Michel writes about working with Dennis Banks, Los Angeles 6 Oct 2010

Shah Alam, 7 Oct 2010 

Darlings Ma and Pa,

I hope all is good. I have been thinking a lot about you for the past few days, missing you. Things always seem to be so busy and crazy, I guess it’s just the way it is for everyone here. As you know, after you left, I began a spate of recordings in the new studio. Everything works perfectly and the room sounds fantastic - especially the drums. I worked for a whole week, morning to late night on music for the urban farming film.  Then, as the Dennis Banks/Yale event drew closer, strange things started to happen with the film. I had been having troubles with the production company regarding communications. I would call or send e mails and they just wouldn't answer. Its normal for the director and producers to be with me while I work so I couldn’t understand this distant thinking. Anyway, exactly a week after I started working, we got a complaining e-mail from one of the producers. She said my communications were not good. That really pissed me off. I had just sent them 12 new music cues, written and performed to picture. I answered all her concerns in the kindest and most genuine way I could. Again silence. No phone answering, no communications at all.

So, on the 20th I hopped onto the plane and headed towards Yale. In transit, I checked my emails and saw they had written. Now everything was fine, and Rosa was to start working on the mix the next morning. This after close to a month of daily phone and e mails asking them if they were still interested in hiring Rosa and if so, when. So, I called them, and they answered the phone. I told them the above and said Rosa waited until the previous evening to buy her ticket. Now she was on her way to Yale as well. Due to their poor communications we had to fly separately and pay more for her ticket.  Two days later, we got a message saying we were replaced. All this was happening against the backdrop of one of the most incredible weeks I have ever had.

Dennis Banks was inclusive of everyone. I think that may be a characteristic of great leaders. He makes you feel important and that your role is just as valuable as his. The Native American Studies department had organized a series of events for their students. The Law School, Film Studies and Human Migration Departments also organized a series of events. Dennis, with entourage in tow, was taken from class to class, library to library, cafeteria to cafeteria, social event to social event in a whirlwind of activity. At each destination students of all kinds attended enthusiastically. I felt stupid there. These kids are so incredibly smart and serious about their studies and becoming the leaders in this country. Sitting in the law class was incredible. Professor Ned Blackhawk, a Native American history professor opened the class with a 45-minute introduction. He spoke as though he was reading form some high end book, but he was just standing there talking while sipping on a cup of coffee. Although I was riveted by his presentation and the information contained within, I only understood a little. But those students were attentive and judging by the discussions which followed the introduction, they understood and retained everything he said. At all these classes, Dennis was asked to sit at the front of the classroom, facing the students. The law students had very amazing questions for Dennis. There were a few Native American PHD Law students there who will probably end up working for Dennis!

My first performance with Dennis was in the afternoon after the Law class. We played for about 15 mins and Dennis was shocked by my abilities and knowledge of the music. He told me as much and I reminded him that I did record and orchestrate many versions of each of the songs. Our second performance was to a packed cinema at the Film Studies Department. We played for about half an hour before the film screened. That was a good show. I asked Dennis to start playing and singing in the wing, so we walked on playing. We had a nice banter between us on stage and we worked the audience to become involved. This resulted in a standing ovation. The film screened and then Dennis, his daughter (and co-producer of the film) Tashina, David & Lynn (Directors/Producers) and Professor Ted Van Alst sat on the stage for a Q&A. Folks just wouldn’t leave. The Q&A went for around 2.5 hours. People were riveted by the story and determined to see that the information presented within the film becomes part of the knowledge base of every US resident. I was standing in the back of the cinema for the Q&A and many people complimented me on the music and the performance - the words "ethereal", "inspirational” and "soul rousing" were in heavy rotation. This film will do very well.

The next morning, we headed to the Mohegan Tribal lands. The Mohegan's own the second largest casino in the US - the Mohegan Sun. They co-sponsored the weeklong events. In the morning we visited a school they fund. More than 50% of the students end up at Ivy League Universities. The school is free to students and reserved for tribal kids and impoverished inner-city kids. They told us that the place was state of the art and I must say, their facilities were top notch. Dennis spoke to a class full of kids and then we were taken to one of the Mohegan Sun hotels and given the VIP treatment. We checked in, had an incredible lunch and headed back to the school (which doubles as a community center) to do another performance and show the film. This time the audience was mostly tribal folks. I was a little nervous - some foreign guy sitting up there backing up a leader of people who have been poorly treated by foreigners. But it was the best show of the week. The film was received with open arms and to great accolades. They asked me to speak, so I did. I told them that I was just a guy who happened upon the film producers, that I was honored to my very core to be doing this, especially with Dennis Banks. I was emotional. When I walked back to the audience from the podium, a very powerful elder, Tall Oak, approached me and gave me a talking-to for close to an hour. The funny thing is that I thought I knew him, that I had met him as one of the plays or shows I did for Native Voices in LA. He told me I was mistaken, that I probably saw him on TV or in a documentary. And then it clicked. I had seen him in a documentary series, and it was his voice which seemed so familiar. I realized in that instant that my memory for sound is long and very accurate, albeit subconscious for most items. Anyway, I walked away feeling as though a powerful Guru had just downloaded important data to me. I don't remember quite what he said, but the feeling I am left with makes me feel so much stronger. That night, over dinner, Dennis asked me to join him whenever and wherever he performs. He wants me to go with him on his next mission - marching from California to Washington DC. He is demanding that congress declare war on diabetes. He is advocating a mostly vegetarian diet and says that poor people in the USA are forced to eat the worst food, making that ever-growing segment of society most susceptible to the disease. So now we must find a way for me to be there with Dennis. The walk begins in Feb.2011.

While all this was happening, Rosa did an amazing job. She borrowed a pro camera form a friend and shot everything. Hours and days of handheld photography! Upon our return, one of the professors emailed and asked if Yale could use some of the footage to promote itself and to convince more Native American students enroll. She also shot enough of Dennis speaking about the diabetes mission to make him a short promo video.

We got home and immediately began working to set up everything properly. There was still a lot of construction stuff everywhere and we had not had a chance to set up the new office space. That took a whole week.  To celebrate our one-year mark in this house and the final set up push, we threw a party. It was a great party, about 20 friends came. We drank and danced and had a great time.

Rosa starts another film next week. I'm working from home to promote the music, promote myself and work on new songs and continue to make small improvements to the studio. My next scoring booking is in December. Meanwhile, Farhad wants to come down here to record his band! That will be great, if they can afford it. Please text me when you can skype, need to see you and hear your voices.

All my love,

Michel