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Machel Montano cops three titles
Music & Fashion: Trinidad & Tobago Carnival officially begins with the Machel Monday Concert. The reigning champion annually holds this sellout concert to treat fans to a wide variety of hits. This year he celebrated three decades in the Soca industry. Comment.
Sun Kulcha
Music & Fashion: Education Program
Family-to-Family Education Program will be offering a series of 12 weekly classes structured to help caregivers understand & support individuals with serious mental illness while maintaining their well being, starting 3/3/12 at Kings County Hospital Center, 451 Clarkson Ave., between New York Ave. & E 34 St., Room 3022, Brooklyn, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free for family members, partners & significant others. Registration is required. Call (718) 512-5269. Comment.
Machel Montano’s hat-trick of titles
Music & Fashion: Soca star Machel Montano who described himself as “Mr Fete,” has copped an unprecedented hat-trick for 2012 when he took the Road March title with his song “Pump Yuh Flag.” He scored back-to-back wins having captured last year’s Road March with his tune “Advantage.” Comment.
Actor Ben Vereen talks ‘Minstrels’
Arts & Theater: Broadway actor Ben Vereen closed out City College’s series of presentations highlighting Black History Month with a talkback topic on “Bert Williams & Minstrels.” Comments (1).
150 yrs of African American art
Arts & Theater: The namesake of Wilmer Jennings Gallery in the East Village is one of the 36 African American artists showing at the gallery in an extraordinary exhibition ending Feb. 25. Comment.
Independent & Foreign Films
Movies: Art Is… The Permanent Revolution (Unrated) Agitprop documentary examining how printmakers, including Rembrandt, Goya and Picasso, have influenced the political landscape over the ages via graphic depictions of the human condition. Comment.
Celebrating 25 yrs of Freestyle music
Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Sal Abbatiello of Fever Records, continues its fabulous 31st season with a spectacular celebration of 25 years of Freestyle music -- Forever Freestyle 6 -- on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.
McCall receives first MLK leadership award
Arts & Theater: Former State Comptroller and erstwhile gubernatorial candidate, H. Carl McCall, has received SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Award. Comment.
Deliciously healthy Italian recipes
Food: Chef Mary Ann Esposito, host of the PBS television show “Ciao Italia,” knows all about the joys and benefits of cooking with olive oil. Olive oil is 100 percent natural, contains no cholesterol, trans fats, sodium or sugar. It adds a delicious splash of flavor to any recipe. As a rule of thumb, she says, substitute an equal amount of olive oil for other cooking oils. Comment.
Kim Brockington: Our stories in history
Arts & Theater: The National Black Touring Circuit featured Kim Brockington as Zora Neale Hurston, in a one-woman play written by Laurence Holder, and directed by Wynn Handman, as part of the Black History Month Play Festival, which runs through Feb. 26. Comment.
Caribbean Day at children’s museum
Arts & Theater: Immersing yourself in the Caribbean spirit through arts is a wonderful way for the family to warm up an early March afternoon. Comment.
Montano wins two carnival titles
Music & Fashion: Soca superstar Machel Montano scored a double when he took the International Power Soca Monarch and the Groovy Soca Monarch titles on Fantastic Friday night at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain. Comment.
NYC premiere of ‘Better Mus’ Come’
Movies: As the island nation Jamaica celebrates 50 years of independence from British rule, Jamaican film director Storm Saulter’s “Better Mus’ Come” chronicles the bloody reign of terror that was once the backdrop for the political campaigns and struggle for power between the two parties; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and the Peoples National Party (PNP). Comments (2).
Sun Kulcha
Arts & Theater: Prayer Breakfast
People Moved With Compassion (PMWC) presents a Prayer Breakfast (8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.) & Conference (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) featuring Speaker Min. Marva Thomas at Calvary Cathedral of Praise, 45 East 8th St., Brooklyn. Admission free. There will be a free will offering. Call to register at (347) 267-2654 or (718) 435-2731. Comment.
MARLEY’S GRAMMY
Music & Fashion: Perhaps it was less than a surprise when Bob and Rita Marley’s youngest son Stephen took the best reggae album category at the recent Grammy awards. Comment.
The Thomas Jefferson - Sally Hemings love story
Arts & Theater: Musical drama explores Jefferson and Hemings story Comment.
Houston: Model, singer, actress, superstar
Music & Fashion: When Whitney Houston made an early morning appearance in Central Park three years ago, she repeated an act her mother Cissy initiated by introducing her to a Manhattan crowd at a time she was an unknown teenager. Comment.
Football coach finds winning formula
Movies: “You think football builds character. It does not. Football reveals character.” That mantra sums up the philosophy Bill Courtney relied upon in pep talks to turn around the football program at Manassas High located in inner-city Memphis. When he assumed the reins in 2004, the Tigers had never made the playoffs in its entire 100-year history, and hadn’t even won a single game in the previous 14 years. Comment.
Independent & Foreign Films
Movies: The Fairy (Unrated) Romantic fantasy about a hotel’s night watchman (Dominique Abel) who falls in love with the magical fairy (Fiona Gordon) who vanishes into thin air after granting him two of his three wishers. Supporting cast includes Philippe Martz, Bruno Romy and Vladimir Zongo. (In French with subtitles) Comment.
Centennial tribute to artist Romare Beaden
Arts & Theater: Galleries and other exhibition venues are still paying homage to artist Romare Bearden during this centennial year of his birth. Comment.
From The Front Porch
Arts & Theater: Reneesance Dreams and Spotlight on Festivals present a special performance of “From The Front Porch” at the Jan Hus Theatre – 351 East 74th St. (between 1st and 2nd avenues) on Feb. 29, starting at 8:00 p.m. Comment.
Strange bedfellows in spy thriller
Movies: Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) is a veteran CIA Agent who has been on the run for close to a decade since being suspected of selling military secrets to America’s enemies. By contrast, straitlaced Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a newcomer to the Agency who’s just been itching for some action. Unfortunately, he’s been stationed in South Africa for months where he’s only been assigned to maintain a backwater safe house that’s never been needed for a clandestine operation. Comment.
‘JAZZPORA’
Music & Fashion: “I wanted to do something located more in the jazz idiom,” says Buyu Ambroise on how his third CD, “Jazzpora,” differs from his last ones. With the core Blues in Red Band–his musical companions since the first CD, Ambroise reveals his musical influences, Haitian, African and North American, all places Ambroise has called home. Comment.
5 Great Days of Black Theatre
Arts & Theater: The Harlem Theatre Arts Festival (HTAF) debuted in Harlem with 5 Great Days of Black Theatre. Comment.
Soul Train Don dies leaving ‘love, peace & soul’
Music & Fashion: There was a time when few television programs showcased the talents of African-Americans. Comment.
Search for missing grandfather in 3-D
Movies: We were first introduced to Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) about four years ago when he embarked on a very eventful “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” courtesy of Jules Verne. Now, although he’s matured from a wide-eyed adolescent into a handsome, headstrong teenager with raging hormones, the lustful lad remains game for another exciting adventure. Comment.
Different portrait of African Americans
Books: If you have grown up being educated in the United States, then doubtless the images of African Americans in the 1800’s and 1900’s that you are used to seeing are first as slaves and then later as share croppers, cooks, railroad workers and other jobs in which they were often shown in old tattered clothing. Comments (2).
Independent & Foreign Films
Movies: Circus Columbia (Unrated) Midlife-crisis drama, set in Bosnia in the early Nineties, shortly before the outbreak of the civil war, about a successful businessman’s (Miki Manojlovic) scandalous return home from Germany accompanied by a flamboyant mistress (Jelena Stupljanin), much to the chagrin of his estranged wife (Mir Furlan) and teenage son (Boris Ler). With Milan Strljic and Almir Mehic. (In English and Croatian with subtitles) Comment.
Share some love with cupcakes
Food: There’s no better way to say “Be Mine” than with a collection of Valentine’s Day cupcakes - a great surprise for anyone you’re sweet on this Feb. 14. Comment.
Second annual New Voices in Black Cinema
Movies: BAMcinématek kicks off its full 2012 calendar year with New Voices in Black Cinema, the second annual festival presented by the Fort Greene-based ActNow Foundation. Reflecting the wide spectrum of views and themes within the African diasporan communities in Brooklyn and beyond, the series features six New York premieres and special guests at nearly every screening. Comments (1).
D’banj makes U.S. debut in Manhattan
Music & Fashion: Recently signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label, Nigerian artist D’banj will perform for the first time in New York City on Feb. 19, 2012. Comment.
Sun Kulcha
Music & Fashion: BAMcafe Live
BAMcafe Live! presents Mo Beasley’s LoveStorm featuring spoken word, music & dance 9:00 p.m. (Happy Hour: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.), at BAM, Peter Jay Sharp Bldg., 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. Admission free. For additonal event information, visit www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=4006. Comments (1).
‘Live Your Life’ tops reggae charts
Music & Fashion: Jamaica’s music ambassador Richie Stephens is still celebrating the positive response from music lovers, friends and well wishers for his hit single “Live Your Life,” which was recorded last year with his friend Gentleman. Comment.
Reeves returns to Rose Theater
Music & Fashion: Continuing Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Visionary Voices series, Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves performs in Rose Theater, Feb. 24-25 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.
Black Inventors, Crafting Over 200 Years of Success
Books: The groundbreaking book, Black Inventors, Crafting Over 200 Years of Success, clearly highlights the work of Black inventors from over 70 countries. Comment.
Living History: A Brooklyn Children’s Museum salute
Arts & Theater: Come help us celebrate the fabulous month of February featuring Black History Month: Living History, Mid-Winter Recess (Saturday, Feb. 18 - Sun., Feb. 26) and the continuation of our W.O.R.D. UP! Words of Real Distinction, reading series. All Black History Month are included with Museum admission. Comment.
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Music & Fashion: Phoenix Francisco realized her love for the performing arts at the tender age of six. Comment.
Rebel salute on Jamaica’s and Tony’s 50th birthday
Music & Fashion: Jamaican reggae artist Tony Rebel celebrated his 50th birthday at his annual Pepsi Rebel Salute 2012 which took place in Port Kaiser Sports Complex, St. Elizabeth on Saturday, Jan. 14 right through the morning of the 15th with a huge birthday cake, an impressive list of veteran and emerging reggae artists and a massive of die-hard roots-music lovers. Comment.
Demise of St. Louis Housing Project
Movies: When the Pruitt-Igoe housing project opened to considerable fanfare back in 1956, its 33 high-rise towers were hailed as a proud symbol of the future of American urban renewal. Located on a 57-acre tract on St. Louis’ north side, the federally-funded development had been created to house 12,000 African-American refugees from the city’s crumbling slums. Comment.
Monroe Culinary heats up Winterfest
Food: Culinary and pastry students from the Monroe College School of Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts won 10 ACF (American Culinary Federation) medals at the annual Winterfest held at SUNY Delhi on Saturday, Jan. 21. Comment.
Bobby Mcferrin’s world of music
Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 31st season with an exclusive New York City appearance by a true genius of vocal improvisation, ten-time GRAMMY Award winner Bobby McFerrin on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.
Clinton Hill Simply Art Gallery celebrates its 20th anniversary
Arts & Theater: NYC’s oldest independently owned African American custom and specialty picture framing gallery, Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing Gallery (CHSAFG) in Brooklyn is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Comment.
Uncover Church Avenue Art Exhibit
Arts & Theater: The Church Avenue Business Improvement District (Church Avenue BID) presents the exhibition for “Uncover Church Avenue,” a public art program to install murals on commercial gates along Church Avenue. Comment.
The O’Jays sizzle on Bronx stage
Music & Fashion: The O’Jays, comprised of Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and Eric Nolan Grant, performed to a packed house at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, N.Y., on Saturday, Jan. 14, singing songs from their classic repertoire. Comment.
LOVE AND PREJUDICE
Arts & Theater: Between the Lines Productions presents the ninth season of David Lamb’s critically acclaimed and long-running Off Broadway play “Platanos Y Collard Greens.” Comment.
Sun Kulcha
Music & Fashion: Comedy/Variety
Comics Jim Mendrinos, Nancy Lombardo & Hilary Schwartz will be among the performers featured at the No Name Comedy/Variety show at The Pipers Kilt, 4944 Broadway, between 207 & Isham streets, N.Y., 10:00 p.m. No cover; must be 21+. For information, call (212) 569 -7071. Comment.
Black History Month to focus on prisons
Arts & Theater: City College will host an annual Black History Month symposium focusing on the criminal justice system and how it impacts on society. Hosted by the Black Studies Department, the Feb. 14 event is expected to highlight some of the concerns inmates face when confined to State prison facilities during two two-hour panel discussions. Comment.
