Wanda's Picks

We open with Donald "Duck" Bailey's Gone, followed by a lovely conversation with Nathaniel Stampley as Porgy with  Alicia Hall Moran's Bess in SHN's production of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess with Suzan-Lori Parks's book adaptation, Diedre L. Murray's musical score adaptation, Ronald K. Brown's choreography with director Diane Paulus. The show is up at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Market Street, Tuesday-Sunday, through Dec. 8, 2013. For a discount enter the code AfroSolo at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks/2013/11/27/wandas-picks-radio-show-nathaniel-stampley-as-porgy

We open with Donald "Duck" Bailey's Gone, followed by a lovely conversation with Nathaniel Stampley as Porgy with  Alicia Hall Moran's Bess in SHN's production of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess with Suzan-Lori Parks's book adaptation, Diedre L. Murray's musical score adaptation, Ronald K. Brown's choreography with director Diane Paulus. The show is up at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Market Street, Tuesday-Sunday, through Dec. 8, 2013. For a discount enter the code AfroSolo at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks/2013/11/27/wandas-picks-radio-show-nathaniel-stampley-as-porgy

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

Today we look at Family Legacies, first in the life of Margo Hall as she pays tribute, in BeBop Baby: A Musical Memoir at Z Space, Nov. 19-23, 2013, to the life of her beloved step-dad, artist and musical ambassador of Detroit, Teddy Harris, Jr. and her biological dad, Armsby Hall. We conclude with an extended conversation with directors, husband and wife team, Joe Brewster and Michelle Stephenson, whose American Promise, covered 13 years of their lives as they document their son, Idris and his best friend, Seun's educational journey kindergarten to high school in one of this nation's most prestigious private schools. What is America's Promise to its citizens and does its educational system uphold this for these families. Opening just a week ago in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Oakland this Friday, Nov. 22 at the New Parkway, American Promise takes this nation to task as it shows how even among the best schools, it is still not doing its best for its black boys.

Today we look at Family Legacies, first in the life of Margo Hall as she pays tribute, in BeBop Baby: A Musical Memoir at Z Space, Nov. 19-23, 2013, to the life of her beloved step-dad, artist and musical ambassador of Detroit, Teddy Harris, Jr. and her biological dad, Armsby Hall. We conclude with an extended conversation with directors, husband and wife team, Joe Brewster and Michelle Stephenson, whose American Promise, covered 13 years of their lives as they document their son, Idris and his best friend, Seun's educational journey kindergarten to high school in one of this nation's most prestigious private schools. What is America's Promise to its citizens and does its educational system uphold this for these families. Opening just a week ago in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Oakland this Friday, Nov. 22 at the New Parkway, American Promise takes this nation to task as it shows how even among the best schools, it is still not doing its best for its black boys.

Oakland School for the Arts cast and faculty director, join us to talk about A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's seminal look at a black family moving on up and the impact of this physical relocation on their perspectives and the familial dynamics, 1950s Chicago. The cast is also participating in a community symposium: Healing through Community Change, Families Taking Action at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd., Room D 216, 7-9 p.m., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, donations go to the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation. Other guests include foundation and Till relatives: Airickca Gordon-Taylor, Executive Dir., her mom, Ollie Gordon, Social Justice Coordinator; Wanda Johnson, Oscar Grant's mother; The Bluford Family; Walter Riley, Oakland based Civil Rights Attorney; George Calvis, Community Organizer, Clarence Thomas, Union organizer, Steve Pitts, UC Berkeley Labor organizer. Julia Chigamba joins us to talk about her family's community center in Harare, Zimbabwe and a fundraiser/concert at Ashkenaz, Sat., Nov. 23, 2013. Visit www.chinyakare.com Jack Bryson, Oscar Grant Foundation, and Marcel Jones, UC Berkeley Black Student Union join us to speak about the forum they organized and are participaing in at Allen Temple 11/18/2013. We close with a conversation with cultural ambassador and educator, Val Serrant, about 2 shows Dec. 13-14 at the Dance Palace & Community Center at Pt. Reys Station & the River Theatre in Guernville & features musicians Val Serrant, Sikiru Adepoju, Saminu Adepoju, Peter Fujii, Deszon Claiborne and Joel Smith in concert. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/512450

Oakland School for the Arts cast and faculty director, join us to talk about A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's seminal look at a black family moving on up and the impact of this physical relocation on their perspectives and the familial dynamics, 1950s Chicago. The cast is also participating in a community symposium: Healing through Community Change, Families Taking Action at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd., Room D 216, 7-9 p.m., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, donations go to the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation. Other guests include foundation and Till relatives: Airickca Gordon-Taylor, Executive Dir., her mom, Ollie Gordon, Social Justice Coordinator; Wanda Johnson, Oscar Grant's mother; The Bluford Family; Walter Riley, Oakland based Civil Rights Attorney; George Calvis, Community Organizer, Clarence Thomas, Union organizer, Steve Pitts, UC Berkeley Labor organizer. Julia Chigamba joins us to talk about her family's community center in Harare, Zimbabwe and a fundraiser/concert at Ashkenaz, Sat., Nov. 23, 2013. Visit www.chinyakare.com Jack Bryson, Oscar Grant Foundation, and Marcel Jones, UC Berkeley Black Student Union join us to speak about the forum they organized and are participaing in at Allen Temple 11/18/2013. We close with a conversation with cultural ambassador and educator, Val Serrant, about 2 shows Dec. 13-14 at the Dance Palace & Community Center at Pt. Reys Station & the River Theatre in Guernville & features musicians Val Serrant, Sikiru Adepoju, Saminu Adepoju, Peter Fujii, Deszon Claiborne and Joel Smith in concert. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/512450

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay!