FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2015
PRESS CONTACTS
Reseda Renaissance
Spike Dolomite Ward, 818-224-9091, spike@spikedolomite.com
RESEDA RENAISSANCE and ARTS IN EDUCATION AID COUNCIL ANNOUNCE
THE FIRST ANNUAL RESEDA RENAISSANCE CONCERT
“RESEDA ROCKS AGAIN!”
A salute to Reseda’s musical heritage - a benefit for the new Arts and Entertainment Magnet
at Reseda High School
Reseda, CA – Reseda Renaissance, Arts in Education Aid Council, and Reseda High School
present “Reseda Rocks Again!” on Saturday, September 19 at 7 p.m.
Father and son Reseda residents and musicians, Sal Guitarez and Jason Gutierrez, have wanted
to play their high school alma mater, Reseda High School, for years. Now that the high school is
opening a new arts and entertainment magnet, they saw this is a perfect time to give back to
their high school while highlighting Reseda’s musical heritage by performing with other Reseda
based musicians for a benefit for the new magnet.
Sal and Jason are part of a grass roots group made up of musicians, artists and arts lovers
called, the “Reseda Renaissance”. They have been working together to help Reseda make its
come back via the arts from when it reigned as the Valley’s hot spot for live music.
The Reseda Renaissance started two years ago when the Reseda Neighborhood Council’s
Outreach Committee produced a retrospective of Reseda’s rock n roll history at Continental Art
Supplies. Sal hung his photographs of musicians who played the Country Club in the early 80s
and talked about his experiences of being the house photographer at that time. The event
drew a crowd of about 400. People started referring to the excitement and momentum as a
renaissance.
A lot has happened since then. Renowned muralist, Levi Ponce, has painted three murals. The
first open studio tour in Reseda was in November of last year and the second one, scheduled
for November 14, is being planned now. Another member of the Reseda Renaissance, Chloe
Cumbow, has produced “Fun A Day twice” - a pop up art show that displays works made by
individuals every day in the month of January. Right now, Reseda artists are painting utility
boxes along Sherman Way as part of the Great Street CD3 Utility Box Project.
All of the musicians who will perform for this benefit are professional musicians and have some
sort of connection to Reseda. They either live in Reseda, rehearse and record in Reseda, have
history in Reseda, or have a connection to the Reseda music scene:
Jimmy Angel (best known for his song, “Teenager in Love”) and the Jason Gutierrez 3 (Jason
Gutierrez, Sal Guitarez and Jon Biggs)
Will Champlin (runner up for The Voice in 2013)
Fernando Perdomo (guitarist, singer, song writer, and owner of Reseda Ranch Studios)
Ernie Valens (Ritchie Valens cousin)
Gary Mazzola (Reseda HS alum and former Vice President of the Reseda High School Folk Music
Club)
Kevin Brennan
Sal, Jason and Ernie all played at the Country Club. Both Sal and Jason teach guitar locally.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door or online through the Reseda Renaissance
website, www.resedarenaissance.org.
For more information on the Arts and Entertainment magnet, contact Melanie Welsh, Assistant
Principal of Reseda High School at 805-807-9382 or melanie.welsh@lausd.net.
For more information on the concert or any of the performers, contact Sal Guitarez at 818-8815285 or salguitarez@earthlink.net.
For more information on the Reseda Renaissance, contact Spike Dolomite Ward at 818-2249091 or spike@spikedolomite.com
Arts in Education Aid Council is a nonprofit organization that supports arts education programs
in Valley public schools. For more information visit www.aieac.org.
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