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                                    Since moving to the Bay Area from Fresno several years ago Jason Chavez, who works in the hip-hop and soul sections at Amoeba Music in San Francisco, has been extremely active outside of work busily recording and performing whenever possible. Under the name 4AM Chavez performs and records a rich variety of music. He also DJs regularly around SF at spots including Sip Bar in North Beach, the Beauty Bar in the Mission, and Milk directly across the street from Amoeba Music on Haight.   As a musician (producer, percussionist, vocalist, etc) he is most prolific and has an impressive catalog to prove this with both his solo releases and as a key collaborator with others including with the likes of  art-hop group Octavius, Dopesytle 1231, DJs of Mass Destruction, and most recently as a member of Black Fiction which also features some other Amoeba Music employees. One of those members is fellow Amoebite Big Ant with whom he has collaborated with on a cool DJ project.   4AM has appeared twice on the Amoeba Music Compilation series: on Volume IV as a solo artist on the track "Sorry Wrong #" and on Vollume V under the artist name The Dead Have Highways on the song "The Alone"along with the Count of Monte Frisco .  His DJ mix CDs, including the Hug Life series are available at Amoeba SF - ask for them. Meanwhile I asked the smart and always witty artist some questions about his life as a musician, an Amoeba employee, creator of the "Hug Life" movement, and a former Fresno resident.

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The legendary Joe Bataan is making a rare appearance in the Los Angeles area. You don't want to miss this. Joe, who had retired from live performances for over twenty years at one point, has been doing sporadic shows in the homey hot spots for the last couple of years. He has done shows in San Francisco, L.A., The Bronx and Japan, where the slow and low lifestyle is still going strong.

Many of Joe Bataan albums are still available. Most of what was released on the Salsoul label that Joe Bataan started in the 70’s are still in print. Fania Records has recently reissued Joe Bataan’s classics, Mr. New York And The East Side Kids, Riot, and Saint Latin's Day Massacre. Vampisoul, the retro label out of Madrid has also reissued several of Joe’s classics as well as the 2005’s brilliant, Call My Name, a collaboration with ESL’s Daniel Collás that kept Joe’s funky Latin soul intact.






Both shows are in the hood, so if you really want to see the old school with their elbows up going side to side, you'll won't want to miss these shows

Friday, June 15 @ The Montebello Inn,
Montebello, Ca.

Saturday, June 16th @ La Conga Mexican Bar & Grill, San Pedro, Ca.