Loick Peyron de retour avec Artemis Racing (FR)

What Difference Does It Make? SF Screening w/ François K

If you aren't yet hip to this film documenting the search for the soul of music, do yourself some couch digging and plug in for a heavy dose of optimism. 'What Difference Does It Make' is a film all it's own, a supreme audio visual testament to the power of creativity. A must see for deejays, musicians, record collectors, knob-twiddlers, and next-big-things, this hour and a half long journey throughout New York as experienced by the eyes, ears and musical prowess of the Red Bull Music Academy members provides for an engaging collage of textures and vibes, both mellow and chaotic. The freestyle emotions and undefinable reverence that the art of making music holds for these individuals (and all of us) is realized with a slick yet gritty sensitivity. The stylish editing and surprise guest appearances from music legends & household names (Brian Eno, Debbie Harry, Giorgio Moroder, Philip Glass, Erykah Badu, Rakim & many more) fuel the story as it extends it's tendrils across the city with no apparent rhyme or reason, flowing and imperfect like an impromptu jazz session. The experiences of the students as they noodle together in the fully equipped RBMA studio to find their groove will resonate deeply with the fellow artists in the audience struggling to make sense of music's fickle obsessive nature and the relationships we create while creating music. The freedom of discovery is celebrated with armchair philosophy and gold-plated words from our musical heroes who encourage viewers to keep the creative flow going no matter what.

If 'IT' is in you, 'IT' needs to come out.

Bad bad Leroy Webb, my favorite artist in the film. Subway goosebumps.

'What Difference Does It Make' is moving and poignant, groovy, encouraging, hopeless, refreshing and completely human. It would be impossible to finish this film without a smile on your face and itching to get back to that dope track you were working on. Or that painting you just started. Or that book you were writing...
To watch it online at the Red Bull Music Academy site or download to your desktop, click on our old mate Lee 'Scratch' Perry below

Red Bull have their fingers on the pulse for sure. Always poised to provide a memorable night of forward-thinking youth culture while recognizing the pioneers of the genre, the San Francisco screening for 'What Difference Does It Make' was true to form, a double bill which included a moderated discussion with legendary French ex-pat deejay François K. As a celebration of 15 years of the RBMA, this free event had been highly publicized and on my radar for quite awhile... I'd shot in my rsvp well in advance along with a handful of my mates in the extended Sweater Funk crew, and at exactly 7pm on the 22nd we were in the heart of The Mission, filing out of Pancho Villa taqueria with full bellies and our eye on the prize. Smart thinking. By 7:30pm there was a line all the way down the block from the Victoria Theater, this was easily a sold out gig.

Once inside and settled in, the ambiance was super chilled out with an electric playful attitude courtesy of the Academy members in attendance we'd soon meet on the big screen. The hour long discussion with François treated us to intimate anecdotes from the glory days of DJ life, we happily would have listened to him all night while he dove in and out of his vast catalog of tunes and memories with host Shawn Reynaldo from XLR8R. François sharing his experiences with us was cool to be a part of, like listening to an old family friend. The man is as multi-faceted as he is humble, François is reserved and soft spoken, clever and insightful... and a total Dude. 
A brief clip to illustrate la classe. François reflects on Larry Levan and begins to talk about the worldwide rebirth of the NYC DJ.
Merci pour votre temps, grand mec.

Front and Center. Shane, Kirk, Ileah, Brian, Sue & Danika
...and zee French Touch, pausing for a photo with François K.

Many thanks to the Red Bull Music Academy for what you do.  Keep The Faith!

#FollowFriday on twitter RBMA  RedBullSFO  Do415  François K
And a special shout out to my new Jedi Master : Tom Moulton for flagging this bomb for us.
Currently in heavy rotation

Leroy Burgess Turns It Out for the Sweater Funk Five-Year

A little background before we begin...

I started writing a blog post to share our incredible experience with Leroy Burgess last month and as I was compiling elements for the piece the article took on a life of it's own...  Not entirely surprising that the flow would become extravagant with the LB opus touch!  Currently working with a new 6-piece band for the forthcoming Black Ivory show in Brooklyn, I'd like to personally thank Leroy for taking time out of his schedule to provide me with a few quotes last week. Cheers my man.

I'd also like to thank the Sweater Funk deejays who offered up nice personal reflections about Leroy's influence and his long standing impact on the Boogie community. Top stuff, thank you.

Our weekend with Leroy was one we will talk about forever. And don't just take our word for it, be sure to follow this blog to the end for 'MY ADVENTURE IN SAN FRANCISCO by Leroy Burgess', his personal account of his trip to SF.

Alright then. Let's get this party started... Here's a little Leroy Burgess soundcloud mixtape event teaser compiled from all-vinyl to promote the show by Sweater Funk's Guillermo, have a click and read on...

I got the call on Friday June 28th around noon just as planned. It was my old mate Kirk Harper on the horn.... "You ready bro? We'll be at your place in a couple of hours".  Hell yes I was ready, this was something I had been looking forward to for a couple of months now. I quickly finished up what I was working on, hopped in the shower, threw on some clothes and jammed down the street to snag a sandwich and a Red Bull for the trip. Just as I arrived back at my place Kirk pulled up across the street with Jon 'Sweaterfunk' Blunck riding shotgun. The Leroy Burgess airport shuttle was ready for takeoff and as the official unofficial Sweater Funk photographer I was honored to be a part of this adventure. It was ON.

For the uninitiated, Mr. Leroy Burgess is considered the King of the Boogie scene. His body of work is overwhelming... all solid and all groovy. His sound is recognizable and distinctive and his prolific contributions to the Boogie community are vast and wide. Somewhat of a soul rennaisance man, Leroy Burgess is well regarded in the music scene as an ubiquitous performer and producer, equally comfortable behind the mic on stage or tweaking knobs on the soundboard. It's his brains and heart flowing through the iconic groups Black Ivory, Aleem, Universal Robot Band, Logg and countless others that have made you smile and sweat over the years. Leroy is one of the major reasons that the Sweater Funk nights started in the first place and continue to thrive, his massive influence on the popular San Francisco deejay collective is readily apparent and his colorful energetic vibe is always spiritually present when the Sweater Funk crew is shuffling platters... both among the doctors flipping vinyl and the patients going ballistic on the dance floor. 

It made perfect sense then that Leroy Burgess himself was flying into town from NYC to throw down an exclusive live set for the Sweater Funk Five Year Anniversary Party scheduled for the following night at the Elbo Room. The proteges and their mentor hosting a wild celebration in the name of friendship and unity and all things funky. The universe was aligning so we all could get our groove on...almost too good to be true. This was the stuff that dancefloor dreams are made of, a mad case of Boogie Logic.

We pulled into SFO airport right on schedule, parked the car and headed across to the Virgin America baggage claim to meet the man responsible for so many groovy times in our lives. Kirk and Jon were restless with anticipation and a "dude is this really happening" excitement, and just as I was about to step outside for a cigarette Kirk spotted Leroy, already out there with the same idea. We greeted him out front, brotherly welcome hugs were exchanged, a couple of pics snapped and we hustled his luggage into the car and made tracks for Highway 101... destination downtown SF to get Leroy checked into his hotel.

People Take Pictures Of Each Other... The Leroy Burgess SF Welcoming Committee.   June 28th 2013

The car motored away from the airport with Kirk at the helm and Leroy on navigation... Jon and I were in the backseat like a couple of grade school bullies en route to Disneyland sitting behind Walt Disney. As we began chatting, Jon shot me the greatest wide-mouthed look and hit me on the leg. Yes dude, this was really happening. These moments in transit were quite special, the type you wish you could record with an imaginary optical implant so you can access them later and freeze the best quips & expressions at your leisure. Leroy was as we expected, a total dude and kindred spirit.... Funny, personable, humble, generous, and eager to share his life and experiences with us. It's maybe the only time I've ever been pleased that the traffic into downtown SF was bumper to bumper... allowing us to fully absorb Leroy's laid back vibe and tap into his brain for souvenirs we were anxious to collect. He fielded our inquiries with enthusiastic humor and insight while the lilt of the Booker T album 'The Best Of You' floated on the car stereo underneath his voice. This was also an opportunity for us to share more of the Sweater Funk history with Leroy and tell him a bit more about his host city for the weekend. Leroy had only been to SF one time before, many years ago and for just one day with Aleem so he was curious to know more about the City. It was a fun exchange of knowledge and laughter, such a comfortable clicking environment of love and respect and the simple joy of life and music.

He told us the story behind Black Ivory's wicked dancefloor smash 'Mainline' :

                     

"My friendship / brotherhood / partnership with Russell Patterson and Stuart Bascombe currently spans 44 years and is up to 7 albums so far. After the "how we got together' origin story, this is the one I'm asked about most.... the creation of "Mainline".

By 1977, the group was four albums in. And, while music was then in a serious transition to more up-tempo forms, we continued to be typecast as a 'slow-jams' group. I could feel the faster tempo calling me.. and felt that I could not accomplish anything realistic to that end while remaining in Black Ivory. So, I left the group to begin my journey into dance music (and eventually boogie).

Stuart and Russell remained together and were working on the fifth album, "Hangin' Heavy".. when I got a call from  Leonard Adams, their manager at the time.. looking for song submissions. I had already composed "Mainline" in early 1978.. but it was basically sitting on the shelf... unassigned. They liked the song a lot. I saw it as an opportunity to reunite with my partners to again create something special. I insisted on Patrick Adams (our original arranger/producer) to do the strings and horns... and of course, James Calloway to rock the bass guitar (as usual). The other rhythm duties were split between members of the current Black Ivory band and members of MFSB.. including the incomparable Earl Young on drums and Bobby Eli on guitar.

Recording in New York City's famed Hit Factory Studios over five to seven days, we all united to create what is considered to be one of the hottest dance tracks ever.. something I will always be immensely proud of"  -LB

Traffic thinned out and before we were ready, the Leroy airporter express spilled onto 3rd Street and passed AT&T Park only a few blocks from Leroy's hotel. We pulled up and instinctually hit the virtual pause button on our chatter and exchanged our temporary goodbyes... in only a few short hours we would meet again for dinner with the rest of the Sweater Funk family in full force. Kirk sped up California Street to drop me off, and after a quick disco nap I was a fresh new man walking down Taylor Street in the evening sun with a cigarette hanging out of my sideways grin which was momentarily appeasing my empty stomach. That emptiness would change soon enough for sure, Kirk had arranged a special dinner for everyone tonight at his signature haunt-- the R & G Lounge on Kearny. I arrived at the restaurant and was greeted out front by half of the crew... exchanging energetic hugs and high fives not unlike a pack of giddy Bad News Bears. In a heartbeat Kirk pulled up with Leroy and son Andrew with fiancee Melissa on his arm... a brief introduction and we were led to our private dining room upstairs. We were joined in minutes by the rest of the Sweater Funkateers who must have smelled the freshly cracked bottle of Jamesons wafting out the door, likely their limp bodies uncontrollably following the scent like the wolf in the Merrie Melodies cartoons. 

Boogie Nights Of The Round Table.  Sweater Funk anniversary dinner with Leroy Burgess   June 28th 2013

What followed was an indescribable imbibing session of the highest order, a ten-course meal livened-up with some of the most stimulating and hilarious conversation that little room has ever seen. The gigantic lazy-susan in the center of the setting appropriately spun back and forth like God's Turntable to distribute the savory goods to we self-appointed Boogie Knights of the Round Table, all of us taking turns 'scratching' the food towards each other as if mixing a hot slab of vinyl. Leroy's stories only punctuated the natural flow of our culinary remix, waxing nostalgia about his multi-faceted career with all ears bending... even the abalone, duck, crab, trout, shrimp and chicken were all listening with tempura-battered ears.

Below are couple highlights from Leroy's impromptu dinner science class, he speaks about his relationship with Stevie Wonder and also about his collaboration with one of my favorite French groups Cassius:

"In 1972, Stuart, Russell & I were invited to attend a performance at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater by the one and only Stevie Wonder, who'd just released his "Talking Book" album. This was an absolute dream come true for me.. as I'd been seriously enamored and connected to his work since "Fingertips". I was out of my mind with joy.

This was in the days when 3 shows a night was the norm for the Apollo, We were there for the very first afternoon show and were warmly welcomed by the Maestro himself. It goes without saying that the performance exceeded all expectations.. Stevie pulled out all the stops (as he always does) and I was completely floored. 

After the show, we returned backstage to congratulate him. I couldn't resist asking him if I could stick around for the remaining performances that day. He said sure. Thus began the mentoring relationship between he and I.. which would prove invaluable to my musical development, even to this day.

He taught me how to develop perfect pitch, how to play piano without having to look at it, song construction and arrangement, lyrical development and many other things. 

Among his most impressive lessons was the importance of humility. Suffice it to say, upon meeting him, I was literally 'gushing'... almost to the degree of a crazed fan. He began by insisting that I 'de-pedestal-ize' him... that, despite his fame and success, he was just a human being.. no different from me or anyone else.. and that, with the right training and mindset, I could accomplish many of the things he'd accomplished. I carried this most important lesson into my entire way of thinking.. all throughout my life.

I was at the Apollo every day... for the next 7 days, each one containing a new pearl of wisdom from the young genius. And I emerged to become the musician I am today.

The Icing On The Cake: I composed (with James Calloway) a song for flutist, Bobbi Humphrey called "No Way" and was treated to the awesome surprise of Stevie coming in to perform a brilliant harmonica solo on our composition. It doesn't get much better than THAT!!!!"  -LB

                       

"In late 1999, recovering from serious surgery from a dangerous pneumonia infection in my left lung, I was contacted by my friend Jason Thain of London, informing me that a pair of famous Dance producers called CASSIUS were looking for me.. to compose a melody and lyrics for a couple of songs they would be including on their forthcoming album. Jason forwarded me the MP3s.. I listened to the songs.. and liked them very much. With the aid of my friend and assistant, Roy Parham, I constructed a couple of melodic themes and sketch lyrics.. did a quick, croaky vocal demo and sent it to Jason to forward to them. About a month later, the pair, Philippe Zdar and Hubert Blanc-Francarte showed up in New York at my doorstep.

They really liked my ideas and we began discussing how to move forward. They would fly me to Paris to complete work on the lyrics and record the lead vocals. Roy accompanied me, as I was still in a recuperative and frail state from the operation on my lung. Working in one of the studios used by the Beatles, we began the arduous task of constructing the lyrics. Philippe had very specific ideas about what each line would say and it was my job to create them. "Under Influence" took two days to create... and "Til We Got You & Me" took a third. Then, we took a day off, before beginning to record the lead and background vocals.. which took a further four days. In the end, we were all very happy with what we created. The entire process took 10 days"  -LB

With a contented mind and belly I hit the pillow hard. Tomorrow was a brand new day and it already felt like a legend in the making. I spent the main part of the afternoon locking down things with work which went by smooth and tight, thanks to my soundtrack of all things Burgess smoothing out the edges of my workload. I was scheduled to meet Leroy, Andrew and Melissa at the hotel to accompany them to the Elbo Room at 10pm and after a short walk to downtown in the balmy night air we met out front right on time. We jumped in a cab and I could tell that Leroy was getting in the 'zone' like a shamen during the short ride to the Mission District. We filed upstairs and the dance floor was already bouncing, the Sweater Funk deejays were greasing up the dance floor for Leroy's impending Boogie fest. A few cocktails later and catch-ups with some old friends and it was time.

Leroy hit the stage with a fever and the joint lit up frantically like a spliff after a job interview. The next hour solid was exactly that. SO-LID. Leroy blessed us with a carefully selected set of floor shakers that brought the house down. The years have been very kind to Mr. Burgess, he sounded impeccable and this man can move. At times one had to wonder if the ghost of James Brown was living in his shoes... his energy and groove were supremely infectious, funking that stage apart in his silver suit. And most of all, Leroy was having a blast... completely in his element and owning the club. It was slightly difficult to remember that I was working, I had to switch gears back and forth between rallying with the party people and snapping some photos of the action... more pics here

Despite the crowd being worked into a tailspin and clamoring for more, it was time for Leroy to wrap it up...He exited the stage and instantly emerged in the back room with a satisfied grin, freshened up with a towel and a Tamla tee shirt... Kirk rallied the troops and the Sweater Funk family convened around him to pop open a victory bottle of Hennessy. The final hour of the Leroy Burgess SF experience was spent in that small room with spirits larger than life, guests brought back stacks of vinyl for him to sign and Leroy gave everyone a special intimate little piece of himself to take home along with his signature. Then as quickly as it erupted to life, the night was coming to a close, the overhead bright bar lights meant it was time for last minute embraces and email exchanges.

The extended Sweater Funk posse took to the stage for the big group photo with the man of the hour front and center and I climbed on top of the audio cart to capture the moment. We grabbed our gear and proceeded down the stairs for the bittersweet scene out front of the club... it was time for me to say goodbye to Leroy. But I know this wasn't 'goodbye', it was merely 'see you soon brother'.

Many thanks to Leroy for the incomparable time together & the unforgettable memories, and special thanks to Andrew and Melissa.... beauty obviously runs in the family, inside and out. And big love to the Sweater Funk heads for all you do. This connection was something special for everyone...the positive vibes surround you like Dolby and it is a complete pleasure to be a part of (y)our super cool family.

Happy Fifth Anniversary mates, here's to a zillion more. 

peace

-fred

The SweaterFunk crew weighs in on a heavyweight:

The Leroy Burgess Influence and preferred jams of the man...

                     


Jon 'Sweaterfunk' Blunck: "Leroy Burgess has been my favorite artist ever since I first heard 'barely breaking even' by the Universal Robot Band about 20 years ago on a rare groove compilation and realized there was one guy behind so many amazing tracks recorded under so many names. Everything he's recorded is completely permeated with a joyous tension that feels like it's about to explode. Hard to explain but it's the kind of beautiful aspirational music that brought us together as a crew from such varied backgrounds and compels us to throw a party for free every single sunday."


Christina Chungtech: "I remember my very first Sweater Funk DJ set like it was yesterday: sweaty palms, expectant energy in the air (no one really knew who I was so I felt like I had something to prove, and I was yet to know that it would be my crew audition/initiation/hazing set), my intro to Lipo Lounge mai tais, and a bag full of records that had me shaking in nervous and excited in anticipation. What would I end up playing? I myself wasn’t actually sure but came with two specific goals in mind: that I would start with Kwick’s Nightlife and peak my set with (tempo wise, at least!) Universal Robot Band’s Barely Breaking Even. That song is my anthem, my karaoke jam, my pep in my step, the kaya to my toast, the apex to my nadir, and the Ren to my Min - you know what I’m saying? It’s the jam of all jams that takes me to church every time I hear it and still to this day I think of that magical feeling of euphoria I had the very first time I played it during my very first set at Sweater Funk every time I hear it played. This is just one story of one Leroy essential classic!"



                     


Jacob Guillermo Peña: "Probably my favorite Logg jam! That's why I made it the first song on the 5 year mix. I didn't want to mix the intro so you could hear those chords as you ascend into the song! That and his vocals are the thing that always make me turn my head and pay attention 'it must be a Leroy Burgess tune' "




                     


Megan 'Mama Bear' Pattison: "For me 'over like a fat rat' was like Sweaterfunk 101 when I first started coming to the Li Po...over the years we all have played the same record enough times for me to associate that song with a particular crew member, I could name off a record for each of y'alls! For me, that song will always remind me of Sheels and the excitement you feel when you first hear the piano intro, knowing that the song just gets more layered and sassy with each bar that passes."


Ken K Maxx: "Leroy's music is uplifting and supremely soulful. It is not possible to not be moved by his music. A goal every musician/artist might aspire to"

freditor's note:
( the newest K Maxx release carries a formidable torch of dancefloor boogiefire & analog sexytime, check it: K Maxx EP )


Kirk 'The Selecter' Harper: "For me it’s listening to KDIA circa 1972 during the vocal group falsetto era of The Stylistics, Manhattans and Blue Magic and hearing Black Ivory’s “Don’t Turn Around” for the first time. It quickly became one of my favorites and my mom took me to the Record Factory on Irving St. to pick up the picture sleeve 45 single. At the time, I had no idea who Leroy Burgess was but over the years he became one of my biggest music heroes. Fast forward to 2013…after we finalized Leroy for our anniversary, I scoured mom’s storage to see if my single was still around. Bam, there it was…crispy, clean, sleeved and in great shape...my mod godfathers taught me well...mint minus, ya feel me. I immediately called Jon, “Guess what Jon, I found my old Black Ivory single from mom’s, Leroy ‘s gonna sign it this summer.” Jon and I both freaked for a bit, we knew this show would be special, we couldn’t wait for the anniversary weekend to arrive. When I finally shared this story with Leroy, both of us got a little choked up. We both realized, stuff like this doesn’t happen very often and we were so grateful that everything came together…it was pure soul magic…Sweater Funk Style!"

MY ADVENTURE IN SAN FRANCISCO by Leroy Burgess
July 3, 2013 at 3:30pm
After coming off the over-the-top rush of performing with my boys (BI) and many of my classic Soul heroes in Atlantic City Saturday past (6/22/13).. my thoughts and energies began to focus on the SWEATER FUNK 5th Anniversary gig in San Francisco, coming up the following Saturday. I'd been hoping to get back to SanFran.. a single day in '86 with the Aleems did not do it justice. So, I was anxious to get back and really check it out. It was extremely cool being accompanied by my nephew/stepson Andrew (Mr. Two-Oh) Jackson and his fiance, Melissa Torres... making it a family thing too.
KIRK HARPER and the amazing Sweater Funk crew pulled out all the stops.. to make this 4 day trip permanently memorable. I really can't say enough about how these brothers and sisters showed me love.. and made me feel welcome, blessed and honored. More on that later.
I took a window seat to see the city as I flew in. It did not disappoint. From the air, you could really glimpse the awesome majesty of it.. and I didn't want to miss that. After being met by Kirk personally at the airport, we headed to the Westin Hotel in midtown and I checked in.
Around 7pm, after being joined by Drew & Melissa.. Kirk pulled up to take us all to dinner.. to meet the Sweater Funk crew. 10 courses, private room. Amazing. And although we called it an early night, the electricity was fully buzzing in everybody of what was to come.
The sound check wasn't until 5pm.. giving me the day to chill and get my SanFran on. Drew & Melissa joined me around 1pm.. and we were treated to a fantastic outdoor Circus performance in the park across the street from the hotel. I was struck by how friendly, open & genuine people seemed here.. very laid-back, polite & cool-with-everything. I'm really feelin' this vibe. I also considered it a great honor to share in this historic moment with the people of San Francisco.. after the landmark  Supreme Court decision and the subsequent Pride parade which followed. People are people.. love is love.. and fair is fair. It's about time somebody really GOT that.
I decided to do things a little differently for the show and asked for a live keyboard to play.. along with the music tracks. It gave me the opportunity to jam and create segments into the songs. It was pretty cool. By show time, the Elbo Room was packed to the hilt. I decided to wear my silver & black gear.. got dressed, waited to hear my name and the intro bars of "Get Loose". Then, I surrendered myself to the lights on the stage and energy of the audience. One of the coolest things about performing for me is connecting with the audience.. getting close and interacting. Hearing them sing along to the songs I am blessed to be a part of really does it for me. Again, the Sweater Funk crew and their peeps did not disappoint... but became as much a part of the show as I was. It really lifted my heart and touched my spirit. Thank you all so much to all those in attendance.
On Sunday, after a good breakfast, I step out of the hotel and smack-dab into SanFran's annual G&L Pride Parade... and happily joined in as the entire city got it's party on. The music, the colorful costumes and floats, and the conspicuous absence of judgmental mentalities... made for a wonderfully festive afternoon. I even ran into my friend, actor Idris Elba, who was also enjoying the festivities. Again, I got the sense of sharing in an historic moment with the people of SanFran.
In the evening, I rejoined Kirk and the Sweater Funk crew as they did their regular thing at a cool little club called The Knockout.. over drinks and the best of boogie. The vibe was so cool, I couldn't resist hamming it up on the open mic a couple of times. I know... it's shameful... but I couldn't help it. 
Finally, on Monday, Kirk came through to take Andrew, Melissa & I on a tour of SanFran.. where we marveled at the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island (just as the fog rolled beautifully in), the Masonic Hall, Steve McQueen's routes for the film, Bullit.. and too many awesome sights to mention here. We had a great dinner to close the weekend and headed to the airport for our RedEye flights home.
I want to thank: Kirk Michael Harper, Jon Sweaterfunk, Lou Sweaterfunk, Fred Eagle, Christina Chungtech (for the amazing Inspiration), Ken Maxx, Freddy Anzures, Mamabear, Jacob Guillermo, Eric Boss, Damon Funk and the entire SWEATER FUNK CREW for a weekend I will never forget!!!!
Peace and GOD'S blessings to you all!
LB.

Healthy Oceans Project beach clean-up with Artemis Racing

Team Artemis and friends at Treasure Island with our haul.   photo: ACEA / Gilles Martin-Raget

There doesn't seem to be a shortage of sunshine in San Francisco lately and this is great... the type of weather we've been having is bringing out the best in everyone. There are more people out and about on the weekends taking advantage of these crisp clear hot SF days than I've seen in many years. Outdoor concerts and events are announced constantly and it's become slightly difficult to make time for everything.
The Beach Clean Up day presented by the America's Cup has been an event dialed in to my radar since announced, the concept of having each of the AC teams cleaning the shore in different dedicated areas of SF at the same time was a great idea. Add to this a little healthy competition and a volunteer sign-up system based on team preference AND this beautiful weather... and we found ourselves a lot of smiling faces with gloves and trash bags getting down and dirty on Saturday morning. All in the name of the Healthy Oceans Project.

Joining the gang from Artemis Racing was my natural preference and at 9am it was time to power down my coffee and walk over to the 'little french navy barracks' to catch a ride with Loick. The sun was already starting to heat up the City and I was hoping the complimentary t-shirt mentioned in the submission form would be a nice thin cotton. We walked down the block to the corner cafe to connect with Artemis sailors Julien Cressant and Iain Percy, sitting and chatting a bit before heading on the road. The Artemis Team territory for clean-up was out at Treasure Island and we were halfway across the Bay Bridge with Loick at the helm of the 'navy' car at 9:55... right on schedule and ready to meet our teammates-in-trash to get down to business.

We arrived and most of the Artemis team were already there mingling with the volunteers and snacking on sailboat-shaped butter cookies w/ blue frosting sails... several children had shown up to meet the guys and they were happy to see the big turnout... I was too. Sometimes I'll hear feedback from friends about a promotional sporting 'meet the team' event where the team representatives are scarcely the rock stars, and it's disappointing to only get to meet one or two of the athletes and a couple reps from marketing & support crew. Today was very different, we had the communications and shore support AND all of the Artemis boys. It was fantastic to see that the team had made this event a priority even though it meant sacrificing a couple rare hours of their sacred Saturday days off. I signed in and put on my shirt (yes! nice cotton! ..and cool design too)

We had a debrief from Genny Tulloch, posse'd up and set out to find some 'treasures'... I split off with Loick and Genny and a volunteer named Kate, we decided to tackle the west side of the island.
It didn't take long to find some goodies and we started to spread out as we filled up our bags. I noticed a handful of the Artemis guys and friends were also descending down the rocks about a hundred yards away from us like little swat team spiders. I had gotten pretty far down the shore when I spotted a piece of silver fabric flapping in the surf. I tried tugging on it with no give, quickly realizing it was a massive boat cover that was woven in and out of the rocks, obviously washed in and trapped there for some time. I pulled at that thing and moved rocks for the next fifteen minutes and finally freed it up as the rest of the gang passed me and continued on down the coastline. I dragged the tarp back to be weighed in and disposed of properly, I killed three huge glasses of water, and took off toward the east this time to seek out more trash.

I bumped into KTVU who was there to film some ambiance for the 10 o'clock news and I sent them down in the direction where I had seen Curtis Blewett and Andy Fethers from Artemis. Before I knew it, my bag was about full and I made my way for the trash collection HQ again. Once I was there everyone else started trickling in with their stuffed bags and it was a good time to hop on board the weigh-in detail. I grabbed the clipboard and began tallying up the bags as they were weighed and processed... the guests and the Artemis team were laughing and having fun over what was left of the melting sailboat cookies. Some autographs were signed and well-wishes exchanged, and we all splintered off into the parking lot with the sun blazing overhead, driving back home with a nice feeling of satisfaction and the imminence of a well deserved nap.
In the car Ju said: "That was a really good morning. It's so important for the environment that we keep on top of this stuff" 

Tallying up the day's catch.   photo: ACEA / Gilles Martin-Raget

One thing I'd like to recognize is that the shoreline of Treasure Island is relatively quite clean. As a native of the SF Bay Area this made me somewhat proud, I've partcipated in beach clean up events before and it can get pretty gnarly with needles and oil and repulsive finds. It was nice to see that the residents and visitors of Treasure Island have some good respect for the area. We didn't find anything too out of the ordinary... a suitcase, a pair of Nike trainers, an ID card, a couple of beach balls, several mylar balloons... and one of the Artemis dudes found 10 bucks: an instant Healthy Oceans Project donation!
Definitely the most disgusting trash item prevalent on the island was the plethora of cigarette butts, as evidenced by a sweet girl who came to weigh in her very light (yet very full) bag. "It's not going to weigh much" she said. "I've been picking up cigarette butts the whole time"... ackk. it was really charming and sad.
So, if you are a smoker and you're on Treasure Island, Watch Your Butt !!!

Big thanks to Artemis Racing and the America's Cup Event Authority for the solid endeavor and the cool day.
as Loick said,  "Let s do that again soon"

more photos on his page:  Artemis beach clean up on Treasure Island

cheers
-fred

Cavallo Point Taken... 'Race For The Cup' ushers in the AC for the North Bay

After three solid days of rain here in SF we woke up to bright blue skies on Wednesday. A welcome change in weather and an idyllic setting for the much anticipated 'Race For The Cup' event scheduled at Cavallo Point in Sausalito... an America's Cup launch party for our north bay friends hosted in partnership with Marin Magazine and Protector Boats. Featuring a gallery exposition of work from AC photographer Gilles Martin-Raget and an intimate chat with Artemis co-helmsman Loick Peyron and America's Cup tech expert & navigator extraordinaire Stan Honey, as one would expect this was a sold out event and inked onto many calendars for some time. 

The fog was just beginning to lick over Nob Hill when I walked over to Loick's place aka the 'little french navy barracks' which he shares with Artemis teammates Julien Cressant and Thierry Fouchier. I was running a little late, a block away and I already heard the baritone rumble of Loick's Chevy truck idling in the distance. "Allez let's go!" he yelled as he saw me down the street. I ran and hopped in the truck and a few short minutes later we were cruising across the Golden Gate Bridge in ol' Lady Blue 65 with the windows wide open, playing catch up over a cigarette and listening to the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack.

We arrived at Cavallo Point in fine time. The party was just beginning, nice ambient live music setting a perfect casual tone as guests began to saunter in and fill up the fireside patio. The attentive hosts weaved through the crowd with trays of tasty hors d'oeuvres and drinks, I caught up with some familiar faces while Loick was interviewed on the front lawn for Channel 5.

For those who have not been to Cavallo Point, this is hands down one of the finest hotels in the Bay Area. The proximity to the Golden Gate Bridge is magical, the grounds are immaculate, and the facility and staff posses a certain indescribable unique characteristic of being very elegant and prestigious yet completely down to earth and spirited. This was a recurring presence throughout the evening, complemented perfectly by Loick, Stan & Gilles who were all having fun mingling and chatting up the guests ...before we knew it, the familiar knife-on-wineglass 'tink tink tink' let us know it was all time to head inside.

In fine company.
The Dudes: Stan Honey, Loick Peyron, Kimball Livingston, myself, and Mike Martin
Thank you Marin Magazine for the photo

The room was filling up quickly, Stan and Loick were fitted with microphones and they took the stage with the moderator for the evening, Stephanie Martin. The tone of the discussion was completely relaxed and entertaining, Loick and Stan's clever quips often drawing laughter from the crowd. The talk was short & sweet and extremely entertaining, the room was pleased to have been treated to a special private window into the America's Cup articulated nicely through Stan and Loick's collective knowledge and experience. No surprises there, these two gentlemen are at the top of their game both as sailors and dynamic speakers, and Stephanie's experience in communications lent itself nicely to provoking insightful commentary. In closing, the Cavallo Point manager Euan Taylor hopped up behind the podium to thank the special guests and invite us to dinner.

The available moments before dinner were an optimum time to have a look at Gilles' photo expo in the hotel, such impressive work and so cool to see some of the images I've loved for many years in a larger scale gallery setting. Gilles is one of the best in the business without question and I admire him both as a professional and a friend... looking at his photos lit a spontaneous fire of inspiration underneath me... it was the ideal opportunity to grab him and snap a portrait pic. Have a look at the Scuttlebutt article on Gilles entitled: Wind, Water, Winning - The Works of Gilles Martin Raget

The party migrated upstairs in anticipation for dinner, the Cavallo Point staff efficiently seated everyone and poured wine, bustling back and forth from the kitchen to ensure everyone was properly attended to. I sat with Loick, Stan & Gilles and their fellow AC luminaries Mike Martin and Ian Murray...the lively ambiance that followed was an event unto itself, the dudes and their wives trading stories and barbs while we enjoyed a five course meal and wine pairing selected by Murray Circle Chef Justin Everett.

We're all still not sure how or why Loick and Gilles were wearing identical outfits. Chalk it up to zee french touch....  La classe for sure.

After the superb meal it was time to wrap up the evening and find Euan to express thanks for hosting us... Loick fired up ol' Lady Blue and we were back on the Golden Gate headed to SF, happily reflecting on the night's events.

Thanks to everyone for the super soiree... The America's Cup is alive and well ...and without a doubt the excitement is building everywhere.

a bientot

-fred 

It Doesn't Get Any BAADSer Than This - Disabled Sailing With Loick Peyron

Loick sizes up the fleet for Awareness Regatta 2 in San Francisco     May 25, 2013

There are good days and there are great days. Then there are those indescribably great days which materialize into significant life events. The Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS) hosting Loick Peyron for the Awareness Regatta 2 ticked the latter box with such a strong hand for so many of us that it has pushed the pencil right through the table.

It started a few months ago when I had the pleasure of working with the BAADS for the first Awareness Regatta, a concept from the ma(d)stermind of event coordinator Fernanda Castelo, a disabled sailor with an infectious smile and a spirit that can't be contained or deterred. Her passion for sailing is addictive, once she leaves her wheelchair and is hoisted into her dinghy she hits the water with her eye on the prize. Her flair for the race course is tastefully punctuated by her trademark black velvet equestrian cap on her head and despite her fierce competitive nature, the infectious smile is ever present. Fernanda's idea for the original Awareness Regatta was to have a day of inclusive sailing with representatives from Team Oracle racing in the BAADS access dinghies. This would be an opportunity for the BAADS to share a little of their world with the big dogs, and to also gain some insight into the highest level of professional sailing; the America's Cup. All in the name of fun.

Oracle Racing Team embraced her idea with open arms, and after careful planning, Fernanda's vision materialized on Pier 40 and throughout the day of racing in McCovey Cove. Oracle had sent Brian MacInnes and Sam Newton, both intelligent choices; their formidable sailing backgrounds and friendly demeanor lent itself nicely to the intended Awareness Regatta aesthetic. Returning to the South Beach Yacht Club, we enjoyed drinks and a nice Q & A session with Brian, a complete gentleman and athlete both on and off the water. The evening wrapped up with cheers echoing across South Beach Harbor and wide grins on every face. Awareness Regatta was a huge success.

What struck me most about that day happened early on. As I sat on board the media Whaler, idling in the harbor watching the dock-out, I was overcome with emotion and I couldn't hold back the tears. Witnessing these disabled sailors being lifted out of their chairs and onto the hulls of their boats was so incredibly moving to me... when just an hour before I was complaining to myself that I had to walk so far to get to the event. Despite their physical limitations, these 'disabled' sailors aren't disabled at all, they have more strength and ability in their minds and wills than myself and most everyone I know. I wiped my eyes and shook it off, and just as the BAADS were heading out to the breakwater, the Artemis AC72 gave us a fly by with a hull in the air. My first reaction was not the popular 'yeahhh AC action', it was: 'mann Loick would love the BAADS experience'. Back at the yacht club after the regatta I mentioned it to Fernanda who said 'Really? do you think he'd do it?' Of course he would. We instantly began strategizing over a margarita..
The next day I asked Loick for his thoughts and he said "Yes, definitely, I'd love to, let's do it dude".
And so the wheels were put in motion for the next chapter in the Awareness Regatta story. From that moment it has been a complete pleasure working with Fernanda, Loick, BAADS Commodore Cristina Rubke, and South Beach Yacht Club's AC Chairman Lisa Gidley to bring this vision to life. Before we knew it, the sun was high in the sky above the dinghy docks at Pier 40 on the big day.

We rumbled up in Loick's '65 Ford truck just in time for the skipper's meeting, the dock was already a hive of activity, sailors and volunteers bustled around while the media tried our best to stay out of the way.
The BAADS were thrilled to see Loick, and he wasted no time rolling up his sleeves and immersing himself into the preparations and dock out procedure, providing a motivating soundtrack with his signature whistling lilt and occasional percussive chuckle. There was a very comfortable level of focus & organization on shore which maintained the necessary dynamic of seriousness and laughter. No surprises there, efficiency and smoothing out the edges while putting everyone at ease is what Loick does best. One by one the sailors departed from the dock with Loick's assistance, and when the dock was clear he climbed into his boat and headed off to the course. We gathered our gear and Lisa swung the media Whaler around.. I hopped on board with Chris Barrineau and Jen Edney and we motored out to the race track at Piers 30-32. The little access dinghies were already in place rallying around the front yard of the America's Cup team bases... game faces were on. We zipped around to get some quick portrait shots of the sailors and then the 5 minute gun for the Liberty class popped off.

The racing was close while it lasted, the BAADS were in hot pursuit of their new french friend. Two races in and after Loick had nailed both bullets, the breeze started to kick up significantly and the remaining races were called off. Fernanda was skippering a double-handed 303 with her crew mate Kathy Bello Shephard and they also won their two races... she gives her account of the racing:

"A windward - leeward course was set, with the length of about 2 piers from leeward pin to windward pin. The start line is set at beam reach (directly across the wind), and the pin was slightly favored with winds up to 10-15 knots. We had a great start in spite of not having a watch/timer on our wrist; however, we were close enough to a chase boat who were assisting with an audible count downs at 35 seconds, as we gained speed for the start we counted one thousand one, two, etc. We had a fabulous start.

We were ahead of our fleet of four, rounded the windward mark and headed downwind. As we rounded the mark, we immediately noticed that the fleet of 8 Liberty's started their race and we did not want to get caught in their course, and be in the middle of traffic, so we tactically sailed between the port side of Race committee boat and Pier 32 building. The rest of the 303s sailed between Race committee boat and start pin.

As we passed the Race committee boat Kathy reminded me that we'll catch a strong gust of wind right at end of the building, so we had to brace ourselves because as the dead down wind shifts the boom will fly across causing an uncontrolled jibe. We decided a port tack way above the mark, and take advantage of the strong gust that will soon take us off, and by golly it worked! Made sense to sail wide above the mark to avoid a flying jibe, rounded the leeward mark to port by barring off and to avoid fleet traffic again. Worked well in the first race.

Now our stretch is the finish line headed upwind, and time it well so as not get caught into downwind racer's traffic. As we started, we used the same layline angle for our finish.

Second start our timing was not good. We were behind two boats, first out was Nettie Wijsman and Kimball Livingston. Trailing, we tacked behind them and made up a ton of ground. We were smooth tacking on the layline without overstanding the windward mark. We replicated our course downwind, we were lucky because our contenders messed up right up to the leeward mark, their sails spun quickly on their jibe. We rounded the mark and the finish was on sight. It was fun, it was windy and we won both races. Races 3- 5 were called off due to wind conditions at 20+/- knots."

The fleet headed into the harbor and back to the South Beach Yacht Club where the atmosphere was fizzing to life earlier than scheduled. We settled in for drinks while Loick had a quick power nap in his truck, emerging just as the chicken and ribs were being shoveled from the barbeque as if timed like a clever alley cat. The casual environment of SBYC is always perfect, something unique and it's the main reason it is my preferred yacht club in SF. This afternoon was no exception, the sunlit deck and warm hospitality from the staff complemented the informal meal perfectly. Loick sat with Kimball ('dude keep an eye on my bag') Livingston, BAADS sailors Brian Pease & Kevin Seimens, and we witnessed a very memorable experience from that table that lit the club on fire. Ask Kimball.

Dinner was winding down, and Loick sat for a little Sharpie signing session with BAADS sailor Carwile LeRoy and SBYC members before hopping up to the front of the club to field questions from the room. Loick discussed everything from his early days in the Mini-Transat to the Trophee Jules Verne to the AC, and all stops inbetween. Topics like family, perseverence, fatigue, 'the french way', and even the current climate of sailing in Asia were all adressed with an insuciance and wit exclusive to Mr. Peyron. Throughout the chat, Loick emphasized safety at sea and the importance of preparation and proper training, a hot-button topic for our local sailing community. Hearing the wisdom and insight from his lifetime of sailing experience was an invaluable gift to everyone there.

Loick was then presented with his broken dinghy rudder he had snapped in the racing a couple of hours earlier which was signed by all the BAADS and accompanied with a nice bottle of Pinot Meunier. Fernanda led us into an enthusiastic round of  'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow' with Loick beaming and the whole place radiating along with him. Riding that high, it was time to give our final departing hugs, exchange our last bits of information and say goodnight. All of us, including Loick, have cryogenically frozen that experience in our minds so that we're able to access such an unmeasurable level of positivity whenever we need it. This is what the Awareness Regatta program is all about. Hope to see you in the near future for the third chapter in the series, Cheers.

( fade out to scene of '65 Ford truck slowly chugging away from the yacht club and down the Embarcadero, trails of Marlboro smoke wisping out of the windows ...  )

photos
Jen Edney
Chris Barrineau
Loick's facebook

press
America's Cup
Blue Planet Times
Sailing Anarchy
Pressure Drop

website : baads.org

The Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors with Loick Peyron    South Beach Yacht Club    May 25, 20013