Explore the Wonders of Music and Dance with Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Count von Count

Music by Three-Time GRAMMY® Award-Winning Band Ozomatli Gets Preschoolers Up and Moving!

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece, an action-filled console and handheld video game encouraging preschoolers to sing, dance, and learn through a series of fun musical games. Based on “Sesame Street,” the award-winning children’s television series, the learning game will be available for Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ in June 2012.

“In Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece, parents can inspire an understanding of music and dance in a kid-friendly environment with their favorite Sesame Street characters,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We worked closely with the early childhood development experts at Sesame Workshop to create fun interactive activities that help kids foster a love for music.”

“Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece gets children up and dancing and encourages music creation,” said Rosemarie Truglio, Ph.D., Vice President of Education & Research, Sesame Workshop. “The game also explores emotional expression through music and dance, introduces instrument names and sounds, and helps children to practice early math skills through music.”

All of the music in the game is performed by Ozomatli, and includes some original songs by the popular Los Angeles-based band, whose music is a combination of hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, cumbia, samba, funk, merengue, Jamaican ragga, and Indian raga influences. The upbeat score will appeal to kids and parents alike.

Developed by Griptonite Games, Inc., the games are entertaining and intuitive, enabling preschoolers to play by themselves with minimal involvement while offering ways for parents to help. The game features a “Parent’s Page” where parents can review games their child has played, and review curriculum goals. Parents can also customize up to three profiles, set limits for number of games played and more.

Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece is the latest in a series of Sesame Street video games from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment that includes Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! for Wii and Nintendo DS which promotes healthy habits for life, and Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival which encourage early literacy and math skills, respectively on Wii, Nintendo DS and PC.

Families can continue the Sesame Street experience with Sesame Street: Elmo’s Magic Numbers available on DVD on July 10, 2012. Kids can join Elmo, Big Bird, Zoe and Rosita as they learn the importance behind counting, numbers and early math skills.

For more information on Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece, please visit www.SesameStreetVideogames.com.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

About Griptonite Games
Griptonite Games is the leading developer of high quality, fun games for handheld platforms. Located in Kirkland, WA, the studio employs over 100 people who are passionate about making handheld games. The studio has shipped over 50 titles across most of the major handheld platforms including GBC, GBA and DS, and is currently developing games for DS, PSP, iPhone and iPod Touch. Griptonite is a Foundation 9 Entertainment Studio. For more information, please visit: www.griptonite.com

Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece software © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. “Sesame Street” and all associated characters and elements © 2012 Sesame Workshop. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
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Contacts
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Mark Margolis
818-977-1787
mark.margolis@warnerbros.com
or
360 Public Relations
Caitlin Melnick
617-585-5775
cmelnick@360publicrelations.com

Eating well in Cuba is not always easy. Restaurants can be expensive and touristy, street food gnarly and disappointing. But then there are the paladars, restaurants run out of Cubans’ own houses and apartments, offering excellent and often creative home cooking. It was into one of these paladars, in Havana, that the members of the Los Angeles band Ozomatli stepped one night in 1997.

“That meal was incredible,” recalls percussionist Justin Poree. Nothing fancy, he says, just great rice and beans and perfect avocados, like the home cooking he’d had at Cuban parties in L.A.—“tasty, really fatty, but so good, man.” It was when this group of normal-looking twentysomethings—dressed in jeans, colorful sneakers, and general post-skater garb—revealed to their hosts that they were musicians, however, that things got fun. “I just remember, like, somebody’s grandmother or aunt coming out, and she had claves”—the percussion instrument made of two short, resonant wooden sticks. “And she just started playing and singing, and we were hitting on the tables and stuff, so it just became like a big jam session. But in Cuba that shit happens all the time—everywhere.”

Perhaps so, but it probably happens more often when you’re a member of Ozomatli, the Grammy-winning Los Angeles band whose music encompasses hip-hop and merengue, jazz and dancehall, indie rock and Indian raga—sometimes within a single song. Since Ozomatli came together in 1995, its members have toured roughly 40 countries, from Argentina to Madagascar to Mongolia to Japan to Jordan, connecting with foreign cultures not just through music but through food, an interest virtually all the band members share.

Or maybe it’s more obsession than interest. As Wil-Dog Abers, the bassist, puts it, “Our whole life revolves around music and food.” For all of them, the dual obsessions began early in life, although for each in different ways. Lead singer Asdru Sierra, guitarist Raul Pacheco, and saxophonist Ulises Bella grew up in Latino households in L.A., where their mothers (and grandmothers and aunts) cooked mostly traditional Mexican food—moles, taquitos, rice and beans—which is not to say that’s all they ate. Bella’s father was Spanish, and in summertime the family would visit Barcelona and the province of Navarra. There, Bella would hunt for snails to make sopa de caracol, and feast on cured meats: chorizo, butifarra (a garlicky pork sausage), jamón Ibérico.

Abers had a typically atypical L.A.-melting-pot food education. His family was poor, surviving on food stamps and cheese and butter from government programs, but his Jewish grandparents regularly took him out for classic deli meals—pickled herring, bagels, lox. And Abers lived in the inner city alongside Mexican, Salvadoran, Nicaraguan, and Guatemalan communities, attending a magnet school whose students represented every culture in greater L.A. “My mom always says I was the kid that would just go to my friends’ house and would go straight to the fridge to see what they had,” he says.

Throughout their childhoods, all were getting into music, too. Poree’s dad was a Motown studio musician, Sierra’s would listen to antique mambo records, and percussionist Jiro Yamaguchi, who grew up in Tokyo and upstate New York, was going to Wayne Shorter concerts with his parents. So, by the time Ozomatli coalesced, its members had absorbed a host of musical and culinary influences, although when it came to food, they were each at different levels of adventurousness. While snail-eating Bella was ready to order truffle gnocchi at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills (on their booking agent’s dime), Sierra was more cautious. “I mean, I thought my grandmother’s cooking was the best in the world,” Sierra said. “I never really thought on the idea of eating another food. The only way I did was because I was traveling or hanging out with different people. Then that opened my whole consciousness to a whole plethora of food.”

www.gourmet.com/food/Ozo

by: Caitlin Shamberg
Ozomatli may be known as a party band, but they say they are a “direct product of the LA Riots.” KCRW DJ Raul Campos talks with Ozomatli band members, Will Abers and Justin Poree about Los Angeles, their music and the LA rebellion. Here’s the full tracklist of the LA Riots as told through music — listen to the interview below.

“White Riot” by the Clash… During the LA rebellion or Uprising or Riot — it has been named all different things – I remember being in the streets singing this song in my head. What I take from this song is, you know, me being white and being a part of the riot. It’s almost like the lyrics and the song almost show the support of being white and being involved in a struggle being about or about people of color.

“Burn Hollywood Burn” by Public Enemy… No more than any other song can that be the anthem for the riots. I think it’s the perfect anthem.

“Simi Valley Blues” by Branford Marsalis… This piece is a very aggressive violent piece of music in a really good way.

“April 29 1992″ by Sublime… Because that song is about the riots. I think of the day of the riots and just being on my roof. I lived in Park Labrea and being on my roof it was so surreal almost like a video game just look out over the whole city.

“Keep Ya Head Up” by 2pac… Keep ya head up! I mean listen to the lyrics it’s so powerful. That was the voice of the voiceless, hip hop.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke… It’s a classic piece of music actually. I think it was written during the Civil Rights movement and its just a beautiful piece of music.

Listen to this piece at www.blogs.kcrw.com/Ozo

Ozomatli will be part of KCRW’s ‘Which Way. L.A.?’ which will air this Thursday at 1pm and 7pm! Award-winning moderator Warren Olney leads lively, thoughtful and provocative discussion on the issues Southern Californians care about. Which Way. L.A.? draws from newsmakers around Los Angeles, the state, North America, and from around the world to present all sides of the issues.

Program Details
Host
Warren Olney
Considered the dean of Southern California broadcast journalists, Warren tackles the issues Southern Californians care about. Expanding that concept, To the Point deals with issues of national concern and is on air in most major metropolitan markets across the country. On any day, you’ll hear a fast-paced, news-based talk show featuring multiple perspectives on a single major issue, with Making News and Reporters Notebook features, as well.

Show Comments or Concerns?
Email Warren Olney

Schedule
Live
MON-THU 7:00PM-8:00PM, WED-FRI 1:00PM-2:00PM

Visit www.kcrw.com/ww for more details

In honor of Ozomatli Day 2012, we want to know what Ozomatli means to you!

Send us video, text, drawings, photos, etc. of what Ozomatli means to you, why you like Ozomatli, or anything you’d like to tell the band.

We’ll be combining all submissions into a video montage. Best submission wins an Ozo gift bag!

Send your entries to ozofans@gmail.com by April 18th!

Check out our Facebook event

Good luck everyone!

What’s up Ozoheadz!

If you haven’t yet had the chance to taste our delicious Ozo Espresso by Zona Rosa Coffee, here’s several ways you can help get the coffee at your local market!

You can send a request through the Whole Foods website site using the link below. Under ‘Choose Topic’, select ‘Product Request’ and enter “Zona Rosa Coffee – Espresso” for Product Name.
www.wholefoodsmarket.com

You can also request via the Whole Foods Facebook page.

Lastly, you can also send an email to the corporate offices.

Be sure to include the Whole Foods location you want the coffee to be sold at.

Be on the lookout for Ozo Espresso at our shows. Or, if you’re in Pasadena, visit the cafe at: 15 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.

Please ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ the pages below for the latest Ozo Espresso updates.

Zona Rosa Caffe Facebook
Zona Rosa Caffe Twitter
Ozo Espresso Twitter

Thank you!

In honor of Ozomatli’s 17th birthday, we are giving away a saxophone!

Submit your requests to ozofans@gmail.com by April 15th and tell us why you want this horn!

By Kamren Curiel

As you may or may not have heard via our newest celebrity supporter-slash-fave chismoso, Perez Hilton, Voto Latino just released its Soundtrack to a Movement on iTunes. This free 35-track download is a compilation of artists that donated their songs to show solidarity with our movement. Long-time Voto Latino supporters Pitbull, Ozomatli, and Malverde of Maleco Collective join VL newcomers like Ceci Bastida (above), Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Diego Garcia.

Plus, Grammy-nominated Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea and Los Tigres Del Norte are also featured. If this doesn’t motivate you to register to vote and take action this November, I don’t know what will. Here’s the full list of artists that believe in the power of the Latino vote and joined our movement to get the community to the polls:
Akwid
Pitbull
Mariachi El Bronx
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Carla Morrison
Ocote Soul Sounds
Eric Bobo & Latin Bitman aka Ritmo Machine
Céu
Los Tigres del Norte
Girl in a Coma
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
Vicente Garcia
Zoé
Paulina Aguirre
Miguel
Domino Saints
Ozomatli
24 Horas
David Garza
Maleco Collective
Diego Garcia
Ximena Sariñana
Pilar Díaz
Los Lobos
Beatriz Luengo
Luisa Maita
Shaila Dúrcal
Ana Tijoux
Los Rakas
Brownout
Los Cuates de Sinaloa
Jiggy Drama
Kat DeLuna
Bostich & Fussible
and finally, Ceci Bastida, who has a new song out with Rye Rye

For more information on Voto Latino, visit their Facebook and Official Website!

Ozomatli is playing an intimate show at the New Parish in Oakland on Wednesday, March 28th!

We’ll be raffling off some cool Ozo items to raise money for Noah Stout (son of former Ozo MC Kanetic) who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010. Bring your cash if you want enter the raffle! We’ll be taking donations in exchange for raffle tickets. There will be artwork created by Noah Stout himself for sale at the show.

Kanetic will also be at the show along with some special guests so get your tickets soon since a show this size will sell out!

If you’ve already purchased your tickets, enter to win a Meet & Greet with Ozomatli before the show by sending your full name to ozofans [at] gmail [dot] com. The first group of people to email will win a meet & greet for them and one guest! Please note: you must have your own tickets to the show!

Event Info: www.thenewparish.com/Ozomatli

I Heart Noah Info: www.iheartnoah.org

TO SELL ONE MILLION ARTS LICENSE PLATES MARCH 22nd
Maria Shriver, Russell Simmons, Frank Gehry and More than 20 Notable
Creative Californians Aim to Raise $40 Million for Arts and Arts Education

Hundreds are expected to attend a special event to support the Arts License Plate program of the California Arts Council on March 22, 2012, at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, including celebrity “Arts Drivers” like Maria Shriver, Russell Simmons, Frank Gehry, Macy Gray, with Ozomatli performing and catering provided by Wolfgang Puck.

The evening marks the launch of the “Create a State” campaign for the California Arts Council. Branding and promotional experts Industrial Creative, a Los Angeles-based advertising agency, created the “Create a State” campaign in its entirety. The campaign will promote the Million Plates Drive, an effort to raise $40 million for arts and arts education programs through the sale of one million Arts Plates, the iconic special license plate with the sunset and palm tree design by California artist, Wayne Thiebaud. Sponsors of the event include Sony Pictures Entertainment, Ovation, and Susan Steinhauser and Daniel Greenberg.

Notable names who have signed on as Arts Drivers include (in alphabetical order): Annette Bening, Jack Black, Eli Broad, Vernon Davis, Placido Domingo, The Edge, Harrison Ford, David Geffen, the cast of “Glee,” Macy Gray, Quincy Jones, Steve Martin, Ozomatli, Wolfgang Puck, Robert Redford, Tim Robbins, Ed Ruscha, Russell Simmons and Alice Waters. Clear Channel Outdoor has made an unprecedented donation of digital ad space around the state, and the “Create a State” campaign will roll out on Clear Channel’s outdoor digital networks starting this week.

You can purchase an Arts License Plate at www.artsplate.org