Anderson@Large

And the winner is…

In March 2022, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced plans to give Wesley Wofford, a white artist who has never won a public commission for a Harriet Tubman statue, a $500,000 “direct commission”; in other words, a no-bid commission. In a city that is 40 percent African American, Black artists were not given an opportunity to compete for a public commission for the Black icon.

Black women did what we do and made some noise. In August 2022, the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) announced the City was taking a “new direction” and issued an open Call for Artists. Fifty artists, including Wofford, responded to the call. Wofford didn’t make the cut. The five semifinalists, all of whom are Black, were announced in March 2023.

Mayor Kenney and OACCE will announce the winning artist on October 30, 2023.

Great God Almighty, it’s been a long time coming.

Happy Birthday, Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

The legendary pianist and composer performed at several Philadelphia jazz clubs, including Emerson’s Tavern and the Showboat. He was a headliner at the 1st Quaker City Music Festival.

The bebop pioneer joined the ancestors on February 17, 1982. He bequeathed musicians a list of tips to make them better performers.

One of my most memorable experiences was attending Monk’s funeral service. The homegoing was held at Saint Peter’s Church in New York City. Musicians played version-after-version of “’Round Midnight.” With over 1000 versions of the jazz standard, Monk’s is still my favorite.

WKCR has a special 24-hour broadcast celebrating Monk’s heavenly birthday.

To listen online, go here.

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

Drummer and bandleader Max Roach’s music is at the intersection of art, activism and resistance. His groundbreaking “We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite” was influenced by the then-emerging Civil Rights Movement.

This week, American Masters will premiere Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes.

The documentary explores the life of the pioneering drummer and cultural activist who spoke truth to power. The film traces Roach’s epic musical journey from bebop to hip-hop. It features Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln; Philadelphians Jimmy Heath, Sonia Sanchez and Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson; and music legends Harry Belafonte, Abdullah Ibrahim, Quincy Jones, Sonny Rollins and Randy Weston.

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzespremieres Friday, October 6 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App.