"Wings For John Blake"

John Blake, Jr.
July 3, 1947 - August 15, 2014

Master Musician and Educator - John Blake, Jr.

Passion strings pierce the

air. John Blake's violin is

soaring in Heaven.

Sacred Soul Sister - Part II: Tribute to Trudy Pitts

"The Essential Trudy Pitts"

August 10, 1932 - December 19, 2010

The Fabulous Trudy Pitts!!!

So significant

was her life, it inspires

documentation.

She was my friend. She was my mentor. She was my confidant. She was my Sacred Soul Sister. She was Trudy Pitts. Organist and pianist extraordinaire, yes, but Trudy Pitts was an extraordinary human being as well. I have this huge desire to keep her legacy alive. Divine inspiration is leading me to create a multi-media show about her life, “Sacred Soul Sister:  A Tribute to Trudy Pitts.” The production is in its infancy. However I am so honored and blessed to share with you that “Sacred Soul Sister” received a generous grant for manuscript development from the Philadelphia Jazz Project. Many, many thanks to Homer Jackson and his team! Here, I am re-posting an essay titled "Today I Cried" about my life with Trudy Pitts. It’s an excerpt from my forthcoming book, “No Time for Tears,” that originally appeared in “AllAbout Jazz.”  So here goes…..

Trudy Pitts & Pheralyn Dove in performance at Ethical Society, Philadelphia

The Student Meets the Master

Talking to Trudy Pitts is like going on an adventure. It's the type of escapade where wanderlust, laughter and discovery are all intertwined. Whether on the telephone or in person, the discourse is utterly unpredictable, always exciting. I remember one night we were on the phone, reminiscing about when we met back in 1985. It was during my first month on the job as the arts and entertainment reporter for the Philadelphia Tribune.

Trudy's husband, a drummer and impresario known as "Mr. C," bypassed the receptionist and came straight over to my desk in the newsroom. He was accompanied by Jewel Mann, the tall, tan, attractive owner of Jewel's" They introduce themselves, say they want me to do an article on Gloria Lynn, a singer who was coming to Jewel's North Broad Street supper club.

Sacred Soul Sister Part I

In Loving Memory of Trudy Pitts

August 10, 1932 - December 19, 2010

Hannan Saleh Photos of Trudy Pitts

Sacred, Sacred Soul

My Sacred soul sister passed

Around the full moon

Trudy Pitts was our

Truly Gifted Pianist

May God Rest Her Soul

She always aspired

For excellence in music,

And the best in life

Twenty Eight Thousand

Five Hundred Ninety-Nine Days

And Still Not Enough

She graced us on Earth

From  Nineteen Thirty Two ‘til

Two Thousand and Ten

The incomparable

Trudy Pitts, our beloved

Musical Genius

Defied all genres

Classical, Gospel, Blues, Jazz

She played them all well

On her piano

Or on her Hammond B-3

“Buckets Full of Soul”

We can never get

Enough of her magical

Musical presence

We can’t forget her

Beautiful legacy of

Love, Laughter, Kindness

Twenty Eight Thousand

Five Hundred Ninety-Nine Days

And Still Not Enough

Twenty Eight Thousand

Five Hundred Ninety-Nine Days

Days! Days! Days! Days! Days! 

"The Aesthetics of Black Hair - Beauty or Burden"

iPhone Selfie by Pheralyn Dove

God did not make a

Mistake when She created

My thick, wooly hair!

Please Join Me Today!   

Friday, August 8, 2014 is my broadcast on the topic of "The Aesthetics of Black Hair - Beauty or Burden"  on WURD 900 Radio, online at www.900amwurd.com.

-->The show runs 4 pm to 7 pm. WURD is based in Philadelphia and has a significant global Internet presence. The station’s focus is "Black Talk Radio," an all-talk format, with listeners calling in.
The discussion about Black Hair will range from the Natural Hair Movement, to the politics of Black Hair, the divide in the community regarding Natural Hair vs. weaved/permed Black Hair, Black Hair Care and more. Special guests joining me on the air include Syretta Scott, celebrity hair stylist and the brainchild of Duafe Natural Hair Care Salon and Aziza Kente, a “locs diva,” poet, activist, and City Council Woman in Sharon Hill, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. WURD attracts a well-informed, conscious, intellectual, culturally aware audience.

Please Spread the Word!

We would love to have you join in the discussion.  Listeners can call in on 866-361-0900 or 215-634-8065. Please include @900amWURD and the hashtag #onWURD in any of your posts to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.  Asante Sana. Peace & Blessings Always.