Author's posts
Soundtrack To The Struggle: George Shearing
“What is a color?” British jazz pianist George Shearing was the ninth child born to a poor family in England. Hisfather delivered coal and his mother cleaned trains in the evening. Blind from birth, heattended school for the blind where he studied Braille music. Shearing turned down universityscholarships to earn a living playing piano in a …
Soundtrack To The Struggle: The Cotton Club
A historic venue with a divisive past. The First Great Migration to northern states brought tens of thousands of African-Americans toNew York City, especially Harlem, during the 1920’s. Harlem soon became a nexus for art,literature, and music. The clubs, speakeasies, and juke joints of Lenox and Seventh Avenuescharacterized the nightlife. Places like Smalls’ Paradise, the …
Soundtrack To The Struggle: Josephine Baker
“I wasn’t really naked. I simply didn’t have any clothes on.” Freda Josephine McDonald Baker was born and raised in the slums of St. Louis. After a successful audition at a local vaudeville theater, she left home at the age of 13, working as a waitress and working on the stage whenever she could. She …
Soundtrack to the Struggle: Cal Massey
Few casual fans of Jazz recognize the name of Cal Massey. Sadly ignored by countless Jazz critics, Massey was revered by the foremost musicians of his day as a genius of composition and as a solid trumpeter. John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Archie Shepp, and many others have performed and recorded Massey‘s works. He was a forceful activist for the …
Talking Pictures 2-5-25
Companion (2025) and Superman (1940s animated film series) with Phil Brown and Ron Adkins.
Soundtrack To The Struggle: Beryl Booker
A child prodigy born in the midst of Black artistic expression in Philadelphia, a leader who never learned to read music, yet excelled at it along the way, she grew up to be a fine swing pianist and nightclub entertainer. Beryl Booker began her star-filled career as a girl sweeping kitchen floors for quarters while …
Soundtrack To The Struggle: Ethel Waters
Rising from extreme poverty and neglect in Baltimore, Ethel Waters attended a costume partyon her 17 th birthday, at a nightclub on Juniper Street. She was persuaded to sing two songs andimpressed the audience so much that she was offered professional work at the Lincoln Theatrein Baltimore. After her start in Baltimore, she was asked …
Soundtrack To The Struggle: Cozy Cole
“Cozy” Cole was born on October 17th, 1909 in Orange, New Jersey and since his three brothers were jazz musicians it was inevitable he’d become one too. His nickname came courtesy of the other kids in school who, instead of calling him William, latched onto “Colesy,” which, with casual use, sounded like “Cozy.” William Randolph …