Fiscally Sponsored Artist Project - 2006
Film
Artist Statement:
Project Title: Harry Babasin's Jazz in Hollywood.
"Harry Babasin's Jazz In Hollywood" is a documentary about an unsung
hero of jazz bass. Touring with such big bands as The Benny Goodman
Orchestra and Woody Herman's 'Second Herd', Harry came to Hollywood in
1946, where he helped define the 'west coast jazz movement'. His
innovations include pizzicato jazz cello and the birth of the bossa
nova, while also starting one of the first musician produced record
labels, Nocturne Records, in 1954, whose landmark 'Jazz In Hollywood'
series set the standard for 'cool' on the west coast.
Today's youth are bombarded by media images that shape impressionable
minds. Consequently, the artists that they look up to are the ones who
receive the most attention. We involved in the arts, especially in
music, need to honor those great innovators who displayed instrumental
virtuosity, in an attempt to inspire new generations to work hard and
strive to achieve great things. They need to see those who put in hours
and weeks and months and years of dedication to become excellent at what
they did, who shaped the future with genius, inspiration, and
creativity, are truly worthy of recognition for their amazing
accomplishments.
More about the Artist:
Born and raised in Hollywood, CA, by his father, legendary
bassist/producer, Harry Babasin, and grandfather, respected A.C.E. film
editor, Russell Schoengarth, Von Babasin has been literally surrounded
by the entertainment industry all his life. Himself, an award winning
bassist/composer with his critically acclaimed group, ONOFFON, Mr.
Babasin is carrying on a tradition of quality and integrity in
independent art, also learning the anatomy of filmmaking while working
under such directors as Joel Schumacher, John Carpenter, and Luis
Valdez. A working bassist in Studio City, CA, a 20+ year affiliated
composer with BMI, a 10+ year member of Musician's Local #47, a member
of NARAS, and an advisor on the board of directors of Los Angeles Music
Week, Babasin brings an extraordinary insight to the struggles and
successes facing today's musicians and filmmakers.
Babasin earned his film experience working for Universal Studios with
special effects crews on such movies as Airport '77, Jaws 2, The
Incredible Shrinking Woman, and John Carpenter's The Thing. After
Universal, Babasin worked for independent film companies, as a screen
credited grip on La Bamba, and more special effects for a variety of
small films. In 1983, he was named Production Manager for the Music
Video Division of Jam Power Records, directing a number of music videos,
one earning a nomination for an independent screening award at the 1984
Billboard/MTV Music Video Conference. In 1992, while recording and
composing with a group called The RH Factor, he worked with the music
supervisor in providing the underscore for an independent feature,
"Forever," receiving multiple screen credits, from music to special
visual effects to foley.
Babasin's most recent focus has been on his original jazz rock group,
ONOFFON. Currently on more than 3,000 websites around the world, ONOFFON
consistently wins awards and features throughout cyberspace. They were
named 2005 Artist of the Year by last year's International Online Music
Awards, and their latest release, Bridge to Presage, earned the 2006
Best Album Award at this year's IOMA's. Just as passionate, though, is
Babasin's pursuit to bring recognition to an artform during a time in
music that featured excellence in musicianship. "I have all my father's
career in a scrapbook", Babasin says, "pictures and recordings with
Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Shorty
Rogers, Buddy Rich - the film is the tip of the iceberg." Ken Burns
admitted in his Jazz documentary that, before he made it, he knew
virtually nothing of jazz. Babasin has lived jazz all his life and no
one is more qualified to tell this particular story in this particular
way.
|
