Jen with Evita Freaks
Music is such an organic process. I’ve tried to force music into an episode and it always backfires. Actually anytime I try to force something, it usually kicks me back to where I started. However, I’ve also been as equally lucky with those magical moments when I hear a song and can see a scene play out in slo-motion.
Those are the best moments and that’s a pretty accurate recount of my experience hearing “Cara de Angelito” (click this title Cara De Angelito to hear the full song) by Evita Freaks when I was selecting music for EP 7 “The World Is Mine” which features a Miami guy and a Tony Montana impression you don’t want to miss.
Searching for music on myspace, I came across this indie alternative rock band. Track by track, I liked what I was hearing and then I heard “Cara de Angelito” which literally stopped me in my slo-mo tracks. Where did this Latin beat and rhythm come from amidst this rock band whose influences are definitely Chet Atkins though Frank Zappa and everything in between.
Evita & Glenn Plumlee as kids
I contacted Evita Freaks right away and discovered this alternative rock band was actually a family affair made up of Oakland natives Evita on lead vocals and her brother Glenn Plumlee on electric and acoustic guitars. Evita and Glenn share their Latin roots now in downtown Hollywood and have been performing together since they were little tykes including over 185 shows in the bands 6 year existence. Completing the band is Jajuba on bass and Steve on drums and percussion. Evita Freaks have also had the pleasure to work with Todd Nichols of “Toad The Wet Sproket” and world class session drummer Walfredo Reyes Jr.
So I went down to Sonny McLeans in Santa Monica to watch to Evita Freaks perform live and meet the brother and sister act whose music I had become a fan.
And boy am I glad I did. I learned how important family and friends are to the ‘Freaks. I also learned “Cara de Angelito,” which means face of an angel in Spanish, is about Evita’s 11 year old son Tito, who has been diagnosed with autism.
“Our music is inspired by Evita’s kids and kids with multi disablities that we come across,” says Glenn Plumlee, Tito’s uncle who is active in Tito’s treatment including music therapy from Holding Hands, Inc. a pediatric diagnosis and therapy group located in Los Angeles. Tito’s condition has improved immensely utilizing music therapy which is on of the most effective ways to help children with autism learn basic living skills including how to communicate. Many of the larger non profit groups like Autism Speaks use Holding Hands information and data in their own studies.
Holding Hands recorded a CD in which Evita and Glenn recorded a song called “Tito I love U”. The sales of this CD will help keep the music therapy program alive for the special needs children of Los Angeles County. You can purchase a CD at www.holdinghandsinc.com or make a donation to help fund this program.
For more information on the charities that Evita Freaks are involved check out www.traponline.com, www.holdinghandsinc.com and Tito’s school www.juniorblind.org. For more information on the band Evita Freaks and to hear the rest of the tracks off their album “Franklin and Cherokee volume 2″, click here.
