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Plans unfold for the 100th anniversary celebration honoring Charlie Christian

Mark Temple, chairman of the Charlie Christian Festival committee
Mark Temple, chairman of the Charlie Christian Festival committee

In a recent new release, Mark Temple, chairman of the Charlie Christian Festival committee, revealed that plans are going well for the 100th Anniversary celebration of the late Charlie Christian and his legacy. Temple said the Deep Deuce Business Association is collaborating with Black Liberated Arts Center, Inc., festival sponsor. to create a memorable experience for Oklahoma and that will attract music lovers from around the world.

The event, to be held June 2 to 5, 2016, near the Deep Deuce area will have a number of special surprises including an appearance of the only remaining guitar that Charlie Christian owned. There will be special moments such as a brief memorial at or near Calvary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City where Christian’s funeral was held and a New Orleans style festival parade. As always, there will be plenty of family type engagement activities right along with good food, good fun and great music.

Musical artist, visual artists as well as food and non-food vendors who wish to participate should call (405) 524-3800 or visit the website at www.charliechristianmusicfestival.com.  Selection of musicians will begin near the end of April.

“The 100th celebration only comes once in a lifetime, so our intent is to make this festival stand out as no other festival has,” Temple concluded. The event is funded in part by BancFirst, the Oklahoma Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Sponsorships are still available by calling (405) 524-3800.

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Cloud Nothings to headline 2016 Norman Music Festival 9

Cloud Nothings
Cloud Nothings

Norman Music Festival 9 announced today that Cloud Nothings – making their first Oklahoma appearance – will be the headliner for the April 21-23, 2016, free event in Norman, Okla. On the bill with the rock band from Ohio will be Small Black, Open Mike Eagle, Nobunny, Skating Polly, Woozy and Traindodge, celebrating their 20th year together.
The festival will be undergoing a few other changes this year. Dallas based-metal band Power Trip will be the headliners for the very first heavy stage at the festival Friday, April 22, located at the Bacardi Stage in the Gray Street parking lot. The hip-hop stage will be moved to The Depot as well. More bands will be announced in the coming months.

Local and regional bands can now apply through the open-call to play alongside the headliners. The open call is running through Dec. 20. Last year, more than 600 bands applied in the 50-day window to perform at the festival.

The mission of the Norman Music Alliance is to help develop the arts community in Oklahoma through support of local original artists, support of music fans, support of art education and support of local businesses. What started as a one-day festival has now grown and expanded to a three-day festival with more than 300 artists in downtown Norman and more than 80,000 people in attendance at Norman Music Festival 8.

For festival, VIP and sponsorship information, visit http://normanmusicfestival.com.

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Joe McBride, Najee, and Kirk Whalum to headline June music festival in Oklahoma City

The Charlie Christian International Music Festival will feature national artists Joe McBride, Najee, and Kirk Whalum in concert at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Friday and Saturday nights, June 7 and 8 in Oklahoma City.    They will be joined by All Funk Radio Show from Dallas, TX, and Grady Nichols from Tulsa.  Also feature in the lineup are Matt Stansberry & The Romance and the Robert Banks & Classic Edge.

Gates will open at 6 p.m. Friday, June 7, and the show starts at 7 p.m.  On Saturday, June 8, gates open at 3:30 p.m. and the final concert of the week begins 4:30 p.m.  Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at the festival website, www.charliechristianmusicfestival.com or www.okcredhawks.com.  For more information, call Black Liberated Arts Center (BLAC) Inc. at (405) 524-3800.  According to Mark Temple, festival chairman, tickets may be purchased at the following Oklahoma City outlets:  Charlie’s Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Store, Hopkins HairCare and Learning Tree Toys and Books.

The festival runs June 4-8 and has three free events associated with it.  The opening event, “Ralph Ellison Understood Through Charlie Christian,” will beat 7 p.m. June 4 at the Oklahoma History Center.  Music will be provided by TaylorMadeJazz.  This event is free and funded in part by the Oklahoma Humanities (OHS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).  Other funding is provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council, Friends of the Oklahoma City/County Historical Society Archives, Friends of the Oklahoma City/County Historical Society and BancFirst.

Wednesday, June 5 is the date for the Jam Session at Woody’s Sport Bar and Grill at 7 p.m.  Musicians are admitted free, and general admission is $5.  The Battle of the Bands between Shortt Dogg and the 411 Band takes place on Thursday, June 6 in Lower Bricktown, on the Lower Bricktown Plaza and is presented by Chevy Music Showcase.  Deep Deuce’s Urban Roots is the place on Saturday, June 7 for a delicious brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with music by “Miss Muffy” & Friends and stories of Deep Deuce told by Anita Arnold, author, “Oklahoma City Music:  Deep Deuce and Beyond.  This family friendly event will feature non-food and arts and crafts vendors.

 

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Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble to perform in Oklahoma City

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According to a recent news release, Black Liberated Arts Center Inc. (BLAC Inc.) will present the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Frederick A. Douglass High School Auditorium, 900 N. Martin L. King Jr. in Oklahoma City. The 40-year-old Denver-based company, in the middle of its Spring tour, will travel to Crested Butte, Colo., and Seattle, Wash., before the Oklahoma City appearance.

Led by its founder, executive director and choreographer Cleo Parker Robinson, the company has performed in Iceland, Singapore, Hawaii, Nassau, Belize, Israel, Egypt, Turkey and throughout Europe and Africa. Parker Robinson holds an honorary doctorate degree from Denver University (1991), an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Colorado College (2003) and an honorary doctorate of Public Service from Regis University, Denver (2008).

In 1998, President Clinton named Parker Robinson as one of two artists to be appointed to the National Council on the Arts in Washington, D.C., where she served until 2005. She received a Kennedy Center Medal of Honor during the center’s “Master of African American Choreographers” series.

The dance ensemble will arrive on Feb. 20 and will work with Oklahoma City fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from several area schools. Selected students will perform a welcome dance at Douglass on the same stage as the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.

This performance is made possible by the MetLife Community Connections Fund of the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project. Major support for the National Dance Project is also provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Local support is provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council and the Ad Astra Foundation.

Tickets for the performance are on sale at Learning Tree Toys, Charlie’s Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Store and Hopkins HairCare at $20 general admission. VIP tickets that include reserved seats and a reception are $50 and can be purchased at BLAC Inc. offices using MasterCard, Visa, checks or cash. Discount tickets are offered at BLAC Inc. For more information, call (405) 524-3800.