Its easy to define musicians, bands and groups racially these days. But what do you call it when a band from Tulsa performs with seven members of different nationalities who mix different genres as they promote peace and love for all people and Earth?

This particular band, Citizen Mundi, is scheduled to bring its multicultural message of peace and appreciation in a free concert tonight at 8 at the Oklahoma Memorial
Union food court.

How exactly does a band like Citizen Mundi come to exist, especially in Tulsa? According to the bands vocalist and guitarist, Jean-Michel Balaguer, the process
began in the summer of 2004 as he developed friendships and began jamming with other musicians in the Tulsa area. But the bands message didnt become clear
until they decided to name the band.

I was driving home, and it said Citizen Bank, Balaguer said. I said, Man, thats really cool so I introduced Citizen 10, but it didnt really mean anything. The
next evening, we had been drinking and [our drummer] said, Citizen Mundi. Mundi is the Latin root for earth, or world. We are citizens of the world.

As musicians with an array of ethnicities, the group decided to infuse their lyrics, music, faade and fan interaction with ideas that are pro-peace, pro-earth,
pro-world, pro-society, pro-tolerance and all of those things.

Were not reinventing anything, Balaguer said. We are putting it together our way to make it work. One of the most important parts is that we provide within songs
pieces of sound and music composition that are familiar to the ordinary, average ear.

With the bands ability to manipulate the sounds of a saxophone and trombone and Balaguers ability to speak four languages, the band is able to communicate its
ideas through movements and music without talking.

To add to tonights meshing of communication and culture, the concert will also host free salsa dance lessons by members of the Association of Friends of Venezuela,
said Mario Brown, concert coordinator for the Union Programming Board.

Balaguer said the band members are really, really excited to play at OU for their first time.

We cannot be called citizens of the world and just be a rock band, he said. We actually have to be involved and do something and write about it and be part of
being a citizen of the world. And when the crowd arrives, we want to put on a great show that they wont forget.






hello there & you too