2008: The Year in Review

News+Notes

Project and performance highlights

WRITING

In March,  Oakland-based poetry press Kolourmeim Press  released Skin & Bones, a collection of Jeff's lyrics. The book features photographs by John Soares and an introduction by Garrett Caples.

MUSIC

In February, Jeff reunited with Eddies guitarist Jake Guralnick to perform "All Men Are Liars" & "When I Write the Book" to a sold-out Nick Lowe tribute at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. The backing band for the night was Ed Valauskas (Gravel Pit, The Gentlemen, Juliana Hatfield), Tony Goddess (The Rudds/Papas Fritas), Eric Saulnier and Eric Anderson (both from The Electric City) and Phil Aiken (Buffalo Tom). Among the other singers who performed were Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom), John Powhida (The Rudds), Chris Cote (Seks Bomba, Upper Crust), Corin Ashley (The Pills), Merrie Amsterburg, Jake Brennan and Kyle Patrick (The Click 5).

Last spring, Jeff recorded a cover of Rectangle's "Space Perspective" for the October release of Stereorrific Recordings' anniversary album, That's How I Feel. The album also includes covers of Jeff's songs by Death by Chocolate, Slide and Superdrive.

In July, Jeff recorded a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise" with Jake Guralnick, former Slide and on-call Midnight Cowboys bassist Dimtri Fane, and former Velvet Underground member Doug Yule. The track is slated for release on UK label WIAIWYA's indie-pop Boss tribute in 2009.

ART & DESIGN

Throughout the year, Jeff completed multiple projects for the Chinese Historical Society of America including:

  • A series of microsites focusing on various CHSA exhibits, including Remembering 1882: Fighting for Civil Rights in the Shadow of the Chinese Exclusion Act, To Enjoy & Defend Our American Citizenship and Glamour & Grace: Miss Chinatown USA. Some of these sites were also presented as part of a Civil Rights Suite portal site in conjunction with The Chinese of California exhibit, a joint project of CHSA, The Bancroft Library, and the California Historical Society.
  • Design of the publication of historian Phil Choy's The Architecture of San Francisco's Chinatown and the corresponding collateral materials.
  • Design of all the promotional and take-away materials for CHSA's annual Glamour & Grace gala event in San Francisco.
  • CHSA's Video Annual Report, presented in San Francisco at the annual Glamour & Grace event.
  • Design of A Meeting of Two Souls: A Tribute to Gary Woo,  A Painter's Painter, a publication about the late abstract painter and the installation of the offrenda built in his memory by his widow Yolanda Garfias Woo, as well as the collateral promotional materials for the opening event.
  • Design of a full catalog of CHSA's publications.

With Yvonne McCarey, Jeff produced a Sesame Street-inspired, Philadelphia-phile video for the Weisstronauts' cover of Miss Mary's "That's How I Feel."

In November, he completed design work on his brother Joel Mellin's Compositions for Computer book & record, featuring photographs by John Soares. The work is scheduled to be co-released  by Kolourmeim Press, Stereorrific Recordings and Musique Impossible. Jeff will create an installation for book release events in New York and Philadelphia, which will also feature performances by Holly Faurot & Sarah Paulson and choreographer Jodi Melnick.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

After years of lawyers, paperwork, headaches and hairpulling, Waxfruit Arts Media, Inc. was finally recognized officially by the IRS as a 501(c)3 charitable organization

In October, Jeff celebrated the 10th anniversary of Stereorrific Recordings, the underground pop label Jeff co-founded with his brother Joel Mellin and producer Pete Weiss.