Enormous thank you to everyone who attended our release into the wild, the First-Ever Bullhorn Fest, in-person, virtually, or in spirit. We couldn’t have asked for a better day!
Here are just a few of the great things that happened:
Play: Children made chalk art and kicked a soccer ball around while taking in demonstrations of traditional Brazilian music by Terreiro de Arte e Cultura and of percussion compositional techniques by Ken Moshesh
Performance: Artists shared their original music in a welcoming environment. When I complimented Stephen Munoz on the depth of his performance, he told me he doesn’t often get to play music that personal!
Possibility: Artists made spur-of-the-moment connections to expand their visions and create more powerful experiences for you. Vito DiBona invited Jil Christensen and Josh Zaslow to sit in with TaoSongs and the result was awesome!
Bullhorn Fest Artists
dynamism x afrosurrealist research bureau – “liberating sounds for the freedom in you.” we are an afrosurrealist and genderfluid Black sound + multimedia healing arts production unit. we sculpt sonic experiences that are elaborate, genre non-conforming, marvel-inducing, sensory-stimulating, and experimental. ampled.com/artist/dynamism
TaoSongs -TaoSongs are Songs of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching was written 1500 years ago by the sage Lao Tsu and describes The Way of Nature, or the Tao. The Tao Te Ching gives very practical advice on how to live a Good Life. The Earth is alive and we participate in that Life. My name is Vito. I am a singer-songwriter and tai chi teacher based in Durham and Roxboro, NC. taosongs.com
DJ Yammy – A self-styled People’s DJ who has been serving sounds and bringing people together through music for over 15 years. He straddles the line between community and club DJ, supporting a range of diverse events from Latin music rent parties and sweaty-walled basement clubs to just about any occasion where people gather to struggle and live life through music and dance. In this way, his art is inseparable from his life and politics. Growing up as a second-generation Vietnamese-American immigrant in the arid Arizona desert, he found a connection to music through all-ages ska and punk shows buffered with hours and hours of after-school MTV. His musical influences include the 80s, of course, but also the holy trifecta — funk, soul, jazz — and all of its derivative soundscapes which can be found in the disco lofts, house warehouses and night clubs all across the globe. DJ Yammy is based in Durham, NC. Photo by EC Henderson
Ken Moshesh – i’m ex- conga/percussionist w legendary sun ra arkestra and ex-homeless advocate, developing for 50yrs percussion/drums to levels it would have been had it not been so rudely repressed by world histories of conquest. my recent albums feature percussively musical techniques combined with other “melodic” instruments to lyrically, soulfully, spiritually compose from and for “the bottom,” too. kenmoshesh1.bandcamp.com
Stephen Munoz – Born and raised in Chicago’s Southside, Stephen Munoz is a self-accomplished musician, songwriter, instructor, and producer who’s honed his skills by sharing and making music while exploring the world. After a decade of playing and touring in bands(Midstates, The Blacks, Hot Damn), and performing as a singer/songwriter in and around Chicago, Stephen took the leap, with his wife, overseas to Japan; where he continued to perform, explore, and teach music abroad. Three years later, Stephen returned to the States where he settled in the Bay Area, arriving in Berkeley, CA then relocating to San Francisco, where he taught music to pay the bills and joined the indie rock band, Odd Owl, as their bassist, as well as played lead guitar in the psychedelic surf rock band, Ape. After four years of Pacific sun, that old feeling of wanderlust struck again, so Stephen and his wife packed up his gear in an old station wagon and drove cross-country to find a new home and a fresh artists’ scene in Durham, NC. facebook.com/stephenmunozmusic
Since arriving in North Carolina, Stephen has created a niche for himself, utilizing music for performance, community-building, education, and entrepreneurship. This enterprise has allowed him to share his skills and knowledge with local businesses, organizations, and opportunities for the local music community. Currently, Stephen plays in and around the Triangle as a solo artist; with his band, The Simple Joy; with a collective he created of local musicians called, The Mix_Up Allstars; and entertaining all ages through his music discovery program, Music Lab with Mr. Steve. He also teaches privately and through the Durham Arts Council.
Greylan Hall and the Nasty Kings – Playing blues, rock, funk, and jazz, Greylan Hall and the Nasty Kings hope to deliver some great sounds into your ear holes. Greylan Hall- Guitar/Vocals, Jacob Seyle- Keys/vocals/Harmonica, Ethan Prindle- Drums
LLAAZR – From the three points of the Triangle, six lights converge on the horizon to form one unstoppable LLAAZER!! Shining upon lost regions of jazz, funk, and rock, Maxwell Abbushi – keys, Taha Arif – drums, Vernon Lee – guitar, Bryan Lyons – vibes, Brad Robasky – guitar, and Josh Zaslow – bass guitar hope you bring your shades!
Terreiro de Arte e Cultura – A 100% grass roots, all-volunteer, non-profit Cultural Arts Center promoting character building, cultural exchange, and community involvement in Durham, North Carolina. Natikwa (African dance and music) and Santos (capoeira) are excited to share a performance! facebook.com/TerreiroDeArte