Author: Rosa Pryor

Hello everyone, I pray that you are safe and well. This is a terrible situation, but we must move on and pray that this awful coronavirus will leave us soon. In the meantime when you leave your home, wear your damn mask, this is so important.

Well, I have been hearing since this COVID-19 hit, about the “New Norm.” This means wearing a mask, no folding chairs to see live concerts in parks, no festivals of any kind, no jazz shows in night clubs, no meeting your friends for breakfast or having dinner meetings, nor having a date night in your favorite restaurant and no hanging out shooting the breeze with your buddies and friends at your favorite bar. It means that you call on the phone and have a delivery of your favorite foods or drive to a pick-up window to pick up your food or merchandise. It also means that we have to figure out how in the hell you see your favorite band or musicians on a virtual or live stream. This is a terrible situation! This is the “New Norm.” So if you can’t beat them, then you have to figure out how to join them.

This is one of those situations. I have joined Jim Hamlin of the Avenue Bakery with his non-profit organization, “The Royal Theater & Community Heritage Corporation (TRTCHC) in the fundraiser campaign to “Rebuild the Royal Theater.” The same fundraiser we have done for the past five years from March through September in the Avenue Bakery Courtyard. We booked the best of the best jazz, blues and R&B bands and musicians to perform, BUT— we had to cancel all of them for this year! Instead, we are hosting a virtual Courtyard Concert to be live streamed on Saturday, September 5, 2020, from 3p.m. to 7 p.m. from the Avenue Bakery Courtyard with no audience. That’s right, you cannot come to this event in person, you can only see it virtualually.

The show will present Greg Hatza ORGANization, Guy Curtis Band and Caribbean Pan music from Baltimore’s own Lenny Rogers. You can enjoy this signature concert free on Facebook, and website, which will take donations on line or by phone. For more information, call our special phone line at 410-225- 3895.

Before I leave you, I want to send my condolences to the family, adopted families and friends for loss of a Baltimore icon, Dr. Anne O. Emery. The stories of her life and the work she has done will not be forgotten. Her legacy will live on.

Well, my dear friends, this is all I have for you this week. The photos on this page will tell the rest of the story. Until we meet again, if you need me, call me at 410-833-9474 or email me at rosapryor@aol.com.

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Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young with his wife Darlene celebrated their 41st Wedding Anniversary this month. Happy Anniversary Jack and Darlene!

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Congratulations to my friend Carlton C. Douglass, PA for being voted as the Professional of the year and National Funeral Director 2020 with his lovely wife Darlene.

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Happy Birthday to George Gaines Sr. on his 100th Birthday this month. YOU GO MR. GAINES!!!!! May God continue to bless you

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Sending condolences to my friend and musician John Billy for the loss of his wife, Shirley Billy who died in June 2020. John and Shirley have been to- gether for 67 years and married 62 years. May she Rest in Peace.

Hello everyone, it has been such a sad time in the last several months. It’s just overwhelming. I began to think about this column, what I could I write about to bring our spirits up in a positive way and think of something other than our friends and family who have been getting sick and dying from this dreadful COVID-19. I thought for this column I will talk about something that will make you smile and remember the good old days. So check this out!

So come on and do some “Rambling” with me! This was a few years ago when exciting things were hap- pening in the entertainment world in Baltimore. I re- member when I used to hang in Club Paradise located at 1300 Laurens Street when they featured live enter- tainment of jazz and R&B bands every week with local groups such as Tracy Curbeam, Panama, Tiny Tim Harris and the D0-It-All Band; Keith Soul and the Rollex Band. My goodness what a good time we had.

Hey! What about the Cat’s Eye Pub that was located at 1730 Thames Street in Fells Point? I am not sure if they are still there, but I remember it was really a nice cozy spot,. It was a little jazz club where every Mon- day the club featured the Phil Cunneff Trio with Ben Frock on trumpet and fluegelhorn, Jeff Reen on bass and Philip Cunneff on drum.

Do you remember Duffy’s Restaurant that was lo- cated 3436 Frederick Avenue? Oh, I do! I remember when Carlos Johnson and his band were there every Thursday night to a packed house.

I remember a jazz concert a few years ago at the East Coast Jazz Festival that was held in the Double- tree Hotel in Rockville, Maryland. My goodness that was a “HOT” concert! If I close my eyes, I can see it all over again. Music lovers came from all over to catch this one; Check out the line-up if I can remem- ber myself. I believe it was: the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble; Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Jazz Ensemble with Charles Funn, director; Ernie Andrews with the Duke Ellington School of the Arts High School Jazz Ensemble; Dick Morgan Trio; Buster Williams; Keter Betts Trio; Allison Miller Trio; Ron- nie Wells and Ron Ellston; Jackie Williams; Junior Mance; Dennis Fisher Trio; Richie Cole Quartet with Lady Byron on the B-3 Organ; Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio; Junior Mance Trio; Frank Morgan Quartet; Valery Ponomarev Quartet; Ron Kearns Quintet. And that is all I can think of from the top of my head, but I do know it was many more. I also remember

I had a damn good time and that this festival included about 23 main stage ticket events and about 100 free, open to the public events. Oh mannnn, I could use a show like that now.

How am I doing so far? Are you smiling yet? Okay, I got some more fun memories. Do you remember when the Maceo’s Lounge located 1926 N. Monroe Street had live entertainment every Wednesday and Thursday nights featuring Bobby Ward Trio on Thurs- day nights and every Wednesday night Tiny Tim Har- ris and his band performed.

There was another concert stuck in my mind that happened right here in Baltimore. I can’t remember what year for sure, I believe it may have been in 2003 when WEAA 88.9 was celebrating their 25th Anniver- sary andthey put on a fantastic concert at the Gilliam Concert Hall of the Murphy Fine Arts Center on the campus of Morgan State University. The musicians I remembered performing were Cyrus Chestnut; Gary Bartz; Michael Bowie; Winard Harper; Dantae Winslow; Andy Ennis; Wendell Shephard, Dr. John Lamkin; Charlie Covington Timmy Shepherd; Michael Austin and I believe the hosts for this event were Ruby Glover; Sandi Mallory and Gary EllerbeOkay, my dear friends, I am hoping this week col- umn made you smile and start a positive conversation with your buddies and friends just long enough to take your mind off the COVID-19, masks and no live en- tertainment anyhere, because nowhere is safe these days. Make sure you pick up the Baltimore Times every week or read it on line and leave your comments.

Stay home, stay safe and 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.

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James and Brenda Hamlin, owners of the Avenue Bakery celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary this month. All of your patrons including Rambling Rose say, “Congratulations!”