Wanda's Picks

We close our March celebration of women with a look at the legacy of Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman. We start with a conversation with Avery Sharpe, a visionary composer, educator and musician whose work “Ain’t I a Woman” consists of compositions based on formerly enslaved abolitionist and women’s rights advocate, Sojourner Truth’s life, the title of the project taking its title from a speech she made for woman suffrage in Seneca Falls, NY, in 1851. See http://www.averysharpe.com/  Later in the show we continue this conversation with Paula M. Kimper, composer of  “Truth, a New Folk Opera about Sojourner Truth, the ex-slave, fiery abolitionist and women’s rights pioneer, Linda McInerney, director/co-creator and co-conceiver, is also founder and Artistic Director of Old Deerfield Productions; and Mari-Yan Pringle, who sings the lead. Visit http://truthopera.com/Between the two Truth conversations is a prerecorded interview with scholar and author, Dr. Jeanne Theoharis about her latest book: "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks." The full interview will be broadcast April 3, 2013, 6 AM PT here on this dial. We close with a conversation about the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument as the 399th unit of the National Park System (to open in 2015) with Robert G. Stanton, former Director of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Senior Adviser to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. Visit www.nps.gov/hatu

We close our March celebration of women with a look at the legacy of Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman. We start with a conversation with Avery Sharpe, a visionary composer, educator and musician whose work “Ain’t I a Woman” consists of compositions based on formerly enslaved abolitionist and women’s rights advocate, Sojourner Truth’s life, the title of the project taking its title from a speech she made for woman suffrage in Seneca Falls, NY, in 1851. See http://www.averysharpe.com/  Later in the show we continue this conversation with Paula M. Kimper, composer of  “Truth, a New Folk Opera about Sojourner Truth, the ex-slave, fiery abolitionist and women’s rights pioneer, Linda McInerney, director/co-creator and co-conceiver, is also founder and Artistic Director of Old Deerfield Productions; and Mari-Yan Pringle, who sings the lead. Visit http://truthopera.com/Between the two Truth conversations is a prerecorded interview with scholar and author, Dr. Jeanne Theoharis about her latest book: "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks." The full interview will be broadcast April 3, 2013, 6 AM PT here on this dial. We close with a conversation about the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument as the 399th unit of the National Park System (to open in 2015) with Robert G. Stanton, former Director of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Senior Adviser to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. Visit www.nps.gov/hatu

Women's History Month is closing with a bang in Berkeley with "Just Like a Woman," a concert featuring an all-star line up of women vocalists and musicians among them Rhonda Benin, the show's producer, with Paula Harris, Terrie Odabi, Kellye Gray and the Lillian Armstrong Tribute Band  with musicial director Tammy Hall, at the Freight and Salvage. Visit http://www.thefreight.org/event

We close with an interview with Tobie Windham, a regular guest who joins us to talk about his latest role, "John," in Matthew Lopez's The Whipping Man opening at Marin Theatre Company March 28-April 21, 2013. Visit www.marintheatre.org (415) 388-5200.

Music: Kim Nalley's "I Wish I Knew How It Felt to Be Free"; Keb'Mo's "Wake Up Everybody"; Karrin Allyson's "Spring Can Really Hang You Up," and Paula West's "Rolling Stone" (an excerpt).

Women's History Month is closing with a bang in Berkeley with "Just Like a Woman," a concert featuring an all-star line up of women vocalists and musicians among them Rhonda Benin, the show's producer, with Paula Harris, Terrie Odabi, Kellye Gray and the Lillian Armstrong Tribute Band  with musicial director Tammy Hall, at the Freight and Salvage. Visit http://www.thefreight.org/event

We close with an interview with Tobie Windham, a regular guest who joins us to talk about his latest role, "John," in Matthew Lopez's The Whipping Man opening at Marin Theatre Company March 28-April 21, 2013. Visit www.marintheatre.org (415) 388-5200.

Music: Kim Nalley's "I Wish I Knew How It Felt to Be Free"; Keb'Mo's "Wake Up Everybody"; Karrin Allyson's "Spring Can Really Hang You Up," and Paula West's "Rolling Stone" (an excerpt).

"The Black Woman Is God," curated by Karen Seneferu is at the Sargent Johnson Gallery in SF, CA through May 30, 2013.  A self-taught artist that grew up in Oakland, California, receiving her BA in English from University of California, Berkeley she will speak about her interest in how individuals can be a part of mainstream society and maintain cultural integrity. In her academic hat Karen created a program that removed fear and anxiety for Foundational students called Take Flight at Berkeley City College. At the center of the program was the idea that narrative is art and art is narrative. Senferu's artwork is also a cross section of her teaching. She uses various mediums, such as installation, mix media sculpture, painting, and video to reveal the process of self empowerment and self- transformation. Zena Carlota Pearl Allen is a self-trained artist who uses the mediums of collage, painting, sculpture, and installation. In her art, which is currently a part of a number of exhibitions: Joyce Gordon Gallery in Oakland and One Life Institute at Studio One in Oakland, she explores universal themes of matriarchy, cultural knowledge and preservation that are cross-cultural in their significance. Her subjects are often women, relatives, and Indigenous deities of the African and Asian Diaspora. Velina Brown (Miss Flora in "A Lady and A Woman" at Theatre Rhino) is an award-winning actress, singer/songwriter, and director whose artistic home for several years has been the San Francisco Mime Troupe. She performs regularly at several Bay Area Theatre companies and was just seen this week in the Magic Theatre's staged reading ofPEN/MAN/SHIP by Christina Anderson. Velina is also a coach and writes a monthly column for Theatre Bay Area Magazine called “The Business of Show Biz.”

"The Black Woman Is God," curated by Karen Seneferu is at the Sargent Johnson Gallery in SF, CA through May 30, 2013.  A self-taught artist that grew up in Oakland, California, receiving her BA in English from University of California, Berkeley she will speak about her interest in how individuals can be a part of mainstream society and maintain cultural integrity. In her academic hat Karen created a program that removed fear and anxiety for Foundational students called Take Flight at Berkeley City College. At the center of the program was the idea that narrative is art and art is narrative. Senferu's artwork is also a cross section of her teaching. She uses various mediums, such as installation, mix media sculpture, painting, and video to reveal the process of self empowerment and self- transformation. Zena Carlota Pearl Allen is a self-trained artist who uses the mediums of collage, painting, sculpture, and installation. In her art, which is currently a part of a number of exhibitions: Joyce Gordon Gallery in Oakland and One Life Institute at Studio One in Oakland, she explores universal themes of matriarchy, cultural knowledge and preservation that are cross-cultural in their significance. Her subjects are often women, relatives, and Indigenous deities of the African and Asian Diaspora. Velina Brown (Miss Flora in "A Lady and A Woman" at Theatre Rhino) is an award-winning actress, singer/songwriter, and director whose artistic home for several years has been the San Francisco Mime Troupe. She performs regularly at several Bay Area Theatre companies and was just seen this week in the Magic Theatre's staged reading ofPEN/MAN/SHIP by Christina Anderson. Velina is also a coach and writes a monthly column for Theatre Bay Area Magazine called “The Business of Show Biz.”

Jacquie Jones joins us to speak about 180 Days: A Year inside an American High School, airing nationally on PBS March 25-26, 2015. The film follows a high five students at DC Met. Jones is the Executive Director of the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) and the Executive Producer of DC MET. Since taking over leadership of NBPC, Jacquie has established herself as a leader in the evolving next-media landscape through innovative partnerships and initiatives such as the Katrina Project, the ground-breaking New Media Institute, the Public Media Corps and blackpublicmedia.org. She was previously the Executive Vice President of ROJA Productions in New York City, a producer of high impact media for public television and museums. Jacquie is also a Peabody Award-winning producer and director of documentary films. Her credits include “Africans in America” and “Matters of Race” for PBS, “Behind Closed Doors: Sex in the 20th Century” for Showtime, and “The World Before Us,” for the History Channel. She has a BA in English from Howard University and an MA from Stanford University’s documentary filmmaking program. She has been a Revson Fellow at Columbia University and a scholar-in-residence at American University in Washington, DC. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Integrated Media Association (iMA) board and on the Community Advisory Board of WHUT Howard University Television. Clarence R. Cuthbertson, Ph.D., playwright, joins us to talk about "Tituba" and "Nat," which are at Black Repretory Group in Berkeley, CA, this Sunday, 8 p.m. The native New Yorker, is both an accomplished playwright as well as a percussionist. He has written over 19 plays of which 16 have been produced professionally. With an MFA in Dramatic Writing from N.Y.U., he has taught and directed theater throughout the United States and in the Caribbean.Music: Robert Glasper

Jacquie Jones joins us to speak about 180 Days: A Year inside an American High School, airing nationally on PBS March 25-26, 2015. The film follows a high five students at DC Met. Jones is the Executive Director of the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) and the Executive Producer of DC MET. Since taking over leadership of NBPC, Jacquie has established herself as a leader in the evolving next-media landscape through innovative partnerships and initiatives such as the Katrina Project, the ground-breaking New Media Institute, the Public Media Corps and blackpublicmedia.org. She was previously the Executive Vice President of ROJA Productions in New York City, a producer of high impact media for public television and museums. Jacquie is also a Peabody Award-winning producer and director of documentary films. Her credits include “Africans in America” and “Matters of Race” for PBS, “Behind Closed Doors: Sex in the 20th Century” for Showtime, and “The World Before Us,” for the History Channel. She has a BA in English from Howard University and an MA from Stanford University’s documentary filmmaking program. She has been a Revson Fellow at Columbia University and a scholar-in-residence at American University in Washington, DC. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Integrated Media Association (iMA) board and on the Community Advisory Board of WHUT Howard University Television. Clarence R. Cuthbertson, Ph.D., playwright, joins us to talk about "Tituba" and "Nat," which are at Black Repretory Group in Berkeley, CA, this Sunday, 8 p.m. The native New Yorker, is both an accomplished playwright as well as a percussionist. He has written over 19 plays of which 16 have been produced professionally. With an MFA in Dramatic Writing from N.Y.U., he has taught and directed theater throughout the United States and in the Caribbean.Music: Robert Glasper

We speak to Albert Mazibuko about Ladysmith Black Mambazo – led by founder and leader Joseph Shabalala – which this year celebrates over fifty years of joyous and uplifting music that marries the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. In those years, the a cappella vocal group has created a musical and spiritual alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience representing every corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape. Their musical efforts over the past five decades have garnered praise and accolades within the recording industry, but also solidified their identity as a cultural force to be reckoned with. Assembled in the early 1960s in South Africa by Shabalala – then a young farmboy turned factory worker – the group took the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith being the name of Shabalala’s rural hometown; Black being a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; and Mambazo being the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s ability to “chop down” any singing rival who might challenge them. In late 2013, the group will release "Stories and Songs From A Zulu Farm" in which they've created a narrative story to join with their recent songs for children to better understand life on a Zulu Farm. This will be their first children's cd since the 1990's. They will also release a Live cd called "Singing For Peace Around The World" in early 2013. Later they will release a new traditional Zulu cd in 2014 and an all English American Gospel recording with a famous American singer. From http://www.mambazo.com/

We speak to Albert Mazibuko about Ladysmith Black Mambazo – led by founder and leader Joseph Shabalala – which this year celebrates over fifty years of joyous and uplifting music that marries the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. In those years, the a cappella vocal group has created a musical and spiritual alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience representing every corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape. Their musical efforts over the past five decades have garnered praise and accolades within the recording industry, but also solidified their identity as a cultural force to be reckoned with. Assembled in the early 1960s in South Africa by Shabalala – then a young farmboy turned factory worker – the group took the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith being the name of Shabalala’s rural hometown; Black being a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; and Mambazo being the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s ability to “chop down” any singing rival who might challenge them. In late 2013, the group will release "Stories and Songs From A Zulu Farm" in which they've created a narrative story to join with their recent songs for children to better understand life on a Zulu Farm. This will be their first children's cd since the 1990's. They will also release a Live cd called "Singing For Peace Around The World" in early 2013. Later they will release a new traditional Zulu cd in 2014 and an all English American Gospel recording with a famous American singer. From http://www.mambazo.com/