a rich
musical family, not only here in Portland, but
worldwide as well.
M.Z.: That’s right. Portland is a bit of a
Mecca for creativity. I don’t know what it is,
but people seem to come here for music and
art.
S.Z.: Is this a help or a hindrance to you as
a musician?
M.Z.: I’m pretty well placed in it. So, for
me, it has been a help. People are actually
pretty open about receiving newcomers and
embracing other people. It’s very community-
oriented - as much as it can be in the United
States. I would like to see more of that.
When we have all of these wonderful,
creative people in one place, then why not
get out of your house? Instead of renting a
movie or buying some beer at the pub, why
not go buy some beer where they are playing
live music?
S.Z.: The album title is a catchy one that
pays homage to city public transportation
system.
M.Z.: The title of the album was suggested
by Dave Eggar; he studied with Leonard
Bernstein. He also co-produced my album.
He and I wrote the string arrangements
together and he played them all. He has been
an inspiration and a good friend. So I asked
him what the title of the album should be
and he had me read down the list of song
titles. When I got to “Two Dollars to Ride
the Train,” he said, “Stop, that’s it.”
By Brendan Lee
Lady strides with black
Pomeranian puff dog
Leash in hand
Cell phone in other hand
Conversation in stride
Unknown caller to passersby
Lady dressed in black
High cut trench coat
High cut skirt beneath
Donned in black stockings
Trim dancers legs
She is a bleach blonde,
From brunette to blonde
Overdue, long golden-blonde locks
Dog barks as streetcar passes by
No flying monkeys,
Wicked Witch, Wizard of Oz,
Good Witch, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion,
Nor Scarecrow.
Yellow Brick Road is
A figment of our imagination.
Or the illusion that the Wizard
Will get Dorothy and Toto home to
Kansas and Auntie Em
Yes, Dorothy — there is no place like home
Just click your heels
SHAZAM!
Come my pretty
Beware not of the wicked witch
For she represents
The alienated self.
Be kind to self and others!
For no one chooses the alienated path
We all want and need love
From birth to death and the spirit world
May you shine brightly
S.Z.: What is it like to tour with Pink
M artini?
M.Z.: I can sum it up in one phrase which
was just written in the Portland Monthly
Arts and Entertainment guide: “Despite a
decade with Pink Martini, Martin Zarzar
retains a youthful face.” I don’t know what
more could be said about a rigorous tour
schedule.
sue@streetroots. org
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Fallen Off
the Edge
A new book by A rt Garcia
"Fallen Off the Edge" is a chronicle
of one man's experiences after returning
from the Vietnam War. Told through the
eyes of Street Roots columnist Art
Garcia, this book celebrates the major
victories born from a series of
questionable choices. Art's jocular
storytelling takes the reader along with
him in and out of the California prison
system over the course of 10 years until
he found the strength and courage to
pull himself up from the fall.
The book is available online at www.
blurb.com under searchword Art Garcia.