Morphological Confetti

Lucille Bogan was born Lucille Anderson in Amory, Mississippi on 1 April 1897. In 1923 Lucille recorded for the first time in Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps the public was not yet ready for the young Lucille with future legends like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith still reigning as queens. Lucille Bogan returned in 1927 under the pseudonym of "Bessie Jackson." The pseudonym seemed to get her some notice due to the popularity of Bessie Smith. Lucille bogan wrote and arranged many of her popular songs which covered every theme from sex, prostitution, Alcoholism, drug addiction, lesbianism and yes…more sex! The question most often asked about Lucille Bogan was if she really lived the lascivious lifestyle portrayed in her music? Rumor has it she came by her material through her associations with the Birmingham, Alabama underworld. It’s also rumored that in 1927 she was having an affair with her piano man, Will Ezell while she was still married to Nazareth Lee Bogan Sr. [Luc...

Video time: 2:00 This little lady can sing the blues! This is a 4 year old young lady by the name of Nia singing Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. I found this on Youtube. She is wonderful. I'll be back with more women and Blues next week. Enjoy your weekend. Peace~

Savannah Churchill, the original Queen of Rhythm & the sho nuff Blues. Savannah was born in Colfax, Louisiana on August 21, 1920 from Creole parents. Jobs and opportunities were scarce in places like Colfax, Louisiana so the Churchill family joined the African Migration North. The family packed their things and moved to Brooklyn, New York where Savannah would grow up to become a fine young lady. Savannah’s experience started out just like any experience for African American New Yorkers in the 1930’s. This was during America's Great Depression. However, it was business as usual for many of the black immigrants from the Southern United States. Struggle was their life's story and the Blues was their soundtrack. Savannah married young, but the marriage was cut short when her husband died in a car accident. The tragedy left the 20 year old Savannah with two children to support on her own. Savannah set out to find work and the year was 1941. While many black women of the tim...

I think that all of you would agree that women definitely experience the blues. As a matter of fact, if we look at the Blues guitar as a symbol of the Blues women would represent the moan and shrilling sound the bottle neck produces as it slides down the throat of the instrument. Yes, women know all about the blues. I want to share my thoughts about the blues and women in my upcoming post. Stay tuned. Peace~ Photo Credit: Bill Steber photography

I wanted to leave you guys with a little poetry for the weekend. A couple of you have already seen this video, but I wanted to share it with the rest of the community. The artist is my younger brother Thomas. His music and life is based in Atlanta, GA. He is a spoken word artist, painter, brother, and friend. Thomas is featured on a few cd's in the business, but his latest solo effort is called Action Theory . This is Thomas' first solo cd and it is tight! The best has yet to come. For sentimental reasons, I'm still attached to his premiere cd as a member of the Atlanta based group, Jason Blackwell. the cd is titled, Urban Experimentalist . The featured video performance can not be heard on either cd, but it's definitely worth hearing. Keep in mind that some of the language may offend. Also, I did the camera work so forgive the bootleg quality of the video. *smile* Enjoy your weekend. Peace~

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing my daughter, Thakabasadi Sato perform at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage . She's a dancer with Lesole's Dance Project . Lesole Maine ( pronounced: Mah ee nay ) is a very talented dancer and performer from South Africa. He has assembled a terrific group of young dancers here in the states and they were definite crowd pleasers at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts last evening. The performance was more like a story book in dance. They performed traditional South African dance which spoke honor to the ancestors. The story continued as they transported us in time to the turmoil of the Apartheid system. This included a backdrop of film footage accompanied with protest chants and high stomping defiance against the injustice. They ended it with the fancy footwork of Hip-Hop and the influences it has had on South African music and youth (see Kwaito ). You know I acted a fool as all fathers will when they see their child on stage. Y...

Geoffrey Philp has a touching tribute for everyone affected by the terrible events that took place at Virginia Tech yesterday. God bless them all. Peace~

Journal Entry Written by: Kevin The School for Arts and Learning Friday April 30, 1999 Kevin was 10 years old A Hyena is wild Some people are wild Bees Fly Birds fly Toys light up Street lights come on at night I need a pint of milk to make my cake I drink a pint of milk sometimes Sly means sneaky Sly means you get into somebody business I grind with two sticks

Bloodline: Five Stories Written by Ernest J. Gaines Category: Fiction - Literary Format: Trade Paperback, 256 pages ISBN: 978-0-679-78165-3 (0-679-78165-X) This will be my reading this weekend from author, Ernest J Gaines . I admire him as an author and historic preservationist of African American culture. His work speaks to my heart. Thank you Mr. Gaines. Enjoy your weekend everyone. Peace~

Hello everyone. I thought I would just share a few of my thoughts this afternoon. It’s been a really busy day here at work and it has reminded me how important it is to do what you love in life. I like the way that Aaron Neville said it in his 1966 hit, Tell it like it is : “Life is too short to have sorrow You may be here today and gone tomorrow You might as well get what you want So go on and live Baby go on live” It would be wise of us to make the best of this ephemeral existence (on earth) given to us by God. We should strive to do all the things most important to us and with all of our might. For me, I will strive to pray with all my might. I will love with all my might. I will hope with all my might and I will live with all my might. I’m not really sure where this road in life will take me, but I know I will not be alone. Enjoy your weekend and accomplish something. Peace~

My grandfather's old school house in Hassell, North Carolina Population: 72 Photo info: I took this picture in December of 2006. The school housed children in grades primary through secondary. There was some rain the day I took this picture. I love the way the rain made the brick steps glisten. It also gave the old building a slightly different shade.

I want to share with you one of my favorite Psalm . I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I hope for many blessings to you and your loved ones on this holiday weekend. Peace~

The corner of 14th and U Street in Northwest DC The date was Thursday, April 4, 1968. It was time for change. If you were somewhere around the corner of 14th and U Street (Little Harlem) in Washington, D.C. things would’ve seemed normal. Unbeknownst to the people, it would become a transitional period in this nation’s history. It was early in the evening and there were people moving about. Black people. There were nurses, police officers, prostitutes, construction workers, pick-pockets, pimps, and preachers just carrying on like any other day. I often imagine that day even though I was just an eight month old baby living in Northeast Washington, D.C. with my parents. I imagine a young black man walking down 14th Street that day in 1968. He's carrying a small transistor radio. The radio is playing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s new hit, Ain’t nothing like the real thing. He seems to enjoy it as he smiles and pops his fingers to the melody. Suddenly, the song is interrupted and the...

"...We're all sensitive people With so much to give Understand me, sugar Since we got to be here Let's live I love you..." Let's Get It On~Motown 1973 Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born on April 2, 1939 in Washington, D.C. Marvin Gaye died on April 1, 1984 after an altercation with his father. The altercation ended when Marvin Sr. pulled out a gun and shot his son twice in the chest. [Time of death: 1:01 pm] Marvin Gaye, an American Music icon and Motown legend. Peace~ Side story: My uncle, Merrill "Boogie" Owens, [now deceased] nearly wrecked his vehicle when he heard the news on the radio about Marvin Gayes' death. He pulled over to the side of the road that afternoon and sobbed. Photo Credit: http://www.thelincolntheatre.org/