STEPPIN` OUT AT THE EMERALD BALL featuring GEORGE

Event Description:
Boston's Dimock Community Health Center will this
year celebrate its 20th Anniversary of Steppin' Out.
Guitarist/vocalist GEORGE BENSON will headline at
“Steppin’ Out at the Emerald Ball,” taking place at the
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel [425 Summer Street,
Boston, MA 02210] on Saturday, November 3 from
8:00 p.m. to 2:00 am. An elegant pre-gala reception,
dinner and performance by George Benson will take
place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., for Star Patrons
only.
Staged to mimic Boston's legendary and historic jazz
clubs of the ‘30s through today, this one-of-a-kind
charity music-fest-party attracts more than 3,000 of
the city’s glitterati for an evening of music, dancing,
food, cocktails, friends and fun.
NAMES
September 12, 2007
Berklee alum steps up
Saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and arranger
Lance Bryant won the Steppin' Out talent
competition held at Scullers Jazz Club on
Monday. The Berklee College alum who hails
from just outside Chicago earned $500 and a
spot onstage at the Nov. 3 Steppin' Out gala, a
benefit for Dimock Community Health Center.
The lineup also includes George Benson,
Vivian Green, Freddie Jackson, Cyrus
Chestnut, Joey DeFrancesco, and Rebecca
Parris.
STEPPIN' OUT AT THE
EMERALD BALL featuring
GEORGE BENSON at Westin
Boston Waterfront Hotel
Concert Date: 11/03/07
Ticket Cost: $350, $200, $100
Show Time(s): 8:00 pm - 2:00 am
Sony Urban Music Columbia Recording Artist VIVIAN
GREEN, whose critically acclaimed debut album, A
Love Story, is a soul classic, will take the stage in the
young professionals dance room. Grammy®
nominated, American Music Award-winning vocalist
FREDDIE JACKSON, who has dominated R&B with
eleven #1 singles on the Billboard charts, will
perform on the big stage following GEORGE BENSON
in the Grand Ballroom. His contributions include such
era-defining classics as “Rock Me Tonight (For Old
Times’ Sake),” “You Are My Lady,” “Tasty Love,” “Nice
‘n’ Slow” and “Love Me Down.”
Other newly announced performers appearing in
various “nightclubs” include jazz pianist CYRUS
CHESTNUT, jazz organist JOEY DEFRANCESCO and
his Quartet, jazz singer REBECCA PARRIS and her
trio, Latin percussionist TITO PUENTE, JR. and his
Orchestra, guitarist CHUCK LOEB & saxophonist ERIC
MARIENTHAL [performing together with their band],
singer ED REED and THE PECK ALLMOND QUARTET,
ANTHEM REGGAE BAND, singer VIVIAN MALE and her
group, saxophonist MYANNA and her band, smooth
jazz saxophonist ANDRE WARD and his ensemble and
the extraordinary Samurai drumming group, MASTER
TSUJI SAMURAI TAIKO. Back again also after several
years hiatus will be Boston’s R&B party band
MOTOWN EXPRESS with WANNETTA JACKSON,
FRANK WILKINS, PAT LOOMIS and HERMAN
JOHNSON.
In addition, Steppin’ Out always offers one very
popular Gospel room. That room will be hopping this
year with the sounds of THE SOUTH CENTRAL MASS
CHOIR, the PSALMISTS from the Greater Faith
Worship Center, JEROME KYLES & the LEVITICAL
SINGERS from Morning Star Baptist Church and
DAVID from Bethel AME Church.
Tickets at $100.00 [seniors], $200.00 [general
admission] and $350.00 [Star Patron tickets] are on
sale now. Star Patron tickets can ONLY be purchased
at Dimock Community Health Center. General
admission tickets can be purchased via Ticketweb at
http://www.Ticketweb.com/, by phone at
866-468-7619 and directly at Dimock Community
Health Center located at 55 Dimock Street, Roxbury.
General admission tickets are also available at Allan’s
Formalwear, A Nubian Notion and Bob’s Southern
Bistro. For full information, go to:
www.steppinoutgala.org or call: 617-442-8800
x1006.
This year's gala will celebrate the history and the
legacy of this remarkable Boston fundraising
institution. Over the 20 years of its existence,
Steppin' Out has presented some of the biggest
names in jazz, R&B and Latin music. Founded in
1987, it was Dimock’s fantastic vision to have major
jazz artists performing in many "nightclubs" all under
one roof--while gala attendees in sequins and tuxes
danced the night away and listened to great music.
In addition to the artists mentioned above, Steppin'
Out just held its Talent Search, Steppin' Out with the
Stars. In an effort to encourage new talent, one
emerging jazz, R&B or Latin musical artist or group
was chosen from tens of entries to perform at
Steppin’ Out. The final competition just took place
and Saxophonist, vocalist, composer and arranger
LANCE BRYANT was chosen from among four
contestants.
Steppin’ Out for Dimock is Boston’s liveliest and most
highly anticipated annual gala fundraising event.
Steppin' Out will transport this year's partiers to a
world of toe-tapping, head bopping music; the
diverse group of party goers’ snappy suits and fancy
dress have given Steppin' Out its reputation for great
people-watching. Partiers will be dazzled by the array
of nationally-recognized jazz headliners who set toes
a-tapping and lift audience members out of their
seats to join the crowd dancing in the aisles!
As with all years prior, proceeds from the 20th
Steppin’ Out Gala will go to support Dimock
Community Health Center’s many health and human
services programs. Established in 1862 as the New
England Hospital for Women and Children, Dimock
has been an enduring presence in the Roxbury
community for 145 years. Since it became a
Community Health Center in 1969, Dimock has
become a national model for delivering high quality
health care and innovative “wrap-around”
programming, and has helped improve the lives of
hundreds of thousands of individuals and families
throughout Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and
Mattapan.
Musicians: George Benson Vivian Green Freddie
Jackson Cyrus Chestnut Joey DeFrancesco Quartet
Rebecca Parris and her Trio Tito Puente, Jr. and his
Orchestra Andre Ward Anthem Reggae Band Chuck
Loeb & Eric Marienthal Ed Reed & The Peck Allmond
Quartet Motown Express featuring Wannetta Jackson,
Frank Wilkins, Pat Loomis & Herman Johnson Myanna
Vivian Male Master Tsuji Samurai Taiko David, Bethel
AME Church Jerome Kyles & The Levitical Singers,
Morning Star Baptist Church Psalmists, Greater Faith
Worship Center South Central Mass Choir 2007
Steppin’ Out Showcase Winner Lance Bryant
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel Address: 425
Summer Street Boston MA 02210 U.S.
About the Venue: Explore the exciting city of
Boston from the new AAA Four Diamond Westin
Boston Waterfront. We’re less than three miles from
Logan International Airport, and a short cab, water
taxi, or T train ride away from Back Bay and the
Financial District.
Connected to the newly opened Boston Convention &
Exhibition Center, which boasts 516,000 square feet
of space, The Westin Boston Waterfront is an ideal
location for your next business function. The hotel
itself offers a total of 32,000 square feet of meeting
space, including the 15,000-square foot Grand
Ballroom and 4,000-square foot Commonwealth
Ballroom. Our additional 14 meeting breakout rooms
will accommodate groups of five to 150. Parking is
available onsite for 400 cars.
When work is done, rejuvenate body and mind in our
WestinWORKOUT® Powered by Reebok Gym, and
enjoy a delicious meal in our dining room, Sauciety.
Our 793 guest rooms and suites reflect Westin’s
soothing aesthetic. Rest in the signature Heavenly
Bed® and enjoy the flat-screen TV and Wireless High
Speed Internet Access. Our Heavenly Bath® is the
perfect place to refresh. We also provide slippers and
bathrobes to make your stay with us even more
relaxing. Westin didn't discover fresh air, but we're
proud to offer it at this hotel. Learn more about
Breathe Westin™ and our smoke-free hotels.
Phone: 617-532-4600
Steppin' Out for Dimock
Announces Full Artist
Lineup
Posted: 2007-09-11
Dimock Community Health Center Announces
FULL LINEUP FOR STEPPIN' OUT 2007
CYRUS CHESTNUT, FREDDIE JACKSON,
VIVIAN GREEN, JOEY DEFRANCESCO,
REBECCA PARRIS, TITO PUENTE, JR., CHUCK
LOEB & ERIC MARIENTHAL, ED REED,
ANTHEM REGGAE BAND, VIVIAN MALE,
MYANNA, ANDRE WARD, MOTOWN
EXPRESS, TSUJI DAIKO and others
JOIN GEORGE BENSON AT
Twentieth Anniversary of Steppin' Out Celebration
Saturday, November 3
At The Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
Tickets on sale now
Boston, MA--Dimock Community Health Center
today announced the full lineup of performing
artists that will join guitarist/vocalist GEORGE
BENSON at the celebration of Dimock's 20th
Annual Steppin' Out fundraising event. This year's
“Steppin' Out at the Emerald Ball” will take place at
the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel [425 Summer
Street, Boston, MA 02210] on Saturday, November
3 from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 am. The elegant pre-gala
reception, dinner and performance by George
Benson will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.,
for Star Patrons only.
Staged to mimic Boston's legendary and historic jazz
clubs of the '30s through today, this one-of-a-kind
charity music-fest-party attracts more than 3,000 of
the city's glitterati for an evening of music, dancing,
food, cocktails, friends and fun.
Sony Urban Music Columbia Recording Artist
Vivian Green, whose critically acclaimed debut
album, A Love Story, is a soul classic, will take the
stage in the young professionals dance room.
Grammy nominated, American Music Awardwinning vocalist Freddie Jackson,who has
dominated R&B with eleven #1 singles on the
Billboard charts, will perform on the big stage
following George Benson in the Grand Ballroom.
His contributions include such era-defining classics
as “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times' Sake),” “You
Are My Lady,” “Tasty Love,” “Nice 'n' Slow” and
“Love Me Down.”
Other newly announced performers appearing in
various “nightclubs” include jazz pianist Cyrus
Chestnut, jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and his
Quartet, jazz singer Rebecca Parris and her trio,
Latin percussionist Tito Puente, Jr. and his
Orchestra, guitarist Chuck Loeb & saxophonist Eric
Marienthal [performing together with their band],
singer Ed Reed and The Peck Allmond Quartet,
Anthem Reggae Band, singer Vivian Male and her
group, saxophonist Myanna and her band, smooth
jazz saxophonist Andre Ward and his ensemble and
the extraordinary Samurai drumming group, Master
Tsuji Samurai Taiko. Back again also after several
years hiatus will be Boston's R&B party band
Motown Express with Wannetta Jackson, Frank
Wilkins, Pat Loomis and Herman Johnson.
In addition, Steppin' Out always offers one very
popular Gospel room. That room will be hopping
this year with the sounds of The South Central
Mass Choir, the Psalmists from the Greater Faith
Worship Center, Jerome Kyles & the Levitical
Singers from Morning Star Baptist Church and
David from Bethel AME Church.
Tickets at $100.00 [seniors], $200.00 [general
admission] and $350.00 [Star Patron tickets] are on
sale now. Star Patron tickets can ONLY be
purchased at Dimock Community Health Center.
General admission tickets can be purchased via
Ticketweb, by phone at 866-468-7619 and directly at
Dimock Community Health Center located at 55
Dimock Street, Roxbury. General admission tickets
are also available at Allan's Formalwear, A Nubian
Notion and Bob's Southern Bistro.
This year's gala will celebrate the history and the
legacy of this remarkable Boston fundraising
institution. Over the 20 years of its existence,
Steppin' Out has presented some of the biggest
names in jazz, R&B and Latin music. Founded in
1987, it was Dimock's fantastic vision to have major
jazz artists performing in many “nightclubs” all
under one roof--while gala attendees in sequins and
tuxes danced the night away and listened to great
music.
In addition to the artists mentioned above, Steppin'
Out is again holding their Talent Search, Steppin'
Out with the Stars. In an effort to encourage new
talent, one emerging jazz, R&B or Latin musical
artist or group is chosen from tens of entries to
perform at Steppin' Out. Tonight, the final
competition takes place at Scullers Jazz Club
[DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, 400 Soldiers Field
Road, Allston]. One artist or group will be chosen
from among several finalists. The finalists, narrowed
down from all the submissions by a team of
Steppin' Out judges, will each perform two to three
songs at Scullers, beginning at 7:30 p.m. A second
panel of celebrity judges will then determine which
artist or group will join the 2007 Steppin' Out
lineup.
Steppin' Out for Dimock is Boston's liveliest and
most highly anticipated annual gala fundraising
event. Steppin' Out will transport this year's partiers
to a world of toe- tapping, head bopping music; the
diverse group of party goers' snappy suits and fancy
dress have given Steppin' Out its reputation for
great people-watching. Partiers will be dazzled by
the array of nationally-recognized jazz headliners
who set toes a-tapping and lift audience members
out of their seats to join the crowd dancing in the
aisles!
As with all years prior, proceeds from the 20th
Steppin' Out Gala will go to support Dimock
Community Health Center's many health and
human services programs. Established in 1862 as
the New England Hospital for Women and
Children, Dimock has been an enduring presence in
the Roxbury community for 145 years. Since it
became a Community Health Center in 1969,
Dimock has become a national model for delivering
high quality health care and innovative “wraparound” programming, and has helped improve the
lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals and
families throughout Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica
Plain and Mattapan.
NECN is the official television network of Steppin'
Out for Dimock 2007
Visit website
Posted by: Sue Auclair Promotions
Fall Arts Preview
September 9, 2007
Steppin' Out at the Emerald Ball Westin
Waterfront Hotel, 425 Summer St. Boston.
866-468-7619, 617-442-8800, ext. 1006.
steppinoutgala.org 11/3: 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $200
general admission, $100 seniors. $350 Star
Patron tickets include 6:30-9 p.m. performance
by George Benson, with dinner and pre-gala
reception. Lineup includes Andre Ward, Freddy
Jackson, Vivian Male. Proceeds support Dimock
Community Health Center health and human
services programs.
THE KAY BOURNE
ARTS REPORT
Presented by The Color of Film
Collaborative, Inc.
BERKLEE ALUM WINS SPOT TO
PLAY WITH STARS
GREETINGS
Welcome to The Kay Bourne Arts Report (KBAR).
We are thrilled to be celebrating our 1st
Anniversary! With high hopes for the future,
KBAR continues with its mission: "to connect
people who love The Arts with The Arts they love."
Published by The Color of Film Collaborative, Inc.,
KBAR's Arts Editor is Kay Bourne, a seasoned
arts reporter and supporter of the arts.
We hope you continue to look forward to KBAR,
and we ask that you forward it to others, using the
blue link at the bottom of this newsletter, so your
collegues, friends and family can also subscribe
and enjoy!
BERKLEE ALUM WINS SPOT TO PLAY
Gifted arranger Lance Bryant - who also plays
the sax and sings - won the 'Steppin' Out' talent
contest in a duel of eager and musically adept
vocalists and their bands. The coveted win means
he joins the roster of celebrity musicians who'll
perform at 20th annual event benefiting the
Dimock Community Health Center in Roxbury.
The worship leader of the Andover Baptist
Church and Berklee College of Music
graduate, stunned the judges and audience alike,
Monday night, September 10, at Scullers with his
jazz arrangement of the Civil Rights anthem "We
Shall Overcome."
Interchanging his sax and doing vocals which
quoted the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., the "I just want to do God's will" passage,
thrilled listeners. And when he got to the line, "I
want you to know tonight that we as a people will
get to the Promised Land." there were sighs and
shouts and arms lifted in praise. The meaningful
lyrics were supported by a muscular jazz
composition. Lance's second offering, the
poignant "The Very Thought of You," showed his
strengths as a balladeer. Bryant's sidemen went
the distance with him as well: Stanley Swann,
drums, Larry Roland, bass, and Carl Reppucci,
piano.
None of the contestants came away embarrassed
that evening. The other entries were: the
energetic Joe Gallo with the well- modulated,
sexy voice and powerhouse five-man band
including maestro Frank Wilkins on keyboard
and Herman Johnson who wallops out vigorous
riffs on his soprano sax; Dorchester's own,
Wendy Jones who gave a daring challenge by
singing her own intriguing compositions; and jazz
vocalist, Pauline Jones who gave a dramatic
reading of Nina Simone's "Four Women."
A sparkling line-up for "Steppin' Out At The
Emerald Ball" on Saturday, NOVEMBER 3 will
feature guitarist/vocalist George Benson. The
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel will also
provide the stage for urban music's Vivian Green,
R&B singer Freddie Jackson, jazz pianist Cyrus
Chestnut, saxophonist Myanna, the Samurai
drumming group Master Tsuji Samurai Taiko,
and a host of gospel artists. Back at the popular
night is Boston's R&B party band Motown
Express with Wannetta Jackson, Frank
Wilkins, Pat Loomis, and Herman Johnson.
The bill goes on and on.
Judges of the talent contest were Ruth Ellen
Fitch, Dimock president & CEO; Chair of Dimock
Board of Directors, Clayton Turnbul; Jeff Turton,
host of Sunday Jazz Brunch on WFNXfm;
saxophonist and recording artist Andre Ward ;
radio and TV personality Coach Willie Maye; and
vocalist and Berklee College of Music board
member Vivian Male, who is also a star at this
year's "Steppin' Out."
The evening also saw the Ronald M. Leavell
Award, for combining a love of music with a
strong social activism, go to State Rep Gloria L.
Fox. A supporter of the arts, she has spent her
years as a legislator working on issues, such as
health services, that matter to her constituents in
the black community.
(by Kay Bourne)
“Steppin’ Out for Dimock” Talent Search
Deadline is August 17
ìSteppiní Out for Dimock,î which celebrates its
20th Anniversary this year at the Westin
Waterfront Hotel on Saturday, November 3,
announces the launch of its annual ìSteppiní
Out with the Stars Talent Search & Showcase.î
Contestants will be judged on musical ability,
presentation, creativity and style. The deadline
is August 17, 2007.
One hot new jazz, blues, Latin, reggae or R&B
artist or group will have the opportunity to win
$500 and perform alongside internationally
known artists and showcase their musical
talents at ìSteppin' Out for Dimock at the
Emerald Ballî on November 3. This year, George Benson will be the
headlining artist at the event, considered
Bostonís liveliest and most highly anticipated
annual gala fundraiser. Staged to mimic
Boston's legendary and historic jazz clubs of
the 30ís through today, this one-of-a-kind
charity music-fest-party attracts more than
3,000 of Greater Bostonís glitterati for an
evening of music, dancing, food, cocktails,
friends and fun. For complete details call 617-442-8800, or
visit www.dimock.org.
Enjoy! George Benson News
Steppin' Out At The Emerald Ball Artist Lineup
Announced 12 Sep 2007 20:34 GMT ...
MOTOWN EXPRESS, TSUJI DAIKO and others
JOIN GEORGE BENSON AT Twentieth ...
music.einnews.com/news/george-benson -
Waterfront Hotel on Saturday, November 3 from
8:00 p.m. to 2:00 am.
The elegant pre-gala reception, dinner and
performance by George Benson will take place
from 6:30 to 9 p.m., for Star Patrons only.
Grammy-nominated vocalist Freddie Jackson
will perform on the big stage following George
Benson in the Grand Ballroom.
Sony Urban Music Columbia Recording Artist
Vivian Green, whose critically acclaimed debut
album, A Love Story, is a soul classic, will take
the stage in the young professionals dance
room.
Other performers appearing in various
"nightclubs" include jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut,
jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and his Quartet,
jazz singer Rebecca Parris and her trio, Latin
percussionist Tito Puente, Jr. and his Orchestra,
Jazz stars shine at
Steppin' Out
and the Samurai drumming group, Master Tsuji
Samurai Taiko.
Tickets at $100 [seniors], $200 [general
admission] and $350 [Star Patron tickets] are
Gala benefit for Dimock Center
John Black
For the past 20 years, Steppin' Out has
recreated the jazz clubs of the 30's through the
60's for a one-of-a-kind charity extravaganza
that combines music, dancing, food, friends and
fun.
This year's "Steppin' Out at the Emerald Ball," a
benefit for the Dimock Community Health
Center, will take place at the Westin Boston
on sale now. Star Patron tickets can ONLY be
purchased at Dimock Community Health Center.
General admission tickets can be purchased via
Ticketweb, by phone at 866-468-7619 and
directly at Dimock Community Health Center
located at 55 Dimock Street, Roxbury. General
admission tickets are also available at Allan's
Formalwear, A Nubian Notion and Bob's
Southern Bistro. For full information, visit the
website or call: 617-442-8800 x1006.
This year's gala will celebrate the history and
the legacy of this remarkable Boston fund
raising institution. Over the 20 years of its
existence, Steppin' Out has presented some of
the biggest names in jazz, R & B and Latin
music. Founded in 1987, it was Dimock's
fantastic vision to have major jazz artists
performing in many "nightclubs" all under one
roof--while gala attendees in sequins and tuxes
Myanna: Making It in a
Man’s World
by Kay Bourne
EDGE Boston Contributor
Wednesday Oct 17, 2007
danced the night away and listened to great
music.
•
Lance Bryant, saxophonist, vocalist,
composer & arranger WINNER of
Steppin' Out Talent Competition
•
Jeff Turton, host of Sunday Jazz Brunch,
WFNX FM [judge]
•
Andrew Ward, Saxophonist and
recording artist [judge]
•
Latoyia Edwards, TV personality from
NECN and host of Talent Competition
•
Ruth Ellen Fitch, President & CEO of
Dimock Community Health Center
[judge]
•
Coach Willie Maye, radio and TV
personality [judge]
•
Vivian Male, vocalist, [judge] [AND she
is a also real judge!]
•
Clayton Turnbull, Chairman, Board of
Directors, Dimock Community Health
Center, [judge]
Published on Mon, Oct 1, 2007
Myanna.
Female sax player Myanna borrows rotound, stride
piano titan Fats Waller’s sly humor for the title of her
new CD, "One Never Knows...Do One" A bit of tongue
in cheek humor and a heads up for listeners in the
macho world of jazz instrumentalists: this straight
ahead saxophonist and competent band leader is not
only female but gay to boot.
Does talent win out? Yes, it does. Listen up to Eric
Jackson, the respected host of WGBH radio’s nightly
jazz show: "This is exciting music that is full of
passionate playing and good tunes."
You can catch Myanna live at the glamorous 20th
anniversary Steppin’ Out For Dimock gala, Sat., Nov.
3 from 8 pm to two am a the Westin Boston
Waterfront Hotel. The popular annual benefit night is
hallmarked as a night when a remarkable array of
name jazz musicians return Boston to the vibrant
jazz center it was in the 1940s and 1950s.
This year will see a line-up with Cyrus Chestnut
(whose new album jazzes up the Elvis Presley
songbook), R&B balladeer Freddie Jackson ("Rock Me
Tonight for Old Times Sake," "Do Me Again," and "You
Are My Lady"), and guitarist George Benson ("The
White Rabbit" CD for his jazz licks; "Give Me The
Night" for his R&B electricity). All told, there are
some 20 artists and their bands taking up residency
in rooms named for clubs of those by-gone days (and
today’s swinging addresses too). For more about
Steppin’ Out go to www.steppinoutgala.org or phone
617-442-8800 ext1006.
for thousands of individuals and families in the urban
neighborhoods.
Myanna, who grew up in the Boston suburb Weston,
found a jazz hang-out early on, Lennie’s On The
Turnpike. "The owner (Lennie Sogoloff) let us come
in; fed us roast beef sandwiches," she recalls about
traveling to the Rte. 1, West Peabody spot. There she
saw giants Duke Ellington, Dewey Redmond, and
Roland Kirk, but the jazz player who stood out for her
Illinois Jacquet ("Flying Home"), whom she recalls as
"a gentleman," as well as a phenomenal tenor
saxophonist. She’s dedicated one of the tracks on her
CD to him, "For Illinois."
"I used to worry about the gay part but one of
the joys of getting older is you worry less."
From high school Myanna went to Berklee College of
Music, then UMass/Amherst (studying with master
drummer Max Roach). She joined a Northhamptonbased band Lilith and following that all women
experience joined the Bill Bellamy Project, a jazz/R&B
band. In 1986, she hooked up with saxophonist
Cercie Miller and singer Didi Steward in a group they
called Girls’ Night Out, which flourished for several
years. Most recently, she’s played with The Love Dogs
and her own band MYANNA, which has won such
prestigious awards as the Boston Phoenix/WFNX Best
Music Poll as "Best Local Jazz Act" (twice).
Well established now, Myanna says, "I used to worry
about the gay part but one of the joys of getting
older is you worry less. And once people hear me
play as powerfully as I do and compared with other
players who don’t put the sound across as I do, they
like me. I let the music speak for me."
Myanna says she chose the Fats Waller quip for her
CD because, "I’ve always loved the saying. Great
stuff can happen and you never do know.
"Perserverance is a theme in my life," she said.
Myanna lives in J.P. with her partner Linda Giles, a
judge on the Massachusetts Superior Court who is
the Commonwealth’s first openly lesbian jurist.
Proceeds from the 20th Steppin’ Out Gala go to
support Dimock Community Health Center’s many
health and human services programs. Dimock is a
national model for delivering high quality health care
Meet the Steppin Out
Artists - Andre Ward
William Ruhlmann, Correspondent
Smooth jazz saxophonist Andre Ward was born and
raised in Chicago. His first instrument, which he
took up at age eight, was the snare drum. He later
moved to trumpet and tenor saxophone before
settling on alto saxophone and becoming
sufficiently proficient to earn a music-performing
scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of
Music. Based in Boston, he played internationally
and did session work for such artists as Freddie
Jackson. He was signed to Orpheus Music and
released his debut solo album, Feelin' You, in
October 2001 which reached number four on
Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart
and also appeared on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. His second album, Steppin' Up, released in
March 2004, was similarly successful.
Getting There
Public Transportation:
Yes
Nearest T:
7 Bus - Summer + D Sts.
Cross Street:
D St.
The Steppin Out Gala will take place at the Westin
Boston Waterfront Hotel on Saturday, November 3
from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 am. For a complete list of
performers, go to steppinoutgala.org.
Published on October 3, 2007
STANDARDS
Julius Hemphill at the Gardner,
Cyrus Plays Elvis
By JON GARELICK
October 23, 2007 12:01:32 PM
WESTIN BOSTON WATERFRONT HOTEL
Date(s): Saturday, November 03, 2007
Steppin' Out For Dimmock Fundraiser with George
Benson, Freddie Jackson, Vivian Male, Andre Ward
JAZZ
The ticket price is steep, but you get your money’s
worth at the “STEPPIN’ OUT EMERALD BALL” — and
it goes to a good cause — Dimock Community Health
Center. The line-up for the 20th annual Steppin’ Out
fundraiser includes George Benson (at a separateticket pre-ball reception), Vivian Green, Cyrus
Chestnut, the Joey DeFrancesco Quartet, Rebecca
Parris, the Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra, Andre Ward,
Chuck Loeb & Eric Marienthal, and Freddie Jackson,
and there’ll be many more. The event is set up with
multiple stages in various “nightclubs” including a
gospel room; there’s an all-night buffet, and the
African-American community turns out in force,
dressed to the nines | Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel,
425 Summer St, Boston | 8 pm | $200 | 866.468.7619.
VENUE
WESTIN BOSTON WATERFRONT HOTEL
425 Summer St.
Boston MA 02210
617.532.4600
11/3/2007
HARD BLUES The Hemphill concert rocked the
Gardner’s Tapestry Room.
For much of his life, no one played Thelonious Monk
pieces except Thelonious Monk. Even now, Monk isn’t
as pervasive as you might think. So how does the
music of a visionary composer like Julius Hemphill
survive, if not become standard repertoire?
One answer was evident at the Gardner Museum a
week ago Thursday night. Hemphill died in 1995, but
his long-time companion, the esteemed pianist and
new-music specialist Ursula Oppens, was on hand
along with one of Hemphill’s frequent collaborators,
Marty Ehrlich, as well as the Julius Hemphill Sextet
and the Daedalus String Quartet. For a good two hours
they had the Tapestry Room rocking for a sold-out
audience that included veteran jazz fans as well as
neophytes. It’s doubtful anyone left the hall who isn’t
looking forward to hearing more Hemphill.
Hemphill was born in Forth Worth, a cousin of Ornette
Coleman, and he exemplied the region’s raw, rootsy,
blues-drenched sound. His alto playing had Bird-like
fluidity, but — born in 1940 — he had a strong taste for
doo-wop and R&B as well as Mingus-like structures full
of twining contrapuntal lines and collective improv, and
grounded in funk rhythms. His work gained its greatest
prominence when he was one of the key players/
composers for the World Saxophone Quartet — a “hit”
avant-garde group of the ’80s that still carries on.
Through-composed pieces played by the Daedalus
and Oppens bridged the two halves of the wisely
devised program at the Gardner, with the Sextet —
created by Hemphill and continued by original member
Ehrlich — opening and closing the night. This was a
hefty group: legendary players Andrew White and J.D.
Parran along with Ehrlich and the younger Alex
Harding, Andy Laster, and Matana Roberts.
The first number, “Fat Man,” was typical — a character
portrait (written for Hemphill’s opera, Long Tongues)
that stated a long-lined, winding theme with a rising
dynamic before settling into a rocking ostinato from
White’s tenor and Harding’s baritone. The theme split
off into free-flowing counterlines, and back into
supporting riffs for soprano and alto solos. “Opening,”
written for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane dance company,
was a stately curtain raiser, with call-and-response
figures and tart sustained, dissonant harmonies.
“Mirrors” was a feature for Parran’s soprano — his a
cappella passages varied beautifully calibrated vibrato
and split tones with silky fast runs as the band
answered him with chorus figures or gaggled like
ducks. I had begun to think that those sustained
melancholy ensemble dissonances were becoming too
much of good thing, but then in “JiJi Tune” the high
horns suddenly took off from the rocking bottom,
soaring over the top with a jaunty beboppish theme
that might have been some latter-day imagining of the
Dizzy Gillespie Big Band.
“One Atmosphere” — for Oppens with the Quartet —
offered those harmonies and lines with less rhythmic
grounding. Piano and strings sparred, then a brief calland-response pattern would emerge, a jazz chord, or a
satisfying eight-beat figure in 4/4. The solo piano piece
“Parchment” leaned even farther in the direction of
serialism — more discontinuous, spiky rhythms and
splashes of color, skittering lines and then chordal
rests. A couple of times in the three-minute piece, an
R&B bass figure emerged — a recurring memory.
“Mingus Gold,” an arrangement of Mingus themes for
the Quartet, showed Hemphill’s strengths and
weaknesses with the instrumentation — “Nostalgia in
Times Square” had the appropriate humorous, slurring
swagger in the phrasing but needed rhythm-section
swing. “Alice’s Wonderland,” though, connected
Hemphill and Mingus to ancient American folk — Africa
seemed to disappear. “Better Get Hit in Your Soul”
allowed Hemphill to write a Mingus bass solo for
Clancy Newman’s pizzicato cello. Cool.
The closing “The Hard Blues” was one of the real
rockers, Harding holding down the riff as the Sextet left
the stage and marched around the room, then
convened in front of the stage for ecstatic collectiveimprov blowing. Before the concert, Ehrlich had
announced that Oppens was still finding Hemphill
pieces that had not been recorded, or even performed.
“Like most composers, he wasn’t interested in
documentation, he was writing for tomorrow.” Good for
us.
Aside from original pieces like Hemphill’s as a source
for jazz players, the quest for modern standards
continues — the pop tunes that will take us past the
Great American Songbook of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin,
the Gershwins, et al. Steps have been taken:
Radiohead and Nick Drake are part of Brad Mehldau’s
book, Jason Moran does Afrika Bambaataa, the Bad
Plus do Nirvana, and lots of people, including most
recently Herbie Hancock, have taken up Joni Mitchell.
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut (who plays the massive Dimock
Community Health Center “Steppin’ Out” gala benefit
on November 3) is no stranger to what Don Byron has
called “the weird cover” as the “great act of jazz.” A
couple of years ago, he and the saxophonist James
Carter were part of a band who took on — of all things
— the Pavement songbook, at the bequest of the
Brown Brothers label. Under the rubric of Gold Sounds,
they put out a CD and even played Newport.
Chestnut’s latest project surprises even him: Cyrus
Plays Elvis (Koch). Chestnut probably never would
have thought about a recording based on the songs
Presley sang (he wasn’t a writer) except that a jazz
singer asked him to accompany her on “Love Me
Tender.” Something clicked. Chestnut found himself
digging into Elvis songbooks, Elvis biographies, and
the recordings. One of the raps on contemporary pop
is that — with its harmonic simplicity — it doesn’t offer
much for improvisers. The challenge of the Elvis
material, Chestnut says over the phone from New York,
was not to get so abstract and “vague” that the music
was unrecognizable, but also “not so specific that it
becomes corny.”
It’s an engaging, uneven piano trio album. “Hound
Dog” strolls like Mose Allison. “Don’t Be Cruel”
conjures countrypolitan pianist Floyd Cramer on the
first chorus, but after Dezron Douglas’s bass solo,
Chestnut takes off into funny Monk-like minor intervals
and off-kilter runs. He makes “Love Me Tender”
downright Ellingtonian. One thing Chestnut shares with
Elvis is theatrical flamboyance — he likes bold, legible
figures and rhythms you can hang onto. “It’s Now or
Never” is an up-tempo jazz romp, and “Suspicious
Minds” goes Latin.
A highly regarded jazz artist who came up in Betty
Carter’s band, Chestnut says he didn’t want Carter “to
come out of the grave for me.” When “Heartbreak
Hotel” wasn’t working, he returned to the lyrics. “With
songs, the lyrics give you more than notes and
chords.” The lyrics “I’m so lonesome I could die” led
him to arrange it around a bass drone that gives the
entire piece a Coltrane/McCoy Tyner feel. “One way
my playing has changed is that chords are more like
colors now, and lines are like words.”
Picks of the week
The one misstep is “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” with
synth strings and Mark Gross’s soprano sax. “Some
people said, ‘Cyrus is going down the smooth path’ —
but I love music that grooves, and that slow dance, the
last dance of the night.”
Tonight: Vibraphonist and jazz/funk pioneer
Roy Ayers is at Scullers. Guitar and trumpet
duo Tin Bag and fine saxophonist Jeremy
Udden are at Brookline T'ai Chi. Tomorrow:
Missouri-born, Berklee-trained saxophonist
Javon Jackson brings his funky band to
Ryles. Dimock Community Health Center
presents its annual "Steppin' Out" benefit,
featuring George Benson, Cyrus Chestnut
(below), Freddie Jackson, Joey
DeFrancesco, Rebecca Parris, Tito
Puente Jr., Andre Ward, Myanna, and
many others at the Westin Boston
Waterfront Hotel. Wednesday: Drummer
Ralph Rosen with the Organic Horns,
trumpeter Greg Hopkins, saxophonist
George Garzone, organist Bruce Katz, and
guitarist Jon Damian present an evening of
original music at Scullers. Thursday: The
marvelous, adventurous, Boston-based big
band the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra
continues its 35th-anniversary season with
its premiere performance at Scullers.
There’s further common ground for Elvis and Cyrus in
blues and gospel. When Chestnut plays “How Great
Thou Art,” he gets deep into those ancient diatonic
harmonies. For that tune, at least, he doesn’t have to
fear Ms. Carter.
CYRUS CHESTNUT |“Steppin’ Out,” Westin
Waterfront Hotel, 425 Summer St, Boston |
November 3 | 8 pm | $200 | 866.468.7619
By Kevin Lowenthal & Joan Anderman |
November 2, 2007
Jazz picks
WBZ TV
Sunday with Liz
Sunday, October 28, 2007
N A M E S
Ready to step out
To listen to George Benson reminisce about
his gigs at the Boston clubs of yore, his
memories are so detailed you'd think he's
reading from a script. "Boston is an essential
part of my history," the "Masquerade" singer
told us. "Lots of nights logged in Boston.
There's Lenny's on the Turnpike, 888
Tremont St., Connolly's, the Jazz Workshop
and the one right beside it . . . Paul's Mall all of them," the guitarist rattled off, hardly
pausing to take a breath. The Grammy
winner is the headliner for tomorrow night's
Steppin' Out at the Emerald Ball to benefit
Dimock Community Health Center. (Others
performing at the glitzy gala include Cyrus
Chestnut, Andre Ward, Rebecca Parris,
Freddie Jackson, and Tito Puente Jr.)
Benson is one of those musicians who
embraces his successes rather than run
from big hits that make audiences happy. "It
might be 30 years since 'Breezin' ,' but it
feels like six months ago to me when I'm
playing it," he said. "People can expect from
us the things they want to hear. If they're
yelling for a song, they're going to get it."
Chestnut’s toasting Elvis
By Bob Young
Friday, November 2, 2007 - Updated 15h ago
There’ll be star power to spare at tomorrow’s Steppin’
Out benefit extravaganza at the Westin Boston
Waterfront Hotel. George Benson, Freddie Jackson,
Vivian Green, Chuck Loeb and Tito Puente Jr. all are
on tap.
And, thanks to pianist Cyrus Chestnut, one megastar
will also be in the house: Elvis Presley. In spirit and
music only, of course. The King will get the royal
treatment from jazz pianist Chestnut, who’s not exactly
someone you’d expect to do an Elvis tribute.
Yet that’s just what the pianist did on his new CD,
“Cyrus Plays Elvis,” and what he’ll be reprising with his
trio tomorrow at the 20th annual black-tie benefit for
Dimock Community Health Center.
Even Chestnut himself, who cut his teeth with Dizzy
Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis and Betty Carter, sounds
surprised to be digging into “Love Me Tender,” “Hound
Dog” and “Suspicious Minds.”
“I confess that I wasn’t an Elvis fan,” said Chestnut,
who grew up in Baltimore playing keyboards at the
local Baptist church. “At the time he was kickin’ I was a
small tyke. There were no Elvis Presley records around
the house, but I do remember seeing him on television
and thinking, ‘OK, that’s kind of cool.’ ”
On the new all-instrumental album, Chestnut, 44, puts
his own improvisational spin on Elvis’ music. A
freewheeling “Don’t Be Cruel” has more than a hint of
Thelonious Monk in it. “Hound Dog” gets a funky blues
treatment. And “Heartbreak Hotel” get a melanchoy
treatment that packs an emotional wallop.
Chestnut says the idea for the album came about after
he recorded a rendition of “Love Me Tender” with a
Chinese vocalist. He decided to research whether a
jazz musician had ever done a full album of Presley
tunes. He discovered the field was wide open.
Jazz Events
“I thought,” Chestnut said from his home in New York,
“that if (Elivs) can interpret some of the songs he heard
when he got down to Memphis and started hanging out
in the black community, why can’t I revisit them but not
necessarily do them in a rock ’n’ roll way?
“The challenge was not to be so space age that
nobody would know what I was doing. On the flip side,
I had to not be so incredibly corny that I’d lose all
integrity. If I did that, Betty Carter would come out of
her grave and beat me silly.”
Chestnut also had to deal with a long-held belief,
especially in the black community, that Elvis was an
exploiter who had done nothing more than rip off
African-American artists. He dismissed it as an issue.
“ Over the course of life, people borrow from a lot of
different things,” Chestnut said. “At the time, (Elvis)
was the accessible face to a large number of people.
Over time, I think he did recognize his influences.
There’s no copyright on a quarter note or an eighth
note. Elvis did the music his way. At the time, Elvis was
doing an interpretation of what he heard growing up. I
thought, ‘Why can’t I do an interpretation in my time of
what I hear and bring it into the camp of Cyrus
Chestnut?’ ”
Andre Ward
Steppin' Out at The Emerald Ball
“Steppin’ Out at the Emerald Ball,”
features Andre Ward, Freddie Jackson,
Cyrus Chestnut and 17 other groups.
Staged to mimic Boston's legendary and
historic jazz clubs of the ‘30s through
today, this one-of-a-kind charity musicfest-party attracts over 3,000 glitterati
for an evening of music, dancing, food
and cocktails.
This year Dimock is celebrating its 20th
Anniversary of Steppin' Out.
Andre Ward, Vivian Green, Freddie
Jackson, Cyrus Chestnut, Joey
DeFrancesco Quartet and others
Elvis, no doubt, would approve.
When:
Steppin’ Out, tomorrow at the Westin Boston
Waterfront Hotel. Tickets: $200; 866-468-7619.
Saturday, November 3; 6:30 pm - 2:00
am
Kingdom Come: Pianist Cyrus Chestnut, right,
interprets the music of Elvis Presley on his new CD
and at a benefit tomorrow.
Where:
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
425 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210
United States
Tickets:
$100, $200, $350; WGBH members
receive $25 off tickets
All Major Credit Cards; $350 Star
Tickets available @ Dimock only
Ticketweb
866-468-7619
Presenting
Organization:
Dimock Community Health Center
617-442-8800, x1208
Divine inspiration pairs
Cyrus with Elvis
Jazz interpretations of Presley
classics
URBAN UPDATE
With Vivian Male, Tsuji Daiko and Ruth
Ellen Fitch as guests
John Black Entertainment Editor
There have been countless compilation CDs of
Elvis Presley music, from the ELV1S 30 #1
Hits which featured the King's original
recordings to It's Now or Never - The Tribute
to Elvis Presley which had everybody from
Tanya Tucker to Tony Bennett recording
Presley songs.
None of the previous releases, however, can
boast divine revelation as the spark that
brought them into being. But that's what jazz
pianist Cyrus Chestnut said inspired him to
record Cyrus Plays Elvis.
"I always like to try to find something
different, musically speaking, but this really
came to me almost in a divine revelation so
to speak," Chestnut said. "I was in the studio
recording with a young vocalist and she was
doing Love Me Tender and it came to me that
nobody has done a full jazz representation of
the Elvis songbook. I did some research and
people have covered his tunes, but not to this
degree."
Inspired as he was, Chestnut still had a lot of
work to do before he could record his version
of Elvis music. First, he had to find which
songs he wanted to record - and as he says
with a chuckle, 'There are a lot of songs in the
Elvis songbook." Then he had to look at each
song he picked and find out how he wanted to
interpret it.
"The challenge was I couldn't be so space age
and difficult that nobody recognize what the
song was. On the flipside, I could not make it
so corny that it would tear down my integrity,"
he said. "Some of them came rather easy.
Hound Dog was an easy one to interpret, but
Heartbreak Hotel took a little bit of work. All
the songs on record, though, are songs I
connected to on a personal level. I hope that
comes through and people will get through the
name and the stereotype of someone else
covering Elvis. Hopefully the music can tell the
story."
Cyrus Chestnut will perform as part of the
line-up at Steppin' Out at the Emerald Ball on
Saturday, November 3, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. at the
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, 425 Summer
Street. For information, call 617-442-8800
x1006
Published on November 1, 2007
NECN - Features - Globe at
Home: Pianist Cyrus Chestnut
Nov 02, 2007
Jazz pianist and Berklee graduate Cyrus
Chestnut joins NECN's Karen Swensen.
Chestnut is on tour promoting his highly
acclaimed new CD,
"Cyrus Plays
Elvis.
Jazz pianist and Berklee graduate Cyrus
Chestnut joins NECN's Karen Swensen.
Chestnut is on tour promoting his highly
acclaimed new CD, "Cyrus Plays Elvis."
Published:
Friday November 02, 2007 04:00:00 GMT
Series Link:
http://www.NECN.com
Play Here 0:00:02 ... today's -- at home we're
joined by jazz pianist and Berkeley grad Cyrus
chestnut chestnut . He's on tour promoting his
new highly acclaimed CD Cyrus plays -- take -…
Play Here 0:00:48 ... by any CNN is raising
money for Boston's -- community health center.
Cyrus joins us now along with living editor. Steve
Greenlee -- thank you both for joining us and .
November 8, 2007
Style Spy at the
Emerald Ball
More than 1,000 guests braved stormy
weather last weekend to attend Steppin' Out
at the Emerald Ball, the annual black-tie gala
for Dimock Community Health Center at the
Westin Waterfront Hotel in South Boston.
—Carol Beggy
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Jessica
Thompson,
28
Residence:
Quincy
Job: Program
manager for
The Red
Cross
Tell me
about your
dress. I got it
at Nordstrom
in
Washington,
D.C. I don't
go for a specific
designer or label. I saw it and that was it.
And the shoes? They are a perfect
complement. Nine West.
What brings you out to Steppin' Out? It's a
fun night out. I've only been in Boston for two
years and I had heard about it and knew I wanted
to go.
Any particular act or group that you want
to see? It's a group called Dave from the AME
Church. They go on at 10:30, so we made sure we
had time to get a good spot.
You seem remarkably dry for a very wet
and windy night. It's called valet.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
D.T.
Henry, 28
Residence:
Brighton
Job:
graduate
student
That's a
great suit,
where do
you shop?
You have to
find a tuxedo
shop where
you like their
style. If they
don't have it, they can order it for you.
So you own your tuxes? Yes. I picked it out.
It's more of a European style to go with the
accessories -- and I got those through the same
tuxedo shop.
And it's not just that you have a walking
stick and a hat. What about the shoes? Stacy
Adams. Great collection and designer.
Do you get this dressed up on a regular
basis? This is a very special night out for us, but I
love to wear good clothes. ...I put a lot of effort
into all of this.
When you get to an event, what's your
priority: music, food, catching up with
people? All of it. We'll do all of it. We want to
hear some of the local groups, who go on in about
an hour. That gives us enough time to get settled
and check out what's going on in all these rooms.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Christina
Liscombe, 23
Residence:
Brighton
Job: Works
for Blue Cross/
Blue Shield
You work for
one of the
sponsors. Is
this a work
night? Not at
all. I heard
about it
through work
and decided we
had to go. We've been planning for awhile.
You've picked something a bit more sedate
than D.T. here. Is that by choice? (Laughs.)
Actually he had me decide what I was going to
wear and then he went and did his thing. I got to
decide what I was comfortable with first.
Tell us about your selection. It's Ann Taylor. I
knew I had pick something that I would be
comfortable in, but would look good.
Do you like to get this dressed up for an
event? I was very excited to have a chance to get
dressed up. It said black tie, so we wanted to come
ready for a black tie crowd.
OK, there's not a speck of rain on either
one of you. Did you bribe the valet? No, we
got a driver. We really wanted to be able to enjoy
ourselves no matter what was going on with the
weather or the traffic or whatever.
Sounds like you're ready to have a good
time. As soon as this interview is over, we will.
(Laughs.)
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Ifeoma
Obiora,
33
Residence: Dorchester
Job: Client adminstrative services for Bank of
America
You're dress is among the most brightly
colored that we've seen. Tell us about it. I
am from Nigeria and we believe that black tie is
formal dress, not dark. The embroidery on the
dress we call Swiss foil, and it's all hand done. I
got my dress from a local woman who also is from
Nigeria. Her name is Mrs. Uko and she's in
Randolph. So I have to say, she's my designer.
And your wrap, is it also traditional? Yes,
it's an ashoke. It's also something we wear in
Nigeria as a wrap, or as a head dress or around
your waist. It's for formal functions. It's made
from traditional cloth.
Were you just waiting for an event like this
so you could wear this dress? I was looking
forward to tonight and I have to say I'm very
comfortable in this dress.
Ishmail Merritt, 35
Residence: Watertown
Job: Commercial print account executive
All right, most guys see black tie and try to
kick it
down a
notch with
something
more
casual.
You are
the rare
guy who
went a step
up. Yes, it's
white tie. My
wife and I
take any
fundraising
event for
Dimock
seriously
and that the invitation said black tie meant going
all out for us.
Tell us about your choice. It's Armani.
It fits perfectly. You own it? Yes, it's mine. I
have no problem getting dressed up. And I'm
happy to have an event to wear it to.
You have this in your closet waiting for a
night like this? Yes, but for tonight I got a new
Yurman studs. I picked these out new.
What are you most looking forward to
tonight? Now that we're inside and getting
around I want to see George Benson, sure. But
just having a chance to come out for Dimock is
why we're out here tonight. We'd go to any event
for them.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Marian Mandell
"I never put my age. Say ageless."
Residence: Newton
Job: Fundraiser
You're wearing a hat, which seems like a
brave choice for an event in Boston. I got it
from an
estate sale
in Palm
Beach. So
you can
say it's
imported.
(Laughs.)
People
wear hats
all the time
in Palm
Beach.
And your
other
wardrobe
selections this evening? The jacket was my
mother's. I don't know if it has a label. It's
hundreds and hundreds of years old. The dress
my late husband picked it out for me some years
ago in Florida. It's Yves Saint Laurent. And my
shoes? They just arrived from France. They're
Rive Gauche.
You risked new shoes from Paris by going
out during a nor'easter? A big umbrella and
good doorman is all you need. And this event is
worth the risk.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Devin Horton, 26
Residence: Medford
Job:
Graduate
student
That dress
really
stands out
-- the
color
particularly. I got it at Macy's. I got it because
it's red. I love red. So in a way it sort of picked me
out.
Did you get it for this event? I got bombarded
by a friend to go shopping. I didn't want to, but I
knew I needed a great dress for this event.
And the rest of it? I got the clutch at Target this
afternoon.
What is it about this event that seems to
bring out the best in people's style? "People
of color" isn't just a description of us, it's also a
description of our culture and our style. ...It's part
of our heritage to dress colorfully. Look around
and see it's not just any one color or style, there
are a lot of people who are just waiting for a
reason to really go all out.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Kirk Jackson, 52
Residence: Milton
Job: Lawyer
The guys
tonight
seem to
have a
range from
suits to
tuxes with
tails. Why
did you
pick a suit?
Because I
hate wearing
a tux.
For some
events,
guys don't
have that
leeway. Do
you own a
tux? I have three. I just don't like wearing them.
Tell us about your choice. I want to take the
formal nature of the event seriously. People have
always dressed up and beyond for Steppin' Out.
I've only missed coming twice. I want to fit in,
sure, but I don't like wearing tuxes and even the
guys in tuxes tonight are doing something extra.
No one's here in just a straight rented tux _ not
that I can see. ...To answer your question directly,
I'm wearing a Vicci Uomo suit. It's Italian, which I
didn't know until I just looked at the label. I like
wearing this suit.
What's the best part about coming to
Steppin' Out? All of it. You get to support a
great cause. There's great music _ I'm looking
forward to hearing Freddie Jackson. There's great
food. People are all happy _ look around. What's
not to like about this event?
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
Jazz with Eric in the Evening
Mon-Thu, 8pm, WGBH 89.7
Host Eric Jackson, an influential
member of New England's jazz
community, brings you the region's
best-known jazz program. Eric's
Monday Night Spotlight features a
particular artist or theme. On Tuesdays,
Eric features live interviews and
performances from the WGBH studios.
Thursday, November 2, 2007, 9 pm
Guests: Cyrus Chestnut and Ruth
Ellen Fitch
television’s view
behind the VIP
lines
From left, Angelina Pena and Will Morales, both of
Hyde Park. (Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
Steppin' Out
20th Emerald
Ball
Nov. 3 in Boston
Thousands of guests attended
the Steppin' Out 20th Emerald
Ball at the Westin Waterfront
Hotel. Here, Lenny and Carol
Lee of Dorchester.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
From left, Nicole Beckward, Pat Damico, Talia
Damico, and Alisha Damico, all of Brockton.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
From left, Yvonne Tang of Malden, Kate Wilson of
Roxbury, Deb Doherty of Winchester, and Wendy
Maguire of North Andover.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
Shino Ito and Kevin Johnson, both of Dorchester.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
From left, Elizabeth Rose and Bernice Osbore, both of
Dorchester.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)
From left, Ayanna Pressley of Boston, Cherie
Nelson of Brockton, Maxine Batiste of Boston, and
Andrea Baptiste of Franklin.
(Bill Brett / Globe Staff)