That Weekend in L.A. with George Benson

 

In late September of 1977 jazz guitarist and newly minted crossover R&B crooner, George Benson landed in Los Angeles to record his landmark live album at the legendary Roxy Theatre.  At the time, Los Angeles was in the midst of creating incredible historic and enduring moments.  The months leading up to Benson’s performance on the night of September 30th at the Roxy Theatre, Angelinos had not only witnessed the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter with the rest of America, but locally experienced remarkable events that ranged from the unforgettable imagery of NASA’s Space shuttle Enterprise soaring across the sky piggy-backed on a Boeing 747 jet, experiencing the frenzy of the redefining sci-fi soon to be juggernaut film Star Wars, to welcoming Mayor Tom Bradley—arguably the most politically and socially significant person west of the Rockies in the ‘70s—into his second term, collectively breathed a sigh of relief with the capture of the sick “Freeway Killer” all while watching new Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda lead his team into the NLCS*.  Los Angeles was indeed primed and ready to receive a George Benson performance.

A year prior, Benson’s popularity reached the zenith of his career with the release of his hit single “This Masquerade” from his two time Grammy award winning album Breezin’. His sure-fire vocals and scats, which mirrored his guitar melodies and jazz riffs, catapulted him into the upper echelon of R&B crooners of the era.  Benson, for the first time, effectively crossed over from the jazz genre solidly into the world of R&B and pop. Attracting new and larger audiences for his live performances, Benson was indeed primed to deliver for a slick and beautifully complex L.A. audience.

On the afternoon of September 30th, Benson made his way up Sunset Boulevard amid fancy cars, infamous traffic, Hollywood sunshine, larger-than-life billboards, palm tree-lined streets, and of course a bit of that iconic L.A. smog on his way to the Roxy Theatre. The theatre on Sunset, commonly known as The Roxy, was founded by producers and Hollywood insiders Lou Adler, Elmer Valentine, David Geffen, Elliot Roberts, and Peter Asher who together opened its doors for business just four years earlier.  In a short time, The Roxy had emerged as the venue of choice for up and coming artists to showcase their talents to a consuming audience bent on catching a glimpse of the new hot thing. Upon Benson’s arrival, he was met by his well rehearsed and longtime band, which consisted of Stanley Banks on Bass, Ronnie Foster on synthesizer, the late Ralph MacDonald on percussion, Phil Upchurch on rhythm guitar, Harvey Mason on drums, and the late Jorge Dalto on piano.  He quickly rehearsed the setlist and worked out any kinks to create a flawless show.  After rehearsal, Benson met with the late producer Tommy LiPuma to work out stage sounds and board mixes.  In conversation with Benson, LiPuma agonized over what to name the album and pondered a few ideas. Ultimately, not wanting to apply a common and yet all too mundane moniker like George Benson Live at the Roxy, which is a style that has been used to name other albums recorded live at The Roxy, rather LiPuma settled on George Benson Weekend in L.A.  The title implied a happening–an event that was not to be missed.  Benson loved it.

That very night in late September, Benson stepped on stage to a sold out and packed Roxy.  The audience was filled with Angelino fans eager to be lifted to the next level by the magic of Benson’s performance.  Music industry heavy hitters such as Aretha Franklin, the late Minnie Ripperton, the late Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Scott, the late Leon Russell, and even actors David Soul and Keith Carradine were nestled into the crowd to certify Benson’s rising star as an R&B and pop artist.  Benson’s music swept over the audience and filled the gritty theatre with a lively atmosphere of celebration, which aided in the release of tension for residents of L.A.  His skillful jazz licks and well-seasoned vocals easily carried the audience to a place of both respite and pleasure.  Benson and his band opened with songs such as the aptly named “Weekend in LA,” written especially for this live event.  Then in grand style, summoned for the first time, he performed  “On Broadway,” which, after this night, would become his signature song. Next, Benson dug in on the heartfelt “Down Here on The Ground,” which was followed by  the driving “California P.M.”  And finally, to round out half of the album’s set, he sang out in fantastic fashion “The Greatest Love of All,” which he recorded a few months earlier for the Muhammad Ali film, The Greatest.  The late Whitney Houston’s recording of “The Greatest Love of All” became the first of her many signature songs.  The Roxy audience cheered, shouted, and erupted in applause throughout the lively performance while Benson continued to perform the rest of the evening.  His songs’ fed L.A’s appetite for epic and uniquely cultured music.

In the end, Benson performed at The Roxy for three nights.  The L.A. audience embraced his music amid the electric climate of the late seventies.  Certainly, Benson was ready for his proverbial “Hollywood close-up,” which was made possible by his newfound crossover appeal. The Roxy was the perfect venue to bring together the complex and slick L.A. audience.  The live recording of George Benson Weekend in L.A. captured a magical evening that not only demonstrated how a guitar and jazz riffs could bring a crowd to a frenzy but more so, spoke to the issues of the era.   The entire live album, upon a contemporary listen, is infused with the promise of hope and change.  Without question, the 80s kept that promise.  That weekend in L.A. with George Benson was indeed a happening, which we can revisit and experience anytime. The album is a classic. 

George Benson Weekend in L.A. was released three months later in January of 1978. Benson’s weekend effort garnered him the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song “On Broadway.”  Benson’s album, which turned 40 years old earlier this month is impeccably recorded and is a must listen.

 

*Not to get all sporty here but the Dodgers won the NLCS in a 3-1 victory over the Phillies and went to the World Series to battle the Yankees.  Reggie Jackson with a little help from the rest of the Yankees sent the Dodgers packing 4-2. It’s a good thing they had George Benson Weekend in L.A. to soothe the hurt.

Your Sunday iPod add: Tony Momrelle’s Soul From Across the Pond

Welcome to your iPod add.

Today I’m going to introduce you to that new soulful voice you’ve been looking for for some time now.  He’s singer songwriter, Tony Momrelle! He has been laying down amazing groove oriented soul from across the pond for years.  Sorry, your favorite terrestrial radio station may be clueless to who he is and thus will never air his talent in any rotation. Their loss! Momrelle is a talent who has for years been the lead vocalist for the flat out bad ass British band Incognito; a featured vocalist for the dance and smooth grooves group Reel People; as well as a backing vocalist for my girl, Sade. Yep!

Momerelle with Sade

Momrelle’s Extended Play (EP) titled Fly was release almost a year ago and is still kickin’ today. The standout tracks are the eponymous “Fly”–an up tempo jam with a James Brown “funky drummer” shuffle rhythm which opens up a vast space where Momrelle demonstrates bright flashes of the vocal stylings of Stevie Wonder.  His lyrics are both simple and fantastically poetic.  Upon listening to the song, SoulBounce writer Ivory, stated, “Hope and happiness seem just within reach on this joint” and imagined through the lyrics “getting away from it all could be so simple.”  While his second track Spotlight spins a tale of meeting that special someone amid a crowd of people.  This cut finds Momrelle’s voice settled deep in the soul aesthetic surrounded by a driving groove.

This is Tony Momrelle Ladies and Gentlemen! Take a listen and know this is the soulful voice you been looking for. Add some Momrelle to your iPod and you will thank me later!

Check out “Fly”

Check out “Spotlight”

Your Sunday iPod Add: Valerie June and Organic Moonshine Roots Music

When Tennessee born, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Valerie June is asked about the type of music she plays she simply responds by saying “it’s Organic Moonshine Roots Music!” Of course it is! Valerie June writes and records music reminiscent of the serendipitous Seeger family re-discovery, Elizabeth Cotton. Cotton was indeed one of the many progenitors of turn of early century guitar based root blues and gospel music of the South. June easily fits in that genre with a little soul, country and R&B added in the mix. Her latest and first studio produced album Pushin’ Against A Stone (2013) is a grand example of her stated style of music–Organic Moonshine Roots Music (OMRM). Co-Produced by Dan Auerbach of the awesome Black Keys and features legendary artist Booker T. Jones (Booker T. & The M.G.’s), this album is entirely grooving down a decidedly different road–a respite excursion from any terrestrial radio today. For me, it hits the spot on my quest of listening to good music this year!

June’s album features the song “You Can’t Be Told”. This is a bold and catchy mid tempo song that will make one hum its chorus long after the song has ended. It begins with a crunchy and gritty guitar riff as well as handclaps that keep the listener (well the indoctrinated listener) rooted in raw Southern gospel. This establishes the chorus. You are instantly hooked! Junes voice, piercing and shinny, slides in to the verse to sustain the songs momentum. She soon takes a guitar solo that is skillful and compelling. This joint is rockin’!

Also not to be missed on June’s album are “Workin’ Woman Blues” and “Somebody To Love”. Yes I’m enjoying Valerie June’s OMRM! Add Valerie June’s “You Can’t Be Told” to your iPod and you will thank me later!

 

Check out June’s video for “You Can’t Be Told” and an awesome interview below:

Your Sunday iPod Add: Leela James is giving it to you!

Welcome to your iPod add.

Ever since I first heard artist, singer, songwriter, and soon to be reality T.V. star Leela James belt out a song I was hooked. James’ voice oozed a soulful and funky consistency that reminded me of more than a few of the best soul singers some decades ago. Her raw classic voice, when she first arrived on the music scene, was a welcome sound to my ears in 2005. Her first album A Change is Gonna Come was her own personal statement that her voice and her style of music (classic soul) was relevant and certainly need amid the pop music muck. In short, James was about the work of regenerating and maintaining classic American soul.

A few weeks ago, after reading one of my posts, a friend of mine (A.K.A. my soul brotha from anotha motha like no otha) asked me if I listened to Leela James as her music is a new discovery for him. I proclaimed in the affirmative and was immediately flooded with the memory of her music. Of course I binged on her music for the next few days.

Listening to James I was reminded of her determination to preserve soul music. She sings with a feeling and sincerity and a mission to make good music. She carries with her the vocal and attitudinal influence of luminaries such as Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and Mavis Staples to contemporary artists such as Jill Scott, Ledisi, Musiq, and Anthony Hamilton. James’ mission can be heard on all her albums from A Change is Gonna Come (her statement piece) to Let’s Do It Again (2009) (a celebration of soul and a little funk music of the 70s), to My Soul (2010) (her highest charting album), to finally Loving You More . . . In The Spirit of Etta James (2012) (which she dedicated to the memory of Etta James and her music).

Today Leela James is hard at work recording good music. At the moment James is working on a new album and has recently released a duet with fellow soul artist Anthony Hamilton called “Say That” and “Fall For You”-a nice soulful ballad that trumps anything you heard on the radio lately. [Listen Below]

Do yourself a favor and add Leela James to your iPod and binge on some excellent heartfelt soul . . . you will thank me later!

http://vimeo.com/88680000

Your Sunday iPod Add: Joya Mooi. She’s all that!

Photo by Atlynn Vrolijk

Welcome to your Sunday iPod add.

I believe I make a decent effort to broaden my music listening experience from a global perspective. The entire world makes music. For me listening to music has become much more rewarding as I venture beyond the boarder of the U.S. and enter into international spaces. Although, at times, I am limited by language in terms of fully understanding the content of song, the music still speaks for itself. However, until I am able to understand more languages, I tend to gravitate toward artists who sing in English.

I’m so glad I came across the vocally well-schooled and former saxophonist Joya Mooi. Mooi is one of many great Afro-Dutch artists hailing from the Netherlands. Her latest album Crystal Growth finds Mooi fully immersed in the African-American jazz and neo-soul genres. Recorded with live instrumentation with a capable band the music draws the listener in to feel the what’s being played. Well, for me it does.

As you know I dig great voices. Mooi’s voice for me is hard to describe without getting it perfect. I fear I may miss the nuances that make her voice unique. Mooi’s voice has been described as “one of those crystalline voices that just leave you wanting for more” by Miss Awa’s Blog and in terms of her latest single “Way of Life” she has “effortless vocals” as mentioned by Ivory at SoulBounce, noting her ease and mastery in the genre. When pressed, ultimately, I describe her voice as boldly tender and humble. Her music is listenable. Her lyrics tell a story. Her singles “Beyond of You” and the up-tempo “Way of Life” are wonderful pieces of jazz and soul. However, her (not released as a single, yet) slow burner “Out of Love” evokes the feel of Billie Holiday (yes I said it!) in it’s pace and rhythm and Mooi and the band give it time to develop and breath. Yep, it is a must listen. Joya Mooi is an amazing artist who understands and interprets the African-American genre well with a voice you need to hear. Add any one of her songs or her album to your iPod. You will thank me later. Check out Joya Mooi previous album Hard Melk, too! Listen to “Way of Life” and “Out of Love” below:

Marvin Gaye, Jr.: The Humanitarian (with a nod to Frankie Knuckles)

Yesterday marked the 30^th anniversary of the death of Marvin Gaye, Jr. Hard to believe it’s been that long. Had he survived the tragic death, by the hands of his father, he would reached 75 years of life. Imagine that! Today we can remember and recognized Marvin as one of the most important music artist of our time. His music, his voice, and his lyrics are indeed timeless.

Marvin’s presence has not faded. He is often the central figure in academia and out in the streets among project aristocrats on issues of race, society, culture, politics, economic, and the musicality of it all. He is the litmus for soulful sexy R&B, today.   Marvin is perpetually relevant. He continues to influence art in all its forms. Marvin was the everyday man, commenting on the everyday experience with an unmatched passion, which marked him as a humanitarian. During a 1971 interview with Phil Symes, Marvin speaks of the content on his then new album What’s Going On he stated, “The material is social commentary but there’s nothing extreme on it. I did it not only to help humanity but to help me as well, and I think it has. It has given me a certain amount of peace.” Marvin was talking to us. We are still listening and will continue to do so.

**In honor of Marvin Gaye and Frankie Knuckles, whom we lost yesterday, I submit the following Big Moses House mix of “What’s Going On”:

Your Sunday iPod Add: Latasha Lee & the Blackties is good music!

Welcome back to your Sunday iPod add. It’s been a minute so let’s get to it!  This year I have really made an effort only to listen to what I deem as good music. Music with lyrics that actually move beyond the sophomoric and say something or at the very least try to say something; music that sonically takes you on a ride by consciously utilizing verse, chorus, and bridge; musicians whom know how to employ most of the following: the turnaround, refrain, and tag; Oh and unique, sincere, and talented voices are indeed a necessity for creating good music. So for me listening to over the air radio is a poor option­–at least in my neck of the woods. In this endeavor I have been relegated to listening to various Internet radio stations–which if you find the right station can be a dream come true.

Thus far I have found some amazing jazz, blues, 60s and 70s era stations, and even Latin jazz stations that kill.  But what I have found myself gravitating to the most are so called underground neo soul music stations.  In other words newly recorded soul music by individuals who strive to retain elements of authentic soul.  A couple of stations use the terms contemporary soul and organic soul to help explain their content.  However it’s all music with groove, feeling, and mature lyrics. Think Aretha, Marvin, Chaka, Stevie, Gladys, Donny and Roberta.  Good music, right?

Anyway, in my search for good music I’ve come across some amazing artists who are skillful songwriters, musicians, and singers that I would like to share with you.

That being said let me introduce you to Latasha Lee & the Blackties.  What an awesome band!  Comparable to Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Lee and the Blackties are contemporary artists who combine both the musical precision of Motown and the gritty-ness of Stax with ease.   Lead singer Lee, whom was born and bred in Corpus Christi, Texas, has a noticeably strong yet nimble voice.  I was taken back on first listen because her voice emitted the timbre of the late Amy Winehouse.  Blogger E. of Music Nerdery notice this fact a year ago and stated, “It’s almost uncanny to a certain extent. She’s not TRYING to sound like Amy…. she just… does.” Austin City Limits Music Fest web site also chimed in on Lee’s voice after a great performance at the event a few months ago, the site wrote Lee’s “soulful voice cuts cleanly and crisply through the genre clutter with a groove that slices directly to the heart with honest power.” Yep!

Certainly Latasha Lee & The Blackties, who have been together for a little over a year and a half and recently graced the stages of SXSW, are unpretentiously reviving classic 60s doo wop.  Their self-titled album Latasha Lee & the Blackties is a pleasure to listen to, which you need to add to you iPod. It’s good music. I do believe you will thank me later.

Beyoncé: Flawlessly Made–My Rant!

So it’s been a little over a month now since Beyoncé released her surprise album Beyoncé to the masses.  It took less than two weeks to become certified platinum and has remained at the number one position on the Billboard album chart until two weeks ago (the Disney animated musical Frozen soundtrack bumped her).  Beyoncé says she took control and released her album when she felt it was ready.  I must say for an entertainer to release an album without any promotion to the public and sell well over 600,000 copies essentially on day one is indeed badass!  Beyoncé’s ability to move product at such speeds showcases her immense power as a successful and popular performer.  This is a feat that has not been achieve by any artist . . . ever!  Music writers and academics praised her for this boss move.  But was it really a boss move?  Did she really take control to release the album when she wanted?  Although she is extremely successful, which allows her wide-ranging autonomy in terms of her artistry, it however does not giver her complete control over what she produces . . . the product!  Columbia Records, in which she is signed, has the ultimate control of the product of Beyoncé.  I’m sure her production company Parkwood waged a vigorous fight as to when to release the eponymous album but in the end, Columbia won that battle and worked a deal with iTunes to boot.  To be clear Columbia Records is her boss and they control her image and her output.  She is simply an employee.  However, what was boss was that Columbia Records was able to make it seem like Beyoncé dropped an album in the middle of the night all by herself.  Furthermore, the fact that Beyoncé and her ‘crew’ were able to keep the recording of her album and the production of her videos, which were shot world wide, a secret for over a year is the bossiest of moves!

Not to be outdone by the uproar surrounding the sudden release of Beyoncé is the content therein.  With its 14 audio tracks and 17 accompanying videos, it is a massive endeavor.  The album is both an audio and visual statement.  Immediately, some music writers, fans, and the listening public branded it a work that conveys Beyoncé’s feminist sensibilities.  MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry, among others, excitedly called it her “feminist manifesto” as it lyrically expresses her sexual freedom and visually articulates the power of her body while navigating life as the wife of Hip-Hop mogul Jay Z and the mother of two-year old girl, Blue Ivy.

Jay Z and Mrs. Carter in her feminist heels.

Those critical of Beyoncé and her album argued that she is in no way a feminist for reasons that range from her marriage to Jay Z–an oft term misogynistic rapper, to her highly sexualized image which is usurped by men to generate a fortune, to the lack of her involvement in meaningful feminist conversations, and finally one feminist writer suggests the fact that she calls herself “Mrs. Carter” completely removes her from the realm of a feminist.  As a man it is difficult for me to speak on Beyoncé’s femininity as her album attempts to intimately connect with women and their shared experiences.  However, what is certain is Beyoncé does complicate the actions and image of a feminist.  And with that I may have said too much!

(Feminist comedian Pia Glenn complicates things as well . . . in a funny way. Check it out then continue reading)

So what does Beyoncé mean to men?  She isn’t attempting to connect with men in terms of her lyrics.  So all we are left with is her image.  Truth be told, Beyoncé operates in a world of men.  No doubt we see her.  Recently I asked a group of men (all over 30y/o) through my Facebook page what they thought of the image of Beyoncé and what her image means to us?  Rather than get what I thought would be manly visceral responses of “oh she’s hot”, “that girl can move”, “she flawless”, to “Jay’s a lucky so and so,” I received, very unexpectedly, well thought out responses.  The overall theme of the responses was first that Beyoncé in terms of her music was simply not appealing.  I get that! We are men and her music is not speaking to us.  And as men, approaching a certain age, our ears may be timed out of the Beyoncé sound.  Secondly, their responses overwhelmingly suggest her image is highly manufactured to sell product.  In essence her body and overall image is refined and designed to grab the attention of the masses.  The masses?

Beyoncé’s scantily clad performance wardrobe, publicity photos, and music videos suggest she is targeting a specific audience.  Her image is seemingly salacious and no doubt triggers a response from men.  I understand that girls and women whom look at Beyoncé may see someone who is secure with their body image and exudes confidence as an attractive woman.  Many may even desire to embody that image for themselves.  How are men to process what we see and not enter into the realm of desire?  One of the men among my Facebook group reminded me that there is a considerable amount of gay men who both desire and praise Beyoncé’s body and femininity.  Gay men process Beyoncé entirely different than heterosexual men.  (This is an entirely different conversation for another time.)  Going back to the Facebook group, they revealed an interesting dynamic of Beyoncé–her image is highly manufactured.  So who is responsible for the creation of her image?  I say men . . . and women who understand the desires of those men (they uphold the gender dynamics of masculinity!)  Let’s be clear, women images in the music industry, and hell the film industry as well, in which Beyoncé has dabbled are driven by the desires of men.  It’s no coincidence that women who occupy this artist space fit an aesthetic rubric and are deemed the most attractive women in Western society.  These women fulfill the fantastic desires of men in terms of image.  A vivid example of men creating fantastic images of women can be seen in super hero comic books.  Women characters are created, polished and intended to titillate the fantasies of boys and men.  Hyper sexual images: busty breast, long-legs, small waist­–all together impossible physical specimens, who remain graceful while kicking ass wearing revealing costumes, wrapped in capes, and running in heels are fantasies of men.  Such is Beyoncé.  She is the caricature of femininity created from the vantage point of masculinity.  Her image is the absolute creation of man.  Beyoncé’s image is imagined and controlled by men.

Last month when Beyoncé’s album caught everyone off guard and then began to stir up feminists’ voices, I wondered about Beyoncé’s image; it was the only thing I had to hold onto since her music and “manifesto” did not resonate with me.  What did her image mean to men?  I wanted to really explore this but that Facebook group conversation about her image steered me in another direction.  The group led me to ponder the creation and purpose of her image.  It is clear to see her image is designed to sell product.  Sex sells . . . to both women and men.  Some women see her as a strong beacon of beauty and as a feminist role model.  However, if one looks a little closer at her image they will see a manufactured image to fulfill men’s fantasies in a masculine world.  The take away is that Beyoncé is not dressing in super shero tight clothing on her own accord, rather, men are dressing her in super shero tight clothing to satisfy fantasies. No, she didn’t wake up like this!  Beyoncé’s image is a mighty product, which she has no power over.  She has been told to stand, deliver, and entertain from this image to be successful and maintain the life style she has accrued.  The moment Beyoncé decides to assume agency of her image and wear sensible clothing and comfortable shoes during a performance will be the end of her support by men who have spent time and money perfecting what we see.  Her image will have no value and fall dramatically out of the fantastic.

In the end, Beyoncé controls very little.  She controls neither the dispensing of her music nor the control over her image.  What she does control is her content (somewhat).  She can engage in social commentary and self-aggrandizement to communicate with her fans, but she has to be mindful not to tear down her image in the process.

Appreciate Black Music

Baker surrounded by the talents of Hathaway, Ferrell, DeBarge, and Farris

Well folks we’ve come to an end of another Black Music Month.  I hope you had the opportunity to listen to some great Black music all month long.  For many of you that meant simply turning on your radio; for others it meant digging in your old crates for some of the best music ever recorded.  As for me, it meant listening to some of my favorites as well as traveling around my city listening to live R&B, Blues, Soul, Jazz (I won tickets to the Playboy Jazz Festival for the Sunday night show.  It was awesome in so many ways), and most importantly I had the chance to see a live performance one of my favorite groups, Loose Ends!

Although BMM has come to an end in terms of national recognition it however, doesn’t end for me.  I listen to, talk about, think about, and appreciate Black music year round.  So, the rest of the year is going to be just as awesome as the first half as I continue to appreciate great Black music, which brings me to my final photo of the month for you.

In the above photo is (from L to R) daughter of the late great Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway with Rachelle Ferrell, Anita Baker, El DeBarge, and Dionne Farris.  The photo was taken back stage at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards after a grand tribute to Anita Baker for a career of excellence!

Anita Baker created music that could be truly appreciated in every sense of the word throughout her career.  Her songs had and still have tangible music qualities, are memorable, and have meaning.  In today’s music I feel (this is entirely my opinion) music has lost a large amount of its ability to be appreciated.  Its lost most of its musical qualities, is far from memorable, and at times is meaningless.  I know what I’m saying is harsh, but maybe a decent conversation needs to be had about the dismal state of some of today’s most popular Black music.  The conversation should address the bastardization of R&B and Soul, the intense salacious imagery, and a landscape littered with individuals who fall way short of the excellence of Anita Baker!  This Gen X’er envies the musical taste and sensibilities of the Baby Boomers and is completely lost the in the popular sounds of the Millennials.  I’ll stop my rant here!

Appreciate, yes, I appreciate great Black music.  Great Black music!

Enjoy the tribute below to Anita Baker by artists who have made quality music that is both memorable and has meaning enveloped in amazing vocal talent.

Scott, Horne: Setting the Pace!

Scott and Horne are setting the pace.

In the above photo are band leader/pianist/singer/actress Hazel Scott (23) and singer/actress Lena Horne (26).  These talented beauties are posing for a quick photo op during the filming of the 1943 musical I Dood It! where they appeared and performed as themselves and not as written characters.  It was Scott’s first film appearance!

These two sirens of song and screen paved the proverbial road for African-American women singers and entertainers in America.

Lena Horne and Hazel Scott were pioneers and standard bearers of Black beauty in the American mainstream.  Their image on stage and under the bright lights was embraced by all and allowed them to ascend beyond Black genre cinema and entertainment during an era of perpetual Jim Crow and segregation . . . as long as they kept quiet about the state of race relations.  However, Scott and Horne were unable to keep quiet.  In there own way, they participated and held significant roles in the struggle for civil rights.  For this, they were shunned and maligned by the very forces that once welcomed them into the arena of mass appeal.

Scott’s career suffered and never regained the heights it once held in the mid-century when she was falsely accused of being a Communist sympathizer.  Meanwhile, Horne’s career stagnated as Hollywood distanced themselves from her as she continuously made alliances with outspoken leaders of the Civil Rights movement.  Her career never soared as high as it should have.

There is much more that you should know about the lives of these two pacesetting women.  If you want to know more on the amazing musical genius of Hazel Scott before she posed for the above photo, her marriage to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and later her ‘exiled’ time in Paris, you have to read pianist and biographer Karen Chilton’s book Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist, from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC.  Equally, as well, if you want to know more about Lena Horne’s life, her controversial marriage, her struggle to stay embedded in entertainment, and how she used and resented her beauty, you really need to read James Gavin’s book Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne.

In the end, both Scott and Horne defined the very definition of Black beauty and sophistication in the public as necessary requirements for crossover appeal, which still exist today (See Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson).

Black beauty and Black music telling its story since day one in America!

Enjoy the remaining days of BMM!

Take a look at Scott and Horne’s kick ass scene: