Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 October 2001 — Page 22

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2001

CHEERING SECTION yf

Coca-Cola Circle City Classic Pep Rally & Band Competition NCAA Hall of Champions October 5 PRE-GAME Coca-Cola Circle City Classic Parade presented by Conseco Downtown Parade Route October 6 KICK-OFF Coca-Cola Circle City Classic Football Game RCA Dome October 6 POST-GAME CELEBRATIO Amadeus Indiana Repertory Theatre Now - October 28 *

Young King Arthur The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Now - October 28 Gifts of the Tsars, 1500-1700 Treasures of the Kremlin Indianapolis Museum of Art Now - January 13 If you need a time-out, stop by St. Elmo's Steakhouse, Wi n Hsf'r ipwelrv r op' , vmv Nordstrom's Fall Sale!

Singer Cassandra Wilson returns to Delta to record album with blues

CLARKSDALE, Miss. (AP) — The hypnotic allure of the Mississippi Delta had been tugging on Cassandra Wilson for some time. But the critically acclaimed vocalist had not quite figured out how to answer its creative demand. Being A child of the Magnolia tradition, 45-year-old Wilson had paced, pondered and planned, yet remained somewhat perplexed over how to approach a project that could become a watershed performance. Even though Wilson had garnered the coveted Grammy award in 1997 for her superb vocal stylings on “New Moon Daughter” (Blue Note), and received good reviews for her work last year on the Miles Davis tribute, “Traveling for Miles,” you had the feeling she was seeking more creative fulfillment. But the call of the Delta kept beckoning, and Wilson began to heed its rhythm and groove. She was heading back to an area that is the unquestioned crucible for an indigenous music an art form that provides a human canopy of reflection. Certainly no stranger to the Delta, having grown up in Jackson, and a graduate of Jackson State University, Wilson was filled with unbridled anticipation as she began laying down tracks last month in a recording studio housed in a converted railroad station. With golden dreadlocks falling in her eyes, Wilson was animated as she talked with a group of visi-

tors a film crew captured every moment that included the popular Greenville blues duo of Boogaloo Ames and Eden Brent. The 81 -year-old Ames, who also will appear on Wilson’s forthcoming Blue NoteCD tentatively titled “Belly of the Sun,” wrote a song called “Darkness in the Delta.” “1 have not learned the lyrics yet, but I will by the time we start recording,” she tells the group. “1 am so impressed with the message in the words.” As Ames sat at the piano and played an outline of the song, Wilson glanced over and said: “1 have heard so much about him ... he is such an amazing man. He seems to be moving slow, but that mind is very quick.” In addition to Ames, Wilson will be joined by Jackson musicians Jesse Robinson on guitar, Nellie McGinnis on bass, and Rhonda Richmond on guitar. “I felt that I should call upon some old friends,” she said. “That is the great thing about Mississippi — great musicians are so plentiful." Perhaps it was a wholesome sense of being that led Wilson to this hallowed ground for blues creativity a fertile land that spawned Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Willie Foster, Eddie Cusic, B.B. King and others. “This is a place where all jazz and blues musicians should come to experience this form known as the blues,” Wilson said.

Although a self-assured woman who feels Mississippi must remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, Wilson is speechless when it comes to defining her own creativity. “I will leave that up to critics like you to determine." she tells a visitor. While Wilson was discovering her own voice, she admits being influenced at some point by many of the reigning divas of the day, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan. Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone. Aretha Franklin, Betty Carter, among many others. “When I look back, I have so many influences, so it is hard to differentiate," Wilson said. “But the Delta blues is the real beginning of the music.” Infatuated with the romance of Brazilian rhythms, Wilson said it was the Portuguese influence which inspired the title for the project. “We are in the belly of the sun,” she said. “Here in the Delta, this is the hottest sun you can find anywhere in the world it feels different.” As the project began to take shape, Wilson said it prompted her to retool the creative focus. “I think this music is going to be closer to who I started out as," she said. “You go through so many changes in life.” Wilson frankly admits that perhaps she might have lost touch with the creative spirit that had

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"There was a point that I began to feel really out of touch with who I was and where I’d come from." Wilson said. “So it was a process of rediscovery.” Much like a gifted athlete, Wilson said the creative approach to this date would simply allow the musical groove to come to her. “I let the project tell me what needs to be done," she said. “It is really important for me as an artist to keep my eyes open, just to feel what the possibilities are. “It is also important that 1 jiist follow it,” she said, "not try to control it, not try to restrict it.” . While jazz has developed a uriiversal appeal over the years, the music still does not have widespread acceptance in the country of its birth. It’s an artistic snub not easily lost on Wilson. “Part of the reason is jazz is essentially an African art form, dhd comes from Black people," she said. “Our society, our culture, has difficulty giving it up to this art

form.”

Nevertheless, Wilson said ffccording an album in the Delta creates wonderful exposure in a positive way for the Magnolia State.'’ “I am hoping that what we ata doing will give people a different view of Mississippi,” Wilson said. “I thought it was important to give that other side the beauty that \Ve have here."

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For Ricardo Ducent, fame came out of the blue

By RICARDO HAZELL Electronic Urban Report The Shaggy single “It Wasn’t Me" was burning up the charts when it first dropped earlier this year. We all know the unique dancehall vocal stylings of Shaggy and recognized his voice as soon as we heard him on the song. “But who is that,” thought some people. “Who is the guy singing the hook?” And someone in close vicinity probably said something like “That’s a good question, beats the hell out of me.” Well, since that song’s debut Rik Rok aka Ricardo Ducent has been getting much publicity and has even been mentioned in the EUR on more than one occasion. Well, he’s back again for some spin. Ducent said that prior to blowing up internationally he was satisfied just being a local cat in Jamaica. “I’ve been around,” said Ducent. “I was mostly in Jamaica doing my thing. I started out as a song writer for mostly my friends who were local musicians as well. That’s what we did. We wrote songs for one another and made demos ourselves. I started writing for Shaggy three or so years ago.”

Contrary to the impression that some may have gotten from his smooth stylings on “It Wasn’t Me” Ducent is actually a very humble fellow. Like many hits, that song came about when he and the song’s producer were just messing around. “How I ended up doing the song was my friends and 1 usually write songs for one another and then we do the demos ourselves. So. the guy that wrote song. Sting International, was like *1 like the way Rik Rok sounds on this one.’ And, here I am. They had a couple of people that they had in mind to do it. The lead singer from a group called Born Jamericans was supposed to do it and that didn’t turn out right. Then there was the guy from another group and that didn't work out either. Finally, the single just came right back around to me." Funny how things come about in the entertainment industry. Not only was Ducent not supposed to be performing the hook. Shaggy was not even supposed to be performing on the single either. Well, he was, then he wasn’t. Rik Rok can explain that. “We wrote it for his album at first. But a couple other guys in the organization weren’t feeling that. So it was like, next. But Shaggy himself always loved the song. He said he

didn't want the song to be shelved. He wanted it to go out. So. he decided instead of doing it himself and shelving it he wanted to give someone else a chance to do it. But it made the rounds and came all the way back to him.’’' Rik Rok is not just a pretty face for the video shoot, he is a very accomplished songwrifer. His vocals can be heard on a second single on Shaggy’s album (“Chica Bonita”) but he also co-wrote a large part of the album as well. 11 “I’ve co-written eight of the 14 songs on his album. As far as the song ‘Chica Bonita’ was concerned, that came about from Shaggy and me sitting around in his apartment in Jamaica. I believe it was my idea to use Spanish forlhat single. 1 took it in high school and retained quite a bit of it. The premise of the song waslhat Shaggy and 1 were in some Latin country and this hot Latina walks in and starts speaking Spanish. We don’t know what she’s saying but it sounds good.” And, in music, sounding good is really all that counts. If you're looking to hear some good sounding music from Rik Rok, he will be releasing a solo album sometime soon. Right now it’s just a process of eliminating Rik Rok songs from non-Rik Rok. songs.

COME TOGETHER.

THE ARTS CAN HELP.

I lm m i i i t'ii>iii;lii to you by (he Arts Council of Indianapolis, on 1’iTi ill of the Ituiunapolis Arts Community. www.indyarts.org

Cafe Li’Tlire open to all

By OSEYE T. BOYD Staff Writer If you’re looking for a place to share your literary art, then Cafe Li’Ture is the place for you. Etheridge Knight Inc. and The Abbey Coffee House have joined forces to create a place where artists — young and old — can come together and share their artistic endeavors. Cafe Li'Ture is open the first and third Wednesday of the month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Abbey Coffee House, 923 Indiana Ave., in Lockfield Commons on the IUPUI campus. All this takes place in an atmosphere conducive to families.

“I wanted it to be a place where there’s no alcohol,” Eunice KnightBowens said. “1 wanted it to be in a place where you would feel comfortable bringing a child in. Anything that I do you could bring your child in. We wanted a family environment." Not only did alcohol factor in Knight-Bowens’ decision to hold Cafe Li'Ture at the coffee house, she also wanted to be active on another side of town and the location to have ample parking. “I wanted an area where there’s lots of parking: people don't have to run (around) looking for parking space,” she said. Cafe Li’Ture is not just for poets, but fiction and nonfiction writ-

ers, playwrights and performing artists as well. A humor essayist performed one Wednesday ;and Knight-Bowens said “it was just totally different" from anything she’s seen. For those on tight schedules, Cafe Li'Ture will begin and end as scheduled as Knight-Bowens-is a stickler for being prompt and ^The Abbey Coffee House closes at 9 p.m. The shop is open for busipess during Cafe Li’Ture. Vendors are not allowed inside the shop ngr is smdking. but Knight-Bowens $aid smoke breaks are taken. For more information on Cafe Li’Ture call 925-0465, 917-0367, or visit community .starnews.com/ 525/. :

October proclaimed Arts and Humanities Month

Special to The Recorder Gov. Frank O’Bannon joins governors, mayors and other public officials nationwide in proclaiming October as National Arts and Humanities Month, hailing the arts and humanities at vitafto the wellbeing of families, communities, and the nation. “Judy and I have been life-long supporters of the arts and are keenly aware of the important role they play not only toward improving quality of life, but also in building community, enriching human understanding and connecting people to diverse cultures,” Gov. O'Bahnon said.

“The arts and humanities not only provide thousands of jobs in Indiana, they have contributed to economic development, cultural tourism, community revitalization, historic preservation, and educational excellence,” he said. The state’s investment in the arts and humanities in the form of grants, programs and services administered through the Indiana Arts Commission have generated nearly $90 million in local matching funds stimulating local economies through jobs, services and purchases. Annually, the Indiana Arts Commission and its 12 regional arts partner organizations provide

grants and services to more than 300 community-based arts organizations. schools, community centers, church-affiliated groups, and other not-for-profit organizations and individual artists statewidp. The goals of the IAC arc to increase the access, awarentss, education and support for the arts of Indiana. The commi ssion serves the citizens of Indiana by funding, encouraging, promoting and;ex-

panding all of the arts.

For more information on National Arts and Humanities Month,

visit www.state.in.us/iac/