“Lockdowns just have one consequence that you must never ever belittle, and that is making poor people an awful lot poorer.” “We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus.” “The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time…
Read moreGil Scott-Heron – Black Wax
I’m watching a bunch of music documentaries now. I’m learning so much. I really never knew a lot about Gil Scott-Heron. I knew his “hits” but really didn’t know how interesting this guy was. I need to go back and listen to his older albums. I saw a movie today called “Black Wax.” It was…
Read moreThe First Step In Becoming A Touring Musician For A Broadway Show
A colleague asked me the other day, “What would you recommend as a first step in becoming a touring musician for a broadway show?” I had to think about that for a moment. I can only describe my experience and what I did right, and what I did wrong. From 1993 until the year 2000,…
Read moreKing Of The Pause Tape – William Northern
It’s always good to run into my friends from Howard University. It’s even better when they are alumni of the Howard University Showtime Marching Band. When you add the fact that he’s a member of Thunder Machine, the drum section of the band, that makes it just that much cooler. William Northern came with some…
Read moreFather Knows Best? Maybe, Mother Knows Best…Or Both
Raising children is fascinating. I can think of only one thing that I would change from the way my parents did with my upbringing. Just one. My father temporarily guided me away from my first love. Music. I have been playing drums ever since I was a little kid. I started out banging on my…
Read more11 Black American Icons You Won’t Learn About On MLK Jr. Day — But Should
I would add to the list of 11 Black Americans you won’t learn about on MLK day the following: the 24th infantry in the Korean War, the Tuskeegee Airmen, Marcus Garvey, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers, A. Phillip Randolph, my namesake Adam Clayton Powell, Kwamee Ture, Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall…the list is mighty long. I…
Read moreThe Independent Thinker
I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” he said. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about…
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