Prince - March 29th!!!!

9. March 2009 by admin.

For all of us Prince fans this is the best news short of a new tour. 

 (Courtesy of the Associated Press)

Prince is coming to a Target near you.

The superstar is releasing a three-disc CD set through the retailer at the end of this month. The set will include two new albums — “LOtUSFLOW3R” and “MPLSoUND” — as well as a third by his new artist, Bria Valente, for the price of $11.98.

Prince is just the latest music legend to release new music exclusively through a major retailer. AC/DC and the Eagles were among the acts who sold millions of CDs through their partnership with Wal-Mart.

Prince has released his recent CDs through major labels, but they were one-album deals that gave him the flexibility to go elsewhere when the project was done. Last fall, he released a coffee table book of photos titled “21 Nights” documenting his record-breaking, 21-night run at London’s 02 Arena in 2007. The book also included a CD of live performances.

“Prince has long been renowned as one of the world’s most original and iconic musical artists,” said Mark Schindele, Target’s senior vice president of merchandising. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share his most recent work with our Target guests.”

The CD set will be on sale at Target and its Web site on March 29.

I’ll be at my local Target as soon as it opens on March 29th!!!

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RIP Joe Cuba

19. February 2009 by admin.

Another one of music’s pioneers passed away recently. Joe Cuba was one of the greats in music bringing people together with his special style.

Salsa band leader Joe Cuba, dubbed the “Father of Latin Boogaloo” for weaving a fluid, bilingual mix of musical influences, died Sunday in New York City, a member of his group said. He was 78.

The musician, a friend and contemporary of the late salsa giant Tito Puente, died from complications of a persistent bacterial infection at Mount Sinai Medical Center a day after doctors disconnected his life support, said Cheo Feliciano, a longtime friend and singer in the Joe Cuba Sextet. Cuba had fought the infection for several years.

Born Gilberto Calderon in 1931 in New York to a family from Puerto Rico, the band leader and conga player helped change the sound of salsa in the 1960s, Feliciano said.

Until then, most popular salsa had been played by orchestras, he said. But Cuba led a six-member band with three singers who also played percussion and danced a routine.

“He had a dynamic group,” with a signature vibraphone-fronted sound that “caused a craze because it was different,” Feliciano said. Albums such as 1966’s Bang! Bang! Push, Push, Push incorporated elements of salsa, Latin jazz and R&B and featured lyrics in both English and Spanish.

(courtesy of www.hiphopmusic.com)

 Thank you Joe Cuba for all the joy you brought to us. 

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The Sacrifice For America by Lazarus Chambers (A special Story/Toast To President Obama from Sheba Tej Honey Wine)

20. January 2009 by admin.

[Inside a liquor store]
The telephone rings and Titi reaches over to answer it.  He’s chomping on a cigar.
 

Titi

(in a strong Spanish accent)

Hello, Rubicon Wines and Spirits.  Yeah, we got that.

He shifts the cigar in his mouth as he writes a message on some paper.
 

Titi

(still chomping on his cigar, shifting it in his mouth.)

Ok, where do you want it?

He nods with the phone pasted to his ear and continues to write on his pad.
 

Titi

Ok, it be there in 20 minutes.

He walks around the counter and picks up a bottle.
 

Titi

(shouting)

Cali, get up here, you have a delivery.
(to no one in particular)
Another order for Sheba Tej, that wine has become very popular recently.

Cali ran up the stair from the basement.  He was delivery boy, assistant cashier, janitor and about everything else that could be titled at the store.  For the 20 years that Titi had operated the store, this was the first time he exploited labor as badly as this.  Titi didn’t like it, but he had no choice.  He always had 1 or 2 others, even if part time.  But the economy was starting to effect his recession proof industry -liquor.   So he cut staff and hired his nephew, then cut his salary.  He promised him 5% of the store.  Cali had no choice but to accept the deal.
 
Cali is always happy to leave the store and today is no different.  He usually takes his time on deliveries — at least on the way back after he gets his tip.
 

Titi

(shouting to Cali as he walks out the door)

Get back here in 20 minutes Cali.

 

Cali

Yes Titi.

Ahh that old man, Cali thought, he is trying to kill me so he won’t give me my 5%.
 
He rode his bike and headed north.  He pulled up to the house within seven minutes of leaving the store.   The house was a plain one story brick surrounded by large two story colonials.  Cali pressed the door bell.[Inside small brick house]

Voice

(from within the  house)

Enter and place the bottle on the table.

Cali’s hair on the back of his neck was standing on end.    He pushed the door hesitantly open. 
 

Voice

The money is on the table.  Take it and go, keep the change.

He never saw the face that said the words.  The room was completely dark save one light on the table.  Only the table was illuminated.  Cali looked around, quickly made his way to the table and completed his delivery.  He took the money, stuffed it in his jacket pocket and made his way out backing towards the door.  He stumbled out and raced to his bike.  In his haste he had left the door open.
 
A figure moved to close it.  His silhouette was all that could be made out.  On his head he wore a tall top hat.  The figure sat at the table and the light there shone on his face.  It’s President Abraham Lincoln.
 

President Lincoln
(holding the bottle of wine)
So my boy, another son of Illinois is back on the hot seat.  Well done.

Another figure moved and turned on the light.  It’s Malcolm X.  The room was of a comfortable size and lightly furnished.  Besides the table there was a large canopy bed and a large bureau.  To one side of the bed were 2 beautiful upholstered armchairs.  To the other side was an exquisitely embroidered footstool.   Around the table were 3 plain brown chairs.  Malcolm eased his long body to one of the chairs and read the label of the bottle.
 

Malcolm
An interesting choice in wine, Barack, Ethiopian honey wine.  Sheba Tej.  You are a man of a varied tastes.

 

President Lincoln
Shall I pour you a glass, Malcolm?

 

Malcolm
My religion forbids it, but you may tell me of the flavor and texture after you have sampled it.
 
President Lincoln
And you, Martin?
 
Martin
I too am a religious man, but I am not held by the same restrictions as my brother Malcolm.  So I shall sample what Barack apparently has fallen in grace with.
 

President Lincoln pours three glasses.

Barack moves from the bed and receives his glass from President Lincoln.

President Lincoln
(raising his glass in a toast)
Long live, Barack.
 
Malcolm bows his head.
Others
(in unision)
Long live Barack.

 

President Lincoln rises in thought.

President Lincoln
If I may, gentlemen.  I would like to speak on the nature of things that has brought us to this point of history today.Some people say that my motive for releasing the slaves was more economical than moral.  But I truly saw the system as a shame on America.  It was a system that was given to us representing the height of European domination.  When else could a man belong to another and an entire race humbled to its knees.  Never before in history.  We were not only enslaving the individuals that we had within our direct possession, I utterly knew that we were enslaving the entire black race across the entire globe — something that would continue for generations.  Ultimately, I saw this as detrimental to the strength of America.  I would not only free my personal slave, but I would free the black race of this bond.   But then too, I saw the repercussions.  I knew that there would come a time when the best of America would come under the leadership of a free slave, but I also knew that it would be the end.  For that reason, it was difficult to let go.  We had no choice, America did itself a disservice.  We would have been a greater nation if the peoples of the African continent had naturally migrated as the Italians, Chinese and Irish had.  We would have greatly benefitted from a most intelligent race.   Yes, you would have faced the backlash that all new immigrants faced, but it would have been against a generation or two, and not against an entire nation and people as it is now.  The legacy of slavery still festers within us.  And that, I do regret, is a part of our nation’s past.
 
Martin
As you say, it’s the past.  We have been given the present to right the future.
 
Malcolm
Yet Martin, we must not forget the past.

Martin
Indeed.  Collective intelligence must guide our actions.
 
Lincoln
Collective intelligence guided by a moral awareness.  Without the guide of collective intelligence, we create with no spirit. 
 
Barack
My guidance is my God.
 
Malcolm
Your God?  And what about my God?
 
Barack
Well since he is omnipresent we are sided with the same God.  Different name, same spirit.
 
Malcolm
Well said.  However, there are many issues you must confront Barack.  Foremost amongst them is the welfare of those that are unaware.
 
Martin
Yes, you have awaken something in more people than we ever could.  At this point in time, it is important that you be a role model, as it is you that can set the level of individual awareness.

 

Lincoln
In essence, Barack, you have to see this as your empire.  And you must or all that you have built will crumble before your eyes.  From today, you must assume the role and title as the first King of America.
 
Barack
(placing his glass on the table)
I seek no such title and no such power.  I have been elected by the will of the people, I cannot betray that trust.  In case you have forgotten, we are a republic.
 
Lincoln
And so was Rome, until Caesar came along, and so was France until saved by Napoleon.  The ancient Greeks were known to forsake democracy at times of crises. 
 
Barack
You equate me with men that either sacked their countries or killed for their usurpation of power.
 
Malcolm
You speak as if you have not done so already.  You have already captured the most powerful role on this planet.  It was not intended for the likes of you, and yet, here you are.  It is yours, you are the king of America.
 
Barack
Please do not refer to me as that.
 
Martin
Why are you afraid of that word?
 
Barack
(sitting)
I am not afraid of the word.  I am afraid of myself.  There is a hunger within me.  Which one of you has not felt it?  It stirs within in me, yet I fight to control it.  It destroys more men when it is unleashed, so I temper my hunger with a reserve that I fear one day shall expire.

 

Malcolm
You fight against the very being that you are.
 
Lincoln
You must understand, you are not doing this for you.  You are doing it for the people who look to you.  All you are doing is making a sacrifice.  Something you are asking them to beholden to.
 
Barack
Assuming the role of King is not making a sacrifice.  It will tear asunder everything we hold dear, more than anything you witnessed in your time.
 
Lincoln
Do not underestimate that which you did not experience first-hand.  Brothers fought against brothers. 
 
Martin
You must realize Barack, you have transcended what you are in the eyes of your people.  The people are yearning for leadership at this trying time.  There are signs that our very way of life is threatening our planet.  Where else are we to go?  The fear of 9/11 still lingers in the mind of the people.  And there are others out there that will take advantage of that.  Our jobs and homes are eroding from underneath us, our earthly possessions are escaping our grasps.  Famine, floods, death and destruction lurk our very steps.  There are limited places to turn to.  The people are dying on a global scale.
 
Barack
You ask too much of me Martin.

 

Malcolm
Do not feel burdened.  The people need life and you have already lit a spark.  They need hope and something to believe in.  You represent a complete rebirth.  A time to start anew.  Create a new system of energy, of finance and of love between brothers and sisters that share this earth.
 
Barack
You heap too much fame upon me.  I have done nothing another from my race could not have done.
 
Lincoln
And what race is that?
 
Barack
(smiling)
Why black of course!
 
Lincoln
Are you not of equal white stock?
 
Barack
Yes, but I see my face in the mirror every day.
 
Lincoln
Well just as your black skin has ushered you into the presidency, then your white blood shall take you to the monarchy.
 
Malcolm gives Lincoln a stern look.  He steps towards him menacingly.
 
Lincoln
(hurriedly)
I mean nothing by it.  But you must accept, and so must he, that he is of equal value to both races. 
(to Barack)
Barack, you must favor neither over the other.  It is as it’s meant to be and you must assume the reign of king.

 

Martin
He is right, Barack.  You must put the nation ahead of your personal ideals.
 
Barack
That is what I have done and continue to do.  My role shall be president and nothing more.  What you speak of will cripple the nation.  More than any other time, it will leave us exposed to the enemies we have made over the centuries.  I will not be the president to lose the union.
 
Lincoln
I speak of intimate experience on that matter, Barack.  Instead, you will be the one that delivers it.
 
Barack
You all speak of madness.  America is already weakened.  We have entered into an eternal quagmire.  We are in a eternal state of war.  A nation at war is a nation against peace.  Terror begins at home.  We must first fight here and expulge the terrorists that hide amongst us — that are our very selves.   That is a war we are afraid to undertake.  It just may reveal too much of who we are. Can we fight and win that war?
 
Malcolm
The fight has been ongoing.  We have made progress.
 
Barack
That we have, and for each step forward we take a step back.  Barack as king is five steps back.
 
Lincoln
You must have faith that your actions will preserve the union.  You alone represent a greater sum than the parts.  To be like you, to love you, to want to do for you that’s what’s on the mind of the people.  They are ready for your leadership, and are not prepared to let go until you have delivered, no matter how long it takes.  As you are the only one that can.  But you must take it.  You cannot shy away from your destiny.
 
Barack
Speak of it no more.  To the people it will be the ultimate betrayal of trust.
 
Martin
The people will be with you.  Speak to them as you do.  Share your vision with them, take them on the journey through the cosmos, and reveal to them who they are.
 
Barack
I can no more assume that they will heed what I say anymore that I can believe it myself. 
(his voice lowers)
I am a humble man of humble origins.  This is not my role from birth.

 

Lincoln
Julius Caesar did not control the ancient world’s greatest power to leave his name in the history books.  He did it for the love of his country.  And so must you.
 
Barack
And who waits in the wings for my demise.  For as sure as Caesar’s came, my ides would quickly approach.
 
Malcolm
America is no more a Republic than Rome was.  Its pseudo-democracy perpetuates a status quo and you know that in your very being.  Remove the brambles and shackles of feigned democracy.  Allow the Empire to truly ascertain its role in the world.  When you assume imperial power, you remove all the venomous private players who have inserted themselves into public affairs, under the guise of lobbyists on Capitol Hill.  An Empire revealed is greater than an Empire masquerading as a Republic.  That is the sacrifice America, AND YOU, must make for the world.
 
Barack
You attack all that the people’s decision has stood for.  I cannot destroy their faith in the system by such an action which you plead of me.
 
Lincoln
The people no longer trust the system.  They have become disillusioned.  Their faith in the system is in you.  The time is now to hold onto that belief.  If anything shatters their vision of you, the dark ages will visit these shores. 
 
Barack
It is my very assumption of that role, that will destroy their vision.
 
Martin
Then you do not know how you are viewed in the eyes of the people.
 
Barack
I know well.  I am nothing but another politician.  My goals and ideas may be unique, but I am not a special man.
 

Malcolm
You are to this nation.  You have awoken this nation from its sleep and slumber.  All eyes and ears are upon you.  To allow the American people to return to a state of the living dead would be the utmost crime.  You can unite the people against policies that have divided us.
 
Martin
Oh Barack, what would it take to convince you of your destiny?
 
Barack
Nothing can prove to me it’s what I must do.
 
Lincoln
Even if the people request that you lead them as king?
 
Barack
They would do no such thing.  They are schooled in the principles of the Republic.  Universal suffrage is a right they expect to exercise.  Too much blood has been shed to achieve this.  You know this more than most Martin.
 
Martin
That is true, but it was a means to an end.  Now a goal has been reached and new ends must be attained.  Enlightenment is a never ending process.
 
Barack
And what is this new end you speak of?
 
Martin
The evolution of a people!
 
Lincoln
The awakening of a new mind!
 
Malcolm
An awareness that has laid dormant many years before!  Yes, Barack, we know you sense it as well.
 
Barack
You corrupt my mind with personal glory.  Release me from this bond of servitude you expect of me.  I assume no position beyond that which has been given to me by the people.
 
Lincoln
Then you doom your nation, your people and yourself.
 
Barack
I do no such thing.  I serve with all my heart as I did that first day I understood poverty, illiteracy and injustice.
 
Malcolm
You turn your back on the very thing you claim to advance.
 
 Lincoln
The people are ready to make that sacrifice for you Barack.  They are ready to give up their right of choice, knowing that their actions day to day will decide the fate of their country and not the election of officials.  That is the sacrifice you ask of them.  That their every moment as a citizen of this country is one dedicated to the advancement of themselves and their country. Barack, your very request of the people is to make election of public officials obsolete.  You, as a figurehead will be all that they require.  Their very motivation, the very heart that beats within them is for the advancement of the empire.  What is good for the empire is good for the planet.  But this can only be accomplished with you as their leader - only then will their motivations be true.  That is the sacrifice you ask of the people and that is the sacrifice the people are ready to make.  To treat their brothers as themselves.  To raise their children as in a village.  To help their sister as she goes to work for bread for her children.  You must make the sacrifice with them Barack.  You must become their KING!
 
The Others
Barack…Barack…Barack…Barack…Barack…
 

[Inside White House bedroom]

Michelle
(walking around the room getting ready for the day)
Barack…Barack…Barack..wake up, its almost 8.Barack
(still under the covers)
What a dream!
 
Michelle
The girls are getting ready for school.  Let’s go sleepy head.  It’s your first full day on the job.
 
Barack
My goodness Michele, I had one heck of a dream.  I think it was the wine we had at the ball.
 
Michelle
What wine?
 
Barack
The Ethiopian wine, Sheba Tej.
 
Michelle
That was a good wine wasn’t it?  I have to remember to buy a case for guests.  So what was the dream about?
 
Barack
Here I am, speaking with some of the giants of justice and civil rights in American history, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Abraham Lincoln and they were trying to convince me to become king of America.
 
Michelle
Oh Lord, Barack, I think all those inaugural balls last night went to your head.  Don’t blame it on that good wine at all.    So what did you say to them?
 
Barack
Why I said no of course.  How could I possibly say anything other than that?
 
Michelle
Well there you go, a humble man when he sleeps and a humble man when he’s awake.  That’s why I married you.
 
Barack
And here I am thinking it’s because of the ears.
 
Michelle
(laughing)
Come on silly, lets get the girls to school.

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A Short Story inspired by President Elect Barack Obama

30. December 2008 by admin.

A Short Taleby Lazarus Chambers  Introduction This short story is about a young man who contemplates life, friends, love and himself as he takes a short walk between Adam Clayton and Malcolm X Boulevards in Harlem NYC. It is Part I of a 3 story piece. Part II chronicles the heyday of Harlem in the 1920s with flight pioneers the Black Eagle and the Brown Condor who both found fame in Harlem and Ethiopia.Part III will indulge in a fictional conversation between President-elect Barack Obama, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln.    You don’t want to miss that, so… Stay Tuned!!! This story is best enjoyed with a glass of Sheba Tej Ethiopian Honey Wine Voice in the Distance Hey Panama!”  A voice shouted out to me.   I know who it is immediately.  Ithaca.   I turn around to respond, “Hey Ithaca, what’s up.”    Ithaca is the only one that calls me that.  He’s the only one I ever told to call me that.  For some reason I liked the name.  I like the way it sounds and I like the way it feels.  It just suits me.    “How you doing Panama?!” “Everything is OK man. How’s life treating you?” “Same shit you know. “   Ithaca was homeless.  Well he wasn’t really homeless; he just didn’t have a place of his own.  He squatted in the abandoned building next door to mine.  There was only one legitimate tenant in his building, and it was his uncle.  He never paid rent.  He would let his rent run up, then when he’s about to be evicted he would make a lump payment.  The city, through public assistance has a catastrophic rent payment that allows for the petition of funds.  It can be used only once a year.  But that was all he ever needed.  With that his Uncle could always pay the rent.  With his uncle in the building, HPD had to keep it open.    “Just about to head home then hit the streets again.”   He used the word home, but it just rolled off his tongue.  He got into the apartment through the window.  The door had a bolted chain around it he had told me once.  That’s how I met him, climbing into his window from my fire escape.  We chatted, he told me his story, then we pledged to keep thieves from entering each others apartments.   “Yeh, so where were you working today?” “Yeh man, I was down by 110th and Morningside.” “What going on there?” “Columbia.”   Ithaca worked construction every time he could.  The recent building boom in Harlem gave him some cash and he was working steady, albeit two or three days a week.  But he was still resentful.  All the new construction was making it harder to get a place he could afford.   Here he was putting up new buildings and could never live in one.  And for that, he hated the construction companies.  His recent jobs on a few sites had schooled him to something new.   “These bastard developers are like thieves and assassins in the night.”   It was always like that with Ithaca.  He always ranted.  Maybe he had legitimate reasons.   “Gonna go take a shower and head out to sell.  I got that Brazilian movie.  What’s that… City of God?  You seen that?” “Yeh, I saw that one already.”   To make ends meet Ithaca also sold DVD’s.  I never really asked him much about his DVD business.  But I always wanted to know where he got that stuff.   I wonder if there’s just a large warehouse out there where guys like Ithaca go get their movies to sell.  But I had figured out how to never have to buy anything from him.  I always asked him for an old classic — which I knew he never sold.   “I told you.  I don’t sell them movies.”   Or I asked him about a movie not expected to come out for a few months.   “Nah, I don’t think I have that one.  Who’s in that?  When’s it supposed to come out?”   Whenever he asked me those questions I always told him the same thing.   “Ahh… never mind.” “Aiiight man, I’m outta here.  It was good seeing you man.  It always good to see you.”   Whenever he said that, I always tended to believe him.  He genuinely felt glad to see me.  He left and moved as if deep in thought.  He’s clothes were rather clean, and he always stayed clean shaven.    I wondered how he did it.  There was no water in the building.  Ithaca wasn’t the only squatter there.  In the 10 unit building, only 4 were unoccupied.  All the rest were filled with squatters, sometimes 2 or 3 apiece.  To try to force them out HPD had turned off the heat and water. It had been three days, and Ithaca said no one was leaving.  Plus, his uncle that never paid rent was retching up a storm.  HPD would cave in soon enough. Man Vs. God I walked on.  I try to think of God everyday.  Only, my God is different from everyone else’s.  Here am I thinking there’s only one.   One God.  One Creator.  One Almighty.   So why are there so many faces to him?  Burnt skin with woolly hair.  Blue eyed with blond hair.  Long-nosed with four hands.  A perfectionist with a slide rule.  A gray-beard conjurer with a Bunsen burner. Man made God in his own image!    Nonetheless my God doesn’t care.    He’s too busy to care.  He only pays attention to you when you pay attention to him.  If you ignore him he ignores you, but when you listen, there’s a lot he has to say.    At last, you have realized you yourself are a God!  At last, you have realized you yourself are a God! When you have come to that realization, you are ready to become a God!   I have come to that realization.   What’s the first thing granted to any human being that becomes a God?  POWER. POWER.  POWER.   Except, there’s a catch.   Power is only granted, when it is ascertained it would never be used.   That’s why so few of us are becoming Gods these days, we are too busy pursuing and abusing power.    Man fights against man to control a line; a stream; a fence; a bush; a wall; a house; a village; a river; a town; a mountain; a sea; a city; a nation; a people; a race; a continent…  the entire Earth.    Man relishes the power over one simple planet rather than communion with the universe.     Oh, what a tragedy!   Essentially that’s the choice at hand.  Gain fame, wealth and power on Earth or learn how to navigate through the universe.  Man craves earthly power too much; he is far from being a God.     Church, Factory, Mosque, Synagogue, Skyscraper, University are merely the representation of institutions that divert the masses as a few consolidate and grab more power.   The great hunger is amongst us.  And we must feed the beast.   A brooding, lumbering slightly hunched figure appears out of the shadows.   “Hey man, what’s going on!” “What up Clay?” “What’s up!”   He says the words but I never think he cares for an answer.  I have no idea if he remembers me.  We went to high-school together.  He was always with the guys that played on the basketball team. The cool guys.    Although, I never really knew what cool was and had no idea they were cool.    Now, Clay walks around in and out of a mental nightmare.  He’s constantly muttering to himself, and is always dressed the same way.  Black dirty old baggy pants, white stained t-shirt and a rusty beat black jacket.  He’s always dressed like this regardless of the weather.  I saw him with keys to a building once.  So he has a place to go when the weather turns brutal.    He looked at me with blank blood shot eyes while he circled around me.   “Do you remember me?” I offered.   He didn’t answer.   I felt scared.    What the hell does he have to lose?  I thought   I prepared for anything and slowly backed away.  He continued on his way walking down the block.  I’m sure I would ask him if he remembers me the next time I saw him.   High-school was crazy.  I fell in love with a girl from every ethnic group.  But none of them knew it or cared.   There was the beautiful and gentle Chinese girl Ling Xian.  She had the fullest breast you could ever imagine a Chinese girl could have.  She was pretty and smart and laughed at everything I said.  And her English was pretty good too.  She was a year younger than me and I helped her with everything that I could.  I don’t think she ever liked me though.  Don’t get me wrong, she was nice, but she never paid any real attention to me.  I will always remember her laugh and the curl at the side of her mouth when she spoke.  I once tried to convince her that a hand-job was as much an American pastime as baseball.  She never bought it.   Then there was Juanita Rosa Cruz Solaria from the Dominican Republic.  At that same time I fell in love with her, a song was constantly being played on the radio.  ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ by Salt-N-Peppa.  Every time I heard the song, her face came to my mind.  It still does.  Only, I don’t think I’ve heard that song since high-school.  Juanita was Dominican as no other Dominican girl was.  She had that lovely skin, lovely smile, the most adorable accent, the most perfect behind.  I loved Juanita.  I never told her though.  I always felt it much better to keep it a secret.   Darina was Puerto Rican but she looked white.  I think she thought she was white.  I think she was happy that I liked her because I thought she was white.  Yet, she still didn’t like me.  She dated the only white guy in the school.   In the black category was Haily.  I always felt she would be my perfect mate.  I had many day-dreams of us living together with 2 kids, a dog and a backyard.   She was athletic.  I was athletic.    She was smart.  I was smart.    She loved science.  I loved science.    She had a strapping boyfriend.  I kept my distance.    I recruited a friend of hers and tracked everything she did and say.  We did this for 2 years.  When word came that she and her boyfriend were on the wane, I made my move.  I reverted to the primal male instinct.  Show off my strengths and best features.  I invited her to see one of my baseball games.  I had our friend tell her everyday; eventually even I worked up the courage to invite her myself.    She kept promising to come.  We kept pressuring her.  She kept promising.  She finally came.   Her boyfriend was not too happy about coming to a baseball game!   They left before the third inning.  I was crushed.    And finally there was Rosetta Shar.  My Indian beauty.  The most delicate creature a man could lay eyes on.  She was the mythic Goddesses Maya and Osiris, and the real incantations of Makeda Queen of Sheba and Aphrodite all rolled into one.  Her words were pure joy and laughter.  I often fell into day-dreaming spells staring right at her.  And she really liked me.  Only, she had a boyfriend.  After 2 years, she finally broke up with him, and started dating a friend of mine — much shorter than me.  I still held out hope.   Finally, in our senior year, she broke up with him.  I felt a whirlwind coming.  One day she sat down and wrote me a letter.  She placed it on my desk and simply walked out.  On the front of the envelope she had written: Open After School.  I would’ve, only my friend who was constantly after her persuaded me to read it right then.    “You can’t wait till then.  That’s too long.”   I opened it.   “Dear blah blah blah….I think you are the blah blah blah.” I began.   “Where’s the juicy stuff?” my friend asks.   I continued.   “I’ve always had the hots for you.  I think you are cute, caring, strong and great looking.  And I will always remember the way we met.  I always had wished we met as lovers rather than as friends.  That way you would have never waited so long.”   Right there and then I knew what I had to do.  I had to find her.  I walked along the hallway and searched for her.  My heart was racing; I had the letter in my hand, almost crumbled.    There, up ahead by her locker.  She saw me and looked down.  The act of submission.  My heart raced more.  I reminded myself of my asthma.  Breathe.  I approached her.  Along the entire way there was a lump in my throat.  All the noise around me had quieted.  I could hear my heart beating.  I felt a bead of sweat on my right temple.  Then I remembered…infamous STAIRWAY 16.    It was where all young trysts were consummated.  I had never been in STAIRWAY 16; I never had a reason to go before, until now.    I grabbed her hand and told her we had to talk.  I led her to STAIRWAY 16.  She never resisted.  When we went through the doors, I was thinking of the right words to say.  I stopped, turned around and looked her in the eye.  Then I said.   “I’m going to have to do this.”   I kissed my mythic queen right there and then.  I wished I remembered how it felt.    Ahh, the past must be forgotten as soon as it’s completed.   Dancing in HarlemI had reached the middle of the block when I saw a car parked near the hydrant.  A yellow cab.  I looked at the tag.  I always looked at the tags of cars.   I divided, multiplied added, and always try to make the numbers equal to 1.  I once tried to stop, but found out I was addicted.  The license plates read T478562939C, but the tag on top said R45T.  He was a cop.  I had seen him earlier, but I think he really had a passenger that time.  He dropped her off then had been at the hydrant for the past 30 minutes.  Now he was joined by Neely.    I never met Neely, but Ithaca had told me about him.    “Don’t let that dude know nothing about you.” he had said.  “He talks to the cops more than stool pigeons.”   I never really considered if Ithaca was being truthful or not.  I guess I could take his word to the bank on this one.  Neely sat in the front passenger seat chatting to the undercover.  The sun was just going down, but I could still make out the words printed on his t-shirt:   STOP SNITCHING Man craves power.  In nearly all religious ethos humans are meant to be shepherds of the animals.  Yet, we have abused that power, and the ones we were meant to protect, using them at the pleasures of our whim.    We slaughter them.  We cage them.  We do experiments on them.  We parade them at our pleasure.  Worse, we try to humanize them.    We have disturbed that precious balance between us and them.    But man is heading for destruction.  Our quest for power is slowly destroying us.  We quest for power over other human beings; the animals; the plants; even nature itself, that which gives us life.  Our quest for power and our insatiable desires for passion keep us attached to this world, and so we cannot soar.    Power blinds.  We stifle innocent life as we grasp for the reigns of that golden chariot.  The wheels tear asunder the very foundations that are meant to uphold and sustain us.   The epoch of the anthropocene is about us.   Let go of the need for power over this world.  Let go of the desires for passion in this world.  And you let go of this world.  You are free to become a God.  You are free to soar through the universe.   A young man calls my attention.   “Yo my man, you looking for a Quintex twenty-five four hundred.  This is the second generation model, poppa.  It has a hardware component with an updated software package that makes version two look like chicken shit.” “Nah man I don’t think so.  What that do anyway?” “What that do?  Yo man. This baby just tracks your movement like nobody’s business.” “Bullshit…what the hell does that mean? “Your basic tracker man.  Pin on one of these beacon LEDs here.  Connect the diodes, spodes, throes and groes and you are in business.  Anywhere your honey goes, she’s gonna be pinging her location to you.  Better than that shit the NYPD does with cell phones.  Software allows you to see real-time surrounding on that person.  She’s fucking around with some guy, you get a 3-D layout of his apartment.  Exact street and block location.  You can’t beat it.” “How much you want for it?” “For you, one hundred.  I only got 3 LED’s I give you at 10 apiece.  That’s one thirty altogether.” “I’ll give you sixty for everything.” “Aw man…  come one man, that’s just hurting me.  You can’t do that.  Alright, alright I’ll make it one ten.” “sixty” “Aww man, I can’t fuck around with you.  Do you know what LED’s are going for these days?”   He walks off. Wine Tasting My super was smoking a joint in the basement.  He stood in the doorway leading to the back.  He invited me over.   “Yeh man.  Come take a pull off this.” “Can’t brotha, I’m on a fast.” “A what? “Fast.  No food, no juice, no smoke, no sex.” “Oh yeh, for how long?” “A month.” “Whatcha”   Rio was 60 years old but still smoke more marijuana than anyone I knew.  His brown aging face reminded me of KFC chicken.  He had a perfectly round patch of grey hair to the left side of his head.  Everyone said he dyed it.    “Why the hell would I want to dye my hair grey, or white or whatever the hell it is?”  he once told me.    He was a good super.  He reacted quickly whenever we asked him for something and he usually was on our side whenever we had a complaint against management.  He was even lobbying on our side for more heat once.    “That bastard landlord is trying to freeze me out too.”  He retorted when I began complaining about the heat.  “Cheap on the heat, but he’s buying up the whole of Harlem.” “What you mean?” “Well for one, that cocksucker politician is selling Harlem away.  He even sold his home.  Sold away The Secarret.”    He lived in the basement and always had a different woman each night.  He had showed me his place once before.   “Welcome to my studio.”   It was just one big room.  There was a shaggy red carpet over the entire floor.  It felt like it needed to be mowed.  He had a huge bed at one end and the bathroom at the other.  He had only one love seat, an arm chair and nothing else.  Pillows of various sizes covered the floor.  Most were red and heart shaped.  There was a curtain of beads separating the bedroom from the rest of the apartment.  There was no door to the bathroom.   “For the ventilation, you know.”   Next to the toilet was what seemed like a urinal.   “What’s that?” I had asked pointing to the object. “A bidet,” he replied.  “Use it to wash your ass after a shit.  Don’t leave none of the shit in your ass like toilet paper.  With this, you wash everything out.  Very refreshing.”   I kept walking past the building.   “You not going home?” Rio asked. “Nah, I’m going to pick up a bottle of wine.  My wife’s mother is coming in.”  He perked up. “Hey man, I got the best wine for you to try.” “What do you know about wines?”  I looked at him with a skeptical look on my face. “Well, I know a little something, something.” “So what’s this wine you want me to try?” “One second.”  He darts into his apt and shortly returns with a bottle and he hands it to me. “It’s an Ethiopian honey wine.  Made entirely from pure natural honey.” I read the label. “Does it have grapes in it?” “No grapes, just honey.  It’s very good.  I’ve been drinking it for ages.  Every single woman that comes here, I have them taste it and they love it.” “What’s it called?” “Sheba Tej.  It’s named after the Queen of Sheba…Ethiopia, ya know.” “Uh huh, I don’t know about this Rio.  Not sure my mother-in-law might like this.  I think I’m just gonna play it safe.” “Listen to me man.  This is some good stuff.  High class you know.  Very prestigious.  I’ll tell you this.  This wine is great if you are eating anything spicy.  It’s the perfect pairing.” “What you know about pairing wine and food, Rio.  You a super!” “So because I’m a super I can’t taste and appreciate the finer things in life.” “Well I didn’t quite mean it like that.” “I’m sure you didn’t.  Now, listen to me on this.  This will be great for your mother-in-law.  I know your wife, and her mother will be the same, very sophisticated.  If you are having a nice spicy diner, this wine is the perfect compliment.  African, Caribbean, Asian, even Indian it’s a great match.  It’s not as sweet as you think and has a very good flavor.  It has a nice acidic aftertaste that cools your mouth when you’re eating spicy food.  Just try it man.  If you don’t like it I’ll buy the leftover bottle from you.”   “OK Rio, I’ll try it.” I hand back the bottle and he lovingly caressed it.  I wonder about him sometimes. He tapped the wall by the entrance of the building as I walked away.   “Keep your eye out for this guy!” he said motioning with his head to a poster taped there.  “What’s his story?” I asked stopping in my tracks. “Lost.” “What?!”  I was really taken aback.  “He’s a grown man.” “He’s a little kooky up there you know.  Taking some medications.”   I walked off.  He was right.  Human beings are lost.  We get lost in the details of this world.   We are lost in the world order.  We are lost in our consumption.  We are lost in our self-gratification.  We are lost in our labor.   We are lost in tradition.  How are we to find ourselves when we aren’t even looking?    Lost… thinking of the day-to-day grinds that humans have invented for themselves in exchange for a small return of peace and love - war and hate - peppered by personal or family whimsical gain.  What do we lose in exchange for this path?  What have we failed to see?  What have failed to experience? “Have we stunted our evolutionary growth?”  I spoke out loud.  I realize I get lost in myself too.   As I walk on, three young men approach me.  Each of them wore a T-shirt or sweatshirt with Obama’s image on it.  One is done up with rhinestone.  I know one of them and hail him.   “Whats up Obi?” “Just cooling, bout to head to the garden.” I tug at his T-shirt. “Where you get this man?” “Ithaca.  He selling T-shirts now since Obama won.” “Shit, he didn’t offer to sell me one.” “He just got a batch a few minutes ago.” Ithaca works quick. “So you voted for Obama?” “Hell yeah, first time in that booth.” “So how you feel about that?”   “Good, we all felt it was like the first time we could actually vote.” Another friend chimed in.   “It’s not like we never wanted to vote.  I listen to the news and see what’s going on.  But all those other times, none of those politicians was talking to us.  Obama spoke to us.” Another friend spoke up, his T-shirt had Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey together with Barack Obama. “Obama took Marcus and Martin to the next level.  He basically mobilized the black population in America.  But this time they were working within the system, so white folks weren’t too upset or scared.  The other times shit was hitting the fan.” “Alright, so you guys ready to do your part to move America forward.” Obi paused, “I ain’t making no sacrifices till somebody makes some for me.”  His other friends nodded their heads in agreement   They waved to a few young women who were in the middle of the block. “There they are, let’s go.” “We’ll catch up later.”  And with that they walked away.    I turned the corner to walk along Malcolm X Blvd.   Harlem has changed.   What is old is no longer here.  Only what is new is going to remain. Harlem is changing her dress, and shuffling out all the fleas.  The pests are to be laid to the wayside so this new dress can take her to the ball.  And Harlem is ready to dance.  Any willing suitor need only step in line and eventually this lass will have a spin with him around the dance floor.  Hang on boys…its going to be one hell of a ride!

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History is Made!!!!!

5. November 2008 by admin.

Change is Here! American History has another chapter with the country’s first election of an African American President.

Here is the speech that he gave to mark this historic occasion. The first speech as President-Elect by Barack Obama:

 If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the new White House.

And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who’s been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education.

There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

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A New Party - The Election Party!

4. November 2008 by admin.

It’s election day and so far there seems to be record turnout. At least to the naked eye. In my time voting today it was great to see the lines of people waiting to vote in this historic election. People of all ages, families, races, etc.

 After we cast our votes, then we look for the results and I can’t believe the number of election viewing parties that are taking place. It seems like many people want to be together to watch this history unfold.

 Are you going to a viewing party, hosting a viewing party or watching the results at home by yourself or with your family? However you watch there are some signs to watch for. This listing is courtesy of www.politico.com.

FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT. Eastern Indiana reports at 6 p.m., with polling places in the western part of the state closing an hour later. The networks often start reporting results at 6 — and battleground Indiana should provide an immediate read on the night. Obama and McCain are deadlocked in the polls here — and no Democrat has carried the state since ’64 — so an Obama win would spell trouble for McCain. But a big McCain win here could cast immediate doubt on feel-good Obama polling elsewhere.

FRAUD ALERT. The Hoosier State will also provide an indication of whether the GOP claims of potential voter fraud are hype or a serious threat. Lake County, home of Gary and East Chicago, bungled the count during the May 6 primary, and good-government experts say a slowdown today or widespread allegations of shenanigans could augur serious problems around the country. Other counties with potential problems, according to experts: Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Cleveland); Palm Beach County, Fla., yet again; Denver; Richmond, Va.

SIGN MCCAIN IS FEELING THE HEAT. He loses Pennsylvania, (where he trails by 4 points to 14 points) after camping out in the Keystone State for much of the week. A key metric for McCain: Obama’s advantage coming out of Philadelphia. If it’s much more than the 412,000-vote edge enjoyed by John F. Kerry in 2004, McCain’s headed for a loss. (Closing time: 8 p.m.)

SIGN MCCAIN IS IN HOT WATER. If Obama wins any one of the following states: Ohio (7:30 p.m.), Virginia (7 p.m.), North Carolina (7:30 p.m.) or Florida (8 p.m.).

SIGN MCCAIN IS COOKED. If Obama wins two of them.

SIGN MCCAIN IS TOTALLY TOAST. He loses Georgia (7 p.m.), where he once enjoyed a 20-plus-point lead.

OBAMAPOCALYPSE. Obama is more or less finished if he loses Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida — with the stat wizards at FiveThirtyEight.com giving him only a 9.76 percent chance of victory if he loses the battleground trifecta.

YOUTHQUAKE. About 47 percent of eligible 18-to-24-year-olds voted in the 2004 election, a slight increase over 2000. Some experts suggest that number could be as a high as 60 percent this year. If exit polls show the youth vote hitting or exceeding that mark, look for a big Obama boost.

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Synchronized Rhythm Review: Hot Sounds of THE RENDEZVOUS!

31. October 2008 by admin.

 

We’re still on a musical high from the sizzling performances we experienced at The Rendezvous this past Monday (October 27th). We give major kudos to Marko Nobles of Injoy Enterprises for the evening’s amazing line-up! It was such a majestic evening that if you didn’t come through to pay your respects to some of the most talented artists in the independent circuit, then you missed a helluva night!

The night was co-sponsored by “Bacardi Gold Live” who provided the crowd with free drinks; and we most definitely took advantage of that perk! First performer was Brooklyn-bred, R&B, Reggae artist, DIONNE BLAIZE, who ushered in the evening extravaganza with her addictive Caribbean infused grooves, compelling vocals and superb stage presence. She ended her set with a song entitled, ‘RISE UP’, dedicated to the unspeakable tragedy of Jennifer Hudson and the amazing triumph of Barack Obama’s presidency nomination. Visit her official website at Dionne Blaize Official Website

Next up, was Harlem’s own, MIKA, who we’ve seen shower the stage with her loveliness and beautiful vocals on countless occasions. With her rich eclectic R&B flair, there is no mistaken that this songstress is headed down a path of musical greatness. Check her out on MySpace @ www.myspace.com/harlemmika

The next performer, SOUL CYCLE, hailing from Brooklyn, took it up a notch with their world fusion brand of rhythms incorporated with jazz, hip hop, funk, gospel, latin and reggae. They moved the crowd with selections never before played live and we must say that it was definitely a treat to experience their musicianship! If you’re curious about this band and want to find out why we give them 2 thumbs up for their exceptional performance, then head to the Blue Note, November 14th and you’ll understand why these gentlemen deserve an abundance of accolades. Check them out on MySpace @ www.myspace.com/soulcycle

The featured performer for the evening, YAHZARAH aka PURPLE ST. JAMES, was introduced by a good friend of Synch Rhythm, and a talented artist in his own right, RUSSELL TAYLOR; both taking the trip all the way from Washington DC to give us a performance of a lifetime. The anticipation grew as we waited with baited breath for YAHZARAH to take her place at the mic; and when she appeared, she commanded your attention and electrified the stage with her charismatic presence; setting off an explosive musicality throughout the Shrine into the streets of Harlem! Her boisterous vocals echoed as she shimmied in a sexy gold dress; bringing the crowd to their feet from her infectious energy! We now know why she is one of the most sought after vocalists in the industry! Check her out on MySpace @ www.myspace.com/yahzarah It would be in your best interest to make your way to The Rendezvous which happens every last Monday of each month! For more info, visit Marko Nobles @ InJoy Enterprises.

Check out the slideshow:

http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd224/SynchRhythm/?action=view¤t=7f9b7ad2.pbw

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Prayers for Jennifer Hudson

25. October 2008 by admin.

Our prayers go to Jennifer Hudson and her family at this tme in light of the recent tragedy that’s befallen them. For those that are unaware, please read the following:

 The mother and brother of the Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson were found shot to death inside her mother’s house on the South Side of Chicago on Friday afternoon, and the police were said to be looking for her 7-year-old nephew.

The police confirmed that Ms. Hudson’s mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57, was one of the victims, the ABC affiliate WLS reported on its Web site. A neighbor reportedly told the entertainment Web site TMZ that the other victim had been identified as Ms. Hudson’s brother, Jason S. Hudson, 29.

The police said they were searching for Ms. Hudson’s nephew, Julian King, who had been reported missing on Friday morning.

According to TMZ, the police were searching for a man identified as William Balfour, the husband of Ms. Hudson’s sister, Julia, who they said could be with the missing boy 7-year-old. Mr. Balfour reportedly listed the address of Ms. Hudson’s mother in the Englewood neighborhood as his place of residence within the last year. The Web site also reported that according to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Mr. Balfour is on parole after serving time in prison for attempted murder.

WLS reported that neighbors told the police they heard shots fired on Friday morning.

But it was not until Friday afternoon that a family member found Ms. Donerson in the living room and left the house to call the police, the television station reported. When they arrived at the house, they found Mr. Hudson in a bedroom.

The police said that there was no sign of forced entry at the house, and that the shootings were the result of a domestic dispute.

The Rev. Willie Davis, pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church, where Ms. Hudson and her family were members, said that despite her daughter’s celebrity, Ms. Donerson chose to stay and live on the South Side, WLS reported.

“That says a lot about the fact of the kind of family Jennifer comes from,” Mr. Davis was quoted as saying. “They’re a family of faith. They want to be attached to their roots.”

Church leaders said they were told that Ms. Hudson was flying home to Chicago from Tampa, Fla., according to the television station.

In 2007, Ms. Hudson won an Oscar for best supporting actress in her role as Effie White in the film “Dreamgirls.”

 Courtesy of NYTimes.com

Please send your prayers to the Hudson family

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The Final Debate between The Rock Star and The War Hero, talking about Joe The Plumber

16. October 2008 by admin.

So I didn’t get to watch all of the debate. I ended up watching some and listening to the rest on radio. All the talk leading up to the debate was what Sen. McCain (The War Hero) had to to do win this debate and the need for him to win handily to beat Sen Obama (The Rock Star) as his lead in the polls is almost insurmountable with less than three weeks to go in the election. The major topic of the debate seemed to be Joe The Plumber who Sen. McCain referenced and then became the analogy for the “general working man/woman” of the U.S.

What I’m trying to figure out is how did Joe The Plumber get to be everyman. Is a Plumber’s issues the same as a teacher’s or a firefighter’s or a secretary’s? That notwithstanding it was fascinating to watch/hear this debate and then hear the pundits determine what chances the candidates have to win the Presidency of the U.S. as a result. Many people still feel that Sen. Obama is in the driver’s seat and are very close to saying he can’t lose.

 There are two problems with that. One is that Vice President Al Gore “won” the popular vote by 500,000 in 2000 and lost the election. Second is that Sen. Obama is Black and this election is in America. I know that everyone feels like the color of his skin shouldn’t make a difference and it shouldn’t but it does. No matter what the polls say whether Obama is up by 7, 8, 10 or more points in the polls. People still have to go behing the curtain and pull the lever.

 There have been reports by the AP and others (see this link http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/movingamerica08/whitesobama923) that when Whites go to the polls on November 4th, though they say they are colorblind and support Obama, they may very well decide that they can’t really afford to have a Black President.

So what do we all do. Well, like the moderator of last night’s debate said, “Now Go Vote! It’ll make you feel strong!” I would add vote with your heart, your head and with the best interest of your future in mind.

That’s for Joe the Plumber, Sharon the teacher, Rhonda the Police Officer, Mike the Sanitation worker and all of us.

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Raphael Saadiq’s Soul Revue

10. October 2008 by admin.

So Raphael Saadiq (above) has a new cd “The Way I See It” and he recently performed twice at SOB’s in New York City. The second show of which I was able to attend. I’ve been a fan of Raphael for many years now as many of you probably are as well but I have never seen him perform live.

Now I can’t imagine not seeing him live. The show was structured to fit the album which is a direct homage to the Soul music of the ’60’s and early ’70’s. The music of Motown in particular. From the very beginning of the set where Raphael was introduced and a recording of the late Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem at the 1982 NBA All-Star Game was played we knew this was going to be something different. The the band started playing and the background singers hit the stage doing choreographed moves that was inspired directly from The Temptations and other groups of that era. Raphael came out and the music sounded just like the songs that we listened to our parents play from that Motown age. Raphael’s voice was perfect for the sound and he was dressed the part, suit, tie and glasses that made him look a little bit like a young Marvin Gaye. If you’ve seen the video for his single “Love That Girl” (watch the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMiBL5BgW7Q), he looks like that.

Let me not give you the impression that this was some type of retro show. I t was a show that made clear that Raphael Saadiq is a true soul man for this generation. He sang all of the songs that we know and love from his days with Tony! Toni! Toné!, Lucy’s Pearl, and songs from his solo cd’s “Instant Vintage” and the overlooked yet incredible “Ray, Ray.” The great thing is how all the songs fit into that classic soul sound. As I mentioned to someone who had seen the show the first night he performed at SOB’s, it goes to show that he has always had that sound, all of his music is created in that timeless way that harkens back to the days of Motown or the music of Al Green in his prime.

I don’t remember Raphael doing a lot of performing over the years, particularly as a solo artist. He has released his cd’s independently until now and became the first solo artist to receive Grammy Award nominations as an independent artist, but this time his cd is on Columbia Records and though the record business is in serious crisis mode this should be one that Columbia can slam out of the park. The cd is great and the live show is incredible. Energetic, Fun, filled with great music, not a dull moment at all and the musicianship is outstanding.

Raphael is scheduled to tour with John Legend in November and December (see dates here http://www.raphaelsaadiq.com/ click on calendar) and I urge all lovers of great music to check it out. John Legend better be on his game because if he’s not then Raphael is gonna steal the show every night!

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