The Value of Fifteen Dollahs

Two days ago, I got an email stating that author Nikki Woods and Malcolm Jamal Warner would be at Chicago's Hothouse. I wasn't sure, but I knew that Malcolm was into spoken word and so I quickly grabbed my credit card and secured my ticket immediately. The event was to highlight his band, The Miles Long Experience, an experience, I must say was out of my skin bubbling with hot jazz exploding on it. A whispering of the most beautiful type of neo-soul music, spoken word, and jazz entertained the crowded set at the event on Sunday night at the Hothouse, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the moment I left home to go to the event. So it's like 8:04 when I hit the door of the event. Outside of the event I hear a sister vocalizing, she had a beautiful voice and later i would see her on the stage as one of the background singers. As I walk up the stairs to the lounge, I was pretty content that I deleted my favorite two shows - Cold Case Files and CSI for one night, so I could check out the set and soak up some good music. I quickly found myself seated at a table and was joined by another positive brother, John, who was visiting Chicago for the weekend, and lived in Champaign, IL where he works for the company, Frito Lays. As I sit and chat with him, I see my sister, from Prolific Writers, Miss Nikki Woods, a radio personality for WGCI, and we hug and chat about her experience at the Book Expo America this past weekend. She was decked out in a beautiful white diva top with jeans. She was setting up her booth with her book, Easier Said Than Done, and her business partner, Kim, was at the booth greeting people. Around 8:35 pm, the doors opened to the actual concert space and John and I found ourselves seated right in front of the stage, on the left side, an excellent seat and I ordered a Merlot (red wine) while waiting for the first band to open up the set. A great band, The David Boykins Band opened up the set, a saxophone player, with a tight band who really gave us six hot tunes to fill our souls. Half way through the set, I saw Def Poetry Jam's Redstorm in the house. He gave me a hug and told me had some new music for me. I told him I'd buy a CD before the night ended. Later in the set again, I saw one of my favorite poets, who I actually met before I became "MochaSistah" and that's my house head, poeticking, Khari B, aka "Discopoet" who's just a real nucca, and just as cool as he can be. He stays the same way, every time I see him. He's just the same. I love real folks first ya know. Anyway, he reminded me he has a performance at the Hothouse on June 2nd, so you know I gotta support my poetry brother, right? After David Boykins band performs its last joint, Nikki Woods comes up to introduce Lorenzo Owens, who was the winner of Oprah Winfrey's Pop Star Challenge in 2004. I remember seeing Lorenzo on Soul Train, and as I saw him on the stage belting out his music, I was reminded of like a very polished singer in the vein of many that have been out there, I mean, Lorenzo was enjoying his space and worked the stage very well and his vocal ability blew me and John away. It was like so perfect not one note was messed up. While Lorenzo was performing, I was on my second drink, a glass of White Zinfindel, when I saw Shawn of Qi Music Group, who just happened to be sitting on the Miles Long Experience Band Set later in the night. Anyway, Lorenzo sang mainly love ballads. After he finished his set, our lovely host Nikki came back on and introduced Malcolms band, quipping that he had "incense" going on upstairs and she told us that Theo Done Grown Up. Honey she didn't lie. At first as the band set themselves up I didn't see him because he had on jeans and a black shirt that stated, "Africa Needs Us" and his hair was back (it's locked) and he whipped out that guitar, but beneath it all I did notice the brother is definitely fine sisters. Yes, he is fine. Nikki didn't lie. The man was just as a chiseled bronze creature. He was too damn cooll. The band had Shawn on keyboards, two back ground singers, a female and male, and another guitarist, and David Boykin came back to play on that set as well as another chicago native, who played his trumpet. I can't remember all the names. But the set was filled with some interesting tunes, including a song about a stripper, yes, that's right a stripper song, that basically was about how a brother ummm, gets sucked in by the lap dance, but he goes home to his woman. ha ha. I really dug the song about long distance relationships. He talked about how him and his woman had to deal with him taping the show "Jeremiah" which he joked only four people saw it. It was a show on HBO and at the time, he was in the relationship with his lady, he was in Canada and she was in California. He talked about how the distant thickened the love he had with her. I thought that was beautiful. Anyway, the song, "Project Image" was an ode to hip hop and it was one of the many tunes that I really felt deeply. His entire set was over 1 hour close to 1 and 1/2 and we still wanted more. After ending the set, Malcolm ended up signing copies of the CD, "Miles Long Mix Tape" which I was third in the line to get signed, and he did greet us individually and with grace. He is on his way to Atlanta, dang, I wish I could get there to see the show again. He was excellent. Please support the brother. Visit Malcolm online at www.myspace.com/malcolmjamalwarner Soooo, the fifteen dollahs I spent on my ticket was well spent. It was priceless. It was really nice to hang out with positive spirits and relaxing before a huge week of work. So yes, i definitely did enjoy every note and my musical spirit was filled up to capacity. I'm still listening to the CDs I bought from Red storm and Malcolm. It was worth any dime I spent. What's the value of your fifteen dollahs?