Nightlife

NAN 2022 convention wraps up

(Blll Moore photos)

Last week Civil Rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) held their four-day 2022 convention in New York City. NAN concluded its convention with three priorities in advancing Dr. King’s mission of a just, equitable United States. These represent the overall themes of the convention, which ran from April 6 through April 9 and brought together more than a dozen members of the Biden administration, U.S. Congressional leadership, and key figures in business, labor, religion, criminal justice, and the Black church.

“After four inspiring days of discussions, meetings, and reflection, it’s again time for the National Action Network to live up to its name,” said Sharpton, the founder and president of NAN. “We must now protect the right to vote, reform our criminal justice system so people don’t live in fear of both crime and the police, and make sure companies actually live up to their commitments to social justice. I thank the dozens of speakers, panelists, and honorees for moving this conversation forward. It’s now time to act.”

With various panels and forums NAN said they will continue to prioritize the following areas: voting rights protection, criminal justice reform, and economic equity.

Always exciting was their Keepers of the Dream event with honorees such as the NFL’s Brian Flores.

For more information, go to www. nationalactionnetwork.net.

BRIC is gonna smooth out those Brooklyn edges

Hey yo Brooklyn, what up? You good? I mean for real, for real? It’s been a rough few days. While 15 people were injured, we need to take an optimistic outlook and consider that there were no fatalities; none of the injuries are life-threatening. Life-altering however is something we need to contend with. From a practical standpoint the escalation of violence occurring on/in the Mass Transit Association HAS to be addressed. The MTA is literally the circulatory system of this metropolis, and the millions of daily commuters need to feel safe. That being a point of contention is unquestionable. Welcome to the hotseat to the newly minted Mr. Mayor.

Since we started with Brooklyn, we may as well keep it there and take a look at a few of the events set to occur. The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) will present JANELLE MONÁE in Conversation about her new book “The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories from Dirty Computer,” on Monday, April 18. Pulling from the Afrofuturistic vision of her hit album “Dirty Computer,” the collaborative short fiction collection features stories by Monáe and an array of “talented female and non-binary writers” including Danny Lore and Sheree Renée Thomas who will join Monáe on stage for the evening conversation. BAM audience members will be among the first with copies of the book before it drops a day later. Janelle is a proven and accomplished artist in many facets as an American singer-songwriter, actress, producer, fashion icon, and futurist whose globally successful career spans over a decade. Her highly theatrical and stylized concept albums have garnered her eight Grammy nominations and she has developed her own label imprint, Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has also earned great success as an actor, starring in critically acclaimed films including “Moonlight,” “Hidden Figures,” “Harriet,” “The Glorias,” and the 2020 horror film “Antebellum.” She will star in the highly anticipated sequel “Knives Out 2.” “The Memory Librarian” is her debut book. Tickets prices are $45, $55, $65; all tickets include a book.

A staple of last summer and one of the most instrumental agents of returning NYC back to normalcy, the 2022 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! season will kick off on Wednesday, June 8 with legendary saxophonist, producer, and composer Kamasi Washington as the headliner. Closing out the festival season on Saturday, August 6 will be Nigerian singer/ songwriter, Yemi Alade. The award-winning Afro-pop artist who has music features with Beyonce, Rick Ross, and Mr. Eazi on her resume, has accumulated over 400 million views on YouTube—she is one of the most viewed African artists of all time.

The news comes on the heels of the recent benefit concert announcements, which help to support BRIC’s free programming: Los Angeles singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers will hit the festival stage on June 14 and 15. Both performances were completely sold out in under 48 hours. Then there’s the Friday, August 5 date of the “Queen of Neo Soul” Erykah Badu. The rest of the festival lineup will be announced May 3.

Lastly by the time this hits the stands, 2x-Grammy Award-winning bassist Marcus Miller would have kicked off his two-week residency at the iconic Blue Note New York from April 12 to April 17, and April 19 to 24, Marcus will perform two shows a night at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.

“I’ve noticed over the past several years that the Blue Note New York has really stepped out by presenting all types of amazing musical artists in interesting settings. I’m very excited to be part of this,” Marcus Miller shares. “During my two-week residency, I will explore my entire musical career from funk and R&B to fusion and straight-ahead jazz. I look forward to bringing together interesting combinations of musicians to perform music from my collaborations with Miles Davis to Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, and my own solo career. Each night will be a musical journey—musicians from my past and also from my future, things I’ve done in the past and things I’m about to do! Some guests will be musicians you know and some you don’t yet know but WILL. No matter what night you come it’s going to be an incredible time!”

The themes and nights are as follows:

Tuesday, April 12 - Wednesday, April 13 // Marcus Miller Laid Black

Thursday, April 14 - Saturday, April 16 // We Want Miles / Electric Miles

Sunday, April 17 // A Night of Fusion, Funk & Soul

Tuesday, April 19 - Thursday, April 21 // Ladies of Jazz & Soul

Friday, April 22 - Saturday, April 23 // The Nexus Project

Sunday, April 24 // Marcus Miller’s Bass Jam

Over and out. Holla next week. Till then, enjoy the nightlife.