Deep Soul: Roberta Flack

Many singers have beautiful and strong voices. But then there are those who can sweep the listener away, the ones who can make you feel every single note, and their words feel etched upon your soul. You close your eyes and it's not just a song on a record, it's your man walking out the door for the last time, it's you sitting in a dimly-lit smoky nightclub being killed softly with someone's song.


Roberta Flack's music is like a rolling thunderstorm. It kind of creeps up on you at first, and then suddenly it surrounds you, enveloping you in its powerful depth and grace, and crackling with electric energy.

Born Roberta Cleopatra Flack, the singer grew up as a member of a musical family in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She started playing piano at age 9 and studying music at Howard University (where she earned her Bachelor's degree in music) at age 15. She was discovered playing at a D.C. nightclub by piano great Les McCann, who presented her debut album 'First Take', and wrote that "Her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I've ever known. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more..." in its liner notes.
Roberta went on to have a string of Grammy-award winning hits such as 'The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face)' and 'Killing Me Softly', and while those amazing singles speak to her incredible talent as an artist, if you just listen to her greatest hits you are not getting the whole story. My favorite Roberta Flack songs are those unsung gems that never made it on the radio. I have almost all of her albums, and each one in its entirety is a masterpiece. When it comes to Ms. Flack, it's best to go off the beaten path with incredible songs like 'I Told Jesus', 'Feelin' That Glow', and her gorgeous string-filled version of the folk classic 'Suzanne.' And of course the entire 'Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway' album of duets is EPIC.

Deep Soul: Roberta Flack

Many singers have beautiful and strong voices. But then there are those who can sweep the listener away, the ones who can make you feel every single note, and their words feel etched upon your soul. You close your eyes and it's not just a song on a record, it's your man walking out the door for the last time, it's you sitting in a dimly-lit smoky nightclub being killed softly with someone's song.


Roberta Flack's music is like a rolling thunderstorm. It kind of creeps up on you at first, and then suddenly it surrounds you, enveloping you in its powerful depth and grace, and crackling with electric energy.

Born Roberta Cleopatra Flack, the singer grew up as a member of a musical family in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She started playing piano at age 9 and studying music at Howard University (where she earned her Bachelor's degree in music) at age 15. She was discovered playing at a D.C. nightclub by piano great Les McCann, who presented her debut album 'First Take', and wrote that "Her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I've ever known. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more..." in its liner notes.
Roberta went on to have a string of Grammy-award winning hits such as 'The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face)' and 'Killing Me Softly', and while those amazing singles speak to her incredible talent as an artist, if you just listen to her greatest hits you are not getting the whole story. My favorite Roberta Flack songs are those unsung gems that never made it on the radio. I have almost all of her albums, and each one in its entirety is a masterpiece. When it comes to Ms. Flack, it's best to go off the beaten path with incredible songs like 'I Told Jesus', 'Feelin' That Glow', and her gorgeous string-filled version of the folk classic 'Suzanne.' And of course the entire 'Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway' album of duets is EPIC.

Funk and Soul from Coast to Coast

Okay folks, I hereby declare July Funk and Soul Month on both coasts! We're gonna kick it off early because the festivities are already getting started. And watch this space throughout July as we continue the Black Butterfly Funk and Soulabration. So what's happening in July?

For all you Brooklyn funk fans, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic and The Ohio Players (!!!!) will take the stage July 12th for a FREE Concert at Wingate Park in Brooklyn, park of Wingate's Martin Luther King Jr. Free Concert Series. I have a feeling this show is gonna be EPIC. For more info. check out their website:

http://www.brooklyn.com/modules.php?name=Wingate_Field

Meanwhile, Guerilla Cafe continues to add soul to the Left Coast...

Guerilla's game was already tight, but they just keep stepping it up. Over the past year this Berkeley, California favorite has extended its hours, going from the prime spot for coffee and brunch (Waffle of the Day, anyone?) to including an evening menu with scrumptious appetizer plates, wine, and sangria. And they are always throwing fun events (get on their mailing list so you don't miss out). This month the house of art, coffee, and vibes debuts Bay Area Funk & Soul Legends, an art exhibit celebrating the anniversary of Ubiquity Records, and the reissue of music by their Bay Area funk and soul artists on the Luv N' Haight label.

The exhibit will feature the work and inspiration of Darondo, Eugene Blacknell, Sugarpie Desanto, and Twilight.

Opening reception is Friday, June 25th from 5-9pm and the show will be up until August 29th, 2010 with special events featuring DJ sets and guest appearances by the musicians throughout the summer. For more info, check out:

http://www.guerillacafe.com/

Funk and Soul from Coast to Coast

Okay folks, I hereby declare July Funk and Soul Month on both coasts! We're gonna kick it off early because the festivities are already getting started. And watch this space throughout July as we continue the Black Butterfly Funk and Soulabration. So what's happening in July?

For all you Brooklyn funk fans, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic and The Ohio Players (!!!!) will take the stage July 12th for a FREE Concert at Wingate Park in Brooklyn, park of Wingate's Martin Luther King Jr. Free Concert Series. I have a feeling this show is gonna be EPIC. For more info. check out their website:

http://www.brooklyn.com/modules.php?name=Wingate_Field

Meanwhile, Guerilla Cafe continues to add soul to the Left Coast...

Guerilla's game was already tight, but they just keep stepping it up. Over the past year this Berkeley, California favorite has extended its hours, going from the prime spot for coffee and brunch (Waffle of the Day, anyone?) to including an evening menu with scrumptious appetizer plates, wine, and sangria. And they are always throwing fun events (get on their mailing list so you don't miss out). This month the house of art, coffee, and vibes debuts Bay Area Funk & Soul Legends, an art exhibit celebrating the anniversary of Ubiquity Records, and the reissue of music by their Bay Area funk and soul artists on the Luv N' Haight label.

The exhibit will feature the work and inspiration of Darondo, Eugene Blacknell, Sugarpie Desanto, and Twilight.

Opening reception is Friday, June 25th from 5-9pm and the show will be up until August 29th, 2010 with special events featuring DJ sets and guest appearances by the musicians throughout the summer. For more info, check out:

http://www.guerillacafe.com/

Camille Rose Garcia: Sweet and Sour Storyteller

Camille Rose Garcia tells stories in which sticky sweet characters maneuver through monstrous worlds of greed, temptation, and destruction. She uses pink swans and smiling cupcakes to tackle issues like addiction, environmental destruction, and corporate greed.
Each of Garcia's paintings has an accompanying story or theme. If you have the chance to catch one of her gallery shows, you'll see the paintings are usually displayed with a beautifully lettered painted piece outlining the story for that particular body of work. The story behind the Dreamtime Escape Plan series (featured above) was "Created a short time after the giant tsunami that wreaked havoc on parts of Asia. Disaster is an everyday occurrence in this flooded world, the characters take pills, sleep a lot, and plan elaborate escapes from the quagmires implding around them."
Camille's paintings have a balance exhibits her incredible skill as an artist. Her pieces are elaborately layered and have a real sense of depth and texture while also being "super flat", so they look like the pages of a storybook.
Camille grew up in Orange County, California, and was very much influenced by living in close to Disneyland, the "happiest place on earth", while witnessing darker things happening just outside Disney's walls.

Visiting one of Camille's exhibits is literally like stepping into another world. There are huge sculptural pieces surrounded by theatrical looking sets, and plush dolls that scale the walls. In addition to her amazing artist books, she also has a series of limited edition vinyl toys.
Camille Rose Garcia holds a wonderfully distorted mirror up to our society, and tells stories we all know in a new and different kind of way. She blends the sweet with the sour to create a mix that is intoxicating and irresistible.

To see more of Camille Rose Garcia's work, visit her website http://www.camillerosegarcia.com

Camille Rose Garcia: Sweet and Sour Storyteller

Camille Rose Garcia tells stories in which sticky sweet characters maneuver through monstrous worlds of greed, temptation, and destruction. She uses pink swans and smiling cupcakes to tackle issues like addiction, environmental destruction, and corporate greed.
Each of Garcia's paintings has an accompanying story or theme. If you have the chance to catch one of her gallery shows, you'll see the paintings are usually displayed with a beautifully lettered painted piece outlining the story for that particular body of work. The story behind the Dreamtime Escape Plan series (featured above) was "Created a short time after the giant tsunami that wreaked havoc on parts of Asia. Disaster is an everyday occurrence in this flooded world, the characters take pills, sleep a lot, and plan elaborate escapes from the quagmires implding around them."
Camille's paintings have a balance exhibits her incredible skill as an artist. Her pieces are elaborately layered and have a real sense of depth and texture while also being "super flat", so they look like the pages of a storybook.
Camille grew up in Orange County, California, and was very much influenced by living in close to Disneyland, the "happiest place on earth", while witnessing darker things happening just outside Disney's walls.

Visiting one of Camille's exhibits is literally like stepping into another world. There are huge sculptural pieces surrounded by theatrical looking sets, and plush dolls that scale the walls. In addition to her amazing artist books, she also has a series of limited edition vinyl toys.
Camille Rose Garcia holds a wonderfully distorted mirror up to our society, and tells stories we all know in a new and different kind of way. She blends the sweet with the sour to create a mix that is intoxicating and irresistible.

To see more of Camille Rose Garcia's work, visit her website http://www.camillerosegarcia.com

Spoken Truth: The Art of Talia Taylor

It is hard to put into words what a treat it is to witness Talia Monique Taylor aka Klassiq bless the mic. Her poetry washes over you like colorful waves, the beauty and light of her message is powerful, her delivery intoxicating. Talia steps to the stage, grabs her audience, and draws us upward to the heavens.


The Oakland, California based poetess and emcee has been writing and performing for over 10 years, and has performed alongside artists like Janelle Monae, Mystik, and Ursula Rucker. One pf her most recent performances was at Momma's Hip Hop Kitchen in the Bronx.

As of late, Klassiq has been rapping, transforming her poetry into lyrics and laying down tracks with beats by Bay Area producers Gavin Grant, Nick James, and Bicasso. Talia has talent for days, and even sings the hooks on some of her tracks.
photo by Ian Davis

A graduate of the Creative Writing and Africana Studies programs at San Francisco State University, Talia has also started a scholarship fund, the FLOW Scholarship, to assist students interested in traveling abroad, an experience that enriched her own life.

We'll definitely be hearing a lot more from this talented wordsmith.

Here are some ways to keep up with Talia's offerings:

Hear her tracks on myspace music: http://www.myspace.com/taliawashere
Follow her on twitter: http://twitter.com/eyekneeduhname
Her blog: http://since84.wordpress.com/
Her youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Klassiq84