Thursday 28 Jazz revue New Horizon Theater Inc. presents The Jazz Revue, Other Special Selections and Storytelling featuring Levi Barcourt at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Barcourt has worked with several musical greats and will perform through Oct. 31. General admission is $20 and students and seniors are $15. For more information, call 412-431-0773.
Times are tough. You’ve tightened your belt so much that you don’t have any notches left. You’ve cancelled everything cancelable, given up all but the necessities, stopped going out and started going desperate. You don’t know what to do next to save your un(der)employed self. It’s decision time. How up-the-creek are you? Would you pick up a gun to pay the bills? In the new book “Tempted by Trouble” by Eric Jerome Dickey, a man learns that firepower is not foolproof.
(NNPA)—Dear Gwendolyn: After much searching, I finally got a good job. This is the problem: Everywhere I work women seem to be attracted to my husband. On this present job, he had to come to my office to get some money for gas in his car. All the women flipped. You see…he is the most gorgeous looking man on earth.
At the age of 14 Albert Jason Brown III aka Al B. Sure! learned that he had the Quincy Jones bug, which is a calling to all aspects of music—performing, composing and producing. “I started out doing my thing on the music side, but as a professional I also produced my music and other artists. My camp at that time consisted of K-Ci, DeVante and JoJo of Jodeci, Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case and others. Uptown Records was in full effect at the time and it was a rotating pool of young talented people who all ended up working together and we became family. AL B. SURE!
Charlayne Henry was overcome with emotion when she opened the doors to the Charles A. Stewart Performing Arts Center. She realized the struggles and losses she had overcome to finally own and operate her own theater. “This has been a long seven-year journey. I put myself through a lot these past seven years. My husband passed away last November and my mom passed away four years ago. This past January I lost my grand-dad. I’ve lost so many people who won’t get to see this theater come to fruition. That‘s the hardest part of going after your vision,” Henry said. CHARLAYNE HENRY IN HER NEW ARTS CENTER (Photo by Erin Perry).
This week I visited the Pittsburgh Improv in Homestead, The August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Downtown Pittsburgh, CJ’s in the Strip District, The Shadow Lounge in East Liberty and Calvary Baptist Church in the Hill District. My first stop was the Pittsburgh Improv in Homestead where comedian Arnez J. performed five shows for his fans and he is still as funny as ever. Daniel Bernard Roumain and Pittsburgh’s own Dream Job performing at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture.
Thursday 21 Jazz jam CJ’s Restaurant & Lounge presents “The Roger Humphries & RH Factor Jazz Jam Session” at 8 p.m. at 2901-2911 Penn Ave., Strip District. There will be live jazz and fun every Thursday night. Must be 30 years or older and there is a dress code that will be enforced. No tennis shoes, sweats, or athletic gear. For more information, call 412-642-2377.
Ira M. Watkins aka Ira Soul says music has been in his blood as long as he can remember and that’s why he takes his music very serious. “His (grandfather) music has been in my blood since I was around 7 years of age. Back in the day when Watkins’ grandfather was in the army, he played a lot of instruments such as the trumpet, saxophone, drums and trombone. The main reason he played those instruments was to teach kids how they can be something and achieve in life. His grandfather was influenced by great jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Count Bassie. IRA SOUL
Where is your favorite place to play? Maybe you have a playhouse out in the back yard, or a secret spot where adults are not so welcome. Perhaps there’s a basketball court or set of swings that you’d visit every day if you could. Or maybe you like your room best or a certain spot on the sofa. No matter where it is, nobody better mess with your spot. In the new book “Trouble in Troublesome Creek” by Nancy Kelly Allen, illustrated by K. Michael Crawford, somebody was killing fish in the Gang’s best summertime play spot, and James and his friends needed to make it stop.
(NNPA)—Dear Gwendolyn: Two weeks ago, in full view of everyone in the restaurant, I gave a man, who said he was in need, a five dollar bill. Then, across from me at the next table a girl smiled at me and sent me a note with the number 50 on it without any explanation. When I motioned for her to come to my table, she said the number 50 stood for $50 which she was requesting and then she would go out with me. I told her I was not interested and told her to go back to her table. She refused to go and stated that the $50 would include everything and anything I wanted to do.
