kaylene peoples – Page 2

December 8, 2022September 28, 2023

Editor at Large Bunny Brunel Features the Legendary Ron Carter on the Cover of VIRTUOSO BASS, Issue 2.

Inside this long-awaited second issue includes the following: “Bunny Brunel Moments” and his time with the late Chick Corea; interviews with Ron Carter, Buster Williams, Forbassplayersonly.com founder Jon Liebman and his new book FUNK/JAZZ/BASS, and Roger Linn of LinnStrument; a spotlight on Tal Wilkenfeld and a retrospective on Chick Corea that includes Corea’s last interviews; CD reviews with Bakithi Kumalo, Buster Williams, and reviews of “Unconventional Releases” by Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Ron Carter (including Carter’s documentary FINDING THE RIGHT NOTES)!

By Sean McKenzie

Since the official launch of Virtuoso Bass back in the fall of 2020, a lot has happened. The pandemic held up plenty of editorial calendars and the legendary Bunny Brunel waited for just the right time to put out the second issue of the much-anticipated lifestyle magazine for iconic jazz bassists. Virtuoso Bass seized the moment to retain Ty-Ron Mayes (America’s Next Top Model, Daymond John, Agenda) and NY photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth (Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Legend) to create the fashion/lifestyle editorial of Ron Carter titled, “Ode to the Upright.”

“A lot has happened since the launch of the first issue back in 2020. I was all geared up to feature some amazing bass talent. Sadly, when covid came, it destroyed a lot of people’s plans and Virtuoso Bass was not immune. But we’re glad to be back with a brand new issue, featuring phenomenal bass players. Being a bassist is not just about supporting the band, even though that is definitely the main purpose, but there is a level a player reaches when suddenly people sit up and take notice. My vision is still to put a spotlight on bass players who’ve made a real impact, are at the top of their game, and even created their own sound and style. Ron Carter is one of those bassists. Buster Williams, another great bassist who plays the upright is such a great musician and another player with an impressive number of performances. And we will always include women bass players just like in our first issue when we profiled female bassist Carol Kaye. This issue we chose another talented woman, Australian-born bassist Tal Wilkenfeld.” —Bunny Brunel

Ron Carter is highly featured throughout the issue with his recent release of the PBS documentary, Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes. The timing couldn’t have been better. Virtuoso Bass was able to feature a review.

“The most recorded bassist in history tells his story in this intensely moving documentary. This detailed biography gives us an insight into the life of the revered jazz icon.”—Virtuoso Bass

Carter is also included in the reviews of unconventional album releases: Ray Brown Jazz Cello; Ron Carter Dear Miles; and Paul Chambers Bass On Top.

“Working with Bunny Brunel to help him realize his vision for Virtuoso Bass is not only exciting, but it’s a real education. To be able to co-curate such a beautiful periodical and learn about jazz bass on such a deep level is compelling. I met Ron Carter after seeing him perform at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles back in 2015. Virtuoso Bass has given me the opportunity to experience this legend again. After exploring Carter’s music, watching his documentary, and poring over the images to make the final selection for his lifestyle editorial, I am unbelievably honored to be a part of this incredible history in the making! —Kaylene Peoples, Executive Editor

“What an honor it was to add a little extra sparkle to double bassist Ron Carter’s star. The maestro of jazz has got swag all day long and I wanted to show that he is still ‘mad fly.’ The moment I saw that woven, wool military-style suit with black iridescent flecks intricately peppered through the ensemble by Cillian Atelier, paired with that classic beret, I knew our cover would not only capture the look of the moment, but would also successfully define the tone of Virtuoso Bass, exemplifying the strength of this multi-Grammy Award-winning musical soldier. Carter’s editorial also highlights his “ageless” spirit that has experienced a life that still has so much to offer.” –Ty-Ron Mayes

Included in this issue is Bakithi Kumalo’s review of his CD “What You Hear Is What You See” and Buster Williams’s (& Something More) review of “Audacity. Journalist Sheryl Aronson interviews the revered bassist, Buster Williams, who has performed with a range of musicians including Thelonious Monk, Sonny Stitt, and Sarah Vaughan.

“You create something that is unconstrained; it doesn’t come from talking about this is what we’re going to create. You just start playing, you’re enjoying each other. Another thing is repertoire doesn’t necessarily change so drastically. You’re playing the same tunes, night after night, and because of your creative being, you strive to do something different. And you’re developing, you’re growing. So, the music develops and grows. What happened with Herbie [Hancock] The Sextet, is we were willing to let the music grow to the point where the music was the defining determinant of our actions. Rather than going on the bandstand and saying, ‘okay, this is what we’re going to play tonight.’ No, the music told us what we were going to play, and how it’s going to happen. This can’t happen without trust. And trust like that can’t really happen unless you’ve built a body that the collective reality of each one of you surrenders to. This collective body is what is determining things. This collective body belongs to the music. It wasn’t about any one of us, it was about the trust that we had.” –Buster Williams, Virtuoso Bass

Jon Liebman is the founder of the popular website Forbassplayersonly.com and has interviewed 800 bass players including Sting, Paul McCartney, etc. After publishing nine very successful instructional books for bass players, he recently put out Funk/Jazz/Bass endorsed by Bunny Brunel, Alain Caron, Carlitos Del Puerto, Bakithi Kumalo, and Chuck Rainey with the Foreword by Nathan East. Funk/Jazz/Bass is Liebman’s first non-instructional book that “illustrates the numerous possibilities of playing funk/jazz bass by analyzing how the bass greats have done it.” In Liebman’s interview, he talks about his background as a bassist, and what inspired his website and his latest book. “Funk/Jazz/Bass is ‘a play in the style of’ book. And I tried to get a good cross-section of some of my bass heroes. [There is] Richard Bona, Bryan Bromberg, Meshell Ndegeocello, there are 30 altogether.” –Jon Liebman, Virtuoso Bass

“Remembering Chick Corea” is a retrospective on the legendary keyboardist’s life. Anybody who knows anything about Bunny Brunel, knows his career was launched as a result of his nine years playing with Corea. It was Bunny’s desire to pay tribute to the brilliant fusion pianist who changed his life. Inside issue 2, Virtuoso Bass delves deep, profiling the 23-time Grammy-winning pianist and featuring highlights from Corea’s most recent interviews, his important releases, and his wildly prolific career. And in “Bunny Brunel Moments,” Bunny talks candidly about his time with the keyboard giant whose music will always live on.

Virtuoso Bass investigates two fast-growing Facebook Groups, For Bassists and Jazz Rock Fusion. And if you ever wanted to know who invented the drum machine, interviewed this issue is Roger Linn who tells the backstory that leads up to his latest technology, the LinnStrument.

Virtuoso Bass features contributions from Bunny Brunel (Editor at Large), Kaylene Peoples (Executive Editor), Florentino Buenaventura (Tech Editor), Sean McKenzie (Managing Editor), Sheryl Aronson (Buster Williams Interview); Udo Spreitzenbarth (Cover & Editorial Photographer), Ty-Ron Mayes (Stylist for Cover & Editorial), and Quintell-Williams Carter (Fashion Assistant for Cover & Editorial)

Advertisers: LaBella Strings, SIR Studios, and The Gibson Bass Book

Published by KL Publishing Group, a Verum Company

About Virtuoso Bass:

Bunny Brunel is the Editor at Large of the premier lifestyle magazine for bass players. Launched in 2020, the very first issue featured Bunny Brunel on the cover, Kyle Eastwood (back cover), Eddie Gomez, Carol Kaye, Larry Dunn, Stanley Clarke, and AMPEG SVT. Bunny Brunel talks about his mission for the magazine. “I want to talk about great players, and some of these guys, nobody ever mentions. If the media is going to publicize bass players, they should focus their attention on those great players who are responsible for what followed after,”—Bunny Brunel.

To purchase the print version of Virtuoso Bass Issue 2, visit Amazon.com. To get the digital copy, visit virtusosbass.com. For an exclusive autographed copy of Virtuoso Bass magazine by Bunny Brunel, please visit bunnybrunel.com/bunnys-store

Release Written by Sean McKenzie for First Take PR

April 17, 2022September 28, 2023

SAXOPHONIST DAVE KOZ GRACES THE COVER OF THE INAUGURAL ISSUE OF SCHMOOZE JAZZ MAGAZINE

Dave-Koz-Schmooze-jazz-magazine-cover-web

Gerald Albright, Jeanette Harris, Lin Roundtree, Adelaide Pilar, Lori Jenaire are also featured; and Nick Colionne is remembered. Plus, concert/festival recaps and countless CD/single reviews are in the first print issue.

April 18, 2022, Los Angeles, CA

KL Publishing Group is excited to launch the first issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ magazine, featuring the cover and exclusive interview with Dave Koz (94.7 The Wave). The cover was part of a lifestyle photo shoot by photographer Ash Gupta (Ben Affleck, AGENDA Magazine). SCHMOOZE JAZZ interviews Billboard charting musicians Lin Roundtree, Gerald Albright, Jeanette Harris. Also inside the issue are Latin singer/trumpeter Adelaide Pilar and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/composer Lori Jenaire who is also an advocate for AARDA, an association dedicated to finding a cure for autoimmune diseases. Also featured is the late Nick Colionne – an intense biography of his life and a complete breakdown with reviews of Colionne’s entire catalogue of recorded music.

“As an artist, I’ve been around for a long time, making music, releasing music, and traveling for over 31 years. I feel in many ways, the foundational work of my career is already complete. The pandemic has opened my eyes to the world around me to music, and to the way our culture is now with regards to the discovery of many different things in the music world, which are right at our fingertips. Whether on social media, or someone telling you about something, we have so many more music makers out there making and releasing music than ever before.” –Dave Koz, SCHMOOZE JAZZ

This first issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ does an intense recap of festivals and concerts with performances by Norman Brown, Mindi Abair, Herbie Hancock, Peter White, Patrice Rushen, Bunny Brunel, Smokey Robinson, Eric Benet, Kenny Lattimore, Mariea Antoinette, and more.

94.7 The Wave’s Pat Prescott:
“I think the music has survived all the bumps in the road, and that it will continue to thrive. Festivals like these bring the artists and their artistry to an adoring fan base. It’s a grown folk’s party, and we’re in a stage in our lives where we’re still able to enjoy these festivals . . . and party! The music is alive and well!” –SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

SCHMOOZE JAZZ was created by jazz recording artist/magazine editor and journalist Kaylene Peoples of the luxury lifestyle magazine Agenda. And the look of SCHMOOZE JAZZ mirrors that high quality, featuring in-depth interviews, boundless CD/single reviews, biographies, concert reviews, great photography, and great stories.

“In this first issue alone, there are over 30 CD and single reviews with genres from smooth to straight-ahead, fusion, and even Latin jazz. We wanted to create a hub for standout musicians in the contemporary jazz world, but not keep it exclusively smooth jazz.”

–Kaylene Peoples, Executive Editor of SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

Featured CDs include HIGHER by Michael Bublé, FOREVER by Mindi Abair, SONGS FROM MY FATHER (featuring Chick Corea) by Gerry Gibbs, IVORY FLOW by Bobby Lyle, MIDNIGHT RENDEZOUS by David Benoit, MORE MUSIC by Joey De Francesco, and AT HIRAHARA by Stacy Kent. “Single Reviews for Your Playlist” include Carla Bley’s “Life Goes On,” Kim Scott’s “Shine,” Bunny Brunel CAB’s “Fusion Holidays,” Chris Standring’s “Change the World,” Olie Silk’s “Out to Lunch,” and many more.

A huge highlight is discovering the music of guitarist Nick Colionne who had five consecutive #1 hits on Billboard. The multi-award-winning musician/educator really left a legacy. His catalogue is extensively reviewed and includes his latest CD, FINGER PAINTING. Colionne’s biography details his life, successes, and influences, with one of the biggest influences being Wes Montgomery. And one can clearly hear it when he solos.

From an Interview Back in 2016:

“When my stepdad started teaching me to play, he taught me main stream straight ahead jazz. I was a young kid, and he mostly kept feeding me Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, then George Benson.” –Nick Colionne

Smooth Jazz Guitarist Nick Colionne

“Nick was really a joyous man, whether we were playing together (which we did frequently), or whether we were just hanging out or me interviewing him for my radio show. This man just brought a smile to my face – I think he did that for everybody.” –Dave Koz, SCHMOOZE JAZZ Magazine

Advertisers this issue: Oxnard Jazz Festival, Lompoc Music Festival, Rainbow Promotions, Woodward Avenue Records

To get the inaugural issue of SCHMOOZE JAZZ, visit: https://www.klpublishinggroup.com/2022/04/16/schmooze-jazz-magazine-inaugural-issue-1/

For Advertising information: https://www.schmoozejazz.com/advertise and to subscribe, visit https://www.schmoozejazz.com/subscribe

Featured Staff: Kaylene Peoples (Executive Editor/Journalist/Layout), Daphne King (Managing Editor); Sheryl Aronson (Editor/Journalist/Event Photographer); Florentino Buenaventura (Journalist/EnterTalk/Concerts Café); Sherman Alford (Sasa Photos) and Ash Gupta (Photographer/838 Media Group)

WRITTEN BY SEAN MCKENZIE, PUBLICIST

January 10, 2022September 28, 2023

Agenda Magazine Introduces Lita Cline as the Face of Their Paper Doll-Themed Issue, Styled by Ty-Ron Mayes and Photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth.

AGENDA’s Editor in Chief Kaylene Peoples teams up with celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes (Fashion Whisperer) and Photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth for this eye-popping New Years issue, featuring model Lita Cline, wearing the hats of Anat Fritz! Also featured are designers Victor (Vivi) Bellaish, Shai Shalom, Kobi Halperin; and the backstories of the paper dolls BrookLynn and the new collectible, Couture Paper Dolls by Glenna Gaffney.

January 10, 2022, Los Angeles, CA

Agenda, the multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine, does it again with another packed issue. Inside the 147 pages includes viscerally beautiful photography by Udo Spreitzenbarth in the Queen’s Gambit-themed fashion editorial titled “Queen of the Night,” styled by Agenda’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes. The unique beauty of Lita Cline is captured wonderfully as she models the crocheted hats from designer Anat Fritz. Fritz’s crocheted collection had long been in luxury boutiques and department stores throughout Europe well before the costume designer for Queen’s Gambit used her green hat to “. . . crown Anya Taylor-Joy’s head in that pivotal scene.”

Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Magazine's Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron-Mayes — AGENDA Magazine’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron-Mayes

Ty-Ron Mayes styled the shoot with designs & accessories from Calvin Klein, Rachel Zoe, Marc Jacobs, DKNY; and cosmetics by L’Oréal. Lita Cline’s eyes were made bigger than life with L’Oréal’s Infallible Eye Liner and Air Volume Mega Mascara. Ty-Ron Mayes also served as the editor on the shoot and did hair and makeup via Paper Faces, using Derma Blend Cosmetics.

Lita Cline - Queen of the Night in Agenda Magazine — Cover Model Lita Cline stars in “The Queen of the Night” editorial, photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth and styled by Ty-Ron Mayes

Agenda’s January 2022 Issue #17, titled Couture Paper Dolls features Designer/illustrator Renaldo Barnette (by Black Design Collective), the creator of BrookLynn Paper Doll and comic book.

As a young child, Renaldo read every fashion publication he could get his hands on, but as early as he can remember, his first love was comic books and comic strips. As he pored through Millie The Model, Patsy & Hedy, Katy Keene, Betty & Veronica; Brenda Starr, Mary Perkins, Friday Foster, and Winnie Winkle, he was amazed by the illustrations. He credits these comics for showing him how to draw fashion. And in the case of Millie The Model and Winnie Winkle, he discovered that fashion was a real business.

Renaldo Barnette of BrookLynn Paper Dolls is featured in Issue 17 of Agenda Magazine

“I always wanted to see a comic book about a Black fashion model. I remember seeing Millie the Model’s friend Jill in 1966. She was one of the first Black characters in the Marvel Universe. And she was a Black fashion model from England. When I saw model Gayle O’Neil [in the mid-late 80s], I thought she looked like a doll, thinking she could be like a comic book. I had been toying with that idea for decades, and ten years ago, I gave her the name ‘BrookLynn’.”

“I am a recent collector of paper dolls. When I first moved to New York I had one paper doll book and the other a paper doll set. I had two published through Western. One was a bridal paper doll set, like a box set, and the other one was called Rock Stars. Those were two freelance jobs that my friend, the late great Bob Rausch, got me when I was in between jobs back in the late 80s.

Barnette talks about his favorite concept for his first BrookLynn Paper Doll book:

“It’s the makeover concept of how this plain school girl can be made over, like the way Audrey Hepburn was made over in Funny Face or Sabrina. Or the way Bette Davis was made over in Now Voyager. I don’t care about the height or size, if you find clothes, a great hairdo, and nice makeup, it can turn an ordinary person into the best-looking person they can be. And I’ve always liked that. It’s not just about being pretty, it’s about looking better.” —Agenda, Renaldo Barnette – Designer, Illustrator, & Creator of the BrookLynn Paper Dolls and Comics @itsallaboutbrookLynn

Artist Glenna Gaffney has created a new style of paper doll that she calls “Couture Paper Dolls.” Her collection ranges from “Fly Mom,” her Mewsick line with Prince/ Michael Jackson Inspired to her latest collection spurred by the 2021 MET Gala. What’s different about these dolls? They are not the traditional paper doll. Housed in a shadowbox, these dolls are dressed in Swarovsky crystals, sequin, feathers with intense bejeweling and meticulous hand-crafting right down to the hair, which is deceptively made from paper bags. Gaffney crafts her dolls to be one of a kind, and they are definitely couture-like. Each doll comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and no two dolls are identical. Here she talks about one of her Couture Paper Dolls

Glenna Gaffney’s Couture Paper Dolls is featured in Issue 17 of Agenda Magazine

“Emerald Faye –Inspired by the girl who appreciates a long gown, dressing up elegantly and going to a social event. She strolls into her event with Swarovski crystal “blinging,” long hair flowing, making a gem of an entrance. The clothing is designed by Isaac Pineda. My desire is to work with different designers. I love collaborations, and Isaac Pineda is my first CPD collaboration. Isaac created the pattern and selected the fabric. I incorporated his vision with mine . . . and Emerald Faye was birthed from this process.” Agenda, Couture Paper Dolls by Glenna Gaffney – A Fashionable Collectible for the ‘Grown Up’ Little Girl! (couturepaperdolls.com)

Kaylene Peoples AGENDA Editor in Chief and Fashion Talk Journalist — Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Magazine Editor in Chief and Fashion Talk Journalist

In the column, Fashion Talk, Kaylene Peoples does a historical retrospective of the history of the paper doll . . .

“One of the first instances of a doll made of paper was a Jumping Jack or a Pantin, where it originated in France in the 1700s. These dolls wore the high fashion of that time with only one outfit. So no changing the clothes. Like puppets or marionettes, they were created originally to mock the rich. At the end of the 1700s, fashion companies in Europe, particularly Paris, saw a huge opportunity to advertise their fashion through paper dolls, which started the practice of changing these dolls’ outfits. During this period, there were major advancements in printing technology, making mass production of these “newer” paper dolls accessible to more people at an affordable cost.

Peoples continues…

I am a grown woman, but I guess I will always have inside me that little girl who loves to play with dolls. As a Barbie collector, I have a new (micro) collection of paper dolls, and I want to explore more vintage paper dolls and cutouts. I discovered there are countless books with paper dolls available today that are very recent publications with fashion throughout history: First Ladies with Michelle Obama, Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan; famous designers from Christian Dior to Valentino; Royal Brides from Meghan Markle to Kate The Duchess of Sussex; dancers, iconic celebrities, even torch singers. There were not as many superhero paper dolls as I had expected, but they do exist, mostly as collectibles . . . and trading paper doll cutout comics is a really big thing I learned. Comic Cons and various conventions around the world are where one can find these rare vestiges.”—Agenda, The Evolving Paper Doll, Proving that Everything Comes Back in Style

Highlights from Kornit Fashion Week LA 2021 #KornitDigital

Kobi Halperin:

Born and raised in Israel, Kobi studied and received his B.F.A from Shenkar College of Engineering and Design. Upon graduating, Kobi moved to New York where he became the Executive Creative Director at Elie Tahari for 13 years and the Executive Creative Director at Kenneth Cole Productions for 3 years. Inspired by his Eastern European roots and heritage, Kobi’s collections are marked by a warm feeling and handcrafted touch and workmanship that create a distinguished yet welcoming style aimed at “elevating the everyday”.

Shai Shalom:

A graduate of the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Shalom’s apparel is marked by meticulous tailoring and a keen eye for combining bright colors and materials. His designs cross a wide range of fine knitwear, sophisticated, slim-cut suits, cropped trousers and modern boat jackets.

Victor VIVI Bellaish:

The inspiration of the collection was tropical birds, mainly the Hoopoe, Israel’s national bird. Bellaish is fascinated by the bird’s feathers as a design element: the shape and structure composing a spectacular visual performance, which, accompanied by the silhouette, provides a feeling of uplifting flight. The collection stems from his journey researching textile history. Spirits of feminine strength and liberation beat at the heart of the collection, which is the product of a unique collaboration of the designer with Kornit Digital, which specializes in developing and creating systems for textile digital print.

Agenda magazine (agendamag.com) has been telling the story behind the story since 2004, continuing that dialog in its 17th year. And after 7½ years in print, the luxury magazine continues to publish coffee table keepsakes with engaging content and breathtaking photography. The January 2022-Issue #17, “Couture Paper Dolls,” is a 147-page glossy, and is available digitally and in print worldwide. Agenda is a KL Publishing Group publication. Visit agendamag.com/shop for more information. Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

September 16, 2021September 28, 2023

Concerts.Cafe Presents Myron McKinley’s “The Speakeasy” with Rebecca Jade, Adam Aejaye Jackson, and Sy Smith

Florentino Buenaventura (CEO of EnterTalk and founder of Concerts.Cafe) launched the first of many in-person musical performances with artist-branded coffee and an all-star musical lineup!

A spectacular evening, starring The Myron McKinley Trio, featured Sy Smith (Chris Botti), Rebecca Jade (Sheila E.), Adam Aejaye Jackson (Toni Braxton), and dancer/choreographer Sonya Enchill Om (Alvin Ailey). These dynamic performers entertained the San Diego crowd on Sunday, September 12, 2021, at 7:00 pm at the Pavilion Theater. The in-person event was just one of many concerts headed by EnterTalk’s CEO Florentino Buenaventura who has erected a unique concert-going experience. Buenaventura is a pioneer who has continued to put on live (and streaming) concerts before and during the pandemic. He launched Concerts.Cafe last spring (with Paul Berezetsky, COO) as a promotional outlet and resource for musical artists and bands looking to build their online presence while supplementing their income via digital ticket sales and signature consumable merchandise. Partnering with The Legacy Resort Hotel and Spa, Concerts.Cafe launched its first monthly in-person concert at their 500-seat theater. The Roaring Twenties-themed show was a nod to the early 20^th century variety/cabaret shows with art directed sets and the essence of theater. The talented musicians were bandleader/pianist Myron McKinley (Earth, Wind & Fire), upright bassist Ian Martin (David Foster), drummer/percussionist Stacey Lamont Sydnor (The Jacksons) with guitarist Tony Pulizzi (Stevie Wonder), and saxophonist and Grammy winner Gary Bias (Anita Baker). The spectacular band filled the evening with an amalgamation of New Orleans jazz, blues, and soul, accompanying the incredibly gifted vocalists.

Sonya Enchill Om, Gary Bias (R), and Tony Pulizzi in Back (L) (by Sheryl Aronson, SasaPhotos.com)

In attendance were bass fusion giant and 2-time Grammy-nominated Bunny Brunel (CAB), multi-award-winning recording artist/producer Kaylene Peoples (Hubert Laws), drummer/percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr. (Chicago), and San Diego’s own producer/bassist Josquin des Pres (Jason Mraz, The Gipsy Kings)

The Featured Performers:

Myron McKinley is a Juilliard-trained pianist, producer, songwriter, film composer, and is the current musical director and keyboardist for the legendary ensemble Earth Wind & Fire. He has toured extensively with Stanley Clarke, Chaka Khan, En Vogue, Whitney Houston, and many others. Sy Smith has a vocal range spanning five octaves, doing background gigs with Whitney Houston in the late 90s, and has worked with trumpeter Chris Botti and Foreign Exchange. Rebecca Jade has a chameleon-like quality to her voice, where she delivers each song uniquely. Touring with Sheila E., she appeared in the Emmy-nominated Let’s Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince, and sang background vocals for Sir Elton John at the 2020 Academy Awards. And Adam Aejaye Jackson, a native of Detroit, Michigan, began singing in church at the early age of three and has worked with Toni Braxton, Melissa Manchester, David Foster, and others.

Featured Vocalists Adam Aejaye Jackson & Rebecca Jade (by Sheryl Aronson, SasaPhotos.com)

“The Speakeasy” highlighted contemporary songs, arranged in styles from the Roaring Twenties! A bold statement of the era entertained the audience through music, set design, and costumes. Southern blues kicked off the festivities and set the tone for the awaiting audience. Tony Pulizzi was dynamic as he shredded on his guitar and ushered in vocalist Adam Aejaye Jackson. The audience was transfixed during Jackson’s moving rendition of ‘Walk on By.’ Other highlights of the evening were Rebecca Jade’s interpretation of Nat King Cole’s ‘Nature Boy,’ and closing act Sy Smith, who was stunning in her form-fitting 1920s quintessential black gown, gave a powerful performance of Sting’s ‘If You Love Somebody Set Them Free’; Smith’s entrance and exit was pure theater! With the audience eager for more, the musicians stepped up with a rousing encore with the Beatles classic, ‘Eleanor Rigby.’” –Schmooze Jazz Magazine

Sy Smith & Ian Martin (by Sheryl Aronson, SasaPhotos.com)

Florentino Buenaventura Talks About the Concept of Concerts.Cafe:

“We do concerts with coffee so people can engage the brand. If you weren’t present at the show, you will be able to see it recorded later online, but that magic from those in attendance is once-in-a-lifetime. The people there, the audience . . . it’s all a part of that magical experience. The energy was electric. With Myron—when he’s not on tour with Earth, Wind & Fire—we’re looking to do a more regular series. For the next one, we’re thinking about doing the 70s era with disco, soul, and featured singers.

Florentino continues . . .

“We don’t make money on music anymore, and sustaining a career for musicians, the music is in the marketing. For genre-specific musical styles, we can take it [worldwide] and give people access to a far-reaching live concert experience. During the pandemic, we were doing a lot of that. Then when we launched in April, we had a surprisingly big audience. In May, the live venues opened back up, causing a severe dip in revenue. Live streaming is the long game and an in-person concert . . . you’ll either sell-out or not. When you bring the two together, you have a residual income to go along with a one-off show. With Concert.Cafe, we’ve got the platform, the ticketing, and the ability to do the bundling packages with coffee and the concert or a dinner show. The food is simply amazing at The Legacy Hotel.”

EntertTalk’s CEO Florentino Buenaventura (Concerts.Cafe) poses with Renowned Bassist Bunny Brunel (by Sheryl Aronson, SasaPhotos.com)

About Concerts.Cafe

As the first interactive and immersive live streaming concert venue for lovers of live music and gourmet coffee, Concerts.Cafe is a unique, online concert experience for music fans and coffee connoisseurs. It is a web platform dedicated to pairing ticketed live music events and signature artist shops with consumable merchandise, offering shows in all genres with some of the finest organic flavors available in coffees and teas. Serving as a new revenue resource for music artists, Concerts.Cafe offers gourmet, artist-branded consumables and on-demand or live streaming music content to fans. Launched in April 2021, with a fantastic lineup of multiple music events and artist-inspired coffee flavors from which to choose Concerts.Cafe features special live streams and now in-person performances and artist coffee selections from a variety of musical artists and bands. (All in-person concerts adhere to Covid restrictions.) Visit https://concerts.cafe/

About The Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa

In the midst of California’s breathtaking natural beauty and moments from San Diego’s world-renowned beaches, you’ll find Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa. Surrounded by the Legacy International Center, a state-of-the-art complex with countless features and attractions, the resort is unparalleled amidst San Diego and Southern California hotels. There is no more ideal destination for both leisure and corporate travel than right here at 875 Hotel Cir. S, San Diego, CA 92108. Visit: https://legacyresortandspa.com/

July 7, 2021September 28, 2023

Tom Wright Unveils His New Paintings at the West Hollywood Summer Free Jazz & Art Festival with a Live Jazz Concert.

Top jazz musicians Bunny Brunel and Kaylene Peoples perform “Romantic Bossa-Nova” to celebrate acclaimed artist Tom Wright’s newest abstracts at La Bohème Café in West Hollywood on Thursday, July 8, 2021.

Abstract painter Tom Wright will be unveiling his bigger-than-life canvases at the West Hollywood Summer Free Jazz and Art Festival on July 8, 2021, from 9 am throughout the evening at La Bohème Café, located at 8400 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA. As a long-term resident of West Hollywood, Mr. Wright has supported the community for years. “These are large, full-color art pieces, painted on a canvas that is 9 feet by 15 feet and 6 feet by 9 feet . . . with vivid colors and patterns of happiness,” says Wright. This is the second exhibit Tom Wright has had at La Bohème Café. His previous showing was only a month prior where he showed his framed paintings chosen from his vast collection of abstracts.

tom-wright-abstract-painter — Tom Wright (Abstract Painter)

“If you look up “Renaissance Man,” surely the name “Tom Wright” would come up — If nothing more than discussing his varied art which imitates life. Through his complex journey as an artist, his forms and expressions are reminiscent of the Picassos, the Van Goghs, and the French impressionists. Something as basic as a shopping bag could be his subject.” —Agenda Magazine

“This artist has been attracting a lot of attention lately due to his ‘think outside of the box’ approach to abstract art.” —TheHollywoodTimes.today

Internationally famous, two-time Grammy-nominated bassist Bunny Brunel and award-winning recording artist (jazz vocalist/flutist) Kaylene Peoples will perform “Romantic Bossa-Nova” with Grammy-nominated keyboardist Dennis Hamm, guitarist Joe Calderon, and drummer/percussionist Jon Brooks. The concert is from 11 am to 12:30 pm.

The event is at La Bohème Café (The Outdoors Cafe) , located at 8400 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 on Thursday, July 8, 2021, with the Tom Wright art exhibit starting from 11 am – all day.

About Tom Wright:

The Los Angeles artist, Tom Wright, exhibited three examples from his catalogue of paintings that were created over his lifetime. His abstract entitled “The Wolf at the Door” may unlock your fear of the unknown by focusing on the wolf’s menacing image at the door to your world, peeping through the door blinds. On further evaluation, there seems to be a faceless image with an orange hat that makes the viewer question whether or not the wolf is on the inside, and the orange faceless image is looking in! Tom will often combine many worlds in his paintings and may even incorporate more lines and levels to keep the gallery of people guessing where he’s going with his art, leaving much to the viewer’s interpretation. A prolific painter whose art crosses multiple platforms, Wright’s medium of choice is acrylics and he is a master at impressionism and complex abstracts, using anything from canvas to paper bags, and painting satire to self-portraits with themes ranging from somber to joyful to alarming. Great use of the color palette, Tom Wright’s paintings are imaginative, colorful, and emotionally stirring, and a favorite amongst local galleries. Visit: IG mrtomewright

About Bunny Brunel:

When it comes to the bass, two-time Grammy-nominated Bunny Brunel is the master and a musician’s musician! From defining his signature style on fretless, upright, and electric basses, to authoring numerous instructional books on bass technique and theory, there is no end to Brunel’s musical mind. Bunny has 15 albums from his first, titled Touch (1978) to his latest, the highly praised historical CD Bass-Ball (2017), a co-production with Bunny Brunel and Stanley Clarke. Bunny’s band CAB earned a Grammy nomination for CAB 2 Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Bunny Brunel is revered as one of the four who started the jazz-fusion bass movement (with Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, and Jeff Berlin). He was a member of Chick Corea’s band for 9 years, earning him his first Grammy nomination, and has played with Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, etc. He has graced the covers of (PN’P) Plug N Play, Bass Musician, Basics; and has been featured in Bass Player, No Treble, Bassiste, For Bass Players Only, and others; and now Brunel holds the prestigious title as the Editor at Large of Virtuoso Bass magazine! Visit: https://www.bunnybrunel.com

About Kaylene Peoples:

L.A. Music Awards-winning Producer Kaylene’s first jazz CD All Jazzed Up! (2005) made a splash across the nation when her single “Do You Remember” was played across the country. The single climbed to the top of the independent charts (AC40/NMW! Top 100 Chart/FMQB & ACQB! and Indie 100 chart). Her 2015 release, My Man, blew up the airwaves and impressed concertgoers. Her song “Giant Steps” is an (Akademia) award-winner, featuring Hubert Laws, Bunny Brunel, and Bobby Lyle. And her CD Romantic Bossa-Nova (2020) is a smash hit amongst Bossa-Nova fans. This former model and two-time State Beauty Pageant winner (Miss California Young Miss; Miss Golden State) boasts a rare 5-octave vocal range, is a multi-instrumentalist, and a composer/arranger/conductor. Kaylene’s soloing instrument of choice is the flute. In honor of her father, she incorporates it heavily into her music. Peoples has performed/recorded with Bunny Brunel, Bobby Lyle, Hubert Laws, Stanley Clarke, Patrice Rushen, Jeff Goldblum, Larry Dunn, and others. Kaylene Peoples continues to blow her audiences away with her incredible vocal performances and equally impressive instrumental virtuosity! Visit: https://www.kaylenepeoples.com

March 14, 2021September 28, 2023

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: “Changemakers” Shines A Floodlight On Women And People Of Color

Mar 15, 2021 (AB Digital via COMTEX) — The multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine makes a statement as its editorial team incorporates Women’s History Month and Black History Month together in Agenda magazine’s “Changemakers,” featuring WITH HER FIST RAISED (the biography of Dorothy Pitman Hughes) as the lead story. Other features include the first Black male supermodel Renauld White, the first Black supermodel with albinism Diandra Forrest, playwright/actor Levy Lee Simon, women’s suffrage activist Susan B. Anthony; the work of celebrity photographer Michael Benabib, and the Black Design Collective’s Kevan Hall, Byron Lars, and Octavius Terry-Sims.

This is a world that has created holidays for every month and nearly every one of the 365 days in the Gregorian calendar. And based on each individual’s preferences, choosing which holidays are the most meaningful, and keeping them all “straight” can be daunting. However, two very significant months are very near and dear to Agenda magazine’s heart — February for African Americans and March for Women. In “A Letter from Your Editor,” Kaylene Peoples gives us insight on what sparked the idea for “Changemakers.”

“We’ve come a long way … or have we? That is a question that is always up for debate. As a woman in a man’s world, this saying is useful. Women have made strides over time, and particularly in the early 20th century. We won the right to vote. Then we won seats in Congress, and now we are the Vice President of the United States. A victory is a victory, right? However, as a nation, America is coming to the equal rights game a little late. Other countries have had women as chief executives for a while. Then there is another little problem: Race, and why do we still have the divide.

I started working on this collector’s issue with the thought of focusing on Black History Month. Then, I thought again. Oddly the two “minority” celebrations in our Jim Crow nation just happen to be adjacent: February (the short month) reserved for African Americans and March (on its tail) for women. Aren’t we fortunate to have our own month! All sarcasm aside, focusing on race and focusing on gender should be a moot point by now, yet it isn’t. The decision to combine the two months made more sense to me. And instead of calling it “Black this” and “Women that,” the title, ‘Changemakers,’ made the cut. Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: ‘Changemakers’ is here to celebrate the achievements and ongoing pioneering of trailblazers, who just happen to be women and people of color!” – Kaylene Peoples, Editor-in-Chief of Agenda Magazine

“Changemakers” is filled with great stories and interviews, beautiful fashion editorials, and some surprises. From two “firsts” in the world of supermodels to activists, playwrights, book reviews, photography; beauty, health, and humanitarianism, the 2021 collector’s issue is not only exciting but interesting and informative.

Here’s what’s in the issue:

With Her Fist Raised: Dorothy Pitman Hughes and the Transformative Power of Black Community Activism

This biography was written by Professor Laura LeeAnn Lovett, a historian and author of other relevant books on women and race issues. Lovett talks about the process of completing her book about the life of Dorothy Pitman Hughes who is the co-founder of Ms. Magazine with Gloria Steinem, an effective civil and women’s rights activist, the first to start a child daycare center, and a former Miss America Franchise owner. Here’s what Laura had to say in this interview.

“I’m really hoping that we go back and rethink what we know about history and reassess our assumptions about African American women and feminism. Dorothy is somebody who is self-made, who figures out what she needs to do, and figures out community needs and does it; she created the childcare office and program for the whole city. I think that understanding that the importance of that message of ‘you can do it, that what is possible comes from the community’ is really the most important part of this book, about her life, and what I take away from learning about her. — Laura L. Lovett, Author

An Unexpected Advocate: Susan B. Anthony Is Still Relevant Today

Susan B. Anthony is a well-known historical figure that fought her entire life for the suffrage movement, as well as being an abolitionist who played her own part in the civil rights movement. This article is a historical retrospective on this Quaker-turned-activist.

“We might question why a woman who was born in 1820, and a Quaker nonetheless, would champion such a dangerous cause, bound to deliver reverberating backlashes. We might even consider the fact that she had no real resources other than the support of her parents; exampled by them removing her from the school that wouldn’t teach girls math and placing her in an educational program that offered her equal learning.

In 1863, together Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the Women’s Loyal National League, which orchestrated the largest petition drive in United States history up to that time; they collected close to 400,000 signatures in support of abolishing slavery. In 1866, they initiated the American Equal Rights Association, which campaigned for equal rights for both women and African Americans. This is what led to them publishing [the newspaper] The Revolution.” – Kaylene Peoples, Agenda

The Black Design Collective’s new president Kevan Hall, and new BDC members Byron Lars and Octavius Terry-Sims inspire us to consider buying Black. The Nielson Ratings reported that Blacks spend annually upwards of 1.7 trillion dollars, buying clothes and accessories. This piece of information has spurred a community of designers that promote, market, educate, mentor, and raise money for this nonprofit and fashion collective.

Agenda interviews the three designers:

Kevan Hall – Changing the Face of Fashion Retail with the Black Design Collective

“Who knew that when 2020 came around, a pandemic would hit like it did? We immediately shifted into gear as to what we could do to help our designers sustain their businesses, so we started doing a series of workshops. And these workshops were to help our folks figure out how to get a PPP Loan, Unemployment Insurance as an independent designer or contractor eligible for unemployment, where usually self-employed people couldn’t get it. They needed to know how they could get grants.” – Kevan Hall, President & Celebrity Designer

Getting to Know Byron Lars as he talks Barbie and Celebrities

Byron Lars prior to designing Black Barbie collectibles for Mattel,“I was on a very shallow level with Barbie and not on a soapbox about inclusion, but I learned it was really meaningful. All those white dolls all those years, and the ones they just copied on a Black doll with none of the colors and sensibilities really had nothing to do with us.”

On designing for celebrities,“I don’t really put the celebrity moment ahead of my average customer, because it really does come back to the experience that you’re having. It just so happens that it’s their job to be public luminaries. And other peoples’ jobs are more about putting this dress on and crushing that meeting, because mama’s looking good! You know what I mean? It really is pretty much the same charge, whether in the public eye or not.” — Byron Lars, Fashion Designer & Barbie Collectibles

There’s more than meets the eye with designer and CEO of GROOM.

“I am currently writing an autobiographical self-help memoir, detailing all my different lives from Olympic hopeful; getting married on the 2014 Grammy Awards; being a singer songwriter with two albums; and now a celebrity fashion designer.” – Octavius Terry-Sims, Designer

Levy Lee Simon: Odyssey of a Harlem Artist

Award-winning playwright, actor, and director Levy Lee Simon talks about his three pandemic-related projects in his ‘Arting Around’ interview with Sheryl Aronson.

“I would like for people to support live theater during these difficult times, and have a different kind of experience in addition to watching Netflix and Amazon Prime. It is very interesting watching plays on Zoom and seeing the actors in these little boxes. And very soon the audience is caught up in the drama of the play. The solo performance was my debut, and I promise … I hoped I didn’t bore the audience. The response overwhelmingly has been that I didn’t.” – Levy Lee Simon

Book Reviews

Milk Run is a novel by Zac Baldwin that is thrilling, has fast-paced fiction with not one, but two female leads; and Passing Myself Down to the Grave: A Woman’s Rise from Darkness is a memoir by Sheryl Aronson — an exposing personal journey through breast cancer, surviving, and coming out on the other side.

Looking at Music Royalty Through the Lens of Michael Benabib

Michael Benabib is a celebrity photographer who has photographed the most iconic musical artists in the world, including Michael Jackson, The Fugees, Miles Davis, and more. Agenda highlights some of those rare, captured moments.

“I set up my lights, and I tried to take a picture that told a story by showing the board in the studio. Miles [Davis] was great, and was really interested in what I was doing. He asked about my technique, the camera I was using, and he wanted to see all the Polaroids. He was just totally involved. It was a great experience for me.” – Michael Benabib, Re-quoted from Thelastmiles.com

Beauty by Shahada Karim

It’s all about self-care with reviews of products by African American female business owners in the following reviews. “Danessa Myricks and the Beauty of Color,” “Gavin Luxe and the Sensual Sense,” and “EPARA: The Science of Beautiful Skin.”

Getting Back to Basics with Regards to Women’s Health

When it comes to health, Agenda has a discussion about women’s wellness with Melanie Wise of Wise Remedies in this candid conversation …

“When I train people for injury rehab or other reasons, I’m not looking for lifetime clients. I want to teach them what they need to know and get them out the door. I want people to be in the driver’s seat of their own health. I don’t want to be their cheerleader, and they don’t need a cheerleader, what they need is good health.” — Melanie Wise, Wise Remedies

Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes produces three timeless editorials

“Celebrating Renauld White, a Living Legend and Stylish Trailblazer”; “The Nomadian,” featuring model Jean-Mary Aubourg; and Diandra Forrest’s “Blonde Noir, the First Black Supermodel with Albinism.” Included in Forrest’s editorial is an eye-opening and consciousness-raising interview.

“I think it’s been long overdue for us to be looked at as the unique beauties that we are. A lot of the times in the entertainment business, people with albinism have been portrayed as something supernatural or odd or freakish-looking, and I love that we are being seen in a different light.” — Diandra Forrest

Agenda pays tribute to those who’ve been the first to achieve or those who’ve changed history. Throughout the entire magazine, Agenda magazine spotlights Kamala Harris, Angela Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Halle Barry, Sidney Poitier, Tuskegee Airmen, Toni Morrison; Donyale Luna, Harriet Quimby, Shirley Chisolm, Ruby Bridges, Lauryn Hill, Marguerite Higgins, Sandra Day O’Conner, Barack Obama, Kathryn Bigelow, The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight, Angela Davis, and honoring those anonymous activists who did their part to help bring forth equality!” A changemaker, simply put, is anyone who is taking creative action to solve a social problem—first, by actively tackling that social problem demonstrates they are motivated to act!

“There is no going back, there is only moving forward.” – Melinda May, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: Changemakers is available in print and digital.

Featured on Talk Agenda Podcast are interviews with Black Design Collective president Kevan Hall, Byron Lars, and author of With Her Fist Raised Laura L. Lovett.

To Listen to Talk Agenda

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: “Changemakers” is sponsored by Bella Composers.

ABOUT AGENDA:

Agenda is the fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004. Agenda has a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. Touted as ‘the intelligent read,’ Agenda is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. Since the very first Special Edition “Fall Is Fascinating,” in 2014, the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content, including fashion, beauty, articles, photography, interviews, reviews, historical retrospectives, commentary, entertainment, and more. Agenda magazine is published by KL Publishing Group and is available worldwide!

February 9, 2021September 28, 2023

Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Honors “The Artist” for their Sixth Edition, April 22nd-25th, 2021

Announcing the Sixth Edition’s Official Selections with a solid focus on the artist for the 2021 film festival. The edition will be screened virtually; and joining sponsors AGENDA Magazine and Bella composers is Presenting Sponsor Wise Remedies and Prize Sponsor.

The excitement is brewing as filmmakers and musicians prepare to see their works stream live virtually for the sixth edition of the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival (AWIAFF). Every edition, the momentum builds, and despite 2020 events, Artemis approaches the finish line with some of the strongest talent on the independent playing field. Artemis is a festival that has been associated with industry luminaries such as actors Tom Cruise, Melissa McCarthy, actor/producer/festival sponsor Paul Feig, director Kimberly Pierce, and many in the stunt/action design community. Artemis will be offering an exciting and interactive celebration. Festival-goers will enjoy well-scripted storylines with powerful characters in narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and more. AWIAFF offers affordable, all-access tickets that include all events, including screenings, panel discussions, Q and A’s, award presentations, and networking opportunities, available from the comfort of your home (or viewing party) to imbibe and experience all of the excitement for which this festival is known.

Melanie Wise, Founder/Director of AWIAFF states,

“We’ve always done live events, brick and mortar. Observing 2020, what really stood out to the Artemis team was the need for this edition to focus on celebrating the talent of our filmmakers, musician/composers, and screenwriters.” – Quoted from Agenda, “Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Goes Virtual and More for 2021”

Melanie Wise continues,

“We are going to securely stream all of the official selections. We won’t be selling individual tickets, but rather, we will be selling very reasonably priced all-access passes. We will have some interactive panels and other cyber events, and do an online greeting, so everyone can get together in cyber space and toast one another. That will be open to all the official selections and any of the Artemis fans and supporters who would like to participate. Artemis has built its own streaming platform, [as well as] partnering on a platform or two. Last year, festivals came to the table doing their virtual events, making it a highly adaptable, highly designable way of doing a festival.”

This Sixth Edition continues with the tradition of strong women characters, announcing its official selections for narrative features, documentaries, shorts, screenplays, songs and compositions with a landscape of artistic work that continues in the form of independent and unconstrained creativity. Past festivals have brought incredible talent to the table with the diversity of topics and indomitable strength of characters and physicality being consistently represented in this year’s official selections. The 2021 edition focuses on the “creatives,” making this year’s festival all about the talent!

Melanie Wise talks about this year’s entries.

“As with every year, we always get an extraordinary variety, in terms of narrative, documentary, feature, shorts, but also we have an amazing range, from comedy action to drama. There’s just absolutely thigh-slapping stuff to serious stuff to some really cool pieces of history. We have a film about the old USO tours, and the women who’ve traveled overseas for US Troops—really great pieces of history. This is the part of the festival that always makes me very excited, very pleased, and very proud, because we are showing pieces of history that really shouldn’t be unknown. We also will have amazing films that challenge social issues. Amazing stories of people positively reshaping perceptions of self-value, stepping outside comfort zones to redefine the human condition in ways that do leave “the place” more beautiful. Wise adds, “We work really hard to come to the table and offer a program where we’re not pushing agendas, except that of showcasing positive, powerful women… we always have. And this year is one where it is completely about the talent because it’s virtual. We will be stripping some aspects of the festival, and we are going to work very hard to make every creator shine.”

Bella Composer’s Kaylene Peoples talks about the music part of the festival. “Women Powered Music” is about female intention and inclusion. Women have been composing and going unrecognized or ignored forever, really before the last century. And even then when you consider the number of studio films that have been produced, won Oscars, how many of those movies hired a female score writer. I applaud those women who broke through and actually have that career. There are female orchestrators, even some conductors, but we are definitely in the minority.” Peoples goes on to say, “The Fifth Edition in 2019, was astronomical and even more eye-opening. For our inaugural music competition, there was an overwhelming response with composers from all over the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia, who not only had scores in studio films, but symphonies performed and recorded with world class orchestras in many styles, including neo-classical, jazz, and more. What made this moment even more eye opening was the women that traveled to the festival last edition from Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and from all across America just for the chance to be recognized. And wow, they are the most phenomenally talented composers and musical artists I had the honor to meet. Peoples Concludes, “This music competition is so needed. The world is filled with incredibly talented women composers and it’s about time we paid attention. If you are a female composer, please consider submitting your scores. It’s time for the world to know you exist!”

Bella Composer – AWIAFF Sponsor of Women Powered Music

Here are the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival’s Sixth Edition Official Selections:

FEATURES

A Deadly Place

All Earthly Constraints

Beyond Driven

Christmas in Baghdad

Firewoman

Intercessors

The Broker

The Meeting

Uprooted

Where We Disappear

SHORTS

10 Minutes For A Pound

A Blossom in the Night

A Girl from Parsian

A Woman’s Touch

Ally 3000

America

Bagheera

Barbell Snatch

Blessing

Boy Eats Girl

EmBlem

Fast and Faster

Fayettenam

Fellowship

Glass Darkly

Gozde The Fighter

Have It All

Hunted

If I Rise

Inner Self

Kara the Invincible

Life, Boat, Home

Moment

Naretoi

Now You See Us

One Moment(s)

Pure

Resurfacing

Rose & Raven

Rueful Warrior

SADAF

Scenic Fights Presents: My Fight Tresa Man

Sensei Fran Kicks Ass

Seven: The Short Film Combating Domestic Violence

She Who Wasn’t Tamed

The Fastest Woman of All Time

The Suicide of Lillian Sellers

Therese

Twin Turbo

Violin Scratches

Warriors of Education

What Didn’t Kill Me

You Too

SCREENPLAYS

Bells on Wheels by Thomas Heinonen

Between the Flames by Tishia Malone

Feather by Johanna Juntunen

Girl Hunters by John Saunders

Heard by Maureen Sasscer

Private Thompson’s Secret War by Gina DeAngelis

Ripley of Valor by Thoren Syndergaard

Roses and Rattlesnakes by Colin Simpson

The Hardest Hit by Sam Jeurgens

The Reckoning by Neil Marshall

Then and There, Here and Where by Esabella Strickland

Undercard by Dylan Kilgour

Warpaint by Helen Taylor

SONG FINALISTS

“Alleluia” | Erin Beute

“Alone with Bees” | Connie Lansberg

“Body Communion” | Toni Short

“Fade” | Fay Gauthier

“Fear, I Got Nothing for You” | Toni Short

“Make It Better” | Deborah Hurwitz

“My Amazing Grace” | Debra Gussin

“No Fight” | Elizmi Haze

“What Do You Say” | Floyd Music

COMPOSITION/SCORE FINALISTS

“40 Years One Night” | Giya Rushidat

“Boy Eats Girl” | Christy Carew

“Cowboy Boots” | Nikki Morgan

“Farewell” | Jaime Pangan

“Ganna Sorbat” | Ganna Sorbat

“In Trouble” | Monica Hodnett, Callie Day

“Molecules” | Maria Rago

“Piano Fantasy” | Deborah Offenhauser

“Spirit Vision” | Margaret Brandman

“Streetlight Dancers” | Kasey Crawford

“You know, I get the view from the moon every year. A lot of people show up, and they just watch a few things or they have a film in the festival. But when you get to see a broad field of content, and when you get to see the gravity of the stuff that’s presented, that’s where I think it gets very interesting. The most common compliment we get at the festival where people literally walk up to me is “I’m so inspired.” I think that’s my favorite compliment of the festival, because I think the whole point of it is to inspire people. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, a man, or a dog. We all need to be able to look out through life with a lighter lens.” – Melanie Wise, Founder/Director (Quoted from Agenda, “Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Goes Virtual and More for 2021”)

The Artemis Women In Action Film Festival is happy to announce the following sponsors: Wise Remedies, Agenda Magazine, Bella Composers, Keslow Camera, and others.

ABOUT THE SPONSORS

WISE REMEDIES:

Premium quality, handcrafted herbal remedies now available online. Committed to creating unadulterated, effective products, boosting natural defenses and addressing foundational issues. All plant materials are either certified organic or custom wild crafted, never altered with heat, radiation or freezing temperatures; liquid extracts are made with Non-GMO alcohol, processed to remove gluten, using dried herbs and distillation, spanning six weeks to six months. All teas and powdered formulations are excipient-free (filler free). For two decades, Wise Remedies has taken great pride in creating products that are the purest and most powerful they can offer!

Visit the Wise Remedies website to see their complete catalog of products.

AGENDA Magazine:

The fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004 is in its third year as a lead sponsor for the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival. A print and online magazine, Agenda has a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. Touted as “the intelligent read,” Agenda is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. In print since 2014, the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content including fashion, beauty, photography, interviews, entertainment, and more. For AWIAFF Fifth Edition, Agenda Collector’s Issue titled “Artemis Women Kick Ass!” featured honorees Jeannie Epper, Daniela Ruah, and Dot-Marie Jones on the cover and chronicled that year’s festival’s events. Agenda magazine is available in print worldwide!

Visit Agendamag.com for details.

BELLA COMPOSERS:

Created by Kaylene Peoples, an award-winner singer/instrumentalist, composer/arranger, and conductor, Bella Composers offers women new opportunities, self-expression, empowerment, and employment in the world of classical, neoclassical, and other traditional musical genres by showcasing their compositions through live performance, film, new media, and more. The Bella Composers Women Powered Music Competition is the first of its kind, representing women composers from across the globe. Participating for a second term as the curator of the music portion of Artemis, Bella Composers continues its mission for inclusion by celebrating the talents of this underserved demographic.

Visit Bella Composers to learn more.

KESLOW CAMERA: Keslow Camera houses the Industry’s finest technicians and continues to design and inspire unique high-quality accessories that are unmatched by its peers. This pioneering atmosphere creates an energetic and positive employee environment, fostering unparalleled customer service and experience, providing the best service and ensures unparalleled product quality in the Industry: https://www.keslowcamera.com/

ABOUT Artemis Women In Action Film Festival:

Artemis Women In Action Film Festival was founded by Melanie Wise and Zac Baldwin, two filmmakers with a long time love of female-driven action films. Wise and Baldwin have produced shorts and features, focusing on female action projects. They saw that the genre was loved by audiences around the world, despite the fact that studios for many years claimed female action films were box office poison. In 2014, the idea of Artemis was born with the intent to create a space where these types of films could play for audiences with an unsatisfied hunger of female-driven action films. And for the Sixth Edition, Artemis is proud to include for the second year women-powered music: AWIAFF 6th Editon, Bella Composers

August 1, 2017September 28, 2023

REVOLUTION Concert at Vitello’s Reviewed in Hollywood 360

chase-masterson-pop-coalition-by-sheryl-aronson1

By Sheryl Aronson | July 31, 2017 | Hollywood 360

On July 18^th, at Vitello’s Night Club in Studio City, Clifford Bell presented the musical show “Revolution,” which was hosted by Pop Culture Hero Coalition Founder, Chase Masterson. The monies collected for this evening’s entertainment would go toward the organization, Pop Culture Hero Coalition. The vocalists performing for the event were: Chase Masterson, Kirsten Holly Smith, Keith Borden, Mandy Kemp, Justin Charles Cowden, Kaylene Peoples, Patricia Whitman, Mary Pat Bowe, and Clifford Bell.

The musical performances from the singers and the band peppered the audience with inspirational songs that lifted one’s spirit. Chase Masterson looked stunning in a twilight blue gown as she interweaved herself from announcing acts, sharing encouraging stories of people overcoming bullying, to singing a few numbers as well. Doing a campy version of “The Swinger,” Chase projected the aura of a torch singer from old. Her golden voice pierced the hearts of us all when she crooned the tune, “Pure Imagination.” Using her dramatic flair, Chase enchanted the entire room.

chase-masterson-pop-coalition-by-sheryl-aronson2 — Chase Masterson (Photo by: Sheryl Aronson)

Founded in 2013, they are a 501(c)(3) non-profit that takes a stand against bullying, racism, misogyny, cyber-bullying, LGBT-bullying, and other forms of hate-using with the phenomenal popularity of media to bring justice and healing.

The Coalition’s work features global experts and advocates, including representatives from the United Nations, the Anti-Defamation League, the NOH8 Campaign, Justice League New York, and other major organizations; we also work with clinical psychologists who specialize in using pop culture stories in restorative justice and in therapy for victims of bullying and injustice.

All photos by Sheryl Aronson.

July 11, 2017September 28, 2023

Chase Masterson to Host “Revolution” July 16, 2017 at Vitello’s

Chase-Masterson-bullying-coalition-fundraiser

“REVOLUTION: A Benefit for the POP CULTURE HERO COALITION”

Musical Director DAVID SCOTT COHEN on piano, AL GARCIA on bass and TOM BOWE on drums

SUNDAY, JULY 16 at 8pm at UPSTAIRS AT VITELLO’S (Formerly “The E Spot Lounge”)

REVOLUTION: A BENEFIT FOR THE POP CULTURE HERO COALITION

Hosted by CHASE MASTERSON

Featuring KEITH BORDEN, JUSTIN CHARLES COWDEN & LEXI MARMAN COWDEN, KAYLENE PEOPLES, PATRICIA WHITEMAN, and new additions KIRSTEN HOLLY SMITH (from the hit show Forever Dusty), MANDY KEMP, and MARY PAT BOWE. (Unfortunately Dion Khan is unavailable for this performance.)

Directed by CLIFFORD BELL www.cabarabia.com

Musical Director DAVID SCOTT COHEN on piano, AL GARCIA on bass and TOM BOWE on drums

FOR TICKETS: www.popculturehero.org/tickets

FOR MORE INFO:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1878406985744240/

April 13, 2017September 28, 2023

“Real” Jazz and the Inspiration Behind “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook”

Kaylene-Peoples-StandardStories-April2-2017-6-21

By Sean McKenzie | The Indie Hotspot | April 11, 2017

“I wanted to let people know more about some of these well-known songs, many of which have evolved into jazz standards. Every song has a backstory. I also thought it would be a good way to introduce real jazz to a young audience, too. I really think that was accomplished with this recent private concert,” states Kaylene Peoples

kaylene-peoples-stories-and-standards-the-great-american-songbook — Kaylene Peoples performs at “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook,” April 2, 2017 (Photo: Robert Fisher)

Kaylene Peoples does a lot of things. She has been called a renaissance woman more than once in the press and her musical disciplines are varied. These disciplines range from jazz, classical, and even pop. Since her release of her first jazz album All Jazzed Up!, Kaylene has embraced “real” jazz with a bear hug. Kaylene released her second jazz masterpiece titled My Man, and with that she invited legends Hubert Laws, Bunny Brunel, and Bobby Lyle to guest perform, seeming to further make her point . . . “It’s all about the ‘real’ jazz.” Between these two albums, the performances and new arrangements of songs from the Great American Songbook have been the theme with the exception of “Run Away with Me,” “My only Crime,” and the song that charted independently back in 2005 “Do You Remember?” . . . her three originals that could easily be mistaken for standards off of All Jazzed Up!

host-chase-masterson-at-kaylene-peoples-stories-and-standards-the-great-american-songbook — Host Chase Masterson performs at “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook,” April 2, 2017 (Photo: Robert Fisher)

Ultimately, Kaylene started a private Facebook group just for real jazz lovers.Back in 2012, she created the Indie Hotspot Jazz Series to bring more ‘real’ jazz to Los Angeles on a regular basis. And it’s not so hard to understand why her live performances consist of only ‘real’ jazz. What is real jazz? The term defines when the medium became popular in the United States. Many songs that were featured in classic Old Hollywood films by a well-known group of composers and performed by popular singers of the time. This practice continued for almost a century now, but has broken up into many different styles of jazz.

bunny-brunel-at-standards-standards-the-great-american-songbook — Bunny Brunel performs at “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook,” April 2, 2017 (Photo: Robert Fisher)

Jazz is defined as an improvisational discipline, where the instrumentalists use modal jazz changes as their guide. Classic vocal jazz consisted of jazz chords with subtle to extreme vocal improvisation, sometimes incorporating scatting. Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook was a concept Kaylene Peoples had to marry standards with real jazz. [Footnote: Today we have a genre called smooth jazz, which is often confused with real jazz. The theory of the two genres are very different, yet they both have their own unique appeal. And sometimes these two genres cross over into the other genre’s style.]

Larry-Dunn-Luisa-Dunn-at-Kaylene-Peoples-Standard-Stories-April2-2017 — Larry Dunn and Luisa Dunn attend “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook” April 2, 2017 (Photo: Robert Fisher)

Kaylene Peoples Standards and Stories from the Great American Songbook premiered April 2nd, 2017 at the Mouse House Studio in Altadena, the third private concert put on by The Indie Hotspot. It was an intimate setting with an impressive lineup: Kaylene Peoples (vocals/flute), Bunny Brunel (acoustic bass), Mahesh Balasooriya (grand piano), and Bryan Cabrera (drums). Chase Masterson narrated and sang three Peggy Lee standards. Using a traditional trio and old-fashion storytelling, the audience was captivated by the stories and performances by this mega-talented ensemble.

Continue reading ““Real” Jazz and the Inspiration Behind “Kaylene Peoples – Standards & Stories from the Great American Songbook””