Charles Neville, 79

New Orleans legend Charles Neville, saxophonist for the Neville Brothers, dies at 79
Keith Spera, The New Orleans Advocate, April 26, 2018

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Fats Domino, 89

Fats Domino, 89, One of Rock ’n’ Roll’s First Stars, Is Dead
by Jon Pareles and William Grimes, The New York Times, October 25, 2017

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Pete Fountain, 86

Pete Fountain, 86, Dies; Clarinetist Popularized Spirited New Orleans Jazz
by Peter Keepnews, The New York Times, August 6, 2016

Eugenie Schwartz, 64

Eugenie Schwartz, Artist From New Orleans, Dies at 64
by Penelope Green, The New York Times, January 5, 2016

Brendan Connelly and Scotty Heron at JACK

In Appalachian Spring Break, composer Brendan Connelly and performance artist Scotty Heron collaborate at JACK for an hour of mayhem triggered--let us not say "inspired"--by the collaboration of Martha Graham and Aaron Copland on Graham's Appalachian Spring. Here, with each artist continually invading the other's territory, the worlds of music and dance collide--let us not say "merge" or "overlap"--again and again.

The sonic assault starts right away. From on high, the pair train clarinets down upon the defenseless audience in a shrill and gurgly fanfare. You might notice that handlettered sheets of cardboard subtly bear the word "fanfare," a nod to Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man as well as a sign of the DIY spirit of the production. Music making employs stand-alone instruments (clarinets, kazoos), a snaggle of increasingly snaggled, endangered electronics and the whimsy of amplified stuff simply hitting or being dragged along the floor. Movement involves, among other things, whippet-thin Heron risking life while, strapped into pointe shoes, he laboriously climbs to the top of a stack of tables, or channeling Graham's iconic Lamentation, tense angles stretching the fabric of what a U Michigan arts blogger once called "The Infamous Giant Sock Thing."

No. Not Scotty Heron this time.
The real Martha Graham performs Lamentation.
(photo: Herta Moselsio)

Heron's centerpiece work as Graham is a thing of mystery and scrupulously contained drama, gorgeous in its own way.

Appalachian Spring Break concludes with two performances tonight: 8pm and 10:30 pm. For information and tickets, click here.

JACK
505 1/2 Waverly Avenue (between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue), Brooklyn
(map/directions)

Allen Toussaint, 77

Influential songwriter, producer Allen Toussaint has died
by Dominic Massa, WWL-TV, November 10, 2015

Harold Battiste, 83

Harold Battiste, Musician, Mentor and Arranger, Dies at 83
by Sam Roberts, The New York Times, June 25, 2015

Rechy's "City of Night" turns 50

A First Gay Novel, a Poor Latino Boyhood and the Confluence
by Gregg Barrios, The New York Times, November 30, 2013

Dance artist Max Pollak creates international march against violence

Led by some of the greatest musicians, dancers and artists from all over the world, MAGNOLIA MARCH a traditional New Orleans – style funeral processional will organize on April 27th, 2013 in big cities and small towns throughout the US, Canada, Asia, Australia and Europe demonstrating peaceful solidarity against acts of violence.

Too often we are witnesses to violent acts that cost lives, and that have deep impact on us, and our loved ones.  Too often excessive violence is shown repeatedly through our media, and too often we are silent in fear, dismay and helplessness.

The MAGNOLIA MARCH is a chance for all of us to take a peaceful stand by marching in the streets of our cities and towns.  With a Second Line Parade, we can drown out the violence with music for sympathy, compassion and community.

The Inspiration

Outraged by the recent Sandy Hook shooting, NYC based tap dancer/percussionist Max Pollak felt compelled to create MAGNOLIA MARCH in order to provide the public, specifically families, children and artists, with an opportunity to mourn and come together to express their feelings and pay respect to those who have lost loved ones in recent acts of violence.

Details

MAGNOLIA MARCH will honor the memory of victims lost to recent violence throughout the United States and other places all over the world.

On April 27, 2013 MAGNOLIA MARCH funeral processionals will take place at approximately the same time, in multiple cities, streamed live via www.MagnoliaMarch.com.

Those who wish to organize a MAGNOLIA MARCH in a city other than NYC, or would like to participate, please visit www.MagnoliaMarch.com for additional event information.

Facebook: Magnolia March
Twitter: @MagnoliaMarch
Email: magnoliamarchevent@gmail.com

The dream of a New Orleans home for tap

Thanks to New York's Laraine Goodman for alerting me to a beautiful 2011 profile of dance educator Janet Edwards, dedicated and visionary founder of the New Orleans Dance Collective. Read and enjoy it here.

MOMA will host Euzhan Palcy retrospective

See the first US retrospective of the work of Martinique-born filmmaker Euzhan Palcy--the first Black woman to have her work produced by a major Hollywood studio--at the Museum of Modern Art, May 18-30.

For program details, click here.

Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), Manhattan
(directions)

Healing New Orleans

Healing is The Revolution
(director: Iman Shervington)

Two great arts residencies with June deadlines

A Studio in the Woods (New Orleans, LA) 

Changing Landscapes: A Dialogue Between Art and the Environment

deadline: June 18

International Residence @ Couvent des Recollets (Paris)

offered to established foreign artists and writers

deadline: June 20 

Fundred: Worth a billion!

Enjoy this video about some of the students involved in FUNDRED, a project initiated by conceptual visual artist Mel Chin.

And here's an interview with Chin.

Sara Nash reports on New Orleans

Back from New Orleans
by Sara Nash, Associate Producer, Dance Theater Workshop