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By Entertainment Editor Ahmed Sirour
PURSUING PURPOSE (Pt. II)
Please don't be mad at me for these shortened and delayed articles but if any of you have been out to any of the functions/events that I've been to and have seen me there, you'd know I was either coordinating them or playing with my band at them. The Creator certainly seems to have a master plan as this "leap of faith" I've taken has been bouncing from one opportunity to the next. For those who have followed me from the time I made mention that I was parting ways with Corporate America, you've been witness to my admission of fear and anxiety but overall excitement at the prospects of what the unknown held. Truthfully, I really didn't know how bills and rent would get paid month to month just on the strength of my own hustling with no steady check to make ends meet...including renewing my lease with no safety net. My lease is almost up and each month has been paid, ON TIME, with a little bit here and there to treat myself. I am by no means where I'd like to be, but I've certainly have come further than I expected to. Sorry for the testimony but my God is good...so deal with it!
I know you saw the pictures or maybe even attended, but some of you don't know what happened behind the scenes of the Dwele [ABSOLUT Jams R&B Talent Search Kickoff] concert, two weeks ago. For those who didn't make it out, you missed a seriously tight event! Ramona, the Jazz winner, schooled the younger R&B audience on some real jazz vocals, lyricism, and skills, accompanied by a live band! Then came independent artist out of Cali, Daniel, who some of you may remember from that TV sitcom, "City Guys" (the tall lanky dude that was always singing jazz and the blues). Well, this man is all grown up, and as you may have seen from the photos, had the ladies swooning when he jumped off stage to serenade them. I was fortunate to play with the band that night (the original keyboardist wasn't available that evening so I had to fill in and be stage manager--LOL), and especially for this performer because his material is that good! I'm going to be doing a review of his CD soon when I can get a link to his music and get the info you all need to purchase it. Then came are headlining act, Dwele...it was cool that you all were feelin' his music (those who were there) when you all were singing along to the tracks, but I know you all were itching' to see him do his stuff live with a band. Well, of course our band did come back and play for him, but know this...IT WAS NOT PLANNED! My man Dwele realized that with two of the openers coming out strong with a live band that he couldn’t go out like that so he asked me to let him vibe with the band on some straight freestylin'--yes, all of that was on the spot and completely unrehearsed, so you will NEVER see that set in any of his future shows whenever he returns with his own band!
As
for Round 1 of the ABSOLUT R&B Talent Competition. The
first winner was
Carmichael!
Reppin' proudly for the "205" (Reuben Studdard got 'Bama all riled up),
Carmichael did what anyone who wants to win any of the other rounds
should do...perform an original, do it with a live band (the house band
is on point), and work the audience! His groovy ballad was so
infectious that even when he got off the stage, the host, WCLK's Ken
Batie, had to give the band a few more seconds just to ride it
out...personally, I felt that was the nail in the coffin for that
round. Our next round is Monday, August 25 at The Riviera.
Again, I'm not going rub it in for those who missed it...you just simply
missed it, that's all! You'd be amazed, though, who will get up onstage
for $5000! We need Simon Cowell to judge for one night!
The Formula has been keeping really busy (with a few members part of the new house band for ABSOLUT Jams). We also played for yesterday's hottest event when Rolling Out hosted the Black NFL Cheerleaders Cover Photo Shoot for their next publication. We barely had a break but we had fun and gave out a good number of business cards and met a lot of influential cats...big thank you to Jamal King (S.T.E.P.S. Events Planning Firm) and the "top dog" himself, Munson Steed (Publisher, Rolling Out) for the opportunity. I just a little (possibly more) upset that we got there right AFTER the swimsuit photo shoot!!! Don't even trip ladies...you'd be upset if you missed the "Black Firefighters Calendar Shoot" or something like that--LOL!
Also, I can't let the cat out of the bag as yet, but we, The Formula, may be opening up for a pretty big concert coming up late October. Hell, even if we don't play for it, it's still going to be really big...but I'd prefer that we get us locked in to play at this particular one (stay tuned).
Okay, well I gotta keep it short this time but before I end, keep the family of Gregory Hines in mind. Such a brilliant dancer/actor that I've admired for years even till the very moment I found out from a friend who called and told me the bad news. There are so many talented people that have left us this year that it really is ridiculous. Let me not also forget the magnificent, Celia Cruz. Some of the greatest entertainers...ENTERTAINERS...of our time are slipping away. Seriously, you all, time is not promised and is so short, live your life to the fullest and enjoy each and every day as if it were your...first!
Life is short…so what’s taking you so long—Ahmed
Feel free to e-mail me at: ahmed@atlantahapps.com
The views in this article are not necessarily the expressed views of ATLANTAHAPPS.COM or it's affiliates.
Ahmed Sirour writes a weekly journal for ATLANTAHAPPS.COM
Ahmed Sirour is a Georgia Regional Representative for Hidden Beach Recordings
-- Archive
If you’re looking for a new spot to kick back and chill, meet up with old friends (or new ones), a place to unwind and network after work with young urban professionals, someplace to commune after a jazz/r&b concert, movie, or a night of theatre, a cozy place to kick it with your sweetheart, or a place to flirt and engage in seductive conversations with beautiful strangers, then I highly recommend Midtown’s newest place to be and be seen…
Tarrazu Coffee Bar! Only some months up & running, Tarrazu has already begun hosting a number of functions and has served as a sanctuary for the "buppie" and "yuppie" crowds. Named after a mountainous region of South America famous for some of the world’s best coffee, Tarrazu can match Café Intermezzo with its diverse offerings of decadent beverages and treats while separating itself from comparison with a smaller more intimate setting—I would especially recommend this as an ideal spot for your private party needs (be a "baller" and rent it out for the night like Boris did for Sanaa in "Brown Sugar"—LOL).
Located at 265 Ponce de Leon Avenue (around the corner from Old Spaghetti Factory and right next door to MF Sushi Bar), Tarrazu takes centerstage with its eye-catching terrace and black awning…and then you walk in! I’m no interior decoration expert, but with beautiful hardwood floors, artistic lighting, assorted candles throughout the establishment, very cool, classy, and comfortable dinner/lounge furniture, very clean bathrooms (hey, ya know), ambient table settings, great food, coffees, and desserts, and a great wait-staff…what more could you possibly ask for?! How about "live" music on Thursdays and Fridays (sometimes, Saturdays)? Did I mention this is a solely Black-owned establishment, run by partners Nathan Horne, Robert Beckham, and Terrance Gattis? Did you know they are even preparing the groundwork for yet another location in Phipps Plaza? Did you know that entire block (from MS Sushi Bar to Nancy’s Deli) is Black-owned? Did you know that they play Hidden Beach music on a regular ;) ? Did you want me to give you anymore reasons to go there or are you wise enough to act on my suggestions with any more cajoling?
Tarrazu Owners and ATLANTAHAPPS.COM subscribers
Robert Beckham (left), Ahmed and Nathan Horne
SENSUAL SATURDAYS at Tarrazu Coffeebar
Date: Join us on Saturday, August 30,2003
Time: 9 p.m. - 12 a.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
SUDARABAJAN Productions present...
"SENSUAL SATURDAYS"
(as a part of Tarrazu's Liquid Jazz Series)
Featuring a three-piece (keys/drums/bass) neo-jazz band,
THE FORMULA
Enjoy a sensual atmosphere of candlelight's, chill conversations, cool
sounds,
and good food as you leave the stress of the work week behind you.
As an extra treat, each week will feature a different up-and-coming
vocalist to
sit in with the band and grace the mike, for your listening pleasure.
The
dinner and dessert menu is definitely for the discriminating
palate...and you
won't need any reservations.
Time:
9pm-12am (NO COVER!)
Address:
265 Ponce De Leon Avenue (around the corner
from Old Spaghetti Factory)
Suite D
Atlanta, GA 30308
404.815.2077
Dress:
Comfortably Fly!
Contact info:
Ahmed @770.374.3537
Visit their website for upcoming events, lunch specials, and a preview
of their dinner menu at:
www.tarrazucoffeebar.com. Tell them Ahmed sent you…no, you won’t get
any discount on your dinner check, but it just sounds like a cool thing
to say—LOL! Seriously though, I might make a deal with them about
discounts if you do mention you heard about them from this article! Or,
maybe a free CD sampler from Hidden Beach (while supplies last). 
Ahmed Sirour - Eclectic. Product of a Sudanese-Arab (Muslim) father and a Bajan-Caribbean (Christian) mother. Ahmed was a "diamond in the rough" hewn from Brooklyn, now undergoing "polishing and re-cutting" in Atlanta. This serves as a premise to his diverse nature that comes from a diverse background. His poetic style is influenced by his love of music...specifically, jazz improvisation. He sometimes uses a rhyme form he calls "Broken Word"; basically, the rhyme scheme alternates between words and phrases but with a definite flow just like a jazz jam session where the art of freestyle takes place. Although it would seem that hip-hop, another of his influences, would seem to be a more apt description of his style, it is the marriage of youthful innovation paired with classic refinement. He is also moved by the Harlem Renaissance, which he feels is resurfacing, in spirit, throughout many major metropolitan cities, especially Atlanta. More importantly, he is moved by his belief in spirituality, believing that he is merely a vessel of God to bring forth the talent that he feels he has been blessed with.
Ahmed's goal, this year, to finally publish his first collection of work entitled, "This Would Be A Love Song...If Only I Could Sing"; a collection of poetry, essays, and short stories based on his life's experiences in the area of love and life. Ahmed is also a musician (keyboardist) and plays for and with many talented artists in Atlanta (and those who travel through the city from abroad). He currently represents for Hidden Beach Recordings (www.hiddenbeach.com), so he keeps one foot in the business and one foot (and two hands) in the art, itself. It is his hope and prayer that beyond enjoying his work, that people are actually moved, emotionally/intellectually/spiritually, by the words they read, and to know that this is merely a power that is coming through him and not from him.
SOULFUL HAPPS - A SPOTLIGHT ON URBAN MUSIC & CULTURE
Imagine for a moment if Marvin were still alive and able to record with the Roots... Or what about Pete Rock breaking-off a track for Minnie Ripperton or Donnie Hathaway. What kind of energy would these collaborations create??? The answer is found in a new Soul Music Series entitled SOULFUL HAPPS, and it's unlike anything you've ever heard. This section features artists who produce the sounds of 70's Soul, Acid Jazz, Hip Hop, and Rare Grooves appreciated by music lovers around the Atlanta area. But it's more than a sound... It's a feeling... bringing the past and the future together in a rather unique way. Click here for details
WHAT THEY ARE SAYIN...
Mr.Sirour,
I live in LA and was
recently in your wonderful city and love reading you're column, Very
nice. Miles...
Mr.Sirour,
I would like to begin by saying I enjoy your weekly "HAPPS" commentary. I look forward to it every Monday evening when I have down time at work. I appreciate you keeping us 'Atliens' abreast of the goings of Atlanta and upcoming music artists. Please keep doing what you are doing!
Mr.Sirour,
Now, I would like to comment briefly on your commentary for this week. Kudos to you for being honest and candid! How refreshing to hear such positive and thought provoking thoughts. I agree with you in so many ways. Just as a smile can be contagious, so can positivity.
P.S-- I saw the plug on your site for the Tarrazu Coffee Bar. It sounds like a great place. I will be trying it out this week.
Thank You,
Brettina Burney
KATHLEEN BERTRAND
Visit the Website http://www.kathleenbertrand.com
Subscriber Kathleen Bertrand, her riveting performances combine contemporary R&B grooves with jazz riffs that keep audiences wanting for more...
No Regrets sets an elegant new standard for contemporary soul, and Kathleen Bertrand brings an inspiring new voice to the world of music. Look for future features on this dynamic singer in future ATLANTAHAPPS listings.
Ahmed writes the way a jazz musician plays during an improvisational jam session paired with the way a lyricist freestyles in hip-hop form. It is a marriage of the past and present that creates a fusion to set the tempo for the future. His writing surpasses his racial makeup and simply becomes a unique American story by a unique American writer.
www.authorsden.com/ahmedasirour
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