We’re proud to welcome pianist, composer, and author Sharp Radway back to Central Library for another Culture Connection concert!
This time, Sharp is bringing our patrons “Music Of The Streets,” a project that pays homage to iconic figures in the world of jazz. Sharp’s concert and presentation on Saturday, November 19 will focus on “The Queens Chapter” and introduce our guests to the rich jazz legacy of Queens.
Sharp Radway, who currently resides in Brooklyn, has worked with several jazz luminaries, including Yusef Lateef, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, James Spaulding, and many more. He appeared onscreen with Mos Def, Beyonce Knowles, Cedric the Entertainer, and several others in the film Cadillac Records and acted and performed in a production of the historic Off-Broadway play The Connection under the direction of Living Theatre co-founder Judith Malina, who also directed the first production of the play in 1959. Sharp serves as the music director, pianist, and arranger for The Celebration of Lionel Hampton Big Band and The New York City Ska Orchestra. Staying true to his roots, he continues to play in church regularly, serving as Music Director for a local church in Brooklyn.
Sharp was kind enough to talk with us before his upcoming concert.
This is your second visit to Queens Library, and we’re glad to have you back! What was your experience like playing here last time?
Thanks for having me back. I always appreciate the opportunity to share music, so I am grateful to be back! My last experience at the library was great; I performed a tribute to the music of Elmo Hope, Bud Powell, and Thelonious Monk. The attendees seemed to really enjoy and appreciate the music. They also gained a lot from the history that we shared with them about those three piano giants.
What role have libraries played in your life?
For me, libraries have been a source for knowledge, a place of study, a quiet refuge, and also the place where I had a lot of my early music listening experiences. As a young child, I used to go to the library to avail myself of a music collection much larger than the one I had at home. I listened to different artists from different genres on LPs, 45s, and cassettes at the library. I still have very fond memories of those moments, which will always be cherished.
In addition to being a performer, you are also a music teacher. Can you talk about that role and how important it is to you?
I've taught private piano instruction, theory, ear training, jazz ensemble classes, and more, to preschoolers, senior citizens, and everyone in between. Teaching is an essential thing for me. It keeps me fine-tuned and makes me a better student, which, in turn, puts me in a position to learn more and grow as an individual.
Can you talk more about your “Music of the Streets” project? What inspired it, and what can we expect from “The Queens Chapter?”
Absolutely. "Music of the Streets" is now in its second year. It's a project I put together that honors jazz icons from various cities and neighborhoods—namely Detroit; Philadelphia; Queens; Sugar Hill, in Harlem; Brooklyn; Wilmington, DE; Newark; and many more. Its mission is to call attention to legendary jazz artists from these areas and their compositions. The project also presents original compositions written in honor of these iconic figures. The Queens Chapter of the project features artists primarily from that borough and pays homage to musicians from Hollis, East Elmhurst, Jamaica, Corona, St. Albans, Bayside, Flushing, and Springfield Gardens. We'll be presenting their music set against the backdrop of a historical account of their lives, informed by their significance to the art form. I've also composed some music specifically for this Saturday's presentation that will serve as commemorative pieces for a couple of the artists we'll be discussing.
What are some of your favorite books and who are your favorite authors?
The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown, Jr., The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, The Speaker's Quote Book by Roy B. Zuck, The Story of Jazz by Marshall W. Stearns, The Destruction Of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams, The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Classon, and I am a lover of the Bible.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to be a professional musician?
My most humble but sincere advice would be to read a copy of my book Musicianship 101 (What They Don't Tell You In School) and put everything in there into action immediately.
Which performers and albums have inspired your career as a musician and composer?
Wow! I don't know how to answer that. I am inspired by most musicians—inspired to do by some, inspired in what not to do by others. Some pianists who both inspire and influence my playing are Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Art Tatum, Ellis Larkins, Red Garland, and Ahmad Jamal. My greatest inspirations, however, are God and life itself.
Queens Library is proud to present “Festival an Koulè (Festival of Colors),” a six-week exhibit of twenty established and emerging artists who represent the rich culture of Haiti.
During the six weeks of the festival, we’ll introduce you to some of the participating artists so you can learn more about them, their work, and Haitian art in general.
Our first artist is Chantal Paret Antoine. Chantal was born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, a few months after the election of Francois Duvalier in 1957. Five years later, she was forced into hiding with her mother and sister until being reunited with her father, a high-ranking colonel in the Haitian army, in New York in 1965. Chantal’s love of Haitian art was sparked by her maternal grandfather, Cesar Muller, who was part of the “Haitian Renaissance” at DeWitt Clinton Peters’ Le Centre D’Art in Port-au-Prince that introduced Haitian art to the world.
Chantal received a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Art Therapy from Hofstra University and a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Interior Architecture and Design. Chantal has served as Library Planner-Senior Designer in Queens Library’s Capital Facilities Management department for the past nineteen years, involved in the planning, design, and interior outfitting of all existing branches and new library construction.
What motivates you and inspires you artistically?
My confidence to draw and paint originates from my memories of bonding with my grandfather. He was quite disciplined and strict; however, he was quite adept at anything he wanted to do. He would help me with my homework covers, and I learned to have confidence in my abilities from him. I still have one of the covers we worked on, now in a frame, and it symbolizes, for me, the start. My grandfather was a pharmacist in Cap-Haïtien, but he painted prolifically and quite well, and did for a while participate in the famed Centre D’Art. I love to see his name as one of the first generations of Haitian artists that added to the strength of Haitian art throughout the world. I especially get a real kick out of seeing his name in the many Haitian art books that I collect, and I wonder what he would say if he could see that I have kept it up. The legacy and strength of Haitian art historically motivates me, initially and consistently. Haiti, and its incredible “Joy of Art,” despite all of its adversities and material poverty, is truly what inspires me.
What type of art are you showing during the festival?
For this collection, I have selected only drawings, using oil pastels on textured watercolor paper. My style is more in the Traditional or Naïve School; what I am drawn to in my art is that aspect of Haiti that I have a few memories of, the humble scenes that move me, the vendors, the kids playing with marbles, the everyday life which still, to this day, happens in Haiti. Haiti is in many ways still untouched and not too modern, really. My drawings tap into a sense of longing and nostalgia, and depict traditional subjects using a modern medium.
Is this your first exhibit? If not, where have you shown your art before?
Although I have a real “day job” (not to mean that art for me is not real or work!), I have been quite lucky to show my work in a few exhibits. My first exhibit was a solo show, with 45 paintings, at the African American Museum in Hempstead, Long Island. I have had exhibits at the Bread and Roses Gallery in Manhattan, the International Monetary Fund Gallery in Washington—it was the first Haitian exhibit they sponsored, with five artists, and I was the only woman—and at the Haitian Consulate in New York, a “women artists only” show called “Peinture a la Feminin.” My art traveled to Haiti, and was shown at the Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien, as part of an exhibit of Haitian artists living abroad, and was published in the accompanying catalogue Dreams of Haiti in Colors. That was really exciting. Other places include the Waterford Library in Connecticut; the service agency Haitian-American Family of Long Island; and three large murals that I painted at Chez Antoine, a restaurant my husband owned in Baldwin.
How does your art embody the spirit and culture of Haiti?
I think the Jacques Roumain quote that I shared in the Festival an Koulè brochure sums it up for me: “If you are of a country, if you are born there, then you have it in your eyes, your skin, your hands, with the hair of its trees, the flesh of its soil, the bones of its stones, the blood of its rivers, its sky, its taste, its men and women.” And, of course, that all comes through in its music, food, resilience, pride, and art!
Keyi Ble (The Wheat Pickers) by Chantal Paret Antoine.
What do you want our patrons to learn about Haitian art in particular?
The inexplicable volume of artists and art that comes from that country—which is so often maligned and depicted as “the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere,” always with its hand out begging for aid, suffering one disaster after another—is a sign that Haiti is much more than what is known. Haiti, the first country born of a slave revolution, is a country with a rich history and amazing legacy that is communicated through its art. Haitian art is the best ambassador of Haiti.
How do you feel about showing your art to the Queens Library community?
I am torn, so excited and a bit nervous. I am wearing four roles at this exhibit, as an employee of the Library, a member of the selection committee for this exhibit, an exhibiting artist, and a Haitian woman proud of her culture. I want my library colleagues and the Queens community to see the country I was born in, differently than it is always portrayed. I would like the exhibit to surprise our patrons with the beauty and depth of expression of these incredible artists, many of whom live in the same Queens communities. And I am so proud to be with the artists that are participating in this exhibit.
Thank you to everyone who submitted poems to Queens Library’s Summer Poetry Contest!
All the entries had to reflect the 2016 Summer Reading theme of “Get in the Game.”
You’ve had a chance to read the poetry of our four winners, and see the pictures from our awards ceremony. Now, we’d like to share the poems from the three honorable mentions in each age category.
To be selected for this recognition shows how truly talented all these poets are!
Grades 4-5 Honorable Mentions: Samyuktha Arvind, Jason Ramdeo, and Erin Wong
Grades 6-8 Honorable Mentions: Jaeden Casasnovas, Syeda Rahman, and Sujay Sundar
Grades 9-12 Honorable Mentions: Malachi Mitchell, Sara Nordlicht, and Emily Scarpati
Post High School/Adult Honorable Mentions: Felicia Hang, Arlene Levine, and Francie Scanlon
Grades 4-5 Honorable Mentions
Fun in the Sun
by Samyuktha Arvind
Get into the game,
Get into the action,
Get into the fun!
It’s time for a run in the sun!
Go to the beach
With sand beneath your toes,
And water in your hair.
Make a fort
Spring leaks of water!
Sky-dive
Through Paris
And visit
The Eiffel Tower!
Bungee-jump through
A safari
In Africa!
Make a hoverboard
And fly on it,
Visit the world
And get an award!
Breakdance through a
Karate class!
Climb Mt. Everest
In my new pink heels!
Seeing how a
Volcano feels!
Going to India
And bringing back
Sand,
Seeing why milkshakes
Taste so bland!
Order a triple-scoop cone
For me,
And an order of
Iced tea!
Swing into the park,
Landing on the bark!
Load into a baseball game,
(I tried the cannon,)
Blast into space, taste the
Cotton candy clouds,
There is no too much fun now,
It is time to get into the game!
Offense or Defense
by Jason Ramdeo
Offense
Courageous, Confident
Passing, Running, Scoring
Touchdown, Goal...Interception, Block
Taking, Tackling, Stopping
Jeering, Taunting
Defense
First Tryout
by Erin Wong
Come on! It's basketball tryouts!
"You can do this," My mom shouts!
Slowly, I walked to the coach in the court.
She started calling names from her board.
The coach said her name was Mrs. Bagwerds.
Her shirt spelled the team's name backwards!
Cheerily she said to me, "Get in a game!
By the way, what is your name?"
Pass, dribble, dribble, pass,
I learned these all very fast.
Steal, dribble, dribble, shoot!
I kept on missing the hoop.
So many times, I missed
And I wanted to quit!
Sweat dripped on my neck,
But I didn't care to take a rest!
My coach taught me, "Aim at the backboard!"
I kept on trying and finally I scored!!!
Tweet! Tweet! The whistle blows,
My coach said, "Now it's time to go!"
What a great, first game!
Grades 6-8 Honorable Mentions
Get In The Game
by Jaeden Casasnovas
When you wail and you cry just to get what you want
That is not how you try to get fame
Be in it
To win it
Set yourself apart
Be ready to get in the game!
Live your life for the moment, no time to resist
Just play it, don’t wait for next time
Be in it
To win it
Because you have the smarts
Be ready to get in the game!
Do your very best and have good sportsmanship
Don’t brag, or you’ll be very sorry
Be in it
To win it
We all have your back
Just be ready to get in the game!
More than a book
by Syeda Rahman
A book is an adventure
A book is a dream
Where you can visit places
You've never been
You can see gardens
Visit castles and more
When you have never even
Gone past your door
You can meet people
Both good and bad
And the end to their quests
Could be happy or sad
A book is just a book
But you'll find it's so much more
If only you know where to look
A book can open doors
The Game of Life
by Sujay Sundar
You roll the dice,
Take your chances but be wise.
The Game of Life,
Can be fun without strife.
To Play hide and seek,
Scaling tall peaks.
To Swing and sway,
With birds chirping each day.
To talk and walk,
But always on the sidewalk.
Time for flowers and trees,
And feeling the cool breeze.
To seek Good books to read,
Learning about a good deed.
To think and write,
On topics fresh and bright.
To be healthy and eat,
More veggies and wheat.
To stay fit and play,
Keeping doctors away.
The Game of life is good,
And forever it should.
It is eternal and fun,
And is never really done.
Grades 9-12 Honorable Mentions
Can You Feel It?
by Malachi Mitchell
I can feel it
It's right there
Almost in my hand
It's now or never
Failure's not the plan
Success is at the end of the path
I'm getting closer
But something seems to be holding me back
Laziness and procrastination
Blocking my drive and determination
Keeping me from getting my blessings
But still I let myself entertain the distractions
Have I forgotten my lessons?
I was told to reach for stars
Well now I'm reaching for it all
And I'm not gonna fall
Only thing I'm letting drop are my chains
Getting my head in the game
Putting a legacy to my name
Crazy how much can change in a blink of an eye
A year ago I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life
Now I can't go a day without wanting to write
I can feel it
Now's my time
And I'm ready to shine
Are you ready to shine?
Are you ready to spread your wings and fly?
Are you ready to be the best you can be?
Then take this sincere advice from me
Drop your chains
And get in the game
Reach for the stars
Don't be afraid of the change
It might be hard
But life is short
And it's better to do it now than to leave it for "some day."
The Game
by Sara Nordlicht
I ought to write a poem, I think,
One that flows, with words that link.
Pertaining to the pertinent theme:
Get in the game, get in the game.
"This is hard," aloud I say,
"Maybe I cannot write, anyway."
An impossible task this does seem:
Get in the game, get in the game.
"I must write something down," I voice,
Yes, I still can make this choice.
The maxim floating around in my head:
Get in the game, get in the game.
I put pen to paper and write,
An end does not appear in sight.
Still I remember the words that were said:
Get in the game, get in the game.
I needed to write, I knew I ought,
A poem on paper being what I sought.
I knew I would give up, all too soon:
Get in the game, get in the game.
I thought that with words I could express,
Yet with all this time, I still digress.
A message clear as the light of the moon:
Get in the game, get in the game.
So before you sit and cry the blues,
Think of the talent within your own shoes.
Make the right choice and decide:
Get in the game, get in the game.
Don't deem impossible, your big dream,
Pull yourself together and join a team.
Bring some friends along for the ride:
Get in the game, get in the game.
Cans of Expired Pie Filling
by Emily Scarpati
Every time you insert yourself into the game
You shatter your bones or your skull explodes and you
Think it is the worst day of your life,
But how foolish you humans are
Much worse days are to follow this one in which you
Lost your game
On the worst day of your life
Your golden mother shakes with rage like lava as she hurls
Hundreds of glass shards at your head
You try to halt them with your catcher’s glove but your
Young hands get sliced
It’s Father’s Day and the new Prius crashed into your
Garage’s aging shelving unit, unleashing a tsunami of
Boxed lasagna and cans of expired pie filling
Your head fills with lime pudding as the events progress
The gods above which you hardly believe in desire
For your throbbing red chest organ to be made aware,
You are a miniscule entity in a scene never to be
Included in that independent film
If only your kneepads were applicable to your heart
Oh, volleyball player, on the most torturous twenty-four
Hour block of your time on this polluted star,
Your foundation crumbles to the sea
You wish that you were back at the stadium
In which you lost your baseball
Much better it is to put yourself in the ring
Post High School/Adult Honorable Mentions
Remember You
by Felicia Hang
They say you've got to be in it to win it
and there's nothing more true
If you want to see it happen, it's all up to you
Getting in the game is not always about winning,
It's showing up, and being willing
Take a chance, cause you never know,
You may end up finishing,
Even if you start out slow
Challenge yourself, be all that you can,
Cause in the end, the power is in your hands
Be yourself, have courage to be true.
Begin each day, with hopeful anew.
And remember, to always be you.
Playing Catch with John Lennon
by Arlene Levine
The field is dark…
The pitcher prepares to throw
A crowd of catchers crouches, the only
audience invited to this dream game
Something soars; we all
run to receive, yet it is me
who captures, not a ball but a heart
And the pitcher is John,
of the words and the songs
Repeatedly he tosses; I reach
and clasp each heart to mine, my soul
opening in awe and joy
while I wonder:
now that I have caught
to whom must I throw?
I wake with a peaceful feeling
I grab my pen
Words begin
The field is dark...
Player's Prayer
by Francie Scanlon
YO, shot put pecadiller of pawn'd placements
YO, race walker outpacing the rabbit to heel and toe triumphs
YO, would be shadow blade-runner pass the baton
YO, racquet ball wall'd fortress of fire, unleash that furl of fabulous furor
YO, back-splashing, butter-fly sliding, air-brush'd time-tyrant of water's pool palaces
YO, archer with more targets than buzzhead bows can magnet-bulls-eye one for ages by-passed and centuries yet imagined
YO, tennis player sizzle slice serves that punctuate the fault-lines of your opponent's baseline blues
YO, golfer on the bunker for the birdie hole in one, too
YO, hoop master drop it like it's hot, until it's not and drape your dreams with the
net of gods
YO, diver machine blast your lungs with the oxygen of eternity, count your blessings and catapult dive daring destiny
YO, cyclist burn the road ahead of you with the steel of your drive and the buoyancy of your foot speed gyration
YO, boxer deflect, distract, drive punch when and where it matters 'til your spar mate is embroidered in the ropes
YO, badminton ballerina first break '30' and keep frying those half-moon eggs in the sky
YO, fencer fake a slide, foible a thrust, do what you must but first flaunt ferocious fearlessness
YO, ALL, blow a kiss to the boys of summer, the polo-ists, tug-of-war-farers of yesterday no longer reckoned contenders.
YO, ALL, in your, our, my game: PLAY BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, BOUNTIFUL.
Love the finish line.
All poems copyright 2016 Queens Library and the individual authors.
November is Native American Heritage Month! We’re excited to honor a selection of notable First Nation figures who have made significant cultural contributions in a variety of fields. We’ll be showcasing two per week—if only we had time for more!
Check this blog post every week in November for updates—and if you have a famous person you’d like to add to the list, send them to us on social media via Twitter or Facebook!
November 2: Mourning Dove
November 8: John Herrington
November 10: Winona LaDuke
November 16: Cheyenne Jackson
November 18: Mary G. Ross
November 22: Jacoby Ellsbury
November 25: Maria Tallchief
November 29: Sherman Alexie
Author Mourning Dove was actually born Christal Quintasket, with the Native name Hum-ishu-ma, in a canoe near Bonner Ferry Idaho in 1888. While attending a mostly white public school, she was forced to give up her first language of Salish in favor of English. This caused her to forever lose the true meaning of her given Native name, and she chose Mourning Dove as the closest English approximation. Her ancestry was a blend of Sinixt, Colville, and Okanagan tribes.
She is best known for her 1927 novel Cogewea, the Half-Blood, which is one of the first known books by an American Indian woman, and one of the earliest to also feature a female protagonist. The story follows a young girl caught between two worlds, living in both white and Native cultures, and it resonates with mixed-race people to this day.
She went on to write several more books, including the short story collection Coyote Stories (1933), a second novel, Tales of the Okanogans (1976), and her autobiography, Mourning Dove: A Salishan Autobiography (1990). Image credit: Portrait of Mourning Dove, taken in 1915, displayed in the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Posted under fair use copyright via Wikipedia.
Astronaut John Bennett Herrington was born in the Chickasaw Nation (in Oklahoma) in 1958. He eventually attended the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and earned his bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics in 1983. In March 1984, Herrington earned a commission in the U.S. Navy from the Aviation Officer Candidate School. After his first operational tour in 1985, he became a Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor Pilot. He was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland in January 1990 and became a test pilot for the Force Warfare Aircraft Test Directorate that December. He also gained a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. During his time in the military, Herrington earned many service awards, including the Navy Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, and three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
In 1996, he was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate. After two years of training, he qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist and was assigned to the Flight Support Branch. He flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour as part of STS-113, the sixteenth shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station, on November 23, 2002. Herrington became the first enrolled member in a Native American tribe to travel in space, and took several items with him on the mission, including a Chickasaw Nation flag gifted to him by Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, an eagle feather, and a Native flute which he used to play “Amazing Grace.” The mission lasted 13 days, 18 hours, and 47 minutes, during which he performed three spacewalks. In an interview with Indian Country Today Media Network, Herrington said that space walking was what he missed most about being in space.
After his famed tour in space, Herrington retired from the Navy and NASA in July 2005 and went to work for Rocketplane Limited, an aerospace design and development company, for two years. He then embarked of a tour of a different kind—in 2008, at the age of 50, he began a three-month cross-country bicycle ride from Cape Flattery, Washington to Cape Canaveral, Florida. with the goal to get Native children interested in math and science. During the ride, he happened to meet Margo Aragon, who later became his wife. Commander Herrington now does public speaking on behalf of the Chickasaw Nation. Image credit: Public domain, by way of NASA.
Winona LaDuke was born in Los Angeles in 1959, but was raised for most of her life in Ashland, Oregon. Her father was from the Ojibwe White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, to which she moved after graduating from Harvard with a degree in Native Economic Development in 1982. She completed her master’s degree through a distance learning program while acting as principal at a reservation high school. In 1985, she co-founded the Indigenous Women's Network, and worked with the group Women of All Red Nations to fight against forced sterilization of Native American women. In 1989, she founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project to help reclaim land for the Anishinaabe that had been re-allotted and sold under the Nelson Act of 1889. In 1993, she co-founded the advocacy group Honor the Earth with folk duo The Indigo Girls, and is its Executive Director. The group’s mission is to “create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities.”
Keeping her political sights high, she ran with Green Party candidate Ralph Nader as his vice presidential pick in 1996, and again in 2000. The 2000 campaign garnered 2.74 percent of the popular vote, 3rd place overall. While the campaign did fall short of the 5 percent vote that would have qualified the party for federal funding, the Green Party was present on more state ballots than in any previous elections. The campaign also began a bigger conversation about third-party voting and political participation.
LaDuke has written five books, including the novel Last Standing Woman (1996), and has co-written many others, including The Militarization of Indian Country (2012). She has won many awards and accolades, including the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1998 (the prize money from which was put towards founding Honor the Earth), and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2007. Most recently, she was given an honorary doctorate from Augsburg College in 2015.
Winona LaDuke is still fiercely active for the rights of Indigenous People and is currently an outspoken member of #NoDAPL, the grassroots movement dedicated to stopping the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. She is also a respected speaker and has delivered keynotes, webinars, and expert testimonies on the topics of the environment, economics, and Native cultures. Image credit: Winona LaDuke speaks at Dream Reborn Conference 2008 by Eclectek via Wikimedia, used under Creative Commons.
Cheyenne Jackson was born in Newport, Washington (a small town near Spokane) in 1975. His father is said to have named him after the 1950s TV series, and not the Native American tribe from which he is descended. His mother raised him and his siblings on early folk and rock & roll, which explains his affinity for music at an early age.
While working as an ad executive in Seattle, Jackson did theater as a side gig and eventually earned his Equity card. It was then that he realized acting was something he could pursue full-time, and the September 11th attacks gave him the feeling of urgency to move across the country and do so.
Jackson's earliest acting jobs included serving as an understudy in the Broadway shows Thoroughly Modern Millie and Aida. His first big lead role was in the Elvis Presley tribute show All Shook Up, which earned him the Theatre World Award.
Jackson assumed the lead role in Xanadu on Broadway in 2007 after actor James Carpinello was injured during rehearsal. During the run, he worked with Jane Krakowski, whom he would join on other projects, including a production of Damn Yankees in 2008 and the NBC comedy series 30 Rock in 2009. Jackson has also appeared on television in Glee, Ugly Betty, Law & Order, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and most recently the fifth and sixth seasons of the popular FX series American Horror Story. He will co-star with Alicia Silverstone in the upcoming TV Land series American Woman.
Jackson has starred in several films, including the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra with Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, and his notable role as 9/11 victim and hero Mark Bingham in the Academy Award-nominated film United 93. In addition to his film, television, and stage acting career, Jackson has recorded three studio albums (including The Power of Two with music revivalist Michael Feinstein), released four singles, and sold out Carnegie Hall twice in concert. His latest solo album, Renaissance, was released on June 3, 2016.
Jackson is also a celebrated LGBTQ ambassador. He graced the cover of The Advocate and was named Entertainer of the Year by Out Magazine in 2008. He is an international ambassador for The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) and serves as the national ambassador and spokesperson for youth support organization the Hetrick-Martin Institute and the Harvey Milk High School. He is married to actor Jason Landau; together, they welcomed twins into the world this past October. Photo credit: Karl Simone Photography via Wikimedia, used under Creative Commons.
Mary Golda Ross was born in Park Hill, Oklahoma in 1908, the great-granddaughter of the Cherokee Chief John Ross. She attended school in the Cherokee Nation capital of Tahlequah, where she also received her bachelor's degree in Mathematics in 1928. She taught math and science in public schools for nine years, during the bulk of the Great Depression. Ross then worked as a statistical clerk for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, DC. She completed a master’s degree from Colorado State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley) in 1938.
In 1942, she was hired as a mathematician by the Lockheed Corporation. Her assignment was to determine the effects to the P-38 Lightning fighter plane as it neared the sound barrier, as it was the first plane of its kind to exceed 400 mph. After World War II, Lockheed sent Ross to UCLA to earn a professional certification in engineering, aeronautics, and missile and celestial mechanics. This suited her fine, as she would have preferred to work on interplanetary travel, and had been fascinated by astronomy from early in her education. In 1952, she was signed onto Lockheed’s Advanced Development Programs, known as Skunk Works, to work on design concepts for space travel, orbiting satellites, and early conceptualizing for flyby missions to Venus and Mars.
As she matured in her career and became an advanced systems engineer, Ross worked on ballistic missile defense systems, the effect of ocean waves on submarine-launched vehicles, satellite orbits, developing rockets for the Apollo moon program of the '60s and '70s, and the Polaris reentry vehicle.
She retired in 1973, highly regarded, as she was the first female Native American engineer. She worked to encourage other girls into careers in math and the sciences, joined the Society of Women Engineers, and also worked with the American Indians in Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Council of Energy Resource Tribes. She participated in the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, and left the museum an endowment of $400,000 upon her death in 2008, three months shy of her 100th birthday.
Mary G. Ross won numerous awards and accolades, including The San Francisco Examiner's Award for Woman of Distinction in 1961, and entrance into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council’s Hall of Fame in 1992. Image of Mary G. Ross provided courtesy of Evelyn Ross McMillan.
New York Yankees centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury was born on September 11, 1983 in Madras, Oregon and spent his early years living with his family on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. He showed a propensity for sports at a very young age, from playing with much older children in Little League to lettering in five sports in high school. He attended Oregon State University where he was a Baseball America first-team All-American.
In 2005, Ellsbury was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Boston Red Sox and began his career on their minor league team, the Lowell Spinners. After finishing the season with a .317 batting average and 23 stolen bases, he entered the 2006 season as the Red Sox’s sixth-best prospect. Over the next two seasons, he continued to rise higher in the minor leagues.
When outfielder Coco Crisp was injured, Ellsbury made his Red Sox debut against the Texas Rangers on June 30, 2007, becoming the first Native American of Navajo descent to reach the major leagues. He was celebrated in the press for his speed and enthusiasm, and Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky described one of his plays, a score from second base on a wild pitch, as "the greatest single play I've ever seen in all my years in baseball.” He returned to the minors after playing six games for the Red Sox, but returned to the main roster in September and became MLB's American League Rookie of the Month. Ellsbury helped the Red Sox win the World Series that fall, becoming the third rookie player in MLB history with four hits in a World Series game.
In the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Ellsbury broke several Red Sox franchise records, including their rookie record for stolen bases, and in 2009 he led the American League in stolen bases and triples. In 2010, he became the Red Sox’s starting left fielder. During a game that season, he collided with a teammate and suffered hairline fractures to four of his ribs. This injury would leave Ellsbury on the disabled list for the majority of the season. In 2011, he was voted the A.L. Comeback Player of the Year after he became the first player in Red Sox history to join the 30–30 club (at least 30 home runs and 30 steals in a season), won his first Gold Glove, and finished second in the voting for the A.L. Most Valuable Player award. In 2013, Ellsbury won his second World Series with the Red Sox and became a free agent. In December 2013, the New York Yankees signed Ellsbury to a seven-year, $153 million contract. He has a .264 batting average and 80 stolen bases in his first three New York seasons.
Ellsbury has also made significant charitable contributions. He launched the Ellsbury-Read Project in collaboration with Mountain View Hospital's Community Health Improvement Partnership in 2009, with the goal of creating a nurturing and stable environment for children, with a focus on character-building. In 2010, he released a charity wine called ZinfandEllsbury, with 100 percent of the proceeds split between The Navajo Relief Fund, Project Bread: The Walk for Hunger, and the Ellsbury-Read Project. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, used under Creative Commons via Wikimedia.
Dancer Maria Tallchief was born Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Tall Chief, with the Osage family name Ki He Kah Stah Tsa, in Fairfax, Oklahoma in 1925. Her family was well-off, as her great-grandfather had helped negotiate the ownership of oil reserves that benefited the Osage Nation. The family relocated to Los Angeles, California when she was eight years old to encourage the already-budding dance careers of Tallchief and her sister. At age 12, she began coaching with renowned choreographers Bronislava Nijinska and David Lichine.
At age 17, she moved to New York City and was accepted into Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in large part to having a passport, as many of the other dancers were Russian and could not travel with the company’s upcoming Canadian tour. In her first two months, she had been in seven performances as part of the corps de ballet. In the spring of 1943, she starred in Chopin Concerto, replacing first ballerina Nathalie Krassovska, who had left the company due to a feud with management. The part was extremely technically difficult, and Tallchief had little time to prepare. However, the performance was met with rave reviews when the company returned to New York. She soon after had major roles in Le Beau Danube and Ancient Russia.
In 1944, choreographer George Balanchine joined the company and began work on a new production, Song of Norway. The show was a huge success and resulted in a raise and title upgrade for Tallchief. She and Balanchine worked together on several more productions; they grew very close, and were married on August 16, 1946. All the while, Balanchine mentored her to evolve into a better and stronger dancer. She rose to featured soloist in the company and was the first dancer to perform the role of Coquette in Night Shadow, the ballet's most technically challenging role.
She traveled with Balanchine to the Paris Opera Ballet in 1947, becoming the first American to ever perform with the company. The French press was infatuated with her dance style and also fascinated with her cultural background. When they returned to the U.S., Tallchief joined the newly founded New York City Ballet as its first prima ballerina, and the first Native American prima ballerina in history. Though her marriage to Balanchine was eventually annulled during this time, the two of them made waves in the dance world with bold and athletic style, including her acclaimed performance in the title role of The Firebird, created especially for her by Balanchine. In 1954, Balanchine reworked The Nutcracker, which at the time was an obscure ballet, with Tallchief cast as the Sugarplum Fairy. With what was widely considered a “magical” performance, the production established itself as an annual holiday classic.
During her run with the New York City Ballet, Tallchief appeared as a guest performer with the Chicago Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, and the Hamburg Ballet, as well as on The Ed Sullivan Show and in the film musical Million Dollar Mermaid. She left the New York City Ballet in 1960; during this time, she joined the American Ballet Theatre and also became the first American dancer to appear at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. Tallchief briefly relocated to Germany as part of the Hamburg Ballet before her retirement in 1966. She taught dance at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the early 1970s and co-founded the Chicago City Ballet in 1981.
Maria Tallchief has received many awards and accolades for her mesmerizing skill and representation of her heritage. In her home of Oklahoma, June 29, 1953 was declared "Maria Tallchief Day." A bronze statue of her was erected as part of The Five Moons at the Tulsa Historical Society. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a Kennedy Center Honor the same year, as well as the National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts in 1999. Her autobiography, Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina, co-written with Larry Kaplan, was published in 1997. Photo Credit: Headshot of Maria Tallchief from the April 1961 issue of Dance Magazine.
Writer Sherman Alexie was born on October 7, 1966 in Spokane, Washington. He grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation, his parents being of Coeur d'Alene, Colville, Choctaw, Spokane, and European American ancestry. He was born with hydrocephalus, for which he had brain surgery at 6 months old. He suffered from side effects for many years, including seizures. His health problems made him the subject of teasing as a child, and kept him from many rites of passage on the reservation.
Despite his health problems, Alexie remained an excellent student. He attended high school in Reardan, Washington, where he was the only Native American student. He continued to receive high marks, became a star basketball player, and was even elected class president. In 1985, he earned a scholarship to Gonzaga University, where he hoped to study to be a doctor. However, he found himself too squeamish and eventually switched his major to law. He soon realized that he was unsuited for that career as well. The pressure of school and his ambivalence about his future caused him to start drinking as a coping mechanism. He also turned to literature, which was what motivated him to transfer to Washington State University in 1987 and start taking creative writing courses. It was at this time that he met poet, fiction writer, and teacher Alex Kuo, who introduced Alexie to new writing influences, including poets, and showed him how to make connections between his experience and that of non-Native writers. He became a mentor during a low point in Alexie’s life.
A year after graduating college, Alexie received the Washington State Arts Commission Poetry Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship. In 1992, he published his first two collections of poetry, I Would Steal Horses and The Business of Fancydancing. He has said that receiving the two fellowships and his book contract to publish The Business of Fancydancing motivated him to quit drinking, and he has been sober ever since.
He published his first collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, in 1993, earning the PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Book of Fiction. His prolific career moved into full-length novels in 1995 with Reservation Blues, which revisits some characters from his short fiction works. His 2007 young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian won the National Book Award and the California Young Reader Medal, among other awards.
Alexie has also had a successful hand in filmmaking. The 1998 movie Smoke Signals, which he adapted from the short stories in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, broke ground as the first film written, directed, and co-produced by Native Americans. Additionally, all the film’s major roles were portrayed by Native American actors. Smoke Signals earned the Filmmaker's Trophy (for Cheyenne-Arapaho director Chris Eyre) and the Audience Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. Alexie also won several honors for the film personally, including Outstanding Achievement in Writing (First Americans in the Arts), Best Screenplay (San Diego World Film Festival), and Best Newcomer (shared with Chris Eyre, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards). In 2005, Alexie became a founding board member of Longhouse Media, a nonprofit whose mission is to “catalyze indigenous people and communities to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change.”
Sherman Alexie has published 25 books over the course of his ongoing career, including his first children’s book, Thunder Boy Jr., which he believes might also be the first picture book about a contemporary Native American family. His most recent book of poetry, What I've Stolen, What I've Earned, was published in 2013, and Blasphemy, a collection of new and classic stories, was published in 2012. Photo Credit: Sherman Alexie at the 2007 Texas Book Festival, Austin by Larry D. Moore, used under Creative Commons via Wikimedia.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a poem to Queens Library’s Summer Poetry Contest!
We welcomed hundreds of poets from all over New York State to submit an original poem reflecting the 2016 Summer Reading theme of “Get in the Game.”
Thanks as well to our panel of judges—Queens Poet Laureate Maria Lisella; CUNY literature and writing professor Alice Lacey; New York Writers Workshop project manager Deedle Rodriguez-Tomlinson; and hip-hop poet, actor, and educator Kevin Anglade. They have chosen one winner and three honorable mentions in our four age groups—Grades 4-5; Grades 6-8; Grades 9-12; and Post High School/Adult.
Join us at our awards ceremony on Saturday, November 5 at 11 a.m. at Flushing Community Library, where our contest winners and honorable mentions will read their poems!
Here are the first-place winners, who also shared some thoughts with us about their poetry.
Grades 4-5
Jenabelle Daska, “Love in the…”
Do you write poetry often?
“One of my summer books was Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I love it, it is a book filled with poems and cool doodles. The book inspired me to write my own poems.”
How would you describe your poem to our readers?
“I want my poem to inspire kids to read, even if they are not good at it. Reading can be fun; when your reading level goes up you feel that you've won.”
How do you feel about winning our contest?
“I'm so happy I won! Shout out to all the libraries. My next poem will be all about this. My mom always tells me that a step is better than no step, don't be afraid to try things, you can do anything, so be yourself! Try new things and get in the game!”
Love in the...
by Jenabelle Daska
Love in the
Book, learn with your eyes.
Love in the
Clouds, and sky.
Love in the
Trees, air passes by.
Love in the
Flowers, bees, and butterflies.
Love in the
Rain, rainbow colors up high.
Love in the
Snow, snow angels flat as a sheet.
Love in the
Sun, at the beach, sand on your feet.
Love in the
Moon, with wishes on shooting stars in disguise.
Love is in all, it's a surprise.
Love is inside, and when you open your eyes.
So get in the game.
Read on, and read with no shame.
Read all, read wise.
Reading brings a lovely surprise.
Grades 6-8
Azriel McCall, “Inspirational Game”
Do you write poetry often? Or was this your first poem?
“I write poetry often for fun, for performances and sometimes for contests. I have been writing poetry since I was six years old in an afterschool creative writing program.”
Was it easy or hard to work with our theme, “Get in the Game”?
“It was kind of hard, because I had to think about what the theme meant and then find ways to bring in a current event issue, violence against innocent black men, and express it in the poem.”
How would you describe your poem to our readers?
“I would describe it as a healing and inspirational poem against violence. I wrote this poem to show what kind of violence happens and why it needs to stop.”
Inspirational Game
by Azriel McCall
No more violence, no more pain
Let love fall among us
Like a gentle rain
It is a game of peace
A little calmness would be nice
And no hatred towards others
No kinds of violence is my advice
Get in the game of love and peace
No violence towards your father, sister
Mom, brother, uncle, neighbor, stranger, or niece
Shootings have happened to innocent Black men
Shots fired by police officers
Should not happen again
In our heart, let's put love in a torch
Don't let it get too strong, don't let it scorch
Let it ignite everywhere
Help change the world to make it a safer place
For you, your family, and the human race
Grades 9-12
Sai'id Browning, “North Philly, South Hollis”
Why did you decide to submit a poem for our Poetry Contest?
“I decided to enter because I love writing. I write every day. I have an hour ride to school so I often write then. I also write for fun.”
Do you plan on writing more poetry in the future?
“I do plan on writing more poetry, and I plan on writing movies and television sitcoms as well as rap and hip-hop songs.”
How do you feel about winning our contest?
“I am very excited and shocked to be a winner of the contest; I think it's really cool! I am just a regular kid that loves to write. I also had really great teachers like Mr. Stokes, Ms. Lucon, and Mrs. Missuraca, and a great principal, Mrs. Freebes. Thank you!”
North Philly, South Hollis
by Sai'id Browning
I've seen the ballers pass, flash cash, in black hoodies. They robbed the stores, and stained the floors. With blood. It starts to flood, like water and mud. Now it's back to counting stacks, when the cops raiding. These thugs be hating, on any kid, not Falling to that gang life, Avoiding the knife.
Every morning is thugging. Rugged jeans and cups of what they call lean. It's really poison, A Glock stuffed between, the mattress. Grabbing the matches, sparking a hit, destroying the wit, killing all brain cells, they've been bitten...By the ghetto. Another man shot...means nothing. Back to the hustlers hustling, their hustle. All their muscle, goes to the body, not the brain, it's at its full capacity, filled with real chilled ghetto child thoughts and blasphemy. And that's what's attacking me.
So I study hard, to surpass the streets, I read and you will never catch me with a moment of wasted time, I hold fast to each one teach one. Work hard work smart. Don't get caught in this cruel world of hate because so much beauty awaits. Travel, read, and be kind, elevate your mind and open your hearts. Every day brings a new start!
Post High School/Adult
Barbara Newman-Factor, “The Race to Read”
Do you write poetry often?
“Writing poetry has always been a hobby of mine. As a child, after reading A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, and after reading just about every other book by him, I felt inspired to write poetry in his style—fun, in rhyme, whimsical, with a unique perspective on the world, and geared toward children. I also love the poetry written by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky, for the same reasons. I try to write often, but it usually happens when something inspires me—something I hear, see, or experience.”
How would you describe your poem to our readers?
“I wanted my poem to be visual in the reader's mind—active, light-hearted, and fun, and to have the pace of being in a race. I wanted the readers to feel as if they were experiencing a visit to the library and to realize the wealth of information available and what it could mean to them in their lives. Many people miss out on the library experience and overlook all it has to offer. I wanted my poem to make people want to go to the library. I hope I was able to transmit the pleasure I have when I go to the library.”
Do you plan on writing more poetry in the future?
“Absolutely. After winning this Poetry Content, I hope to write on a more regular basis. Whenever an idea comes to mind, I write it down—on a scrap of paper, in my writing journal, or on the computer. Even if it is not a complete idea, I try to jot it down so that I can come back to it at a future time. This contest has reignited my interest in getting back to some of my unfinished poems. Also, having a five-year-old son has further inspired me to continue on my journey of writing poems for children. I would love it if someday my son would be able to see one of my books on a shelf in the children's section of the library.”
The Race to Read
by Barbara Newman-Factor
You join the starting line.
The doors open at nine.
With library card and list of books to read, you have all that you need.
To enter the race. The race to read.
You start by passing new arrivals.
Searching up and down the aisles.
Stacks of books go on for miles.
Feels like you've entered Olympic trials.
You browse a bit to get a taste.
No need to rush, go slow—no haste.
Grab a book. Then grab some more.
So many subjects to explore.
Psychology, biographies, fiction—keep on looking.
Science, gardening, mysteries—oh wait, you've found it—cooking!
Work biceps and triceps as you stretch up high.
Reaching for shelves that reach up to the sky.
Glutes and quads to squat down low.
For books on shelves way down below.
Exercise of the best kind.
Exercise for both body and mind.
Best of all, everyone is a winner.
From the well-seasoned reader to the newest beginner.
The ultimate prize that you will earn,
Is everything you learn.
And there is no reason to compare.
Everyone has something to share.
New stories, ideas, a thought, a fable.
As you all talk around the dinner table.
Even down to what you decided to cook.
From a recipe in your library book.
So join the race and read, read, read.
It doesn't matter the pace or speed.
For no two readers are the same.
The important thing is to Get in the Game.
All poems copyright 2016 Queens Library and the individual authors.
Our next Culture Connection concert on Saturday, October 29 at Central Library will feature the soulful sounds of Milton Suggs, a commanding singer who's built his modern style on the struggles, triumphs, and stories of the generations that have preceded him.
As a third-generation musician, Milton recognized music as a gift from a young age. It was much later that he began to accept it as a calling. Beginning as a pianist and later incorporating voice, Milton began his journey in his hometown of Chicago and further honed his craft and developed his artistic vision in New York. He attended Columbia College Chicago to study piano and also received a Master’s in Jazz Studies from DePaul University. His latest album, The Truth Inside, is available now.
Milton answered some questions for us before his Culture Connection concert.
What role have libraries played in your life?
I began going to libraries quite religiously once I started college. While living in Chicago, I would visit the Harold Washington Library weekly and check out music scores, autobiographies of musicians and other notable black historical figures, and works of fiction and nonfiction dealing with any number of subjects, from history to cultural analysis and criticism. My visits were and are essential to augmenting my education and giving me the tools and insight I need to advance my career.
Which performers and albums have inspired your career as a musician?
All of the greats! If you can name them, I claim them. This is always a tough question to answer because the answers are so vast. I truthfully take something from everyone I listen to, but the most obvious are Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Bob Marley, Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones, Mahalia Jackson, and more recently pianists Kenny Kirkland and Mulgrew Miller.
As a performer, you like to use “vocalese,” where you write lyrics for classic songs that were originally all-instrumental compositions. Can you talk more about this musical style and what drew you to it? And what’s your favorite vocalese song?
Vocalese is a style popularized by legends such as Eddie Jefferson and Jon Hendricks. A lot of vocalists utilize it to enhance their creative expression and add another dimension to their performances. I was drawn to it for those reasons. I don't mind scatting every now and then, but early on I felt a need to do something more. I wanted to uphold that tradition, but also utilize my own skills as a writer and expound upon ideas presented in song titles and lyrics. Also, it makes you more functional and a more active contributor in jam sessions or performances, so that a singer isn't just singing the head in and head out. My favorite vocalese is “Moody's Mood for Love” by Eddie Jefferson.
You recently visited the brand-new National Museum of African American History and Culture and its many exhibits on the history of black music. How was that experience? And how important is the history of black music to what you express in your own art?
The museum was amazing! It is so vast and so extensive that it's impossible to really experience it in just one day. You would need an entire week in there to really ingest it all. I draw a lot of artistic strength and insight from the history of our music. It helps me to stay mindful of the purpose and legacy of the music of which I am a part. I’m reminded that I have to be honest and true to my experiences in order to create from a place of authenticity. From the beginning, black music in America was never solely about entertainment, but also about protest, social commentary, spirituality, and revolution. These are the elements that I am constantly inspired to include in my own artistic expression, as a continuation of our legacy in our enduring pursuit of freedom.
What are some of your favorite books and who are your favorite authors?
One of my absolute favorites is Standing at the Scratch Line by Guy Johnson. I liked Walter Mosley's work from a young age, and Walter Dean Myers was very important to me as an adolescent in a new and culturally unfamiliar school environment. In the realm of non-fiction, I am continually studying Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannon, Cheikh Anta Diop, John Henrik Clarke, and scholars of their ilk. And most recently, Ta-Nehisi Coates has inspired me to take up my own literary pursuits.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to be a professional singer?
Find, develop, and accept your voice, in both a literal and metaphoric sense. Always aspire to honesty, authenticity, and integrity.
What can our customers expect at your concert here at Queens Library?
They should expect an honest performance, feel-good music, to learn more about me, my journey, and my values, and maybe even to participate. And if they leave inspired or entertained, then I will consider it a job well done.
Looking for new music? Look no further than your local Queens Library!
Every month, our expert staff will bring you the best of what's new in our physical and digital collections.
Check out our music recommendations for October 2016!
Jake Owen, American Love
Jake Owen is a country music singer and songwriter from Florida. He learned to play guitar after a wakeboarding accident left him unable to compete in sports. Since then, he has worked his way up from bars and coffeehouses in Florida to clubs in Nashville. He got a break when a bank teller gave his demo to a music rep at Warner/Chappell Music. Sometimes life CAN be like the movies! You can stream Jake’s fifth studio album, American Love, on Freegal.
YG, Still Brazy
Still Brazy is the second studio album by Compton rapper YG, which The New York Times hails as containing "the first great protest song" of the 2016 election. That would be the very explicit “FDT,” in which he comes out swinging against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Last year, YG was shot at a Los Angeles studio, which only served to provide more material for the album on tracks like "Who Shot Me?" and "Twist My Fingaz." But more often than not, to again quote the Times, "this is gangster rap as agit-pop, and a reminder that it was never anything but." In case you were wondering what "FDT" means, read this article where YG talks about changing the lyrics to that song after complaints from the Secret Service.
Justin Moore, Kinda Don’t Care
Justin Moore may have been born in Arkansas, but Nashville is his real home. He began performing his junior year of high school and joined his uncle’s southern rock band instead of going to college. Once he got some experience on the road, Justin went solo to pursue his songwriting muse. The move paid off and he has three number-one albums and five number-one singles to prove it. His style is a mix of rock and old school country and his appeal is cross-generational. Watch the video for the title track to his fourth album, Kinda Don’t Care.
Tamela Mann, One Way
Grammy Award winner Tamela Mann, known for her strong and powerful soprano singing voice, has released her fourth studio album One Way. It’s no surprise it bursts with vocal variety and a wide swath of musical arrangements. This is evident on the title track as well as the tender ballad “God Provides” (penned by none other than Kirk Franklin) and the simmering groove of “Through It All.” Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas as the youngest of 14 children, Mann's family was very religiously oriented. By the time she was 12 she was singing in the church's adult choir. Her professional singing career began in the '90s, with Kirk Franklin & the Family's gospel organization. Since then, she has developed a unique style, blending hard R&B with gospel. You can hear the whole album on Freegal.
Radiohead, A Moon Shaped Pool
A Moon Shaped Pool is the ninth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It delivers little joy but a whole lot of beauty. “The Numbers,” a song about the impending apocalypse brought on by climate change, meanders along, and its groove is as wide as an ocean. The first single, "Burn the Witch," is a statement on Internet shaming, among other things, while the video is an obvious homage to the 1973 cult film The Wicker Man. Singer Thom Yorke and his mates cover a range of styles, from folk to scat. This is a very intimate album, which sounds as if the world’s most cerebral band is letting us in. Watch the video for “Burn the Witch."
Bastille, Wild World
Since 2013's international hit "Pompeii," Bastille's sights have clearly been set beyond the U.K. Their second proper LP marries 20th-century rock songs and EDM-pop style with an eye on stadium rocking and dance-floor remixes. There are literary and pop culture references throughout, so keep Wikipedia handy. For example, "Good Grief," one of the album's catchiest songs, features soundbites from '80s teen comedies like Weird Science. Later in the album, songs like "Two Evils" showcase singer Dan Smith and bandmate Will Farquarson stripped down to just voice and plucked guitar, with arresting results. As such, Wild World is a triumphant pop record. Check out the video for “Good Grief."
Skillet, Unleashed
Formed in Memphis, Tennessee, Skillet is an American Christian heavy rock band that has released nine albums. Since breaking out, this platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, and Dove Award-winning band has been averaging a new album every three years since 2003's Collide. Although the band has been through numerous lineup changes, no one is going to argue that they aren't on fire with the current lineup. Some of the new songs bring dance grooves to the mix; however, for fans, "Saviors of the World" and "Feel Invincible" will take the band to a next-gen level. No doubt Skillet are on a hot streak. Watch the video for the song “Stars.”
Heart, Beautiful Broken
On their 16th studio album, Seattle-based Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Heart "picked songs that we always wanted to re-do" and also gave us three new tracks. On both new and old, the band is playing together the way they used to. Co-produced by Nancy Wilson with Heart bassist Dan Rothchild, the goal of Beautiful Broken was to recapture a more live feel. The re-recorded songs suffered from "eighties-era over-editing-production-curse." The result is a more '70's sounding record, despite the more modern guest vocals from Metallica’s James Hetfield. However you look at it, this is a unique and rewarding addition to the Heart catalog. Watch the lyric video for the title track.
Fantasia, The Definition Of...
Fantasia Barrino took the crown on American Idol season 3. Since then, she has built a solid career as an R&B artist, including a Grammy win for 2010’s "Bittersweet." But it’s her work on Broadway starring in the musicals The Color Purple and After Midnight that informs her fifth album. Producer Ron Fair goes big with the arrangements on tracks like the ballad “Ugly” that sound like show tunes designed to bring down the house. You can also hear it on the set’s show-stopper, “Sleeping with the One I Love”—while it sounds like a standard that has been dusted off from the Cotton Club era, it’s actually a new song by R. Kelly. Fantasia's voice, winsome and wonderful throughout, radiates through the album and her sultry, raspy delivery recalls a living legend, Tina Turner. You can stream the entire album on Freegal.
Needtobreathe, Hard Love
Now six albums deep into a career spanning nearly twenty years, the South Carolina-based Needtobreathe’s latest release, Hard Love, is an experiment in pushing the boundaries of American rock and roll. The driving title track rightly states that all relationships require a "hard love" if they are to last. The song fits in nicely with the band's storyline. “Money & Fame,” “Happiness,” and “Be Here Long” serve as anchor points for the record while “Testify” hearkens back to the more religion-heavy material of the group’s early records, but not in a way that will make secular fans feel like outsiders. Watch the video for the song “Happiness."
We’re very excited for our upcoming concert with soul, R&B, and gospel vocalist Cleveland P. Jones on Monday, October 3 at Central Library. Free tickets are still available!
A humble native of South Carolina, Jones started his artistic voyage under the tutelage of his mother and grandfather, who were the lead singers in his church. A graduate of two prestigious institutions, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Cleveland earned his degrees, but also engulfed himself in the study of music. He instantly fell in love with soul and jazz.
Cleveland’s debut album, Ace of Hearts, was released in 2013, and he was named SoulTracks.com's New Artist of The Year as a result. He’s performed at SOB's Sol Village Artist Showcase in New York City, in several shows with the ATL Collective in Atlanta, and most recently at Yoshi's in San Francisco, California.
Cleveland was kind enough to answer some questions before he joins us at Central.
What role have libraries played in your life?
Libraries have always been one of the most resourceful places in the world. They’ve allowed me to visit places I never thought I'd see, offered cultural experiences I never thought I'd witness, all through reading from the author's eyes and thoughts.
Which performers and albums have inspired your career as a musician?
I am hugely inspired by Bobby McFerrin, Rachelle Ferrell, Anita Baker, Donny Hathaway, and countless others who have helped to shape my approach to music. Bobby’s album Play with Chick Corea and Rachelle Ferrell's First Instrument are staples in my life.
Your song “Don't Leave Me” appears in the recent independent movie Echo Park. Many film critics said that the music used in the movie was an essential part of its charm. How did your song get chosen for the soundtrack?
This was a surreal moment in my musical career, for sure. My song was submitted nearly three years ago, before the film was officially released. A great friend of mine saw that filmmaker/DJ Tony Okungbowa was requesting music from independent artists. She submitted four of my tracks to him, and he picked "Don't Leave Me." To hear my song so prevalently used in the film really changed my life. Truly one of my hugest honors!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to be a professional singer?
First, accept your own sound and be grounded in your mission, musically and in life. There is no "overnight" deal for fame, and be very careful how you treat people as you progress in your craft. Compete only with yourself and leave all other comparisons and judgment to others. This will allow you to be at peace and know your lane. Also, be assured that there is room for all artists to shine, so never think you're not as good as the next person. You were uniquely made and gifted.
What can our customers expect at your concert here at Queens Library?
Your customers, who I prefer to address as family, can expect an authentic experience of emotive music from my soul to theirs. A blend of jazz and soul and a hint of gospel will permeate the auditorium that evening, and I am honored to selflessly give my music to you.
After a wonderful first season of Shakespeare in Queens, the curtain is about to rise on Season Two of this ambitious project.
Every month, actors from TITAN Theatre Company will present a free dramatic reading of a Shakespeare play at a community library in Queens.
Lenny Banovez, Artistic Director of TITAN Theatre Company, will also hold “Talking Shakespeare” discussions at Flushing Community Library, where he will give a “behind-the-scenes” look at Shakespeare and discuss more modern interpretations of his plays.
There will be an interesting twist this season: in January and February 2017, TITAN will present eight of Shakespeare’s English history plays on a weekly schedule!
In January, at Long Island City Community Library, you can see “The Making of a King,” featuring Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, and Henry V; in February, at Flushing, the focus will be on “The War of the Roses,” with Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3 and Richard III.
“The great thing about Shakespeare, especially when we break it into seasons, is that there is never a ‘down’ year, because there are so many great plays,” said Lenny Banovez. “Season Two is no exception. Macbeth, The Tempest, and a rarely done complete presentation of the Henry histories in order, make Season Two of Shakespeare in Queens extremely exciting.”
Season Two starts with Macbeth on Monday, October 3, at 5:30 p.m. at Langston Hughes Community Library, 100-01 Northern Boulevard in Corona.
For the full schedule of Shakespeare in Queens, visit queenslibrary.org/shakespeare.
Looking for new music? Look no further than your local Queens Library!
Every month, our expert staff will bring you the best of what's new in our physical and digital collections.
Check out our music recommendations for September 2016!
Leslie Odom Jr., Leslie Odom Jr.
Born in Queens, Leslie Odom, Jr. is an actor and singer best known for his Tony Award-wining role as Aaron Burr in the Broadway smash hit Hamilton. His self-titled CD was first released in 2014, but an updated and improved version has just been made available to capitalize on his stage success. His style on the album is more jazzy than Broadway, though several songs from musicals are included (but none from Hamilton). His presentation is a combination of Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, but his style is still quite unique. See for yourself in the video for the first single, “Autumn Leaves."
David Nail, Fighter
David Nail is an American country music artist originally from Missouri. He may not have the name recognition of others in his field, but he certainly has enough fans and awards to get those artists’ respect. Fighter is his fourth full-length album and it represents a change in his tone. Where he used to sing songs about the usual country themes, his experience as a new father has allowed him to open up and make his songs more personal and reflective. You can hear that on the song “Ease Your Pain.”
Snoop Dogg, Coolaid
Snoop Dogg's 14th studio album is a return to form for a rapper who hasn’t been doing a lot of rapping the past few years. If his lyrics seem a bit self-congratulatory, at least his track record proves they are well-deserved. Yes, there are songs about smoking pot and LA street culture, but Snoop drops enough current slang and pop references to make sure we know he’s still relevant. What really matters, though, are his rhyming skills, and those are in evident abundance. Despite his many forays into other genres and explorations of different styles, Snoop can still do battle with those half his age. Listen to the first single, “Kush Ups," featuring Wiz Khalifa.
Steven Tyler, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere
The Aerosmith front man goes country on his first solo release. The title track (and first single), written by Tyler with The Cadillac Three's Jaren Johnston, is a celebration of America as a melting pot. The album is laden with power ballads and pulsating rockers, and Tyler has a laugh as he skips through the effervescent "I Make My Own Sunshine" and glides into the groove of "Sweet Louisiana." However, a good chunk of We're All Somebody From Somewhere moves a good deal slower, pulsating along with minor keys and deliberate marches. Pro that he is, Tyler never seems out of sorts when he is out of his rock-and-roll comfort zone. Check out the video for the single “Love is Your Name."
The Monkees, Good Times!
Here they come, walking down the street....Fifty years after their debut album and TV show, the Monkees are back with a new album. The songs on Good Times! are like a wedding dress—some are old, some new, some borrowed, and a bit of blues. When it came out earlier this summer, it debuted at number eight on the Billboard Top 200, and the more recently released vinyl edition made it to number one on that format’s chart. With some songwriting help from Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Andy Partridge (XTC), and others, it should appeal to new fans as well as the faithful. Even the dearly departed Davy Jones makes an appearance on a remastered song from the archives. If you’ve ever been a believer in the pure power of pop, you owe it to yourself to check out the video for the first single, “She Makes Me Laugh."
ScHoolboy Q, Blank Face LP
ScHoolboy Q is a hip hop artist from Los Angeles whose first major studio album, Oxymoron, went straight to number one on the Billboard Top 200 in 2014. His new release, Blank Face LP, made it to number two in its first week of sales, so he obviously has a devoted fan base. Despite being from the West Coast, ScHoolboy Q is obviously more influenced by East Coast rappers Nas, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and The Notorious B.I.G. He even admits so himself. His style varies from smooth to hard and he could easily go the R&B route if he chooses. For now, though, he’ll keep doing what works best for him, working with artists he respects and only releasing the material he is most proud of. The first single, “Groovy Tony,” was a hit earlier this summer, but if you missed it, listen to it now.
blink-182, California
Whether they meant to or not, blink-182 paved the way for a new version of pop punk. After two weirdly restrained albums, the band is aiming to recapture its golden-age sound on California, their seventh album. The opening song “Cynical” brings the intensity and urgency of their early material, sweetening the pop side of pop punk and making them sound more like a unit than ever. Further highlights include "She's Out of Her Mind" (which builds a sing-along out of the term "anti-social"), "No Future," and "Kings of the Weekend," which all pile up hooks like empty beer cans. It’s good to hear blink-182 having fun in the studio again—and hearing that may be the best part of this album. Watch the official video for “Bored to Death."
Blake Shelton, If I’m Honest
You probably know him best as a judge on the TV talent show The Voice, but Blake Shelton has been a bona fide star of country music since 2001, when the Academy of Country Music nominated him as Top New Male Vocalist. In the 15 years since then, he has won over 25 awards, appeared on numerous television shows, and has just released his tenth studio album, If I’m Honest. He must be doing something right, because he just won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Country Artist. If you’re more familiar with his judging and mentoring skills than his singing, check out the video for the playful “She’s Got a Way with Words.”
Maxwell, Black Summers’ Night
Along with fellow musicians D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, Brooklyn-born Gerald Maxwell Rivera (better known simply as "Maxwell") has been credited with helping to shape the "neo soul" movement that rose to prominence during the late 1990s. He's been working on his fifth studio album—the long-awaited Black Summers' Night—for the past six years. The album is a collection of shimmering love songs that pushes the limits of R&B. At least half of the album is drenched in sunshine, juxtaposing sparkling chords with fed-up lyrics on songs like “Gods.” Musically, it brings to mind his second album Embrya, which found the singer diving deep into oceans of sound, full of undulating bass lines and gurgling synths, with his sweetly effortless tenor floating and glinting atop. You can stream the entire album on Freegal.
Jeff Beck, Loud Hailer
Ranked one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" by Rolling Stone, Jeff Beck has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His new studio album, Loud Hailer (the British word for megaphone), combines fluid fretwork with topical lyrics, written with the help of two fierce young females from London: singer Rosie Bones and guitarist Carmen Vandenberg. The intense album opener “The Revolution Will Be Televised” takes up the blurring line between fantasy and reality in the age of drones and violent video games and does not stop there. The songs get political and take hardline stances against conservative politicians, the world’s dependency on oil, and Beck's fears for the children of the world. Loud Hailer doesn't bother with too many references to contemporary music. Like earlier efforts, it's built around that amazing tone and variations on the 12-bar blues. Watch the lyric video for “Live in the Dark."