I have not attended many cabarets; however, my recollection saw most attendees bring food and drinks, silverware, cups, plates and tablecloths. I’ve seen individuals set up for sale to others, of what they brought to the cabaret. 

I have never attended a white cabaret, except for the movie Moulin Rouge, starring Nicole Kidman (2001). 

Why is it called a cabaret anyway? Originally titled La Cabaret, The Club, to distinguish itself from The Tavern. Some people wanted to upgrade their surroundings while having a “drink” and not be uninterrupted by the overly indulged i.e (drunks). 

The separation became more acute when club owners added music. From the piano, the concept morphed to live bands, comic acts, and new fashion outfits. In the black community, it was reliving Harlem of the 1920’s. 

Josephine Baker, an African American from St. Louis, Missouri, won the award (in the public’s mind in the 1920’ s) before Nicole Kidman, with moves to the Cancan musical genre, very few could successfully imitate. The French male population had mental seizures watching her perform. 

Two weeks ago, I attended a cabaret in downtown Baltimore MD. M.A.P. : Maryland Art Place. It was entitled A 14 KARAT CABARET: 

In the original sense, it was something tedious, boring, ..like sitting through a rehearsal with participants who kept forgetting their lines and falling out of character; for some, sitting on a stoop waiting for something, anything to happen to break the monotony. 

For others its going downtown in a fancy car, dressed up riding along the main street, the main “drag”, watching the world lose its mind going in and out of stores, eating ice cream, playing loud music; street vendors hacking their wares! 

“Brother can you spare a dime” got replaced with a “drag” on that “cig” (cigarette). That drag was a “hit”, to settle the nerves that called for that nicotine infusion. Today it’s a drag on a “blunt”. In the 1960’s, high schoolers of the PEYTON PLACE era, described their female dates, as “drags” for the night. 

Then there is the dress-up person, usually a male, who has become so enamored with a female celebrity, he impersonates her in the way she walks, talks, dresses, and apply make-up. He then is said to be in “drag.” 

The person being impersonated must have a measure of dominion over her followers, she then is attributed the title QUEEN, thus the morphed phrase, DRAG QUEEN. 

Black men have made drag queening very famous, where they have become more celebrated than the ones they are imitating, the most famous drag queen in the world being Rhu Paul. 

As one who covers culture in and around Baltimore Maryland, I heard there is a thriving community of Drag Queens in Baltimore, and their post pandemic party was being staged at the world’s oldest theatre, THE ARENA PLAYERS, playhouse. 

This is what I saw: 

If I were to mention names like van Gogh, Geogia Okeefe or Dean Mitchell; for those familiar, the light bulb flashes will blow up in their minds, for I am talking about famous watercolor painters. 

The 20^th century witnessed the advent of acrylic painters. Acrylic allows for more versatility; the artist /painter, can use this on multiple surfaces, paper, wood, canvas, glass, metal, plastic

The watercolor artist is “more or less” limited to a white surface; however, the next day, that landscape or portrait can be changed with relative ease, unlike the acrylic painter.

Hence the watercolor artist/painter, spends enormously more time at the craft than the acrylic artist; removing that upturned lip in the portrait; catching that subtle shade, the moment the cloud passed over the mountain top, the froth at the top of the wave in the Atlantic Ocean. Sultry enchantment.

Through December 4^th, 2021, the Baltimore Watercolor Society enjoined with several acrylic artists to display their new works, at the McBride Gallery, on Main Street, in Annapolis MD. I made an appearance. 

WHEN ONE TALKS ABOUT THE “SOUL” OF A MAN; MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT REFERS TO THE CONSCIENCE of the BEING; THE MOTIVATION.

THEN THERE IS THE RELIGIOUS INTERPRETATION OF “SOUL”. Some BELIEVE THE SOUL DIES, while others, that the soul is immortal! 

Outside of philosophy and in particular religion, “SOUL” is often spoken of in the context of ART. 

This is more apparent, because whether it be music, poetry, still or performing art, it is how that individual or the collective see life or have experienced it. 

In this edition you are looking with me at two women, who have decided to place their language of “SOUL” on public display. 

First, MEGAN LEWIS. She wanted to share her “joys, frustrations and prideful moments of Black women”. For that, her “language of soul” became her emotional expose: the thickness of black women: lips, noses, eyes, and the unabashedness with which black women embrace color. Too dark for Yellow or Fuchsia! Not anymore! 

Next is Mayble LEE, A JAZZ DANCER AND SINGER, born in Atlanta Georgia. And what is she to Baltimore, MD.? 

For this, welcome the voice of DEREK PRICE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EUBIE BLAKE CULTURAL CENTER: 

These two exhibitions are currently at the EUBIE BLAKE CENTER, on HOWARD STREET, in Baltimore MD. 

It is hard to believe that a man coming from a rich background, who later studied law, gave it all up for the “love of art”. 

As can be imagined, he felt the askance look of his parents, who probably said in local parlance, “what the heck?!” 

Without their blessing he went back to Paris to study art. The magic did not envelop until he was introduced to the works of the now famous Van Gogh, who loved portraits. This became MATISSE’s raison d’tre. He later, had a child with one of his models, got married to an aristocrat, with whom he had several children. 

This fascination with the female body form apparently made him popular with women, among whom were the socialite CONE sisters of Baltimore Md., CLARIBEL and ETTA. As MATISSE rose in popularity, he became more than an artist to the CONES, they were friends, so much so that he was invited to Baltimore by the sisters, and it is believed, he generated the attention to that of a rock star visiting the Meyerhoff Concert Hall. 

MATISSE is again in Baltimore, starting this month (October 2021) at the BMA.

MATISSEE DIED AT 85, in 1954, at the height of the Jazz era. He was impressed. 

Wines for the summer of 2021 have been rated and chosen, “Clos de la Roiulette fleurie” is overall best. For twenty-five dollars, the experts rave about the notes of strawberries and cranberries, and smokey earth. 

In Maryland, Big Cork Vineyards (Washington County) took home the trophy at the Governer’s Cup in 2019. Their Chardonnay is under twenty-seven dollars. 

I have not been invited to any summer parties with homemade wines, or have I had some without being told? 

Usually, such wines are served at home get-togethers, or outdoor events. 

I attended a summer event that tasted like the last of the summer wine. Musical apothecaries, who have toiled at their craft, got together, and invited the neighborhood to a taste. 

THE COLD SPRING JAZZ QUARTET:

It is not an unfamiliar phrase, and is often followed by, “how great though art”! A melodiousness with pleasant tones, that can transform your being to a higher state of consciousness. 

This psychological transformation is not often experienced by all mankind, and knowing this, it has been manufactured and sold like chicken nuggets to the emotionals. 

Western civilization looks at this experience quite differently to those in the East. Many of us are familiar with the male resonant bellow, “God is Great!”, often heard on the battlefield, just before many of the echoers die, for what they believe will come glorious rewards. 

The truth is, God is really good, if you live by the Biblical words of Psalm 34:8, and John 3:16. “HE” has endowed mankind with gifts, that produce wonderment: spaceships, vaccines (Luke was a physician), and musical geniuses, great and small. 

The IAN TRUSHEIM GROUP did that towards the end of August 2021. This group created and performed their version of GOD IS GOOD at An Die Muzik, in Baltimore MD. 

I first talked with Ian about his bass playing artistry: 

AFTER A YEAR OF UNCERTAINTY, IT SEEMED LIKE A LONG WINTER. THE HUMAN POPULATION WANTED OUT. 

The pandemic had forced survivors to cherish life, to recalculate what is more important, the deficit, or each other.

To that end, the WESTMINISTER CHURCH, in Southwest Washington D.C. resumed its ministry, by hosting its Friday night Jazz Concerts. 

The turnout was welcoming: 

We were all coming out of the pandemic, that paralyzed our happy spirits last year. There is a new sheriff in town, named Biden, and he promised to behave like Moses of Bible history, take his people out of the Egyptian paralysis, into the new promised land. TRUMP, (the Pharoah) was pacing and fuming profusely at his Miami bunker. The escapees were about to spread joy!  

COLUMBIA MARYLAND at the LAKEFRONT, was the place to be, JULY 4^TH, 2021: 

“The old certainties are crumbling fast” (Rebecca Solnit); what will emerge? The world we live in is altering: climate change, consciousness of income inequality, and the overwhelming emblazonment of BLACK LIVES MATTER. 

The Visual Arts field has made its feeling known; SPARK IV, was launched in Baltimore, MD. April 2021 

The exhibition featured the now generation from UMBC and TOWSON UNIVERSITY. Take a look.