This is Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
I recently downloaded two albums from iTunes by the vocalist Tom Lellis. The albums are entitled 'Double Entendre' and 'Southern Exposure.' The Double Entendre album features his rendition of Herbie Hancock's 'Tell Me a Bedtime Story' which Hancock originally recorded on the 'Fat Albert Rotunda' album.
On the Double Entendre album, Lellis is backed by legendary bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette. While Lellis accompanies himself on most of the tracks, Allen Farnham plays piano on some of the pieces. The real reason that Tom Lellis didn't get more exposure is that his talents were overlooked. This is a shame because we, the committed jazz fans, missed out. Lellis was 45 years old when this album was released in 1991, but time didn't seem to negatively affect his voice or his creative vision.
(Source: www.apple.com/itunes).
The second album, 'Southern Exposure,' is aptly named because Lellis demonstrates his ability to recreate the beauty of the music of Brazil, particularly the carioca sound of Rio that produced such music styles as Bossa Nova (Remember 'The Girl from Ipanema?).
This abum was was released in 2003, but Lellis proves to be ageless. To me, he actually sounds as if the years between the releases of 'Double Entendre' and 'Southern Exposure' have actually helped him to refine, not that he really needed to. How do you 'mack out' a Rolls Royce? Why would anyone need to? Anyway, I digress. When I heard his rendition of Bridges by Milton Nascimento, a song near to my heart that I personally have attempted to sing and play at the Meetery Eatery and Beans and Bytes, Lellis moved me to tears.
Now, I'm not sure if Windows PC users can download the album, but here is the link:
www.apple.com/itunes. If you can't access it, contact me at www.openairpresents@yahoo.com.
This has been Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir. Thanks.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The Urban Organic Phenomenon
This is suttwa (a.k.a. Terrill S. Wyche) for OpenAir.
Two years ago, I attended a Donny concert at the 5th Avenue club downtown. A few months later, I attended another concert at the 5th Avenue club downtown. Matthias opened for Kindred The Family Soul. Both times I enjoyed myself thorougly, and I do not attend concerts very often. I had heard that both concerts were promoted by Urban Organic. I wondered who was the genius behind Urban Organic, and how did he/she/they get these incredible acts so consistently. Finally, I got the chance to meet the mastermind behind the Urban Organic concept. I attended the Amie Larrieux concert at the Charles H. Wright Museum. Oh, yes did I mention that this concert was a free concert. How does Urban Organic do it? Well, I found out, and here is the story.
Ms. Larrieux dazzling the audience at an Urban Organic concert.
The mastermind behind Urban Organic is Mr. Drake Phifer.
TW: How did you get started with this (Urban Organic)?
DP: With Urban Organic? You know. I really have to say. It started way back in the days of WJZZ as a kid, going around listening to Donald Byrd, listening to Gil Scott Heron, Bob James, Rosetta Hines, hearing all that good music back in the day, and really just being...The Electrifying Mojo, just the rich musical introduction I felt I had and many of us had as kids who grew up in the 70s, and I guess a larger musical buffet than we get today and all that stuff that I felt was relevant then is still relevant now. It's just that it's not the main fare of the day, and I just wanted to create
a platform for that kind of stuff to be exposed, the kind of artists that made me feel the way that I felt then, and I was a kid and I knew it was good. I knew it was pure, and even if it was some cursing in it, but I knew it was funky. I knew it was something that was coming from a higher place than a lot of the stuff that you hear nowadays that's just derelict. Man, I just wanted to give haven to that and that's where it really started. So as a company, well as a concept it started while I was living in Atlanta, and I was alongside the founder of The Funk Jazz Caf a guy named Jason Orr, and he started The Funk Jazz Caf in 1994 I think, and I was in Atlanta going to Morehouse. And I knew that if I came back home to Detroit, the only way that I was going to be able to stay here is to really tap into the music community. Because when I came home, it just wasn't really feeling like the way I needed it to feel and that's why I started Urban Organic and that was really the genesis of it.
TW: Who were some of the first acts that you tapped into?
DP: Some of the first acts that I tapped into were...Well the very first show that we did. Well, I can go back to before Urban Organic, some of the first acts that I tapped into when I first got back home, a group called Jade Blue Jays a group like Gil Scott Heron-types, you know. Then the legendary Harold McKinney, who was the jazz dean, the vanguard, the father of Detroit. So I booked him, and then he educated the crowd. And the people were just like, 'Wow!' They were just amazed by his musical knowledge. I knew who he was, but I just didn't know, and his wife and his daughters, and those were the people I brought in initially. And then, my first Urban Organic show I brought in a guy named Paul Hill. I don't know if you're familiar with Paul Hill, but four almost five years ago Paul Hill kind of had a buzz behind his name. Everybody was checking for him, so we did a show with Paul. We also did a show with Black Big Arnold(?) Jessica Care Moore. We had a couple of different jazz trios, and it was cool. And it was a multimedia venue that I hadn't seen here before, and it created the kind of vibe that made me feel encouraged about what I was seeing here in Detroit, and I just wanted to continue that and help it to grow.
TW: What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome in putting together Urban Organic?
DP: The challenges that I've had to overcome were numerous. You know it's a number of them. Artists will always be artists. Not every artist is the same. They all come with their own peculiarities and idiosycracies, but some are more difficult than others. Managers, artists who think that they're worth more than they are. I mean. They may be great artists, but their market value might not be enough for them to warrant what they're asking for. I mean financing these ventures is always a challenge because you don't always know. These aren't always artists who have millions of album sales. So you don't have a measure to go by. You just have to go by what I'm thinking that my peers feeling about a particular artist, and you don't always get it right. You know, so the challenge is always trying to find that balance between what's good on record and what's entertaining live and just be true to that.
TW: Who are some of your favorite artists that you've had a chance to feature?
DP: Some of my favorite artists that I've had a chance to feature...Allison Crockett, an amazing pianist and vocalist, Swai who is from here. She just recently signed with Motown. She plays the guitar as well as the piano. Obviously, Kem is one of my favorites. Neela James is incredible, Kindred, Fertile Ground. I really like those artists, and I think that they really bring something unique to the table, and I could go on and on. But if I had to really to just name the ones that I really enjoy the most, those would be the ones that I would mention.
TW: What are some of the future plans that you've got?
DP: Well the thing that I would really like to do. You know, and I've perservered for a number of years to try and make certain that this continues because I really don't see anyone else doing it. And what I really would like to do is, you know how you see Ford and Comerica
sponsoring this today...I would like to see more of that. I'm getting a lot of calls, and I'm getting more calls from advertising agencies and different entities that are trying to do things with us, but everyone wants to do stuff for free. But there's obviously an untapped market that I'm trying to get these advertising agencies to understand that is existing. I would like to see more advertising, music licensing, more concert tour opportunities. I would like to get the backing of a major recording labels, different sponsorship...
TW: This has been Terrill Wyche for OpenAir. Thanks.
Drake Phifer, the mastermind of Urban Organic.
Two years ago, I attended a Donny concert at the 5th Avenue club downtown. A few months later, I attended another concert at the 5th Avenue club downtown. Matthias opened for Kindred The Family Soul. Both times I enjoyed myself thorougly, and I do not attend concerts very often. I had heard that both concerts were promoted by Urban Organic. I wondered who was the genius behind Urban Organic, and how did he/she/they get these incredible acts so consistently. Finally, I got the chance to meet the mastermind behind the Urban Organic concept. I attended the Amie Larrieux concert at the Charles H. Wright Museum. Oh, yes did I mention that this concert was a free concert. How does Urban Organic do it? Well, I found out, and here is the story.
Ms. Larrieux dazzling the audience at an Urban Organic concert.
The mastermind behind Urban Organic is Mr. Drake Phifer.
TW: How did you get started with this (Urban Organic)?
DP: With Urban Organic? You know. I really have to say. It started way back in the days of WJZZ as a kid, going around listening to Donald Byrd, listening to Gil Scott Heron, Bob James, Rosetta Hines, hearing all that good music back in the day, and really just being...The Electrifying Mojo, just the rich musical introduction I felt I had and many of us had as kids who grew up in the 70s, and I guess a larger musical buffet than we get today and all that stuff that I felt was relevant then is still relevant now. It's just that it's not the main fare of the day, and I just wanted to create
a platform for that kind of stuff to be exposed, the kind of artists that made me feel the way that I felt then, and I was a kid and I knew it was good. I knew it was pure, and even if it was some cursing in it, but I knew it was funky. I knew it was something that was coming from a higher place than a lot of the stuff that you hear nowadays that's just derelict. Man, I just wanted to give haven to that and that's where it really started. So as a company, well as a concept it started while I was living in Atlanta, and I was alongside the founder of The Funk Jazz Caf a guy named Jason Orr, and he started The Funk Jazz Caf in 1994 I think, and I was in Atlanta going to Morehouse. And I knew that if I came back home to Detroit, the only way that I was going to be able to stay here is to really tap into the music community. Because when I came home, it just wasn't really feeling like the way I needed it to feel and that's why I started Urban Organic and that was really the genesis of it.
TW: Who were some of the first acts that you tapped into?
DP: Some of the first acts that I tapped into were...Well the very first show that we did. Well, I can go back to before Urban Organic, some of the first acts that I tapped into when I first got back home, a group called Jade Blue Jays a group like Gil Scott Heron-types, you know. Then the legendary Harold McKinney, who was the jazz dean, the vanguard, the father of Detroit. So I booked him, and then he educated the crowd. And the people were just like, 'Wow!' They were just amazed by his musical knowledge. I knew who he was, but I just didn't know, and his wife and his daughters, and those were the people I brought in initially. And then, my first Urban Organic show I brought in a guy named Paul Hill. I don't know if you're familiar with Paul Hill, but four almost five years ago Paul Hill kind of had a buzz behind his name. Everybody was checking for him, so we did a show with Paul. We also did a show with Black Big Arnold(?) Jessica Care Moore. We had a couple of different jazz trios, and it was cool. And it was a multimedia venue that I hadn't seen here before, and it created the kind of vibe that made me feel encouraged about what I was seeing here in Detroit, and I just wanted to continue that and help it to grow.
TW: What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome in putting together Urban Organic?
DP: The challenges that I've had to overcome were numerous. You know it's a number of them. Artists will always be artists. Not every artist is the same. They all come with their own peculiarities and idiosycracies, but some are more difficult than others. Managers, artists who think that they're worth more than they are. I mean. They may be great artists, but their market value might not be enough for them to warrant what they're asking for. I mean financing these ventures is always a challenge because you don't always know. These aren't always artists who have millions of album sales. So you don't have a measure to go by. You just have to go by what I'm thinking that my peers feeling about a particular artist, and you don't always get it right. You know, so the challenge is always trying to find that balance between what's good on record and what's entertaining live and just be true to that.
TW: Who are some of your favorite artists that you've had a chance to feature?
DP: Some of my favorite artists that I've had a chance to feature...Allison Crockett, an amazing pianist and vocalist, Swai who is from here. She just recently signed with Motown. She plays the guitar as well as the piano. Obviously, Kem is one of my favorites. Neela James is incredible, Kindred, Fertile Ground. I really like those artists, and I think that they really bring something unique to the table, and I could go on and on. But if I had to really to just name the ones that I really enjoy the most, those would be the ones that I would mention.
TW: What are some of the future plans that you've got?
DP: Well the thing that I would really like to do. You know, and I've perservered for a number of years to try and make certain that this continues because I really don't see anyone else doing it. And what I really would like to do is, you know how you see Ford and Comerica
sponsoring this today...I would like to see more of that. I'm getting a lot of calls, and I'm getting more calls from advertising agencies and different entities that are trying to do things with us, but everyone wants to do stuff for free. But there's obviously an untapped market that I'm trying to get these advertising agencies to understand that is existing. I would like to see more advertising, music licensing, more concert tour opportunities. I would like to get the backing of a major recording labels, different sponsorship...
TW: This has been Terrill Wyche for OpenAir. Thanks.
Drake Phifer, the mastermind of Urban Organic.
Bilal Returns
This is Terrill Wyche for OpenAir. I've been away a long while, and I'm glad to be home. I was surfing the depths of the Internet and the waves therein, and I get a call on the cellphone. It's Bilal. Yes, Bilal Mutawassim, author of AstroCanvases and one of our subject from our flagship anthology OpenAir. He told me that he was googling, searched his name and found his interview. This prompted a call and this he told me. Pardon the Joni Mitchell reference. On July 25th, 2008, Bilal, under the alias Detroit Bleu releases his latest album entitled Gypsy Brew.
It's a special blend of reggae, acid jazz, and techno music featuring himself on trumpet, percussion, and keyboards. You can listen to the MP3s of the tracks in care of Amazon.com. While you can listen to the tracks, you cannot download them because the album has not yet been released. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C3E7WG/ref=dm_sp_adp?ie=UTF8&qid=1215306229&sr=8-12. On July 25, 2008, pick up a copy.
Note: Photo by Amazon.com
This has been suttwa for OpenAir.
Rob Tymek: Poet, Comedian, Actor, and Leader of Men
TW: This is Terrill Wyche for OpenAir, and we have for today...
RT: Rob Tymek.
TW: OK, Ive been coming here (The Phog Lounge) (for) roughly about a month, and Ive dug your sets. How did you get into slam?
RT: How do you get into slam? Um, (pause) I think it came mainly from seeing Matt (Gypsy Eyes) at the Juice Poetry before that, and plugged the slam out of Juice Poetry Reading. And I decided to go. It was simple as that. It was word of mouth.
TW: Tell us about some of your background in the arts.
RT: OK, my biggest claim to fame right now in the arts community would be that I run my own theater company called Monkeys with a Typewriter. Its all about producing original drama written by a local playwright. So, Im actually a local playwright myself. Ive lost count of the number of productions that Ive put on for myself or had other theater companies put on, and Ive actually made money on it. So, I actually consider myself a playwright now. In terms of the arts, thats my biggest artistic achievement right now. Its having a theater company.
TW: So how does your artistic training influence your delivery and technique?
RT: My formal training?
TW: Yeah.
RT: Very little. I dropped out of drama school, very early on into it. Obviously (I) did a lot of high school drama, pursued it at a post-secondary level, found it to be fairly useless. There are a lot of degrees that you need in order to do a career, but drama is certainly not one of them. It really depends on the program. I am aware now of some really good post-secondary programs that teach drama, but the one I was in, by going out and just experiencing the real world would have done a lot more for me and thats eventually what I wound up doing.
TW: I notice that you have an incredible sense of comedic timing and delivery. How did you develop that?
RT: How to develop that? Um, thousands and thousands of hours performing as a professional clown more than likely. Um, obviously some theater experience too. You know. Ive done comedy clubs. All my comedy, I actually do officially under a stage name which is Tim Pimlico cause I dont like to blend my drama and my childrens entertainment stuff too much with my comedy side. So Ive done a lot of comedy clubs too. But in all honesty, I probably developed most of my comedic timing from being a professional clown. Cause you get thrown in these peoples basement(s), and youre being basically, not totally outright, but youre being told, We just blew $120.00 for you to come here and entertain us for an hour, so you better be damn good, and you better make us laugh our asses off. And you know, you dont develop comedic timing more quickly than under those circumstances. So thats where a lot of that comes from.
TW: We saw you in an independent film, about two weeks ago...
RT: Mmmm. Hmmm.
TW: Tell us a little bit about that.
RT: The independent film is entitled, The Eternal Present. It was by Otto Buj whose actually a fantastic filmmaker. Hes right here from Windsor. His whole goal was to produce a movie locally, so he put out some audition calls in the Windsor Star, so I actually read that particular newspaper now and again. Although more times than not it ends up as a liner for my bird cage. Thats some of my comedic timing (facetiously added). But anyway, (laughs) so I responded to it, I checked it out. There was an audition. I acted really well with Otto. He saw me in this very, very, creepy role. Im not sure if that should be flattering, but um....
TW: Well Vincent Price made a living at it.
RT: Thats right! Thats true! So I played a creepy undertaker, and I had a great time doing it.
I actually did at one point get to climb into a real coffin, not for the movie. I was just in a funeral parlor, wondered what it would be like to be in a coffin. So, I had some time between takes. So, I climbed in, creeped the hell out of everybody else that was filming with me that day. So, that was a lot of fun.
TW: OK. Tell me what are some of the things you intend to do with your poetry.
RT: My poetry specifically?
TW: Yeah.
RT: Um, Im gonna keep slamming for sure. Cause, ya know. Theres some money in slamming, at least. So, thats nice, and may I be honest with you, Ive got a very capitalistic side to me. If youre not going to pay me some cash, Im only gonna do so much for ya.
TW: Thats good.
RT: Yeah! So the slam is nice. I dont do the reading rooms as much. Theyre not offering me any money to do the reading rooms. Cause there other things besides slam. There are a couple of reading rooms here in Windsor, and um, I have to admit I kind of have fun doing this too, even when Im being serious. And so, I dont mind if Ive got nothing to do on say a Wednesday night...Theyre doing the Juice (Juice Poetry) or the Kinetic Poetry. Um, Ill go out and do it. You know; if for nothing else I can practice my sets for the slam. So um, I have spoken to one or two local publishers on both sides of the river, and it expressed an interest, but for whatever reasons, the deal hasnt gone down. But Im not really pushing to get my work published, its not a big goal of mine. When it comes to writing, Im really much more interested in plays, and therefore producing original plays that Ive written. So poetry is very much a back burner thing, and its very much something I do just for a laugh.
TW: Thats interesting, but you do it so well....
RT: Thank you.
TW: Have you thought about doing any CDs? You know a lot of poets have CDs.
RT: Yeah, I hear about this whole CD thing. Um, I think from my own perspective. I cant ever see myself listening to an entire spoken word CD from beginning to end. So, I wouldnt wanna put someone else through that. So I.....CDs that interest me....I notice that people are sort of self-publishing a bit, and I may turn around and do that some day. Maybe sell that. Sort of as I perform spoken word. Ya know maybe some day. I might develop a bigger ambition to do this, but at this point, its a hobby. I think, more than anything.
TW: Hmmm. Interesting. Well, so its more or less a labor of love.
RT: For the most part, I used to that a lot with radio too actually. Ive done a lot of community radio. It was the same thing. It was just goofing off and having fun. I would like to do some professional radio and get paid for it some day, but it turned out to be just a good time more than anything. Literally friends and I would get together and gatecrash CJAM because the DJs would not show up to do their shows often. So we just take over the airways a couple of hours til somebody showed up to do their show, and that was fun. And ya know it was funny cause like I actually did a real radio show there too, but it was just hilarious that so many people that did radio and took it all serious, and I was there more just to goof off than anything. And the same thing with poetry really, I find that when you start taking your craft or your art too seriously anyway; youre shooting yourself in the foot. You get caught in your own hype. I think.
TW: Well that should do it for this session of OpenAir. This has been Terrill Wyche. Thank you.
RT: Rob Tymek.
TW: OK, Ive been coming here (The Phog Lounge) (for) roughly about a month, and Ive dug your sets. How did you get into slam?
RT: How do you get into slam? Um, (pause) I think it came mainly from seeing Matt (Gypsy Eyes) at the Juice Poetry before that, and plugged the slam out of Juice Poetry Reading. And I decided to go. It was simple as that. It was word of mouth.
TW: Tell us about some of your background in the arts.
RT: OK, my biggest claim to fame right now in the arts community would be that I run my own theater company called Monkeys with a Typewriter. Its all about producing original drama written by a local playwright. So, Im actually a local playwright myself. Ive lost count of the number of productions that Ive put on for myself or had other theater companies put on, and Ive actually made money on it. So, I actually consider myself a playwright now. In terms of the arts, thats my biggest artistic achievement right now. Its having a theater company.
TW: So how does your artistic training influence your delivery and technique?
RT: My formal training?
TW: Yeah.
RT: Very little. I dropped out of drama school, very early on into it. Obviously (I) did a lot of high school drama, pursued it at a post-secondary level, found it to be fairly useless. There are a lot of degrees that you need in order to do a career, but drama is certainly not one of them. It really depends on the program. I am aware now of some really good post-secondary programs that teach drama, but the one I was in, by going out and just experiencing the real world would have done a lot more for me and thats eventually what I wound up doing.
TW: I notice that you have an incredible sense of comedic timing and delivery. How did you develop that?
RT: How to develop that? Um, thousands and thousands of hours performing as a professional clown more than likely. Um, obviously some theater experience too. You know. Ive done comedy clubs. All my comedy, I actually do officially under a stage name which is Tim Pimlico cause I dont like to blend my drama and my childrens entertainment stuff too much with my comedy side. So Ive done a lot of comedy clubs too. But in all honesty, I probably developed most of my comedic timing from being a professional clown. Cause you get thrown in these peoples basement(s), and youre being basically, not totally outright, but youre being told, We just blew $120.00 for you to come here and entertain us for an hour, so you better be damn good, and you better make us laugh our asses off. And you know, you dont develop comedic timing more quickly than under those circumstances. So thats where a lot of that comes from.
TW: We saw you in an independent film, about two weeks ago...
RT: Mmmm. Hmmm.
TW: Tell us a little bit about that.
RT: The independent film is entitled, The Eternal Present. It was by Otto Buj whose actually a fantastic filmmaker. Hes right here from Windsor. His whole goal was to produce a movie locally, so he put out some audition calls in the Windsor Star, so I actually read that particular newspaper now and again. Although more times than not it ends up as a liner for my bird cage. Thats some of my comedic timing (facetiously added). But anyway, (laughs) so I responded to it, I checked it out. There was an audition. I acted really well with Otto. He saw me in this very, very, creepy role. Im not sure if that should be flattering, but um....
TW: Well Vincent Price made a living at it.
RT: Thats right! Thats true! So I played a creepy undertaker, and I had a great time doing it.
I actually did at one point get to climb into a real coffin, not for the movie. I was just in a funeral parlor, wondered what it would be like to be in a coffin. So, I had some time between takes. So, I climbed in, creeped the hell out of everybody else that was filming with me that day. So, that was a lot of fun.
TW: OK. Tell me what are some of the things you intend to do with your poetry.
RT: My poetry specifically?
TW: Yeah.
RT: Um, Im gonna keep slamming for sure. Cause, ya know. Theres some money in slamming, at least. So, thats nice, and may I be honest with you, Ive got a very capitalistic side to me. If youre not going to pay me some cash, Im only gonna do so much for ya.
TW: Thats good.
RT: Yeah! So the slam is nice. I dont do the reading rooms as much. Theyre not offering me any money to do the reading rooms. Cause there other things besides slam. There are a couple of reading rooms here in Windsor, and um, I have to admit I kind of have fun doing this too, even when Im being serious. And so, I dont mind if Ive got nothing to do on say a Wednesday night...Theyre doing the Juice (Juice Poetry) or the Kinetic Poetry. Um, Ill go out and do it. You know; if for nothing else I can practice my sets for the slam. So um, I have spoken to one or two local publishers on both sides of the river, and it expressed an interest, but for whatever reasons, the deal hasnt gone down. But Im not really pushing to get my work published, its not a big goal of mine. When it comes to writing, Im really much more interested in plays, and therefore producing original plays that Ive written. So poetry is very much a back burner thing, and its very much something I do just for a laugh.
TW: Thats interesting, but you do it so well....
RT: Thank you.
TW: Have you thought about doing any CDs? You know a lot of poets have CDs.
RT: Yeah, I hear about this whole CD thing. Um, I think from my own perspective. I cant ever see myself listening to an entire spoken word CD from beginning to end. So, I wouldnt wanna put someone else through that. So I.....CDs that interest me....I notice that people are sort of self-publishing a bit, and I may turn around and do that some day. Maybe sell that. Sort of as I perform spoken word. Ya know maybe some day. I might develop a bigger ambition to do this, but at this point, its a hobby. I think, more than anything.
TW: Hmmm. Interesting. Well, so its more or less a labor of love.
RT: For the most part, I used to that a lot with radio too actually. Ive done a lot of community radio. It was the same thing. It was just goofing off and having fun. I would like to do some professional radio and get paid for it some day, but it turned out to be just a good time more than anything. Literally friends and I would get together and gatecrash CJAM because the DJs would not show up to do their shows often. So we just take over the airways a couple of hours til somebody showed up to do their show, and that was fun. And ya know it was funny cause like I actually did a real radio show there too, but it was just hilarious that so many people that did radio and took it all serious, and I was there more just to goof off than anything. And the same thing with poetry really, I find that when you start taking your craft or your art too seriously anyway; youre shooting yourself in the foot. You get caught in your own hype. I think.
TW: Well that should do it for this session of OpenAir. This has been Terrill Wyche. Thank you.
A Short Talk with Faruq Z. Bey
his is suttwa, a. k. a., Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir. Last night, GCL and I attended a poetry set called The First Peace and Love Poetry and Jazz Jam. It was hosted by Lauren Chaisson in the Ray Mix Room #E-125 at Wayne County Community College District, Downriver Campus at 21000 Northline Road in Taylor, MI.
The featured artists were The Barefootpoet Ann Holdreith and M. L. Liebler and the Magic Poetry Band, with special guest jazz musicians Dan Mayberry on upright bass and Jabiya E. Dragonsun on percussion.
During the open mic portion of the set, GCL noticed this tall man playing immaculate saxophone with an oxygen pack. Mr. Bey has a chronic bronchial condition that requires him to wear and take oxygen. Yet he played brilliantly without apparent fatigue. We later learned that it was Mr. Faruq Z. Bey. He has played with everyone in the jazz community locally and many internationally. I first learned about him via my music instructor Mr. Kasusku Mafia, a local jazz and motown legend, whose work was featured in the film documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Ms. Aurora Harris has performed with him, and she has featured his band Griot Galaxy in past shows. Though I only had the empty backs of two pieces of paper and GCL's felt-tipped pen, when GCL told me to, 'Get 'im,' in the facetious sense of course, I knew that I was officially on assignment. So we begin.
TW: When did you find your musical gift?
FB: Well as a child, my two older cousins were both bebop musicians. When I was 13, I started playing bass until I went into the Air Force, playing in blues bands around the base. When I got out, I heard John Coltrane playing 'My Favorite Things' on soprano, and I realized I couldn't do that on bass, so I found the saxophone.
TW: How did you learn the saxophone at such an advanced age?
FB: It's about intent, then desire, and then discipline. The saxophone is a lifelong study. You never master it. You may master an aspect of it or master musical theory, but you never master it. It's about whatever you intend to do with it and applying yourself. When I started practicing, I used to measure it in terms of hours, but now I play wherever I can, although I have to deal with the mundane, making a living and so forth.
TW: How did you find M. L. Liebler?
FB: M. L. and I have been together for 20 years. When I was with the Griots, the Magic Poetry Band went through a lot of changes, and again it goes back to intent. What is called music now is derived from speech, especially with Africans in the diaspora. Music is a true attempt to communicate on the level of speech.
TW: What keeps you going?
FB: It's desire and intent and application. Sound is axial to my existence. We are far from realizing it. All the things the ancients did, I believe they did with sound. It's a matter of proper utilization of sound. In one of the oldest books, a brother said, "All is wave."
I'm not so much into entertaining as in the manipulation of sound. If someone hears it, all the better...
TW: Well thank Mr. Bey. This has been suttwa, a. k. a., Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
The featured artists were The Barefootpoet Ann Holdreith and M. L. Liebler and the Magic Poetry Band, with special guest jazz musicians Dan Mayberry on upright bass and Jabiya E. Dragonsun on percussion.
During the open mic portion of the set, GCL noticed this tall man playing immaculate saxophone with an oxygen pack. Mr. Bey has a chronic bronchial condition that requires him to wear and take oxygen. Yet he played brilliantly without apparent fatigue. We later learned that it was Mr. Faruq Z. Bey. He has played with everyone in the jazz community locally and many internationally. I first learned about him via my music instructor Mr. Kasusku Mafia, a local jazz and motown legend, whose work was featured in the film documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Ms. Aurora Harris has performed with him, and she has featured his band Griot Galaxy in past shows. Though I only had the empty backs of two pieces of paper and GCL's felt-tipped pen, when GCL told me to, 'Get 'im,' in the facetious sense of course, I knew that I was officially on assignment. So we begin.
TW: When did you find your musical gift?
FB: Well as a child, my two older cousins were both bebop musicians. When I was 13, I started playing bass until I went into the Air Force, playing in blues bands around the base. When I got out, I heard John Coltrane playing 'My Favorite Things' on soprano, and I realized I couldn't do that on bass, so I found the saxophone.
TW: How did you learn the saxophone at such an advanced age?
FB: It's about intent, then desire, and then discipline. The saxophone is a lifelong study. You never master it. You may master an aspect of it or master musical theory, but you never master it. It's about whatever you intend to do with it and applying yourself. When I started practicing, I used to measure it in terms of hours, but now I play wherever I can, although I have to deal with the mundane, making a living and so forth.
TW: How did you find M. L. Liebler?
FB: M. L. and I have been together for 20 years. When I was with the Griots, the Magic Poetry Band went through a lot of changes, and again it goes back to intent. What is called music now is derived from speech, especially with Africans in the diaspora. Music is a true attempt to communicate on the level of speech.
TW: What keeps you going?
FB: It's desire and intent and application. Sound is axial to my existence. We are far from realizing it. All the things the ancients did, I believe they did with sound. It's a matter of proper utilization of sound. In one of the oldest books, a brother said, "All is wave."
I'm not so much into entertaining as in the manipulation of sound. If someone hears it, all the better...
TW: Well thank Mr. Bey. This has been suttwa, a. k. a., Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
Otto Buj: Innovator and Rising, Young Genius
This is suttwa, a. k. a. Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir. Today independent filmmakers seem to be everywhere. Their stories range from the mundane to the sublime. What makes a filmmaker distinctive? Is it the manner in which he develops a character or a plot? Is in his plot twists? Dialog? Every now and then, not often though, one comes along who makes great work with modest resources, manages to develop his storys characters while simultaneously developing his storys plot. The really special ones even manage to support a philosophical theme also. Such a man is Otto Buj.
The following two paragraphs are from the Media release of his acclaimed film, The Eternal Present.
Film Synopsis
Shortly after taking a job processing obituaries, a young man becomes inadvertently involved in the death of an old woman that he stops to help. Only when he reads about the accident in his own newspaper days later, does he com to realize that he was critical detail in the turn of events that led to her demise. After encountering another person who presumably goes missing, he is convinced that he has been wound into a plot for which he has been cast as an agent of Fate.
About the Filmmaker
Born in Toronto on March 12, 1969, Otto Buj is an art school dropout and self-invented filmmaker currently based in Windsor, Ontario. He established and programmed the Kinotek Film Society from 1991 to 1997, a respected showcase that screened rarely-seen foreign and independent films. he recently curated Representing Cinema and the Art of the Film Poster, an exhibition of rare and original film posters from his personal collection, which is currently traveling to twelve venues across Canada (with a recent stop at Wayne State University in Detroit). The exhibition will be expanding in late 2006, circulated to larger international venues, and accompanied by an extensive publication.
I found Mr. Buj to be a very approachable person, generous with his time and space neither of which he has in great supply. He is introspective and seems to draw inspiration from his own view of the world, not from other artists and filmmakers per se. This is another trait of brilliant artists and people. They dont imitate anyone and dont remind you of anyone either. We met about two weeks ago outside the Phog Lounge. He generously took me around the corner to a small, intimate coffee shop and even bought me a chai latt.
Now Im not a completely naive, though a substantially inexperienced journalist. I realize that act may have been to butter me up. However, I didnt sense that. Mr. Buj is sincere. The manner in which he speaks to his colleagues and friends doesnt suggest that he has grown too big for his britches. He is realistic about his chances at Hollywood discovery, but he remains undaunted. He pushes ahead, realizing that his friends and family may doubt him and some fair-weather companions may abandon him. Even after we (GCL, Phoenix, and I) attended the premiere, Mr. Buj took at least 20 minutes to answer questions and hosted an affair celebrating the event at a nearby restaurant. Filmmaker, public relations agent, director, and creator are just some of the many hats Mr. Buj has had to wear. Lets, however, converse with the Mr. Otto Buj.
TW: This is Terrill Wyche for OpenAir, and we have...
OB: Otto Buj from Windsor here to talk to him about a film I just did called The Eternal Present, premiered in Windsor November 14, 2004.
TW: Lets get started. Tell us how you got started in film making. There are many people that Ive met in the poetry community, in the art community, that desire to do film even on the level of music videos. So, how is it that you got started in film?
OB: I got into the video arts about 10 years ago. Within that time, I ran a repertory theater here in Windsor called the Kinotek Film Society. They used to show a lot of American independent films, older films, foreign films, films that normally people wouldnt see. In all that time the private ambition was to write and shoot. What it is I think is with shooting a film. I wont say its not difficult. Its difficult from the standpoint of managing the production, but its a very simple process. Its just the process itself. Theres a lot of organization, and a lot of responsibilities that you cant get slack on. You really have to keep it up; once you start. Because that attitude I think is film.
TW: OK, well when you were coming up, as a child, who were some of your favorite filmmakers?
OB: I really dont have a big interest in film. When I was younger, I had a big interest in horror movies. Even my interest in horror movies were the ones that had a different psychological element. Influences are certainly European 1960s cinema in particular directors like Godard, Bergman, and a later film like Performance by Nicholas Roeg with co-director Donald Cammell. I dont have an active interest in contemporary film making.
TW: How did you start collecting rare film posters?
OB: That kind of reconciles many areas of interest. One is certainly an interest in cinema as an art form. The second one is that I have an academic background in visual arts.
TW: Where did you study?
OB: I studied at the University of Windsor. The third one is that Ive worked for many years as a graphic designer. The exhibition encompasses all of those areas. The exhibition is based upon the premise of film poster design that transcends advertising conventions.
In plainer English, they are film posters that dont look like traditional film posters, often influenced by the fine arts in their design.
TW: Give us an example of that.
OB: The Soviet constructionist period of the 1920s and 30s or expressionist influenced German posters of the same period, or lets say Polish film poster design after
WW II. The work Saul Bass in the United States.
TW: What would be an example of his?
OB: An example of it would be Man with the Golden Arm or Anatomy of a Murder. Those films were mid-to-late 50s. These are four areas that would be relevant to the exhibition.
TW: So, when you filmed The Eternal Present, were you consciously trying to capture an artistic effect reminiscent of some of those posters?
OB: With the film, I approached it so that you had to visually deal with the subject in a dramatic fashion. Thats why cinematography was so important to the film. Shots were very carefully considered. A lot of compositional considerations went into it. No matter how low- budget your film is, it doesnt have to look poorly-conceived. Theres no reason for it not to look good with a little craftsmanship and care.
TW: How did you find the actors for the film?
OB: Most of them responded to casting calls that were publicly advertised. The lead actor was someone I personally asked to consider doing it, and he accepted. Everybody were from theater groups, drama students or first-timers.
TW: Tell us about your graphic design career.
OB: It has certainly influenced my appreciation for the value of style, not just the style but the value developing a style.
TW: Explain that a little.
OB: For more sophisticated graphic design, you actually have to develop a language or code of system that you develop to carry the information that youre designing. Its how the information is presented. You actually consider carefully. In much the same way with a film, its not the story that necessarily matters most, but how the story is told.
TW: Have you had any experiences with film festivals?
OB: One acceptance so far, Victoria Independence Film and Video Festival in Victoria, B.C.
TW: What do you think about Canne?
OB: I think one thing about most major festivals is that they cater to the established film industry. Theres not much room for true independence because the industry does not have a lot at stake in the success or failure of these films.
TW: What are some future goals that you have?
OB: The main goal is to finish a first film such that you can make a second film. The momentum of one should facilitate the following one.
TW: This is mainly a financial concern.
OB: Financial is a fact that we wish we could ignore. Creative energy is valuable but costs nothing. Money is hard to get but can be found anywhere. Its this weird paradox. Its there. Its a matter of getting it, but without the idea theres no film, no art, no product, nothing.
This has been Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
The following two paragraphs are from the Media release of his acclaimed film, The Eternal Present.
Film Synopsis
Shortly after taking a job processing obituaries, a young man becomes inadvertently involved in the death of an old woman that he stops to help. Only when he reads about the accident in his own newspaper days later, does he com to realize that he was critical detail in the turn of events that led to her demise. After encountering another person who presumably goes missing, he is convinced that he has been wound into a plot for which he has been cast as an agent of Fate.
About the Filmmaker
Born in Toronto on March 12, 1969, Otto Buj is an art school dropout and self-invented filmmaker currently based in Windsor, Ontario. He established and programmed the Kinotek Film Society from 1991 to 1997, a respected showcase that screened rarely-seen foreign and independent films. he recently curated Representing Cinema and the Art of the Film Poster, an exhibition of rare and original film posters from his personal collection, which is currently traveling to twelve venues across Canada (with a recent stop at Wayne State University in Detroit). The exhibition will be expanding in late 2006, circulated to larger international venues, and accompanied by an extensive publication.
I found Mr. Buj to be a very approachable person, generous with his time and space neither of which he has in great supply. He is introspective and seems to draw inspiration from his own view of the world, not from other artists and filmmakers per se. This is another trait of brilliant artists and people. They dont imitate anyone and dont remind you of anyone either. We met about two weeks ago outside the Phog Lounge. He generously took me around the corner to a small, intimate coffee shop and even bought me a chai latt.
Now Im not a completely naive, though a substantially inexperienced journalist. I realize that act may have been to butter me up. However, I didnt sense that. Mr. Buj is sincere. The manner in which he speaks to his colleagues and friends doesnt suggest that he has grown too big for his britches. He is realistic about his chances at Hollywood discovery, but he remains undaunted. He pushes ahead, realizing that his friends and family may doubt him and some fair-weather companions may abandon him. Even after we (GCL, Phoenix, and I) attended the premiere, Mr. Buj took at least 20 minutes to answer questions and hosted an affair celebrating the event at a nearby restaurant. Filmmaker, public relations agent, director, and creator are just some of the many hats Mr. Buj has had to wear. Lets, however, converse with the Mr. Otto Buj.
TW: This is Terrill Wyche for OpenAir, and we have...
OB: Otto Buj from Windsor here to talk to him about a film I just did called The Eternal Present, premiered in Windsor November 14, 2004.
TW: Lets get started. Tell us how you got started in film making. There are many people that Ive met in the poetry community, in the art community, that desire to do film even on the level of music videos. So, how is it that you got started in film?
OB: I got into the video arts about 10 years ago. Within that time, I ran a repertory theater here in Windsor called the Kinotek Film Society. They used to show a lot of American independent films, older films, foreign films, films that normally people wouldnt see. In all that time the private ambition was to write and shoot. What it is I think is with shooting a film. I wont say its not difficult. Its difficult from the standpoint of managing the production, but its a very simple process. Its just the process itself. Theres a lot of organization, and a lot of responsibilities that you cant get slack on. You really have to keep it up; once you start. Because that attitude I think is film.
TW: OK, well when you were coming up, as a child, who were some of your favorite filmmakers?
OB: I really dont have a big interest in film. When I was younger, I had a big interest in horror movies. Even my interest in horror movies were the ones that had a different psychological element. Influences are certainly European 1960s cinema in particular directors like Godard, Bergman, and a later film like Performance by Nicholas Roeg with co-director Donald Cammell. I dont have an active interest in contemporary film making.
TW: How did you start collecting rare film posters?
OB: That kind of reconciles many areas of interest. One is certainly an interest in cinema as an art form. The second one is that I have an academic background in visual arts.
TW: Where did you study?
OB: I studied at the University of Windsor. The third one is that Ive worked for many years as a graphic designer. The exhibition encompasses all of those areas. The exhibition is based upon the premise of film poster design that transcends advertising conventions.
In plainer English, they are film posters that dont look like traditional film posters, often influenced by the fine arts in their design.
TW: Give us an example of that.
OB: The Soviet constructionist period of the 1920s and 30s or expressionist influenced German posters of the same period, or lets say Polish film poster design after
WW II. The work Saul Bass in the United States.
TW: What would be an example of his?
OB: An example of it would be Man with the Golden Arm or Anatomy of a Murder. Those films were mid-to-late 50s. These are four areas that would be relevant to the exhibition.
TW: So, when you filmed The Eternal Present, were you consciously trying to capture an artistic effect reminiscent of some of those posters?
OB: With the film, I approached it so that you had to visually deal with the subject in a dramatic fashion. Thats why cinematography was so important to the film. Shots were very carefully considered. A lot of compositional considerations went into it. No matter how low- budget your film is, it doesnt have to look poorly-conceived. Theres no reason for it not to look good with a little craftsmanship and care.
TW: How did you find the actors for the film?
OB: Most of them responded to casting calls that were publicly advertised. The lead actor was someone I personally asked to consider doing it, and he accepted. Everybody were from theater groups, drama students or first-timers.
TW: Tell us about your graphic design career.
OB: It has certainly influenced my appreciation for the value of style, not just the style but the value developing a style.
TW: Explain that a little.
OB: For more sophisticated graphic design, you actually have to develop a language or code of system that you develop to carry the information that youre designing. Its how the information is presented. You actually consider carefully. In much the same way with a film, its not the story that necessarily matters most, but how the story is told.
TW: Have you had any experiences with film festivals?
OB: One acceptance so far, Victoria Independence Film and Video Festival in Victoria, B.C.
TW: What do you think about Canne?
OB: I think one thing about most major festivals is that they cater to the established film industry. Theres not much room for true independence because the industry does not have a lot at stake in the success or failure of these films.
TW: What are some future goals that you have?
OB: The main goal is to finish a first film such that you can make a second film. The momentum of one should facilitate the following one.
TW: This is mainly a financial concern.
OB: Financial is a fact that we wish we could ignore. Creative energy is valuable but costs nothing. Money is hard to get but can be found anywhere. Its this weird paradox. Its there. Its a matter of getting it, but without the idea theres no film, no art, no product, nothing.
This has been Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
Ledisi-The Woman Who Can Sing Anything
This is Terrill S. Wyche for OpenAir.
Sorry for the long absence. I would like to introduce you to Ledisi. This woman is one who can sing anything. She performed at Prive this weekend, but I had to hear her voice, because I'd never heard her before. So, I downloaded three songs from iTunes. She can sing anything well. There are singers for whom that has been said, but when I heard her sing Oran "Juice" Jones' piece entitled 'The Rain,' then 'My Sensitivity,' then 'Better Than Nothing,' I was certain that I was right.
From what I heard, music literally is music to her. She has the powerful, clear voice with a solid range, but what makes her special is that she sounds comfortable singing with anyone. She has sung with the Braxton Brothers, Anibade (her own group), and she has three albums Soulsinger (US LeSun Records 2000) Feeling Orange And Sometimes Blue (US LeSun Records 2002) (Source: www.soulwalking.co.uk/Ledisi.html). None of these albums are available. When I bought the ticket to the concert, I tried Record Time, Borders, and Street Corner Music. None of them had her records in stock. Every time I asked about them, the clerk told me that they sold out all of the time.
According to her website, www.soulwalking.co.uk/Ledisi.html, she is from New Orleans but was raised in Oakland. Her mother was an R & B singer who exposed her to classical music, jazz, and gospel. This would explain why she is so comfortable singing jazz, R & B, and anything else, but I believe that training alone doesn't fully explain it.
Ledisi carries the show at Prive.
If you're ever blessed to see Ledisi in concert, you may see why she has had such a hard climb. When she performs, she can sing anybody's music and make it sound like hers. For example, she sang Luther Vandross' 'My Sensitvitity.' When she did, you couldn't hear any imitation of Luther, although you knew it was his song. When a performer can do that, it's hard for an Artist and Repertoire staffperson to market a singer like that. How do you classify him or her? Fortunately Verve records did sign her to a contract, so maybe this will last, and we'll hear more of her.
Ledisi continues to hold the crowd under her spell by performing one of her hits from the album 'Feeling Orange and Sometimes Blue.'
I was amazed at how many fans knew her lyrics and sang along during the concert. I felt like a square because I didn't know any of them, but that's my weakness. I have enormous difficulty learning lyrics, but life's for learning. Right? She even proved that she had the ability to interpret pop classics. She and the guitar player performed a heart-rending version of the Beatles 'Yesterday.'
Between, performing her own hits and the classics, I can't tell you what more she could do. On top of all of that, she danced, encouraged the band to improvise (and they pulled everything off masterfully), and made the club sound perfect. She just doesn't allow things like audio problems stop her, and there were some. So, if you ever get a chance to see Ledisi, do so. She is truly great. I say this because she doesn't remind you of anyone. She is truly unique.
What you need is an interview, which is forthcoming. So stay tuned...
Sorry for the long absence. I would like to introduce you to Ledisi. This woman is one who can sing anything. She performed at Prive this weekend, but I had to hear her voice, because I'd never heard her before. So, I downloaded three songs from iTunes. She can sing anything well. There are singers for whom that has been said, but when I heard her sing Oran "Juice" Jones' piece entitled 'The Rain,' then 'My Sensitivity,' then 'Better Than Nothing,' I was certain that I was right.
From what I heard, music literally is music to her. She has the powerful, clear voice with a solid range, but what makes her special is that she sounds comfortable singing with anyone. She has sung with the Braxton Brothers, Anibade (her own group), and she has three albums Soulsinger (US LeSun Records 2000) Feeling Orange And Sometimes Blue (US LeSun Records 2002) (Source: www.soulwalking.co.uk/Ledisi.html). None of these albums are available. When I bought the ticket to the concert, I tried Record Time, Borders, and Street Corner Music. None of them had her records in stock. Every time I asked about them, the clerk told me that they sold out all of the time.
According to her website, www.soulwalking.co.uk/Ledisi.html, she is from New Orleans but was raised in Oakland. Her mother was an R & B singer who exposed her to classical music, jazz, and gospel. This would explain why she is so comfortable singing jazz, R & B, and anything else, but I believe that training alone doesn't fully explain it.
Ledisi carries the show at Prive.
If you're ever blessed to see Ledisi in concert, you may see why she has had such a hard climb. When she performs, she can sing anybody's music and make it sound like hers. For example, she sang Luther Vandross' 'My Sensitvitity.' When she did, you couldn't hear any imitation of Luther, although you knew it was his song. When a performer can do that, it's hard for an Artist and Repertoire staffperson to market a singer like that. How do you classify him or her? Fortunately Verve records did sign her to a contract, so maybe this will last, and we'll hear more of her.
Ledisi continues to hold the crowd under her spell by performing one of her hits from the album 'Feeling Orange and Sometimes Blue.'I was amazed at how many fans knew her lyrics and sang along during the concert. I felt like a square because I didn't know any of them, but that's my weakness. I have enormous difficulty learning lyrics, but life's for learning. Right? She even proved that she had the ability to interpret pop classics. She and the guitar player performed a heart-rending version of the Beatles 'Yesterday.'
Between, performing her own hits and the classics, I can't tell you what more she could do. On top of all of that, she danced, encouraged the band to improvise (and they pulled everything off masterfully), and made the club sound perfect. She just doesn't allow things like audio problems stop her, and there were some. So, if you ever get a chance to see Ledisi, do so. She is truly great. I say this because she doesn't remind you of anyone. She is truly unique.
What you need is an interview, which is forthcoming. So stay tuned...
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