Wanda's Picks

Recently there was a historic gathering of African-centered Restorative Justice practioners. We will speak to Fania Davis, Jacqueline Roebuck Sahko and Yusufu Mosley and other guests that weekend at the start of the show. The circus is in town and we might have an opportunity to speak to a clown who is veteran of the Gulf War. Lastly, Oakland's Art and Soul is this weekend, August 15-16, and the Blues Stage is what's happening. A pared down band toasted Avotcja at her 68th Leo Birthday Celebration August 2 at La Pena Cultural Center. Hopefully Ronnie Stewart, Bay Area Blues Society Caravan of All Stars might be up early and prepared to share the amazing lineup with us.

Special guests today include: Janeen Africa and Ramona Africa, of the MOVE organization. Janeen's is a part of MOVE 9. We will talk about the case, MOVE and her upcoming parole hearing. The show will start a half hour later as Janeen will call from State Correctional Institution (SCI) Cambridge Springs. We will also speak to Kiilu Nyasha about Black August and her friend, comrade George Jackson. Our final guest is Jean Claude, Banyamalenge Tutsi, who will speak about the Banyamalenge Tutsi massacre, 117 killed, 166 wounded in a Burundi refugee camp, August 13, 2004. There is a program this weekend, August 8, 3:30-5:30 at the West Auditorium at Oakland Main Library, 125-14th Street @ Madison. The call in didn't work on the live show, but we will see about scheduling something for a later date.

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi'a film: Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love, opened with much success July 31 in the San Francisco Bay Area and has been held over at United Artists Stonestown Twin and the Osio in Monterey, and expanded to other venues beginning August 7: The Roxie Cinema in San Francisco and The Cerrito in El Cerrito, as the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival comes to a close. I was able to speak to two directors whose films screen today, Thursday, August 6 and Saturday, August 8: Beth Toni Kruvant, dir, "Heart of Stone" (JCCSF 8/8, 4:45 PM) & Shai Carmelli Pollack, dir. "Refugees" (Berkeley Rep, Roda Theatre, 2:30 PM, 8/6). Part 2 of this series will feature directors: Simone Bitton, dir. Rachel, which is an investigative film about the death of American peace activist, Rachel Corrie, and Helmer Pablo Trapero, dir. "Lion's Den," which explores Argentine prisons where women are allowed to keep their babies. I am trying to secure an interview with Ada Ushpiz, dir. "Desert Brides." Another film I'd recommend from the SFJFF is "Zrubavel," dir. Shumuel Beru. Beru is Israel's first Ethiopian film director. It's final screening is at Smith Rafael Aug. 9, 4 PM.

Today we'll be speaking to Alicia Jrapko, the United States Coordinator of the Internat'l

Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five based in Oakland, CA. The artist and his four brothers are serving long sentences. He is serving a life sentences in Florence, Colorado. Visit www.thecuban5.org "Original paintings by Antonio Guerrero Exhibit opens Thursday, August 6, 2009, 7:30 PM at La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. The keynote speaker is Alice Walker,

novelist, poet and author of prologue to "Letter of Love and Hope, the Story of the Cuban Five. There will be remarks by Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond , California, along with music, an excerpt from the video "Against the Silence."

Donations at the door $10 - $20 sliding scale.

We are hoping to speak to Rea Dol, who is with a coalition of grassroots women’s organizations in Haiti and also director of a school in Port-au-Prince before she returns home this weekend. She was in the San Francisco Bay Area last week. We close the show with an interview with one of my favorite artists, musicians, writers--Lewis Jordan, who has a string of events this week and spread throughout the month. He is also faculty at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. Lewis Jordan with "Music at Large... music/poetry... begins next week. Each evening he says guest can "expect passion, energy and feel "a healing force" beginning Thursday, August 13, 7:00, at Velma's Blues 'n' Jazz Club, 2246 Jerrold Ave., San Francisco, (415) 824-4606; continuing the next day, Friday, August 14, 8:00, $12 at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, 1616 Franklin St., Oakland (510) 836-4649, and then closing out the suite, Wednesday, August 26, 8:00, $10, at Anna's Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, (510) 841-5299. You don't want to miss this anointing. If Rea is not available we will have a prerecorded interview with Beth Toni Kruvant, director of "Heart of Stone" which screens at the JCCSF Aug. 8, 4:45 PM.

Afro Solo 16

Afro Solo: Morrie Turner, Thomas Simpson, Jewel Gomez, Lance McGee, Raja Rahim, Lauren Whitehead, Kai Hazelwood, and playwright, Judy Juanita.

Oakland Feather River Camp Rebroadcast with Updates on Oakland Parks and Rec at 100 Years Celebration July-August 2009. We feature music by George Cables and Eric Reed this show.

100 Black Women present: Sistahs Gettin' Real About HIV rebroadcast.

We will feature a prerecorded interview with Ruth Davies and Elvin Bishop. July 22 at Stanford Jazz Festival is Ruth Davies Blues Night with Elvin Bishop, 7:30 pm in Dinkelspiel Auditorium. Tickets are $28 general, $14 students. Ruth Davies has earned serious blues credentials, gigging with such greats as Charles Brown, John Lee Hooker, and Jimmy Witherspoon, and she brings together a sensational lineup of musicians each year at Stanford to celebrate the blues. This year’s special guest is Elvin Bishop, a supreme blues slide guitarist whose recent CD, The Blues Rolls On, was nominated for a Grammy in the best traditional blues category. Listen to audio & view video clips of Elvin here: http://www.stanfordjazz.org/jazzfestival/07_22.html You can also visit www.ruthdavies.com

The rest of the band will be Chris Burns on keyboards, Mighty Mike Shermer on guitar Nancy Wright on tenor sax and Ndugu Chancellor on drums.

Ruth Davies Blues Night at Stanford Jazz Festival features Elvin Bishop, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. This annual event has featured many top names from Henry Butler to Brenda Boykin. This is the only show, Ruth says, that she is the leader. Otherwise, she is happy as a sidewoman. The bassist joins Bishop, whose latest album, "The Blues Rolls On," was nominated for a Grammy. Ruth is on the title track on bass. This show will also feature a rebroadcast of the special interview with Jeff Chambers who is hosting a tribute for Buddy Montgomery also Wednesday, July 22, in San Francisco at Yoshi's. Terrence Brewer joins Jeff for a conversation about Buddy's brother Wes, whose work Terrence features on his latest CD.

Today our topics will range from Black Women and HIV to Negro Spirituals and Contemporary Black Music. We are pleased to have as special guests members of Araceli Theater Project, launched in 2002 to serve as an educational and supportive resource for cancer patients receiving medical care from San Francisco General Hospital. Performances are Friday-Saturday, July 17-18, 7:30 at Mission Cultural Center in San Francisco. $15 suggestion donation (or pay what you can).

We will conclude with Ebony Iman Dallas (EID) and several other artists and discuss EID's project which is to look at the role of art in mending the breach or separation between Africans in the Diaspora. There will be a presentation/concert at Coffee with a Beat in Oakland this evening.