Roll & Rock . . . Blues & Rhythm . . . It’s uncanny how the mere switching of the known order of things packs an immediate and visceral wallop - - challenging our assumptions and expectations. Such is the power of the simple yet intriguing twist in the title of the album Latin Jazz-Jazz Latin.  On this impressive seventh release by multiple Grammy-nominated trombonist/composer/producer Wayne Wallace, on his own Patois label, the repertoire, instrumentation and even the generations of participants speak to the whirling, cyclical energy of the genre.

A deft blend of jazz standards and originals provide the platform for Wallace’s soaring and soulful artistry. That most titles are eminently danceable is no surprise, given that Wallace - - an ardent student of Cuban maestro’s Chucho Valdes and Juan Formell - - embraces the roots of jazz as a dance music genre. For example, the joyous opening songo-descarga (jam session) ‘İA Ti Te Gusta!’ establishes right away one of the unique aspects of the album.

Rather than the brass frontline common to the Latin jazz genre, this album features funky, tight violin ensemble work that draws upon the string and flute traditions of the Cuban charanga band format. A far cry from the simpering, static vibe many Americans associate with both these instruments in popular music settings, their crisp easy swing provides an intriguing cushion for Wallace’s driving virtuoso trombone solos.

That violinists Mads Tolling, a veteran of the Grammy® Award-winning Turtle Island Quartet, and Jeremy Cohen, whose Quartet San Francisco has numerous Grammy® nominations to its credit, expertly provide the distinct ‘fire and ice’ quality that mark the charanga genre and was pleasingly expected. A welcome surprise is the facile jazz acumen of 17-year-old up and coming flautist Elena Pinderhughes.

The plaintive call of Wallace’s horn at the opening of Mercer Ellington’s ‘Things Ain’t What They Used To Be’ soon gives way to the knowing response of the coro voices comprised of west coast stalwarts, percussionist and educator John Santos and vocalist Orlando Torriente. Wasting no time, the band jumps right into a swinging ‘blues caribe’ jaunt. In contrast, the elder Duke Ellington’s ‘Prelude to a Kiss’ allows the danzón rhythm to bring out the delicate folds and shadows of the tune. As much as it is Wallace’s album, the effort is as much a showcase of the talents of Wallace’s core rhythm section which, with the exception of Colin Douglass replacing the late Paul van Wageningen on tap drums, has provided the trombonist with vibrant support for a number of years. They include:  pianist Murray Low; bassist David Belove and percussionist Michael Spiro.

From the days of Eddie Cano, Bobby Montez, Manny Lopez, Don Tosti and Cal Tjader in the 1950s and 1960s, the West Coast has exhibited a unique voice and timbre in the Latin jazz genre. Where the bands of Tito Puente, Joe Loco and Machito oozed New York swagger and Broadway’s nervous, neon bustle, the music of their Pacific coast counterparts possessed a different brand of heat: the sun-drenched coastal sweep and gem-like glint of Hollywood. One of the legends of the Bay area Latin-jazz scene, Pete Escovedo, joins the group on timbales, providing his time-honed, rock-steady beat on the jazz-drenched cha cha cha, ‘La Habana’. Another West Coast legend, saxophonist/flautist Mary Fettig (herself a veteran with Tito Puente, Stan Kenton and Airto among many others) dazzles on the closing number, ‘Pasando El Tiempo’.

From Argentine tango to New Orleans jazz, the influence of Afro-Cuban rhythms throughout the diaspora has been visionary, non-linear and often unexpected. Wayne Wallace demonstrates all three qualities by his flip of the jazz script in this latest offering.

Jim Byers hosts the archival Latin-jazz program The Latin Flavor Classic Edition on WPFW 89.3 FM, Sundays from 6p to 8p, and since 2010 has produced the Metro Mambo lecture/concert series for the Smithsonian.

The former Dutch colonies of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are often called the Caribbean ABC islands.  I spent my time exploring the more historical Curacao including its capital city, Willemstad.  And in Willemstad, I was pleasantly surprised to find the fantastic Museum Kurá Hulanda in the historic neighborhood of Otrobanda.

Otrobanda (meaning the other side) is connected to the more touristy Punda neighborhood by a unique swing bridge that crosses the St. Anna Bay.  Historically, Otrobanda has the reputation of being the poorer part of the city. 

In the 18th and 19th centuries, free Blacks began to move into the city and settled in Otrobanda.  With its spacious yards, modest living quarters and small craft shops, the area became the city's first working class neighborhood and urban center.  By the 20th century, Otrobanda had become a major cultural center for the rising Black middle class. Many of the island's notable politicians, professionals, artists and musicians grew up there.

In 1998, a Dutchman, Jacob Gelt Dekker, got permission from the government of Curacao to build a casino and hotel in a rundown part of Otrabanda.  Realizing the rich history of Curacao’s African Caribbean culture, he decided to fund the museum Kura Hulanda.

The museum has much information about West African Empires.  Strolling through the sculpture garden you can view works from Mozambique and other artifacts from various parts of Africa.  The museum exhibits tell the story of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade from the capturing of Africans and the Middle Passage. You will also find an exhibit explaining the assimilation of Africans with Europeans and Native Americans in North and South America.  There are also panels on the abolition movement of the United States.

Unlike museums in North America that cover European slave trading and it affects, the Kura Hulanda also covers slave trading in Venice, Italy, maroon cultures in Surinam and Brazil and the Santeria/Voodoo religion. While Curacao is one of the most fascinating places I have visited, the Museum Kurá Hulanda is the absolute best independent African Museum I have witnessed in the Western Hemisphere. 

 

In 2005, Dr. Elena Pischikova discovered the tombs of two 25th Dynasty nobles, Karakhamun and Karabasken, on the west bank of Luxor, Egypt in an area known as South Asasif. She established the South Asasif Conservation Project and began excavations in 2006 to learn more about these noble Kushites.

“The 25th dynasty was founded by kings from Kush (modern day Sudan), but what is overlooked by most historians is that some of the most identifiable aspects of Egyptian culture - - hieroglyphics, religion and the most important Egyptian Gods — all came from Kush and were exported to Egypt in pre-dynastic times," explained noted historian and author Tony Browder. It is because of these controversial issues that Pischikova’s discoveries have been largely ignored and why Browder supports her work.

In 2008, Browder (pictured left with his daughter in Egypt) established the ASA Restoration Project to honor the legacy of Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, III and support the archeological research of Pischikova.  He has since raised $170,000.  “Our efforts represent the first time in history that African Americans have financed and participated in an Egyptian archeological excavation,” continued Browder. 

In 2012, the President of Egypt, the Governor of Luxor and the Minister of Antiquities acknowledged their efforts. In October 2012, the Minister of Tourism sponsored an elaborate reception and dinner in their honor on the grounds of the temple of Luxor. 

During the 2013 season the team completed the excavation of Karakhamun’s tomb and continued its restoration efforts in this magnificent temple/tomb. They will begin excavating the courtyard of Karabasken’s tomb and plan to begin excavations in his burial chamber during the 2014 season.

• For more information, including travel opportunities and to make a tax-deductible  contribution, visit the Asa Restoration Project website.
  
  
• From our Archives:  Tony Browder on Egypt, Tyler Perry and Will Smith

Photo: The partially restored "false door" in Karakhamun's tomb. The false door is a portal for the soul of the deceased to return to the land of the living.

The Library of Congress (LOC) presents, “A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.”  The exhibition of 42 black-and-white images  opens  Wednesday, August 28,  50 years after the historic day when 250,000 people participated in the largest non-violent demonstration for civil rights that America had ever witnessed.  The exhibition is free and open to the public in the Thomas Jefferson Building, Monday to Saturday, 8:30a to 4:30p, and on display through Friday, February 28, 2014.

The Safe Streets Arts Foundation presents performances at the Kennedy Center as part of the Kennedy Center’s annual Page-to-Stage Festival. Safe Streets will present the dramatic and musical works of prisoners and others in the criminal justice community Saturday, August 31, 8p-10p.

The festival is Saturday, August 31 – Monday, September 2 and offers a variety of performances ranging from Catholic University to Alan Sharpe.  All performances are free.

Washington DC
A Deposit Was Made, But the Check Still Bounced
Discussion with Dr. Julianne Malveaux, George Curry, and others - Ron Daniels (moderator)
Institute of the Black World Forum
Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
1518 M Street, NW
16 & M Street Lot, Free Validated Parking
Thu, Aug 22, 7:00p, free

The Art of Justice: Honoring and
Continuing a Movement for
Equality through Artistic Expression
Mount Rainier Artists Loft Gallery
3311 Rhode Island Avenue
Mount Rainier, MD
Opening Reception: Fri, Aug 23,  5p-8p, free

African Origins of World Civilization,
Advanced Culture, and Religion
Tony Browder
The Thurgood Marshall Center
1816 12th Street, NW
Sat, Aug 24 10a-noon, $10

1001 Black Inventions – The Musical
and Dinner
Old Town Theater
815 King Street
Alexandria, VA
Mon, Aug 26 and Tue, Aug 27, 7p, $18-$45

Islamic Society of North America Convention
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Fri, Aug 30 8a – Mon, Sep 02, 1p, $

Miss Guinee North America 2013
The Fillmore Theater
8656 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD
Sun, Sep 1, 6p-10:30p, $35

DC-TV
And The Dream Lives On
Robin Hamilton interviews with Julian Bond,
Dr. Clayborne Carson (curator, MLK Jr Papers)
and CR Gibbs
Aug 23, 7:30p, free

Baltimore
Ashe to Amen: African Americans
and Biblical Imagery
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
830 E. Pratt Street
Through Sun, Sep 29 noon-5p, $

Chicago/Gary
Kenyan Jewelry Sale
Sales support Kenyan orphans
Lake Street Gallery
613 S Lake Street
Gary, IN
Fri, Aug 23, 6p-9p, free

Jamestown, VA
Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project
National Colonial Historical Park's Visitor Center
1368 Colonial Parkway
 Aug 23, 6p, free

New York (Greater)
The West Indian American Day Carnival
Brooklyn Museum
Thu, Aug 29 – Mon, Sep 2, free

Cruise
Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Grand Cayman, Ocho
fundraiser for Thompson Gambia Project
Rios, Fort Lauderdale
Sun, Sep 29 to Sat, Oct 5
Tina (240-481-8196)
Tony (202) 374-7041

Sherrie is a 25-year-old who works for a firm. Soon after joining the firm, she began coming in late to the office at least a few times a week. When her supervisor confronted her about her repeated tardiness, Sherrie became defensive, stating that since she can’t control the traffic and she should not be penalized for coming in “a few minutes late.” For the rest of the day, Sherrie pouted at her desk, was generally unfriendly and behaved like a victim of unfair criticism.

Sadly, Sherrie’s attitude of entitlement is not a rarity in the workforce, particularly amongst employees under the age of 30. The following are 5 easy-to-master tips that can turn around negative attitudes and allow employers to assume their proper roles in the workplace:

1. Establish the relationship with each staff member from the very beginning. Employers should not concern themselves with being friends with their employees. In fact, doing so promotes a dysfunctional workplace where roles are ill defined. This leads to power struggles, resentment and possibly stomach ulcers! Employers need make it clear that relationships with their staff members will, in no way, resemble peer relationships. The relationship between employer and employee works best when the relationship is kind but formal as opposed to friend-like and casual.

2. Don’t over thank employees for doing the jobs they’ve been hired to do. It is fine to express words of appreciation for exceptional job performance from time to time, but it should not be routine. Compliments and words of affirmation mean much more when they are earned.

3. Minimize emotional communication. Less is more when it comes to emotional exchanges between employers and staff. Consider this example of a corrective message delivered emotionally with a pleading tone: “I really, really need you to be on time from now on. I know it’s hard with the traffic and all, but please try to be on time.”

Now read the same message but delivered unemotionally: “You have not demonstrated that being on time is your priority. I expect you to correct that immediately.”

The second example is not harsh, hostile or overly critical. It is simply an honest observation with a clear directive. The first example puts the employer in the role of a child asking for something from an adult. The second example reinforces appropriate roles.

4. Don’t be arrogant or unkind to exert your power. Employers that behave like they are above the need to be courteous only succeed in provoking feelings of resentment and defiant behavior, and can compromise employees’ overall efforts to please the employer.

5. Don’t give universal rewards.Many employers make the mistake of giving all staff members the same reward even when individual performances vary tremendously. Individual incentives tend to encourage extra effort, while group incentives allow slackers to ride on the coattails of others. Group rewards have the potential to further reinforce attitudes of entitlement.

Barbara Jaurequi, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Nationally Certified Master Addiction Counselor, speaks on a variety of personal and professional topics and is the author of A.C.E.S. – Adult-Child Entitlement Syndrome.

On the Name-list.net analysis website, enter in a name and see how often the name occurs in various countries, the meaning of the name and its probable origin.  Also, discover how many persons with that name is on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Result of Querying on "Young"

What means Young?
The meaning of Young is: Prosperity or everlasting

Young has a Facebook presence of 141,000,000 pages.

Young has a Google+ Plus presence of 7,100,000 pages.

Young has a Linkedin presence of 5,580,000 pages.

Young has a Twitter presence of 18,800,000 pages.

 

 

 

Most Popular Page and Searched Word
on the Website for August, to Date 

Governor O’Malley and the Lifers Parole Bill
(2nd consectutive Snippets)

Lamman Rucker
(7th consecutive Snippets)