Morphological Confetti

It's that time of year again. Students are turning in their final papers and things are slowing down -- well, in the classroom. Meanwhile, I am grading papers in the basement and listening to a little music. What's better than some old school Delfonics? It helps me to relax and focus while I grade these essays. Soon, I will switch grading papers electronically. I have to get out of the old way of doing things. The future is now -- time has come today! Anyway, let me get back to my music. Oops! A comma splice. 

My time of year...

Today's MC spotlight is on one of the greatest American singers of all time, Mr. Bill Withers.  He is one of my favorite singers and one of my biggest influences as a writer.  Although he is categorized as an R&B singer, Bill Withers is simply and completely an American songwriter, composer, musician, and singer in every way.  He was born Williams Harrison Withers on July 4, 1938. He was the youngest of six children in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia.  He joined the Navy at the age of 18 and served for nine years.  Afterwards, in 1967 he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in music.  He was successful! First, I cannot imagine being on the same ship as Bill Withers. I was in the Navy and none of the guys in my division could sing anywhere close to Bill Withers.  Mr. Withers has the type of lyrics that speak to the soul.  Some of his greatest hits such as Lean on Me, Ain't No Sunshine, Use Me, J...

Every year I look forward to the concert series at Fort Dupont Park in Washington, D.C.  It has become widely popular and it tends to be very crowded.  However, there is nothing like the visual of a huge crowd [mostly African American] of people from the DMV getting together to celebrate music from the soul.  It is really a celebration and expression of culture -- American culture.  This years promises to be a nice one.  I hope to see you there this summer.  Concerts are free and opened to the public. Note:   Shows are every Saturday as indicated below and usually start around 8:00 pm; however, get there before the time because places on the lawn fill up fast.  This is especially true in front of the stage.   Check out the 2012 lineup: July 14 American Noiz': A celebration of American Music featuring a Motown review by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington; Accompanied by Joel Coleman, Dr. Guy Ramsey, Ju...

Happy Birthday to Ms. Roberta Flack! She was born on February 10, 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She and Donny Hathaway met as students at Howard University. They both got their start singing in D.C. night spots like Mr. Henry's on Pennsylvania Avenue (near Eastern Market). Ms. Flack is such a legend as a soul singer. I would love to see her life on the new soul documentaries like Unsung on TVOne. A beautiful and soulful sister. Happy Birthday and may God bless you with many more. Mr. Donny Hathaway (RIP)~

The 2011 Fort Dupont Summer line up is here!  It's really too bad that Roy Ayers has not been featured in recent years.  He was the one who everybody wanted to see at the end of the summer series.  His cd, Mahogany Vibe, features a song named after the park.  The song has a nice groove and a Go-Go vibe that is popular in the DC area.  Anyway, I hope to see you at the park this summer.  Come DC, VA, Baltimore , Delware, everywhere! 2011 lineup: July 9 The BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS (T.A.P.) featuring special guest artist CHELSEY GREEN, and a “ Soul Review” July 16 REGINA BELLE Opener, “Smooth” a Luther Tribute July 23 The MANHATTANS featuring GERALD ALSTON & BLUE LOVETT Opener, Marvin Brown July 30 ZAPP Opener, Teri S Aug. 6 The BARKAYS Opener, FrameWerk Aug. 13 MANDRILL

It just doesn't seem like summer without spending at least one summer evening at Fort Dupont Park in Southeast Washington, DC. It's a beauitful amphitheater and park set in historical Fort Dupont Park. The crowd is always nice and the shows are always a treat. The best thing about it besides the huge friendly crowds is that it is FREE! I've been going since I was a boy and the memories just keep builiding. Check out the 2010 line up listed below: July 17th KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL Opening: Cops Come Knockin’ July 24th ROY AYERS Opening: Brian Lenair July 31st “WPFW” NIGHT with HAROLD MELVIN’S BLUE NOTES Opening: Motown Philly Fantasy Featuring H.A.L.O August 7th SUGARFOOT’S OHIO PLAYERS Opening: Clones of Funk August 14th MIDNIGHT STARR Opening: Be’la Dona August 21st SOS BAND Opening: Kinda Blu Note:   To find out more about what's going on in and around Washington, D.C. visit the National Park Service website at: nps.gov

It just doesn't seem like summer without spending at least one summer evening at Fort Dupont Park in Southeast Washington, DC. It's a beauitful amphitheater and park set in historical Fort Dupont Park. The crowd is always nice and the shows are always a treat. The best thing about it besides the huge friendly crowds is that it is FREE! I've been going since I was a boy and the memories just keep builiding. Check out the 2009 line up listed below: July 18th -- Original "P" featuring Fuzzy Haskins and Grady Thomas (Ken Staton and the James Brown Review) July 25th -- Ray, Goodman & Brown (Formerly The Moments) ["Pookie Hudson's" Spaniels] August 1st -- Radio "WPFW" Night W/Blue Magic and Force MD's & The Legends August 8th -- Rose Royce (Julia Nixon) August 15th -- Mother's Finest (Derek McKeith Featuring Alyson Williams) August 22nd -- TBA Special Surprise Guest Concerts are on Saturdays and they are free and open to the ...

In the American system of slavery, African Americans had many ways to resist the dehumanizing conditions that existed. The songs they sang (known today as Negro Spirituals) had a purpose: they were sung to express their grief, petition to their God, and soothe the pain of bondage. Most of the songs were made up from stories they heard in the Bible, but they all seem had the same underlining plea – Freedom. Here is an example: Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel? Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel? They why not every man? He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den, Jonah from the belly of a whale, The Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, Then why not every man? Well, the ancestors were eventually released from bondage and entered into the American Aparthied system of Jim Crow. In these modern times, African Americans have marched, staged sit-ins, and fought up to the very moment Barack Obama was sworn in as president of the United States. So, what are we resisting to...

Malcolm X once called the media “the most powerful entity on earth.” He continued that “they have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power.” Yesterday, I received an email from my friend in the UK, NML. She shared with me how the publication, The Daily Mail Newspaper , ran an article about her blog. Now, this sounds great on the surface doesn’t it? I mean, this brings attention to your writing and hard work as a blogger, right? Well, in this case the newspaper printed negative things about her blog and what NML described as all out lies. On her blog, Tired of Men… , NML talks about the everyday life of a black woman living and dating in the UK. Well, The Daily Mail printed an article titled, “Don’t get mad, get E-venge!” describing her as a bitter woman seeking revenge or “e-venge” on an ex-fiancé. She was listed along with a few other lady bloggers as basically being vindictive vixens of the blogging community. To make matters worse, th...

Marvin Gaye (Born: Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr.) (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) Reverend Gaye Owoooooo! You recognize that shout? That’s Marvin Gaye’s signature HOW SWEET IT IS – COME GET TO THIS – AFTER THE DANCE shout I used to hear grown men and women shouting it on hot innercity streets, but they didn’t always have the Blues; Sometimes their arms and fist would be stretched towards the Sun as their hips would grind in unison with the melody Owoooooo! I remember grownups singing LET’S GET IT ON as they danced the slow drag and their bodies cast blue shadows on the basement wall Marvin would stretch forth his voice and bless the assembly singing, CAN I GET A WITNESS as the inebriated congregation would shout from their parking lot pews… Owoooooo! You recognize that shout? That’s Marvin Gaye’s signature HOW SWEET IT IS – COME GET TO THIS – AFTER THE DANCE shout And he did it all just to keep us satisfied By: Stephen Bess Happy Birthday, Mr. Gaye

I came across a great meme on Geoffrey Philip’s blog . Geoffrey asked selected bloggers to name five songs that they would have in their iPod If they were stranded on a desert island. Now, I’ll admit that this is a very difficult selection process; however, I was able to come up with some old favorites that I can listen to over and over again. First on my list of songs is, Oh happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers . This is a song that I’ve loved since I was a child. It’s a song that expresses joy and perpetual gratitude to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for washing our sins away -- Oh Happy Day! Second on my list is the song, Love is Here , a beautiful 70s Soul ballad sung by a group out of Philadelphia called, The Futures . This was also my wedding song. There were only a few people at my wedding who knew the song because the song is over 30 years old. Also, over half of the people attending my wedding were from Africa and the Caribbean. Some of them know American Soul music very...

"Looking back on when I was a little nappy headed boy, then my only worry was for Christmas, what would be my toy. Even though we sometimes would not get a thing, we were happy with the joy the day would bring...I wish those days could come back once more, why did those days ever have to go? I wish those days could come back once more, why did those days ever have to go? Cause I loved them so." ~ Stevie Wonder By the way, I am the taller of the two little boys. I remember that day well. I also remember that the shirt I was wearing was new and my grandmother purchased some flip-flop sandles to keep my feet cool. It was the Bess Family Reunion in the Summer of '75. Stevie Wonder's hit song, I Wish , would not become a hit until 1977, but it was so appropriate for this photo. I mean, just look at that image of me, little Stevie; life was so simple then. Peace~

Washington, D.C. has many attractions that are east of the river. Wait. I should clarify by saying that this is east of the Anacostia River. Specifically, east of the river in DC means the gentrified remains of George Clinton’s version of “Chocolate City” (i.e. The Hood). Some of you may not realize that DC had/has a thriving Black community that has been here since the turn of the 20th Century. My family has been here for about four generations. The city is changing now that some poor blacks are being forced to leave because of new developments (condos, cafes, etc.) and others are choosing to leave for more yard space in the suburbs. Besides, we do love our BBQ’s and family gatherings. Then, there is Fort Dupont Park, The rock on the ridge located in the heart of Southeast Washington. For the past 30 years, Fort Dupont has been a place where family, friends and lovers can go to listen to the best in Jazz, Blues, Soul, and R&B. The best thing about it is that it’s FREE!!!! Yes, FR...

My first thought this morning was of her. She massaged my thoughts while stimulating the frontal lobe of my brain before I fell asleep last night. You see, she was sending chills through the chasm of my mind down to my brain stem affecting my heart rate and breathing leaving me visibly shaken and wanting more of her sweet offerings Sweet Soul She told me that I should find a love my own, but I told her that I didn't want to lose her love because loving her is so easy....I mean easy like Sunday morning Sunday was the day I was born so instead of going to church I kneel down at her alter and give her all the praises hoping to get caught up in her rapture Sweet Soul I constantly convey my thoughts to her and she responds with, "La La." She said that means she loves me. She went on to say that there isn't much that she wouldn't do for love even though it has caused her so much pain, but that she would do any thing to keep me satisfied. So, as my tears began to fall li...