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By Entertainment Editor Ahmed Sirour
"Tis the Season"
I
hope and trust you all had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving
holiday week. Mine was quite uneventful (I'm not really the
holiday type), so I just chilled for most of the day, watched
"Miracle on 34th Street" (for nostalgia's sake), and
had a plate of spaghetti. Before some of you feel sorry for me, or
laugh uncontrollably, I collected non-perishable food items from one of our
gigs to donate to the Atlanta Union Mission (visit www.aumcares.org
for info on how to become more involved). They were very much
appreciative and I was very glad that me and my peeps could do something
for them. I believe that, from now on, I want those who come out
on Saturday night to bring whatever food items they can spare and help
the hungry and homeless of Atlanta get fed...even after the holiday
season passes!
As for the local scene in entertainment, I must say that a lot went on all over the city. In the past two weeks, my band played back-to-back at Tarrazu for their 1st Anniversary weekend (Sat. & Sun.), then the next weekend doing a Friday/Saturday hit. However, it was right after our hit on that Sunday night that my drummer guided us to Ketch a Vibe, which is closing down, where I actually got to jam onstage with Rachelle Ferrell, Julie Dexter, Lil' John [Roberts], Cody Chestnut, and members of Dwele's band...all at the same time and completely freestyled! It was a truly beautiful experience and I had a great time and I'm sorry the spot is shutting down.
Then it was Savion Glover at the Rialto...WOW! It was worth every dollar people spent to see one of the "8-only" performances in Atlanta (though I attended courtesy of www.360media.net --thank you Tara)! Backed by a six-piece acoustic jazz band, Savion took the stage with no fan-fare and basically did that Cosby Show "CHA-LLUNGE" bit with each instrument as he tap-danced for...get this...40 MINUTES STRAIGHT--NONSTOP!! Dude was drenched with sweat during each set, but his stamina and skills are completely amazing and unbelievable! He was also later accompanied by his dancers (three in all) who joined him in group then individual routines. They were okay, technically-speaking, but Savion was phenomenal and his choreography and timing were impeccable! If you're an out-of-town reader and the show is headed your way, you must attend one show, at least! Then it was the Urban Film Review headed by SWATs.com featuring a special guest performance by Three Keys Entertainment recording artist, Yahzarah!
Good lawd that woman can sang!! Formerly, one of Erykah Badu's background singers, she is now doing her own thing and she is a vocal force to be reckoned with! Armed only with two background singers and "live tracks", she lit the place up as if she had a full-fledged band...and her voice is so, so, so, so beautiful!!! You
Well, it's the famed holiday season of getting...I mean giving, so you know there will be plenty of holiday parties left and right, but I hope and pray we don't see another "NYE" party overload like last year because that was just utterly ridiculous and pointless! Get the real scoop on the hot A-list events that ATLANTAHAPPS.COM has collected for you for this week at: www.atlantahapps.com/newsletter.htm.
I realize people will be expecting my band to play Christmas music soon, so I'm gonna have to learn some Donny Hathaway, Nat King Cole, Perry Cuomo, and a few others just to appease the masses of the holiday sentimentalists (FYI, Christmas Day/December 25th is the birthday of the Sun and not Jesus Christ/Yeshua...it is to signify when the Sun passes into the beginning of the Winter Solstice and also follows an age old pagan tradition of sun-worship popularized in Ancient Rome to celebrate Apollo the sun-god, though they bit off of the Egyptians who charted the celestial course of Amen-Ra, their sun-god/netcher...oh, and Amen at the end of your prayers doesn't really mean, "so let it be", if you haven't already picked up on the clue from above).
Ok, class dismissed...anyway, I hope you give more than receive and I hope you continue to do so from December 26th and on! But have I do hope and pray your Christmas, Hannakuh, Kwanza, or whatever you celebrate is a safe and enjoyable one...and if an overweight old dude dressed in red happens to be in your living room with a sack over his shoulder, late at night, you might want to call the police! LOL
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.
SENSUAL SATURDAYS at Tarrazu Coffeebar
Date: Join us on Saturday, December 6, 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!
Ahmed Sirour writes a weekly journal for ATLANTAHAPPS.COM
Ahmed Sirour is a Georgia Regional Representative for Hidden Beach Recordings
-- Archive
lunch specials, and a preview of their dinner menu at:
www.tarrazucoffeebar.com. Tell them Ahmed sent you…no, you won’t
get any discoun
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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