The Ohio Players Critic Pick

Riding The Love Roller Coaster

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Originally called the Ohio Untouchables, The Ohio Players filled the clubs and the radio with their signature funkadelic sound that, while owing their origins to predecessors like Sly and the Family Stone, far surpassed them, discovering new musical landscapes to explore. Album after album delivered a string of hits which included Funky Worm, Sweet, Sticky Thing, Fire, and probably one of the most covered and sampled funk tracks of the era, Love Roller Coaster. The Ohio Players will perform August 29th at 8:00pm at Kettering's Fraze Pavilion (695 Lincoln Park Blvd.) for the Fourth Annual Concert for Community, which benefits the United Way. All tickets are $15 for general admission. For more information, call (937) 296-3300.

(This article originally appeared in the August 27, 2008 edition of the Dayton City Paper.)

Joe Bonamassa Critic Pick

Bonamassa Brings Down The Thunder

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

The thunder rolled and the skies darkened menacingly on June 22nd as Joe Bonamassa took to the stage as the last act capping off Fraze Pavilion's Blues Fest. Perhaps it was out of jealously as the shearing blues riffs that Bonamassa coaxes from his guitar rival that of nature's fury. Bonamassa incorporates the fluid fusion of Delta blues, the early British Invasion's guitar virtuosos with the gritty juke joint rock and roll style of America.. Touring in support of his his latest albums, Sloe Gin and the recently released Live From Nowhere In Particular, Bonamassa is the firebrand of the new American blues.

The rescheduled show is slated for Monday, August 18 at the Fraze Pavilion. All previously purchased tickets for the June 22nd show will be honored and additional tickets are also available for purchase for $20 general admission. Box dinners are also available for this event.

(This article was originally published in the August 13, 2008 edition of the Dayton City Paper.)

The Deep Roots Of Cityfolk

Cityfolk Announces The 2008 Festival Line-Up

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
~Victor Hugo

The Robert Browning quote, “Who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once” has never been so eloquently illustrated as it has been by the Cityfolk Festival. The festival encompasses and embraces the most diverse melding of cultures, arts and music within the region and throughout the world, bringing together people for a three day reprieve from the solitude of our daily existence.

“The festival is really there to provide something for every corner of the Dayton community.” said Dave Barber, Cityfolk's Program Director, during a recent interview. “We usually try and cover a blues and R&B base and a jazz base. We try to cover our Celtic base, because that's an audience that we're very involved in and have a deep connection with. Both bluegrass music and country music have a strong base and a long tradition here, so that's absolutely essential to the mix. We're going to present a lot of Latin music, which we have this year. Then we have other pockets that we present in there. You'll see music from the Middle East and even French-Canadian and European.”
Barber went on to include some of the local elements that will be featured by stating, “We also showcase a lot of local bands too. We annually showcase Rhythm In Shoes and we present some old time bands like The Corn Drinkers, so there's another tier where we're trying to bring music that's in the region into the mix.”

When asked what differences audiences could expect from this year's festival, Barber said, “This year, the big change, schedule-wise, is that the festival is on Thursday through Saturday rather than Friday through Sunday and we're not closing with the fireworks night. The fireworks night will be on the first night of the festival, which is on Thursday. This year, I think we've got a great line-up. Ricky Nye, a great R&B, blues and boogie-woogie player from Cincinnati, Ruthie Foster, who's becoming a big star and Geno Delafos will all be on the main stage on fireworks night.”

Beyond the music, there are family friendly activities like a marionette workshop presented by the Mock Turtle Marionette Theater, a retired ambulance replete with computer and magnetic activities for children provided by the Children's Medical Center, interactive activities from Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and art-making projects created by the Dayton Art Institute and the K-12 Gallery for Young People.

Whether it's the soulful voice of Ruthie Foster, the Big Easy slide of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the spiritual a capella renderings of the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Quartet or the conga rhythms of Poncho Sanchez, there is a little something for every musical taste. You can come for the music, the food, the art or to just to be a part of Dayton's community of culture.

“I think whatever experiences that you've had in life comes out into that instrument, because of the things you might have went through. You can be playing the blues, right? You might have went through a period of your life that was really the blues, and that comes out through the instrument. But, if you've never really experienced anything, you really don't have nothing to say.”
~Roger Lewis
Baritone & Soprano Sax and Co-founder of the The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band has been rewriting the history of New Orleans music since 1977, re-energizing the sound with its incorporation of funk and be-bop into the mix. Between their interpretation and unique arrangements, their style has brought about a resurgence in the New Orleans traditional sound, letting the beat go on for future generations to come.

DCP: Everyones familiar with the tradition sound of New Orleans, but what's The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's blend of it?
Lewis: Well, our band is a combintion of a lot of different styles of music. We don't play one kind of music. We play New Orleans traditional music, which is hymns, and we play be-bop...there's a variety of different sounds that we do. We play cover tunes...we play everything! You name it! Sometimes we play it all in one song! You might hear a little bit of everything coming out of one arrangement. You might hear some avant garde, you might hear some traditional. You might hear some be-bop, you might hear classical sounding stuff...it's a big musical gumbo of sounds. It's also dance music. It's music for your mind, body and soul.

DCP: What does the group want to bring to an audience?
Lewis: Me personally, man...people go through a lot of stuff in the course of a week with what they have to deal with in life and when they come out to hear some music, it's an escape from that grind or whatever they're going through. My thing is, I want to spread peace, joy and happiness throughout the world through my music. I think that's what God made me to do. He allowed me to do this. I want everybody to have a good time and enjoy what we're doing. We got enough pain and the devil is just trying to get us in every way possible, so I'm trying to bring some joy to the people as a positive force, an energy force, you know? You know, it's a happy occasion and everybody's bumpin' and shakin' what they got to shake.

DCP: When you play the festivals, where you may have an audience that hasn't heard you before and who may have broad mix of musical tastes, what do you want them to take away from the performance?
Lewis: Well, we play a variety of different styles. We play a lot of our own personal arrangements and it's usually happy. I think it's uplifting, me personally speaking...it makes me feel good! I think when everybody leaves a Dirty Dozen concert, they feel spiritually uplifted. I don't mean 'spiritual' like gettin' religion, but as in their spirit being really uplifted and making them feel good. It must be working because we've been doing this music for thirty-something odd years and people seem to love the sound of the Dirty Dozen.

“We have some unique pulsating grooves and low brass and use more space than a band from the Balkans”
~Matt Moran
Founder, Writer and Percussionist from Slavic Soul Party

Matt Moran, Brooklyn based Slavic Soul Party's percussionist and band leader, says that their sound is more “heart and feet music” as opposed to more of the intellectual “head” jazz that was part of his curriculum at the New England Conservatory of Music. Their music is more of an eclectic blend of jazz, funk, gypsy, Big Easy brass with an influence of contemporary hip-hop and dance all held together by the rhythms of the Balkans. I was able to catch up with Matt Moran with some queries about the sound of Slavic Soul Party and what uninitiated listeners can expect to experience at their performance.

DCP: How would you describe the sound of Slavic Soul Party to those who have not heard it before?
Moran: I'd tell people to imagine a beer-hall style, oompah-type brass band from Brooklyn playing music that's half Gypsy and half jazz and funk that makes everyone want to dance because it's played with exuberance and passion and doesn't need a stage or a sound system, like an all night party in a hot, little red room.

DCP: Do you feel that Slavic Soul Party's sound brings traditional European styles to an audience that might otherwise have never been exposed to it that culture?
Moran: We definitely bring music to people all over the US and beyond who haven't heard it before, but it's only partly true to say that we're bringing traditional music to them. We do play a few traditional pieces from Serbia or Macedonia or Bulgaria, but mostly we're playing originals or untraditional arrangements of traditional material. The traditional part of what they're getting is the instrumentation and the energy.

DCP: What do you bring to the performance and what do you want an audience to take away from the experience?
Moran: What we bring is a chance for people to lose themselves for a little while, to get transported and feel better and forget about the difficulties of life. People often come up to me and say, “You know, when I got here, I wasn't feeling great. I didn't think I felt like being here, but then the music just overcame me and now I feel great!” That's what we can do for people, send them away feeling better. They can remember the tunes, the solos, how they felt when they were dancing, the energy of the band and feel good for a while. That's the one big part of being a musician: knowing how to bring the energy of sound into a positive, healing force in people's lives.

(This article originally appeared in the April 16, 2008 edition of the Dayton City Paper.)

Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana

Hot Havana Nights

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

An escape from the harsh Canadian winter in 1982 was all saxophonist Jane Bunnett and her husband, trumpeter Larry Cramer, had in mind. A short vacation in Cuba opened worlds to her. Hearing the staccato rhythms in the street blending in with the lyric melodies of the trumpet spoke to Bunnett, showing her the path that she was meant to take. By the 1990's, she had become a regular visitor to Havana's musical quarters, standing in on impromptu performances and drinking in the mercurial influences. By fusing the melodic dynamics of jazz with the vibrant voice of the Afro-Latin rhythms, she has recorded a string of critically heralded albums. Cityfolk presents Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana on February 22nd at 8:00pm in Kelly Hall at Antioch College, 795 Livemore St. in Yellow Springs. Tickets are $10. Call (937) 496-3863 or visit Cityfolk's website at http://www.cityfolk.org/.

(This article was originally published in the February 20, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper.)

The Simon Shaheen Critic Pick

The Blue Flame Of Palestine

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Palestinian born Simon Shaheen will perform February, 14th at the University of Dayton courtesy of the Cityfolk World Rhythms Concert Series. Shaheen has had a love for music since the age of five and was appointed as the instructor of Arab music, performance and theory at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Jerusalem in 1978. In 1982, he created the Near Eastern Music Ensemble, which was steeped in the traditional standards of Arabic music. In 2001, he formed Qantara, which garnered eleven Grammy nominations with it's debut album, Blue Flame. The group blends traditional Middle Eastern music with such diverse genres as jazz, Latin American and Western Classical for a stunning musical flourish that spans a multitude of cultural boundaries. Shaheen will perform at 8pm in the University's Kennedy Union Boll Theatre, 300 College Park. General admission tickets are $18 each. For tickets or more information, call (937) 496-3863 or visit online at www.cityfolk.org.

(This article was originally published in the February 13, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper.)

The Stanley Cowell Critic Pick

The Virtuosity Of Cowell

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Stanley Cowell's exceptional career spans decades, fashioning a musical tapestry that traverses the many sub-genres of the jazz realm. Cowell musical world opened in Toledo, Ohio, playing the piano and pipe organ. By age fifteen, he was a featured soloist for the Toledo Youth Orchestra in Kabelevsky's Piano Concerto No. 3. Degrees and undergraduate studies from Oberlin Conservatory, the Mozarteum Akademie, Salzburg, Austria and the University of Southern California completed Stanley's formal musical enlightenment.

His divergent styles, ranging from the classically styled, elegantly executed keyboard compositions to harder, free jazz arrangements, sets Cowell apart from some of his contemporaries, yet made him a sought after collaborator for some of the biggest names in jazz. His upcoming solo performance for the Cityfolk Jazz Piano Masters Series is an event that with reveal the depth and flawlessness of Cowell's virtuosity. The performance will be held Saturday, January 12 at 8 PM in the Dayton Art Institute's Renaissance Auditorium. General admission is $20. Further details and tickets can be obtained through Cityfolk's web site (www.cityfolk.org) or by calling (937) 496-3863.

(This article was originally published in the January 9, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper)

A Sexy, Intergalactic Adventure

ARC Ohio Hosts Masquerage 2008

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Your feet glide along an alien terrain, seemingly urged forward by the thrumming electronic rhythms, the sound coming down in a crashing metallic crescendo held together by a pulsating bass hum. The multicolored lights, seemingly from a thousand worlds, pulsate and twinkle, some with the brilliance of a supernova exploding in the vacuum of space. Other creatures, wrapped in strange and exotic garb, inhabit this world. They move and sway within the nebulous haze as lasers and light beams slice through the hazy atmosphere; yet there is no fear here...only celebration. Have your masks ready...this is the Masquerage.

Presented by the AIDS Resource Center – Ohio (ARC Ohio), Masquerage has become one of the premier events held in the region. This year's theme, A Sexy Intergalactic Adventure, has been selected with Barbarella and Flash Gordon firmly in mind. As always, a fully stocked bar and an astounding array of food from the far reaches of the galaxy will be available, as well as a line up of entertainment that is out of this world.

The Soul Fire Tribe will once again light up the night with their fire art based on the poi dancing of the Maori tribe. The ever effervescent Rubi Girls will grace the stage with their dynamically comedic drag performances, drawing the revelers in by creating an atmosphere of unpretentious levity, while Dance Trance and Porsche will move the crowd back out into cosmos.

An eclectic selection of exotic foods and a variety of liquid refreshments, most of which are native to Terra Firma, will be on hand, provided by The Dayton Independents. The Hawaiian Paradise Raffle will be offering a trip that is out of this world (figuratively at least) which consists of up to a fourteen night stay on Maui's stunning Kaanapali Beach. This will be held in conjunction with other auctions throughout the night, including items and services from local area businesses, not the least of which is a 42' Proscan LCD HDTV and a Sony Blu-Ray Disc Player. Local artists like Bing Davis, James Michael and Michael Elsass, among other, have donated their time and energy to create works that will be put up for auction to offset ARC Ohio's mounting costs in their ongoing mission to preserve life.

The purpose of this, and other events hosted by ARC Ohio, stems from a tragic necessity and a compelling need to provide prevention education within our region concerning AIDS. There are those that may feel that the subject of AIDS has been in the spotlight for so long, that surely everyone is well versed on the disease and subsequent prevention methods. Statistics, however, would prove otherwise. One fifth of those belonging in the highest risk categories of contracting AIDS do not receive annual screenings for the virus and a full 80% of the gay/bisexual community aren't being reached with vital evidence-based prevention activities. Worldwide, the average age of almost half of new cases of AIDS are between fifteen and twenty-four years old, which illustrates that there is a whole new generation that needs to be informed.

On the topic of statistics, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently announced this past summer that due to a grave miscalculation, the estimates of annual AIDS cases are actually 40% higher than had previously been determined. Through back-calculating the past fifteen years, it places the annual estimates into the realm of 56,000 new cases of AIDS each year. While the numbers, including the revised estimates, seem grim, there has been progress. Comparatively to the time when AIDS was first recognized, when the median life expectancy after diagnosis was placed at around eighteen months, the average life expectancy now spans many years and even into decades.

The latest hindrance in the war on AIDS is one that all people will recognize; lack of funds. Over the past five years, the CDC has watched as its annual budget for HIV prevention programs were drastically cut by $30 million, which in turn strips those agencies on the local level of most of their outreach, prevention, counseling and education budgets, making an increase in the number of AIDS cases extremely likely. Paradoxically, abstinence programs, which statistically place teenagers at a higher risk of contracting an STD as well as failing in its promise to curb unwanted pregnancies, has received hundreds of millions of dollars. By way of comparison, ARC Ohio has had its budget slashed, all while seeing a 36% increase in the number of clients it serves.

Competition for the dwindling funding is fierce and once a little bit of money is secured, the heart wrenching process of prioritizing what programs receive the lion's share and which ones are destined to starve begins. Is it more important to provide educational material and screenings to prevent a new case or is it just as crucial to provide counseling to those already afflicted so that they do not spiral down into suicidal despair? Both decisions hold lives in the balance and, without the proper funding, a decision will eventually have to be made as to which one receives adequate funding.

The Masquerage is an evening for celebrating life. A celebration of the lives of the masked revelers as well as the lives of those that may be saved with the money that is raised. Masquerage will be held this year at 26 Wyandot St. (formerly The Foundry) and a mask is required. General Martian Admission is $50 and includes a complimentary drink and hors d'oeuvres. Red Ribbon Supernova Level is $140 for admission and includes access to the Red Ribbon Lounge, swag bags and the chance to take home a stellar set of 3.67 carat diamond earrings. An after party will be held at Club Masque and admission is free with Masquerage 2008 ticket stub. Tickets are available through various locations throughout the region and are listed at http://www.masquerage.org/ or http://www.arcohio.org/ or you can call (937) 461-2437 (ext. 2025) for more information.

(This article originally appeared in the October 15, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)

Be Our Guest

Amerilodge Hospitality Group Purchases The Vacant Travelodge

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

In a recent press release issued by the Amerilodge Hospitality Group, it was revealed the company had purchased the vacant Travelodge Motel at 1100 West Main St. In working with the city, Amerilodge Hospitality Group offered the building to be utilized by the local police and fire departments for training before the structure is demolished. The Tipp City Police Department has already conducted various building entrance scenarios and other tactical drills while the fire department made use of the site for various types of building entrance techniques and an assortment of search and rescue situations.

I wondered how much marketing research went into purchasing the property to be included in the Amerilodge Hospitality Groups stable of motels/hotels? Could this research and the eventual decision to purchase here in Tipp City be construed as Amerilodge’s feeling that Tipp City is an economically viable area to locate in? In an email correspondence, Jenny Richardson, VP of Sales for the Amerilodge Hospitality Group answered this question quite succinctly.

“In reference to your question to the research that is done prior to the decision to committing to a project, there are several aspects to the process.” Jenny began. “IHG, Intercontinental Hotels Group, holds an integral part in gathering and laying the ground work for the overall market assessments. After we are given direction on viable sites, we begin reviewing historical data from several different entities and discussing future plans for the city with officials.”

Jenny went on to say that, “Our organization is not only focused on the current economy but what the future holds in the next 3-5 years and the pulse in Tipp City seems very strong.”
Unlike most corporations that seem to make remote board room decisions without ever setting foot in the area that those decisions might effect, Amerilodge Hospitality Group has chosen a different approach. The end of Jenny’s correspondence was filled with praise for Tipp City and its citizenry.

“I had the pleasure of spending 5 days in Tipp over Labor Day weekend and meeting with local officials and business owners to get a ‘hands on’ feel for the area.” Jenny recounted. “I can tell you that everyone that I came in contact with were very excited about our facility and incredibly welcoming.”

With Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites (the hotel Amerilodge Hospitality Group has chosen to locate on the site) undergoing an intense “re-branding” geared towards a new level of guest experience and satisfaction, perhaps the fit with Tipp City is just right.

(This article originally appeared in the Tipp City Independent Voice.)

National Assisted Living Week

Filling Life With Love

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

While some of the terminology, definitions and perceptions of what assisted living is differ from region to region, the one thing that is a relative constant is the quality of care available. With the unprecedented number of Baby Boomers entering into retirement, options for how and where to spend their Golden Years has become paramount. Another concern is the amount of independence that a retiree can maintain.

The services that Assisted Living may render can be broken down into several types of housing arrangements and levels of care. The first would be Independent Living Communities which are structured along the same lines as modern condominium complexes. With a community comprised of individuals of the same age group, and usually the same variety of interests, Independent Living Communities are a preferential choice for those who have no major health problems that would prevent them from enjoying day to day activities. It is preferable than trying to maintain their own homes, possibly succumbing to depression by being cut off from activities and friends or becoming prey to scams and schemes aimed at the elderly. It has been shown through various studies that a person who maintains their original level of mental and physical activity stays psychologically sharper, less prone to degenerative illnesses and more physically fit.

Assisted Living generally refers to services rendered for persons who have minor problems requiring daily assistance but can maintain a level of independence that does not necessitate the constant care given by a traditional nursing home. Nursing homes exist for those who have numerous health issues or a singular health issue that is either mentally or physically debilitating.
A Continued Care Retirement Community is a blend of everything, from a completely independent retirement community, an assisted care facility and a nursing home. There are several tiers and situations that this type of arrangement can deal with. If there is a couple where one individual is physically and mentally capable of taking care of themselves, but their spouse needs assistance with day to day activities, there is a multi-tiered care that is offered to accommodate both persons. There is also the probability that after years of living in a wholly independent manner, a person will become frailer, have an accident or illness that requires more extensive care. With a Continued Care Retirement Community, all levels of care are available and are usually a tailored fit for each individual resident’s needs.

Beyond the structure or definitions pertaining to Assisted Living, there is one thing that stays constant; the people that provide the care for our elders. From the administrators, RNs, LPNs, CNAs, STNAs and other medical staff to the companions, housekeepers, cooks and maintenance workers, these are the people that have created and maintain a safe, stable and secure environment for their clientèle. These are the people who selflessly care for others who are virtual strangers to them, but that they take on as an extended family. These are the people who we trust with our mother’s, father’s, grandmother’s and grandfather’s care and comfort to. We owe all of these people a major degree of recognition for the job that they perform everyday, usually sight unseen, for the love of those put under their charge.

(This article originally appeared in the September 12, 2008 issue of the Tipp City Independent Voice.)

WACO Marker Dedication

Earthbound Markers In Remembrance Of Those That Soared

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

First there was an inauspicious beginning in Battle Creek, Michigan that culminated with a failed attempt at creating a new floating plane. Then there was a fairly uneventful move to Lorain, Ohio before taking a slight non-aviation related detour to Boston, Massachusetts to help one of the early partner's brother market his new invention, Eskimo Pies. What was to become the Weaver Aircraft Company (WACO) didn't have many successes before locating in Troy, Ohio. Even after establishing themselves in Troy, times were still lean and parts were scavenged from McCook Field to create the prototypes that would eventually make their mark on aviation history.

On July 8th, 2008, a dedication ceremony was held to unveil one of nine historical markers chronicling the chronology, history and ongoing fascination with the WACO biplanes, gliders and various other aircraft that the company manufactured until ceasing operations in 1946. The historical markers are a joint venture between the City of Troy, the Troy Foundation, which collectively provided $10,000 towards the project, and the WACO Historical Society. Karen Purke, WACO Historical Society's executive director, pressed on with her speech and dedication even though the weather was foreboding and the rain and high winds eventually let loose, reminding everyone who really controlled the skies.

Although I was stuck behind an accident on I-75 N at the time I was supposed to be at the ceremony and I figured that the the whole thing would be postponed due to the weather, Karen Purke soldiered on and gave her dedication speech. She sent me a copy of her speech, which thanked Troy's Mayor Beamish, Stan and Neil of the Troy City Engineering Department, Tim Mercer from the City of Troy Parks Department and the Troy Foundation. Purke also acknowledged the private property owners who allowed the markers to be erected on their land as well as Stan Kegley, who originally approached Purke about combining forces with the City to submit a grant request, and Andy Heins who is the lead WACO historian who insured the historical accuracy of the information displayed on the markers.

The Tipp City Independent Voice received depictions of what all the markers contained and their appearance. The markers are incredibly colorful and vibrant, with descriptive histories that accompany graphic images of the buildings, people, places and, of course, the airplanes that comprise the compelling saga of WACO. The designs were created by Zac Henne and the framing was conceived by Bill Henne of Henne Design. Purke hopes to have a map uploaded onto the WACO Historical Society's web site (http://www.wacoairmuseum.org/) soon that would reveal the locations of all nine of the markers.

(This article originally ran in the July 12, 2008 issue of the Tipp City Independent Voice.)

Out Of Africa

Victoria Theatre Presents The African-American Arts Festival

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

The mark of Africa is indelibly imprinted upon the history of man. From the hunter’s silent foot stalking the Serengeti plains to the sandy footprints perpetually placed and erased by the Kalahari, the influences of African civilization have spread throughout the world. Neither the history of Africa, nor the parables, plights, travels, travails or triumphs could ever be told through one singular interpretation or even through a whole series of vignettes.

Yet, the Victoria Theatre Association’s African American Arts Festival, presented through February 29th, holds no pretensions of presenting the definitive picture of a country and it’s diversified cultures. It should be viewed more in terms of a series of doorways that open onto grand vistas for further self-discovery.

The six show festival opened January 20th with Dayton’s annual Martin Luther King concert and will continue with Richard Loring’s African Footprint (February 10th), the sold-out Freedom Train (February 11th), Jasmine Guy in Raisin’ Cane featuring the Avery Sharpe Jazz Trio (February 15th), An Evening With Spike Lee (February 18th) and Visual Voices: Dayton Skyscrapers II (through a partnership with Ebonia Gallery, which runs until February 29th).

“Every one of these performances are just top notch,” says Tina McPhearson, vice president of programming for the Victoria Theatre Association. “As a matter of fact, (the planning) started a year ago this month. It’s fascinating because it really all just came together. I went to a booking conference in New York City, and there was a new show called African Footprint. It was the buzz of the conference. It had never been in the United States before, so we were fortunate enough to book it for night and this is its premier American tour. Shortly after we booked African Footprint, I received a phone call from another agent and he said, ‘I’ve got this great little show (Raisin’ Cane) with Jasmine Guy. Do you want to come see it?’ So, I went to the Apollo Theater in New York and just fell in love with it, and I said, ‘We just have to do this!”

“Then, there’s An Evening With Spike Lee,” she added. “Every other year, the Victoria partners with the University of Dayton’s Diversity Lecture Series. This year, UD said ‘We’re doing Spike Lee.’ And I said, ‘Bring it on!’ and it’s just perfect. Every year, we do the Visual Voices and every year, it grows larger and larger, and it’s so beautiful to see it all at the Schuster Center. We also have our in-school educational program that allows children to come down to the Victoria to see shows during the day. We have presented Freedom Train for many years. The show is about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. It is one of our most popular shows, so we thought we’d put that into the mix just to let people know that there are also educational outlets for children.”

African Footprint
“You know the ingredients you put into it. You’re never quite sure why it has a certain element in it that really takes the audiences to the level that it does. The, you have to believe it’s because it had the real conviction behind it and the passion and the love of the country.”
~Richard Loring
Creator of African Footprint

In 1999, South African producer Richard Loring created African Footprint, which has been described as South Africa’s answer to Ireland’s Riverdance. He recruited hundreds of young people from the streets of Soweto, a township that has become known for being representative of the resistance movement against apartheid. They were given vocal as well as dance lessons and rehearsed intensively for a year until the original hundreds were narrowed down to a mere thirty performers. On December 31st, 1999, the world stage opened to these young people as they performed three numbers, broadcast live around the world, from Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell on Robben Island. The stage show has since evolved into a condensed history of South Africa as told through song and dance with a high production value that has quickly made this a fiercely sought after performance. From his office in South Africa, Loring spoke with me about African Footprint, its origins and its hopes.

DCP: Besides the sheer art of the performance, what is the message or objective of African Footprint?
Loring: Well, it is about a dream of mine to create something that people would take forward and be able to use as a platform to fulfill their dreams. I think they (the performers) saw this, even though it was viewed slightly with suspicion in terms of a show that being put together like this. I think they quickly realized that it was a show that they could take pride in, that they could take ownership in and could grow into a vehicle which was not just about the person that created it, but about themselves and about the country they live in. A young group of people on stage…black and white, male and female, Khoisans, Zulu, Sosotho, Tswana, Venda, English and Afrikaan speaking… through song and dance, they’re able to celebrate the journey of democracy that the country has gone through. You have to bear in mind that some of (the performers) came from townships. Some of them came from homes on the fringe of townships. Some of them had worked for maybe a week or two days or maybe a month in a theater. Some of them had jobs and some of them didn’t. But, what ha happened, seven or eight years later, they’ve realized that they can carve a career for themselves in a show. They can stand on a stage. They can feel proud of who they are.

DCP: With all the accomplishments of the tour in such a short time, what is one highlight that stands out for you?
Loring: I think the defining moment for me was on Robben Island on Millennium Night, coming up to 12 o’clock, going from the year 1999 to the year 2000. to be, at that moment in time, seeing the4 ex-president, Nelson Mandela, and seeing the African Footprint performers coming out (of Mandela’s former cell), beating with sticks on the floor and on the cell bars, and Mandela walking into the prison cell and lighting the candle. Those have to be the most defining moments for me, experiencing what probably is one of the ultimate that one could actually expect and be part of. We did three numbers on Robben Island. But it was certainly a moment that is an emotional moment. It was a historical moment, and for me, it said, ‘the last thirty years you’ve spent in South Africa have added up to something.’ What I’ve put together is something that is making an impact now, and will make an impact later. And, I think most importantly, as we’ve seen, it is going to change he lives of many of the young performers who have gone through the show.

(African Footprint will be performed February 10th at 7:00 p.m. at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets. Tickets are priced at $27 to $49. For tickets, or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or go online at http://www.ticketcenterstage.com/.)

Raisin’ Cane
“Raisin’ Cane, just to give you some history, came to me as a reading from my friend, Avery Sharpe, who did the music for the piece. They were doing this piece on the Harlem Renaissance and I said, ‘Oh, I love the Harlem Renaissance!’ I literally just read it for an audience. I found that there was so much more to tell in the story that I just barely scraped the surface.”
~Jasmine Guy
Actress

In Raisin’ Cane, Jasmine Guy channels the artists, musicians, poets, writers, religious and political leaders through a mélange of selected works from such African-American luminaries such as Langston Hughs, Zora Neale Hurston and W.E.B. DuBois. Te narrative is set to an original score by the Avery Sharpe Trio and is accented with a multimedia display of artwork and projected photographs from the Harlem Renaissance. Not only does Guy encapsulate the full spectrum of personalities presented, she also hosts an extensive Q&A session at the end of the performance.

DCP: Raisin' Cane chronicles the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's and 1930's. What correlation do you think can be made between that time and now?
Guy: Well, what is interesting is of that time, from Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, came our speakers of the 60's. Malcolm X followed Marcus Garvey. W.E.B. DuBois had followers and some created the NAACP, which spawned the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King. Marcus Garvey had an African-ism, you know, 'Let's just go back to Africa since we're not wanted here,' which was another way of thinking that the (black) Muslims adopted. So, I think that it's important to see that (African-Americans) came from something even before the 60's, where we didn't just go from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement. Also, Harlem was so hot in the 20's, but (the Renaissance) was funded by white artists and patrons that went to the Cotton Club and some of them sponsored artists so that they could write, so that they could create and not have to worry about paying rent. So Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughs, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay – they all had white patrons, and when they dried up, a lot of the artwork dried up as well.

DCP: Do you think it's important to show what had been created under such intolerable conditions in order for the younger generation to see what they can accomplish?
Guy: I think it's important that (African-Americans) don;t see ourselves as victims and know that we come from a creative, bright, intelligent, spiritual people. We don;t come from people that are beaten down. We come from a people that rise up. This piece definitely celebrates the artwork of that time, the poetry of that time, the philosophies of that time and you see what these people had to work against and what was going on. People were surrounded and their image was not protected. How do yo get around that and still prove yourself to be equally intelligent, noble, human and worthy of the same civil rights? I think that was the job of the 1920's; to prove that we were equal in an intellectual and artistic way.

(Raisin' Cane will be performed February 15th at 7:30pm at the Victoria Theatre, 136 N. Main St. Tickets are priced from $35 to $46. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit them online at http://www.ticketcenterstage.com/)

Visual Voices: Dayton Skyscrapers II
“Skyscrapers is an ongoing visual arts tribute to identify, celebrate and preserve the legacy of African-Americans in the Dayton area who have, or are making, meaningful contributions to the Dayton/Miami Valley region.”
~Willis “Bing” Davis
Curator of Dayton Skyscrapers II

In this particular instance, skyscrapers don't refer to tall buildings. They are, rather, pillars of the community that stand as resolute edifices, firmly rooted deep within the soil of Dayton. Each artist in the project selects a person they deeply admire and who stands out as a shining example of local African-Americans who have excelled in the economic, artistic, political, social and cultural realms. Each artist then researches and creates their own interpretation of their selected inspiration, replete with a biographical look into the subject's life and what made them an example of excellence.

“There was a young man standing in front of Dwayne Daniel's portrait of Bobby Joe Bogan (a criminal justice professional),” said Willis “Bing” Davis as we stood in the main room of his gallery. “He stood there for a long time. I came up to him, and there were tears in his eyes. In the history that posted next to the painting, there's a short sentence about how Bobby Joe Bogan, when he was a juvenile parole officer, was the first to send a Department of Youth Services offender to college. The young man said, 'I'm him. I'm the kid he got into college.' Just to have the art touch someone on a persoanl level...that's what this is all about.”

(Visual Voices: Dayton Skyscrapers II continues through February 29th in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center on Second and Main St.)

An Evening With Spike Lee will be held February 18th at 7:30pm at the Schuster Center on Second and Main St. Tickets are priced from $15 up to $20. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit them online at http://www.ticketcenterstage.com/.

(For more information about the African-American Arts Festival, visit the Victoria Theatre Association online at www.victoriatheatre.com)

(This article originally appeared in the January 30, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper.)

Dan St. Paul Critic Pick

The Relative Relationship Of Comedy

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Dan St. Paul's unique blend of observational humor and perceptively comedic insights into family dysfunction creates a colorful pallet from which he paints a wondrously funny painting of the world as he sees it. St. Paul, who lives in Foster City, California with his wife Cara and their son Roy, is probably most well known for his quirky signature bit called “The First Baseball Game,” which details the battle between the Bethlehem Braves and the Jerusalem Giants as narrated by the now deceased sportscaster, Harry Caray. This piece displays St. Paul's extraordinary ability to take on a subject that some might find offensive and/or sacrilegious into a well honed piece that can be enjoyed on many different levels.

You may have seen him in the movie Flubber with Robin Williams, caught his stand up on VH1 or MTV or heard him on The Bob And Tom Show. He will be appearing live at Wiley's Comedy Niteclub, 101 Pine St. on Thursday January 29th at 8:30pm, Friday January 30th at 9pm and Saturday January 31st at 8pm and 10:30pm. Tickets range from $5 to $12. To make reservations or for more information, call Wiley's at (937) 224-5653 or visit them online at http://www.wileyscomedyclub.com/.

(This article originally appeared in the January 1, 2009 edition of the Dayton City Paper.)

The Flavor Of Funny

The Flavor Of Comedy Tour Benefit For We Care Arts

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

The “Flavor Tour” rolls into Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub for one night only to perform a special show to benefit We Care Arts. One of the featured comedians, Sarah Newell, is a graduate of Centerville High School who has teamed up with Ian Salmon, Maija Di Giorgio and headliner Tony Woods to bring you a night of comedy for a cause. Sarah’s older brother Bryan was severely disable, passing away his senior year at Centerville High School in 1999, so this is a cause that is close to her heart.

The tickets for this one night only special event are 420 with all proceeds benefiting We Care Arts, which is an non profit organization dedicated to providing those with mental and physical disabilities with the skills and space to create and sell their artwork. Newell has been playing the club circuit in LA and has now decided to try and conquer the east coast as well. Jamaican born Salmon has appeared on Comedy Central while Di Giorgio has been seen on Def Comedy Jam. The headliner, Tony Woods has his own unique style who has appeared on many times on various Comedy Central specials.

The Flavor Tour makes its one and only stop at Wiley’s on July 20th at 8:00pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling event co-coordinator Cora at (937) 609-9719 or We Care Arts at (937) 252-3937. Tickets may also be purchased online using Pay Pal at wecarearts.org or by stopping by their facility at 3035 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, Oh 45429.

(This article originally appeared in the July 16, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper.)

It's A Joint Venture

Wiley's To Present The 4/20 Show

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

There is a lot of buzz going around lately about the 4/20 Comedy Show at Wiley’s on April 20th. To be blunt, the show will be the high point of the local comedy scene. It has taken months for Wiley’s to meticulously weed out all the chaff and the bad seeds, creating a roster of ten of the area’s most highly regarded comedians. “Droopy Drew” Donisi, Raymond Jackson, Kenny Smith, Ryan Singer, Stoney Burke, John Kirby, Jason Kanter, Tony Wenland, Danny Miller and Troy Davis will serve up hit after hit of comic gold. Expect a couple of unannounced guests to crash the party with their own bag of goodies. The kitchen will be open to serve up the munchies and, if you get a case of cottonmouth, the bar is fully stocked. The tickets are only $5.00, so you and your friends can throw your money into the pot and hash it out once you get to the club. To make your reservations, call Wiley's at (937)224-JOKE. Wiley's Comedy Nightclub is located at 101 Pine St. in the Oregon District.

(This article was originally published in the April 14, 2008 edition of the Dayton City Paper.)

Nightmare For Elm Trees

It Ain't Easy Being Green

Every city wants to create a beautiful environment that brings visitors, attracts businesses and provides a clean, safe experience for the residents and patrons. Tipp City’s Streetscape project has all those factors in mind, yet seems to be somewhat vague as to what the final business district will look like.

Since the commissioners have other, far loftier issues to attend to, I have taken it upon myself and outline some of the more pertinent concerns and fleshing out what the finished product will be. We will go line by line, detailing the concerns and potential solutions to those concerns.
First, we will address the issue of safety. Apparently, pedestrians are being knocked about willy-nilly by crazed Mad Max Thunderdome mooks, so the city has offered up the solution of adding a grassy barrier between the hapless walkers and the motorized maniacs that are trying to run them over. I have a better solution. Erect an eight foot high wall around all the sidewalks. This would have a twofold effect. One, it would keep those behind the wheel from playing a quick game of Deathrace 2008 and two, it would prevent those scofflaws who ignore the posted crosswalks from jaywalking by only enabling them to cross through gates at every intersection.
Next, we have the pesky problem of interlopers that try to create chaos by wrecking our sidewalks, giving safe haven to a myriad other freeloaders that just defecate on our city and produce so much litter every year, it takes many man hours and a convoy of large trucks to haul away the offal. I am, of course, talking about those diabolically deciduous devils: trees. One idea that has gained ground on the street is to replace the existing trees with smaller trees that are in large containers which can be taken indoors every winter. I do not think that this goes far enough to take care of the problem.

I say, uproot every tree along the business corridor, be it by heavy machinery, the traditional chainsaw or the more low tech method of drilling into the root and funneling poison into it. Replace them with fake trees that will never wither, weather or rot. They could come equipped with replaceable oxygen tanks so that they can serve the same purpose as regular trees. They could even be electrified, cable ready and wi-fi capable. The “leaves” could serve a triple purpose by shading the area, dispensing SPF 4,000 sunscreen on passersby (thereby keeping them safe from another natural threat that I have as yet to come up with a solution for) and creating a lattice of protection from intruding birds and bugs by “deterring” them with a 250,000 volt jolt of electricity. The electrical outlets could also be used to power the holiday decorations and maybe a Muzak system to drown out the screeching of electrocuted birds.

By purchasing plastic butterflies and ceramic squirrels, which, let’s face it, are just as realistic as the real ones, Tipp City could save itself from a calamitous invasion of nature. The sidewalks and buildings could be Teflon coated for easy cleaning thereby giving our city that pristine appearance of natural beauty without all that icky mess that real nature seems intent on producing. As a final solution, we could take a cue from Dayton and get some of those bronze replicas of humans sculpted by J. Seward Johnson, thereby eliminating all of the haphazard organic blunders that the “natural world” seems prone to produce.

(This article was originally published in the June 4, 2008 issue of the Tipp City Independent Voice.)

I'm Suffering From City Envy

Even Though Yours Is Smaller Than Mine

I feel it is time to reveal something to you all, something that I have kept secretly hidden and something that I must bring out into the light. I am an interloper, a stranger in your midst. With the exception of my ability to swear like a stevedore with Tourette’s syndrome and my inability to patiently wait for a train to pass, I am virtually indistinguishable from any number of Tipp City residents, yet I am not from among your numbers. I actually reside in (dare I say it?)…Dayton!

Not only do I reside in Dayton, my home is within a one mile radius of almost every horrible story that you hear about on the news. Usually, the criminal activity is mere blocks from where I raise my children. There are things that I have seen there that should make me cringe in horror, but these events have sadly (and tragically) become merely commonplace.

I am not bringing this up to create for myself a jaded, big city persona nor do I seek to garner pity from anyone. This is only meant to serve as an explanation for my views and reactions to some of the events and concerns of Tipp City, because I have, at times, come across as callous or aloof when these concerns have been voiced to me. In my defense, it’s not callousness, but sheer bewilderment.

I find the Tipp City Independent Voice’s Police Blotter hilarious, not only because of Woody’s take on what would otherwise be dry, flat news, but also due to the nature of the crimes. In the same week that the Tipp City Independent Voice ran a police story about a mother who called the police to have them talk to her child about the dangers of posting YouTube videos, there were several shooting fatalities within blocks of my house. It’s not so much that I’m downplaying the mother’s concerns over the potential for a predator to use her son’s information to possibly bring harm to him; I’m just flabbergasted that she got a cop to show up! There was a shootout that occurred several years ago in which the gunmen ran through my yard firing at each other. Sadly, they were horrible shots and missed each other, but the amazing thing is, the cops never showed up. They actually called about a week and a half later to take a report over the phone!
I thoroughly enjoy working…well, sitting, talking and generally wasting time…at the Tipp City Independent Voice’s booth at the farmer’s market every Saturday. I watch everyone interact, most knowing each other by name. At the Artisan Fair, everyone that came up to our booth had praise for our paper and engaged us in conversation that ranged from daily pleasantries to historical tidbits about the town. I took my family to the Fourth of July fireworks in Tipp City and we stood in awe, not only because of the wonderful display (and the Stephen King-like creeping fog that formed from the smoke shortly thereafter) but because of the cordial and complimentary manner in which everybody treated each other.

I realized that this is what I wanted. I want my kids to go to a school where I didn’t have to receive phone calls that the school is in lockdown because some crack addled parent has threatened to come up to the school and wreak havoc. I want to live in a place where when I greet someone on the street, I’m not immediately accosted and harangued for the change in my pocket. I want to live in a place where my family is not awakened at four o’clock in the morning to the sounds of the lesbian drug addicts that live next door as they scream and throw the contents of their apartment at high velocity out the window. I would love to take my children out of all of that, yet money and other circumstances have conspired against me and that goal seems very far away indeed.

Am I ranting and railing against my own personal ring in the vast inferno? No. Am I looking for someone to save me from my own situation? No. Am I envious over what others have here? Possibly, but I would never admit it. Then what exactly am I writing about?

What I hope to achieve, at least momentarily, is to hold a rather large mirror up to Tipp City so that everyone knows and fully appreciates what they have here. Tipp City has a sense of community, a sense of enmity, a sense of exactly who and what they are and, most importantly, a deeply ingrained sense of where they came from and where they want to go. Sometimes, when I come up here to work out of the office, I have to remind myself that I’m not in Mayberry (although that was difficult the day that Andy Griffith’s police cruiser was parked in front of Tony’s Bada Bings) and that eventually I will have to drive fifteen minutes south and a whole world away.

I grew up in what was once a small town: Bellbrook, OH. Developers and money men created a “small town” for those who had the money, erecting plats of $200,000 plus homes, thereby forcing out almost everybody I grew up with there. Now there is a sense of alienation when I go back there now. A sense that I don’t belong, that I am considered quaintly provincial in the eyes of the new breed of landowners that seek a small town atmosphere without the inconvenience of having to drive more than several blocks for a Starbucks Mocha Choco-latte. What followed after the forced façade of rural living was developed were traffic issues, water shortages and sewage problems coupled with a not so small foreclosure predicament as people reached for a dream that was just that: a dream.

Tipp City, hold on to your community. Hold on to your history. Hold on to your values. These seemingly inconsequential things comprise the bricks and mortar of the dam holding back the deluge threatening to sweep you down into the maelstrom with the rest of us…and the rain shows no signs of letting up.

(This article was originally published in the May 4, 2008 edition of the Tipp City Independent Voice.)

Shrouds Of Secrecy

Frank Warren Talks About PostSecrets

We all have secrets. Some are innocuous ones that we don't share because it goes against the image we are trying to project of ourselves. Other secrets run deep, cutting into our daily lives with brief reminders of the weight we carry in our hearts. Some people bury these sensitive secrets deep within themselves, while others yearn to tell someone...anyone...and yet, they find themselves mute, unable to put into words the truth held within.

The seed of PostSecrets was planted at the Artomatic multimedia art exposition in Washington, DC in 2004 when Frank Warren passed out blank postcards to random strangers, instructing them to write a secret on it, illustrate it however they wished and send it back to him. At the time, he believed that he would receive a minimal amount returned, never imaging that, even today, two hundred 4”X6” postcards would arrive each day to his mailbox in Germantown, Maryland. They all find there way to Frank Warren, the most trusted stranger in America. Your secrets are safe with him. He's just going to tell them to the whole world.

Was the reason that this project was and is so successful due in part to people's innate need to confess their secrets? This was one of the first questions we addressed during a telephone interview from Warren's home in Maryland.

“I wouldn't call it 'confess,' but I would say that it takes much more energy to hold in the truth than let it go, and I think people feel that in different ways.” Warren went on to discuss the most prevalent and reoccurring theme that he receives. “Sometimes I'm asked which secret I get the most, and really, the kind of secret I receive daily, written in different ways, is that secret that I think we can all relate to; that idea of that search for that one person we can tell all of our secrets to and be completely open with. I think that when we find that person, we're able to not just share more of ourselves, but understand to a greater degree about who we are.”

I asked Warren if there are those who are unable to part with their secrets because, since they had carried them so long, that the secret had become a defining point for their own personality and that divulging the secret would be tantamount to losing part of themselves.

“One of the stories I sometimes tell is one that was shared with me not too long ago in a restaurant. This woman used to work at a camp for children who had just gone through a serious loss...a bereavement camp...and she said the most remarkable exercise took place on the last day.” Warren went on to describe the exercise: “They took the campers to a pile of rocks and every camper got rocks and pens and they were instructed to write their secrets on the rocks and they did that. Then they were told to carry the rocks through the whole day and at the end of the day, they were all brought to a lake. They were told to take those burdens, those secrets that they had been carrying all day, and just throw them in the water and release them and let them go. She said, what was remarkable was that every time, there were always a few campers who didn't let go of their rocks. They wanted to hold onto those fears and carry them. I think it really demonstrates exactly what you were saying: sometimes these secrets, sometimes these burdens become part of our identity.”

Does Warren feel that he is providing and outlet for people to unburden themselves under the security of anonymity?

“I don't know. I think of the project as a collection of works of art and secrets that I share with people.” Warren said, reiterating the question, “An outlet? I will say this: I believe I have accidentally tapped into something that was there the whole time that I don't understand, but something that I think...(pause)...I'll probably receive secrets for the rest of my life. I don't think that there is any way to turn this off and so it's pretty awesome just in terms of what I feel I have stumbled into.”

While some of the secrets are rather pedestrian and mundane, others show a sense of humor that reflects an unspoken universality, like the one depicting a bulldog that simply says, “I hate my couch, so I let my dogs pee on it to force my husband into buying a new one.” Others tread into the darkened territory conveying the primal scream of a torn psyche. One shows a picture of an ultrasound, and, written across the top “For 16 weeks I prayed and begged for my bay to live. God either didn't hear, couldn't be bothered or doesn't exist. I don't care which anymore. January 4 – My baby, God and my heart – all died.” Others border on resigned acceptance, like a faded black and white baby picture with, “I know that you will never have time for me” scrawled across the front. I asked Warren whether or not any of this ever got too real for him.

“Oh, certainly I get drawn into the secrets and the stories behind them. You bet!” Warren went on to describe one such instance. “There was a reporter over here earlier today and we came across this card that has ten hair samples, neatly ordered in little boxes and in each box is a word. If you read all the words, it says, 'After they fall asleep, I cut the hair of kids I babysit.' I mean, how does that not pull you in?”

POSTSECRET: Confessions on Life, Death and God, compiled by Frank Warren, is now available. It is published through William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) at a suggested retail price of $22.99 for the hardcover edition.

Theirs Is The Bounty

J. Todd Anderson Presents Nativity: A Pop Opera

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
~Luke 2:10

With cascading voices held aloft by the melodic phrasing of an electric guitar, the influence of Hair, Godspell and Tommy can be palpably felt through the works of J. Todd Anderson's Nativity: A Pop Opera. Anderson, whose career was profiled in the DCP recently, wrote and performed the opera some years ago, setting it aside momentarily as his own career began to take off. In 2008, he reprised the opera, mildly surprised to find that the audience was still waiting for this electrified Christmas story.

“We did the opera years ago and then I just got busy after that for many, many years, and we decided to reprise it because people remembered it. We performed it last year and we kind of picked up where we left off years ago...kind of like one of those Twilight Zone episodes.” Anderson then said, “I was kind of worried that the material got old, but it didn't seem to get old. People still enjoy it. We did it last year and it was good and we decided it was a pretty good success and we'd do it again.”

With a crew of around seventy volunteers, Anderson has updated the opera with a few new numbers as well as higher production qualities.

“It's just much bigger now.” Anderson detailed that, “We added a few songs and better sound, better lighting and a lot more voices.”

In describing what kind of music and atmosphere that the opera projects, Anderson describing as being;

“In the vein of the old rock opera. If you grew up in the seventies and you experienced all that great music from that era, all that great melodic music that came out of that era. That great melodic rock and roll that we all grew up on, that's what we're trying to emulate.”

One of the unique qualities of the opera is that it is written through the eyes of the angels that attended the Nativity.

“The 'secret' is between the audience and the angels and everybody else is kind of going through exactly what you've been told all your life. In fact, we take it way back to John the Baptist.” Anderson went on to say , “That's where all the Christmas stories started and we take it back to that, with Zachariah and things like that.”

Anderson went on to describe the vibe of the opera as a whole as being;

“A lighthearted approach. I mean, there's a lot of things that happened two thousand years ago that just weren't written about, so we kind of guessed at those things, like with the innkeeper. Maybe he was a little irritated by people bugging him.” Anderson went on, “Or like Herod, a very paranoid king...we just took what was written about him and then we just kind of embellished it a little bit because of his history of being kind of a rotten guy. As Hitchcock used to say, 'the picture is only as good as the villain,' so we made sure that Herod was a good villain...good in the sense of theatrically, not good in that he was a characteristically good fellow. He was a rotten guy and we kind of play that up.”

The inspiration for the opera itself may have ranged from Tommy and Hair to an innate need to celebrate Christmas, but the idea to donate all the proceeds came from quite another source altogether.

“Quite a few years ago, I worked on this movie called The Hudsucker Proxy and I met Paul Newman. And when Paul Newman was there in the office, I would say hello to him because we were both auto racing fans. He would always have this assistant with him. It wasn't his travel assistant...it was a different kind of assistant. This assistant gave away his money every day.”

Anderson related the story of how this woman saw to Newman's many philanthropic endeavors and how Anderson was amazed at how Newman gave away money to those less fortunate with such a cool hand. Anderson decided, along with some of the original members of the opera, to make Children's Medical Center the beneficiary for the proceeds raised by the ticket sales.

“It's about Christmas and it was about kids at Christmastime and that's not a fun place to be in a hospital at Christmastime.” Anderson said. “We thought that if we could help parents and kids that were in that position, that would be the ultimate byproduct of the show because it is Christmastime and while other people are having a pretty good Christmas, some people aren't. So, we're just there, hopefully, to add some comfort and make a difference.”

A 100% of the money raised goes to the Children's Medical Center's 'Needy Patient Fund,' which provides the necessities of life to those who are are not financially able to sustain the essentials of day to day life, such as food, prescriptions and medical equipment, among other things.

Where: Miamisburg Christian Church 1146 E. Central Avenue, Miamisburg, OH
When: Friday December 11 at 8:00pm
Saturday December 12 at 8:00pm
Sunday December 13 at 8:00pm
Thursday December 17 at 8:00pm
Friday December 18 at 8:00pm
Saturday December 19 at 8:00pm
Sunday December 20 at 8:00pm

To purchase tickets, you can call (937) 866-4893 or go online at exploremcc.org. Tickets are $10 each or six tickets for a group rate price of $30.

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation”
~Nunc dimittis (Canticle of Simeon)

(This article originally appeared in the December 2nd, 2009 issue of the Dayton City Paper. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)

80's Dance/Skate Concert

Freakazoids...Robots...Please Report To The Dance Floor

Taking you back to the days of Bus Stop, Roller World, when the mirrored ball glistened off the zippers of your Thriller jacket, your jheri curl activator and your braces. Remember the girls decked out in Candies, stonewashed skirts buttoned up the side and a Heartbreaker jacket, with their finger waved hair held back in a banana clip? The boys hanging tough with their Troop gear as the thunderous sound of polyurethane wheels against the lacquered wood almost drowned out the sounds of Newcleus' Jam On It.

On November 28th at 8:00pm, the Montgomery Co. Fairgrounds Coliseum will return you to the days of Skateland. Along with skating, there will be a best dressed, best hair and old school dance contest. The highlight of the night will be a concert by Chubb Rock and Dana Dane with the host for the evening being none other than the real Roxanne, Roxanne Shante. Tickets are $20 in advance and are available at 14kt, Gold 4 Ya Mouth, Anointed Hands Hair Studio, and Smoke One Tobacco Shop. For more information, call (937) 608-1695. This is a grown folks event...30 and over only!

(This article appeared in the November 26th issue of teh Dayton City Paper. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)

Reflections Of Black

Lewis Black To Perform at Taft Theater in Cincinnati

“In my lifetime, we've gone from Eisenhower to George W. Bush. We've gone from John F. Kennedy to Al Gore. If this is evolution, I believe that in twelve years, we'll be voting for plants.”
~Lewis Black

The biography posted on Lewis Black's website cites the fact that he was, “colicky as a baby” and that, “it seems he was destined to be angry and easily irritated.” Whatever the impetus for Black's sarcastically caustic comedy was, it is welcome relief from the vanilla pablum offered up by those who fear offending someone. Black's first love is the theater, wherein he oversaw the production of over 1,000 plays, and it is also where he honed his first stand-up routines, performing as an emcee before the performances. Black became nationally known through his Back in Black segments on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, moving on to cross country tours, television and movie appearances, voice over work and even penning a few books along the way. His delivery, which is more like a sustained primal scream, is an angst laden cathartic release for the audience as well as himself.

During a recent telephone interview from his New York home, I asked Black whether he thought that political satire helped people form their outlook about certain issues.

“I think it plays a very minor role only in the sense that it might catch somebody's eye and gives them a way to look at something differently.” Black went on by saying, “I think the role it really plays, to be honest, is it allows people to stand back ten feet from what the hell they're yelling about for five minutes and take a look at it...and then they're right back into it. I also think it's a release of frustration.”

Black, known primarily for his social and political commentaries, surprised me with the revelation about his views on politics.

“I'm not so much interested in politics...it's like nauseating. What I find intriguing about it is the way that it effects people and what it really means. Because they (the politicians) puff and they run their mouth, but while they're doing it, there's millions of people who are being screwed by their nonsense. I generally try to go and take a look at what that means.” Returning to the previous question, Black ended his thought by saying, “I think that may be where political satire leads. It allows people to look at it in human terms and not big, broad strokes.”

Black describes his own political standing as being a socialist. We spoke at length about how people trot out the word socialism as if it were synonymous with Marxism and communism and how few people knew the differences.

“Most people don't even know what socialism is. I mean, it's really unbelievable. The US military is the possibly largest socialist entity in the world.” Black went on to say that, “They just throw a label on something. They've beaten the dead horse of liberalism and now they've gotten to socialism and that really irritated me because I'm basically and always have been a socialist. Ever since I was a kid. I don't know why people are so afraid of socialists...there's only seven of us in the country. And to label Obama as a socialist is disgusting. I mean, if you look at who he's put around him in terms of the economy...” Black said, sarcastically. “Oh boy! What a group of Marxists!”

Socialism is a word that has been bandied about as of late due in no small part to the ongoing argument over universal health care. In reference to other countries that already have some form of socialized medicine in place, Black said:

“Well, they're ahead of us health wise. The latest stats say we're nineteenth. What else do you need to know?” Black went on a rant, stating, “I don't know how health care becomes a partisan issue. It can't be a partisan issue. If it is a partisan issue, then something is terribly, terribly wrong with us. We're maybe the most ignorant country on planet Earth. Health care is no argument. The job is to figure it the fuck out so that it works the best for everyone. There's no fight about it. You know goddamn well that insurance companies gouge, and they (the government) know it too. If you think that the government can't handle it, then figure out some sort of quasi-institution that can, because really, it's disgusting. This more than anything bothers me, and I've seen a lot of stuff in my life.”

Black ended our discussion about health care with a little epiphany he had concerning our governmental leadership:

“If there's a portion of the leadership that is so good at what they do that they can get the common man out in public, standing up for health insurance companies, then they're...that's unbelievable!” Black said. “All I kept thinking was, 'Wow! If you actually used that power for good...' Boy, wouldn't that be something?”

Lewis Black will be performing at the Taft Theater, 317 E. Fifth St., Cincinnati, Ohio on December 3rd at 7:30pm.

(This article appeared in the November 26thg, 2009 issue of the Dayton City Paper. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)

The Goddess Was Discovered By Her Civilities

Amy Alkon Sees Rude People

“Manners are like the shadows of virtues; they are the momentary display of those qualities which our fellow creatures love and respect.”

~Sydney Smith

You see them daily. There's one standing in the middle of the grocery store, broadcasting her innermost thoughts and feelings in a loud and boisterous manner, replete with off color language and details that would make Caligula cringe. Her cart askew, blocking the whole aisle, she stands oblivious to all around her, like a sweatsuit encased ball of plaque clogging up the arterial passageway that leads to the produce section. There's another one careening from lane to lane in their monstrous SUV, like some Highway Plains Drifter, unaware that other motorists use this stretch of blacktop as well. She might have been able to see you in her review mirror, but she has adjusted them all so that they only reflect her face. Even in your own home you can't escape them. You are jarred awake from a sound sleep by the bass line from Lil' Wayne's latest effort, cranked to a volume that could shift tectonic plates. By the time you make it out to complain, the perpetrator has already left, leaving behind a collection of McDonald's bags and cigarette butts on your front lawn.

Amy Alkon, known at the Dayton City Paper for her weekly column titled The Advice Goddess, sees rude people everywhere...and she has taken polished fingernails to keyboard (in lieu of a pen to paper) to point out some of the bad behavior we witness on a day to day basis. Alkon's new book, I See Rude People: One woman’s battle to beat some manners into impolite society (McGraw-Hill, 224pp, $11.53) , is not only a written record describing the actions of the discourteous who are among us, but also clarifies some of the reasons that bad behavior may exist...and more importantly, why it is tolerated.

“Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength.”

~Eric Hoffer

After a flurry of emails and telephone calls to set up an interview, Alkon and I were finally able to have a long conversation: a conversation which spanned over range of topics such as life in California versus life in the Midwest and how Manischewitz wine will put you off drinking for life. Throughout a discourse that slithered and dithered, we were able to talk about the book and Alkon's impetus for creating it.

“Well, basically, I made a second career out of righteous indignation.” Alkon said laughingly. “I am just so upset by people who are inconsiderate of other people. I call it 'lunar landing behavior.' If you're getting out of your car and instead of stepping in a moon crater, you're stepping in wad of chewing gum in a parking lot, chances are, you're not on the moon: you're on Earth, where a lot of people will be bothered by your loud cell phone conversation. I don't understand it because I'm always wondering 'Oh! Am I too loud? Am I bothering someone?'” Alkon went on to concede that, “I didn't write this book because I've got great manners. I give people the finger in traffic all the time. All the time! But the thing is, they deserve it. They’ve done some wildly inconsiderate thing, not just been slow to go on the green. If you behave badly, I'm going to let you know.”

“Fine manners need the support of fine manners in others.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

All of us have stood befuddled when we witness other people's overwhelmingly obnoxious behavior. Some schools of thought lay the blame on the decline of a proper moral upbringing while others aver that it stems from a changing social landscape that revels in excesses. Alkon buttresses her own conclusions with a slew of referential materials, like studies, books and articles, which utilize science, anthropology, psychology and evolutionary psychology to explain the behavior that is illustrated by her own anecdotal experiences.

“It doesn't seem that we have an evolved mechanism for understanding that we have to tell strangers what to do, or even feeling that that should happen.” Alkon said, expressing the reasons why we feel powerless against the tide of insensitivity. “We have very old psychology. We live in modern times, but psychologically, we're still back in the cave.”

“We live in a society that is too big for our brains. We evolved in these small tribal societies where we knew everyone, so in a society where you know everyone, you have to behave well.” Conversely, as Alkon points out, “In a society where you see strangers all the time, you can do anything to anyone, like flipping them the bird, whereas if it's your neighbor that you're flipping the bird to, tomorrow there may be a replica of Mt. Whitney in dog poo on your front lawn. We need to recognize this problem and to treat strangers like neighbors.”

This quirk in our wiring not only allows those of a more selfish nature to take over communal spaces, treat others in a dehumanizing manner or even blatantly assaulting someone either verbally or even physically, but it also makes those of us who abhor this type of behavior psychologically inadequate to react to it.

“Most people are not comfortable telling strangers that they're behaving badly and that they're victimizing people. There are people like me who are what’s called 'costly punishers.'” Alkon then went on to explain what being a costly punisher entails. “These are people who, when they feel some kind of injustice has been done, will take action at cost to themselves and when there's no benefit for them. So when I say to somebody, 'Hey! Would you please pipe down on your cell phone?' They could punch me in the nose or shoot me or yell at me and other people could look down on me. This is not a win/win situation for me, but I feel that it is so wrong that people basically steal our attention. Our attention does not belong to the loud guy on his cell phone in a coffee shop.”

Alkon insists, however, that there is a two-tiered approach to dealing with bad behavior in public. While someone may not feel comfortable with confronting the offender, it is befitting that those who witness such a confrontation support the 'costly punisher,' even if it is with an accusatory stare or a mild agreement under their breath. This reinforces the fact that the offender's behavior is not being tolerated by the whole of the group.

“Manners require time, and nothing is more vulgar than haste.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

According to most polls conducted over the last several years, cell phone etiquette (or lack thereof) is the single most cited form of rudeness people encounter most often. This does not just apply to those talking so loudly that casual passersby can discern both ends of the conversation, but also other discourtesies, such as texting while you are talking to someone right in front of you or interrupting a live conversation to take some “important” telephone call.

“I don't want to live as part of this cell phone culture where people are always somewhere else doing something else.” Alkon stated bluntly. “You know, if we're going to go out and have drinks, I'm going to look you in the eye and just pay attention to you. I don't want to have phone conversations with other people at the same time.”

Another anomaly that our brains are not equipped to deal with is the concept of who we know. Through mass media and an ever present entertainment empire, some of us feel that we know celebrities and notable persons, just as we know our own friends.

“We live in what is called ‘evolutionarily novel’ times. Although we live in A modern age we evolved a mechanism, apparently, to care about people we know. The thing is, we can't seem to differentiate from people we know and people we know from TV, so we care about Paris Hilton and whether she's wearing underpants.”

Evolutionary psychology does seem to explain why, even though we live in a technologically advanced society, our day to day actions are a throwback to our days that we spent on a playground.

“The evolution of complex cognitive adaptations is particularly slow.” Alkon explained. “Donald Symons, who I quote in my book, says it takes hundreds of thousands of generations.”

“To be always thinking about your manners is not the way to make them good; the very perfection of manners is not to think about yourself.”

~Richard Whately

“I like people, but I'm frequently disappointed in them.” Alkon said,“At the root of manners is empathy and the worst mannered people are people who are pathological narcissists. They don't care about anyone but themselves and if you're in their way, they will run you down.”

As our conversation wound down, Alkon stated that I See Rude People is not to be construed as a self help book. She merely outlines the reasoning behind some of our actions, as taken from an anthropological and psychological aspect, written in her outrageous and amusingly realistic writing style. She does, however, add a little bit of advice, as an overview, to help us treat our fellow man with the respect that we expect from others.

“Because we live in a society that’s too big for our brains, and our daily lives are filled with strangers, we need to make an effort to treat strangers like neighbors,” she said. “It's really, really important to do these kindnesses: give somebody your paper, open the door for somebody...do these little tiny things and wait for them to get it. Just to go out of your way for people in some small way...everyone feels good then, and then they're not as not as likely to do some flagrantly rude act.”

(This article appeared in the November 29th, 2009 issue of the Dayton City Paper. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)