Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 199

Harper’s BAZAAR: At Home With Kelis at Bounty Farms

'When the pandemic hit, Kelis did what many only fantasize about doing: She sought refuge on a farm in the country, and found liberation in unruly livestock and homegrown arugula. Here, the singer and chef takes us around Bounty Farms, a sprawling property in Temecula, California, and talks caring for her farm animals, pressing her own olive oil, and building a legacy of land ownership for her children.' -- Harper's BAZAAR

Your Hometown: Richard Price – Parkside Houses, The Bronx

'Richard Price is a writer’s writer, with novels that include The Wanderers, Clockers, Freedomland, and Lush Life. He’s also collaborated on such landmark television series as HBO’s The Wire, The Night Of, The Deuce, and The Outsider. Hear him talk with Kevin Burke about how New York City is better understood as a series of hometowns and how growing up in the Bronx shaped him as a writer of human drama and dialogue in stories set in the gritty landscapes of urban America.'

Lineage with Shani Jamila: Jason Moran + Alicia Hall Moran

Photographed by Ethan James Green.

'Jazz pianist, composer, and artist Jason Moran was born in Houston, TX and earned a degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2010 and is the Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center. His 21 year relationship with his trio The Bandwagon (with drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Tarus Mateen) has resulted in a profound discography for Blue Note Records and Yes Records, a label he co- owns with his wife, singer and composer Alicia Hall Moran. Alicia Hall Moran, mezzo-soprano, is a multi-dimensional artist performing and composing between the genres of Opera, Art, Theater, and Jazz.  Her solo albums, Heavy Blue and Here Today featuring the band Harriet Tubman, and live touring performances like Breaking Ice (shows for and about the ice since 2016), the motown project (her meditation on the operatic strains mixed with Motown begun in 2009); Black Wall Street (since 2016 ); and large-scale co-commissions with her husband Jason Moran.'

Crate Digging : Mulgrew Miller And Wingspan

'Christian McBride uncovers a concert from his big brother, figuratively speaking: the underrated piano innovator Mulgrew Miller.' -- WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

In 'I Ain't Studdin' Ya,' Blues Legend Bobby Rush Reflects On Over 7 Decades Of Making Music

'American blues musician Bobby Rush took inspiration for the name of his memoir — “I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya” — after one of his hundreds of song titles. The Grammy-winning musician shares stories about his life dating all the way back to the Jim Crow era. Rush has written over 400 songs and won his first Grammy at 83 years old for his album "Porcupine Meat".' -- Here & Now

Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis, Legendary Hitmakers, Release Their First Album

'After nearly three decades spent producing massive hits for a long list of (other) legends including Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey, Jam and Lewis called in some favors for a long-belated debut record: Jam and Lewis: Volume 1.'

Kaitlyn Greenidge: Égalité, Fraternité, And 'Libertie'

'Code Switch talks with author Kaitlyn Greenidge about her new historical novel, Libertie, which tells the story of a daughter pushing back against her mother's expectations of what her life should look like. The book touches on some classic themes: the evolving relationship between a mother and daughter, the tension between personal freedom and communal responsibility, the difference between a career and a vocation, the distance between here and home. And within those themes, Greenidge explores the very specific, dynamic story of young, dark-skinned Black woman who refuses to be exactly what anyone expects of her.'

Pauli Murray: The Black Scholar Who Took On UNC Before Nikole Hannah-Jones

 'Decades before Nikole Hannah-Jones' tenure battle with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made national headlines, another Black scholar Pauli Murray was slighted by UNC, inspiring a brave decision to hold the university accountable.'

Tupac and Shock G’s Tour of a Black Planet, Feat. Chuck D

'In this special episode of Black Girl Songbook, Danyel Smith recalls an influential tour that changed the landscape of hip-hop forever. She chats with former Digital Underground road manager Neil Johnson and Chuck D about the tour, their good friend Shock G, and more.'

Black Folks Camp Too: Interview with NC Parks Director Dwayne Patterson

 

'Earl B. Hunter Jr., founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too, sat down with Dwayne Patterson, Director of North Carolina State Parks, to talk about unity in the outdoors & why we need to care for and protect these places for future generations to enjoy.' -- N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources