#Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber

[sivavakkiyar]

obv mlk: ‘“The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”’

[burlveneer-music]

Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris Conduction with Vernon Reid, Greg Tate's Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, and Special Guests on Vimeo (Feb. 9-11, 2023)

More info here

[musicarenagh]

B-MACK Speaks: New Music, Creative Processes, and Future Plans Hey boys, guess what… I had an opportunity to speak to the one and only Bruce Mack, the B-MACK!This male individual is really versatile and has multiple gifts or skills. I was happy to be able to talk to him after he released his latest funky tune “Duckgrease Burning at The Crabhouse. “ In this particular convo, Bruce was very much willing to share the meaning of his song as well as the creative process in this new track. As you would ask, it is a straight vibe!B-MACK distinctive vocal section complement each other so well with the soulful recording by MsLarayne. It is this soulful mix of funk, rhythm and blues that you will be dancing to. However, Bruce is not only a dope composer combined with the lead vocalist but a total maestro when it comes to sound production. With this attitude, he masterfully incorporates hip-hop, funk, soul, and R&B steadily into the album. It has been like that since B-MACK and his crew Michael cox on bass, Ben tyree on guitar, chris Eddleton on the drums, Leon gruenbaum on keys since their formation in the year 2017. They primarily take influence from greats such as Funkadelic and the late Charles Bradley. Bruce shared with me more about his whole journey into the world of creativity – starting from the young man who first witnessed the musical revolutions in Harlem and the Bronx and up to the present-day home studio experimenting in Staten Island. He is not only an amazing singer, his story is equally interesting, for real!You have to come with me to enter the fantastic world of B-MACK!Let's goooo! Listen to ‘Duckgrease Burning at The Crabhouse’ below https://open.spotify.com/track/3EqJNaVj6lUpURU62thKUM?go=1&sp_cid=bd24a14b968c0f6b344048ee4e7aabff&intent=addToLibrary&utm_source=embed_player_v&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=fa4c4ed776284865 Follow B-MACK on Facebook Twitter Soundcloud Bandcamp Youtube Instagram Tiktok   What is your stage name B-MACK Is there a story behind your stage name? It’s actually the short version of my name (Bruce Mack) that became a nickname started by the late Greg Tate - founder of the band Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber, which I’m also a contributing member of. I’ve always liked the sound of “B-MACK” as it feels simultaneously strong and joyful when I hear it. All the other band members followed suit, affectionately referring to me as B-Mack, so when I put the press release together for the recent singles I decided to relinquish using my full name and call the whole band “B-MACK”. It is more inclusive of the players as they contribute to the sound that is based around my songwriting & voice. Did it with all caps because the name is unpredictable as are the songs and I’m a big dude. Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration in the observation of nature. I love camping, hiking and while doing so, I gaze at nature’ often making comparions to or how it applies itself to urban life. What was the role of music in the early years of your life? In my early years (1960’s-70’s), music was like a moderator for everything I witnessed going on in my neighborhoods (Harlem & the Bronx) and around the world such as the heroin epidemic, corrupt police, racism, Vietnam war, the assasinations of the Kennedy’s, Malcolm X, and MLK. Music provided a language that helped me understand it all and was therapuetic in learning that an artist could speak, sing and/or play out their social awareness. Are you from a musical or artistic family? I guess to some extent we were… there were six of us, four girls and two boys. The oldest - Emmajane has passed on leaving 3 older sibling - Florence, Delores, Walter and younger sister Lydia, all talented. Emma was a hair & make-up stylist, Delores & Florence could replicate and resize images from magazine onto a wall via drawing or painting. Walter loved singing as he does to this day in church and I often imitated him when he babysat me. But aside from Emma who had a career as a hairstylist, they never pursued careers in the arts.

Youngest sibling Lydia is a wonderful singer and went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia School of Performing Arts in New York City to do so. I always felt she was “the real deal” and remember being so impressed by her making it into that school, it is probably the most well respected performimng arts high school in NYC. She actually did pursue a career in music and invited to sing in one of her groups for a short period, but life as it can do took her in a different direction. But she did teach one of her daughters to sing and that happens to be LaRayne aka MsLaRayne who is featured on the bridge of Duckgreaser… I went to DeWitt Clinton H.S. at that time, a bit of a scatter-brain and torn between sports and music. But the vapors from my early love of music kept flowing around me… Our mother, Sallie Catherine Mack loved the performing arts, particularly dance and music, and in my formative years she always set aside time to address curiosities about what and who Lydia and I were listening to. I was a bit more curious being 3yrs older, so ‘Ma (as I called her) would tell me who the artist were and introduced me to who they were inspired by. That knowledge became important to my development in the business of music in later years and as an educator. Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry? Well, when you say “music industry” I think of the creative side as well as the business side… creatively I would say Sly&The Family Stone, business-wise I would say Tommy Boy Records. Tommy Boy was an independent record label based in NYC that made me feel empowered to create my own path to expose my writing and performing skills, which I eventually did with my good friend Kenneth A. Edmonds when we formed our own indie record labe Attic Sounds, in the mid-eighties, releasing an extended-length double-sided single ‘Chemical Pollution’ b/w ‘You Got Me’ with our band (the original) PBR Streetgang. How did you learn to sing/write/to play? I was inspired to sing by listening to recordings of Lambert Hendrix & Ross, King Pleasure, Betty Carter and other greats. I learned to sing by mimicking horn solos on James Brown recordings that featured Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley. After high school, I took voice lessons at the JazzMobile Workshop and then studdied classical voice in college. Writing came naturally to me because I connected it to abstract painting, which allowed me to put words&thoughts together in unconventional ways. This worked well for me being someone not well-read or knowledgeable with figures of speach, yet I’ve always been socially aware, historically informed, romantic with nature and empathetic. I’m also a student of Sly Stone, Joni Mitchell and Brenda Russell. I play several instruments… piano, electric bass, drumset and various percussion all self-taught. I generally acquired those skills when I would pick up an instrument attempting to create an ostinato or rhythm pattern because it would at least sound or feel like I had some ability. If it felt easy to be creative on, I would continue with it. I played around with piano and synths quite a bit because aside from it being great accompaniment with my voice, I could also convey feeling and/or the rhythm I wanted other players to capture. [caption id="attachment_55619" align="alignnone" width="2000"] I learned to sing by mimicking horn solos on James Brown recordings that featured Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley.[/caption] What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform? The P-Funk Earth Tour, 1976 at Madison Square Garden. The headliner was Parliament-Funkadelic with opening act Booty’s Rubber Band. How could you describe your music? Quirky original songs fused with an eclectic blend of edgy funk and rock. Describe your creative process. My creative process is more like a short manual of approaches. One approach very personal to me often starts with the rhythm of a melodic or lyrical phrase in my head that I’ve been repeatedly singing for days,

sometimes months at a time before dropping it on a rhythm track with chord changes in Logic Pro or GarageBand. Then I will start to layer it with other sounds or instruments I am hearing. Sometimes the ideas come to me as complete arrangements and or lyrics all at once! Which is fun because I then open up the recording software and work feverishly to capture the idea and feeling. This was the case with Duckgrease Burning at The Crabhouse. Another favorite approach is jamming or collaborating live with other musicians… I’ll bring a notepad of lyrics, and as we establish grooves we like…I’ll attempt to see which what lyrics or poem might fit, then I record the session with a handheld stereo (in case the idea is sonically sound and salvageable) device, take it home, drop it into one of the DAWs (digital audio workstation) and begin experimenting, doubling instruments, adding keys, vocals, etc.. What is your main inspiration? Nature. What musician do you admire most and why? Guitarist/composer/producer Vernon Reid. Because of his ability to instigate exploration and experimentation in any genre of music. To be that is beyond self-gratification because it is inclusive of all musicians involved in projects he is at the helm of or as a side contributor. Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career? Although my style has always centered around funk, it has evolved in that I now incorporate elements, concepts and genres of Afro-Caribbean, West Africa, South America and electronica. Who do you see as your main competitor? That’s an interesting and excellent question. I haven’t given it much thought, but if the late great Charles Bradley (R.I.P.) were alive… I would consider him my competition because of our closeness in vocal range, tone, how we apply our voices to song, similarity in genres and band instrumentation. Although his palette of meloncholy was much deeper. So who’s left? Hmmm…. I’ll have to say this fantastic artist based here in NYC called Blak Emoji. What are your interests outside of music? Cooking, hiking, camping, I love the outdoors! If it wasn't a music career, what would you be doing? I think I would be a forest ranger or something in that field - no pun intended. What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music? Although I have changed, it was my fear of trusting and giving 100% of myself to the music. Doing other jobs to earn money caused me to waste energy, which resulted in a lack of discipline to practice, which in turn made it stressful for me to work as a sideman because I had to put so much more in with short periods of time to get the music together for whatever gig I was on. If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be? Increase the royalty fees paid to artist by streaming platforms. https://open.spotify.com/artist/4laJvxjPZv91uVjkRj3bbf Why did you choose this as the title of this project? During the fall of 2023, I was cooking, testing different spices and temperatures to use for cooking Duck breast and rendering duck fat aka duck confit aka duckgrease, and found in all cases it came out well and was easy to do. So after a few bites, a couple glasses of wine, and some solo dancing in the kitchen… I started using the term “duckgrease” as a metaphor for making it easy to have a good time. I was having a moment and such a good time, It made me forget my woes and the state our country is in… Then I began to imagine there being a place for everyone to go enjoy themselves as well and sat down to write this mini tale of a fictitious getaway. Pure escapism. That’s why I called this project “Duckgrease Burning at The Crabhouse! What are your plans for the coming months? Plans for the coming months include recording new songs to combine with previous releases for a full length album that will include vinyl & CDs. The release of a concept video for Silent Witness, booking B-MACK band in venues, and get to the woods! Oh and one small thing… Come

August 9th & 10, I will be performing several songs with and conducting Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber at Lincoln Center in a concert tribute to Melvin Van Peebles, directed by his son & film director Mario Van Peebles. Do you have any artistic collaboration plans Yes, producer Michael Cox and I are planning to do an album of electronica dance music with various singers and featured instrumentalists. Also looking forward to recording a duet with NYC Blues Hall of Fame bassist Pete Cummings in early summer. What message would you like to give to your fans? Thank you for indulging my work with your continuous support, and to keep yourself and children creative and uplifted with positivity during these complex times. When we all get pass the madness, there will be banana pudding waiting for us at the ‘Crabhouse! One Love.

[trascapades]

🌑#ArtIsAWeapon

I still can not believe @casey_benjamin has transitioned ... Continuing to keep his family, friends, colleagues, loved ones and fans lifted.

Reposted from @casey_benjamin Bring your friends 💙💙💙💙 We look forward to seeing you 💫💫💫

Photo credit - @piercedphotos

✨️ECLIPSE MUSICAL CONDUCTION FOR CASEY BENJAMIN

Mon. April 8, 2024 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Brooklyn Public Library Central Library 10 Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11238

As a cosmic offering to Casey Benjamin during the Solar Eclipse, Vernon Reid [@vurnt22] will conduct members of Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber [@burntsugararkestra] and special guests on the plaza of the Brooklyn Public Library's [@bklynlibrary] Central Library branch in a community-based program to lift Casey's name into eternity.

This event is organized in partnership with the Benjamin family.

✨️We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of support as we mourn this unbearable loss. 🙏🏾💜💫💙

We would like to invite you to a public viewing: 4-7 PM EST Mt. Olivet Church of Hollis Queens, NY

The viewing is open to all; we ask that you kindly RSVP to help us anticipate the attendance. RSVP and find details at Casey's memorial site: memorialsource.com/memorial/ casey-benjamin

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Casey Benjamin Memorial Foundation.

If you would like to help the family directly with expenses, please:

Zelle: welovecaseybenjamin@gmail.com

Venmo: @WeLoveCasey Benjamin

PayPal: @WeLoveCaseyBenjamin

Donations in any amount are deeply appreciated

LINK IN BIO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

#CaseyBenjaminForever

#CaseyBenjamin #Eclipse

[worldeaternyc]

Shrine4TBM Promo A1b-Lincoln Center B-(feat. Someday Monday-© & ℗ 2023 Subatomika Music (ASCAP)/World Eater Music (ASCAP). from World Eater Recordings on Vimeo.

Shrine for the Black Madonna will blast doors off the hinges at the Lincoln Center Atrium next Saturday, January 27th to put our boots into 2024.

Come join us for the first stomp of the new year as we're blessed to join A.S.T.R.O. vs Rivers On Mars, Moisturizer, MazzMuse, Ben Tyree's Activator Trio, and Atomik Freaquency- to celebrate 25 years of Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber never playing the same song twice!!

AND: it’s FREE FOR THE PEOPLE!!!

Saturday, January 27, 2024 SMOKEHOUSE at Lincoln Center's David Rubenstein Atrium 61 West 62nd St, NYC lincolncenter.org 7pm SHARP FREE!!!

#shrine4tbm #shrinefortheblackmadonna #s4tbm #bedstuyrocknrollas #lincolncenter #davidrubensteinatrium #burntsugarthearkestrachamber #burntsugarsmokehouse #smokehouselincolncenter #worldeaternyc #jaredhassan #jaredhassanfoles #nyc #nycrocknroll #nycpunk #punkblack #blackrockcoalition #brc #freeevents #nycfreeevents #freeeventsnyc

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber - Angels Over Oakanda

Was very sad to lose the great critic Greg Tate last week. Re-reading his Flyboy in the Buttermilk collection over the weekend, it was striking how well his views have held up over the decades (most of the essays were written in the 1980s). Not sure you could say that about many other cultural commentators. Even when you might not be an expert in the topics Tate covered, you always had the feeling he had done the work. A trustworthy voice in untrustworthy times! For a good indication of his deep thoughtfulness and supreme knowledge, check out his Inivisble Jukebox with Alan Licht.

Tate was also a musical instigator, leading the loosely organized Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber since the late 1990s. The most recent Burnt Sugar LP, released earlier this year, is a good place to hop on. Tate lets his group's collective imagination run wild, finding new possibilities in Black music at every turn. Electric Miles, classic P-Funk, Lee Scratch Perry ... they all provide ingredients for an extremely bitchin' brew of heady grooves and rhythms. Listen up.

[brooklynmuseum]

Celebrate the opening of The Obama Portraits Tour with an afternoon of music, art-making, and poetry in honor of these vibrant and groundbreaking depictions of American leadership. Enjoy a musical tribute by the legendary Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber, who present a smorgasbord of diverse “avant groidd” musical idioms filled with sugar-soaked sonic ingredients, followed by a DJ set from Niara Sterling. Kyle Carrero Lopez, Nkosi Nkululeko, and celeste doaks read their original poetry presented in partnership with Cave Canem, Brooklyn’s leading organization dedicated to cultivating the artistic growth of Black poets. Plus, get your photo taken as part of a community portrait project by Souls In Focus. Throughout the day, drop by for art-making with Cool Culture and shop and snack at the Brooklyn Pop-Up Market, which is spotlighting local Black artists and vendors this week. 

This outdoor event is free, but RSVP is required. To visit the galleries, please reserve tickets in advance. A limited number of timed tickets will be available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis.

Photo: @kolinmendez

[davidhudson]

[swartzmark]

Terry Adkins | Musical Performance with Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber...

[mhisadj]

Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber - Oakanda Spoonful

Off of Eyes Shut, Ears Open: A Burning Ambulance Compilation.

Burning Ambulance, the arts and culture zine and website founded in 2010 by journalist Philip Freeman and artist I.A. Freeman, has grown over the last decade from a small print zine to a website and, since 2017, a podcast offering in-depth interviews with musicians from the worlds of jazz, metal, and modern classical. Now BA is celebrating 10 years of existence by starting a label, Burning Ambulance Music.

Eyes Shut, Ears Open: A Burning Ambulance Compilation includes 13 exclusive tracks. Most of the $10 purchase price will raise funds for future releases, but 25% of the money raised will be donated to the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund, which provides housing assistance, medical care, and financial assistance to musicians.

Diggin’ the music, diggin’ the energy of creation.

[cortecertu]

Listen/purchase: by Burning Ambulance Music

[burlveneer-music]

My WVUD playlist, 2/11/2023

Love - My Little Red Book Love - Seven and Seven Is Love - You Set the Scene Rotary Connection - I Took a Ride (Caravan) The 5th Dimension - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? The Jimi Hendrix Experience - One Rainy Wish The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) Sly & The Family Stone - Luv N' Haight Earth, Wind & Fire - I Can Feel It In My Bones The Temptations - Message from a Black Man The Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes Funkadelic - Maggot Brain Childish Gambino - Me and Your Mama Mandrill - Afrikus Retrospectus Billy Paul - War of the Gods A.R. Kane - Green Hazed Daze Prince & The Revolution - Around the World in a Day Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber conducted by Butch Morris - Or The Jazz Stravinsky?

[colonialcapitaltours]

In celebration of Black History Month, on February 29, the renowned Apollo Theater will screen the original version of Shaft, accompanied by a live playing of the score by Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber.

Harlem's best-known venue opened its doors in 1914 and is home to Showtime at the Apollo and Amateur Night.

Colonial Capital Tours plans educational tours to New York City which can include a visit to the Apollo Theater.  Visit www.ColonialCapitalTours.com for sample New York City itineraries.

🗺Colonial Capital Tours ☎️ 800.334.3754 💻 www.ColonialCapitalTours.com 📧 info@ColonialCapitalTours.com #studenttours #schooltrips #grouptours #educationaltours #fieldtrips #daytrips #onedaytrips #studentgroups #schoolgroups #educationalstudenttours #nycdoevendor #seniortrips #multidaytrips #studenttrips #educationalprograms #americanhistory #blackhistorymonth #apollotheater #nyc #historyteachers #iteachhistory #iteachushistory #iteachamericanhistory #ushistory #americanhistory #socialstudies #iteachsocialstudies #colonialcapitaltours  

[halsteadproperty]

Celebrate Black History Month at These Harlem Events

By Sandy Wilson, Executive Director of Sales, Harlem

Harlem is the home of Black History Month. We are fortunate to have had the Harlem Renaissance take root here in the 1920s, establishing Harlem as the mecca of Black art, writing, and culture.

The Harlem Renaissance gave us poets and writers like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Countee Cullen, just to name a few. These literary figures were joined by wonderful artists like Josephine Baker, Paul Robeson, and Louis Armstrong, all of whom graced Harlem with their fabulous talent.

Today, Harlem continues to be the cultural capital of Black America and serves as a beacon for inclusion and diversity in New York City. Throughout the year, but especially during Black History Month, Harlem celebrates Black achievements with plenty of activities and events. Here are some of the events you can enjoy this Black History Month:

At the Apollo Theater

Amateur Night at the Apollo Season Opener February 19, 2020 at 7:30 PM

A new lineup of musicians, dancers, comedians, spoken word artists, and more kick off a new season of the famed Amateur Night at the Apollo. Join the crowd to decide which performers get to stay in the competition!

Imagenation’s Cocktails and Cinema: Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba February 20, 2020 at 6 PM

Attend a festive cocktail reception featuring hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a live DJ set by Bembona before you enjoy a screening of Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba, a film that follows DJ Jigüe to his hometown of Santiago de Cuba in search of musical inspiration.

Shaft Film Screening with Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber February 29, 2020 at 8 PM

Dress in your best Black Power-inspired fashion at this celebration of film and music. A screening of the original 1971 Shaft will be accompanied by a live performance by Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber, showcasing the Academy Award-winning film score.

At the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Illuminating Forgotten Histories: New York City’s Early Black Communities February 18, 2020 at 6:30 PM

Panelists Leslie Harris (Professor of History at Northwestern University), Jamila Braithwaite (an educator and curator who focuses on the hidden history of the people of the African diaspora), and John Reddick (an architectural historian and Columbia University Community Scholar) will discuss the discovery and preservation of historically significant yet widely forgotten Black communities.

Malcolm X Remembered February 21, 2020 at 12 PM

This pop-up exhibition features handwritten notes, rarely seen photographs, and historic papers from Malcolm X’s collection.

Harlem Heritage Tours

Harlem Renaissance Multimedia Walking Tour Fridays and Saturdays at 1 PM

Learn about the history-changing days of 1920s Harlem as you walk in the footsteps of legendary figures like Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday in this multimedia tour.

Harlem Gospel Walking Tour February 16 and 23, 2020 at 9:15 AM

Visit one of Harlem’s most historically significant churches to listen to soul-stirring gospel music and then join a cultural sightseeing tour of the neighborhood.

[celebratesocia1]

2.29.2020 8PM SHAFT (1971) FILM SCREENING WITH BURNT SUGAR THE ARKESTRA CHAMBER - Harlem NYC

2.29.2020 8PM SHAFT (1971) FILM SCREENING Apollo presents a screening of the original 1971 Gordon Parks film Shaft, with Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber in concert. #shaft #apollo #nyc

In a special blend of film and music, Apollo presents a screening of the original 1971 Gordon Parks film Shaft, with Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber in concert. 

Tickets start at $29 In person at the Apollo Theater Box Office By phone call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 Online at Ticketmaster.com