Tha Artivist Presents...  

Although in recent days he was finally awarded a long overdue brass note on the street (Beale Street) that he helped made famous, the tantalizing question still remains for many in the City of Good Abode: Who Was Jimmie Lunceford???

In less than 30 minutes R2C2H2 Tha Artivist plans to answer that exact question with analysis from experts and the people who knew him the best.

“W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News Presents…Real Talk With Tha Artivist” takes great pride and honor in honoring a true gentleman whose creative genius and legacy knows no boundaries...James “Jimmie” Melvin Lunceford was considered by many to be among jazz's greatest swing band leaders...His Orchestra was nicknamed 'The Harlem Express' because of their overwhelming popularity with the African American community of the 1930s & 40s...His fame also extended beyond that proud community for he was also recognized by the larger national and international audiences as well...

Leading a band composed of his former high school students from the future Jazz Mecca Manassas High School (where he became the Memphis City Schools' first high school band director , amazingly starting a world class band with little start up money or any support from the school system) and his college buddies from Fisk University, The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra eventually became the house band for the legendary Cotton Club in storied Harlem, NY...The band became wildly famous because of their exceptional stage shows and the weekly live radio broadcasts from the club that were heard throughout the entire U.S....

Please join us in learning more about a man who owned and flew his own airplanes at a time when Blacks were not allowed to attend flight schools in the U.S....Learn more about a man who never forgot his teacher roots and would spend generous sums of money to start and support music education programs throughout the country to fight juvenile delinquency and dropout rates...Learn more about the former star athlete and ambitious teacher who became a movie star and a headliner & legend in his own time before dying under mysterious circumstances at the young age of 45 almost 62 years ago...Learn more about the efforts currently being done to restore this man's rightful place in the jazz pantheon and to ensure his legacy of perseverance, creativity, education and hope lives on in our youths and greater community for generations to come...

Please View All 3 Parts Of This Episode On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV By Perusing The Following Links:
Part One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHSBrxpBxro&feature=channel_page

Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGiYBJHb9TM&feature=channel_page

Part Three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9O8jL4f1VU&feature=channel_page





'Hallelujah!' Not 'Hustle And Flow' was the film that put Memphis on the cinematic map. This episode highlights the first ever Hollywood produced All Black Cast Talkie Movie featuring the first Black Hollywood Sex Symbol, the great Nina Mae McKinney. Tha Artivist interviews Ruby Carter, the daughter of Georgia Woodruff, a featured singer in the film and well known Memphis Gospel Music Great, about her mom’s role as well as the historical and cultural significance of the Academy Award nominated film itself.

View All 3 Parts Of ‘Real Talk With Tha Artivist’ Episode 2 On W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV By Perusing The Following Links:
Part One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry10hGop8nk&feature=channel_page

Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYNnjI8swdU&feature=channel_page

Part Three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqQdsOFeEyA&feature=channel_page

See Also...



On TV:
Please catch the latest 'Real Talk With Tha Artivist' episode on Memphis Comcast Cable Channel 17 Mondays @ 8pm Central.

Online:
You can also view past and current episodes among other W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News Features at the official W.E. A.L.L. B.E. YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/weallbetv