A Weekly Guide to African-American Culture

November 4-10, 1991 • (212) 6 27-5241• VoL I, No. 24 • Sl.OO

LISTINGS INSIDE: ART • CABARETS • CONCERTS • THEATER RESTAURANTS • FREE·FOR·ALL

Edward Kennedy Ellington

n 1923, on the promise of a job, the Washingtonians, a I small band of musicians w ith a penchant for syncopated music, left the nation's capitol for . The decade was just beginning to roar, was a relatively new musical form, and the Washingtonians more o ften than n ot found them­ selves playing "sweet" music, to please less venturesome ears. Edward Kennedy Ellington , whose Oashy clothes and suave mannerisms earned him the nickname "Duke," found society jobs for the this and othe r bands by advertising himself prominently in the D.C. yell ow pages, but New York was clearly becoming the Mecca for musicians of the jazz persuasion. Still-having previously found himself stranded, penniless-in the Dig Apple, Ellington decided to forego this trip, so leadership of the Washingtonians fell to banjoist , who doubled as the group's business manager. "Things got real tough when the job fell through," Snowden recalled forty years later, "and we were about to give up when Bricktop rescued us." Then known as Ada Smith, Dricktop-later to gain international fame as the hostess of chic European cabarets­ used her considerable networking skills to land Elmer Snowden's Washingtonians a job at Darren's Exclusive Club on West 135tb Street. It was an enormously populnr club. so Ellington needed little persuasion to join his friends there. As things turned out. that may havr. been his most important cnreer move. After three fairly uneventful months a t Darren's, the band-still under Snowden's leadership-took up residency at the Hollywood Club, on West 49th Street. It was there that things started to fall into place. When a musician suggested to the club's management that it was time for the band to get a raise, he was told that several raises had already been given. Indeed they had, but Elmer Snowden had kept that bit of information-not to mention, money-to himself. After ousting him, the band's remaining members elected Duke as their leader, and that is how the famous Orchestra started. Other members were soon added, but the original band of Washingtonians stayed with Duke for many years. Drummer , who first played with Ellington in 1920, didn't leave the band until 1951. No other bandleader could boast such continuity, and that is one reason why the Ellington sound was so distinct Duke played piano, but his main instrument was the orchestra, and just as Bach, Beethoven or Vivaldi wrote concertos for specific instruments, so Ellington composed his music with individual musicians and their styles in mind. Men like Bubber Miley, , , , , Joe Nanton were as much a part of the Ellington sound as Duke himself. Anyone can play an Ellington tune-and most musicians do-but only the Ellington Orchestra, with its distinguished soloists, could convey the true sound of America's most famous composer. Fortunately, Duke left us a rich legacy of recordings; hundreds of hours are available in record stores and libraries throughout the world, and there is even more to come as collectors dig out and dust off stored away acetate discs and tapes. Ellington was nowhere as highly regarded as in Europe, where one of the world's largest collections of Ellington music was amassed by King George VI of England (now, presumably, gracing Queen Elizabeth's record shelves). nor that Ellington's personal library of records and tapes- including many unissued performances-is, at his estate's request, housed in Denmark, where the government oversees it. When Duke Ellington first came to Harlem, he fell in love with it. "It's like Arabian Nights," he exclaimed as he took in its bright lights and inhaled the energy of its people. The rest, as they say, is history, for Duke Ellington's music came to symbolize Harlem during its most dynamic period. - Author of • Bessie," Scarborough House

Volume 1, Number 24. Published by OCR for Publishers, Inc. • 521 W. 23rd Street • New Yorlr., NY 10011. Subscription rate U.S. 536. Send subscription to ROUTES. A Guide to African-American Culture, P.O. Box 20103, Old Chelsea Station, New Yorlr., NY 10011. ROlJTES is published 48 times per year. For advertising rates call (212) 627· 5241. Publisher/Editor in Chief. Ronald Bunn, Associate Editors-Estelle Whiling& Toni Roberts. Editorial Staff: Perri Gaffney.

2-/IOUTES, A Guida to African-American Culture. November 4· 10 , /991 CLU13S AN D • Bob Te l.son with Lill ie C ONCERTS Village CABARt.-rs 1\ov 7 Amateur Night • Dave Leonhart Trio •The Mighty Sparrow Every Wed. 7:30 prn 1\ov 4 Nov 8 Apollo Thcntre • Leni Stern Trio S.O.B.s 253 W. ! 25th St • 864-0372 204 Varick(Houston) Nov 5 243-4940 Ahmad Ja mal, piano • Frank Griffith Sextet Nova ' Nov 6 Benny Bark.tdale & Gemini Miller Theatre jazz at •Bobby Sanabria lc Nov 5 Columbia Un iversity • Quartetto Ache The NewYorkerClub • !16th St & Broadway • Nov 7 123 West 43rd St • 764· 854-7799 0404 Birdland • 2745 Broadway Revisited / I 05th St • 749-2228 Saleh and Bix • Art Farmer Quintet Nov 7 YeUowJackets Nov 5·10 & 12·17 Featuring Byron Stripling Nov 5-10 • Eddie Chamblee Quarte.t Joey Cavaseno The Blue Note Saturdays, 2-6 pm Dennis Wil10n 131 W. 3rd St • 475-8592 •Doc Cheatham Ray Mosca Sundays, 3-7 pm Brou Townsend Fats Domino Dick Sud halter and his Sweet Basil • 8 Seventh Nov6 Ave/Bleecker • 242-1785 Bixologiats featuring Joe The Bottom Line Muranyi 15 W. 4th St Ray Barretto 1: His Band Bobby Prins 228-6300 Tito Nieves Loren Schoenbers guest 10loist David James ChiriUo Buster Williams, bess "Fathead" Newman Mulgrew Miller, piano Nov4 REsTAURANTS Yoron Israel, drums Nov 4-10 Village Gate • Bleecker/ B. Smith's Thompson Sts o 475-51 20 Brad ley's • 70 University Southern & American P!llltli St • 228-6440 Benny Green Trio cuisine Nov 5·10 Trendy Bobby Short 771 Eighth Ave • 247-2222 Village Vanguard o 178 7th Through De<: 31 Ave South o 255-4037 Cafe Carlyle Copeland's ~1 ad ison t\vel76th St •Me lvin S parks Bl ues Southern cuisine 744-1600 Band A Harlem institution Nov 5 54 7 W.145th St • 234-245 7 • Phil Guy & the Chicago • Mark Soskin Trio Machine Ca ribc 1\ov 6 & 7 1\ov 4 & 5 Jamaican cuisine • Jimmy Dawkins • "Teathered Moon" Pleruant and informal. cash Nov 6 & 7 Nov 8-10 only. • Fenlon Robinson Visiones • 125 ~ac Dou gal 11 7 Perry Stl Greenwich St Nov 8 & 9 St • 673-55 76 255-9 191 Chicago B. L l.J.E.S. Lynne A male Honeysuckle 73 Eighth Ave/13th St Paul West 255-7373 Southern cuisine Nov 4-9 Trendy • David "Fathead" Zinno o 126 W. 13th St • 507 Columbus Ave Newman 924-5182 496-8095 1\ov5-10 •Brooklyn· Jamaican "Hot Pol" •CiifTo rd Jo rda n Ui g Band Vernard Jo hnson,

3-HOUTF.S, I\ Guide to 1\frican-American Culture, November 4· 10, 1991 Jc;.ebel Gn..~nc Avenue G rill Negro Ensemble Company SouLiJcm/American cwsine Grilled American & presents Scarfs, swings and Southern cuisine Just a Night Out sophis:ication. 13 Greene Ave/Fulton St Through Nov 1 0 630 \"i:Jth Ave/45th St (718) 797-2099 A musical love story in 582-1()..;5 •Queen•• that takes place dunng the 1950s Chitlin' circuit La Famille Restaurant La Detente period . Continental and Caribbean Southern cuisine At the Top of the Village Roomy and informal cuisine Gate • Bleecker/Thompson 2017 5th Ave/125th St 23-04 94th St • East Sts • 295-4694 or 307-4100 534-9909 Elmhurst • (718) 458-2172 Once on This Island Livi's Restaurant Proper Cafe A musical, set in the Caribbean & Southern Southern cuisine Caribbean, about a poor cuisine 217-01 Linden Blvd/ girl's passion for the son of Informal Springfield Blvd a wealthy landowner. 29 E. 126th Stl Mad. &: 5th (718) 341-CAFE Booth Theatre • W. 45th Aves • 831-4931 • Long Island • Stl Broadway. • 239-6200 Pan Pan Sth Avenue Chez Antoine Billie, Malcolm It Yusuf RtstaurantJCafe French Caribbean cuisine Through Nov 1 0 Southern cuisine Elegant A musical, drama. Emmy Informal 590 Sunrise Highway • Straight, fourth-rate comic, 1325 5th Avell1oth &: Baldwin • (5161223-9426 turns up in Heaven to find X 111th Sts • 99~1212. • Billie Holiday. Malcolm Reviewed in 10/20/91 THEATER and Yu.ruf Hawkins issue. trapped in their own New Faces/New ~tneu and brings them Perk's Fine Cuisine Voices/New Visions down to earth." Fine cuisine Castillo Cultural Center • Perfect Courage 500 Greenwich St • 941- Elegant&: trendy Nov 8-10 &: Nov 15-17 Dancing Wed- Sat, 11 pm. 5800 553 Manhattan Ave/1 23rd Featuring Bill T. Jones, Rhodessa Jones and Idris From The Mississippi St • 666-8500 • Reviewed Delta in 918191 issue. Ackamoor The narrnti\'e work, which Previews through Nov 10 Sylvia's examines the nature of Opens \"ov 11 Southern cuisine love, commiunent, Written by Endesha Ida Relaxed and informal violence and healing Mae Holland, directed by Jonathan Wilson. Endesha 328 Le:10x Ave • (126 & Aaron Davis llall at City ! 27th Sts) • 996-0660 College • West !35th SLI Ida Mae Holland's boldly Convent Ave. • 650-7100 inspirational. gutsy and Third World Cafe often hilarious autobio­ Diary of An African graphical play. It follows Thirc World cuisine(spices her life as she blnzcs her used Gf>i from \Vest i\frica) American Nov 7-9 way from rebellious young A very special little cafe. prostitute to PhD. 700 \\'. !25th St/West A theatrical celebration of Circle-In-The-Square Side Hway • !49-8199 the African American (Downtown) • 159 spirit through songs and Bleecker St • 307-2700 Wilson's Restaurant & stories. Featuring Vanessa Bakerv Bell Armstrong, Rahn Ms. Hazel's House of Southern Cuisine Burton, Hannibal Ilea ven ly Rest A Harlem institution Peterson, Ann Sinclair, Andre Solomon-Glover, Sundays, 3 pm. through 1980 .-\:nsterdam A ,·e/ Shona Tucker, Uy ron \"ov 24 !58th St • 923-9821 Utley This original script takes ·Brooklyn• Abyssinian Baptist Church place in a funeral home Keur n' Oeye • 132 W. !38th St •924- setting and deals entirely 3108 with the confrontations Senegalese Cuistne and emotions of making 737 Fulton St (S. Elliot SL Distant Fires "final arrangements." It is & S. Portland Ave Through Doc I the hilarious antics of the (7 18) 875-4937 living relations that keep A drama of rue ism and the aucienccs in stitches. McDonald's Dining Room rnisunderstan~ing at a llnrlem School of The i\rts Country home cooking construclton site tn • 645 St. l'\icholas Ave • . Among the 926-4 100 327 Stuyvesant Ave members of thc cast David (718) 57~ - 3728 • Tues-Sun Wolos' Fontcno The Third Rhythm Giancarlo E.•posito Ray Anthony T homas Through l'\ov 1 7 Atlantic Theatre CompanY. Written by Chuck Butler & 336 W. 20th SL • 645-87;,5 directed by Dwight R.IJ. ,..

4-1/0UTf:S. A r:uid, In Afri<:an-American Culture, November 4-10, 1991 Cook elderly women. llroadway/ l'rinco; S: • A contemporarth drama l;bu Repenory Theater Room 504 • 560·20<1H thnt examtnes e 15 W. 28th St (Dway & 5th •Brooklyn· challenges within a middle Ave) • 679-7540 clnss family when one of Adger W. Cowans the member's secret ·Brooklyn· Through ~ov 9 lifestyle is revealed. Lo11o New Interlude The National Black Theater Through Jan 26, 1992 works on paper and canvas • 2033 F'ifth Ave • 427· The Benson family. a ~ira! Gallery • 63 7 5615 ~pica! family, convinced, anderbilt Ave • (:\ear at wino~ the lottery Grand Army Plaza) • (718) Harlem Comes to will solve of their 783-2891 Broadway problems. One da)' they Nov 8, 15 Dec 13, 31 actuallfJ hit the jaCkpot for People and Places Town Hall • 123 W. 43rd S20 m.l lion. Lotto is zany Debra Holland St • 997·6161 and funny. Nov 6-27 The Billie Holiday Theatre Reception: Nov 6, 4·7 pm Six Degrees of Separation • 1368 Fulton.St • (718) 636-0918/9 Generations Gallery Courtney B. Vance 966 Fulton St (Bet. Set in Manhattan, about a Living Fat Cambridge PI & Grand Ave con artist at an elegs.nt (718) 638-6910 dinner party. Through Nov 17 Vivian Beaumont Theater A farce about a family who Joe Overstreet Broadway/65th St finds e lot of money and Through Nov 30 239-6200 while trying to fi~ out what to do with lt. it is Kenkeleba Gallery • 214 E. 2nd Street • 674-3939 The Good Times are mistakenly thrown away. Killing Me Paul Robeson Theatre • 40 Mus~s& A play with music, follows Greene Ave • (718) 783- CUI. TURAL ENTERS the comic comins of age of 9794 two ~iris, one wlilte and • Film one laclr., a.s they explore DANCE Ava and Gabriel the mysteries of adoles- (Holland/Curacao, 1990) cence, music, divided Donald Byrd with The 100 Min. famllies and racism. Group Nov9, 9pm Min etta Lane Theatre l\ov 6-10 Set in Curacao in 1948, 18 Minetta Lane (Bet. Jrd & Dance Theater Worlr.shop • Felix de Rooy's film looks Bleeclter) • 307-4100 Bessie Schonberg Theater • at racial and cultural 219 W. 19th St • 924-0077 tensions in Antillian The New York society. His protagonist is a Shake~peare Festival Ballet Hiapanico Surinamese pointer wbo Through Kov 10 wants to paint a ~{aconna Pcricl"" in a local church, and Opens :\ov 5 The Joyce Thealre • 175 chooses a mulatto school A ploy about bow people 8th Ave/19th St • 242-0800 teacher engaged to a white cofte Individually and Thuli Dumakudc tolice major os his model. co lcctively with the loss of inematography by Ernest peofele loved. It examines Opens Nov 6 Dickerson. cyc es of deeth and birth/ South African actress & AnthologJ Film Archives • resurrection. Featured in singer autobiographical 32 Secon Ave/2nd St • the casl: Robert Beatty, Jr .. sketch is interwoven in an 477-2714 Paul Butler & Saundra evening of music and McClain dance Africa Explores: 20th The Public Theater • 425 Theater Arielle • 432 West Century African Arl l..afayene St •_598-7150 42nd St • 967-7079 Through December '91 Exhibit explores the The 1991 French \Vest Criot New York continuing vitality of trad· Indies Fall Festival Garth Fagan Dance itional art which coexists & Island Memories :\ov 4 5, 8 pm today with a mod e::~ art Through Nov 5 Cho~~hed to music that 1s uniquely African. By Ina Ceaire (Martinique), from \ ol ~~ Amadeus The Center for African :\rt ~ozart an ynton 54 E. 68th St(Bct. \lad. & translated by Christiane Marsalis Makward & Judith Miller; Lex Aves) 861-1200. d irccted by Diane Kirlr.sey· The Juilliard Theater Flokd. starring Ernestine 155 West 65th St • Lincoln Origin, Design IT Putt em Center • Broadway/ 65th St Harlem Tex1ile \\'orlr.s' lac son & Carmen De 875-5580 Lavallade Prints & Fabric Designs Through Nov 29 A play whlch explores the ART GALLERIES tex tu res of Martinique Reception: 1'/ov 13. 5-8 pm countrJ and city life as Billllutson Countee Cullen Li brar y • evoke in the biner-sweet Through :-lov 30 104 W. 136th St • MezZ81linc • 534-3377 reminiscences of two The Cinque Gallery • 560 ...

5-/10()11-;S, A Guido to Af rican-American Culluro, November 4· 10. 1991 Faculty A t1 Shon' T~e :-.:ew :-.tu..cum of in their latest perfor­ Through llt.--c 7 Co::temporary Art mance. Praise /louse. Lisa llradlcy 583 Uroadway/llouston St This is a multi-disciplin­ David llrean 21~ 1222 ary work that explores a Gregory Chrl

5-/lOU11-:S. 1\ Gwde to Afnco.o ..lmencan Culture, Novomber 4- 10, l!I'J/