In the Detroit area and throughout the Midwest Michael Horner has been collected by the savvy collectors and investors for more than 20 years. Realizing that his work will do nothing but escalate in value, the collectors that I’ll share with you have been not so quietly purchasing his original pieces at what has been phenomenal and undervalued prices.
Micheal fine tuned his work under the guidance of his mentor and world renowned artist Charles W. McGee, whose work have regularly sold for more than $80,000. Mr. Horner’s work is collected by Russell Simmons (billionaire), George N’ Namdi, Gilda Snowden, William Foster, Dr. George Evans, Dr. Arthur Baurie, Guy…
Posted onSeptember 21, 2016|Comments Off on Film Artist Profile: The Humbler -Danny Gatton
The film, “The Humbler: Danny Gatton.” is about a D.C.-based musician whose reluctance to be in the limelight earned him the title “the greatest guitar player you’ve never heard.” My good friend, film producer Virginia Quesada, is currently-in-production on the documentary about Danny’s life.
Virginia is an award-winning film producer and editor, specializing in cultural programming and documentaries. She began working on this project in 1989 when she founded Video Culture, Inc., a nonprofit tax-exempt arts organization to make films about artists.
Val: Virginia, tell me about the film you are producing about Danny Gatton’s life?
VQ: “Myself and the other Video Culture, Inc. board members just love the work of our local Guitar, Hero Danny Gatton. He was awesome!! Danny Gatton was a big, big guitar hero with a big, big blues story. We started this project in 1989 before Danny left us. We are producing the film with the full support of Danny’s daughter, Holly Gatton and his widow, Jan Gatton. “The Humbler – Danny Gatton” is the first in-depth exploration of the life, music, and legacy of a troubled genius. Though he never got the accolades he deserved during his short life, Danny Gatton was quite possibly the greatest electric guitarist who ever lived. Danny’s had a mastery of blues, jazz, country, rock, and rockabilly styles that was so impressive, other guitarists nicknamed him.”
Val:Did Video Culture record interviews and performances of Danny Gatton?
VQ: “Throughout the late 80’s and early 90’s, Video Culture taped Danny in performance and exclusive interviews, and we have continued to collect Danny footage. We are ALSO honored by the many people who have shared their Danny material with us. After 27 years, we have amassed an extraordinary archive of Danny Gatton and his awesome musical colleagues – much of it will be new to his devoted and ever-growing fan base.”
Val:What other artist are featured in the film?
VQ:“We have interviewed many of Danny’s friends, family and musical colleagues: We interviewed Danny Gatton himself at his farm in Newburg, Maryland in May of 1990. The Musical Colleagues include: Les Paul, Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, Albert Lee, Joey DeFrancesco, Jack Casady, Dave Elliott, John Previti, Bill Kirchen, Robert Gordon, Arlen Roth, Jay Monterose, John Sebastian (who wrote Nashville Cats about Danny), Tom Principato, Delbert McClinton, John Jorgenson, Steve Wolf and others.”
“Members of Danny’s family that we interviewed: His mother, Norma Gatton who ran NRG records that published a lot of Danny’s music. Danny’s wife, Jan Gatton and Danny’s daughter, Holly Gatton. Other colleagues – Ed Eastridge from Big Mo Recording studios that did the bulk of Danny’s recordings; Bob Dawson from Bias Studios in Springfield that did several albums for Danny; Jay Monterose who was Danny’s Guitar Tech.”
VQ: “We will know that our film has had an impact when more people, especially young guitarists, know about and are inspired by Danny’s consummate musical artistry. But the music business is very hard on musicians, and Danny’s too-early death can focus attention on the vulnerabilities of young men and women, especially artists, as they navigate their ways through minefields of art and life. In his all-too-short life, Danny Gatton brought much joy to all he touched both as a man and as a musician. Now, our work is to make sure his legacy continues to inspire music lovers everywhere.Together, I know we can bring Danny’s story to life. Be part of the team that honors the American Master guitarist, Danny Gatton.”
Val: How can people interested in the film get involved?
VQ:“We are a nonprofit, tax-exempt arts organization, and we believe that we help bring the work of this extraordinary artist to life. We are getting very close to finishing the movie, and we hope that people interested in the film can help us now. We are live with an Indiegogo Campaign. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-humbler-danny-gatton-movie-film/
Val: Thanks VQ! I’m so looking forward to seeing the finished film!
Dyer’s work bestrides cinema and gallery, time and technology, animation and animus, and effectively re-imagines animation through its long, lost past.
-Paul Wells, author, Re-imagining Animation: the Changing Face of the Moving Image
Posted onJune 19, 2016|Comments Off on Living With Sickle Cell: ‘I Don’t Know What It Means to Be Without Pain’
It’s World Sickle Cell Day, and we’re taking a look at the chronic pain and regular hospitalizations that are the reality for many suffering from sickle cell disease.
Nikki Peterson, like approximately 100,000 other Americans, was born with sickle cell anemia. The 43-year-old lives in Upper Marlboro, Md., and ends up in the hospital about four times during what she calls a good year.
Once a month, she undergoes a grueling process called hemapheresis. All of the blood is removed from her body, the platelets and plasma are separated out and returned to her, and then Peterson is given 8 to 12 units of packed red blood cells. This helps to mitigate the pain she lives with every day.
“I don’t know what it means to be without pain. I have nothing to compare it to,” Peterson tells The Root from her bed at Doctors Community Hospital in Greenbelt, Md. “I have what I call my normal pain, and my pain where I need to be in the hospital. They always ask what your pain scale is from 1 to 10. I function on a normal person’s 7 to 8. It’s like my 2.”
Posted onJune 6, 2016|Comments Off on The Complicated Legacy of Muhammad Ali and ‘Rocky’ — Flavorwire
Muhammad Ali’s life and character were so rich, so multi-faceted, that the widespread mourning which greeted news of his passing Saturday reverberated far beyond sports fans, to history buffs, civil rights activists, Muslims, politicians, you name it. Film circles were no exception; he was always one of our most cinematic athletes, thanks to his movie-star…
Posted onApril 11, 2016|Comments Off on 101 Best Side Business Ideas to Start While Working Full-Time
re-post
by Ryan Robinson
No matter how rewarding your full-time job may be, there’s one thing that’s even more meaningful than great pay and solid benefits: working for yourself.
Choosing the path of entrepreneurship is without a doubt riskier than being content with holding a 9-5 job, and requires way more sacrifice. However, once you’re reaping the lifestyle benefits of being your own boss and hustling your way into making significantly more money than you ever could at your day job, the hard work will have all been worth it.
“The buzz-worthy band that lives at the intersection of the Beatles and Motown gets audiences dancing with its “joyous, upbeat songs and big, groovy vocals” (The Guardian).
This badass group will be at the Filene Center Thursday, June 16 at 8pm.
A good friend sent me the video of Lake Street Dive singing the Jackson 5
“I want you back.” I was blown away by the arrangement and by Rachel Price’s vocals.
The group was was founded in 2004 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of Rachael Price (lead vocals), Mike “McDuck” Olson (trumpet, guitar), Bridget Kearney (upright bass), and Mike Calabrese (drums). They met while attending the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. The band was named after a street with many dive bars in Olson’s hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Posted onDecember 31, 2015|Comments Off on Watch Night Service and Mahalia Jackson
I asked a friend how he usually spent his New Years Eve, he told me he often participates in ‘Watch Night Service’ every year. I was familiar with the tradition of going to church on New Years Eve, however was unfamiliar with the term ‘Watch Night Service.’ Thank you for the info Richard Smith!
At the end of this post I included two of my favorite Mahalia Jackson videos from YouTube. I post the videos in dedication to my sister Melanie and cousins; Kevin, Myca, Michelle and Myrna. (Get out your church fans y’all!)
Many of you who live or grew up in Black communities in the United States have probably heard of “Watch Night Services,” the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year’s Eve.
The service usually begins anywhere from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and ends at midnight with the entrance of the New Year.
Some folks come to church first, before going out to celebrate.
For others, church is the only New Year’s Eve event.
Like many others, I always assumed that Watch Night was a fairly standard Christian religious service — made a bit more Afrocentric because that’s what happens when elements of Christianity become linked with the Black Church.
Still, it seemed that predominately White Christian churches did not include Watch Night services on their calendars, but focused instead on Christmas Eve programs. In fact, there were instances where clergy in mainline denominations wondered aloud about the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year’s Eve.
However, there is a reason for the importance of New Year’s Eve services in African American congregations.
The Watch Night Services in Black communities that we celebrate today can be traced back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as “Freedom’s Eve.”
On that night, Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863, and all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free .
When the news was received, there were prayers, shouts and songs of joy as people fell to their knees and thanked God. Black folks have gathered in churches annually on New Year’s Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year.
It’s been 145 years since that first Freedom’s Eve and many of us were never taught the African American history of Watch Night, but tradition still brings us together at this time every year to celebrate
“how we got over.”
This is so cool, I think I will get one for myself.
Sunday night, filmmaker Ava DuVernay and Mattel, the brand that makes Barbie, announced on Twitter that the doll made in the likeness of the Selma director (@AVAETC) would be available the next morning. No less than a few hours into Monday and the Ava DuVernay Barbie Doll, $65, was sold out on the site TheBarbieCollection.com.
“Tomorrow this #AvaBarbie goes on sale for Christmas because enough folks asked @Mattel to do so. Wild + wonderful,” she (@AVAETC) tweeted.
Posted up in her director’s chair, the Ava doll wears a black turtleneck and jeans with red and white sneakers. And fans were buying them up, possibly for kids, but for themselves too. The DuVernay – like other dolls based on public figures – are generally targeted to collectors and adults.
In the Detroit area and throughout the Midwest Michael Horner has been collected by the savvy collectors and investors for more than 20 years. Realizing that his work will do nothing but escalate in value, the collectors that I’ll share with you have been not so quietly purchasing his original pieces at what has been phenomenal and undervalued prices.
Virginia is an award-winning film producer and editor, specializing in cultural programming and documentaries. She began working on this project in 1989 when she founded Video Culture, Inc., a nonprofit tax-exempt arts organization to make films about artists.
This is so cool, I think I will get one for myself.
The Bohemian Home Journal 
Living With Sickle Cell: ‘I Don’t Know What It Means to Be Without Pain’
It’s World Sickle Cell Day, and we’re taking a look at the chronic pain and regular hospitalizations that are the reality for many suffering from sickle cell disease.
Nikki Peterson, like approximately 100,000 other Americans, was born with sickle cell anemia. The 43-year-old lives in Upper Marlboro, Md., and ends up in the hospital about four times during what she calls a good year.
Once a month, she undergoes a grueling process called hemapheresis. All of the blood is removed from her body, the platelets and plasma are separated out and returned to her, and then Peterson is given 8 to 12 units of packed red blood cells. This helps to mitigate the pain she lives with every day.
“I don’t know what it means to be without pain. I have nothing to compare it to,” Peterson tells The Root from her bed at Doctors Community Hospital in Greenbelt, Md. “I have what I call my normal pain, and my pain where I need to be in the hospital. They always ask what your pain scale is from 1 to 10. I function on a normal person’s 7 to 8. It’s like my 2.”
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Comments Off on Living With Sickle Cell: ‘I Don’t Know What It Means to Be Without Pain’
Posted in Commentary, Lifestyle
Tagged Pain Management, sickle cell and opiods, Sickle Cell Anemia, Sickle Cell Disease, World Sickle Cell Day