KNY

Kollaboration New York Open Mic Benefit Show

2011-05-16T19:24:00.002-04:00

Presale Tickets: http://kollabforjapan.eventbrite.com/

KNY6 Open Mic Benefit Show

2011-05-05T00:34:00.001-04:00

KNY5 Winners!

2010-06-29T12:16:00.003-04:00

PAPERDOLL - 1st Place

photo credit: Tina Chou

ALFA - 2nd Place

Photo Credit: An Rong Xu/Three-Half Collective

Check out our FACEBOOK page for more KNY5 PICTURES!

KNY5's Guest Judges!

2010-06-29T12:06:00.002-04:00

Check out KNY5's PROMO Video! Get your tickets now!

2010-06-13T15:56:00.000-04:00

Get your tickets now! They WILL sell out!
kollabny.eventbrite.com

Former KNY performers Mag North and Taiyo Na are releasing a new CD!

2010-06-03T15:55:00.000-04:00

Local favorites and former KNY performers Mag North (Derek and Theresa) and Taiyo Na have teamed up to release a collaboration called Home:Word and they'll be celebrating the release this weekend!

Below are the details - everyone is welcome! Help KNY celebrate the achievements of our former performers!!

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THE WELCOME HOME:WORD DOUBLE RELEASE PARTY

***MAGNETIC NORTH & TAIYO NA CD RELEASE***

Performing the album with...

The Home:Word House Band
Heather Park
Conchita Campos
Cynthia Lin
The Misnomer(s)

***HYPHEN's ISSUE #20 RELEASE***
Back in NY after 7 years
DJ Icewater & DJ Zombicide spinning all night

***& A SPECIAL LIVE PERFORMANCE BY THE BLUE SCHOLARS***

FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010

@ THE DELANCEY, 198 Delancey St, NYC

9PM - 2AM

$10 Door
$20 Includes Subscription

PRE-SALE IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/114045

FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/
http://www.magnetichiphop.com/

DOWNLOAD THE MNTN ALBUM SAMPLER BY DJ BOO FOR FREE:
http://homewordsound.bandcamp.com/track/home-word-sampler

(THIS EVENT IS 21+ BUT PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR AN ALL AGES EVENT SOON! THANK YOU!*)

*Update

On Sunday, June 6, 2010, 2-4 PM

Magnetic North & Taiyo Na
Along with Hyphen Magazine

Presents a Release Party Meet & Greet

At MOCA (www.mocanyc.org)
215 Centre St, NY, NY

Sponsored by Chinatown Ice Cream Factory & Chinatown Youth Initiatives

*Live acoustic performance by Magnetic North & Taiyo Na
*Get the new album early and also Hyphen’s Issue #20
*Free Ice Cream for those who come early!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125791490781737&ref=ts

Introducing...

2010-05-25T10:05:00.019-04:00

Here's a lil message from some of our KNY5 performers introducing themselves to the KNY fam and encouraging all of you to BUY PRE-SALE TIX BY 5/27/10! Believe us - you really, really want to be there. :) Tickets online: http://kollabny.eventbrite.com

Alfa (Singer/Songwriter)
Hola from Mexico!

Cate Song (Singer/Songwriter)
Whatever your mood, there's a Cate Song for that.

Eugenia Leigh (Spoken Word Artist/Poet)
A Poet's Survival Kit

PaperDoll (Nerd Pop Band)
PaperDoll by way of Ireland. Wow that grass is green!

Sheng Wang (Comedian)
Sheng Wang the multi-tasking comedian. Love the accent!

Kollaboration New York 5 Lineup Announcement!!!

2010-05-24T09:46:00.008-04:00

KNY5 Event Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Venue: Highline Ballroom @ 431 W 16th Street (b/t 9th & 10th)
Start Time: 7pm (doors open @ 6:30p)

The KNY5 team is immensely proud to reveal this year's lineup of the best Asian-American performers this great city has to offer.

Our lineup reflects the amazing diversity of NYC and we feel that there truly is something for everyone in the audience at this year's show.

Drumroll please...

KNY5 Performers:

Alfa (Guitar)
Brian Hong (Guitar)
Cate Song (Piano)
Eugenia Leigh (Spoken Word)
Jen Kwok (Ukulele/Comedy)
Meghna Prasad (Guitar)
Paperdoll (Band)
Part-Time Models (Dance)
Rhythmology (Dance)
Sheng Wang (Comedy)

Over the next few weeks leading up to the show, we will invite the audience to get to know and love these talented individuals by spotlighting each performer's path to KNY5 but for now feel free to google away or visit their web sites!

And to make it an extra special event, PK Kim, founder of the Kollaboration movement which is celebrating its 10th year of empowerment through entertainment will be back to host for the last time as Executive Director.
The countdown begins - 33 days left til showtime!

Add a dash of hip hop, throw in some bhangra, finish it off with some MJ and you've got KollabNY 2009...

2009-07-01T19:31:00.009-04:00

Congratulations Cobu!!! Winners of Kollaboration New York 2009

Photo courtesy of Massive Photography

We here at KollabNY headquarters can hardly believe it but after months and months of planning and hoping and stressing and dreaming, Saturday finally came. And beyond the few usual hiccups that are a natural part of live shows, it was such a memorable night in so many ways.

For the most part, prepping for the event was uneventful until just before the doors opened when we had to make the excruciating decision to shut down the Pinkberry machine in order to save the show (basically Skirball only had enough electricity to run the machine or run the show - not both). So apologies for anyone who waited for a while only to find no Pinkberry. But since Pinkberry is awesome, they saved the day by offering to give a free small original with toppings from 6/29-7/5/09 to anyone with a Kollaboration ticket. Yay Pinkberry!

The show was able to go on after all (whew!) and the energy in the crowd was electrifying from the very beginning. PK, the emcee for the show said that it was one of the loudest and most energetic crowds he'd ever experienced - and he's been to a TON of shows! We on the KollabNY team always said that the audience reaction makes up half of a show.

No matter how good the performance is, the energy from the crowd can either make or break the show. And the KollabNY audience REALLY made the show. There were some that said they got "chills" from the supportive and positive energy flowing through the crowd that night.

And despite a few timing snafus in the first half of the show, the talent that took the stage that night was undeniable. Every performance exceeded expectations and even those that had never performed in front of such a large audience before sang/danced/played as if they'd done it all their lives. The connection between the performers and the audience was so strong and it didn't hurt that Skirball has amazing acoustics and there's not one bad seat in the house.

The only regret is that the audience didn't get to peek into the rehearsal room backstage where all the performers gathered to prep for their turn. Entering that room was like entering a scene from Fame or Footloose. People that had just met were singing, dancing, chanting together and the energy fostered between the groups was something to behold and really amazing to watch.

Although each group/performer struck a different chord with those watching, at the end of the night, the 2nd place prize was a tie b/t Project D and Kevin So and the 1st place prize went to the multi-talented Cobu.

The night ended with a live rendition of the Closer remix from the promo video and a surprise Michael Jackson tribute by Vudoo Soul backed by all the performers. It was the best ending to a truly memorable night.

In the next few days, we'll be posting videos/pictures/articles about the evening so that those that couldn't make it can experience the show in parts but until then, we'll leave you with a video of the end of the night to give you a feel of what it was like to be there. Let the countdown begin to the 2010 show...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWSa7zM-G8

Introducing Marie Choi, Dylan Schroth & Kevin So

2009-06-25T15:45:00.008-04:00

MARIE CHOI

Marie Choi started singing before she learned how to talk. She began performing in the church. In high school she began her vocal training as a classical soprano, eventually entering college as a voice major. She's performed at venues nation wide, as well as international. In the tri-state area, her performance experience includes Carnegie Hall, Korean radio stations, Bowery Poetry Club, The Delancey, NYU, Columbia, Rutgers, Gama & more. She is currently pursuing a career in music, working on her demo & writing original music. Check out more about her and her music on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/muhreee

DYLON SCHROTH A 16 year-old young, Filipino American High School Junior from Jersey City, NJ.Yes, another singer-songwriter/guitarist deal, but maybe something a bit more. In writing and performing music, he remains very open to all genres, as long as he can venture in with his guitar. Since making his first attempts at the music scene at 14, he's come to face many of the disadvantages of starting at a young age; mainly, being treated young. though slowly but surely he's breaking any barriers and obstacles in the way of his dream. At 16, most kids are figuring out what classes to take, what college to attend, what subject to major in, and what career to pursue. But with a confident mindset, and a supportive cast of family and friends, that part is simple to him; do what you love, and follow it with all your heart and mind. The hard part is figuring things out along the way, and quite often he seems to fall in way over his head. Dylan thus far has been a completely self produced artist, from writing lyrics to composing music, and recording band and vocal tracks where you'll find him "singing with himself." He makes the most of what he's given. He lives on love and music. Check it out for yourself!http://www.myspace.com/helloimdylanmusic

KEVIN SO
In over a decade of performing his music around the country, Kevin So has earned the respect of fellow musicians, won over members of press and radio, and has built a loyal fan base across the US. Born and raised in Boston, So channeled his early passion for singing into the start of a career in music with his appearance on the nationally broadcast Fox TV show "Big Break" hosted by Natalie Cole. In 1994, he toured the country in a cover band that would later see some of its musicians moving on to Britney Spears' band. By 1995, he quit the cover band and was a regular on the open-mic folk scene in Cambridge. His strong musicianship caught the attention of a Boston Globe critic who wrote that Kevin was "unusually talented." The release of So's Individual in 1997, was accompanied by a sold-out performance at Club Passim. So moved to Chicago in 1999, booked his own gigs, performing shows in the Midwest and elsewhere. Busking in Austin the following year, Kevin was "discovered" by The Agency Group. Subsequently, he opened for Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg, and Robben Ford. In 2001, So moved back to Boston. Soon thereafter, he released the controversial That Oriental Guy in the midst of a hectic tour schedule. Musically, he was shifting from folk to pop/r&b. The double-disc Leaving The Lights On appeared to an avalanche of praise in 2003. With 2 other full length CDs under his belt (The So Must Go On and A Brighter Day), So continues to tour the country at a vigorous clip. More recently, Kevin was proud recipient of the 2007 NYC Fringe Festival Award (Best Music & Lyrics) for his current work-in-progress "The Great Wall” – a musical production based on his life and times. So's latest release Best Foot Forward is supported by concert dates in 2009. Check out his website at www.kevinso.com!

Introducing Bollywood Axion & Project D

2009-06-25T15:31:00.007-04:00

BOLLYWOOD AXION
Fusing contemporary western influences, classical Indian dance techniques, the contagious energy of Punjabi bhangra, and the passionate spirit of hindi cinema, Bollywood Axion is a pioneer in the indo-western dance world, garnering much television and media attention. Bollywood Axion has given stellar performances at numerous events including the New York Times first screening premiere of Slumdog Millionaire in 2007, CBS Early Show, The Today Show, Tyra Banks Show, Brooklyn Museum of Arts, Queens Museum of Arts, Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina (Latin Grammy Awards) 2009 and so many high profile events. The Bollywood Axion Dance Company has also appeared in major Hollywood and Bollywood films. Pooja Narang, Founder and Artistic Director of Bollywood Axion, is a globaly renowned Choreographer. Their Bollywood & Bhangra Dance Classes are in high demand and the first dance classes of their kind on the East Coast. More information can be found at http://www.bollywoodaxion.com/.

PROJECT D

Project D is a group of young, talented individuals from New Jersey that come together to form a dance company that simply loves to dance. The “D” in their name stands for their dedication and devotion to the art of dance. Project D is named after a Japanese anime that is inspired by the growing import car culture. The group had their first major performance at the 2004 Annual Semi-Formal at Ramapo College in New Jersey. The group now showcases their immense talent and passion throughout the Tri-State area inspiring young dancers in various communities. Find out more about Project D on their blog: http://pdstyle.wordpress.com/

Introducing Tim Be Told, Jen Kwok and Cobu

2009-06-21T21:34:00.006-04:00

TIM BE TOLD
Combining elements of soul, pop, rock, gospel, and blues, Tim Be Told has emerged out of the Charlottesville music scene with their own unique sound. After tracking their debut album "Getting By" in the Summer of 2007 and playing their first show a mere few months later, the band has gone on to perform at various East Coast venues such as the Knitting Factory, Jammin Java, and the Charlottesville Pavilion.

Winners of University of Virgina's 2008 Battle of the Bands, Tim Be Told (Tim Ouyang, Luan Nguyen, Andrew Chae, Jim Barredo, and Parker Stanley) continues to grow a loyal and passionate fanbase both in Virginia and far beyond. They have toured from coast to coast and with each show, the band gains new listeners with their vocal prowess, infectious guitar hooks, captivating melodies, and driving rhythm parts. But most importantly, they hope that their music will cause people to view life through a different lens, one of honesty, hope, redemption, and change.

The band has a highly anticipated new EP entitled "From The Inside," which is scheduled for release in June 2009. Be prepared to listen loudly and feel free to start by cranking up the volume on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/timbetold

JEN KWOK
Jen Kwok is a ukulele-slinging (so dope!) writer and performer based in Brooklyn, NY. The California native was a national finalist in 2007's NBC Stand-Up for Diversity, and has quickly established herself as one of the quirkiest young comedians working across genres.

Jen's unexpected mix of music, stand-up and improvisation has earned her a reputation as a multi-talented entertainer, performing at such diverse venues as Gotham Comedy Club, Highline Ballroom and The Bowery Poetry Club. Jen has also been featured on CNN, PBS and in The New York Times for her comedic exploits.

Get to know a little more about Jen on her blog: http://jenkwok.wordpress.com

COBU: Dance Like Drumming, Drum Like Dancing
COBU, based in New York City, was created as a Live Rhythm Performing Arts Group in 2000. Yako Miyamoto, the founder of COBU is a current member of the Off-Broadway hit, STOMP.

COBU combines elements of the Japanese traditional Taiko drumming with rhythmic Tap dancing. COBU's motto is inspired by the combined sounds of New York and traditional Japanese culture. Their signature sound is created organically though acoustic instruments, rather than digital transcription.

This juxtaposition of traditional modernity makes them one of the most unique and original mind-blowing groups of our time. COBU is now in the spotlight of entertainment accepted not only in United States but another countries such as Japan, Europe and all across Asia.

Cobu's peformances have received rave reviews from The New York Times and The Chicago Times, and has touched audiences in Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, Florida, D.C., and many more. See what they're all about on their website: http://www.cobu.us/

Introducing Alice Hu and Magnetic North & Taiyo Na

2009-06-21T00:07:00.013-04:00

ALICE HU
When Garden State comes out with a sequel, you'll be sure to find a song or two by Alice Hu on the soundtrack. Her influences include Regina Spektor, Rachael Yamagata, Radiohead, The Shins, Iron & Wine, The Beatles and Beethoven, just to name a few.

This ivy-leaguer (a soon-to-be senior at Columbia) splits her time between her academic endeavors in biology and sharing her sweet sound with patrons of Pianos, Rehab and Bowery Poetry Club in New York City. An accomplished instrumentalist, mastering both classical piano and violin, Alice became enveloped in the acoustic/electrical persuasion after finding her heart's true calling in college, the guitar.

Look out McDreamy, our magic 8-ball says Alice will be America's most sought neurosurgeon by day and selling out Pianos's Upstairs Lounge by night. Check out her MySpace page at www.myspace.com/meetalice

Magnetic North feat. Taiyo Na
Emcees Derek "Direct" Kan and Theresa "T-" Vu are like a true-life Kollaboration fairytale. They came together in 2003 to write a song for an Asian American rally in Berkeley, CA, and their collaborative piece, "We Will Not Be Moved" gave birth to the Magnetic North we know, love, and throw our hands up with today.

Like peanut butter is to jelly, Direct and T-Vu are an unrivaled hip hop duo who are sure to move your body and inflame your soul with their complementing talents. Direct, the duo's phenomenon behind the instrumentals, drops beats loaded with melody and acoustic stylings and fired by powerful lyrics and versatile flows. T-Vu has been known to intoxicate a crowd with her precise delivery and non-nonsense rhymes. She's a rare wordsmith who continuously raises the caliber of her craft.

Magnetic North has performed on stages all across the U.S., most recently at the Laura Ling and Euna Lee vigil at Washington Square Park as they helped rally support for these journalists' swift return home. At Kollaboration, Magnetic North will be joined by MC/Songwriter Taiyo Na and band members Chuck Kim (bass), Bhurin Sead (ukulele), Nawon Jang (guitar), Stefan Kahandaliyanage (drums), and DJ Boo on the one and twos. See what's turning executive heads at Universal Records for yourself! www.magnetichiphop.com

Taiyo Na
Close your eyes and open your ears to the truly unreal music of Taiyo Na. His words, flows, and rhymes are a rich concoction of soul, poetry, and enlivening passion. Though we can try, Former Queens Poet Laureate Ishle Yi Park could not describe Taiyo and his music any better..."Taiyo's music gets under your skin like a warm heartbeat. Pure as moonlight, gritty as N.Y.C., brave as a young man standing tall in the face of his own shadows.

Paladin, seraph, young sage come-of-age, we welcome your songs into our dangerous, beautiful world." Well said. Take pride, Taiyo is a native New Yorker who has been writing rhymes since age 13. By 18, Taiyo shared the stage with Maya Angelou and Janice Mirikitani. For those of you who may not be familiar with the top dogs of poetry, this is the equivalent to playing basketball one-on-one with Michael Jordan.

His latest CD, Love is Growth, is representative of his journey within NYC's independent music scene and features many collaborative pieces with other local artists. As an educator and youth worker, Taiyo has led workshops and courses in creative writing, performance, history and visual art for youth throughout the city for the last 8 years. Share Taiyo's journey here: http://www.myspace.com/loveisgrowth

Doing it New York style...

2009-06-19T14:58:00.002-04:00

There's a song by this guy, you may have heard of him, named Frank Sinatra that says about New York: "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere". And it's so true but what they don't sing about is how hard it is to make it here - especially as an artist/performer/entertainer.

New York moves at lightening speed and more than any other city in the world, the noise of this place makes it a hard place for artists, especially Asian American ones, to get heard and be seen.

The mission of Kollaboration New York is to elevate local Asian American artists (whom we truly believe to be the best in the world given the right exposure) and give them, if only for one night, center stage and a chance to shine.

With this event, we pay tribute to those of us whose talent forces them to take the path less traveled by. The really good ones provide the rest of us with inspiration and a break from the every day and at our show, we've got all the best ones.

Starting tomorrow, we'll be introducing you to our performers in the hopes that by the time you come to our show, you'll know and love them all (but have your favorites too)!

In the meantime, we encourage you to check out our promo video again and really listen to the words which is all about the pursuit of dreams in spite of the realities of the day to day as the below excerpt from the song captures:

We, pacing the same old pace
We, move fast but get no place
We, chase ways to make a living that wont make our living
forsake our daydreams

Keep dreaming New York!

Less than 2 Weeks Away!!!

2009-06-18T12:44:00.007-04:00

Did you get your tickets yet??

Kollaboration NY - 06.27.09 - NYU Skirball Center
http://www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu/calendar/kollaboration

KNY website: kollaborationnewyork.org
KNY twitter: twitter.com/kollabnyKNY
KNY blog: kollabny.blogspot.com
KNY myspace: myspace.com/nykollaboration
KNY facebook: facebook.com/group.php?gid=47718752658

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT. new york style.

Once upon a time...

2009-06-16T15:33:00.005-04:00

If you're reading this blog, it's pretty safe to say that you know about the upcoming Asian American talent showcase, Kollaboration New York on June 27th! But in the days leading up to KollabNY, we'd like to give you an exclusive sneak peek behind the curtain into what Kollaboration is all about and introduce you to the KollabNY performers so you can fall in love with them the way we have.

First blog in our "Getting to know and love KollabNY" series is why Kollaboration exists in the first place. Let's set the scene, shall we?

A long, long time ago...Way back in 2000, comedian Paul "PK" Kim, having gone through the struggle himself of taking the path less chosen (i.e. anything but the Asian parents' dream of their child becoming a lawyer, businessman or doctor) put on the first Kollaboration show in LA to showcase the area's burgeoning Asian American talent.

The first show drew 300 people and half the audience left before the show was over. But PK and his team persevered and in the next 9 years, Kollaboration gave the spotlight to such performers as David Elsewhere, Mike Song of Kaba Modern, Ben Chung of Jabbawockeez and Quest Crew.

As a testament to PK's passion and perseverance and the drive of partner Roy Choi (CEO of Mars Entertainment), the last Kollaboration in LA sold out over 6300 seats at the historical and iconic Shrine Auditorium (former home of the Academy Awards) and featured performances by Kaba Modern, Fanny Pack (both of MTV's ABDC) and international pop star BoA.

The Kollaboration movement has quickly spread beyond the west coast to places like Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New York, wherever there's an abundance of Asian American talent just looking for a stage and an audience and continues to spread every year!

The New York show hopes to take the inspiration of the Kollaboration story and give it a distinctive NYC flavor... stay tuned for more on KollabNY and our performer spotlights in the coming days! But for now, enjoy the videos below!!

*Word to the wise... VIP tickets are SOLD OUT! Tickets will NOT be sold at the door, so be sure to purchase your tickets today!!

Kollaboration NY: Keepin' it FRESH with exciting new announcements!!

2009-06-10T18:39:00.011-04:00

Kollaboration NY is almost 2 weeks away and we can't be more excited about the show! Not only is there going to be an off-the-hook lineup of competitors, but there will be FREE Pinkberry served before the show and FREE drinks at the afterparty sponsored by Jinro Hite! Furthermore, allkpop is coming to you live at the show! Be sure to check out their site as they hold it down with all the latest details and features! Does it get any better than that?? Well it does if you're a fan of the CW's Gossip Girl! Yin Chang or "Nelly Yuki" has signed on a guest judge, along with Brigette Noh, the CFO and Co-Founder of Chaos Theory Music.

ANDDD if you haven't heard already, Eliot Chang (who by the way, made Comedy Central's HOTLIST 2009) will be headlining the show! This guy is not only hilarious but a die-hard New Yorker, so show some love to your homegrown talent! Check out some of Eliot's stand up below (disclaimer: some inappropriate language used):

We've also added two new competitors to our line-up!

Cobu, a Japanese Taiko and tap dance company, which was founded by Yako Miyamoto, a current member of the off broadway-hit STOMP.
Project D, a New Jersey based hip hop dance company and winner of the 2008 Pride Day Competition.

Check back regularly as we will be having competitors' spotlights throughout the next couple weeks. Get to know your favorite performer and root them on at the show! Your screams and cheers will help determine who will win the grand title of New York’s premier Asian American performer!!!

But wait! The night doesn't stop there! After the show, come party the night away with us at the official KNY afterparty at Blender Theater presented by Ssense and Swerve. The party will be directly after, so save yourself some time and come to the show in style! 18+ enter, 21+ drink.

VIP tickets are nearly sold out and general admission tickets are quickly going everyday! Don't wait till the last minute, purchase them online, in person at the Shagan Box Office (NYU Skirball Center) or by phone 212.352.3101. NYU Student discounts ARE available and tickets will NOT be sold at the event! Get them now!

Upcoming Partner Events!

2009-06-08T20:48:00.005-04:00

Now that summer is here, KollabNY's community partners provide many opportunities for entertainment (a warm-up for our June 27th event!). We'd like to share with the KollabNY family the following worthy events:

June 9th: Jammin' Asian

Give some love to our asian-american comics and musicians and go to the Jammin' Asian show at the Laugh Lounge this Tuesday. Will feature performances by Kate Rigg, Tom Hudson, Esther Ku, Air Tabigue and more. Only $10!

http://www.laughloungenyc.com

June 19th: KACF Summer Benefit

Whatever KACF (Korean American Community Foundation) does, you know they'll do it big. They'll be promoting their "Dollar a Day" campaign for the charities that they support with a benefit at Club Marquee. Take advantage of their 3 hour premium open bar!

http://kacfny.googlepages.com/

Every friday in June: Five Points NYC Variety Hour

The Five Points Mission, similar to KollabNY's, is to provide emerging artists a venue to express themselves and develop a performing arts community in the Chinatown area. Help support this thriving scene by making your way to Silk Road Cafe at 30 Mott Street any Friday of the week.

http://www.nycfivepoints.com

KollabNY @ Vigil for Laura Ling and Euna Lee

2009-06-03T14:26:00.003-04:00

KollabNY will be in attendance at the NYC vigil for journalist Laura Ling and producer Euna Lee who have been detained in North Korea since March 17th. Their trial will be held tomorrow and they face up to 10 years in a North Korean prison camp and their families are appealing for attention to the dire situation.

The vigil will feature performances by KollabNY friends and we encourage everyone to come out in support. It's time for the girls to come home.

Jam. Groove. Laugh.

2009-05-12T09:55:00.002-04:00

Kollaboration NY is proud to partner with JAMMIN ASIAN, NYC's monthly Tuesday showcase of local Asian American comedians and musicians. Now in its 3rd year, JAMMIN ASIAN has staged some of the most entertaining APA comedians such as Vidur Kapar (Last Comic Standing), Master Lee (Late Night with Conan O'Brien), Helen Hong (NYC Comedy Club), and Elliot Chang. On top of providing good laughs, JAMMIN ASIAN provides a relaxing night of easy listening and has housed artists such as JingRA, J. Cabrera, Warhol Soup, Alfa Garcia, and Eugene Song.

This month's show is scheduled for May 12th, 8pm @ The Laugh Lounge (151 Essex St). Line up includes:

Hosted by Air Tabigue (a Kollaboration NY veteran)

Featuring comedians:
Tom Hudson (NY Undergound Comedy Festival)
Michael Young Cho (Carolines)Nick Savet (Jammin Asian Debut)
Rio (last Comic Standing)
Alek Bituin (Jammin Asian Debut)

Music by:Waty (Five Points Lounge)

Headliner:ESTHER KU (Ugly Betty, Last Comic Standing)

$10 admission (with 2 drink minimum). Next month's showcase scheduled for June 9th. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/jamminasian

Hurray for May aka APA Heritage Month!

2009-04-28T21:12:00.008-04:00

APA Heritage Month was established in the 1970s as a month celebrating Asian American culture. Ever since, thousands of festivals celebrating Asian America have popped up nationwide, but none as long lasting as NYC's CAPA APA Heritage Festival!

Kollab NY is proud to partner with the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) for their 30th Annual APA Heritage Festival that will take place May 3rd @ Dag Hammerskjold Plaza (47th and 2nd Ave). CAPA's APA Heritage Festival is the largest and longest running APA festival on the Eastcoast with nearly 10,000 attendees every year.

I've attended APA events of all kinds throughout the nation, but always looked forward to CAPA's festival, mainly because of the food and the amazing performers! CAPA has probably one of the best performance lineups thanks to the amazing talent based here on the Eastcoast. Some of Kollaboration NY's veteran performers have graced this stage, including Heather Park, Vudoo Soul, and Misnomer(S). This year's line up includes 2006 Kollab NY champions, Stone Forest Ensemble (probably one of the most unique groups to grace our stage), Bollywood Axion Dance Company (Bhangra/Western fusion), Magnetic North (hip-hop duo), Alfa Garcia (singer/accoustic), along with some really cool traditional acts. If you've missed out on the APA entertainment scene all year, it's a great place to catch up and prep for our show in June! :)

Another reason to come out -- the FOOD. You can pretty much walk in with a plate, order something from every booth, and have the greatest Asian fusion plate you've ever had in your life. Kimbap for $3 a pack, Pad Thai for another $3, sweet/sticky rice wraps for $2, and the list goes on.

CAPA is a good place to catch some good music, fill your tummy with good food, and mingle with the many of the local APA organizations there. For more details on the event, go to: http://capaonline.org/eventschedule.htm. Hope to see you guys there!

Elsa//NYC STAFF

This is how they do in the dirty, dirty

2009-04-14T19:14:00.006-04:00

Congratulations Kollaboration ATL on a fantastic show!

The talent in the south is AMAZING.

1st Place: Rubox (Beatboxer)

The place went crazy during his performance.

Never heard anything like him before.

Reppin' at the Cuse

2009-04-08T22:39:00.009-04:00

Kollab NY was proud to help celebrate Syracuse University KASA's first ever Korea Night on Sunday, April 5. With homegrown Orange talent combined with guest performances by NYU's hip hop team, HipTop, Kollaboration friend, Jason Min of Miss Vintage, and PK himself, the show was a complete success!

Jason amazed the audience with his one man band performance, so much that I'm pretty sure cell phones were swaying in the air. HipTop brought some major swag to the hip hop front--we especially loved the sassy bit by two of the male team members! As per usual, PK brought the house down from start to finish, and it's safe to say that he has his own official fan club here!

Congrats SU KASA! We look forward to seeing our new friends in June!

alfa at the bitter end this sunday.

2009-03-31T15:53:00.006-04:00

alfa, a dear friend and supporter of kollabny, will be performing at the bitter end this sunday, as part of their songwriter sessions. i remember the first time i'd heard 'isabelle' on her myspace, i was completely smitten. but what's even nicer is when you get to hear alfa talk on stage about the story behind the song, the old lady, europe, love.

visit her myspace: www.myspace.com/alfa

she also did a nice little post on the kollaboration shoot we did with taiyo, mag north, and g*lee a couple of weeks ago. check it out here. (the photo used in the flyer above was actually taken from the shoot.)

alfa at the bitter end
songwriter sessions
sunday, april 5th at 8pm
147 bleecker street
(b/n thompson & laguardia)
$5/21 and up

3 months until kny2009.

2009-03-31T14:35:00.002-04:00

it was 6, now it's 3.

let the countdown
begin.

save the date.

2009-03-06T15:33:00.005-05:00

SAVE THE DATE

06.27.09

KOLLABORATION NEW YORK
NYU SKIRBALL CENTER

email us:
newyork.kollaboration@gmail.com

beautiful nights.

2009-03-01T21:01:00.004-05:00

sharing a gorgeous auditorium with 6300 other excited individuals cheering at the top of their lungs, watching a 16 year old girl move her body like water, connecting and reconnecting with old friends and new friends from the east coast to the west coast all storytellers in their own right. giving birth to ideas over thai and italian and korean and japanese, stopping for frozen yogurt and coffee and curry pastries between scouting locations, weaving in and out of unfamiliar, strange, and precious pockets of concrete and water that encompass quintessential new york, listening to the end product of what is truly the definition of collaboration, feeling our hearts rise and fall over and after the same lovely vision--

these are beautiful nights.

this is no ordinary city.

2009-02-24T18:05:00.001-05:00

"This is no ordinary city this city of ours. This is the land of skyscrapers and yellow cabs. The capital of everything. This is the place songs are written about, movies are set, and literature explores. This is the hip-hop spot. The heart of bebop, punk and soul. The synonym of rock and roll. This is five cities in one: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan. Home to every color, culture, fashion and flavor you can think of. This is knishes, kebabs, pizza, paté, satay and all the best the rest of the world has to offer. This is where the ball drops and curtains rise. This is Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, beyond Broadway. This is people watching, celebrity sightings and sample sale prices on the cutting edge of style. This is raw, sophisticated, beautiful, avant-garde. This is energy so exhilarating you can feel it in your soul. This is all of the above. All at the same time."

NYC