The Queen of Hang: Sheila E. Anderson

The Week Of: April 23 - April 29, 2007

In New York

Sob’s
Friday
Salsa Groove

Saturday
Samba Soul Presents Duende

Sunday
Bossa Nova Brunch

Monday – April 30th
“Salsa Meets Jazz”
The Bronx Horns W/ Special Guest
Randy Brecker

I was the emcee on March 26, the first of more "Salsa Meets Jazz" to come. Currently they are planned to be the last Monday of the month. It was a fun night of music and I urge you all to attend. John "Sco" Scofield fit in quite well with The Bronx Horns. Below are some photos.

Another fan of the arts has passed

Kitty Carlise-Hart

At the 3rd Annual Jazzmobile Vocal Competition Final Competition sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Company I had the pleasure to meet Kitty Carlisle-Hart. That night I was the emcee for the performance that took place at the Riverbank Park. From the stage I looked into the audience and saw Kitty sitting there looking regal. At the dinner following, at River Room, she called me to her table to tell me how impressed she was with me and how she enjoyed my emcee work. She looked at me in disbelief when I told her that I used to watch her on "What's My Line" but I assured her that I was older than I looked...LOL! Our brief exchange was meaningful and memorable. Kitty lived a long, wonderful life. Today on "The View" Barbara Walters said that each night Kitty would look in the mirror and forgive herself. Perhaps I will adopt that daily exercise!

Eric Reed, Kitty Carlisle-Hart and KT Sullivan at the Algonquin a few months before Kitty passed. She sure looked GREAT!

Two things of interest

Charenee Wade and International Women in Jazz Festival.

This years Jazzmobile’s 2006 Jazz Vocal Competition SHOWCASE winners are:

Ty Stephens -
1st Place Winner

Charenee Wade -
1st Runner Up

Gregory Porter-
Finalist

On Friday, April 20. On Friday come out and hear Charenee Wade Quintet.

Live @ Baton Rouge
(458 W145th St and Convent Ave)
Friday, April 20th
8pm-12am
no cover

with
Daiske Abe, guitar
Nori Naraoka, bass
Alvin Atkinson, Jr., drums
Antonio Dangerfield, trumpet
(A,B,C,D train to 145th St.)

Reservations strongly advised
Please contact: (212) 281-2336619

And again hear them at the First Annual IWJ Jazz Festival@ St. Peter's Church
(Lexington Ave and 54th St)

Sunday April 22nd, 7:30pm
Suggested Donation: $20

(E,V trains to Lexington Avenue, 6 train to 51st St)
For more info, check out their website @ internationalwomeninjazz.com

Women in Jazz Festival 2007
April 20-22 at Saint Peter's Church "The Jazz Church"
Check the website for complete details.

Friday, April 20
Photo exhibit Opening and Reception featuring Photographs of Women Jazz Artists by jazz photographer Norm Harris. Live jazz with the Virginia Mayhew Quartet and more.

Saturday, April 21
10:00 to Noon Workshop, "Performance Etiquette and Other Tips to Further Your Career" by (me), Sheila Anderson
2:30 to 4:00 Performances by Deanna Witkowski Quartet, Golda Solomon, Carol Sudhalter Quartet and workshop "What is Jazz?" a workshop for youth.
7:30 to 10:00 Performance by Ann Hampton Callaway

Sunday, April 22
5:00 to 9:00 Performances by Kate McGarry/Keith Ganz Duo, Youth-in Jazz Past Winners, Janice Friedman, Carla Cook.

Dakota Staton, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jr. and Kurt Vonnegut

Singer, Dakota Staton

Viewing (3:00 to 7:00), funeral, to follow, will be Monday, April 16 at Abyssinan Baptist Church located at 132 Odell Clark Place, formerly West 138th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and Malcolm X Boulevards, also known as 7th and Lenox Avenues.

I never got to see her perform live. The only time I did see Dakota was at the opening of the documentary, "Jazz Women" where she was in a in a hospital bed. It was sad to see her in that state, not moving, but moved when her part of the film came on the screen. During the Q&A I saw tears fall from her eyes.

From Cobi Narita:

My beloved Dakota Staton died yesterday, Tuesday, April 10, at the
Isabella Nursing Home. Her brother, Fred called me today and gave me the distressing
news.

I can remember when the strong, lusty, vibrant woman who loved life and
singing, had her birthday party at Cobi's Place in June of 2000. She
loved this party; she talked about it all the time. At the tiime, she
was booked for three major concerts in August & September.

I can remember when in July, she was found unconscious in her
apartment, suffering from a triple aneurysm. When she awoke, she
couldn't remember anything between the party and the day they found
her.

I can remember when she was moved to the Isabella Nursing Home in
September 2000. I weep for our loss. I will miss her, both as a person and as one of
the great singers of all time. Blind for seven years, wracked with pain
from arthritis, and gradually losing contact with us, I'm sure that as
she passed, she gave a great sigh of relief.

Roscoe Lee Browne

Stage, film and television actor known for his rich voice, died early yesterday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 81 and lived in Los Angeles. Roscoe Lee Browne was born on May 2, 1925, in Woodbury, N.J., the son of a Baptist preacher. After graduating in 1946 from Lincoln University, a historically black college in Pennsylvania, Mr. Browne pursued a postgraduate degree at Middlebury College.

Kurt Vonnegut

In high school I read Slaughterhouse Five and fell in love with his writing. He has left a great body of work. He too will be missed.

A New Club in Newark, NJ

The Key Club has finally opened! A few doors from WBGO makes it easy for me to catch a few minutes of music before I begin my 9PM show because the sets are at 8PM and 10PM. Though it has been open, unofficially, for a few weeks, the real opening is this Friday, April 20 with Winard Harper.

For those of you who know about Park Place in Newark, Key Club is in the same location of the Twinz Diner. It has been transformed into a beautiful space with walls painted in all Benjamin Moore colors. One wall is Roxbury Caramel, another in Waterbury Creme the columns painted in Sandy Brown trim all designed by Paul Boykins. Hanging on the walls are some wonderful paintings created by Newark native, Bradford Brown.

As one who loves to sit at the bar, this one is quite impressive. Owner, the 28 year old, Elliot James, said that the 100% granite counter top was imported from India. It is warm and inviting. Along the wall are booths and in the back of the bar are tables. Behind the curtain you will find a stage and more seating which makes a comfortable place to listen to the live music. Also, the club is a great space for private parties.

Now, the food...they intend to have a full menu but during my visits only the light fare was offered. The sandwiches are quite tasty and Elliot swears by their Angus burger that I did not try because they only had swiss cheese which I don't like. If you are a fries person you will enjoy the waffle fries, that is, if they continue to serve them. Once they get rolling I will write more about the food.

Matrimony and Births

Myron Walden and Amy Knapp were married on April 1, 2007, two years to the day that they met. The wedding was featured in the Sunday's Times Style section. It was one of the most fabulous weddings that I have attended...see my photos posted on this blog. Before the ceremony we were treated to Veuve Clicquot Brut NV, sparking water and feta cheese puffs while we listened to pianist, Eric Reed and bassist, Gerald Cannon.

After the service the reception was held in the atrium of the Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center as we basked in the decor done by David Stark Design. My mouth dropped when I walked in to see the area turned into a nightclub setting filled with magnificent flowers full of daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers that matched the colors in the Romare Bearden painting that hangs there. And, we heard more music from Eric Reed's trio of Gerald Cannon and Willie Jones, III.

During the reception The Allen Room was transformed into beautiful tables that were identified by names of jazz musicians. The table settings had red roses that matched Amy's bouquet and shoes. And, on each table were thank you gifts of CD's by the person that the table was named for. In addition to the delicious meal, we were served Chardonnay Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara 2004, Pinot Noir, Stephen Ross, Edna Valley, 2004 and, more Veuve Clicquot Brut NV. The cake was from Ron Ben Israel.

Also at the wedding was Jonathan Blake and his wife Rio Sakairi who got married in November, 2006 which I posted on November 5, 2006. They are expecting their second child at the end of this month. Also photographed is Grace-Ann, Ron Blake's wife.