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0THRU DEC. 31, 2005

JEWISH AMIGO

from page 47

"I hid my homelessness from my
friends," he said. "Since I was often
the only Jewish kid at school, I hid
that, too."
The change began when 16-year-old
Abers attended a camp that explored
racism and anti-Semitism, and where a
friend pressured him to reveal his
background.
Nevertheless, the budding musician
remained troubled and confused: "I
dropped out of high school in the
11th grade," he said. "I was pretty
much lost, stealing CDs to buy food,
smoking weed, living ... out of my
car."
But eventually, he found purpose
focusing on the problems of others
when he began working with at-risk
youth in downtown L.A. in 1994.
When fellow workers went on strike,
Abers led a sit-in and later put a band
together to help raise money for a
children's community center.
Protest Music
Six months later, Ozomatli was play-
Abers recently flaunted expectations
ing
L.A.'s Viper Room, and, in 1998,
when he lumbered into an upscale,
cut
a
debut CD with songs such as
Los Angeles-area cafe. Looking like a
Chota" (a derogatory Spanish term
homeboy with his goatee and baggy
for "cops") about police brutality. The
jeans shorts, the affable musician
band mates themselves were tear-
dubbed Ozomatli "the soundtrack to
gassed while playing for protesters at
the revolution," then proceeded to
order cappuccino and a coconut cream the 2000 L.A. Democratic National
Convention.
pastry.
When Arab Americans faced preju-
So why was this fiber-radical munch-
dice
after Sept. 11, Ozomatli brought
ing fancy food in a yuppie restaurant?
Middle Eastern sounds to a 2004
"In the past, I had a conflict with
being successful in a capitalist society," album, Street Signs.
Meanwhile, the bassist continued to
he said. "But the way I do my protest-
explore his own cultural roots. He
ing now is through my band."
attended services; listened to Jewish
Critics agree. Ozomatli "declares
apathy a boomer lie and protest season bands such as the Hip Hop Hoodios
and participated in Reboot, a retreat
open," the Village Voice said.
for diverse American Jews.
Abers' Jewish family background
As Abers walked out to his beat-up
also thwarts expectations — but
white Ford pickup, he said, "I get
explains his devotion to the disem-
excited when I see Jews using their tal-
powered.
ent to better the world." 0
"My father was a founder of the
[U.S.-based] Revolutionary
Arts & Entertainment Editor Gail
Communist Party, and my first mem-
Zimmerman contributed to this story.
ories are of him working in a steel mill
to mobilize the movement," he said.
During rallies, Wil-Dog (born Will
The Concert of Colors runs 6-
Abers) stayed with his culturally
10:30 p.m. Sunday, July 15, at
Jewish grandparents, who fed him
the
Max M. Fisher Music Center
brisket and taught him to light the
and
2:30-10:15 p.m. Saturday
chanukiyah. Once, he discovered his
and
2:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
parents had black eyes and torn cloth-
Sunday, July 16-17, at Detroit's
ing, courtesy of the police.
Chene Park. Admission is free.
Due to fear of the FBI, the family
For a full schedule of Concert of
moved often, renting apartments and
Colors performances, go to the
applying for utilities under assumed
Web
site at
names in poor L.A.-area neighbor-
. For
www.concertofcolors.com
hoods, such as Pico-Union. When he
more
information,
call
ACCESS
was 12, Abers moved into a school bus
at (313) 842-7010 or New
with his non-Jewish mother in Venice
Detroit at (313) 664-2000.
Beach's homeless community. (She is
now a teacher.)

fiddler Natalie MacMaster,
Zimbabwean crooner Oliver Mtukudzi
& Black Spirits and the Sounds of
China and Beyond, featuring members
of Yo-Yo Ma's renowned Silk Road
Ensemble.
On Saturday, Jewish former Oak
Parker musician-producer Don Was and
Friends, a 21-member ensemble boast-
ing an all-star lineup of performers, join
Cheb Khaled from Algeria. Reggae
superstar Max Priest and the California
Guitar Trio also take the stage.
In addition to Ozomatli, Sunday
performers include bluegrass group the
Del McCoury Band and, from New
Orleans, the Neville Brothers.
In addition to music, also included
in the festivities will be ethnic food
booths, multicultural arts-and-crafts
vendors and a children's activity area.

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51

