3/5/16 O&A NYC Saturday Morning Concert: Bob Marley & the Wailers- AMANDLA.: Festival of Unity featuring Dick Gregory, Olatunji, Eddie Palmieri, Jabula, the art of Black Dance and Patti Labelle

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Bob Marley and The Wailers, Dick Gregory, Olatunji, Eddie Palmieri, Jabula, the art of Black Dance and Patti Labelle came to Harvard Stadium in Boston on July 21, 1979. The benefit concert was dedicated to the on-going struggles in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. The concert was called AMANDLA.: Festival of Unity. A benfit Concert for Relief and Humanitarian Aid to Southern Africa. Continue reading

3/4/16 O&A NYC SONG OF THE DAY: Jackie Wilson- Baby Workout (Live 1965)

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Baby Workout by Jackie Wilson (from the album of the same name) is about  urging a girl to dance (work out) all night with him. It was Wilson’s biggest hit. A tenor with a four octave vocal range, he was nicknamed “Mr. Excitement”, and was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Continue reading

3/3/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH- THROWBACK THURSDAY: Diana Ross- Standing Room Only Live At Ceasar’s Palace (1980)

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The HBO special, first aired in early 1980 as part of the network’s Standing Room Only series. It was taped in 1979 at Caesar’s Palace as Ross promoted her then-current album, The Boss. The album, featuring writers/producers Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, featured songs that showed off a range and power that many had forgotten Diana Ross possessed. This was a peak time in the diva’s career; Ross dazzled audience around the world with her demanding, Tony Award-winning An Evening With Diana Ross stage show, and starred with protege Michael Jackson in the 1978 film The Wiz.  Continue reading

3/2/16/ O&A NYC WITH WaleStylez SONG OF THE DAY: Teyana Taylor – Maybe ft. Pusha T, Yo Gotti

By Adewale Adekanbi Jr.

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Maybe is the lead single from American singer Teyana Taylor’s major label debut album, VII. The track features guest verses by American rappers Pusha T and Yo Gotti. Continue reading

3/1/16 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Chris Botti In Boston- Performs Emmanuel With Lucia Micarelli (PBS)

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Chris Botti and Lucia Micarelli perform Michel Colombier’s haunting modern classic Emmanuel.  Continue reading

2/27/16 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Erykah Badu Live At Java Jazz Festival (2012)

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Erykah Badu, the reigning first lady of neo soul gave a hypnotizing appearance  at the 2012 Java Jazz Festival. Her performance became one of the most shining highlight for the festival’s first day.    Continue reading

2/25/16 O&A NYC BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK THURSDAY: Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come

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A Change Is Gonna Come is a song by Sam Cooke, released on December 22, 1964 by RCA Victor. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, “A Change Is Gonna Come” became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. The song is widely considered Cooke’s best composition and has been voted among the best songs ever released by various publications. In 2007, the song was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, with the National Recording Registry deeming the song “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important.” Continue reading

2/24/16 O&A NYC SONG OF THE DAY: D’Angelo, The Vanguard- Really Love

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Really Love is a single from D’Angelo’s third studio album Black Messiah, released on December 15, 2014, through RCA Records, bringing an end to his 14-year hiatus. Black Messiah won Best R&B Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards as well as Best R&B Song for Really Love which also was nominated for Record of the Year. Continue reading

2/22/16 O&A NYC ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Natalie Cole’s Family Outraged Over GRAMMYs’ ‘Disrespectful’ Tribute to Late Singer

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Robert Yancy, Natalie Cole’s son says the first African-American to win a Grammy for Best New Artist deserved a better tribute. Yancy says he’s outraged his mom didn’t get a star-studded tribute. “She has deserved so much more than that because she has done so much,” he said. “It was really insulting,” he added. Sisters Timolan and Casey Cole agreed. “Not even verbally mentioned. It was not something we felt was worthy of such an iconic star.” Continue reading