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The Ru Report #123

Bajan Heat, Meat & Musical Treats
When Grammy Award-winning neo-soul singer India.Arie sings "God is real," I really feel her.

Just in the nick of time before the blistering blizzard engulfed the big apple and its surrounding regions, I hopped on a flight to one of my favorite Caribbean locales; beautiful Barbados.

It was a work trip. But I still had fun in the sun.

The differences from this trip and my last sojourn there were aplenty. (I will be diplomatic and just use an analogy funk/soul veteran Rick James once told me: "Once you have caviar, it's hard going back to pork chops.) Nevertheless, I still managed to have a wonderful time in big, beautiful Bajan country.

The call of duty was for "The 11^th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival," running the course of six-days and featuring musical talents such as India.Arie, Herbie Hancock, Lizz Wright, Kem, Michael Cheeseman, Pancho Sanchez, Kirk Whalum, Hiroshima, Fourplay, Kal David, Richard Bona, Emilio Morales, Adrian "Boo" Husbands, and local musician Danah. With a two-fold purpose of increasing the attractiveness of the island and assisting in the developing of the local entertainment industry, this year's jazz fest was held at various locales such as the Sunbury Plantation House and Heritage Park in St. Philip, the Colony Club Hotel in St. James, Garfield Sobers Auditorium in St. Michael and Farley Hill National Park in St. Peter, respectively. Each performance venue provided a unique ambiance for patrons.

Artists who have graced the festival in the past include Tito Puente, Brenda Russell, Dave Koz, Gladys Knight, Earl Klugh, Rachelle Ferrell, Grover Washington, Jr., Dianne Reeves, Najee, Nancy Wilson, Luther Vandross, CeCe Winans, Al Jarreau and Patti LaBelle, amongst countless others.

I was amongst close to 70 media professionals and journalists from around the world--places as far as Venezuela to Toronto--who was invited to cover the 2004 festivities.

Some highlights:

Mr. Sample, former leader of The Crusaders (who recently reunited for the Grammy nominated Verve album Rural Renewal), performing everything from Miles Davis to Bob Marley with his trio. The masterful pianist also shared a funny on-going story about a promised recording collaboration with George Benson that was over a decade in the making, and resulted into an 'issue' over billing.

The young and beautiful Ms. Wright, with her restless talent and ability to emote ala Oleta Adams and Anita Baker, stealing the show as the opening act for Mr. Hancock, who was in 'snub' mode when greeting the press backstage. Ms. Wright singing selections from her remarkable debut album, Salt, took hold of the Bajan audience in such a bewitching fashion. It's great to see a young, twenty-something vocalist using her God-given talent in such and elegant and graceful manner. "Barbados is beautiful," Ms. Wright shared backstage after her performance. "It's very hot. It feels like Georgia, South Georgia where I'm from. And my skin's happy, my blood's happy. The air tastes good out here. It's nice so I'm enjoying this and breathing deeply before I go back to New York," Ms. Wright shared with The Ru Report. Her classy and classic demeanor is far departure from what airwaves and music charts have become littered with in the United States. She is the new truth for music. Strangely enough, the versatile vocalist was overlooked by the Grammy Awards nominating committee for her critically acclaimed opus. But at the rate she's going, she'll stand the test of time sans the Grammy nod.

The centerpiece of the festival was arguably the India.Arie and Kirk Whalum show, which sold out the Garfield Sobers Auditorium. It was soon apparent that the performers decided to forego a sound-check when both of their sets became plagued by deafening technical difficulties. However, both artists went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure Barbados got a great show. Mr. Whalum, accompanied by his brother Kevin Whalum and a kick-ass band, performed gospel, blues, pop and jazz. He ran the gamut in music genres with songs made popular by Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley and Maxwell, respectively. When the sound went out, the Memphis music man grabbed his horn and jumped into the audience and played on the floor. "I'm up in high cotton, as we say down south," he said of performing at the festival. Barbara Weathers--former lead singer of 80s R&B group Atlantic Starr, joined him on stage for a few numbers, which was culminated by a medley of her classic hits such as "For Always" and "If Your Heart Isn't In It."

Ms. Arie performed a near one-hundred minute set and didn't leave the stage--in diva mode to change drag or to take a break--once. Looking like the spitting image of the late song stylist Nina Simone, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter was a true force to be reckoned with. All eyes and ears were on her as she performed numbers from her two critically acclaimed albums, Acoustic Soul, and Voyage To India. After ripping off the sponge from her cordless microphone and negotiating with the monitors, Ms. Arie finally got into a smooth groove. Her and her two plus-sized, female back-up singers peed all over (translation='sang hard') a stripped down rendition of Cyndi Lauper's timeless ballad "True Colors." She played several guitars, a flute and sang her heart and soul out. She told the audience how good it felt to be back on stage after a two-month vacation. A misstep did occur however when she forgot the words to her popular song, "Little Things," towards the end of her set. She picked things up, however, with a striking tribute to Michael Jackson by singing his rare mid-tempo ballad "I Can't Help It" (from the Off The Wall circa). The crowd ate it up. Standing ovations erupted as the set concluded.

Spiritual neo-soul singer Kem kicking things off on Saturday at the scenic and historic Farley Hill. Playing for a little more than an hour, the Detroit-reared singer/songwriter took his keyboard playing and vocal abilities to new heights in the outdoor sun, amongst the Bajan ruins. Performing music from his near-gold-selling debut album, Kemistry, the former homeless alcoholic mesmerized the capacity crowd with his songs of love and spirituality.

"The 11^th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival" may as well be the best music-fest Caribbean experience that I have ever experienced. Co –sponsored by Air Jamaica and the Barbados Tourism Authority, the yearly event is the brainchild of the Cuban-born concert promoter/producer Gilbert M. Rowe.

In addition to great music, Ms. Arie participated in a two-and-a-half-hour workshop at the local community college for students and school kids. "When I walked out, I was like 'okay, I do have something to show somebody,' because I was like, 'Why do they want me to come up there?,' ya know...I had a good time. And it showed me that I want to do more stuff like that," she revealed.

One highlight (or lowlight) that I would be remiss if I didn't mention was the outrageous press conference that was held on Friday--a full five days after the festivities kicked off. (Don't ask!)

The day of when it was set up wasn't as worthy of note as what transpired during the full-scale media spectacle. Mr. Rowe, who I will liken to a Bajan version of Don King, is an outspoken, cavalier kind of guy who minces no words. Perhaps he should've in this case. If we were in colder climates, it would suffice to say that the 'fur flew,' but since we were in 85 degree tropical weather, fur was nowhere around. But fisticuffs were about to be broken out into.

To Mr. Rowe's credit, he did proclaim that he didn't like doing press conferences upon taking the podium. "Don't ask a question unless you really want the answer," he warned in such a daring and intimidating tone to the herd of international press in attendance. "If you talk the talk, you're going to have to walk the walk," he chided. That pretty much became obvious when he tore into a member of the press corps about media access at the events.

Apparently, this has been an ongoing battle for members of the media who came to the island in the past and wanted or needed stage access to artists during their respective shows. Last year, one member of the Toronto press, reportedly, was 'manhandled' by the Bajan authorities under the directives of Mr. Rowe because she allegedly got a little too close for comfort. This was all unbeknownst to the wonderful people at the Barbados Tourism Authority. "If I invite you into my house, don't do as you want to do," he scolded, in relation to the event. He later stated: "I don't make any apologies for anything I've done...Nothing or no one will compromise the Barbados Jazz Festival."

"I know that I ain't easy, but I get the job done," he stated.

I couldn't agree more.

Note to press handlers: Just keep him away from the press conferences.

Keep on keeping on.

Too Beautylicious For Ya Babe
I think one of the greatest thing about the Essence empire is the fact that the women who spring forth from the ranks tend to transcend their talents into some wonderful works.

Well some of them...at least the nice ones, that is.

That's the case with the magazine's former associate beauty editor Jenyne M. Raines, who released her very own debut literary offering, Beautylicious! The Black Girl's Guide to the Fabulous Life (Harlem Moon/Broadway Books), this week.

Billed as lifestyle guide geared toward trend-setting African American women, the 200-page soft and pink trade paperback is a free-flowing forum where Ms. Raines utilizes her extensive experience writing about black style and beauty to share with sisters everywhere, everything from how to fine-tune their mind-set, to chilling with any social set.

"I am an avid reader of fun, spunky "you can do it" books like Swell, The Bombshell's Manual of Style and The Bad Girls series," Ms. Raines tells The Ru Report of her inspiration. "I felt that while these books were general in their scope, no one was really talking to the black girl via her experiences, her icons and her more specific concerns, [like] hair that works when you travel and when you just got out of someone's bed or really breaking it down for us about our health. That was a jumping off point, but it really began as a gem of an idea, when I saw Eartha Kitt at the Carlyle carrying on in five different languages and I began to wonder if she was my aunt, what would she tell me about life."

It was legendary divas such as Ms. Kitt, Diahann Carroll, Diana Ross and Pam Grier that she called on as muses for advice, quotes, and tips on how to navigate your way through life with panache and humor.

"It took about a year, and that's factoring in periods of procrastination," she shares about her process. "The real work came in the time I spent pouring over old magazines like Our World and Black Stars in the Schomburg library and digging up out of print gems like black etiquette books from as early as the late 1800 and the 1930s."

Ms. Raines researched multitudes of background information from the likes of Josephine Baker, Madame C.J. Walker, Bricktop to Whoopi Goldberg, while also raking over her pervious interviews with Halle Berry and Beyonce, while also having dialogue with Kimora Lee Simmons, and the doyenne of etiquette Ophelia De Vore.

"I had to marvel at how when you're meant to do something, you will find that you've been planning for that moment all of your life," she adds.

The Brooklyn, NY resident embarked on a five-city book tour earlier this week. She says she's armed with "a smile and jokes, lots of jokes. Also, a good lip gloss, and fierce pair of shoes. That's the Beautylicious way."

And speaking of her spin on the popular term popularized by the Destiny's Child front-woman, she assures me that it was not intentional. "The title came about in what my editor [Janet Hill] and I laughingly call the "Hollywood moment". The book was originally called Fabulous!...There had to be a million books starting with Fabulous. Now I had to come up with another name. What was going to be catchy, resonant with black culture yet not sound, well ghetto, as well as convey what the book was about? We went from Foxy (too 1975) to Glam (a damn bore) until finally in a haze, I said it needs to sound catchy like bootylicious. From her coma, my editor said, "eh, did you say beautylicious?" And at the moment we screamed out together, "That's it, that's the title, Beautylicious!" Who says brainstorming can't be fun?"

With aspirations to get Hollywood heavyweights like Ms. Goldberg or "Sex & The City" creator Darren Starr to adapt the book into some sort of television project, Ms. Raines continue to press on as a well-regarded tastemaker in the beauty industry. Her articles have appeared in InStyle, Vibe, Heart & Soul, Mode, and Girl, and she has served as a consultant for industry leaders such as Revlon and Clairol.

"I hope that readers get not only a sense of fun, but they tap into the "I am my own creation" spirit of the book," Ms. Raines concludes. "It is my hope that the there are some tools in the book whether on self esteem, fashion, giving a party or luxury that will help in the reader's quest to be the best that she can be...and the feedback I am getting most indicates the brothers feel like they need their own book, too."

Can't wait to get a load of the title of that one.

Cooking Real Good
Black men may be conspicuously absent from the Food Network, but that won't keep us out of the kitchen.

Evander Holyfield's MBC Network will launch a new cooking program that will be pleasing to many a people's pallets. "Real Men Do It In the Kitchen" is a 30-minute weekly series spin-off of the nationally acclaimed "Real Men Cook" Father's Day events, which occur annually in urban cities across the country. Hosted by the events' founder/culinary expert Kofi Moyo, the show is set to air on the network, which is reachable in 26 million households.

"Finally, here is an opportunity to connect emotionally with viewers on a weekly basis while taking a look at the culinary artistry and flavor of Black lifestyle," offered Mr. Moyo. 'When we add our celebrity guest list, there is no doubt that this program will absolutely sizzle."

"Real Men Cook" celebrates its' 15^th anniversary this year. Participants have included celebrities, athletes, politicians, entertainers and clergy. Such notables as Magic Johnson, Tom Joyner, Jesse Jackson, Sr. and MBC co-owner and former New York Yankee Cecil Fielder have endorsed the event or exhibited their culinary skills. So perhaps they may show up on the new show.

Cable veteran and marketing guru Curtis Symonds is co-executive producer of the original series. He says, "For years, African-Americans have celebrated the love of cooking by sharing recipes passed on from generation to generation. Cooking is a rich part of the black family tradition and food is the centerpiece of those gatherings."

With the trend in television programming evolving towards more lifestyle entertainment, healthy living and home improvement, "Real Men Do It In the Kitchen" should be welcome addition and fill a void on the boob tube.

Rising To The Challenge
When a billionaire multimedia mogul calls, you better answer.

Such is the case for the multi-platinum-selling singing sensation Ashanti, who is the latest beauty to land in Oprah Winfrey's good graces.

The Grammy Award-winning Glen Cove, NY native has signed on the dotted line to be the backstage commentator and co host of the finals segment of Ms. Winfrey's take on the American Idol craze, "Oprah's Pop Star Challenge," which kicks of next month in Chicago.

Ashanti is taking a quick break from shooting her debut-starring role in the forthcoming movie, Coach Carter, which stars Samuel L. Jackson, Debbie Morgan, Robert Ri'Chard and Rob Brown. According to the unit publicist on the film, the true to life drama started shooting in Los Angeles on Jan. 14 and is set to wrap in March. An MTV/Paramount property, Coach Carter is inspired by controversial basketball coach Ken Carter of Richmond, CA, who was selected to carry the Olympic Flame on January 19, 2002 as it made its way to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. For the film, Ashanti has second marquee billing and her character is Kyra, a high school student.

She's due to tape her segment on February 13 and her publicist assures us that her "Oprah" gig isn't in conflict with any contractual commitments to the film.

Etc
Powerhouse R&B /Pop vocalist Deborah Cox is all set for her star turn on the Great White Way. The Canadian chanteuse is on board to star in the leading role of the Elton John & Tim Rice musical "AIDA." Starting Feb. 17, Ms. Cox will start a four-month engagement in the critically acclaimed Disney Theatrical Production at the Palace Theater. She's the fifth headline performer to take the title role, following in the footsteps of Heather Headley, Simone (Kelly), Toni Braxton and Michelle T. Williams, respectively.

Three-time-world champion Los Angeles Lakers forward Rick Fox and country music star Tim McGraw have been tapped to share the screen in an advertisement for Anheuser-Busch promoting the use of designated drivers. The commercial is set to kick-off Sunday, February 1, during the television broadcast of "Super Bowl XXXVIII." The 30-second ad--which marks the debut of the company's new alcohol awareness tagline "Responsibility Matters"--shows a pair of valets admiring the special treatment the two celebrities get as they drive up to a posh nightclub. But the one who gets the most attention is an ordinary guy serving as the designated driver. In previous years, Anheuser-Busch has delivered responsibility messages during the Super Bowl telecast, featuring hockey great Wayne Gretzky, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., boxer Oscar De La Hoya and the teeny bop boy band *NSYNC, respectively.

Clint Eastwood's critically acclaimed drama Mystic River is getting reloaded. Warner Bros. Pictures, the film's distributor, will expand the release of the movie to approximately 1,350 screens starting this Friday (Jan. 23). Nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and placed on over 200 Top 10 lists, the movie has done remarkably well since its Oct. 10 release, grossing over $55 million in limited release. Mystic River has been named Best Picture by the National Board of Review, The Boston Herald, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, The Detroit Free Press, Film Comment, Good Morning America, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Observer, Premiere, Rolling Stone and Time, among others. "We're thrilled that Mystic River has resonated so deeply with both audiences and critics, and we look forward to giving moviegoers throughout North America a greater opportunity to see or revisit this poignant and moving film," Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Dan Fellman said in statement. Based on the best-selling novel by Dennis Lehane, Mystic River tells the evocative story of three childhood friends, played by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, whose relationship ends in the wake of a tragic incident. Twenty-five years later, the three are inexorably linked by a murder investigation. The stellar cast also features Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden and Laura Linney.

It is truly the end of an era in premium cable television. And we're not talking about all the hype surrounding HBO's "Sex & The City," either. Showtime's highly successful series "Soul Food" premieres its fifth and final season on Wednesday, Feb. 25. This groundbreaking series has received numerous accolades including "Outstanding Drama Series" at the NAACP Image Awards for two consecutive years. Why is the show ending? Well, it could be due to the fact that the creators wanted to go out on a high note. Or perhaps the series' stars would be demanding more money for their hard work after completing 75 episodes. Either way, the show will be missed. Co-executive producer Robert Teitel, who is also party responsible for the Barbershop franchise, is proud of the fact that "Soul Food" stands out as the only African American drama to survive as long as it has on television. On the Chicago set of the Barbershop sequel, Mr. Teitel revealed to The Ru Report that he's working on another TV show for one his movies; to take Barbershop into series mode and position it into a ensemble sitcom, sort of like "Cheers."

I'll be nothing if I couldn't sing my song.

Message Karu F Daniels or email him directly at therureport@aol.com

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