OS SIXTY-ONE---STAGE BITZ (FEB 14-20)

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!!

TIME TO GET ON STAGE!!!

BLACK HISTORY BITZ

This week we feature the song, "Saint Louis Blues" by WC Handy.

"Saint Louis Blues" is a popular American song composed by W. C. Handy in the blues style. It remains a fundamental part of jazz musicians' repertoire. It was also one of the first blues songs to succeed as a pop song. It has been performed by numerous musicians of all styles from Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith to Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. It has been called "the jazzman'sHamlet".^[1] Published in September 1914 by Handy's own company, it later gained such popularity that it inspired the dance step the "Foxtrot".

Handy said he had been inspired by a chance meeting with a woman on the streets of St. Louis distraught over her husband's absence, who lamented, "Ma man's got a heart like a rock cast in de sea", a key line of the song.[2][3] Details of the story vary. Robert Palmer states that Handy encountered the melody in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1892, when he was out of work. It had numerous one-line verses "and they would sing it all night."[4]

Writing about the first time "St Louis Blues" was played (1914), Handy said,

"The one-step and other dances had been done to the tempo of Memphis Blues ... When St Louis Blues was written the tango was in vogue. I tricked the dancers by arranging a tango introduction, breaking abruptly into a low-down blues. My eyes swept the floor anxiously, then suddenly I saw lightning strike. The dancers seemed electrified. Something within them came suddenly to life. An instinct that wanted so much to live, to fling its arms to spread joy, took them by the heels."^[16]

Bessie Smith's January 14, 1925, Columbia Records recording of "Saint Louis Blues" with Louis Armstrong is considered by many to be one of the finest recordings of the 1920s. So successful was Handy's "Saint Louis Blues" that in 1929, he and director Kenneth W. Adams collaborated on a RCA motion picture project of the same name, which was to be shown before the main attraction. Handy suggested blues singer Bessie Smith have the starring role, since she had gained widespread popularity with that tune. The picture was shot in June and was shown in movie houses throughout the United States from 1929 to 1932.

The version with Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong on cornet was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993. The 1929 version by Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra (with Henry "Red" Allen) was inducted there in 2008.

At the time of his death in 1958, Handy was earning royalties upwards of US$25,000 annually for the song. The original published sheet music is available online at the United States Library of Congress in a searchable database of African-American music from Brown University.[5]

In 1958, a movie about his life - appropriately entitled St. Louis Blues - was released starring legendary African-American musicians Nat "King" Cole (in the main role), Pearl Bailey, Mahalia Jackson, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Eartha Kitt. It was released the year of Handy's death.

The St. Louis Blues NHL team is named after the W.C. Handy song, and their theme song is Miller's version of the Handy composition.

Info by Wikipedia/

MAAT BITZ

THE 2013 OBSDN MEN OF COLOR CALENDAR IS OUT! TO PURCHASE YOUR COPY EMAIL SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFO!

BELOW ARE THE FEATURED CALENDAR MODELS (NOTE: PICS ARE PROMOTIONAL ONLY AND NOT PART OF THE ACTUAL CALENDAR)

BRANDON INGRAM (MR JANUARY)

KOURI FLYE (MR FEBRUARY)

BRANDEN CARTWRIGHT (MR MARCH)

SESAMIR YEARBY (MR APRIL)

PJ MOTON (MR MAY)

ADAM FLOWERS (MR JUNE)

JOHN NEEDEM II (MR JULY)

ABRAM PRUITT, JR (MR AUGUST)

RA'DRIC (MR SEPTEMBER)

JARRED MOORE (MR OCTOBER)

GQ (MR NOVEMBER)

BRANDON CHISOM (MR DECEMBER)

UPCOMING WILL BE A MEET AND GREET OF THE CALENDAR MODELS AND BOOK (LOCATION TBA SOON!)

TO SEE THE VIDEO DOCUMENTARY OF THE MAKING OF THE CALENDAR GO TO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMqITMzhDSg

AND

COMING IN MAY IS THE MUSICAL STAGEPLAY "LIPS UNSTUCK" CHRONICLING THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE. STAYED EYED FOR MORE DETAILS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN AUDITION, SEND A HEADSHOT AND RESUME TO SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM

HEY DAPPER DANS-do you think you have style? Do you have a winning personality? Do you think you have that perfect suit and tie in your closet? Starting March 1, OUTSTAGN Blogspot will have an online poll set up for gents who want to compete in the 5th ANNUAL MISTA COUTURE CHARITY STYLE CONTEST that will take place in AUGUST 2013 (City and Location TBA). Send your best head or body shot in your best style and your stats (Age, Height, Weight and city) to snaphoney2011@gmail.com and we will put your pic and info on the poll for your fans to vote for your entry as a finalist in the competition! Timeline is March 1 to May 1. Serious replies only!

ILLI MO BITZ

Plainfield, Illinois native and Emmy Award winning actress Melissa McCarthy had the No.1 movie at the Box Office with the comedy, “Identity Theif” which raked in close to $40 million. With that success, longtime critic Rex Reed not only honed in on the film (in which he panned) but he also criticized McCarthy’s weight.

In Reed's review in The New York Observer of Melissa's latest comedy (which topped the box office over the weekend), he referred to the actress as "tractor-sized," "a humongous creep" and a "female hippo."

Her cousin, Chicago native talk show host Jenny McCarthy spoke out after her cousin Melissa McCarthy was insulted by film critic Reed.

"When you have talent, you have talent. People shouldn't personally attack anyone who's in front of the camera," Jenny said on Tuesday's Access Hollywood Live. "Judge the work, but not the way someone looks," Jenny said of the scathing comments.

She went on to say, "That's obnoxious in itself," McCarthy told us. "For anyone to attack like that, it's just wrong and hurtful, and it doesn't do anyone any good—not even Rex Reed, you know?"

After getting slammed for his nasty remarks from various corners—includingBridesmaids director Paul Feig, who tweeted, "For his catty and school bully name-calling of the supremely talented Melissa McCarthy, I cordially invite Mr. Rex Reed to go f--k himself"— “Identity” co star Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet, tweeted, "Turns out Rex Reed didn't die sad and alone 10 years ago"

Reed responded, "Don't make me a villain."

Chicago native rapper Kanye West one of the big winners at this year Grammy Awards winning three, Rap Song and Rap Performance (“Niggaz IN Paris”) with Jay Z, Rap/Sung Collaboration (“No Church In the Wild”) with Jay Z, Frank Ocean and The Dream. West did not attend the Grammy Awards for he was vacationing with girlfriend Kim Kardashian in Brazil (PICTURED is WEST AT THE 2006 GRAMMY AWARDS)

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Chicago native Chaka Khan is coming out with a line of chocolates and candles. All proceeds reportedly will benefit The Chaka Khan Foundation which supports women and children in crisis. The Grammy Award winner is also celebrating 40 years in the music business.

STL BITZ

The Lumiere Light Up the Night Fat Tuesday Parade took place Tuesday in downtown St Louis on Washington Avenue where hundreds flocked to see dozens of floats and thousands of beads as people from all over the St. Louis area converge to celebrate.

Mardi Gras, Last weekend, the Mardis Gras celebration in Soulard drew thousands but was more reckless. St. Louis police reported that 80 people were arrested during Mardi Gras celebrations in Soulard by about 8 p.m. Saturday.

Authorities said 76 juveniles were arrested for consumption of alcohol by a minor. One person was arrested for a controlled substance violation.

Another person was arrested for "interfering with an arrest," and two others for resisting arrest. Police officers working secondary security shot and killed an armed man near the Mardi Gras celebration. Authorities say the man was ordered to drop his gun, but instead turned and pointed the weapon at the officers.

Both officers then fired several shots, according to police, and Roberson was struck by gunfire.The man was transported to SLU hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

In the ongoing arbitration battle in who will flip the bill to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome. The St Louis Convention and Visistors Commission(who owns the Dome) has pulled its trump card by bringing in a financier after the layers favored in St Lousi Rams oner propsoal to upgrade the stadium for close to $700 million as required by the lease agreement with the Rams or the team can leave the city after 2014 Season.

In comes investment banking firm Goldman Sachs to the CVC;s rescue. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Goldman Sachs will be paid $20,000 per month, and up to $5,000 more for expense reimbursement, to help. Some sources speculate that the stadium may move to the Festus area and rebuild.

From reports, arbitrators ruled in early February in favor of the team's plan for upgrading the dome to ''top-tier'' status as required by the lease agreement with the dome owner, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. The CVC had reportedly proposed $124 million in renovations.

The CVC has until March to decide if it will try to implement the Rams' plan.

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Journalist and drummer Terry Artis is making waves with his upcoming documentary "Bootlicker" that focuses on St Louis' politics of division. The documentary has Artis speaking about his film on all of the St Louis media outlets. The main focus has been the controversial flier that has been distributed throughout the city depicting Mayor Francis Slay holding the Arch like a slave whip and a black man on his knees with the words "Slayvery."

“It is meant to shock people into the reality of how St. Louis is run like a slave plantation,” Terry Artis said to Fox 2. “The black man on his knees represents the Slay Supporters.”

Artis is releasing “Bootlicker” at The Tivoli Theatre Feb. 20. for one showing at 7 p.m.

To see a teaser go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2141404240/the-screening-of-bootlicker-the-movie/posts

On this Valentine Day week, we feature STL based married couple Scott Emerson and Milele Lott. Pictured is the couple in regal African garb. Emerson is an advisor to Better Family Life and Lott is a Harris Stowe and Webster U grad.

BLIND DISH

Which STL media personalty had to go on Facebook to inform people they were not quitting the company that they were employed but just the TV show that they were co-hosting this week?The media personality is a female, who's first and last name start with a consonant and the media company she works for also owns the TV show she co-hosts. Who is this lady?

Which

WORDZ

THE

Why didn’t Chris Brown stand up with the rest of the audience when Frank Ocean won an award?Why did J Lo’s one leg out dress seem a bit desperate for attention? Why did Taylor Swift open up the show? And why was she in the audience acting like a groupie when people were performing? Why did they give Miguel two minutes to perform? And why didn’t Kelly Clarkson know who he was? Why was Ellen Degeneres looking lustfully at Beyonce when they introduced Justin Timberlake? And why was Beyonce throwing up gangsta signs in the audience when she was acknowledged by LL Cool J? Why weren’t any of the surviving Wailers perform on the Bob Marley tribute? Why was Johnny Depp dressed like a pirate? Why did Katy Perry throw shade during her presentation of the Best New Artist award? Why didn’t NAs win for Best Rap Album? And why was Kelly Rowland was acting shamefaced when she presented with Nas?

OTHER

Why did film critic Rex Reed call Melissa Mccarthy obese during his critique of her new film? Why did the Chris Dorner shoot those people in the first place? Why did Lil Wayne have a song comparing a womans female parts to slain teen Emmitt Till? And Why did a black guy who attended the State of the Union address say to President Obama after his speech, “You did better than LeBron?”

A ST. LOUIS PREMIERE PLAY PRESENTED BY THE BLACK REP

The Mountaintop

JUST BACK FROM BROADWAY, THE MOUNTAINTOP IS A SURREAL, FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING’S LAST NIGHT ON EARTH

BY KATORI HALL

FEBRUARY 13^TH – MARCH 9^TH THE MOUNTAINTOP CONTINUES THE BLACK REP’S 36^THSEASON, NEW TICKET SPECIALS AVAILABLE!

WHO/WHAT: THE MOUNTAINTOP by Katori Hall

WHEN: Feb. 13^th-March 9th; Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Saturday Matinee March 9^th at 2pm.

WHERE: Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, 63108

TICKETS: $20-$47, special student matinee, group prices, http://theblackrep.org

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Afriky Lolo presents TAM TAM

Saturday Missouri History MuseumLindell & DeBaliviere Saint Louis, MO 63130

Diadie Bathily, director of Afriky Lolo, uses dance and drum to tell an inspiring story about African cultures throughout the diaspora. When: Saturday, February 16 • 8pm to 9:30pm

where: Lee Auditorium

Cost: Free

ONGOING BITZ

LooseCannon presents BIKINI BOXING every Wednesday at The City, 1917 Washington in Midtown St Louis. Doors at 10p.m. For free RSVP call 314-4-9917

Check out the web series UNDER THE CHERRY TREEproduced by Kobalt Books. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/kobaltbooks

Check out Paris Caldwell's weekly podcast GOIN BACK TO INDIANA playing all Jacksons music every Thursday at TEN PM CST at http://www.mixlr.com/mytalknation

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