Venzella Joy Williams

Transcription

June / July 2015
George “Hound Dog” Lorenz
Legendary DJ and
Radio Personality
The Drummer for Mrs. Beyonce Carter
From Buffalo, New York
Free
BUFFALO’S CONTRIBUTION
TO
AFRICAN AMERICAN
MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH
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June “/ July 2015
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2 June / July 2015
www.upfrontbusinessmagazine.com
June / July 2015
Features
12
Hot New Tech Gadgets
4
12Publishers
Page
6
Venzella Joy
Williams
10
Ms. Fitness
14
Frankie
Crocker
ON THE COVER
16
Survive and
Prosper
26
George
“Hound Dog”
Lorenz
20
Navigating The
Corporate
American Jungle
22
My Brooklyn
32
Buffalo’s
Contribution
to African
American
Music Month
Innovative DJ
Beyonce Carter’s
“Drummer”
June / July 2015
3
PUBLISHERS PAGE
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Reginald A. Wallace
Since our Nation's founding, people from every walk of life have set out to capture the
American experience not just in poetry or prose, but also in the timeless quality of song. When
the outcome of a revolution hung in the balance, drums and fifes filled brave patriots with the
strength to carry on. When slavery kept millions in bondage, spirituals gave voice to a dream
of true and lasting freedom. Through every generation, music has reflected and renewed our
national conversation, bringing us together and reminding us of the humanity we share.
African Americans have always had a hand in shaping the American sound. From gospel and
Motown to bebop and blues, their story is bound up in the music they made -- songs of hurt
and hardship, yearning and hope, and struggle for a better day. Those feelings speak to
something common in all of us. With passion and creativity, African-American performers
have done more than reinvent the musical styles they helped define; they have channeled their
music into making change and advancing justice, from radio booths to the stage to our city
streets.
That story is still unfolding today. We see it in the young poet putting his words to a beat; the
conservatory student perfecting her technique; the jazz musician making old melodies new
again. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, let us celebrate these artists and
the generations who inspired them, and let us reflect on our heritage as a Nation forever
enriched by the power of song.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by
virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim June 2013 as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon
public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with
appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music that
is composed, arranged, or performed by African Americans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America
the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA
4 June / July 2015
June / July 2015
5
BUSINESS/HISTORY
The Drummer for Beyonce Carter
Born in Lockport and raised
in Buffalo, NY, Venzella Joy
has been playing drums since
the age of 10. She started
perfecting her craft by
learning to play by ear in
church, and later learned the
fundamentals of music theory
.
in her elementary school
band. Joy joined the high
school orchestra, where she
learned to play multiple
percussion instruments and
later, in college, she
performed with the jazz
ensemble. Joy also cofounded Heaven Bound:
6 June / July 2015
The All-Girl Band with
which she's played various
venues and collaborated
with a number of gospel
artists over the years.
In March of 2009, Joy was
featured on MTV’s reality
show competition, Making
His Band, with Sean
“Diddy” Combs where she
worked alongside Combs
and other industry veterans.
2009 was bittersweet for
Venzella Joy because she
lost her mother, Vet Howard,
that year. Vet was very
supportive of Joy’s career
and loved hearing Joy
practice for hours. The
following year, Joy
graduated from Canisius
College with a B.A. in
Criminal Justice and a
minor in music. In October
of 2013, Joy was the
performance drummer for
BET’s Black Girls Rock,
performing with artists
such as Patti LaBelle,
Janelle Monae, Ledisi, and
more.
Currently, Joy is an
independent artist and
touring musician. She
recently began a series of
female drum clinics
entitled “Glamour, Glitz
and Drumsticks” which
debuted at NAMM 2012
and was hosted by Chris
Coleman. In 2012, Joy was
a featured drummer, along
with Chris Coleman, in
other clinics in Toronto,
Canada. In August 2013,
she was a clinician, at
Guitar Center, Atlanta, GA
as well as at Guitar Center,
R o c h e s t e r, N Y t h e
following month. In
February 2014, Joy became
the drummer for Mrs.
Beyonce’ Carter, and joined
the all-female band for the
“Mrs. Carter World Tour”.
Shortly after returning from
the tour, Joy hit the road
again on the “Mr. and Mrs.
Carter: On The Run Tour”.
In September of 2014,
Venzella Joy was featured
on the cover of Tom Tom
Magazine's Fall 2014 Issue
19: In The Studio, along
with a full feature article.
Venzella Joy is currently in
the process of completing
her first EP. Her first single,
“Live” was released in
early December 2014. The
full project is will be
released early 2015.
Venzella Joy currently
endorses
Zildjian
Cymbals,
Remo
Drumheads,
Va t e r
Percussion, KickPort
International KickPort,
DW Drums, and Tunerfish
Luglocks. Venzella Joy is
currently the drummer for
Mrs. Beyonce Carter.
Q. What is your
educational
background?
I graduated from Nardin
Academy, a catholic school
in North Buffalo. From
there I went on to study at
Canisius College. I
received a Bachelor's of
Arts in Criminal Justice. I
studied music as a minor.
When I share that with
some people they are
usually surprised. I studied
Criminal Justice in order to
have a solid backup plan in
the event that music did
not work out as planned.
Q. Memory of your
first set of drums
My first drum set was a red
TKO with TKO hi-hats and
a TKO ride cymbal. To me
it was the best thing
ever. My parents bought it
for me as a Christmas gift
when I was 10 years old. I
played that drum set
until I could no longer
play it. I do still have parts
of it.
“To God
be the Glory!”
Q. Where did you
grow up in Buffalo?
I was actually born in
Lockport, NY, Niagara
County. Not many people
know that. I moved to
Buffalo at age 6 where my
family and I lived on the
eastside. We ended up in
North Buffalo which I
adore for it's artsy
characteristics and central
location
June / July 2015
7
BUSINESS/HISTORY
Continues
Q. How did you
get the
opportunity to
play with
Beyonce?
I did a show back in
2009 called Making
The Band. While
there, I actually met
Beyonce's current
music director, Derek
Dixie. After the show
we remained friends
and kept in contact so
it just worked out that
when the opportunity
presented itself for
the Beyonce job, I
was one of the people
he called on.
8 June / July 2015
Q. Did you ever
imagine yourself
playing with
Beyonce a few
years ago?
I saw myself here but
I didn't know when it
would happen. I just
said to myself, it's
going to happen. It
might
not
be
tomorrow, it may not
be next year, but one
day on God's time it's
going to happen. Part
of me saw myself on
stage with Beyonce. I
just wasn't sure when
it would be.
Q. So, where do
you see yourself 5
years from now?
Five years from now I
see myself doing a lot
more writing and a lot
more
production.
Maybe even artist
development.
Venzella Joy currently endorses Zildjian Cymbals,
Remo Drumheads, Vater Percussion,
KickPort International KickPort, DW Drums, and
Tunerfish Luglocks.
June / July 2015
9
HEALTH / FITNESS
Ms. Fitness
Family, hard work, life changing
Nancy Guilbert
Her morning starts at 4:30am
during the week. This mother
of 2 is training to compete in
the 23rd CAN AM Natural
Bodybuilding, Physique,
Figure
and
Bikini
Championship for Natural
and Pro. Nancy Guilbert is
competing for the first time
at this event put on by
Buffalo native and founder
of Natural Muscles
Association Jerry Marsala on
March 28th, 2015 at Nichols
high school. Twelve hard
weeks of training before the
competition day, which
consisted of 6 weeks of two
hour workouts 5 days a
week. The last 6 weeks she
worked out 6 and 7 days in
the morning and evenings.
In between her training
Nancy has to be at work
from 7am-4pm, get off work
and pick up her 11 year
daughter Diamante and 5
year old son Prince.
After dinner it’s off to the
World Gym on Dick Road
until 8pm 3 days a week with
her trainer Tony Delaney,
and the other days she trains
by herself. She also meet
with Tony Boles “Pops” who
is more of a dad for Spiritual
Guidance...
10 June / July 2015
At the end of the day it's
homework time and then her
children are put to bed to get
ready to do it all over again
the next day.
Ms. Guilbert was born and
raised in Brooklyn New York
until her family relocated to
Buffalo when she was 7
competition and totally
changing her lifestyle. Her
diet included broiled
chicken, sweet peas, ground
turkey, oatmeal, apples, and
protein drinks. Nancy started
her training at 130 pounds
with 20 percent body fat, and
by the day of the event she
was 111 pounds with just 8
percent body fat.
years old.
Nancy’s first
language was Spanish and
she didn’t speak any English
when she first entered the
Buffalo public school
s ys t e m .
She truly
understands the challenges
and obstacles that such a
person will face in life, and
“there is no easy road
to success”
School was a struggle but
she graduated from
McKinley high school and
attended Villa Maria and
Erie Community College.
I asked Nancy why did she
began bodybuilding and she
said “it was because she was
going through a relationship
breakup” and this would
challenge her mentally. The
toughest
part
of
bodybuilding is following a
strict diet leading up to the
Nancy credits her strong
belief in God and having a
good wo rkout budd y
(Kareem Simmons), and
close friend Nia Threets who
always motivated her to do
her very best. She also
thanks Terry Stokes Fitness
for helping her with posing
and figure, and the Double R
fitness crew. The expenses
incurred to compete in the
Can AM was 1500 hundred
dollars when you add up all
the costs associated with
participating.
Dreams do come true. In the
division for figure “novice”
Nancy came in 5th place and
in overall fitness she placed
7th , outstanding for her first
competition. She plans on
competing on the pro level
while training others and
eventually opening up her
own gym. Nancy says the
competition will help you
find out who you are as a
person, and when asked to
say one word about the
experience
of
the
competition she kindly said
“amazing”.
And by the way, Nancy
is still single.
June / July 2015
11
TECH TALK
Hot New Tech Gadgets
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12 June / July 2015
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June / July 2015
13
BUSINESS / HISTORY
Frankie Crocker
Progressive R&B Innovator
New
Yo r k
radio
personality Frankie
Crocker imbued the
R&B format with a widereaching musical palette
that includes music from
just about every genre.
Born in Buffalo, NY,
Crocker began his radio
career at Williamsville,
NY, station WUFO,
while studying pre-law.
His other stints include
other N.Y. radio stations
WWRL and Top 40
station
WMCA.
Becoming a program
director at WBLS-FM
and WLIB-AM in the
early '70s, Crocker began
to shape an innovative
and influential radio
format that would
become known as
progressive R&B while
garnering the top spot in
the ratings.
14 June / July 2015
His timing was perfect as a
new kind of R&B station
was beginning to spring up
on the FM dial around the
country. Their formats
emphasized less (if any)
jive talk, a cross blend of
jazz,
pop/rock,
sophisticated soul, funk,
and R&B. The sound is
similar to the sound of the
smooth jazz stations of the
late '90s.
Th e Ven u s Fl yt rap
character on the sitcom
WKRP in Cincinnati bears
a slight resemblance to
Crocker's sound and
flamboyant style.
As his formidable
reputation
g r e w,
Crocker was offered
different opportunities.
He appeared in the
movies Cleopatra Jones
and Five on the Black
Hand Side. He released
two disco-oriented
albums on Casablanca
Records as Frankie
Crocker's Heart and
Soul Orchestra -- .
The Heart and Soul
Orchestra, Love in C
Minor, and Disco Suite
Symphony No. 1 in
Rhythm and Excellence
Later he hosted NBC
TV's Friday Night
Videos, was one of the
first video DJs on cable
channel VH1, had his
own syndicated radio
show, Classic Soul
Countdown, and worked
at WRKS-New York.
His skills led to him
programming and/or
working at KUTE, Los
Angeles, WGCI and
WNUA, Chicago, and
WKKS, St. Louis. The
DJ/programmer was
inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.
At the age of 63,
Frankie Crocker died
from pancreatic cancer
in Miami, FL, on
October 21, 2000.
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Salmon w/Rice
Fish & Grits
Fish Fry
June / July 2015
15
BUSINESS / EDUCATION
Survive and Prosper
In The Music Business
Dr William Small
20% of success in the music
business is access. You have to
get heard by the people who
can get the world to hear you.
The other 80% of music
business success is knowledge.
You must know what to do to
survive and prosper once you
have gained access. Most
people fail in the music
business due to a lack of
knowledge. We don’t fail in
life because of what we know;
we fail because of what we
don’t know. Artists selling
millions of CDs but failing to
become millionaires is a
consequence of not knowing
music business.
Singers and performers are a
dime a dozen so they are not a
high value commodity. The
people who make most of the
money in the music industry
are not those who put on the
show but rather those who
know the business of show.
Song writers, producers,
composers, distributors, and
record labels all take their cut
of the profit off the top.
16 June / July 2015
Whatever is left gets divided
among the singers and
performers. That is after all
of their clothing, travel,
promotion, production, and
other expenses are deducted.
This is how a highly popular
performance group like TLC
can sell over 2 million CDs
but only earn 5 cents per
copy. The one hundred
thousand dollars they
received had to be split 3
ways. TLC grossed in excess
of $30 million in CD sales
but ended up with around
$33 thousand a piece. Things
like this happen to
performing artists who know
show but do not understand
show business. Thus, many
find themselves back behind
the counter at McDonalds
after having had a huge hit
because they knew show but
didn’t know show business.
Knowledge about how to
survive and prosper in the
music business is crucial to
becoming
a
successful
performing artist.
Losers in this industry base
their careers on misguided
maxims like “It’s not what
you know but who you
know.” The truth is success
in the music business is a
combination of what you
know and who you know.
One of the best places to find
out what you need to know
and meet who you need to
know is at conferences.
Billboard
hosts
several
conferences each year where
many top people in the
music
industry
attend,
conduct workshops, and
participate
in
panel
discussions. The conference
where I’ve had the most
success meeting top people
in the music, sports, and
movie entertainment industry
is the Power Networking
Conference (PNC) held
annually in Dallas, TX.
While at the PNC one year I
saw Attorney Willie Gary,
the lawyer of lawyers,
talking with three guys. I
intended to get a simple
answer to a simple question
and ended up getting invited
to lunch with them.
The guys with him were:
Darrell Miller attorney
for Ludicris, Master P,
Sean P Diddy Combs, etc;
L. Londell McMillan attorney
for Katherine Jackson, Prince,
Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, etc;
and Warrington Hudlin
Director of the movies
Boomerang, Posse, House
Party, BeBe’s Kids and so on.
As soon as we sat down these
men began sharing a wealth of
knowledge about the industry.
I was taking notes so
feverously that I couldn’t eat
because I didn’t want to miss
capturing even the smallest
nugget of knowledge that
might later prove to be huge.
Two other men in the business
that I met at the same
conference were: William
Strickland,
sports
and
entertainment attorney for
Lebrun James and power
attorney John Kellogg, author
of “Take Care of Your Music
Business” which is a must
have book for anyone serious
about
surviving
and
prospering in the music
business. Since they freely
shared knowledge with me I
will freely share some of it
with you:
The following is necessary for
you to survive and prosper:
 character
and integrity;
never let your gifts and
talents take you where your
character and integrity
can’t keep you.

desire, motivation, and
determination.
 always affirm what you
want to do.
 be competent; hone your
skills and do your
research.
 get qualified to do what
you do.
 have a passion to do what
you do.
 be open to opportunities
● pay your dues; take a
small job at a big company
in the industry; learn on their
dime and their time.
 don’t lose the connection
to where you want to go
with where you come
from but don’t go broke
trying to keep it real.
● travel; secure your own
worldwide rights, obtain
licensing, rights country by
Country.
● find competent financial
advisors to help you wisely
invest some of your money.
Obtain knowledge about
the music industry
 know the company you
want to represent you:
what they’ve done and
who they represent.
● know the players in the
game; if you want
corporations or law firms to
invest in your projects,
know who is important to
these entities and get them to
refer/recommend.
● if you want entertainers to
invest in your projects, try to
contact them directly. People
around them will either sift
through or discard your
message before it gets to
them. Read CD Jackets to
see who they give personal
credits, contact them to gain
introduction to entertainer.
 study the best but never
forget who you are; don’t
just read their headlines,
know their story.
Obtain knowledge about
the music business
Recommended Publications:
 Music - Source, Vibe,
Billboard
 Product Placement Brand Week, Advertising
Age
Recommended Websites:
 whorepresents.com
 billboard.com


Recommended Books:
The Mail Room by David
Resin - provides insight
into the entertainment
business from the ground
up.
The Agency: William
Morris and the Hidden
History of Show Business
by Frank Rose,
Continue next page
June / July 2015
17
BUSINESS/EDUCATION
provides an inside look into
the wars that occur between
companies that can kill the
careers of
their artists and
performers.
Proper
preparation
and
planning prevents piss-poor
performance.
Preparing
properly can provide an
opportunity to get into the
music
industry
however
success requires having a plan
to prosper in music business.
You will need contacts to get
contracts and you must
network
to
get
work.
Therefore, balance your time
between
studying
and
practicing to learn what as
well as who you need to know
in the music business.
Remember 80% of success in
the
music
business
is
knowledge. Knowledge will
help you to survive and
prosper.
Survive & Prosper
continued
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June / July 2015
19
BUSINESS/EDUCATION
Navigating the Corporate
American Jungle
By Sade Lady McDougald, MBA
"Entrepreneurs do not want
to climb the corporate ladder,
they want to build their
own," Robert Kiyosaki.
After graduating from the
University at Buffalo, I have
been fortunate enough to
hold corporate level jobs
with HSBC Bank, Bank of
America & M&T Bank. I've
worked with all ages from
eager ambitious millennials
to nearly retired baby
boomers. Over the course of
my banking career, I have
learned many lessons
through both experience and
continual observation. In no
particular order, below are
some of the most pertinent
lessons I’ve learned in
navigating the jungle of
corporate America:
1. Of the people on your
job, 99% are not your
friends. I've dined at coworkers homes, met their
families only to discover
that at the end of the day
co-workers are your
competitors. Some will
"befriend," you just to
study you, size you up to
assess if you are a
potential threat. Others
will "befriend" you
20 June / July 2015
because you are a source.
They admire your job
knowledge and skills and
will use you as resource for
their growth. Now, you may
get lucky & find 1 or 2
genuine people. The good
book says "know those who
labor amongst you" 1Thes
5:12kjv. You must join the
game and assess why certain
co-workers are associating
with you. What are their true
motives? Knowing who is
truly genuine takes a lot of
listening to conversations
and observations of that
individual. You will save
yourself a lot of hurt feelings
the moment you accept the
following: human nature is
inherently self-preserving. It
is difficult to be a true friend
to someone if they deem you
as threat to their pay increase
and a higher level position to
better provide for your
families.
2. How you start a
relationship with a coworker, be prepared to
continue that until a change
happens such as you finding
another job. If you outgrow
relationships, as I have, and
choose to decrease the amount
of time you give people,
this can cause tension,
amongst other adverse
effects. I have seen people
who eat lunch together daily,
stab each other in the back
and then continue to eat
lunch together the next day
with both parties aware of
the situation. They are
accepting of such foolishness
because they understand the
nature of corporate America
& they want to avoid the
discomfort of ending a
relationship with someone
they are forced to see daily.
In decreasing your
relationship with any
individual, they are likely to
feel rejection. Rejection is
powerful feeling that can
motivate people to revenge
and retaliation. That's when
the petty gossip about your
business begins. Beware;
never share anything with
any co-worker that is too
personal. Nothing is kept
secret except everyone’s
annual salary.
3. Watch everything that you
say & do because nothing is
private or goes unnoticed.
Folks are very concerned
about the next employee and
what he/she is doing. If a
person feels threatened by
your ability, even your
"friend," they will rarely ever
discuss opportunities for
advancement with you, the
competition. Some will find
a way to showcase your
weaknesses to others.
They may say what will
appear to be a light hearted
joke amongst other coworkers at your expense
exposing a weakness of
yours or explicitly talk
behind your back. Why?
Because they are your
competition, that's the
nature of the beast in
corporate America. It's
definitely chess not
checkers. On a positive
note, there may be a
manager that will admire
your work ethic &
dependability; this can lead
to increased chances for
promotion. More income
equates to greater
investment towards your
business.
4. If you are an
entrepreneur, keep quiet
except with other
entrepreneurs and strong
potential clients. Some
people cannot handle that
you are living for your
dream and they are not. An
employee mindset typically
cannot understand an
entrepreneur's mindset or
they are jealous of your
courage. Once I revealed to
certain co-workers my
entrepreneurial endeavors,
the relationship changed.
Now, Avon and other direct
selling consultants are safe
to discuss their products.
This comfort ability with
direct sellers is because there
are millions of consultants
direct selling,
few of which we know that are
successful enough to earn
millions and enjoy early
retirement. Since they do not
know that there is indeed
millionaire Avon, Amway &
Mary Kay consultants, they
view direct selling as common
and thus they do not feel
insecure about themselves
compared to a direct seller.
Direct selling entrepreneurs,
keep passing out those
catalogues! Dominate on your
floor, then the whole building
with your products and
services.
5. People recycle throughout
corporate America. I worked
for HSBC six years ago and I
am now working with people
that I once worked with at
HSBC. Treat everyone kindly
and with genuine friendliness,
this does not mean
befriending. 6. You never
know who your next client is;
it could be the lady working in
cafeteria at the job or that coworker who you believe you
don't have anything in
common with. Soon, if your
product or service is good,
people will begin to talk and
customers will seek you.
7. Know your target market
and judge your work
e n vi r on me n t . A r e yo u
swimming is a sea of your
target market? If so, start to
pay close attention, study their
likes, dislikes, dreams and
concerns in areas of your
industry.
Ask them questions,
become
friendly
associates. Knowing
your target market is
key in choosing the
correct products or
services to offer into the
marketplace.
Sade Lady McDougald
is a serial
entrepreneur,
business columnist
and banking industry
professional whom
seeks to educate,
inspire & grow with
fellow entrepreneurs.
Contact Info:
www.fb.com/
sadeladym
Twitter: Sadeladym
June / July 2015
21
TRAVEL
My Brooklyn
Kamilah Whitfield
Park, leave, comeback, and
pull-off. Easy. Although, you
can get standard Amtrak
tickets into NYC for as low as
$35.00 , I find tickets most
often for about 65.00. I’ve
seen them as high as $125.00
on holidays and weekends. It’s
a pretty relaxed trip. Charge
you devices, use the wi-fi, you
never have to deal with traffic
and typically, you get there in
almost the same amount of
time as driving- minus the
stress. Driving with friends or
family? Splitting the gas is a
budget friendly option. But,
do keep in mind, if you
choose to make a road trip out
of it, most hotels in New York
City will charge a fee for
parking. Plane tickets are on
average about $200.00 if you
book them at least a few
weeks in advance. There is
also the option of the
Greyhound bus which can be
a long and bumpy ride with
plenty of stops. One good
thing about the bus is that they
make very frequent trips from
Buffalo to NYC. If you are
open to the bus, search
Megabus.com for low-fare bus
tickets into NYC and many
other places for as low as
$1.00.
The minute you cross into
the city of Brooklyn,
something happens. The
aroma of Brooklyn’s rich
culture can almost be
smelled in the air. One could
possibly attribute that to the
fact that Brooklyn is New
York Cities most highly
populated and richly diverse
boroughs. West Indians,
Jews, Africans, Italians,
Hispanics- all inter-twined,
and all at home in Brooklyn.
For a long time now, tourists
from all over the globe have
traveled to New York Citybasing their trips around the
bright lights in Manhattan.
And while the bright lights
may be electrifying to the
eye, The borough of
Brooklyn will capture your
heart. Brooklyn has soul.
Getting to Brooklyn from
Buffalo is super easy. My
personal favorite way to get
there is to take the Amtrak
train- especially when
traveling alone. There are
two departure stations in/
If you’re swift
near Buffalo. One station is
in downtown Buffalo but,
enough to catch one
what I like about the Amtrak
of those deals,
terminal outside the city is
that it provides a free self
snatch it up!
parking option.
22 June / July 2015
Once you arrive in NYC via
plane, train or bus, you can
simply hop on a few trains or
hail a cab to get you into
Brooklyn. Train maps are
available in most subway
stations, and Google Maps
will guide you on the
subway, giving you what
trains to take and travel time.
I recommend taking the train
or dollar cabs while
maneuvering in BK. Dollar
cabs (which are often minvans) travel up and down
major bus routes and can get
you very far for very little
money. Taxis are always
available as well as car
services for those who like to
splurge.
There are accommodations
for every budget and style in
this urban community. If
you are looking for a stylish,
yet affordable stay, check out
the Aloft. The Aloft hotel
offers sophisticated and
modern features. Fall in love
with the Brooklyn Terrace, a
swanky roof top lounge with
an incredible view. Aloft is
family and pet friendly,
located just on the out skirts
of downtown Brooklyn and
only minutes away from
Manhattan (if you can’t
resist the flashing lights). Of
course,
B r o o k l y n ’s
downtown area is also an
excellent location to lay your
head.
Be aware that downtown
Brooklyn has undergone robust
revitalization, and while
staying there will allow for
e a s y a c c e s s t o a mp l e
entertainment, this does come
at a more hefty cost. If you
don’t necessarily plan to spend
a lot of time in your room and
want
bare
bones
accommodations, look into
staying in an efficiency hotel
where a decent room can come
as low as $65.00 per night.
www.hotels.com can help with
your search!
The list of things to do is
limitless. The city is literally
jam packed with options for
every person . For Sports lovers
there is the Barclays centercheap tickets.com and
stubhub.com are great sites to
visit if you want tickets for a
reasonable price .
For your shopping fix, check
out the Atlantic mall which is
right across the street from the
Barclays and has a variety of
stores and great views: or take
a stroll down Fulton Street in
the downtown area where you
will find plenty of retail
therapy options.
When in Brooklyn, and
anywhere else for that matter,
food is important to me. My go
-to restaurants to visit in
Brooklyn are Juniors
Cheesecake in downtown BK,
where the menu is quite
extensive and even includes
“Brooklyn Style Buffalo
wings“!
Be sure to finish your
meal with a signature slice
of Junior’s cheesecake.
The
Red
velvet
cheesecake is amazing. If
you are in the Flatbush
area,
La
Cabana
Rodriguez is a small
Dominican restaurant on
Flatbush Ave where the
music is always playing in
the background and the
fried chicken is so good, I
make it my first stop
every time I get to
Brooklyn. Ask for some
gravy on your rice and
peas to take it to the next
level! If you are looking
for a laid back, classy
environment to enjoy a
good meal, stop by
Peaches on Lewis Ave. in
Bed-Stuy.
Soak
up
positive
vibes
and
southern hospitality with a
splash of NYC flare at this
“semi-southern”
restaurant. Peaches offers
an interesting twist on
comfort foods, at very
realistic prices. Ask for
the bartenders signature
cocktail and don’t you
dare leave without trying
the chicken and sausage
gumbo! While in BedStuy, if you are a Biggie
fan, stop by his childhood
home for a photo-op.
Continues next page
June / July 2015
23
TRAVEL
MY BROOKLYN
CONTINUES
If you are a history/culture/ art
lover you will find delight
with the Brooklyn Museum.
NYC’s second largest museum
houses an extensive collection
of art from Contemporary to
Ancient Egyptian and features
“cutting-edge exhibitions” as
well.
If you want to party BK style,
swing by Bhive on Atlantic. If
you don’t see people outside on
the street, it is probably not a
good night. Websites like
www.yelp.com
and
joonbug.com can steer you in
the right direction too. At
certain hot spots be prepared to
wait “on-line” and gentlemen,
be careful of stepping out in
sneakers or t-shirts. You can get
turned away for dress code
violations quick. When I’m
looking for a party out of town,
I always find it best to just ask
locals where they like to party.
Don’t be shy. Strike up a convo
and who knows, you may end
up with an invite into the V.I.P.
section!  I did!
Visiting Brooklyn means
you’ll be in the birthplace of
legends like Shirley Chisholm,
Aaliyah, Biggie, Jean-Michel
Basquiat, Michael Jordan and
Jay-Z. In this urban hub, there
is a wide variety of things to do
for every person and budget.
This is one exciting, diverse
and soulful place to visit.
24 June / July 2015
Things to do for
Free in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights Promenade is a beautifully placed
promenade that overlooks the East River and
provides incredible views of the Brooklyn Bridge,
the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
Don‘t forget your camera! This place is ideal for a
romance filled night. Take a stroll or watch the
sunset with your lover. Views are most spectacular at
night. If you are in NYC on the 4th of July, the
firework show at the Promenade is a must-see.
On the 1st sat of every month the Brooklyn Museum
hosts Target First Saturdays, where guests can enjoy
art and entertainment programs at no cost. Programs
start at about 5:00 PM and last until about 11:00 PM.
You may need to arrive early to register or get in line
at the visitor center. Make an evening of it! They
offer great programs for young and old alike. Visit
h t t p : / / w w w. b r o o k l y n m u s e u m . o r g / v i s i t /
FREDDY J’s
Brooklyn Museum
195 Grant Street
Buffalo, NY 14213
(716) 983-8647
Sun. Mon. Tue.
10am–4pm
Brooklyn Public Library- Brooklyn has an
extensive chain of Libraries sprinkled
throughout the city. Check out www.
Bklynlibrary.org/calendar for a list of
events that range from workshops to poetry
readings and book signings
Wed.-Sat.
12pm– 6pm
Southern Fried Chicken
& Red Velvet
BBQ Chicken Dinner
BBQ Ribs (2pc)
/Full Rack
Jerk Chicken Dinner
Jerk Fish Dinner
Fish Sandwich on Pita
Chicken Sandwich
Chicken Salad
Salmon w/Rice
Fish & Grits
Fish Fry
June / July 2015
25
LOCAL MUSIC
Legendary Disc Jockey
And Radio Personality
African-American
musicians, composers,
singers, and songwriters
have made enormous
contributions to our culture
by capturing the hardships
and aspirations of a
community and reminding us
of our shared values.”
We will take a look at
Buffalo’s role in influencing
and leading black music
culture, so let’s take a look at
a man who paved the way
for so many artists George
“Hound Dog” Lorenz.
African-American Music
Appreciation Month
Began as Black music month
In 1979 when Kenny
Gamble, Ed Wright, and
Dyana Williams developed
the idea to set aside a month
dedicated to celebrating the
impact of black music.
Created by music business
insiders, the group
successfully lobbied
President Jimmy Carter to
host a reception on June 7th,
1979 to formally recognize
the cultural and financial
contributions of black music.
Since 1979, Black Music
Month has grown from a
commemoration to national
proportions
with
extravaganza across the
country.
26 June / July 2015
In 2000, US-Representative
Chaka Fattah sponsored
House Resolution 509,
which formally recognized
the importance of Black
music on culture and the
economy during President
Bill Clinton’s administration.
In 2009, President Barack
Obama further defined June
as African American Music
Appreciation Month who
declared the start of summer
as a celebration for all the
black
“musicians,
composers, singers, and
songwriters [who] have
made
enormous
contributions to our culture.”
“The music of our Nation
has always spoken to the
condition of our people and
reflected the diversity of our
Union.
George "Hound Dog" Lorenz
helped kick start the careers
for many of the biggest
names in rock music from
the 1950’s and 60’s. When
no one else would play them,
George Lorenz took chances
with artists like Little
Richard, Elvis Presley, Sam
Cooke, Clyde McPhatter,
Fats Domino and many,
others. George Lorenz's
persistence and commitment
to introducing the world to
great music and not the
status quo, helped him to
become one of the most
influential figures in the
music world and in doing so,
G e o rg e a c c o m p l i s h e d
something that no one else
was able to do…. he brought
Rock N’ Roll to the
mainstream.
The legacy George left
behind from the day he put
the mighty WKBW 1520AM on the map as a
powerhouse Rock-N-Roll
station in the 50's to his
move to FM and the creation
of WBLK. Lorenz hired
Ron Baskin the first African
American to work on
WKBW radio.
Born to Fredrick and Lillian
Lorenz on October 22nd,
1919, George Lorenz had a
bright future ahead of him.
He lived most of his life off
Clinton Street in Buffalo,
around the Clinton/Bailey
Market, on Baitz Avenue.
Little did they know their
son would go on to be a
major influence in the course
of radio and music in this
country he would become a
pioneer ahead of his time
that, even today, has not been
equaled.
George Lorenz, who would
later be known as the
“Hound Dog”, had a
younger sister named Ruth.
George attended grammar
school at school 69 on
Clinton Street in Buffalo. He
went on to attend South Park
High School and six months
prior to graduation,
George got ill and was unable
to finish school. Until the day
he died, he had every
intention to return and finish
the final six months.
On August 16, 1941, George
married Rita Leminger. They
had four children; George,
Linda, Franklin, and
Fredrick. In the mid to late
1940’s, George Lorenz
started his career at WXRA
in Buffalo. He wouldn’t last
long at WXRA because of
the music he played. On
January 24, 1948, the same
day his daughter was born,
George Lorenz would start at
WJJL in Niagara Falls, NY
where he had a morning
show. He was known at this
time as Ol’ Man Lorenz. It
was here he could play the
music he wanted and began
to get a following. At the
same time he promoted a
country western show in
Tonawanda, NY. George was
a big fan of Hank Williams
Senior.
In 1951, after a few years at
WJJL, George Lorenz would
become known as the
“Hound Dog”. The nickname
had it’s roots in a 1940’s
expression “doggin’ around.”
Let’s let The Hound tell it:
While at WJJL, George
“Hound Dog” Lorenz was
also on the air in Cleveland,
OH from 1953 to 1955.
During this time, Rock ‘n
Roll was born. In 1955, "The
Hound" joined WKBW in
Buffalo, NY. WKBW would
propel the “Hound” even
further. A powerful station,
WKBW was heard in 20
states and Canada. The
Eastern Seaboard was
rockin’ to the sounds the
“Hound” played. His fan
club grew to record numbers
at this time.
“Lorenz also had his own
newsletter for his “fan club”.
He wrote it himself,
including a Top-10 list for
the newsletter each week. He
charged a dollar, just enough
to cover printing and
postage. He understood it
wasn’t about the money, it
was about marketing.”
(Warley, Stephen, Serving
Their Communities: 50
Years of the New York
State Broadcasters
Association, p.148, 2006)
During his time a WKBW he
would also begin to
syndicate his show. Until
1958, George Lorenz called
WKBW home. In July 1958,
WKBW would change to a
top 40 format. Before the
changeover, The Hound left
the station. He felt top 40 “is
hurting the record industry, is
lowering radio listening,
Continues pg. 28
June / July 2015
27
LOCAL MUSIC
and is decreasing a new His radio shows were heard
artists chance to make all over the world. He was a
it” (Billboard Magazine).
pioneer. He was acquainted
The Hound found himself at with such greats as Dick
WINE in Williamsville, NY Clark, Little Richard, Elvis
(just outside Buffalo) until and many, many others. He
1960. After WINE, he started brought the music to the
World Wide Programming, common man, and was
where he continued to himself a common man.
syndicate the Hound Dog
Show. In 1962, George
applied for the last FM
frequency in the Buffalo
market, 93.7 FM. Around
this time, he also created an
industry paper called
“Behind the Scenes.”
On December 10, 1964,
WBLK 93.7 FM went on the
air, and the Hound Dog had
his own house in which to
rock! This would be "The
House That the Hound
We end as always with
Built.” For a little less than 8
The Hound:
years, George put his heart “There ain’t no more son. It’s
and soul into his station.
splittin’ and quitten’ time. As
George hired Buffalo’s own always we ask you to play it
Ron Baskin the first African straight on the street, of
American on air personalities course. And to my very own
at WKBW and WBLK radio, Miss Fine waiting down the
but on May 29, 1972, as the line, the Hound Dog says,
sun would rise, George
“like aaaa laaaattter!”
“Hound Dog” Lorenz passed And with the hound dog howl
away in his sleep, a life that carrying into the “Big
was lost too soon.
Heavy,” The Hound Dog
He touched the lives of many signed off.
people and in doing so
Come on down to the
changed the fabric of the
Pick-a-Dilly Lounge!
country.
28 June / July 2015
June / July 2015
29
www.zamkro.com
MEMBERS OF
30 June / July 2015
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I
N
S
U
R
A
N
C
E
A
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E
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C
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June / July 2015
31
BLACKS in HISTORY
Buffalo’s Contribution To
African American Music
Appreciation Month
Black Music Month began
in 1979 when Kenny
Gamble, Ed Wright, and
Dyana Williams developed
the idea to set aside a month
dedicated to celebrating the
impact of black music.
Created by music business
insiders, the group
successfully lobbied
President Jimmy Carter to
host a reception on June 7th,
1979 to formally recognize
the cultural and financial
contributions of black music.
Since 1979, Black Music
Month has grown from a
commemoration to national
proportions
with
extravaganza across the
country.
In 2000, US-Representative
Chaka Fattah sponsored
House Resolution 509,
which formally recognized
the importance of Black
music on culture and the
economy during President
Bill Clinton’s administration.
In 2009, President Barack
Obama further defined June
as African American Music
Appreciation Month
32 June / July 2015
who declared the start of
summer as a celebration for all
t h e b l a c k “ mu s i c i a n s ,
songwriters [who] have made
enormous contributions to our
culture.”
“The music of our Nation has
always spoken to the condition
of our people and reflected the
diversity of our Union. African
-American musicians,
songwriters have made
enormous contributions to our
culture by capturing the
hardships and aspirations of a
community and reminding us
of our shared values.
A history of WBLK’s role is
detailed in our article on
so let’s take a short look at
WUFO AM 1080. WUFO
1080 am began broadcasting
on November 2, 1962 with
famed Cleveland Disc Jockey
Eddie O'Jay as the first on the
air with the rhythm and blues
format. WUFO has provided
the nation with some of the
most popular Black
announcers.
Some of the announcers that
worked at WUFO over the
years include Frankie
Crocker, Gary Byrd, Jerry
Bledsoe, Thelka McCall and
her son Dwayne Dancer
Donovan, Don Allen, Don
Mullins, ‘Sunny’ Jim Kelsey,
Al Brisbane, Jimmy Lyons,
H.F. Stone, Chucky T, Al
Parker, Gary Lanier, Kelly
Carson, Darcel Howell,
Mouzon, David Wilson,
Byron Pitts, Mark Vann, and
"The Discotizer" Keith
Pollard. Jimmie Raye 19691971 morning show 6AM10AM was number one for
the time slot. He moved to
LA to record music and
produce his TV Special for
NBC in 1976, "The Soul
Thing."
In 1973 the Sheridan
Broadcasting Corporation
bought
Dynamic
Broadcasting, making
WUFO
the
only
Black owned station in
Western New York and today
the station plays Gospel
music with community
oriented talk and Soul
Oldies on the weekends. In
2013 WUFO was purchased
by Vision Multi Media
Group lead by Sheila Brown
and
True
Bethel
Development Corporation
with Darius Pridgen making
it Western New York’s first
black female owned station.
Buffalo was home to some of
the greatest bands in the
country but many never
received national notoriety
like Milton Salters and The
All-Night-Workers, Sabata
and The Cause, The Shades
Soul (Rick James) first band,
The New-Breeds, United
Sound, Last Days and Times,
U . S . T. To p a z , I ma n i
Workshop, Hank Mullins
and The Soul Avengers, The
Trandells, The Feeling
Within, The Ultra-Sonics,
The Unity Band and who
could ever forget Wilmer and
the Dukes (not from Buffalo,
but a WNY band)
performances at the now
legendary Inferno night club
in Williamsville.
Now let’s take a look at
some of the individuals and
groups who made a mark on
the national music scene, and
we begin with Elvin
Shepherd who played with
Miles Davis and Dizzy
Gillespie in a trumpet
section in Harlem in the
1940’s as well as with
Aretha Franklin, Gladys
Night, Ray Price, and Della
Reese.
Shep was an
accomplished trumpet and
saxophone player who wrote
and arranged music, while
teaching many students in
his lifetime.
Wilson Pickett had a bigger
hit with his own cover
version of "Funky
Broadway". Pickett's
recording reached no. 1 on
the R&B chart and no. 8 on
the pop chart.
Grover Washington Jr was
his most famous student along
with artist, sculptor and
musician Herb Small Jr.
Dyke and The Blazers led by
Arlester “Dyke” Christian
released “Funky Broadway”
the record steadily climbed
the Billboard
R&B
chart early in 1967, reaching
no. 17 in a 24-week stay on
the chart, and also reached no.
65 on the pop chart. Wilson
Pickett had a bigger hit with
his own cover version of
"Funky Broadway". Pickett's
recording reached no. 1 on the
R&B chart and no. 8 on the
pop chart.
Grover Washington Jr who
considered the founder of the
modern smooth jazz era and
throughout the 1970s and
1980s,
Dyke and The Blazers led by
Arlester “Dyke” Christian
released “Funky Broadway”
the record steadily climbed
the Billboard R&B chart early
in 1967, reaching no. 17 in a
24-week stay on the chart, and
also reached no. 65 on the pop
chart.
June / July 2015
33
Washington made some of
the genre's most memorable
hits, including "Mister
Magic," "Reed Seed," "Black
Frost," "Winelight," "Inner
City Blues" and "The Best is
Yet to Come". In addition, he
performed very frequently
with other artists, including
Bill Withers on "Just the Two
of Us" (still in regular
rotation on radio today),
Patti Labelle on " The Best Is
Yet to Come" and Phyllis
Hyman on "A Sacred Kind
of Love". He is also
remembered for his take on
the Dave Brubeck classic "
Take Five", and for his 1996
version of " Soulful Strut".
Rick James the King of
Punk Funk released his debut
solo album in April of
1978, Come Get It!, which
included the Stone City
Band. The album launched
the top 20 hit, "You and I",
34 June / July 2015
which became his first
number-one R&B hit. The
album also included the hit
single, "Mary Jane". It
eventually sold two million
copies, launching James'
musical career to stardom,
and helping out Motown
Records at a time when label
fortunes had dwindled. In
early 1979, James' second
album, Bustin' Out of L
Seven, followed the previous
album's success, eventually
selling a million copies. A
third album, Fire It Up, was
released in late 1979 going
gold. Around that same
period, James launched his
first headlining tour, the Fire
It Up Tour, and agreed to
invite the then-upcoming
artist, Prince, as well as
singer Teena Marie, as his
opening act. James had
produced Marie's successful
Motown debut album, Wild
and Peaceful and was
featured on the hit duet, "I'm
a Sucker (For Your Love)".
James was credited with
naming Marie, "Lady Tee",
on the song, a nickname that
stuck with Marie for the rest
of her career. Rick is best
known for the 1981 hit
Super Freak but produced
the Mary Jane Girls, Eddie
Murphy, The Temptations,
Smokey Robinson, and
Process and the Doo Rags.
Rick James continues to be
one of the most sampled
artists of our time with the
MC Hammer hit still
lingering in our minds of “U
Can’t Touch This”
Do Do Green was the first
vocalist Blue Note signed to
an exclusive contract, and
she was also one of the few
vocalist's the label signed
during the '60s, Her one
major record was My Hour
of Need, a session she cut in
1962 with an impressive
stable of Blue Note artists,
i n c l u d i n g
I k e
Quebec,
Grant
Green, Herbie Lewis, Milt
Hinton, Billy Higgins,
and Al Harewood. Her first
big break arrived when she
filled in for a sick vocalist in
Cozy Cole's band. He asked
her to join his group, but she
refused. Eventually, she
decided to pursue a career in
music and began singing
regularly at venues along the
East Coast, as well as
Chicago. Slowly, she built up
a following among audiences
and fellow vocalists like Ella
Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan,
and Dinah Washington,
and was able to play venues
in London and Germany.
Spyro Gyra band that was
originally formed in the mid1970s in Buffalo, New York,
their music, often featured
Ronnie
Foster
has
frequently worked with
guitarist George Benson,
including playing electric
piano, mini-moog, and
composing "Lady" on
B e n s o n ' s
1 9 7 6
album Breezin'. Foster has
also played organ with Chet
Atkins, Grant Green, Grover
Washington, Jr., Stanley
Tu rrent ine , Rob erta
Flack, Earl Klugh, Harvey
Mason, Jimmy Smith,
and Stevie Wonder. His
producing credits include
a l b u ms b y B r a z i l i a n
artists Djavan and Pepeu
Gomes. Ronnie is currently
the musical director for
"Smokey Robinson Presents:
Human Nature" which
appears at The Venetian
Hotel & Casino in Las
Vegas.
Ronnie Foster's
" M ys t i c B r e w " , w a s
famously sampled by hip
hop group A Tribe Called
Quest on their 1993 song
"Electric Relaxation", and
J. Cole’s song Forbidden
Fruit.
on smooth jazz radio
stations,
combines jazz with
elements
of R&B, funk and pop
music.
To date, the band has
released over 30 albums and
sold over 10 million copies.
They average about 100 live
performances per year.
Popular singles include
"Shaker Song" and "Morning
Dance" (1979).With the
exception of founding
bandleader
Jay
Beckenstein
(alto
saxophonist and songwriter)
a n d
T o m
Schuman (keyboardist), the
personnel has changed over
time, and between the studio
and the live stage. Today,
guitarist Julio Fernandez is
also in his third decade with
the band.The band's name is
a misspelling of Spirogyra, a
genus of green algae, which
Beckenstein had written
about in a college biology
paper.
Brian McKnight is a
multi-instrumentalist who
plays eight instruments
including
piano, guitar, bassguitar,
percussion, trombone, tu
ba,flugelhorn
and
trumpet. He is one of the
very few leggiero tenors in
the pop genre. McKnight is
perhaps most recognized
for his strong falsetto and
belting range. McKnight's
work has earned him
1 6
G r a m m y
Awards Nominations.
McKnight
signed
with Motown in 1998 and
released the Christmas
album Bethlehem. In 1999,
McKnight released Back at
One, his most successful
album to date, which
eventually went on to sell
over 3 million copies.
June / July 2015
35
o n C o mb s' N o Way
Out album, most notably the
Notorious B.I.G. tribute
song, I'll Be Missing You.
Outside of his association
with Bad Boy, he has also
produced for artists including Mariah Carey, with
whom he was nominated
for a Grammy Award for
the contribution on her album Butterfly (1997). From
the album, he produced songs
like "Honey" (the album's
lead single), "Breakdown"
featuring Bone Thugs-nHarmony), "Babydoll", and
for Carey's #1's (1998) "I
Still Believe" and "Theme
from Mahogany (Do You
Know Where You're Going
To)". In the summer of 1997,
three of the aforementioned
Stevie J-produced records
(I'll Be Missing You, Mo
Money Mo Problems, and
Honey) topped the Billboard
Hot 100 consecutively from
the chart weeks of June 14
through September 27, 1997.
Steve J, born Steve Jordan
first rose to fame as a
member of Bad Boy
Records' "Hitmen" roster of
in-house producers and
writers during the 1990s. He
worked often with label
owner Sean "Puffy" Combs,
producing on several Bad
Boy projects, such as the
self-titled debut album of
R&B quartet 112. Jordan
produced their lead single
"Only You" featuring The
Notorious B.I.G.. Jordan
produced several records on
Notorious B.I.G.'s Life
He has also produced
After Death album, such as
for Beyoncé, Jay-Z
"Mo Money Mo Problems",
Brian McKnight,
"Nasty Boy", "Notorious
Ma$e, Lil' Kim,
Thugs" (featuring Bone
Deborah Cox, Tamia
Thugs-N-Harmony),
and Tevin Campbell.
"Another", "You're Nobody
Jordan
(Til Somebody Kills You)",
and "Last Day". Jordan also co-wrote the 2001 hit
went on to win a Grammy single "Let Me Blow Ya
Award for production work
Mind" for Eve.
36 June / July 2015
Joe Public evolved from the
group Atension, signed
to Island Records in 1989.
Their debut album
on Columbia Records, Joe
Public, contained their hit
single
"Live
and
Learn"which became
their only top-40 hit peaking
at #4 on the Billboard Hot
100. Their follow-up single,
"I Miss You" reached #55 on
the same chart. Joe Public
was the first ever R&B
group to perform on MTV's
Unplugged series where they
were also the back up band
for Boyz II Men and
Shanice. Joe Public was also
the back up band for Kris
Kross on The Arsenio Hall
S h o w ,
w h i c h
featured Jermaine Dupri's
first national TV appearance.
Group members consists of
lead singer and bass guitarist
Kevin Scott, keyboardist and
guitarist Jake Carter,
percussionist and drummer
Dwight "Mr. Dew" Wyatt
and lead guitarist Joe "J.R."
Sayles.
Alexis
Spight
vocalist
makes contemporary gospel
music that touches upon
dance music and soulful
R&B, she grew up singing
with her sisters in church,
where her father was a
pastor. Also as an adolescent,
Spight toured with her
siblings in their family vocal
group, the Spight Sisters. In
2012, at age 19, Spight won
BET's gospel-oriented reality
vocal competition Sunday
Best. In 2013 she released
her debut album, L.O.L.
(Living Out Loud). In
2015,Spight released
the Travis Malloy-produced
single "All the Glory."
At the tender age of sevenyears-old fraternal twins
Juda and Mercy knew they
wanted to be hip-hop stars.
Growing up in Buffalo, NY
they were inspired by many
musical influences and genres. One day their mother
walked in on them imitating,
the late rapper, Tupac and
she knew they wanted to be
entertainers.
With their electric and larger
-than-life personalities they
garnered the stage name
Twinn Towerz . Their family members knew they were
destined for greatness. They
got their first taste of music
working in their cousin’s
studio. This sparked their
interest in music and gave
them a blue print for success.
Currently living in Atlanta,
Juda and Mercy have been
blessed with the opportunity
to share the stage with major
acts such as: Jagged Edge,
Profile, Sparkles Rah Digga,
Blu Cantrall and many more.
Years ago the brothers stole
the show during half time at
the Terrance Mathis All-Star
Basketball Game and the
Jenny Jones show for talented
kids. Known as “The choice
of the new generation” Twinn
Towerz won first place in
Pepsi’s “Night under the
Stars” talent showcase.
With more than a decade of
experience moving crowds
with their high energy stage
performances and poetic
chemistry, Twinn Towerz
have set themselves apart
from other groups with their
clean and clever lyrics.
Twinn Towerz built their
own buzz and got the attention of rap’s most notorious
bad boy DMX. They were
signed briefly to DMX at the
peak of his career and were
able to learn under his tutelage about the music industry.
June / July 2015
37
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
June 18 - 27, 2015
Brought to you by North America’s premiere jazz festival
producers, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival delivers the sounds
of the world’s greatest jazz musicians from the quaint and
most intimate of venues to the large concert halls. Be sure to
schedule this smooth festival into your summer calendar.
See more at: http://www.seetorontonow.com/annual-events
Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival
July 30 to August 2, 2015
An exciting cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine,
revelry and visual and performing arts. Over nearly fifty
years, it has become a major international event and the
largest cultural festival of its kind in North America.
See more at: http://www.seetorontonow.com/annual-events/
Pride Toronto Festival
June 19 to 28, 2015
One of the largest Pride celebrations in the world, with an
estimated attendance of over 1 million people. It includes a
three-day street festival, a special Family Pride program,
Trans Pride, the Dyke March and
the infamous and fabulous Pride Parade.
Honda Indy Toronto
June 12 to 14, 2015
Honda Indy Toronto is among the most respected
motorsports events in North America and features a weeklong festival-like atmosphere that includes the fastest racing
series on the planet, celebrity athletes, live entertainment
and interactive activities.
Krinos Taste of the Danforth
August 7 to 9, 2015
Greektown hosts the annual Krinos Taste of the Danforth
festival. This event brings the delectable cuisine out of local
restaurants and into the streets. Listen to Greek bands while
getting your fill of authentic souvlaki, stuffed grape leaves,
grilled lamb and moussaka.
38 June / July 2015
June / July 2015
39
40 June / July 2015
~ Buffalo, New York ~
embassysuites.hilton.com/Buffalo
200 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York 14202
June / July 2015
41

Venzella Joy Williams

Transcription

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