iamasiam

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

“Turn and face the strain”, goes the 70’s Bowie hit about self-reinvention. ^[1] You get a pre-coffee jolt this morning when your visiting grand daughter asks you about that that red-eyed, mullet-frocked, tie-dyed image that your kind old “friend” drunk-posted  in Facebook one night.  (It’s not that bad of a shot, really—minus of course that background object in the likeness of a bong.)

Now that you are Fox-News-following, Sunday-service-attending, Wall-Street-investing, Hair-Club-concealing grown-up, you sigh in relief—perhaps, in disbelief—at how much you’ve come round.   You take that first gulp of coffee and stare down that snoopy nerd across the dining table: “It was a Halloween costume party, Sweetheart!”

It has been a long, arduous and oft-times circuitous forty years to get to where you are now. Taken to an emergency text message, your grand inquisitor swiftly drops the subject.  Taken to the thought of a more truthful answer, you also wonder where the next decades will bring you?  You shun immediate thoughts of hip replacement, Pampers and Poligrip. A careless, fun-loving, starry-eyed youth then comes to mind.

Writes John Thierny in his recent article in the NY Times, research suggests many of us tend to play down future changes in our personality and tastes. ^[2] Back to the seventies, you think.  “Now, how do you erase images in Facebook?” you interrupt the tech guru from her annoying iPhone thumb tapping.

^[1] facebook.com/davidbowie
^[2] John Thierny, “Why You Won’t Be the Person You Expect to Be”, The New York Times, Jan. 3, 2013

He's Got a Thing

He’s Hanni El Khatib, a young musician whose song was featured recently in a Nike commercial.  His thing of course is his music, but not only that. He has a background that helps bond his talent and musical persona. An NPR article about him offers this description of him: ^[1]

A first-generation American of Palestinian and Filipino descent, El Khatib was raised in San Francisco during the emergence of skateboard culture. Despite his international background, he says he grew up listening to classic Americana music, '60s soul, surf, doo-wop and British Invasion rock.

Jon Caramanica of the New York Times writes of his talent: ^[2]

But while this music sounds as if it were pasted together with spit and glue, really it’s far more contained and considered.

That’s American spit and glue, Mr. Caramanica, and that’s what ought to bind anyone else with such a multi-cultural background and unbridled talent.

^[1] npr.com
^[2] Jon Caramanica, “Songs of Abandon, Love and Everday”, The New York Times, Oct. 14, 2011

Happy (Immigrant) Mother's Day

I love you, Mom!

Racism Is Un-American (And Evil Too)

It is ironic enough that our first term wartime president received the Nobel Peace Prize even as he opted to increase troop levels in Afghanistan.  In comparison, it is not as surprising that Toby Keith, a country singer known for his pro-war anthem, performed in a concert also during the Oslo festivities. ^[1]

“If President Obama has to send (more) troops into Afghanistan to fight evil, I’ll pull for our guys to win, and I won’t apologize for it,” Keith said. “I’m an American, and I do pull for our team to fight evil.”

However, it is the singer’s petulance that unsurprisingly caught the ire of more than just his anti-war critics.  Performing onstage with other musicians at an after party in Olso, Toby Keith made an unequivocally racist gesture, albeit brief.  Essentially, he pulled back his eyes to symbolize “yellow”.

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) ^[2] has taken the lead in condemning Mr. Keith’s actions and demanding that he apologizes for such racist behavior.  It’s been weeks since the incident, but no word from Toby thus far.  Still reminiscing his patriotic, anti-evil moment in Oslo?

This type of attitude underlies a pervasive stereotype of Asian Americans, where physical differences imply a foreignness that hinders an acceptance of being considered as true "Americans."

As an American country singer at an international venue, Mr. Keith was representing our American ideals and values.  He embarrassed himself and offended the Asian American community by his crude behavior. ^[2]

After 9-11, there was an upsurge in the public display of patriotism.  No surprise, I was caught in it too.  I thought about getting one of those American flags on bumper stickers—very popular at the time.  What stopped me?  For one thing, I felt I didn’t have to prove myself, especially to those who thought I was a foreigner regardless.  And, yes, there was this bastard who cut into my lane, drove past the red light, and almost side-swept an unsuspecting pedestrian; the evil-doer had his patriotic spirit emblazoned all over his potential murder vehicle.

^[1] The Associated Press, “Toby Keith in Oslo stands by ‘Peace’ winner president”, Boston Herald, Dec. 11, 2009
^[2] JACL.org

Carnegie Hall Chinese Music Festival: A Welcome Surprise!

To the delight of its executive and artistic director, Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s three-week Chinese music festival is a surprise.¹  So writes New York Times critic, James Oestreich, in his column today.  He explains why:

Mr. Gillinson is quick to acknowledge that Chinese music, in any traditional sense, is almost antithetical to the traditional Carnegie concert format. At least until the mid-20th century, music in China was seldom seen as something to be presented on a proscenium stage and contemplated in isolation by sedentary, silent listeners. It was often a part of daily life, if not integral to the performance of a particular activity or ritual then as background for socialization. And when it did rise to the level of artistic aspiration, it was typically part of a larger catchall form, as in Chinese opera, which includes not only music, drama, dance, costuming and décor but also acrobatics and martial arts.

Aptly dubbed “Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: Celebrating Chinese Culture”, the festival which runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 10 seeks to explore both “the hunger for Western works, as well as ‘real’ Chinese music.”² 

Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: A Festival Celebrating Chinese Culture pays tribute to a vibrant culture and its influence around the globe with 21 days of events and exhibitions at Carnegie Hall and partner institutions throughout New York City. It features leading Chinese musicians, including artists and ensembles traveling outside of China for the first time, performing myriad genres of music. This festival also includes traditional marionette theater, dance, exhibitions, and much more—a true immersion into a world that mixes ancient and modern, familiar and new.

The festival itself is happening beyond the confines of the Carnegie Hall premises seeking perhaps to stretch beyond the realm of music itself.  Take for example, Mingmei Yip’s performance of both qin music and calligraphy at the China Institute on October 22nd.³

The aesthetics shared by qin musicians and Chinese calligraphers are discussed and demonstrated. The linear quality of calligraphy and the melodic lines of the qin (seven-stringed zither) embody the interplay between yin and yang, sound and space. The ancient Chinese philosophy of nurturing life and the quest for longevity by harnessing breath and qi (chi) are aspired to through qin playing and calligraphic brush strokes.

Indeed, the festival is a welcome surprise not only for its antithetical content but also its more open approach.  As Mr. Ostereich writes, “If Chinese music has opened up in recent decades, so has Carnegie Hall, particularly in Mr. Gillinson’s festivals, which have been studiedly multidisciplinary and multi-institutional.”

¹James R. Oestreich, “A Path to China, Through Carnegie Hall”, The New York Times, Oct. 11, 2009
²carnegiehall.org
³chinainstitute.org

Hahn-Bin: Reviews Have Been Good

Violinist Hahn-Bin¹ receives positive reviews from music critics following his debut recital at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York City last Thursday.  In his New York Times column today, Allan Kozzin describes how the Mohawk-shorn, award-winning, 22-year old from South Korea handled his unusual program interspersing classics with more contemporary works.²

The constant gear-switching, from standard to novel and back, did not always work: several leaps produced a sort of musical whiplash. But you could not argue with the distinct characterizations Hahn-Bin brought to each score, and there was no resisting his rich, varied tone and his technical facility. And when his juxtapositions worked, they were inspired. Cage’s youthful Nocturne (1947), a meditative dreamscape, made a fascinating preface to Nathan Milstein’s quirky transcription of Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor.

Hahn-Bin made news last August when he lost his violin in a New York taxicab.  His Pressenda violin, worth about half a million dollars, was soon retrieved with the help of the city’s new GPS tracking system.  Here is a video clip of his appearance at "The Early Show" on CBS after that incident and just before his debut performance.

¹hahn-bin.com
²Allan Kozzin, "Back and Forth Between Old and New", The New York Times, Oct. 10, 2009

A Bollywood Film with No Production Numbers?

Yes, says film critic Rachel Saltz of The New York Times.¹ Today, in her film review of “Wake Up Sid”, Miss Saltz is appreciative of the character portrayal (“credible”) and directorial style (“quiet) that she gleans from this romantic comedy.

Ms. Sharma has made a specialty of characters like Aisha: independent urban women, whose dreams involve careers as well as love. Her Aisha is a nuanced creation — ambitious, sympathetic, believable — and Mr. Mukerji, making his directing debut, is right to let her run away with the film. Mr. Kapoor, who in his short career has played variations on the cute cad, does well to keep up.

But, no productions numbers? Here’s a trailer for you to judge for yourself. It opened yesterday in theaters nationwide.

¹Rachel Saltz, ”Career Woman Helps a Man-Child Grow Up”, The New York Times, Oct. 3, 2009

Muslim Punk: Through Kim Badawi's Lens

Photographer and journalist Kim Badawi's photographs from his book “The Taqwacores: Muslim Punk in the U.S.A." are currently on display at powerHouse Books¹ in Brooklyn, NY. The author will be on hand this Saturday to talk about the Muslim punk scene that has emerged since he first imagined it in an earlier novel he wrote.²

The film clip below features the very band members whom Mr. Badawi have inspired to start a Muslim punk movement. One motivation was to channel inner conflicts related to growing up Muslim in America. Basim Usmani, a Pakistan American and member of the punk band "The Kominas" spells that out succinctly.

Both my parents are Pakistani but both have very firm ideas of what they like wanted me to be like when i was growing up. They want their kids to do well in school, be part of the Math team, go to MIT, and become doctors. And, I wasn't having any of it because it just wasn't who I was.

The same motivation may have been what led Mr. Badawi to punk rock, to write about it and now to share his photographs of the very movement that he inspired.

I think it's just the sense that being American somehow makes you less Muslim, and being Muslim somehow makes you less American. So it’s just on the margins of the margins of the margins. Punk gave me the courage to be a Muslim, and I think in America today. Being Muslim itself is very punk rock, y’know.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

1powerhousebooks.com
2Nida Najar, “Taqwacore Documented: Images of Muslim American Punk”, The New York Times, Oct. 2, 2009

Festival Highlights All Asian American Chekov Comedy

In pursuit of advancing the field of Asian American theater via a national network of organizations and artists, the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists (CAATA)* is hosting its second National Asian American Theater Festival¹ in New York City from October 13-18, 2009. All performance will be held at the Theater for the New City² except for ‘Imelda’, which takes place at the Julia Miles Theater³. ‘The Seagull’ and ‘Imelda’ play throughout the week of the festival, and performances are scheduled for Shishir Kulup’s ‘Sharif Don’t Like It’ and Sheetal Gandhi’s ‘Bahu-Beti-Biwi’. In addition, the festival calendar includes panel discussions, readings and workshops, plus an opening night party.

Anton Chekov’s comedy ‘The Seagull’ is presented by the National Asian American Theater Company⁴ featuring an all Asian American cast, living up to its broad mission of asserting the presence and significance of Asian American theatre in the United States and demonstrating its vital contributions to the fabric of American culture.

‘Bahu-Beti-Biwi’ is a dance-theater solo created and performed by Sheetal Gandhi. Below is a video clip taken from her previous performance.

Bahu-Beti-Biwi (Daughter-in-law, Daughter, Wife) (2008) from Sheetal Gandhi on Vimeo.

*Forming a consortium is a really good idea! I wish that other Asian American organizations would follow the CAATA’s lead on this. I wish them great success in their upcoming festival and other future projects. For tickets or more information, go to naatlf.org.

1 naatf.org
2 theaterforthenewcity.net
3 womensproject.org
4 naatco.org

(See related post, "Imelda: The Musical".)

Kallash Kher: Sufi-infused funk and rock

In anticipation of the release of their new CD of both re-recorded remixed and new material on the world music-famous Cumbancha Records label, Kallash Kher¹ performs at 9 o’clock tonight, September 22, at the (Le) Poisson Rouge² at 158 Bleecker Street, New York. Expect a meld of Sufi-folk and rock from Kallash infused with his brothers’ modern rock, electronic and funk influences. Indian superstar Kallash Kher, classically trained and of Bollywood fame, brings refreshing unique but accessible delightful music right into our international village. Music blogger Richard Marcus³ in his review of Kallash’s recent recording says listeners will be swept off their feet by the music’s splendor, amazed by the virtuosity of Kher’s vocals, and fascinated by its unique quality—“different from almost anything you've ever heard before.”

1kallashkher.com
2lelepoissonrouge.com
3blogcritics.org

Yura Yura Teikoku Rocks Williamsburg Again Tonight

Yura Yura Teikoku a psychedelic band from Toyko headlines their own show tonight at the Music Hall of Williamsburg¹ in Brooklyn, NY after opening for Yo La Tengo last Tuesday and Wednesday. The trio consists of vocalist/guitarist Shintaro Sakamoto, bassist Chiyo Kamekawa and drummer Ichiro Shibata. Critics are raving of their recent performances and their new CD.

Warming up the stage with a lean blast of angular guitar rock, Japanese trio Yura Yura Teikoku was a fitting opener, just as interested in its music's fringes as the headliners so obviously were. - Boston Globe²

But for me -- and several bewildered folks I spoke with during and after the show -- the night belonged to Yura Yura Teikoku, a Tokyo-based psych-rock trio that opened the show. Sweet holy hell. They might be my new favorite band. I even bought a CD at the show, which I rarely do -- mostly because I typically already have CDs sent to me from bands playing shows at HG. And also 'cuz I'm cheap. - Solid State³

In its native Tokyo, the psychedelically inclined Yura Yura Teikoku is a known quantity, its roots winding back to 1989. In New York, where the trio didn’t bother to perform until recent years, it still registers as an exotic blip. Yet America may be closing this blind spot: Yura’s latest album, Hollow Me, was just released by the chic Manhattan label DFA; now, on the heels of New England shows with Yo La Tengo, the band headlines Music Hall of Williamsburg. Though renowned for its big guitars and wild aura, the trio sounds compressed and brainy in its new work. Hollow Me and its accompanying EP, Beautiful, evoke Brian Eno’s pop albums and the hermetic motion inherent to krautrock, with unlikely shoots of soft rock deliberately sprouting through the cracks. The band becomes at once sleek and strange—psychedelic in its very tidiness. - Time Out New York⁴

Here’s a video clip from the group’s hefty performance last year at the same venue. Rock on!

¹Music Hall of Williamsburg
²James Reed, "Popular or not, Yo La Tengo still thrills", Boston Globe, Sept. 18, 2009
³Dan Bolles, "Turning Japanese", Seven Days, Sept. 16, 2009
⁴Jay Ruttenberg, "Yura Yura Teikoku", Time Out New York, Sept. 17-23, 2009

9-9-09: But Only 9 Drums A-Beating

The Boredoms are performing this Wednesday in New York City but with a little less fanfare, which means only nine drummers will be playing.¹ Two years ago on July 7, 2007, this Japanese noise-rock band drew attention in Brooklyn with their assemblage of 77 musicians performing at an outdoor concert. A similar feat followed in Los Angeles last year on August 8, 2008.

New York Times critic Ben Ratliff seems optimistic of their upcoming concert this week even with only nine drummers performing. "They'll find a way to make it work;" Ben writes, "few bands are as conceptually bold and smart as this one."²

Much of the amateur video coverage of those two live concerts focused more on such Guiness record-like feat rather on the very music itself. This studio recorded music video for "Vision Creation Newsun" best reflects what's beneath all the hype. The visuals are themselves distracting but nonetheless prove complementary with the crescendo in which the rather jazzy piece culminates.

Boredoms "Vision Creation Newsun"

¹Terminal5nyc.com
²Ben Ratliff, "The Week Ahead: Pop", The New York Times

A Hindu Temple 'Choir', An 'American' Koran, A 'Catholic' Mantra

Recently reconnected with someone who has found new interest in studying the Hindi language, I learned about recent activities celebrating the festival of the Ganesha festival.  Ganesha, deemed Lord of Success, is one of the most widely worshipped of the many Hindu deities.¹

The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.

How the practice of such religious beliefs adapts following its migration to America is exemplified by the formation of choir performing for the first time—also in celebration of the Ganesha festival—in a Hindu temple in Flushing Meadows, Queens.  Growing up Catholic, I recall nothing extra-ordinary singing in a church choir.  However, in his recent NY Times article, Jonathan Allen reveals that choir singing is new in Hindu worship, which tends to be more individualistic and free flowing. Quoting Professor Vasudha Naryanan, director of the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions at the University of Florida, Mr. Allen writes:²

She sees the choir as a “gentle process of Americanization” — a kind of adaptation of Hindu traditions to be more “recognizable” to the children of Hindu immigrants and the broader American public.

Not everyone views any American adaptation of religious practice—or even, the artistic representation of a religious book—with the same openness.  Even before the exhibition opens, there is already mounting opposition to “American Qur’an”, Sandow Birk’s latest project of transcribing English translations of the holy book accompanied by paintings of contemporary American scenes. Jori Finkel of the New York Times writes:³

After viewing an artist’s statement on koplindelrio.com, the gallery’s Web site, Usman Madha, director of public relations at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, cautioned that many Muslims might nonetheless find the project “insulting to the Islamic faith,” starting with its title. “There is no such thing as an American Koran, or European Koran, or Asian Koran,” he said. “If someone calls a work their own version of the Koran, they are misrepresenting the Koran as revealed to the prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.”

In exhibiting his work, I doubt Mr. Birk’s intention to “make it more accessible to Americans, more relevant to American life” will precipitate any serious conversion, because technically his work does not count as a bona fide copy of the holy book, which can only be written in Arabic.  In her studying Hindi, I surmise my friend is driven more by her personal interest in it and won’t soon become a Ganesha follower herself.  I don’t think a Hindu hymnal will hit publication any time soon either.  I digress form this deliberation with a thought of my old church choir singing this John Lennon song.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

1Subhamoy Das, “Ganesha: Lord of Success—All About the Hindu Elephant-Deity”, About.com
2Jonathan Allen, ”Old Faith Innovates in a New Land”, New York Times
3Jori Finkel,“’Personal Meditations’ on the Koran”, New York Times

Imelda: The Musical

The Pan Asian Repertory Theater has a lofty mission statement including introducing Asian American theatre to the “differently-abled”. But not quite as lofty as their current project—to stage a musical about Imelda Marcos! Slated for a September 22 opening at the Julia Miles Theater in New York City, this project has the necessary elements for success given the esoteric appeal of the Imelda character.

Few have come close to capture the elusive mystic that surrounds Imelda. A source, requesting anonymity, volunteers this tidbit of information after rare close encounters with Imelda in his neighborhood.

"The neighborhood buzz was that she was using Doris Duke's apartment in the relatively new Dag Hammarskjold Plaza building. I used to see her shopping at the greengrocer's stand across Second Avenue, her bodyguard in attendance; and when I took up the collection during mass at the local Catholic church, she was a steady contributor. I was struck by her height—she was much taller and more beautiful than she appeared on television—and her immaculate, elegant style. Although I was never one of her admirers, I thought that she was a stunning woman to look at: flawless skin; luxuriant, glossy dark hair; and, a rather vacant gaze."

Attempts to portray her beyond-skin-deep character proliferated in media especially during fraud and racketeering charges were brought before her in Manhattan’s Federal Court— a helpless victim, a ruthless conspirator, a crazy woman, among others. Not one sticks to me; perhaps all is true.

New York City could not have been a more fitting stage to purse such attempts to scrutinize her up-close. The first wife of foreign head of state to stand in court in the U.S., Imelda was not repulsed by the theatrical spotlight; in fact, she seemed to have reveled in it. The trial itself included celebrities including Doris Duke who reputedly posted her $5 million bail, George Hamilton who posed as “star” witness to her defense, and—who can forget the antics of—her defense attorney Gerry Spence. Following her acquittal, Imelda’s encore was “shuffling up the aisle of New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral on her (padded) knees, clutching a rosary and praying”. Bravo!

Perhaps, beyond the thousand pairs of shoes, the lavish shopping sprees, and the extravagant galas associated with Imelda, the Pan Asian Repertory production would look further inside her self. A conniving partner to a crime wrought upon an entire nation? A lobotomized shell that is running on autopilot following a nervous breakdown? A survivor coping with an historic twist of fate? An innocent victim who only wanted wealth, fortune and fame but sans the necessary curse that comes with the pact her husband signed in her behalf? An enchanting diva who will haunt us forever, regardless.

Kudos to the Pan Asian Repertory for taking on this brave project! I wish them success and hope it turns out to be more than just, as Simon Cowell would say, a “karaoke” act. Here’s a video the theater released to promote this musical. It’s rather lengthy and choppy, but interesting notwithstanding.

Hypernova Does Exist

“In Iran, we don’t have rock music like in your country.”

Hypernova, a Tehran-borne rock band, defies truths proclaimed by the Iranian government at the risk of fines, imprisonment, or even flogging.  Time.com updates us via this video on the group’s latest activities in response of the recent street protests.  Rock on!

Maestro Nathan Chan: Express yourself!

AsianWeek today offers tribute to Chinese Americans who excel in arts and entertainment. Nathan Chan is one of the many featured in their series. Dubbed a “future Maestro” not be overlooked, Nathan first broke news as a child prodigy. Now in his early teens, the future is gradually enfolding before him. In the video below produced about three years ago,  clearly the young cellist not only exudes in talent, but also in his unbridled, brimming expression of his passion for music. He acknowledges this: “Lots of people say that I express the music really well and everybody thinks that’s the best part of me.”  Bravo!

apl: Boom, boom, boom!

I had no idea that apl.d.ap has Filipino roots until a bright-eyed, Pilates-stretching, and statistics-preaching lass from Indiana introduced me to the music of the Black Eyed Peas. Of course, apl.de.ap moved me with his sentimental homage in "The APL Song". Years later, post-will.i.am's Obama stint, post-Fergie's Clumsy mint, that apl.d.ap imprint still moves me even if it's time to boom.boom.on.

Fly Away: Towards dreams left behind

This year’s Asian American International Film Festival in New York closes this Sunday with H. P. Mendoza’s award-winning “Fruit Fly”. Bethesda (played by L.A. Renigen) is in search of her biological parents. From the same people who brought us “Colma: the Musical”, it promises to be fun entertainment. And, yes, will Bethesda realize the fruits of her pursuit?

Miss Diva: Hard to please

Kristine Sa features Asian American musicians, such as these fab four performing live, in her show “The Kristine Sa Show”. CP Phan, Kris Mark, Kinh Nguyen and Matt Clores belt out an original, “Miss Diva”. Kristine’s show is available for subscription on her website (http://kristinesaonline.com) and on VAN-TV (Channel 18-7 in Southern California) and VHN-TV (Channel 2073 on DirecTV). Not bad at all! Miss Diva should be pleased.

Dimple's Rallying Anthem For Us All: Break the silence!

Borne in Nepal, Dimple now lives in Cambodia/Kampuchea. A “world” musician, he writes and performs music that reflects social consciousness on global issues. “Break the Silence”, the song featured in this video, recorded in Kenya with local Swahili artists, addresses the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.

"Just come out! Don’t hide! Your coming out and standing up today can change the ways things can happen tomorrow. It will just make it, the whole thing, better."

Dimple’s lyrics readily serve as a rallying anthem both for those crying to be heard but whose mouths remain muffled and those lurking in invisibleness but whose hearts yearn for the limelight of greatness.

 

The Color Curtain

There were many heartfelt eulogies for the late Michael Jackson at his public memorial service in LA yesterday.  Motown Records’ founder, Berry Gordy, raised the pop king’s status to “the greatest entertainer that ever lived”.  And who was not touched when Paris bade her love to “the best father you could ever imagine”?  What many took for granted or pursued was the accolade Reverend Al Sharpton bequeathed upon Michael.  Beyond his iconic stardom and humanity, the pastor delved into the significant role Mr. Jackson played in the pursuit of racial harmony: “In the music world, he put on one glove, pulled his pants up and broke down the color curtain.”

Michael Jackson’s sociopolitical contributions were seamlessly embedded in his captivating musical genius and intriguing public persona, and unfairly obscured by his much scrutinized and demonized personal life.  It is obvious that Michael’s work drew quick acceptance, strong appeal and resilient popularity across racial and cultural boundaries.  What slipped our due appreciation is how far-reaching and deeply transforming the impact of that gift has been.

I plead guilty expecting the memorial would turn into a circus that would be less of a service and more a concert extravaganza that would eventually turn into an enduring revenue stream.  I also admit bracing for a rabid, conflagrant sermon from Al Sharpton, given his unfair pronouncements at the Apollo Theater days earlier that the media was biased in their coverage of the late star’s demise.  But, alas, I am a cynic.  And so how happy I was that the service didn’t turn out as I had foreshadowed.

Yesterday’s memorial service was reverent, a befitting tribute to a great musician and entertainer that Michael was.  In Reverend Sharpton's eulogy, he effectively funneled our attention from the fire-and-brimstone circus—and, notably, from his own emblematic advocacy.  With forceful brevity and didactic solemnity, the pastor pointed us to the bare essence of a man who singularly championed racial harmony with his God-given talent and sheer will.

“It was Michael Jackson who brought Blacks, Whites, Asians and Latinos together.  It was Michael Jackson who made us sing ‘we are the world’ and ‘feed he hungry’ long before Live Aid…. He created a comfort level where people that felt they were separate became interconnected with his music.  It was that comfort level that kids from Japan and Ghana and France and Iowa and Pennsylvania got comfortable enough with each other.”

From the very first time Michael Jackson caught our attention at his ripe age of eight, through the time he spread his wings to capture our hearts with his music and persona, up to the time his rich and fascinating life drew to an end, and still kept us all at the edge of our seats, the world we live in has truly changed.  I look back and confess that I myself have changed—now perhaps somewhat less cynical, more likely quoting the Reverend Al, most definitely finding greater comfort in this new world—thanks to the king.