Greetings! Our 2016 GBE-Emancipation Month starts off on a somber note with the passing of Grammy Award-winning female pop royalty Natalie Cole, daughter of music superstar Nat King Cole. Natalie Cole died at age 65, reportedly from congenital heart failure.
We also sadly report the transition of the creator of the “Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors,” brilliant author, scholar and celebrated Black psychologist Dr Francis Cress Welsing. Her “Cress Theory of Color Confrontation” made her famous and a subject of much controversy. Welsing died from a stroke at age 80.
Our personal condolences to our brother, friend and colleague Lenny Green, host of the nationally syndicated “Quiet Storm” over at WBLS-FM in New York City, who lost his beloved mom, Juanita Greene.
On a happier note, the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, raised the roof of the Kennedy Center with her performance of awardee Carol King’s “A Natural Woman,” and our congratulations to 91-year-old Cicely Tyson on her more than well deserved Kennedy Center honor.
Grammy Award winner Janet Jackson has postponed her “Unbreakable Tour” to the spring because of an impending surgery. The pop superstar said on Facebook: “I love you all so much and am ever grateful for your understanding and your love. Gon’ b alright.”
THEATER
“The Color Purple,” now on Broadway, featuring Jennifer Hudson,Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. Visit colorpurple.com.
In “Hamilton: An American Musical,” Lin-Manuel Miranda is the unlikely Founding Father at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St. For information, call 800-276-2392 or visit boxoffice.broadway.com
“The Gin Game,” featuring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson, at the John Golden Theater, 252 W. 45th St., running now through Jan. 1. For information, call 800-BROADWAY or visit broadway.com.
“Sistas” tells of the struggles, the joy and the triumphs of being Black and being a woman in America, Saturdays and Sundays, now through January 2016 at St. Luke’s Theater, 308 W. 46th St., New York City. Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
MUSIC.
Gladys Knight and the O’Jays, Saturday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m., Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway at 79th Street, New York City. For information, call 212-247-4777 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Arrested Development, Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 9 p.m., B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St., New York City. For information, call 212-997-4144 or visit bbkingblues.com, ticketmaster.com.
Lil Wayne’s “The Dedication Tour,” Friday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m., Toyota Oakdale Theater, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, Conn. For information, call 203-265-1501 or visit livenation.com.
Babyface with After 7, Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., One Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888- 466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
Ladies Night R&B Super Jam featuring Jodeci, Faith Evans, Jagged Edge, SWV, the Lox, Carl Thomas, Blackstreet, Total and Black Rob, Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. For information, visit barclayscenter.com.
The ’70s Soul Jam Valentine’s Concert with the Stylistics, Dramatics, New Birth, Ray, Goodman and Brown and Enchantment, Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m., Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway at 79th Street, New York City. For information, call 212-247-4777 or visit ticketmaster.com.
FILM
Spike Lee’s “Chiraq,” featuring Samuel L. Jackson and more, is now in theaters. Check your local listings.
“Creed” tells the story of Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), who never knew his dad, boxing champion Apollo Creed, as he seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and asks the retired champ to be his trainer. Check theaters for listings.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” prominently features Nigerian-British actor John Boyega. Check theaters for listings.
COMEDY
Arsenio Hall appears Saturday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Mashantucket, Conn. For information, call 800-200-2882 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Charlie Murphy, Saturday, Jan. 16 at 10 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Carolines on Broadway, 1626 Broadway. For information, call 866-468-3399 or visit ticketweb.com.
Wanda Sykes, Friday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m., the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Mashantucket, Conn. For information, call 800-200-2882 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Wanda Sykes, Saturday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m., Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood, N.J. For information, call 201-227-1030 or visit ticketmaster.com.
COMMUNITY
CEMOTAP presents Brother Raymond Dugue of the UNIA, Saturday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m., giving a PowerPoint presentation and lecture on accomplishments of Marcus Garvey. Historian and educator Dr. Leonard Jeffries will be a respondent. Garvey’s work will be explained in 21st century terms and the relevance to solving 21st century problems will be made apparent. Admission is free. Call 347 947 0629.
NJEA’s premier black-tie event, the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration, takes place Saturday, Jan. 16 at the Hilton East Brunswick. Larry Hamm, civil rights activist and humanitarian, is the keynote speaker. Hamm will be followed by musical entertainment from singer, songwriter, actor and activist Chaka Khan.
The Apollo Theater and WNYC presents “Race and Privilege: Exploring MLK’s Two Americas,” an event that is part of Apollo’s “Uptown Hall” series and WNYC’s 10th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. The event will be co-hosted by WNYC hosts Brian Lehrer and Jami Floyd with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Jose Antonio Vargas and Taylor Branch, Race Forward Executive Director Rinku Sen and Color of Change Executive Director Rashad Robinson. Additionally, the event will feature the premiere of a new work by composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. “Race and Privelage” takes place Sunday, Jan. 17, 3 p.m.-5 p.m., and is free and open to the public.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM weekly with “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and simulcast over WLIB 1190AM. The full show can also be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2 and at WBLS.com.WLIB.com and iHeartRadio. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with Radio GBE: “The Global Black Experience” and “The Global Beat Experience,” Fridays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both shows are archived online at www.wbai.org. To contact us for bookings or to reach us about your event or for comments, email igbexp@gmail.com, find us at Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE or call 212-592-3279.
