#Otis Redding Center for the Arts
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Otis Redding Foundation Releases Musical Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Available Today
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, the Otis Redding Foundation is releasing a new song, “Show Love,” written and produced by students ages 12-18, who attended the Otis Music Camp at the height of the pandemic in 2020. The song is based on a sermon “Loving Your Enemies” which Dr. King delivered at Dexter Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL on November 17, 1957, and includes a live excerpt of the sermon. Dexter Baptist Church is a designated historic landmark and boasts significant African American history since its opening in 1887. Much of Montgomery’s early civil rights activity, most famously the 1956 Bus Boycott, was directed by Dr. King from his office in the lower level of the church.
“We are always proud of the students who participate in the music camps that the Otis Redding Foundation offers each year,” stated Karla Redding-Andrews, Vice-President, Executive Director. “This song was recorded during the 2020 pandemic in the virtual Otis Music Camp, OMC 2.0 using Soundtrap by Spotify Digital audio workstation. It represents the love and respect these young people have for Dr. King during the height of the “pandemic,” a word they had never heard before.”
The young people who wrote and performed “Show Love” are Sharina Cody, Daylen Clowers, Trevor Hudson, Ella Smith, Jayden Tolbert, and produced by Saxton Keitt, Isaac Gibson and Reese Soul.
For official lyric video, click here.
“My husband believed in giving young people an opportunity to grow through music. Our camps inspire them to write, perform, produce, and play instruments,” stated Zelma Redding, Founder and President. “We are excited about the new Otis Redding Center for the Arts which broke ground in Macon in September 2022. We will be able to expand our programs and allow more young people to grow their musical talents.
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#Music#Otis Redding Foundation#Show Love#Otis Redding Center for the Arts#Zelma Redding#Sharina Cody#Daylen Clowers#Trevor Hudson#Ella Smith#Jayden Tolbert#Saxton Keitt#Isaac Gibson#Reese Soul#Karla Redding-Andrews#Otis Music Camp#Naomi Richard#naomi j richard#naomijeanrichard#RCV#Red Carpet View#KAZI 88.7#KAZI 88.7FM#The Voice of Austin#Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Barbara Lynn
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R&B singer and guitarist Barbara Lynn was born in 1942 in Beaumont, Texas. Lynn's 1962 single "You'll Lose a Good Thing" reached #1 on the R&B charts and #8 on the pop charts. She has toured with James Brown, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and other iconic artists. Lynn has performed at the Apollo Theater, Library of Congress, and the Kennedy Center. She has received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor in the US for folk and traditional arts.
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Throwback: Otis Redding-Try A Little Tenderness
Otis Redding was the tenth artist to record "Try A Little Tenderness" when he included it on his 1966 fifth album. The publishers of the song did not want Redding to record a "negro version" but Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke had already covered it in 1962 and 1964. Percy Sledge also covered "Try A Little Tenderness" in 1966. Redding and Isaac Hayes rearranged it and the slow beginning changed into a frenetic climax of Redding's pleas. Redding incorporated Duke Ellington and Lee Gaines's "Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)" into his cover and the popular phrase "sock it to me."
"Try A Little Tenderness" was one of the hits to propel Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary Of Soul up the charts. His intense performance gave him ownership of the song in the pop realm despite it having been written and recorded by others. The album was adored by critics and widely accepted by the public and "Try A Little Tenderness" became Redding's signature song. Dictionary Of Soul was the last album of Redding's to come out before his death in a 1967 plane crash. There are no less than 30 versions of "Try A Little Tenderness" including a Frank Sinatra cover but Otis Redding's recording is still the most recognized one. The song has also been sampled most famously by Jay-Z and Kanye West for their Watch The Throne single "Otis."
The Otis Redding Foundation is currently in the process of creating the Otis Redding Center for the Arts in Redding's native Macon, Georgia.
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'Worried' - Darrell Nulisch Band from The Extended Play Sessions on Vimeo.
The Extended Play Sessions - March 8, 2024
The Darrell Nulisch Band perform the song "Worried" on The Extended Play Sessions. Darrell Nulisch is one of the region's...and, frankly, the country's best "blue-eyed" soul and blues voices. He was born and raised in Dallas, TX listening to the sounds of Otis Redding and Al Green which obviously rubbed off him. He was a founding member of Anson Funderberg and The Rockets which became the precursor to the explosion of Texas Blues with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan etc... Nulisch went North to New England and landed the gig as vocalist for Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters and then as vocalist for the legendary James Cotton. Oh, and did we mention Darrell Nulisch is one BADASS harmonica player?
The Band:
Darrell Nulisch - vocals, harmonica
Chris Vitarello - guitar
Dave Limina - Hammond organ, piano
Mike Law - bass
Lorne Entress - drums
Production Staff
Maribeth Arena - Camera 2
Bill Hurley - Boom Camera
John McBreen - Boom Camera
Joanne Craig - Camera 3
H Nat Stevens - Cam 1 Remote
Connor Quigley - Sound Engineer, Livestream Producer
Eric Nordstrom - Front Of House
Photographer - Dan Busler
Post Audio Mix Engineer - Connor Quigley
The Fallout Shelter is an all ages 100-seat performance venue and state-of-the-art broadcast and recording studio, offering one of the most unique live music experiences in New England. Located in Norwood, MA, just 15 miles from Boston, The Fallout Shelter is run under the auspices of the Grass Roots Cultural and Performing Arts Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and advocating for traditional American Roots music.
Youtube: youtube.com/@thefalloutshelternorwood
Website: extendedplaysessions.com
Facebook: facebook.com/epsfalloutshelter
Instagram: instagram.com/thefalloutshelternorwood
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The Soweto Gospel Choir to perform at Lehman Center - Bronx Times
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is honored to host the four-time Grammy award-winning and internationally acclaimed world music sensation Soweto Gospel Choir on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 4 p.m.
Direct from South Africa, the Soweto Gospel Choir returns to Lehman Center with an all-new concert, entitled “Hope: It’s Been A Long Time Coming,” commemorating the freedom movement in South Africa and the Civil Rights movement in the U.S. The Soweto Gospel Choir will perform a series of South African freedom songs along with music of the Civil Rights era including selections by legendary artists James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and the one-and-only, Aretha Franklin.
Soweto Gospel Choir’s universal message of love, unity and hope, along with its captivating melodic and harmonic wonder, mesmerizing showmanship, and awe-inspiring performances featuring bright and colorful carnival costumes, has made believers of millions of fans around the world. The choir was formed in Soweto, South Africa, in 2002 by choir directors David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer, the 20-member ensemble comprised of some of South Africa’s greatest singers, blends elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae and American pop music.
Their first album “Voices of Heaven” was recorded in December 2002 and went on to reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart within three weeks of its U.S. release. Their next album, “Blessed” (2005), won the 2007 Grammy for Best Traditional World Music as did their following release, “African Spirit” (2007), in 2008. In 2009, they were nominated for three South African Music Awards (SAMA) for their Grammy-nominated album “Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre,” winning the SAMA for Best Duo or Group. They received their fourth Grammy nomination in 2010 for their next album “Grace.” The Soweto Gospel Choir has also received Grammy awards for their contributions on “Down to Earth” (2009), the choir’s collaboration with Peter Gabriel for the film “Wall-E,” and also two Grammys for Christopher Tin’s song “Baba Yetu” (2010).
Over the years, the choir has recorded and/or performed with stars as varied as Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Josh Groban, Hugh Masekela, John Legend, the Black-Eyed Peas, Anjelique Kidjo and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They have also won grammys and other awards. Info on how to see them in concert HERE
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Iconis, known for his catchy, contemporary scores, penned the song “Masochist” for Kitty with a specific vision in mind.
“I’ve seen so many pieces of art where a trans character is either the comic relief or functions as some angelic, wisdom-spewing symbol. With Kitty, I wanted to make a trans character who was funny and human and took no shit. I didn’t want to write a song that everyone sings about her; I wanted her to be the center of her own moment and to be the one who delivers the message of the show.”
The song is instigated by a 1950s pamphlet that Kitty has stolen from the warden’s office warning against the dangers of homosexuality, which refers to homosexuals as masochists. “The language came from an actual document I found doing research for the show,” says Iconis. “The most shocking thing wasn’t the sentiment because I know many people thought that way and still do. It was the blunt articulation of that line of thinking. The matter-of-factness was chilling. The thought of a queer person in the 1960s, let alone a young queer person, reading it filled me with sorrow. And so ‘Masochist’ became the rebuttal.”
“The idea of demanding to exist sets about a turn in the events of the musical and leads to a full-scale revolution,” says Iconis. “I didn’t want the musical sound of ‘Masochist’ to be treacly or overly sentimental. Our orchestrator Charlie Rosen and I pulled from 1960s influences like the Stax Soul sound of Carla Thomas and Otis Redding, and more modern touchstones like Anohni’s ‘Fistful of Love.’”
Lifting the song off the page in the 2019 world premiere Two River Theater production and the original cast recording is powerhouse vocalist Emerson Mae Smith.
“I really identify with Kitty’s self-resilience and her ability to understand that other people’s hatred and misunderstanding of her has very little to do with her lived reality,” Smith tells INTO. “’Masochist’ is broadly a song about other people’s perception of trans lives and how we try to untangle ourselves from those notions and define an existence that makes us feel most like ourselves, happy, safe and whole. If I spent all our time focusing on what transphobic people believe about us, always trying to meet them halfway, I would live a pretty exhausted life. Kitty has often inspired me to focus on what about being trans brings me joy instead.”
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Radix Dance Convention, Provo, UT: RESULTS
High Scores by Age:
Rookie Solo
1st: Stella Brinkerhoff-’Fly’
2nd: Audrina Mossembekker-’Once Upon Another Time’
3rd: Melina Blitz-’The Poet Creature’
4th: Soleil Lynch-’Titanium’
5th: Ellie Duke-’Birthday Boss’
6th: Brecca Garcia-’Day-O’
7th: Quinn Hatch-’I Don’t Know You Yet’
7th: June Circuit-’Move’
7th: Addalyn Daley-’Smallest Light’
8th: Haddie Kendrick-’Call On Me’
Mini Solo
1st: Lyric Okrusch-’Bonjour’
2nd: Tiara Sherman-’And The Things That Remain’
2nd: Karyna Majeroni-’Pistolette’
3rd: Esprit Frank-’Grains’
4th: Addison Price-’We Will Not Give In’
5th: Tessa Ohran-’Knock 1-2-3′
6th: Anistyn Larsen-’Desire’
6th: Tessa Johnson-’You’ll Never Know’
7th: Monroe Miner-’Dreamer’
8th: Shirlee Schwemin-’Do Your Thing’
8th: Sophia Baca-’Time Keeper’
9th: Ella King-’Like A River’
9th: Brenna Cummins-’Look What You Made Me Do’
10th: Grace Williams-’I Found’
10th: Londyn Long-’Somebody’
10th: Ivie Buckland-’To Build A Home’
10th: Harper Jones-’Wild Horses’
Junior Solo
1st: Crystal Huang-’Moonlight Sonata’
2nd: Mya Tuaileva-’Can’t Unhear’
2nd: Victoria Johnson-’Genius’
2nd: Alexis Mayer-’Vivid’
3rd: Kamri Peterson-’Crawl When You Can’t Walk’
3rd: Stella Condie-’Instruction’
3rd: Halle Hunt-’Uh Huh’
4th: Maely Weaver-’Staggered In A Configuration’
5th: Blakely Bell-’Shifted’
6th: Mia Olson-’Marionette Mischief’
6th: Taytum Ruckle-’Ultraviolet’
7th: Bryden Wagner-’Feat by Feet’
7th: Lena Hirsch-’Forsaken’
7th: Charlotte Webster-’The Light’
8th: Aida Nielsen-’Heart of Glass’
8th: Taryn Miner-’Make You Feel My Love’
9th: Carson Borst-’Goodbye’
9th: Anna Hendershot-’Human’
9th: Stella Paxton-’Punching In A Dream’
10th: Mackenzie Mueller-’Particles’
10th: Ava Magalei-’Red Dust’
10th: Marlee Hatch-’Where’s The Catch’
Teen Solo
1st: Izzy Howard-’Labryinth’
1st: Kiarra Waidelich-’My Mind’
2nd: Oana Barber-’Tenderness’
3rd: Rachel Loiselle-’Brass Tracks’
3rd: Mia Ibach-’Koladi Ola’
3rd: Sabine Nehls-’Shout’
3rd: Jaylynn Lindley-’Wisdom Cries’
4th: Sami Sonder-’Fever’
4th: Cydney Heard-’I’m Going In’
4th: Cami Massicotte-’Uncertainty’
5th: Zoe Ridge-’A Thousand Eyes’
5th: Ireland Jones-’Plans We Made’
5th: London Ludwig-’Work’
6th: Addison Middleton-’Error’
7th: Riley Hackbarth-’Mixed Tape’
7th: Isabella Lynch-’Residue’
8th: Ivie Lewis-’Fragment’
8th: Jordynn Christianson-’Sideshow’
8th: Carson Willey-’Talisman’
9th: Addison Ihler-’Boyfriend’
9th: Ashley Larson-’Cry For Home’
9th: Addison Taylor-’Darkest Hour’
9th: Emersyn Dickson-’Hunger For the Pine’
10th: Devree Rowley-’I’m Not Perfect’
10th: Olivia Pinon-’Les Mots Bleus’
10th: Sofia Andrus-’Numb’
10th: Tanley McCurdy-’Self’
Senior Solo
1st: Carter Williams-’20 Years’
1st: Brooklin Hunsaker-’Godspeed’
1st: Taylor Tebbs-’Inertia’
2nd: Vanessa Valenzuela-’Poem About Death’
3rd: Kadynce Ross-’Findings’
3rd: Kelsey Tippetts-’Never Grow Old’
4th: Jenna Beckstrom-’You Are The Reason’
5th: Emily Marsh-’Destination’
6th: Mya LeFevre-’I’m There Too’
6th: Maddie Thanos-’This Feeling’
7th: Kim Vu-’Second Choice’
8th: Christina Laude-’Black Ships’
8th: Brighten Bills-’Falling’
8th: Ally Smith-’In Memory of You’
8th: Delaney Vaughan-’Porcelain’
9th: Galilee Nelson-’Everything I Wanted’
9th: Gracie Gregory-’Gooey’
9th: Remy Wright-’Moments Passed’
9th: Chloe Baddley-’Volcanic’
10th: Teigyn Holt-’L J’
10th: Lilia McArthur-’Something’
Mini Duo/Trio
1st: Center Stage Performing Arts Studio-’Blue Skies’
2nd: Las Vegas Danceworks-’Maniac’
3rd: The Winner School-’So Long Dearie’
Junior Duo/Trio
1st: Center Stage Performing Arts Studio-’Size’
2nd: The Winner School-’Energia’
2nd: The Winner School-’Million Dollar Secret’
3rd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’Bones’
3rd: Empower Dance-’Daughter’s’
3rd: To The Pointe Dance Centre-’Fallen’
3rd: Studio C-’Praise You’
3rd: The Pointe Academy-’The Dance’
3rd: Center Stage Performing Arts Studio-’Turning In’
Teen Duo/Trio
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Last Light’
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Make Me High’
2nd: Empower Dance-’All My Friends’
3rd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’You Mean the World to Me’
Senior Duo/Trio
1st: Studio C-’The Raid’
2nd: Las Vegas Danceworkz-’No Ordinary’
3rd: Empower Dance-’Lose Somebody’
3rd: The Pointe Academy-’Two by Two’
Rookie Group
1st: Echo School of Dance-’It’s My Party’
2nd: Echo School of Dance-’Tonight Belongs To You’
Mini Group
1st: Echo School of Dance-’Don’t Hustle Me’
1st: Devotion Dance Academy-’Show Off’
1st: The Pointe Academy-’Smile’
2nd: Studio C-’Ease on Down’
3rd: The Winner School-’Dance Bug’
3rd: Studio C-’I’m In Love With A Monster’
3rd: The Winner School-’Stand By Me’
Junior Group
1st: The Winner School-’Icon’
2nd: The Winner School-’Searching Together’
3rd: The Winner School-’At My Best’
Teen Group
1st: The Winner School-’Free Hand’
2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Shadow Work’
3rd: Empower Dance-’Don’t Take The Money’
3rd: Empower Dance-’Lying Down’
Senior Group
1st: Echo School of Dance-’No Choir’
2nd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’Breathe’
3rd: Studio C-’Cello Ascends’
Rookie Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Innana’
2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’
Mini Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’
2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Salient’
3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’The Invitation’
Junior Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’
2nd: Creative Arts Academy-’Hey’
3rd: Creative Arts Academy-’Mr. Pitiful’
Teen Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’
2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’
3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Beautiful Truth’
3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’
Senior Line
1st: Echo School of Dance-’I Lost A Friend’
2nd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’End of Love’
3rd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’Build It Up’
Mini Extended Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’
2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump!....Jump!’
Junior Extended Line
1st: Studio C-’Missy’
2nd: Heart n Soul Dance-’End As We Know It’
3rd: Heart n Soul Dance-’Swingin’
Teen Extended Line
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Movimento’
2nd: Alliance Academy of Dance-’Vogue’
3rd: The Pointe Academy-’Miss Otis’
Senior Extended Line
1st: Alliance Academy of Dance-’Come My Way’
Mini Production
1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’
High Scores by Performance Division:
Rookie Jazz
Echo School of Dance-’Tonight Belongs To You’
Rookie Ballet
The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’
Rookie Hip-Hop
Echo School of Dance-’It’s My Party’
Rookie Contemporary
The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’
Mini Jazz
Devotion Dance Academy-’Show Off’
Echo School of Dance-’Don’t Hustle Me’
Mini Ballet
The Rock Center for Dance-’The Invitation’
Mini Lyrical
The Winner School-’Stand By Me’
Mini Hip-Hop
The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump!....Jump!’
Mini Ballroom
The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’
Mini Specialty
The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’
Mini Contemporary
The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’
Mini Musical Theatre
Studio C-’Ease on Down’
Junior Jazz
The Winner School-’Icon’
Junior Ballet
Studio C-’Penny Lane’
Junior Hip-Hop
Creative Arts Academy-’Watch The Throne’
Junior Contemporary
The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’
Junior Lyrical
The Winner School-’At My Best’
Junior Musical Theatre
Empower Dance-’I Won’t Say’
Junior Ballroom
Creative Arts Academy-’Mambo Italiano’
Junior Specialty
Heart n Soul Dance-’End As We Know It’
Teen Jazz
The Rock Center for Dance-’Shadow Work’
Teen Ballet
The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’
Teen Hip-Hop
Empower Dance-’Dior Mix’
Teen Contemporary
The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’
Teen Lyrical
The Winner School-’Moving On’
Teen Ballroom
The Rock Center for Dance-’Movimento’
Teen Specialty
The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’
Senior Jazz
Alliance Academy of Dance-’Come My Way’
Senior Ballet
Studio C-’Cello Ascends’
Senior Hip-Hop
Elevated Dance Project-’Are You That Somebody’
Senior Contemporary
Echo School of Dance-’No Choir’
Senior Lyrical
Elevated Dance Project-’Humbled By Breaking Down’
Senior Specialty
Elevated Dance Project-’Familial Division’
Best of Radix:
Rookie
Echo School of Dance-’It’s My Party’
The Rock Center for Dance-’Innana’
Mini
Studio C-’Ease on Down’
Devotion Dance Academy-’Show Off’
Echo School of Dance-’Don’t Hustle Me’
The Pointe Academy-’Smile’
The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’
Junior
Empower Dance-’EveryHeart’
Alliance Academy of Dance-’Money’
Creative Arts Academy-’Hey’
The Winner School-’Icon’
The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’
Studio C-’Dangerous’
Teen
Studio C-’Station’
Echo School of Dance-’Fantastic Wreck’
The Winner School-’Free Hand’
The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’
Alliance Academy of Dance-’Vogue’
Empower Dance-’Don’t Take The Money’
Senior
Alliance Academy of Dance-’Come My Way’
Studio C-’Cello Ascends’
Echo School of Dance-’No Choir’
Elevated Dance Project-’Familial Division’
Studio Standout:
The Winner School-’Free Hand’
The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’
The Pointe Academy-’Miss Otis’
Studio C-’Station’
Las Vegas Danceworkz-’Derailed’
Heart n Soul Dance-’Gladiator’
Empower Dance-’Don’t Take The Money’
Echo School of Dance-’No Choir’
Alliance Academy of Dance-’Come My Way’
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Finding Paradise
A Zowens Fanfic
By Shanieomaniac
A short fanfic for this weeks Smackdown, based on @ilovesamizayn‘s brilliant Zowens post.
My brain simply would NOT let me sleep until I wrote this. Now it’s 6 am and I’ve been up all night and my sleep schedule is wrecked and DAMMIT BASTARD BRAIN!
(Also, see the one that she’s writing on her blog as well PLEASE! And Zaynee, don’t give up on yours, I eagerly await where you take it. I made mine a one and done for sanity’s sake.)
Story under cut
The Intercontinental Title was such a work of art, Sami had decided.
Just the title for an artist such as himself to hold.
Sami Zayn was sitting backstage at Smackdown admiring the title he had never lost and yet somehow regained at Clash of Champions. It was beautiful, the brassy gold reflecting against the lights, while the black accents and leather provided just the right contrast to balance it out.
I should polish it again, he thought to himself and, deciding that was a great plan, pulled the polishing cloth he had bought just for that purpose from his duffel bag.
On the monitor before him, the action in the ring was playing out. At the moment, Miz and Morrison were having a tag match against Heavy Machinery. Otis was such a goofball, Sami mused, he could never hold championship gold, Mr. Money in the Bank be damned. He just wasn’t charismatic or brilliant enough.
He wasn’t worthy of a title like Sami was.
Gently buffing the fingerprints off the reflective surface, Sami moved the cloth with precision. He had to make sure it was pristine, the moreso the better, whatever it took to make it shine like a star as brilliant as he was.
He was so engrossed in polishing the title that he didn’t even realize that Kevin’s match against the Fiend was up next. Not until the shrill notes of The Fiend’s music hit did his attention divert back to the monitor.
Sami paused to watch the Fiend stalk his way to the ring. The Fiend was facing Kevin Owens, a man Sami knew very well. Hell, if you asked Sami, he’d tell you he knew Kevin more than ever recently. Sami never would have won the IC title to begin with if it hadn’t been for Kevin showing Sami what was important... namely yourself, and while he hadn’t paid much attention to what Kevin had been up to lately (Sami had gotten the notion that he was being unusually kind, which almost confused him enough to care, but not quite,) Sami realized that from his understanding a match against The Fiend could be lifechanging. The least he could do for his old friend was watch it.
So, Sami tucked the polishing cloth back into his bag, laid the title across his lap and watched the match.
It... wasn’t much of a match.
The Fiend was an otherworldly being, a force of pure evil and destruction, carving a path of blood and brutality wherever he went. Kevin Owens was no different, and Sami found his stomach beginning to turn at the level of violence he was witnessing. At one point it almost looked like Kevin would get some offense, but The Fiend countered by flattening Kevin with a clothesline, KO’s head snapping backward across the mat.
Despite himself, Sami began to worry.
He didn’t know why, his time with Kevin was in the past, right? They weren’t friends anymore, and they certainly didn’t need each other. It was true that Kevin hadn’t thrived quite so well in Sami’s absence as Sami had without Kevin, but Kevin could take care of himself.
Right?
Sami watched as The Fiend continued to brutalize Kevin.
Kevin’s fine, Sami lied to himself, He’s got this. The fiend won’t completely destroy him.
Sami’s chest began to tighten as he watched him do just that. He began to take short, rapid, nervous breaths, silently pleading for the malevolent creature to finish the fight.
When he saw The Fiend grab Kevin by the neck for the Sister Abigail, he breathed a sigh of relief. It would be over soon. He watched as Bray spun Kevin around, slamming him to the mat.
Finally, Sami thought, just pin him.
The Fiend didn’t. Instead, there was an awful shrieking sound that rang throughout the entire arena, and the multitude of screens in the Thunderdome turned black and the screen seemed to cut out.
“What the hell?” Sami exclaimed. He jumped to his feet, still holding the IC title in a tight grip. When the signal picked back up again, the lights were all red and The Fiend was standing over top of Kevin in the ring, that large, sinister mallet in his hands. The shrieking continued and Sami was horrified as he realized Kevin was completely helpless.
Oh no, Sami thought, as his stomach dropped.
Oh God no...
He watched as The Fiend raised the mallet over his head, before driving it downwards into Kevin’s back.
The Intercontinental Championship clattered to the ground, cast aside like an unloved trinket, as Sami Zayn bolted for the ring.
____________________
Sami wasn’t sure how many times Kevin had been hit before he got to the ring.
Sliding in headfirst, Sami scurried his way across the ring to Kevin who was lying motionless in a pile near the center of the ring.
“KEVIN!” he cried out as he reached his friend. Sami deliberately positioned himself between Kevin and what he had decided was Evil Incarnate, in the back of his mind praying that the bastard would just walk away. It didn’t matter, Sami wasn’t paying attention to The Fiend. He wasn’t important at the moment, Kevin was, and as the masked demon stepped back, the shrieking in the arena stopped, although the red lighting remained unchanged. Momentarily relieved, Sami rolled Kevin onto his back, his hand gently cupping his friend’s cheek.
“Kev,” he said softly, “Kev, can you hear me?”
Kevin made no response, his eyes remaining closed.
Sami changed positions and pulled his friend into his arms, Kevin’s head cradled against his shoulder.
“Come on, Kevin, wake up,” he pleaded. There was still silence.
Desperation crept into his soul as tears began to form.
“Wake UP, KEVIN!” Sami shouted. He pulled Kevin even closer into himself, almost as if he could just hold him tight enough, his friend would be ok.
But he wasn’t, and as Sami gripped Kevin Owens in his arms, he began to scream, bitter, shaking sobs coming from him as the pain of loss wracked his body.
He never even heard the Fiend moving behind him.
Without warning, the Fiend slammed the mallet into Sami’s back. Sami gasped in agony, his back arching for a moment before he curled inward.
Pain exploded in Sami’s mind. That mallet, it looked lightweight, but whatever mystical force it was imbued with was made of sheer torment.
He felt the thing impact a second time; this time closer to his neck.
In the hell he was experiencing, he realized he should probably find a way to escape, to stop the beating. But... Kevin. Kevin was still helpless in his arms, if Sami left, if he even could, it would leave Kevin open to further attacks.
No, Sami thought, the blood in his field of vision growing with each passing moment, I can’t let him hurt Kevin.
So, placing Kevin down on the mat, Sami moved to block the Fiend from him, his back shielding Kevin from any potential blows.
The blows continued, falling on Sami instead.
CRACK! Against his spine.
CRUNCH! His pelvis fractured.
THUD! The back of his head took a blow.
Somewhere, buried beneath a billion layers of suffering, Sami realized that a beating like this could end his career. There might have even been a thought spared for what was likely an again-soon-to-be-vacated IC title. But he couldn’t be bothered. He was there, protecting Kevin. As painful as the beating was, Sami couldn’t help but smile inwardly. His and Kevin’s careers had been intertwined for so long. In a way, they had started together. Now, they would end together as well.
And as the tears streaked down Sami’s face, he was strangely at peace.
He didn’t even realize for a moment that the attack had stopped.
When he did, he hurt so much, it was difficult to see why. But he lifted his head the best he could and saw The Fiend standing in front of them, his eyes staring down at them both from within the demonic mask.
And he wasn’t alone. Standing beside The Fiend, a tormented smile on her face, was Alexa Bliss. She too stared down at them, as though admiring her beastly lover’s handiwork.
Then, without a word, she reached a hand up to The Fiend’s masked face and stroked his cheek, the tender touch horribly out of place for the current situation.
For a moment, Sami was afraid Alexa would take a turn with the Mallet.
Instead, through the haze of pain, Sami watched as she took his left gloved hand in her own hands and, ever so softly, kissed the word printed there – HEAL. The Fiend said nothing, permitting this show of affection before Alexa turned her attention to where Sami was laying on top of Kevin in the ring. Slowly, deliberately, she dropped to a knee beside them, a twisted grin forming on her face.
Sami wanted to cry out. He had no idea what the hell Little Miss Bliss had planned for them, but he was too badly injured to protest or stop her. Instead, he just gazed in horror as she closed the distance between them, and fearing the worst, Sami dropped his face down into Kevin’s shoulder and slammed his eyes shut.
“I’m here, Kevin,” he whispered, “whatever happens, I’m here.”
His body was shattered and broken and his entire world was pain. This was the end, he knew it.
He felt Alexa take his head in her hands, and he didn’t fight her as she lifted it roughly...
And placed a kiss among the fluffy curls.
Another shriek sounded, then everything went black and silent once more.
When the lights came back on, the first thing Sami realized was he wasn’t in pain anymore. Far from it, he felt great, all the lingering aches and pains from the previous two weeks had evaporated. He felt wonderful.
Also, Alexa and the Fiend were gone.
Kevin was still underneath him though, and he was very confused.
“Kevin?” he asked, getting up off the larger man, “Kevin, are you ok?”
Kevin’s eyes fluttered open.
“Ssssami?” he whimpered before his eyes went wide with panic and he started grabbing for Sami, “Oh GOD, Sami, is he gone?!”
Sami took Kevins flailing hands into his own and gently shushed him. “Shhh, shhh, it’s ok. He’s gone. We’re fine now.”
The panic in Kevin’s eyes shifted to relief and he began to calm down. Sami pulled Kevin into a seated position and gently pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Kevin shook his head and sniffled a bit, wiping his nose on his wrist tape.
“How are we ok?” he asked shakily.
Sami shrugged. “I think Alexa used the Heal glove on us. Best idea I have.”
Kevin nodded. “That was...” he began, “That was awful. I couldn’t move! It was like he got inside my head! I don’t - I never want to – I - “
Kevin’s voice started creeping towards panic again, but Sami wrapped his arms around Owens and held him tight.
“It’s ok, Kev,” Sami told him, the decision in his mind having been made all the way backstage “From now on, you won’t be facing him alone. I’ll be with you, I promise.”
The words calmed Kevin down for a moment, before he pulled away from Sami, incredulously.
“Hang on,” he said skeptically, throwing both attitude and a glare in Sami’s direction. “Since when were you so interested in my well-being?”
Sami sighed and scratched at his beard nervously. “Since about five minutes ago when I watched a demonic clown almost murder my best friend.”
Sami looked around shiftily before his eyes met Kevin’s. The two sat there for a moment, their eyes locked and a lifetime of history and emotion flowing between them, before Kevin chucked and broke away.
“Works for me,” he said, and he got to his feet, brushing his shorts off as he did. Sami followed soon after and the pair stood in the middle of the Thunderdome, surrounded by hundreds of perplexed digital heads. The pair looked around, observing the reactions before Kevin sheepishly remarked “I don’t think they were expecting a reunion tonight.”
Sami huffed. “Whatever, screw them. They don’t matter. You’re what’s important.”
Smirking, Kevin replied “And what about the Intercontinental title. I thought that was important.”
Sami gave a firm nod, “Oh it is, but you come first. Well, ok, maybe tied for first. Actually, it might be ahead by a bit.”
Kevin raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Sami sigh, exasperated. “Fine, OK, you’re about a quarter-point ahead. Don’t test me, Kevin.”
A smile spread across Kevin’s face. “We’ll make it work. Although, our renewed partnership is dependent on my being traded to Smackdown.”
Sami beamed. “Oh, I’m sure I can pull some strings. I am IC Champion after all.”
“Two time, even,” KO commented.
The redhead chirped back “Nope, undisputed and undefeated. AJ and Jeff were frauds.”
Kevin chuckled again. “Right. Of course.”
Owens threw his arm around Sami’s green jacketed shoulders.
“Come on,” he said, “I could go for a burger.”
“You could always go for a burger.”
‘True, but right now, I could go for a double. Getting destroyed by a mystical swamp creature really takes a lot out of you.”
Sami said nothing but bobbed his head in agreeance and allowed himself to be led away by his friend. The next morning, he would set about getting Kevin traded to Smackdown. After all, if it worked for The Miz, it should work for him, and with Kevin safely on the same show as him, he could keep an eye on him. Yes, Kevin could take care of himself, he always could. But sometimes it helps to have a friend guarding your rear.
Kevin used to call Sami his “Guardian Angel.”
Sami wasn’t sure how much angelic nature there was left in him but if returning to the heavens was what it took to protect Kevin, he would gladly do so. He’d find paradise, seeking it out and ascending to the highest peaks and towers to protect Kevin, and as he headed to the back with Kevin at his side, Sami realized that, after all their time together, he’d only thought he understood Kevin. He was certain that, after everything, he knew what made Kevin so successful. You look out for number on, take care of yourself first, to Hell with everyone else.
Fuck that. Even if nobody else in the entire goddamn business cared about them, they needed to care for each other.
He and Kevin had decided long ago that, whatever or wherever they ended up in the industry, it would be together. They’d been apart for too long, he decided. They were better as a team, even if they had never won tag team gold when they were a pair, they could protect each other from anyone who might try to end their careers. As long as they could fight another day, there’d always been the potential for championships.
And maybe, Sami thought happily, as he watched his friend move alongside him, maybe he’ll even let me take the lead this time.
END
God I hope you can forgive me, Zaynee. I couldn’t NOT write this. I tried, really did. My damn bastard brain read that post and immediately started spinning shit. Sorry if you feel I stole your idea. Please forgive me. *hides face in shame*
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RWRB Study Guide, Chapter 8
Hi y’all! I’m going through Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue and defining/explaining references! Feel free to follow along, or block the tag #rwrbStudyGuide if you’re not interested!
James I (203): James I/VI (First of England, Sixth of Scotland) is known for both translating the Bible and being just... so, so incredibly gay. The book mentions that he promoted a dumb jock to gentleman of the bedchamber, but it leaves out that 13-year-old James would just make out with dudes in public, and that the dumb jock (George Villers) was James’s third serious adult relationship. His friends introduced him to George because his last boyfriend was bad for the kingdom.
George Eliot (205): Mary Anne Evans wrote under the pen name George Eliot to escape the stereotype that women could only write romances. She wrote seven novels, of which Middlemarch is the most famous, known for their realism and psychological insight.
Daniel Defoe (205): A pioneer of the English novel, Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe as well as a series of divisive political pamphlets and tracts.
Jonathan Swift (205): Irish political writer most famous for A Modest Proposal, a satirical piece that suggests cannibalism of infants as a more humane response to the British treatment of Ireland than letting them grow to starve in adulthood.
Dickens... “woman who languishes away in a crumbling mansion wearing her wedding gown” (205): Charles Dickens wrote stories concerned with the lower classes. This quote in particular refers to Miss Havisham from Great Expectations, who was left at the altar and refused to take off her wedding dress or even put away the food set out for the wedding.
Sense and Sensibility (205): This is probably Austen’s second most popular novel (after Pride and Prejudice); it follows the four Dashwood women in their move to a new home following the death of Mr. Dashwood. Like most of Austen’s novels, the opinionated narrator follows the women through a series of romantic mishaps, culminating in a happy ending.
Green American Money (206): Fun fact, British money is blue and orange and purple and all sorts of fun colors! It also all looks different, because (at least in Scotland) four banks are allowed to print pound notes, so there are four different designs all in circulation.
Sean Hannity (206): A conservative American political commentator.
Harvard rowing (206): Rowing is like... the bougiest of sports.
Pleiad (206): In Greek mythology, the pleiades were the daughters of the titan Atlas who became stars following his entrapment under the earth. They are remembered for their beauty and loyalty. Myths of the missing pleiad explain why only six of the seven stars are visible to the naked eye. According to some sources, the missing pleiad is Merope, who was shamed out of the sky for her relationship with a mortal.
Minute Maid Park (206): The baseball stadium associated with the Houston Astros baseball team; it seats just over 41,000.
Politico (207): An American political opinion news source.
Drop-kick Murphys (208): An American Celtic punk band. (listen here and here)
The Klan (209): The Ku Klux Klan, an incredibly racist organization that has been responsible for the lynching of thousands of people of color.
Kim Nam-June (210): Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM or Rap Monster, is the leader and rapper of the K-pop group BTS.
Milwaukee (211): The largest city in and main cultural center of Wisconsin, which is a “swing state”, meaning that it could go either way politically in a national election.
Seth Meyers (211): An American talk show host and comedian whose creatively titled show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, is liberal-leaning. He hosts celebrities and often chats about politics or the news.
Clear Crystal Quartz (211): Apparently the most “iconic” crystal, it is believed to be able to help with clarity and the achievement of goals.
Wimbledon (213): The oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious.
Royal Box (213): The royal box at Wimbledon is a section of the best seats, reserved for royalty and specially invited celebrity/politically powerful guests.
David Beckham (213): A former professional soccer player and current fashion icon known for being hot and wearing nice suits.
McQueen (214): Alexander McQueen was an openly gay British fashion designer who rose from a lower class background to become one of the most famous designers in the world. Though he died in 2010, his brand continues to be known for unconventional fashion shows and theatrical imagery.
Dashikis (215): A colorful, ornate piece of clothing somewhere between a shirt and a tunic originally from West Africa.
Orangery (218): A very large greenhouse or conservatory designed for growing orange trees.
Woman at her Toilet (218): This painting shows a woman in her bedroom putting on her socks with a little dog next to her; you can see it here.
Baroque bed* (218): Baroque art was designed to show off a monarch’s power; it is incredibly extravagant (Versailles is pretty much the iconic Baroque thing; you can see more about it here).
The Killers (219): An American rock band formed in the early 2000s and known for having donated over $1 million to charity (they did “Mr. Brightside”). (listen here and here). According to McQuinston’s twitter, the song Henry plays is “When You Were Young”, which you can listen to here.
Dred Scott (219): In the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford case, the US supreme court ruled that the constitution did not extend to or protect Black folks.
Nina Simone (219): An American singer/songwriter/political activist whose music spanned a variety of genres and whose activism focused largely on the civil rights movement and was largely influenced by her “friend” Lorraine Hansberry, a Black lesbian playwright. (You know Hozier’s “Nina Cried Power”? She’s Nina) (listen here and here)
Otis Redding (219): Considered one of the greatest singers in American pop music and was one of the foundational soul artists in the US. (listen here and here)
Brahms (219): A German composer known for sticking to more classical forms of music while his contemporaries often leaned toward more dramatic or opulent styles. (listen here and here)
Wagner** (219): A German composer who wrote both the music and the librettos for his operas; his works tend to be very complex, and he has been credited with beginning modern music. (listen here and here)
Romantic (219): Artistically, the Romantic movement was a direct response to industrialization that called for a return to and celebration of nature. Queerness was very much a part of this movement, as it was seen as a return to or celebration of one’s natural state (think Byron).
War of the Romantics (219): A music history term used to describe the split between conservative composers like Brahms who wanted to stick with the Baroque, opulent styles of the past century and radical progressive composers like Liszt, who favored newer styles that blended music with narrative and morals.
Liszt (219): A Hungarian composer known for a diverse body of work and his position as the leader of the radical progressive group in the War of the Romantics. (listen here and here)
Alexander Scriabin (219): Russian composer known for his atonal or dissonant music. (listen to the piece Henry mentions here)
Elton John’s “Your Song” (219): A song written before Elton John came out, but with his queerness in mind. In a 2013 interview, John referred to it as “a perfect song”, and that the lyrics (written by Bernie Taupin) got even better as he got older and sang it more. (listen here)
Consecrated (220): made holy.
DNC (221): The Democratic national conference, when members of the Democratic (liberal) party get together to prepare for a presidential race.
College Republicans of Vanderbilt University (221): Vanderbilt University is a private (and therefore more expensive) school in Nashville, Tennessee. Its location in the South and its price tag would both mark it as being more conservative.
Cage match (221): A type of wrestling match that takes place inside a steel cage; the most common way of winning is by escaping the cage, usually by climbing over the top.
Paul Ryan (222): A conservative retired politician and former Speaker of the House.
The Second Amendment (222): The second amendment grants Americans the right to bear arms (have guns).
Salon (222): An American news and opinion website with a politically liberal editorial stance.
Air Force One (222): the president’s plane
“My Canadian girlfriend” (223): A running joke that someone (often a high schooler) whose partner goes to another school or lives somewhere else is made up.
Five Guys (225): Five Guys Burger and Fries is a popular fast food burger chain across the US.
Vampire Weekend (225): An American indie rock band.
The general (226): the general election in November, when Americans would vote for their president
Plainclothes (226): out of uniform
The Beekman (226): A very fancy hotel in Lower Manhattan, near the Brooklyn Bridge.
NATO (233): the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries.
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*every time I read this, I flinch just a little bit. Baroque architecture is just... so much, and the concept of a Baroque bed when beds/bedrooms are supposed to be simple to help you rest... It’s just so much and I hate it with all of my being. I’m sorry if you like Baroque furniture, but especially for Henry, who dreams of a simple life where he can just write and be anonymous... It’s a big yikes.
** Literally no one asked, but his stuff is just... it’s so boring? Like I’m sure it’s great to fall asleep to or calm down to, but I tried to listen to it while I wrote this and I just couldn’t. Liszt is better, but he’s no Mozart. Also? Mozart wrote BOPS. ONLY. “The Birdcatcher’s Song” slaps and no one can change my mind on that.
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If there’s anything I missed or that you’d like more on, please let me know! And if you’d like to/are able, please consider buying me a ko-fi? I know not everyone can, and that’s fine, but these things take a lot of time/work and I’d really appreciate it!
—–-
Chapter 1 // Chapter 7 // Chapter 9
#rwrb study guide#English Major Brain™#English Major Brain™️#rwrb#red white and royal blue#rwrb analysis#analysis#red white and royal blue analysis#henry fox mountchristen windsor#henry fox mountchristen windsor x alex claremont diaz#alex claremont diaz#FirstPrince#june claremont diaz#bea fox mountchristen windsor#pez okonjo#nora holleran
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Bloody
There was never a time when Spike Lee wasn’t Spike Lee to me. I seem to remember being born with images from his movies pre-installed on my mental harddrive. School Daze, one of the first few VHS’s in our house, was a favorite of my mom, and seemed to always be on in the background. Watching it recently, I had a this is water realization: “This is a musical?!” The movie’s mechanics and construction were so overly familiar as to be invisible.
I love Spike Lee the way Americans love Jesus. More than any particular film (He Got Game, Do the Right Thing, and Malcolm X are three favs), I love everything Lee represents, has represented, and what I’m sure he will continue to represent. I knew even before instagram was invented that he would be great at it. And I am sure whatever mechanism comes next that facilitates a creator’s connection to their audience, Spike will embrace and master it like a surfer to the waves. Spike is always Spike, which probably facilitates his uncanny ability to appear comfortable in many worlds, from high art auteur filmmaking, to pop culture fare, to sports documentaries to political commentary. He is unapologetically ambitious, unapologetically confident, unapologetically black; a trio that America works hard to keep separate. He believes in the imperative of his movies and will do anything–hawking merch, launching a Kickstarter, starring in Capital One commercials–to get them made.
Spike’s work is not just black, but majestically black, sophisticatedly black, dangerously black. This man made Bamboozled, a movie about a television exec that makes a modern day minstrel show! There are obviously a small handful of other successful and busy black filmmakers, namely Tyler Perry and Lee Daniels. Their movies do the necessary, but not-that-interesting work of simply putting blackness front and center. But the vision of blackness of Daniels or Perry has always felt like it was for someone other than me; someone either less black or less smart. Spike’s films, while often informative, never preach or pander. They assume a black outlook as a given and not an oddity. His films are challenging and do not often resolve with easy lessons. They incorporate the broad history of film and culture and do very little to catch the audience up. It is his way of showing respect to us as viewers.
Even when I do not like a Spike Lee Joint, I always admire the chutzpah, which for me is higher praise than simply liking or enjoying a work of art. Spike will go down as one of the most prolific filmmakers. He prides himself on his goal of producing a major work annually, as opposed to many of his contemporaries like Paul Thomas Anderson or Quentin Tarantino who move at a more leisurely clip. I wonder if Spike’s breakneck pace emanates from a conscious or subconscious fear of being forgotten, and having the door closed on him; ending up like so many other promising directors of color or women directors that after successful early work find it harder and harder to secure funds and get new projects greenlit. Spike has spoken candidly of the trouble he has getting movies produced, even as a celebrity director. While historically impressed by the amount of output, I now wish Spike Lee felt the freedom and permission to slow down.
Da 5 Bloods has so much in it that I love, and multiple scenes that I found genuinely moving, but this is a mess of a movie. For a film about finding buried treasure, Lee seems to be unaware of how much gold he’s sitting on. The movie undertakes the meaty premise of having four older black Vietnam veterans return to the site that indelibly changed them, mostly for the worse, to find the remains of their inspiring troop leader, Stormin’ Normin’, and a chest of gold bullion boosted from a crashed plane and hidden in the deep jungle. They returned to America after the war broken by what they saw and unable to partake of the freedoms they supposedly fought for, but like all black folks attempted to make the most of this reality. Their meeting in Vietnam is a college reunion of sorts, if you went to college to major war atrocities, and ptsd. Like any good reunion plot, each man has their post-war war stories; divorces, estranged kids, bad breaks, bankruptcies.
They are different, almost unrecognizable to each other. Delroy Lindo’s, Paul, once a black militant, is a Maga hat wearing Trump supporter, but they are all family still. I could have watched these dialogues amongst black men who lived through civil rights, survived Vietnam, but are still fighting their own private wars all night. I wanted to stay in this movie. But about halfway through the tone of the movie shifts and whatever this movie was supposed to be about tragically steps on a landmine. The movie changes from a subtle portrait of these GI’s, their relationships to each other, and their quest to lay to rest the ghosts of the past, and becomes a gory shoot-em-up and basic-bitch heist movie, albeit with some still compelling scenes dripped in, mostly involving Paul.
In New Orleans you can often see a big storm rolling in from miles away. The writhing clouds, tinged with the primordial reds and purples of sundown and coursing with whip snaps of lightning, mesmerize to the point where you forget you’re about to get drenched. Delroy Lindo’s performance similarly entrances as he descends like King Lear into paranoia and madness, enroute to self-sabotaging the mission and his relationship with his fellow soldiers and his doting son, who has stowed away on the excursion. Spike Lee’s casting has always indicted the rest of Hollywood, by highlighting the black actors and other actors with looks were deemed too “ethic” or too “this” or too “that”, but who have more chop in one of their nostrils than many on the A-list could muster sitting on each other’s shoulders. Why is Lindo not considered one of our great actors?
While some of the creative and plot choices can be forgiven as artistic liberty, the depiction of the actual Vietnamese people in the movie is hard to justify. Other than a compelling cinematic portrait of the historical figure Hanoi Hannah whose radio broadcasts entertained and taunted American soldiers during the war, the other Vietnamese characters in the movie are pretty flat at best and ugly stereotypes at the other extreme. One of Lee’s perpetual explorations across all of his movies has been the destructive violence of racial stereotypes. Do the Right Thing ends when Police indiscriminately kill Radio Raheem, perceiving the imposing black man as only a threat and not a beloved community member and human worthy of dignity and protection. Blackkklansman presents us with a black man who is also a cop and all of the complexity that entails. Strangely, Lee regurgitates the worst stereotypes of the Viet-Cong in the group of Vietnamese mercenaries serving at the behest of bloated Jean Reno’s french gangster (and Donald Trump surrogate?) who ambush Da Bloods for their gold, leading to the films Tarantino-esque bloodbath ending. The climactic scene which sees Da Bloods, like retired athletes, reliving their glory days as soldiers by extension glorifies the Vietnam conflict and the killing of the Vietnamese, which is disappointing and sad. For a director that for decades avoided tidy popcorn conclusions, this film and his previous outing, Blackkklansman, basically end in good guy vs. bad guy gunfights.
Da 5 Bloods should have been Girls Trip but with Vietnam vets; former friends with divergent lives butting heads and ultimately reconnecting; learning from while burying the past. There’s a strange moment in Da 5 Bloods before the movie breaks bad when the gang finds a pistol hidden by Clarke Peter’s character, Otis, the ostensible leader of the adventure. For battle worn vets they seem weirdly squeamish at the thought that one of them is packing. These astute Spike Lee characters, knowledgeable of movie and theater orthodoxy, understand that if a gun appears, at some point it's going to go off. Perhaps they, like me, were lamenting the inevitable end of the more dynamic and challenging first half of the movie. Maybe through them Spike Lee is voicing his own reservations about the pending violence of the film. Either way, Spike, like Otis, shouldn't have brought the gun.
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Otis Jones
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Rough Draft
Buddhism in the West
The development of global trade and navigation allowed for Buddhism to spread out of Asia into the West. In the 1800s Christian missionaries wrote about the countries they worked in and Buddhism was discovered by western intellectuals as described By Coleman on page 56. They had a negative impression of Buddhism as nihilistic and idolatrous. However, with time Buddhism has found a home in the United States, where one percent of the population and as high as eight percent in some states according to a world atlas article citing a Pew research poll. Buddhism gained popularity as a religion which was more compatible with science. While Christianity was seemingly incompatible with Darwin’s theory of evolution, Buddhism did not have these problems. Buddhism is not only compatible with science in some cases it seems to be consistent with some modern psychology and neuroscience. The opportunities offered by the California Gold rush in the mid 1800s saw the first Buddhists come to America. These Chinese immigrants began building temples across California according to Prebish and Baumann. Soon after Japanese immigrants came to work in California and Hawaii. The Buddhist temples served as more than a place of religious practice, they helped the immigrants preserve their language and culture. Buddhism has gone on to get lots of attention in popular culture in America from Carl Jung’s commentary in a translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, describing the story of another Buddha named Siddhartha. Buddhism has found a home in west due to its compatibility and consistency with modern psychological science.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS2Y1wmg9f8
Starting with Carl Jung’s interest in Buddhism, Buddhism has been connected to western psychology. In Why Buddhism is True Robert Wright explains how the Buddha’s description of the human condition and human suffering is consistent with western psychology. We are beings shaped by human evolution, our cravings and impulses have been shaped by the process of natural selection to ensure survival of us and our offspring. For example, if you tripped on your shoelace on the subway in front of a bunch of people you didn’t know, that embarrassment would be in your head for the rest of the week and it would bother you. Letting this incident which will not affect your life at all cause you to suffer is completely pointless, you do not know any of the people. Wright says this is because our thoughts are controlled by “modules” which have been shaped by natural selection. So, in a hunter gatherer village of less than 100 people, an embarrassment would be likely to affect your reputation and therefore affect your mating odds in some way. So, our minds are not updated to the world that we currently live in. Wright says that the Buddha could not have anticipated the struggles of the complex lives we live today, however the Buddha did have the cure for our problems.
The practice of meditation allows one to not be attached to your evolutionary urges. The pleasures we get are short and fleeting, and they are designed to be short and fleeting. These pleasures are designed to make us repeat behavior. We are hungry then we eat and have some pleasure then we are hungry again. This is by design. If someone eat and then felt eternal pleasure, they would never eat again then they would die and not pass their genes on. So, Wright says that meditation as prescribed in Buddhism is the cure to being controlled by our evolutionarily shaped brains. In 2014 study lead by Emiliano Santarnecchi meditation was found to produce “a significant reduction of several psychological indices related to worry, state anxiety, depression and alexithymia”.
Robert Wright describes beginning a meditation practice to be like taking the red pill from the matrix where you begin to truly see the truth. In this case the truth is the truth of the human mind. The truth that you, your conscious self is not the thinker of your thoughts, rather your thoughts come in to you mind and control you. The practice of meditation allows you to see this happen and give your conscious self a bit more control over your evolutionary impulses. So with a consistent meditation practice we are less and less controlled by these evolutionary impulses and we could reach something like a state of nirvana.
It seems that Buddhism was able to find the solution to the problems of the modern world that have been found by science. So not only is Buddhism more compatible with science than Christianity and other religions, Buddhism seems to have a place in science. A quote from an essay published in the International Encyclopedia of Buddhism describes the scientific nature of Buddhism “Buddhism extends the natural laws, the laws of causality to the mental or psychic domain, or, more exactly, perceives their operation in this sphere, and thereby disposes of the idea of supernatural or transcendental agencies working independent of or in contravention to the natural laws of the universe” (2). So, the quote is saying that Buddhism does not follow the path of Christianity with having transcendental agents but follows and extends the realm of scientific thinking. Buddhism certainly makes some supernatural claims however the practice of Buddhism in the west smooths these over for a more accessible experience.
Buddhism is practiced in the west however despite an effort to keep the practice the same Buddhism in the west cannot help but be influenced by its location in the west. I talked to Manson Jones who attended the Santa Monica Zen Center several times a week from 2000-2005 he said that his experience was almost entirely secular. There were people who came to the Zen center who went to church and practiced other religions. He said while some people wore robes, most did not. There was some effort put into preserving the traditional practice so they did read some of the original texts with translations. However, he said that overall the main focus was meditation and community. He said there were clearly influences from a new age group called the landmark forum. The Santa Monica Zen center attempted to fight the stereotype of Buddhism being for liberals and vegans. He said he was encouraged to do some martial arts, and several of the other members had been cops or in the military.
Buddhism has found a home in west with various groups particularly in California and despite a commitment to preserving Buddhist traditions, Western Buddhist cannot help but be influenced by its location in the west and has intermingled with psychology, psychotherapy and the new age movement. Buddhism gained popularity due to it being more compatible with science than other religions like Christianity. Now Buddhism has been found to have insights to give to modern psychology.
Works Cited
Koppedrayer, Kay. “Westward Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Asia, Edited by Charles S. Prebish, and Martin Baumann.” Journal of Global Buddhism, vol. 4, 2015, pp. 38–45.
Mcmahan, David. “Modernity and the Early Discourse of Scientific Buddhism.” American Academy of Religion. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, vol. 72, no. 4, 2004, pp. 897–933., doi:10.1093/jaarel/lfh083.
Santarnecchi, Emiliano, et al. “Interaction between Neuroanatomical and Psychological Changes after Mindfulness-Based Training.” PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 10, 2014, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0108359.
Wormald, Benjamin. “Projected Changes in the Global Buddhist Population.” Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, 12 May 2015, www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/buddhists/.
Wright, Robert. Why Buddhism Is True : the Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment. New York, NY : Simon & Schuster, 2017.
Aggie, Ms. “US States by Population of Buddhists.” WorldAtlas, 8 Sept. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/us-states-by-population-of-buddhists.html.
Baldoquín, Hilda Gutiérrez. Dharma, Color, and Culture : New Voices in Western Buddhism. Berkeley, CA : Parallax Press, 2004.
Coleman, James William. The New Buddhism : the Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition. New York : Oxford University Press, 2001.
Prebish, Charles S, and Martin Baumann. Westward Dharma : Buddhism beyond Asia. Berkeley : University of California Press, 2002.
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28 years ago: Berkshire Performing Arts Center - Lenox, MA - 1991
Phish • July 13, 1991 • Berkshire Performing Arts Center • Lenox, MA
Set 1: The Curtain > Runaway Jim, Foam, Llama, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg[1] > Alumni Blues[1] > Letter to Jimmy Page > Alumni Blues[1], The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu[1] > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, Split Open and Melt[2], Bouncing Around the Room[1], Frankenstein[1]
Set 2: Chalk Dust Torture, Guelah Papyrus > Divided Sky[1], Flat Fee[1], Paul and Silas > The Lizards[1], Stash[1], Hold Your Head Up > If I Only Had a Brain[1] > Hold Your Head Up, You Enjoy Myself[1]
Encore: The Landlady[1]
[1] Giant Country Horns.
[2] Giant Country Horns; Charlie Chan and Oom Pa Pa signals.
This show featured The Giant Country Horns on Suzy, Alumni, Avenu, Melt through Frankenstein, Divided Sky, Flat Fee, Lizards, Stash, If I Only Had a Brain, YEM, and Landlady. Melt contained Charlie Chan and Oom Pa Pa signals. During the pause in Letter to Jimmy Page, Trey introduced the Horns. Trey flubbed the slow, middle section of Divided Sky and humorously remarked that it was “the jazz version.” Stash contained a Buried Alive tease from Trey. Brain was preceded by Happy Birthday teases and was dedicated to "Erica;" YEM subsequently included a brief reprise of the tease from Trey as well as a Chameleon tease by the Horns. The YEM vocal jam featured Chain Gang (Otis Redding) quotes from Fish.
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NUVO Buffalo Results 2019
Mini Solos:
1. Sofia Rosella - I Got Love (Performing Dance Arts), Daniel Tamburro - Do Re Mi (Evolution Dance Studio)
2. Malaya DiMonte - Business Of Love (Art & Soul Dance Company)
3. Mariah Sagrafena - Sing With A Swing (Little Red Dance Studio), Mya Poland - Daybreak (Performing Dance Arts)
4. London Mandell - Heaven Must Have Sent You (Art & Soul Dance Company)
5. Bree Batstone - Born To Entertain (Joanne Chapman School of Dance)
6. Luanna Di Iacovo - Big Noise (Performing Dance Arts)
7. Gianna Tucceri - Manicure (Spotlight Dance Center), Bailey Matthews - I Can Do That (Barb Denny’s Studio of Dance Arts), Hailey Vultao - Grow (Joanne Chapman School of Dance)
8. Tenley Zielinski - Spine (Dance Expressions)
9. Olivia O’Connor - Miss Otis (Art & Soul Dance Company)
10. Arianna Reynolds - Work (Spotlight Dance Center)
Junior Solos:
1. Alyssa Carpeneto - Tomorrow’s Song (Performing Dance Arts)
2. Adelaide Sebben - When She Came Back (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Colbi Meisenzahl - Bird (Little Red Dance Studio)
3. Olivia Tramonte - Your Hands (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Brianna Hicks - Hope There’s Someone (Haja Dance Company)
4. Denise Banitaghi - Elephant (Performing Dance Arts)
5. Gavin Miele - Spine (Studio L), Lorelai McCulloch - Count The Lighting (Little Red Dance Studio)
6. Jill Orluk - These I Send To You (Spezio’s Dance Dynamics), Olivia Kellner - Mama Knows Best (Art & Soul Dance Company), Curtasie Robin - Get Low (Joanne Chapman School of Dance)
7. Leyla Munoz - Somewhere In Between (Art & Soul Dance Company), Brynley Limbeck - Fight (Little Red Dance Studio)
8. Aracelys Padin - With Out The Light (Little Red Dance Studio), Ava Barbuto - Whats Up (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Camila Servin - Love On Top (Performing Dance Arts), Kate Roman - Caged Bird (Canadian Dance Company)
9. Stella Sansone - Somewhere (Premiere Dance Center)
10. Kylie Devine - Fear Of The Water (Little Red Dance Studio)
Teen Solos:
1. Murphy Lee - Am I Vital (Performing Dance Arts) DJP
2. Tristan Ianiero - Insentinence (Art & Soul Dance Company), Naomi Bowen - Above & Below (Joanne Chapman School of Dance) DJP
3. Sofia Tramonte - Ghost (Joanne Chapman School of Dance) DJP
4. Madison Spizzirri - Bored (Performing Dance Arts) DJP
5. Jezzaeyah Slack - Strand (Joanne Chapman School of Dance)
6. Savanna Wright - If You Want (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Maiya Combrest - Darling (Haja Dance Company)
7. Victoria Pileggi - My Only Fault (Art & Soul Dance Company), Suriya Allain - Drift (Little Red Dance Studio), Kaitlyn Martini - Becoming (Performing Dance Arts)
8. Andi Uebelacker - Resonate (Little Red Dance Studio), Emily Roman - Angel (Canadian Dance Company)
9. Hanna Hasnain - Your Song (Edmunds Towers School of Dance), Charlize Elliott - Woman’s Work (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Olivia Pereira - Who Are You Thinking Of? (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Alexandra Pignone - My Valentine (Loperfido Dance Academy), Jazlin Ashby - Glacier (Tawn Maries Dance Centre)
10. Tiore Hamilton - Madness (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Julia Carpeneto - Light A Fire (Performing Dance Arts), Isabella Baldino - Happy Days (Joanne Chapman School of Dance), Victoria Paggiossi - Go Quietly (Art & Soul Dance Company)
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Nina Golgowski at HuffPost:
Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul” whose powerhouse vocal cords revolutionized American music and made her one of the top-selling female musicians of all time, has died at age 76, her publicist told The Associated Press on Thursday.
BREAKING: Publicist for Aretha Franklin says the Queen of Soul died Thursday at her home in Detroit.
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 16, 2018
The cause of death was advanced pancreatic cancer, her oncologist confirmed to the AP.
“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family,” Franklin’s family said in a statement.
News of her death comes on the heels of several reports of Franklin being “seriously” unwell. Friends of the singer said Monday that Franklin was “gravely ill” and “asking for prayers.”
Rumors surrounding her health have followed Franklin in recent years, including concerns that she had cancer, which she denied in 2011. She performed at the Elton John AIDS Foundation gala in New York City last November and had lost a noticeable amount of weight. She canceled several shows in 2017 and 2018 for health reasons, including a headlining gig at New Orleans’ Jazz Fest in April. Franklin’s management said at the time that the singer’s doctor had ordered her to “stay off the road and rest completely.”
The 18-time Grammy winner, who got her start singing gospel as a child, transcended music categories — R&B, pop, jazz, disco and blues — during her six decades as a recording artist.
Her Top 10 hits included ”(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Chain of Fools,” and most famously her signature rendition of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” which became a rallying cry for strong, independent women and black empowerment during the civil rights era.
“There are artists, there are stars, but there are very, very few we know will be a part of history forever,” Franklin’s longtime music collaborator, Clive Davis, told HuffPost in April 2017. “And her talent, her voice will be studied and appreciated forever.”
In addition to being a cultural icon ― not just in music, but in human rights and even fashion ― Franklin, who was ranked by Rolling Stone as the greatest singer of all time, was one of the most honored singers of the 20th century and 21st century.
She was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest U.S. civilian honor, in 2005. She was invited to perform at the inaugurations for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Her 2009 performance at Obama’s inauguration ― where she wore a spectacular jeweled hat ― was one of several shows she performed for the first couple during Obama’s two terms in the White House. She would also perform the classic “A Natural Woman” at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. Obama appeared to wipe away tears as she brought the house to a standing ovation.
Born March 25, 1942, to a Baptist minister and a gospel singer, Franklin first started singing at her father’s church as a child with her two sisters.
Her father, the late Rev. C.L. Franklin, was a celebrity in his own right. His fiery sermons packed the pews and attracted a range of musical talent to the Detroit home where Franklin grew up. There, the Franklin children were exposed to the likes of Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke and Oscar Peterson, as Franklin fondly recalled to NPR’s Terry Gross in 1999.
In later years, the Franklins became close to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., with C.L. helping to spearhead civil rights demonstrations, including Detroit’s Freedom March in 1963.
Franklin’s music career kicked off at age 14, when she recorded her first studio album, “Songs of Faith,” in 1956. While touring with her father, by then her manager, she gave birth to her first child. Two years later, she gave birth to the second of what would be four children.
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In 1960, she signed with Columbia Records, where she released her first Top 40 hit, ”Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody.”
Her signing with Columbia was monumental, helping her to transition from gospel to mainstream music. Yet it wasn’t until after her contract ended in 1966 that her career took off, with Franklin signing to Atlantic Records.
John Hammond, who produced Franklin’s nine albums with Columbia, remarked on that move upon her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: “I cherish the albums we made together, but Columbia was a white company who misunderstood her genius,” he said.
Franklin produced 19 albums for Atlantic over 12 years, and she exploded at the top of the charts with many of the soulful classics she’s best known for today.
In her autobiography, Franklin credited the label, and music producer Jerry Wexler, with granting her free rein in regard to her music, which led to her chart-topping success.
“Jerry handled all the technical aspects and made sure I put my personal stamp on these songs,” she wrote. “Atlantic provided TLC — tender loving care — in a way that made me feel secure and comfortable. ... Putting me back on piano helped Aretha-ize the new music. The enthusiasm and camaraderie in the studio were terrific, like nothing I had experienced at Columbia. This new Aretha music was raw and real and so much more myself. I loved it!”
The 1970s saw her win six Grammys and release a variety of diverse live albums, which included a return to gospel with her double platinum selling album “Amazing Grace.”
In the ‘80s, she signed with Clive Davis’ label, Arista Records, where she knocked out a range of tunes from dance music to pop ― notably her 1987 Grammy-winning single with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).” Her 23-year partnership with Arista Records, which lasted until 2003, was the longest in her recording career.
She went on to receive her 18th Grammy in 2007 for her duet “Never Gonna Break My Faith” with Mary J. Blige.
Her last album, “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics,” was released in 2014 on RCA, and marked her first major-label album in 13 years.
In January, it was revealed that Franklin had chosen Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson to portray her in an upcoming biopic.
Production had stalled on the film due to negotiations, but Franklin was anticipating moving forward with the project.
“It’s been a long, long haul, but I think we’re right at it now,” she told HuffPost while celebrating her 74th birthday in New York City in 2016. “We’re gonna go forward with it.”
Regardless of the biopic’s status, Franklin’s place in the nation’s cultural landscape is secure.
“Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R&B, rock and roll — the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope,” Obama told The New Yorker in 2016. “American history wells up when Aretha sings.”
Franklin is survived by her four sons ― Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Ted White Jr. and Kecalf Cunningham ― and several grandchildren.
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The Soweto Gospel Choir to perform at Lehman Center - Bronx Times
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is honored to host the four-time Grammy award-winning and internationally acclaimed world music sensation Soweto Gospel Choir on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 4 p.m.
Direct from South Africa, the Soweto Gospel Choir returns to Lehman Center with an all-new concert, entitled “Hope: It’s Been A Long Time Coming,” commemorating the freedom movement in South Africa and the Civil Rights movement in the U.S. The Soweto Gospel Choir will perform a series of South African freedom songs along with music of the Civil Rights era including selections by legendary artists James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and the one-and-only, Aretha Franklin.
Soweto Gospel Choir’s universal message of love, unity and hope, along with its captivating melodic and harmonic wonder, mesmerizing showmanship, and awe-inspiring performances featuring bright and colorful carnival costumes, has made believers of millions of fans around the world. The choir was formed in Soweto, South Africa, in 2002 by choir directors David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer, the 20-member ensemble comprised of some of South Africa’s greatest singers, blends elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae and American pop music.
Their first album “Voices of Heaven” was recorded in December 2002 and went on to reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart within three weeks of its U.S. release. Their next album, “Blessed” (2005), won the 2007 Grammy for Best Traditional World Music as did their following release, “African Spirit” (2007), in 2008. In 2009, they were nominated for three South African Music Awards (SAMA) for their Grammy-nominated album “Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre,” winning the SAMA for Best Duo or Group. They received their fourth Grammy nomination in 2010 for their next album “Grace.” The Soweto Gospel Choir has also received Grammy awards for their contributions on “Down to Earth” (2009), the choir’s collaboration with Peter Gabriel for the film “Wall-E,” and also two Grammys for Christopher Tin’s song “Baba Yetu” (2010).
Over the years, the choir has recorded and/or performed with stars as varied as Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Josh Groban, Hugh Masekela, John Legend, the Black-Eyed Peas, Anjelique Kidjo and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They have also won grammys and other awards. Info on how to see them in concert HERE
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House A, Johannesburg
House A in Sandhurst, Johannesburg Real Estate Project, South African Home Photos
House A in Sandhurst, Johannesburg
7 Dec 2020
House A
Architects: Daffonchio and Associates Architects
Location: Sandhurst, Johannesburg, South Africa
photo © Candace Marshall Smith
The brief for House A was to create a family home with generous, open spaces which spill out to the garden. Despite the classical style, the spaces are kept both open and relevant due to the flow between them, an abundance of natural light, and a pared back palette.
photo © Elsa Young
The main entrance in the center of the house is a bright, double volume space with a cathedral ceiling and dormer windows which flood it with light. The staircase rises through the center of the room, with a frameless glass wine room below it.
photos © Elsa Young
The interior palette is mostly monochromatic with an abundance of natural materials and textures. The floors are white oak herringbone, the walls bagged plaster painted off white. The cabinetry in the living area is a combination of white oak and off white and charcoal duco, with honed Zimbabwe black granite countertops in the kitchen. The interiors were design by Tessa Proudfoot and exude a chic warmth, there is a sense of old world charm that is in turns countered and complemented with more modern pieces and fittings.
The timber door and window frames were painted charcoal so that they visually recede, thereby drawing the eye out towards the garden. The concrete columns have been kept raw, and the fireplace hearths were built with reclaimed red refractory bricks.
Bay windows on both the ground floor and first floor bring in maximum daylight, while extending the indoor spaces outwards. In the main bathroom, a silver freestanding bath was placed in the bay, enabling one to take full advantage of the views and enjoy them from the bath.
All exterior walls are thick cavity walls, which provide excellent insulation year round, and also allow for deep, tapered window and door reveals. On the north side of the house, the entire living area opens onto an extensive verandah through a series of arched doorways. On the first floor, the main bedroom, a second bedroom and the study area on the landing all lead onto a covered patio by means of folding stacking doors.
photos © Elsa Young
Previously, the garden was quite detached from the previous house, as it sloped steeply away from the house. The landscaper, Tim Steyn, imported a large quantity of fill in order to raise the garden level to connect it to the house. From the northern verandah, one walks out onto a flat lawn, which gently steps down to a huge oval shaped lawn by means of sculpted grass embankments.
Both the house and garden were designed with the view of retaining and celebrating the established trees on the site. On the west side of the house, a sunken fire pit with built in seating is tucked into the landscape below an existing jacaranda tree.
On the east side, the pool was built on the same level as the verandah, and reflects a row of existing cypress trees along the eastern property boundary.
This is an unusual project for Daffonchio in terms of look & feel, what was the client brief & did you have any reservations in taking it on?
We sometimes enjoy a classic design, it is refreshing doing something different, we don’t need to take ourselves too seriously and become extremists of minimalism.
We prefer minimalism but it is just one of the many architectural languages of these postmodern times.
photos © Elsa Young
Despite any possible reservations with regards the building typology, what excited you most about the project when you were initially called in to pitch?
It is a great site in a secluded suburb and the clients are a truly beautiful family so we were eager to be a part of the process with them… besides, creating a dream home is always fun!
How is the project unique?
Enrico: I love the secret passage between the library and the kitchen: a piece of the library swivels on itself- it’s unexpected in a modern build and yet adds another layer to the space, and the garden is sensational. It was designed and planted by Tim Steyn, he retained the existing large trees and made use of mass plantings in the beds he’d created to give the space depth.
Were there any traditional design or building practices that you employed during this creative process to retain the authenticity of the original building?
Yes, we looked to the Parktown and Westcliff corrugated roof homes of Johannesburg in the early 1900’s for inspiration. The honed carved sandstone entrance makes for a spectacular introduction to the space.
If this house had a soundtrack, which 2 or 3 songs would best represent the space? What wine or cocktail pairs best with this house or is there a meal you’d most like to have served there?
Otis Redding; “These arms of mine”, Paolo Conte; “Aguaplano” and Jazz; maybe Charlie Parker
this would be accompanied by Laphroaig, 10 years old, on the patio, on a clement spring evening.
photo © Elsa Young
What piece/s of art do you feel would live most comfortably in this home?
Deborah Bell, Mongezi Nkapayi and Thomas Baines.
A study of the old Southern African landscapes by Baines, from his expeditions with David Livingston to highlight the interiors by Tessa Proudfoot.
“Artemis” by Deborah Bell, a large scale bronze work would live beautifully in the gardens, and Mongezi Nkapayi’s work would juxtapose perfectly against the Colonial building style.
photos © Elsa Young
House A in Johannesburg, South Africa – Building Information
Architects: Daffonchio and Associates Architects
Interior Design: Tessa Proudfoot & Associates
Project size: 900 sqm
Site size: 10000 sqm
Completion date: 2016
Building levels: 2
Landscape Design: Tim Steyn Landscaping
photo © Candace Marshall Smith
Photography: Elsa Young and Candace Marshall Smith
House A in Sandhurst, Johannesburg images / information received 071220
Location: Sandhurst, Johannesburg, South Africa
Architecture in South Africa
South African Properties – listed latest first
South African Building News
A selection of recent architectural designs in this country below:
Beachyhead, Plettenberg Bay, Bitou Local Municipality, Western Cape Province
Design: SAOTA
photo : Adam Letch
Luxury House in Plettenberg Bay
Hillside View House, Cape Town
Design: ARRCC Interior Design
photo : Greg Cox
Hillside View House in Cape Town
The Forest House, Durban
Design: Bloc Architects
image from architects office
The Forest House in Durban
Barloworld Automotive and Logistics Head Office in Centurion, Tshwane
Design: Nsika Architecture & Design
photograph : Michael Schmucker for Abland
Barloworld Head Office Building
Palm House, Palm Avenue, Zimbali Coastal Estate, KwaZulu Natal North Coast
Design: Metropole Architects
photographers : Alexis Diack Architecture & Design Photography
New House in Kwazulu Natal
South African Houses
South African Architecture
South African Architects
Comments / photos for the House A in Sandhurst, Johannesburg page welcome
Website: South Africa
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