Jazz Brunch June 5 in Atlantic City, DrewToonz on Osama Bin Laden's 'Trip to Atlantic City,' Brigantine's NJ Clean Communities location, and the Album of the Week: Jamie xx and Gil-Scott Heron's 'We're New Here'
Dr. Beverly Vaughn
Atlantic City’s annual Jazz brunch has become a spring tradition presented by The N.J. Shore Arts Association and the Pattie Harris Atlantic City Dance Theatre. And not just for the arts it celebrates, but also for the community honors bestowed. This year’s event is Sunday, June 5. The Clare Sabatini Civic Award will be presented to State Senator James Whelan. Clare Sabatini was an educator and volunteer and an owner of Atlantic City’s famed Sabatini’s Restaurant. “It is in the spirit of Clare’s commitment to and outstanding service to her family, friends and community that the Clare Sabatini Civic Award shall be given to Senator James Whelan,” says Harris. Dr. Beverly Vaughn will be honored for her contributions to the arts. Rose Silverman will be honored for her contributions to the community. Alisa Cooper, artist and educator, will be the mistress of ceremonies. Kathy Angela of Angel Productions will be producing the musical program. Tickets are $40 for the 11:30am program to be held at Garden Pier in Atlantic City. Call 345-3091.
— Mike Pritchard
Brigantine’s Clean Communities Satellite Office
Last year the City of Brigantine co-hosted with Atlantic City the seventh annual New Jersey Clean Communities Council Seminar and Awards Banquet. Brigantine earned awards for its environmental student exchange program and excellence in environmental education. This year the N.J. Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) is expanding its “Slam Dunk the Junk” anti-litter campaign by launching its first-ever satellite office in Brigantine, which was a pilot N.J. municipality for the NJCCA’s Adopt-a-Beach program focusing on cleaner beaches, rivers, lakes and waterways. The new office, located in the Brigantine Historical Museum (adjacent to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, 3625 Atl-Brig Blvd.), was dedicated last Saturday, May 28, by Congressman Frank LoBiondo and other dignitaries. It was followed by the first of four beach cleanups in Brigantine, the others scheduled for June 18, July 16 and Oct. 22. “Our first satellite office symbolizes the importance of keeping New Jersey green and clean, as well as the volunteer efforts that achieve that goal, particularly during strict economic times,” says Sandy Huber, executive director of NJCCC. The new satellite office will provide easy access to waterway cleanup materials, planning and other assistance for Adopt-a-Beach. It will also help to educate the public on taking measures to decrease pollution and promote the importance of keeping the Earth clean. “Our new satellite office helps open the floodgates of volunteerism, and is the next step in building on this tradition,” says Huber. Visit njclean.org to learn more. — Ray Schweibert
‘We’re New Here’ (XL Recordings / Young Turks)
Gil-Scott Heron & Jamie xx
Following the highly anticipated and Mercury Music Award winning comeback album, I’m New Here (XL/Young Turks), Gil Scott-Heron and the U.K. sensation xx’s Jamie xx teamed up for the album’s sequel of sorts, We’re New Here. Released on digital, CD and vinyl formats in February, the album is much more than a “remix” album, featuring Jamie xx treating the late iconic musician’s voice with love and infusing his own trademark dubstep and electronic styles that have made his band xx so huge. Hopefully this will not be the final release featuring Scott-Heron, who died May 27 in New York — maybe there is some good stuff in the vaults from his decades as a recording artist? But if it is, at least it got Scott-Heron’s stamp of approval. — Jeff Schwachter
Drew Toonz
“We haven’t had a disappointing month yet, and Dan and Sandi have been fantastic. They’ve gone above and beyond anything we could ask them to do, and the audience has been terrific. It’s been a lot of fun. We couldn’t do it without the support of the community and without the help of Dan and Sandi. They’ve really championed the cause of jazz music in the Somers Point community.”
ATLANTIC CITY — This year I have felt a lot like Glynn Turman’s character Leroy “Preacher” Jackson at the end of the film Cooley High. I have found myself having to come up with words to remember several friends who have died, in most cases before their time. I want to dedicate this debut “Music Beat” column to several people. Ted Prior, who passed away May 15, was an Ocean City performer who kept Elvis Presley’s memory alive and well. Prior’s music was important to people who loved Elvis but who, like me, never saw Elvis perform live. Through Prior we got a living glimpse of history. He and I hit...
Plans were in the works to try to get Scott-Heron to perform in Atlantic City this summer, for one of the city=sponsored concerts at Gardner's Basin. I also suggested to the organizers of the Dave Matthews Band Caravan festival coming to Atlantic City June 24-26, to reach out to Gil to have him as one of the dozens of artists on the bill.
We have pulled out some of the best music we raved about this year in our “Raves & Faves” section, plus, we’ve added a few albums we loved this year, but didn’t have the space or time to rave about. Check the videos at the bottom!
"I get offended when the governor and others advocate that we need an increased police presence on the Boardwalk to create the ‘perception’ that the city is safe, because the reality is that the Boardwalk is safe. But even to address just the ‘perception’ [of the city’s tourists] they advocate more resources. What about the neighborhoods?"
On Gil Scott-Heron’s first new studio album in 16 years, I’m New Here, out Tuesday on XL Recordings (Radiohead, White Stripes), the rust-voiced revolutionary sounds as vital as ever. He’s been recording the haunting album—a mix of spooky futuristic blues; strange, drenched-in-synths soundscapes, poignant odes to his family and a few extraordinary covers—for the past few years with XL Recordings head Richard Russell, who first met Scott-Heron in 2006 when he visited him at Rikers, where he was serving 90 days for DUI.
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