The Free Press Music EP Release
"The House of Welcome"

 

The Free Press sound was largely developed in the Western Addition and Tenderloin neighborhoods of

San Francisco. Specifically in the Cadillac Hotel, run by the Loopers of Reality House West.

The Looper family members are instrumental in affordable housing preservation

efforts for very low-income communities in the Tenderloin and beyond.

They created a model for supportive housing many human/housing rights activists and

non-profits follow today. This model benefits my friends, residents of the Cadillac,

whom are the subjects of songs from this EP, “The House of Welcome.”  

The EP includes “Reality House” about Mary, a formerly homeless trans resident,

who uses her wisdom to save many of her fellow community members with Narcan.

“Teody” is about another friend and fellow Filipino who overcame 22 years of homelessness

and found a home at the Cadillac.  

 

This EP is dedicated to my mentor, Kathy Looper, the Looper family,

and all the Cadillac Hotel residents, including: Mary, Gayle, and Teody.

 

 Special thanks to all the musicians, Christelle Durandy- vocal instruction, Arielle Flinkman

at Women’s Audio Mission, Keith Yancsurak- mixing, the Cadillac Hotel,

Bird and Beckett, the SF Library, and Dave Mihaly, for his original compositions

and musical guidance.

 

For more information see our website:  www.thefreepressmusic.com

We are uploading the first of three EP releases to bandcamp!  

 

Free Press Music Musicians:

Christie Aida, vocals/songwriter

Dave Mihaly, percussion/guitar/composer/songwriter (BMI Dapami Music)  

 Billy White, Keys/melodica/musical direction    Alex Spoto, violin

Kai Lyons, Guitar/Bass    Mena Ramos, bata/percussion

David Boyce, soprano/alto saxophone