UPW
Remembering
Junior Mance & John “Sonny” Pickett
URBAN PRO WEEKLY
MARCH 1 - 15, 2021 VOL. 9 NO. 13
“THE SPIRIT OF FUNK”, by artist Cole Phail, is an artistic salute to the “Godfather of Soul”, located on 9th Street near Broad in downtown Augusta. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Women’s History Month Notable: Christine Miller-Betts
Eddie Bussey 706-772-9800
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Carrie J. Mays first woman elected to Augusta City Council
Reverend Essie Mae McIntyre co-founder, first pastor Good Shepherd Baptist Church
LOCAL LANDMARKS: The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax 8 is the only item on the March 16 ballot in Richmond County. The current James Brown Arena (Above) and the former Law Enforcement Center (Inset) are among the items earmarked for rebuilding. Photos by Vincent Hobbs
Latest SPLOST could change city’s landscape From UPW Staff reports AUGUSTA In case you haven’t noticed, early voting for the $250 million Special purpose, local sales tax 8 (SPLOST 8)is in full swing. The measure will be the only item on the ballot on March 16. Some of the largest expenditures in this tax package will be to jump-start the funding for a new downtown James Brown Arena and the demolition and refurbishing of the former Law Enforcement Center on lower Walton Way. Supporters of the expenditures say that the projects being considered will improve the quality of life of Augustans and boost local economic development. City Administrator Odie Donald presented he plan late Tuesday to the Augusta Commission a couple of months ago in December. It was endorsed by a 7-3 commission vote. According to Donald, “The second-largest funding category is quality of life, to which Donald allocated $65.9 million. The largest single item is $25 million for a new James Brown Arena. Donald said the remainder of the estimated $250 million arena would be paid with bonded debt issued by AugustaRichmond County Coliseum Authority. Nineteen million dollars will go for government buildings, including a new $6 million fleet maintenance facility and $6 million for a juvenile court facility, which Chief Superior Court Judge Carl C. Brown has demanded the city provide. Another $5.5 million on the list goes to maintenance, including the CraigHoughton school Donald has said can house all or part of the juvenile facility. 5 million dollars is set aside for a water park attraction. Also, multiple Augusta parks will get funding in the category, including Dyess and Fleming parks, Fleming and Newman tennis centers and Julian Smith Casino. Big Oak, Hickman, M.M. Scott and McBean parks will split $6 million for improvements. The largest category in the project list is infrastructure at $78.5 million.
UPW
PUBLISHER Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency LLC http://www.growingaugusta.co +1 (706) 751-2537
In the total is $20 million for grading and drainage and $23.5 million for road resurfacing. Smaller projects include completing or continuing work on Walton Way, Wilkinson Garden and Willis Foreman roads, drainage in East Augusta, lake dredging, tree management and traffic operation and safety upgrades. The package includes $22.4 million for public safety, with half an $11 million replacement for Richmond County Correctional Institute, which houses state prisoners and was initially budgeted at $15 million. The bulk of the rest in public safety is for new and replacement vehicles and vehicle equipment for public safety agencies including the Richmond County Sheriff, Coroner and Marshal; animal services and the district attorney’s office. In the general government category are $5 million the city pays itself to administer the projects and $4 million to borrow money to start certain projects before collections amount. In the economic development category, $46.5 million includes $12 million for Augusta Economic Development Authority to recruit new business and industry including site preparation, with $2 million earmarked for retail recruitment. $16.5 million will be used to retire debt on the Cyber Center parking deck and $4 million for blight mitigation. Another $14 million would go for another effort to redevelop the city’s riverfront Depot property. Not all commissioners were on board with the proposed SPLOST initiative. A motion to OK the package came from Commissioner Brandon Garrett and a second from Mary Davis. Commissioner Dennis Williams, who has announced his decision to run for mayor next year, pushed to include funds for Augusta Mini Theatre. While sales tax collections are down due to the pandemic, approximately 77% of SPLOST 7 collections are in and are expected to reach the $216 million target amount late next year, after which the new tax begins, if voters approve.
URBAN PRO WEEKLY SALES & MARKETING
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CONTRIBUTORS K.L Gordon Denise Tucker Vincent Hobbs Frederick Benjamin Sr. (Founder)
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Special Report: SPLOST 8 proposal now up to voters
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NEIGHBORHOODS
MILLHOUSE STATION, a luxury apartment complex situated on 4.2 acres at 636 11th Street in downtown Augusta, is slated for grand-opening this summer. The 155-unit development consists of two 4-story buildings with elevator service. Amenities will include a large clubhouse area, fitness facility, meeting room, pool, lawn area and a dog park. (March 3, 2021 - Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Laney Museum former director Betts celebrated in virtual retirement sendoff Christine Miller-Betts has retired from a life of dedicated work in the Augusta area and her friends and colleagues did not let a pandemic stop them from giving her a proper sendoff. After 26 years as executive director of the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, Betts, 86, officially retired in June, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a celebration at the time, according to spokeswoman Rhian Swain. But on Sunday, performers and leaders from across the area organized a virtual celebration to honor Betts and her impact.. They took turns over video giving various contributions, from musical performances to stories of her life. Close friend and museum sponsor Pat Knox with the KNOX Foundation said, before coming to Augusta, Betts was a nurse and a member of the military. While stationed at Fort Gordon, she served as Chief of Education Counseling and ended her civil service career in the Leadership Department. Betts also has been an active member of the Augusta chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, according to chapter president Danita Myler. The sorority purchased the home of renowned educator Lucy Craft Laney in 1987, restored it and in 1991 opened it as the museum that sits on Phillips Street today, according to the museum’s website. Betts became the museum’s executive director in 1994, and shortly after met retired President/CEO of United
A WOMENS HISTORY MONTH NOTABLE: Christine Miller-Betts has retired as executive director of the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History this past June. Photo by Vincent Hobbs. Way of the CSRA Laverne Gold. “I knew right away that she was passionate about her new role and that she wanted to take the museum to its next level,” Gold said. “I think her formal education in nursing and theology greatly prepared her for the leadership role to nurture and care for the museum.” But she wanted to do much more than that, according to Morris Museum of Art director and curator
Kevin Grogan. “She had a particular vision for the kind of museum the Lucy Craft Laney Museum could be, and that actually transcends the usual definition of museums,” Grogan said. “It is not just a place that collects and preserves and presents…she actually saw this as a place that could serve as a kind of community center.” Knox listed a few of her accomplishments,including the development of a
children’s academy and computer center, getting a bust of Lucy Craft Laney placed in the garden area and several “over-the-top” fundraising galas. Historic Augusta executive director Eric Montgomery recounted some of her many works outside the museum. He said Betts served on its board for over 20 years, and together they worked to promote AfricanAmerican neighborhoods, erect historical markers and save significant buildings like Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Bett’s daughter Carol Miller spoke of the impact her mother has made on the family. “When I travel, people still come up to me and ask ‘Are you Ms. Betts’s daughter? You look just like her.’ Then they would proceed to tell me some wonderful feat that she had accomplished,” Miller said. “Because of [her] Sarah and Christopher [her grandchildren] learned to appreciate African American history and living legends… and because of [her], at only five months old, [her] great-grand child already has the history books and art to begin her cultural journey…. Am I Ms. Bett’s daughter? Yes, I am…I couldn’t be more proud.” In the final minutes of the celebration, the museum’s new director Linda Johnson announced that, to honor Betts for her life’s work and what she has done for the education of others, the children’s academy Betts helped create will be known as the Christine Miller-Betts Children’s Academy.
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NEIGHBORHOODS
THE NEW JAMES BROWN MURAL, “The Spirit of Funk”, is an artistic salute to the “Godfather of Soul”, located on 9th Street near Broad in downtown Augusta. Artist Cole Phail painted the mural after winning the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s James Brown mural competition last March. (March 3, 2021 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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SportsVIEW
March 3, 2021 (Augusta, GA) - Westside runners compete in the girls 1600m race during a varsity track meet held at Laney stadium. Alexandria Hawk (R) crossed the finish line as first-place winner. (March 3, 2021 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
An A.R. Johnson runner takes off from the starting blocks in the boys 4 x 100 relay race during a track meet held at Laney stadium. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
A WESTSIDE RUNNER mentally prepares before the start of the girls 400-meter race during a track meet held at Laney stadium. (March 3, 2021 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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A Westside shot-putter throws the metal ball during a track meet held at Laney stadium. (March 3, 2021 - Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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SportsVIEW
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WW Wellness Impact Award, offers five $15,000 Grants to BIPOC-led organizations On February 25th, WW launched the W W Wellness Impact Award, providing five $15,000 grants to BIPOC-led community organizations working to democratize wellness by removing barriers to food, movement, or mental health in their own communities. In addition to
the grant award, recipients will have their stories shared with WW’s members and be included in WW’s giving cycle. To learn more, including how to nominate an organization please visit ww. com/impactaward. Applications will be accepted until April 9, 2021.
Augusta Canal Spring Events
The Augusta Canal Discovery Center Spring Hours (April-June): Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM with Boat Tours at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 1:30 PM (Civil War) and 3:00 PM. Discovery Center will stay open later on Friday Music Cruises. CANAL MUSIC CRUISES 2021 New this spring for the Augusta Canal’s 16th Moonlight Music Cruise season, we are offering TWO backto-back music cruises on Friday and select Saturday evenings. This is to allow for more social distancing on the boats, but still provide that won-
derful entertainment! Bring aboard snacks and beverages of your choice and enjoy live music on a relaxing 1 hour and 15 minute cruise along the scenic Augusta Canal. Reservation and payment REQUIRED. Prices are $27 for adults and $25 for senior 60+, military, and students. Call (706) 823-0440 x4 to book a spot! Visit www.augustacanal.com for musician’s line-up. *Departure times vary monthly.
Julian “Junior” Mance 1928–2021
Respected pianist and educator stayed true to the blues By Michael J. West JazzTimes
JULIAN “JUNIOR” MANCE: His career as a leader commenced in the late 1950s, when he formed his first trio and made his opening entries in a catalog that eventually extended to over 60 albums.
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unior Mance, a pianist, composer, and educator known for his earthy, bluesy style, died January 17 at his home in New York City. He was 92. His death was announced by his wife of 22 years, the former Gloria Clayborne, in a January 17 Facebook post. Cause of death was not disclosed; however, for several years Mance had been afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. A representative of the Chicago school of jazz, Mance began his career in the Windy City, working at 18 years old with saxophonist Gene Ammons. He soon moved on to play with Lester Young, Cannonball Adderley, Dinah Washington, and Dizzy Gillespie. His career as a leader commenced in the late 1950s, when he formed his first trio and made his opening entries in a catalog that eventually extended to over 60 albums. He was also a member of the 10-pianist ensemble 100 Golden Fingers, an outfit that had its primary success in Japan during the 1990s. Mance’s foremost musical love is best expressed in the title of his 1967 book, How to Play Blues Piano. However, his reputation was that of a wide-ranging and confident stylist who was thoroughly versed in bebop and the standard repertoire; indeed, his major professional break came when he replaced Bud Powell in Lester Young’s band in 1949. Even in such contexts, however, Mance tended to insert generous shares of blues and soul into his playing, such that even postwar pop tunes like “By
the Time I Get to Phoenix” (on his 1976 album Holy Mama) sounded like dyed-in-the-wool African-American vernacular music in his hands. In addition to writing a piano instruction book, Mance was a noted educator, teaching for 23 years at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. “He was sincere and generous with his knowledge,” said pianist and club owner Spike Wilner, a student of Mance’s in the late 1980s. “He was a legendary pianist and a wonderful and warm person.” Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. was born October 10, 1928 in Evanston, Illinois, to Julian Sr., a dry cleaner, and Marie McCollum, a homemaker. From childhood, the younger Mance was known as “Junior” to distinguish him from his father. The elder Mance was an avocational piano player, keeping an upright in the family house. He taught his fiveyear-old son to play stride and boogie-woogie. Junior was an avid pupil
with, as he told interviewer Marc Myers in 2011, “a hunger for music.” When he was 10, he took his first paying gig in a Chicago club. Enrolling at 18 in Chicago’s Roosevelt College, Mance quietly ignored his mother’s entreaties to take pre-med classes and registered for music classes. Even these, however, lasted less than a full year, both because jazz was forbidden on campus (a professor who found him playing stride in a practice room suspended him for a week) and because Mance found work accompanying Gene Ammons (with whom he made his first records). In 1949, Lester Young heard Mance playing with Ammons in Chicago and invited him to join Young’s band; the pianist went with the saxophonist to New York, where he remained for several months and recorded with Young on a Savoy session before returning to Chicago in the fall. Mance was drafted into the Army in 1951 and had orders to go to Korea after
“Sonny” Pickett: in his own words In a recent article written by Tim Cox which discussed the city’s rich musical landscape, John “Sonny” Pickett, a veteran jazz musician offered his “vintage view” of local entertainment. Pickett died earlier this week. “ . . . . I remember when most of Augusta’s clubs featured six nights of live entertainment. That was the norm,” said Pickett, a retired Richmond County educator. Pickett, 81, did regular upright-bass gigs with pianoman “Doctor” Lasker Watson, guitarist/vocalist Will Noble and drummer Tommy Purcell. Pickett excitedly recalls weeklong stints at the Cellar Lounge, then located in the basement of the old Bonair Hotel, across the street from the Partridge Inn on Walton Way. Partridge Inn has remained resilient as a relevant live-music venue, along with Shannon’s Food & Spirits near Washington Road. Pickett’s wife of 58 years, Betty Clinton Pickett of Augusta, said she met “Sonny” when he settled in
Augusta as a Fort Gordon Army soldier. “I was an avid follower of the music scene – and in walked Sonny at one of these clubs. I knocked him off his feet,” she laughed. “Those were
definitely the good ol’ days, when there was so much to do in Augusta,” she reflects. Mrs. Pickett is also a professional musician – and serves as organist/pianist at Bethel AME Church on Crawford Avenue.”
John “Sonny” Pickett III Mr. John P. “Sonny” Pickett III entered into rest on Sunday, February 28, 2021. Graveside service was held on Friday, March 5 at Cedar Grove Cemetery with Rev. Augusta Hall officiating. Survivors are his wife of sixty years, Betty C. Pickett; four daughters, Chantelle Pickett, Chandra Pickett, Crystal Pickett Frontin (Kenny Frontin MD), Carole Pickett; grandchildren, Kenny Frontin Jr., Camille Frontin; sisters, Betty P. Spencer, Carole P. (Lloyd) Williams, Evelyn P. Monroe; special cousins, Elmer L. “Hank” John P. Pickett III died on Feb. 28 Pickett, Charlton Judson Pickett MD; and a host of nieces, nephews and on Thursday, March 4 at Williams other relatives. Mr. Pickett was viewed Funeral Home.
basic training at Fort Knox. However, while in training he met a fellow recruit, saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, who helped him get a job as the company clerk so he could join Adderley’s company band. Discharged in 1953, he returned to Chicago and became the house pianist at the Bee Hive club on the South Side, where he played behind Charlie Parker for four weeks. By 1954, Mance had saved enough money to move to New York, where he soon got a job in Dinah Washington’s band. After two years, he left Washington to join Adderley; two years after that, when the Adderley band broke up, Mance was hired by Dizzy Gillespie. Mance considered his time in Gillespie’s quintet, during which he toured Europe and accompanied the bebop pioneer in a television appearance with Louis Armstrong, to be among the highlights of his career. While still with Gillespie in 1959, Mance recorded his first solo album—a trio date with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Lex Humphries—released by producer Norman Granz on the Verve label as Junior. However, it wasn’t until 1961, after Gillespie and a short stint with the Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis/Johnny Griffin ensemble, that Mance formed a working trio with Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker. It was at that point that he became a full-time leader, working with the trio both on its own and in accompaniment to stars like Joe Williams and Ben Webster. He quickly became a prolific and in-demand attraction in concert and on record. The trio’s personnel evolved frequently, with Mance the only constant; however, beginning in 1970, the pianist enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration with bassist Martin Rivera, who became a frequent duo partner as well as a regular presence in Mance’s trios. In 1988, Mance joined the faculty of the New School, where he remained until retirement in 2011. In addition to classes and private lessons in piano, he taught classes in blues and blues ensembles, solidifying his association with that sound and style. In 1990, he joined 100 Golden Fingers, the 10-piece piano ensemble that also included Kenny Barron, Ray Bryant, Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Duke Jordan, Roger Kellaway, John Lewis, Dave McKenna, and Marian McPartland (with many others joining in subsequent tours), along with Mance’s onetime triomate Bob Cranshaw on bass and Grady Tate on drums, touring Japan every two years to considerable acclaim and success. Relatively stationary after the final 100 Golden Fingers tour in 2001 (albeit with occasional trips to Canada, England, and Japan), Mance settled into a weekly Sunday-night residency at Greenwich Village’s Café Loup, which he held from 2007 to his retirement from performing in 2016 due to his worsening Alzheimer’s.
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IN REMEMBRANCE
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Express your opposition to HB 531 and SB 241 by contacting our representatives: Senator Max Burns Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-7586 max.burns@senate.ga.gov Staff:Caleb Rudin
Senator Jason Anavitarte Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0085 jason.anavitarte@senate.ga.gov Staff:Kylynn Gallagher
Senator Dean Burke Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0040 Bainbridge, GA 39819 Office: (229) 243-6267 dean.burke@senate.ga.gov Staff:Ryann Miller
Senator Gloria Butler Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0075 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov Staff:LaTonia Long
Senator Harold Jones II Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0036 Augusta, GA 30906 Office: (706) 339-1424 harold.jones@senate.ga.gov Staff:Sabrina Wise
Senator Mike Dugan Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-7872 Carrollton, GA 30112 mike.dugan@senate.ga.gov Staff:Ethan Stiles - Chief of Staff Elizabeth Fetzer - Legislative Assistant
Senator Steve Gooch Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-9221 Dahlonega, GA 30533 steve.gooch@senate.ga.gov Staff:Gracie Boortz Senator Ed Harbison Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-0074 Columbus, GA 31902 ed.harbison@senate.ga.gov Staff:Cyndi West Senator Sally Harrell Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 463-2260 Atlanta, GA 31141 sally.harrell@senate.ga.gov Staff:Keridan Ogletree
Phone call preferably, but emailing is better than nothing.SHAKE THE TABLE!!!!!!!
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Senator Bo Hatchett Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-7454 bo.hatchett@senate.ga.gov Staff:Abbye Conrad Senator Butch Miller Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 656-6578 butch.miller@senate.ga.gov Staff:Steve Tippins - Chief of Staff Adeline Frost - Legislative Assistant Senator Randy Robertson Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 463-3931 randy.robertson@senate.ga.gov Staff:Tarika Jackson Senator Brian Strickland Atlanta, GA 30334 Office: (404) 463-6598 brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov
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