Sila Blume
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in dependence
the brightness of one is yet at the mercy of the surrounding ones perceiving
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The Virtuous Black XVI: Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson, born October 26 1911, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., was the gospel music singer, known as the “Queen of Gospel Song.” Jackson was brought up in a strict religious atmosphere. Her father’s family included several entertainers, but she was forced to confine her own musical activities to singing in the church choir and listening—surreptitiously—to…
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Expression
There are cavities within the body – some physical, some immaterial. In these cavities there is energy ever so gently and perpetually vibrating. To create is not the manifestation of things in one’s head.Ideas need expression. A creative individual might at times go insane if all this energy does not find its way into expression…
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The Virtuous Black XV: William Grant Still
William Grant Still, born May 11 1895, in Woodville, Mississippi, U.S.A., was composer and conductor, and the first African American to conduct a professional symphony orchestra in the United States. Though a prolific composer of operas, ballets, symphonies, and other works, he was best known for his Afro-American Symphony (1931). Still was brought up by…
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Occurrences in the Self of an auto-portrait
One may utter a long list or a single point, when asked about the essence of the self, or about the naked self, or the projection of self. And, just like in singing and speaking one hears not what the room acoustically gives but rather how one owns body lets one hear, one may ask…
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The Virtuous Black XIV: Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington, born Edward Kennedy Ellington, April 29 1899, in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., is the pianist who was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. One of the originators of big-band jazz, Ellington led his band for more than half a century, composed thousands of scores, and created one of the most distinctive…
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The Virtuous Black XIII: Prince
Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, on June 7 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., is the singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, dancer, and performer on keyboards, drums, and bass who was among the most talented American musicians of his generation. Like Stevie Wonder, he was a rare composer who could perform at a professional level on virtually…
Sila Blume 