Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The views and opinions expressed in the following programmer those
of the speaker and don't necessarily represent those of the
station's staff, management, or ownership.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning, you'll find me out with Pete and the
poet Cold. I'm Peter Leonard and I'm the poet Gold,
and we're on the here this morning with Gria Smith
from trans Art And before we get to grib we're
going to go right to the poet Gold for a
weekly poem prayer incantation. Gold, please let it roll.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Well, I'm going to do a poem this morning about
written by Nikki Giovanni. And as we have our guests
today Gria Smith from Transart and Jazz in the Valley,
she'll be able to tell you why I chose this today.
This poem is called Black History Month. If Black History
Month is not viable, then wind does not carry the
seed and drop them on fertile ground. Rain does not
(00:49):
dampen the land and encourage the seeds to root. Sun
does not warm the earth and kiss the seedlings and
tell them plain, you are as good as anybody else.
You've got a place here too.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Amen to that. And with that, Agrea, it's not artificially
Black History Month, but certainly every day is a day
where I'm black people. I'm playing a vital part in
America's history. And I know you have an event coming
up that you might want to let us know about.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yes, this will be the twenty fourth annual Jas in
the Valley celebration on the banks of the Hudson River
and Warriors Park in the city of Pekissie. So we're
very excited about that.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
And who are some of the features you're featuring? Just
tell us who was some of the guests for that
particular show.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
A guest for this coming Jazz in the Valley on
August eighteenth will be Nikki Giovanni herself, Javon Jackson, the
Wonderful Charles McPherson, Brandy Younger and Mina Freelon and Mitch
Frohman and the Bronx Horne.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
And how long have you been doing Jazz in the Valley?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
This will be number twenty four right, you just started
in two thousand.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, what made you choose Poughkeepsie, Like, did it start
in Poughkeepsie? What's the history of Jazz in the Valley?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
We actually started at a winery in Ulster, County, which
is used to be the West Park Winery. Now it's
called Red Maple Winery. The owner at the time was
a jazz band and I was looking for a place
to present Amaed Jamal the Great Ama Jamal, and he said, well,
(02:35):
you know you're doing good work. If you could do
it on a Sunday, you can have the place for free.
So it has been on It has been on Sunday
ever since, and very thankful that there are folks out
here that appreciate the artistry who of people that have
committed so much to what we now call Western popular culture.
(02:58):
So that's how we started. And then we moved. He
sold the winery unfortunately, and we moved to Williams Lake
in Rosendale, and then William Anita sold Williams Lake and
we moved to the hundred Valley of Resort and Spa
(03:20):
and we out grew the space and Ernie Bruno, who
was a chair of the Italian Center at the time, said,
you know, you should come to Poughkeepsie and we've been
there ever since on the waterfront. Well, I like twelve.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Twenty twelve and Goldway.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Maybe you can help me with it. May I mentioned
why Gria is having Nicki Giovanni on her list of
players in August. But what made you read that poem today?
What's your relationship.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
TONI, Well, I've always nick Nikki Giovanni is a really
heavy influence, uh for me and uh and and poetry.
I've always appreciated the frankness in her words and how
she delivers her poems and her activism through poetry. So
(04:20):
I have a very high regard for her as an
artist and as and as a woman and as an
educator and uh and and so. So I chose this
poem today because I knew that Nikki Giovanni was going
to be featured as one of the artists in the
upcoming Jazz Festival.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
So there's a way when she's one of your teachers.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Uh yeah, early on as a kid, you know, I
mean just just just very early on. It's you know,
you know, growing up, you you don't necessarily uh, at
least during during my time, you weren't exposed to a
lot of black artists, uh in in the media, you know,
at at that time, and and to hear an artist
re their work like Nikki words that had power, that
(05:05):
had a message, you know, like you know, Scott Heron.
You know, he blended it with music, moved me as
as as a young as a young kid when.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
It's a young kid, what age, and so it stuck
with you. And now Greer is making that possibility for
young people in the Hudson Valley, old people in the
Hudson Value.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Yeah, this is this is in our backyard, you know,
and it's and.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
It's and it's important because unfortunately, I don't know how
how it escapes some folks. Their their folks that don't
know who Nikki is, right, and and for her to
still be with us on on this side of glory
and no folks not to experience her, it would be
a shame. She understood how music and the root of
(05:56):
African culture inspired the folks that came before her. So
her and Javon connected around that understanding. Because Javonne Jackson,
who is our artistic director for the festival, who teaches
at heart, They've been an album together that is called
(06:16):
Uh Javonne Jackson and Niki Giovanni, The Gospel of Nicky Giovanni.
So she picked eleven tunes that she liked and Javon
created music around them and the rest of history. They
(06:37):
were nominated for an n Double ACP Image Award the
year came out, which is two years ago now, and
I'm just glad to she shook slowed down long enough
so we could bring her here.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
And it's funny.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I'm usually every year career, I'm away at camp teaching
poetry and activism for Rural Mirgareant Ministry, and it falls
on the same weekend.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
But I told Peter, I said.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Listen, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to call
them and say, you know, listen, I know it's the
first day, but this for me is like a dream,
you know, it's it's a manifestation of a dream to
be in proximity.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
And so I need to be there.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah, Gold you not only need to be there for yourself,
but yourself is such a public thing. Poughkeepsie needs you there,
and so we want to make sure that you're there.
And I agree with you have any special relationship with
Nicki Giovanni or she influenced you in any way that you.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Can point to, well, Nicki Giovanni and the people of
her time. Uh. When I when I was a youngster,
back in the day, everything was new and there was
a conversation that Nikki Giovanni had with James Baldwin that
was on a groundbreaking television so produced by and hosted
(08:02):
by Ellis Haslip on Channel thirteen Public on Public Broadcasting
All Soul and that conversation, and you can still you
can see it if you go to PBS. It's still there.
Those are the things that have shaped me as a
black creative and as a human being. So the intellectual
(08:29):
heft that people of her time, her generation brought to
the movement of humanity and to the civil rights movement
of what is what has influenced me and made it me.
It important for me to make sure that we had
her here. And Pokipsie fantastic.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
If you're just tuning in, you're listening to finding out
with Pete and the poet Gold, And I'm the poet
Gold and we're here today having a conversation with Career Smith,
a producer for the upcoming Jazz in the Valley Festival
and the executive directors that correct for trans Art.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yes I am, and you know I am the founder.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Yes, the founder as well.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
And you know I want to say I know less
about Nikki Giovanni than I do about Jans Baldwin. And
you know, I have more association with you know, writers
than musical people. But Jane Baldwin, of everybody in the
(09:28):
twentieth century, he not only wrote as well or better
than everybody, he was the clearest on race relations of everybody.
And I mean, even in my sense, as part of
his magic is that he's able to be completely honest
about the black experience. And when I say honest and
(09:51):
for somebody like me, he's exposing me to the black experience.
It's not like I know, we'll have experienced myself, but
he's introduced me the black experience. And he's not holding
anything back. And yet in some but a way that's magical.
He makes you like every character. I mean, and the
(10:14):
characters or some of them are you know, oppressed and
pushed around, and the people that middle class white people
are sort of prepared not to like, and Baldwin is
able to make you understand their character and like their character.
So although he's the most you know, comfortable, he's very
(10:36):
comfortable with conflicts, he's also, at least my experiences, he's
somebody who has the resolution to that conflict. In other words,
the underlying humanity that he's able to engage everybody into ridium.
So I would love to look up the interviews with
(10:58):
Nikki Giovanni and Jane Bull Loominie because he, like I say,
you know, from a racial point of view, he's been
a very big deal for me. But just who can
write short stories? James Baldwin kind of right, and you
know his book The Fire Next Time, which is a
uh yeahs a signing on pause as plenty of political
(11:21):
power and conflict built into America and he exposes that.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So greer you you and that's a that's a good point, Peter,
and I want to talk a little about trans art
and how trans art came about, you know, for you,
why you felt it was important to even create a
trans art Can you talk.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
A little bit about that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Sure, trans Are has been around for a while and
we started in Brooklyn, New York. Exhibition home was the
library at Met River's College, City, University of New York.
And I started it because when I was the exang
director of the New News Community Museum in Brooklyn, I
would get called for exhibitions from you know, libraries and
(12:03):
school districts and various other places, and there was not
a mechanism in place to make make it happen. So
trans art is definitely meaning the art, how art transforms,
and also the transporting of art from one place to another.
So that's how it started. And we had gone through
(12:24):
a political period in this state where it became kind
of repressive. We had a governor and a mayor that
said the Lion's chair of the funding should go to
quote unquote primary institutions. And these were institutions that were
not meeting the needs of many people of color who
(12:44):
had been you know, marginalized and under and as they say,
now under resource. So I was looking for uh and
that mayor was Giuliani, and the governor was attacking. So
I was looking for I was looking for were a
place to do what I do. And I had also
(13:05):
got married at the time, and anybody there knows anything
about living in New York City. The space is not
something back home without without leaving your first born as collateral.
So I had to my husband and I were looking
for a place to move. And I used to come
(13:25):
to the Hudson Valley a lot as a kid because
I went to camp here. I grew up in the
United Methodist Church. There were a lot of camps in
and around here, and then of course camp Miniscinc. Was
up this way, so a lot of my friends had
lived in Manhattan went to Camp Minisqinx. So I would
come up here a lot and looking for a place
to live. I met a wonderful artist by the name
(13:47):
of and scholar by the name of Ben Whitfall. And
it was a group of us that used to meet
actually at his gallery on the weekend. We would be
looking for housing and talking about art and you know,
changing the world and that kind of thing. And then
(14:08):
said to me, you know, quite frankly, he said, what
you have to offer, you can't live anyplace else but Kingston.
I said, oh, okay, And that's pretty much how it happened.
You know, all all the planets lined up and here
we are.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
Okay, okay, And so you're still in Kingston.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
See well we are are. Are now our first home
we've moved into last year. We have a historic base
on the corner of Henry and Furnis the historic Burke
of Matthews House that we've just finished his historic restoration
and an adaptive use of space for the interior. We're
very proud of it. But We've been doing programming here
(14:53):
in the mid Hudson Valley in Orange County, namely Newburgh, Pikitsie,
and Kingston and it's environs for the last twenty some
odd years.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
And you know, I'm thinking of the night of music
that jazz in the valley and Poughkeepsie. To be in
a Warriors Park is its own drama. To have jazz
right on the river, I'm betting that's gonna be a
nice setting. That's a good setting for you, am I right.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It's an excellent setting. And also what's happening, what's begun
to happen, is now we have like a flotilla out
on the water and with our excellent sound system, people
are listening from the water and not coming into the park.
So it's it's excellent because we are also not showcasing
(15:44):
the best of what is art form has to offer,
but we are also underscoring the wonderful, delightful, majestic Hudson
Valley in the Hudson River as well.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And it's really beautiful when you talk about the you know,
people may not come necessarily into the park because it's
being projected, you know, out out into the river. I
remember I had to go to the Central Park concerts,
and sometimes I didn't go to the Central Park concerts.
I actually would sit on the outside, you know, set
up a blanket and listen to the musicians that they
would have.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And it's such a.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Good feeling of community, you know, even for those who
are able to get in and be there intimately, but
also for the community on the outside that may not,
for whatever reasons, be there, you know, be able to
get in on that day. It just gives a Music
has a way of and art has a way of,
you know, transcending and bringing things together. And I'm so
(16:42):
glad you've been here in the community for so long.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Well, spilling over the official boundaries, I was able to
reach out and be uncontained.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Right right fitting to the name trans Art once again,
if you're tuning in, you're listening to Finding Out with
Pete and the Poet Gold and I'm the poet Gold.
We're here today. We're producer Greer Smith and who was
also the founder and executive director for trans Art. Gre
can you tell our listeners again the date, the time
for jazz in the Valley and when they how they
can get tickets?
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yes, I can it is Aufue eighteenth at Gates open
at eleven, music begins at noon, so tickets can be
purchased online at Jazz and in the Valley and why
dot org Jazz in the Valley and why dot org
and bring you can bring your food, bring a lawn
(17:39):
chair if you'd like, or a blanket, but there is
also seating under the main stage tent. There's an added bonus.
This year, we are doing our well. It's our second
annual Jazz Call on Saturday. We will be in restaurants
in and around the city. Check our website for the
updates and the places. But it's a way to begin.
(18:01):
We're moving Jazz in the Valley to a weekend to
a full weekend, and we want to really showcase Pickkeepsie
in a way that doesn't often happen, particularly for people
outside that are looking to come to jazz in the Valley.
We want to encourage them to stay over the weekend
and become that economic driver that the city needs. So
(18:23):
on Saturday, the Jazz Call is a good thing and
we really want to blow it up for the next
year will be our twenty fifth anniversary, so we're hoping
to have you know, updates on how that's going for
that big weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
So that sounds that sounds really exciting. I'm excited about
you know, all of this. The seating under the main
stage tent. Is there a separate ticket pricing for.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
That or no, we're right now, it's not. We were discussing,
you know, doing tiered seating, but we're not not yet.
Because the main thing is is, folks are you know,
I'm not taking anything for anybody else's festival, But when
folks see the caliber of talent that has been there
(19:07):
and they didn't know it, you know, people are trying
to driving all the way to to you know, uh
name in various places where they can see the very
same people right here. Absolutely, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I agree. Give me a trans at my senses that
you are attentive to us other than music. But what
is it about music that draws you personally to do
so much work in that direction? Uh?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
The creative process? And what and what music does? How
music transcends and the music of Western popular culture is
black music. It is infused in every form. If you're
talking about polyrhythms, which is more than one rhythm. Aunt
of time, you're talking about Africa and music, And I
(20:03):
cannot stress that enough, particularly in the times that we're
living in, Folks have to begin to appreciate humanity and
what folks have taken from each other and taken for granted.
And these are the very things that continue to point
to the fact that we are all human beings and
what this music does for us all. And if I
(20:26):
can continue to do this, I thought that was the
important way to send that message.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, and you know Gold's coming earlier in the show
about when she was growing up black artists, black musicians,
although they were you know, vibrant, they were not mainstream
in any way, and that has changed to some extent.
But you know, you a notion with some music at
this point is really black music, and that point has
(20:55):
not been made as dramatically as you just did a
few moments ago. Do you want to elaborate on that?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Well, And that's sort of a Misnoment's what you what?
What what's considered mainstream? It's who's who's perspective, who's saying it,
who's saying you should be this person? We want people
to know. Surely by the quality of the performance, you
may not have heard this name before, but if you
(21:21):
come to our stage, you know, because we've proven it
that it's worth your time and to worth the price
of a ticket.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
And I appreciate you refining my point there. And what
I meant by mainstream, of course, is that which was
ex dominated by money. In other words, the main uh,
mainstream is very often a is it very often synonymous
(21:50):
with the people with the power and the money to
own the air waves. And uh, that's what I was
using the term. But thanks to clarifying it.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Yeah, And that's and that's part of it. We see
folks every day and we've been lucky enough to be
part of this initiative that just ended actually June thirtieth,
during the pandemic of Chuck Schumer, or our state senator
of understanding that New York depends on the creative art
(22:21):
and entertainment for its its life's blood, started this thing
called Save the Stages because Broadway was hit, you know,
and Broadway brings in all the money for New York City.
So and when Broadway could not happen, something something had
to transpire so folks could eat and maintain their residences
(22:42):
and et cetera, et cetera. So out of Save the Stages,
came this other initiative called Creatives Rebuild New York and
Build New York was the ability for artists and organizations
to have paid artists on in in their employment and
whatever capacity for two years. They got an annual salary
(23:07):
and health benefice, which is like gold. And we were
fortunate enough to It was very competitive. We were fortunate
enough to have four artists. They were all musicians. So
the artists got money and the organization got money, and
we were able to go into the schools. We were
(23:29):
to see someone like Mala Walterron. Mala Waldron was one
of our artists and residents. Her father was mal Waldron,
Billie Holidays arranger for the last couple of years of
her life, and Malla was at the Warring School teaching
young people how to scat and what jazz meant and
(23:50):
that kind of sense. We were able to do that
where we could not have someone of her artistic integrity
and quality do that because we couldn't afford to pay
her to go to a in elementary school and do that.
But it's really really important because now more than ever,
things are so everything is in your phone and you're
(24:12):
in your earphones. It's not like you know, back in
the day when you were in the car with whoever
was driving, Mom, dad or auntie. Whoever was driving the
car controlled the radio, control sounes, and you were sitting
in the back seat listening to whatever they did. That
doesn't happen anymore. When you're in the car. You know,
everybody's got their own earphones listening to whatever they're doing,
so you don't have the opportunity to hear the various
(24:35):
kinds of music that is out here. So Creatives Rebuilding
New York was very important to us and was able
to help us, you know, spread the good word about
this art form for the last two years.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Absolutely, that was a great grant opportunity. I hope that
they just decide to do it again, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Yeah, I hope we don't have to have a pandemic
for somebody that right exactly.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
I hope they continue it, you know, after the two
year sten is over, Hopefully they figure it out and
are able to continue it. So grea one more time
before we wrap up. Time place, you know, date for
the festival.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Jazz in the Valley Jazz in the Valley, ny dot
org August eighteenth, gates something at eleven. Music begins at
noon on the Great Warriors Park on the waterfront in
the city of Poughkeepsie.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Fantastic Grid, Thank you so much for being with us today.
We're very excited about all you've done over the last
years with Jazz in the Valley, bringing it here to
the city of Poughkeepsie, New York. So thank you to
our listeners. Thank you once again for listening to finding
out with Pete and the poet Gold
The views and opinions expressed in the following programmer those
of the speaker and don't necessarily represent those of the
station's staff, management, or ownership.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning, you'll find me out with Pete and the
poet Cold. I'm Peter Leonard and I'm the poet Gold,
and we're on the here this morning with Gria Smith
from trans Art And before we get to grib we're
going to go right to the poet Gold for a
weekly poem prayer incantation. Gold, please let it roll.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Well, I'm going to do a poem this morning about
written by Nikki Giovanni. And as we have our guests
today Gria Smith from Transart and Jazz in the Valley,
she'll be able to tell you why I chose this today.
This poem is called Black History Month. If Black History
Month is not viable, then wind does not carry the
seed and drop them on fertile ground. Rain does not
(00:49):
dampen the land and encourage the seeds to root. Sun
does not warm the earth and kiss the seedlings and
tell them plain, you are as good as anybody else.
You've got a place here too.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Amen to that. And with that, Agrea, it's not artificially
Black History Month, but certainly every day is a day
where I'm black people. I'm playing a vital part in
America's history. And I know you have an event coming
up that you might want to let us know about.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yes, this will be the twenty fourth annual Jas in
the Valley celebration on the banks of the Hudson River
and Warriors Park in the city of Pekissie. So we're
very excited about that.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
And who are some of the features you're featuring? Just
tell us who was some of the guests for that
particular show.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
A guest for this coming Jazz in the Valley on
August eighteenth will be Nikki Giovanni herself, Javon Jackson, the
Wonderful Charles McPherson, Brandy Younger and Mina Freelon and Mitch
Frohman and the Bronx Horne.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
And how long have you been doing Jazz in the Valley?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
This will be number twenty four right, you just started
in two thousand.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, what made you choose Poughkeepsie, Like, did it start
in Poughkeepsie? What's the history of Jazz in the Valley?
Speaker 1 (02:13):
We actually started at a winery in Ulster, County, which
is used to be the West Park Winery. Now it's
called Red Maple Winery. The owner at the time was
a jazz band and I was looking for a place
to present Amaed Jamal the Great Ama Jamal, and he said, well,
(02:35):
you know you're doing good work. If you could do
it on a Sunday, you can have the place for free.
So it has been on It has been on Sunday
ever since, and very thankful that there are folks out
here that appreciate the artistry who of people that have
committed so much to what we now call Western popular culture.
(02:58):
So that's how we started. And then we moved. He
sold the winery unfortunately, and we moved to Williams Lake
in Rosendale, and then William Anita sold Williams Lake and
we moved to the hundred Valley of Resort and Spa
(03:20):
and we out grew the space and Ernie Bruno, who
was a chair of the Italian Center at the time, said,
you know, you should come to Poughkeepsie and we've been
there ever since on the waterfront. Well, I like twelve.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Twenty twelve and Goldway.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Maybe you can help me with it. May I mentioned
why Gria is having Nicki Giovanni on her list of
players in August. But what made you read that poem today?
What's your relationship.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
TONI, Well, I've always nick Nikki Giovanni is a really
heavy influence, uh for me and uh and and poetry.
I've always appreciated the frankness in her words and how
she delivers her poems and her activism through poetry. So
(04:20):
I have a very high regard for her as an
artist and as and as a woman and as an
educator and uh and and so. So I chose this
poem today because I knew that Nikki Giovanni was going
to be featured as one of the artists in the
upcoming Jazz Festival.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
So there's a way when she's one of your teachers.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Uh yeah, early on as a kid, you know, I
mean just just just very early on. It's you know,
you know, growing up, you you don't necessarily uh, at
least during during my time, you weren't exposed to a
lot of black artists, uh in in the media, you know,
at at that time, and and to hear an artist
re their work like Nikki words that had power, that
(05:05):
had a message, you know, like you know, Scott Heron.
You know, he blended it with music, moved me as
as as a young as a young kid when.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
It's a young kid, what age, and so it stuck
with you. And now Greer is making that possibility for
young people in the Hudson Valley, old people in the
Hudson Value.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Yeah, this is this is in our backyard, you know,
and it's and.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
It's and it's important because unfortunately, I don't know how
how it escapes some folks. Their their folks that don't
know who Nikki is, right, and and for her to
still be with us on on this side of glory
and no folks not to experience her, it would be
a shame. She understood how music and the root of
(05:56):
African culture inspired the folks that came before her. So
her and Javon connected around that understanding. Because Javonne Jackson,
who is our artistic director for the festival, who teaches
at heart, They've been an album together that is called
(06:16):
Uh Javonne Jackson and Niki Giovanni, The Gospel of Nicky Giovanni.
So she picked eleven tunes that she liked and Javon
created music around them and the rest of history. They
(06:37):
were nominated for an n Double ACP Image Award the
year came out, which is two years ago now, and
I'm just glad to she shook slowed down long enough
so we could bring her here.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
And it's funny.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I'm usually every year career, I'm away at camp teaching
poetry and activism for Rural Mirgareant Ministry, and it falls
on the same weekend.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
But I told Peter, I said.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Listen, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to call
them and say, you know, listen, I know it's the
first day, but this for me is like a dream,
you know, it's it's a manifestation of a dream to
be in proximity.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
And so I need to be there.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah, Gold you not only need to be there for yourself,
but yourself is such a public thing. Poughkeepsie needs you there,
and so we want to make sure that you're there.
And I agree with you have any special relationship with
Nicki Giovanni or she influenced you in any way that you.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Can point to, well, Nicki Giovanni and the people of
her time. Uh. When I when I was a youngster,
back in the day, everything was new and there was
a conversation that Nikki Giovanni had with James Baldwin that
was on a groundbreaking television so produced by and hosted
(08:02):
by Ellis Haslip on Channel thirteen Public on Public Broadcasting
All Soul and that conversation, and you can still you
can see it if you go to PBS. It's still there.
Those are the things that have shaped me as a
black creative and as a human being. So the intellectual
(08:29):
heft that people of her time, her generation brought to
the movement of humanity and to the civil rights movement
of what is what has influenced me and made it me.
It important for me to make sure that we had
her here. And Pokipsie fantastic.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
If you're just tuning in, you're listening to finding out
with Pete and the poet Gold, And I'm the poet
Gold and we're here today having a conversation with Career Smith,
a producer for the upcoming Jazz in the Valley Festival
and the executive directors that correct for trans Art.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yes I am, and you know I am the founder.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Yes, the founder as well.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
And you know I want to say I know less
about Nikki Giovanni than I do about Jans Baldwin. And
you know, I have more association with you know, writers
than musical people. But Jane Baldwin, of everybody in the
(09:28):
twentieth century, he not only wrote as well or better
than everybody, he was the clearest on race relations of everybody.
And I mean, even in my sense, as part of
his magic is that he's able to be completely honest
about the black experience. And when I say honest and
(09:51):
for somebody like me, he's exposing me to the black experience.
It's not like I know, we'll have experienced myself, but
he's introduced me the black experience. And he's not holding
anything back. And yet in some but a way that's magical.
He makes you like every character. I mean, and the
(10:14):
characters or some of them are you know, oppressed and
pushed around, and the people that middle class white people
are sort of prepared not to like, and Baldwin is
able to make you understand their character and like their character.
So although he's the most you know, comfortable, he's very
(10:36):
comfortable with conflicts, he's also, at least my experiences, he's
somebody who has the resolution to that conflict. In other words,
the underlying humanity that he's able to engage everybody into ridium.
So I would love to look up the interviews with
(10:58):
Nikki Giovanni and Jane Bull Loominie because he, like I say,
you know, from a racial point of view, he's been
a very big deal for me. But just who can
write short stories? James Baldwin kind of right, and you
know his book The Fire Next Time, which is a
uh yeahs a signing on pause as plenty of political
(11:21):
power and conflict built into America and he exposes that.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So greer you you and that's a that's a good point, Peter,
and I want to talk a little about trans art
and how trans art came about, you know, for you,
why you felt it was important to even create a
trans art Can you talk.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
A little bit about that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Sure, trans Are has been around for a while and
we started in Brooklyn, New York. Exhibition home was the
library at Met River's College, City, University of New York.
And I started it because when I was the exang
director of the New News Community Museum in Brooklyn, I
would get called for exhibitions from you know, libraries and
(12:03):
school districts and various other places, and there was not
a mechanism in place to make make it happen. So
trans art is definitely meaning the art, how art transforms,
and also the transporting of art from one place to another.
So that's how it started. And we had gone through
(12:24):
a political period in this state where it became kind
of repressive. We had a governor and a mayor that
said the Lion's chair of the funding should go to
quote unquote primary institutions. And these were institutions that were
not meeting the needs of many people of color who
(12:44):
had been you know, marginalized and under and as they say,
now under resource. So I was looking for uh and
that mayor was Giuliani, and the governor was attacking. So
I was looking for I was looking for were a
place to do what I do. And I had also
(13:05):
got married at the time, and anybody there knows anything
about living in New York City. The space is not
something back home without without leaving your first born as collateral.
So I had to my husband and I were looking
for a place to move. And I used to come
(13:25):
to the Hudson Valley a lot as a kid because
I went to camp here. I grew up in the
United Methodist Church. There were a lot of camps in
and around here, and then of course camp Miniscinc. Was
up this way, so a lot of my friends had
lived in Manhattan went to Camp Minisqinx. So I would
come up here a lot and looking for a place
to live. I met a wonderful artist by the name
(13:47):
of and scholar by the name of Ben Whitfall. And
it was a group of us that used to meet
actually at his gallery on the weekend. We would be
looking for housing and talking about art and you know,
changing the world and that kind of thing. And then
(14:08):
said to me, you know, quite frankly, he said, what
you have to offer, you can't live anyplace else but Kingston.
I said, oh, okay, And that's pretty much how it happened.
You know, all all the planets lined up and here
we are.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
Okay, okay, And so you're still in Kingston.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
See well we are are. Are now our first home
we've moved into last year. We have a historic base
on the corner of Henry and Furnis the historic Burke
of Matthews House that we've just finished his historic restoration
and an adaptive use of space for the interior. We're
very proud of it. But We've been doing programming here
(14:53):
in the mid Hudson Valley in Orange County, namely Newburgh, Pikitsie,
and Kingston and it's environs for the last twenty some
odd years.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
And you know, I'm thinking of the night of music
that jazz in the valley and Poughkeepsie. To be in
a Warriors Park is its own drama. To have jazz
right on the river, I'm betting that's gonna be a
nice setting. That's a good setting for you, am I right.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It's an excellent setting. And also what's happening, what's begun
to happen, is now we have like a flotilla out
on the water and with our excellent sound system, people
are listening from the water and not coming into the park.
So it's it's excellent because we are also not showcasing
(15:44):
the best of what is art form has to offer,
but we are also underscoring the wonderful, delightful, majestic Hudson
Valley in the Hudson River as well.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
And it's really beautiful when you talk about the you know,
people may not come necessarily into the park because it's
being projected, you know, out out into the river. I
remember I had to go to the Central Park concerts,
and sometimes I didn't go to the Central Park concerts.
I actually would sit on the outside, you know, set
up a blanket and listen to the musicians that they
would have.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And it's such a.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Good feeling of community, you know, even for those who
are able to get in and be there intimately, but
also for the community on the outside that may not,
for whatever reasons, be there, you know, be able to
get in on that day. It just gives a Music
has a way of and art has a way of,
you know, transcending and bringing things together. And I'm so
(16:42):
glad you've been here in the community for so long.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Well, spilling over the official boundaries, I was able to
reach out and be uncontained.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Right right fitting to the name trans Art once again,
if you're tuning in, you're listening to Finding Out with
Pete and the Poet Gold and I'm the poet Gold.
We're here today. We're producer Greer Smith and who was
also the founder and executive director for trans Art. Gre
can you tell our listeners again the date, the time
for jazz in the Valley and when they how they
can get tickets?
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Yes, I can it is Aufue eighteenth at Gates open
at eleven, music begins at noon, so tickets can be
purchased online at Jazz and in the Valley and why
dot org Jazz in the Valley and why dot org
and bring you can bring your food, bring a lawn
(17:39):
chair if you'd like, or a blanket, but there is
also seating under the main stage tent. There's an added bonus.
This year, we are doing our well. It's our second
annual Jazz Call on Saturday. We will be in restaurants
in and around the city. Check our website for the
updates and the places. But it's a way to begin.
(18:01):
We're moving Jazz in the Valley to a weekend to
a full weekend, and we want to really showcase Pickkeepsie
in a way that doesn't often happen, particularly for people
outside that are looking to come to jazz in the Valley.
We want to encourage them to stay over the weekend
and become that economic driver that the city needs. So
(18:23):
on Saturday, the Jazz Call is a good thing and
we really want to blow it up for the next
year will be our twenty fifth anniversary, so we're hoping
to have you know, updates on how that's going for
that big weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
So that sounds that sounds really exciting. I'm excited about
you know, all of this. The seating under the main
stage tent. Is there a separate ticket pricing for.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
That or no, we're right now, it's not. We were discussing,
you know, doing tiered seating, but we're not not yet.
Because the main thing is is, folks are you know,
I'm not taking anything for anybody else's festival, But when
folks see the caliber of talent that has been there
(19:07):
and they didn't know it, you know, people are trying
to driving all the way to to you know, uh
name in various places where they can see the very
same people right here. Absolutely, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I agree. Give me a trans at my senses that
you are attentive to us other than music. But what
is it about music that draws you personally to do
so much work in that direction? Uh?
Speaker 1 (19:41):
The creative process? And what and what music does? How
music transcends and the music of Western popular culture is
black music. It is infused in every form. If you're
talking about polyrhythms, which is more than one rhythm. Aunt
of time, you're talking about Africa and music, And I
(20:03):
cannot stress that enough, particularly in the times that we're
living in, Folks have to begin to appreciate humanity and
what folks have taken from each other and taken for granted.
And these are the very things that continue to point
to the fact that we are all human beings and
what this music does for us all. And if I
(20:26):
can continue to do this, I thought that was the
important way to send that message.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, and you know Gold's coming earlier in the show
about when she was growing up black artists, black musicians,
although they were you know, vibrant, they were not mainstream
in any way, and that has changed to some extent.
But you know, you a notion with some music at
this point is really black music, and that point has
(20:55):
not been made as dramatically as you just did a
few moments ago. Do you want to elaborate on that?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Well, And that's sort of a Misnoment's what you what?
What what's considered mainstream? It's who's who's perspective, who's saying it,
who's saying you should be this person? We want people
to know. Surely by the quality of the performance, you
may not have heard this name before, but if you
(21:21):
come to our stage, you know, because we've proven it
that it's worth your time and to worth the price
of a ticket.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
And I appreciate you refining my point there. And what
I meant by mainstream, of course, is that which was
ex dominated by money. In other words, the main uh,
mainstream is very often a is it very often synonymous
(21:50):
with the people with the power and the money to
own the air waves. And uh, that's what I was
using the term. But thanks to clarifying it.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Yeah, And that's and that's part of it. We see
folks every day and we've been lucky enough to be
part of this initiative that just ended actually June thirtieth,
during the pandemic of Chuck Schumer, or our state senator
of understanding that New York depends on the creative art
(22:21):
and entertainment for its its life's blood, started this thing
called Save the Stages because Broadway was hit, you know,
and Broadway brings in all the money for New York City.
So and when Broadway could not happen, something something had
to transpire so folks could eat and maintain their residences
(22:42):
and et cetera, et cetera. So out of Save the Stages,
came this other initiative called Creatives Rebuild New York and
Build New York was the ability for artists and organizations
to have paid artists on in in their employment and
whatever capacity for two years. They got an annual salary
(23:07):
and health benefice, which is like gold. And we were
fortunate enough to It was very competitive. We were fortunate
enough to have four artists. They were all musicians. So
the artists got money and the organization got money, and
we were able to go into the schools. We were
(23:29):
to see someone like Mala Walterron. Mala Waldron was one
of our artists and residents. Her father was mal Waldron,
Billie Holidays arranger for the last couple of years of
her life, and Malla was at the Warring School teaching
young people how to scat and what jazz meant and
(23:50):
that kind of sense. We were able to do that
where we could not have someone of her artistic integrity
and quality do that because we couldn't afford to pay
her to go to a in elementary school and do that.
But it's really really important because now more than ever,
things are so everything is in your phone and you're
(24:12):
in your earphones. It's not like you know, back in
the day when you were in the car with whoever
was driving, Mom, dad or auntie. Whoever was driving the
car controlled the radio, control sounes, and you were sitting
in the back seat listening to whatever they did. That
doesn't happen anymore. When you're in the car. You know,
everybody's got their own earphones listening to whatever they're doing,
so you don't have the opportunity to hear the various
(24:35):
kinds of music that is out here. So Creatives Rebuilding
New York was very important to us and was able
to help us, you know, spread the good word about
this art form for the last two years.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Absolutely, that was a great grant opportunity. I hope that
they just decide to do it again, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Yeah, I hope we don't have to have a pandemic
for somebody that right exactly.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
I hope they continue it, you know, after the two
year sten is over, Hopefully they figure it out and
are able to continue it. So grea one more time
before we wrap up. Time place, you know, date for
the festival.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Jazz in the Valley Jazz in the Valley, ny dot
org August eighteenth, gates something at eleven. Music begins at
noon on the Great Warriors Park on the waterfront in
the city of Poughkeepsie.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Fantastic Grid, Thank you so much for being with us today.
We're very excited about all you've done over the last
years with Jazz in the Valley, bringing it here to
the city of Poughkeepsie, New York. So thank you to
our listeners. Thank you once again for listening to finding
out with Pete and the poet Gold
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