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The City of Birmingham Offering Free Recycling Carts for Residents

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Birmingham Times
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Beginning today, August 9, Birmingham residents can register to receive one of 5,100 new 64-gallon recycling carts. (Adobe Stock)

City of Birmingham

The City of Birmingham is launching the second phase of its new recycling cart program. Beginning Friday, August 9, residents can register to receive one of 5,100 new 64-gallon recycling carts. This is part of the city’s initiative to support the reduction of waste sent to landfills, conserve natural resources, and prevent pollution.

There are two ways to register to receive a cart:

  • On August 9, during the City’s Food Truck Friday event in front of City Hall, residents can come in person from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. to complete a form.
  • Residents can sign up online anytime here.

The first phase of the city’s recycling initiative kicked off in 2020 with a pilot program. Now, in this new phase, carts will be made available citywide and distributed, starting in mid-August for those who sign up.

Once a resident completes and submits the form, they will be redirected to a confirmation page that includes information about what items are acceptable for recycling. Then, upon verification of their address and approval of their application, a cart will be delivered within two weeks.

The free carts are available while supplies last. They are only available for Birmingham residents; and only one cart is available per household. Businesses or residents of multi-dwelling units are not eligible to participate.

City of Birmingham recycling days are on the first and third Wednesday of each month. On weeks with city holidays, pickup may be rescheduled to the Wednesday of the following week. The first recycling date for the new carts will begin Wednesday, Sept. 11. Until then, residents should continue to use their old recycling methods.

Email your questions to recycle@birminghamal.gov. For more information of what’s allowed for recycling and what is not, visit www.birminghamal.gov/recycle.

The Return of Birmingham’s Roy Wood Jr.; Comedian to Host News and Comedy Series on CNN

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Birmingham Times
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Roy Wood Jr., formerly a high-profile correspondent on “The Daily Show,” is set to host a new series on CNN, “Have I Got News For You.” (File)

By Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com

If you’ve missed seeing Roy Wood Jr. on television, the wait will soon be over. The comedian from Alabama, formerly a high-profile correspondent on “The Daily Show,” is set to host a new series on CNN, “Have I Got News For You.”

Wood, 45, confirmed his new job on Thursday via social media, after reports by Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and other media outlets. “Mortimer …. we’re back!,” the comedian posted on Instagram, along with a photo referencing the story on Deadline. (With the “Mortimer” quip, Wood was referencing a line from the 1988 movie “Coming to America.”) “See you all Saturday nights on CNN starting in September,” he posted.

The show is CNN’s version of a popular British series, featuring two teams of panelists who answer questions about that week’s news. “Have I Got News For You” also relies heavily on humor, with the host and panelists relying on “comic observations from the satirical to the surreal through the lens of a news quiz show,” as Deadline said. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton are team captains for the BBC version, and Wood will be joined by two team captains for the CNN version, with names TBA.

Ten episodes are planned for CNN’s limited series, scheduled to premiere on Sept. 14 and airing on Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes will stream on MAX the following day. Hat Trick Productions, the company behind the BBC original, is set to produce the new show for CNN Originals.

“For far too long immigrants have been coming to America and taking Black jobs, kudos to CNN and the immigrants at Hat Trick Productions for bringing a Black job to the States,” Wood said in a statement, poking fun at Donald Trump’s “Black jobs” remark during the June presidential debate. “It is an honor to be a part of such a hallowed British institution to help make sense of the American institutions of chaos, name calling, disinformation, reality television and the 8-hour news cycle.”

Wood has a new stand-up special for Hulu on his agenda, as well, with a taping planned in September at the Lincoln Theater in Washington DC., according to Variety. He’s also been writing a memoir, “The Man of Many Fathers.”

The comedian, who’s also a writer, actor and producer, spent eight years as a correspondent on “The Daily Show,” 2015-2023. He served as one of the guest hosts for the series on Comedy Central in April 2023, after host Trevor Noah made an exit in 2022. Wood initially was reported to be short-listed as a replacement for Noah, but he left “The Daily Show” in fall 2023, saying he wanted to pursue other opportunities and “whatever else the comedy gods may have in store for me in 2024 and beyond.”

Wood had another major showcase last year, as the featured entertainer for the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Headlining the dinner in D.C. is a plum assignment for any comedian, as the proceedings are nationally televised and often go viral in politics and entertainment.

Wood, who grew up in Birmingham, has been building a career in comedy since the late ‘90s, when he started working as a standup while majoring in broadcast journalism at Florida A&M University. During the early 2000s, Wood emerged as a quick-witted jokester making prank phone calls on radio station 95.7 JAMZ.

Wood’s resume also includes a 2010 stint as a contestant on “Last Comic Standing,” a role on the sitcom “Sullivan & Son,” appearances on late-night talk shows, comedy specials and albums, movie roles, podcasts and more.

Wood’s journalism roots run deep, as well. His father, Roy Wood Sr. (1915-1995), was a radio and TV journalist who covered the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and more. Wood paid tribute to his father with a Twitter thread in 2020 for Father’s Day, lauding his achievements and calling his resume in civil rights journalism “very unsung.”

Wood also hosted a 2024 podcast linked to his hometown, “Road to Rickwood,” exploring the history of historic Rickwood Field and the Negro Leagues in Birmingham. The narrative series from National Public Radio and Major League Baseball spanned five episodes, late May through mid-July.

How ASFA’s Germaul Barnes Became the Renowned ‘Global Dance Maker’

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Birmingham Times
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Germaul Barnes, an award-winning dancer and choreographer at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), has traveled the world but now calls Birmingham home. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For The Birmingham Times

Germaul Barnes describes himself as a “Global Dance Maker.”

An award-winning dancer and choreographer, Barnes’ work has been presented on stages around the world, in countries like Canada, England, and Poland. He’s danced in numerous cities, including Paris, France, and Tokyo, Japan.

But, since 2019, Barnes has proudly called Birmingham, Alabama, home. The Phoenix, Arizona, native who previously lived in New York for 24 years, came to The Magic City to teach dance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA).

“There comes a time as a choreographer, as a dancer, when you sit to evaluate the longevity of a career and what is valuable,” Barnes said.

Reflecting on time he’d spent working with emerging dancers across the U.S. and around the world, Barnes knew he loved to teach.

“I really enjoyed passing on the information that was given to me, [though] sometimes I even still question, ‘Why me?’ I’ve been very fortunate to work with some of the legends of modern dance,” including icons like Katherine Dunham, Eleo Pomare, and Arthur Mitchell, he said.

Barnes, 53, has taught at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut; the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in Champaign, Illinois; and Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Germaul Barnes, an award-winning dancer and choreographer at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), has traveled the world but now calls Birmingham home. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Nurturing In The Classroom And Beyond

“I love to see how I can help dancers become artists and be good people in society,” he said. “For me, teaching dance is just a gateway of how to help young people be great adults.”

And that is his goal at ASFA, which begins its fall semester on August 12.

The school, located downtown Birmingham, is a state-funded, tuition-free public school that provides an intensive education in the arts, math, and science to students from across Alabama.

After spending each morning in core academic classes that exceed state high school diploma standards, ASFA students devote their afternoons to honing their craft in one of six specialties: creative writing, dance, music, theater, visual arts, or math and science.

Students at the school consistently receive recognition in competitions in the arts and in academics at the state, regional, and national levels. Furthermore, in the past five years, 91 percent of ASFA’s graduating seniors have received merit scholarships for study at colleges, universities, and conservatories.

Barnes is only the second Black full-time dance instructor at ASFA in the school’s 53-year history. Mimi Twyman, who taught at ASFA from 1992 until her retirement in 2011, was the first Black dancer and choreographer to teach full-time at ASFA.

Twyman said of Barnes, “During the time I was teaching, I was exposing the students to other genres of dance that they were not accustomed to, and his ideas were an extension of what I was trying to do.”

But this is just one of the reasons Twyman believes ASFA students are lucky to have Barnes—or “Mr. Gee,” as the students call him—as a teacher.

“[Barnes] is a choreographer that allows students to be part of the process, which gives the students some ownership to the piece,” she said. “As an educator, he nurtures the students not just in class but beyond, guiding them to places outside Alabama, to conferences, workshops and performances to further expose them to the larger global world of dance.

“ASFA students are very fortunate to have him as an instructor. He offers so much to the department through his knowledge of dance and his experience as a professional dancer that has been there and done that,” she added.

Leaning into his “Global Dance Maker” moniker, Barnes strives to expose ASFA students to a wide variety of dance styles through his World Dance series. He’s brought in African dance instructors and choreographers and Afro Caribbean artists from countries like Barbados.

“It’s important to expose our students to a broad range of cultures and understanding and acceptance,” said Barnes. “That only helps them expand themselves as people.”

Students like Hannah French, who graduated from ASFA in May 2024 and plans to start studying dance at New York University in the fall, said Barnes not only expanded her dance knowledge but also imparted life wisdom.

“He has taught me [and] his other students valuable lessons not only in the studio but outside the studio, as well,” French said. “Mr. Gee has always been there for advice on navigating life and is a teacher that students feel comfortable going to when they need guidance. He is open, he is kind, he is inspiring, and he is a teacher who believes in his students and sees everyone’s potential. I am so grateful for all that Mr. Gee has poured into me and the wisdom he has imparted that will impact me for the rest of my life.”

From left: Ciara Martin, Eryn Cade, Ally Campbell, Zoey Jenkins, Germaul Barnes, Nicholas Thacker, Daniel Hernandez, Cedrick Scruggs. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

“I Knew I Was Going To Be A Dancer”

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Barnes can’t remember a time in his life when he wasn’t dancing.

“My late mother would say I was dancing as a fetus,” Barnes shared with a laugh.

He still has fond memories of dancing in his family’s living room to songs by artists like Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, Peaches & Herb, and Earth, Wind & Fire. He also loved the syndicated television series Solid Gold, a music show that featured the biggest artists of the moment.

Recognizing her son’s natural talent, Barnes’ mother, Sandra Sykes, who passed away in December 2018, sought out free dance programs at the local parks and recreation department. At the age of 7, Barnes enrolled in a dance class that taught him several dance styles, including jazz, tap, ballet, and even disco.

“And from that point on, I just knew that I was going to be a dancer,” he said.

Barnes, his youngest sister, Serena, and a friend from the neighborhood formed a group they called “The Little Bits.” The trio won all the community talent shows and were even featured on local TV.

“My mom would stay up for hours making our costumes,” Barnes recalled.

His mother was also active in local demonstrations meant to amplify the voices of Phoenix’s small Black community. Barnes still has a photo of himself and The Little Bits in a march for Juneteenth, the celebration of the end of slavery in the U.S.

Barnes went on to attend the Center of Performing Arts at South Mountain High School in Phoenix, a school like ASFA. He also studied with the Phoenix School of Ballet and Ballet Arizona before continuing his dance training at the University of the Arts, a private arts university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which closed in June of this year.

The Seven-Year Interview

Acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and instructor Teri Weksler first brought Barnes to Birmingham to set a work for Southern DanceWorks, for which she served as artistic director from 1997 to 2021. When Weksler became a full-time instructor at ASFA, she invited Barnes to visit as a guest artist each year.

“That was seven years prior to getting the [full-time job at ASFA], so I said I had a seven-year interview,” Barnes said.

During those seven years, he learned that ASFA was a good fit.

“It’s a wonderful institution that supports teachers and encourages instructors to stay in the professional world because they see that it’s valuable to know what is out there and bring back the information to the students,” Barnes said of ASFA. “I found that most institutions might have that in their mission statements—that they want to encourage their instructors to continue being professionals—but they don’t actually do it. ASFA has it in the mission statement, and they’re about it.”

In the early part of his professional career, Germaul Barnes, 53, performed with a host of companies. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

World Traveler, World renown

Whether at Alabama School of Fines Arts (ASFA) or halfway around the world, Barnes believes dancers are like anthropologists or archivists whose work should reflect the issues of the time. In his work, he unapologetically explores the challenges people of color face today. Yet, he also strives to infuse optimism and joy in his choreography.

“As a Black artist, I am interested in telling a narrative of the Black experience through a sense of pride, not ‘woe, me’ all the time,” Barnes said.

After decades of dancing with various companies, Barnes said he realized that he’d lost that joy he felt as a kid dancing in the living room to the sounds of Michael Jackson and the syndicated music television series Solid Gold, a music show that featured the biggest artists of the moment.

“The groove, the naturalness, was lost because I was so into these Eurocentric ideas of what a dancer was,” he said.

So, he went to the studio determined to fan the flames of the joy that he once found in dance. And he embeds this in his choreography and teaching techniques.

“In my technique, with different exercises and lots of conversation and self-evaluation, we ignite joy through the physical and mental space that allows dancers to retain a sense of exuberance for what they’re doing,” he said.

An Impressive Resume

In the early part of his professional career, Barnes performed with a host of companies. In 1995 he started dancing with Bill T. Jones/Arine Zand Dance Company, which he’s worked with for nearly 30 years. After retiring from dancing with the company in 2005, Barnes began restaging works of Jones. He’s currently working on a restaging for the University of Alabama, bringing Jones’ work to the state of Alabama for the first time.

Barnes serves as a choreographer adviser for One Dance-UK’s – Dance of the African Diaspora and Movement Research. He’s worked with dance companies in Russia and Spain, too.

He’s the curator of Contemporary Improvisation for Black Men, a program that uses dance to bring together Black men across generations.

Barnes also served as the choreographer for “Bob Marley: A Musical,” which premiered in 2015 at Center Stage in Baltimore, MD.

“That was the first commercial contract that I’d ever gotten so when they said to have your people contact my people, I had to go and find some,” Barnes said with a hearty laugh. “I was very excited. I love Bob Marley and I’ve always like connected with his message.”

Full Circle

Dance has afforded Barnes the pleasure of being “in every continent of the world except for Antarctica,” he said. “And this is a little boy from the projects of Arizona.”

Despite all his accomplishments, Barnes said the highlights of his dance life were dancing in a park in Arizona for his aunt’s 90th birthday in November of 2018 and performing at block parties in Brooklyn when he lived there.

Barnes may travel the world, but he still deeply cares about the places he calls home.

Coming full circle, Barnes is now artistic director of Southern DanceWorks, the company that first brought him to Birmingham. Barnes is striving to breathe new life into the 60-year-old company.

“I hope that Southern DanceWorks can help with a contemporary identity of not only Alabama, but of the South,” he said. “I’m hoping that this company is lending to that fabric of the new identity of Birmingham.”

Southern DanceWorks will present “Lurks Behind,” a new dance performance rooted in the rich history of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods, on Sunday, August 25 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the City Walk BHAM Amphitheater (Green Block, Behind the Birmingham Museum of Art).

The production explores topics such as food insecurity, home ownership, and community pride. “Lurks Behind” is a free public event. To learn more and to support Southern DanceWorks in their commitment to making dance accessible and relevant, visit southern-danceworks.com/support.

Full disclosure: Javacia Harris Bowser is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and taught English at the school from 2009- 2019.

The Life and Teaching Lessons of Kimberly Strickland, aka Kim Scott, Accomplished Classical Flutist

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Birmingham Times
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Kimberly Strickland serves as Director of Student Services at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) in Birmingham and is also an accomplished classical flutist, Billboard chart-topping jazz musician who goes by the name of Kim Scott. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For The Birmingham Times

By day, Kimberly Strickland serves as Director of Student Services at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) in Birmingham. After hours, she becomes Kim Scott, an accomplished classical flutist, Billboard chart-topping jazz musician, and host of the weekly two-hour nationally syndicated radio show “Kim Scott’s Block Party Radio.” (Scott was Strickland’s last name before she married Stephen “DJ Strick” Strickland.)

With five albums to her credit, Strickland is considered a mainstay in jazz, and she’s made her name for herself in classical music, too, playing with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist.

Though she’s called Mrs. Strickland when she’s inside the walls of ASFA—where she is a National Board Certified Teacher and previously held the role as chair of ASFA’s music department—and Kim Scott when she’s performing on stages around the globe, Strickland stresses that she is both a teacher and an artist in both worlds.

“What I do in my professional life allows me to be great at ASFA,” said Strickland, who’s also a 1993 graduate of the school. “God gave me the gift of performance, so I’m going to continue to do that. And everything I learn from doing that, I’m going to bring back to these kids.”

In fact, Strickland loves teaching so much that when she transitioned to her current role in administration at ASFA, she volunteered to continue teaching flute in the music department for no extra pay.

“I’ve been able to bless [my students] by the steps that I’ve taken and through the experiences I’ve had,” said Strickland, 48. “It’s like a dream.”

Kimberly Strickland is also an accomplished classical flutist, Billboard chart-topping jazz musician who goes by the name of Kim Scott. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

An Appreciation For Music

Teaching is important to Strickland, in part, because she credits her teachers for getting her to where she is today. Her first teachers, however, were her parents, who led by example, instilling in her an appreciation for music.

“I grew up in a musical household,” said Strickland, raised Birmingham’s South Hampton neighborhood, near Forestdale and Pratt City, with her parents and two brothers. “My mother was a music educator in the Birmingham City Schools system for 30-plus years before retiring.”

Strickland’s mother, Belinda Floyd, retired from Norwood Elementary School but also taught at Kirby Middle and West Hills Elementary schools during her career.

“And my dad, although he worked for [a telecommunications company], also played saxophone and sang,” she added.

Strickland’s parents nurtured in her a love for all genres of music.

“I can remember my mom putting on the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s vinyl records, and we would just sit there and jam out to symphonies by [Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky] like that was normal,” Strickland recalled. “And then my dad would put on some funk music by [flutist and saxophonist Hubert Laws].”

Before having children, Strickland’s parents were signed to Stax Records, the legendary Memphis, Tennessee-based record label often credited with the creation of Southern soul music.

“You can still go to YouTube to this day and look up the Dynamic Soul Machine and listen to their records,” Strickland said.

As a child, Strickland played piano and violin, but when she tried the flute she’d found her true love, she said: “My mom bought me a flute, and I became obsessed with it. I took it super seriously.”

“The Ultimate Band Nerd”

At the time, though she was only in the fifth grade at the now-closed Robert C. Arthur Elementary School in Birmingham, Strickland was committed to practicing her flute whenever she could. When she went to Lewis Martin Smith Middle School, also in Birmingham, the following year, she met Suzanne Winter, the school’s band director, who was also a flutist.

“I felt like I won the lottery,” Strickland said of Winter. “She wasn’t just my band director, but she played my instrument. She had great insight on how to build technique on the flute, how to make a really good sound, how to have the right posture.”

Winter often would give Strickland additional lessons after school. “I thought she was doing that for everybody, but later she told me, ‘I just felt like you were on to something,’” Strickland recalled, adding that she made first chair, meaning she was the lead musician in her band section, every year in middle school.

“I was a good student, but band was my jam,” Strickland said. “I was the ultimate band nerd.”

Strickland’s mother saw her daughter’s commitment and soon learned about ASFA, a state-funded, tuition-free public school that provides an intensive education in the arts, math, and science to students from across Alabama. The school, located in downtown Birmingham, begins this year’s fall semester on August 12.

After spending each morning in core academic classes that exceed state high school diploma standards, ASFA students devote their afternoons to honing their craft in one of six specialties: creative writing, dance, music, theater, visual arts, or math and science.

Students attending the school consistently receive recognition in competitions in the arts and in academics at the state, regional, and national levels. Furthermore, in the past five years, 91 percent of ASFA’s graduating seniors have received merit scholarships for study at colleges, universities, and conservatories.

When Strickland first applied for ASFA’s music department as a student she was accepted but turned down the offer. She wanted to go to John Herbert Phillips High School (now John Herbert Phillips Academy), so she could study with renowned band director Harry McAfee and be part of his lauded marching band.

While Strickland loved her marching band experience, she said she often felt like “the oddball” at the school. After a year and a half at Phillips, she enrolled at ASFA.

“Once I got [to ASFA], I found my spot, I found my people,” she said. “I had extra time to practice. I was in an orchestra and taking music classes with an amazing flute teacher, Katherine Kitzman, who nourished my gift and exposed me to so many things I had no idea existed, like National Flute Association conventions and competitions and summer camp intensives.”

Kitzman also gave her extra lessons after school, free of charge: “She said, ‘I’m doing this because I know where you’re going,’” Strickland remembered her flute instructor telling her.

“Monster Talent”

With five albums to her credit, Kimberly Strickland is considered a mainstay in jazz, and she’s made her name for herself in classical music, too, playing with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

After graduating from ASFA in 1993, Strickland went on to study at The University of Alabama (UA) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she worked with renowned flutist, Sheryl Cohen, Doctor of Music (D.M.).

“She was the flute teacher that said, ‘I’m preparing you because you’re a star and you don’t know it,’” Strickland recalled. “She just nurtured every gift. She set me up to be a great educator, to be a great flutist, and to be a great performer. She took me on my first plane ride to go to a flute convention in Chicago, [Illinois]. She told people about me in other countries. So, when I was 21. [I was invited to] teach in South America for flute festivals and to go here and go there.”

Cohen, who retired from UA in 2004 but continues to perform and teach at international festivals and via private lessons, said her goal with all her students was to teach them to become world citizens.

“[Strickland] has utmost integrity as a human being, she’s brilliant, and she has monster talent,” Cohen said of her former student. “She has all the qualities, and she has the temperament to be an artist. She has the temperament to go out on stage and own the place. All those things were in her. I didn’t put any of that in her. What I did was I helped her draw them out. I helped her realize what was inside and to go for it.”

After doing her graduate work from 1998 to 2000 in pedagogy (the study of teaching methods) and flute performance at Oklahoma State University, Strickland got a call from ASFA. The school needed a flute teacher and thought she’d be perfect for the job.

“Teaching was very natural for me, and I felt like I was home,” Strickland said. “I was working with students that reminded me of myself when I was at ASFA. I loved working with students who were little sponges for music. They were flute nerds just like I was.”

Once Strickland started teaching in August 2000, she knew she didn’t want to stop.

“I loved the gratification I got from watching [students] succeed and win competitions or make good grades on their juries and be so excited,” she said. So, she knew she’d keep teaching while also building a career as a performer.

Smooth Jazz

One day while listening to a jazz radio show, Strickland noticed that she hadn’t heard any flutists, so she broke out her flute and recorded a jazzy cover of “Déjà Vu,” by megastar Beyoncé. She posted the video to YouTube in the summer of 2010 and shared it with friends who encouraged her to do more.

Next, Strickland did a cover of “Orange Moon,” by singer-songwriter Erykah Badu, often called “The Queen of Neo Soul.” Pretty soon, she was performing at a jazz festival. When folks in the audience started asking to buy her record—which she didn’t have at the time—she knew it was time to get in the studio.

Jazz guitarist Keith “Cashmere” Williams showed Strickland the ropes of the record business, teaching her how to find a manager, put a band together, and write songs. He taught her about publishing and royalties, too.

“I didn’t know anything about [the recording] world, but we recorded a record, put it out, and radio picked it up,” Strickland said.

Eventually, she was signed to Innervision Records and today has five albums and scored multiple number-one hits on the Billboard music charts.

Strickland, who has been married to Stephen “DJ Strick” Strickland for nine years and has an 18-year-old son and twin “bonus sons” age 28, is currently working on her sixth album, which she hopes will be released early next year. Still, she has no plans to stop teaching any time soon.

Of teaching, Strickland said, “I could do this forever!”

“Aspirational Role Model”

Tim Mitchell, Ph.D. President of Alabama School of Fine Arts, calls Strickland an “aspirational role model.”

“When she leads a department for student support, the students know she gets them; she’s been one of them,” Mitchell said. “She’s an alumna of the school who came back to serve the next generation because her own education was transformational in her life. That is why students, especially young aspiring Black musicians at ASFA, are inspired to challenge themselves. They know they can thrive because she shows the way.”

Strickland believes that she can break stereotypes that Black people don’t play in symphonies. “I think it’s important for all people to see people of color in the arts and to see them be successful in the arts,” she said.

While women are more prevalent in classical music today than they were in past decades, they’re still the minority in jazz, Strickland said, and must work twice as hard to gain respect.  “And when we perform, we’ve got to be decked to the nines,” she added.

Strickland’s proud to be part of the supergroup Jazz in Pink, a collective of today’s top female jazz artists.

Balancing performing with her career in education and her life as a wife and mother used to be overwhelming, Strickland admits.

“I was working all week and then jumping on a plane on Fridays to go play shows and coming back on Monday, getting off a plane and coming to work,” she said. “Sometimes I was like, ‘Oh, my God, what am I thinking?’”

Then she learned that the key to balancing it all was to stop compartmentalizing the different parts of her life, she said. When she’s on tour she can be both organized and creative because that’s what she must do as an educator. At ASFA, she can pour into her students because of lessons learned while performing. And she can take her passion for music and put it into caring for her family.

“I have to stay aware of all of that to continue to make it work,” she said. “But what I found is, when I do that, I’m not stressed out.”

Now entering her 25th year in education, Strickland said her goal at ASFA is for her students to be even more successful than she has been.

“Everything I’m learning, I’m supposed to teach them so that when they become professionals, they go way, way further than I have,” she said. “I think of students like Coreisa Lee, who started with me and now I get to watch her on stage with Lizzo.”

Lee has not only performed with Lizzo but also at the Met Gala and on Broadway. She’s currently in Los Angeles working on a project in connection with the blockbuster Barbie movie and she’s doing all of this while pursuing her doctorate at West Virginia University.

Lee still remembers Strickland teaching her to “play to the very back of the audience.”

She said, “That really did something to my psyche, and I still repeat this message in my practice.”

Moreover, Strickland also showed Lee what was possible.

“Ms. Scott helped me to see that I didn’t have to stay in a box as a classical flutist,” she said. “Watching her teach me, and conduct the orchestra and string orchestra, and then run to a jazz recording session – a different genre than what she was teaching me — that was very cool to see. I really think it’s important to see someone you relate to in a bigger light.”

Strickland’s proud of her students who decided not to pursue music professionally, too. “They work for NASA, they’re doctors, they’re lawyers, and they still keep in touch,” she said.

Full disclosure: Javacia Harris Bowser is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts and taught English at the school from 2009- 2019.

Tyesha Brown: The Filmmaker Producing, Casting, Hiring in Birmingham

By
Birmingham Times
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Tyesha Brown and her team filmed ‘Checkmate’ in June utilizing locations such as downtown Birmingham’s Wine Loft bar and lounge, The Mint House, Snatched BodiSpa in Adamsville, Oak Hill Cemetery in North Birmingham, a local jailhouse, and downtown luxury lofts Station 21. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Je’Don Holloway-Talley | For The Birmingham Times

Local indie Birmingham filmmaker Tyesha Brown doesn’t make up storylines for her films. She doesn’t have to.

“Most of the time, I’m writing from experiences or situations I’ve encountered,” she said. “You hear me say, ‘I can’t make this up’ and that’s what I mean. I’m always writing, regardless of what is going on around me because the thought of turning these pages into reality keeps me motivated.”

Brown’s productions are centered on urban stories, comedies, romantic comedies, and biopics.

Her latest project, ‘Checkmate,’ a romantic thriller that follows the story of a young couple who find themselves entangled in a dangerous game of love and betrayal has ties to her hometown.

“I love being able to produce films in Birmingham, and I’m always casting and hiring in the city. Not only is Birmingham beautiful, but the amount of talent in this city is insane,” she said. “I also teach film workshops and work with kids in the Birmingham City School system.”

She’s taught classes with The Flourish Alabama, a local non-profit geared towards community/cultural arts; Encore Theatre and Gallery, a community theater in the Roebuck Springs neighborhood and Make It Happen Theater Company, a community theatrical program.

Brown and her team filmed ‘Checkmate’ in June utilizing locations such as downtown Birmingham’s Wine Loft bar and lounge, The Mint House, Snatched BodiSpa in Adamsville, Oak Hill Cemetery in North Birmingham, a local jailhouse, and downtown luxury lofts– Station 21.

Unbeatable Work Ethic

Her personal experiences have also fueled Brown’s drive for success. The loss of her parents instilled an unbeatable work ethic.

“My only sibling is my [younger] sister Daphne, [36], and I’m not sure where I would be without her…,” Brown said. “We lost our parents when we were young. My dad was 32 when he passed from colon cancer [and] I was only 12, and my mom was 40 when she passed from breast cancer while I was in college at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. I was 21. But I was blessed to have them long enough to curate an unbeatable work ethic. If I’m in a bind, no one is coming to save me, so I need to be able to look out for myself, and my younger sister,” she said.

“Their absence drives me to create a fulfilling life because our time here is short– we’re here for a good time not a long time,” said Brown.

Local indie Birmingham filmmaker Tyesha Brown’s latest project, ‘Checkmate,’ a romantic thriller that follows the story of a young couple who find themselves entangled in a dangerous game of love and betrayal has ties to her hometown, Birmingham. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times))

Industry Experience

The Ensley native and Ensley High School graduate has worked on numerous television and reality shows across CBS, ABC, and NBC as an associate and field producer. Her credits include NBC’s ‘The Voice’, and CBS’s ‘Big Brother’, ‘Survivor’, and ‘The Amazing Race’ and her expertise lies in story development, where she helps producers identify needs related to storytelling.

She splits her time between Los Angeles and Birmingham, staying on the West Coast during the industry’s peak season and returning home in between. However, the ripple effects of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA [Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists] labor strike led Brown to start her own company, IAMCLASSYBROWN Productions.

She earned a dual bachelor’s degree in journalism and film studies from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland in 2005 and was inspired to pursue filmmaking after a successful high school film project as part of Girls Inc.’s Snapshots pregnancy prevention program, and her first film, “Destani’s Eyes.”

“Through that program I learned a lot about film and television and that my ideas were valid and decided [the film industry] was where I wanted and needed to be,” said Brown. “…‘Destani’s Eyes’ was about a girl who lived in a foster home and journaled about her experiences… We won all kinds of awards for it” including a Sidewalk Film Festival award which connected her with a writer/showrunner out of Los Angeles who became her mentor, said Brown.

“Dayna Lynn North (Showrunner of HBO’s Insecure, Writer/EP for the Best Man Final Chapters, and more) has been instrumental in my success, and if it were not for Sidewalk we probably never would’ve crossed paths,” Brown said. “She mentored me throughout college, and when I finished, I moved to LA and her guidance and connections helped me build my career.”

Who You Know

The evolving film industry and value streaming platforms have brought to independent filmmakers are refreshing, she said.

“The indie film scene is growing and it’s important to me that Birmingham be a part of that, and being able to get your films on streaming platforms lets [independent filmmakers] know that it’s possible,” said Brown. “…

Breaking into the industry can be as much about who you know as it is about what you know, she said.

“Make it a point to connect with people, and don’t always approach it with the attitude of ‘what can I get?’ Figure out how you can serve, and people and things will serve you in return,” said Brown. “To anyone looking to make movies and need funding, I would suggest networking. Be sure to put yourself in rooms with people who can help you.”

She continued, “I’ve spent years working for and with other people, and although I’ve done tons [of projects] for myself, I’m really just now breaking off on my own in terms of my films being under my company and it’s starting to build momentum.”

Collaboration is also the key, she said.

“I’ve worked with a local filmmaker from here named Marques McConico on [an independent film called] ‘Juug Gong Wrong’ with Clifton Powell an NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work in ‘Ray’, opposite Jamie Foxx, ‘Next Friday,’ and ‘Friday After Next’, opposite Ice Cube and Mike Epps, and the series BOUNCE Tv’s Saints & Sinners, that was also shot in here in Birmingham, and Clifton enjoyed the process so much that he came back for the latest project [Checkmate] with Selph Paid Productions,” said Brown.

Commitment and Determination

Producing films and television shows is not all glitz and glamour. “Production is very challenging,” she said. “Long hours, little credit, little pay, and appreciation are shown while on set; you have to do it for the love of the craft.”

“You have to commit to the process. If you can’t be committed don’t even enter the business… [this industry] will try you. Locations fall through, cast members get sick, I mean anything can happen and you still have to be prepared to move forward. You have to be resourceful, you have to create backup plans on the spot and have contingency plans in place for everything from casting to production and crew,” said Brown.

Also, funding and staffing are significant challenges in independent filmmaking.

“Crewing up in Birmingham is difficult because not many people can afford to work in film fulltime. Another challenge is funding for your project; securing investors is a task on its own.”

Another challenge can be maintaining motivation in a competitive field, she said. “If you have a vision, see it through … focus on what’s in front of you.

Follow Tyesha Brown’s journey on IG at @iamclassybrown.

Full disclosure: Je’Don Holloway Talley served as a publicist for Tyesha Brown’s latest film Checkmate.

Safety Measures Can Help Minimize Drowning Risks While Boating

By
Birmingham Times
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0

Last week’s safety article reviewed a checklist to ensure your safety life jacket/vest met the necessary safety factors to be considered in “serviceable condition” by the U.S. Coast Guard. This week we will continue our water safety, narrowing our focus to discussing boating safety.

Boating is an activity which can be fun with family and friends, but it also can be dangerous. This danger can be minimized drastically if certain safety measures are practiced consistently.

Therefore, the first safety tip to practice is to keep safety first, always. All passengers onboard, regardless of age, should be thoroughly briefed on the importance of being alert and following the rules while boating. All safety rules and measures should be explained to guests before setting off on an outing.

Boating is an activity which can be fun with family and friends, but it also can be dangerous. (Adobe Stock)

Another very important safety tip to help decrease drowning risks while boating is not drinking alcohol while boating. It is not good practice to drink and drive a motor vehicle and it is not a good idea while boating either. It is one of the leading factors in boating fatalities. In 2021, it accounted for 100 deaths.

This safety rule does not only apply to the captain of the boat, but the passengers as well. Everyone should be alert and not impaired by alcohol in an emergency. Therefore, everyone should be sober.

Remember wearing a safety life jacket/vest on a boat is mandatory. This is not just a safety tip. Life jackets/vests must be United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved. Look for the USCG stamp inside the life jacket, alongside sizing and other valuable information.

Some may feel like wearing a life jacket/vest on calm weather days is overkill, it is not. It’s not because it is difficult to predict the weather and if the wind suddenly picks up and waves get rougher, even the most skilled boaters can be surprised and quickly get into trouble. Events can happen quickly and unexpectedly, and boaters might not have time to grab their life jackets before finding themselves in the water.

Do not remove your life jacket/vest even if you feel it is too warm or cumbersome. Safety life jackets/vests save lives! This practice and others are essential in Keeping an Eye on Safety. Other tips will be reviewed next week.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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0
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens will host several events this month. (File)

BY GWEN DERU | The Birmingham Times

CELEBRATE BLACK BUSINESS MONTH!!! SUPPORT BLACK BUSINESSES!!!

 TODAY…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**3RD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**QUADRAPHONIC FEATURE: FRANK ZAPPA’S OVER-NITE SENSATION at Saturn.

**PATSY’S PLAYHOUSE BURLESQUE KARAOKE at The Nick.

**REAL FUNNY BHM COMEDY OPEN MIC, 7:30 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company.

**THIRST TRAP THURSDAY, 5 p.m. at 2400 7th Avenue South.

**KIKSTART at Water Mark in Bessemer with Free Food Boxes, 9 a.m.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.

**EACH AND EVERY THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**THIRSTY THURSDAYS at D’ZIRE Bar and Lounge.

**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.

**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.

**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.

**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.

**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR- Every 3rd Thursday, at Sidewalk Film Fest. Meet with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.

**EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE, 6:30 at Ruth’s Place hosted by LADY WOO and with DJ SHAY.

FRIDAY…

**EVERY FRIDAY – STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS, Every Friday, 10 – 11 a.m. FREE at BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS.

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**THE LADIES OF WITH RIVAL HANDS & MILLENNIAL JONES at The Nick.

**DJ JACK BAMA LATE NIGHT at The Nick.

**NO SCRUBS: 90S DANCE PARTY at Saturn.

**ELECTRIC AVENUE – 80’S MTV EXPERIENCE at Iron City.

**EVERY FRIDAY – STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS, Every Friday, 10 – 11 a.m. FREE at BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS.

**EVERY FRIDAY, R&B at The Chandelier, 212 Cahaba Valley Road in Pelham with DJ MANISH mixing live.
FREE Entry.

**EACH AND EVERY FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.

**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.

**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, SW.

SATURDAY…

**BESSEMER FARMERS MARKET, 9 a.m., at 100 14th Street Highway 150.

**EVERY SATURDAY at BIRDSONG FARMERS MARKET, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., 2824 5th Avenue South, at Automatic Seafood.

**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.

**EACH AND EVERY SATURDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**EVERY SATURDAY SOLD OUT – THE SATURDAYS JUMP OFF, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 8th Avenue West.

**SATURDAY NIGHT with SWEET SPOT at The Nick.

**LATE NIGHT WITH R.1.Y.T. at the Nick.

**FRIENDS OF DAN SARTAIN at Saturn.

**ELECTRIC FEELS: INDIE ROCK + INDIE DANCE PARTY at Iron City.

SUNDAY…

**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.

**EVERY SUNDAY – SOUL FOOD SUNDAYS, 1-5 p.m. (Every Sunday) at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**SUNDAY FUN DAY at DZIRE BAR AND LOUNGE, 4120 3rd Avenue South. Call 205-266-2594 for more.

**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**EVERY 3rd SUNDAY JAZZ JAM SESSION, 4-8 p.m. at the Ferus on 41st.

**CITY WIDE PRAYER MEETING, Every 4th Sunday, 4 p.m. for one hour at Birmingham Easonian Baptist Bible College. The Lord’s Supper will be served and hosted by the Knights of Pythias & Court of Calanthe.

**EVERY 4th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.

**SUNDAY FUNNIES with STACEY J, AISHA BROWN, LADIBOMBAY and DE’ANTHONY TURNER hosted by

**SUNDAY WITH JASON GRUBBS at The Nick.

MONDAY…

**BO JOHNAMASSA at The Nick.

**RNB MONDAYS, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 Eighth Avenue West.

TUESDAY…

**KIKSTART at Water Mark in Bessemer, 9 a.m. with Free Food Boxes…until gone.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and Thursday.

**DIAPER GIVEAWAY every Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Titusville Library.

**EVERY TUESDAY SPECIAL TUESDAYS with Food, Drinks Specials at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**EVERY TUESDAY – TUESDAY NIGHT TRAILS 5:45 p.m. at Red Mountain Park.

**EVERY TUESDAY is SOUL CAFÉ Happy Hour introducing the Soul Café Happy Hour, 5:30-9:30 p.m. with Soul Goodies, Soul Spirits and Soul Music including $5 Titos and Redmont, at The Vault.

**JOSE CARR’S JAZZ JAM, 7:30 p.m. at True Story Brewing Co. 5510 Crestwood Blvd.

**CARIBBEAN NIGHTS with Reggae, Caribbean and Island Vibes, 9 p.m. – until… with DJ Serious Mixing and hosted by KJ and MANNY at The Vault, downtown.

**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

**BIRMINGHAM SONGWRITER’S ROUND with Host SUSANNAH SEALES at the Nick.

**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE EVERY TUESDAY at the Nick.

**CHRIS & CHRIS COMEDY CONNECTION at Saturn.

WEDNESDAY…

**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES, every Wednesday, at Linn Park, in Downtown Birmingham.

**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY at Five Points West Library at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.

**WEDNESDAY NIGHT POOL TOURNAMENT AND KARAOKE NIGHT, 5 p.m. at
Carter’s Hookah Lounge and Grill, hosted by Jo Sweetz with the Pool Tournament, at 7 p.m. and Karaoke at 8 p.m.

**EVERY WEDNESDAY, YOU, ME & RNB, 6 p.m. at 2206 Bar & Lounge, 2206 31st Street, with DJ You, Me &
Playlist.

**D’ZIRE WEDNESDAYS, EACH AND EVERY WEDNESDAY with Free Mimosas, 8- 10 p.m. with DJ GORGEOUS in the Mix at 4120 Third Avenue South.

**REAL FUNNY BHM COMEDY OPEN MIC, 7:30 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m., Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.

**EVERY 4th WEDNESDAY at FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.

**FILM TRIVIA NIGHT at Saturn.

**FIGHT CLUB OPEN DECK WITH Host DJ LEMON BELOVED EVERY WEDNESDAY at The Nick.

**JUVENILE & THE 400 DEGREEZ BAND at Iron City.

NEXT THURSDAY…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**3RD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT 90’S LOVE: AN OLD SCHOOL R&B PARTY at Saturn.

**BURLESQUE NIGHT at The Nick with Host BELELA DONNA at The Nick.

**LUCKY DAYE at Iron City.

NEXT FRIDAY…

**EVERY FRIDAY – STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS, Every Friday, 10 – 11 a.m. FREE at BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS.

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**LATE NIGHT WITH DJ JACK BAMA at The Nick.

**PERPETUAL GROOVE at Saturn.

FOR CAR LOVERS…
**THIS SATURDAY – CUSTOM CAR AND BIKE SHOW – YOU ARE INVITED!!!! IF you love cars, 1971-1977 Chevy(s), Capri(s), Impala(s), big wheels, customized paint, customized interior and just what some call ‘cute’ cars, then this Saturday, 1 p.m. until, is when you need to be at the Lassiter Mountain Dragway, 3995 Raceway Park, Mt. Olive, Alabama for cars in the DONK CAR SHOW that you have been waiting to see. Join other car lovers for a day of fun and excitement as car owners show the latest custom cars and bikes. Gates open at 1 p.m. School aged kids are free. Free parking. Food of all kinds and drinks will be available for purchase from your favorite food truck. You don’t want to miss this amazing event!! If you know, then you ‘DO’ know!  For more information, call 205-266-1714.

AT THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…

**ART AT THE GARDENS for August will have artwork by WILLIAM DARBY on display in the gallery outside the library.

**AUGUST 12 – CREATING DRIP IRRIGATION FOR CONTAINERS AND RAISED BEDS,
9- 10:30 a.m. in the Outdoor Classroom.

**AUGUST 13 – NATURE TRIVIA NIGHT is 7-9 p.m. in the Rushton Garden.

**AUGUST 20 – ALABAMA DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPES, 11 a.m. – Noon.

**SEPTEMBER 6-7 – FALL PLANT SALE with hundreds of plants. The sale time for members is 1-5:30 p.m. on Thursday. The sale is Open to the Public on Friday, 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

**SEPTEMBER 10 – A SURVEY OF FERNS, 11 a.m. – Noon.

**SEPTEMBER 12 – CREATE YOUR OWN DESERT TERRARIUM, 11 a.m. – Noon.

**ANTIQUES AT THE GARDENS The 18th Antiques AT THE GARDENS is October 36 at the Birmingham
Botanical Gardens, 10 a.m.  5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. -4 p.m. There will be 25 celebrated dealers at the three day show. There will be antique furniture, fine art, vintage and fine jewelry,
silver, rugs and textiles, home décor and garden accessories. Thursday will be the GALA IN THE GARDENS
where guests will be transported into an evening through the garden entryway that will be created by designer
Norman K. Johnson and Will Newton and Kate Newton of Landscape Services.

AT SIDEWALK FILM FEST…
**SHORT FILM PRODUCTION GRANT – There is a $50,000 Curated Grant to support development of short film with a deadline of August 13, next Tuesday. STOWE STORY LABS, a 501(c)(3) is dedicated to helping emerging screenwriters, filmmakers and creative producers get their work made and seen.
The 26th Annual Sidewalk Film fest is coming soon.  Apply at FilmFreeway or Coverfly. Use code SSLSIDEWALK 24. To learn more, go to stowestorylabs.org.

AROUND TOWN…
**FRIDAY – COFFEE WITH CREATIVES, 8:30 – 10 a.m. at UAB’s Abroms Engel Institute for the Visual Arts in the AEIVA Gallery. The theme is Opportunities or Artists with Arts Organizations. With representatives that will speak about their organizations and the opportunities they offer. Go to Createbirmingham.org to register.
**NEXT THURSDAY – FILM INDUSTRY NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5-7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Cinema with filmmakers, local crew, industry professionals and creatives. Networking nights are held quarterly in conjunction with Sidewalk’s monthly meetups.
**AUGUST 31 – QUEER TO STAY GRANT PROGRAM – August 31 is the deadline for this program that is designed to support LGBTQ+ small businesses especially those owned by people of color, women and the transgender community.  For more contact: Create Birmingham.

FOR ART LOVERS…
**SEPTEMBER 28 – RHYTHMS OF COLOR Art Festival and Student Art Competition, 5- 9 p.m. at the Harbert Center hosted by ARETTA WOODRUFF with live entertainment, wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres with a Bit of Everything including original art, pottery, jewelry, apparel, accessories, purses, eyewear, soap, perfume and books. Special guests are Atlanta Artist BRIAN DAGREAT, Dallas Artist DELORES GEE, St. Croix, Virgin Island CLARITY LEVEL and New Orleans Culinary Artist TONI NORTH.

HAPPENINGS AT SIXTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH…
**WORSHIP SERVICE every Sunday.
**EVERY MONDAY MORNING MEDITATION WITH PASTOR CANTELOW, 7:15 a.m. Contact the church at (205) 321-1136 or (205) 321-1137.
**CHILDREN’S CHURCH & COLLISION CHURCH, each First Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for K-5th (Children’s Church), 6-12th (Collision).

AT GIFTED CITY CHURCH… EVERY SUNDAY!
**GIFTED CITY CHURCH, Sunday Worship is 10 a.m. at 228 Second Avenue North in the Downtown, City Center. Join the one-hour service with children’s service and complimentary coffee and tea. For more: info@thegiftpad.org.

COMING SOON…
**SEPTEMBER 13 – ZOO GALA SAFARI SOIREE – A black-tie event that is a Safari Soiree for an unforgettable evening filled with elegance, entertainment, exceptional cuisine and majestic animals. SAVE THE DATE!
**SEPTEMBER 28 – MAXWELL: THE SERENADE TOUR at the Legacy Arena.
**OCTOBER 5 – THE REUNION TOUR 2024 with KIRK FRANKLIN, YOLANDA ADAMS, FRED HAMMOND, MARVIN SAPP & THE CLARK SISTERS with special guest KIERRA SHEARD-KELLY at the Legacy Arena.
**OCTOBER 13 – 85 SOUTH: BIG BUSINESS COMEDY TOUR at the Legacy Arena.

Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send events, your things of interest and more to gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.

“Baby Woodfin is here.”

By
Birmingham Times
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0

BIRMINGHAM MAYOR RANDALL WOODFIN ON ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF HE AND WIFE KENDRA’S FIRST CHILD, VIA X (FORMERLY TWITTER); AL.COM, AUGUST 1.

Hezekiah Jackson IV, Former President of Birmingham Branch of NAACP, Dies at 65

By
Birmingham Times
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0
Hezekiah Jackson IV, who served as president of the Metro Birmingham NAACP, Birmingham Citizens Advisory Board, and the Inglenook Neighborhood Association, died on Tuesday. He was 65. (File)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Hezekiah Jackson IV, who served as president of the Metro Birmingham NAACP, Birmingham Citizens Advisory Board, and the Inglenook Neighborhood Association, died on Tuesday. He was 65.

Mr. Jackson, born in Birmingham and a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, once said he was a part of the city’s Civil Rights movement for as far back as he can remember.

“I came from a time where [volunteering] wasn’t negotiable,” he told The Birmingham Times in a 2016 interview. “People wanted to keep us busy, so they wanted us to work with the church, they wanted us to work with the Civic League, the NAACP; anything that was going to keep us busy,” he recalled.

His death comes less than three months after the passing of his close friend Myrna Carter Jackson, no relation, who served as a first vice president of the local NAACP chapter. Mrs. Jackson died on May 31.

Paulette Roby, Chairwoman of Birmingham’s Civil Rights Activist Committee/Foot Soldiers and longtime friend said Mr. Jackson served as her mentor for many years.

“I’ve known him because he worked with my mother [Mary Porter] with the Birmingham Housing Authority over 37 years [and] I have always had respect for him because of that,” Roby told The Times on Tuesday. “He showed me the way, when it came to the Civil Rights Movement, when it came to politics, when it came to voting and how he cared about equal justice

“… I’m the person I am today in that Foot Soldiers office and chair of that organization because of the love that he had for that organization. I feel so thankful and grateful that I had the fabulous time to be with him on that journey and he really, really meant a lot. He will be missed.”

Born March 6, 1959, Mr. Jackson attended C.W. Hayes High School in Birmingham and studied at Miles College in Fairfield.

In the interview with The Times, he recalled walking door-to-door on behalf of the NAACP, asking residents to sign up and talk about the future of the Black community.

“Older people would tell the stories and we wrote the stories down so that we could tell the stories again like they told it,” he said. “Being in those tight communities, stories would get cross referenced. If we tried to retell the story someone would say ‘that’s not how it happened’ so we would write it down,” he said.

Mr. Jackson would become active in city and neighborhood politics. In 2001, he served as the first president of the newly formed Citizens Advisory Board, which represents Birmingham’s 99 neighborhood associations. In the 2005 Birmingham City Council election, he lost to Maxine Herring Parker in a runoff in District 4. Incumbent Gwen Sykes finished fourth. He once served as Sykes’s administrative assistant.

In 2015 Jackson was involved with efforts to have the 1930s Jefferson County Courthouse murals removed or covered due to their depictions of African American workers, both in slavery and under racist industrial labor conditions.

Beginning late that same year, he was paid by the Oliver Robinson Foundation for “community outreach” efforts relating to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s work to test soils in and around the 35th Avenue Superfund Site. State Representative Oliver Robinson later pleaded guilty to accepting bribes to oppose the EPA on behalf of the Drummond Corporation and its attorneys, Balch & Bingham.

During an August 2018 interview on WJLD’s Gary Richardson Show, Mr. Jackson, who was not charged and denied wrongdoing, said he was “duped”. “Of course, I was [duped]—and that very seldom happens,” he told Richardson.

The NAACP suspended Mr. Jackson and he was replaced by Dorothea Crosby as president in late 2018.

But Jackson told Richardson he was used to challenges throughout his life. “I’m always being approached by people in the human rights community about doing documentaries about me because they ask, ‘Wow, how have you survived all 60 years being openly gay? No one has killed you, and … you’ve been in all these treacherous waters like politics.”

Services will be held Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Sardis Baptist Church, 1615 4th Ct. West Birmingham AL 35208 at 12:30 p.m. and viewing will be held Friday, August 9, 2024, at 45th Street Baptist Church, 7600 Division Ave. 35206.

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Reopens in Birmingham; Iconic Bassist Ron Carter Inducted

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Birmingham Times
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Ron Carter speaks to the audience in the Carver Theatre performing arts center during his induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (Shauna Stuart,| AL.com)

By Shauna Stuart | sstuart@al.com

Ron Carter, the world’s most recorded jazz bassist, is now part of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

Carter was inducted into the hall of fame during an Aug. 3 ceremony at the historic Carver Theatre in Birmingham. The program, dubbed “A Cool Jazz Afternoon” was also a grand reopening party for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame headquarters.

The Carver Theatre, which houses the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, closed for renovations in 2017. While the Carver Theatre’s lobby and performance hall reopened in 2022, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame’s museum and the Jazz Hall Radio studio remained closed for upgrades and new installations.

The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame museum will officially reopen for visitors on Aug. 6.

Carter, popularly known as Mr. Carter or Maestro Carter, is one of jazz’s most acclaimed and influential bassists. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams.

After leaving the quintet, Carter embarked on an extensive freelance career, playing with jazz luminaries from Lena Horn and Dexter Gordon to Cannonball Adderly and Gil Scott-Heron.

Recorded With Greats

Over the years, he expanded his work into different musical genres, recording with greats such as Roberta Flack, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Bette Midler, and Aretha Franklin. In the 90s, Carter added hip hop to his roster when the rapper Q-Tip of a Tribe Called Quest requested he play on the group’s second studio album “The Low End Theory.” In addition to winning three Grammy awards, Carter has played on over 2,500 individual albums, garnering a Guinness World Record as the most recorded bassist in history.

Carter is a Michigan native, but he has roots in Alabama. Earlier this summer, he announced the Jazz Hall of Fame honor on social media, explaining his connection to the state. His mother, Willie Carter, was born in Lee County and grew up near Birmingham.

On Saturday, more than 100 people, including jazz enthusiasts, educators, musicians, and community leaders from around the state gathered inside of the Carver Theatre’s performance hall for Carter’s induction.

Bishop Jim Lowe — the son of Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame founder J.L. Lowe and the president of the board of directors — led the award presentation. Before his address, he asked three politicians to join him on stage: State Rep. Mary Moore; Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales; and Birmingham City Council member Carole Clarke, who comes from a celebrated Birmingham jazz family. Together, the group presented Carter with an engraved medal and a resolution from the Alabama State Senate.

”It is my honor to give this to you. For Ron Carter, from Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. This is something we could not do if it had not been for the state, the city, and the county. We recognize this great musician, this great man who contributed so much to jazz,” said Lowe, as the performance hall erupted into applause.

Bishop Jim Lowe (far left), Alabama State Rep. Mary Moore, Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, and Birmingham City Council member Carole Clarke present Ron Carter with a medal and resolution during his induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame on Aug. 3, 2024. (Shauna Stuart, AL.com)

Carter, who beamed with pride from behind the podium, thanked the audience but kept his remarks brief.

“I may come back later and say a little more. But just a little!” Carter said as the audience laughed.

Following the presentation, a band comprised of Gary Motley on piano, Sherman Irby on saxophone, Rodney Whitaker on bass, Ben Johnson on drums, Collins “Bo” Berry on trumpet, and vocalist Veronica Swift performed a tribute concert. The set included arrangements and compositions by Carter, including the ballad “Candlelight.” The concert concluded with the song “Stars Fell on Alabama.”

Medalist

After the concert, Carter returned to the stage to give a brief speech.

“They’re having the Olympics in Paris. There must be 465 contestants. And the people who win the medals always get pictures. And so, this picture is dedicated to all the gold medal winners!” said Carter. Channeling the victorious spirit of Olympic athletes, he bit his medal as photographers in the room snapped pictures.

“This is mine!” said Carter, raising the medal in the air. Then, he lowered his hands and smiled. “I’ll take a turn on that now,” he said, pointing to the bass.

He played for about 20 minutes. After the performance, Carter waited to meet people in the audience. Friendly and social, he shook hands, took pictures with attendees, and autographed programs with a gold metallic Sharpie. As the event wound down, he headed upstairs to the museum for a final round of photos with the Jazz Hall of Fame staff.

“Pulled It Off”

Carter’s induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is the culmination of a year-long process, said Orville Ifill, vice president of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame board of directors.

The idea sprung from a talk with retired Jefferson County Circuit Judge Houston Brown, Hasan Shahid, the son of Birmingham-born jazz legend Amos Gordon, and Dr. Eugene Cain, a Birmingham native and retired deputy superintendent of the Michigan Education Department.

While gathered at Brown’s house, Ifill told the group he was looking for a new inductee to the Jazz Hall of Fame. He was hoping to find a name people would recognize, someone who could help bring a spotlight to the nonprofit.

That was when Cain mentioned Ron Carter.

“I said what? The Ron Carter? And Eugene said ‘Yeah, his mother is from Alabama. And he comes to my place and plays every year,’” said Ifill.

The men told Ifill they could help him get in contact with Carter. One afternoon, Carter called when Ifill was having a video meeting with the Hall of Fame board on Zoom. Ifill immediately left to answer the phone. When he returned to the meeting, he had good news.

“I said ‘Guys, I just talked to Mr. Ron Carter. And he’s willing to be inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame.’ And they went quiet,” said Ifill. “That’s how we got him. And he and I communicated from that point on.”

He later met Carter when the musician made a trip to Huntsville to perform for an event with the Tennesse Valley Jazz Society. The pair continued the conversation about the induction. And even though renovations kept delaying the opening of the Jazz Hall of Fame, Carter remained interested.

“I finally said ‘Ron. We’re going to open in another year or two. Give me a date and we’ll work around your date,’” said Ifill. “And we finally pulled it off.”

Ron Carter plays the bass on stage inside the Carver Theatre Performing Arts Center during “A Cool Jazz Afternoon,” his induction ceremony into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame on Aug. 3, 2024 (Shauna Stuart, AL.com)

“Being in Birmingham”

The Jazz Hall of Fame booked a full schedule for Carter. The day before the induction, Carter spent time on Friday meeting Birmingham jazz musicians and educators. The trip marked the longest he’d spent in Alabama in years.

“I’ve had some great grits. I’ve had a lot of hot sun. And I’ve met a lot of wonderful people,” Carter told AL.com. “Being in Birmingham for this long is just amazing to me.”

Carter said he is looking forward to coming back to Alabama. Not only to network, but also to explore his ancestry. He’s working with historians to trace his family lineage. And it turns out, it wasn’t just his mother who has ties to Alabama. His father’s side of the family does too.

“ It’s hard to follow my tree. But someone is doing that. One thing they found was my roots in this area. My father was from Terre Haute, Indiana. And his grandfather was from Birmingham, who [later] moved to Terre Haute, Indiana.”

Carter said he enjoyed seeing the Jazz Hall of Fame museum (“It’s stunning!”), but he’s still learning about Birmingham’s extensive jazz history.

Upstairs in the Jazz Hall of Fame museum, Carter and Lowe chatted about jazz icons the city has birthed.

“There’s Erskine Hawkins, Fess Whatley. Sammy Lowe. My dad was one. He founded the organization,” said Lowe.

“I’d heard the names,” replied Carter. “But I’d never heard them play live because they were all before my time.”

Lowe grew up surrounded by noted musicians. He sat at the piano with Duke Ellington when he was a young boy. His family had a close relationship with saxophonist Reuben Phillips and trumpeter Cootie Williams– two bandleaders Carter knew well.

Fitting Induction

All in all, Carter’s induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is fitting. Founded in 1978, one of the organization’s missions is to preserve jazz through education. In 1999, the Jazz Hall of Fame started giving free Saturday morning lessons to students in grades K-12.

For Dr. Leah Tucker, the Jazz Hall of Fame’s executive director, memories of the education programs have been a guiding force during the years of renovations. One day, she found herself looking at folders filled with hundreds of registration forms from students who had taken classes over the years.

“When I started looking through all the different books, there were hundreds and hundreds of names of students we have educated,” said Tucker. “So I know that jazz will not just fade into the past.”

Efforts like that please Carter, who is also a renowned educator. And in Birmingham, he was glad to meet a group of musicians who are just as happy to instruct as they are to perform.

“I think without people like that to spread the word, jazz is going to have a hard time,” said Carter. “My job is to keep playing and keep teaching.”

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