Saturday, February 23, 2013

Finger-picking Fourth Sunday Concert

Courtesy of Don Strandberg
Have Fun. And Do Good:
Every Fourth Sunday, the Center presents a concert with cross-cultural music in our amazingly acoustical Gathering Hall. The concert is only $10 and benefits our work to save and share Southern California's Native American cultures.

This Fourth Sunday, Feb. 24, concert features guitarist Don Strandberg.

About the Music:
Don regularly mixes guitar instrumentals with spirited versions of traditional songs ranging from folk to blues to country. He also enjoys performing carefully selected songs from more contemporary sources. And he sings.

Details: 3 p.m. at the Center's San Manuel Gathering Hall, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning. $10


About the Musician:
Don Strandberg grew up in Redlands, CA, and began guitar lessons at age 9 at the House of Note music store. His first teacher was Norm 'Roly' Sanders, the founding member and lead guitarist for the now legendary surf band, the Tornados.

Don was old enough to be strongly affected by Folk Revival music of the early 1960s, and sought to perfect the art of fingerpicking (also refered to as fingerstyle guitar playing) in response to that influence. Both American and English guitarists made their mark on Don's playing, and over the years he continued playing and performing locally, first in high school concerts, then as a regular at the Penny University Music Hall in San Bernardino. 

All in all, Don has been perfecting his playing and performing for almost 50 years.

Among his influences are Merle Travis, Doc Watson, John Fahey (all Americans), and  Bert Jansch and Davey Graham (from England).

He describes his playing as lush but restrained. He says this comes from: solo instrumentals on steel string guitar, classical guitar studies, and years of being an accompanist in a number of ensembles. The latter he counts as extremely important in developing a sense of how much playing is just right for any given situation, while he believes his studies in classical guitar taught him how to make each note count. This is central to his approach to the guitar.

Don now lives in San Diego and over the last 10 years he's produced a number of CDs of instrumental guitar music, garnering strong reviews in San Diego Troubador magazine, making him a known quantity in the circle of top fingerstyle guitar players in the area. 

Come and enjoy!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Meet Southern California's Native American Heroes

Book Launch! Saturday, Dec. 15, 3-6 p.m.,
Free Reception, San Manuel Gathering Hall at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center,
127 N. San Gorgonio Avenue, Banning, CA, 92220
Meet the author, the artist ... and the Native American heroes in this landmark book.


Dorothy Ramon Learning Center’s nonprofit publishing arm, Ushkana Press, is pleased to announce its newest book: This War is For A Whole Life: The Culture of Resistance Among Southern California Indians.  

This landmark work by Richard A. Hanks, PhD, tells the mostly untold stories of Southern California’s own Native American heroes as they waged battle in tumultuous times to secure their Southern California homelands, natural resources, and respect. Historical photos, and the voices of Southern California Native American Elders help tell this history that’s been missing from the history books — until now.

Meet the author, Richard A. Hanks, at our reception, and the artist who did the book cover illustration, David Fairrington. Celebrate a book that tells Native Americans' roles in shaping Southern Californian — and national — history.

DETAILS:
This War is For A Whole Life: The Culture of Resistance Among Southern California Indians, 1850-1966.
By Richard A. Hanks, PhD. © 2012. Cover Illustration By David Fairrington.
Ushkana Press, Banning, CA, USA 
ISBN: 978-0-9754496-4-6. Softcover. 240 Pages.
Retail: $30. Wholesale & Institutions: email us

Order a copy! Send $30 + $2.33 sales tax if applicable + $6 shipping fee payable to Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, P.O. Box 1510, Banning, CA 92220. Please include your name, shipping address, phone number and email.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Gotta Sing!

The next in our cross-cultural Fourth Sundays concert series features Gotta Sing!
The trio sings oldies from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, as well as Gospel songs and patriotic melodies. Join everyone for a wonderful trip down memory lane. 
Details: Sunday, Nov. 25, 3 p.m., San Manuel Gathering Hall at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning, CA. 
Your $10 will support the nonprofit Center's work to save and share Southern California's Native American cultures.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Illustration by David Fairrington; Design by Pat Murkland
Ushkana Press, The Center's nonprofit publishing arm, is pleased to announce that its newest book, This War is For A Whole Life: The Culture of Resistance Among Southern California Indians, 1850-1966, is arriving soon. 

This landmark work by Richard A. Hanks, PhD, tells the mostly untold stories of Southern California's own Native American heroes and follows the paths of leadership as American Indian people waged battle in tumultuous times to secure their Southern California homelands, natural resources, and respect. Historical photos, and the voices of Southern California Native American Elders (including several who have since passed away), help tell this history that's been missing from the history books. 

Stay tuned for information on how to get your copy.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Meet Your Neighbors

Learn more about local Native American people and share in conversations, in "Cultural Perspectives," a Dragonfly Lecture at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10.

Michael with daughter Alice. Carlos Puma Photo.
Michael Contreras Jr. will share local Native American culture and history in the lecture at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center's San Manuel Gathering Hall, 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning.

Born in Banning in 1975, Contreras is currently the Cultural Heritage Program Coordinator for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. He is charged with management and protection of local sacred and archaeological sites, management of the Morongo Collection (baskets, artifacts, and archival photos), cultural preservation and revitalization efforts for the Morongo School and for tribal members. 

Join us as he offers a brief cultural, historical overview on local Native people. And to follow an open discussion and exchange, as Contreras offers his own personal stories and opinions on current local cultural situations and contemporary issues throughout Indian Country.

Come learn more about the Natives who have always occupied these lands and share in our conversations on the matter. 
  
A $5 donation at the door will benefit the nonprofit Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, which saves and shares Southern California's Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. Information: 951.849.7736 or www.dorothyramon.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Sharing Chumash Stories and Songs



CHUMASH SINGERS
Songs and Stories

with
Georgiana Sanchez, Susan Diaz, Patricia Estrada

Sunday, August 26, 2012, 3:00 pm
San Manuel Gathering Hall 
at Dorothy Ramon Learning Center
127 N. San Gorgonio Ave., Banning, CA

Come hear stories and songs of the Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara area and the Channel Islands! Hear a language that was almost lost and meet some people responsible for saving and restoring it. Join us for this special experience.
$10 admission helps support the programs of the Center