SOJP

17th Annual Reciprocity

Webmaster — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:48:56 +0000

Join us on Friday and Saturday, April 17th & 18th, 2026, as Spotlight On Jazz & Poetry (SOJP) marks its 17th Anniversary with our annual fundraising celebration, themed “Reciprocity.” This year’s event will be held at the Delta Hotel Philadelphia Airport, 500 Stevens Drive, Philadelphia, PA.

Friday Night: Poetry, Music & Celebration

The festivities begin with a cocktail hour and light fare, followed by a special performance from our featured poet UNCLE Turp_thepoet.

Afterward, the stage opens for an open mic session, inviting guests to share their talents. The evening concludes with an unforgettable musical journey led by DJ Special K.

Saturday Night: A Fusion of Art Forms

The celebration continues with a cocktail hour and sumptuous buffet, leading into our special presentation of “Reciprocity” — a conversation between two art forms. Enjoy the soulful sounds of The Naomi Cuellar Quintet, our featured musical ensemble for the evening, with special guest James C. Ellerbe.

Emmet Cohen

Webmaster — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 02:18:11 +0000

https://sojpradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Nimble%20Harmonies%20Emmet%20Cohen.mp3

Emmet Cohen

Multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer

Emmet Cohen is in the vanguard of his generation’s advancement of music and the related arts. A recognized prodigy, Cohen began Suzuki method piano instruction at age three, and his playing quickly became a mature melding of musicality, technique, and concept.

Downbeat observed that his “nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary indicate he’s above any convoluted technical showmanship.” Cohen notes that performing jazz is “about communicating the deepest levels of humanity and individuality; it’s essentially about connections,” both among musicians and with audiences. He leads his namesake ensemble, the “Emmet Cohen Trio,” is a vibrant solo performer, and is in constant demand as a sideman. Possessing a fluid technique, an innovative tonal palette, and an extensive repertoire, Cohen plays with the command and passion of an artist fully devoted to his medium.

Emmet Cohen is committed to the intergenerational transfer of the knowledge, history, and traditions of jazz. His signature professional undertaking is the “Masters Legacy Series,” a celebratory set of recordings and interviews honoring legendary jazz musicians. He serves as both producer and pianist for each album in the series. This landmark, ongoing project provides musicians of multiple generations the means to share the unwritten folklore that is America’s unique artistic idiom. Cohen has observed that jazz “is enriched immeasurably by connecting and studying with jazz masters, forging backward to the very creation of the art form.” Four volumes of the “Masters Legacy Series” have been released, spotlighting Cohen’s collaborations with Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Tootie Heath, and George Coleman.

Emmet Cohen is the winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, and Artist-in-Residence at the University of Indianapolis.

He placed first in both the 2014 American Jazz Pianists Competition and the 2011 Phillips Piano Competition at the University of West Florida and, as a finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, he was received in the Oval Office by President Obama.

Fall Into The Groove

Webmaster — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 22:17:37 +0000

Webmaster — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:47:03 +0000

Rare Grooves is music that is very hard to source or relatively obscure. Rare Grooves are primarily associated with funk, R&B and jazz. But it is also connected to subgenres including jazz rock, reggae, Latin jazz, soul, rock music, northern soul, and disco.

Rare Grooves makes you think about all those vinyl records that you have packed away in those milk crates in your basement. But more importantly Rare Grooves are those songs that make you say to yourselves “Dayum, That’s my Jawn!”

So, this evening, SOJP Artistic Director Kimpedro’s NuGruv Network, a collective of some of the most dynamic musicians you’ll ever see or hear, and whose configuration always changes, will take you on a mystic voyage of Rare Grooves.

A TRIBUTE TO QUINCY JONES

Webmaster — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 19:19:41 +0000

Quincy Delight Jones Jr.
Musician, Producer, Composer, and Arranger

Born: March 14, 1933 | Died: November 3, 2024

“A distinguished musician, producer, and arranger, renowned for achieving global hits in collaboration with Michael Jackson. As the first Black composer to gain widespread acceptance in Hollywood, he has been honored with 28 Grammy Awards.”

Early Life and Education

Quincy Jones was born in Chicago to Quincy Jones Sr., a carpenter and semi-professional baseball player, and Sarah (née Wells), a building manager. Following his parents’ divorce, Quincy Sr. remarried, and the family relocated to Bremerton, Washington during World War II before settling in Seattle. At twelve years old, Quincy began playing the trumpet and singing in a gospel quartet. His encounter with a young Ray Charles in Seattle inspired him to pursue arranging. A pivotal course at the Berklee College of Music in Boston led to his first professional engagement in 1951 with bandleader Lionel Hampton.

Career Beginnings and Early Achievements

Jones’s tenure with Lionel Hampton was transformative, providing him with invaluable exposure to diverse musical talents, including trumpeters Clifford Brown and Art Farmer. Despite facing racial segregation, Jones excelled, eventually departing Hampton’s band in 1953 after a European tour. He transitioned to writing arrangements for jazz legends such as Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey. In 1956, he served briefly as the musical director for Dizzy Gillespie’s ensemble, anticipating the decline of big bands and the rise of rock ‘n’ roll.

International Influence and Arranging Success

Between 1957 and 1958, Jones resided in France and Scandinavia, where he further honed his composition skills under the tutelage of Nadia Boulanger. During this period, he established a prominent big band, toured extensively, and arranged music for notable vocalists including Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan. His efforts culminated in winning his first Grammy Award in 1964 for his arrangement of Basie’s rendition of Don Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”

Expansion into Production and Collaboration with Icons

Jones expanded his repertoire by producing hit singles for artists like Lesley Gore, including the chart-topping “It’s My Party” (1963). His collaborations with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Andy Williams further elevated his standing in the industry. Notably, his work with Sinatra produced acclaimed albums such as *It Might As Well Be Swing* (1964) and *Sinatra at the Sands* (1966), solidifying a close personal and professional relationship.

Pioneering in Film and Television

As a trailblazer in Hollywood, Jones became the first Black composer to achieve widespread acceptance within the film and television sectors. From the late 1960s through the 1970s, he composed scores for over 30 films, including *In Cold Blood* (1967), *In the Heat of the Night* (1967), *The Italian Job* (1969), and *The Getaway* (1972). His television work includes the iconic theme for *Ironside*, as well as scores for *The Bill Cosby Show*, *Sanford and Son*, and the Emmy-winning miniseries *Roots*.

Adaptation to Musical Trends and Continued Success

In the 1970s, Jones adeptly navigated emerging musical trends by embracing funk and disco. His 1974 album *Body Heat* featured the Brothers Johnson and led to successful productions for the duo. Despite undergoing surgery for twin brain aneurysms in 1974, Jones maintained an intense work schedule, producing chart-topping albums for Donna Summer and Aretha Franklin, and forging a significant partnership with guitarist George Benson. Their collaboration on *Give Me the Night* (1980) achieved critical and commercial success, reaching No. 3 on the US album chart.

Solo Success and Iconic Collaborations

Jones achieved solo chart success with tracks like “Stuff Like That” (1978) and the album *The Dude* (1981), which spawned hits such as “Ai No Corrida” and “Just Once.” His early work gained renewed popularity with the 1998 film *Austin Powers*, which featured his 1962 hit “Soul Bossa Nova.”

Legacy and Influence

Quincy Jones’s collaboration with Michael Jackson began in the late 1970s, resulting in monumental albums including *Off the Wall* (1979), *Thriller* (1982), and *Bad* (1987), collectively selling over 100 million copies. He also produced the philanthropic anthem “We Are the World” (1985), benefiting Ethiopian famine victims.

Jones was instrumental in empowering musicians within the business realm, advocating for fair royalty and copyright practices. His tenure as an A&R executive and vice president at Mercury Records marked significant strides for Black executives in major record labels. He later founded Qwest Records, fostering diverse talent and contributing to influential soundtracks such as *Malcolm X* (1992) and *Boyz N the Hood* (1991).

Entrepreneurial Ventures and Honors

Expanding into entertainment management, Jones co-produced Steven Spielberg’s *The Color Purple* (1985) and its soundtrack, established Quincy Jones Entertainment with Time Warner Inc. in 1990, and launched the television series *The Fresh Prince of Bel Air* (1991). His ventures included Qwest Broadcasting, acquiring TV stations in Atlanta and New Orleans.

Jones’s accolades include an Emmy Award, 28 Grammy Awards, and three Special Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Legend Award (1992). He received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1989), was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2013), and was honored with numerous honorary doctorates. Time magazine recognized him as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, and he was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur in 1990, later promoted to Commander in 2001.

Personal Life

Quincy Jones was married three times, with three marriages ending in divorce. He is survived by his daughters Jolie, Martina, Rashida, Kikada, Kenya, Rachel, and his son Quincy. His legacy is also documented in the films *Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones* (1990) and the documentary *Quincy* (2018), directed by his daughter Rashida.

DEBORAH SMITH

Webmaster — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Deborah Smith, a trombonist, performer, composer/arranger, educator, student, and bandleader, hailing from Bridgeport, Connecticut, discovered her passion for the trombone at age 13 in her middle school band program. Immersed in the arts from a young age, she explored various creative outlets, finding solace in music through school ensembles and outside programs.

Now completing her third-year as Jazz Studies/Performance major at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music, she is currently studying privately with trombonist Robert Edwards. In her time at Temple University, she has participated in various ensembles such as the Temple University Lab Band (Led by Steve Fidyk), Jazz Band Number Three (Led by Dan Monaghan), Jazz Band Number Four (Led by Jon Shaw), Elio Villafranca Ensemble, Josh Richman Ensemble, Joe McDonough Ensemble, Vicente Archer Ensemble and Mark Patterson Ensemble.

Deborah has graced stages from Philadelphia’s own Chris’ Jazz Cafe, to Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. Her versatility shines through her roles in ensembles like the Gabriel Meyer Creative Orchestra, Grace Fox Big Band, the Elm City Big Band, and her leadership of the Deborah Smith Septet and Deborah Smith Quartet. In the span of her musical career, Smith has worked closely and studied with renowned musicians such as Steve Davis, Bennie Wallace, Godwin Louis, Alex Tremblay, Matt Dwonszyk, Tim Warfield, Ruth Naomi Floyd, Joe McDonough, Mark Patterson, and more.

Recognized with the Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Award in 2023, awarded by Terell Stafford and Galen Demus, she remains dedicated to inspiring others through her boundless love for music. Her journey in music is only just beginning, driven by a relentless pursuit of growth and a mission to share the beauty of music worldwide.

Deborah Smith is currently based in Philadelphia and Connecticut.

SHANELLE GABRIEL

Webmaster — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Shanelle Gabriel is a spoken word poet, singer, lupus warrior, and educator from Brooklyn, NY who has toured the globe. Widely known for featuring on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, she has shared the stage with powerhouses such as Jill Scott, Nas, Nikki Giovanni, Anderson Paak, Stacey Abrams, and more. Shanelle has competed in both the National and the Individual World Poetry Slams, and has performed at venues such as the Vatican, the Apollo Theater, Howard Theater, Lincoln Center, SXSW, ADCOLOR Conference, and more. Outside of sharing her own creative work, she has crafted poems for companies such as Fast Company Magazine, LifeWtr, Eden Bodyworks, Kenvue, and The Girl Scouts of Greater NY, as well as for a national Pandora Music campaign which appeared on the Times Square Jumbotron. She served as a performer, teaching artist, and consultant for BET’s 2022 Nelson Mandela Project alongside Marsai Martin and for a Black Music Month Campaign with KITKAT and Hershey’s alongside the legendary DJ Clark Kent. She’s released three albums, Start Something, Aim High, and Things I Need to Remember, which showcase her prowess as a spoken word artist and a soulful singer and are available on all streaming platforms.

Diagnosed in 2004, Shanelle is also a lupus advocate who has spoken alongside the President of the National Institute of Health, graced the cover page of USA Today, featured in Women’s Health magazine, and featured on the Lifetime Network about her continued battle with lupus. She currently is on the Patient Advisory Board for CISCRP (Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation) and speaks on the patient experience in various arenas. She is the host of Better Together: Living with Lupus Series on BlackDoctor.org and the co-host of The HydroxychloroQueenz: A Podcast on Living With Lupus which can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

If Shanelle is not on a stage, she’s speaking with and advocating for young people. With over 18 years of work as an educator, school administrator and nonprofit specialist, through her company Building Constellations Inc, Shanelle facilitates workshops on culturally responsive and healing arts-centered practices, utilizing poetry and hip-hop as mediums for these conversations. She received her Masters from Teachers College at Columbia University in Curriculum & Teaching with a special emphasis on Education Leadership and has guest lectured at NYU’s Steinhardt, The New School, Georgia State University, and more on equitable educational practices. She has authored poetry & hip-hop centered curriculum for Federal Hall, The Center for Black Literature, the Middle School Quality Initiative, and other educational & nonprofit spaces. Shanelle previously served as the Executive Director of Urban Word, a leading nonprofit that founded the National Youth Poet Laureate Program and provides platforms for critical literacy and youth development. Shanelle is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and continues to serve her community any way she can.

KAVITA SHAH

Webmaster — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

KAVITA SHAH - POETRY

Kavita Shah is an award-winning vocalist, composer, researcher, and educator who makes work in deep engagement with the jazz tradition, while also addressing and advancing its global sensibilities. A lifelong New Yorker of Indian origin hailed for possessing an “amazing dexterity for musical languages” (NPR), Shah incorporates her ethnographic research on Brazilian, West African, and Indian musical traditions into her original repertoire.

In September 2023, after seven years of immersing in the traditional mornas and coladeiras of her idol Cesária Évora on the Atlantic island of São Vicente with Évora’s former musical director and virtuoso guitarist Bau, Shah released her latest album Cape Verdean Blues (Folkalist Records) which The Guardian has called “gorgeous” and The New York Times “quietly riveting.” Recently named a 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, Shah is working next on a new album of original music for her jazz quintet chronicling the journey to her ancestral villages in coastal Gujarat.

Raised in Manhattan, Shah traces her commitment to jazz to the childhood influence of uptown saxophonist Patience Higgins, a former neighbor whose band she would later join at hallowed Harlem spots like Minton’s and the Lenox Lounge. Trained first as a classical pianist, Shah spent her formative years in the prestigious Young People’s Chorus of New York City, absorbing and performing in a vast range of musical idioms. An early and enduring fascination with Spanish literature and Afro-Cuban music helped guide her to major in Latin American Studies at Harvard, where her B.A. honors research on contemporary Afro-Brazilian music and politics, drawing on fieldwork in Salvador da Bahia, won the Kenneth D. Maxwell Prize in Brazilian Studies and the Cultural Agents Thesis Prize. She was also awarded the David McCord Prize for artistic talent. After a brief stint working for The Nation magazine and Human Rights Watch, Shah went on to earn a Master of Music degree in Jazz Voice at Manhattan School of Music, where she studied voice with Theo Bleckmann and Peter Eldridge, improvisation with Steve Wilson, and composition with Jim McNeely and Nils Vigeland. She was named Downbeat’s Best Graduate Jazz Vocalist in 2012 and won the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award in 2013.

Shah’s highly-acclaimed 2014 debut album—the internationally-minded project “VISIONS” (Inner Circle Music/Naïve Records)—was co-produced by guitarist Lionel Loueke. Her 2017 Park Avenue Armory premiere “Folk Songs of Naboréa,” an interdisciplinary song-cycle for seven voices, was named by Nate Chinen (WBGO/NPR) as one of the Top 10 Jazz Performances of the year. In 2018, she released “Interplay” (Dot Time Records) in duo with bassist François Moutin, with legendary guests Martial Solal on piano and Sheila Jordan on vocals; it was nominated for France’s Victoires de la Musique for “Album jazz sensation de l’année” (Jazz Album of the Year).

Shah has sung her music at major concert halls, festivals, and clubs on six continents, including such venues as the Kennedy Center, Central Park SummerStage, Park Avenue Armory, MASS MoCA, Art Basel: Miami, Rubin Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, National Museum of Jazz in Harlem, Safaricom Jazz Lounge (Nairobi, Kenya), Winter Jazz Fest, San José Jazz Festival, Exit Zero Jazz Festival, BRIC JazzFest, Rochester Jazz Festival, Jazz en Tête Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival, Brisbane Jazz Festival, Perth Jazz Festival, Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Joe’s Pub, Duc des Lombards, and India’s National Centre for the Performing Arts. She has performed and recorded with such elders and peers as: Sheila Jordan, Martial Solal, Mulatu Astatke, Billy Childs, Steve Wilson, Nicole Mitchell, François Moutin, Greg Osby, Lionel Loueke, Miguel Zenón, Bau, Miho Hazama, Nelson Veras, Alune Wade, and Yacouba Sissoko.

From her formal training, Shah draws a keen interest in complex arrangements and adventurous approaches to the voice as an instrument, leading her to collaborate with contemporary composers like Miho Hazama, Steve Newcomb, and Alexis Cuadrado in settings ranging from chamber groups to jazz philharmonic (her work on Hazama’s “Dancer in Nowhere” was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Large Ensemble Album). Just as important to Shah, she grounds her own compositions in the art of the song as passed down through the tradition – not least by Sheila Jordan, the great NEA Jazz Master who has been her artistic and professional mentor. Shah’s research interests in traditional music practices have taken her to Brazil, Cape Verde, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Turkey, and India, where her work has been supported by Chamber Music America, Jerome Foundation, New Music USA, Asian Cultural Council, and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. She has been an artist-in-residence at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France, and the Hermitage Arts Retreat in Sarasota, FL. Shah credits tradition, as embodied in its elders, for grounding her own personal and artistic identity and her vision of music as not just pursuit of virtuosity, but cultural work. (Shah is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and is proficient in Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, and Cape Verdean Kriol. She has also studied Yorùbá).

A passionate educator, Shah combines her lifelong study of vocal technique in various disciplines (Western classical, jazz, Indian classical, and Jeanie LoVetri’s Somatic Voicework method) with her vast experience as a performer and improviser to guide each student to grow not only as a singer but as a consummate musician. She has worked as a Teaching Artist for Carnegie Hall’s “Lullaby Project,” Adjunct Faculty at The New School, and has offered masterclasses on vocal performance, artistry, and composition at Hunter College (New York, NY), The New School (New York, NY), California Jazz Conservatory (Berkeley, CA), University of Iowa, LaSalle College of the Arts (Singapore, SG), Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia), Porta Jazz (Porto, Portugal), Ghetto Classics (Nairobi, Kenya), Park Avenue Armory, Carnegie Hall, Rubin Museum, and BRIC. Shah is also a fierce advocate for gender and racial equity in the arts, and has led and co-led workshops and participated in panel discussions at The New School, NYU, Georgetown University, University of Pittsburgh, Bowdoin College, Winter Jazz Fest, Vision Festival, and APAP’s Wavelengths World Music Conference. She was a founding member of the Ori-Gen Collective and the We Have Voice Collective.

ANDY BEY

Webmaster — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

One of jazz music’s best-kept secrets and least-appreciated performers, Andy Bey made his musical debut as a teenager in New York and Paris, proving himself a talented instrumentalist with a versatile vocal range. After releasing his fourth album, however, he faded from public view for more than two decades, contributing to albums by fellow artists instead of working on solo material. Bey resumed his solo recording career in 1996 with a critically acclaimed release, and has since remained a perennial favorite, known for his calming vocals and mellow reveries.

Bey was born on October 28, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey. One of nine siblings, his affinity for music began to unfold at age three when he began to play the piano. Too tiny for the stool, he constantly slid from his perch. He was singing with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley by the age of eight, and as a child he was a regular performer on two television shows: Star Time Kids and Spotlight on Harlem. The precocious child even appeared at the Apollo with Louis Jordan in 1952. Bey cut his first record, “Mama’s Little Boy Got the Blues,” that same year at age 13, and some sources claim that he performed with Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan while still a teenager.

Bey attended Newark’s Arts High School but never graduated. More occupied with singing than studying, he formed Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters in 1956 with his two older sisters, Geraldine and Salome. The trio developed a following in New York’s Greenwich Village, impressing soul artist Aretha Franklin. Bey quit school during his senior year and took the group on a European tour; they spent much of their time performing at the Blue Note in Paris, where they were admired by stars like Marlon Brando and Marlene Dietrich.

The trio disbanded in 1966 after releasing two albums, Now! Hear!, and ‘Round Midnight, on Prestige. A solo album, Experience and Judgment, appeared on Atlantic in 1970, before Bey withdrew from public sight.

While shunning the media spotlight for more than two decades, Bey remained prominent nonetheless in professional music circles, performing with popular jazzmen McCoy Tyner, Lonnie Liston Smith, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, and Eddie Harris. Bey contributed vocals and instrumentals on more than 30 albums with various artists.

During these years Bey was associated most notably with pianist Horace Silver, contributing vocals to the 1970 albums That Healin’ Feelin’, Total Response (Phase I), and Total Response (Phase II). In 1970 Bey joined Gary Bartz, singing on Harlem Bush Music and adding percussion and electric piano on Juju Street Songs and Follow the Medicine Man in 1972. The versatile Bey contributed flute and vocals to Stanley Clarke’s Children of Forever in 1972 and played violin on Horace Silver’s 1999 release Retrospective. After a two-year sojourn in Austria teaching jazz vocalization, Bey returned to the United States in 1993 to contribute vocals to Silver’s hard-bop revival It’s Got to Be Funky.

In 1996 Bey released his first solo album in more than two decades on the Evidence label. The dreamy piano tracks and what Alex Henderson of All Music Guide called “heartfelt vocals” earned critical acclaim for Ballads, Blues & Bey. His equally well received 1998 follow-up, Shades of Bey featuring Bartz, drummer Victor Lewis, and bassist Peter Washington, peaked at number 24 on Billboard‘s Top Jazz Albums chart. Even as mainstream jazz hailed his return, Bey maintained that he never left the business. Although he shunned live performance and maintained a low profile during the 1970s and 1980s, his reluctance, he explained, was a wish to avoid being controlled by the commercial recording industry.

Reviewing Bey’s 2001 release, Tuesdays in Chinatown, critic Ron Scott called the Herb Jordan production one of the best male jazz vocal offerings of the year–an experience “[t]hat touches the soul with the same joy as seeing the sun and moon share the sky during an early morning interlude … constantly vibrant with a hypnotic radiance.” Steve Graybow of Billboard quoted Bey’s description of the album as a “controlled fire … simmering underneath.” The recording features Lewis, Washington, Steve Turre on trombone, and Marty Erlich on saxophone, offers a wide range of compositions, from works by Milton Nascimento and Sting to Rodgers and Hart. Bey’s distinctive arrangements and emphatic bass lines, are featured throughout, although one classic track, “I’ll Remember April,” a Ron Carter bass arrangement from 1972, is reprised by Carter himself. Bey also includes the Afro-Brazilian track “Saidas e Banderas” in the original Portuguese.

Critics concur that Bey is greatly under appreciated. His generous four-octave voice starts in the baritone range and soars upward. MusicHound Jazz critic David Prince called Bey’s falsetto “creamy, evocative, and chill-inducing.” His seemingly effortless vocal ability has earned Bey a reputation as a singer’s singer, singled out as a personal favorite by none other than the late John Coltrane. Terry Teachout, writing in Commentary, ranked Bey’s rendition of the Gershwins’ “Someone to Watch over Me” as the number-seven song in The Great American Songbook: Part 2. In January of 2002 Bey was featured among the “Singers over Manhattan” series at Lincoln Center.

In 1996 the politically outspoken Bey, no stranger to controversy since voicing his antiwar sentiments during the Vietnam era, revealed that he was both gay and HIV-positive. “I try to take one day at a time,” he told the Cincinnati CityBeat. “I don’t take a lot of medication, but communicating–not entertaining–is the best medicine. Knowing that I’m accepted heals me and makes me want to stay.”

by G. Cooksey

BETHLEHEM ROBERSON

Webmaster — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:00:00 +0000

A Philadelphia native, Bethlehem has been singing since she was a child – singing by herself and vocalizing with her musical cousins. Performing around the region for over 15 years, she is in an-demand professional who has worked with numerous Philly artists and musicians, sung in churches and cafes to notable Philly venues/events including TEDx Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center, Sistah’s Attune and The Philadelphia Jazz Project. Bethlehem also headlined at the VEIA and Producer’s Guild award winning internet program Spotlight On Jazz & Poetry’s Annual Spring event “Ascension” which paid tribute to the First Lady of SOJP the late Victoria Corley.

Recently, Bethlehem teamed up with Michael Nelson Rizzo who is helping her develop her music and performance at a whole new level. Rizzo describes her, “I think Bethlehem is the best artist I’ve ever met who isn’t already signed and doing major performances. It’s only a matter of time until people know her name. The ideas, sounds and melodies she has in her head are truly unique and I feel honored to be helping her bring her creative expressions to life.”

IN HER WORDS:

I first started combining vocals with percussion – vocussionism – in 2010, out of a feeling that I had more to say in a song than I could get out with just my voice alone, more I wanted to add to the story. So, I started with handclaps, finger snaps, and stomping with whatever shoes I was wearing.

Regular shoes weren’t giving me what I wanted, weren’t cutting through enough, so I switched to tap shoes. I used them for a while, but soon realized that the metal taps didn’t produce the bass-ey sound I heard in my head.

One night at an Open Mic in Mt. Airy, Victor Puentes, a trumpet player who came in from time to time, saw me do my vocussionism thing and suggested that I get a Tarima – sort of a platform drum – made. I’d never heard of a Tarima, but as he explained I instantly became intrigued, and wanted to know more.

Victor introduced me to his uncle Polo Ramirez, a carpenter, and Polo offered to build one for me. As we sat in his place drinking coffee and tea, discussing options and making plans, she – my Tarima – started to take shape in my mind. We decided that she would be 2 by 3 feet – big enough for me to perform on yet small and light enough for me carry on SEPTA or put in the back of a car.

I wanted the best for her, so I asked if she could be made with Mahogany. Polo explained that she could, but that she would be expensive and heavy. Expensive wasn’t in my budget, and heavy wasn’t for me, so I asked Polo what other woods she could be made from. He suggested poplar for the top, and pine for the sides. Poplar struck a chord with me, but I didn’t immediately know why.

The connection with poplar came when Terri “Night Owl” Lyons, a mentor, and a lovely lady, was trying to help me reach a deeper feeling and higher sophistication with my music. “Baby it’s in you!” she’d say, “you just gotta be exposed to it”. She was talking about great jazz vocalists, namely Billie Holiday. “Strange Fruit… black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees”. The connection was made, and I got chills.

And so, I picked her up from her maker Polo Ramirez March 28, 2013, and we have had quite the journey together. Her mother is a soap box people stood on in parks and on street corners to preach or deliver a fiery political message. Her grandmother came from Spain, where women danced the Flamenco on her from dusk to dawn. Her great-grandmother is the dockside auction block America sold some of my ancestors into slavery from. Her only tattoo is my name – Bethlehem – which I wrote on her and Polo carved in. She is the house of bread from which I feed people with my music.

She’s had hundreds of shows and a few coats of shellac since then, and as we approach our 5th year together, I couldn’t have asked for a better more appropriate, powerful and truer companion.