Was I the one who said I was ready for cooler temperatures, waiting for the leaves to fall and wondering, “In the fall will you fall for me?” Well, turn up the heat—it’s freezing.
Definitely turning up the heat was Tyrone Govane and his band Der Secret, a Tuesday and Thursday night regular at Paris Blues, who performed most recently downtown at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill. Lighting up the dining room, the band had the packed house rocking in their seats. The show was nothing less than magnificent. Joining the set for vocals were Kenny Brawner from the band of his own name, the Brawner Brothers, and C.L. Wright (not wrong, not left, but Wright). Paris Blues owner Sam Hargress Jr. was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for keeping the blues alive in Harlem at his famous club located at 121st Street and Seventh Avenue. The presentation was made by Councilman Bill Perkins. M.C. for the evening was Geoffrey Eaton. Among the crowd was Bill Palmer with his daughter, Tiara; writer, producer Ron Beverly with his wife, actress Barbara; and staff members from Paris Blues.
Veering off the beaten track, I had lunch recently at the Hop House Harlem, located at 120th Street and Eighth Avenue. Service was good and the spicy Caesar salad with avocados and anchovy dressing was, well, spicy. I would have preferred a good, freshly baked roll as opposed to the small pieces of lightly toasted French bread, which was hard, but otherwise, I recommend it and would go again. Another best kept secret is Best Food Market, 118th Street and Eighth Avenue, with great selections, clean, friendly atmosphere and good pizza.
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Edna S. Hunter, mother of Glenn and Keith Hunter, who was a longtime member of St. Phillip’s Church; May Ella Stingler, mother of Laverne Stingler Flowers; and C.J., a fixture on Martha’s Vineyard. All three lived well into their 90s and all three lived well, touching the lives and spirits of many. Mae Ella’s funeral service was a rousing reminder that we all need to go to a Baptist service at least once a year to renew our connection with the Holy Spirit. All will be fondly remembered for their loving kindness and dedication to the cause.
The United Hospital Fund raised more than $1.5 million at their recent gala held at Cipriani’s 42nd Street. Among the honorees was Dr. Robert Gore, M.D., an emergency department physician at NYC Health and Hospital Kings County and SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He received the Distinguished Community Service Award for founding the Kings Against Violence, a violence intervention initiative serving youth in the borough of Brooklyn. The award was support by TIAA and presented by TIAA President and CEO Roger Ferguson. Among the attendees were Dr. Edgar Mandeville, Harriete Mandeville, Ernest Baptiste, Deputy Mayor Herminia Palacio, Bob Gore, Hibist Legesse, Jacquel Clemons and Dr. Wayne Riley.
If you are in need of a shot of inspiration in your commitment to the cause, then I suggest you catch HBO’s screening of “The Birth of a Nation.” This film is the story of revolutionist Nat Turner. We have all heard of Nat Turner and the Nat Turner rebellion, but to see the story enacted from beginning to end really stirs the blood. Much was sacrificed, human lives abused and souls tormented—there should be no greater reason to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and pick up the legacy from where we left off. Check it out.
Continuing on that note was the recent unveiling of the Elombe Brath Way street sign at the southwest corner of 125th Street and Seventh Avenue. Brath is remembered as a Pan-Africanist, visionary and revolutionary scholar, and so it is befitting that he should represent those who believed and fought for cultural dignity, rights and respect. As a very young girl, I remember Brath and his brother, Kwame, a noted photographer. I believe their last name was Brathwaite but possibly shortened for brevity.
Although older than I, the brothers were considered young compared with some of the other revolutionists who referred to themselves as Black nationalists. They were die-hard followers of Malcolm X and could recite every word Brother Malcolm preached, and every Saturday they did just that. On the same corner that now bears Elombe Brath’s name, the men, with bullhorn in hand, would stand on a ladder and preach to the crowd, who would gather around them, reciting Malcolm X, at least to the best of their ability. I think it is safe to say many who gathered at the recent street naming recalled those days. The youngsters in the crowd probably don’t know anything about that. How many who sat proudly in the chairs that had been assembled felt even prouder that they were sitting alongside the store that used to be Chock Full O’ Nuts, the first one owned by a Black man, Jackie Robinson.
Speaking from the metaphysical side, should you be so inclined, Lena Stevens, shaman professor at the Path to Power, School of Shamanism, said that because of the recent solar and lunar eclipse, evolutionary changes are in the air. The effects are such that it is time for us “to open our hearts and connect with what is important.”
She said, “Let us take down the barriers of isolation and move from competition to cooperation, from always ‘doing’ to simply ‘being’ with each other, and from analyzing and reacting to simply feeling. Especially those of us who have not gone through trauma and loss, let’s open our hearts and cherish what’s important. Let’s make an effort to change how we all show up in the world. Let’s shift our mentality from ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ to ‘ours.’ Let’s be willing and open for something new and beautiful to emerge from this time. This is the silver lining and a boost to our evolution. This is maturity. The sooner we get this, the sooner everything will come back into balance.”
That’s encouraging. Those who are interested can Google to learn more.
Until next week … kisses.
