February 22, 2008
Halifax Jazz & Blues Festival 2008
Downtown Petersburg, Inc. announces that plans are moving forward for the Halifax Jazz & Blues Festival 2008 on the Historic Halifax St. South Ave. Harrison St. Triangle. The event will be held on May 3rd and 4th and anticipates having as great an impact as last year. DPI and city officials have reached a mutual agreement to support this event in order to provide entertainment and education about the rich historical and cultural significance of this section of Petersburg.
The much talked about Rialto Club stands on South Ave. as one of the remaining buildings designed and built by reknowned black architect, Charles T. Russell.
The festival promises to promote major and new local talent and to share information for positive growth and development in the area that will support the regional thrust to become a most attractive location for tourist and travellers.
All tax deductible donations to support this great initiative are much needed and can be made to DPI and mailed to 216 N. Sycamore St. Petersburg, VA 23803. For more information, contact committee chair Akin Smith at 804 605-6031 or 804 732-0700.
I think this is a great idea. I am new to Petersburg (all of 4 weeks) and have more than 10 years of experience working on various areas of festival production (sponsorship, development, artisit hospitality, logisitics, volunteer management, etc). I would like to assist in anyway that I can. Please contact me: llnbryant@yahoo.com.
Thank You!!
Welcome LaDonna!
I was really dissapointed that the white community had very poor attendance last year when it came to supporting this event. I was even more surprised that the “Old Towne” community didn’t seem to come out support this event in any significant manner.
Scheduling it on Mother’s Day weekend was not the smartest move especially since it had to compete with The Ft. Clifton Art Festival which has been an event for many years. Does anyone look at a calendar to see what else is happening in the general area? At lease they are having it earlier in May this year.
Hopefully this event will be better supported this year. It has the potential of being a great event!
yes, calendar consideration were made this year, as was last year. Committee members thought that this event would be a nice place to take your mother on Mother’s Day, you think?
Also, the more we grow in participation and development of activities, we may find that it is good to have more than one thing happening at a time. It gives people choices.
We did, in fact get good support from the Old Towne community and from white people. Go to wrjo.net and view the pictures from last year, you will see white, brown, Old Towne and New Town.
Slowly, but surely, we are coming together.
Akin,
Mother’s Day would have been okay I suppose if there wasn’t a rather large and well established competing event going on just across the river.
I do not need to go see the photos you referenced. I attended the festival both days last year. My comments are based on personal observation and not based on “I have heard”. While the entertainment had diversity, the crowd certainly didn’t.
I hope this event does grow and prosper. As I said, it does have the potential of being a great thing.
“I was really dissapointed that the white community had very poor attendance last year when it came to supporting this event. I was even more surprised that the ‚ÄúOld Towne‚Äù community didn‚Äôt seem to come out support this event in any significant manner.”
Maybe if you got some acts with up-to-date genres.
Not a lot of whites are that enthusiastic about jazz-blues anymore. If you got some really artistic hip-hoppers, for example, and you marketed it in richmond, you’d get a Lot of whites. You’d have to have a heavy police presence though, as hip-hop attracts a bad element, just like blues and then jazz did when innovation and excitement resided there (heck, a lot of the blues-men WERE criminals.)
The whites will come if it is percieved to be “authentic” and “safe.”
“Maybe if you got some acts with up-to-date genres.
Not a lot of whites are that enthusiastic about jazz-blues anymore”
Well Shawn, we must really run in different circles and I find your comments a tad over-the-top and rather ridiculous. The Virginia Beach jazz-blues festival each fall attracts a LOT of people. I am not going to even get into the New Orleans jazz-blues festival.
Up-to-date genres? You must live a sheltered life if you think jazz/blues is dead in any way.
If we go the hip hop route, then I guess it would be the hip hop festival.
More people will come as we show consistency. We will get more influential talent when we get more money.
Shawn, your statement about more whites coming if their perception is that it is authentic and safe. Are you saying that other races of people don’t take authenticity and safety into consideration. Are you just pulling our leg? Ha Ha…. it worked. That was funny.
Thanks zoneiv. You are absolutely right, the VSU activity just across the water and Mothers Day was not a good thing. That is why we went with earlier this year. Point well taken.
As long as any of us, whatever color, have any soul left, Jazz & THE Blues will be around…. at midnight and all other times of hope, joy, and misery.
Akin,
I thought I forgot something that was going on last year but now that you mention it, wasn’t VSU’s graduation that very same weekend last year?
It was a great family friendly event last year. Let’s just hope it can continue to grow. I would love to have Petersburg back on the map when it comes to jazz/blues like it once was 50(?) when it came to music.
Well I wonder if I’m guilty of “non-support” (regardless of my skin hue) because I only looked at the list if acts and was not interested in attending.
Had there been an act/s worth seeing (to me) I’d have been there. Must we attend JUST to show support?
I thought I was doing my part just by seeking out the information.
I’m not sure *I’M* the sheltered one, but that is as ad hominem as I’ll go.
I was taught blues when I took guitar lessons at age 12, and got into Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, etc, around then.
That was 1982.
I have a friend from high school that is an award winning jazz musician (yawn) no one cares. Just look at what happened to all the jazz labels.
By the nineties, blues was pretty much dead and buried.
I don’t know how old y’all are but I’m 37 and am intellegent enough to know that I really don’t know what’s going on in the music scene anymore — but I do know kids aren’t trying to borrow my mother’s Keith Jarrett records.
“Shawn, your statement about more whites coming if their perception is that it is authentic and safe. Are you saying that other races of people don‚Äôt take authenticity and safety into consideration. Are you just pulling our leg? Ha Ha‚Ķ. it worked. That was funny.”
Hey, I didn’t start with any statements about being disappointed with any particular race not supporting jazz and blues, so don’t get me pissed off. I never said “x race doesn’t care about x,” I said if you want to get whites in there, it’s got to be authentic, current and perceived to be safe. Same probably goes for any other race, but I won’t speak for them.
I already wasted way too much time on racial issues on another thread with the sorta guy who gives people like you an excuse to jump on me for an innocent comment, so I’ll try to be pissed at him.
I just wanted to add that when I was pouring over the blues records in the very early eighties, I was a little odd even then, as almost everyone else was listening exclusively to seventies rock, rap, or heavy metal. So was I, but I was checking out my heros’ roots, too.
You are not going to get big acts, no matter the genre (and if you get Pat Metheny, you might get only 15 people anyway) — but people WILL show up to see unknowns ina genre that still attracts creative talent. People don’t really want to see someone raking through that pentatonic scale anymore, and all the jazz I see sounds exactly like something from decades past.
But if you get al di meola, maybe I’ll show up. Juse don’t expect anyone else to.
Shawn,
The more you write, the more “sheltered” you seem to be and I will leave it at that.
Have a great evening!
“The more you write, the more ‚Äúsheltered‚Äù you seem to be and I will leave it at that.”
That’s sufficiently vague.
From now on, I will try to do my duty to celebrate the achievements of people in the distant past in blighted areas of town to please you.
I hope you have a great evening too.
I certainly did not intend to “piss” anyone off. Nor do we think that any festival will please everyone. However, in comparison to what has been happening on the Triangle for several decades, this is going to be great.
Of course, if you look at the list of who is going to be there and decide not to come, we surely respect that, however, you will miss the talent of those that you have never heard of and do not know.
Should sarcasm be spelled sourcasm? Lighten up, it is okay to disagree.
“From now on, I will try to do my duty to celebrate the achievements of people in the distant past in blighted areas of town to please you.”
Shawn,
“Old Towne” was once pretty blighted. Nostalgiafest started back in the 70s to bring some attention to the area. It may have gone by a different name back then but it has been so long I have forgotten.
Do you know the historical significance of “The Triangle” when it comes to music? The festival is just a small step people are taking to try to bring attention to “The Triangle”. There is very symbolic reason why the festival is located there.
This is just a small step but it is in the right direction. Who knows what great things this attention to “The Triangle” may eventually bring 10 or 20 years down the road but if a first step is not taken, then nothing will ever happen.
Who wouldn’t love to see “The Triangle” restored to its former glory? It would be great for ALL people of Petersburg. This said though, if the community does not support what people are trying to do, then hope may be lost that anything will happen.
I do not understand how anyone can go by the lineup and decide whether to go or not. For example the ensemble from the Governor’s School was great last year until the windstorm came up. I could appreciate the kids playing their music. Jazz is not dead to them.
I didn’t know most on the lineup and perhaps some of the performances were lacking to some degree but despite that fact I could still appreciate the effort and have fun under the sun listening to some music and people watch.
It is just a first step and I take that into consideration. I wouldn’t let not knowing anyone on the lineup keep you away from going. You may find yourself missing something special.
I equate the situation to perhaps watching a play with a bunch amateur actors. Is it done as well as the professionals at the Kennedy Center up in DC? Of course not nor do I have any expectation that it would. That said, I can get enjoyment by watching the amateurs.
To me, it is a celebration of music as oppose to celebraton of “achievements of people in the distant past”. Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven are all REALLY in the DISTANT past but that does not mean the music they composed is any less significant today.
You bring up about young people and hip hop. You may have young people whose musical interest is limited to only hip hop because they have simply never been exposed to anything else.
Isn’t it a great thing to perhaps expose these same young people to jazz/blues? You never know who may find the music being played kinda cool and ask their parents or grandparents about it. As I said before, this is a VERY family friendly event and it is FREE.
You have people complain how nothing ever happens and the lack of progress. When people try to make something happen, you have these same people complain that it is not good enough. The funny thing is though, the people who do the most complaining often times do the least in trying to make something happen.
Just my thoughts
Okay look,
I understand that my being annoyed that people were thinking that [I] was not doing enough to support a hopeful effort in the triangle may have made me express what I see as basic truths: jazz is running on fumes, in america, virtually dead arts such as ballet and classical do not make money, they cost money.
I not only realize that the rule is not to be applied in Vienna, and maybe not in new orleans either. I would just point out that the real innovation in music stays far away from those cities, while musicians who want to make a BIG name for themselves and not feel smoothered by the past tend to stay away from those cities.
I was informed about the interesting history of the triangle soon after moving here. I was also told that, paradoxically, that desegration was part of what killed the area.
But I also know that harlem is going through a major revitalization, and they are not doing it by trying to “raise the dead” NYC has a very vibrant living music scene, while the Jazz artists even there have trouble generating much excitement.
“Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven are all REALLY in the DISTANT past but that does not mean the music they composed is any less significant today.”
I sorry, you are wrong about that. I like vivaldi as much as the next guy, but that guy was WAY bigger than Mick Jagger was in the 70s! He had a school for orphans, and RICH venicians would leave their babies at his door so they could study at his feet. Now, like Jazz, you can only hear vivaldi on non-commercial radio, and a lot of people support it more out of a feeling of obligation than actual interest.
“You have people complain how nothing ever happens and the lack of progress. When people try to make something happen, you have these same people complain that it is not good enough. The funny thing is though, the people who do the most complaining often times do the least in trying to make something happen.”
I actually share this sentiment, and don’t really blame you for pinning it on me — but I don’t think it weakens my arguement. I am actually happy those people are trying to do something positive in the triangle. My mistake was responding to your blaming people like me for it not being everything you hoped with a little MARKET driven advice.
“I equate the situation to perhaps watching a play with a bunch amateur actors. Is it done as well as the professionals at the Kennedy Center up in DC? Of course not nor do I have any expectation that it would. That said, I can get enjoyment by watching the amateurs.”
I don’t. I would equate it to watching a play with a bunch of amateur actors vs. a day at the Sundance Film Festival.
You dig?
Anyhoo, don’t blame me, and I won’t give you anymore unwanted advice. It seems like a great way to get called lazy, out-of-touch, and hypocritical.
I remember a few years back that some olde towne people were complaining that not enough of the black community were supporting olde towne with their presence. I remember thinking “you want their business, that’s YOUR responsibility, not theirs.
I will check the list, but not because you will be taking attendance.
I also find it odd that I was EXACTLY the kind of random kid that you hope some kids will be like (got interested in Jazz and Blues in the early eighties to paw through the bargin-bins), yet you dismiss my opinion as “sheltered.”
Which, considering the little I know about the market, I find ironic in more than one way.
I dismissed the notion
“Not a lot of whites are that enthusiastic about jazz-blues anymore”
because it is a silly statement. I have seen too many jazz/blues festivals and been to too many jazz/blues nightspots that contradicts your notion that jazz/blues is dead.
Alright.
“I dismissed the notion
“Not a lot of whites are that enthusiastic about jazz-blues anymore”
because it is a silly statement. I have seen too many jazz/blues festivals and been to too many jazz/blues nightspots that contradicts your notion that jazz/blues is dead.”
Fine. Your experience apparently condradicts mine. I went to see John Mcglaughlin at Blues Alley in washington dc when I was fifteen. I was told then the guy used to fill stadiums with Mahavishnu. Around 1995 I was going down to Philidephia for extended periods, and a friend of mine who was living in NYC asked me to ask around to see if Sun Ra was ever played there anymore. I asked around everywhere I went, I even asked people who looked like they should know: no one had ever heard of him. Eventually, she wrote me a letter telling me she had found out (internet?) that they DID play there on a regular basis.
Maybe we have different ideas about what the goal is. I thought the goal was to revitalize the triangle. To me, the place is tabula rasa - you can do whatever you want. I remember around Y2k there was incredible excitement and talent going into afro-latin-hip-hop fusion of various kinds. I would be surprised if there weren’t a LOT of richmond young people that were into that kind of music — but lacking a local scene to apprieciate it. We don’t need to feel chained to the past. Certainly Newport, RI didn’t feel it was when it started their Jazz festival at the beginning of that genre’s golden era.
One of the first things I heard from the 20-something crowd in richmond was that this area tries to kill any innovative art scenes, while [unwisely] promoting ossified ones, such as symphony orchrastras.
Just my thoughts.
tabula rasa? What is that? “you can do whatever you want.” What do you mean?
I love to learn.
Of the few businesses left standing in the Triangle, two are funeral homes, there is more dying going on than living, we are just trying to bring some life to the area.
This is not a cure all, other things can and will be done, or maybe not, depending on the opposition, lack of support, lethargy, mother nature, or whatever, but one thing is certain, the attempt to do something sure is getting lively and I appreciate all of the input.
Never have I heard of building a brick house with out breaking some bricks.
Sorry. I read that word a lot as a teen, but could not pronounce it until college. It means clean tablet or “slate.” My implication is that, despite wishful thinking perhaps, what made the place meaningful is now gone.
Also, it far enough away from most residences, and from olde towne that opposition to various thingees there would probably fall flat.
“Never have I heard of building a brick house with out breaking some bricks.”
I appreiciate your metaphor. And maybe I agree. Your assertion that JazzDay is “family friendly” is part of my problem with the idea. Are you trying to get money into the area or are you trying to bring in subsidized entertainment for the residents of the halifax corridor?
I am not anti-jazz nor am I pro-hiphop. The kind of music that I am emotionally attached to are in decline as well — most importantly, I don’t think genre is important, I just recognize that some draw talent, while some lose it.
I believe petersburg has some small-time hip hop native sons. Trey Songz is at least one example. The guy even gets air-time, and I have even seen a white female teen sing along.
I only know about the REAL jazz scenes from The Autobiography of Malcolm X and the movie “Kansas City,” they were hardly family-friendly affairs. Since there actually IS a huge market for hip-hop in the richmond area, I think an event in a place that will not threaten olde towne, run by people who are not anti-white, would bring in some actual $$.
I hope the jazz event is a huge success. I do. I just do not want to be scapegoated if it is not.
You are afraid you would be scapegoated if a jazz/blues event does not go off right? Geez….that is a rather arrogant for you to think you would have any impact at all on the success or failure of any event.
Sure…Petersburg may have small-time hip hop artists, but Petersburg also have blues and jazz artists as well which I do know. Come down to the Dixie Restaurant when Zack Artis and Sir Charles are playing. You will see blues and Jazz and a crowd enjoying it. Come down to the Dixie when Rob Gray and Brian C are playing. You will here some good blues/rock. Is either the best jazz/blues you will ever here? Of course not but it is very entertaining. I am not too sure none of the people I discribed were part of the festival last year but they would get a crowd going regardless of race.
Not all events have to cater to the teen and 20-something crowd. If you want a Hip Hop event, then organize one.
The more I read from you, the more I feel that you just don’t get it but then again, you probably feel the same about me.
Let’s just agree to disagree.
Zack Artis will be performing this year, as will Petersburg High School Band Director David Chambliss and his quartet, along with Mike Redman, another fixture at the Dixie, Peabody alum Flo King, who has performed several times at Sycamore Rouge and was featured at last years fest, and many others.
No man, no way you could be scapegoated for something that you did not have a hand in trying to bring to fruition.
I agree with zoneiv, if you want a hip hop fest, then organize one. However, I don’t recall that genre being “family friendly”. As a matter of fact, it is currently anti family, anti women, pro drug use, pro violence, and anti society. So tell me, what in this world are you talking about?
Thanks for the heads up on the meaning of tabula rasa, clean slate. I can identify. Clean slates are good. I remember as a youth having a tool called, “Etch-A-Sketch”. After etching and sketching and writing and drawing, you could shake it and get a clean slate, and start all over again. It could hold your attention and inspire creativity. Like anything else, after awhile you find that there are only so many variations of a thing that you can do.
Nothing is new under the sun, all has been here since time begun. I’ll just pick something and participate in it until I want to tabula rasa.
Oh yeah, I also remember that nobody was ever supposed to clean the slate of the work of another on the Etch a Sketch until they said they were done. Because that rule was so respected, we found that having several of the Etch-A-Sketch machines available was a good idea.
In Petersburg and the surrounding counties, we have several venues and several groups and several threads of great ideas developing. Pick one, etch, sketch and participate.
“Geez‚Ķ.that is a rather arrogant for you to think you would have any impact at all on the success or failure of any event.”
Dude, what the hell is your problem? Arrogant, sour, out-of-touch, sheltered, lazy — is this how you and A-S usually argue?
Have I called you personally any negative adjectives?
I MAY be all of those things — or none of them. It’s hardly the point. I never said that *I* would have ANY impact, I’m just saying that I don’t want any collective guilt thrown my way. That stuff works both ways, my friend.
“Not all events have to cater to the teen and 20-something crowd. If you want a Hip Hop event, then organize one.”
Who said I want a hip-hop event? I don’t even like 90% of hip-hop.
I want an americana or an electronica event. But I know that if you have either of these things I and maybe three other people around here will show up(unless you promote it in DC and the Research Triangle) — so, I don’t want it.
“The more I read from you, the more I feel that you just don‚Äôt get it but then again, you probably feel the same about me.
Let‚Äôs just agree to disagree.”
You could be right. I’m not even sure what it is I “just don’t get,” and maybe you feel similiarly. Perhaps it’s the old businessman/artist communication wall. I don’t know.
If so, I’m not sure either of us should care.
But I thought I had already made that offer (A-T-D) with my wish my sincere wishing you the best success. If you had a successful Jazz fest in the triangle, and managed to be a part its the revival, that would only benefit me — and I would be in your debt.
Take my comments for what you feel they are worth. If nothing, feel free to put me in the catagory that G. Ashleigh Moody does. He doesn’t think I “get it” either.
And he’s not alone.
BTW, lurkers, there’s a linked video about the triangle on today’s times-dispatch page.
“However, I don‚Äôt recall that genre being ‚Äúfamily friendly‚Äù. As a matter of fact, it is currently anti family, anti women, pro drug use, pro violence, and anti society. So tell me, what in this world are you talking about?”
Yes. MUSEUMS are always family friendly. The hip-hop museum will be family friendly, when it is built.
Have you ever HEARD of the genre called “blues”? If so, have you listened to the lyrics?
Nice to see America is still the land of diversity. Mike Gales and the Warriorz recognize all genre and accept every opinion as expressable. We are going to make our contributions 4 may at 3:30. Bring your mother, pack your baby, leave your preconcieved notions. Akin Smith has put together a broad field of talent and we are looking forward to spreading a deep table. Shawn, Zoniev; way to sound off and bring it out.
Wow! Seems like alot of people have a lot of time to waste worrying about alot of silly things. Who cares what colour a person’s skin is. If you like jazz then you can be green for all I care. I will be playing in this year’s jazz fest and if you want to hear some really good music,”old town/new town”,whatever, then you’d better be there.
Okay! This is it! Come on out and enjoy the festival. Thanks Mike and David for shouting out your comments.
We intellects here at PPN don’t think we are wating time, I for one like to think that we are a part of a great new think tank… shout out to Brenda Preibe for creating this site.
Join the topic, add a topic, share a thought or two, but by all means, let us continue to keep the lines of communication open for those who would rather talk things out and then act, rather than acting out before giving honest conversation a chance.
For the festival there will be less talk and more music. “Everything Has It’s Place” :)!
Good luck you guys. I hope it’s a blow up!
re: this site — while I take care of the day to day (some days more than others), much thanks is owed to John Murden, founder of CHPN and grand master of things bloggy.
And, Looking Forward to this event!
Ladies and Gentleman of Petersburg, though I am new to Petersburg, I do look forward to attending and participating in this years festival. I know that such a thing will bring a breath of fresh air to ALL of Petersburg. Lovers of music and lovers of culture and history, come forth and support this wonderful event!
Will be there with bells on. Praying for great weather and a great turnout!
What time does this thing start?
Per tel conversation with Akin.
Saturday, 1-8pm.
Sunday, 3-8pm.
I have been looking everywhere for a schedule of when groups will be playing. Can anyone post one or direct me to one?
Digital copy coming in a few.
The program is now available on this site here.