In Harlem, it seems more restaurants are flirting with jazz on a somewhat regular basis. The Phil Young Experience and “The Jazz Masters in Harlem” were so good last month that they will return to Dinosaur BBQ (300 W. 125th St.) on Sept. 25, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. The first set starts at 7 p.m. in the Bridge Room (second floor).
“The Jazz Masters in Harlem II” features an all-star cast that includes pianist Danny Mixon, saxophonist Bill Saxton, bassist Alex Blake and percussionist Neil Clarke with vocalist Melba Joyce. “I look forward to performing with these great musicians,” said Saxton. “We all came up learning this music together over 40 years ago.”
Drummer Phil Young can play everything from straight-ahead to swing. He has played with a variety of musicians during his career and has toured with artists such as the Fifth Dimension, Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, George Benson and Dakota Staton.
For this return engagement, Young’s good friend, trumpeter-composer-arranger Jimmy Owens, will join the Jazz Masters. The 2012 NEA Jazz Master’s experience covers a wide music chart and includes work from studio musicians, soloists, bandleaders and composers of orchestral compositions, movie scores and ballets. Roscoe Orman will be the special guest host. Many may know him as Gordon on “Sesame Street.”
There is another sizable restaurant downtown that is known for its BBQ and jazz—can this be the start of some type of competition?
The horrific tragedy and anniversary of 9/11 did not go unnoticed in Japan as singer-songwriter Okaru Lovelace performed. The charity concert, performed at her former Mt. Daisen Elementary School, included students as well as adults from the community.
During the solo concert, in which Lovelace played piano and sang, she talked about Japan’s tragic 3/11 earthquake and tsunami. One of the students whose family had to relocate from the nuclear plant explosion area of Fukushima recited a moving essay on the effects on him and his parents of being evacuated to a new community far away and having to make new friends. “Sakura Home of my Heart,” which Lovelace sang, was written by her directly after 3/11 for those who lost loved ones and their homes.
Lovelace, who resides in Manhattan, introduced the song “Road to Recovery,” written by saxophonist and composer Mr. Aoto, a survivor of the tsunami. He wrote the song while he and his wife were living in temporary housing in Onagawa. Lovelace wrote the lyrics, a touching ballad that says we are all together on “The Road to Recovery.”
Lovelace was a special guest performer at the annual prestigious Dr. Takasi Nagai Peace Awards ceremony. Each year ,adults and students from all over Japan and around the world (including the United States) in the first grade to high school are invited to submit essays on love and peace. It is hosted by the Unnan City Board of Education.
Mitoya-cho founded the awards in 1991 in memory of Dr. Takashi Nagai, a physician specializing in radiology and a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. A converted Catholic, his life of prayer and dedicated service to the survivors of the bombing earned him the title of “Saint of Urakami.”
This is a most important event that was attended by a variety of elementary schools, the community, Nagai’s nephew, the local city mayors and the governor. During this occasion, Lovelace expressed her concern over 9/11, the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, and the need to spread love and world peace in the spirit of Nagai.
Lovelace akso referenced peace in her song “They are Always with You.” The lyrics state, “So I sing melodies from my heart making peace/I still hope that you will keep on praying/in this world it will be true.” The song is from her latest CD, “Sakura Home of My Heart.”
Lovelace coordinated another concert at a local elementary school that centered on human rights, one of her main concerns. The audience consisted of 250 young students and parents.
While her music always inspires the audience, it was her brief talk on human rights and the continued need to spread love and peace throughout the world that really hit home. She discussed America and the tragedy of Native Americans, Nazi Germany and Africa. This reporter discussed America’s total involvement in the slave trade. Lovelace said, “Peace is up to each individual, to make a difference, it is in our hearts. ”
Being involved in these recent peace concerts has led to Lovelace being called “the Singing Princess of Peace.” She does not mind the title because one of her goals is to bring love and peace to the world through her music. From her experiences, she has found that music heals, and she wants to bring her music to as many as people as possible.
Lovelace has visited the devastated area of Ishinomaki City three times and performed with the city’s local musicians. One would have had to be there and look into the audience’s eyes to realize that they enjoyed the music and that some actual healing was really taking place. They later stated in words that the music did make them feel better.
Her foundation, Love Arts Earth Foundation, was formed directly after the tsunami to bring musical relief and healing to the people of Japan and around the world. A division of the nonprofit organization is the “Music Heals Program,” which will helps her to bring love and peace through her singing to hospitals, senior citizen centers and other agencies.
For more information on Lovelace or her CDs, visit www.okarulovelace.com