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The Augusta News-Review ■ November ,21, 1973 ■
■Walking M
I Ml ■
■Dignity ■
by Al Irby j JSP
B J | ||inrl
OCTOGENARIAN EUBIE BLAKE’S MUSICAL COMEBACK
BRINGS RETROSPECTION OF HARLEM S RENISSANCE TO
1973. IN 1921 SISSLE AND BLAKE WROTE THE FAME
BLACK MUSICAL ‘‘SHUFFLE ALONG”, A SHOW THAT HAD
BROADWAY AND THE NATION HUMMING ITS HIT TUNES
FOR YEARS. IT WAS THE FIRST EFFORT BY BLACKS TO
WRITE, DIRECT, PRODUCE AND PERFORM A BROADWAY
SHOW. BLAKE’S COMEBACK TO THE PERFORMING STAGE
AT 90 YEARS OF AGE IS JUST SHORT OF A MIRACLE. HE
VOWED THEM RECENTLY WITH THE 100-PIECE “BOSTON
POPS ORCHESTRA”, ARTHUR FIEDLER, THE CONDUCTOR
WAS FLABBERGASTED.
“Sometimes I think the people are kidding me”, says the old
ex-bordello piano player, vaudevillian, Broadway musical writer,
and conductor. I can’t play that good.” But believe it or not, at
90, Eubie Blake is slaying them with his artistry at the keyboards.
This year he has performed at the Newsport-New York Jazz
Festival at Carnegie Hall, at New York’s Lincoln Center, at the
Molde Jass Festival in Norway and with the Boston Pops for old
Timers night.
Last year he appeared at the Berlin Jazz Festival. The old boy
does several performances a month, as many as eight or nine
sometimes. He has appeared on the Johnny Carson show three
times, on the Mike Douglas show and on “Black Omnibus” with
James Earl Jones. Mr. Blake has had many theaters named in his
honor, and bundles of honorary degrees bestowed upon him.
Baltimore, his home town, has proclaimed a “Eubie Blake Day”.
A growing interest in early American is one of the reasons that
prompted the old jazz king to forsake his rocking-chair. Jazz is
composed of elaborate syncopated rhythms in the melody. It is
truly one of the first of the uniquely American styles having
become very popular in the late 1800 s. It was exclusively the
work of Black entertainers and slaves.
Jazz or ragtime has emerged as established concert music; its
revival has caught the fancy of young whites, and conservatory
-trained pianists even many of them are Europeans. Robert
Kimball, a New York music historian, and co-author of
“Reminiscing With Sissle & Blake”, a book released in 1973
about Eubie’s early Broadway career with his partner the
inimitable Noble Sissle, who, at 84, is retired, living in Florida.
“What makes Eubie a jewel is he’s a link with those that went
before him” Mr. Kimball stated: “Blake is the only one left to
talk about and play music from he turn of the century with the
authenticity of a man who was there at the beginning.”
Eubie was satisfied with his retirement, playing for a few
inquisitive music students and close friends; until John
Hammond, vice president for talent acquisition for Columbia
Records persuaded him to cut a record. The title was: “86 Years
of Eubie Blake.” A two-record album, was his first in 50 years.
Mistakenly Blake is currently known as a ragtime piano player,
when in truth that type of music represented his early years,
when he was a hungry semi-professional. Later in his career, he
was better known as a composer, conductor and writer, one of his
gems were “Shuffle Along'’, the pioneer of Black showmanship.
Old time music lovers will never forget, “I’m Just Wild About
Harry”. , ,
RAGTIME, certainly is his first and lasting love. It s flashy,
complicated, and as old as the old hills of Maryland, Eubie
Blake’s home state. Max Morath, an entertainer and musical
writer of international stature had this to say about the music,
that made Blake famous: “Ragtime is difficult to play,
particularly for people who haven’t heard it; piano players can
play the notes, but the style is another matter. Eubie has the kind
of style that few can duplicate.” Ragtime syncopation calls for
complex melodies played by the right hand to be accented and
contrasted with the steady bass of the left.
It’s Eubie’s left hand particularly that makes his playing
extemely what the young Black musicians call “Soul”. He plays a
reverse boogie bass, sometimes called a wobbling bass. With
Wake’s long fingers, he can play with dazzling mastery few can
duplicate. His fingers are so long he can play tenths, in fact he
spans up to 12 keys, or some 11 inches. Most pianists must settle
for nine at best.
THANKS HIS MOTHER FOR GOOD HAND MOVEMENTS
-Eubie, like all pianists, are mindful of his hands. He says: “My
mother made me that way. As a kid she would always make me
double up my hands as a constant exercise; if anything ever
happened to my hands, 1 would have been finished.” But there’s
more to Eubie’s comeback than his superb playing, experts say
his best year was 1907. Nowadays naturally, he forgets passages
and make s up something to fill in as he goes along. He says other
musicians and even critics are kind to him.
Eubie says when he is on stage, he is another person altogether,
he never gets tired. Blake is a true artist, he always waits until he
is inspired before he begins his concerts. Before go ng on for a
performance, he usually sits off stage with his wife and manager.
He keeps his hands folded in his lap, like his mother would have
wanted, and he talks slowly and quietly. He turns his head to one
side to favor his right ear because his left ear is not so good.
When it’s time for his entrance, he walks to the edge of the
stage with the help of a friend. All of a sudden, he straightens up
and steadies himself. Then he is transformed, suddenly the
doddering Eubie Blake becomes the inspired professional, and he
literally sprints to the piano with his hands clasped above his
head.
As this old master begins to play, he relives his beloved Harlem
in all of its renaissance splendor. His audience is composed of his
old friends of the past, such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay,
Countee Cullen, Walter White, George Schuyler, E. Franklin
Frazier, J.A. Rogers, Charles Gilpin, Alain Locke, Gwendolyn
Bennett, W.E.B. Dubois, Paul Robeson, Abbie Mitchell, Josephine
Baker, Florence Mills, Roland Hayes, Louis Armstrong, Bill
Robinson, Duke Ellington, A. Philip Randolph, Jean Toomer and
the beloved Ethel Waters. This type of imagery audience brings
back all the dash and artistry of his youth, and he plays like the
master of 1927.
Eubie is not exactly sure why he came back to relive his life
die second time around. His audiences are nearly all white. But
he’s proud of the fact that his contributions are being appreciated
by so many, and that he will not be forgotten, just because he s
Wark Retirement is simply out of his mind, this time around.
“I’ll keep performing,” he says, “until one day while I’m on
stage, the man upstairs says nine, ten-you’re out.
J. LESTER FURMAN
JEWH.ER
214 Bth Street
Authorized
ouLOVA
Dealer
Sales and Service on
Ladies' & Mens Accutrons
Phom: 722-2932
We De* Bvt Never
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Page 4
TOBE
EQUAL /jOBI
, BY VERNON E. JORDAN, JR. h
NF NP.W RF 'RP WWRPNFRP RP W SFsrWw wP
BALLOTING SHOWS ENCOURAGING TRENDS
An encouraging feature of the recent election was the defeat of
many candidates around the country who campaigned on the old
broken record of law and order. In New York City’s mayoralty
election, for example, the two candidates who made crime the
focus of their campaign barely polled a quarter of the votes
between them. ‘
I think this may be due to two factors. First, people are finally
beginning to realize that promies of more cops on the beat - and
on the city payrolls - won’t stop crime. They fell for the “law ‘n
order” line before and wound up with still higher crime rates, so
now people seem more willing to vote for candidates who
recognize that creating more jobs and equal opportunities is a
more rational way to tackle the crime problem.
Another reason is the overflow from the Watergate sewer.
When you see the nation’s number one “law ‘n order” supporter
plead guilty to a felony and observe other hardliners under
indictment or under a swelling cloud of suspicion, it becomes
harder to accept the proposition that they have the comer on the
issue.
Another encouraging sign in this election was the continued
success of Black mayoralty candidates. In addition to Black
mayors of Los Angeles and Atlanta, elected earlier this year,
Coleman Young won in Detroit, James McGee in Dayton, Rev.
Lyman Parks in Grand Rapids and Clarence Lightner in Raleigh,
N.C.
The growing ranks of Black mayors are important not only
because they are symbolic of Black participation in politics and
Black acceptance of the responsibilities of citizenship, but also
because the greater the demonstration of Hack political muscle
the greater the possibilities are for constructive change in our
society.
But too many commentators have been carried away by the
uncommon spectacle of Blacks in mayor’s chair. The reality is
that Black political power as reflected in office-holding is still far
below what reasonable parity demands. Blacks still make up one
percent of the U.S. Senate, three percent of the Congress, two
percent of judges, and less than one-half of one percent of all
elected officials in the country.
We have come a long way just a decade ago when few Blacks
were allowed to vote at all in some parts of the country. Now
there are Black office-holders, though not enough, and Black
voters are showing considerable maturity in their voting,
including sophiscated ticket-splitting and a good feel for the
time-honored “reward your friends and punish your enemies”
ballot booth behavior.
But there is a fly in the ointment. When a Black candidate is in
the race, or when there is a local issue of special interest to
Blacks, the Black vote is high. But when there is neither of these
conditions obtains, it is relatively low - and that spells trouble
ahead.
A just-released census report shows that Black voting last year
was down, with less than 55 percent of eligibles voting. And the
participation rate for Hispanic voters was much lower still. A big
part of the problem is the structural barriers that keep people
from registering and make it harder for low-income and working
people to register. Spanish-speaking citizens face vivious
discrimination as well, since few areas provide for Spanish ballots.
Unless Black people and other minorities are willing to settle
for a few mayoralty offices and accept second-rate status, it is
necessary to begin now to organize voter registration drives, to
keep minority citizens informed of the candidates and issues, to
break down the system that prevents many from voting, and
finally, to get out the vote in overwhelming numbers on Election
Day. Only in this way will the latent political power of minorities
become a force for change and not just symbolic power in some
places.
THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
Mallory K. MUlandar Editor and Publisher
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INCOME OF BLACK Ssjoooooaooaoo I
AMERICANS IN 1V72 " )nc o m e op BLACK AMERICA 1972 J
MAS SI BILLION I
DOLLARS, SAID DR. £
ANDREWS BRIMMER, '
BLACK MEMBER OF £
FEDERAL RESERVE / Tm* S
BOARD.
,f/»W 8
BLACKS RETICENCE «■' •«} £
TO SEIZE THE Z . x /.ttt ‘W i
INITIATIVE TO ORGANIZE ~" r1 d
THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES IS MUB4 g
A MAJOR FACTOR AND J
important factor J
CONTRIBUTING TOOUR
COMMUNITIES UNDER- -
DEVELOPMENT.. -IBWSSfe W
DOUGLAS C. GLASGOW, Ij
DEAN OF HOWARD ~
university school 4 =
OF SOCIAL WORK. >=■
h 1
BLACK COMMUNITIES MUST BE ORGANIZED <
E-. ’J
LETTERS TO tUi fOR |
RESPONSE TO “JAMES
BROWN” EDITORIAL
Dear Editor:
1 read with some misgivings
as well as pride your
“Editorial” on “James Brown
Loves Augusta”. I agree with
you that he does have one of
the greatest sucess stories ever
and he does love Augusta.
I write this because I knew
him as a poor waif on the
streets of Augusta and as one
who did things which he never
should have done, also. I
taught him and found him to
be a very brilliant student and
tried to encourage him to
further his education while
counseling him many times
into the right direction. He
always accepted such with due
respect, but he as others, had a
mind of his own and with it he
had talent. I don’t think his
critics really know the man.
They see only one side of the
story. I’m wondering if they
helped to make him the man
that he is today, regardless of
what his type or
“shortcomings”.
If “James Brown” gave
financially to everyone who
asked it of him, he would be
without a dime when he
retires, then would come the
“laughs” and the “I told you
1 Attention 1
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Want to Adopt a Black Child ?
Call the NAACP Adoption Project
Ask For Miss Joyce Tutt
722-5951
or visit
Tabernacle Baptist Church
1224 Gwinnett Street
Augusta, Georgia
so’s”. At his pace he cannot <
keep up his type of
entertainment much longer. He
must keep that in mind. ;
When he tried to get his j
Radio Station WRDW he was :
fought then even by some I
Blacks, as well as Whites.
As for his supporting the
Republican Party, there are
some other very outstanding
Blacks in Augusta who also ’
support the same Party, what
about them? Isn’t that a man’s
priviledge too?
One cannot say he was an
undistinquished person even
before he became world widely
known, for many reasons. Now
that he has left so sharp an
impression internationally, in
that he has stretched his
potentials so far, he is so
disliked. It, perhaps, is because
he has shown so much of his
extraordinary quality to
stretch himself much further
toward his capacity to
entertain than some other
Augustans.
He gives to the poor from
whence he came, and asks
nobody for the things that he
has earned for himself. He
should be given some credit, or
at least some consideration, for
selecting his mate within his
own race. He does possess a
great deal of integrity and
pride enough to bring her to
his home city of Augusta to
live and have what he wants
where at one time he was too
poor to have what he needed.
I wonder sometimes if all
successful Blacks in Augusta
have contributed more or even
as much to his home city as
“James Brown” has? There
happens to be well known
persons in Augusta whom he
has helped in time of need that
the public does not know
about. Why is he not a
“humanitarian”? He gives to
those who appreciate him. Can
one blame him for that?
He gave 3,000 dollars to
Paine College Alumni
Association. $ 1,000 of which
was presented by me. The ones
who are so critical of the man
should not always look from
the standpoint of a hand-out
but at other things he has
done. Remember “Beau Jack”
and what became of his
earnings. What about some
other Augustans have they
forgotten that Augusta is
home. They too have done
quite well. I’m wondering also
about that person who was
formerly employed by “James
Brown” who scys he is an
“Exploiter of Black People”. I
was at one time employed by
him to do “Black History” on
Radio Station WRDW and
found him to be quite OK.
As the editorial says,
“Money cannot buy affection
nor respect. Both must be
earned.” There are many
Augustans who are jealous of
each other. There are many
Augustans of the past who give
their all for their home city.
They too, were Black but one
never hears their names
mentioned in any way or any
place. They love Augusta also
and money did not buy
affection nor respect for them.
I’m sure they earned it.
Respectfully,
Laura L. Garvin
950 Hopkins St. 30901
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Speaking!
Out |
I By
Rooaevdt Greta, Jr.
][ ... ». ■, ULaww F 3
SPEAKING OUT
By Roosevelt Green, Jr.
The American consumer is once again a victim of greedy
capitalists as it relates to the so-called energy crisis. The
consumer is expected to make sacrifices while the major oil
companies and others involved increase their profits but not their
oil production.
Our economy is the victim of political and economic fat cats
with the federal government looking on in approval. It is not
difficult to see how our current presidential administration is
unable to regulate corporate rip-offs when you remember the
large and often illegal contributions to the last presidential
campaign.
The lack of energy is not only due to fuel shortages, but also
the result of a lack of commitment to a sound democracy. The
current president and Congress show a tremendous lack of energy
in this area. We could probably warm this country with a lot of
the hot air that is coming from the White House and Congress.
A number of large corporations have agreed to cut off some of
their energy needs but certainly not their profit taking what
inflates the economy. Their patriotism warms your heart while it
bums your pocketbook.
The sad thing about our economy is that so many Blacks and
whites on low survival fixed incomes have to pay higher prices for
food like everybody else. It may eventually be cheaper to eat
money than to buy milk and meat. The undernourished millions
in this country are in for ever harder times while the rich and
super-rich continue to go on diets to lose weight. Current
administration fiscal policies have put all of us on diets. Chicken
is no longer cheaper than baloney - both meat and political.
Silence while others are oppressed will eventually lead to your
oppression. We are now witnessing the coming for the “silent
majority” in the evening after the rest of us were picked up in the
morning of this country’s moral and democratic crisis. It is with
some amusement that I observe how loud the so-called “silent
majority” is now that they have finally seen how they were
tricked and deceived.
The energy crisis occurred when so many whites voted in the
last presidential “mudslide” election.
The energy crisis occurs when affluent Amerikkans ride by the
poor in the slums and ghettoes of this country.
The energy crisis occurs when whites are more committed to
racism than humanism.
The energy crisis occurs when whites do nothing and care less
about the welfare of Blacks and other ethnic minorities.
The energy crisis occurs when Blacks “ego-trip” about being
Black with no positive program for self-help.
The energy crisis occurs when some preacher does nothing
about the hell on earth while braying about the dimensions of
heavens -
The energy crisis occurs when some people care about the less
fortunate less for eleven months with one month set aside for
love and concern at Christmas.
The energy crisis occurs when voters shift their brains in
neutral and vote their emotions rather than their true convictions
about democracy and brotherhood.
I am sure you too can think of many situations which may be
labeled “energy crisis” that have the same dire consequences as
the present energy crisis fiction. This country is in as great a need
for conservation as anything else. The failure of the majority of
people in this country to change our present system for the better
is the real energy crisis.
“The problem” of this country is not just one man but the
whole nation. This country must resign from democracy for some
or it will surely be impeached by the revolution of all.
The hope of this country may well rest with Black elected
officials of both sexes. It seems that Blacks are the only ones left
who still or really seem to believe in justice and democracy.
Blacks may have to assume the leadership role in moving the
so-called Amerikkan Dream from a nightmare to reality.
Dreaming is the luxury that sets up a nightmare when action is
the real need.
Harambee!!
PRAISES COVERAGE
Dear Editor:
Looking back on Women’s
Day, I feel that its success was
due very largely to your
excellent coverage.
Thank you for reaching out
to give Antioch (The Church
That Reaches Out) annual
Women’s Day the
extraordinary boost in making
it a memorable one.
Sincerely,
Fellowmembers in Christ
Viola Elam - Chairwoman
Ann Robinson - Co-chairwoman