e-culture: Juneteenth, Blues for Bert, Global Sound, Artists Appointments
June 17, 2005


IN THIS ISSUE

Juneteenth Celebration
Blues for Bert: A Benefit
Smithsonian's Nuestra Musica
Smithsonian Global Sound
Texas Artists Appointments
In Our Neighborhood
Houston Events


Texans celebrate the abolition of slavery during Juneteenth. More than two months after the end of the Civil War (which ended April 9, 1865), it was proclaimed in Galveston by Major General Gordon Granger that slaves were to be freed on June 19, 1865.

There are different stories associated with the Juneteenth event. Some say it was not exactly known when slaves were set free and land owners kept the declaration to themselves to force slaves to harvest spring crops, and others tell of a Black rider spreading the word from town to town setting slaves free throughout the month of June.

Juneteenth celebrations of Emancipation Day have been an important avenue for older generations to teach younger people about their struggles and victories since the remembrance began in 1866. Prompted by Frederick Douglass, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, decreeing freedom for slaves.

Today, families celebrate that freedom on June 19th, and the weekends in close proximity, with picnics, sports events and other outdoor activities in Texas, as well as neighboring Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and across the nation. Popular public events include Juneteenth music festivals featuring important African American music genres such as gospel, jazz, blues and zydeco.

Several are taking place in Houston this weekend.


Third Annual Juneteenth Bash at the Eldorado Ballroom

Join Project Row Houses for an evening of live blues at Third Ward's historic "Home of Happy Feet." The event features the extraordinary musical talents of Earl Gilliam & his Blues Band, with special guest I. J. Gosey. Living Blues magazine says blues veteran Earl Gilliam's Texas Doghouse Blues "reaffirms the blues' relationship to high spirits and good times. It's an amazing CD."

Tickets: $10 at the door. For additional information, contact Project Row Houses at 713-526-7662.

Saturday, June 18, 2005
8:00pm till Midnight
2300 Elgin St. at Dowling



Juneteenth Freedom Festival at Miller Outdoor Theater

The annual Juneteenth program beings at 2:00pm; At 3:45 the hosts will serve free barbeque for guests while it lasts; At 4:00pm a talent extravaganza is planned; And at 8:00pm the evening entertainment begins with live bands. For more information, call 713-529-4195.

Sunday, June 19
Miller Outdoor Theater
Herman Park
100 Concert Drive
Houston, Texas 77030
For Recorded Program Information: 713-284-8350
http://www.milleroutdoortheater.org


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Blues for Bert: A Benefit Concert Showcasing Keyboard Kings and Queens

Led by Pete Mayes and the Houserockers and some of the city's blues keyboard royalty, the Houston Blues Society and the Musicians Benevolent Society are collaborating to stage a special concert on Sunday, June 26, 2005, to raise funds to benefit piano player Bert Lewis, a member of Mayes' band since 1954.

In addition to the host band led by Texas blues legend and recording artist Pete Mayes, this event will feature some of Lewis's fellow blues keyboard players, veterans such as Earl Gilliam, Robert Louis "Pee Wee" Stephens, Sweet Mama Cotton (Marcy Rae), and many others. Numerous other special guests, such as guitarists Texas Johnny Brown and I. J. Gosey, will also contribute their talents to the on-stage music making.

All proceeds from this united fund-raising effort will go directly to a fund to help Bert Lewis defray the burden of medical expenses incurred as a result of his cancer treatment.

In addition to providing patrons with a way to assist a veteran musician in need, this benefit concert offers an opportunity to see many of the most accomplished musicians from the rich Houston blues tradition.

The idea for this event originated with acclaimed guitarist, singer, and songwriter Pete Mayes. In a career that started over half a century ago, this venerable artist once played with superstars of yesteryear (such as T-Bone Walker and Junior Parker) yet remains a stalwart of the blues in the twenty-first century. Mayes' most recent recordings include the CDs For Pete's Sake (1998, Antone's Records) and Live at Double Bayou Dance Hall (2004, GoldRhyme), both of which prominently feature performances by his cousin and life-long musical partner Bert Lewis.

Mayes and his many musical guests, the Houston Blues Society, and the Musicians Benevolent Society invite the public to support this fundraising effort by attending this Sunday afternoon gathering, hearing some great music, and donating generously to the cause.

For more information contact Steve Sucher with Musicians Benevolent Society of Houston at 713-221-8288.

Sunday, June 26; Showtime 2-7pm
The Big Easy
5731 Kirby
713-523-9999


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Nuestra Musica at the Smithsonian

We will be away for the next two weekends in Washington, DC enjoying the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and their Latino Music Initiative.

In it's second year, the four year Latino Music Initiative will feature Mexican son by Los Camperos de Valles, and Jibaro music of Puerto Rico by Ecos de Borinquen, and the return of members of Viento de Aqua with the New York Puerto Rican ensemble Los Pleneros de la 21.

This year the festival features a variety of traditional and contemporary Native American artists during it's evening concerts, including Mark and Nancy Brown (Eastern Band Cherokee), Comanche Hymn Singers, Marla Nauni (Comanche), and Vince Redhouse (Navajo).

We will also visit the National Museum of the American Indian, and celebrate Caribbean Carnival in the nation's capitol. In addition to Latino music, the Folklife Festival will also feature the nation of "Oman: Desert, Oasis, and Sea", "Food Culture USA", and "Forest Service, Culture and Community".

Oman will be represented by arts, culture and lifeways demonstrations, including Omani games, embroidery, clothing, cooking, storytelling, calligraphy, with an emphasis on faith and traditional dress. There will also be dance workshops and music by Qurayat Ensemble, Al Majd Ensemble, and Suhur Ensemble.

Food Culture USA will present such topics as "Biodiversity and Food Traditions", "Immigrant Growers", and "Improving School Lunches".

Forest Service, Culture and Community features the many diverse cultures that rely on the forest, as well as the activities of US government employees who service the public forests, with topics such as "Women of the Forest Service". Artists on the Sounds of the Forest stage will range from Native America to Appalachia, while the Community Stage will cover topics from cattle to rhythm and nature, and heritage, forest fires and threats to the forests.

Taking the Amtrak to New York for a side adventure, we will tour the historic Lower East Side, enjoy international restaurants and traditional delis, hear Puerto Rican plena and bomba music in the parks, and enjoy some Italian traditions on Staten Island.

If you have never visited the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the nation's free festival of culture and art on the National Mall, be sure to make plans for next year. And consider traveling with us if you really want to get the maximum experience during a week on the East Coast.

We will feature some of the music and highlights of this year's festival on the KTRU World Music Show later in the summer.

http://www.folklife.si.edu/festival/2005


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The Smithsonian Launches Global Sound

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage will officially launch Smithsonian Global Sound at the 2005 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. What The New York Times is calling "the ethnographic answer to iTunes," Smithsonian Global Sound offers an unparalleled experience of traditional music around the world. The project joins international institutions to document, record, catalog, and digitize music and other verbal arts and distribute them via their Website through digital downloads. Royalties go to artists and institutions, and honor the intellectual-property rights of composers, musicians, and producers. The Smithsonian hopes these efforts, in turn, will spark the creation of new music and promote the appreciation of cultural diversity around the world.

Smithsonian Global Sound initially features the valuable archival collections of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Grahamstown, South Africa, and the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology (ARCE), in New Delhi, India. Browse over 40,000 tracks of music, listen to 30-second sound clips of every track, and read extensive information about each recording.

If you are visiting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, drop by the Smithsonian Global Sound tent at the Festival for demonstrations and hands-on experience of the music and technology. Free downloads will be available at www.smithsonianglobalsound.org throughout the Festival.

http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org


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Texas Commission Appoints Artists to Represent the State

The Texas Commission on the Arts has announced its appointments to the positions of state poet laureate, state musician, state two-dimensional artist and state three-dimensional artist. These positions, created by SB 1043 of the 77th Legislature, will be filled by one-year appointments. The eight appointees named for 2005 and 2006 were selected for years of excellence and dedicated commitment to the arts in Texas.

The 2005 appointees include Texas Poet Laureate Alan Brikelbach of Plano, Texas State Musician Johnny Gimble of Tyler, Texas State Two-Dimensional Artist Kathy Vargas of San Antonio, and Texas State Three-Dimensional Artist Sharon Kopriva of Houston. The 2006 appointees include Texas Poet Laureate Red Steagall of Fort Worth, Texas State Musician Billy Joe Shaver of Waco, Texas State Two-Dimensional Artist George Boutwell of Bosque, and Texas State Three-Dimensional Artist James Surls of Athens.

"These men and women bring art and culture to Texans everyday," Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, chair of the House of Representative's Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism said. "I am honored to have them live in our great state, and am pleased that we could salute them with these designations."

Nominees must be native Texans or five-year residents of the state. They must have received recognition for high levels of excellence and success in their respective disciplines. They also must have received critical reviews in state, regional or national publications.

In addition, poet laureate nominees must have a substantial body of work, including at least one publication that is not self-published or vanity press.

State musician nominees must have a substantial body of work, including at least two nationally available records, or at least 20 years experience teaching music in a formal classroom, or must receive the majority of their income from musical endeavors. Visual artist nominees must work in two- or three-dimensional art mediums, must have participated in at least one one-person show, and must have an extensive history of exhibiting in recognized museums and galleries.

For more information, please visit: http://www.arts.state.tx.us


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Welcome to Our Neighborhood

Since we have moved into the Rice Village we have been meeting our new neighbors and wanted to tell you what some of them are up to. We will feature an interesting activity in our new neighborhood that you may not know about in upcoming newsletters.

Christ the King Lutheran Church at 2353 Rice Blvd. hosts a Farmers' Market on Tuesdays beginning at 5:00pm in their parking lot on Rice Blvd., between Greenbriar and Chaucer. Each Tuesday afternoon the tents go up and the market swarms with neighborhood citizens who come to by produce from local growers. Call 713-532-2864 for more information.


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Houston Events

Bioregional Conference

Houston Sustainability Solutions is a mini-conference that brings people together to talk about sustainable solutions for the bioregions that intersect in Houston. We'll begin with a series of conversations about our bioregions then later in the evening hear from experts about some solutions to make Houston a sustainable city.

1-5pm Bioregional Conversations

Talk about what's going on in your environment. Houston is the nexus of three major bioregions. Bioregions are defined by unique soil, plant and animal life. Feel connected with other concerned residents of these bioregions to work toward solutions for improving the quality of life for people and nature. Get connected with other citizens working toward solutions for our bioregion.

5:00pm Dinner break

8:30pm Houston Sustainability Solutions Speakers

Hear some of Houston's experts speak about solutions for Houston. Speakers include Cath Conlan of Bioneers and Blackwood Land Institute, Pat Greer of the Central City Co-op, Shawn McFarland, Environment Associates, green architects , and Bob Randall of Urban Harvest and the Permaculture Guild.

This event is sponsored by The Artery and the Houston Sustainability Network, which is committed to connecting and informing Houston's citizens about sustainability.

Donations $5-$20, no one turned away for lack of funds, all money goes to HSS. To RSVP or for more information contact: info@houstonsustainability.net

Saturday, June 18, 1:00-5:00pm and 8:30-10:30pm
The Artery
5401 Jackson at Prospect
In the Museum District (enter on Prospect)



Stay tuned to the calendar for more upcoming events:
http://www.houstonculture.org/events


Thank you for supporting great educational and cultural activities.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org

Houston Institute for Culture
5555 Morningside #204
Houston, Texas 77005

http://www.cultural-crossroads.com