Percussionist Chief Baba Neil Clarke is performing on Sunday July 1 at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn as part of the International African Arts Festival , a celebration that kicks off Saturday June 30 and goes until the 4 th of July. Ang Santos: Your performance at the International African Arts Festival is a tribute to Mongo Santamaria? Was he a major influence on your music? Chief Baba Neil Clarke: Absolutely. He’s a major influence in my music. He’s a major influence in the music when you

While writer-director Paul Schrader gets serious from the first minute of First Reformed , Schrader lets the full first act unfurl before he ups the ante in his new film, First Reformed by showing us at the 35-minute mark a suicide vest packed with TNT. That’s a long slow fuse, and the mark of a filmmaker who either has faith in his audience or has stopped caring whether anyone out there is watching. Well, I am. Schrader has written 24 films and directed 20. It’s been mostly glorious, and always

2018 marks the 153rd celebration of the holiday known as Juneteenth, a day that many regard as the African-American Independence Day. WBGO's Alexandra Hill sits down with Seton Hall professor, historian, and longtime activist, the Reverend Dr. Forrest Pritchett. Pritchett who was honored with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 by then President Barak Obama, is one of many who are working to make the annual celebration a federal holiday.

Earlier this month, a high school student in California was not allowed to talk about her sexual assault when addressing her classmates at graduation. The incident has prompted outrage across the country. WBGO commentator Mildred Antenor gives us her thoughts. Mildred Antenor is an author and professor at Seton Hall University.

Earlier this month, a high school student in California was not allowed to talk about her sexual assault when addressing her classmates at graduation. The incident has prompted outrage across the country. WBGO commentator Mildred Antenor gives us her thoughts. Mildred Antenor is an author and professor at Seton Hall University.

Community Access Unlimited provides support services for individuals with special needs. Organization Assistant Executive Director Joanne Oppelt says the CAU Community Players program gives everyone involved a fun opportunity to work together. “They have different abilities, not disabilities,” Oppelt said. “It helps the community by bringing in some of the arts. By bringing in businesses and people who can support the arts and brining culture to the community. It helps our members and other

Not only was Anne Donovan a legendary and pioneering figure in women's basketball, she was also one of the kindest and thoughtful people I have ever met. Donovan, a native of Ridgewood, New Jersey who dominated play at Paramus Catholic High school, won Olympic gold as a player and as a coach for the United States. Donovan died Wednesday of heart failure. She was 56. Anne was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 and also was part of the inaugural class of the Women

Nearly 1,000 artifacts connected to Basie’s life will be available to view at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers Newark, says institute executive director Wayne Winborne. “Photographs, videos, correspondence, concert programs, business records, clippings, as well as additional personal memorabilia such as clothes, accessories, scrap books, commercially issued recordings, coin and stamp collections, housewares, guns, stereo equipment, cameras and awards,” Winborne listed during the

Legalized sports betting is now underway in New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy made the first wager at Monmouth Park in Oceanport. “I’m betting $20 on Germany to win the World Cup and $20 on the Devils to win Lord Stanley’s Cup. Let’s go.” Several state lawmakers then joined hundreds of sports fans in placing their wagers. Spring Lake resident Peter Kizenko was one of them. “I’ve been looking forward to it for years. When you win now you don’t have to worry about people disappearing to get your

Lorraine Gordon will always be remembered for her indefatigable stewardship of The Village Vanguard, where she maintained the highest of standards. She was also a terrific storyteller — and had more than a few terrific stories to tell.