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164416644 MAIN STREET (803)(8003) 988-0013 9988 0013 WWW.TAPPSARTSCENTER.COMWWW.TAPPSARTSC WWW T 5 A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR CENTERFOLD

• By Kyle Petersen /

8 READS KENDALL JASON

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12 SPECIAL

• From Mao to Marilyn

14 LISTENS

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24 WATCHES

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• Walter Graham

28 CENTERFOLD

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• /RFDO5HFRUG5HYLHZV 08 ON THE COVER 14 LISTENS 44 SPECIAL THE DOOM OF RAVENSWOOD RAP TALK

• 6DOXGD6KRDOV0XVLF)HVWLYDO • -DVSHU¶V6SROHWR3LFNV JASPER IS . 63 SCREENS Cynthia Boiter (ඌඑග඗කඑඖ&ඐඑඍඎ Kyle Petersen $ඛඛඑඛගඉඖග(ඌඑග඗ක W. Heyward Sims $කග'එකඍඋග඗ක. Forrest Clonts 3ඐ඗ග඗ඏකඉ඘ඐඡ(ඌඑග඗ක

• $P\6KXPDNHU Ed Madden /එගඍකඉකඡ$කගඛ(ඌඑග඗ක Chris Robinson 9එඛඝඉඔ$කගඛ(ඌඑග඗ක(ඕඍකඑගඝඛ Kara Gunter 9එඛඝඉඔ$කගඛ(ඌඑග඗ක. 7RP'HPSVWHU$ඛඛඑඛගඉඖග0ඝඛඑඋ(ඌඑග඗ක 52 GAZES 'DYLG/LJRQ'ඉඖඋඍ(ඌඑග඗ක . %RQQLH%RLWHU-ROOH\&඗ඖගකඑඊඝගඑඖඏ'ඉඖඋඍ(ඌඑග඗ක Perrin Hall Brunson 1ඍඟ0ඍඌඑඉ(ඌඑග඗ක • 5XVVHOO-HIIFRDW -XOLD(OOLRWW&඗ඖගකඑඊඝගඑඖඏ(ඌඑග඗ක. Wade Sellers )එඔඕ(ඌඑග඗ක Rachel Haynie 6ගඉඎඎ:කඑගඍක . -RQDWKDQ%XWOHU6ගඉඎඎ:කඑගඍක 56 READS +DOH\6SUDQNOH6ගඉඎඎ:කඑගඍක . .ULVWLQH+DUWYLJVHQ6ගඉඎඎ:කඑගඍක Elizabeth Breen 6ගඉඎඎ:කඑගඍක . -RQDWKDQ6KDUSH6ගඉඎඎ3ඐ඗ග඗ඏකඉ඘ඐඍක • American Sycamore Thomas Hammond 6ගඉඎඎ3ඐ඗ග඗ඏකඉ඘ඐඍක • Smell of Salt, Ghost of Rain Alexis Schwallier6ගඉඎඎ3ඐ඗ග඗ඏකඉ඘ඐඍක $QQLH%RLWHU-ROOH\ 2඘ඍකඉගඑ඗ඖඛ0ඉඖඉඏඍක • Lost Cantos of the Ouroboros 5REHUW%-ROOH\-U0' 3ඝඊඔඑඛඐඍක • Fate Moreland’s Widow CONTRIBUTORS • 3RHPE\0HOLVVD'XJDQ (ULND5\DQ. 'DYLG6WULQJHU . :RRG\-RQHV . 0HOLVVD'XJDQ • 3RHPE\.HQ'HQN .HQ'LQN . 5DQG\$NHUV. 0LFKDHO6SDZQ Will South . 6DUDK*RXJK . Brandon Rushton 63 GUEST EDITORIAL JASPER ONLINE

• %\5DQG\$NHUV MDVSHUFROXPELDFRPMDVSHUFROXPELDQHWEORJ IDFHERRNFRPMDVSHUFROXPELDWZLWWHUFRPMDVSHUDGYLVHV A MESSAGE FROM JASPER Dear Friends,

3˞˝˝˒˗ː˝˘ːˎ˝ˑˎ˛ a magazine is a lot about the music direction Dream Girls to the writing a column that bounced around al- of work. vagaries of 19th century female composers most as much as what I chose to feature— • ǯ‘Ž›–™‘‘–Š•ȋƒ†ϐ‹”•–‹••—‡Ȍ to the curious case of Andy Warhol, among but ultimately I’d like to think (humbly, if into my new role as assistant editor here other subjects. It’s a ride. that’s possible) that I forged a particular at Jasper, that might seem like a fairly ob- Putting it all together though, is a pro- sensibility of what and how we wrote about vious thing to say. After all, cries of being cess, one that requires a lot of thinking, our music scene. I’ve also dabbled in oth- overworked are practically an American brainstorming, and chasing down ideas be- ‡”ƒ”‡ƒ•ǡ™”‹–‹‰ƒ„‘—–ϐ‹ŽǡŽ‹–‡”ƒ–—”‡ǡƒ† tradition, particularly among us white col- fore there’s an even a rough sketch of what theater for the magazine when inspired or lar folks who gather together over wine or the magazine is going to look like. And from called upon to, but what has remained con- a beer late at night to commiserate about issue to issue, there’s also always a small sistent is my desire to both to get at the heart our endless mountains of blown deadlines ȋ‘” Žƒ”‰‡Ȍ •‡– ‘ˆ ϐ‹”‡• –Šƒ– ‡‡† –‘ „‡ ’—– of a story emotionally and intellectually, to and backlog of projects. But I’m not saying out. These problems range from the logis- acknowledge all of the outward realities of that to garner your sympathy, but rather tical—a photographer may have locked his art while at the same time recognizing that to push it towards our fearless leader, Edi- keys in the car on the way to a shoot or a how and why it makes us tick is usually a lit- tor-in-chief Cindi Boiter. planned feature falls through because the tle more complicated than that. Having worked closely with Cindi on subject is out of town—to concerns about That’s pretty much what the magazine –Š‹•Žƒ•–‹••—‡ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹”•––‹‡ǡ ‘”‡‹- –Š‡’‘Ž‹–‹ ƒŽƒ†•‘ ‹ƒŽ”ƒ‹ϐ‹ ƒ–‹‘•‘ˆ–Š‡ has done across the board as well, but as timately understand the laborious process stories we tell or how much we should tem- the new assistant editor I’d like to continue of corralling a legion of talented freelanc- per our desire to educate and promote with and strengthen that mission. As Columbia’s ers to not only take on assignments, but to critique and taste. It’s hard to predict what arts scene grows, there’s a clear hunger to ’”‘†— ‡ ”‡ƒ–‹˜‡ǡ ‡‰ƒ‰‹‰ ™‘” –Šƒ– ϐ‹–• these quandaries will be ahead of time, or challenge ourselves, in all sorts of ways, and the magazine’s vision and challenges our how best to prepare for them. You just deal. there’s always going to be some tension and readers. All of that is only partly why Cindi asked disagreement over any sort of change. How- We’ve mostly succeeded this time, with for my help though. Since I started with Jas- ever long my tenure in this position will be, an eclectic array of subject matter that per as music editor back in 2011, she’s al- I’d like for us here at Jasper to do our best to ”ƒ‰‡•ˆ”‘›†‹‰”‡••‹˜‡ȋƒŽ–Š‘—‰Šϐ‹‡” ‡- ways encouraged all of the editors to bring give our community ways of thinking, reject- ly relevant) hip-hop roundtable with rap- their own vision to their subject matter, and ing, challenging, or re-thinking the role of pers FatRat da Czar, Preach Jacobs, and for the most part I think I’ve done a good arts in our social world as well as deep with- Karmessiah to centerfold Kendal Jason’s job living up to that. The music coverage in our own interiority. Again, a tall order. fascinatingly introspective performance art in Jasper has drifted dramatically over the But you don’t make a magazine if you piece that grapples with masculinity and years—the record review section, now a don’t like a little bit of challenge. the mythos surrounding The Wizard of Oz. •–ƒ’Ž‡ǡ ϐ‹”•– ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡† ‘˜‡” ƒ ›‡ƒ” ‹–‘ –Š‡ In between, we hopscotch through talking magazine’s existence, and for a while I was

Jasper// as in Johns, the abstract expressionist, neo-Dadaist artist Jasper Magazine – www.jaspercolumbia.com – is dedicated to the promotion and as in Sergeant, the Revolutionary War hero support of Columbia, SC artists and arts lovers. Jasper Magazine is copyrighted and as in Mineral, the spotted or speckled stone may not be reproduced in any manner without the publisher’s written consent. Jasper as in Magazine, the Word on Columbia Arts Magazine is a division of Muddy Ford Press, 1009 Muddy Ford Road, Chapin, SC 29036.

MAY/ JUN 2015 / VOLUME 004 / ISSUE 005 0ʃʕʖʇʔ CORALEE HARRIS . CINDY PATTERSON . FORBES PATTERSON HOWARD HUNT . WILLIAM SCHMIDT . SARA JUNE GOLDSTEIN SUSAN FELLEMAN & PETER CHAMETZKY . MIMS & RON RUST GALLERY WEST . SUSAN LENZ & STEVE DINGMAN KARL L. LARSEN . WILL BARNES & ERICKA SIZEMORE -ʑʗʔʐʇʛʏʃʐ TONI ELKINS . LEE SIPE . KATIE FOX . DIANE HARE . WILLIAM FICK . LOCALHAPPINESS.NET . MARJORIE RUSS TRIFON CEILLE BAIRD WELCH . PHILIP MULLEN . KAY & JIM THIGPEN . KIRKLAND SMITH . AMY OVERSTREET . ALEX SMITH SUSAN CARTER . BILLY GUESS . EASTER ANTIQUES . ATTICUS FINCH . CRAIG BUTTERFIELD . SHANI GILCHRIST RANDY HANNA . BONNIE GOLDBERG . KAY REARDON . PILATES OF FOREST ACRES . NANCY MARINE LEMUEL & GERARD ERLEY-WATSON . NANCY MILLER CHAMBERS

$ʒʒʔʇʐʖʋʅʇ ALVIN NEAL . CHARLES LESSER . RUSS & JEANNIE EIDSON . LAURIE & DUNCAN MCINTOSH . JOSEPH COUNTS TRACIE BROOM . WILLIAM STARRETT . JANNA MCMAHAN . DICK MOONS . MARGEY BOLEN . MELINDA COTTON ROBERT COFFEE . C. HOPE CLARK . WENTWORTH TRADD . WATERMARK HYPNOSIS . HEATHER GREEN BOB WAITES . CATHERINE J. PETERSEN . TODD MATHIS & CULLY SALEHI . HARRIET MCMASTER . THEODORE M. TSOLOVOS DOREEN TUOHY & LEE SNELGROVE . EILEEN BLYTH . LAUREN MICHALSKI . SHIRLEY SMITH . JEANNE FAITH D’ORLEANS NANCY BROCK . BOHUMILA AUGUSTINOVA . ROSALIND GRAVERSON . DAN COVELL . MARY ANN HURST

$ʔʖʋʕʖ3ʇʇʔ ERIN BOLSHAKOV . NANCY KAUFFMAN . GIGI WOODS ADDAHOUMI . WILD BLUE SKY . ROBIN GOTTLIEB LIZZIE GILLIAM WRENN . LADYBUG ART STUDIOS . RON HAGELL . HARRIET SHOWMAN . ANTHONY S. IMPERIAL, M.D. TRINESSA DUBAS . GLENDA KEYES . TRACE BALLOU . JONATHAN SHARPE . DEBRA A. DANIEL . ALEXIS STRATTON ANN HAGAN . ROBBIE PRUITT . NANCY WASHINGTON . ELENA MARTINEZ-VIDAL . DARIEN CAVANAUGH . RAIA JANE SULLIVAN HIRSCH ISN’T IT TIME THAT YOU JOIN THE

The Jasper Guild is a group of supporting artists and arts lov- ers who appreciate not only the vital Columbia, SC arts scene, but the magazine devoted to promoting it. Members of the Jasper Guild recognize the labor-of-love that is Jasper and work to do their parts to ensure • APPRENTICE that Jasper continues to publish 1 year delivery of Jasper Magazine to your home & your name a 100% LOCAL & artist-pro- listed in Jasper Magazine for 1 year - $50 duced magazine. You’re invit- ed to join us in our mission to make Columbia, SC the South- • JOURNEYMAN east arts capitol by becoming All the above + your name in print in LARGE LETTERS - $100 a member of the Jasper Guild. And the next time you open a • MASTER copy of Jasper you’ll be able to $250 say, All the above + a non-transferable Econobar PASS for 1 year -

• CENTERFOLD SPONSORSHIP “I helped All the above + your name/dedication printed on the centerfold - $500 make this • PUBLISHER All the above + your choice of 3 books from the Muddy Ford Press happen $1000 and here’s catalogue - “But I’m just a starving artist myself,” you say? my name • ARTIST PEER to prove it!” Practicing artists in dance, theatre, music, visual arts, film, & literary arts are invited to join The Jasper Guild at a reduced rate & see your name in Jasper Magazine for 1 year - $25 Visual Artist Stephen Chesley Revisits Archibald Rutledge in THE DOOM OF RAVENSWOOD

8 . -$63(55($'6 t is more than an understate- ment to call noted outdoors writer Archibald Rutledge ȋͳͺͺ͵Ǧͳͻ͹͵Ȍ ’”‘Ž‹ϐ‹ Ǥ  Š‡ author of more than 50 books, hundreds of maga- zine articles in such publi- cations as Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, and numerous additional magazines di- rected toward boys, as well as thousands of poems, Rut- ledge was a natural choice to „‡‘—–Šƒ”‘Ž‹ƒǯ•ϐ‹”•–’‘‡– laureate in 1934. Growing up in McClellanville, SC and the swamps of SC’s low- country, Rutledge was an avid outdoorsperson—as an adult, traveling back to SC with his sons to teach them –‘ Š—– ƒ† ϐ‹•ŠȄƒ† Š‹• stories of the beauty, peace, and adventure he found in ƒ–—”‡ ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡† ƒ† ‹•’‹”‡† Š‹ ƒŽŽ Š‹• life. Nowhere are these elements more evi- The swamp, went by the dent than in the short story, “The Doom of Ravenswood,” re-released this year by the University of South Carolina Press and illus- fanciful name of the Doom of trated with lush charcoal sketches by not- ed Columbia-based artist, Stephen Chesley, with a forward by Rutledge scholar Jim Casa- Ravenswood; though I confess da and an afterward by Charles W. Waring III. “The Doom of Ravenswood” was likely published in a very limited edition of 200 that it never impressed me to 250 copies in or around 1913 as part of a collection of 18 of Rutledge’s (mostly previ- ously published) short stories. The compila- with any sense of impending tion was titled Old Plantation Days and was published by the small Eddy Press Corpora- tion of Cumberland, Maryland, not far from where Rutledge taught English at Mercers- disaster. burg Academy in Pennsylvania. Five stories are unique to the Old Plantation Days col- lection including “Claws,” also illustrated by Chesley and published in 2014 by USC Press, this year’s “The Doom of Ravenswood,” and three others, “The Egret’s Plumes,” “The – Archibald Rutledge Ocean’s Menace,” and “The Heart of Regal.” It was the rarity of these stories that inspired the Humanities Council SC and USC Press to initiate the project of re-publishing the piec-

-$63(55($'6 . 9 Then, trembling, I stood still—if, indeed, it might be called standing—for the black water had begun to bubble thickly about my legs, and they, like dead weights, sank slowly downward.”

– Archibald Rutledge

10 . -$63(55($'6 es with new illustrations. That’s where Chesley came on board. “In part, the satisfaction I receive is from the opportunity to elevate art and literature while reintroducing Archibald Rutledge to a new generation,” Chesley says. “Also, as the illustrations are inside the narrative and out, I envision these volumes as sparking children’s imagi- nations and giving them exposure to na- ture’s incredible diversity, richness, and drama while perhaps instilling a sense of love and wonder of the natural world.” —–Ž‡†‰‡ǯ• ’‡”•‘ƒŽ ƒˆϐ‹Ž‹ƒ–‹‘ ™‹–Š the area about which he wrote gave him great inspiration for the story. Ra- venswood Place is the narrator’s home to which he was traveling when he •–‘’’‡† –‘ ’‹  ϐŽ‘™‡”•ǡ ƒ ‹†‡–Ž› „‡- coming ensnared in what the reader is to assume is quicksand. His fate lies in his relationship with his faithful horse, Redbird. Chesley found it easy to place himself in the same situation as the narrator, giv- en a similar predicament in his past. To those friendly or familiar with Chesley, ‹–ǯ•‘–†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž––‘ϐ‹†–Š‡‹ŽŽ—•–”ƒ–‘”‹ the illustrations. “Resemblance to the character in ‘The Doom of Ravenswood’ evolved from using my own positioning ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹‰—”‡ǡ•‘–Š‡”‡‹••‘‡•’‹ŽŽ‘˜‡” in likeness,” Chesley says. “Also, upon reading this particular tale I was re- minded of being mired up to my waist in a quicksand of sorts in Sparkleberry Swamp. Rutledge’s description of the stages one goes through realizing a sim- ple problem has become lethal seemed more than familiar to me.” The 20-plus illustrations in “The Doom of Ravenswood” are outstanding examples of Chesley’s skills, at times calling up the detail of Audubon and the lushness of early O’Keeffe. Even more so than last year’s Claws, Chesley’s il- lustrative art is evocative, engaging the reader, no matter their age or interest in the outdoors, in the story of one after- noon in the life of an unnamed narrator, his horse, called Redbird, and a swampy piece of land by a slow stream bordered „›†‡ ‡’–‹˜‡Ž›™‡Ž ‘‹‰„Ž—‡ϐŽƒ‰ϐŽ‘™- ers colloquially known as the Doom of Ravenswood. -CB

-$63(55($'6 . 11 $1'<:$5+2/6)$0286)$&(6

At the Columbia Museum of Art June 12 through September 13

By Will South peated them over and over. Warhol placed us er-new ways of thinking and creating. And, face to face, as it were, with our own fascina- in a sense, we have: advanced digital tech- tion with fame, and America began to think nology (unavailable to Warhol) has opened of fame through the eyes of Andy Warhol. new realms of possibility, and a globally-con- Warhol said that in the future everyone nected art world has produced new ways of ™‘—Ž† „‡ ˆƒ‘—• ˆ‘” ϐ‹ˆ–‡‡ ‹—–‡•Ǥ ‹• collaborating. Yet, we still look at Warhol as prediction has more or less come true with some kind of progenitor of all that is new and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We care- brash and jazzy. Is he? fully craft images of our lives online, garner- The upcoming show at Columbia Muse- ing friends and followers we may not even um of Art does not answer this question. ‘™Ǥ ‘ ‹ƒŽ ‡†‹ƒ ‹• ‰‹˜‹‰ —• ‘—” ϐ‹ˆ–‡‡ Instead, the art exhibited demonstrates an minutes, and we are taking it—as Warhol obsession with fame, an obsession Warhol ϐ‹‰—”‡†™‡™‘—Ž†Ǥ found all around him and which, not surpris- And why? The promise of fame is a life en- ingly, is found everywhere today. If the role of riched with excitement and possibility. The the artist in a society is to recognize what is sk the famous what people really know about reality of fame is that the famous are simply special or different or attractive in a culture them. They will tell you: Nothing. people, too, not unlike us, except they are and give shape to it, then Warhol did exactly Of course, we do know some things. We shrouded in myth—myths that we create. that. For us, fame remains something special know what a person “does,” whether pol- Andy Warhol understood that fame and ce- and attractive, keeping Warhol relevant and itician or painter or Pulitzer Prize winner. lebrity represented a fundamental discon- interesting. It hardly matters, in a sense, if he We know whether or not someone invented nect between truth and perception. “Who had something like talent or not: he had an •‘‡–Š‹‰ǡ ‘” ™ƒ• –Š‡ ϐ‹”•– –‘ ™ƒŽ ‘ –Š‡ wants the truth?” he said, “That’s what show intuitive sense of what mattered to ordinary moon, or a movie star. business is for, to prove that it’s not what you people—and that was extraordinary people. But what we do not know far outweighs are that counts, it’s what they think you are.” Artists cannot control their legacy. Marilyn what we know. We do not know the habits Imagine, if you can, a room full of art crit- ‘”‘‡ƒ†‡ƒˆ‡™’ƒ••ƒ„Ž‡ϐ‹Ž•ǡ’‘•‡†ˆ‘” and secrets of the famous or what they think ics. They have gathered to discuss the lega- various magazines, and somehow reigns su- of during the day. We do not know the person cy of Andy Warhol. The late Robert Hughes preme in American mythology. Mick Jagger behind the fame, the “real person.” We know would claim that Warhol was a fraud. Mark sings the same songs he was singing over a that fame is like a mask. It hides more than Rosenthal, a curator at the Metropolitan half a century ago, and people still listen to it reveals. Museum of Art, would say that Warhol’s art them. And there is Warhol himself, still the And yet we are, as a culture, obsessed with touches every aspect of the contemporary object of exhibitions and new books. As a cul- fame. Often with fame comes wealth and art world that followed him. Some critics ture, we do not seem to tire of him. But what with wealth comes power. The famous surely would land in between, believing Warhol’s do we really know of him? His entire career —•–Šƒ˜‡ƒˆ”‡‡†‘ƒ†ϐŽ‡š‹„‹Ž‹–›„‡›‘† ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡–‘„‡‹’‘”–ƒ–ƒ•’ƒ”–‘ˆ–Š‡Žƒ”‰- seems to beg this question. We know this: that of the everyday person, their lives must er Pop movement, but not so important that He is famous. „‡‹ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›‘”‡•–‹—Žƒ–‹‰ƒ†•ƒ–‹•ˆ›‹‰Ǥ it changed the history of art. The history of Our culture admires and envies the famous, art was changing anyway, just like the histo- so much so that celebrities are America’s ar- ry of the world. istocracy. So, what is the legacy of Andy Warhol? Is Andy Warhol knew that celebrity was at it really anything you want for it to be, from the heart of popular culture. People as differ- fraudulent to foundational? ent as Marilyn Monroe and Mick Jagger are Warhol himself might chuckle that such a Will South is the Chief Curator role models and idols—we cannot seem to question would even be asked so many years for the Columbia Museum of Art see them enough. And so Warhol made imag- after his death. He might well believe that es of celebrities and made them large and re- we should have moved on long ago to ev-

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46. Mao, 1972 Screenprint on Becket High White paper 36 x 36 in One of a complete set of 10 screen prints - green background, pink jacket, light yellow face CMA 2014.5.1

© 2015 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York -$63(5GAZES . 13 Preach Jacobs, FatRat da Czar, and Karmessiah Chat about the Past, Present, and Future of Hip-Hop

BY KYLE PETERSEN

14 . -$63(5LISTENS PHOTOS BY7+20$6+$0021' Hip-hop needs words. Well, that’s not precisely correct—but hip-hop was born out of a need for words, a powerful, almost revolutionary way for a disempowered minority to be creative and express itself with little more than a couple of turntables and a microphone.

-$63(5LISTENS . 15 5207+(5( a long, com- plex musical journey that is alternatingly inspirational and disheartening unfolds across the decades, start- ing in the late 1970s. What is undeniable, though, has been the genre’s steady, in- exorable rise to becoming the most popular form of music in the world. Given that rise though, it’s surprising how much confusion and lack of historical aware- ness there is for rap music and hip-hop cul- ture in general. Or maybe it’s not much of a surprise, given how racially tense our coun- try still so obviously is in the wake of the events in Ferguson and, more recently, right down I-26 in North Charleston. But rather than bore you with a long his- tory of the genre and how it’s thriving (or not) in Columbia, we thought we’d do some- thing a bit different and try to grapple with the music’s legacy and what it means for our city in 2015. To do that we enlisted three prominent rappers from the local scene and chatted informally, touching on some of the key principles that have driven the music’s growth, what their personal experiences have been as hip-hop artists, and where both the local scene and the international one needs to go from here. The conversation took some digressions and got spun around a few times, with dense moments of allusions and references that might be lost on somebody unfamiliar with the genre. But that was also kind of the point. The best rappers are spitting out poetry with its own particular tradition and reference points, and to that end our conversation mimicked that reality. And the fact that we were able to talk, even for a moment, about rap music godfathers like Afrika Bambaataa, a DJ who pioneered the use of breakbeats and theorized about the importance of hav- ing a genuine hip-hop culture, or KRS-One, a legendary socially conscious rapper that appeared in the mid-1980s, suggests some- thing on the genre’s rich history. We also spent a fair amount of time talking about Kendrick Lamar, a young Compton rapper whose masterful sophomore LP To ‹’ƒ—––‡”ϔŽ› had just been released a few weeks prior. Lamar is arguably the biggest

16 . -$63(5LISTENS -$63(5LISTENS . 17 PEOPLE WEREN’T RAPPING IN THE SIXTIES, BUT THEY WERE RAPPING THE SIXTIES, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING?

// Preach Jacobs

18 . -$63(5LISTENS name in the game right now, and —––‡”ϔŽ› is Everything is intentional. Me not having my •‘‡–Š‹‰  ‹†‡–‹ϐ‹‡† ™‹–Šǡ „‡ ƒ—•‡ ‹– ™ƒ• ƒŒƒœœǦ‹ϐŽ‡ –‡†ǡ†‡•‡Ž›Žƒ›‡”‡†ƒ•–‡”’‹‡ ‡ hair cut down and taped up, and me actively me. I know where that starts. Bambaataa is with lots to say with an excitingly fresh and saying I’m a hip-hop artist. That’s the point, my grandfather, Kool Herc is my grandfather, yet historically aware way of saying it. to say ‘hey man, you can be hip-hop and be Mobb Deep is my uncle, Master P is my uncle, The members of our roundtable were as involved in policy, you can be in hip-hop and it is my family in my mind. follows: show that you have power, you can be hip- I don’t know if young black males felt FatRat da Czar, or Darius Johnson, is the hop and show that your art matters.’ So hell lost as I did at a certain age, but these were eldest member of the group, and is widely yeah I want to talk about a lot of these things the people that I felt were giving me some considered to be the leader of the hip-hop from a hip-hop perspective. information about what’s going out here scene in Columbia. Johnson has released post-Civil Rights Act, in a new world where many, many albums and mixtapes over the JM: The question of that tag “hip-hop,” seems everything is supposed to be fair. And on pa- years, and currently manages a nascent col- –‘„”‹‰—’ƒ‘–Š‡”“—‡•–‹‘–Šƒ– ϐ‹†˜‡”› per it is, but it may not be as fair as it looks. lective called NewSC and works as an engi- interesting. For the last thirty years or so, neer at the Boom Room recording studio. He hip-hop, more than any other cultural force, ėĊĆĈčǣ ‘” ‡ ‰”‘™‹‰ —’ǡ –Š‡ ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡ also is one of the primary organizers of Love, Šƒ• ‘‡–‘†‡ϐ‹‡™Š‘„Žƒ ‡‹‡”- of hip-hop was real cerebral. I didn’t think Peace, and Hip-Hop, an annual family-friend- ica are. Part of that tag is empowering, but about the impact it had until I got older and ly festival that just celebrated its third year partly, rightly or wrongly, it’s also oppressive realized what it was. My heroes were Mal- in existence. too. You guys all make hip-hop music, but colm X, Marcus Garvey, Miles Davis. Next is Dherick “Preach” Jacobs, who in whether you do or not, you still have to reck- So more than thinking that hip-hop de- addition to making music is also an activist, on with that tag in some way. What do you ϐ‹‡• „Žƒ  ‡ ‘” †‡ϐ‹‡• ›‘—‰ „Žƒ  journalist, music promoter, and founder of think about that? folks, I think that’s always been there. So be- Cola Con, the only comic book and hip-hop fore--people weren’t rapping in the sixties, convention in existence. Jacobs also has to ĆęĆęǣ The question is layered--that’s a but they were rapping the sixties, you know his credit one of 2014’s best SC LPs, Arrow of thick question. I gotta think about hip-hop what I’m saying? There’s a need to create God, under the moniker Analog, and had just †‡ϐ‹‹‰„Žƒ ƒŽ‡•ǦǦ ‡˜‡””‡ƒŽŽ›–Š‘—‰Š– and express ourselves. One of those things ‘ˆϐ‹ ‹ƒŽŽ› ƒ‘— ‡† Š‹• ƒ†‹†ƒ › ˆ‘” ‹–› about it like that. That’s an interesting per- where when you give the most oppressed a Council a few days prior to our conversation. spective. platform to speak, that’s when great things The two were joined by Dennis Morgan, I’ll say this. We needed--we being people can happen. Hip-hop wasn’t supposed to ex- a.k.a Karmessiah, a younger Millennial rap- who represent the struggle--I don’t know if ist. It came from nothing! per and producer whose music has been that’s a black thing. The roots of this culture, ǥƒ†–Š‡‹†‡ƒ–Šƒ–›‘— ƒǯ–‡˜‡ϐ‹†‘—– praised as “outsider hip-hop” by Š—ˆϔŽ‡ƒ‰- the origins are in South Bronx of New York, where you’re from and who you are, that’s azine and the Columbia Free Times. Neither came from people who didn’t have anything. something that other Americans outside of Jacobs nor Johnson had met Morgan prior Out of that, came a new sound, came a new African-Americans take for granted, because to this conversation, although Morgan had dance, a new dress, a new way of express- no one ever stripped you of where you’re produced a track on FatRat’s last LP Da Cold ing yourself. And then [Afrika] Bambaataa coming from, who you are. For this music War 3. coined this new activity with the word –‘ ‘‡ ‘—– ‘ˆ –Šƒ–ǡ –Šƒ–ǯ• ™Šƒ– ‹• ‹†‡–‹ϐ‹- Here is what we talked about, edited for “hip-hop.”So wherever there are people who able. That’s why we look at Malcolm, that’s space and clarity. feel outcasted or who don’t feel a part of this why we look at Martin, that’s why we look at scene, whatever it is that society has going Tupac. That’s why we look at these people, JM: I thought we could start off by talking ‘ǡ›‘—ƒ”‡‰‘‹‰–‘ϐ‹†•‘‡’‡‘’Ž‡™Š‘ regardless of genre of music, because they about this recent Free Times cover story are operating in a hip-hop fashion. When ƒ”‡ Ž‹‡ǡ ǮŠ‡›ǡ ™‡ǯ”‡ †‡ϐ‹‹‰ ‘—”•‡Ž˜‡•ǡ ƒ† (“Arts in Black and White”). Do we live in a people have their own ideas about where ™‡ƒ”‡ǯ–Ž‡––‹‰ƒ›‘‡‡Ž•‡†‡ϐ‹‡—•Ǥǯ culturally segregated city? they’re at, what kind of music they can cre- ate. This is a very fearless culture that is not ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ I feel like hip-hop wasn’t sup- ėĊĆĈčǣI’m actually glad you said that, man, very apologetic. I think that spirit has may- posed to be an outlet for expression of black because there is no use in running [for City be been...maybe hip-hop started before the masculinity, it just became a natural chan- Council] if I can’t say what I want. Just the name hip-hop, you know what I’m saying? nel. It’s a way of speaking openingly and di- fact that I’m running--you know, when the ‘I’m not going to apologize for rocking like rectly. It just became something that young Free Times article came out, that said I was this, I’m gonna do my own thing.‘ black men could rally behind so they could ‘•‹†‡”‹‰”—‹‰ˆ‘”‘ˆϐ‹ ‡ƒˆ‡™‘–Š• Šƒ–ǯ•†‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›‘––‘–ƒ‡ƒ›–Š‹‰ƒ™ƒ› feel powerful, when so many times you just ago, the headline read “Hip-Hop artist mulls from Bambaataa or DJ [Kool] Herc. And for feel powerless, withheld from expressing council run.” And for me, having “hip-hop” me personally--we were brought here, so I who you are. I think once that became an in- and “city council” in the same sentence, don’t feel like Johnson is my last name, I don’t dustry and money got enough that became that’s what’s needed, that’s what’s necessary. know much of my past, ya know? Hip-hop is twisted, but for a while I think it was a way to

-$63(5LISTENS . 19 identify with. Nowadays, as far as the main- stream goes, I don’t think so.

ėĊĆĈč: How do you feel about the Kendrick album?

ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ I loved it.

ėĊĆĈčǣMe too.

ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ It was necessary, with the way mainstream hip hop is nowadays. We kind of have to go in the opposite direction. We’ve gone so far into this kind of circus-y kind of music, you have to go back to the organ- ic. When you go to one extreme, you kind of have to go back to the other. …The way I see it, hip-hop is on the de- cline, but that’s only because every other type of creative pursuit is on the decline, because it’s been corrupted by money. But at the same time, it’s a beautiful decline. Peo- ple aren’t following the rules anymore, and being far more creative. When I was grow- ing up, there were so many rules in hip-hop and codes, and that was important, but a lot of those things now are not being followed and [are] forgotten by some people. That’s how you get Young Thug, and Gucci [Mane], and trap rap [a relatively new subgenre]. But then you have kids that really care about the culture and want to keep it alive and the history and the details of it, and that’s what Kendrick is doing if you really listen to it. His references to James Brown and P-funk re- cords--for somebody my age, maybe a year older, to do that? Most of the kids nowadays don’t know about that shit. So it was neces- sary for a guy my age to say, ‘hey remember where the fuck we came from.’

ėĊĆĈčǣ What I love about the album is that, credible. It puts a lot of these other guys on times and explore that aspect of our person- for a lot of artists, when they make records, notice. You got Kendrick doing something ality too. Everything has its place. But we do they think about making everybody happy. like “Mortal Man” and Kanye’s doing “All need more representation of young black Kendrick was like, ‘I’m gonna make a re- Day,” talking about how rich he is? You’re re- people and what they’re going through, es- cord for young black folk that understand ally seeing some of these guys disconnecting pecially in rap music. the plight, that understand the struggle.’ from the community. And I would argue that in black music, the ėĊĆĈčǣ The only reason I throw shade at –™‘‘•–’‘™‡”ˆ—ŽƒŽ„—•‘ˆ–Š‡Žƒ•–ϐ‹ˆ–‡‡ ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ –ǯ•†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž––Š‘—‰ŠǤ‡‘ˆ–Š‡ Kanye, recently, is I’m just holding him to the years are the Kendrick record and D’Angelo’s things I always keep in mind is that we have standards he claims he holds himself to. Fer- Black Messiah, and they came out within six a duality, as men and women. We have to let guson happened, “I Can’t Breathe” happened, months of each year. Kendrick’s album is in- loose sometimes, we have to party some- and where was Kanye? He says nothing.

20 . -$63(5LISTENS Nothing! And he wants to get up and com- some big machines behind you. And I’m not release--but if you look at yesterday’s Forbes plain about Beck? For Beyoncé? And you got taking anything away from Kendrick, it’s a magazine, he was named as independent nothing to say about us!?! That’s when you great-sounding album. I’m kind of surprised music’s next mogul. You talking about some- sit your ass down. no one says it sounds like Stankonia though. body on the next level. The information he’s Nobody says that! giving me is a lot more powerful. Ćęǣ When you talk about power and eco- nomics...I mean, Kendrick’s album is cool, [Laughter] ėĊĆĈčǣ It’s about taking action. but I’m more about Nipsey Hussle because he’s talking about ownership and bossing up. Ćęǣ I think what [Hussle] is saying and what Ćęǣ Okay, alright, you know what I’m saying? It’s one thing to write about it from your win- he’s doing, quiet as it is--he’s not making as So when somebody kicks back [and praises] dow and have a whole bunch of ideas with much noise as Kendrick Lamar’s major label Kendrick, I don’t even--I mean, he’s dope,

-$63(5LISTENS . 21 YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY CULTURE THAT DERIVES FROM AFRICA, THEY ALL HAVE A CALL-AND-RESPONSE, THEY ALL HAVE CHANTS, AND DRUMS AND PERCUSSION. THAT’S JUST WITHIN US. THIS IS JUST A MODERN VERSION OF THAT.

// Karmessiah

22 . -$63(5LISTENS he’s a really dope emcee. And the music is colm X. When he dropped “You Must Learn,” all good and well--it has its place--but that’s fresh. But--and there’s no ‘but’ with that. he gave me a whole encyclopedia to look up. why we need Kendrick. But changing what albums are going to cost is He made me feel some type of way. I was a big, you know? You don’t tell Van Gogh that’s young kid, and he was like ‘you must learn.’ JM: One of the things this conversation has a ten dollar painting every time he paints. It’s Over a funky beat, yo! You can throw that touched on is the sheer diversity in rap mu- not always a thousand dollar thing. He could track on now, he still plays it live. And Kend- sic--that different artists do very different kick back and let other people bid on this rick is dropping that kind of information, but things and that it’s really a large umbrella craziness. Nip is just saying, why do I have at almost 40 I’ve done walked the block. of styles. But it seems like the larger culture to charge 10? wants to think of it as a very repetitive, the- ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ That’s what I was saying, it matically stagnant genre... ėĊĆĈčǣ You know what’s he talking about? was necessary for people of my generation, Nip charged, what was it, a hundred dollars? we needed an album like that. ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ I do think that’s true, but I For a mixtape. think it’s deeper than that, I think that’s any- Ćęǣ And Kendrick did that for them. The thing a black man does is gonna be limited Ćęǣ He’s saying, when I got a fanbase, and worst thing about Ferguson, to be honest, ƒ†•‹’Ž‹ϐ‹‡†•‘‹–†‘‡•ǯ–•‡‡–Šƒ– ‘- they love everything I do, they’re proud to was they didn’t have nobody to speak for plex. Let’s just call this rap--it’s not just rap, pay. I’m not forcing you to buy a hundred them. The only person who can do that is it’s more than that. I listen to Digable Planets dollar copy--you can download it for free. Kendrick. It doesn’t matter if Chuck [D, of the just as much as I listen to 50 Cent, and these But if you want a hard copy, it’ll cost you a landmark rap group Public Enemy] get on are two artists at completely different ends hundred. And he sold a thousand of them in the TV. We already know what Chuck is going of the spectrum. And it’s not just rap--you a weekend, and he’s nailed down what some- to say. But they need that, because we had can have Hip-Hop Family Day where there body doesn’t even make selling a million on a Pac. Pac would have come out, had a press are positive things going on, where there’s major. So when he comes through in his 600 conference with Scarface, and say ‘this ain’t not somebody getting shot, because hip-hop Benz, that’s more inspiring to me, because going to happen no more.’ He would have is not just “the trap” or “the block,” there’s that’s not advance money. blew it up. people telling different stories and always But for Kendrick, you know, he has a lot of has been. ideas. And I had a lot of ideas when I was 20s ėĊĆĈčǣ That’s exactly my point. We don’t too. need a bunch of [Talib] Kwelis-- ėĊĆĈčǣ That’s what I’m saying. To think that hip-hop as one thing has never been the ėĊĆĈčǣ Think about it like this though--I Ćęǣ It’s not for them. issue. When I was growing up, we listen to call it the Charles Xavier and Magneto theory. Beastie Boys, we listen to NWA, we listened You look at Pac [Tupac] and you look at Jay JM: This seems to be getting to something re- to A Tribe Called Quest. [Z]--Jay is the ridiculous business man, and ally fundamental about the genre in that it’s Pac will be loved forever. Pac was the emo- designed to pass knowledge down in a way JM: So what can we say about the local hip- tional theorizer and had all of these deep that you really can’t say about any other form hop scene right now? ideas, while Jay is like ‘alright, I got 20 bucks, of music. ǯ‰‘ƒϐŽ‹’–Šƒ––‘͸Ͳ„— •Ǥǯ† –Š‹ Ćęǣ Preach said some stuff about the city, your Nipsy argument is the same thing. ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣ It’s an oral tradition. It’s an Af- ™Šƒ– ™ƒ––‘•ƒ›‹•–Šƒ––Š‡–ƒŽ‡–‹•ϐ‹†- rican thing. You can look at any culture that ing its way to the top in Columbia, and the Ćęǣ There’s no doubt about it, Pac is my derives from Africa, they all have a call-and- previous talent like myself and Preach are favorite emcee. I got his script on my arm. response, they all have chants, and drums forging ahead to make some room here and When you come in my house--there’s no mys- and percussion. That’s just within us. This is make some room there, so this long mile I’ve tery. But you have to give credit where credit just a modern version of that. But it can car- walked and Preach is walked and Shekeese is due. When you talk about freedom, who’s ry more weight now because back then you has walked and a few others—I don’t want to giving you information to free yourself? Is it couldn’t broadcast that to millions of people. leave anyone out—it’s not in vain. the idea that we should all be harmonious, It’s time now to take some responsibility, es- or is it, ‘yo, let me shoot you something you pecially for people my age. The problem with ĆėĒĊĘĘĎĆčǣThe way I see it, it just has to can use...freedom is being able to say ‘fuck it, millennials is that a lot of us really are out of be top to bottom with everybody rallying I’m out.’ That’s free. What Nip has is freedom. touch. A lot of kids are out of touch with their together. You can’t have a cohesive scene, I think it’s time for artists to be more re- history. If we’re just making songs about without seeing top to bottom, from any age sponsible with that information. We buyin’ it turning up or whatever, what legacy are we group, respect where they’re coming from —’ǡ™‡ǯ”‡‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡†„›‹–ǡ„—–™‡ǯ”‡‘–‰‡–- leaving for the next generation of kids, when and what angle they’re coming from and ting information. I mean, you were talking they want to hear something to look up, and what background they’re coming from. about Malcolm X, I didn’t know about no they got Chris Brown and he’s autotuned Malcolm X. KRS [One] taught me about Mal- and singing about strip clubs. I mean that’s

-$63(5GAZES . 23 Columbia Actor Jennifer Moody Sanchez Plays Lincoln Center

ometimes clichés just work best. Told By An Idiot] at Lincoln Center, and I was For Columbia-based theatre artist dancing on air! However …when the actress Jennifer Moody Sanchez, the old who was slated to play Lady Macbeth had to chestnut “It’s like a dream come ’—ŽŽ‘—–ǡ ™ƒ•ƒ•‡†–‘ϐ‹ŽŽ–Š‡”‘Ž‡Ǥdz true” is, by far, the best way to de- A Tale Told By An Idiot was adapted by scribe her feelings about playing Louis Butelli, Robert Richmond, and Chas Lady Macbeth this spring at New Libretto and is a concentrated re-telling York City’s Lincoln Center. of the essence of Macbeth in graphic novel Born and raised in Columbia, Sanchez style, with some anachronistic twists (Guy graduated as a theatre major from the Uni- Fawkes plays a role, for example). Previ- versity of South Carolina before moving to ously performed in Hollywood, Los Ange- Ohio to act for a year and then going further les, and New York City, this staging takes west to Los Angeles where she spent 16 place at Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio. “We years acting and training with, among other start rehearsals Saturday, May 2nd and groups, the Groundlings. Sanchez returned open Monday, May 11th, Sanchez says. “It to Columbia in 2012 to raise her daughter will be directed by Robert Richmond and and be closer to her family and, soon there- the cast includes a long-time friend Louis after, rekindled ties to the Columbia theatre Butelli who is very well-known to the the- community. It was the connections she atre scene in Columbia.” The show runs made as an undergrad at USC, though, that through May 22. landed her the plum role of Lady Macbeth “Words cannot express how excited I am in A Tale Told by an Idiot, a new adaptation about this opportunity,” Sanchez says, but of the Shakespeare classic. she assures us that she won’t be making “I had worked with the Aquila Theatre New York her new home. “I will be return- Company [out of] London on the play The ing to Columbia in the summer to audition Oresteia, directed by Robert Richmond, for Trustus Theatre. Trustus has been my when I was an undergraduate student at theatre home for the past three years. I am USC. I remained in contact with some of the extremely honored to be part of their En- company members and was informed that semble.” Sanchez’s previous Trustus roles two of the company members formed Psit- include Vanda in Venus in Fur. tacus Productions,” Sanchez says. Working Sanchez is still on Cloud Nine about this out of New York City, Psittacus Productions opportunity. “As an actor, you get told the is self-described as “a group of collabora- word, ‘no,’ more than the word, ‘yes,’” she tors in the theatrical art form,” Sanchez says. “It’s nice to hear the word ‘yes’! I’m continues. “Through Psittacus, I was ini- living proof that perseverance is key. Nev- tially offered the role of Witch #1 and Lady er give up. Dream big. And always listen to Macduff to be performed [in the play, A Tale your mother!” - CB

24 . -$63(5WATCHES PHOTO BY.$',($867(1

Workshop Theatre & BlueCross presentBlueShield of SC the Wizard of Oz Young Performers’Edition June 25-28, 2015 workshoptheatre.com 803-799-6551 All shows will be at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School 7KH0XVLF0DQ A look into the life of musical director Walter Graham BY HALEY SPRANKLE

˘˕˞˖ˋ˒ˊ˗ˊ˝˒˟ˎ Walter Graham theatres around town. He continued adding “This baby is huge. I want to make sure is unabashedly sentimental about credits to his name offstage too, as he be- everything is correct for the musical. I want music, and words can only partial- gan musically directing productions as well. to make sure that every “i” is dotted, “t” is ly describes how passionate and “Besides teaching the cast the music, you crossed, and quarter notes are exact. I want involved he truly is. As an active are the right hand of the director,” Graham to make sure it is the best version that any- and beloved member of the arts says of the music director’s role. “You hire one has ever heard,” Graham says. community, Graham has consistently pur- the instrumentalists to play the show, you Even when he’s not spending long nights sued the music he fervently fell for in his rehearse the band, you rehearse the cast rehearsing at the theater, Graham’s world youth. “I became a lover of music as a child. and band together, and you make sure the still revolves around music. “I am proud to My grandmother told me that while I was story is told through the music.” say that I have two of best jobs in the world. a baby, I would sit on her lap and clap and ”ƒŠƒǯ• ϐ‹”•– ‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡ ™‹–Š —•‹ ƒŽ I am the Director of Choral Activities at Dre- sing along in church when the music would direction was with Š‡‡Ž‘†›‹‰‡”•ǣ her High School and I am the Associate Cho- start,” Graham says. Š‡‘‰•‘ˆ ”˜‹‰‡”Ž‹ at Town Theatre. ral Director at Trenholm Road United Meth- Šƒ– Ž‹––Ž‡ •’ƒ” Ž‹– ƒ ϐ‹”‡ ‹ ”ƒŠƒǡ This summer, Graham takes on the musical odist Church,” Graham says. “All of my jobs encouraging him to explore all facets of direction of Dream Girls running from June involve teaching music. It is my life.” the art. Between percussion, gospel choir, 26 through August 1 at Trustus Theatre. Even though his hard work is abundantly church choir, and show choir, Graham be- “Terrance Henderson and I were cast in apparent in conversation, Graham’s humil- gan to garner the tools that would later Dream Girls back in 2000 at Workshop The- ity and humble disposition shines through. help him in his musical endeavors. In 1994, ater. This show kicked our butts as we tried “I am most excited about the community see- he expanded into musical theatre. “My high –‘ ϐ‹‰—”‡ ‘—– Š‘™ –Š‡ †‹ƒŽ‘‰—‡ –Šƒ– ™ƒ• ing this talented cast. Everyone in this show school director, Linda LeMaster, was direct- sung and the layers of music [involved]. The can sing their butts off,” Graham says. “I ing the musical Lil Abner. I was not going musical was bigger than we thought, but hope the audience will enjoy the show. Also to be in the cast because musicals were not we made it,” Graham remembers. “Terrance I want the audience to learn about the strug- my thing. Mrs. LeMaster was stressed be- is directing the musical now at Trustus. He gle in the music world for African-Amer- cause her choreographer had quit on her ϐ‹‰—”‡† •‹ ‡  ‡™ ‹– •‘ ™‡ŽŽǡ  ‹‰Š– ƒ• icans in the 1960s and 70s. Also see the and she didn’t know what to do, so I told well musically direct the show.” struggle of the behind-the-scenes [lives] of her that I would help out by choreograph- Knowing the music well is no easy feat. these performers.” ing the musical for her,” Graham elaborates. Unlike the classic musical theatre sound, ‹••‡ŽϐŽ‡••Ž‘˜‡‘ˆ–Š‡ƒ”–Š‡Ž’• ”ƒŠƒ “I had no idea what I was doing, so I took the Dream Girls tunes are heavily based promote what it’s all really about—bringing the video of Lil Abner home and studied the on the decades around which the plot re- the music to the people. “Music … makes choreography. I adapted the choreography volves. “The music is great. The show be- everyone smile, whether it is the sound of a and taught it to the cast. Looking back on it, gins by giving you a feel of Motown music 3-year-old singing or a beautiful choir per- I realized that was a huge task for someone in the 60’s, then it moves with time through forming or what we do in the shower when who had never been in a musical.” the 70’s with the disco sound, and even has no one is around. Everyone loves some type It didn’t end at choreography for Gra- a little 80’s music,” Graham explains. “You of music. It gives us peace when we are ham, though. “Since I was choreographing will walk out singing a tune from the show.” stressed,” Graham says. the show, my teacher put me in the show. Graham says he approaches this music At the end of the day, Graham has made During the rehearsals and shows, I fell in “with caution” as he leads each singer and his passion his career quite successfully. love with musical theater,” Graham remi- musician through the score. With a musical Whether he was a child singing in church, nisces. this big, details are everything. Luckily, as a a kid in the school band, a college student Graham’s love for musical theatre grew University of South Carolina graduate with in a theory class, or a musical director for so much that he became a regular face on a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Educa- a major production, Graham has always the Columbia stage. From shows like Jesus tion (1999) and a Masters in Choral Con- ‘™–Šƒ–—•‹ ™ƒ•Š‹•ϐ‹”•–Ž‘˜‡Ǥ Christ Superstar to The Wizard of Oz to Chi- ducting (2014), Graham has all the skills he “Music is my life,” Graham says happily. “I ƒ‰‘, Graham performed at many different needs to perfect such a demanding show. cannot imagine my life without it.”

26 . -$63(5WATCHES . PHOTO BY)255(67&/2176 -$63(5-$63(5SCREENSGAZES . 2727 Pushing Bounda ries & Ta king Names Jason Kendall is a Different Kind of Dorothy more than six feet tall and 200- plus pounds, one wouldn’t ex- ’‡ – –‘ ϐ‹† ƒ›–Š‹‰ †‡Ž‹ ƒ–‡ about multi-dimensional performance and visual artist Jason Kendall. An el- ementary school art teacher, husband, and father to 6-year-old twin daughters by day, by night (or after school hours, really) Kendall is a cross-dressing force of unconventionality hell-bent on de- constructing Southern masculinity and examining the blue collar work ethic.

PHOTOS BY-21$7+$16+$53( -$63(5&(17(5)2/' . 29 30 . -$63(5&(17(5)2/' 7ˑˎ ˖˘˜˝ ˛ˎˌˎ˗˝ resident artist at who resides in the Absurdity of Uber-Mascu- Tapp’s Arts Center, Kendall continues an ar- linity in Sports.” tistic quest that the 40-year-old began back “The Dorothy Project,” Kendall contin- ™Š‡Š‡ϐ‹”•–’Žƒ›‡†ˆ‘‘–„ƒŽŽƒ––Š‡‹˜‡”- ues, “has been an opportunity for me to do, sity of South Carolina: a better understand- dress and explore these topics in a way that ing of masculine identity construction. And I have never done before. I wanted to try while we still may not see a tender side to the and put it all together, in a sense. After be- artist, even when he’s dressed in the triple coming a father to two girls, my convictions XL Dorothy Gale costume that he sewed and have changed a bit. I feel freer to express my designed himself, we need only wait until understanding of masculinity with a slight- he changes into his work clothes—a pair of ly different approach. …Each facet you will brown overalls and t-shirt—to see his fem- ‡ ‘—–‡”ȏ‹–Š‡‡šŠ‹„‹–Ȑ•‹‰‹ϐ‹‡•ƒ’ƒ”–‘ˆ inine leanings come through. That’s when my own journey, but in the space you choose the almost hulking man sits down—knees your own path through this adventure and together, arms crossed demurely across his Š‘’‡ˆ—ŽŽ› ›‘—ǯŽŽ ϐ‹† ƒ Ž‹––Ž‡ ‘—”ƒ‰‡ ƒŽ‘‰ chest—and the clothes, the props, the years the way.” The space to which he refers is the of study and artistic endeavor all come to- whole upstairs of the Tapp’s Arts Center, gether in a perfect little epiphany. Jason Ken- which was appropriated for Kendall’s exhibi- dall isn’t just looking through art for answers tion, opening on May 7th. to questions about masculinity. Jason Kend- Kendall has had high hopes for this project. all is looking for himself. “I hope that this exhibition will transform the Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Kendall space within Tapp’s into a portal for my cre- has been married to his wife Faith for 15 ative process,” he explains. “When the public years. A studio art major while he partici- enters the space they will be put in the mid- pated as a walk-on in the football program at dle of my creative process, which contains a USC before transferring to North Greenville multitude of American references (such as College, Kendall left SC to attend art school The Wizard of Oz) that conjure up childhood at Ringling College of Art and Design in Flor- memories that touch on important socioeco- ida, earning a BFA in sculpture. After gradua- nomic challenges the Southern[er] American tion, he and his wife moved to New York City male experiences. These ideas deal with the where he lived in Brooklyn and worked at relationship between work and play, and the the Dia Center for the Arts, eventually teach- fact that the building used to be a commer- ‹‰‹–Š‡ϐ‹‡ƒ”–•†‡’ƒ”–‡–ƒ–ǡ™Š‡”‡ cial space segues into how the public may ex- he also earned an MFA. He moved back to Co- pect to consume something within its walls. lumbia in 2009 and, since then, the artist has This may seduce the audience into following divided his days between family and work a trajectory of ideas that will allow them to responsibilities and spending time in the create their own complete narrative.” studio developing new projects. Kendall’s appropriation of the character Kendall’s residency at Tapp’s has al- of Dorothy is also strongly connected to the lowed him the time and space to more ful- ƒˆϐ‹Ž‹ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ‘”‘–Š› ƒŽ‡ǡ —†› ƒ”Žƒ†ǡƒ† ly realize his latest project and see it come The Wizard of Oz with the GLBTQ communi- to completion. The Dorothy Project, which ty. While Garland was and continues to be an opened on May 7th and runs through the end icon of gay culture, the code phrase friend of of the month, is a re-imagined tale of bits of Dorothy, usually indicating a gay man, goes The Wizard of Oz focusing primarily on the back historically to World War II. In prepara- three main women from the story and their tion for the show opening on May 7th, Kendall designated themes. According to Kendall, “I conducted a piece of performance art called decided to use the three main female char- Brickwork during which he attached yellow acters of The Wizard of Oz as vehicles to talk paint-dipped cinderblocks to his body with a about the three major themes in my work harness and dragged them along a carpet to simultaneously. These themes manifest in create a newly interpreted version of the yel- Dorothy, who represents the Realm of Iden- low brick road. Ed Madden, director of USC’s tity Construction; the Wicked Witch, who is Women’s and Gender Studies Program, who immersed in Personal Narrative; and Glinda attended the performance, called it “stun-

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II startedstarted withwith thethe ideaidea ofof DorothyDorothy creatingcreating yellowyellow bricks.bricks.

34 . -$63(5&(17(5)2/' ning.” According to Madden, “The Wizard of and how my own personal narrative has in- a broom guitar, and Glinda, an inanimate ob- Oz is one of those cultural texts that’s both ϐŽ—‡ ‡†›˜‹‡™•‘”‹–‡•‘ˆ’ƒ••ƒ‰‡‹ƒ ject, [Glinda is a football tackling dummy], incredibly mainstream and incredibly sub- effort to become a man,” Kendall explains. activated by an outside action,” Kendall says. versive. Oz is a land where nobody is what “The prominent theme that drove most of my “This links the characters and the actions they seem, everyone already has what they early works was the cycle of self-worth. How to what happens in my studio practice where need, the lion is a big sissy, and the most men tend to view their body (or sexuality) as I struggle physically against objects and ma- powerful people are three women. Jason mechanisms to feel good about themselves. terials while tackling several mental creative Kendall takes on the iconography of Oz and For example a football player’s self-worth problems simultaneously,” he continues, transforms it, messes it up more. Dorothy is is dependent on how their bodies perform equating the struggle to the types of drills an a big-boned gal lunging like a linebacker, and during the ‰ƒ‡ (much like sex). This facil- athlete practices in football. “It is the work –Š‡ ‡ˆˆ‘”–Ž‡••‡•• ‘ˆ ‘˜‡‡– ‹ –Š‡ ϐ‹Ž itates a disconnect between the man’s body –Šƒ–ƒ‡•›‘—‘”‡’”‘ϐ‹ ‹‡–‹›‘—”ƒ„‹Ž- becomes exertion, endurance, exhaustion. and the emotional self which makes him ity to play.” Kendall draws on his own expe- And the yellow brick road -- like gender-- is who he is. When this cycle plays itself out rience as a college athlete here and the goal always under construction in Kendall’s per- over the span of one’s life, many times the of performing masculinity successfully. His formance.” body expires before a reconciliation with its Oz characters and their actions “produce a As you take your own journey through mind happens. This tragic yet absurd stub- type of triad that creates the basis for the this exhibition, Kendall says, “You may read, „‘”‡••–‘ Šƒ‰‡‘””‡ϐŽ‡ –‘‘‡•‡Žˆ’”‘- rest of the work to develop while respond- see, watch, and hear elements that are famil- vided much of the fuel that drove those early ing to the space within Tapp’s,” he says. “This iar and others, not so much. This will create works.” triangular dynamic presents a multitude an experience that stays with you after you The Dorothy Project is a logical extension of possibilities and circumstances that will leave the space. “ of Kendall’s interest in deconstructing mas- affect how and what is made. As the work One of the sounds attendees will hear is culinity, but he also uses the mechanism to progresses the relationships between the Pink Floyd’s 1973 Dark Side of the Moon, of- address the ideology of work vs. play as it is characters and space transforms the narra- –‡ƒ––ƒ Š‡†–‘–Š‡ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡ϐ‹ŽThe Wizard interpreted as good vs. bad and masculine tive into more complex and strange associa- of Oz as part of an urban legend which claims vs. feminine in popular culture. “I started tions that will communicate a unique vision. that, when played simultaneously, the album with the idea of Dorothy creating yellow I am completely honored and excited by the ƒ†–Š‡ϐ‹Ž•› ƒ•‹ˆ–Š‡ƒŽ„—™ƒ•™”‹–- bricks. The simple task of dropping dirty opportunity this presents to me personally, ten as a soundtrack for the movie. Kendall cinder blocks into yellow paint transforms to my career, our community and to Tapp’s.” considers the playing of the Pink Floyd al- the blocks into meaningful objects,” Kendall The exhibition consists of performance bum, sometimes called The Dark Side of the says. “However, because of the sheer weight props that have been reconstructed into in- Rainbow or the Wizard of Floyd, during his of the materials and physicality of accom- stallations, videos, photographs and draw- performance a nod to an earlier project that plishing this task it resides in the realm of ings all placed in a cyclical arrangement ‘ϐŽƒ–‡† —•‹  ƒ† ƒ• —Ž‹‹–›ǡ ‹ ƒ› labor. This duality questions what exactly throughout the space as if a cyclone touched ways leading the artist to his current project. the context or meaning of the action is. Is she down inside Tapp’s. Throughout the various But masculinity as a construct has been working or playing?“ As in the original story mediums it is clear that while Jason Kendall a common thread in his work all along, Dorothy remains the “accidental protagonist may not have completely found himself in his sometimes addressed via video and other that navigates a space between a native and work, he has certainly discovered bits and times through more traditional visual art foreign land to discover her identity, [but] pieces that make him the person he is to- mediums. “All of my work pre-Dorothy dealt with the question of work vs. play being re- †ƒ›Ǥ ‘’‡ˆ—ŽŽ›ǡ˜‹‡™‡”•‘ˆŠ‹•™‘”™‹ŽŽϐ‹† with masculinity on many levels, but more visited throughout the installation both via themselves so lucky. •’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ› ƒ• —Ž‹‡ ‹†‡–‹–› ‘•–”— –‹‘ the Wicked Witch, who restrings and tunes

-$63(5&(17(5)2/' . 35 pated over the course of the set. The songs Paul getting struck by lightning and turns ™‡”‡ —––‹‰ǡ‘ˆ–‡•ƒ–‹”‹ ƒŽ”‡ϐŽ‡ –‹‘•„›‘” into a belligerent tirade of repentance of the ƒ„‘—– ƒ ϐ‹ –‹‘ƒŽ Dzƒ› ‘‡dz ‘—–”›Ǧ”‘  now-reformed rocker which also manages ϐ‹‰—”‡ –Šƒ– ’Žƒ›‡† •‹ŽŽˆ—ŽŽ› ‘ –Š‡ ”‡ƒŽǦŽ‹ˆ‡ to take swipes at the songs Machado wrote ”‡ϐŽ‡ –‹‘• ƒ† ‹•‡ —”‹–‹‡• ‘ˆ ƒ Šƒ†‘Ǥ – with The Restoration. was pretty trippy stuff. Throughout, the clever commentary and Those songs eventually became the ba- self-awareness rewards repeated listenings, sis of Danascus, his debut solo record. And but that’s not to say that the album is depen- while the “Danny Joe” character is an integral dent on them. Using plenty of programming part of these songs, the difference between and noise effects alongside his regular weap- character and songwriter was blurred even ons of guitars and violin, Machado balances more. Many of the tunes seemed just plainly some of the dreamy chamber-folk impulses self-critical as Machado takes modern rela- we got from him on The Restoration’s debut tionships and his own artistic temperament Constance with the bluesy irascibility of the to task. The opening track “Dissolve” wrings band’s last EP New South Blues. Among the its hands over embarking upon cohabitation highlights are “Shenzhen,” a talking blues DANNY JOE MACHADO „‡ ƒ—•‡‹–‡ƒ••Šƒ”‹‰ƒ‡–ϐŽ‹šƒ ‘—–ǡ which intersplices the suicide attempt of a while “Sensitive” cracks wise about ignoring smartphone factory worker in China with a DANASCUS ƒŽ‘˜‡”ǯ•‹†— ‡‡–•„‡ ƒ—•‡Š‡DzŠƒ•–‘ϐ‹- story of how “Danny Joe” was caught being ish these shitty lyrics right now.” unfaithful by the very same technology, and When The Restoration frontman Daniel Elsewhere Machado voices the Danny Joe the raucous “Alone (With You),” a rave-up Machado began playing sardonic solo shows character more wholeheartedly, taking on rocker that sees Machado yelping through under the name Danny Joe, they quickly be- the weathered lament of a nostalgic scene the same subject matter he treated more came performance pieces. Often times he veteran on the throwback rocker “1973” and tenderly just a few songs before. would stumble to the stage clad in a tucked the revelation story-song title track. On the ƒ Šƒ†‘”‡ƒ‹•‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹‡•–•‘‰- in Western shirt and cowboy hat, feigning a latter tune, sung to a drunken country two- writers in the state, with the kind of intel- drunken nonchalance that gradually dissi- step, Machado riffs on the Biblical story of lect and storytelling prowess that is rarely

36 . -$63(5LISTENS matched, and fans of his prior work or other ϐŽƒ™ǡ ‹–ǯ• –Šƒ– –Š‡•‡ –—‡• ’ƒ•• „› ƒ „‹– –‘‘ existence/the horror of non-being.” keenly self-aware songwriters as diverse as „”‹‡ϐŽ›ƒ†—’”‡•—’–—‘—•Ž›–‘ƒ‡–Š‡ All of the stops and shifts are less abra- Randy Newman and Father John Misty will particularly memorable. But that’s also what sive than it reads on paper though—there’s „‡”‹‰Š–ƒ–Š‘‡Š‡”‡Ǥ‡–ƒ•‡ŽˆǦϐŽƒ‰‡ŽŽƒ–‹‘ǡ makes them such humble pleasures as well. a genuine energy and excitement in these ™Š‡–Š‡” ϐ‹ –‹‘ƒŽ ‘” ‘–ǡ Šƒ• ”ƒ”‡Ž› „‡‡ –KP tunes that carries you through all of the sor- more pleasurable. -KP did twists and turns that’s surprisingly or- ganic. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s on the short list as one of the best South Carolina records of 2015. –KP

PRAY FOR TRIANGLE ZERO THE UGLY CHORDS HARBINGER TOUCH Manic, ADD-inspired indie rock is nothing POCKET BUDDHA The rise of solo bedroom pop acts like new, but The Ugly Chords do it better than Toro y Moi and Washed Out in the late most, packing in dreamy Modest Mouse-es- PLANTING HANDS 2000s did two distinct things: birth the of- que balladry and charging psychedelic ga- ten-mocked “chillwave” designation, and rage riffs right on top of each other, often ϐ‹”•–Ž‹•–‡ǡ‹–ǯ•ˆ”—•–”ƒ–‹‰Š‘™•–‡ƒ†- also inspired a generation of Southerners to within the same song. What’s most impres- fast Pocket Buddha is in its refusal to really make nostalgic electro-pop. sive, though, is how these schizophrenic cut loose. Each of the nine tracks on Plant- Both of those performers soon distanced compositions manage to hold together and, ‹‰ ƒ†• contains at least one moment that themselves from that tag and distinct style, occasionally, create genuine earworms that teeters right on the jagged edge between and Lucas Sams, a.k.a Pray for Triangle stick in your head days later. The sweet in- traditional, front-porch Americana and pit- Zero, probably wouldn’t be happy with it die-pop of “joe/anne,” for instance, is a great stained alt-country, but these moments either, but his music decidedly does owe a example as it captures all of the contra- prove to be mostly a tease as the latter mode measure of debt to those trailblazers. The diction and joy of the band’s music, sliding ‡˜‡””‡ƒŽŽ›‰‡–•ƒ Šƒ ‡–‘ϐŽ‡š‹–•—• Ž‡•Ǥ heavily reverbed melancholy and hazy mel- from plaintive strums to shoutalong garage Eventually though, the aggravation fades and odies he writes are well within the lineage of section that alternates back and forth with gives way to an appreciation for the band’s chillwave, even as he tends towards busier a sugary chant that self-awarely proclaims sense of discipline and self-control. That productions and more urgent tempos than “your brevity meant everything/ but I’m isn’t to say that this is a record lacking en- would be the norm. He also incorporates counting on and counting free.” ergy or momentum though. Highlighting •‘‡Ž‘˜‡Ž›ƬǦ‹ϐŽ‡ –‡†‘‡–•ǡŽ‹‡‘ Other highlights include the fragile expert guitar and banjo picking, simple bed- “Her Bath Salts” and “Easy, Girl,” which win “bloomdysalias,” a spare acoustic number ”‘ ”Š›–Š•ǡƒ† ‘ϐ‹†‡–Ž‡ƒ†˜‘ ƒŽ•ǡ–Š‡ him easy comparisons to Toro. that showcases the group’s lyrical poise album trots merrily along on the strength of Those tunes are undeniably likeable, but (“Pan down to a poorly lit tree line/ two pro-caliber musicianship and lyrics so per- the best stuff here is when Sam is tinkering lovers dance against the grain of asphalt on sonal a listener feels more like they are being on the edges of that signature style, when their heels”), the cathartic sprawl of “picture sang to rather than sang at. he tries out a more laconic delivery on the on the fridge,” a post-punk/no wave ramble That’s really the crux of the record’s ap- bustling “Ferris Wheeler” or veers into The that gradually folds in on itself with increas- peal. Any given song, whether delivered by Soft Bulletin-era Flaming Lips territory on ingly spastic and dysfunctional guitars, and vocalists Darren Woodlief or Kelley Douglas, “Call Out Your Name.” If his approach has a the micro-prog instrumental “the torment of has the delicate intimacy of a serenade, a sen-

-$63(5LISTENS . 37 sation only enhanced by the Prairie Willows’ When I start falling/ Everything’s history.” Come On is punctuated with a breezy ”‹•–‡ ƒ””‹•ƒ†Š‡”ϐ‹††Ž‡ƒ††‹‰•—„–Ž‡ The B-side, “Guns and Roses,” opens with a mood. Much of this is due to the relaxed and texture to the whole affair. In the best possi- short but ominous guitar line and gives way off-the-cuff nature of Bodamer’s vocals. He ble way, Žƒ–‹‰ ƒ†• is an album best ex- to a violent and swampy polemic against feels like a friend hanging out and singing a perienced alone, if only to ensure maximum the anonymous breaker of Debbie’s heart. few songs. This is not to say that the playing attention paid to the musical details and dirt Lyrically, it plays like an updated version of isn’t tight and concise. These are bright and road poetry at its core. ȂĎĈčĆĊđĕĆĜē Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made for catchy pop songs, perfect for a summer drive Walking,” had Nancy been a staunch second in the convertible with the top down. amendment activist and Tarantino enthusi- In addition to the aforementioned title ast. Musically, it’s a second cousin to “Atom track, the album also consists of two other Bomb,” but with more tom-toms and a sexier well-chosen covers including “Remember,” tempo. If these two tracks mean anything, we by Fashion Battery, once a key band in the can expect plenty more devilish, unwashed Athens, GA music scene and name-checked rock and roll from Adedokun and her skanks. in an article by Spin magazine alongside the ȂĎĈčĆĊđĕĆĜē Bar-B-Q Killers in 1985. The other is a curi- ously contemporary cover by Seattle sing- er-songwriter, Damien Jurado that neverthe- less feels right at home alongside this set of nostalgic gems. The album closes with an instrumental track called “Fever Dream” that is an excel- Ž‡– ƒ’’‡”–‘–Š‹•ϐ‹‡•‡–™‹–Šƒ•–‡”ƒ† Mathis’s guitars perfectly entwined. One can only hope that this isn’t simply a one-off DEBBIE & THE SKANKS project. While it may seem like simply a 80s throwback project by some excellent players, ATOM BOMB [SINGLE] it is clear this is still fertile musical ground when written and played well. ȂĔĔĉĞ ĔēĊĘ Columbia is in the thick of its honeymoon phase with Debbie & the Skanks, so the re- Ž‡ƒ•‡‘ˆ–Š‡„ƒ†ǯ•ϐ‹”•–•‹‰Ž‡‹•–‹‡Ž›Ǥ† they’re doing it the old fashioned way—put out a single, push the A-side, and still give the FASTER STEREO B room to do with the world what it will. The band hopes to eventually press these two to COME ON a 45, another sign of their old school tenden- cies. Recalling the heyday of the 1980s when The recording itself is consciously grit- bands like R.E.M. and The Replacements –›ƒ†ϐ‹–•‹ ‡Ž›™‹–Š–Š‡„ƒ†ǯ•ƒ‡ƒ† jingled and jangled all over college rock ra- its self-styled presentation as a sloppy train dio, faster stereo is the brainchild of Jangly wreck waiting to happen. The A-side, “Atom Records’ founder, Paul Bodamer (The label Bomb,” is dominated by fuzzed-out electric name is clearly no accident). The band’s de- ‰—‹–ƒ” ”‡‹‹• ‡– ‘ˆ –Š‡ ϐ‹”•– –™‘ Š‹–‡ but album, Come On, named after the faith- Stripes records, but Debbie Adedokun is the ful Jesus and Mary Chain cover that leads off show-stealer. Her vocal range is expansive, the set, boasts serious cred from the get-go but what makes her such a compelling sing- thanks to the majority of guitar and bass HERMIT’S VICTORY er is how deeply she digs her heels into the duties handled by Mitch Easter ( Yes, that mud. She’s insistent, passionate, complete- Mitch Easter, the guy who produced R.E.M.’s SELF-TITLED ly unwilling to be denied. The song itself is Murmur and fronted cult favorite Let’s Ac- a darkly jubilant blues romp propelled by a tive!). Bodamer and Easter are ably backed “Crawling out of a hole is the Hermit’s Vic- loose swinging rhythm that suits the lyrics’ by local warhorse Todd Mathis (American tory” sings Tyler Bertges on the self-titled self-destructive proclamation that “I’m an Gun) as well as Atlanta-based guitarist Mark debut album from Hermit’s Victory. That atom bomb/ You ain’t seen nothin’ like me/ Gallegos. Ž‹‡ǡƒ†–Š‡„ƒ†ƒ‡ǡ‹•”‡ϐŽ‡ –‹˜‡‘ˆ‘–

38 . -$63(5LISTENS only Bertges himself, but the entire album. takes is nice, avoiding the occasionally stag- The hazy bedroom pop steps out from the lo- nant feel club music can take on if you aren’t ϐ‹Š‘‡”‡ ‘”†‹‰•‘—†—•—ƒŽŽ›ƒ••‘ ‹ƒ–‡† dancing to it under strobe lights. with the genre with the help of Charleston That being said, although this EP is beg- producer Wolfgang Zimmerman, who also ging to be played through some expensive happened to be his roommate at the time speakers at a packed club, that doesn’t mean of recording. For Hermit’s Victory, the label it can’t serve as day-time driving music as of bedroom pop goes beyond any certain well. Callosum’s been around for the better sound that one might imagine. Throughout part of two years now, and this is a major the album Bertges croons in a hushed voice, stepping-stone on his musical timeline — it Ž—•Š‹–Š‡‹šǡŠ‹•˜‘ ƒŽ•ϐ‹†–Š‡‹”™ƒ›‹–‘ shows off Youngblood’s talents while also all the crevices in the instrumentation, soft leaving listeners waiting for more. This isn’t enough to not wake a roommate or a sleep- the music for bass-obsessed ravers, but Dust ing partner. Ray is a skillfully crafted, electronic endeavor Hermit’s Victory bio via his Charleston re- that’s certainly worth a listen. ȂėĎĐĆĞĆē cord label Hearts & Plugs notes that Bertges is plagued by anxiety. Lyrically it’s a theme CALLOSUM that comes up often in the album, with “Mooch” being the closest glimpse into Bert- DUST RAY EP ges’ social fears; that song and others give listeners a psychological peak into his life as Callosum, the alter ego of USC student the cozy warmth of the music makes the bed Mason Youngblood, is a front-runner in Co- for Bertges window-watching observations. lumbia’s electronic scene, a scene which has Where the album thrives is its attention grown exponentially since the formation of to detail and a mix of acoustic and electron- Moas Collective, a web-based, electronic col- ic instrumentation, with the soft hums and laboration that was also a product of Young- high-pitched background vocals layered on blood’s hard work. Dust Ray is his most top of grooving bass and a mix of live and recent effort as Callosum, an electronic and electronic drums. Other instruments, like hip-hop production project, and the record the warm horns on “Swerve” or the acoustic includes four original tracks and two remix- and clean-jazz lead guitars, are mixed in and es by Strict Face and LTHL. often buried throughout in the most tasteful With Dust Ray’s sound, Callosum’s music way. It’s such a carefully recorded album in is almost better without lyrics. Even though JAHSON & THE NATTY VIBEZ those aspects, but at the same time it leaves the faded, synthesized words sung in Callo- open room for live moments of magic, like sum’s music add just enough to make it more REGGAE GATHERING the sharp ring in “Sleeping Evil” or a botched appealing to listen to in a non-club environ- vocal take reassembled into something new ment, the atmospheric experience of each Modern, yet traditional-style reggae is and usable. song takes precedence as it pulls the listen- †™‹†Ž‹‰ǡ „—– ‹–ǯ• †‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž› ‘– ‡š–‹ –Ǥ Overall, an extremely well-crafted effort er in more and more as the EP progresses. Many popular groups in the genre nowa- that rewards repeated listening. All four tracks are inherently different, but days are inspired by the originals, but stray ȂĆěĎĉęėĎēČĊė you can only get the full experience listening away from what truly makes reggae “reg- to them as part of the whole. The progres- gae.” Luckily, Jahson and the Natty Vibez are sions of Callosum’s songs come through in a around to keep the genre alive in Columbia. dream-like sequence that hits in waves. Jahson and the Natty Vibez have been While there’s a dependable consistency to spreading the love, while also carving out a all of the tunes here, it’s “BB It’s You,” featur- niche for reggae in the Columbia scene, since ing another Moas Collective producer Coral 2011. On April 2, they released their third Cri, that stands out from the pack. The beat project ‡‰‰ƒ‡ ƒ–Š‡”‹‰ǡwhich is undoubt- ‹• —†‡‹ƒ„Ž› ƒ– Š›ǡ ƒ† ‹– ‡„„• ƒ† ϐŽ‘™• edly their best work thus far. intensely through its entirety. If you were to From the beautiful harmonies to the •‹’ˆ”‘–Š‡ϐ‹”•–͵Ͳ•‡ ‘†•–‘–Š‡Žƒ•–͵Ͳ steady, thick rhythm section omnipresent in seconds, you would think it’s a different song their songs, ‡‰‰ƒ‡ ƒ–Š‡”‹‰ aims squarely — this ever-changing progression the song at the established, traditional Jamaican-orig-

-$63(5LISTENS . 39 inated sound. It takes more than a walking works, creating an alternately ominous and bass line to complete a true roots-reggae al- uncomfortably comedic universe. Michael bum, and Jahson and the Natty Vibez covered Harley performs exuberantly and pours his all the bases, both in attitude and in practice. rich tone into the work. Social justice lyrics sang through a thick Ja- Saxophonist Andre North shows off his maican accent are layered over melodic gui- contemporary music chops amidst some tar picking, gentle background vocals, horns, technically challenging passages in ƒ˜‡ and skillful percussion—a sunny tribute to ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‹‰Š–‡† ‘—•‡ǡ ‹ Ž—†‹‰ •‘‡ ϐ‹- the original reggae veterans reigning from ger-knotting runs, tongue slaps, and multi- Kingston. phonics (producing multiple simultaneous Even for a casual fan that’s not overly fa- sounds from a monophonic instrument). His miliar with the genre, ‡‰‰ƒ‡ ƒ–Š‡”‹‰ performance of the work is stellar, clear, and makes for compelling listen. Tracks like controlled. “Keep It Together” effortlessly appeal to One of the strongest works on the album wider audiences, with an upbeat, catchy sax- are the eponymous Beneath the Ice of Euro- ophone paired with bright lyrics that are all pa – a work that, in its original string quar- about a feel-good vibe. GEORGE FETNER tet form, Fetner dismisses as a mis-step. Although ‡‰‰ƒ‡ ƒ–Š‡”‹‰ǯs 17 tracks are Rescored for a reduced electronics compo- so similar that they run together at times, BENEATH THE ICE OF EUROPA nent and electric guitar, the sound world the song “War Monger” is perhaps the stron- holds together well – timbres and gestures gest track on this album. With a strong start A late-2014 self-released album from Co- in the guitar work very well against the con- –Šƒ– ƒ’–—”‡• –Š‡ Ž‹•–‡‡” ™‹–Š‹ –Š‡ ϐ‹”•– lumbia composer George Fetner includes –‹—‘—•ǡ ‡˜‡”Ǧ„—‹Ž†‹‰ –‡š–—”‡• ‹ –Š‡ ϐ‹š‡† few seconds, “War Monger” combines one some interesting excursions and devia- ‡†‹ƒ ’‘”–‹‘ǡ ƒ† –Š‡ —‹ϐ‹‡†ǡ ‘ –ƒ–‘‹  of the group’s more-resilient melodies with –‹‘•ˆ‘”Ž‹•–‡‡”•™Š‘ƒ›™ƒ––‘ϐ‹†‘—– harmonic language Fetner speaks in for the a provocative and necessary lyrical message. what the combination of composer Robert work creates a ready-made sense of drama Columbia’s music scene isn’t as diverse Muczynski and Pink Floyd’s –‘ ‡ƒ”– that contributes to the nocturnal, pulsating as it could be, but its bands like Jahson and Mother may sound like. Predominantly tapestries beneath the guitar. –Š‡ƒ––›‹„‡œ–Šƒ–„”‹‰ƒ•’‡ ‹ϐ‹  —Ž–—”ƒŽ works for solo instrument and electronics The recording closes with Go Forth for gui- element to the table. Indie rock groups are (whether interactive, pre-recorded, or gen- tar, voice, and electronics, a multi-movement well-loved, but they’re a dime a dozen, mak- erated), George Fetner’s album Beneath the composition that seems to capitalize on the ing the Natty Vibez a refreshing change of Ice includes works he composed during his thinness of textures and spare use of mate- pace. ȂėĎĐĆĞĆē undergraduate career and after, works that rial in the other works. The piece, in a bit of typically – subtly or extensively – alter the a dramatic arch format, occasionally bears timbres and attack points of the instruments similarities to various instrumentals on King in question. Fetner himself performs in some Crimson’s early Adrian Belew-era records – of the pieces, and local heavy-hitter perform- –Šƒ– ‹•ǡ ƒ –‹˜‹–› •‡‡• –‘ ϐŽ‘ƒ– ‹ •–ƒ•‹• ƒ† ers and USC faculty like Michael Harley (bas- motion seems slowed, though the technique soon) and Jennifer Parker-Harley perform is effective. Fetner’s gift is for textures and various works. manipulating these, slowly: Go Forth could The album begins with Michael Harley ‡ƒ•‹Ž› „‡ ‘‡ ƒ ™‘” •–”‡– Š‡† ϐ‹˜‡ –‹‡• performing Fetner’s Black Lion, a work for longer with telescoped pacing and still work solo bassoon and electronics that sees the given Fetner’s ability to create sonic fabrics. bassoon generating its own counterpoint Ice is blocky, still, inert: Fetner’s music is not and textures, using various delay lines and – rather, it is lucid, transparent, and liquid; colorations, taking some of the already-plain- it is a voyage into intimate, personal worlds. tive and variously eerie sounds a bassoon - TD ƒ ƒ‡ ƒ† †‹•–‘”–‹‰ ‘” —ˆϐŽ‹‰ –Š‘•‡

-$63(5LISTENS . 41 struments ceased to be produced by around orations and sonorities, and a wider range of 1840. The piano used in the recording, from moods and affects than some of her contem- 1831, has a range of six octaves (over an poraries. Her work ƒŽ–œ‹ǦϔŽƒ–ƒŒ‘” is octave less than a standard modern piano), melodramatic in places, suggesting the ele- and is unusual in that it has no iron or steel gance of the waltz, but with a sighing exhaus- frame, which translates into the piano being tion from the exuberance of the dance. The ’‹– Š‡†•—„•–ƒ–‹ƒŽŽ›ϐŽƒ––‡”–Šƒ‘†‡”’‹- piece could even be read as a subtle and ele- anos. The color is full-bodied while delicate, gant commentary on class—something with trebly without losing warmth. The difference which she was constantly reminded of in her between this 1831 piano and a modern, say, teaching and daily life. As with the Waltz, Steinway, is palpable in the tone quality and there is more at work under the surface; a resonance: bass tones are clear and pres- closer listen reveals clear large structures ent, and even the mechanical actions add in these compositions, but robust and, for to the magic of the instrument. For those their time, advanced approaches to smaller unaccustomed to period instruments, the forms woven within the larger themes. Haw- PATRICK HAWKINS sound quality may be jarring, but that sur- kins captures these intricacies and brings prise wanes quickly: we hear living history sensitivity to the proceedings, playing with HAYDN & THE ENGLISH LADY through the instrument. an almost carefree dignity and effortless re- Hawkins, a concert pianist specializing sponse to the technical demands of Park’s Columbia’s Patrick Hawkins has given lov- in the early keyboard works of the Late Ba- works and a loving sensibility to the colors of ers of the piano and lovers of classical music roque and High Classical eras, assembles a the instrument. This approach brightly illu- in general a vibrant two-for-one history les- collection of works by the little-known En- minates Park’s compositions—works that on son. The November 2014 release ƒ›†ƒ† glish composer Maria Hester Park for this ƒϐ‹”•–Ž‹•–‡ƒ›ƒ’’‡ƒ”ƒ•‡”‡Ž› Šƒ”‹‰ –Š‡‰Ž‹•Šƒ†› (Navona Records) not only recording. Park, a pianist and composer who without the investigation they deserve. includes performances on a period instru- was “allowed” to teach ladies of nobility and Hawkins pairs the lesser-known Park with ment (and not just any period instrument), high birth to supplement her husband’s in- a composition of Franz Josef Haydn (1732- but rarely-heard, little-known compositions come as an engraver, lived from 1760 to 1809), a well-traveled composer in his time by an English female composer and pianist 1813 and composed from about 1785 until who, on a visit to London (as best we can that time has nearly forgot; it is likely very 1811, producing a substantial number of tell), purchased prints from Park and dedi- few people know the name William Geib in keyboard works. On ƒ›† ƒ† –Š‡ ‰Ž‹•Š cated, if not outright composed, his Sonata relation to keyboard instruments, and like- Lady, Hawkins performs three of Park’s pi- in D (Hob. XVI/51) for her. (There is debate lier that even fewer people know the name ano sonatas and a brief waltz. Park’s works over the recipient of the work.) Hawkins’s Maria Hester Reynolds Park. are reminiscent of an admixture of late Scar- interpretation of the Haydn piece is elegiac Along with Hawkins, the star of this re- latti, Clementi, and Haydn – all composers and graceful, particularly in the Capriccio in cording is the William Geib “Square” Piano whose music to which she would likely have G Major (Hob. XVII/1), where the intimate, from 1831. John Geib, Sr., began building had contact. The works are strongly indica- slightly unusual tone of the Geib piano and pianos in London during the last years of tive of their time—clear melodies, clean and the organic phrasing and motion coalesce. the 18th century, and upon coming to Amer- direct forms (on the surface, at least), and The temptation with Haydn (and by exten- ica, the Geib family name became one of the balanced proportions are all hallmarks of sion his contemporaries) is to become al- most important names in the manufacture these compositions. most robotic in technical demands; Hawkins of pianos for a time. William Geib took over Yet her music seems to stand above con- ‹• ϐŽ—‹†ǡ •–—†‹‡† ƒ† •–‡ƒ†‹‡†ǡ ƒ† „”‡ƒ–Š‡• the family-run operation after his father, but temporaries like Kuhlau or Kozeluh, with living qualities into these works. -TD slowly backed out of the piano business. The clever technical and performance demands name slowly faded from the market and in- from its performers, occasionally quirky dec-

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42 . -$63(5LISTENS

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Featured Artists

˒˝ˑ  ˊˌ˛ˎ˜ ˘ˏ ˠ˘˘ˍ˜ Jennifer “Jenny Mae” Hill was born and such cool people and their music is amazing,” and wildlife and the pristine wa- raised in Chapin and grew up in local theatre. he says. “I’ve seen them live too many times –‡”•‘ˆ–Š‡ƒŽ—†ƒ‹˜‡”ϐŽ‘™‹‰ •’‹”‡† „› –Š‡ ϐ‹Ž• ‘ˆ ‹ —”–‘ǡ ƒ”› to count and even got to open a show for through it, it’s not hard to argue Blair, and toys from the 1980s, Hill began them once.” that Saluda Shoals Park, just 10 making her strange little stuffed creatures in quick miles from Columbia’s 2000 after meeting and falling in love with Main Street, is a work of art her husband, puppet master Lyon Hill. Be- Sammy Lopez of PIENSA: Art Company in itself. And given how sore- fore long, JennyMae.com was born and, in was born in Colombia, South America, but ly lacking Columbia is in lush 2007, Hill’s toys were featured in the Dustin grew up in Puerto Rico, Miami, and Colum- and accessible green spaces, the proximity ‘ˆˆƒȀƒ–ƒŽ‹‡ ‘”–ƒ ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡ ϐ‹Žǡ Mr. bia, SC, beginning his work as an artist very of such a natural treasure as Saluda Shoals ƒ‰‘”‹—ǯ• ‘†‡” ’‘”‹—. As for her ‡ƒ”Ž› ‹ Š‹• Ž‹ˆ‡ „‡ˆ‘”‡ –”ƒ‹‹‰ ‘ˆϐ‹ ‹ƒŽŽ› ƒ– Park should make it a city-dweller’s go-to taste in music, Hill’s favorite local band is the the University of SC. Lopez is primarily in- place not only for hiking, rafting, and river Prairie Willows, a group whom she and her ϐŽ—‡ ‡†„›Š‹•„”‘–Š‡””‡ǡ™‹–Š™Š‘Š‡ sports, but for picnics, plein air painting, and husband successfully collaborated with at and Robert LeHeup started the PIENSA: Art stretching out under a shady tree to strum a this year’s Indie Grits Film Festival. Company several years ago. “Other than guitar or read a good book. –Šƒ–ǡ › ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡• ‰‘ ˆ”‘ ‘‘‡› —‡•ǡ In an effort to encourage Columbians to ‘‹ „‘‘ƒ”–‹•–•ǡ–‘ϐ‹‡ƒ”–‹•–•Ž‹‡ —•–ƒ˜ explore the natural bounty of the park, the Lucas Sams was also born and raised in Klimt, Egon Schiele, Piet Mondrian, Norman Saluda Shoals Foundation, under the direc- South Carolina, graduating from the South ‘ ™‡ŽŽǡ ƒ‡• ‡ƒǡ–‘‡˜‡‰”ƒˆϐ‹–‹ƒ”–‹•–•ǡdz tion of Dolly Patton, has joined forces with Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts be- Lopez says. A fan of electronic and hip hop Jay Matheson and Phil Blair of the Jam Room fore studying painting in Tokyo, Japan, and music, Lopez says his theme song is Telepop- Music Festival and Jasper magazine to inject receiving his BA from the University of SC. A musik’s Just Breathe. “I love that track for some art into the park on Saturday, May 16th painter, sculptor, illustrator, writer, musician many reasons and it’s a good reminder for ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹”•–‡˜‡”ƒŽ—†ƒŠ‘ƒŽ•—•‹  ‡•–Ǥ ƒ†ϐ‹Žƒ‡”ǡŠ‹•™‘”ǡ‹‹–•˜ƒ”‹‘—•ˆ‘”•ǡ me to breathe...I forget to do that a lot.” Along with music from Jam Room Music draws inspiration primarily from the histo- Festival faves The Woggles and more (see ry of art, from the ancient and classic to the sidebar on page 45), Jasper invited four Co- modern and the post-modern. Other sourc- A graduate of Wofford College with a MFA lumbia artists to exhibit their work during es of inspiration include pop culture, punk from Western Carolina University and a MTA the concert. Invited artists were chosen rock, religion, mysticism and the occult, and from the University of SC, Justice Littlejohn based on their ability to mesh with the na- • ‹‡ ‡ ϐ‹ –‹‘Ǥ ƒ• •ƒ›• –Šƒ–ǡ Dz—•‹  Šƒ• has spent most of his professional life teach- ture-loving, music-savvy crowd expected to always been a huge inspiration and love/ob- ing art to students in the upstate of SC. Since attend the music festival. The Jasper 2015 session of mine. While I’m working, I usually 2011, Littlejohn’s summers have been devot- Saluda Shoals MusicFest Featured Artists –”› –‘ ϐ‹† •–—ˆˆ  Šƒ˜‡ǯ– Š‡ƒ”† „‡ˆ‘”‡ ƒ† ed to teaching students at the SC Governor’s include Jennifer Hill, Justice Littlejohn, Lucas discover new favorites, although these days School for the Arts through the Ignite Pro- Sams, and Sammy Lopez of the PIENSA: Art I’m too caught up working on my own music gram – an accomplishment which the artist Company. to branch out too much.” Among Sams’ favor- values above all other experiences. - CB It should be quite a match. ‹–‡Ž‘ ƒŽ—•‹ ›‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†ƒǯ–‹†•ǤDzŠ‡›ǯ”‡

44 . -$63(5SPECIAL PHOTOS BY)255(67&/2176 Saturday, May 16th, Sa- luda Shoals will host ‹–• ϐ‹”•– —•‹  ‡•–Ǥ –- lanta-based veteran rockers the Woggles top the bill, bringing with them their notoriously raucous and sweat- •‘ƒ‡† •–ƒ‰‡ •Š‘™Ǥ ϐŽ—‡ ‡† primarily by the jukebox rock ƒ†”‘ŽŽ‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹ˆ–‹‡•ƒ†•‹š–‹‡•ǡ the Woggles’ live performances have become infamous for their entertainment-or-death levels of energy. The bill also includes the Capital City Playboys, Columbia’s best (and perhaps only) rocka- billy trio, which includes the Jam Room’s Jay Matheson on bass. Los Perdidos(pictured), also a three-piece, specialize in surf- rock. Although it might seem un- fortunate that they lack a singer, the group easily makes up for it with an airtight delivery and formidable chops. Hailing from Charlotte, Americana/folk duo Sinners & Saints rotate between up-tempo hootenanny tunes and slower, soggy-eyed ballads, both with heavy emphasis on vocal harmony. Rounding everything out are the Prairie Willows, against whom no harmonic vo- calists should dare compete. This trio of ladies is ostensibly a folk group, but their songs can reach such emotional heights that try- ing to slap a label on it is pretty much useless. Park gates open at noon and the music begins at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. –Michael Spawn

-$63(5SPECIAL . 45 SPOLETOSPOLETOSPOLETO

JASPER PICKS

then she’s made her name as a talented in- strumentalist with the ability to conjure up the ghost of Billie Holiday who also has the startling ability to blend the American songbook tradition with her own contempo- ”ƒ”›•‡•‹„‹Ž‹–‹‡•ǤŠ‡„”‹‡ϐŽ›„‡ ƒ‡ƒ˜‹”ƒŽ ‘——„‡ •‡•ƒ–‹‘ ™‹–Š Š‡” ϐŽƒ‡–Š”‘™‡” throwback version of Megan Trainor’s “All about That Bass” with the Postmodern Juke- box, and she’s currently balancing her own, ‹†‹‡ ”‘ Ǧ‹ϐŽ‡ –‡† Œƒœœ –—‡• ƒŽ‘‰•‹†‡ traditional standards in her live sets with an austere three-piece band. This young mu- sician’s star will likely only continue to rise from here on out.

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/,/%8&. zer Prize winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Under the direction of Nancy Meck- 7˒˖ˎ ˠˊ˜ ‘Ž—„‹ƒ ƒ”‡ƒ ƒ”–• ƒϐ‹ ‹‘- 7th, tickets are available at www.Spoletousa. ler with choreography by Annabelle Lopez nados, hungry for heaping helpings of all- org. Here are Jasper’s top picks for this year’s Ochoa, this balletic version of the New Or- things-art, would have to wait all year until festival. leans classic, with a jazzy score by Peter Sa- springtime and travel to Charleston to get lem, has received high praise, too. According –Š‡‹” ϐ‹ŽŽ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ƒ”–• •‘”‰ƒ•„‘”† –Šƒ– –Š‡ .ˊ˝ˎ'ˊ˟˒˜ to the Sunday Times, the dance is persuasive, Spoleto Festival USA brings to the state. exhilarating, moving, and ingenious.” Our These days though, there’s more going on only question is, how does a choreographer in our local arts scene than most of us have At just 24 years of age, jazz vocalist and dou- write the labanotation for Stanley Kowalski’s time to take in. But this in no way negates ble bassist Kate Davis’s resume isn’t very dramatic vocalization of “Stella!” the thrill of the complete arts immersion long, but it’s certainly impressive. At the available for 17 days and nights every year 2012 American Voices concert with Renee -6%$&+·6ST. MATTHEW for the past 38 years in Charleston. Jasper Fleming, the Manhattan School of Music stu- PASSION highly recommends that Columbia artists †‡–™ƒ•–ƒ’’‡†ƒ––Š‡Žƒ•–‹—–‡–‘ϐ‹ŽŽǦ‹ and arts lovers make the trek to the coast to for Grammy-winning singer Kurt Elling and enjoy Spoleto Festival USA. Running from wowed audiences with her rendition of Billie This is likely the most dramatic and epic Thursday, May 22nd through Sunday, June Holiday’s “I’m Gonna Lock My Heart.” Since version of the Passion of Christ you are ever

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likely to encounter. Bach’s masterful composition, based on the Gospel of Matthew, requires soloists, a double-choir (detail), dialogue, a double orchestra and three and a half hours to pull off, and Spoleto USA plans to do it masterfully. Led by

director of choir activities Joe Miller, the Westminster Choir Me Cobbled and members of Taylor Festival Choir will perform along- side musicians from New York Baroque Incorporated, who will be playing period instruments, as well as the Spoleto Douglas Gray, Douglas Gray, underglazes, stoneware, White glaze and textured Festival USA Orchestra. This will be a rare opportunity to experience one of the masterpieces of classical sacred music performed by some of the world’s best musicians.

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Trained in both ballet and hip-hop, Memphis dancer Charles “Lil Buck” Riley has experienced an unlikely career trajecto- ry, moving from being a virtually unknown dancer in 2009 to a YouTube sensation in 2011 when a video of him danc- ing with Yo-Yo Ma went viral, all the way to 2014 when he was named Performing Arts Innovator of the Year by the ƒŽŽ–”‡‡– ‘—”ƒŽƒ‰ƒœ‹‡. Performing with cellist Ash- ley Bathgate, a member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, an offshoot of Bang on a Can, once called “the country’s most important vehicle for contemporary music” by the San Fran- cisco Chronicle, the world premiere of Šƒ–‘˜‡•‘— will likely go down in history as one of the great collaborations of our time. Unfortunately, tickets will likely be unavailable by print time for Jasper. 118 State Street, West Columbia • 803-207-9265 • facebook.com/GalleryWest Am\ Shumaker A Little Banjo Music, Texas Tea, and the Rest is History

By Kristine Hartvigsen

ou could say she got in on the published  ”‹‡ˆ ‹•–‘”› ‘ˆ ‹‡. For the als that hosts an annual conference where ‰”‘—†ϐŽ‘‘”ǡ™‡†‰‹‰Š‡”ˆ‘‘–‹ ϐ‹”•––‹‡ǡ•‘—–•‘Ž†˜‹›ŽǤ†–‡Ž‡˜‹•‹‘ attendees screen the best of the best public the door of South Carolina Edu- still used an analog signal. television programs. She later became IN- cational Television’s headquar- A Pittsburgh native, Amy grew up watch- PUT’s U.S. national coordinator. “I am kind ters in Columbia. The spunky ing the antics of Jed, Granny, and the other of known as the INPUT lady,” she quips. IN- young woman just wouldn’t go away, and quirky Clampetts on Š‡‡˜‡”Ž› ‹ŽŽ„‹ŽŽ‹‡•. PUT curators select raw, slice-of-life stories she was willing to work for nothing. A quick “My parents were liberal about TV,” Amy and documentaries rarely found on com- study, she was determined to make herself •ƒ›•Ǥ Dz  ™ƒ• ƒŽŽ ƒ„‘—– Ǥ  ™”‘–‡ › ϐ‹”•– mercial stations. Its conference recognizes indispensable. And, ultimately, she did. script in the 7th grade, a contemporary ver- television’s power to raise awareness and “I started as a volunteer at ETV,” longtime sion of The Ten Commandments.” understanding across the world’s dispa- SC ETV Executive Producer Amy Shumaker After six persistent months of volunteer- rate cultures. INPUT allowed Amy to attend begins. “I showed up at work every day. In ing at SC ETV, Amy was rewarded with a conferences around the world. “I never the evening, I waited tables at Garcia Mex- part-time, hourly paying job. About eight dreamed I would travel to places like Cap- ican Restaurant.” It was 1988. The average years later, in 1996, Amy also began assist- etown, South Africa, and cities in Europe,” cost of a movie ticket was $3.50. Dot matrix ‹‰ ǡƒ‹–‡”ƒ–‹‘ƒŽǡ‘Ǧ’”‘ϐ‹–‘”- she says. “I would love to go more places.” printers were †‡”‹‰—‡”. Stephen Hawking ganization of public television profession-

48 . -$63(5SCREENS PHOTO BY )255(67&/2176 -$63(5SCREENS . 49 Around 2000, as SC ETV began experi- the scenes, from writing grants to connect- ‘™‡”‡† ‹Ž™‘”• ƒ† ϐ‹Ž ‡†‹–‘” ˆ‘” encing major budget cuts, Amy turned to ing the logistical dots. Jasper. Back in the mid-2000s, Wade and digital media to expand her skills. “I really “I serve in a liaison role, building re- Amy founded the Beg and Grovel Film Fes- wanted to get interactive experience back lationships, making things happen,” she tival, which was held at the old Nickelode- then thinking I wanted to be more mar- explained. “I cultivate the talent and keep ‘Š‡ƒ–”‡–‘•Š‘™ ƒ•‡‹†‹‡ϐ‹Ž•ˆ”‘ ketable so I could move on in my career,” them from having a nervous breakdown!” around the country. “She has always been she says. “And then 9/11 happened, and I One of SC ETV’s most popular series is A involved. And she is always very diplomat- realized how much I loved Columbia, my Chef’s Life, which premiered in 2013. Orig- ic. She is just really naturally good at what friends, and working at ETV. I bought a inally declined by The Food Network, the she does.” house in Rosewood.” Her work included half-hour weekly show chronicles the work ‡‡‘”‡‰ƒ›ǡƒ‹†‡’‡†‡–ϐ‹Ž creating educational websites for knowi- of Chef Vivian Howard and her husband, editor, producer, and director who has tall.org, and, later, documentaries with in- Ben Knight, proprietors of Chef and The had many projects aired on ETV, shares teractive websites. When Amy became an Farmer, an upscale, farm-to-table restau- Wade’s respect and admiration for Amy. executive producer in broadcast content in rant in North Carolina. The show celebrates “We have been friends and peers in the in- ʹͲͲͷǡŠ‡”ϐ‹”•–ƒ••‹‰‡–™ƒ•–‘†‡˜‡Ž‘’ Southern culture and cuisine prepared with dustry for 15 or 20 years,” she says. “Amy and launch Carolina Stories, a weekly series seasonal local produce and ingredients. is the epitome of southern graciousness highlighting the state’s rich history and cul- With ETV and Shumaker’s help, the 13-ep- ™Š‡ ‹– ‘‡• –‘ ϐ‹Žƒ‡”• ƒ† †‘ —- ture. ‹•‘†‡ϐ‹”•–•‡ƒ•‘Šƒ†ͺ‹ŽŽ‹‘˜‹‡™•ƒ† mentarians and public television. … She is Other projects included the ‘Keep It Real’ recently won a Peabody Award. Joining the super smart. She knows her business. She TV series and website educating teenagers team of A Chef’s Life on stage at the New ‹• ’ƒ••‹‘ƒ–‡ ƒ„‘—– ϐ‹Ž• ƒ† •‘—–Š‡” about the consequences of high-risk behav- York ceremony to accept the award, Amy ϐ‹Ž•‹’ƒ”–‹ —Žƒ”Ǥdz ior. The series gained attention because it found herself humbled, grateful, and rath- Amy is well aware of her good fortune. did not shy away from graphic images of er starstruck. Cast members from ‘—•‡‘ˆ “ETV is the only real job I have ever had, traumatic events. All of these efforts also Cards, ”‡ƒ‹‰ƒ†, and Scandal also were you know, where you actually get bene- allowed Shumaker to get comfortable pro- at the award ceremony. ϐ‹–•ǡdz•Š‡•ƒ›•ǤDz ǯ’”‘—†‘ˆ–Š‡ˆƒ ––Šƒ–  ducing documentaries. “As a local ETV producer, a Peabody have a career in public media at all, and es- Since that time, Amy has amassed an ex- Award seemed like a long shot, but it has pecially at South Carolina ETV. We are one tensive list of producing credits, including always been on my bucket list,” Amy says. of the leading public television and radio episodes of Southern Lens, A Chef’s Life, “Prior to the awards, we met some of the networks in this country and have been and most recently, ͷ;Ͷ ƒ›•ǣ ƒ”–•˜‹ŽŽ‡, a other winners. Anthony Bourdain intro- •‹ ‡ –Š‡ •–ƒ–‹‘ǯ• ϐ‹”•– „”‘ƒ† ƒ•–Ǥ ƒ› two-hour documentary that takes viewers duced himself, and Vivian Howard, the pro- ’‡‘’Ž‡•–—†›ƒ†ϐ‹Ž„—–ƒ”‡ǯ–ƒ„Ž‡ through the entire academic year of two el- ducer and host of A Chef’s Life, leaned over to pursue this line of work for a variety of ‡‡–ƒ”›• Š‘‘Ž•‹ ƒ”–•˜‹ŽŽ‡ǡǤŠ‡ϐ‹Ž and said, ‘He doesn’t know we’re cool yet!’ reasons. I feel lucky.” powerfully demonstrates the challenges That was hilarious, and I believe she was These days, Amy is happy to live in Rose- of transforming education in smaller, ru- right. Also, the producing team from 180 wood instead of Beverly Hills. Someday, ral schools. Funded by the Corporation for ƒ›•ǣ ƒ”–•˜‹ŽŽ‡ was there, which made it she would like to see a Southern storytell- Public Broadcasting and other sponsors, it ‡š–”ƒ•’‡ ‹ƒŽǡ„‡ ƒ—•‡–Š‡ϐ‹”•–‹•–ƒŽŽ‡– ‹‰ ‹•–‹–—–‡ –Šƒ– ˆ‘ —•‡• ‘ ϐ‹Žƒ‹‰ is the second in what is anticipated to be a of the 180 Days series won a Peabody the open in Columbia. It’s a dream that took national series of 180 Days documentaries year before.” hold while she worked on Carolina Stories. on smaller towns across the country. It was a glamorous night, and Amy felt “We have some seriously talented story- “180 Days™ƒ•›ϐ‹”•–˜‡–—”‡‹–‘ ‹±- fortunate to stand by and enjoy the mo- tellers on staff. I think the work speaks for ma vérité,” Amy says, which is a somewhat ment while Howard gave the acceptance ‹–•‡ŽˆǤ‡Šƒ˜‡–‘‰”‘™‘—”‘™ϐ‹Žƒ- improvisational, reality-based documen- speech on behalf of the team. “The cast ers in South Carolina, and in the entire tary style in which the camera captures from ”ƒ‰‡ ‹• –Š‡ ‡™ Žƒ  was on the Southeast for that matter. It’s important events without obvious directorial control. steps as we departed,” Amy recalls. “I said, –Šƒ–™‡–‡ŽŽ‘—”‘™•–‘”‹‡•‘ϐ‹ŽǡŒ—•– As co-executive producer, Amy was not ‘I love your show!’ And they all whispered, like great Southern writers, musicians, present for all of the shooting of 180 Days; ‘Thanks and congrats’ as they were going and artists do in their own way.” the long-term project had crews working —’‡š–Ǥ‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›•—””‡ƒŽǨdz continuously over, well, 180 days of the “Amy has been making things happen school year. The role of executive producer for a long time,” says longtime colleague is considerable but often performed behind ƒ†ϐ‹Žƒ‡”ƒ†‡‡ŽŽ‡”•ǡ‘™‡”‘ˆ‘ƒŽ

50 . -$63(5SCREENS

+HLJKWHQHG $ELOLW\ The Award Winning Photography of Russell Jeffcoat BY RACHEL HAYNIE

Steadying a camera was a piece of cake for picture yourself soaring over that bar, turn- the developer tray, I was hooked; I knew ϐ‹‡ ƒ”– ’Š‘–‘‰”ƒ’Š‡” —••‡ŽŽ ‡ˆˆ ‘ƒ– ƒˆ–‡” ing your body at just the right moment to get right then I wanted to be a part of this,” re- the former vaulter invested sweaty years the needed loft,” the award-winning photog- calls Jeffcoat. He continues to process and gripping the end of a vaulting pole. Captur- rapher says. ’”‹– Š‹• ‘™ ϐ‹Ž —•‹‰ ˜‹–ƒ‰‡ ƒ‡”ƒ• ing unique angles has been a natural exten- It was indirectly through pole vaulting and time-honored methods, including tech- sion of seeing the world upside down as he that Jeffcoat landed in photography. A con- niques Tutte and Roberts showed him. Now cleared high bars. And the innate sense of versation with The State photographers Vic he teaches this, along with more contempo- timing, fostered by his practice of the ancient Tutte and Maxie Roberts out at USC’s Weems rary methods, as part of the creative process. •’‘”–ǡŠƒ•ˆ—”–Š‡”‡†Š‹•ϐ‹‡••‡ƒ–•–‘’’‹‰ Baskin Track about where best to capture Photography students travel to Columbia the action in his internationally recognized the arc of the vault in their sports photo- for his tutelage, and his pictures are seen frames. His “snap” decisions, honed at the graphs piqued his curiosity. and celebrated the world over. And in recent ‡†‘ˆƒϐ‹„‡”‰Žƒ••’‘Ž‡ǡƒ”‡•–‹ŽŽ‹ˆ‘”‡†„› The trio’s friendly banter eventually led to years, his ability to capture evocative images, his knowledge of angles. an invitation for the scholarship athlete to images found universally touching by view- Dz‘„‡ ƒ„Ž‡ –‘ †‘ ‹–ǡ ›‘— ϐ‹”•– Šƒ˜‡ –‘ „‡ come out to see the newspaper’s darkroom. ers and jurors, has brought him multi-conti- able to picture yourself being able to do it - DzŠ‡ϐ‹”•––‹‡ •ƒ™ƒ‹ƒ‰‡‡‡”‰‹‰‹ nental attention.

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The trend started several years ago with a The Royal Photographic Society, FoMu Foto- director of the awards, Basil O’Brien, says ϐ‹”•–’Žƒ ‡™‹‹–Š‡’”‡•–‹‰‹‘—•Š‘–‘‹•- museusm, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Torch Jeffcoat’s entries “represent black and white trict News Face competition. Most recent- Gallery, Stockholm City Museum and Fratelli ’Š‘–‘‰”ƒ’Š› ƒ– ‹–• ϐ‹‡•–Ǥdz Žƒ  ƒ† Š‹–‡ ly his work was exhibited in the 9th annual Alinari in Florence, Italy. Spider Awards are the leading international Black and White Spider Awards. Selecting Š‡ ϐ‹‡Ž† ‘ˆ ͺǡͷͲͺ ‡–”‹‡• ”‡’”‡•‡–‡† •—’‡”Žƒ–‹˜‡•Š‘‘”‹‰‡š ‡ŽŽ‡ ‡‹–Š‹•ϐ‹‡Ž†Ǥ his work for that award was a jury of interna- 73 countries. Nominees vied for 132 title Locally, Jeffcoat is perpetuating his expe- tional captains of the photography industry: awards; Jeffcoat took two honors. Creative rience by teaching both photography and

-$63(5GAZES . 53 $UW6FKRRO&KHIV

54 . -$63(5GAZES the creative process. Photographer Molly  ƒ††‹ǡ™Š‘Šƒ•ϐŽ‘™‹ˆ”‘Š‹‘•‡˜- eral times for private two-week tutorials, de- scribes him as “a very hands-on teacher who views the world in ways most people don’t— which helps make his art so unique.” This month Boyd Saunders, Jeffcoat’s friend and mentor, shares in an exhibit with the photographer at McCormick Arts Council at Ketarah in McCormick, SC, on view through the end of May. “La Femme: A Celebration of 2015-2016 the Eternal Female” showcases myriad views and interpretations of the female form. Jeffcoat’s classical portraits, described as SEASON “contemporary Mona Lisas,” honor the beau- ty and perfection of the female form, as do a collection of luminous nudes. Saunders’ suite of lithographs entitled Odalisque re- imagines exotic females who tantalized around the turn of the 20th century. “What we are showing is complementa- ry,” says Saunders, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Art of the University of South Carolina where he established the print- making program. “Russell has a particular sensitivity and fondness for the women he photographs. His pieces have a classicism about them.” His neighbor and fellow artist Susan Lenz @MTC PERFORMANCE describes Jeffcoat as “old school” and a “pho- Caroline Rhea Scott Bradlee’s HT OCTOBER 2, 2015 | 7:30 PM Postmodern Jukebox INCUBATOR PRESENTS: tographer’s photographer.” NOVEMBER 21, 2015 | 7:30 PM Ruins “He knows his way around the darkroom, The Magical Music FEBRUARY 27, 2016 | 7:30 PM what f-stops are and how to use them, and of Harry Potter Holiday Pops OCTOBER 11, 2015 | 3:30 PM DECEMBER 13, 2015 | 3:30 PM Broadway Back ™Š‡ƒ ‘–”‘ŽŽ‡††‡’–Š‘ˆϐ‹‡Ž†™‹ŽŽ ‘˜‡› Together a desired atmosphere,” she says. “Russell NTL: Of Mice and Men NTL: Treasure Island MARCH 5, 2016 | 7:30 PM doesn’t ‘take pictures’; he captures images OCTOBER 15, 2015 | 7:00 PM JANUARY 17, 2016 | 2:00 PM Cherish the Ladies he has carefully sculpted. Years studying the The Great American Strings & Salsa MARCH 10, 2016 | 7:30 PM work of masters, like Dorothea Lange, result Songbook JANUARY 22, 2016 | 7:30 PM in hand-developed images. It’s not unusual OCTOBER 18, 2015 | 3:30 PM Negin Farsad: Fighting for him to print the same image on various Wiesenthal Committed JANUARY 30, 2016 Islamophobia, Bigotry, papers, in different sizes, and in subtly differ- OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 7:30 PM 2:00 PM AND 7:30 PM and What Have You ent tones, always looking for the ideal. And with Comedy NTL: Frankenstein ϐ‹†‹‰‹–Ǥdz Glennon Doyle Melton MARCH 15, 2016 | 7:30 PM OCTOBER 29, 2015 | 7:00 PM FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 7:30 PM Jeffcoat’s ideal shots have appeared in Sci-Fi in Hi-Fi the likes of Time, ‡” ’‡‹‰‡Ž, Playboy, and Fabien Cousteau: Valentine’s Cinema: APRIL 23, 2016 | 3:30 PM Glamour. They have won him accolades in One Ocean, One People Roman Holiday NOVEMBER 10, 2015 | 7:30 PM the International Nude in the Landscape Ex- FEBRUARY 13, 2016 HT Behind the Scenes 7:00 PM DESSERT hibition in Carmel, CA as well as in Astoria, NTL: Hamlet Theatre 8:00 PM FILM September 14 | 1 pm – 3:30 pm OR for the Photographic Nude Internation- NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | 6:00 PM Music al. This spring, his black and white work MOMIX Botanica Sing Along with October 8 | 1 pm – 3:30 pm appears in exceedingly good company in NOVEMBER 15, 2015 | 3:30 PM The Muppet Movie Dance FEBRUARY 21, 2016 | 3:30 PM November 4 | 1 pm – 3:30 pm Blur magazine. As he did in his early pole vaulting days, Russell Jeffcoat is still scaling the heights.

Box Office: 803-407-501 1 Review American Sycamore by Kathleen Nalley BY BRANDON RUSHTON

In her new chapbook, American Syca- more, Kathleen Nalley creates a complex Give me the good, ol’fashioned root collection centered on the ways in which vegetable loosened from the dirt humanity is forced to adapt if it hopes to that grew it. Give me beans to snap. persist. This is a book about survival and growth, about how to strip the self bare These days, everything is complicated, as a way to build the self back up. This is a Bedazzled, soul stripped. world full of transitions, transformations, and arriving at the revelation that there is no wrong way to shuck the world that tries What Nalley has created in American to sink us. Nalley’s chapbook sings nature’s Sycamore‹•ƒϐ‹‡Ž†‰—‹†‡ˆ‘”†‹•”—’–‹‰–Š‡ song in the hopes that it becomes a part of it. diurnal. This book challenges the cycles Nalley’s collection begins with an epi- that control us. This chapbook is ambitious, graph by Annie Dillard about the adaptabili- it singlehandedly intends to disrupt the ty and persistence of the sycamore tree. The familiar trajectory of our own kind. The book bookfollows this up by engaging in a variety ‹•ǯ–ƒˆ–‡”ƒ•™‡”•Ǣ‹–Ž‘‰•–‘ϐ‹†ƒ’Žƒ ‡ of forms pursuing one common purpose: of stability that can withstand the shock ϐ‹†‹‰ƒ™ƒ›–‘Žƒ•–Ǥ of where we’re headed. In her own words, Readers of American Sycamore are quick- “I can explain the whole life / cycle and be- ly ushered into a world where nature pro- yond. Which gets chloroform, / which gets vides a sense of solace. Though, this is a drought, / which gets chemical bath. / Only solace that is in jeopardy, a solace still pen- I know how the ticking time / bomb works.” etrable by the pollution of outside forces. Nalley’s American Sycamore sinks its Nalley wants to shake the world back into a roots with the intent to stick around. In natural order, a world where the inner-self a world quickly closing in, we are, after isn’t starving, a world where she doesn’t all, looking for that safe place to cement have to say: ourselves.

I can explain the whole life cycle and beyond. Which gets chloroform, which gets drought, which gets chemical bath. Only I know how the ticking time bomb works.

56 . -$63(55($'6 Taxonomy of Want P. Ivan Young’s Smell of Salt, Ghost of Rain BY JONATHAN BUTLER

bles the details of the scene, making the set- “Trapeze,” wherein the sight of women per- ting and its objects the site of memory and forming a high-wire act solicits the memory meditation. of an acquaintance who jumped to her death: — Š‘ˆ‘—‰ǯ•™‘”†‡ƒŽ•™‹–Š†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž–ǡ “how long did we pass under you / without coming of age lessons, and the outdoors is noticing you were there?” often his classroom, as in “Deer-Unspoken,” As this last example suggests, the people ™Š‡”‡‹ –Š‡ •’‡ƒ‡” †‡• ”‹„‡• ƒ ϐ‹”•– †‡‡” of Young’s book are freighted with pain, of- hunting trip and the hollow sense of loss that ten from a very early age, accompanies its ostensible success: “a bitter, cold alchemy, an empty harvest.” But Young . . . Most of us knew waking to is also interested in lessons learned in the a father solemnly leaving with suitcases wilderness of the suburbs, as in “Reasons,” in hand, the lies parents told to smooth which makes rationalization a logic that the emptiness. drives the poetic form: and the collection is concerned in part with Because Tommy’s mother the inadequacy of language to the suffering slipped a Percodan at lunch of its characters, and leaves open the ques- and Brent’s father tion of whether or how the silence might be mixed bourbon with his coffee. bridged, as in “Languages We Don’t Speak”:

And then extends the series of reasons . . . Men form a code to include children inheriting their parents’ beneath word and gesture, distance in the eyes, Ivan Young’s Smell of Salt, coping mechanisms: the hope that something is being said, the danger Ghost of Rain, new from that something is being said— Brick House Books, brings Because we stole what we needed— to mind T. S. Eliot’s phrase candy and records, comic books and liquor, But if Smell of Salt, Ghost of Rain is in part about “mixing / Memory pot from a parent’s drawer. a meditation on the ways that language can- and desire.” Young’s setting not bridge the gap, it is also itself an effort to is that of the hazy Carolina coast rather than Often, Young blends memory and desire in test how far language can go in this direction, foggy London, but the graduate of USC’s MFA a single image, as in “Dress,” wherein a hang- and towards this end it makes its coastal set- program knows something about stirring ing garment summons “so many distractions tings the medium of this transmission. the old cocktail of recollection and want. of the interspersed days laid out / in spa- Like a landscape painter, he carefully assem- ghetti straps and stripes, crepe and wool,” or

. . . Men form a code beneath word and gesture, distance in the eyes, the hope that something is being said, the danger that something is being said—

-$63(55($'6 . 57 A Battle for Understanding Maggie Schein’s Lost Cantos of the Ouroboros BY SARAH GOUGH

and share it. The cover image of a boy and and then observe them straight on, exam- snake tumbling off the side of a mountain ining close-up details and then take in ex- warns that the journey is not without per- pansive horizons. Some characters seem to ils, but like other warnings within these return the scrutiny, gazing directly at the –ƒŽ‡• –Š‡› ‰‘ —Š‡‡†‡† ƒ– ϐ‹”•– Ȃ ™Š‹ Š ‹• reader, crowding the frame, while others exactly how it is meant to be. turn their backs, hovering just out of sight. Š‹•‹•ƒ„‘‘‘ˆŠ—ƒƒ–—”‡ǡ‘ˆϐ‹†- Like Schein’s writing, they are richly lay- ing truth and one’s place in the scheme of ered with symbolism and meaning, echoing things both because of and despite that the conclusions to come. nature. Schein explores the meaning of life, The early, more accessible fables lure the love, death, and the connectedness of all reader in with their fantastical enchant- things. It is a humanization of the Wheel of ments. Animals are elegant and wise, able Samsara, the Buddhist cycle of existence in to communicate with humans in order to which human beings are eternally reborn warn, protect, and impart knowledge. A —–‹Ž™‡ϐ‹ƒŽŽ›Ž‡ƒ”ƒŽŽ–Š‡Ž‡••‘•™‡ƒ”‡ young man seeks enlightenment through supposed to, and are honed down to our the challenge of summiting a mountain and ˜‡”›‡••‡ ‡ǡϐ‹ƒŽŽ›ƒ Š‹‡˜‹‰–‘–ƒŽŽ› ‘- is guided by a snake. A swan guards lost sciousness. “Ouroboros” refers to the an- souls. A gatekeeper is chosen to usher those cient symbol of a snake devouring its own in the in-between on to the next world, as- tail, determinedly cyclical, and each of the sisted by a spider. Schein’s treatment of Šƒ”ƒ –‡”•™‹–Š‹–Š‹•„‘‘ϐ‹†–Š‡•‡Ž˜‡• each fable is beautiful and original. somewhere along that whirring, recurring Then the stories get increasingly phil- aggie Schein’s Lost Can- journey. osophical and circuitous, going “meta” in –‘•‘ˆ–Š‡—”‘„‘”‘•ƒ˜‡• Perspective is a recurring theme, par- wonderfully perplexing ways. These are (The University of South ticularly how humans are blinded by their stories about the beginning of story itself, Carolina Press, 2015) is relentless, externally focused questions and as well as the limitations and power of sto- philosophical and insightful, taking on big presumptions and therefore unable to see ries versus what is “true” and of the pres- spiritual challenges in a reasonably small or comprehend the great design that is un- ent. The reader, too, begins to plays his or book – a collection of nine short stories, the folding right before them. In one instance, her part as another character stuck on the eighth split into a trilogy. While not actually the cruelty that we often assign to forces of ™Š‡‡Ž‘ˆ†‡•–‹›ǡ™ƒ‹–‹‰ˆ‘”ˆ—Žϐ‹ŽŽ‡–ƒ† consisting of “cantos,” the language is lyri- nature is actually kindness and an exquisite awareness but kept off-kilter and pulled cal, purposeful, and weighty with meaning ˆ—Žϐ‹ŽŽ‡–‘ˆ†‡•–‹›Ǥ ƒ‘–Š‡”ǡƒ„—œœƒ”† along with a sense of inevitability. in the way of poetry as Schein writes new is not a wretched scavenger, but a serene, In these stories as in life, events may be fables neatly layered with allusions to tales purifying presence. Supporting and back- predetermined by some grand design, but of old. ground characters from certain tales are each step along the journey is necessary Before even opening the cover of this brought to the foreground in others, illu- and meaningful to go through. In the end book, Schein plays with our innate quest for minating how things are easy to miss from there is certainly not simplicity, but there understanding. The title entices with a sub- some angles, but from others are essential is satisfaction. Though the path was twisted tle challenge: herein lies some lost knowl- links in the chain of existence. ƒ†–ƒ‰Ž‡†ǡ™‡ϐ‹ƒŽŽ›”‡ƒ Š–Š‡ ‘• ‹‘—•- edge, and if you can navigate the mystical, Jonathan Hannah’s illustrations echo the ness that, through each character, we have tangled web within, you can be the lucky call for varying perspectives, allowing the battled so hard for. one to recover this knowledge, to keep it reader to peer down on scenes from above

58 . -$63(55($'6 Review Fate Moreland’s Widow by John Lane BY KYLE PETERSEN

long-established South Carolina poet product of such a social and economic and memoirist John Lane. divide. Still, that means we get a very The story’s protagonist is Ben Crock- fragmented sense of the most fascinat- er, a self-described “company man” for ing characters—the local union leader a textile company located in the foot- Olin Campbell, the beautiful, surpris- hills on the border between North and ingly complicated Novie Moreland, the South Carolina. Told in the “present” of wryly malevolent Angus McCane, the 1988 but concerned with the details of drunken older brother of the curious- several incidents involving a fatal boat- ly absent mill owner/manager George ing accident and union-busting in the McCane—while Crocker himself gradu- 1930s, Crocker is caught in the throes ally fades away from our interest. between his desire to work his way up The novel builds ultimately to exact- the ladder in management and his fa- ly what you expect it to—a contentious, ‹Ž‹ƒŽƒ† ‘—‹–›ƒˆϐ‹Ž‹ƒ–‹‘•™‹–Š plot-twisting trial and a failed strike/ the mill workers. While that sounds unionization attempt at the mill—but ˜‡”›–‡’‘”ƒŽŽ›•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ǡ–Š‡•Šƒ†‘™‘ˆ neither leads to any real catharsis. Lane South Carolina’s current union contro- is set on telling a more accurate and versies, along with thoroughly pressing nuanced version of history, one that national concerns about growing in- recognizes the seedy undercurrents of come equality and the unequal justice social class on small town southern life, doled along both racial and class lines, on the simultaneous presence and ab- give the novel a cutting contemporary sence of a labor movement in the world s William Faulkner relevance. of southern textiles, and the ways in never stops reminding Largely due to the limitations of the which our reckoning of the past speaks us, history is a living, ϐ‹”•– ’‡”•‘ ƒ””ƒ–‹‘ ˆ”‘ ”‘ ‡”ǯ• clearly to the present moment even breathing thing, a pow- perspective, many of the mysterious as it offers up no easy answers or un- erful force that informs details and key conversations that derstanding. He ultimately succeeds at and effects our present readers crave are either unavailable or this, a testament as much to his sense in layered, complicated, shrouded by the liminal space the mid- of craft as to the vivaciousness of his and often contradictory ways. This is, dle man occupies in a mill village. This subject matter, but the lingering sense of course, one of the great themes of was likely a conscious move on Lane’s of remove created by Crocker and af- Southern letters, with its long tradi- ’ƒ”––‘†‡ϐŽ‡ ––Š‡‘”‡›•–‡”›Ǧ†”‹˜- ϐ‹”‡†„›–Š‡—ϐ‹‹•Š‡†ƒ–—”‡‘ˆ–Š‡ tion of mulling endlessly and murkily en aspects of the story in favor of cre- story will potentially leave readers over the past, but the idea seems to ating a more fully-realized portrait of with a perplexingly and perhaps point- have a very particular valence in Fate class struggle that touches on the myr- ‡†Ž›—•ƒ–‹•ϐ‹‡†ˆ‡‡Ž‹‰ƒ––Š‡ Ž‘•‡‘ˆ Moreland’s Widowǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–‘˜‡Žˆ”‘ iad and diffuse indignities that are a this debut.

-$63(55($'6 . 59 Ars Poetica, or Portrait of an Angler Fish

BY MELISSA DUGAN

I wanted to draw you in close, that is mine is not mine: we •‘ •ƒ ”‹ϐ‹ ‡†›„‡ƒ—–›–‘ƒ‹‰”ƒ‹‡ǡ have an arrangement, as I do and she burst from my forehead, with six males whose digestive my new appendage, a neon globe tracts have dissolved.

‡„‡††‡†‹ƒϐŽ‡•ŠǦ•–‹ Ǥ I take what I need from them The darkness here is thick; when I need it. When the eggs it will reconstruct your bones, come, they will not be pretty, but I am ready to absorb you, and I will forget them the moment

to merge our blood vessels. my children slip from my body. I will feed you. I do not give But one day you will be swimming off light in order to see. near the bottom of the trench, This is my secret: I can see and you will witness

only in the dark. The light is for you, a divine glow. In that moment and behind it, I am the shadow, I hope you will believe the ocean and the teeth, and the darkness, has swallowed a star so hot and the juices. The light—my it never ceases to burn.

bacteria—they breed for you. I do not need to speak to be here, waiting, colorless, with coins for eyes. The light

Melissa Dugan has recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with her MFA in poetry. Melissa also has degrees in education and in liberal studies. Originally from Pennsylvania, Melissa has worked as a waitress, a nursing home receptionist, a health insurance claims analyst, and a high school English teacher.

60 . -$63(55($'6 Each Night I Build Myself Anew

BY KEN DENK

I feel raw tonight,

torn open with

solitude and wine, and

songs that break me

into soft pieces

from the inside,

sung to me from snug

pads on my ears,

dog puddled at my feet.

He has no idea why I weep.

ˆ—‰‹–‹˜‡ˆ”‘’‘‡–”›ˆ‘”ͶͲ›‡ƒ”•ǡ–Š‹•—”•‡ƒ†•‹‰Ž‡ˆƒ–Š‡”ϐŽ‡†–Š‡—’•–ƒ–‡ˆ‘”‡•–•‘ˆŠ‹•Š‘‡•–ƒ–‡‘ˆ‡™‘”ǡ„—– was eventually caught in South Carolina. Hemmed in by metaphor and simile, he has chosen to make his home-in-exile in Columbia. He is susceptible to coffee, wine, poetry and fearsomely smart women.

-$63(55($'6 . 61 Contact Us @ [email protected] for advertising details

62 . -$63(55($'6 The South Carolina Book Festival in its 18th Year BY RANDY AKERS

South Carolina is a state that is rich with the rest of the funds are raised from city, literary heritage, but there were not any county, foundation, and private donations. major statewide events celebrating au- Š‡‘‘ ‡•–‹˜ƒŽŠƒ••‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–Ž›‹- thors, writing and literacy in South Caroli- creased The Humanities Council’s visibility na in the 1990s. The SC Arts Commission and fundraising. It also has important spin- had sponsored a festival called “Carolina off effects. The survey instrument used at Connections” in the late 1980s, but it was a the festival shows that attendees are more one-time event. Books, reading, and literacy likely to visit their local libraries and to are vital markers for the health of a commu- read books by featured authors. As a free nity. The more people read, the more they event, many of our underserved and rural are engaged in civic, cultural, volunteer, and citizens who could not afford ticket prices philanthropic activities. It was not a stretch attend, especially families who want to ex- for The Humanities Council, a cultural orga- pose their children to books. nization which promotes literature, to be- Please come May 16-17 to enjoy gin to sponsor this statewide event. award-winning and best-selling authors The SC Book Festival reaches a diverse such as Rick Bragg, Ron Rash, Dottie Ben- audience of more than 6,000 people from ton Frank, Natalie Baszile, Savannah cook South Carolina and beyond. Attendees are „‘‘ ™”‹–‡”• Š‡”›Ž ƒ† ”‹ˆϐ‹–Š ƒ›ǡ ƒ† pring in Columbia means gradu- from every race, age, creed, and corner of many more. Take your children to the ations, weddings, gardening and the state, with approximately 7% coming children’s pavilion for fun and special pro- books. May 16-17 are the dates ˆ”‘ ‘–Š‡” •–ƒ–‡•ǡ ϐ‹ŽŽ‹‰ ƒ”‡ƒ Š‘–‡Ž• ƒ† ‰”ƒ•Ǥ—›ƒ”ƒ”‡„‘‘ǡϐ‹”•–‡†‹–‹‘ǡ‘”–Š‡ for the 19th annual South Caroli- restaurants. This brings hospitality and latest suspense or romance novel. Enjoy the na Book Festival at the Columbia accommodations tax dollars to the City of restaurants and shops in the Vista, and then Metropolitan Convention Cen- Columbia and Richland County, adding to come to the Convention Center for a true ter. I invite you to step in from our state’s healthy tourism industry. literary feast. the out of doors into an enchanted space The SC Book Festival allows The Human- The Humanities Council is in its 42nd year designed and dedicated to those who love ities Council to partner with numerous as the state program of the National Endow- books. literary groups such as the South Carolina ment for the Humanities. A private, not-for- The South Carolina Book Festival is The State Library, the South Carolina Arts Com- ’”‘ϐ‹– ͷͲͳȋ Ȍȋ͵Ȍ ‘”‰ƒ‹œƒ–‹‘ǡ ‹– •—’’‘”–•ǡ Humanities Council’s largest and most mission, the School of Library and Infor- promotes, and initiates public humanities visible annual event. Started in 1997 as a mation Science at USC, Richland Library, projects throughout South Carolina. one-day event at the Koger Center in honor the Southeastern Independent Booksellers of the Council’s 25th anniversary, the Book Association, local county school districts, ‡•–‹˜ƒŽŠƒ•‰”‘™•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–Ž›‹–Š‡’ƒ•– and other cultural and education groups, 18 years to become a regional and even ensuring that efforts are coordinated with RANDY AKERS IS THE nationally recognized event. This May’s organizations that are involved in similar EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF festival will include presentations by more literary efforts. Such exposure adds to the than 100 authors, book signings, book ability to market the festival and to raise THE HUMANITIES COUNCIL sales from over 90 vendors, and many funds. Approximately one third of the festi- collateral events. val’s budget comes from federal support—

-$63(5*8(67(',725,$/ . 63 The Columbia Criterion Award challenges artists to push the boundaries of their creative expression through monthly themed juried shows. The eleven monthly winners will receive a cash prize and be entered into the annual competition which will culminate in one finalist receiving the Columbia Criterion Award. Visit www.tappsartscenter.com/criterionaward for submission deadlines and eligibility requirements.