Wednesday, May 27, 2009

6/6/2009~Wreath Laying Ceremony For Jimmie Lunceford @ Elmwood Cemetery

*For Immediate Release*

Wreath Laying Ceremony In Honor Of Jimmie Lunceford's 107th Life Affirmation Day (Birthday)

When: Saturday, June 6, 2009

Where: Elmwood Cemetery (The Lord’s Chapel & Graveside)

824 S. Dudley Street. • Memphis, TN 38104

Time: 12pm-3pm Central

*Free Admission*
Refreshments Will Be Served & Special Tribute Performed

Contact: Ron Herd II/R2C2H2 Tha Artivist
Phone- 901-299-4355
E-mail-r2c2h2@gmail.com

Who Was Jimmie Lunceford????


"Jimmy Lunceford was buried here in Memphis. The spot he occupies should have something of a special significance. ... He took a group of relatively unsophisticated Memphis colored boys and welded them into an organization which scaled the heights of musical eminence. ... He presented something new in the way of musical presentations by Negro orchestras. Lunceford and many others like him chose to remain at home, and with their people. [His death] should have meaning in inspiration and guidance to others. If we permit it, Lunceford's burial in Memphis can mean this."
--Legendary Memphis Educator And Syndicated Columnist Nat D. Williams

"Jimmie Lunceford has the best of all bands. Duke [Ellington] is great, [Count] Basie is remarkable, but Lunceford tops them both."
-- Legendary Swing Band Leader Glenn Miller

On June 6, 1902, a music genius was born. Please join us on June 6, 2009, as we honor the memory of one of Memphis’ unsung heroes on his birthday: Music & Education Giant Jimmie Lunceford.

Jimmie Lunceford was the first high school band director in Memphis City Schools History. He started the first high school band at Manassas High School with no money, but with a lot of determination. Jimmie Lunceford through his pioneering efforts also started the first jazz studies program in U.S. public schools history. He eventually selected nine of his best music students and several college friends from Fisk University to form arguably the greatest jazz swing band of the 1930s and 1940s.

The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra eventually took over as the house band at the legendary Cotton Club where they literally became household names due to live regular national broadcasts from that venue. They also became the most popular act at the world famous Apollo Theatre for 10 straight years. Jimmie Lunceford was also a movie star (orchestra performed in “Blues In The Night” and also in a 1936 film short) and his songs appeared in numerous popular cartoons as well.

He owned and flew his own airplanes at a time when African Americans were not even allowed to attend flight schools in the U.S. Jimmie Lunceford was also a philanthropist. He gave large sums of money to start music education programs throughout the country to keep kids out of trouble and in school. He was truly a man ‘of’ as well as ‘ahead’ of his times.

Unfortunately, Jimmie died under ‘mysterious circumstances’ at the peak of his career on July 12, 1947, while signing autographs in Seaside, Oregon. He was only 45 years old. His funerals were attended by thousands in both New York and Memphis. Unfortunately, Jimmie Lunceford and his legacy it seems has laid forgotten about in historic Elmwood Cemetery in South Memphis for 60 plus years…Until now…

View the ‘Real Talk With Tha Artivist’ Memphis Comcast Cable TV Special, “And Rhythm Was His Business…Jimmie Lunceford: Memphis Music Legend” in three parts online…

Part One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHSBrxpBxro&feature=channel_page

Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGiYBJHb9TM&feature=channel_page

Part Three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9O8jL4f1VU&feature=channel_page

For More Information About Jimmie Lunceford & The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Please Visit http://www.jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com

******

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News & Radio Special~2nd Annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Radio Program:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2008/10/12/Tha-Artivist-PresentsWE-ALL-BE-News-Radio

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News & Radio Special~1st Annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Radio Program:
Buy Jimmie Lunceford Art & Gear To Support The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Movement...
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Jimmie Would Have Been Proud: Manassas High School Boys Basketball Team Wins 1st Ever State Title...


Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal
Manassas guard Marcus Holloway is fouled by Temple's Jeremy Sexton during the TSSAA basketball championship game Saturday in Murfreesboro, TN. Holloway was game MVP.

Manassas Takes Class A Championship

By Jason Smith
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Saturday, March 21, 2009

MURFREESBORO -- Manassas boys basketball coach Gerald Harris was thanking anyone he felt had anything to do with his Tigers earning their first boys basketball state title Saturday afternoon with a 60-34 victory over Chattanooga Temple at Middle Tennessee's Murphy Center.

He thanked God. He thanked his assistant coach, Jerry Anthony, as well as his own former head coach at Manassas, Charles Thompson.

"I want to send a shout-out to my mama, Tommie Harris, too," Harris said, "because she couldn't make it."

Having finished state runner-up in three previous state-title game appearances, Manassas (27-2) became the first Memphis boys team since 1986 to win the Class A state title with its 21st straight victory Saturday.

Sophomore guard Joe Northington scored 14 points and junior point guard Marcus Holloway, whose game-winning 3-pointer had lifted Manassas earlier in the week in its quarterfinal victory over top-ranked Humboldt, finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Holloway was named state-tournament MVP for a Manassas club that played the final 12 minutes of the game without senior star Reginald Buckner, a 6-8 Ole Miss signee who was ejected from Saturday's game after picking up his second technical foul with 3:54 left in the third quarter.

Buckner, who contributed eight points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes of action, was relegated to cheerleader status with his team leading, 30-19, midway through the third.

"It really wasn't tough at all because I had faith in my team. I knew if I cheered them on and kept a positive attitude, they were going to get out there and do what they do," said Buckner, who was named Class A Mr. Basketball following the game.

With their top player out, the Tigers outscored Temple, 23-3, over the next eight minutes of the game to build a 31-point (53-22) advantage midway through the fourth.

Holloway, Northington and senior guard Shaq Walker combined to score 14 of Manassas' 18 third-quarter points before senior post Kendall Woodard scored all 10 of his points in the final period to help put Temple (28-6) away. Woodard also had 10 rebounds, registering his third double-double of the tournament.

"We told (Buckner) we were going to get the win for him," Holloway said. "We tell him that every time we're without him, if he fouls out or anything. We told him, 'We got you Big Boy. We got you.'"

Temple senior guard Jeremy Sexton's 17 points led the Crusaders, who finished 11-of-51 (22 percent) from the field for the game.

Sexton and senior teammate James Kemp (five points) joined Manassas' Woodard, Buckner, Northington and Holloway on the Class A all-tournament team.

Scripps Lighthouse

© 2009 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
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Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra Alum & Jazz Great Gerald Wilson To Write Piece Called 'Detroit' For Detroit Jazz Festival...


STEFANO PALTERA/Associated Press

The festival has commissioned composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson to write a big band piece entitled "Detroit" to debut at the festival.


BY MARK STRYKER
DETROIT FREE PRESS MUSIC WRITER

The Detroit International Jazz Festival has commissioned indefatigable 90-year-old composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson, who trained at Detroit's Cass Tech in the '30s, to write a big band piece entitled "Detroit" in honor of the festival's 30th anniversary. The premiere will take place at the Labor Day weekend event, Sept. 4-7 in downtown Detroit.

The commission was among the latest details announced today, including the complete slate of national headliners.

Wilson, who wrote for Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie and Duke Ellington early in his career, has led his own Los Angeles-based big band for 45 years and is a leading voice in post-World War II big band jazz. He'll lead a band of Michigan musicians at the festival.

Festival leaders previously announced such key national acts as the Wayne Shorter Quartet, Chick Corea Trio, Hank Jones and Dave Brubeck, as well as a families-in-jazz theme and artist-in-residence John Clayton, who has been commissioned to write a concerto grosso for quintet and jazz orchestra.

The festival, titled Keepin' Up with the Joneses, will honor the legendary Pontiac-bred brothers Hank, Thad and Elvin Jones. Hank, an amazingly prolific pianist at 90, is the eldest and only surviving brother.

Newly announced headliners include a gaggle with Detroit ties: pianist Geri Allen with a quartet featuring a tap dancer; multi-reedman Bennie Maupin's Dolphyana (a tribute to Eric Dolphy); drummer Louis Hayes' Cannonball Legacy Band; alto saxophonist Charles McPherson; and drummer Karriem Riggins' Virtuoso Experience with Mulgrew Miller and DJ Madlib; Flint-bred singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave with former students Allen, Riggins and Bob Hurst.

There will also be a performance of Donald Byrd's "A New Perspective," a prescient 1963 gospel-influenced LP with a choir. (Byrd will not appear.)

Other headliners include the Heath Brothers, Larry and Julian Coryell, Pete and Juan Escovedo, Brian Augur and Family, Clayton Brothers, Brubeck Brothers, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, T.S. Monk, Chuchito Valdes, Eddie Daniels and Sheila Jordan.

Bassist Christian McBride, resident artist at the 2008 festival, will lead his new straight-ahead quintet and team with Clayton and Rodney Whitaker for a "Superbass" Trio.

Contact MARK STRYKER : 313-222-6459 or stryker@freepress.com.

See Also...

Real Talk With Tha Artivist Episode # 1~And Rhythm Was His Business...Jimmie Lunceford: A Memphis Music Legend
http://jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com/2009/05/check-out-first-episode-of-real-talk.html

Tha Artivist Presents…Memphis Black History, More Than The Place Where Dr. King Died. Part 2

The Official Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Website
http://www.jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News & Radio Special~2nd Annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Radio Program:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/weallbe/2008/10/12/Tha-Artivist-PresentsWE-ALL-BE-News-Radio

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News & Radio Special~1st Annual Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Radio Program:
Buy Jimmie Lunceford Art & Gear To Support The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Movement...
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