'King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones' Doc, Produced By Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen, Has North American VOD Release

Gangster for some, philanthropist for others, who was really Edward Jones? In the 1930s and 1940s, this descendant of slaves becomes one of the richest men in the United States thanks to the Policy business, an illegal numbers game, that ultimately became the modern state lottery, now played by millions nationwide. It’s estimated that Edward Jones made amassed a fortune  $25 million in the Policy business (numbers game),  and put money in the pockets of Black folks who didn’t have many economic opportunities. But in these times of segregation, his success and unfailing support to the African American community are a problem. In conflict with both the mob and the Feds, he is eventually forces into a life on the run!

Exploring the rise and fall of the most famous Policy King of all times -- Edward  Jones, nicknamed the “King of Kings” --  his filmmaking granddaughter uncovers an unparalleled story, while showing the lasting repercussions of his untold story, both within her family, and for Chicago’s South Side where he once embodied the American dream. 

Love, success, violence, revenge, mafia, murder, betrayal, prison, kidnapping. . . Edward Jones’s story holds all the best ingredients of gangster movies. Add segregation and you have a very explosive cocktail! 

 KING OF KINGS | 98 minutes runtime 

Director Harriet Marin Jones and the legendary Quincy Jones.  
Photo by Emmanuel Guimier

 

Curtis Haywood Has An Emotional 'Last Dance'

 

 

As his mother valiantly fought brain cancer in the final two years of her life, soul/jazz saxophonist Curtis Haywood struggled to let her go. But he knew he had to let go if only to relieve her of the crippling pain she endured. In that moment of clarity, he imagined dancing with her one final time. Haywood captured that intimate and emotional moment on “Last Dance,” the newly released single that he wrote. Billboard chart-topping guitarist Steve Oliver produced the track and is featured playing on the Megawave Records release which is among the most added new singles on the Billboard radio chart. 

 

While the poignant backstory may seem somber, Haywood’s “Last Dance” is a joyous celebration of life’s transient beauty. The soulful interplay of Haywood's soprano saxophone and Oliver's guitar creates a rich, downtempo R&B groove inviting listeners to dance. 

The accompanying video, below, mirrors this vibrant energy, showcasing the track’s infectious spirit.

“‘Last Dance’ is about recognizing the necessity of releasing what no longer serves us, opening ourselves to new beginnings and brighter futures. This powerful message resonates throughout the song, making it a perfect anthem for anyone facing life’s inevitable transitions,” said Haywood who shot the video during a summer residency in the Hamptons.

 

The Brooklyn-born and based Haywood is a saxophonist and steelpan player who attended the Berklee College of Music. He has released three albums incorporating classic R&B, soul, jazz, and gospel beginning with his 2007 self-titled debut set. Haywood also issued a couple of Christmas singles, “Mary, Did You Know?” and “Hark the Herald Angles Sing.” A dynamic concert performer, Haywood has performed with or been on marquees featuring contemporary jazz, classic R&B, soul, and gospel greats Chieli Minucci, Elan Trotman, Will Donato, JJ Sansaverino, Melissa Morgan, Melba Moore; Ray, Goodman & Brown; The Intruders and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Dennis Edwards and The Temptations Review, Kirk Franklin, Sounds of Blackness, and Noel Pointer.

John Smith & DA'JA 'Make Me Feel Good'

DETROIT, Mich. - Some lines from movies resonate on a deeper level. As multi-instrumentalist John Smith watched Halle Berry’s Academy Award-winning performance in “Monster’s Ball,” her character said something so simple, yet it had a profound impact on him, inspiring the title of his band DA’JA’s new single, “Make Me Feel Good.” The DA’JA Entertainment contemporary jazz release written and produced by Smith is currently collecting radio playlist adds as it hits streaming and retail platforms including Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music.

“When Halle’s character leaned in and said, ‘Make me feel good,’ it was simple, but something about the way she delivered the line hit me. It felt raw like she was asking for more than just a moment. She was asking for connection, to be truly understood. That line stayed with me. It captured a feeling of vulnerability and desire, this universal need we all have to feel alive, wanted, and seen. Whether it’s being close to someone, feeling free, or breaking away from everything that holds us back. That’s where the song came from. It’s more than just words; it’s a request, a plea for something real and unforgettable,” said the Detroit-based Smith about the latest single from DA’JA’s “Life After Life” album, which dropped last year.

A cool electric jazz guitar lead speaks evocatively on “Make Me Feel Good.” The downtempo R&B/contemporary jazz groove is carved by bassist Rob Skinner and drummer Jeff Canady while the melodic backdrop is draped by Moe Whitsett’s understated keyboards and warmed by Dennis Lee’s horns.

Smith’s mission is to use music to unite and unify, bridging generations, races, and the cultural divide. Inspired by the death of GRAMMY-winning crossover superstar Selena, he crafted an alchemy of jazz, funk, R&B, and Latin music that he branded Latin Funk. DA’JA’s first album release, “Straight Up John Smith,” dropped in 2002. The band’s fourth collection, “Life After Life,” has spawned seven singles: “Life After Life,” “Takin It Easy,” “Paradise (Full Mix),” “After Five,” “Magical,” “True Love (Acoustic),” and now, “Make Me Feel Good.”

Nominated for Instrumental & Jazz Artist of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards, John Smith & DA’JA have played popular Detroit-area venues and festivals at which they shared the stage with Anita Baker, Martha Reeves, Force MDs, and The Time.

In its touring configuration, Smith anchors the DA’JA band septet from the drum throne and is flanked by Derrick Bow (bass), Rodney Walker (guitar), Eddie Payne (keyboards), Neyo Jones (percussion), Terrell Williams (trumpet), and Moe Garcias (horns).

For more information, visit https://dajaent.net.

 

LA Opera Presents Les Talens Lyriques On November 13

(Los Angeles) October 15, 2024 — On November 13, LA Opera will present the Paris-based chamber ensemble Les Talens Lyriques in a concert under the baton of founder and conductor Christophe Rousset, taking place in the intimate environment of Zipper Hall. The program, entitled "The Sound of Music in Versailles," is a tribute to the flourishing sound worlds of the master composers of the French Baroque era, created for the royal courts of King Louis XIV and XV.

"The Sound of Music in Versailles" will showcase music by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) and François Couperin (1668-1733), as well as the lesser known Michel Lambert (c. 1610-1696) and Michel Pignolet de Montéclair (1667-1737).

Mezzo-soprano Amboisine Bré will be the featured vocal soloist. In addition to Mr. Rousset at the harpsichord, the instrumentalists will be violinist Gilone Gaubert violinist Benjamin Chénier and cellist Emmanuel Jacques.

Performance and Ticket Info

Les Talens Lyriques will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, at the Colburn School's Zipper Concert Hall (located at 200 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012).

A limited number of tickets are on sale now, beginning at $54. Tickets can be purchased online at LAOpera.org, by phone at 213.972.8001, or in person at the LA Opera box office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012). For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.

About Les Talens Lyriques

Championing a broad vocal and instrumental repertoire ranging from early Baroque to the beginnings of Romanticism, the musicians of Les Talens Lyriques aim to throw light on the great masterpieces of musical history, while providing perspective by presenting rarer or little-known works that are important as missing links in the European musical heritage. This musicological and editorial work, which contributes to their renown, is a priority for the ensemble.

Les Talens Lyriques takes their name from the subtitle of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s 1739 opera Les Fêtes d’Hébé. Their repertoire includes works by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Landi, Handel, Lully, Desmarest, Mondonville, Cimarosa, Traetta, Jommelli, Martin y Soler, Mozart, Salieri, Rameau, Gluck, Beethoven, Cherubini, García, Berlioz, Massenet, Gounod, Saint-Saëns and others.

Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques appear throughout Europe, with performances at the Opéra National de Paris, Opéra-Comique, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Philharmonie de Paris, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Lausanne Opéra, Teatro Real Madrid, Vienna State Opera, Theater an der Wien, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie in Brussels, London’s Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre, among others, as well as on tour elsewhere throughout the world.

Learn more at LesTalensLyriques.com.

Nicole Byer Brings the Funny to Beverly Hills

Nicole Byer

By Darlene Donloe

Nicole Byer has a ‘funny’ way of making her audience laugh.

For one night only, during a recent standup set at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Byer’s comedy was on fire as she held the nearly sold-out, diverse audience in the palm of her hand.

Dressed casually in jeans, a bright, multi-colored striped top and black-white checked sneakers, Byers showed why she is a popular comedienne. Her charming personality – coupled with a solid delivery makes her a formidable comical opponent.

With only a microphone and a stool, the actress, host, and comedienne, who confidently paced back and forth making good use of the stage, took the audience on a journey through her life.

As she was introduced, Byer, sporting a slimmed-down frame, walked quickly to the lone microphone in the middle of the stage and wasted no time getting to work. A veteran and a pro, she knows how to keep the audience’s attention.

Nicole Byer

Best known as the host of the EMMY-nominated baking series Nailed It!, the podcaster and writer, whose 1,000-watt personality is as warm and inviting as it is hilarious and engaging, talked about being a big star with several Emmy nominations, using Ozempic, her hosting duties on ‘Wipeout,’ with co-host John Cena, traveling with her friend, Sasheer Zamata, who is also her co-host on the podcast ‘Best Friends,’ meeting a Munchkin-size Tom Cruise, her love of porn and her many failed relationships.

She proudly spoke about dumping one date because he bragged about putting sour cream in his mac ‘n cheese. It was a deal breaker.

But what she’s good at is interacting with her audience. She feeds off of the crowd. Half of her set was asking questions of those in the audience. With just a simple prompt as, ‘Who’s in a relationship,?’ Byer is off and running, with quick, and witty repartee. She could do a whole set by dissecting the relationship of her fans.

Nicole Byer

Looking for relationship advice, Byer, who loves to interject anecdotes from her life, asked one couple in the audience the secret to their longevity. Both the man and the woman, who have been married for 49 years, seemed confused by the question. Awkward moments went by with Byer close to giving up on getting an answer.  She jokingly looked at the couple and said, “I’m just trying to get some relationship advice.” Finally, the man said, keeping his mouth shut was the secret, while the woman said it was having good humor. By that time, Byer was ready to move on.

Fresh off her performance in the Netflix Is A Joke festival, Byer, who can be seen in the Netflix special, ‘Nicole Byer: Big Beautiful Weirdo and the NBC comedy, ‘Grand Crew,’ briefly bragged about her busy career.

In 2020, Byer made history by becoming the first Black woman ever to be nominated in the category of “Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program” and was nominated again in 2021 and 2022. The series premiered its seventh season in October 2022.

Byer can be seen in Comedy Central’s supernatural comedy, Cursed Friends alongside Harvey Guillén, Jessica Lowe, and Andrew Lewis Caldwell. She also appears in the immersive comedy special, Surrounded, presented by Just for Laughs.

Nori Reed

Nori Reed was the perfect opener. With her acerbic delivery, she quickly had the audience in stitches.

Reed, originally from Kentucky, is an LA-based comedian, writer, and actress who, at one time, described her comedy as languid, critical, psychosexual, and secretly hopeful.

Her set was much too short. Reed, who introduced Byer, is a great warm-up. It would be worth the price of admission to see her set again. 

As the audience left, it was clear by the quips and laughter, that Byer had successfully brought the funny!

 

 

Pianist Christian Sands Is 'Embracing Dawn'

Christian Sands

By Darlene Donloe

Pianist Christian Sands recently made his Hollywood Bowl debut – and it was alongside some heavy hitters. 

Sands performed September 11, as part of the ‘Jazz on Tap at the Bowl’ program, featuring the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins with Music Director Christian McBride who co-hosted the show with the legendary Ben Vereen.  

Other band members included Rodney Jones (guitar), Clayton Cameron (drums), and special guest Terence Blanchard.  

Savion Glover brought down the house with his high-energy tapping.

Others on tap included legendary tap dancers Sarah Reich, Michela Marino Lerman, and Karen Callaway Williams, who tapped alongside featured singers including Freda Payne, Judith Hill, and Paula Cole.  

Sands, 35, dapper in a blue checkered-like suit, was masterful as he tickled the ivories.  

The New Haven, Conn. native and Grammy-nominated artist (Be Water), who now calls Los Angeles home, is having a great year. Not only is he touring and reveling on a successful Hollywood Bowl debut, but he is set to release his latest CD, ‘Embracing Dawn,’ on September 27, with ‘MMC’ as the first single to drop.

Christian Sands

I caught up with Sands (CS), who received a B.A. and a Masters from the Manhattan School of Music, recently to talk about his career. 

DD: When did you first discover the piano?  

CS: The piano chose me. I started playing when I was one year old. The story goes that I would never pound the keys. I would use my fingers to play the piano. We had an upright spinet, and my aunt bought me an upright piano. Lessons started when I was four. I studied classical piano at four. A family friend, a musical director of a church recommended to my parents that I take piano lessons. She passed away when I was five. She left her piano to me in her will. I still own it today. 

DD: Describe what you felt like when you heard the piano.

CS: It's the same now. It’s joy. It’s a place of safety. It’s a place of exploration and pure expression. I still have the same feelings.

DD: When did you get serious about it?

CS: I’ve been performing professionally since I was seven years old. Music is just who I am. That’s a hard question to answer. When I figured out I could make this a living career, I was probably about 14 or 15. I had a steady performance job at a restaurant called Sage in New Haven. I played every Friday. I got paid and I got tips.

DD:  When you were growing up did you ever think you would play the Hollywood Bowl?

CS: No.  Well, yes, eventually. I had no clue at all. 

DD: What are your feelings about that venue? 

CS: I’m very excited. Always wanted to. I’ve seen many wonderful shows there. It’s an honor to play with those musicians. 

DD:  Talk about playing with Christian McBride at the Hollywood Bowl.  Are you two friends? How long have you known him? What’s the relationship?

CS: He’s sort of like my older brother. We’ve known each other since 2010. We used to work together a lot. I was a part of his trio, The Christian McBride Trio. That was my entryway into the pros.  We just performed for Blue Note Napa Festival recently. That’s my brother from another mother. 

DD: Talk about your new album ‘Embracing Dawn’. Why that title?

CS: The title came from the creation of the record. The record was birthed through transition, heartache, trying to find a place of healing and understanding, and about what comes next in one’s life. I wanted to create a space for people to go to. It’s embracing the next steps. The new day. For me, it was a change in relationship, a change in the scope of myself, and a change from the East Coast to the West Coast. 

DD: How long did this latest album take to produce/record?

CS: It took me about a year to write the music. I was trying to capture different aspects of what someone goes through with grief, happiness, hope, and failure. I also wanted to write music about it – as I was going through it. There are nine cuts on the album. 

DD: Talk about the first single, “MMC.” – Moms Mac and Cheese. How did this song come about?

CS: With MMC – we think about the forms of healing and transition. One of those things that helped me was always having a good, home-cooked meal. It’s more about the sustaining of one’s soul. Any time you get a good meal, it does something to your soul. It reminds you everything is going to be cool. Who better than one’s mother who makes a wonderful bowl of MMC? It’s also about showing that there is a place where one can be fulfilled in their soul. Part of that is cuisine.

DD: How would you describe your music?

CS: It’s me. It’s steeped in the traditions of American Black music, classical, jazz, and funk.  I’m a product of that. It’s also creative. I write music to tell stories of people, America, my people, and experiences.

DD:  What do you struggle with as an artist?

CS:  Everything. There are so many things to struggle with. You'd have to be more specific. I struggle with everything everyone else struggles with, a stable home, finances, and relationships. I am fine with how to create.

DD:  How often do you tour?

CS:  Every day. I’m usually on the road 80% of the year.

DD: What do you like and dislike about touring?

CS: I like that I get to experience the world, people, culture, and different ideals, I get to learn stories of humanity. No matter where I am, people love music. They love my music. I’m so appreciative.

DD: Do you switch up your repertoire depending on where you are in the world?

CS: I can play the same thing in America, that I play in Brazil, Budapest, Copenhagen, or Italy.  I have fond memories of every place I’ve gone. The bad part is the travel. It’s the up and down, and the lack of sleep.

DD: What does music do for you?

CS: It allows me to travel and communicate. I can talk to you with my instrument. I can say what I truly feel.  Music allows you to transform language.

It’s a storyteller.

DD: When you are performing, are you conscious of the audience?

CS: The audience is part of the band. If they are not into it, I’m not into it. I’m conscious of everything.

DD: Ten years from now – what do you want to be and what do you hope to be doing?

CS: I’ve been trying to figure that out. What I want to be doing is institution building. I’m somebody who believes in giving back to the well that has fed and watered you. That can be me either performing, teaching, or being an artistic director of something I’ve created.

'Kill Move Paradise' Looks At Black Brotherhood In The Afterlife

By Darlene Donloe

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames (2022-Fat Ham) isn’t afraid to go there. 

He likes to do deep dives and evoke uncomfortable questions that audiences are encouraged to answer for themselves based on what they believe they saw on the stage. 

His 2017 drama, ‘Kill Move Paradise,’ currently enjoying its Southern California premiere at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A., is a sampling of Ijames’ diverse works.

(l-r) Jonathan P. Sims, Ulato Sam, Cedric Joe, and Ahkei Togun

The story is about four Black men, torn from the world without warning, who find themselves in a cosmic waiting room in the afterlife, which is described as being “reminiscent of Elysium” - the Greek paradise inhabited by only the most heroic or virtuous souls.

One by one we see the men being tossed down a giant slide from which there is no return.

And, one by one, they challenge their earthly fates, while trying to make sense of their new life, or in this case – death journey. 

Ulato Sam

Isa, played by Ulato Sam, is the first one to find himself alone in a waiting room of sorts. As his eyes adjust, he notices a printer, the inquisitive eyes of the audience, and nothing else. Perplexed as to how he ended up there, he enlists the help of the audience – but to no avail. He tries to remember the last thing that happened before he awakened in his sparse digs.  As things start to slowly come to his remembrance, including his proximity to law enforcement, he asks the question, “At what age is a Black boy when he learns he’s scary? At eight?”  It’s a provocative question that permeates the Black community.

(l-r) Ulato Sam, Ahkei Togun, and Jonathan P. Sims

Next to drop in is Grif, played by Jonathan P. Sims, then Daz, played by Ahkei Togun, and later a youngster named Tiny, played by Cedric Joe. The three older men are thrown for a loop at Tiny’s youth and his presence in the waiting room.  Tiny is still holding a toy AK47 when he tumbles to his fate. 

Why they are there and the question about their fate is a conundrum to the quartet, who quickly bond to figure out their circumstances. 

Ijames has crafted a thought-provoking, stimulating, and amazing drama that explores humanity on its raw terms. 

The cast of 'Kill Move Paradise'

“I wanted to create a space in which the humanity of the people on stage is undeniable,” Ijames said in an interview. “These characters embody all the ways in which we try to be human. They are jealous, they are kind, they are maternal and paternal, they are pushed physically to the edge of something and then fall. I always say that I hope this play becomes obsolete one day. That’s like a crazy thing for a playwright to say. But I hope one day that people will say we don’t need to do this play anymore because we are different. We are better.” 

While Isa has had time to evaluate his life and death, Daz, Grif, and Tiny find it easier to play, sing, tease, and uplift one another as they’re forced to confront how they arrived in this unearthly place. 

This show has some heart-breaking moments, especially when each man tries unsuccessfully to fling themselves back across a steep, angled slide that brought them there. 

Their realization that they are each, indeed, dead is a sobering moment for the men, who try to remember their last moments of life.

(l-r) Ulato Sam, Ahkei Togun, and Jonathan P. Sims

A sense of melancholy bathes the hushed theatre during a scene when Isa reads the names of an ever-growing list of slain Black men and women, coupled with the fear and threat of death the men continue to face daily. 

Some heads bowed and several theatergoers shed a tear as familiar names like Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, George Floyd…and others not as well known -  were read out loud - all being the victims of “death by cop”. For those who understand the agonizing significance, it’s a painful moment in the show – that takes your breath away, especially as the printer continues to pour out the never-ending names. 

The men soon find out that they are not stranded forever. This is just a stopover on their way to eternal bliss. 

(l-r) Ulato Sam, Cedric Joe, Ahkei Togun, and Jonathan P. Sims

Even though the dialogue is filled with righteous indignation, considering the subject matter, Ijames’ showed some restraint in this tome. 

Ijames’ light, sometimes comical injections help the audience to digest this heavy show. 

For instance, there are interludes of a painfully “playful” nature, as when Tiny has an imaginary, sitcom-esque reunion with his parents, complete with a laugh track, and when the men act out a surreally over-the-top childhood game. 

'Kill Move Paradise' is a captivating reminder of our collective humanity.

Kudos to Sam, Sims, Togun, and Joe, who through their acting and their physical performances – push the story forward.

Gregg T. Daniel

A story like this could only be put in the hands of a masterful director like Gregg T. Daniel, who has proven, time after time, that he knows how to bring a production and its emotional penalties to life. Kudos to Daniel, who has helmed several August Wilson plays at A Noise Within. He had his hands full with this one. ‘Kill Move Paradise’ at its guttural core, is no easy play to interpret. 

“Kill Move Paradise deals with ongoing violence against Black and Brown people in a highly original and unique way,” said Daniel. “The audience will laugh… while also feeling invested in the pain our heroes are feeling. We relate to these four young men as they find the humor in their situation, celebrate their culture, and revel in one another. It’s hard to hate someone when you get to know them. This is a kind of politically motivated theater I haven’t seen in some time.” 

‘Kill Move Paradise’ is a “must-see.” 

‘Kill Move Paradise,’ written by James Ijames, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, and produced by Sally Essex Lopresti, stars Cedric Joe, Ulato Sam, Jonathan P. Sims, and Ahkei Togun. 

Kudos to Toran Xavier Moore (choreographer), Donny Jackson (lighting designer), David Gonzales (sound designer), Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (scenic designer), and Wendell C. Carmichael (costume designer). 

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother, O (oh, no) N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (exceptional) ‘Kill Move Paradise’ gets an E (exceptional). 

Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission. 

‘Kill Move Paradise’, Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA; 8 p.m., Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.; 8 p.m. Wed., Sept 25 and Oct. 16; through Nov. 3, 2024; $20 - $40, with an additional $3 per ticket fee if using a credit card. “College Nights” on Friday, Sept. 27, and Friday, Oct. 18 are Pay-What-You-Can (reservations open online and at the door starting at 5:30 p.m.). For more information and to purchase tickets, (310) 477-2055 or OdysseyTheatre.com.