The local arts community recently discovered that the public artwork 'Sojourner' on 13th and K Street had been vandalized. The sculpture was found pushed off its pedestal on January 6, 2013. The sculpture, a 7ft. Mexican limestone work of art by Master Artist Elizabeth Catlett Mora, was broken into several pieces. Unfortunately the artist cannot repair this treasured work. Catlett died last year on April 2, 2012. The breaking news originally appeared on the blog "Sacramento Pedestrian Art." At the time, there was very little additional information provided on the developing story. And, by the time this article is published The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC) is expected to

"The Homicidal Handyman of Oak Park,” a true crime novel by journalist and author Tony Ray Harvey, was presented at Underground Books in Oak Park on Saturday, Nov. 17. The author’s book is about the serial killer Morris Solomon Jr. and the murders he committed in the 1980s. Harvey shared his research and Solomon's chilling case. The discussion on the novel was followed by a book signing for the new release. Harvey provided some insight about the case and novel that took him eight years to write. The true crime novel is distinctive because the killings are a part of Sacramento’s history and for another reason—Morris Solomon is African-American. There is a peculiar assumption that seria

Low lights and a sultry combination of magenta, fuchsia and violet lighting provided the ambiance for the evening. A glance around the room showed an audience of seasoned listeners: a mature, diverse crowd of jazz enthusiasts. At center stage, donning a shimmering purple sequin dress and fishnet stockings stood the quartet's leader, Tia Fuller. The Tia Fuller Quartet starred in a four-day run at the UC Davis Mondavi Center Wednesday through Saturday, sponsored by the Capital Public Radio Studio Jazz Series. Fuller emits a raw charisma, sassiness, an uncanny edginess and outright star quality onstage. She picked up her saxophone and began to play her first set. The opener "Decisive Steps,

Tia Fuller and the Fuller Quartet are scheduled to perform at the UC Davis Mondavi Center tonight through Saturday, with daily show times at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $19 to $38. The group’s recent accolades include the chart-topping album “Decisive Steps,” ranked No. 1 and touting the nomination for best jazz album in Jazz Week. Fuller made time in her demanding schedule to speak with The SacPress to give audiences a glimpse into the heart and soul of this jazz sensation. Fuller's passion for music is literally “in her blood” — the gifted saxophonist hails from a family of musicians. She said it is this personal connection that is the source for her inspiration. She is a musician with

“A spiral is in every direction—it is without a beginning or an end.” – Richard Mayhew, artist   One can infer from Mayhew’s perspective that a spiral, in essence, is infinite. It knows no boundaries of time or space. It penetrates existence. However, he’s not strictly speaking about a concept found in physics, or existentialism. This is “heavy art,” a fusion of spirituality and intellect. It is an explanation of an inextricable link between art, creation and its existence. The Crocker Art Museum, in conjunction with Evolve the Gallery, featured artist Richard Mayhew for the museum’s “Icons In Conversation” program on Saturday. Mayhew was a member of the 1960s artist collective the Sp

What do you know about your family tree? In the age of technology, much has been made possible, especially in the field of genetics. We watch our high-definition televisions and see a commercial advertisement for ancestry.com or africanancestry.com. Suddenly, we begin to wonder about our own family tree - the gaps of missing information, the unrecorded years and disappearances of family members. We then ask ourselves that question. “What do I know about my family history?” Monday, May 9, the University of California, Davis Humanities Institute presented the “Distinguished Speakers Series,” featuring the renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The evening lecture, held in the Monda

“Art with a Twist” is the theme for Thursday nights at the Crocker Art Museum. The new “Open Art” series held every fourth Thursday offers an array of programming ranging from performances to cultural exchanges. Last Thursday the museum hosted a special lecture with a different approach to modern perceptions of dance, music and art. “The Africanist Aesthetic in Performing and Visual Arts: A Talk by Dr. Halifu Osumare” was presented in collaboration with the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery and the Sacramento Chapter of The Links, Inc. Osumare, an associate professor of African American and African studies at UC Davis and author of “The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop Power Moves,” d

Walls of colorful graffiti art surrounded audience members. Images of break dancers flashed on the wall behind the stage. Latin-infused hip-hop rhythms pulsed out of the speakers. The Sol Collective hosted a concert Sunday night with an exciting and eclectic lineup of artists with performances starting at 9 p.m. Billed originally with headliner Anita Tijoux and A-Plus of the Hieroglyphics, attendees got more artists for their money with performances by Century and Los Rakas added to the evening’s talent. It was a celebration of hip-hop being transcendental of cultural differences. “Arts, culture and activism” is the mission of Sol Collective, said the Andrew Bell, director for marketing

If laughter is music for the soul, then consider Lavell Crawford a virtuoso trained in the art of comedy! With multiple shows this weekend, renowned stand-up comic Crawford took the Punch Line comedy club by storm. The headliner has appeared at The Comedy Festival and LAFFAPALOOZA, America's longest-running annual urban comedy festival. Fans familiar with his work have seen him on NBC's “Last Comic Standing," "Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment," "Showtime at the Apollo," BET's “Comic View," "Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam" and most recently “Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: Live from South Beach.” His impressive record has built a diverse fan base. Audience members

An audience sat transfixed in a dimly lit room. At center stage was the band Flowers Of The Nile and Tezrah playing hypnotic rhythms entreating the audience to listen. Suddenly an air of mystery filled the room. A woman wound, shimmied, swirled, waved her arms in a snake-like pattern and swiveled her hips in figure-eights. Her mystical, fluid movements seemed to conduct unseen energy. A sensual dance of mysterious origins began. Welcome to the art of belly dancing. The Belly Dance Showcase held Sunday, started at 7 p.m. in the Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse. Flowers of the Nile and Tezrah provided the live music for the evening. The showcase featured 20 dancers and four dance troupes. Egy

If you’ve never heard of Anthony B, his name will soon be added to your favorite reggae playlist after his energetic performance, stage presence and positive musical message during Thursday night’s performance at Harlow’s. His voice soars high above the crowd and takes you to the hills of Jamaica. A soulful organic island sound pours out of him with fluidity, and the energy he brings to his performance spreads like wildfire. Known for his high-impact aerobic performances, Anthony B is truly an artist for the people.  “Anthony B is right up there with Buju (Banton) and Capleton – he transcends dancehall,” said ex-Sacramento radio personality Davey D. “I bet you he has 15-20 albums. All h

It was a wake-up call of eye-opening proportions. It was a smooth, delightful sound experience. It was simply soulful and stimulating. Call this group your favorite urban bohemian coffee shop brand in a cup — Starbucks, Old Soul Coffee Co., Peet’s, Java City — whichever you choose. It was exactly as group members Lawrence Dinkins (also known as NSAA) and Ross Hammond described it: Electric. Poetic. Coffee. The group’s moniker coined by Dinkins was an on-target summation of what they represent. “As Lawrence likes to say, I’m the electro part, Lawrence is the poetic part, and we both like to drink coffee,” Hammond said. “It’s poetry and folk songs over guitar and electricity. We try to mak

Who says summer has to end in August? Well, the organizers of the Crocker Art Museum’s “Jazz At The Crocker” summer music series agree.   In fact, the museum is prolonging the spirit of summer with its “Jazz At The Crocker” every third Thursday of the month beginning at 5:30 p.m. and going to 8 p.m. in the E. Kendall Davis Courtyard. This month, the Crocker featured the renowned Roger Smith jazz band.   The band consists of bandleader and keyboardist Roger Smith, drummer Brian Collier, bassist Curtis Ohlson, guitarist Jeff Tamelier, saxophonist Jon Skinner, saxophonist Tom E. Politzer and vocalist Carol J. Toca.   “The Crocker has been doing this for 15-20 years—it’s a popular series

What is it about walking into a jazz club that elicits an immediate sense of cool? Harlow’s transformed its nightclub into a swanky jazz club on Saturday night for “An Evening With Duke Ellington.” Onstage was The Vivian Lee Quintet paying tribute to the great jazz musician by playing several of his classic songs. The quintet is composed of lead vocalist Vivian Lee, Ron Foggia on piano, Paul Klempau on bass, Jeff Minneweather on snare drum and joining them for this special night on saxophone was Joe Berry. The snare drummer beat the drum in triple time. The saxophonist made the instrument talk — mastering scales and riffs. The bass player plucked the strings with precision. The pianist

Attending the Sacramento Electronic Music Festival (SEMF) EP release party for Dusty Brown held Saturday at 9 p.m. at The Townhouse Lounge meant  I had to be prepared for a one-of-a-kind experience.  When I  walked into the dimly lit lounge there was house, techno and hip-hop music blasting over the speakers and a chalk board that displayed the bands performing for the night.  The talent for the event featured TAIS, Melee Beats and headliner Dusty Brown. The clandestine lounge has two floors. DJ Rockbottom spun hip-hop music on the first floor and DJ MooOkie spun music for the crowd on the top main floor. The variety of onstage talent and DJs gave everyone something to listen to. “I’m e

Extraordinary. Contemplative. Soul-stirring. Awe-inspiring. The Japanese film “Departures” brought these words to mind at opening night of the Japanese Film Festival. The three-day festival began Friday at 8 p.m at the Crest Theater with showing the solo feature film "Departures" followed by double features, “K-20: Legend Of The Mask” and “Throne Of Blood” on Saturday, and “White On Rice” and “Memories Of Matsuko” on Sunday. The festival started out with the shocking film “Departures” Friday night. That’s right, I didn’t say “The Departed,” as in the Martin Scorsese movie. With a title like “Departures” and perhaps without reading a synopsis, audiences would have been clueless as to what

La Raza Galeria Posada's canary yellow walls set a vibrant tone Thursday for the gallery's latest offering in a Latin cinema series. “This series is about highlighting the films that are coming out of Portuguese- and Spanish- speaking countries,” said Michael Collett, the gallery's education manager. “We want to give a broader perspective to Sacramentans that not everyone who speaks Spanish is Mexican,” he continued. “There’s a whole Spanish-speaking world out there and those people have issues similar to us here in the States.” The series is a part of the New Latin American Film Series held Thursdays at 7 p.m. in July. Thursday featured the Argentinean film “El Secreto de su Ojos” (The

I once heard the saying that laughter keeps you young. If that’s true, Sacramentans who attend the upcoming ‘Comedy For The Soul’ showcase should retain their youth and have plenty of fun laughing.   Sacramento entrepreneur and comedian E. Clark had a recent chat with me to discuss his inspiration for comedy, comedic success and to highlight a few details of the newest show he’s producing.   “I wasn’t fulfilled with a nine-to-five…I wanted something more…and as a comedian you can say what you want to say and not be restricted,” said the UC Davis college graduate.   The comic traded in his job for something he was more passionate about. However, E. Clark's love for laughter began much

It was a "Soulful" weekend indeed! Following on the heels of the V101.1 Soul Jam, the Sounds Of Soul Awards rounded out the weekend’s music events. The awards ceremony was held Sunday evening at The Crest Theatre. The show displayed a variety of talent in the categories of R&B, jazz, hip-hop and gospel. Several local performers graced the stage in an exciting line-up, which kept audiences curious to see which artist and genre would come next. Although the event headlined Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali as the host, she was unable to attend. Despite her absence, promoters and emcees of the awards ceremony said "the show must go on." The audience agreed and the show never skipped

Remember the good old days of music, when the beat made you move and the dances had names such as The Smurf, The Wop, The Running Man, The Hammer and The Snake? Those times came to mind Friday at “Super Summer Soul Jam” at the Radisson Hotel, with phenomenal performances by Lisa Lisa, The Jets and Tony! Toni! Tone! Radio station V101.1 hosted the party to mark a decade in the business. For those who loved the music and dances of the '80s and '90s, the concert brought to mind one word … epic.. Promoters Mike Rogers and Henry Ramos told The Sacramento Press before the concert how the fun came to be. “I put together a list of 20 performers and sent it to V.101 for them to pick a group of