Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is a collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that reflect African American folk culture. Brought together for the first time in one volume, the book includes eight of Hurston’s lost Harlem stories, which were found in forgotten periodicals and archives. These stories challenge conceptions of Hurston as an author of rural fiction and include gems that flash with her biting, satirical humor, as well as more serious tales reflective of the cultural currents of Hurston’s world. All are timeless classics that enrich our understanding and appreciation of this exceptional writer’s voice and her contributions to America’s literary traditions.
Yoshi Kato February 11, 2021Updated: February 15, 2021, 8:20 am
Piedmont Piano Co. in Oakland hosts a twice-weekly concert program that launched in the midst of the pandemic. Photo: Piedmont Piano Co.
On the first Thursday of January, viewers from as far away as Brazil, Norway and the Netherlands streamed a live jazz concert from Uptown Oakland. Swedish vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Gunhild Carling, a current South Bay resident, was leading her sextet on the Piedmont Piano Co. bandstand as audience members online commented in the chat box.
Toward the end of an energetic performance, Carling reminded the virtual audience, “If you like this music, don’t forget to tip the band. And we appreciate gifts, love letters … with lipstick traces,” she joked, referencing the jazz standard “These Foolish Things.”
Choro Ensemble - 10 Week Online Class Sundays, Noon - 1:30 pm, 1/17 - 3/21 (10 weeks). NOTE: Audition required for Placement. Please contact rob@cjc.edu to schedule an ensemble placement consultation. Gain experience playing in the traditional Brazilian ‘Roda de Choro’ style, focusing on classic repertoire by Jacob do Bandolim, Pixinguinha, Ernesto Nazareth and others. In between weekly Zoom classes, members collaborate with the instructor’s guidance in recording songs together on Soundtrap (user-friendly web-based software; cost included in tuition w/basic tutorial provided). All instruments are welcome. Prerequisites: the ability to read charts for rhythm section players and read notation for melody players. Instructor: Ricardo Peixoto