Entertainment

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Dizzy Gillespie Bebop Brings Black History Glory

Saturday, October 21, would have been the 89th birthday of the late father of modern jazz, Dizzy Gillespie.

As a member of Cab Calloway’s band, Gillespie also jammed with the notable Thelonius Monk and Charlie Parker in 1941 to create what’s now known as the improvisational bebop sound.

During a colorful career, Dizzy shared the stage with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, and a host of other jazz giants.

When Gillespie’s trumpet accidentally got bent in the upward position, he continued to play it claiming the instrument sounded better.

The 1953 horn accident became Dizzy’s instrumental look of success.

Dizzy Gillespie bebop brings black history glory and world acclaim to the American story of jazz.

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Posted by Hugh Smith on 10/19 at 12:23 AM
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Thursday, September 07, 2006

Oprah's Impact 20 Years Later

Friday, September 8, 2006, marks the twentieth anniversary of the Oprah Winfrey Show.

The program entered national syndication in the USA on September 8, 1986.  “Oprah” would eventually become the highest-rated talk show in television history.

In 1988, Winfrey established Harpo Studios, a production facility in Chicago, Illinois.  She was the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio.

The Oprah Winfrey Show is seen by an estimated 49 million viewers a week in the United States, and is broadcast internationally in 122 countries.

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Posted by Hugh Smith on 09/07 at 10:31 PM
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Thursday, March 16, 2006

Black History Month Collectible Trading Cards

Direct from Canada, where the country miles stretch out to the horizon, and wheat fields abound a plenty, comes a Black History Trading Cards collection, from the picturesque urban enclave of Toronto.

Luanga Nuwame, pictured below, a 28 year old entrepreneur, has created a 24 card collection featuring Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, George Dixon, Marcus Garvey, and more.  Ancient African legends Shaka Zulu, Taharka and Makeda are also featured.

Just 5000 copies are available, with a share of the proceeds donated to both one American and one Canadian charitable organization.



Posted by Hugh Smith on 03/16 at 12:05 AM
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