In addition to his penetrating words, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s commitment to nonviolence was an essential part of his strength and grace. He said: “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a… read more

MUSIC PRODUCER/TV HOST/RECORD LABEL OWNER When I lived in New York, I would often visit Putumayo’s Upper West Side store. It was like going on vacation to India, Peru, Brazil and other far-away lands because the store was laden with everything from tunics to change… read more

MUSICIANS You have to love an artist who says she’s finds a creative space and inspiration when she’s doing dishes. I totally get it! You see, doing dishes makes you feel successful because you can start and finish the task in relatively short order… read more

MUSICIANS My friend told me I’d like the LA-based band Great Northern and I never ignore a music recommendation. You know how some songs feel like they’d be a soundtrack for a part of your day? Well Great Northern’s music is a soundtrack for… read more

HIP HOP ARTIST Does the following statement describe you: “Values resilience, loyalty, and creative expression in everyday life.” It’s a great statement, but it wasn’t offered up as a description for parents. Those words are how Dessa describes a basic tenet of the hip hop… read more

Grammy-winning music group Though they have won 3 Grammys for their Gospel music, it’s not accurate to call Sounds of Blackness a gospel group.  What Sounds of Blackness does is sing music that represents – as their website states – “sounds of blackness: Jazz, Blues, Rock… read more

Musician Ellis won! She was awarded the Best Female Singer Songwriter Album of 2009 by one of the world’s largest independent music awards, presented by Just Plain Folks. When you hear her music you’ll get why they picked her. In our conversation, she talks about… read more

artist/composer/architect What do Mikhail Baryshnikov, the 34th St N-R Subway stop in New York and Jack Johnson have in common? An encounter with Christopher Janney’s amazing art! The multi-gifted Janney has composed music from Baryshnikov’s own heartbeat to which the celebrated dancer performed; he created… read more