Hello everyone, this is my first opportunity to welcome you to the 2022 “Rambling Rose” column. I am very excited to be able to talk to you through my column while bringing you up to date of what’s going on and what is about to come in our home town. I want to say first, “Happy New Year” to each and every one of you. I also want to acknowledge the ones who have lost someone last year that was close to them. I know I did, I lost my daughter Karen Atkinson. We lost friends such as Calvin Tolbert; Lee Session; Beta Dotso; one of my singers in Signature Live, my group from out of Washington, DC; and Gladys “Etta” Duren, just to name a few. May God rest their souls in peace!
Moving along to happier things. Starting off with two of my Musical Sons, Terry Battle on bass & rhythms and Jeff Wilson on piano, the Sidestreet Duo is back at the 18th &21st Speakeasy, located 10980 Grantchester Way, in Columbia, Maryland where they will be performing a wide variety of musical selections, January 2, 9, 16 and January 30, from 5-9 p.m. You need to check them out. For more information, call 667786-7111 and tell them “Rambling Rose” told you.
Another one of the musicians I want to talk about and give honor to is saxophonist, educator, a Vandoren Performing Artist and president/founder of Jazz Academy of Music— the one and only Paul Carr. His organization is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit and was founded in 2002 to advance and preserve jazz music through education and outreach. Over the past 19 years, the Jazz Academy of Music (JAM) has provided music education opportunities, in the form of camps, classes, ensembles and concerts, to over 4,000 kids. Now that does my heart good. His organization reminds me of what I did for the Rosa Pryor Music Scholarship Fund, Inc. It is so heart-warming to know that another musician has taken his gift, his knowledge and skills to pass it on to our children. It is known that 100% of his students go to college and many of them pursue music at prestigious music schools such as Julliard, Harvard, Oberlin, Berklee and New England Conservatory. Many students become teachers, touring musicians and all are life-long fans of traditional jazz. They are passing the joy of American’s classical music to others. Well done, Paul Carr, well done. I am so damn proud of you and praying that you are able to continue this work with the children for many years to come. Those of you who are reading this must know he could not have done this alone. You must help by sending donations to Paul so that he can continue to help these children. Please send your tax deductible donation to JAM, P.O. Box 6744, Silver Spring, Maryland 20906 or go to www.JazzAcademy.org to make a donation.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, friends and fans, this COVID is not a joke, please protect yourself and others, by wearing your mask, please get your vaccinations, and don’t act crazy. So many of my musicians and friends and folks we know from the community are dying from this terrible thing.
And last, but not least, I wrote an article on how I became the Entertainment Columnist/journalist for the Baltimore Times over 34 years ago in last week’s issue. Make sure you pick up a copy or look it up on line. I think you will find it quite interesting and enjoyable. Let me know.
I have to go now, I am out of space, but remember, if you need me, call me at 410-833-9474 or email me at rosapryor@aol.com. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, I’M MUSICALLY YOURS.