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The O’JAY’S LAST WORLD TOUR comes to Tacoma

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It starts with two iconic voices that are as unmistakable as they are soaring polar opposites. Indeed, the gruff, powerful Eddie Levert and the proverbial silky smooth Walter Williams, Sr., both founding members of the celebrated R&B group The O’Jays, are so ingrained in the great American songbook that their body of work has become an indelible landmark in the pop culture consciousness.

We all know the anthems that for more than four decades have moved seamlessly from soul and pop to funk and disco: “Love Train,” “For The Love of Money,” “Livin’ for the Weekend,” “Family Reunion,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “I Love Music,” “Cry Together…”

The hits are endless; The O’Jays’ legacy, as documented by their profound influence on hip-hop to soul, is undeniable. With 10 gold and 9 platinum albums, omnipresent singles, and a string of sold-out tours, no one would blame The O’Jays for sitting back and enjoying the fruits of their remarkable 60-year career. But Eddie and Walter, along with group member Eric Nolan Grant, are different kinds of cats.

 Emerald Queen Casino I-5 in Tacoma

Venue: I-5 Showroom

Date: Friday, September 27th 2019

Event Time: 8:30 PM

Level Up !!! WA State Fair hosted R&B artist Ciara

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Ciara WA State Fair (9/13/19) Photos by : Julie Meier – NW FACTS MEDIA Group / Julie Girl Photography

 

 

The Washington State Fair hosted R&B artist Ciara to Level Up and party at the Columbia Bank Concert Series (Friday, Sept. 13)

Ciara is a Grammy Award-winning singer , songwriter, producer, model and actress. Over her 13-year career, she has sold more than 23 million records and 16 million singles worldwide, including chart-topping hits “Goodies,” “Ride,” “Oh,” “1, 2 Step,” “Body Party,” and “I Bet.” Most recently, Ciara has been scorching summer with her new song, “Level Up,” which has transformed into a defining moment for the culture with the subsequent movement it has incited.

Ciara WA State Fair (9/13/19) Photos by : Julie Meier – NW FACTS MEDIA Group / Julie Girl Photography

Leaving the Fair we asked , What Did You Think About Ciara ?

“Ciara has so much energy and stage performance, Love Goodies, My JAM”

” I didn’t Know Russell married Janet Jackson”  ” I Go CC, Keep Level Up ,Up,  Up”

All the shows have been amazing Boys 2 Men , Hall & Oates , Chris Tomlin and the kid that was dancing and singing , I’m going to google him (Tauren Wells). Then Uncle Charlie Wilson is coming This Saturday, September 21 and tickets are still available.

Ciara WA State Fair (9/13/19) Photos by : Julie Meier – NW FACTS MEDIA Group / Julie Girl Photography

Ciara launched her own record and entertainment company, Beauty Marks Entertainment (BME); the venture was launched for her to follow her own creative direction and release her music on her own terms, with the singer eventually hoping to sign additional artists.[12] BME’s first endeavor was the release of the singles “Level Up“, “Freak Me”, and “Dose” in 2018, while Ciara officially announced its formation on February 7, 2019 at the MAKERS Conference.

 

Ciara announced that her seventh studio album would be titled Beauty Marks after her label and that it would be released on May 10, 2019. The album was made available for pre-order the following day, along with its fifth single, “Thinkin’ Bout You”.[13] In speaking on the album’s development process, Ciara expressed that she now feels as she did at the start of her career, stating:

 

Ciara WA State Fair (9/13/19) Photos by : Julie Meier – NW FACTS MEDIA Group / Julie Girl Photography

Ciara revealed that she co-wrote the title track “Beauty Marks” with Skylar Grey.

“Level Up” was released via digital download and through streaming platforms on July 18, 2018 as the album’s lead single, alongside a high-octane music video. The single peaked at 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while its music video inspired the viral “level up dance challenge”. Ciara also challenged fans to share three ways that they hoped to “level up” in life in promotion of the single. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA. With the success of “Level Up”, Ciara released the album’s second single, “Freak Me”, featuring Nigerian rapper, Tekno, less than a month later on August 10, 2018.

“Dose” was released as the album’s third single on September 14, 2018, after premiering on ESPN. The song’s music video premiered on October 25, 2018 (Ciara’s 33rd birthday). The album’s fourth single, “Greatest Love“, was released alongside its music video on February 11, 2019, to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

“Thinkin Bout You” was released as the fifth single on March 29, 2019, along with the album’s pre-order. Its music video premiered that same day. Ciara released a music video for the album’s title track on May 11, 2019 and was scheduled to release one for the album’s third track, “Set”, on June 14, 2019.

Ciara is married to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. They began dating in early 2015 and announced their engagement on March 11, 2016.[118][119] They were married on July 6, 2016, at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England.[120] Together, they have one child, a daughter, born on April 28, 2017.[121]

Ciara also has a son, born on May 19, 2014, from her previous relationship with Future.[122] Ciara and Future were engaged in October 2013, but ended the engagement in August 2014.[123]

The First African American Woman to Receive an Emmy For “Outstanding Variety Special”

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RIKKI HUGHES, LONGTIME PRODUCER TO DAVE CHAPPELLE, 
CONTINUES TO DELIVER PROJECTS AND MAKE AUDIENCES LAUGH

EMMY and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Rikki Hughes continues to produce successful projects for film and television.  Her growing roster includes Dave Chappelle’s latest acclaimed and provocative comedy special, “Sticks & Stones.” As a veteran in Hollywood, Hughes and her company Magic Lemonade have been behind some of the most memorable television specials and series in entertainment including, BET Honors, Kat Williams: It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’, BET’s ABFF Honors and HBO’s All Def Comedy series.

Known as “the woman behind the laughs,” Hughes made history last year as the first African American female recipient of an EMMY for “Outstanding Variety Special” for her role as Producer of Chappelle’s Equanimity & The Bird Revelation specials, which she also won a GRAMMY for “Best Comedy Album.”

A trusted collaborator of the comedy icon, Hughes also produced his most recent Sticks & Stones, the hotly debated special that prompted enthusiastic praise from audiences (resulting in a 99% audience Rotten Tomatoes score) in the face of criticism from reviewers for material they found to be offensive. Sticks & Stones marked the 5th time working with Chappelle for Hughes, having also produced his previous specials The Age of Spin (GRAMMY Award-winning), Dave Chappelle: Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (GRAMMY and EMMY-Award winning), and Epilogue: The Punch Line.  Her accolades also include an NAACP Image Award nomination.

https://youtu.be/fmsxuITR0Gc
Having started out in the music business (and eventually running the international department for Priority Records), Hughes made her foray into television in 2001 producing awards shows such as The BET 25thAnniversary Special and The BET Comedy Awards. She transitioned into producing  stand-up series and comedy specials such as the TVOne series Who Got Jokes? starring Bill Bellamy and comedian Katt Williams’ breakout special, It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’. Starting in 2006 and for a decade, Hughes served as the Co-Executive Producer of TVOne’s nightly series Baisden After Dark and became the go-to producer for BET’s ABFF Honors and BET Honors and the BET fashion special Rip the Runway.

Hughes’ current television project is BET’s The Next Big Thing. The music competition series follows 12 contestants as they participate in an immersive artist development bootcamp, with the finalists getting the chance to audition in front of four major record labels and possibly sign a deal. The show’s star-studded judging panel is comprised of Dame Dash, Tina Davis and Zaytoven, with guest mentors including Tamar Braxton and Lil’ Kim.

Magic Lemonade is also working on a new sketch show with comedian and viral sensation Emmanuel J. Hudson, titled Mind of EP, coming soon.
“Sticks & Stones” Marks The 5th Chappelle Special for The Powerhouse Producer

Minecraft: The Exhibition World Premiere Coming to Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture

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MoPOP celebrates Minecraft’s 10th Anniversary by bringing its virtual 
landscape to life October 19, 2019
 The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is pleased to present
Minecraft: The Exhibition, opening to the public on October 19, 2019. Designed for players and non-players of all ages, the exhibition celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary by exploring how Minecraft has developed into a platform for unlimited creative expression, community-crafting, and inspiration to build a better world outside of the game.
Created in partnership with Mojang, Minecraft: The Exhibition is dynamic and immersive featuring life-size Minecraft creatures, scenic backdrops, a day-night lighting cycle, audio effects, and a gallery score. The exhibition will span over 6,000 square feet of the museum and is among the most ambitious exhibitions produced by MoPOP, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to experience the best-selling game of all time like never before.
“We are thrilled to co-create Minecraft: The Exhibition with Mojang and host the world premiere at MoPOP,” said Brooks Peck, Senior Curator of MoPOP, “Minecraft is not only a game that allows for unlimited creativity and exchange of ideas, it also promotes inclusiveness and equality, which are core to MoPOP’s mission.”  
Since 2009, Minecraft has not only become the best-selling game, it has also grown into a pop culture phenomenon by connecting millions of fans across the globe. “We wanted to bring Minecraft to life in the museum to explore it more deeply, celebrate its community, and share this important phenomenon with the world,” added Brooks Peck. 
“We’re so excited about this collaboration with MoPOP because it gives everyone a chance to see the world of Minecraft through a new lens. We can’t wait to see what the community thinks of Minecraft: The Exhibition,” said Lydia Winters, Chief Brand Officer at Mojang.
In the exhibition, visitors will feel as if they have stepped inside the blocky world of Minecraft, with scenes, patterns, colors, and textures being informed by actual in-game builds. The gallery will feature 15 life-size characters from the game, including the explosive Creeper and mysterious Enderman. Visitors will receive a hands-on experience at a real-life crafting table and face off against a groaning Minecraft Zombie. It also features game stations where players can try the game as well as explore some epic and elaborate creations from the community. Numerous exhibition films with interviews with the game’s creative team, builders, and community members show how Minecraft inspires creative exchanges, community creation, and social change.
Fans can purchase tickets to Minecraft: The Exhibition starting September 17, 2019 at MoPOP.org/Minecraft. The exhibition will remain on view until September 2020. 
KEY DATES:
  • Exhibition Tickets On-sale: September 17, 2019
  • Exhibition Press Preview: October 16, 2019
  • MoPOP Member Exclusive Preview: October 18, 2019 
  • Exhibition Opening Weekend Celebration (open to the public): October 19, 2019 
For more information, visit MoPOP.org/Minecraft
PHOTOS/VIDEO
For available artwork please visit the Press Room here.
# # #
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle with a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community events, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit www.MoPOP.org
ABOUT MOJANG
Mojang is a game development studio based in Sweden, best known for developing Minecraft. In 2014, Mojang joined Xbox Game Studios to continue work on Minecraft and bring their vision, creative energy and innovative mindset to the development of future games.
ABOUT MINECRAFT
With over 91 million unique Minecraft players engaged across all platforms and over 176 million copies sold worldwide, Minecraft is the best-selling video game in history. The Minecraft franchise continues to reach new players through an expanding line of consumer products, game updates, Minecraft Marketplace and the amazing content created by its vibrant and growing community. Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures, and we’re excited to see its world expand with new games like “Minecraft Dungeons” and “Minecraft Earth,” Minecraft: Education Edition is a special version of the game designed for schools and educational settings, supporting 21st Century learning across subjects from coding to chemistry

MoPOP celebrates Minecraft’s 10th Anniversary by bringing its virtual 
landscape to life October 19, 2019
Seattle, WA (September 12, 2019) – The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is pleased to present
Minecraft: The Exhibition, opening to the public on October 19, 2019. Designed for players and non-players of all ages, the exhibition celebrates the game’s 10th anniversary by exploring how Minecraft has developed into a platform for unlimited creative expression, community-crafting, and inspiration to build a better world outside of the game.
Created in partnership with Mojang, Minecraft: The Exhibition is dynamic and immersive featuring life-size Minecraft creatures, scenic backdrops, a day-night lighting cycle, audio effects, and a gallery score. The exhibition will span over 6,000 square feet of the museum and is among the most ambitious exhibitions produced by MoPOP, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to experience the best-selling game of all time like never before.
“We are thrilled to co-create Minecraft: The Exhibition with Mojang and host the world premiere at MoPOP,” said Brooks Peck, Senior Curator of MoPOP, “Minecraft is not only a game that allows for unlimited creativity and exchange of ideas, it also promotes inclusiveness and equality, which are core to MoPOP’s mission.”  
Since 2009, Minecraft has not only become the best-selling game, it has also grown into a pop culture phenomenon by connecting millions of fans across the globe. “We wanted to bring Minecraft to life in the museum to explore it more deeply, celebrate its community, and share this important phenomenon with the world,” added Brooks Peck. 
“We’re so excited about this collaboration with MoPOP because it gives everyone a chance to see the world of Minecraft through a new lens. We can’t wait to see what the community thinks of Minecraft: The Exhibition,” said Lydia Winters, Chief Brand Officer at Mojang.
In the exhibition, visitors will feel as if they have stepped inside the blocky world of Minecraft, with scenes, patterns, colors, and textures being informed by actual in-game builds. The gallery will feature 15 life-size characters from the game, including the explosive Creeper and mysterious Enderman. Visitors will receive a hands-on experience at a real-life crafting table and face off against a groaning Minecraft Zombie. It also features game stations where players can try the game as well as explore some epic and elaborate creations from the community. Numerous exhibition films with interviews with the game’s creative team, builders, and community members show how Minecraft inspires creative exchanges, community creation, and social change.
Fans can purchase tickets to Minecraft: The Exhibition starting September 17, 2019 at MoPOP.org/Minecraft. The exhibition will remain on view until September 2020. 
KEY DATES:
  • Exhibition Tickets On-sale: September 17, 2019
  • Exhibition Press Preview: October 16, 2019
  • MoPOP Member Exclusive Preview: October 18, 2019 
  • Exhibition Opening Weekend Celebration (open to the public): October 19, 2019 
For more information, visit MoPOP.org/Minecraft
PHOTOS/VIDEO
For available artwork please visit the Press Room here.
# # #
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle with a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, community events, and educational programs, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit www.MoPOP.org
ABOUT MOJANG
Mojang is a game development studio based in Sweden, best known for developing Minecraft. In 2014, Mojang joined Xbox Game Studios to continue work on Minecraft and bring their vision, creative energy and innovative mindset to the development of future games.
ABOUT MINECRAFT
With over 91 million unique Minecraft players engaged across all platforms and over 176 million copies sold worldwide, Minecraft is the best-selling video game in history. The Minecraft franchise continues to reach new players through an expanding line of consumer products, game updates, Minecraft Marketplace and the amazing content created by its vibrant and growing community. Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures, and we’re excited to see its world expand with new games like “Minecraft Dungeons” and “Minecraft Earth,” Minecraft: Education Edition is a special version of the game designed for schools and educational settings, supporting 21st Century learning across subjects from coding to chemistry

A simple, universal way to say I love you and connect with others

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Pamela Morey’s debut publication shows why ‘Pssst…Means I Love You’

Pamela Morey marks her debut in the world of children’s fiction with the release of “Pssst…Means I Love You” (published by Balboa Press), a tale showing how anyone can share their love and connect with others on sweet and simple levels.

 

Through the daily adventures of an extended family, the book teaches a way for people to say “I love you” without having to know different languages — using only the sound “Pssst…..” to convey love and connect with each other. Complemented with illustrations, the book invites readers to create fun family traditions that can be shared through the generations to come.

 

“With news today being centered around unfortunate violence and a disconnect between cultures, this simple book demonstrates ways we can all be more loving and caring towards each other and our planet as well,” Morey explains. “Saying I love you and caring for others is simple and can be fun.”

 

At its core, “Pssst…Means I Love You” proves how there is no language barrier to love and kindness.

 

“Pssst…Means I Love You”

By Pamela Morey

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 24 pages | ISBN 9781982228736

E-Book | 24 pages | ISBN 9781982228743

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

Pamela Morey now resides in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. She is the mother of three and grandmother to one, and enjoys a sweet and simple life amid the rivers and trees portrayed in her first book, “Pssst…Means I Love You.”

 

OneBeat Announces 2019 Tour Featuring Twenty-Five Pioneering Musicians from Seventeen Countries “A United Nations of Music… world music in its truest sense.”

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OneBeat Announces 2019 Tour
Featuring Twenty-Five Pioneering Musicians from Seventeen Countries 

“A United Nations of Music… world music in its truest sense.”

OneBeat, a cultural exchange initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs produced by Bang on a Can’s Found Sound Nation, is among the world’s leading music diplomacy programs.  From September 16 – October 12, 2019, twenty-five innovative and socially engaged musicians from seventeen countries, ranging from Algeria to Cuba to Madagascar to the United States, will participate in an intense month of musical collaboration, public performances, installations, pop-up events and workshops. 

Today, OneBeat announces its 2019 ten-day tour throughout the Southeast U.S.: 

Sept. 21 at 7:30pm – Timucua White House – Orlando, FL
Sept. 28 at 7:30pm – Atlantic Center For The Arts – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Sept. 30 at 8pm – Heartwood Soundstage – Gainesville, FL
Oct. 2 at 8pm – ArtsXChange – East Point, GA
Oct. 3 at 8pm – Grocery on Home – Atlanta, GA
Oct. 4 at 6pm – The High Museum – Atlanta, GA
Oct. 5 at 12pm – Community Day at ArtsXChange – East Point, GA
Oct. 7 at 7pm – Fourth Presbyterian Church in partnership with Big Ears – Knoxville, TN
Oct. 9 at 7:30pm – The Bijou in partnership with Big Ears – Knoxville, TN

In each location, the OneBeat Fellows will present world premieres of their collaborative works-in-progress in a series of performances, workshops, and interactive public events. Complete tour information: www.1beat.org/#events 

“It makes so much sense, to use music as a strategy to generate peace and cooperation.  Found Sound Nation, our former Fellows and now our esteemed colleagues, have built through OneBeat a global community of young visionaries, based on a common belief – that music can open hearts, bridge differences and collaboratively create a better world.  We’re so fortunate that the U.S. Department of State supports these noble goals,” says Pulitzer Prize winning composer and co-founder of Bang on a Can David Lang.

This year’s eclectic musicians include: Rodney Barreto, one of Cuba’s leading jazz drummers and member of the Chucho Valdes Quintet; Nepalese multi-instrumentalist and film music composer Jason Kunwar; pioneering modular Chinese synth designer and sound-artist Meng Qi; Baltimore-based producer, educator and award-winning entrepreneur Kariz Marcel; and virtuosic young Mongolian Yatga player Oyuntuya Enkhbat. To read about all the OneBeat fellows, visit www.1beat.org/people

The OneBeat tour brings Fellows’ musical collaborations, developed during their two-week residency at the Atlantic Center For The Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL, to a diverse set of communities across this region of America, connecting with leading community-based organizations, local artists, audiences, and young people to build an even stronger network of musical changemakers and socially-engaged musicians.

Each performance or event will tell a unique story of OneBeat from individual and collaborative perspectives, in venues ranging from DIY theaters to public parks to art museums. Educational and collaborative workshops with local partners are integral to the OneBeat theme of exploring how artists can find innovative ways of locating their art within emerging movements for the betterment of humanity. These collaborations with local social organizations, youth, and artists serve as a launching pad into new ways of thinking about how we experience music.

More information about OneBeat’s local partners in each tour city:

Gainesville, FL (Sept 30): In Gainesville, OneBeat partners with PULP Arts, an artist collective and creative arts hub centered around two world-class recording studios and visual art production facilities. PULP supports working artists through opportunities for cross-discipline collaboration, state of the art resources, and meaningful community engagement. OneBeat will make a site visit to their brand new interdisciplinary artist studio + recording facilities, and present a OneBeat performance at the Heartwood Soundstage.

Atlanta, GA (Oct 1 – 6): Atlanta, GA (Oct 1 – 6): OneBeat will spend one week in Atlanta in residence at the ArtsXchange Community Cultural Center. ArtsXchange is a nonprofit, multicultural, multidisciplinary, multi-ethnic, intergenerational arts organization. ArtsXchange was founded in 1984 by poet, essayist, playwright, and longtime teaching artist Alice Lovelace and late poet and activist Ebon Dooley, with the belief that art is an integral component of culture and has the ability to articulate societal issues. Together they shaped ArtsXchange into a grassroots institution that has supported generations of artists, while making art accessible to marginalized communities. Having recently moved to a new location in East Point, Atlanta, ArtsXchange offers community enrichment events across all artistic disciplines that link arts and artists with the community-at-large. While in residence, OneBeat Fellows will host a community-invited Jam Session night, lead workshops with award-winning youth development organization Moving In The Spirit and the tuition-free school for refugee girls Global Village Project, as well as open workshops with the ArtsXchange community.  The residency will culminate with a celebratory community day of public, interactive events and performances.

While in Atlanta, OneBeat Fellows will also perform at the DIY venue Grocery on Home, and at the prestigious High Museum of Art for their First Fridays series, which will feature several intimate performances in the galleries and a collaborative performance with Moving In The Spirit created during the ArtsXchange residency.

Knoxville, TN (Oct 7 – 9): During OneBeat’s final tour stop in Knoxville, TN, OneBeat artists will be hosted by the Big Ears Festival. Founded in 2009, Big Ears explores connections between musicians and artists, effortlessly crossing the boundaries of musical genres and artistic disciplines. Big Ears is a weekend festival of world-class musical performances that celebrates Knoxville’s historic theaters, nightclubs, churches, museums, and outdoor spaces with concerts, discussions, interactive workshops, installations, film screenings, surprise collaborations and unexpected artistic collisions. The festival celebrates the never-ending adventure of artistic creation and exploration, and has been called “the most open-minded music gathering in the country” by New Yorker writer Alex Ross. While in Knoxville, OneBeat will present a panel discussion on global arts communities in collaboration with the multigenerational theatre ensemble Carpetbag Theatre, host workshops with The Joy of Music School and The Change Center, and present a final blowout performance at Knoxville’s historic downtown Bijou Theater.

OneBeat alumni form a global network of over 200 musicians, who have created diverse projects addressing major issues facing their communities, including women’s empowerment, youth engagement, entrepreneurism and conflict resolution.  OneBeat alumni have become TED Fellows, created Sunu Kaddu, a Senegal-based hip-hop education program, established Maskeliade Music School, a training center for aspiring electronic music makers in Moscow, formed the chart-topping pan-Latin band LADAMA, and designed the innovative sonic exchange project, Hear Be Dragons.  Alumni projects have reached over 400,000 audience members and over 20,000 youth participants in every region of the world.

Additional information can be found at www.1beat.org.

ABOUT FSN
Found Sound Nation (FSN) is a collective of artists who use music-making to connect people across cultural divides. FSN believes that collaborative music creation is a deeply effective way to become aware of the beauty, trauma, and hidden potential in communities. Their process gives voice to the underrepresented, unlocks the creative potential of youth, and supports movements for social justice. Founded by Christopher Marianetti and Jeremy Thal in 2010, Found Sound Nation began its work as part of the groundbreaking new music organization Bang on a Can, created in 1987 by composers Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe. In 2015 Found Sound Nation incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and continues to partner with Bang on a Can on various projects.

ABOUT BANG ON A CAN
Since its first Marathon concert in 1987, Bang on a Can has been creating an international community dedicated to innovative music, wherever it is found.  With adventurous programs, it commissions, performs, presents, and records new works, develops new audiences, and educates the musicians of the future.  Bang on a Can is building a world in which powerful new musical ideas flow freely across all genres and borders.

ABOUT ECA
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) mission is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange that assist in the development of peaceful relations.

ABOUT ONEBEAT
OneBeat convenes musical leaders from the U.S. and every region of the world to develop collaborative music initiatives that build resilient civil societies and contribute to cross-cultural dialogue.  Over the years,OneBeat has grown into a global community of musicians who link their artistic processes with the betterment of their communities.  OneBeat has expanded to include OneBeat Abroad, a program in collaboration with U.S. embassies and based in countries with strong OneBeat alumni networks.

 

SUPER FUNNY Special Events

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There are special events and the there are SUPER FUNNY Special Events… this is THAT! Where are all my Virgos at?! Its time to represent! Let us help you celebrate your birthday right!. Invite ya friends and family and lets make it a night to remember. Hell, pull up even if its not your birthday and lets turn uplike it is!

Our headliner is T MURPH, from Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City Chicago, Comedy Central’s Next Level half hour specials, and a Super Funny Favorite!

I’m pumped to have my guy T. Murph in the Tac! So be sure not to miss out on these bonafide good times!

Tickets have already been on sale prior to this email going out, both online and from Team Nate members so act quickly.

This is one you don’t wanna miss. Great national talent comedians ROCKIN out in Tacoma, WA and celebrating all Virgos! If you have any questions or need more info, please visit http://www.superfunnycomedyshow.com

– Nate Jackson

 

Saints & Sinners Wraps Most-Watched Season Ever, Seen by 7.1 Million Viewers

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It’s rare for a television series to increase viewership season over season. Bounce’s original drama Saints & Sinners has done exactly that – for the fourth consecutive time.

The show’s just-concluded fourth season reached 7.1 million viewers and increased audience versus season three by +11% among Households and +13% in the delivery of Persons 2+. It was also up by +16% in P18-49 and +5% in P25-54.

Saints & Sinners was the #1 most-watched program in P18-49 and P2+ and second among HHs and P25-54 among all ad-supported cable in the delivery of African-Americans, Bounce’s target-audience, Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m.

In general market viewership, the show ranked 11th in P18-49, 12th in P25-54 and 16th in both HHs and P2+ among all commercial cable networks.

Saints & Sinners is the most-watched program in Bounce history. Viewers can catch up on Saints & Sinners anytime on Brown Sugar, Bounce’s subscription video-on-demand service. Brown Sugar is available on Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Comcast Xfinity X1, Amazon Prime Channels, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Kindle, Android and Apple smartphones and tablets and web browsers via BrownSugar.com. 

This season of Saints & Sinners saw Mayor Ella Johnson (Vanessa Bell Calloway) setting her sights beyond Cypress, Georgia and using her power and influence to position herself for a state senate seat. When her mother’s (Donna Biscoe) deep buried secrets surface, they threatened the very foundation of Ella’s world as she struggled to keep her enemies at bay and her children safe. Saints & Sinners also stars Clifton Powell, Tray Chaney, Keith Robinson, Demetria McKinney, J.D. Williams, Jasmine Burke, Dawn Halfkenny and Karon Joseph Riley.

Saints & Sinners is produced in partnership with Swirl Film’s Eric Tomosunas & Ron Robinson (Behind the Movement: The Rosa Parks Story, Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story, Tales, Pride & Prejudice.)                   

Bounce (@bouncetv) is the first and only multi-platform entertainment network targeting African Americans, with programming seen over-the-air, on cable, on DISH channel 359, over-the-air, over-the-top on Roku®, on mobile devices via the Bounce and Brown Sugar apps and on the web via BounceTV.com. Bounce features a programming mix of original series and movies, off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and events and more. Bounce is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).

Annual Othello International Festival Brings the World to Rainier Valley

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Annual Othello International Festival Brings the World to Rainier Valley

Acclaimed as one of the most authentic multicultural festivals in Seattle, the annual Othello International Festival will convene again this year on Sunday, August 11 from noon to 6:00PM.

Known to be one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the nation, the Rainier Valley is home to speakers of over 59 different languages from China to Somalia, from the Philippines to Samoa and across the world. The Othello International Festival brings these communities together to share their music, dance, and artistic traditions under a high canopy of trees in the pastoral setting of Othello Park. Booths feature local businesses, community organizations, and multi-cultural food vendors surrounding the Park’s beautiful meadow where a dance floor invites attendees to join in the fun and learn from one another.

The Park is located just one short block from the Othello light rail station. Besides filling the Park, the festivities will spill across Othello Street onto the Holly Park Community Church grounds where the Seattle Police Department will be holding its annual picnic.

Over recent years, Othello has come to be identified by this unique event with its colorful array of traditional costumes, dance, music, gymnastics, martial arts, giant puppets, petting zoo with camel, big bouncy houses, ethnic food trucks, art creation stations where participants can create their own art works to take home. “Othello without its Othello International Festival would be like Munich without its October Fest,” said Dick Burkhart, a long time Othello neighborhood activist. “There are lots of fun things happening in our Park these days, but this International Festival is an annual signature event that brings the whole community together.”

A visitor from London once said of the Othello International Festival, “I came here, and I saw the world.” Truly this event is a tiny microcosm of what should be happening on the entire planet. It is a coming together of people from many nationalities to be together as one community sharing their art, music, dance, and cultural pride.