SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
Me, Myself and I
16 09 2008by vivrant thang on all about me
This past weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a long time.
Friday evening, I took myself to see Tyler Perry’s new movie, Family That Preys. LOVED. IT. And I’m far from a Tyler Perry fan. This is only the second movie of his that I’ve really enjoyed. (Why Did I Get Married?was the other). So believe me when I say, support this movie. Maybe then we will see less of Madea and her tomfoolery.
Saturday, I went to the Kennedy Center’s Open House, a day of exposure to all the artistic, musical and cultural offerings of this historic institution. It made me smile to see all the families out with their small children who were playing with musical instruments, drawing, and participating in other creative outlets.
However, the top item on my agenda was to see Algebra Blessett perform. I’ve been a fan for a while now but I’ve never seen her live. I have her last album, Purpose, and I have to admit I wasn’t feeling it save a couple of songs, “Run and Hide,” and “What Happened.” So I was especially anxious to see her live performance. As I’ve mentioned before, a great stage show can turn me from a fan into a stan. She did not disappoint. Check out her reggae-flavored version of “Run and Hide,” complete with a side of Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain”and Jazmine Sullivan’s “Need U Bad.”
I got my album signed and also took a picture with her. We got that glow like Shonuff and Leroy, huh?!
On the way home, I popped the album back in and sure enough, I gained more appreciation for it. I definitely still have my stand out tracks, mostly on the first half of the album. Algebra will be on my list of artists to support whenever she is in my area.
That same day, I moseyed on over to the Silver Spring Jazz Festival. I was there to finally catch Marcus Johnson Project, one of the premiere jazz acts out of the DC area. I’ve been in the area almost ten years and I have never managed to catch him live. I’ve been sleeping. He had me grooving out there under the stars along with all the other jazz aficionados. Clearly, I’ve been sleeping.
I wasn’t able to get many videos as taping wasn’t “allowed” and I was too mellow to don my undercover operative hat. Here he is covering Floetry’s “Say Yes.” Sax man Marcus Anderson came up from North Carolina to sit in on the set.
Ironically, what made these days so wonderful for me is that the only company I had for the majority of the weekend (other than fellow music fans) was me, myself and I. I was telling my mother that I think I’m beginning to enjoy my own company a bit too much - especially after my solo vacation! I just loved be-bopping down the street at my leisure and doing what I wanted to do in my own time without having to take anyone else into account.
Although I ended the weekend by joining a fabulous group of women for the first meeting of our new Sunday Brunch/Dinner group, the still that time spent alone. Although I’m an extrovert, on occasion “me time” is just what the doctor ordered.
*Note: Raphael Saadiq concert review coming up on Wednesday. I know, a date late. coming very soon. I blame football. Meantime, cop The Way I See It, which is in stores TODAY.
Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags : algebra blessett, algebra blessett concert review, good soul music, good soul music website, heather headley me time, kennedy center open house, live performances, marcus johnson project, soul music
Categories : All About Me, Feeding The Music Jones
What About Your Friends
12 05 2008by vivrant thang on what about your friends
What about your friends will they stand their ground
Will they let you down again
What about your friends are they gonna be low down
Will they ever be around or will they turn their backs on you
I know a sista has been a little scarce around these parts over the last couple of weeks or so - slacking in the comment response and such. I still love ya’ll but I have been going through a couple of things, as you can probably tell by today’s ’song in the key of my life.’
True friendship has always been very important to me. Over the years, I have had lots of associates and activity partners as I’m the type of person people are drawn to. However, I can count the number of true, ride-or-die friends that have come into my life over the past 30 3/4 years - that are still in my life today - and have plenty of fingers left over. And that’s okay. I don’t think you need that many.
My best friend and I met during our sophomore year of college. Our friendship has certainly been battle tested, but she has truly been there for me and I know she’s real. She actually introduced me to another woman and our friendship grew to the point that I just knew she would be one of those lifetime friends. She was there for me during the break-up last year (one of the people who kept me from catching a case). She encouraged me when I thought I would never escape from the mental imprisonment that was my former job. I have been there for her over the past few years that we’ve known each other in similar ways.
Our relationship has mostly grown over the phone because we’ve always lived in different states and have never had the chance to hang out extensively. Recently we had the opportunity to spend some time together and let’s just say, a sista’s eyes were wide open when she boarded the plane back to DC.
Let me explain. This is a bit uncomfortable for me to talk about because I’m a modest woman. However, this is also something that my mother has had to deal with all of her life and it’s the reason why at 61 years-old, she does not have any female friends. Not one.
Jealousy.
Whether it’s the way she carries herself, the way she dresses…or simply who she is, she has always drawn insecure women to her that eventually hurt her in a major way because they were jealous or envious of her. Yes, a couple of them have admitted it to her after the friendships were over.
Appears I’m following in her footsteps…at least with this friend.
Two weeks before my birthday, she did something to me which I will eventually forgive, but never ever ever forget. As a result, the friendship is over. Has to be - because the trust and respect I had for her is completely gone. (Yes, this was a biggie.) I never thought that she was the type of woman to let her insecurities get the best of her to the point where she would intentionally do something as hurtful as she has done to someone that is supposed to be friend.
This isn’t an easy thing to admit but when I was heavier, I had some of those same insecurities. So besides the fact that I am highly intuitive, I recognized what some of her behavior was really saying when we were hanging out because I’ve felt a lot of the same things. However, I have never let those feelings cause me to hurt my true friends intentionally.
Luckily, although I’m not religious, I am spiritual and I do have faith. I definitely believe in everything happening for a reason and that life’s events, good and bad, are all part of a larger plan. I know that there’s a reason why this happened and I am just waiting for the lesson to be revealed.
Folks, even if you don’t have romantic love in your life, please cherish your true friendships. They are hard to come by - and even harder to keep.
Enough of this shit.
Be sure to stop by tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of the 8th Wonder of the World - none other than Mr. Stevie Wonder! You know we gonna part-tay up in this joint! No Stevie, no Songs In The Key of Life. So ponder your favorite Stevie joints tonight, as I know you have many, and be ready to share with me tomorrow.
If you’re celebrating Stevie on your blog tomorrow, be sure to leave a note in the comments so I can link you up.
Comments : 11 Comments »
Tags : soul music, tlc, What About Your Friends, women and friendship
Categories : What About Your Friends
Old School Friday: Movie Soundtracks
9 05 2008by vivrant thang on old school fridays
Once again, it’s on. This week’s theme is music we love from some of our favorite films. I’m a HUGE movie buff so I really could have gone crazy with this. I’ll probably return to it in a later post.
My first selection is from the soundtrack of Love Jones, one of my all-time favorite movies - and soundtracks for that matter. The movie came out in 1997, which would make it ineligible for OLD School Fridays. However, there was one song on there that is certainly old school and one of my all time favorites. It elicits so many emotions in me every time I listen. I just have to stop what I’m doing and….feel. I meant to post it during Jazz Appreciation Month (which I let slip by…where did April go?) Better late than never.
Enjoy “In A Sentimental Mood,” a collaboration by two of THE best to ever do it, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington.
I’m going to switch it up a bit for my other two selections. I absolutely love 70s blaxploitation films. I have a whole collection of them, including most, if not all of Pam’s Grier’s work. That was one badmamajama. Kicking ass and taking names - all while looking fierce. My shero!
I decided to go with two songs from one of my favorite 70s films, Superfly. That was a badasssss soundtrack and Curtis Maryfield is a badmutha…shutyomouf!
Superfly
Freddies Dead
What the hell. Before I go, I have to give it up again for my man, Bilal who started my week off right with a hell of a performance on Sunday night. This is not old school so consider it a bonus track.
From the soundtrack of another of my all-time favorite movies, Love and Basketball, and from my top fifty songs list, here is “Soul Sista.” (I captured the live performance of this song from Sunday’s show during which soul singer Ledisi joined him. Absolutely sick. Stay tuned.)
Hope you enjoyed my trip down movie memory lane today. If you’re not an OSF participant, share some of your favorite old school movie soundtrack songs in the comments.
Head on over and check out the other participants. This is a great theme this week and I KNOW you will enjoy what they come up with.
Comments : 12 Comments »
Tags : blog memes, curtis mayfield, freddies dead, in a sentimental mood, john coltrane and duke ellington, Old School Fridays, soul music, superfly
Categories : My Favorite Things, Old School Fridays
Be Thankful For What You Got
6 05 2008by vivrant thang on all about me
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you’ve got
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
The lovely spring weather in the DC area has me playing my personal summer soundtrack a little early. Since I got back in town, William Devaughn’s “Be Thankful” and Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” has been on repeat on the Ipod.
Figures the weekend weather would be better here than at Derby. I wouldn’t say I balled out of control, but had a good time at the parties I did attend - admittedly it was largely due to the open bar! I visited Churchill Downs before race day and took a few pictures. Watched the races at a cookout, but for me, it was overshadowed by the poor horse that had to be euthanized right there on the track. It was hard to watch Big Brown’s people celebrating when a horse was over there being killed. I don’t fly the PETA flag or anything and I’m not even remotely an animal lover. However, all that carrying on just didn’t seem right.
In any event, I feel so thankful to have been able to get away exactly when I needed to - in this economy. I’ve had so many things on my mind lately - the direction of my career and my side hustle, moving ahead with my five-year plan, whether the therapy is helping, letting go of the past, relationships / marriage / sex. Might sound crazy but I just don’t like having all of that on my brain at once. Not trying to think that hard. It’s exhausting. So for a few days, I just needed to put my freakum dress on and let go.
The same night I returned, I headed out to see Bilal in concert. When I first heard he was coming to town on the day I was getting back, I went into panic mode wondering if I would make it back in time. Wouldn’t have mattered though. Nothing but death would keep me from it. It was a hell of a show, as if there was any doubt it would be. I’ll share the videos later when I get my technical difficulties cleared up.
Actually, the best part of the evening was meeting one of my readers! We were standing there discussing the shows we’ve been to and the music blogs we read and out of the clear blue he asked whether I had a blog called Songs in the Key of Life? I was SO geeked, ya’ll! I was sure he had found me via Soul Bounce but he actually stumbled on one of my concert reviews/videos. He even suggested that Bilal get the side-eye of the week week week for some of his antics! (If you’re reading, please contact me via the comments or offline). The whole experience really made my day. I am so thankful for this platform to share my passion and connect with good folks who know and appreciate real music.
After the show, Bilal was out taking pictures. Last time I saw him and got a photo op, I somehow lost the picture. You would think I would have raced over and been first in line. However, I was extremely tired and my head was spinning over some things that had gone on at the show (Readers, if you love me, you’ll never let me get involved with another male Bilal stan ever again - in this life or the next). So I left with one of my friends and the other stayed behind with a dude she had come with. I checked in with her a couple of hours later to find out that her and dude had been robbed at gunpoint on the same street I had been parked on. Thankfully, nobody was hurt and he didn’t get away with much. However, if the thief was brazen enough to rob a man walking with a female, what would he have done to two females walking alone? Then if I had stayed, I would have likely been walking with them and who knows what might have happened…especially if he had tried to take my camera with my Bilal video! I been through too much with these damn videos to go down without a fight.
All jokes aside, that incident definitely made me take stock of some things. There are some areas of my life that definitely need improvement and I am working towards it. I’m two weeks from celebrating another year of life while so many people are senselessly dying every day. This sista is going to be thankful for what she got.
I hope you all are too.
Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags : be thankful for what you got, black blogs, classic soul music, soul music, william devaughn
Categories : All About Me
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Who's That Girl?
A 30-something, "oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty, and drive." I'm a slave to the music. These are my songs.
Want to comment on something I said offline? Drop me a note at vivrantthang8-at-gmail dot com.
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