ON 43 RD ST! The Final Bronzeville Arts Business Trolley Tonight 6-9

Bud Biliken Parade… Through a Different Lens

Going to The Bud Biliken Parade in Bronzeville!

.

BBP Check

I put up my sign for No Parking.√

I see the helicopter!

I have my sunglasses and a fun hat. √

I have just enough for a Sno-ball. √

Uh OH!…...

I hear the drums! 

I hear the drums!

I hear the drums!

I hear the drums!

I hear the Wobble music on a float! 

I hear helicopters!

I'm OUT! 

'Cause I'm going to the Bud Biliken Parade!

All photos by Aki Antonia c2016

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Rolling on the Bronzeville Arts District Trolley Tour….2016

My life in Bronzeville is never boring…
if I said it was...

I would be lying …

In mi vida…

 in my barrio… 

Bronzeville

Each day is always different…

A summer night

can be filled with the energy of the moment

or it can be mellow…and laid back

but 
there is one thing for sure...

  

The Summer Nights Art District Trolley Tour in Bronzeville

is always 
an interesting and eclectic experience...

2 show you what I mean…

let's time travel back 24 hours…

when I was rolling through Bronzeville 
last night ...

on the Bronzeville Art District Trolley Tour 2016

The  Trolley was rolling!

Although there were several Art Spaces 

Galleries and Art places to see…  

I only had time to stop at three 

and

at those three stops 

I saw lots of art…

on exhibit 

I talked to artists about their work...

I met art lovers and a variety of people ...

who have come to enjoy the Bronzeville Art District ...

I heard some interesting music…

I had a glass of white Zinfindel ...

I saw some film at the Bronzeville  Museum site...

 I saw some fun performances…

And ….
as I viewed the Exhibit
Echoes On My Journey
a historical exhibition on 
the Great Migration 
of African Americans 
from the South to the North

my energy flowed  from 

the Past…Present and  2 the Future…

in the Galleries of old and Nu Bronzeville...

Come join me on the trolley…
where the beauty of a Bronze sculpture from Benin caught my eye...

My first stop was Faie African Art Gallery at 1005 East 43rd Street

At Faie Gallery, you will find an outstanding  collection of  African statues, paintings, masks, musical instruments, pottery, baskets and metalworks.

Laura was having a great time playing the Balephone … 

Musician… Tiona  plays  a melody  along  with her…

Sister Adeleysha  guided us through the collection 

of the sculptures and art.

 Gallery owner Faie was talking to customers.

The art at Faie comes from different  places in Africa and other parts of the African Diaspora…including Haiti  and the Caribbean…. 

A contrast in ancient and modern African art…. in many mediums… turns this gallery into a  rich cultural feast for the eye, the soul and  the spirit… 

An ancient carving with cowry shells captures 

the face of an old Soul... 

A large beautiful sculpture from Benin caught my eye...

We visited the gallery at the lower level.

And then…
 We were all back on the trolley…
Leaving the African treasures of 
Faie Gallery and rolling through Bronzeville to 47th St….

 Next stop!  
Gallery Gruichard  

and the Bronzeville Artist Lofts

at 436 East 47th St.

Next stop!

All photos by Aki Antonia c 2016 

All rights reserved.

By AA 7152016  BAB c2016

In BRONZEVILLE..SOME LIKE IT BLACK • OPENING!

A good flow, energy and style was in place at the 

opening of the Some Like It Black Creative Bar in Bronzeville 

at Muddy Waters Drive and Cottage Grove 

(4259 S. Cottage Grove) on Friday, June 24, 2016.  

This is a two night opening which will be 

continuing on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 7 to 11 pm.

There was a interesting Black & White Photography exhibit by photographer, Tony Smith (of the South Side Community Art Center)  of iconic artists and creative folk from the Black Arts Movement 

circa..@ today in the New Millennium…  

It was interesting to see well known creatives from today being celebrated…with the retro-nuevo look of Black & White and Greyscale..tones… blended with a  mystical softness  from the past...

There was  a DJ pumping tres' Lounge' music which gave the spot a North side kind of sound and feel... 

There was a Cool Juice Bar…with some interesting healthy foods on the menu…

(I haven't been 2 a South side Juice Bar with performance since 

Way back in the day at NTU so this was C.O.O.L.) 

Overall there  was a new funk flow at the spot 

which is  interestingly located in the heart of BRONZEVILLE.

On 43rd & Cottage Grove…

(Muddy Waters Drive and Cottage) I DIG it!

On the Back Wall..

there is a COLLAGE of images and Creative Arts flow...

Artists musicians, dancers, poets were enjoying the opening night as the Some Like It Black creator, Kelli Rich 

welcomed the public into the her new incarnation. 

Many years ago, she had a SLIB bar in the South loop which featured Poetry, Spoken Word, Music, Creative performances and Art. 

This nu Some Like It Black REMIX holds the  promised more of the same flow and magic… in Bronzeville. 

Check out the 2nd day of opening on 

Saturday,June 25th, 7-11 pm. 

Poet & President of AACM Khari B. 

and Activist Queen…Afrika Porter

light up the spot at SLIB!

Queens… & Creative Performers 

were having some fun kicking it on opening night at 

Some Like It Black!  

Keyboardist Composer Aki Antonia,Vocalist, Performer, Maggie Brown, SLIB owner and actress, vocalist, poet, 

Kelli Rich, Flautist, Tiona, Vocalist, Dancer, Africa Brown

 KINGs… doing their thing!

DJ, Photographer, Tony Smith was a host and had a stellar Black & White exhibit  in the house, and Poet, Khari B…was  all part of the Mix!

Vocalist and Impersario of the Brown Derby in Bronzeville, Sandra Bivens shared a big smile with Flautist, Tiona. 

Juices, healthy foods and Creative 

energy are all on the menu at Some Like It Black!

Lively patrons and  good vibes were in the room on opening night!

The energy was great at Some Like It Black!

AA 62416
All photographs by Aki Antonia c 2016

Funkin' on 4-TREY…DNA Blues!

Over the  weekend of the Blues Fest in Chicago … 

I've been time traveling through some of my Blues memories…& flashbacks...

Flashbacks of 4-Trey (43rd St.)...

Tonight  I've been listening 2 some industrial 
Blues~Funk I played back in the day…
when I was jammin' with guitar player,  

Dale Williams …😎

We had been hanging out and playing with Dizz  

(Lefty Dizz) 
up at the original Checkerboard 
on 43rd St. 
(Muddy Waters Drive)

and we hadn't gotten our fill…

After playing with 

Dizz  

we were all upbeat and craZY...

So we stopped at my house...

I turned on my drum machine…  

and we kicked out some Chi -Town Blues grooves…

I was zooming on my Juno 60 synth..🎹🎹😎

and Dale was on his gee-tar….😎 
and we were gone…

There were a few Prince & Dizz riffs floating in there…

BUT it was really all about 

some serious Cosmic  CHICAGO Funk!

     ~♪♫•*¨*•¸¸*¸.•*¨*•♫♪  ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸*¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪~

We were playing some serious pocket! 

with some chords that were flying  around..

all Atonal and Free….♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

some of 'dat straight up  Chicago free Jazz~Funk...   
We were sprinkling in some SUN RA 'cause Dale used to play in RA's band...

and MOI… 

I was just kicking a flurry  of colors & grooves… 
A combination of techno FUNK  Rhythms and some industrial and indigenous 
Akisan TribaL  Funk!

And Once again we were…

Funkin' on the 4-TREY!

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Two Day Life Celebration for Dr Fances Cress Welsing

Hotep! 

Brothers and Sisters

We will have a TWO DAY celebration here in Chicago 

to honor one of Africa's greatest Queens 

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

DAY ONE

The Communiversity 

will have a discussion on 

The Life and Work of Dr. Frances Cress Welsing 

Race Defender Extraordinaire

Presented by 

Dr. Conrad Worrill and Dr. Kobi Kambon 

Friday February 5, 2016

The Jacob Carruthers Center for Inner-City Studies, 

700 East Oakwood Blvd

Chicago, Illinois

Room 403

Time: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

DAY TWO

Memorial Tribute for Dr. Frances Cress Welsing,  

Saturday February 6, 2016 

Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church  

4100 South King Drive

Chicago Illinois

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.