National Coffee Day

Today is National Coffee Day. Celebrate with a cup or two at Starbucks, a donut shop, a coffee shop, or at home, preferably with a good book in hand.

Farewell To Dance Theatre Of Harlem's Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018)

I just learned of the death of Arthur Mitchell, at age 84, the co-founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first black male principal dancer with the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine, and the recipient of the MacArthur "genius grant" in 1994. R.I.P., Mr. Mitchell.

HED TK

TXT TK


Note: Let's make America greater!

HED TK

Thinking About The Doo-Rag

Recently I saw a young black man with a gray doo-rag standing at the corner of 116th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem. That got me to thinking about the origin of the doo-rag  (or du-rag, as it is spelled sometimes).

I haven't bothered to look it up on Wikipedia or the Urban Dictionary (yet). After giving it much thought, I concluded that the often-seen urban headwear called the doo-rag is short for "hairdo"and that in the days when many black men wore processed, that is, chemically straightened hair, they wore this skullcap-like headwear to keep the hair in place and to absorb hair grease and sweat. And the "rag" part of the term refers to it being made from some kind of cloth.

I do remember seeing men wear on their head what looked like a woman's nylon stocking rolled up to fit the head. Today's doo-rag more than likely is a more masculine-looking variation. Not everyone is enamored of it, however. I have seen signs posted on the doors and windows of nightlife establishments in Harlem prohibiting patrons from entering the premises wearing hoodies and doo-rags. I think they associate these forms of headwear with street gang attire.


Note: Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn. So long, Summer, it was great knowing you. See you again next year, God willing!

A Singer Who Can "Sang"

In Curtis Davenport's review of a debut album called Home by jazz singer Shirley Crabbe (Jazz Inside magazine, May 2012), he stated enthusiastically that "the lady can sang!"

He went on to explain the qualities of such a singer. "Those who can 'sang,' cause a smile to come to your face and occasional goosebumps when they vocalize."

"[T]hose who can 'sang,'" he continued, "aren't necessarily those who employ the type of amateurish vocal histrionics often heard on 'American Idol' or 'The Voice,' instead they are those who have a good voice, an understanding of the meaning of their lyric and an ability to interpret that lyric in a way that makes you feel the song they are singing."

This explains why I am such a big fan of the late singer Carmen McRae (1922-1994) and why I hope to obtain every album she ever recorded. She also could "sang."

After reading Curtis Davenport's review, I am now interested in hearing Ms. Crabbe's vocal skills.

And although the review was published six years ago, the comments are still relevant and timeless.

Is Trump's Space Force Proposal A Farce?

I don't know if any newspapers or magazines plan to publish comments from a dozen or so science-fiction writers like Samuel Delany on President Trump's proposed Space Force, but if they haven't, it would be something worth doing.

By offering their perspectives, pro and con, on establishing this new branch of the military, the general public would be informed in a thought-provoking and non-technical way on the government's national space security policies or the lack of same.

HED TK

TXT TK




Note: Tomorrow, September 13, is Primary Day in New York State. Don't forget to vote!! The polls are open from 6 am until 9 pm. Again, don't forget to vote!!

Barack Obama Quotes Ernest Hemingway At John McCain's Memorial Service

I love the following quote:

"Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today."--Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Former U.S. president Barack Obama quoted the above passage in the eloquent eulogy he delivered at U.S. senator John McCain's memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral, Saturday, September 1, 2018.

Can you imagine Donald Trump, a man who doesn't read, quoting Hemingway or any other writer, American or otherwise?

HED TK

TXT TK

Farewell To The Village Voice (1955-2018)

Sad news. I learned yesterday via NPR's "All Things Considered" that the Village Voice, where I worked as a proofreader in the early 1980s, has ceased publication permanently, as of Friday, August 31. It is a publication that I will miss. More on this later.