LL Cool J will host the 38th NAACP Image Awards, which will air live on Friday, March 2 (8 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX, Vicangelo Bulluck, executive producer of the telecast, announced.
“We are pleased and honored to have LL Cool J host our first live telecast,” said Bulluck. “His humor, intelligence and incredible talent will make the awards an exciting evening to remember.”
LL Cool J has had unparalleled success in all media including music, film and television and has amassed a number of accolades for his work. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner, a NAACP Image Award winner and is a recipient of ShoWest’s Male Star of Tomorrow, ASCAP’s Golden Note Award and a Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award.
Releasing his first hit, “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” in 1985 at the age of 17, LL Cool J quickly developed his own unique style. His first two albums, “Radio” and “Bigger and Deffer,” made him a celebrity, but “Mama Said Knock You Out” established him as one of hip-hop’s genuine superstars. Over his career he has released 12 albums. He will release his 13th album, “Exit 13,” in May.
In addition to his musical success, LL Cool J starred in his own television sitcom, “In the House” and appeared in several films including “S.W.A.T.” with Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell, “Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah, Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” and “Deliver Us From Eva” with Gabrielle Union. Also an accomplished author, his fitness book, “LL Cool J’s Platinum Workout,” is currently on the New York Times best seller list.
As previously announced, three outstanding individuals will be honored during the NAACP Image Awards telecast. CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien will receive the President’s Award; legendary comedian, actor, author and past Image Award winner Bill Cosby will be inducted into the Image Awards Hall of Fame; and renowned musician and activist Bono will receive the NAACP Chairman’s Award.
Major sponsors of the 38th NAACP Image Awards are FedEx, Verizon and General Motors. Additional sponsors included Allstate Insurance Company, American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Ciroc, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company and Sprint.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. Return to top of page
17th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards
On Monday, February 19, 2007, at The Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter of the NAACP honored and celebrated excellence in African American theatre. The NAACP Theatre Committee meticulously arranges this star-studded gala in an effort to acknowledge the many contributions made by people of color in theater. Additionally, they collaborated with all people in the community to keep theater alive in the city of Los Angeles. The proceeds from the Award Show support NAACP programs that serve the youth in community.
Writer, Director, Producer, George C. Wolfe was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. His long list of credits and accolades have made him one of the most admired and respected artists in entertainment. He is renowned for having boundless energy and being a visionary of novel ideas in the theatre arts.
Usher Raymond received the spirit award in recognition of his recent Broadway debut in “Chicago.” He is being honored for bringing new energy and ‘spirit’ to the theater industry.
The co-hosts of the evening were actors Chandra Wilson of “Grey’s Anatomy” and Steve Harris of “The Practice.”
Ron Hasson, President of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter of the NAACP stated, “we are looking forward to having so many wonderful talents in one place to pay tribute to those who are passionate about keeping the theatre art form alive.”
A full list of honorees were Usher Raymond - Spirit Award, I’m Ready Productions - Trailblazer Award, Cynthia Marshall of AT&T - President’s Award, Keith E. Hopps and Elizabeth Valtierra of Abbott Laboratories - Community Service Award, George C. Wolfe - Lifetime Achievement Award
Some of the presenters included Brian McKnight, Larenz Tate, Magic Johnson, Ben Vereen, Tichina Arnold, LisaRaye McCoy-Misick, Michael Clark Duncan, Tony Plana, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Sharon Leal, Keith Robinson, Jamal Munnerlyn and many more. Return to top of page
The Brilliant Life of Charles Houston
“This fight for equality of educational opportunity (was) not an isolated struggle. All our struggles must tie in together and support one another. . .We must remain on the alert and push the struggle farther with all our might.”
Charles Hamilton Houston (September 3, 1895-April 22, 1950) was a black lawyer who helped play a role in dismantling the Jim Crow laws and helped train future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall. Known as “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow”, he played a role in nearly every civil rights case before the Supreme Court between 1930 and Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Houston’s brilliant plan to attack and defeat Jim Crow segregation by using the inequality of the “separate but equal” doctrine (from the Supreme Court’s Plessy v. Ferguson decision) as it pertained to public education in the United States was the master stroke that brought about the landmark Brown decision.
Born in Washington, D.C., Houston prepared for college at Dunbar High School in Washington, then matriculated to Amherst College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1915.
From 1915 to 1917, Houston taught English at Howard University. From 1917 to 1919, he was a First Lieutenant in the United States Infantry, based in Fort Meade, Maryland. Houston later wrote:
“The hate and scorn showered on us Negro officers by our fellow Americans convinced me that there was no sense in my dying for a world ruled by them. I made up my mind that if I got through this war I would study law and use my time fighting for men who could not strike back.” In the fall of 1919, he entered Harvard Law School, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree 1922 and his Doctor of Laws degree in 1923. In 1922, he became the first African-American to serve as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.
After studying at the University of Madrid in 1924, Houston was admitted to the District of Columbia bar that same year and joined forces with his father in practicing law. Beginning in the 1930s, Houston served as the first special counsel to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and therefore was involved with the majority of civil rights cases from then until his death on April 22, 1950.
He later joined Howard Law School’s faculty, establishing a long-standing relationship between Howard and Harvard law schools. While at Howard, he was a mentor to Thurgood Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education and was later appointed to the Supreme Court.
Houston used his post at Howard to recruit talented students into the NAACP’s legal efforts (among them Marshall and Oliver Hill, the first- and second-ranked students in the class of 1933, both of whom were drafted into organization’s legal battles by Houston).
By the mid-1930s, two separate anti-lynching bills backed by the NAACP had failed to gain passage, and the organization had won a landmark victory against restrictive housing covenants that excluded blacks from particular neighborhoods only to see the achievement undermined by subsequent legal precedents.
Houston struck upon the idea that unequal education was the Achilles heel of Jim Crow. By demonstrating the failure of states to even try to live up to the 1896 rule of “separate but equal,” Houston hoped to finally overturn the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling that had given birth to that phrase.
His target was broad, but the evidence was numerous. Southern states collectively spent less than half of what was allotted for white students on education for blacks; there were even greater disparities in individual school districts. Black schools were equipped with castoff supplies from white ones and built with inferior materials. Black facilities appeared to be part of a crude segregationist satire - a design to make black education a contradiction in terms.
Houston designed a strategy of attacking segregation in law schools - forcing states to either create costly parallel law schools or integrate the existing ones. The strategy had hidden benefits: since law students were predominantly male, Houston sought to neutralize the age-old argument that allowing blacks to attend white institutions would lead to miscegenation, or “race-mixing”. He also reasoned that judges deciding the cases might be more sympathetic to plaintiffs who were pursuing careers in law. Finally, by challenging segregation in graduate schools, the NAACP lawyers would bypass the inflammatory issue of miscegenation among young children.
The successful ruling handed down in the Brown decision was testament to the master strategy formulated by Houston. Return to top of page
The Canton Spirituals
On Friday, March 16th, the Family Partnership at 29 North Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie, will be awash with the melodious sounds of one of the premier gospel music singing groups of our time. Stellar award winners and Grammy nominated recording artists “The Canton Spirituals,” from Canton, Mississippi, will bring their traditional style of gospel music singing to the Hudson Valley. This style has made them one of the most popular quartets in gospel music history. Their music reflects the heart and soul of this rich genre and is the primary reason they have such a loyal following today. Although they rave received numerous awards and was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998, it is more important to them to spread the gospel or Jesus and sing about the changes he can make in our lives. Also appearing is the Golden Wings quartet from Topelo, Mississippi, and Brothers In Christ, from Baldwin Nt.
This event is sponsored by Rev. Robert K. Williams, pastor of White Rock Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon, Ny. For more information and tickets, call (914) 224-8933, Jubilee Bookstore, (845)473-2655, or (845) 831-9352. “Come one; come all for a glorious time in the Lord.” Return to top of page
Jackie Robinson’s Birthday Celebrations
The Jackie Robinson Foundation celebrated the birthday of Jackie Robinson and kicked off its commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Jackie breaking the color barrier in baseball at ESPN Zone. Co-hosted by baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan and ESPN Baseball Tonight host Karl Ravech, the event showcased New York area Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars and was attended by some 200 friends and sponsors of the Foundation.
(Pictured from Left to Right) Jackie Robinson Foundation alumna Tiffany Chaparro, Jackie Robinson Foundation/Random House Scholar Jennifer Kincaid, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon, Jackie Robinson Foundation Founder Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson Foundation President and CEO Della Britton Baeza, New York Mets manager Willie Randolph, Jackie Robinson Foundation/Unilever Scholar Chanel Cathey and Jackie Robinson Foundation/GE Foundation Scholar Adam Franklin. Return to top of page
Vassar’s RAS CUBA Exhibit
A rare glimpse at Cuba’s Rastafarian community will be offered at Vassar College on Thursday, March 1st at 7:00 PM when Poder Latina/o and the Black Students Union Mecha de Vassar presents RAS CUBA at Sanders Classroom Auditorium, 2nd Floor. Enter at main gate on Raymond Avenue where easy directions are available.
Acclaimed photographer and documentarian Susanne Moss will be present for the screening and Q&A session afterwards. This vigorous 40 minute film, in Spanish with English subtitles, includes interviews of men and women Rastafarians discussing their lives, culture and struggles in Santiago de Cuba.
According to Moss, a former Manhattanite who relocated to Beacon three years ago, “RAS CUBA is the result of the Rastas in Cuba asking me to be, in a sense, their contact with the outside world. They want nothing more than to have their presence in Cuba be known and to express their sentiments regarding their culture internationally.”
For more information, call the Students’ Center at 845-437-5370. Return to top of page
Musical Enrichment for Local Youth
(Poughkeepsie) - Allyn J. Washington, one of the founding faculty members of Dutchess Community College, is now helping to bring the next generation of students onto the campus. Professor Emeritus Washington has provided a $10,000 gift to the DCC Music School through the DCC Foundation. The funding has allowed the development of a new program connecting Poughkeepsie High School with the College’s noncredit music education program.
In the first of several programs to be developed with that gift, the College is currently conducting the Washington Program at Dutchess Community College Music School. The six-week course was developed by DCC Music School Director Julie Wegener in collaboration with teachers in the music program at Poughkeepsie High School. Nine select Poughkeepsie High music students are coming to an after school class each Monday through March 5 to study a specialized musical topic, including History of American Work Songs/Songs of Slavery, History of Jazz, Creative Improvisation, Native American Music, Vocal Technique, and West African Music. The faculty includes Dennis Yerry, Jacqueline Venable, and Joakim Larty of the DCC Music School, Ceista Little-Quinn, who teaches both with Poughkeepsie High School and the DCC Music School, and Poughkeepsie High School teachers Bill Gillespie and Dr. Richard Carr.
The DCC Music School is part of the College’s noncredit programs offered through its Office of Community Services. The DCC Music School provides the opportunity for children, teens, and adults to study with a professional performing musician. The DCC Music School also offers a MusicLink scholarship program for economically disadvantaged students.
Wegener said one of the goals of the new program is to introduce students to DCC through the noncredit music program, and encourage them to continue their education after high school graduation as students in DCC’s credit program. The College offers an Associate Degree in Performing Arts and a Certificate program in Music Performance. “DCC is reaching out to these musical, energetic students,” said Wegener. “We’re saying, ‘Come and spend some time with us and see what we’re about,’ and their reaction has been very enthusiastic.”
The Washington Program at the DCC Music School is just the first phase of noncredit programming Wegener expects to develop with the gift from Professor Emeritus Washington. “There are a lot of possibilities of enhancing and developing other programs,” said Wegener. “Some of the money will also be used for our MusicLink Scholarships for low-income students.”
Allyn J. Washington and his family have left a lasting impact on Dutchess Community College. He was part of a group of three administrators and 12 founding faculty members who readied DCC for its first opening day of classes in 1958, and was head of the Mathematics Department from 1958 through 1979. During the academic year 1974-75, he served as acting Executive Dean of the College. While at DCC in 1978, he also received the New York State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges award for Exemplary Service to Mathematics Education. In 1962, he began writing technical mathematics textbooks. Although retired from the classroom, he has remained actively engaged in textbook writing, and his book has been the leader in its field for more than 30 years. Although the Washingtons now live in Grass Valley, California , they have continued their support of DCC. A major gift helped make possible the Allyn J. Washington Center for Science and Art, which was dedicated in the year 2000, and another in 2005 resulted in the naming of the College’s Mildred I. Washington Art Gallery .
DCC Foundation Director Trish Prunty said the Professor Emeritus Washington had approached her about making another gift that would have an impact on the lives of students. Out of several possibilities, he chose a gift to the DCC Music School. “The main driving force was to see the money directly helping young students learn and flourish in music,” said Prunty. “The Washingtons have always had a love of music and art.”
Pictured Above: Dennis Yerry teaches Poughkeepsie High Students and DCC Music School Director Julie Wegener a Native American circle dance. Return to top of page
“Curators as Artists” Exhibition
By Jennifer L. Warren
J_Warren@HVPress.net
(Beacon) - They pay rent, select and show art, curate and do invitational, theme or subject shows and events. They’re called curators, and seven of them were on hand for another “Second Saturday” evening in Beacon, displaying their artwork at the artist collective dubbed BAU (Beacon Artist Union). Over 200 guests inhabited the small collective’s quarters throughout the evening amidst frigid, single digit temperatures. They were provided with a rare treat, not only in terms of the wide spectrum of art, but the creators behind it.
“The Curators as Artists” shows the breath of contemporary art made by artists who are primarily curators,” said Christopher Staples, the Curator for the show as well as one of seven bau 2007 members. “Rarely do curators have their works shown as a group, but we are expecting a good reaction, as the showings here at bau are always well attended.”
If Saturday’s opening night attendance figures are any indication of the exhibit’s popularity, bau will again be another hot spot on Main Street for the next few weeks, as “Curators as Artists” will run through March 4, 2007. Now in its third year, bau showcases a new contemporary art exhibit each month. An artist collective that is member run, its members include: Staples, Vivian Altman, Gary Jacketti, Gary O’Connor, Franc Palaia, Joane Klein, and Elizabeth Winchester. A winner of the 2006 Dutchess County Executive Arts Award for Organization, bau, located on 161 Main Street, is open on Saturday and Sunday 12-6 and by appointment. Next up on its agenda is a panel discussion on the arts today, slated for Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 4 pm.
One of the panel’s participants will be Karlos Carcamo, an artist whose work can be viewed at bau’s current curator exhibit. Carcamo, who resides in Wappingers Falls and holds an MFA from Hunter College, is a conceptual artist. Additionally, he, along with Gregory Slick, co-own Beacon’s Go North Gallery. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, Carcamo does photography, painting and sculpture. One of his two featured pieces at bau Saturday night was “Untitled Self Portraits,” which used color inkjet prints with limousine tints in chrome frames. Dressed as a Hip Hopper, wearing red, white and blue bandannas, in three different images, Carcamo pays tribute to an artform that has had a profound effect on his life and work.
“I sample art history, just as a hip hop artist does with music, always looking for something to reconceptualize; whether its upfront or buried, the meaning is always there for me” explained Carcamo. “I grew up with Hip Hop, so I use it as my vocabulary to create art.”
Carcamo’s “Hip Hop” art lingo can again be detected in his other bau piece, “Looking for the Perfect Beat.” Composed of 300 stacked records, the authentic art was designed with a definite purpose.
“For me, the records reflect how Hip Hop is put together,” said Carcamo, whose art has appeared all over New York City and Florida. “It also shows the incredible influence it has on our culture, such as in things like marketing.”
You can find out more about Carcamo and his gallery by logging on to his website at: gonorthgallery.blogspot.com or visit the Beacon Artist Union website at: www.beaconartistunion.com.
(West Point) - The United States Military Academy Band will host the West Point Trumpet Conference on March 10th, 2007. This event, which is open to the public, will begin at 9:00 a.m. and consist of jazz and classical master classes and performances throughout the day. Clay Jenkins, Robin Rigby, Matt Shulman and Philip Smith are scheduled to appear. In addition, a final concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m. will feature David Bilger, Principal Trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra and jazz great Jon Faddis.
The events will occur at West Point’s Eisenhower Hall Ballroom and Theatre. Beginning at 9:00 a.m., David Bilger will begin the conference festivities with a master class entitled “Higher, faster, and louder: Practice tips to develop and maintain technique.” Eastman School of Music jazz studies professor Clay Jenkins will follow, presenting a jazz improvisation lecture and performance. After lunch, Philip Smith, Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, will be accompanied by composer Joseph Turrin performing a number of selections. Robin Rigby, faculty at Mahattan School of Music, will follow with her presentation of the Stress Management System. A proven method for promoting performance success, the system will teach methods that are essential to perfecting performance and competitive abilities. Concluding the day’s events is a performance by Matt Shulman. Mr. Shulman will combine intimate vocals with virtuosic trumpet playing and sensual electronics to create his signature sound.
The entire conference will conclude with a concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Held in West Point’s Eisenhower Hall Theatre, the concert will begin with the Academy Band’s Jazz Knights featuring lengendary jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis and the music of Dizzy Gillespie. Mr. Faddis has performed with Lionel Hampton’s Big Band, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard, Grammy-winning United Nation Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie 70th Birthday Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Following the jazz portion of the concert, the Academy Concert Band will feature David Bilger, Principal Trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Currently on the music faculties of The Curtis Institute of Music and Temple University, Mr. Bilger has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York Trumpet Ensemble, Saint Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, as well as guest appearances with the Canadian Brass and the Empire Brass. Finally, the concert will conclude with an arrangement specifically written for the conference, featuring 18 trumpet players and accompaniment.
Do not miss this unique opportunity to see world renowned musicians in an intimate setting! Due to limited seating, pre-registration is recommended for the day’s events. For additional information, please visit www.usma.edu/band and click on “West Point Trumpet Conference” (middle of homepage) or contact Staff Sgt. Eric Miller at eric.miller@usma.edu or 845-938-2446.
Please allow extra travel time for the 100% vehicle and photo I.D. inspection at Stony Lonesome and Thayer gates. Due to changing security requirements at West Point, call the Academy Band’s hotline at 845-938-2617, or check www.usma.edu/band before leaving for the concert.
(Newburgh) - In celebration of Black History Month, visitors to City Hall can enjoy an outstanding exhibit of African Art through February 28. The collection belongs to Norman Sweeney, a resident of Beacon, who specializes in African/Celtic art.
Sweeney, a native of the West of Ireland, said he became interested in African art “by accident.” Years ago, he met a vendor selling African masks and other artworks at a street fair.
They struck up a conversation, and when the vendor wanted to take a break, Norman agreed to fill in for him. While the vendor was away, Norman sold a few things, without even knowing what it was he was selling. The vendor was so impressed he offered him a job. Eventually, Norman went into business for himself.
In addition to discovering that selling African art can be profitable, Norman said he gained a deep respect for the culture of the various peoples of Africa. The son of an Irish carpenter, he said he could appreciate their mastery of the wood. He studied the origins of West African art in libraries and by visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. In 1991, he traveled to Africa to see where the pieces are actually made.
“It was a remarkable experience,” said Sweeney. He traveled from Ghana to the Ivory Coast, meeting master carvers from the Ashanti, Guro, and Baule people. He also traveled to Lome, Togo, known as “the Venice of Africa.”
Currently, items from Sweeney’s African Art collection are on display in the Donnell Library in Manhattan, and the Howland Library in Beacon, where Norman resides with his wife, Amelia.
For more information on pieces from the collection, visit Sweeney’s website, http://www.madebyearth.com.
Pictured Above: Norman Sweeney is pictured with Deputy Mayor Regina Angelo (center) and his wife Amelia in the lobby of Newburgh City Hall where some of Sweeney’s collection of African art is on display for Black History Month. Return to top of page
Social Progression is Recognized
Nearly 60 years ago, Jackie Robinson stepped up to the plate and courageously broke the color barrier in baseball. His heroics began in the confines of the baseball diamond but had far-reaching reverberations on American society. More than an extraordinary athlete, Jackie was a crusader for equal opportunity and a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
As it approaches the 60th anniversary of one of the most significant moments in both baseball and American history, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) will pay tribute to three pioneering individuals whose commitment to social progress and excellence embody the spirit of Jackie Robinson. Stan O’Neal, Chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch and a leader in the world of financial services and corporate philanthropy; Sheila C. Johnson, pioneering businesswomen and ardent philanthropist, President and CEO of Salamander Hospitality and President of the WNBA Washington Mystics and Spike Lee, world renowned film director, will be honored at the Jackie Robinson Foundation Annual Awards Dinner on Monday, March 5, 2007 at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, presented by Ford Motor Company.
Entertainer Bill Cosby will again host the event, considered one of the most highly anticipated on the New York social calendar. O’Neal is slated to receive the ROBIE Award for Achievement in Industry; Johnson will be presented with the Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award; and Lee will receive the ROBIE Award for Humanitarianism.
The Jackie Robinson Foundation
Established in 1973, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) is one of the nation’s premier education and leadership development programs. It provides four-year college scholarships to minority students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership capacity and financial need. Transcending financial assistance, the Foundation equips its scholarship recipients with a comprehensive set of support services including mentoring, career guidance and practical life skills, resulting in a 97% graduation rate, more than twice the national average for minority students. The more than 1,100 JRF alumni are both leaders in their professional fields and consummate ambassadors of Jackie’s legacy of community service.
This academic year (2006-2007), JRF is providing more than $1.8 million in scholarship support to 266 Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars representing 33 states. Enrolled in 93 different institutions, Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars attend some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the United States.
“Each of our honorees,” said Della Britton Baeza, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, “has cultivated pathways to opportunities for future generations. They have truly lived by Jackie’s guiding tenet that, ‘A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.’”
For more information about the Foundation or to purchase tickets, please visit www.jackierobinson.org or call (212) 290-8600.
On the heels of the announcement of celebrated vocalist Jill Scott’s 10th GRAMMY nomination for her collaboration with legends George Benson and Al Jarreau, “God Bless The Child,” Hidden Beach/Universal Records released an album of all Jill Scott’s top collaborations, on January 30, 2007. Acclaimed for her ability to smoothly weave pop, R&B, jazz, and even operatic styles, Jill Scott: Collaborations is a tour de force of cool.
Included on the album is the GRAMMY-nominated partnership with jazz greats Benson and Jarreau, as well as two other tracks honored this year - her duet with famed jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, “Good Morning Heartache” (Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists) and the sensual “Daydreamin,” off of Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor (Best Rap Album), which the two recently performed on The Late Show with David Letterman.
The album features guest spots from these collaborators and hip-hop heavyweights: Common, Mos Def, will.i.am, and Will Smith, as well as legendary performers such as Kirk Franklin, The Isley Brothers, and Sergio Mendes. The genre-hopping album is Jill Scott and her signature stylings at their best.
Next up Jill Scott heads to the studio for work on her third studio album, due out in the Summer of 2007. She recently made the scene at Sundance in support of her role in the Dakota Fanning movie “Hounddog,” in which she plays Big Momma Thornton, the artist who originally sang the Elvis Presley hit. Acting has become a new joy for Scott, who will begin production on two Tyler Perry movies this year.
In 2005, Jill Scott won her first GRAMMY for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Cross My Mind,” from her sophomore album, Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds Vol. 2, nominated for Best R&B Album that same year. It was the follow-up to 2001’s critically acclaimed Who Is Jill Scott?: Words & Sounds Vol. 1, which earned Jill four GRAMMY nominations, including a Best New Artist nomination.
“My name is Norbit Albert Rice, and I was an orphan.” Thus begins the story of Norbit (Eddie Murphy), who was brought up by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy) at the Golden Wonton Restaurant and Orphanage.
There, Norbit met his true soulmate, the lovely Kate (Thandie Newton). The two became inseparable - that is, until Kate was adopted and left Norbit to begin her new life. One day, the lonely and easily intimidated nine-year-old Norbit is rescued on the school playground from the taunts of three bullies by hefty Rasputia (Eddie Murphy), age ten, who wields a mean right hook. As Norbit and Rasputia grow up, they marry and Norbit becomes part of her family.
In ‘Norbit,’ the King of Comedy is at it again. Eddie Murphy is Norbit. Eddie Murphy is Rasputia. Eddie Murphy is Mr. Wong. Murphy uses his extraordinary talents to bring these diverse and unforgettable characters to life in this boisterous, ribald comedy. Dysfunctional at best, Rasputia and her three brothers - Big Jack (Terry Crews), Earl (Clifton Powell) and Blue (Lester ‘Rasta ‘ Speight) - run the Latimore Construction Company, an outpost from which the brothers try to run the town of Boiling Springs, Tennessee. They spend most of their time running the good, hard-working people ragged, badgering them and extorting money from them.
An employee of the construction company, the meek and downtrodden Norbit is treated with disdain by his brutish brothers-in-law and even more contemptuously by his wife. The ravenous Rasputia often sends him to the local Rib Shak - owned by ex-pimps Pope Sweet Jesus (Eddie Griffin) and Lord Have Mercy (Katt Williams) to pick up her super-sized dinner. Such is Norbit’s lot, until his world undergoes a dramatic change when the grown-up and beautiful Kate returns to Boiling Springs. Kate has come back to buy the orphanage from the retiring Mr. Wong. But she is being bamboozled. Her seemingly adoring fiance Deion (Cuba Gooding, Jr. ) turns out to be a phony. He is secretly in cahoots with the conniving Latimores. They are planning to turn the orphanage into a strip club - The Nipplopolis.
But steadfast Norbit sees through their faces with a dawning realization that all is not right in Boiling Springs and in the Norbit household. With the reawakening of his feelings for Kate, Norbit gains a newfound assertiveness, rejecting the role of downtrodden, exploited milquetoast in favor of the crusading hero who knows how to dress sharp, please the ladies and ride a bike.
Will he finally stand up to the Latimores and save his true love from marrying the wrong guy? Will the mild-mannered mouse find his inner lion and set things right in Boiling Springs? And will he ever lose the yoke of servility imposed by the overwhelming, overpowering and overeating Rasputia? Therein lies a tale that can only be told by a masterful storyteller.
[PG-13]
Pictured Above: Scene from the latest movie entitled Norbit featuring actor Eddie Murphy. Return to top of page
Jeannine Rosolie represents N.J.
Jeannine Rosolie of Morristown, New Jersey has won the title of Miss New Jersey International. In late July 2007, Jeannine will travel to Chicago and represent New Jersey in the national competition and compete for the title of Miss International 2007.
Jeannine is a full-time senior at Fordham University in New York. She occupies her free time as a Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentor and a D.A.S.H. Foundation spokesperson. In her leisure time she enjoys dancing, singing, fashion and beauty styling.
Because of her academic excellence and community activities, Jeannine is a member of the National Scholars Honor Society. She has also won many other titles, including Miss New Jersey American Queen 2006. Her platform is the fight against childhood obesity. “The promotion of positive mentality and physicality early on, in a body-obsessed world, can prevent unhealthy and harmful habits from developing later on,” Jeannine said.
Jeannine is elated to be New Jersey’s ambassador and feels honored to represent her state at the Miss International pageant. She was chosen from a large pool of New Jersey contestants to earn the title of Miss New Jersey International. The national competition will be held next year in Chicago at the Northshore Center for the Performing Arts. The Miss International 2007 production is open to the public and is taped before a live studio audience.
The women of the Miss International® pageant are single women ages 19-29, originating from any part of the world. The national competition includes a private interview with a panel of esteemed judges. This portion consists of 40% of the score. The Fashion Wear portion, the presentation of today’s current fashion, adds another 20% to the score. Fitness Wear lends an additional 20% to the score. Lastly, the evening gown presentation completes the program and contributes 20% to the total score.
The Miss Internationa] Pageant is a production of International® Pageants, Inc. The International® Pageants Corporation celebrates its twentieth year of competition, under the leadership of the National Executive Director, Mrs. Mary Richardson, herself a former Mrs. Virginia USA. The pageant is recognized for its integrity, high ethical standards, utmost fairness, and consistent application of its rules and regulations. “It is our goal to provide ladies everywhere with the opportunity to compete in a pageant system that maintains the highest moral values,” states Mrs. Richardson. “We are firmly committed to applying these standards to our past, present and future contestants and directors.”
For further information regarding the Miss International pageant, visit the official website at the following web address: www.Miss-International.us or call 540-989-5992.
(Newburgh) - George Washington’s 275th birthdaywill be celebrated at Washngton’s Headquarters. This site will host a three day celebration of our greatest President. From 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, February 17, 18 and 19, the site will feature Revolutionary War soldiers, 18th century music and even birthday cake at our nation’s first historic site.
On Saturday, visit with General Washington’s troops. Infantry soldiers of the First and Third New York Regiments and mounted horsemen of the Second Continental Light Dragoons will re-enact life in a Revolutionary War camp. Harpsichordist Erik Lichack and violinist Melanie Zanakis will delight visitors with their performance of country dances and music General Washington would have enjoyed. The Institute of History, Archeology and Education will present Professor Ray Raymond speaking on “The Strategic Genius of George Washington,”
On Sunday, Lamb’s Artillery will show how cannon were fired in the Revolutionary War. Puppeteer Fred Greenspan will present the colorful humor of the traditional “Comedy of Punch & Judy” show. Dora Wright, Master Gardener, will talk about 18th century gardening at the joys of spring planting. Members of the Headquarters staff will offer lectures on Washington’s Pllan to invade New York City and on the famous subject of Washington’s teeth.
On Monday, Carmino Ravosa, who has performed his original composition at the White House in Washington, D.C., will tell the story of Washington at Newburgh in song. Author, collector and lecturer George C. Neumann will present “How Washington Won the Unwinnable War.” Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1782, Sergio Morales, will talk about the “Oldest Veteran.” Kathleen Chilcott, owner of Kathleen’s Tearoom in Peekskill, will discuss tea’s history and offer samples of different brews.
Washington’s Headquarters is located at the corner of Liberty and Washington Streets in Newburgh. Please call (845) 562-1191 for more information.
Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site is operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is one of 24 facilities administered by the Palisades Interstate Park commission in New York and New Jersey. To learn more about other state parks and historic sites in New York, please visit www.nysparks.com. Return to top of page
Gallery Celebrates Black History
(Beacon) - On Saturday, February 3, the Howland Cultural Center began its thirteenth annual celebration of the nationally recognized “African-American History Month.”
Nine African-American artists from the Hudson Valley are exhibiting their work, which includes paintings, sculpture, photography, and pottery. An added feature to the celebration is the photography of “African-American Musicians Through The Decades” which is mounted on the gallery’s balcony.
The photography is the work of Bibiana Huang Matheis and is presented by Ned Moran’s Avalone Archives Museum of Rock & Roll.
February was officially designated nationally as African-American History Month in 1976, although celebrating the contributions of black Americans to the development of America started much earlier in 1926. At that time, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a professor at Columbia University and the “father” of African-American history, believed it was long overdue for black Americans to be formally recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to every area of life in America: music, science, education, literature, sports, theatre, journalism, politics, religion, law & the judiciary, military, government, inventions, medicine, business, art, and more. February was chosen as the month for the recognition due to the birthdays of two men: Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglas’, two giants in American history.
The nine artists featured in this year’s exhibition are Maryam Ali of Poughkeepsie, Ronald E. Brown of White Plains, Shelita Burchett of Beacon, Waveney Harrington of Beacon, Robert Lee Jones, New York City, Richard Outlaw of Newburgh, John T. Spencer of New York City, Eleanor Thompson of Beacon, and Donald Whitely of Tarrytown. In addition to the artists, African-American folk art will be on exhibit, courtesy of Barbara Simmons from B. J.‘s Soul Food Restaurant in Beacon.
Ronald Brown says of his art, “I seek to capture the spiritual essence of those who long ago made the Africans works of art, which are dispersed throughout the world today. My works are African inspired and are part of a continuum that reaches back into the time that Africans came to the New World with a history of ceramics and other artistic expressions. My work is a continuation of those who came before me.”
Eleanor Thompson states, “Painting has been a part of my creative journey for over thirty years; on the other hand, sculpting is my unplanned futuristic aesthetic journey. It is an unforgettable and overpowering experience each time my hands touch the softness of clay or the cold hardness of stone as it assumes a personality of its own.”
The Howland Cultural Center is located at the east end of Main Street (477) in Beacon. The exhibition will run through Sunday, February 25. Regular gallery hours are from 1:00 - 5:00 PM every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. During February, the art gallery will be closed to the general viewing public as the Howland Chamber Music Circle will present a piano concert on February 18th.
Pictued Above Clockwise: Eleanor Thompson gazes at her artwork on display, Sky and Sea and Sunrise on the Hudson.
Freedom by Richard Outlaw hangs on display at the Howland Cultural Center.
Ned Mran, Susan Wallach Fino, Ron Brown, Eleanor Thompson, Mayor Gould, and Richard Outlaw are a few of the featured artist in this year’s exhibition. Return to top of page
Rhema Worship Center on the Move
By Chuck Stewart, Jr.
(Newburgh) - Pastor Gail A. Roberson is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Rhema Christian Worship Center. She has been preaching the Gospel for over twenty-eight years. Through all of her ups and downs, her testimony remains the same, “that the LORD has done it again.”
That phrase would hold true again on Sunday, February 4, 2007, as the church held their first service in their new home at 163 Broadway in the City of Newburgh. Not such a far move from the old edifice on Lander Street, but with a growing congregation and a ministry that includes a Youth Ministry, Outreach Ministry, GFT-R.C.W.C. Praise and Worship Team, Men of Promise Ministry (M.O.P.M.), Women of Purpose Ministry (W.O.P.M.), GFT-R.C.W.C. Choir, GFT- R.C.W.C. Security Ministry, GFT-R.C.W.C. Dance Ministry and a GFT-R.C.W.C. Step Ministry, space was sure to become an issue.
Pastor Roberson commits to teach the Rhema Christian Worship Center family, to becoming a Church that will “build God a kingdom and not a church. For if we build God a kingdom according to the Word of God and not on our own personal agenda, the House of Worship will become what God has ordained it to be.”
Pastor Roberson credits her totaled growth in ministry to Jesus Christ. She realized that she can’t do anything with out the Lord. She always refers to the scripture in the book of Romans 8:23 where it states: “And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
As she began to preach the word, she invited everyone to “take a victory lap around the church.”
“If you build Him a house, the people will come,” Pastor Roberson said. With the additional space and the growing ministry, it will only be a matter of time before Rhema Christian Worship Center is on the move again.
Stating that “This is a place where everyone is important to the body!” Pastor Roberson invites everyone to come fellowship with them and find out “what a Mighty God we serve.”
Pictured Above: Pastor Gail Roberson, Minister Anita Powell, Minister Justin Caesar, Sister Jacqueline Caesar during the first service in their new church at 163 Broadway. Return to top of page
NAACP Image Awards Nominations
The 38th NAACP Image Awards nominations were recently announced during a press conference at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. Vanessa Williams, Isaiah Washington, Chandra Wilson, Shaun Robinson and DB Woodside joined NAACP President and CEO Bruce S. Gordon, NAACP Image Awards Committee Chairman Clayola Brown and Image Awards Executive Producer Vicangelo Bulluck to announce this year’s nominees.
The NAACP Image Awards honors projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts in television, recording, literature and motion pictures. The theme of this year’s show is “Youth Create Change.” The show will air live on Friday, March 2nd (8:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX.
The CBS network leads with a total of 19 nominations, followed by The CW with 17. “Everybody Hates Chris” received eight nominations, including the directing category. “Girlfriends” received six nominations, including the directing and writing categories.
Sony Urban leads the recording category with seven nominations, including four for Beyoncé, which tied Mary J. Blige for the individual high. Capitol and Universal records followed with five nominations apiece.
In the motion picture category, Lionsgate Films received eight nominations, including two in the directing and writing categories. Sony and Dreamworks/Paramount followed with seven nominations each. “Dreamgirls” garnered eight nominations, including best soundtrack. “Akeelah and the Bee” and “The Pursuit of Happyness” both received five nominations, with an “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” nomination for newcomer Jaden Christopher Syre Smith.
This year, over 1,200 entries were received. From those entries, a special committee of 300 industry professionals and NAACP leaders from across the country selected five nominees in each of 35 categories. Any artist, manager, publicist, production company, record label, studio, network or publishing house may submit an entry to the NAACP Image Awards. The final selections are voted on by NAACP members, and winners will be announced during the live airing of the 38th NAACP Image Awards.
Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. Return to top of page
Soy Unica! Soy Latina! Workshop
(Newburgh) - The Newburgh Latino Youth Collaborative presented “Soy Unica! Soy Latina!” on Saturday, January 27 on the Mount Saint Mary College campus.
Registration was open to the first 100 Latina girls between the ages of 9 - 16 and who attend the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. Mothers and/or caregivers were also encouraged to attend with their daughters to take part in several interactive workshops engaging them in topics such as racism, self-worth, career and college opportunities, along with exposure to cultural dances, art and much more.
The YWCA, Newburgh APPS/MISN, Safe Homes of Orange County, Sarah Wells Girl Scouts and the Middletown Police Department were some of the many organizations that participated in the workshops.
The Newburgh Latino Youth Collaborative stated, “As we continue to witness the effects of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs in our community, we must renew our commitment to protect and empower every human being, particularly our youth. Hispanic girls rank higher in rates of pregnancy, depression and suicide, when compared to other racial or ethnic groups.”
In response to this need, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration developed a bilingual initiative for Hispanic girls and their mothers and caregivers. The public education initiative, called Soy Unica! Soy Latina!, is designed to build and enhance Young Latinas’ self- esteem, mental health, decision-making and assertiveness to prevent the harmful consequences of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs.
The Newburgh Latino Youth Collaborative was founded in 2004 with a mission “to provide Latino Youth an opportunity to be active in their community through community service, organizing of community events, and participation in empowerment programs, advocacy and referral.”
Pictured Above At the conclusion of the Soy Unica!, Soy Latina! Workshop sessions cultural dancing was displayed by a variety of dance groups, such as the one pictured above. Return to top of page
A Tribute to James Brown
Soul Legend James Brown who passed away on Dec, 25 2006 will be honored in Newburgh on Fri, Feb., 2, 2007. Solid S.T.E.P.S. Recording will be hosting a tribute event at Its’ All Good Restaurant, 90 Broadway, Newburgh, 7pm-11pm.
The God Father of Soul’s daughters Dr. Yamma Brown, veterinarian and Deanna Brown, radio personality will be presented with a Prestige Award in honor of their father by Mr. Torrance Harvey, Co-owner of Prestigious Music Group.
Both daughters are board members of the newly created James Brown Music Education Foundation which has been established to further the lifelong efforts of Mr. Brown to support music and education for the nation’s youth.
Those of us who knew him were keenly aware that music allowed him to rise from his own difficult circumstances on the streets, to one of the most influential and important cultural icons in the world. It was very important for him to find a way to give back, states a Brown representative.
It will be a celebration of his life and music. They will feature live performances by “The Hudson Valley’s number 1 dance party band”, Bosco and the Storm, whom have performed on various cruise ships, hotels and casinos for over a decade. In addition sensational recording artist Rynard Brown, future star recording artist Esty, Readnex Poetry Squad and many others will share the stage.
“The hardest-working man in show business, James Brown at the age of 73 has transitioned to the next level. He left behind a legacy of music second to none. The impact that he has made on the world of music transcends 5 decades. His countless hits have influenced all genres of music from funk, R & B, hip-hop, disco and rock. He has been an image of entertainment for all audiences for as long most can recall and it is our responsibility to honor such an icon.” states Damon Finch one of the presidents of Solid S.T.E.P.S. Recording.
For additional information contact Solid S.T.E.P.S. Recording at 845 725-7703 or online at SolidStepsRecording.com.
Exhibit Explores African American Life
(Kingston) - TRANSART and Cultural Services announces the installation of an exhibition chronicling the history, of African Americans in the Mid-HudsonValley from the 1600’s to the end of the 19th Century. Entitled “Somebody’s Calling My Name - Free and Half Free” the exhibit will be on view in the Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York, in the Tourism Information Room, and on view from February 5 through February 28. The Exhibit can be seen Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
In 1626, eleven men from Africa and from Europe became the Mid-Hudson Valley’s first African ancestry residents. A few years later, the first African women arrived. They could own property, marry in a Dutch church, and the men could serve in the militia and could testify against whites in a court of law. In 1644, the men petitioned for their freedom and won. No longer slaves, they remained “half free”. Each had to labor on Dutch West India Company public work projects whenever required and each had to pay the Company 22 bushels of grain and “one fat hog” every year for as long as he lived. They never became the equal of the Dutch freeman or of freed indentured servants and those who remained enslaved could hope for “half free” status. Their “half free” lives are symbolic of the history of African Americans in the Mid Hudson Valley who for the next 300 years would not achieve full equality with the White majority.
“Somebody’s Calling My Name-Free and Half Free” was part of a four part exhibition on view during the tri-centennial celebration of the first capital of New York State, Kingston. Greer Smith, President of TRANSART says, “Free and Half Free” has been designed to travel to schools, libraries or wherever this information is of interest. The exhibition is a chronology and can be used as a tool for further study and dialogue around important periods in American history and Hudson Valley history.
“It is also important to showcase this activity in the County Office Building,” states Rick Remsnyder, Director of Tourism. “We encourage people to stop in while transacting other business and then come back with their families. Return to top of page”
Arts Commission Seeks Logo Design
(Newburgh) - The Arts & Culture Commission (A & CC) of the City of Newburgh is initiating a competition for a logo design to be used on its publications. The logo may include text, graphic designs or a combination of the two. It should reflect the mission of the A&CC which can be found on the home page of the City of Newburgh website at the following web address www.cityofnewburgh-ny.gov.
The competition is open to all artists, designers and students in the Newburgh area. A hard copy of the design can be sent to the Arts & Culture Commission c/o City Hall, 83 Broadway, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550, or e-mail it to arts@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov.
If the logo is accepted it becomes the property of the A&CC. A fee of $500 will be paid for the logo and additional fees may be assigned if letterheads and other publications are needed. The design must be converted into a JPEG, TIFF or PDF computer format for use in computer-generated publications.
Artists and designers submitting a logo should include a brief resume and qualifications.
The deadline is February 23, 2007.
The Arts and Culture Commission is an official commission of the City of Newburgh. Further information can be found on the City website or at www.newburgharts.com. Return to top of page
Lillias White Stars in Blind Lemon Blues
The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) and Documentary Arts in association with Central Track Productions have announced that Tony Award winner Lillias White will join the cast of the Off-Broadway premiere of Blind Lemon Blues, created by Alan Govenar and Akin Babatunde featuring more than 60 Blind Lemon Jefferson songs. Performances begin February 15th and continue through February 25th only, at The York Theatre at St. Peter’s (54th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues).
Lillias White is a native New Yorker. On Broadway she has performed in The Life as Sonia, for which she received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and the Friends of New York Awards. Her other Broadway credits include How To Succeed In Business... (Jonesey), Cats (Grizzabella), Once on This Island (Asaka), Dreamgirls (Effie) and Chicago (Mama Morton). Off-Broadway, she’s been seen in The Vagina Monologues, Crowns (Audelco Award), Dinah Was (as Dinah Washington) and in William Finn’s Romance in Hard Times (Obie Award). On film, Lillias has been seen in Game Six with Michael Keaton, Pieces of April with Katie Holmes and she is the voice of the lead muse in Disney animated Hercules. Lillias television appearances include “Law and Order,” “Law and Order SVU,” “Great Performances” with the Boston Pops, and most recently, in “Great Performances Live from Carnegie Hall” as Bloody Mary in South Pacific. In addition to her work on stage, screen, and television, Lillias performs regularly with the Colorado Symphony (“Too Hot to Handel”) the Palm Beach Pops, NY Pops and in other venues worldwide including Jazz at Lincoln Center and at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in California. As a recording artist, Lillias has recorded the Broadway cast recordings of How To Succeed In Business, The Life, The Odd Potato, Dreamgirls 20th Anniversary Concert, The Actor’s Fund productions of Hair and Funny Girl, as well as her own CD “From Brooklyn to Broadway.” Her latest album of jazz music will be released in 2007.
Blind Lemon Blues celebrates the legacy of Blind Lemon Jefferson and his profound influence upon the development of
American popular music. Jefferson was a blind street musician who played his guitar with a tin cup tied to its neck at the corner of Elm Street and Central Avenue in Dallas, Texas until a Paramount Records scout discovered him. Between 1926 and 1929, Jefferson made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling-down-home blues singer in America. After seeing a workshop of Blind Lemon Blues, playwright August Wilson said, “I listened to the music of Blind Lemon everyday for five years. Blind Lemon Jefferson was the voice of Black America at that moment.”
The musical had its world premiere at the Forum Meyrin in Geneva, Switzerland, in February of 2004, and was featured as the opening of the Festival de L’lmaginaire in Paris, France in March of 2004. In 2005 Blind Lemon Blues made its US debut in November 2005 at the Hall of State in Dallas and returned to France for the Blues Sur Seine Festival. Following its showcase at The York Theatre, Blind Lemon Blues will be presented in a nine-city tour to The Netherlands and Belgium by the World Music Theatre Festival.
Blind Lemon Blues, is a limited engagement for 10 performances only. Tickets can be purchased by calling The York Theatre Box Office at 212-935-5820 or online at
http://www.yorkrhefltrc.org
Beth Scales of Nyack, New York has won the title of Miss New York International. In late July 2007, Beth will travel to Chicago and represent New York in the national competition and compete for the title of Miss International 2007.
Beth is a full-time pre-law senior at Nyack College. She occupies her free time working with the Living Christ Church Youth Group and is a bible study leader. She also helps serve the Nyack dinners for the homeless and the New Life Clinic.
Because of her academic excellence and community activities, Beth was named the valedictorian of her graduating high school class. She has also won many other titles, including Miss Jr. National Teen-Ager 2002. Along with enjoying many of her favorite leisure activities like basketball, football and surfing, she is a keynote speaker on the topics of visual health awareness, community service, leadership and making a difference at many events, such as the Girl Scout State-Wide Conference and the Women of Influence Conference. Her platform focuses on illustrating to the public the importance of visual health. She hopes to decrease the amount of cases of amblyopia, a disease that she suffers from, that go unnoticed at an early age and increase the number that are able to be corrected simply by getting detected early. “I will help society realize the importance of taking care of their eyes by educating them about precautions, consequences and general vision health information,” Beth said.
Beth was chosen from a large pool of New York contestants to earn the title of Miss New York International. The national competition will be held next year in Chicago at the Northshore Center for the Performing Arts. The Miss International 2007 production is open to the public and is taped before a live studio audience.
The Miss International Pageant is a production of International® Pageants, Inc. The International® Pageants Corporation celebrates its twentieth year of competition, under the leadership of the National Executive Director, Mrs. Mary Richardson, herself a former Mrs. Virginia USA. The pageant is recognized for its integrity, high ethical standards, utmost fairness, and consistent application of its rules and regulations. “It is our goal to provide ladies everywhere with, the opportunity to compete in a pageant system that maintains the highest moral values,” states Mrs. Psichardson. “We are firmly committed to applying these standards to our past, present and future contestants and directors.”
For more information about the Miss International pageant, visit the official website at www.Miss-Intemational.us or call 540-989-5992. Return to top of page
Art Gallery Showcases Local Talent
By Jennifer L. Warren
j_warren@hvress.net
(Beacon) - For Carl Van Brunt, there is something more bonding area artists together than simply physical proximity.
“There is something bigger that connects our artists; it’s being part of a special community who can learn and share from one another,” said Van Brunt, owner of Carl Van Brunt Gallery in Beacon. “There is also a community aspect, contributing to an area they are a part of and playing a key role in it.”
Van Brunt showcased that area talent recently with the opening of “New Hudson 3,” which will run through February 26. Several hundred visitors attended the opening, viewing both painting and photography pieces from 27 area artists. Now in its fifth year, the Gallery, located at 460 Main Street, was opened by Van Brunt in the summer of 2002.
“I have been an artist my whole life and have an advertising background, so I thought it would make a lot of sense to combine the two,” said Van Brunt, who tends to lean towards painting, digital photography and sculpture when it comes time to gallery selections. “I knew a lot of artists, and thought Beacon was a great area to show it.”
Van Brunt guessed right. Growing each year, the Gallery is a popular spot on the Main Street strip which several galleries call home.
The Carl Van Brunt Gallery is especially buzzing on the second Saturday of each month, a time when all Beacon galleries keep their doors open until 9 pm. On these days, art lovers can roam the well lit Main Street drag, frequenting galleries, grabbing a bite to eat, and just plain relaxing. As one passed Van Brunt’s Gallery Saturday, a landscape painting could be spied through the window. But, this wasn’t any ordinary nature scene; superimposed on the piece was a hanger with a tie. Titled “Back to Work,” the eye-catching “anti-landscape” painting was done by artist Win Zibeon of Blauvelt, New York. Combining a mixture of virtually every school of painting (Dada, Pop, Illusionism, Surrealism), the anti-landscape series constructed by Zibeon is technically very precise, using little brushes and demanding a sort of perfection. As for interpretation, Zibeon prefers as much gray area as possible to exist.
“I’m trying to create a fine line between what the viewer perceives as real and what is real,” explained Hunter, who earned a Masters Degree in painting from Hunter College. “Landscapes are everywhere, and in many ways can be boring; my paintings are a reaction to that safety and blandness, allowing the viewer to see ordinary things in a new way.” Zibeon added, “There is always a narrative going on; I never like to limit a piece to just one thing.”
Doing all of his work in a series format, Zibeon, has also completed paintings in still lifes, weapons, strams, Placcato oro: gold, entertainers and watery windows. Return to top of page
Dr. Dongala will Speak in Harriman Hall
Emmanuel Dongala, PhD, novelist, poet, scientist, and former president of the Congelese chapter of PEN, the international writers’ organization that fights for freedom of expression, will speak on Human’s Rights, People’s Rights: An African Perspective on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at 7:15pm in Harriman Hall 111 Film Theatre, Orange County Community College. Harriman Hall is a universally accessible building which is located at the corner of Wawayanda and East Conkling Avenues, Middletown, NY. The lecture is free and open to the public and sponsored in part by James H. Ottaway, Jr.
Dongala is the 2003 recipient of the Fonlon-Nichols Award for his contributions to both African literature and freedom of expression, his work is also featured in the Penguin Book of Modern African Poetry. In addition, he is an author of award-winning novels Johnny Mad Dog (French: Johnny Chien Mechant) and Little Boys Come from the Stars and The Fire of Origin. He states that he chose first to become a scientist because a free Africa needed men of science, but that “my job [became] as a writer to express the sadness, anger, and shame that so much wealth and opportunity has been wasted in Africa.”
Dept., Simon’s Rock College of Bard, Great Barrington, MA, where he is a professor of chemistry with a specialty in stereochemistry and asymmetric synthesis. He also teaches French.
In addition, he was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1999.
Dr. Dongala and his family abandoned their home in Brazzaville, Congo Republic in the wake of civil war. “[It] was more horrible than I could have imagined as a novelist,” he told a New York Times interviewer. Rival militias shot civilians at random in the streets and bombarded residential neighborhoods, reducing them to rubble. 10,000 people were killed according to official estimates, but he believes the number to be much higher. 120,000 of his countrymen fled to seek shelter in the equatorial rainforests. Dr. Dongala, a professor of chemistry and dean of Brazzaville’s university, was luckier. Having received his BA at Oberlin College and his MS at Rutgers University and being a frequent visitor to the United States, he had formed a friendship with, among others, novelist Philip Roth who helped him secure an appointment as a professor at Simon’s Rock College by Leon Botstein president of Bard College. Emmanuel Dongala is always careful to stress in interviews that he is not a political exile, a fact that differentiates him from many other well-known African authors. “I did not suffer because I was a writer or an intellectual,” he told the Times, “I suffered like everybody did [during the civil war] because the rockets we call ‘Stalin’s organs’ kept firing on our house, because anarchy spread and children with machine guns took what they wanted. It was not ideological.”
The Lyceum Lecture Series is presented by Cultural Affairs. Questions may be directed to (845)341-4891 and cultural@sunyorange.edu Website: www.sunyorange.edu/lyceum
The Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, NY is pleased to announce its inaugural Winter Fundraising Concert on Saturday, January 27th, 2007 at 8 pm, the Wynton Marsalis Quintet.
Jazz musician, trumpeter, composer, band leader, advocate for the arts, and educator, Wynton Marsalis has helped propel jazz to the forefront of American culture. His prominent position in American culture was solidified in April 1997, when he became the first jazz artist to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music. As Jazz at Lincoln Center’s artistic director and as music director of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Marsalis continues to spread the spirit of swing and raise awareness of jazz in the consciousness of the American public and the world.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit both the Paramount Center for the Arts (PCA) and the African American Men of Westchester (AAMW).
The concert will help support the Paramount’s continued presentation and production of diverse, high-quality programming in live performance, arts-in-education, visual arts, and film, serving the varied needs and interests of the diverse communities of Westchester and Putnam Counties and the mid-Hudson Valley region. Created as a nonprofit organization in 1981, the Paramount is located in an historic landmark theatre built in 1930 that has recently been restored back to its original architectural magnificence.
The evening will also raise funds for the AAMW, based in White Plains, which aims to develop strategies for the advancement of African Americans in the areas of economic development, cultural and social awareness. Says President Melvin Burruss, “we are thrilled to be a part of this event, and honored to have Wynton Marsalis supporting our organization. Through his music, he has made a positive impact in our community and around the world.”
For tickets to the event you can call (914) 739-2333 or online at paramountcenter.org.
R&B’s reigning queen Mary J. Blige and chart-topping R&B veteran Lionel Richie will each join the 2007 Essence Music Festival for headlining performances on Saturday, July 7, 2007, it was announced by Essence Communications Inc. As the nation’s largest annual African-American event celebrating Black music and culture, the 2007 Essence Music Festival will welcome these two talented and world-renown artists back to New Orleans to take center stage at the Louisiana Superdome.
“It is tremendously exciting to announce that Mary J. Blige and Lionel Richie will be ‘Coming Home’ with the Essence Music Festival in 2007,” said Mi chelle Ebanks, President, Essence Communications Inc. “The Essence Music Festival genuinely appreciates both of these gifted performers. Mary J. Blige is a phenomenal artist celebrating a banner year and Lionel Richie is a legendary talent enjoying extraordinary success back at the top of the charts - making these two performances not to be missed!”
Continuing to dominate the charts with her album The Breakthrough, Mary J. Blige is recognized as one of today’s brightest R&B stars. Blige was the winner of nine Billboard Music Awards and two American Music Awards in 2006, and has been nominated for eight Grammy awards in 2007. Bilge’s 2007 performance marks her seventh appearance at the Essence Music Festival over the past 12 years.
Legendary singer, songwriter and Grammy award winner, Lionel Richie delivered his latest album Coming Home in 2006 to both critical acclaim and great commercial success. Nominated for two Grammy awards in 2007, including “Best R&B Album” and “Best Male R&B Song”, Coming Home represents Richie’s return to his R&B roots and coincidently serves as the theme of the 2007 Essence Music Festival in honor of the homecoming of the “biggest party of the year” to New Orleans.
“The Essence Music Festival is like a family reunion for me,” commented Lionel Richie. “My last performance there was phenomenal. The energy and warmth of such an enormous, yet familiar, crowd is absolutely overwhelming and I am so excited to be ‘Coming Home’.”
Mary J. Blige and Lionel Richie will join a stellar line-up, which includes Beyonce, who was previously announced as headlining talent for Friday, July 6, 2007. More exciting and talented performers will be announced in the coming weeks. Return to top of page
Art Gallery Set For Grand Opening
By Jennifer L. Warren
J_Warren@hvpress.net
(Newburgh) - Art is once again finding its way to the City of Newburgh. This time, in the form of a brand new art gallery on Anne Street.
The independently run gallery, 35 feet by 65 feet, is partially intended to be a cultural resource for neighboring Safe Harbor tenants. Leading the charge of the gallery inception is Patricia Haggerty-Wenc, Executive Director of the Cornerstone Residence of Safe Harbors of the Hudson. The Cornerstone, part of a trifecta Haggerty-Wenc vision that includes the gallery, is expected to also feature a cybercafe along with Ritz Theater in the near future. All three offerings are not only intended for the enjoyment of Newburgh locals as well as growth of its commerce but the entire region. It is hoped the gallery will attract folks from even further.
“Short-term we want to be a cultural and artistic resource for Newburgh as well as a supportive community for local artists,” said Virginia Walsh, Director of the gallery, who has co-owned two other galleries in Manhattan as well as been an assistant coordinator for interdisciplinary arts at S.U.N.Y. Manhattan College. “Long-term we hope to be a formidable gallery in the area, showcasing a wide, diverse body of artists’ work from all over the country.”
That talent will first have an opportunity to be viewed at the end of the month when an opening, including several different artists and genres will be featured. Walsh is excited about distinguishing the gallery as a place that shows a wide spectrum of art on a rotating exhibition basis. That commitment can be expected in January’s inaugural display.
“We want the first show to be a group one,” revealed Walsh. “This way we will be able to showcase as much regional talent, known and not so known, as we can at one time.”
In addition to ongoing exhibits and openings, Walsh said the gallery had further goals to include guest lecturers, symposiums and demonstrations.
In the meantime, Walsh is on the lookout for any artists seeking to have their work displayed at the January opening. Interested parties may contact her at 562-6940, extension 119.
Expected hours of operation for the gallery are: Thursday: 9-1, Friday: 9-5, Saturday: 11-4:30 or by appointment. Walsh is hopeful that the gallery will flourish once word gets out. Precautions have been taken to ensure safety to its patrons; it exists in a very well lit area with twenty-four hour, seven day a week security as well as close proximity to the police station. Additionally, vestiges of culture are slowly popping up; two impressive antique stores are just around the corner as is Macchiatos, a quaint Italian cafe, both on Liberty Street. Despite the strong evidences of revitalization that surround the gallery, Walsh is well aware of some of the challenges that confront her.
“We don’t have great visibility here on Ann Street; plus, street advertising is going to be a problem because of city restrictions,” pointed out Walsh. “As a result, we’re going to make up for it with the great amount of freedom we have to offer variety in our exhibits.” Reflecting further and smiling, she adds, “I’m also going to have to real network in Newburgh as well as all over the area to make things happen here; it will happen, but just like with any other new business, it’s going to take time, patience and a lot of work.” Return to top of page
Museum of Hudson Highland's New Exhibit
On Saturday, January 27, at 10 a.m., the Museum of the Hudson Highlands presents, “Wildlife in Winter!” Come take a close look at how the opossum, gray squirrel and beaver (our New York State mammal) adapt to survive the harsh winter weather at the Museum’s Boulevard location, Cornwall-on-Hudson.
Learn how all of our local wildlife deals with winter. Some have gone into hibernation and some have migrated, but what about the ones that remain active all year in the Hudson Valley?
We will finish the program with a short hike in the woods to look for animal signs. Please dress accordingly. Recommended for children ages 5 and up.
For information, call (845) 534-5506, ext 204 or visit our website at www.museumhudsonhighlands.org. Return to top of page
“Holiday Traditions with a Latin Style”
(Newburgh) - Bilingual students from Belma Rivera’s 6th grade class and
Carmen Rodriguez-Rivera’s 5th grade class at Newburgh Enlarged City
School District’s GAMS Tech Magnet School present an original play
recently called “Holiday Traditions with a Latin Style.”
The play tells the story of Latin-American children who feared the loss of
their holiday traditions when they came to America only to find that the old
Cedric “The Entertainer” takes on dual identities in the action-comedy The Cleaner, while Lucy Liu and Nicollette Sheridan duke it out for his attention.
The story revolves around an amnesiac janitor who’s convinced he’s a special forces commando and captain of industry by a beautiful blond, who professes to be his wife. He’s brought back to reality by a waitress who’s an undercover FBI agent as they fight the vicious forces of high-tech criminals together.
Cedric “The Entertainer” (The Honeymooners, Barbershop, Intolerable Cruelty) plays Jake, the janitor, who thinks he’s a CIA agent, code name, “The Cleaner.” Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill: Volumes I and II) plays an FBI agent posing as Jake’s waitress/girlfriend who helps him piece together his life, and Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives, Knots Landing, Beverly Hills Ninja) is a blond seductress who attempts to elicit information from “The Cleaner” to help the villains find a hidden high-tech device.
“I liked the idea of playing a comedic version of The Bourne Identity about a guy who’s a fish out of water who believes he’s in the big world of spies and espionage,” says Cedric. “It’s a comedic approach to the “who-am-I-movies” - using The Bourne Identity as a template,” says Director Les Mayfield (The Man, American Outlaws, Flubber). “We want to make it very real, and with Cedric as the centerpiece, we decided it would be fresh, interesting and funny to use that genre, but turn it on its head.”
Says Producer Jay Stern (Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2, After the Sunset), “The comedy within this Bourne Identity context is relatable for everyone, and there’s nobody better to play it than Cedric ‘The Entertainer.’ He’s our ‘Everyman.’ We and he tailored the role for him. Lucy Liu is perfect as the waitress/FBI agent and we couldn’t be happier with Nicollette Sheridan, who’s pulling out all the stops for her part.”
Says Executive Producer A.J. Dix (The Butterfly Effect, Raise Your Voice, Lucky Number Slevin), whose company, FilmEngine owns the foreign rights with New Line Cinema distributing domestically, “Cedric cracks me up. The universality of the hilarious concept of this picture translates throughout the world.”
Starring Cedric “The Enter- tainer,” Lucy Liu and Nicollette Sheridan, The Cleaner is directed by Les Mayfield and produced by Jay Stern, Eric Rhone, Brett Ratner and Cedric “The Entertainer.” Code Name: The Cleaner is written by Robert Adetuyi and George Gallo.
Pictured above is Lucy Liu and Cedric the Entertainer in the New Line Cinema’s Code Name: The Cleaner. Return to top of page
Bev Kearney story goes to Hollywood
The Day after Christmas, 2002, Texas University Coach Bev Kearney and her family went on a trip to Disney World. What was supposed to be a fun-filled vacation ended in a horrific accident that left two people dead and Bev in critical condition, completely immobile. What seemed like a tragic holiday, four years later, serves as the beginning of the legend of one athlete’s victory over a diagnosis of paralysis, a coach and team’s triumph over predictions of permanent defeat, and the spiritual transformation they all made along the way. Now, as we enter the fourth anniversary of that event, the miraculous story of Bev Kearney is being slated for the big screen.
With insiders saying that Bev’s story is fertile ground for Academy Award territory, her next stop was Hollywood, as the rights to her life story were recently garnered by the newly expanded Tri Destined Studios / Tri Destined Films. Major interest is swirling about the story which chronicles Bev’s humble beginnings as a girl who lost her mother during high school and was left with six siblings trying to pick up the pieces; her constant fight to reach the top of her field; and finally the challenge of a lifetime - the battle over her own physical debilitations as she coached her team to the Collegiate and U.S. National (Pre-Olympic) champion- ships. All of this was done from her hospital bed, while against doctors’ prognosis, she taught herself how to walk again, after a horrendous accident claimed the lives of her family.
Bev’s story is a perfect fit for Tri Destined Films (ND Brown, Trey Haley, Gregory Anderson, owners), as their philanthropic event, “The Inner City Destiny Awards” has honored other greats including Coach Carter, Heisman Trophy Winner Reggie Bush, Stevie Wonder as well as a host of civil and political leaders and dignitaries. Tri Destined Films recently wrapped “American Dream” for Warner Brothers/Asylum Records. President Gregory Anderson’s screenplay is the basis for the upcoming Sony Screen Gems film “Stomp the Yard” starring pop stars Chris Brown and NeYo. President of Tri Destined Television Ron Deshay is the Senior Producer of “American Idol.” Return to top of page
Concert celebrates Gospel pioneer
An interfaith group of Muslims, Jews and Christians - in an inspiring display of spiritual inclusiveness - together present a concert celebrating the life and music of Gospel pioneer Charles Albert Tindley at Congregation Kol Ami to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at 4 p.m.
The event is part of Westchester’s Interfaith Music Series, sponsored by Congregation Kol Ami, Memorial United Methodist Church, the Center for Jewish-Christian-Muslim Understanding and the American Muslim Women’s Association. This interfaith group is composed of Muslims, Christians and Jews in Westchester County who have come together to share in each other’s cultural traditions and learn about each other’s religious practices in order to strengthen our community.
Considered one of the most significant forces in gospel music, Rev. Tindley (1851-1933) composed hymns found in the songbooks of every Christian denomination. His more than 60 hymns include “Beams of Heaven,” “We’ll Understand It Better By and By,” “Leave It There” and “The Storm Is Passing Over.” One of his best-known songs, “I’ll Overcome Someday,” provided the basis for the anthem, “We Shall Overcome” often led by Dr. King during the civil rights struggle.
Performers at the concert will include Carolyn Disnew and Robin Wilson, professional singers from New York City; S.T. Kimbrough, Jr. and Carlton R. Young of the United Methodist Church’s Global Praise Program; choirs from Vandeveer Park UMC in Brooklyn, Trinity UMC and Mt. Hope AME Zion Church of White Plains; and the combined choirs of Memorial and Central Korean UMCs. A free-will offering will be collected for concert expenses.
Tindley was born a slave in 1851 near Berlin, Md. He became janitor of Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in
Philadelphia, and in 1906 was named as pastor of the church, which was named in his honor in 1927. He was a preacher, author, fighter for justice and freedom, poet, writer and a lover of education. He taught himself Greek and Hebrew through correspondence courses from Boston University and earned two doctor of divinity degrees.
“When African Americans dip into the well of his music, we pull out those pieces that speak most strongly to our experience; change and struggle as keys to service and deliverance,” says singer-composer Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of the a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. “Like water in a dry land, his new songs gave musical energy to the 20th Century African American sacred experience.”
Congregation Kol Ami is located at 252 Soundview Avenue in White Plains. Directions are available at www.nykolami.org or by calling (914) 949-4717 ext. 103. Return to top of page
The Legendary Life of James Brown
By George E. Curry
I was headed to spend several days with my mother over the holidays when I heard the news that James Brown had died of congestive heart failure caused by pneumonia early Christmas morning at an Atlanta hospital. My first reaction was one of disbelief: “Please, Please, Please,” I kept singing. “Don’t go, I love you so.” Yes, I love me some J-a-m-e-s B-r-o-w-n. Since recording “Please, Please, Please” in 1956, he has been at the top of my hit list. He sang, “Try Me,” and now, 800 hits later, I am still doing just that.
At the improvised home talent shows in the early 1960’s with my three younger sisters - Charlotte, Chris and Sue - we would try to make one another laugh by imitating famous entertainers. Chris could always crack me up with her rendition of Ray Charles. Between the sunglasses, broom stick and side-to-side rocking, Chris could always make me laugh until I cried. When it was my turn, Big Brother No. 1 had to, in classic James Brown fashion, put on a show. With my right foot firmly planted, my left one slightly off the floor, I would suddenly drop the left one and glide across the floor. I would slide to the right, glide backward on the “Good Foot” and then drop to my knees and burst into, “Please, Please, Please.” By then, I would have broken into a “Cold Sweat” and one of my sisters, playing the part of Bobby Byrd, would drape a shirt, towel or whatever was nearby that could serve as a cape and comfort me until I could rise to my feet. By the time I stood upright, I would throw the cape off and resume my James Brown routine. In short, we had a “Funky Good Time.”
In the late 1960’s, while spending a few months with Hiram Crawford, a cousin in New York City, I went to the Apollo Theater almost every week. Whenever “the Hardest Working Man in Show business” appeared at the Apollo, lines would extend along 125th Street in Harlem and wrap around the block. One night was raining and I, like hundreds of others, stood in the rain in order to see JB. Waiting in line one night, I developed a friendship with Steve Woods and his sister. We talked about how insane it was for us to be standing in the rain, but neither of us left our place in line. We laughed and joked until the long line finally inched up to the ticket window. We eagerly moved inside, took our seats, and waited for the star of the show to make his grand entrance.
After the warm-up acts, Danny Ray, the announcer would say, “It’s Star Time” and then tick off a list of James Brown hits: Please, Please, Please; Try Me; Night Train; Prisoner of Love; Papa’s Got Brand New Bag; I Got The Feeling; Cold Sweat; It’s a Man’s World; Say It Loud - I’m Black and I'm Proud; Give It Up Or Turn It Lose; Popcorn; Hot Pants; The Big Payback...After the big buildup, Ray would say, “ Ladies and Gentlemen, Jaaa-aaaaames Brownnnnnnnnnnnn, James Brown, James Brown.” By then, we’d all be mesmerized, standing, yelling and screaming to the top of our voices.
James Brown was energy in motion, the ultimate showman. He was a singer, dancer, songwriter, and bandleader, all rolled into one. It was hard to determine where one role began and the other ended. His official biography in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame notes, “This much is certain: what became known as soul music in the Sixties, funk music in the Seventies and rap music in the Eighties is directly attributable to James Brown.”
He was the superstars’ superstar. Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Michael Jackson all mimicked James Brown, some more successful than others. Even his various run-ins with police were entertaining. In 1988, Brown, armed with a shotgun and said to be high on drugs, entered an insurance seminar next to his Augusta office and accused some of the participants of using his private restroom. Police chased James Brown for 30 minutes from Augusta, across the South Carolina line, and back into Georgia. The drama ended when cops shot out the tires on JB’s truck. That escapade cost him 15 months in prison and 10 months in a work release program.
My favorite James Brown story involves not the entertainer, but Adrienne, his third wife. Fighting several traffic tickets, her lawyer filed a petition in court claiming she should be extended diplomatic immunity because her husband was the official ambassador of soul. The petition was later withdrawn before a judge could rule against it. Because diplomatic immunity shields only visiting diplomats from criminal prosecution in a host country - and James Brown was in his native land - if a judge had considered the petition, he would have been left, “Bewildered.”
But that’s not how JB left his rabid fans. I hate to confess this, but I once got carried away on the dance floor at a national convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. In that instance, Kenneth Walker, then a White House correspondent for ABC-TV, served as my Bobby Byrd. Years later, after I had almost forgotten that performance, a journalist came up to me and said he had been present at the convention in Atlanta and he'd never forget my James Brown imitation. I told him that I didn’t know, from my standpoint, if that was good or bad.
I won't get a chance to see him perform live anymore, but at least I'll have his music as a reliable travel companion. And as long as I can have that, “I Feel Good.” Return to top of page
Dreamgirls is a 2006 American Musical Film
Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical film jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. The film was released in three special road show engagements beginning December 15, 2006, with a nationwide expansion on December 25, 2006 and a wide release on January 12, 2007.
A musical set in the 1960s and 1970s with a predominantly African-American cast, Dreamgirls is adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name, which itself is loosely based upon both the history of Motown act The Supremes and the evolution of American R&B music over the years. The film follows the lives of three women - Effie White, Deena Jones, and Lorrell Robinson - who, as members of an R&B singing group called “The Dreamettes”, become famous as the backing group for soul singer James “Thunder” Early, thanks to manipulative manager and record label executive Curtis Taylor, Jr. Conflict arises when Curtis desires to transform the Dreamettes into “The Dreams”, a pop-friendly act, particularly when he has Deena replace the heavier Effie as both lead singer of the group and as his romantic interest.
The PG-13 rated movie is a film adaptation of Dreamgirls, which had been in development at various times during the 1980s and 1990s, stars Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, and Eddie Murphy, also featuring Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Sharon Leal, Hinton Battle, and, in her film debut, Jennifer Hudson (of American Idol fame). Produced by Laurence Mark, Dreamgirls was written and directed for the screen by Bill Condon, screenwriter of the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of Chicago, working from the original Broadway book by Tom Eyen and the Broadway songs by Eyen and Henry Krieger. Return to top of page
Hudson Valley Press RSS Feeds | Hudson Valley Press Atom Feeds|Hudson Valley PressNewsgator Feeds Hudson Valley PressRojo Feeds |Hudson Valley PressPluck Feeds
