Entertainment

Summer Spirit Festival to Pay Homage to Homegrown Go-Go Groove

WASHINGTON INFORMER — With a history boasting roots can be traced to the early 70s, replete with free, family-friendly outdoor concerts in Anacostia Park in Southeast, the musings of determined grassroots activists including one D.C. transplant named Marion Barry and gifted musicians known for spitting out lyrics that inspired while African-like cadences kept the beat – on overturned buckets not snare drums, the season’s annual go-go groove party is poised to make its return.

Published

5 years ago

July 31, 2019

Oakland Post

By D. Kevin McNeir

With a history boasting roots can be traced to the early 70s, replete with free, family-friendly outdoor concerts in Anacostia Park in Southeast, the musings of determined grassroots activists including one D.C. transplant named Marion Barry and gifted musicians known for spitting out lyrics that inspired while African-like cadences kept the beat – on overturned buckets not snare drums, the season’s annual go-go groove party is poised to make its return.

The 2019 Summer Spirit Festival, presented by the dynamic duo of Carol Kirkendall and Darryll Brooks, professionally known as CD Enterprises, Inc., have long-proven that they have a penchant for putting on a concert second to none. And that’s what they promise to bring once more on Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.

Their tagline, perhaps, summarizes their mission best: “Not just another concert but an event.”

“We pride ourselves in running a great show with great sounds, lights and a show that starts on time,” they said. We want the show to be special for our customers.”

One impressive, if not unique quality of the yearly Summer Spirit Festival rests with its balanced, diverse lineup of entertainers, some known nationally and others more local favorites including brand new talent performing in front of an audience of thousands for the very first time.

Brooks says it’s always like a big family returning home for the holidays.

“We haven’t changed our stripes or our mission since we started doing our thing in 72,” he said. “My crew’s been here. In the early days, Chuck Brown [the godfather of go-go] was always there giving us his support. And as youngsters came aboard, we mentored them, we taught them the nuances of the business and we gave them opportunities to leave basement and backyard parties and do their thing on the big stage. Many of those youths have gone on to great careers and made their mark all over the world. Things like that, success stories similar in nature, are what have kept us going,” Brooks said while his business partner nodded her head in agreement.

This year’s lineup includes: Anthony Hamilton, Raphael Saadiq and Jhene Aiko but with an emphasis on paying tribute to D.C.’s own form of music, go-go, there will be local entertainers like Backyard Band, Sirius & Company (Ms. Kim & Scooby), Be’La Dona featuring Sugar Bear and many more. There may even be a few surprise guests, so those who plan to attend should get to the venue early and prepare to stay until the last downbeat falls.

“We’re featuring footage from ‘Go-Go Live and celebrating the Go-Go Posse’s ‘D.C. Don’t Stand for Dodge City,’” Kirkendall added.

“We cannot let that spirit that’s the foundation to go-go ever be stripped away from D.C.’s Black community,” Brooks said. “Not even this second wave of gentrification has the power to strip us of our identify, our mark on this city that has since spread throughout the nation and across the globe. We aren’t going anywhere and neither is our music.”

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

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1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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Promise Marks Performs Songs of Etta James in One-Woman Show, “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley

“The (show) is a fictional story about a character named Etta, aka Lady Peaches,” said Marks. “She falls in love with Johnny Rhythm, leader of the Rhythm Players Band and headliners of Madam G’s Glitta Lounge.” Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo Courtesy Of Promise Marks.

Special to the Post

It was “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Group Theater in Berkeley on Saturday night, Dec. 7. The one-woman musical based on the music of Etta James featured the multi-talented singer Promise Marks

Marks, who wrote and directed the musical, also owns PM Productions.

Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

In between her soulful songs, Marks narrated impactful moments of the love story and journey of blues and forgiveness.

Marks sultry voice carried the audience back to an era that echoed with the power of Black music and a time of great change.

Marks said James shared love for the Black community by singing at gatherings during the Civil Rights Movement uplifting the people.

“She spoke to the movement, spoke to the people, and let her music speak for itself,” Marks said.

Backing the musical’s monologues, images and videos of Etta James are projected for the audience to view. While the production is fictional, Marks infused script with the unfairness and heartbreak James experienced while performing.

Marks performed gospel artist Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down” as she narrated acts of reconciliation and forgiveness among the characters at Johnny Rhythm’s deathbed.

Marks, who regularly sings for the Miss America Pageant, was asked to perform as Etta James last year. “(At the event) a lady yelled out to me: ‘You’re Etta James!’ And then the audience went crazy. I said to myself, ‘I may have something here,’” she said.

Within 12 months, Marks created the musical production, which featured a dozen songs honoring “the great legacy of Etta James,” she said.

Marks says she was saddened to see how Etta James was often judged by the struggles in her life and wanted to offer attendees a more layered view.

“Etta’s life was so big. I want people to know that she was more than her drug addiction,” said Marks. “We can’t make that her legacy. Her catalog is too amazing. You can’t just be that and have the catalog that she (created). I don’t want the addiction to be the focus: I want her music, her element, her sassiness, and what she brought to be the focus – her woman-ness, that she was strong, and I wanted to honor that.”

Set Designer Nora Burnette says she created the set segments to mirror James’ life story. A set designer for BRG since 2016, she explained that her process of researching the scenario and the character serve as her inspiration for her design.

“I try to design a set as close to real life as possible so that the actress can deliver the performance sincerely,” said Burnette. “By creating the right setting, it helps the actors release the true essence of a character.”

The set brought the story to life and absolutely floored Marks. “Once Promise (Marks) saw the actual set, she understood my vision: ‘Wow, you get me. You get it,'” Marks told the designer.

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, Etta James, began her career in 1954 and gained fame with hits such “At Last” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.” She faced a number of personal problems, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album “Seven Year Itch.”

Co-producer and BRG Development Director, Sean Vaughn Scott, works with Overseer Production. According to producer Pamela Spikes, “Marks talent truly does Etta’s life story justice.”

Pam Jacobs of Hercules, a friend of Marks’ mom, Jackie Smith, said, Marks “was fabulous and sang all of those songs flawlessly.”

“I’m so proud of my daughter,” said Smith.

Marks, who has served as an instructor for BRG, will return on Feb. 21- 23 for an encore run of the musical.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the BRG (Black Repertory Group) family and continue our executive director Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott’s vision for the Black Repertory Group theater,” said Marks.

The Black Repertory Group Theatre is located at 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA 94703. For information, visit: BlackRepertoryGroup.com