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School 33 Art Center
Three new exhibitions open Friday, March 16, 2012: "Walk the Line" Opening Receptions 6-9pm |
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DC: Blues: Blue Monday Blues March 5th – Danny Blew
Blue Monday Blues @Westminster Church
400 I Street, SW ~ Washington, D.C. 20024 ~ 202.484.7700
swrenaissance.com
BLUE MONDAY BLUES March 5th, 2012
Mondays 6 – 9pm ~ $5 admission
Danny Blew &the Blues Crew Danny Blew, harmonica, vocals
Sol, guitar, vocals
Charles Solomon, bass, vocals
Wes Lanich, keyboard
Emmitt Kittrell, drums, vocals
Always alot of special guests who show up when Danny Blew comes by. Please join us for another great evening of the Blues!
Blue Monday Blues is a project of Southwest Renaissance Development Corporation launched in 2006. It welcomes a great many of the area’s finest electric, down-home artists to lead incredible live performances every Monday evening without any exception.
The BLUES is a truly great American art form. With distinct influences from African, Caribbean and Southern origins it has expressed the passions of people very familiar with adversity and hardship. Perhaps this is why it has such a compelling appeal: the very common human experience of transcending these difficulties and reclaiming a new harmony. Blues is anything but sorrowful; it leaves you with a renewed sense of vitality and offers a new way of seeing things.We hope you will enjoy these experiences and find something inspiring every time you come.
Danny Blew
Who is Redford Stephens? a wild speculative riff on my first listen of The Roots “undun”
I love The Roots..maybe it in part because I was born in Philly maybe it’s my connection and love to Philadelphia music culture through my father Freddie Joiner (MFSB, SalSoul Orchestra, Philadelphia International Records, Sigma Sound,etc), or maybe it’s because they are so serious about their craft…whatever it is I really admire their approach to their art even if i don’t always buy in right (or understand) the work right way. Like a lot of good art you have to grapple with it or it inspires you to grapple with it (or the ideas in it).
I have to admit…I have not given undun a close listen yet (although, i definitely will) nor have i purchased it (again, I will be purchasing it)…I did, however, listen to undun on NPR’s First Listen Program.
In looking at their discography it clear that language and including a literary sensibilty is important to the music that they are making, undun is no different. This title turns on an axis of meaning, leaving us as reader-listeners what narrative to build. the Free Dictionary defines undone as 1.undone – not done, 2.undone – doomed to extinction, 3.undone – not fastened or closed or tied or secured, 4. undone – thrown into a state of disorganization or incoherence.
In considering all of these definitions, acted as confirmation as to what might be behind the the curious case of Redford Stephens. As a poet, I am always consider how a thing feels in the mouth and sounds to the ear as i consider Redford Stephens it had a very familiar syllabic structure (syllabically similar to the song Rapper’s Delight on which was released on Sugar Hill Records which was founded in1974) , this too acted as another confirmation that my suspicion might be getting warmer. The I re-considered the dates (1974- 1999)…could it possible that Redford Stephens is an extended metaphor for Hip-Hop…I know…I know some people are going to claim that I am being to shortsighted by “closing the canon” of Hip-Hop at 1999, but there are many people who claim the come of the millennium marked the beginning of the end for Hip-Hop as we knew it..that something had indeed become undone or rather undun.
Additionally, as many extended metaphors do, this metaphor of Redford Stephens comes out of the art itself and is making a commentary about what is happening in out in the world. As Questlove admits interview in SPIN that the reality is that Redford Stephens is a composite of many young African American men, men that are close and dear to the hearts of The Roots (Black Thought in particular).
So that is my guess on who Redford Stephens might be I am sure someone else out there is thinking the same thing, but not wanting to put it out there becauseokay it marks the beginning of the end for Hip-Hop as we knew it..that something had indeed become undone…Additionally, Okayplayers can be kind of brutal, if they sense any cliche, undeveloped conspiracy theories or empty rhetoric…I have seen some epic internet beatdown on the “the Boards” back in the day ( i have not been on the Boards for at least 11 or 12 years).
Anyway, i can’t wait to hear The Roots talk a little more extensively about the album and the any more possible symbolism in the name Redford Stephens…
| undone– not done; “the work could be done or undone and nobody cared”
unfinished – not brought to an end or conclusion; “unfinished business”; “the building is still unfinished”
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| 2. |  undone– doomed to extinction
unsuccessful – not successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcome
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| 3. |  undone– not fastened or tied or secured; “her blouse had come undone at the neck”; “his shoelaces were undone”
unfastened – not closed or secured; “the car door was unfastened”; “unfastened seatbelts”
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| 4. | undone– thrown into a state of disorganization or incoherence; “price programs became unstuck because little grain was available”
disorganised, disorganized – lacking order or methodical arrangement or function; “a disorganized enterprise”; “a thousand pages of muddy and disorganized prose”; “she was too disorganized to be an agreeable roommate”
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DC:ART:Around My Way: Rhymes With Opera Concert, Lisa McCarty & Louie Palu’s exhibits!
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DC:ART:JAZZ:Thinking About Jazz – Nina Simone & Civil Rights, 10/29, 1-3pm
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Nadine Cohodas, author of Princess Noire, The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone, joins us again for an in-depth look at Nina Simone’s impact on the Civil Rights movement. Nadine will share more vintage footage of Nina and pertinent excerpts from her wonderful biography of this powerful figure in jazz history. Nina’s powerful presence, bold lyrics and eloquent music made her a figure many sought out as a leader of the jazz community in defining the essence of race and power relations during this important time in our nation’s history. As always, Thinking About Jazz is a free event with a warm welcome, stimulating conversation, refreshments and door prizes. Please join us!
Eyeminded: Living and Writing Contemporary Art
Please join Busboys and Poets, Teaching for Change and Provisions Library for an evening with author Kellie Jones, who will read and discuss her book, Eyeminded: Living and Writing Contemporary Art on Saturday, October 15th, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Busboys and Poets (5331 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, MD 20781).
A daughter of the poets Hettie Jones and Amiri Baraka, Jones grew up immersed in a world of artists, musicians, and writers, absorbed in Black nationalist ideas about art, politics, and social justice across the river in Newark. The activist vision of art and culture that she learned in those two communities, and especially from her family, has shaped her life and work as an art critic and curator. Featuring selections of her writings from the past twenty years, Eyeminded reveals Jones’s role in bringing attention to the work of African-American, African, Latin-American, and women artists who have challenged established art practices.
This event is free and open to the public.
DC:ART:HISTORY:CULTURE: Wash Post Features the African American Civil War Memorial & Museum’s Grand Opening Celebration
Grand Opening Celebration!
The African American Civil War Museum is back in the business of telling the stories of slaves’ and freed blacks’ participation in that conflict. The museum, which first opened in 1999 with about 700 square feet, has moved across Vermont Avenue to 5,000 square feet in a former school building. The $5 million move and renovation, funded by the city, will be celebrated with three days of activities, ending with a ribbon-cutting July 18.
The museum now fits into the school gymnasium, which gives it high ceilings and a gleaming wooden stage. Arranged in one room are thematically organized panels with reproductions of illustrations and documents and some original objects that are used to tell stories from the war.
In addition to its exhibits, the museum provides space for other cultural activities.
Read the rest of the Washington Post article!
Register now for the Grand Opening Celebration (Saturday, July 16 – Monday, July 18, 2011)!
DC:ART: Aug 5th – Oct 7th 2011, (Un)Lock It: the Percussive People in the Go-Go Pocket by Thomas Sayers Ellis
tse front
tse back
DC:JAZZ:Around My Way: East River Jazz presents Carl Grubbs Ensemble
East River Jazz
presents
Carl Grubbs Ensemble in concert
Sunday June 26 2011 | 4 PM
Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique
$25 day of event | Online $20 advance sales and a limited number of $15 “Early Bird” tickets available.
Catered Lite-Fare Included
Carl Grubbs, saxophones
Steve Novosel, bass
Eric Allen, drums
Carl Grubbs
A 2009 Recipient of the Maryland Sawyers Baker Award, Baltimore Magazine voted “2009 Best Musician – Jazz” and the Rosa Pryor Scholarship Fund 2009 Award, Carl Grubbs performs on alto, soprano and tenor saxophones. He is also a composer, educator and recording artist. A native of Philadelphia, he received early extensive training from John Coltrane.
Carl Grubbs is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Contemporary Arts Inc., a nonprofit arts organization. The organization’s programs Summer Activity Extraordinaire (SAX):Music and Dance Camp and Summer Arts Academy, provides music and dance education to youth ages 4 – 17 in the Baltimore metropolitan area. A member of the MSAC Artist in Education program, Carl has twice been the recipient of the MSAC/Maryland Traditions award as a jazz master, working with an apprentice to pass on the traditions of improvised jazz music.
Steve Novosel
Bassist Steve Novosel, who began his jazz career in 1961 while stationed in the Washington DC area, has performed with just about every major jazz artist playing and recording with Andrew White, Roland Kirk, Stanley Cowell, David “Fathead” Newman and Eddie Harris. He has performed with Cedar Walton, McCoy Tyner, Hank Jones, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Harry “Sweets” Edison, James Moody, Archie Shepp and Blue Mitchell. Steve is also in great demand as an accompanist for singers; he has played with everyone from Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams and Donny Hathaway to Anita O’Day, Roberta Flack, Betty Carter and Shirley Horn.
DC:JAZZ:ART: Thinking About Jazz – John Coltrane – June 25th, 1-3pm
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