A documentary about jazz and blues legend Barbara Morrison and her impact on music and humanity, is in the works. Filmmaker Tony Villani and Tim Morganfield, CEO of the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center and the California Jazz and Blues Museum, lead a shared effort to keep “the Queen of Leimert Park’s” universal message of love and community alive.
City National Bank will sponsor the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage at the 18th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival.
The California Jazz & Blues Museum presents the 2nd Annual Barbara Morrison Jazz & Blues Festival on Saturday, September 9 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The event will take place at Barbara Morrison Square at the intersection of 43rd Street and Degnan Boulevard. Featured performers include Klymaxx, Dwight Trible, Eloise Laws, Debra Laws, The Son of Muddy Waters with Big Bill Morganfield, Victor Orlando, Fernando Pullum with the P.A.C. Senior Jazz Band, and The Barbara Morrison Band, originally known as The Bu Crew Band. James Janisse and Jay Jackson will host the event.
In the spirit of Black Music Month, I recently enjoyed the “Defining Moments” production presented by Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival under the direction of Co-Founder/President, Adilah Barnes (www.lawtf.org) and hosted by Anna Maria Horsford and Ted Lange. I was mesmerized by the performance of solo actor/vocalist, Karen A. Clark. Karen’s upcoming project is Love Stories: Tales of An African Queen. Karen’s personal story is documented in the following interview.