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Thanks to my friend and partner Liz Solomon for the reference.
Oneliners
Knowing Just 6 Neighbors Can Improve Our Health
Even the White House Logo Got a Makeover. See What Changed
BlackRock Tells CEOs to Prepare for a Zero-Emissions Economy
Criterion Collection is Streaming Flms by Black Filmmakers for Free
Playlist
Video: Black Pumas – Colors (Biden Inauguration Performance)
“On the post-inauguration event Celebrating America, nestled between rock legends like Bruce Springsteen and pop stars Katy Perry and Demi Lovato, came Austin psychedelic soul band Black Pumas with a performance of their song ‘Colors’ from their 2019 self-titled album. The duo virtually performed straight from the heart of Texas at ACL Live in Austin.
“Black Pumas are made up of vocalist Eric Burton, 31, and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada who met and formed the band in 2018. Quesada, a forty-something, worked with the likes of Prince and Daniel Johnston, as well as Austin Latin funk band Grupo Fantasma before itching to start his own project in 2017. The magic started when a mutual friend connected Quesada to Burton, who at the time was busking in downtown Austin. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2019, and ‘Colors’ hit number one on Billboard’s adult alternative chart in February 2020.
“Black Pumas’s sound encompasses the gritty blues and rock Austin is known for, joined with soul and psych tones that bring new life and underscore Burton’s silky smooth vocals. It’s the sweet balance of modern and retro at the same time, akin to Grammy-nominated Coming Home by fellow Texan Leon Bridges or Grammy-winning Sound and Color by Alabama Shakes.”
Article: Fall Deeper in Love With Black Pumas, Inauguration and Grammy Showstoppers
Image of the Week
The image of the week is titled Amanda Gorman & the Hill We Climb, by my friend and colleague Gayle Kabaker.
Writing in her own newsletter this week she told the story of making the painting, and of meeting Amanda earlier this year:
“Watching Amanda on her well deserved rocket ship to stardom has been so much fun! I took screen shots while she spoke and painted her right after she finished. I tried drawing with an ink dropper line first.”
“Then I painted her and added the words that had really stayed with me.
Many of you know that Amanda is on the cover of the book- Vital Voices -100 Women Using Their Power to Empower, published by Assouline. There is an exhibition of all these portraits at the Kennedy Center – that’s still up! ”
“I thought it’d be fun to share a bit of the story of how I came to paint Amanda.
“I got into the elevator at my hotel in Washington DC to go to the gallery event where a few of my paintings were in a show sponsored by Vital Voices – ‘the art of disruption.’ There was this vision of gorgeousness in a cherry blossom dress and something made me ask her if she was going to the VV event and she was. It was Amanda!
“When I got back to my studio a few days later I was inspired to paint Amanda in her cherry blossom dress.”
Gayle has prints of the Image of the Week for sale at her website: Gayle Kabaker
What’s Clarity First?
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