Songwriters' Showcase at the Smithsonian

(In photo: Lamont Dozier (far right) with Michael Jackson, Barry Gordy and the Holland Brothers at luncheon honoring Michael Jackson in 1990)

Songwriters Showcase at the Smithsonian

with Guest Artist, Lamont Dozier

Submission deadline is September 18th

No cost for submission.

For entry rules and to submit go to: https://masc.saw.org/showcase

The Smithsonian Associates in collaboration with the Songwriters Association of Washington (SAW) and BMI is producing a showcase for Washington area songwriters on October 27, 2009.

Send in your best original song for a chance to be one of 12 composers and lyricists who will be selected to perform live at The Smithsonian Baird Auditorium . (You may have your song performed by someone else if it is chosen.)

Lamont Dozier will be the special guest artist for the evening - the legendary songwriter for the biggest Motown superstars, including The Supremes, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Martha and the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

http://www.lamontdozier.com/.

DC based veteran drummer and vocalist Keith Kilgo will be the Master of Ceremonies. Genres include pop, adult contemporary, jazz vocals, and R&B.

Area high school and college students will compete to be included in the line-up.

One adult and one young artist performer will be voted on as the "People's Choice" favorite by the audience.

When Harlem Came to Paris-- Simply Divine!

When Harlem Came to Paris is the brainchild of Risikat "Kat" Okedeyi, the founder of Lil So So Productions. Okedeyi had the creative thought to imagine the Harlem Renaissance alive and kicking with some of its key players living and breathing among us as we party and socialize like its 1934. Set at the elegant Alliance Francaise De Washington , the evening was a remarkable flashback setting where everything was authentically reenacted as possible-- from the french menu to Josephine Baker's accent. Planned to perfection, the atmosphere created was stellar-- classy, fun, cordial and festive. Some DC luminaries were at the event, including Post writer Rhome Anderson, legendary vocalist Valerie "Kehembe" Eichelberger, Sherry Ways of Sankofa Doll Artistry Studio, DJ Jahsonic, and others.

The actress in me loved this event as it was a prime event to dress up, Charleston and Lindy hop while imagining being a part of the rebirth of Black arts and literature. Some of the guests at the party included the divine Josephine Baker, writers Marita Bonner and Wallace Thurman, blues great Bessie Smith and Cab Calloway, among others.

Liberated Muse member Sharon Burton was the curator of the wonderful art auction that took place during the event.

The event featured:

Dorothy Tene Redmond as Mamie Mason

Shawnea Posey as Bessie Smith

William Smith as Count Bassie

Bassey Ikpi as Marita Bonner

Fred Joiner as Wallace Thurman

John Murph as R. Bruce Nugent

and Holly Bass as Josephine Baker

Me with Wallace Thurman (played by Fred Joiner)

My partner Maceo Thomas, co-founder of Liberated Muse Productions with Marita Bonner (played by Bassey Ikpi)

Bessie Smith (played by Ne'a Posey) belts out a nice one with Count Bassie on the keys

Visit our social network at www.LiberatedMuse.com to view more pictures from this event.

Exhibit Showcases African-American Celebration

Christian Mayr, Kitchen Ball at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, 1838Courtesy North Carolina Museum of Art

The Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum in Washington DC presents the exhibit "Jubilee", curated by Portia James. The exhibit's open house was Tuesday, December 9 for the press to view the exhibit and ask James questions.

"Jubilee" examines historical and contemporary African American holidays and celebrations from around the country. More than 50 holidays, celebratory traditions and occasions are presented in a season-based journey through a calendar year. Observances profiled include those no longer existing, ones created in response to significant events (such as Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation), regional favorites and black traditions associated with mainstream holidays. Also covered are leisure-time activities, college and church homecomings, black Greek organizations' events, family reunions and recent holidays like Kwanzaa and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

James discussed the history of these celebrations highlighting little-known facts and folklore presented in the exhibition through photographs, artifacts, costumes, documents, music, video and interviews. Among the exhibition features are the 1800s' wedding dress of an enslaved African woman, an interview with Congressman John Conyers on the King Holiday and the 1897 bronze studies for sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens' tribute to Robert Gould Shaw and the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army.

Peter Robinson, Jr loaned military artifacts from his father, a World War I veteran and the son of enslaved Africans. He discussed the special significance of Veterans Day to African Americans.

Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE
202.633.4869
http://anacostia.si.edu/

Classic Hip Hop Concert Series Funds Smithsonian Exhibit

Adrian “Easy AD” Harris and his business partner, Anthony “A-tone the Hip-Hop Historian” Hovington, a graduate of Duke University with a degree in African-American Studies, co-founded Classic Hip-Hop L.L.C. in 2005 to preserve and promote the positive aspects of Hip-Hop Culture.

They decided to join forces with Haywood Donerson, III; CEO of the Donerson Research Group, Inc. to raise money for an exhibit, that will feature artifacts from the early days of the movement.

The Classic Hip-Hop Concert Series is an integral part of this initiative, intended to promote the history, culture and art of Hip-Hop. It is also a great way of fundraising, and collecting historical artifacts for the permanent exhibit.

This initiative, starting with the Classic Hip-Hop Concert Series, is totally focused on being a family oriented program. “We want people to come out, bring their sons and daughters to experience innovative Hip-Hop music from Classic Hip-Hop artists such as current VH1 Honors recipient Slick Rick (The Ruler), past recipients; Whodini and Kool Mo Dee, as well as Dr. Roxanne Shante, PhD and DJ Tony Tone of the Legendary Cold Crush Brothers, to name a few”, said Host MC, Easy AD. He further states that, “Hip-Hop has come a long way and with this concert series and exhibit opening, we will help bring the culture full circle. We are not just putting on a concert but, raising the funds and awareness to bring this exhibit to life for generations to come”.

The Classic Hip-Hop Concert Series kicks off November 22nd with ten shows in nine different cities across the country. Tickets are on sale now!!!

For more information visit: http://www.classichiphopllc.com/ or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

Thanks to Seshat Walker for the information.