PUBLIC ENEMY - What Happened to the Music Protests & Rage?

PUBLIC ENEMY - What Happened to the Music Protests & Rage?

Having recently released “Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy’s Greatest Hits”, to document their immense and far-reaching legacy to the development of hip hop music, how did Public Enemy catalyse the transition of rap music from minority interest to establishment juggernaut?
Public Enemy have released a ‘Best of’ compilation of their music […]

Artist, Drama, Hollywood, Music, Nature, Political, Radical, Rap, Social, War

SHOOT THE COMMUNITY? - Shoot the Messenger

SHOOT THE COMMUNITY? - Shoot the Messenger

I wasn’t privy to the preview of the film ‘Shoot the Messenger’ to a floor full of ‘community leaders’, leading lights, notables and other luminaries…
However, what I have to say was that some organizations like Ligali, who I want to stress, usually do a good job, were quick to do the intellectual jump stating that […]

BBC, Drama, Film, Television

FLIRTING AT CANNES 2006

FLIRTING AT CANNES 2006

Friday May 19th
Meeting at the UK Pavilion. Dealing with passes and accreditations. Sorting out the usual mumbo-jumbo required to cruise through the festival.
‘Volver’ from eternal ‘enfant-terrible’ Pedro Almodovar is on show and has the usual red-carpet treatment. Penelope Cruz - gorgeous in a white Balanciagga dress, or is it? - and Carmen Maura, the co-stars […]

Actor, Art, Artist, Cinema, Director, Drama, Events, Festival, Film, Filmmaker, Modern, Movie, Museum, Music, Performance, Political, Social, Theatre, War

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Johnny’s Language of Music

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Johnny’s Language of Music

John McLaughlin, quite simply, is an eloquent. A guitarist whose musical vocabulary is both fluent and succinct; a musician who has proved he can work on equal terms with players from around the world and in any context. The language of music has rarely been expressed better.
He is also the guitar hero’s guitar hero; admired […]

Art, Artist, Classical, Culture, Drama, Music, Musician, Nature, Opera, Political, Spiritual

THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME - A Timeless Story

THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME - A Timeless Story

Currently playing at the Arcola Theatre as part of the Africa ‘05 celebrations this is the second time the UK has seen this remarkable performance. Previously staged at Riverside Studios in 1978 to exceptional reviews, it is now restaged by Tiata Fahodzi ( Theatre of the Emancipated ), Britains’ leading African theatre company, under the […]

Director, Drama, Horror, Performance, Theatre, War

JAZZ IN THE CITY - Exploration of Jazz & Art

JAZZ IN THE CITY - Exploration of Jazz & Art

Nina considers the musical language of jazz to be one of her greatest inspirations. Her exhibition, Jazz in the City is the culmination of a life’s work for this innovative and unique artist.
It also begins a tour featuring Nina as an artist in residence, to include The International Jazz Festival in Moscow, during which Nina’s […]

Actor, Art, Artist, Culture, Drama, East London, Events, Exhibition, Festival, Film, Gallery, History, Inspiration, Modern, Museum, Music, Opera, Painting, Performer, Poetry, Theatre

SPICE FESTIVAL 2005 - Music, Painting, Poetry & Drama

SPICE FESTIVAL 2005 - Music, Painting, Poetry & Drama

The opening night sees an evening of classical opera extracts performed, including Carmen, Nessun Dorma, The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and many others at The Hackney Empire.
East London Metropolitan Opera continues to bring together top professional musicians with members of the local community and children from Hackney schools accompanied by a full […]

Actor, Art, Artist, Classical, Drama, East London, Editor, Events, Festival, Magic, Movie, Music, Musician, Opera, Painting, Performance, Poetry, Punk, Songwriter, Theatre, Writer

BARBICAN - Folk Art Special

BARBICAN - Folk Art Special

Two artists dismayed by the Millennium Dome’s corporate presentation of Britain have created their own snapshot of British artistic creativity. Five years after the Dome presented its shiny, clean vision of Britain, there is now a smaller, cheaper and more democratic snapshot of the UK on show at the Barbican Gallery.
A life-size mechanical elephant from […]

Art, Artist, Drama, Exhibition, Gallery, Modern, Painting

LEIGH LIGHTING - My Aqueous Resonance

LEIGH LIGHTING - My Aqueous Resonance

The Royal National Theatre eagerly and protectively awaits the title and production of Mike Leigh’s new play, as do we, excited by the mystery and fascination of it all. Will it cause a tempest, flooding the South Bank venue with honour or derision?
“I want you to get an interview with Mike Leigh!” The assertion in […]

Actor, Art, BBC, Director, Drama, Editor, Film, Hollywood, International, Movie, Opera, Theatre

FLIGHT 5065 - Live Arts Festival at the London Eye

FLIGHT 5065 - Live Arts Festival at the London Eye

This is the first time ever that the London Eye has been used for a live arts festival and was sold out well in advance of its opening. It seems an African summer breeze has blown in over the UK, with weather temperatures soaring, bringing with it a feast of unforgettable experiences.
How ironic then that, […]

Art, Artist, Awareness, Comics, Communities, Concert, Drama, Events, Festival, History, Music, Performance, Political, Theatre, Writer