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

3/1/16 O&A NYC ENTERTAINMENT: Screen Guild Awards – Saturday Night Live

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Saturday Night Live mocked how no black actors were nominated for Oscars with a sketch about the fictitious Screen Guild Awards, where not one person up for an award was black, even though many of the films were about African-Americans.  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

2/24/16 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

2/16/16 O&A NYC COMEDY: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee- Scalia Dies and the Republicans Debate

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Full Frontal with Samantha Bee: Justice Antonin Scalia passes. Here’s how you destabilize an election that’s already pretty much a car tumbling down the side of a cliff.  Continue reading

2/10/16 O&A NYC WILDIN OUT WEDNESDAY: Richard Pryor and Maya Angelou FromThe Richard Pryor Special? (1977)

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The Richard Pryor Special? aired on May 5, 1977, and created an immediate sensation for NBC. The network had given Pryor an hour in prime time to put on a show of his choice. Pryor chose to bring his irreverence humor to a nation mainstream television audience- explosive! His gut-wrenching honesty  coupled with Pryor’s ability to deliver authentic pathos are the hallmarks of his comedy. One such moment was the sketch featuring Maya Angelou. Continue reading

2/7/16 SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Joséphine Baker: The First Black Superstar

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Josephine Baker, a pioneer in every sense of the word. Baker had an initial impact on the Jazz era, and eventually culture and history of the 20th century. This film looks at the life of this extraordinary African-American entertainer.  Continue reading

1/17/16 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Frank Sinatra With The Count Basie Band

 

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Frank Sinatra with the Count Basie Band, this concert took place about a month before his A Man and His Music special.   Continue reading