On the evening of August 11th, 2023, the stage was set for an exhilarating experience that resonated across Southern California’s music scene. Amidst the vibrant ambiance of LA’s premier jazz venue, the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, a constellation of high-profile musical events ignited the weekend’s musical journey. Among these […]
With less than two weeks to go in the 2016 presidential election, it seems like a forgone conclusion. The experienced liar will most likely defeat the unqualified con man with the bigoted throng. Well, that’s one way to look at it. The other is to say history will be made […]
We’ve protested. We’ve rioted. We’ve marched. We’ve cried in press conferences. We’ve appealed to the media. We’ve prayed. We’ve forgiven. We’ve done everything we know to do. And nothing is working. We need your help–you–the unaffected. Just like the 60s when Blacks and Whites marched arm in arm. We are only 12 percent of the population. And the rank and file American is weary of protest.
Instead of accepting responsibility for their own inflexibility in a changing work environment, many an average Joe is more comfortable blaming an influx of immigrants and refugees for their plight. Couple that with the fear of terrorism, and you’ve got a recipe for xenophobic stew.
![By Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.agendamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Donald_Trump_campaign_sign-650x450.jpg)
Republicans have a dilemma. They have managed to elect a Presidential nominee they aren’t sure has a legitimate chance of winning the big prize in November. But the voting public seems to be fine with the choice. Heck, they chose him over a myriad of other options.
In a copycat business like the Music Industry, where everyone tries to do what is popular at the moment, Bowie and Prince did what they wanted. They ignored the trends, pushed the boundaries of convention, and left us with indelible images of brilliant color, visceral power, human frailty, and pure, unapologetic artistry.
