Simone Missick's New CBS Show is All Rise

By Darlene Donloe

Simone Missick is one of three black actresses who are leads on their respective CBS shows.

One-third of the Black Girl Magic happening at the network that includes (Tichina Arnold/ The Neighborhood and Folake Olowofoyeku/Bob Hearts Abishola, Missick is the only one starring in a drama.

Missick plays activist Judge Lola Carmichael in the hour-long drama, All Rise that airs 9 p.m. Monday nights on CBS. 

The show, which also stars Marg Helgenberger (CSI) and Wilson Bethel (HBO’s Generation Kill), is about a former deputy district attorney who is a newly appointed judge.  She is new to the job and decides to do things differently from the status quo. She is going to dispense a fresh kind of justice.

During her career, Missick, who is married to actor Dorian Missick, has played Misty Knight alongside Mike Colter on Luke Cage.  She also appeared in the television film A Taste of Romance and the series Ray Donovan.

Simone Missick

I recently caught up with the Detroit native to talk about her latest role.

DD: What’s it like to be a black woman lead in Hollywood?

SM: I’ve had the fortune of seeing other black women as leads. I didn’t come up in a time when there were no others.  I watched people like Tichina Arnold who had several TV shows. I’ve watched Kerry Washington’s success. Thankfully, I don’t feel like I’m the only person out there. I can also look around and see women I know – whose careers I’ve been rooting for – and watch them shine. People like Yvonne Orji from Insecure, Maya Lynne Robinson from Unicorn and Kariman Westbrook from All American. I’ve known these people for a while and they are now getting their due.  It’s great to look around the room and see people you know.

DD: Has is sunk in that, you have your own show?

SM: I’m hazing to be able to be in a show that I’m the lead of with an amazing, outstanding ensemble. Seasoned veterans and CBS royalty like Marg Helgenberger and Tony-Award winning actresses and great actors I get to play with every day.

DD: How’d it come about?

SM: I auditioned.

DD: How many times?

SM: Once.

DD:  Talk about that.

SM: I found out on a Thursday that they wanted to audition me on a Saturday but I had to work all day Thursday and Friday.  I flew in Saturday morning, headed straight to CBS, had a two-hour long audition and flew right back to go to work on Monday. That Tuesday I found out I got the job.

Simone Missick
Photo by Darlene Donloe

DD: How did you prepare for this audition?

SM: The words. That’s all you have is the script. I figured out who I thought this woman was and so I went in and found the humor, the life, the realness. I tapped into women I knew as well as parts of myself.

DD: Who is she?

SM: Lola is smart. She is funny and goofy, insecure, a little neurotic and she’s fun. But, she’s also the most powerful woman in the room with the biggest heart and the desire to change the system.

DD: Are you encouraged or discouraged about black people in Hollywood?

SM: I’m not discouraged at all. I think there can be more. There should be more people of color in the room, in the writer’s rooms, in the producer's meetings, helming films and TV shows on the executive level, behind the camera – there can always be more. But when I go on my set, I am astounded how much inclusion there is. It’s not just racial inclusion. There are so many people represented in front of and behind the cameras. It’s also gender variations, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds.  Our show to me represents LA, which represents the world we’re trying to portray on camera.  I go to work every day encouraged and thankful.

DD: What did you expect when you got in this business and what did you get?

SM: I think when I started in this business I thought I was going to be famous by 28. I’m a couple years past that. What I thought is nowhere near what God has blessed me with. My dreams and goals have far exceeded what I’m getting. I’m gotten way more than I deserve. It’s God’s grace.

Brian Bromberg's Music Is 'Thicker Than Water'

Every recording artist dreams of having a video go viral, but jazz bassist Brian Bromberg never imagined that one of his clips would receive over one million views. The Grammy-nominated musician who thrives in both electric and acoustic bass settings unassumingly posted a live performance video with his Unapologetically Funky Big Bombastic Band on his Facebook pages featuring a monster bass solo on the funk throwdown “Minneapolis, 1987.” Something magical happened. Amassing over 1.2 million views to date across multiple social media platforms, the voracious response to the video spurred Bromberg to drop the track as a single, the fourth from his “Thicker Than Water” album. The single goes for playlist adds on October 14.

Filmed during last spring’s Berks Jazz Festival, Bromberg’s “Minneapolis, 1987” blows the roof off the building as the bassman unleashes a torrid, bass-in-your-face solo. Bromberg thumps away feverishly accompanied by saxophonist Everette Harp, guitarist Ray Fuller, keyboardist Tom Zink, drummer Tony Moore and the firepower of the five-piece Berks Horns. 

“I knew this project (“Thicker Than Water”) was special and the band was special, so I wanted to have some videos from some of the festivals we played. I recorded in front of a live audience at three different venues. This is the first time in my career that I have done that,” said Bromberg, a musician, producer, and songwriter who has crafted a diverse 25-album catalog, resulting in five No. 1 hits and more than a dozen Top 5 and Top 10 singles.

Bromberg posted the “Minneapolis, 1987” video on his Facebook pages where it struck a chord instantaneously, long before he added it to his YouTube page. 

Conceiving the song happened just as organically as the video’s popularity.

“I was doing something in the house while the TV was on and there was a commercial that came on that got my attention because the music was slammin’! I have no idea what the commercial was for, but the vibe was great and got me in a funky mood. The next thing I know, I have my bass on, and I am playing and grooving. Poof! The song just came out and wrote itself. The first thing I thought of and came to mind was the music that came out of Minneapolis in the mid-80s. The sound, the feel, the vibe, the energy, etc. So, the song wrote and named itself. What else could I call it? You hear it and you instantly know the city and the era that inspired it,” Bromberg recalled.
 

The jazz-funk-R&B jam session that is “Thicker Than Water” has thrived ever since Artistry Music dropped the collection last year. The first single, “Coupe Deville,” drove into the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart. The title track followed, going Top 10 at Billboard and No. 2 on the iTunes jazz chart. “Thicker Than Water,” which topped the Billboard albums chart, showcases Bromberg collaborating with Harp, Randy Brecker, Paul Jackson Jr., Najee, Marion Meadows, Brian Simpson, and the late George Duke. The unexpected reaction to the live video has given the album new life and may be the inspiration for Bromberg’s next project.       

“We actually might release a live CD, which would be cool as I have never done a live CD of my own music,” said Bromberg, who may opt to do another studio project first. “I have a ton of ideas and snippets of parts of songs and vibes. I’m not sure if I am going to do some special reissues, remixed-remastered CDs of previous recordings, a live CD or a new album of all-original music. I would imagine it will be on the funky side if it is a new CD.”

For more information, please visit https://brianbromberg.net.

Flutist Kim Scott's 'Free To Be' In Grammy Race

It was a hot July for soul-jazz flutist Kim Scott, who rocketed like fireworks to the top of the Billboard chart with her first No. 1 single, which has inserted the emerging artist into the GRAMMY conversation. Scott’s solo on “Emerge” made the first-round ballot for Best Improvised Jazz Solo while the album on which the track appears, “Free to Be,” is garnering consideration in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.   

Scott wrote “Emerge” with keyboardist Jonathan Fritzen, a hitmaker who is featured delivering his own shimmering solo. However, it is the flutist’s fanciful flourishes that are meriting consideration from the voting members of The Recording Academy for the 62^nd GRAMMY Awards that take place on January 26, 2020.

After setting the stage to perfection with a Billboard chart-topping single that also went No. 1 on the Groove Jazz Music chart, Innervision Records dropped “Free to Be,” Scott’s fourth album, in mid-July. She had a hand in writing five of the album’s nine songs, which offer an alluring blend of instrumental pop appeal, jazz spontaneity, and funky R&B grooves. Scott’s classically trained flute melodies share the spotlight equitably on a few numbers with prominent guest soloists Fritzen, saxophonist Jazmin Ghent and Pieces of A Dream keyboardist James Lloyd. Guitarist Eric Essix, drummer/percussionist James “PJ” Spraggins and bassist Sean Michael Ray anchor the rhythm section with compelling textures and vibrant harmonies crafted by keyboardist/programmer/producer Kelvin Wooten, keyboardists West Byrd and Jaden Scott, alto saxophonist Cameron Ross and instrument programmer Dimitri Turner. The disc’s second single, the bumping “Take It To The Rink,” is presently skating laps around playlists after earning Most Added honors in its debut week at radio.        

In addition to her recording career, Scott hosts the nationally syndicated “Block Party Radio Show,” which added to its growing list of stations with the recent pickup on Alabama Public Radio, an NPR affiliate. The artist infuses her energy and enthusiasm into the weekly broadcast featuring the latest contemporary jazz, urban and Latin jazz releases.  

The Birmingham, Alabama-based Scott debuted in 2011 with “Crossing Over.” Her records have consistently produced Billboard Top 20 singles. On the concert stage, she’s performed at clubs and marquee festivals, including Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival and Seabreeze Jazz Festival. Scott is also a member of the all-female supergroup Jazz in Pink with whom she has played shows across the US. For more information, please visit http://kimscottmusic.com.

Latest Single From Kayla Waters Is 'Full Bloom'

After launching her recording career with back-to-back No. 1 Billboard singles, urban-jazz pianist Kayla Waters is truly a blooming artist on the rise. The third single from her “Coevolve” album is the aptly titled “Full Bloom,” which goes for playlist adds on Monday. The single drops during the period that voters are considering Waters’ music and video for nominations in four categories in first-round voting for the 62^nd GRAMMY® Awards.

Under consideration in first-round GRAMMY voting for Jazz Instrumental Album and Engineered Album, Non-Classical, Waters composed the material for “Coevolve” conceptually. To tell the story of a seedling’s evolution into a blossoming plant on “Full Bloom,” she collaborated with Michael Broening. The Washington, DC-based musician-songwriter-producer jetted to Broening’s Phoenix, Arizona studio for the session. The night before meeting with Broening, Waters doodled on a baby grand piano into the wee hours of the night eager to come up with something fresh. The next day, she presented her ideas, which became the essence of the song.     

“During that late-night session, I created the chords to what are now the piano verses of ‘Full Bloom.’ I wanted to come up with a unique concept for the song and with Broening’s help, it naturally came to life. When composing, I wanted the musical construct of the song to literally sound like the blossoming of a flower or in the case of ‘Coevolve,’ the evolution of a seed into a beautiful plant. In the song’s intro, you’ll hear me play a glissando upward on the piano to emulate the sound of blossoming,” said Waters, an inspired 28-year-old artist of substance, style and divine depth.

“Full Bloom” is the only song that Waters wrote with a collaborator for “Coevolve” thus the process was different than that of the rest of the record’s creation. With Broening programming the invigorating track, Waters’ ebullient piano is bolstered by guest soloist Nick Colionne’s crisp electric jazz guitar licks. Freddie Fox adds rhythm guitar to the melody and Mel Brown’s bass enhances the brisk groove.

“The embryonic stage of the song was conceived in Phoenix during our first studio session together. From that point, we worked over cyberspace to get the song done. It was actually the longest song to complete for ‘Coevolve,’ likely due to the collaborative efforts, but it’s also significant and symbolic as a plant takes time to grow, to be nurtured and to bloom,” said Waters, who is signed to Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm Records.

When Waters’ sophomore album, “Coevolve,” was released last fall, she scored her second consecutive No. 1 hit when the collection’s premiere single, “Zephyr,” topped the Billboard chart. The accompanying video for “Zephyr” (http://bit.ly/2mzMhp6) is on the first-round GRAMMY ballot in the Music Video category. Also appearing on the first-round GRAMMY ballot for Instrumental Composition is the second single from “Coevolve,” “Obsidian Rain,” on which Waters passionately pours her classically trained piano prowess throughout the ethereal jazz-rock-fusion amalgam that she artfully crafted.       

   

Waters debuted on 2017’s “Apogee,” powered by the defining No. 1 Billboard single, “I Am.” She won the Rising Star in Jazz award from the Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Foundation and was named Best Jazz Artist at DC’s Wammies. For more information, please visit http://www.iamkaylawaters.com.

Williams Stars in 'A Snow White Christmas'

Casting News! Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) in association with the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, announce the latest casting for their ten- year anniversary production of A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, (300 East Green Street, Pasadena CA 91101), featuring new songs and script, which will play a strictly limited engagement from December 13 through December 22.

Michelle Williams

Olivia Sanabia (Disney Channel’s Coop & Cami Ask the World, Amazon’s original series Just Add Magic) joins the cast as Snow White and will be menaced by Grammy Award-winning recording artist and actress Michelle Williams, who joins the cast as The Wicked Queen.

A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS also stars previously announced Jared Gertner (Broadway’s The Book of Mormon) as Muddles, Garrett Clayton (Teen Beach Movie, Teen Beach 2, Hairspray Live!) as The Huntsman, and Tony Award-winner Neil Patrick Harris as The On Screen Magic Mirror.

The production will be directed by Bonnie Lythgoe and choreographed by Emmy Award winners Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo (NappyTabs), with book by Kris Lythgoe. The production has music supervision, arrangements, and musical direction by Michael Orland. Casting is by executive producer Becky Lythgoe and Andrew Lynford, CSA.  Additional casting will be announced at a later date. 

Olivia Sanabia

 

An updated version of the classic fairy tale, Princess Snow White joins forces with the Seven Dwarfs to defeat her wicked aunt, the Queen. In the style of British Panto, audiences are encouraged to interact, booing the baddies and cheering for the hero. A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS features family-friendly magic, with a comedic twist, dancing (with “So You Think You Can Dance” alumni), contemporary music and more.

There will also be a special student matinee on Friday, December 13, 2019, at 11:00am, servicing over 2,000 Title One school children who will be introduced to the magic of live theatre for the very first time.

Tickets start at $28 and can be purchased online at www.thepasadenacivic.com or by calling the box office at 626-449-7360. Golden Tickets, which allow the ticket holder (children ages 4 – 12 only) a special on-stage experience during the production, are available for an additional $85.00 each.  This will be the eighth holiday season of Lythgoe Family Panto in Pasadena, and the third at the Pasadena Civic.

Olivia Sanabia is a versatile actress and singer on both stage and screen. She stars as Charlotte Wrather, Coop and Cami’s headstrong and high-spirited older sister in Disney Channel’s family sitcom Coop & Cami Ask the World.

Olivia is also known for her starring role as Kelly Quinn in the Amazon Original Series  Just Add Magic, loosely based on the book of the same name by Cindy Callaghan. Her additional acting credits include Life in Pieces, Extant, Sam & Cat, and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn.

Olivia aspires to explore the world of film and star on Broadway. In her free time, she sings and plays the piano, guitar, and ukulele. Outside of entertainment, she is passionate about giving back and donates her time to the non-profit organization, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. @OliviaSanabia

Michelle Williams is a Grammy Award-winning, singer/songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, designer, television host and member of one of the most successful recording groups of all time, Destiny’s Child. In 2018, Williams reunited with Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Kelly Rowland for a long-awaited Destiny’s Child reunion performance during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She has also recorded four critically-acclaimed albums as a solo artist – Heart to Yours in 2002, Do You Know in 2004, Unexpected in 2008, and Journey to Freedom in 2014, who’s song “Say Yes” has been streamed over 100 million times.

Between recording projects, Williams made her theatrical stage debut in 2003 in the title role of the hit Broadway musical Aida. Williams has since appeared in productions of The Color Purple, Broadway and London’s West End productions of Chicago. She also was featured in the acclaimed stage play What My Husband Doesn’t Know, and a national tour with the musical Fela! Williams also starred in the Oxygen network series Fix My Choir and has served as a guest host on talk shows such as The View, Meredith, The Real and many more.

As an entrepreneur, Williams recently launched Believe at Home by Michelle Williams. A sophisticated bedding collection, featuring exquisite and vibrant comforters, duvets, coverlets, sheets and shams inspired by her grandmother’s quilting.

An advocate for mental health and empowerment, Williams is an ambassador for the Office on Women's Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she promotes awareness for maintaining optimum physical and mental health through nutrition, exercise, and proper medical care.

Lythgoe Family Panto Across America

This season Lythgoe Family Panto will also present three additional productions across America:

PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL - A PIRATES CHRISTMAS will star John O’Hurley as Captain Hook and Ashley Argota as Tinker Bell and will mark the fifth year of the partnership between Lythgoe Family Panto and Laguna Playhouse, and plays December 4 - December 29. Tickets starting at $41 for children and $51 for adults are on sale at www.lagunaplayhouse.com

A SNOW WHITE CHRISTMAS will also be presented in partnership with North Carolina Theatre at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium from November 30 - December 8.  Tickets starting at $25 are on sale at nctheatre.com.

ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH will be presented in partnership with Tennessee Performing Arts Center at the James K. Polk Theatre in Nashville from December 12 - December 22. Tickets starting at $40 are on sale at www.tpac.org

Previously Lythgoe Family Panto established their reputation with productions including The Wonderful Winter of Oz starring Kermit The Frog, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Mackenzie Ziegler, Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose starring Kelli Berglund, James Snyder and Gedde Watanabe, A Cinderella Christmas starring Lauren Taylor, Alex Newell and Morgan Fairchild, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell - A Pirates Christmas starring Sabrina Carpenter and John O’Hurley, Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight starring Olivia Holt and Lucy Lawless, Aladdin and His Winter Wish starring Ben Vereen, Jordan Fisher, and Ashley Argota – and A Snow White Christmas starring Ariana Grande and Neil Patrick Harris.

Lythgoe Family Panto produces fun, musical theatre the whole family can enjoy. Known for their creativity and involvement in television hits “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” the Lythgoes is dedicated to bringing affordable theatre to families across America. Based on the Grimm fairytales and others, each story has been modernized with topical scripts for parents and well-known pop songs for kids. The Lythgoes pride themselves on creating a memorable experience a family can share together.  In 2018 over 6000 title 1 students were introduced by the Lythgoes to live theatre, through the medium of Panto.

 

Trailer for Ritchie's 'The Gentlemen' Released

From writer/director Guy Ritchie comes THE GENTLEMEN, a star-studded sophisticated action-comedy. THE GENTLEMEN follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he's looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him (featuring an all-star ensemble cast including Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant).

Guy Ritchie's 'The Gentlemen' Coming Soon