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Celebrate Black Hisotyr Month by Visiting the Banneker-Douglas Museum
On what was once an empty lot on Franklin Street stands the newest addition to the Banneker-Douglass Museum. Closed for several months, due to construction, the entire museum is now open. The Banneker-Douglas Museum is the State of Maryland's Black History museum ,dedicated to preserving Maryland's African-American heritage, and since February is Black History Month this is a wonderful time to visit.
Large plate-glass windows in the new 5,000 sqaure-foot wing complement the brick façade of the old African Methodist Episcopal church ,which has housed the museum since 1974. The old Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church, built in 1874 was one of the first two churches in Annapolis for African-Americans.
Inside the new wing is an exciting new exhibit housed on the first floor, that puts on display all of the items found during the excavation of the new wing which initially started in 1990. It was an ll year process. Countless pieces of historical significance were recovered, analyzed and sorted. The best were organized and assembled to create an unique exhibit entitled "The Courthouse Block". Bottles, pipes, tools and more offer a glimpse into how residents of this traditionally black neighborhood lived from the 1800's through the mid 1940's. Seeing the actual artifacts brings veritas to a past we can only read about.
The size of the building has more than doubled and the new section with its large windows adds an expansive feeling to the exhibit space. The second floor is now home to the permanent exhibit, which documents the history of African Americans in the Chesapeake Bay region.
If you know nothing about Black History," says Museum Director Wendy Perry, the best place to start is by watching the video in the small theater which will introduce you to the exhibit. As you walk though the chronologically arranged display of artifacts that start with the African roots of slaves who came to the region., audio and video stations help explain what you are viewing. Original tribal art pieces and Life-size mannequins in historical dioramas bring the scenes to life. The exhibit continues through colonialism, pre- and post-Civil War America, women's suffrage, all the way to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Every section relates these events of national importance to the Maryland region, focusing especially on famous black Marylanders like scientist Benjamin Banneker and author/orator Frederick Douglass, after whom the museum is named. The cohesiveness of the collection and the way it is displayed will make your museum visit a thoroughly engaging experience.
Not to be neglected is the original museum building. Acoustically, the hall is said to be the best in the area, the perfect venue for musical acts like the gospel singers who performed for First Night Annapolis. Although its first stained glass windows were lost, they were replaced with copies based on the original plans and photographs. The colors created on the walls, when the sun illuminates the multi-colored glass give a holy and sanctified aura to the worship space that once was home to the AME church.
The old section of the museum is now being used to showcase African American Art. "There is more art on display than ever before," says Perry. Musical acts can utilize the wonderful acoustics for special performance while wall space can be used to exhibit the work of prominent artists.
The museum opened quietly last December in time for the New Year, but the Grand Opening will be celebrated February __ in honor of Black History month. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It is located at 84 Franklin Street in Annapolis. Admission is free. For more information: call 410-216-6180, e-mail banneker@dhcd.state.md.us, or check out www.bdmuseum.com
--Conal Darcy
Discover Our State Art Collection Right Here in Annapolis
When asked where to find a large and rare art collection in the area, aficionados will likely direct you to the National Gallery of Art in Washington or the Baltimore Museum of Art. Fine galleries though these may be, they are not easily visited in a day. So where can savvy Annapolitans go to soak up some artistic culture and commune with their national heritage? We need look no further than our own hometown.
The Annapolis Complex Collection, part of the State Art Collection, is not found in any one gallery or room, but is dispersed throughout the many government buildings in the city. These paintings, the result of a two-and-a-half-century-long commitment to preserving Maryland's history through the painted image, are on permanent display, free to view by the general public. What hangs on the walls of the most important buildings in town is a testament to Maryland's support for the arts.
To celebrate General Cornwallis's surrender to George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, and thus the end of the Revolutionary War, the Maryland House of Delegates commissioned Charles W. Peale, Marylander and prolific artist, to paint a full portrait of our future first president "in grateful remembrance of that most Illustrious Character." When it was completed, 3 years later, in 1784, Peale presented Washington, Lafayette, & Tilghman at Yorktown to the Maryland government. This painting now hangs in the very room where Washington resigned his commission in the Continental Army.
With this painting began a long tradition of state-commissioned works documenting the state's history. "That's what intrigues me about the whole Maryland legislature at this time," explains Elaine Bachmann, curator of the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property. "They saw the importance of preserving the record. They realized that what they were doing was such an important act and it was the beginning of what they hoped to be a very long and successful government."
And successful it was. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries the state commissioned a multitude of works to chronicle Maryland's history. "Part of the historical record is also images," says Ms. Bachmann, "Going back to the 18th century, the recording of these images is a very important document of the people . . . who shaped Maryland's history." Though the collection contains mostly portraits of famous Marylanders and government officials, significant events in Maryland's history are also included. For example, The Burning of the Peggy Stewart, painted in 1896 by Annapolitan Francis Mayer, depicts Annapolis's own 1774 version of the Boston Tea Party (in the larger-than-life romantic style).
The paintings mentioned here hang in the State House, whose style does justice to the rare works it houses. The epitome of a living museum, it is the oldest State house in continuous legislative use: the cornerstone for its construction was laid in 1772. But being a functional building can make maintaining the artwork held there more difficult than it would be in a traditional museum gallery. That is why the state of Maryland created the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property in 1969. Later made a part of the Maryland State Archives, the commission was formed not just to care for the collection, but to document its pieces and ensure their importance is appreciated. Prior to the establishment of the commission, there was no formal account of the art pieces, furniture, and other objects of historical significance.
The tradition of building and preserving this collection has continued to this day, thanks to the commission's dedication to this marvelous collection. Included are images of nearly every governor since the state's inception, Maryland signers of the Declaration of Independence, and many other important figures from Maryland's history, most painted from real-life sittings. It is a rare honor to be included in this collection, one that even the well-traveled art aficionado can appreciate.
-Conal Darcy
For those who wish to experience the Annapolis Complex Collection firsthand, the works can be found in the hallways and meeting rooms of the Annapolis government buildings listed below.
- Maryland State House
100 State Circle - Government House (official residence of the governor)
State Circle - Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Boulevard - Senate Office Complex (Miller and James Buildings)
110 College Avenue - Legislative Services Building
90 State Circle - Treasury Building
80 Calvert Street - Court of Appeals Building
361 Rowe Boulevard - District Court Building
251 Rowe Boulevard
All buildings require photo identification to enter and are open during regular business hours except for the State House, which is also open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, and the Government House, which can only be accessed through prearranged tours available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please call (410) 974-3531 to arrange a visit.
Regular tours are offered at the State House every day at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. For school tours, please contact Legislative Services at 410-946-5423 ext. 5400.
All paintings on display are also available on line at the Maryland State Archive's Web site: www.mdsa.net under "State Art Collections."
Unfortunately, no art-specific tours are available, but Ms. Bachmann is currently gauging interest in such a plan. She asks anyone interested to contact her by e-mail, elaineb@mdsa.net, or by telephone, (410) 260-6445.
The Live Wire: Concert Previews
The When, Who, Where, and What You'll Dig
by j.s. houck
2/8 Feist at the Black Cat, D.C.
(410) 547-SEAT
Other than Molson beer, the band Rush, and ice hockey, Feist might be Canada's greatest export of the moment. This gal has it all-guitar skills, songwriting prowess, and good looks. Her recent release, Let It Die, has been hailed as an intrinsic exercise in simple songs that let rich vocals and melodic charm take front and center. A $13 ticket for talent like this is a great deal.
2/10 School of Rock and Adrian Belew at the State Theatre, Falls Church
(410) 547-SEAT
Normally a high school band isn't much to get excited about unless your nephew is the drummer, but this group of bright young musicians is anything but. The Paul Green School of Rock molds the dreams of young rockers-to-be into reality, immersing students in a rock 'n' roll curriculum, which culminates with live shows. Past performances have included Pink Floyd's The Wall, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC. Renowned guitarist Adrian Belew, alum of Frank Zappa, King Crimson, and David Bowie, joins the young guns on stage.
2/11 Aimee Mann at the Avalon Theatre, Easton
(410) 547-SEAT
A tunesmith whose songs are instantly engaging, Aimee Mann creates a sound that's part pop, part folk, but mostly light rock. Her voice provides a blanket of honesty and sparkles with harmony and texture. Altogether, she is a tried and true performer, a great catch for the Avalon and its patrons.
2/13 Wu Tang Clan ODB Tribute Show at the 9:30 Club, D.C.
(800) 955-556
Because this is a family magazine, I'm not able to reveal the rest of the name of Ol' Dirty . . . , the late reputable rapper ODB. I will, however, stand up to say that this tribute to him by the rest of the Wu Tang Clan is the hip-hop/rap show of the month. The all-star lineup speaks for itself: RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, and many more.
2/14 Lee "Scratch" Perry at Sonar, Baltimore
(410) 547-SEAT
He is to reggae and dub what Elvis was to rock 'n' roll-Perry is not only a Jamaican legend, but also a music legend in general as a producer, musician, and singer. The man is 70 years old and still gets up to get down, for crying out loud. For original dub, check out this show.
2/17 Martina McBride at the Patriot Center, Fairfax
(410) 547-SEAT
One of the biggest current names in country music visits us this month: Martina McBride (she even has her own Barbie doll!). With a new album that just went platinum, Timeless, on shelves and a slew of hit singles under her belt, McBride has got the goods to deliver a sole-slappin' good time.
2/17-18 Anders Osborne at the 8x10 Club, Baltimore
(410) 547-SEAT
Full tilt rock 'n' roll like it's meant to be played-focused at some times, reckless at others, raunchy, rollicking, gritty, sublime-is the hand that Osborne, a Swedish transplant to New Orleans, plays. He's a gifted guitarist (among other instruments) and songwriter backed by an enthusiastic band. Sometimes they'll let a song stretch until it reaches the rafters-always an energetic show.
2/20 Umphree's McGee at Rams Head Live!, Baltimore
(410) 244-1131
Are they the next in line after jam bands like Phish and Widespread Panic? Will they carry the torch for decades to come? Will they rise to arena-rock status? While those answers and more are yet to be revealed, you can find out for yourself if this tight-knit rock sextet has what it takes to become the next big band with a devoted following of tourheads.
2/24-25 Eddie From Ohio at Rams Head OnStage, Annapolis
(410) 268-4545
One of the most popular acts to grace this area's stages, Eddie From Ohio is a quartet hell-bent on delivering the best brand of folk-rock to your ears. Their performance offers a pretty resolute package: songwriting in which no subject is "too far off subject," musicianship that captures the house, and energy to keep your head bobbing throughout.
2/25 Richie Havens at the Birchmere, Alexandria
(410) 547-SEAT
Havens could be considered a split-personality type: on one hand he's like a big loveable teddy bear with his affectionate musings and wit. On the other, he's a political tiger, championing the underprivileged and cautioning us of our own indulgences. He is, after all, the voice of the Woodstock generation, and recently he's been producing comforting, peaceful folk songs around his speedy and hard style of guitar strumming.
2/27 CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band at the Birchmere
If the accordion were the guitar, Chenier would be Hendrix. But it's not, and so instead of being labeled a rock god, Chenier will have to settle for King of Zydeco. He's the man with the Cajun plan, delivering spicy, upbeat, foot-stomping zydeco rounded with splashes of funk, blues, and ballads.
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On Stage In February
Ain't Misbehavin' features an evening in a 1930's Harlem night club where a quintet of multitalented performers bring to life the legendary musical talents of Thomas "Fats" Waller. At the Chesapeake Arts Center, Brooklyn Park. February 10-26. $16-18. Call for tickets. (410) 636-6597.
Awake and Sing! is a compelling tale of heritage and tradition set in a humble New York apartment housing a proud Jewish family. Under the weight of the Great Depression, the Bergers must work to maintain their stories culture and keep the family together. At Arena Stage, Washington, D.C. February 1 through March 5. $42-47. Call for tickets. (202) 488-3300.
Catch Me If You Can is about a man who loses his wife on their honeymoon. This is a story with comical twists, mistaken identities, and a surprise ending. At the Bowie Community Theatre, Bowie. February 3-25. $10-12. Call for tickets. (301) 805-0219.
Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance. The incomparable international housewife, megastar and guru, storms back to Washington in her newly-minted extravaganza - an all-new theatrical infrastructure. She will glow from the stage in a series of never-before-seen gowns. Dame Edna will sing, dance, give psychic readings to astonished audience members, offer marriage counseling, and perhaps even heal. At the National Theatre, Washington, D.C. February 21 through March 5. $36.25-71.25. Call for tickets. (800) 447-7400.
Don Juan. Charismatic, anarchic, and wickedly funny, Don Juan trains his piercing intellect on Louis XIV's France and carves brilliantly into sex, politics, religion, and the social contract, while his servant Sganarelle argues passionately for his master's soul. When Heaven itself comes to punish him for his sins, Don Juan remains defiant, willing to risk all for the freedom to think and act as he pleases. At the Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D.C. February 1 to March 19. $14.25-71.25. Call for tickets. (202) 547-1122.
Fully Committed is a funny one-man show that follows a day in the life of Sam, an out-of-work actor who mans the red-hot reservation line at Manhattan's number-on restaurant. At Rep Stage, Columbia. February 3-26. $17-24. Call for tickets and times. (410) 772-4900.
Julius X is a dramatic portrayal of the power struggle and conspiracies within a 1960s political organization. At the Baltimore Theatre Project, Baltimore. February 9-19. $11-16. Call for tickets. (410) 752-8558.
Measure for Measure is a profoundly modern satire on the complexity of legislating morality. Can the personal values of leaders regulate the conduct of citizens? What happens when leaders fall prey to the passions they have condemned? At the Folger Elizabethan Theatre, Washington, D.C. January 19 through February 26. $25-49. Call for tickets. (202) 544-7077.
Midwives is a taut courtroom drama that follows the fate of a seasoned midwife who took desperate measures to save a baby's life from a mother she thought had died. At the Round House Theatre, Bethesda. February 1-26. $40-50. Call for details. (240) 644-1100.
Nevermore is a musical that takes a dark and mysterious journey into the life of Edgar Allen Poe, using his poetry as its base and his shifting obsession with the women in his life as a catalyst. At the Signature Theatre, VA. February 1-26. $31-55. Call for tickets. (800) 955-5566.
Savage in Limbo is a darkly comic story of love and loathing involving five "30-somethings" who meet in a bar in the Bronx in New York. At the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland. February 9-25. $20. Call for tickets. (301) 405-ARTS.
Splendor. A foreign journalist has traveled to profile the home life of an Eastern European dictator for a magazine publication. The dictator's wife strains to appear composed, and it becomes clear that her dignified patience is not for her husband-who is not coming-but for the mob, which is advancing upon the house. It's a story that reminds us of the overwhelming effect people's choices have on others, and the price that must be paid for our complicity in those choices. At Colonial Players, 108 E. St., Annapolis. February 2-18. $10-15. Call for tickets. (410) 267-7373.
The Imaginary Invalid, produced by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, is a classic French comedy about quackery and hypochondria. At the Howard County Center for the Art Black Box Theatre, Ellicott City. February 3-18. Call for tickets. (410) 752-3994.
The Murder of Isaac imagines a wildly theatrical response to one particular horror while offering a resonant examination of the legacy of violence that we share. This American premiere offers an extraordinary opportunity to discover the heart and voice of one of Israel's most compelling contemporary writers. At Centerstage, Baltimore. February 3 through March 12. $10-60. Call for tickets. (410) 332-0033.
Trying follows Francis Biddle who served as the Attorney General under Franklin Roosevelt and later was a U.S. judge for the trial of war criminals at Nuremberg following World War II. It captures him in the last years of his life as he struggles to complete his memoirs and assess his legacy. At Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. February 1-19. $25. (202) 397-7328. Call for tickets.
Museums and Galleries: Can't Miss Exhibits
Museum Muses: Barton Lidice Benes and Justine Cooper
February 12 through 5/5
National Academy of Sciences, D.C.
(202) 334-2436
The exhibition pairs two artists who explore issues of collecting and classification in their work. Benes collects rubbish and refuse of celebrities and assembles them into his own whimsical creations. Cooper spent 1 year photographing the American Museum of Natural History's collections and labyrinth of storage spaces. The exhibit offers an odd mix of media and photographs for the curious of mind.
2005 Nikon Small World Photo Tour
Through 2/26
Maryland Science Center, Baltimore
(410) 685-5225
In what is perhaps one of the most "microscopic" of photo exhibits, the 2005 Nikon Small World Photo Tour features dozens of winning photo entries. All are photomicrographs, depicting amazing images of ordinary objects, both alive and inanimate, at the microscopic level. Many of the images burst with color and clarity yet will boggle you when you learn what they are.
The Boat Stops Here
Through 3/5
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
(410) 745-2916
This new photography exhibit features a number of images and artifacts that evoke the excitement of rural towns brought to life by the arrival of Chesapeake Bay steamboats. Step back in time to the early 1900s, when steamboats connected the smallest, most remote towns in the Chesapeake region. The exhibit displays more than 30 historic photographs, taken by several different photographers-the featured photographer being Herman Hollerith, Jr. (1860-1929).
Dada
February 19 through 5/14
National Gallery of Art, D.C.
(202) 737-4215
This is going to be a unique, very intriguing, and altogether fun exhibit to experience. Why? Dada is one of the crucially significant movements of the historical avant-garde and features painting, sculpture, photography, film, collage, and readymades. The movement was born in the heart of Europe in the midst of World War I, emerging in six cities: Zurich, Berlin, Hannover, Cologne, New York, and Paris. In the wake of that brutal conflict, Dadaists raucously challenged tradition, and art-making was changed forever. This is the most comprehensive museum exhibition of Dada art ever mounted in the United States, presenting many of the most influential figures in the history of modernism.
Race, Class, Gender ¹ Character
Through 9/3
American Visionary Art Museum
(410) 244-1900
The AVAM's eleventh original mega-exhibition is dedicated to landscape artist and visionary Lily Yeh, whose urban and rural inspired artwork transcends political, economic, and social boundaries. Ku Shu Lan's paper art is also exhibited-an expansive and colorful production that once covered the towering mud walls of Shu Lan's cave home in Western China. Dozens of other artists, including Linda St. John, Eddie Kurushima, and Chris Roberts-Antieau, working in a wide array of media, explore these complex themes in a thought-provoking exhibition set in the stimulating environment of the AVAM.
The Quick Six: Q & A With Blues-Rock Guitarist Linwood Taylor
In this month's column we've decided to dive into American roots music and talk with an individual who's a great interpreter-guitarist Linwood Taylor. Taylor has been a fixture in the D.C. region and performs regularly at local venues such as O'Brien's, about once or twice per month. His sound is blues-rock, played with great ambition and deep-seated soul. Over the years, Taylor has been able to tap into the mysticism of rock's forefathers-he cites legendary bluesmen Albert King, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix as inspiration for his picking up the guitar. His career is tried and true. As a six-time WAMMIE winner, Taylor has stamped a credible impression as one of the area's best blues guitarists. As only one who plays the blues can attest, the music is something you feel, and not just play. Taylor offers insight into what it means to perform what is perhaps the most popular and enduring form of American music-the Blues.
What's Up? Annapolis: Linwood, what was the draw of blues music for you? When did you decide that performing blues guitar would be your calling card, so to speak?
Linwood Taylor: Well, being the '60s, rock guitar was the thing, but it was all based on blues. After performing in rock bands that never went anywhere, I started playing blues because I could not only play guitar but I could sing this style of music as well. As far as the draw of blues it was in every style of music I heard around the house, mainly my father's Jazz and R&B records.
WUA: Blues has been interpreted in countless ways by different musicians over the past century, from Robert Johnson and Leadbelly to modern rock enthusiasts, but the basic formula (the chord progressions and the themes built around suffering) has maintained itself all the while. How difficult is it to bring something new to the table and what influences your writing?
LT: I don't think it is necessarily so difficult to bring something new to the table, the trick is to have it be considered blues. Blues covers the entire spectrum of human emotions, not just suffering and sadness. Much of what Miles Davis did was blues as well as Jimi Hendrix and even AC/DC, but none of this is really considered blues. In fact hip is lyrically similar to blues.
WUA: What is your guitar and equipment of choice and how did you develop or shape your tone?
LT: I play Gibson guitars and Diaz amplifiers. Most of any guitarist's tone comes from their hands, but having played rock for so long my guitar sound is definitely more of a rock style.
WUA: What has been one of the toughest gigs you've performed? And one of the most memorable or enjoyable?
LT: The toughest gigs are the ones that are in very smoky clubs and no ventilation. I mean if NYC can be smoke free why not here? The most enjoyable are where people are listening and enjoying themselves. The most memorable was playing on stage with Albert Collins.
WUA: Linwood, you're a solid musician here in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis corridor. What do enjoy most about performing in this area?
LT: One of the things I enjoy most is you don't have to go too far to get to the next town, I mean three cities within an hour of each other.
WUA: How does it feel to be carrying on a legacy of music and musicianship that was considered secular African-American song, before shifting into a mainstream influence, and ultimately becoming a thick slice of Americana?
LT: I would have to say that it feels good, it is definitely something that I enjoy, even live for.
--j.s. houck
Street Talk
by Kaitlyn Lubniewski, Dianna Ladny, Kimi Raspa, Ashley Raymond, & Jade Woods
February-the month of love! These street talkers reminisce over their love history by answering this month's question: What has been your most romantic moment?
 Tracey Snyder, 32, from Houston, TX, and Dan Snyder, 34, from Annapolis, Legg Mason Financial Advisors: "Our most romantic moment was when I was injured from cheering at the Ravens and he made a bath for me that day and for the last couple of nights. He also made ice packs for me, then dinner, and breakfast for the game." |
 Eric Holmes, 47, and Nannette Holmes, 49, from Tracys Landing, Organic flower grower: "On our first date we arranged to meet and when she came to my house she handed me a Hershey kiss and said, "That's your kiss for the night." It didn't turn out to be the kiss for the night, we had many kisses, and that was a very romantic night." |
 Stephanie P., 16, from Annapolis, Hard Bean Barista: "I was sitting in a movie theater with a guy who I had liked for a long time and he leaned over and kissed me." |
 Thor Young, 28, and Julia Johnson, 23, from Edgewater, Teachers |
 Erin, 29, and Jillian Britz, 28, from Bay Ridge, Mother and Programmer: "Spending our honeymoon in New York City, going to see the Broadway shows, and having a lovely carriage ride through Central Park." |
 Alex Baca, 16, from Annapolis, Hard Bean Barista: "It was at my friend's band's concert and a guy I really liked asked me out and it was snowing, and he kissed me in the snow." |
 Carole, 58, and Larry Miller, 60, from Annapolis, Retired: "Larry got down on one knee and begged me to marry him 35 years ago." |