Wanda's Picks

This morning we open with an interview with one of our favorite writers, Michael Warr, who with Luis Rodriquez will be speaking on Art as Healing in a free lecture at the Koret Audiotirum, de Young Museum in San Francisco, 3-4:30 p.m. Visit http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/calendar/conversation-authors-luis-rodriguez-and-michael-warr Michael Warr is author of The Armageddon of Funk, We Are All The Black Boy, and co-editor of Power Lines: A Decade of Poetry From Chicago’s Guild Complex, all from Tia Chucha Press.  Valerie Cooper, vocalist/writer, who joins us next to talk about her sneak preview at the African Museum and Library, Oakland, Sept. 14, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Visit http://expressmoments.com We close with a conversation with three writers: The Hon. Claire Mack, former mayor of San Mateo, Rafael Jesus Gonzalez, poet, teacher, humanitarian, and Nadia Lataillade, writer, attorney, and Mrs. Mack's granddaughter. The topic is 100 Authors for Literacy, a free event, Sat., Sept. 21, 2013, at the Martin Luther King Center, 725 Mt. Diablo Ave., San Mateo, CA. http://northcentralneighborhoodassociation.org/100-authors-for-literacy-event.htmlSpecial guests include: Belva Davis and Dr. Joy DeGruy. Music: Michael Warr; Michael White; Meklit Hadero

This morning we open with an interview with one of our favorite writers, Michael Warr, who with Luis Rodriquez will be speaking on Art as Healing in a free lecture at the Koret Audiotirum, de Young Museum in San Francisco, 3-4:30 p.m. Visit http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/calendar/conversation-authors-luis-rodriguez-and-michael-warr Michael Warr is author of The Armageddon of Funk, We Are All The Black Boy, and co-editor of Power Lines: A Decade of Poetry From Chicago’s Guild Complex, all from Tia Chucha Press.  Valerie Cooper, vocalist/writer, who joins us next to talk about her sneak preview at the African Museum and Library, Oakland, Sept. 14, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Visit http://expressmoments.com We close with a conversation with three writers: The Hon. Claire Mack, former mayor of San Mateo, Rafael Jesus Gonzalez, poet, teacher, humanitarian, and Nadia Lataillade, writer, attorney, and Mrs. Mack's granddaughter. The topic is 100 Authors for Literacy, a free event, Sat., Sept. 21, 2013, at the Martin Luther King Center, 725 Mt. Diablo Ave., San Mateo, CA. http://northcentralneighborhoodassociation.org/100-authors-for-literacy-event.htmlSpecial guests include: Belva Davis and Dr. Joy DeGruy. Music: Michael Warr; Michael White; Meklit Hadero

1. Melvin Brown: Movin’ Melvin will take you on a musical journey of his life through Black Music history from 50’s to 90’s…Singing,Tap-dancing and Clogging, Storytelling, and Comedy. Covering everything from Gospel, Soul and Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, the infectious song and dance show has the audience movin' and groovin' along, with songs of Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and more, as well as his original songs. Melvin tap-dances from Bo Jangles to Gregory Hines styles in his unique way and he clogs to Texas music. The 22nd Annual San Francisco Fringe Festival runs for 14 days, September 6-21, 2013, at the EXIT Theatreplex, 156 Eddy Street, in downtown San Francisco.  This year, the run is longer (14, rather than 12 days) and extended to include three weekends.  The only days the theatre is dark are Mondays. Tickets for the 14-day San Francisco Fringe Festival, Sept. 6-21, are $10 (or less) at the door (cash only) and $12.99 (or less) online.  The ten-show Frequent Fringer pass is $75, and a five-show pass is $45. The EXIT Theatreplex is within walking distance of Union Square and the Powell Street BART station.  For complete listings of venues, shows and times, go to www.sffringe.org.  Or call the fringe hotline at (415) 673-3847.  2. JIHAN SABIR (Ensemble/Judge/ Paulette Understudy) is super stoked to be doing Legally Blonde at Woodminster Amphitheatre! Originally from the East Bay, Jihan studied musical theatre at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles. Credits include: Rent, Hairspray, Once on this Island, Legally Blonde, Parade, Finian’s Rainbow and 9 to 5. She wants to thank all her family and friends who supported her. This her second time doing Legally Blonde! She can’t wait to “Go be Legally Blonde again!”

1. Melvin Brown: Movin’ Melvin will take you on a musical journey of his life through Black Music history from 50’s to 90’s…Singing,Tap-dancing and Clogging, Storytelling, and Comedy. Covering everything from Gospel, Soul and Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, the infectious song and dance show has the audience movin' and groovin' along, with songs of Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and more, as well as his original songs. Melvin tap-dances from Bo Jangles to Gregory Hines styles in his unique way and he clogs to Texas music. The 22nd Annual San Francisco Fringe Festival runs for 14 days, September 6-21, 2013, at the EXIT Theatreplex, 156 Eddy Street, in downtown San Francisco.  This year, the run is longer (14, rather than 12 days) and extended to include three weekends.  The only days the theatre is dark are Mondays. Tickets for the 14-day San Francisco Fringe Festival, Sept. 6-21, are $10 (or less) at the door (cash only) and $12.99 (or less) online.  The ten-show Frequent Fringer pass is $75, and a five-show pass is $45. The EXIT Theatreplex is within walking distance of Union Square and the Powell Street BART station.  For complete listings of venues, shows and times, go to www.sffringe.org.  Or call the fringe hotline at (415) 673-3847.  2. JIHAN SABIR (Ensemble/Judge/ Paulette Understudy) is super stoked to be doing Legally Blonde at Woodminster Amphitheatre! Originally from the East Bay, Jihan studied musical theatre at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles. Credits include: Rent, Hairspray, Once on this Island, Legally Blonde, Parade, Finian’s Rainbow and 9 to 5. She wants to thank all her family and friends who supported her. This her second time doing Legally Blonde! She can’t wait to “Go be Legally Blonde again!”

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!

1. Melvin Brown, as Movin Melvin Brown: The Man, The Song, The Musicat SF Fringe Festival 2013. 

2. Jihan Sabir, actress, Legally Blonde at Woodminster Summer Theatre in Oakland. 

Bio:  JIHAN SABIR (Ensemble/Judge/ Paulette Understudy) is super stoked to be doing Legally Blonde at Woodminster Amphitheatre! Originally from the East Bay, Jihan studied musical theatre at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles. Credits include: Rent, Hairspray, Once on this Island, Legally Blonde, Parade, Finian’s Rainbow and 9 to 5. She wants to thank all her family and friends who supported her. This her second time doing Legally Blonde! She can’t wait to “Go be Legally Blonde again!”

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!

Rebroadcast of interview with Nelson Bell--re: National Brotherhood of Cyclists Confernece in Oakland, CA, August 2011,  with organizational chair.

Rebroadcast of interview with Nelson Bell--re: National Brotherhood of Cyclists Confernece in Oakland, CA, August 2011,  with organizational chair.

Chris Johnson studied photography with Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham and Wynn Bullock and has been the recipient of grants from the Rockefeller Foundation (w/Hank Willis Thomas); In 1994, he co-produced and directed “The Roof is on Fire” with Suzanne Lacy, which was broadcast on KRON. His fine art photography has been widely exhibited and published. Johnson is a full Professor of Photography at the California College of the Arts http://www.chrisjohnsonphotographer.com/Eric Doversberger is a manager and technology strategist on Google’s People Analytics team, with deep specialization in interactive data visualization.Outside of Google, Eric is a technology advisor for social change organizations and co-creator (with Wendy Levy and Tomorrow Partners) of Sparkwise: an open source and online, social change impact reporting platform. Before joining Google in 2007, Eric was a NSF-funded researcher at the Mathematics Department of Brown University: www.ericdoversberger.com To participate visit: http://bit.ly/174fXVL An interview with acress/singer Tiffany Mann follows. She is "Blues Woman" in San Jose Rep's "One Night with Janis Joplin" (9/5-29). We close with an interview with artist/entrepreneur Martin Luther, with music of: Meklit Hadero "Walls," and Meklit & Quinn "Light"; Damu Sudii Ali's "Blessings" from UMOJA. Tracks from Question Bridge soundtrack: http://questionbridge.com/

Chris Johnson studied photography with Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham and Wynn Bullock and has been the recipient of grants from the Rockefeller Foundation (w/Hank Willis Thomas); In 1994, he co-produced and directed “The Roof is on Fire” with Suzanne Lacy, which was broadcast on KRON. His fine art photography has been widely exhibited and published. Johnson is a full Professor of Photography at the California College of the Arts http://www.chrisjohnsonphotographer.com/Eric Doversberger is a manager and technology strategist on Google’s People Analytics team, with deep specialization in interactive data visualization.Outside of Google, Eric is a technology advisor for social change organizations and co-creator (with Wendy Levy and Tomorrow Partners) of Sparkwise: an open source and online, social change impact reporting platform. Before joining Google in 2007, Eric was a NSF-funded researcher at the Mathematics Department of Brown University: www.ericdoversberger.com To participate visit: http://bit.ly/174fXVL An interview with acress/singer Tiffany Mann follows. She is "Blues Woman" in San Jose Rep's "One Night with Janis Joplin" (9/5-29). We close with an interview with artist/entrepreneur Martin Luther, with music of: Meklit Hadero "Walls," and Meklit & Quinn "Light"; Damu Sudii Ali's "Blessings" from UMOJA. Tracks from Question Bridge soundtrack: http://questionbridge.com/