My latest exhibition is coming soon…for details and to purchase tickets to the special ArtCrawl event please click HERE.
Motown to Def Jam Kicks off African-American Music Appreciation Month
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
It’s the middle of June and African-American Music Appreciation month is just getting into overdrive with this Saturday’s launch of the art exhibition, Motown to Def Jam. The project is an unprecedented collaboration between four Harlem art galleries featuring over 40 visual artists creating specially commissioned pieces inspired by songs from the Chess, Stax, Motown, Philadelphia International and Def Jam Records catalogs.
On June 15, ArtCrawl Harlem presents the kickoff—a four-hour trolley bus tour to each gallery led by expert guides including media veteran Flo Anthony, pop culture expert Patrick Riley, historian John T. Reddick and arts renaissance man, Walter Rutledge. The day culminates with a dinner gala at Broadway Housing Communities’ Rio Galleries featuring special performances by R&B songstress, Meli’sa Morgan, Annette Taylor 2013 winner of The Howard Stern Subway Talent Contest, bass virtuoso Lawrence Wilson and teenage jazz sensation, Solomon Hicks paying tribute to the legendary labels through song. For tickets click here.
One of the highlights of the exhibition will be the opportunity to see the visual arts debut of Aanisah Hinds, daughter of Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray. For Hinds the project is her chance to let the world know that talent runs deep in the family beyond music. “I’ve been painting for five years now and I’m just at a point where I feel like people other than my art teachers should see my work,” says the 18-year-old emerging artist. “I mean what is art if there’s no one to see it? So Motown to Def Jam is the perfect platform for me to share my work and perspective on life. Plus this project is significant because it appreciates the history of our music.” The exhibition runs until July 26 with a series of free youth tours, gallery talks and more. [Editorial Disclosure: writer curates the exhibition].
While Hinds makes her visual arts debut her mother, Gray will perform at the new NYC venue SubCulture. On June 19th and 20th, the singer will collaborate with acclaimed jazz composer David Murray and his Infinity Quartet. Together, they will bring Stomping and Singin’ the Blues’, which bridges blues, pop, soul, and jazz, to their four performances. Previously, the duo has showcased original material as well as innovative jazz covers like Arcade Fire‘s “Maps” and Kanye West‘s “Love Lockdown.” For tickets click here.
One of the goals of African-American Music Appreciation Month is to honor the unsung and underrated talent that are deserving of increased exposure. Few of today’s singers are as deserving of that attention and praise as the self-proclaimed “underrated” singer-songwriter, Syleena Johnson. Currently she can be found on TV One’s hit reality show, “R&B Divas.” But this month she is making her way up and down the east coast with performances on June 22nd in Washington D.C. at Howard Theatre and June 23rd in NYC at the Highline Ballroom. For tickets click here.
The eye of legendary photographer, Kwame Brathwaite, has captured many of African-American Music Appreciation Month’s most revered talent. He will share some of those images at the Great Moments of Soul, photography exhibition to be held at the Dwyer Cultural Center, June 1-June 30th every Friday 4-6 pm.
Brathwaite has many images and stories to share from being up close and personal with icons such as Labelle, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye and James Brown. According to Brathwaite it was Brown who was responsible for what could have been the largest celebrity plane crash ever. The story takes place in 1974 when Brathwaite and a host of music legends were at the airport ready to take-off for a 12-hour, three-night long concert held in Kinshasa, Zaire. The music festival was in conjunction with “The Rumble in the Jungle,” the epic fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
“That almost never happened since James Brown insisted on taking all his musical equipment on the plane even though they said they shipped it over. The plane was so overloaded it almost crashed on takeoff,” reveals Brathwaite. “Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Bill Withers, Miriam Makeba and Celia Cruz—all of those artists could have been in the biggest plane crash in history.” Fortunately the issue was resolved and a less tragic version of history was indeed made. For more information on the exhibition call: 212-222-3060.
From Motown to Def Jam to Great Moments of Soul let the celebration of African-American Music Appreciation Month begin.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Strong Entertainment
NIKKI D
In the beginning female rappers had no recognition in the this male dominated genre of music called Hip Hop. While living in Los Angeles California At the ripe age of 15 Nikki was discovered by veteran rapper now actor Ice T. Ice T took Nikki under his wing and made her his protégé on stage. This was before the infamous HYPE MAN became an actual position.
Nikki began to tour with Ice T who was touring with Run DMC, Dr. Dre, Run DMC just of name a few. Though the business of music was foreign to Nikki D she found her way to the main stream by simply having the will and drive to push forward to become one of Hip Hop’s best female rappers in the game.
After getting the hardcore approval from rappers like Dougie Fresh, LL Cool J, Chuck D, Dr. Dre, Nikki D took her talent more serious, and became the talk of the town. She performed at lots of community events, worked with KDAY radio station in Los Angeles as a up and coming talent performing at all the parks, skating rinks, or wherever there was a show.
Straight out of high school, Nikki D and a friend hopped on the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles and turned her dream into a reality chasing a dream headed to NYC.
Nikki D arrived in NY with little to no cash, staying with family members for about 6 months until she got to Russell Simmons.
Nikki connected with LA Posse who was producing LL Cool J at the time, and they offered her a studio session on LL’s time to record a demo. The demo was immediately given to Russell Simmons who then called us less than a week after he got the demo and demanded to have Nikki D on his label as the first female rapper signed. DEAL DONE!
Nikki set her career off with a signature hardcore song titled “Lettin’ Off Steam.” Which sent warning signs through the industry that Def Jam had found their girl! Shortly thereafter she wrote a song titled “Daddy’s Little Girl which would become a billboard’s R&B #1 single for 4 weeks, along with her debut LP that charted at landed at 24 on the top 100 R&B. Over the next decade Nikki D, toured nationally and internationally as well as guest appear on other artist projects such as, Redman, EPMD, Queen Latifah, Set it off sdtk, Moby, Ali sdtk, The Takeover, and more. Nikki also hosted rap city several times, appeared on Soul Train, In Living Color, Who’s The Man (movie) and several other pre-recorded and live appearance both music and film.
In the very height of Nikki D’s career she decides she wanted to be an executive because with out solid management the music biz offered Nikki nothing but broken promises and felt the executives didn’t know how to properly promote a female rapper. At this point she becomes frustrated with the music biz and thought that being an executive may be more rewarding considering she knew the 10% of the business (entertaining). Here’s where she worked with Lyor Cohen and Russell Simmons as an executive assistant. Shortly there after Nikki became VP of A&R of Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Records, and then onto become Marketing manager for Phat Fashion, housing both Phat Farm and Baby Phat for almost a decade.
Today Nikki D has found another way to expand on her natural talent being the gift of gab, by hosting her own radio/talk show The Nikki D show. This show is lifestyle show that will always feature Hip Hop’s Golden Era artists, but is worldly in topics, music and lifestyle. Nikki plans to launch this show late summer 2013 on her website as well as possible webisodes via internet.
Nikki D’s hustle never stops!
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The Supremes singer, Mary Wilson plans to teach?
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Presenting the exhibition, Come See About Me: The Mary Wilson Supremes Collection has proven to be more of a look forward than a look back for Mary Wilson. The Supremes are widely credited with helping to produce a more positive and empowering image of Black women during the racially turbulent era of the 1960s. Now Wilson hopes to share the lessons of integrity, class and strength that she has learned over the years. She aims to do this by planning an educational program for women. One of her inspirations for the project is Maxine Powell, co-founder of Motown’s artist development unit.
“Ms. Powell and I are talking about perhaps something I could take up to start some image consultant place or something for people,” she says. “My school would be similar to Ms. Powell who gave us instructive information that we could go out and use as opposed to only pointing out flaws. People need lots of education so that they won’t accept everything someone tells them. So that’s one of my future plans”
One person who certainly hopes that Wilson makes this a reality is her collaborator for Come See About Me, Elizabeth Morrow of Blair-Murrah Exhibitions. “When the Supremes were together that was a very special time. There was elegance and we need to revive it a little. Some girls today are lost and they really need Mary,” she says.
It was all about uplifting girls and boys at the Brotherhood/Sister Sol ninth annual VOICES benefit at New York City’s ESPACE. This year’s honorees for the Harlem based organization were singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding and Susan L. Taylor, editor-in-chief emeritus of Essence Magazine and founder of the National CARES Mentoring Movement. There were several memorable moments including the singing of Norm Lewis, powerful spoken word performances by current participants and alumni of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol and Taylor’s call to action for more mentors and supporters of the Brotherhood/Sister Sol. “The ‘bad behavior’ we see wherever there are poor disenfranchised people is a cry for help. We are not doing the work we should be doing in our communities,” she says. “When the call goes out for mentors White women come first, then White men, then Black women and then Black men. We need mentors in reverse order.” To get involved please click here and here.
Improving lives can also be done through music—just ask emerging singer-songwriter, Amanda Holley. The soulful stunner has a rich voice that pulls listeners in with just a piano and her confessional lyrics. While getting to know this new talent she shared that one of her ballads “I Am Here For You” helped to mend her relationship with her father before he passed. “I sang ‘I Am Here For Your’ to my estranged father when I finally got to know him for the first time in my life. Then over the next few days he lost consciousness and no one could get a response out of him,” she recalls. “Something inside told me he would respond to music. I sang the song to him, he squeezed my hand, sat up about an inch off the bed and looked me in the eyes. That was when I realized more than ever how great the power of music truly is.” To feel Holley’s music check out her samples here.
The photography of Jamel Shabazz has its own unique power. For the past 30 years he has captured urban life and now he is ready to take his career to another level by selecting the House of Art Gallery as the sole representative of his work within the United States. Shabazz is currently on view in the gallery’s exhibition, The Boombox.
From Wilson to Shabazz it’s all about looking to the future with a bigger vision.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Rah Digga kicks off Fame and Fortune programming
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Hip-hop great, Rah Digga will share her life lessons in the second installment of the New York Public Library’s free financial literacy series, Fame and Fortune on June 4 at the Mott Haven Library. The former First Lady of Busta Rhymes’ Flipmode Squad has successfully avoided some of the major financial pitfalls of her peers. Still she faced a few challenges including losing her home and belongings in a devastating 2009 fire.
“One of my biggest tragedies was my house burning down to the ground,” she recalls. “The blessing in that was I’ve always reported my home upgrades to the insurance company. The insurance payout was more than what I paid for the home. So I was able to pay for reconstruction and everything.”
During the intimate Q&A, Digga will also discuss how she has attained financial security by running her family business of restoring antique vehicles and will touch on her plans to run for political office. The series runs June 4-July 19 at various NYPL branches with additional guest speakers including R&B superstar, Freddie Jackson, pioneering hip-hop harmonizers The Force MD’s, actor/artist, Federico Castelluccio and dance-pop powerhouse, Martha Wash. [Editorial Disclosure: The series is co-produced and moderated by writer).
When it comes to balancing budgets few have done it as successfully as media mogul, Leonard E. Burnett Jr. With his new book Black is the New Green, co-authored by Andrea Hoffman, he explores the $87.3 billion buying power of the affluent African American community. For Burnett this market has been overlooked by many luxury brands due to a lack of diversity in boardrooms. “Race is a big factor not in the sense of racism but that the majority controlling those budgets don’t look like us,” he says. “It is easy to overlook if no one in the room is having that conversation. So we want to educate brands on the power of that audience and ways of approaching them that makes sense.”
In addition to greater diversity in positions of power, Burnett notes that one of the most powerful tools to getting luxury brands to pay attention to the African-American market is hip-hop. “In the mid-‘90s hip-hop played an important part as a coming of age where advertisers embraced hip-hop and realized it was a generational music and not a fad. The people buying most of it were white young men and it opened the eyes of adversities that this was the type of music their consumer group enjoyed.”
Robert Morales recognizes the power of the hip-hop consumer. The 19-year-old CEO of Trap Life Apparel and owner of the R Morales Flagship Boutique in East Harlem, has established a business that’s also serious about giving back to the community. Morales does giveaways to disadvantaged youth and conducts motivational speaking at local schools and community centers. “I try to do things for the community and for youth. Many businesses aren’t from my neighborhood and really don’t care. I want to let youth know that the streets are not it and there are other ways to get around that,” he says.
Singer-songwriter, Shaliek’s positive outlet has always been music. After winning multiple times at “Showtime at the Apollo,” he was signed to Universal Records and collaborated with the likes of Alicia Keys, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album was eventually shelved due to his strained relationship with close team members. Shaliek recalls that time as a dark period where he almost gave up on his dreams. “For a minute it was really difficult. I didn’t know if I wanted to be an artist, songwriter or in the game at all. People around me in my circle said I am an artist and the stage is where I light up and I will regret it if I don’t try. That stuck in my mind and I decided to give it another shot. I feel like now is the time.” Shaliek has gone on to write for DAY26 and Jordan Knight and has released his first single, “The Past” here.
She may not have competed in “Showtime at the Apollo” but Chaka Khan is still a legend, which is why she will be honored at the 8th Annual Spring Gala Concert. The announcement arrives as Khan celebrates 40 years in the business. The evening’s host, Wayne Brady shared his enthusiasm for the diva. “The word legend is used too much nowadays, but not when applied to Chaka Khan. She has a career that triumphs over four decades and she’s as beautiful today as she was the day she started,” he says.
From the great Digga to the legendary Kahn; the women are on top of their game.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Music connoisseurs who love a good underdog story can look no further than the soul duo, Lady. Individually they are known as Nicole Wray and Terri Walker. Wray is a former protégé of Missy Elliott and scored a hit with “Make It Hot” in 1998 and then quickly disappeared from the spotlight. Walker has released four hit albums in the United Kingdom without much mainstream success in the U.S. Looking back on her journey through industry challenges, Wray realizes that much of it was due to naïveté.
“Out of desperation I was hooking up with the wrong team that didn’t get what I could do and that hindered me. This industry is fast paced and nobody has the patience to nurture you. I was young and a fish out of water. I would have listened to me more and voiced my opinion,” she says.
On their self-titled debut album they are doing things their way by incorporating the pop of Motown, grit of Stax and edge of hip-hop as they touch on themes such as coming-of-age, perseverance, love and friendship. Now with critical acclaim and a return to the spotlight some of those who passed on them before are reaching out and the ladies hold no grudges. “Of course people will come back and maybe at that time they couldn’t do anything but we won’t be mad,” says Walker. “We are very realistic but people could have let us know the truth at the time so that we didn’t have disillusions. Now we want to do it our way. Everything has to come from a real place for us.”
From soul to pop we move on to the 17th Annual Pop Awards presented by SESAC, the nation’s fastest growing performing rights organization. At the grand New York Public Library, celebrities including Michelle Williams, Swizz Beatz, Melanie Fiona and producer Rico Love came out to celebrate all things pop. Williams, a former Destiny’s Child member, shared that despite working on a forthcoming gospel album she refuses to choose between the pop and gospel world. “I feel like I love all types of music and to me my responsibility is the message. So whether that’s me talking about what I dealt with love, broken relationships, depression or whatever—you can call that gospel, R&B or country. I just love music and never want to be in a box,” she says.
Beatz had a busy week as following the SESAC awards he partnered with the Bronx Charter School for the Arts to celebrate its tenth anniversary at the posh venue, Marquee. The annual charity art auction event was a success as it raised over $200k for arts and academic programming. The funding will support the school’s extended-day learning and academic intervention programs, which assists students with academic challenges that are too often underserved.
Raising funds and awareness is the mission for award-winning filmmaker, Nicholle La Vann. Her documentary project, which is in development, titled Living Legendz explores the lives of icons such as controversial professor Dr. Leonard Jeffries, self-professed “evolved” Black Panther member Jamal Joseph and Abiodun Oyewole, founding member of spoken word collective The Last Poets. To complete the project she has started a fundraising campaign driven by her desire to share stories rarely heard in mainstream media. “As an artist and activist it’s my responsibility to pay homage to my elders by preserving our rich history,” she says. “It’s my passion to bring consciousness back and not allow our history to be a taboo subject. I have learned thus far from my subjects how important their passion was to their culture and community.” To stay updated on the project click here.
And if you’re an unsung talent like Wray and Walker but instead want to shine as a model and not a singer, then check out the Harlem Week model call.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Brian McKnight embraces age and tough love lessons
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Singer-songwriter Brian McKnight couldn’t be happier to be an artist in his 40’s releasing a new album titled More Than Words. While some of his peers may wish they could reverse time to be 20-years-old again, the Grammy-nominated veteran doubts he would have found success as a young artist in today’s celebrity obsessed market. “If I were 22 this would be a tough age to live in. You’d have to lose all integrity,” he says. “It used to be that you didn’t overexpose yourself but now if you disappear you will be forgotten. But as an older artist I can get away with just playing to my fans because I already have them.”
On his latest collection, McKnight explores what he calls “personal demons” that stem from an unhealthy habit of jumping from relationship to relationship. “About a year ago I decided not to be a person that goes from relationship to relationship. I was never giving enough of myself in relationships,” he reflects. “Now I am honest and open. I am not gonna say something to you until I actually mean it. I am at a cool place.”
Author Terry McMillan has one less worry after deciding to quit working on the screenplay to Getting to Happy, the sequel to Waiting to Exhale. McMillan revealed the news while attending Ailey at the Apollo Spring Gala Benefit. “They have somebody else on the script. I gave up because they want to take Whitney Houston’s character out of it.” McMillan does plan to release a new book on September 17 titled, Who Asked You? Meanwhile inside the gala, guests were treated to a first-time ever stage performance by all tiers of the Ailey organization followed by a festive after party, where DJ Kiss kept everyone shaking, twisting and twirling.
While the Ailey Spring Gala has been in existence for years, the non-profit organization, caribBEING just launched its first-ever benefit auction and cocktail party at New York Foundation for the Art’s DUMBO headquarters. The brainchild of Caribbean-American (Trinidadian) Shelley Vidia Worrell, the movement focuses on the entire Caribbean region and its Diaspora to build community through film. “I think film is one of the mediums that can bridge the gap, first and foremost between those within the region,” she says. “There is not a lot of awareness about what goes on in the island right next to you. So hopefully this helps us have a better understanding of our own identity and heritage.” Special guest hip-hop pioneer, Ralph “Uncle Ralph” McDaniels also shared his inspiration behind supporting the cause. “My family is from Trinidad and Tobago so to be involved in something like this is an extension of making sure that the culture my grandmother instilled in me is not forgotten.”
To ensure that the history of Africa is not lost on the youth, Ali & Helen Salahuddin, founders of the African Genesis Institute, provide free trips to Africa. The opportunity allows youth to gain a richer understanding of their culture and heritage. The founders believe that the battle to dismantle negative stereotypes of Africa must also be fought using media. “We have been programmed by the European and American media to hate everything African about ourselves. We must take control of our own images through the cultural mediums used by other races to advance their messages and knowledge of themselves. We must also realize that we have to do the teaching ourselves.”
Another initiative to reach youth is the Harlem based non-profit, The Brotherhood/Sister Sol (BHSS). The organization celebrates its achievements on May 29 with the 9th annual VOICES event honoring Esperanza Spalding and Susan L. Taylor. BHSS provides mentoring, academic and support services to youth. Founder, Khary Lazarre-White believes that much of the success stems from the arts. “We need a new cadre of young and informed commentators on the world—young people who take on the big issues of our time. Through the arts the members and alumni of BHSS are elevating the conversation. That so many of our arts educators are alumni of BHSS speaks to the power of this transformative model of youth development.”
It appears that McKnight and Lazarre-White both believe in the power of “more than words.”
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Kym Whitley challenges the stigma of adoption with Raising Whitley
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Mother’s Day is meant to only celebrate mothers and motherhood, but actress and comedienne, Kym Whitley knows that it truly takes a village to raise a child. On her new docu-series, Raising Whitley, she shares her humorous and emotional journey through motherhood with the support of family and friends.
“I hope that this show teaches other single parents to build a village to ask for help,” she says. “So many people are busy working now but we need to go back to the old days when grandma and the neighbors helped raise the children, and we were all the better for it.”
Beyond encouraging parents to ask for support, as an adoptive parent, Whitley wants the show to remove any associations of shame surrounding adoption. “In the African-American community we are very hush, hush about things in our life. Once I adopted Joshua so many of my friends that I’ve known for years came out of the woodwork about being adopted too. So I want to raise awareness of adoption and take away the stigma.”
The Apollo Theater, Harlem Stage and Jazzmobile, Inc., in collaboration with ColumbiaUniversity, have a special treat for all mothers and fathers this week with the Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival. Highlights include, S. Epatha Merkerson’s staging of Geri Allen & Friends Celebrate the Great Jazz Women of the Apollo; Marc Cary‘s celebration of Abbey Lincoln with Moseka House: The House That Abbey Built; and Columbia University’s Harlem Jazz Shrine Dialogues: Cotton Club in Black & White and more here. ”The Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival provides an essential forum for us to claim and uphold the great musical traditions that were born and nurtured in Harlem and continue to thrive through the talent of both emerging and established artists,” says Patricia Cruz, executive director of Harlem Stage.
The writing style of celebrated author, Walter Mosley has often been compared to jazz and now he will bring that flavor to the stage at the Crossroads Theatre Company. This weekend is the premiere of two one-act plays: Mosley’s White Lilies and the adult comedy The Talk, by France-Luce Benson. Mosley’s story is set in the 1970s and touches on themes of love, faith and forgiveness. During a phone conversation, he shared why the play almost never made it to the stage. “I had wrote it 20 years ago and presented it at a reading at the Public Theater. The person responsible for the reading at the time was so negative about it that I figured I didn’t know how to write plays and I forgot about it. Then years later I realized it was only an artistic difference between me and this person and I can write plays.”
With his multitude of talents, perhaps Mosley can choreograph too but if not, we can leave that up to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which will bring its 21-city national tour to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center this weekend. The opening night performance on Friday, May 10 will be a 70th birthday celebration for legendary dancer and choreographer, Judith Jamison. Robert Battle, artistic director notes that honoring Jamison is a chance to reflect and look forward. “Dance came from the people and should always be delivered back to the people. Judith Jamison carried that torch, and now I carry it. Join us this Mother’s Day weekend to see how Ailey’s legacy is burning brightly,” he says.
The fire still burns strongly for Byron E. Lewis, Sr., the chairman and founder of UniWorld Group, Inc, the longest-standing full-service multicultural advertising and communications agency in the U.S. Lewis was honored this past week at The Schomburg Cerner for Research in Black Culture for what The Hon. David Dinkins acknowledges to be his ability to shatter barriers. “When he was in the business in the beginning there were maybe 20-25 people of color and thousands upon thousands of white folks. Those who go first open the doors for a lot of others not just in that discipline but in others too,” says Dinkins.
The doors of Saks Fifth Avenue’s Manhattanflagship were open to the fashion forward and socially conscious at OrphanAID Africa’s spring fundraising event. During the event, 10% of sales from CoSTUME National’s Fall 2013 collection benefitted the charity. The stylishly dressed included, singer/actress Sophie Auster, OrphanAID Africa board member, author Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, writer/editor Alexis Garrett Stodghill and ArtCrawl Harlem co-founder, Jacqueline Orange. CoSTUME National head designer Ennio Capasa shared his thoughts on the importance of the fashion industry paying it forward. “OrphanAID Africa really supports the children in Africa and I admire what they are doing. In my industry we cannot forget the people that live in a different condition from us.”
Apparently it takes a village and fashion to raise our children.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Luke James is used to being vulnerable in his music which is why he’s not afraid to address his own faults on his forthcoming debut album this summer, Made to Love. Thematically, James says the record will focus on lessons learned in love including the value of honesty in relationships. “In love I’ve been a deceiver. But I realized being honest is so much easier than lying and being deceitful,” he reveals. “Just be true all the way through and people can’t do anything but respect you for it.”
After the album, the crooner promises to show a new side of himself in the forthcoming film adaption of the Langston Hughes musical, Black Nativity. The film is released on November 27 and stars Angela Basset, Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson. James plays the character Jojo, a homeless man expecting a child. “I unlocked some things I probably never would have unlocked if not for this film,” he says. “It helped me be vulnerable in my movement. The movie has tap dancing and breakdancing and learning those things and being comfortable to do it was a trying but awesome experience.”
The rhythm of movement and music is also found in the artwork of Preston Sampson. The celebrated artist recently held an opening reception for his latest exhibition, New Directions at Harlem’s new hotspot, The Sol Studio. During the event he shared that much of the visual energy in his work—from musicians in action to the captivating faces of strangers—is inspired by the everyday life of Harlem. “My work is about the observation of people and in it is the spirit of Harlem from the Apollo Theater to images of families going to church,” he says. “It encompasses the whole of our experience as Harlemites.”
The appeal of Harlem is felt all over Symphony Space’s third annual multi-disciplinary spring festival, Harlem Resonance. This year includes a plethora of diverse programs and performances from the Ailey and Dance Theatre of Harlem Schools, jazz artist Gregory Generet and actor/singer Tamara Tunie, actor BD Wong, a performance from the acclaimed play Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale and more. Artistic director, Laura Kaminsky notes that balancing programming to focus on high-profile names and unsung talent is crucial to Harlem Resonance’s ability to both entertain and enlighten. “The festival is sprinkled with an equal portion of star power names and lesser known names such as composer, Margaret Bonds and author Ann Petry. You have to be able give an audience something they respond to and then you surprise them with other stuff they may not know.”
Those who don’t know the power of music were given an electrifying lesson this past Friday as The Electrify Your Music Foundation celebrated its launch with The 5 Borough Youth Rock Symphony Concert at the Brooklyn Technical High School Theater. Over 200 New York City public school students performed alongside founder, Mark Wood and rocker Dee Snider of Twisted Sister. For Wood it takes events like this coupled with scientific evidence to make arts as respected in schools as sports. “It boils down to the administrators and parents witnessing the positive effects of the arts,” he advises. “I’ve gathered scientific evidence that shows how the arts allows students to be better at other subjects. So I don’t want music to be superior to every other subject but I do want it to be on the same level to the sports department.”
Honorable Mentions:
On Friday April 26, SoHarlem presented a special evening in celebration of Alejandro Anreus’ most recent publication, Mexican Muralism: A Critical History. In his latest book, the focus is on how artists such as Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siquieros have used their art to address political issues such as state modernization and cultural imperialism.
The UNCF (United Negro College Fund,) will host its first-ever, UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball on May 2. The elegant black tie gala will be hosted by the Honorable Cory A. Booker, Mayor of the City of Newark, NJ and special guests include, Honorary Chair Gayle King and singer Chrisette Michele. Proceeds from the black tie event will go to NJ students in support of their college education.
Condola Rashad and The Stoop Kids will be performing songs from her upcoming CD the letter 9 live at SOB’s on May 6. Click here for tickets. Tony nominee Rashad also currently stars on Broadway in The Trip to Bountiful.
Similar to James, Rashad will share thoughts on life and love through music you can connect to.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Wyclef Jean turns pain into music on mixtape, April Showers
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Wyclef Jean is returning to music with a renewed sense of purpose that can be heard on his forthcoming mixtape, April Showers. The collection arrives April 29 after a challenging few years, which most notably saw Jean campaign to become president of his native Haiti. His attempt was short-lived after he was excluded due to supposedly failing to meet residency requirements.
“I was so confused after I got back to the states,” he reveals. “It felt like something I believed in my entire life and would fight for was gone. So I felt messed up psychologically and I decided to come back to the music and reactivate that side of my brain fully.”
On his mixtape the Grammy award winning recording artist, songwriter and producer finds strength in addressing personal and global issues. “Through music I feel like I can make a bigger change. Maybe that change would be the equivalent to what I was looking for as president,” he says. “Art is the only protection we have and with April Showers I am fighting with my art.”
On her debut album, Our Version of Events, Emeli Sandé also uses her music as a place of refuge. This Friday April 26 at 5 pm she is sharing those songs during an exclusive performance presented by JetBlue Airways to kick-off their Live From T5 concert spring season.
One of the leaders at JetBlue responsible for maintaining the success of this series is Tamara Young, manager of corporate communications. Young brings an impressive background in public relations and marketing having previously worked at prestigious companies such as UniWorld Group, Formula PR and Dan Klores Communications. Young expressed to us one of the key components that helps make the Live From T5 concert series unique, and that’s its focus on featuring established as well as emerging recording artists from all genres. “We do consider artists that appeal to our customers and they run the gamut from a range of music,” she says. “So we always look for new acts that appeal to our customer base. If emerging artists are interested they can submit information to the marketing team.”
Aspiring, mid-career and established visual artists will certainly want to attend the Harlem Arts Alliance’s Arts Development Seminar Series. Upcoming workshops for visual artists include a presentation on New York City Public Art Programs and Preserving Public Art opportunities on May 14. Plus on May 15, The City College of New York’s Art Programs and Gallery Spaces will provided visual artists with the key tools of how and where to seek opportunities. RSVP for these events here or call (347) 735-4280 x253.
While there you may run into Harlem based artist, Lou Grant. The artist recently presented his paintings at Bergino Baseball Clubhouse during a spring art party hosted by the warm and gregarious owner, Jay Goldberg. Viewers enjoyed Grant’s baseball-themed paintings, which pays tribute to Negro League baseball players including Jackie Robinson. The latter overcame segregation to become the first African-American to play major league baseball. For Grant it is important to carry on Robinson’s legacy on and off the field. “The young ball players don’t know who he is in many ways and it doesn’t seem fair when he was so important,” he says. “He fought back against abuse and the spirit he has is tremendous.”
If it’s more artistic inspiration you need check out the exhibition Life Threads: The Embroidery Art of Fr. Frank Sabatté, CSP. The exhibition, presented by Openings and curated by Joey Kilrain is a stunning collection of Sabatté’s work, which merges random-stitch and free-motion embroidery to transform thread into vivid portraits. Included in the exhibition are several embroidered portraits of priests, which hold a special meaning for Sabatté. “These are priests that I have lived with and known. I tried to capture their wisdom, life experience, suffering and all they had gone through,” he says.
As Jean and Sabatté can attest to, there is a beautiful power in turning pain into art.
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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Singer Alice Smith moves on with new album, She
Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Singer-songwriter, Alice Smith says that she now finds herself in a powerful place in life, hence the title of her sophomore album She. Smith’s current positive outlook is hard earned after debuting to critical acclaim with her debut album, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me only to be shelved by Epic Records and forced to start her career all over again six years later.
With her new release, Smith effortlessly creates harmony out of a multitude of genres. The approach is borne out of her reaffirmed creative freedom, which she says is inspired by her upbringing. “I come from a big family and my grandmother was kinda free and that trickled down to everybody,” she says. “People are allowed to be themselves in my family and not pressured to be or do anything.”
While Smith is living out her current dreams as a recording artist and mother, she knows that soon her free spirit may take her in another career direction. “My dream now is that some other part of my life grows into something else and that a new adventure comes to me that I love.” What that new journey is remains a mystery but for now Smith is happy to be free to discover.
Music legend, Nile Rodgers is already engaged in the next chapter of his career with the We Are Family Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that creates and supports various projects designed to mentor youth and create future leaders. At the inaugural We Are Family HONORS held at Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom Rodgers honored Sting and Trudie Styler with the Humanitarian Award. One of the event highlights was a rousing concert featuring performances by Sting, Rodgers & CHIC, Sam Moore and Russell Peters. Before his performance Moore revealed that he is working on a follow-up to his 2006 album Overnight Sensational. “I am gonna redo the last album I did with Randy Jackson,” he says. “Queen Latifah and Justin Timberlake want to do some stuff. If I do it, it may be live. So we will see.”
Knox Gallery, Art in Flux Harlem and wine sponsor Simone International/Papi Wines are currently paying tribute to legendary jazzman and activist, Fred Ho with the exhibition, Mirrors of the Soul. On display are the sculptural portraits created by artist, Leah Poller including a specially commissioned portrait of Ho. On opening night viewers enjoyed for the first-time ever the sartorial designs of Ho. The project has special significance considering that Ho is diagnosed with stage 4b metastatic cancer and is primarily focused on ensuring that he leaves behind an impactful legacy. “My mission for the time I have left on earth is to do the music, art and politics no one else can or will do. I only work on that which is impossible,” he states. “We need to bring down this toxic system and replace it with a revolutionary, matriarchal, indigenous-centric and communalistic existence. Ego-centrism replaced by eco–centrism. Commodity and mass production replaced by restoration of the commons and self-sufficiency. Money replaced by intrinsic values of love, creativity and wisdom. We must start there and imagine and do the impossible.”
Art and politics also converge with this week’s opening of the Community Works exhibition, Spirit of Community: Artists of El Barrio & Beyond. The exhibition is on display at The Interchurch Center now until May 3 and is curated by Community Works and Frank DeGregorie of The Interchurch Center. Featured in the show are eight established, mid-career artists for whom the people and culture of El Barrio/East Harlem have served as significant inspiration. Kathleen Benson Haskins, Community Works board chair and cultural consultant notes, “Community Works is making a contribution to redressing the under-recognition of El Barrio by featuring artists in an exhibition at The Interchurch Center. Their work will find new audiences there—and ideally stimulate interest in the neighborhood that either produced or greatly influenced them.”
One of the current neighborhood changes potentially impacting these artists is gentrification but featured artist, Manny Vega chooses to embrace this change rather than see it as a threat.
“Both long-term residents as well as new ones express appreciation for my public art initiative. My personal experiences while growing up in both East Harlem and the Bronx and now Brazil, have provided opportunities for me to appreciate living with cultural diversity,” he says. “It has been a life in constant flux, allowing for more and more evolution on a human level.”
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The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo, founder and president of event/media content production company, Souleo Enterprises, LLC.
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