Funkface/Mackie Riverside/Dope Sagittarius frontman and Primordial Punk co-founder Luqman Brown is currently flexing his acting chops in an off-Broadway production called Caligula Maximus, which takes place during the final party thrown by the depraved Roman emperor.  Luqman tells me: "I'm a main character [Sulla], the Peanut vendor who is the foreteller of doom
for Caligula and I get to sing a thrash punk song at the end."  Fitting, right?

front row L-R) JerZ Short, Justine Joli, Ryan Knowles, Anya
Sapozhnikova, (back row: L-R) Tim DAX, Luqman Brown, Roxanne Edwards
Photo by Lia Chang

The production, which has been getting great reviews, runs through next Saturday, April 17.  Speaking of reviews, here's what TheaterOnline.com had to say about Caligula Maximus:

Caligula Maximus is one big, punk rock smackdown answer to sissy hippie Hair. Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Coney Island Sideshow is how best to describe writer/director Alfred Preisser and writer Randy Weiner’s Caligula Maximus, a loveably scruffy and ragged extravaganza set on the last night of the debauched dictator’s life… Caligula announces its rebel intentions with a live rock band and a hodgepodge of pro bodybuilders, burlesque babes, aerialists and assorted tattooed and pierced talent that dance, writhe, walk on stilts and swing through the air as the audience enters the theater’s circus tent setup. And the show’s casting speaks volumes. Riding in on a giant golden penis against the backdrop of crumbling Roman Empire columns is the Mick Jagger resembling Ryan Knowles as Caligula…

Here's a video preview:

Additional links:

• More info on Caligula Maximus
• Get tickets for the show

Tomorrow marks the first of three preview performances of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (the Hood Opera), Melvin Van Peebles' (above) musical adaptation of his groundbreaking 1971 film of the same name.  The musical was originally scheduled for only two previews–on February 3rd and 4th–but due to overwhelming demand a third performance has been added for Friday, February 5.  All performances are at 8pm, but the first two are sold out.

This is a great opportunity to see this musical in advance of its world premiere at the Son D'Hiver Festival in Paris on February 19 and 20.  From the press release:

Sweet Sweetback at BRIC will give audiences a unique opportunity to experience the intimate process of artistic collaboration between BRIC Artists-In-Residence Van Peebles and music ensemble Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, along with a large cast of actors and singers, as they bring to the stage one of the most influential films of the African-American cinema.
 
The work-in-progress previews will conclude with an audience dialogue with the artists, followed by a book-signing with Melvin Van Peebles.
 
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.bricartsmedia.org and at the door two hours ahead of showtime on the day of each performance at the BRIC Box Office.  BRIC Arts | Media | Bklyn is located at 647 Fulton Street, 2nd floor (entrance on Rockwell Pl.) in Downtown Brooklyn.  Telephone is 718-855-7882.
 
A fiercely independent artist whose work on Broadway has earned him eleven Tony nominations, Mr. Van Peebles financed, wrote, directed, scored, and starred in the original film version of Sweet Sweetback, paving the way for the success of future independent black films. An important work in the history of African-American cinema, it tells the story of a deprived African-American man on his flight from the white authority in satirical, realistic and often humorous detail. The original musical score was performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.
 
Burnt Sugar has been described as a “funk-rock-electronic-samba-soul-jazzfusion-whatever ensemble” and counts among its influences Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis, Funkadelic, Bad Brains, Band of Gypsys, Sun Ra and Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi.  Bandleader Greg Tate “plays the band” using a technique called conduction, which gets its name from the field of physics, and was developed by jazz conductor Butch Morris. Employing a series of gestures, baton twirls, eye contact, and facial expressions that are used to communicate directions to the band, the bandleader can change the melodic and harmonic structure, creating a one-time composition that could not have been predicted nor repeated.

After the break, check out some pics I shot during a rehearsal last month.

Mr. Van Peebles directing the action onstage.

Greg Tate directing Burnt Sugar

Greg Tate and Laronda Davis, handler of B.I. (aka the business)

Burnt Sugar and a member of the cast

Mr. Van Peebles working with the actors

Additional link:

• Melvin Van Peebles' wikipedia page
  

Uh, just to be clear, this is Big Boi with a LIVE BAND and Dallas Austin with a LIVE BAND.  The whole lineup is heat.

SATURDAY, MARCH 21

Great to see Labelle on Thursday.  This isn't really at full fledged review, just me pulling together some Tweets I did from the show.

• Damn! Didn't realize Hal Jackson is 93. He looks great!
  
• Gotta give it to Labelle, they all look great. And it's clear that Patti is used to being the center of attention. #labelle
• So cool that Patti is giving Nona major props for her songwriting.
• Good to see Ronny Drayton on guitar.
• Patti is straight clowin' people and it's hilarious.
• Sarah: Patti + the Blue Bells and Cindy Birdsong are on a stamp in Liberia. If you go, grab some stamps.
• They have a Q+A with the audience in the middle of the show. #labelle
• Just for the record, the Stones aren't the only artists in their 60s who can turn it out. #labelle
• Nona and Sarah are killin' "Before you go to Hollywood"
• You forget that both Nona and Sarah have such powerful voices, that it's not just Patti who can blow. #labelle
• Nona's wearing those leather pants well. Really well. Knowhutumsayin?
• The wardrobe tells all: Nona the rocker, Patti the couture diva, Sarah upscale conservative.
• Nona quotes Ghandi: No oppression without consent.
• The $30 shirt inside is $5 outside on Broadway. Entrpreneurship at its finest! Ha! #labelle
• Caron Wheeler is hangin outside.

Of course, I encourage you to follow me on Twitter, and you would've gotten these updates in realtime.

I-Crisis
Underscore
1733 1st Ave, btwn 89 & 90th below Bar East
NYC
11PM showtime
Admission: $8

Almost every show I go to, I run into Soul Product and he’s always telling me about his band.  Unfortunately, I often find myself double booked with something else, so I’ve not been able to check out I-Crisis yet.  Although, I feel Iike I’m going to be at one soon.  A couple of reasons you might want to check them out: 1) "Genuine in Happiness" is a cool track (check it out on their MySpace page); and, as Soul Product pointed out in his e-mail to me, you can help lead singer Kitana celebrate her birthday.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11

Jerome Jordan
Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction
34 Avenue A between 2nd & 3rd Streets
8:00PM sharp
Admission: $5

Jerome is a talented guitarist who I’ve seen as a member of other bands such as Funkface and Shelley Nicole’s Blakbushe.  This set is a special solo set, which he describes as "an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, voice, songs, cosmic concepts, effects, licks and riffs."  Support Jerome if you can.  He’s a great guy and has been a real unsung hero for all of his work during both BoldasLIVE events.

Shrine for the Black Madonna

Shrine for the Black Madonna, Roughstars and DeLeon
The Delancey
168 Delancey (between Clinton & Attorney)
NYC
F Train to Delancey, or J/M/Z Train to Essex
Admission: $7

Set times:

8:30 – DeLeon
9:30 – Roughstars
10:30 – Shrine for the Black Madonna

Word from Brian Tate is that this will probably be the last Shrine gig for the year, so if you want to hear some true genre-melding, you need to check them out tonight.  Roughstars is a young band that I saw at the Restoration Rocks Festival, and they’re full of energy and songs with strong hooks.  Not familiar with indie/Spanish pop outfit DeLeon, but from what I can tell from their MySpace page, they’re worth checking out.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

Muthawit
BAMCafe @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn
30 Lafayette Avenue
8:30PM
Admission: FREE!

If you’ve not had a chance to see Boston Fielder and his ensemble, do yourself a favor and run, don’t walk, to this show.  There’s so much talent in the Fielder family (an extraordinary filmmaker, illustrator and videographer are his brothers), that one might be moved to jealousy upon hearing Boston’s warm, rich voice.  That’s right: Life ain’t fair.  Expect to be regaled with some stories gathered as he traveled the South this summer and played dozens of little juke joints.  I just know homeboy would want to play "Make You Feel Better."

If you’re looking to get your live music fix before the weekend, check out the Black Rock Coalition Orchestra’s birthday tribute to the Godfather of Soul this Thursday, May 3 at Joe’s Pub in NYC.  Joe’s Pub is located at

425 Lafayette Street

New York, NY 10003

212-539-8777

(2 shows 9:30pm & 11:30pm)

The BRC Orchestra

Featuring:

Gene Williams – Keys

Gary Foote – Bass

Kelvyn Bell – Guitar & Vocal

Ronny Drayton – Guitar

Fred Alias – Drums

Michael Hill – Guitar & Vocal

Don Byron – Sax

Roger Byam – Sax

Wayne Cobham – Trumpet

———————–

Garland Jeffreys – Vocals

Queen Aamina – Vocals

GTO – Vocals

Manchildblack – Vocals

Reese – Vocals

Plus Special Guests (from past experience, you should check it when the BRC Orchestra notes "special guests," ’cause you won’t believe who shows up.  I’ve heard wind of one for this show, but ain’t sayin’ nothin’.)

Tix are $20, and are well worth it.

Check the BRC links in the sidebar to the right.  The link to Joe’s Pub is here.

If you come out, look for me, and say hi!