James Brown Becomes an Ancestor

My People,

Happy holiday and we celebrate the life of Mister Dynamite, James Brown (JB). As a teen, growing up in music in the early 1960s, he was everything to me.

My neighborhood kids and I were blessed because we had an uncle, Bill Chapman aka Happy Chappy, who was a radio announcer on WVKO-AM & FM. When James came to Columbus, and he came often, Chappy would be one of the promoters rubbing shoulders with James and after waiting for ever, Chappy would bring up into the dressing room for a peak and handshake with the star.


Without a doubt, my greatest memory of JB was from the summer of 1967 when he performed at the Ohio State Fair Grandstand, doing four shows in two marathon days. My Dad and I watched the first show together and left me in the grandstand, because he trusted me to take care of myself. I witnessed the late show, found my way to my cousin Pinky’s apartment and went back the next afternoon for two more shows.

My entry in to professional music was that summer also, with the Vadicans Band of London, Ohio. I played my way on stage at the Arena Lounge on East Main Street to Cold Sweat, JB’s hit during that summer.

I greeted James and his wife at Port Columbus Airport in 1983 and in 1986, I was on the way to the Newport Music Hall when I spotted JB’s motorcoach in the alley behind the theater. It was the tour season that was promoting Living In America. I walked up the rear steps and asked the first person I saw if Maceo Parker,, JB’s great saxophonist, was on the tour. Within seconds I was pointed up stairs that led into the band’s dressing room.

That evening I had a front row seat at the Newport courtesy of the James Brown Band.

JB has become an ancestor and one who has left us tears of joy. He was Black, proud and he said it loud. Long live the King.

Larry Bechtel Proposes an Art Tatum Scupture for Toledo

My People,

I met sculptor Larry Bechtel this past October in Christiansburg, VA. He had completed a sculpture in honor of my Aunt Nannie B. Hairston and the extended Hairston Family gathered at the Montgomery County Government Building to witness the unveiling. Aunt Nan was the guest of honor.

Larry and I conversed after the program and our mutual interest in jazz came up when I mentioned being from Ohio. He added that he was proposing a sculpture of Toledo, Ohio jazz legend Art Tatum. I told him that I was the state’s jazz music historian and would do anything that I could to encourage the project.

He sent me a copy of his proposal and I sent back this letter:

“Mr. Bechtel,

Greetings from Columbus. I am immersed in your proposal package. I also pulled up the web site for the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, where I viewed the 1983 Art Tatum film. What a nostalgic walk into a rich heritage.

I’m impressed with the package; quite handsome and full of exciting ideas. I hope that the Arts Commission makes the choice of the second option of God is in the House. I entertain at a public space (Easton Town Center) that has a dancing fountain and all ages of the community use it as a gathering space.

Option two would be a magnet to children and thus the legacy of Art Tatum would become a part of the lives of the next and future generations. I hope that in addition to the sculpture, fountain and landscaping, audio can be a part of the presentation. Perhaps audio can be triggered when someone approaches the keyboard and a recording begins.

What form would you like my participation? I intend to send a donation to the project. And if you’d like my donation to accompany a letter, I can certainly do that.

Thanks for sharing your vision with me. I look forward to helping in making this exciting dream.”

If you don’t know the legend of Art Tatum, a sightless musician who is considered by many to be the greatest of all pianist and improvisers, here is a link to the Greater Toledo Arts Commission.

http://www.edu-core.org/external/tatum/

I hope I can see Mr. Bechtel’s tribute to Art Tatum become a gift to Ohioans.