Ron Wynn

by Ron Wynn

Though contemporary politicians on both sides of the aisle often either fondly praise or viciously attack the legacy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal, there really aren't that many people around who either remember or understand the impact of such entities as the Works Progress Administration (WPA), nor the many things that were created under its umbrella. Author and biographer Susan Quinn's exhaustive new book Furious Improvisation: How the WPA and a Cast of Thousands Made High Art out of Desperate Times offers vital information about exactly what the WPA did, who it helped and why it was among FDR's most important creations. The book also spotlights a period in American history whose links to subsequent cultural and political developments is frequently underrated.

Quinn focuses on the Federal Theater Project, which began in 1935 and was among four endeavors labeled "Federal One" and designed to employ writers, visual artists, musicians and theater workers. Hallie Flanagan, director of a theater program at Vassar, was tapped by WPA head Harry Hopkins to launch the project in Iowa. Hopkins wanted to start it in the Midwest to allay fears about elitism, snobbery or bias on behalf of larger urban cities. Hopkins and Flanagan, who had graduated a year apart at Grinnell College, also picked a week when a national theater conference was happening in Iowa City to launch the project.

From this promising start, Quinn traces the Federal Theater Project's growth, willingness to combat racial and social taboos, and recruitment of gifted but controversial personalities. All these elements resulted in plenty of behind-the-scenes drama and intrigue. Whether presenting a voodoo version of "Macbeth" or employing the likes of Orson Welles, John Houseman and Sinclair Lewis, the Federal Theater Project delighted in surprising and shocking audiences, confronting conservative authorities, and smashing boundaries and barriers in terms of expectations.

Sadly, such welcome trends as presenting plays with integrated casts, encouraging submissions and participation from black and female actors and playwrights, exploring themes of poverty and injustice in the rural South, and presenting material featuring strong protest and social justice themes proved the very things that led to the program's destruction. Though nowhere as prominent during the '30s as they became in the '50s, the "Red Scare" and paranoia about Communists infiltrating the government were becoming more commonplace.

These fears helped fuel a backlash that was most vividly expressed by Rep. Martin Dies Jr. (D-Texas). Like his legislator father, Dies was a virulent racist and xenophobe. He became chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1938, and was one of several Southern senators determined to halt such developments as anti-lynching bills and stop the rising number of immigrants coming to America. Dies made scuttling the Federal Theater Project part of a larger plan to destroy FDR's New Deal legacy. While that didn't work, he did succeed in ending the Federal Theater Project by the summer of 1939.

Still, as Quinn's volume colorfully documents, over its four-year tenure the Federal Theater Project tapped a nationwide creative energy and spirit that had previously been mostly dormant. The roots of everything from the civil rights and feminist movements to the artistic revolution of the '60s can be traced to this period, and Furious Improvisation relives these times with zest and reverence.

Ron Wynn writes for Nashville City Paper and other publications.

History

History

Easter Sunday, 1939

Review by Ron Wynn

by Ron Wynn

Art’s ability to entertain is readily acknowledged, but its motivational and inspirational qualities aren’t always recognized. Those aspects are celebrated in award-winning author and historian Raymond Arsenault’s outstanding new book The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert that Awakened America.

This volume shows how reaction and response to one concert, Anderson’s historic Easter Sunday performance at the Lincoln Memorial 70 years ago, energized the movement against racism and injustice. Long before that, Anderson had spent the professional equivalent of a lifetime breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes. Though not the first black vocalist operating in the classical/operatic arena, Anderson’s thundering, spectacular contralto won praise from Europe’s toughest critics and finest conductors. Arsenault shows how she took techniques mastered in the black church to a different musical setting, proving equally masterful with opera and spirituals.

But Anderson’s amazing 1939 concert is Arsenault’s primary focus here. The Daughters of the American Revolution was then among the nation’s foremost political and social organizations and its leaders had previously opposed Anderson’s appearance at Constitution Hall because she was black. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the group in protest and convinced Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes to let Anderson perform at the Lincoln Memorial. Anderson’s singing not only solidified her reputation, it electrified the 75,000 in attendance, and garnered the good will of people around the world. Arsenault equates this with subsequent milestones like Jackie Robinson’s integration of major league baseball and Rosa Parks’ refusal to move to the back of the bus.

Anderson achieved other firsts, like breaking the Metropolitan Opera’s color bar in the 1950s. Still, for the generations who aren’t well acquainted with her career, The Sound of Freedom provides critical perspective on her most significant achievement.

Ron Wynn writes for the Nashville City Paper and other publications.

This…

Arts & Culture, Biography, Memoir, Music, Pop Culture

Pop Culture Music Memoir Biography Arts & Culture

Behind the music

Review by Ron Wynn

by Ron Wynn

There won't be many more honest and revealing works this year than Clapton: The Autobiography. The man often termed a guitar god and considered an icon by many music fans isn't interested in affirming that notion. Instead he repeatedly cites his flaws and failures, doing so in graphic detail and without offering excuses for his lapses in judgment and behavior. Clapton writes about his drug and alcohol problems, his adultery and depression in spare, unflinching prose. He's determined to let readers know that not only is he human, but that he's paid a heavy price to reach the top. There's also a full discussion of his interaction, romance and ultimate failed relationship with Pattie Boyd, who was married to Clapton's good friend George Harrison when he began pursuing her. Particularly painful is Clapton's account of the death of his four-year-old son Conor, who fell to his death in 1991 from a New York high-rise.

Yet the book also has plenty of rich musical detail, from his description of being awed by first hearing Jimi Hendrix to accounts of playing with the Rolling Stones and Beatles, teaming with longtime idol B.B. King, and reshaping the classic blues and soul he adored into a more personalized and individual sound.

DREAM WEAVERS

As a staff photographer for Rolling Stone, Robert Altman visually documented the changes that rocked the '60s with a scope and clarity no one has surpassed. His remarkable photographs comprise the bulk of the compelling new collection, The Sixties. Whether you were there or not doesn't really matter, Altman writes in an author's note, maintaining that these pictures do the talking in recapturing the excitement of Woodstock, be-ins and the Summer of Love. Whether in funny (and sometimes frightening) crowd shots of anonymous war protesters or intense individual portraits of such famous '60s figures as Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jane Fonda, Grace Slick and Joni Mitchell, Altman brings it all back in unforgettable style. Journalist Ben Fong-Torres adds perspective with a brief introduction and Q&A with Altman.

Runnin' Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is a companion work to the documentary film by Peter Bogdanovich, and it contains comprehensive and candid interviews with Petty and company on such subjects as life on the road, the music business, the failures of contemporary radio and Petty's devotion to the classic rock and soul that shaped his heartland sound. His determination not to let trends affect or influence his work is noteworthy, and there's also enough levity and humor to balance out some spots where his disillusionment at changes in the landscape becomes evident.

THE CHAIRMAN AND THE KING

Both Charles Pignone's Frank Sinatra: The Family Album and George Klein's Elvis Presley: The Family Album are loving insiders' collections rather than probing investigative surveys or detached evaluations. Pignone was a close Sinatra friend and is now the family archivist, while Klein was a high school classmate of Presley, and even had the King serve as his best man. Both books are full of warm remembrances, rare photographs and views of the family side of these performers. You won't get any outlandish tales of excessive behavior here, but there are interviews with family members and associates who've never talked about their relationships before, plus detailed accounts from Pignone and Klein that emphasize the character and generosity of both these superstars.

For those interested in why we enjoy listening to music, there's Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by neurologist Oliver Sacks, best known for books that recount some of his highly unusual cases (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, etc.). In Musicophilia, Sacks investigates the medical effects positive and negative of listening to music. He does so in a manner somewhere between scholarly and weird, using amazing stories to validate his theories and illustrate how important music appreciation can be. Whether talking about a disabled man who has memorized 2,000 operas or children whose ability to learn Mandarin Chinese has given them perfect pitch, Sacks offers tales that will fascinate any music lover.

Chris Gardner

Interview by Ron Wynn

by Ron Wynn

Author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Chris Gardner became an international symbol of the will to survive in 2006. His incredible journey from homeless single father to fiscal guru was chronicled in both the best-selling memoir The Pursuit of Happyness and the blockbuster film starring Will Smith.

Now, three years later, Gardner is not only a wealthy man, but a passionate social activist determined to help others achieve personal and professional success, no matter their circumstances or background. His new book, Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, represents the next phase in Gardner’s career, offering hope and sound advice in this tough economic climate.

"I remember telling people 18 months ago when everything looked good that tough times were coming," Gardner says by phone from his Chicago office. "I didn’t have access to any information or trends. I just saw some factors in terms of how much credit was out in the marketplace and the speculative buying. Now I’m determined to show people they can be totally broke today, and still, through the lessons in this book, not only recover but eventually thrive if they are willing to do what it takes."

The book’s 44 chapters distill commonsense wisdom, presented with a zeal and enthusiasm that is evident as Gardner responds to questions. "The very first thing I tell college graduates today is that if you want to get an advanced degree, now is a good time to do it, because in many cases the job you thought you earned your [first] degree to get might not exist any longer.
"But more important than that, you should find something you love and are passionate about doing. Then, assess the opportunities out there for you to do it. You might have to take a job doing something else for now, but don’t forget or abandon your long-term goal," Gardner says. "You definitely should have a plan, and you’ve got to know the difference between who you are and what you do. Whatever job you get doesn’t define who you are. That’s defined by your values, your willingness to work hard, your ingenuity and your persistence."

Start Where You Are dispenses many other suggestions and strategies for getting where you want to be. One section is devoted to getting started in whatever field you want to pursue. Others look at avoiding past mistakes, the necessity for learning the ropes of a particular craft and even the boost that can be obtained from a spiritual approach.

"If people are looking for how to get rich quick, I tell them this isn’t the right book for them," Gardner says. "I’m talking about improving your life, and money is really the least effective way of measuring someone’s self-worth. The lessons in this book will not only help you grow and thrive as a person, they’ll help you when the tough times arrive, and enable you to understand the world’s not ending if you get laid off."

Gardner talks as much about joy, love and faith as he does ownership, empowerment and capital. Though the book contains chapters that deal strictly with financial matters, like Lesson #34 (Mo’ Money, Mo’ Options, Mo’ Problems) or Lesson #29 (Share the Wealth), he’s far more concerned with psychological and moral growth than fiscal improvement, and sees the latter as the natural byproduct of the former. "The advice that I provide is universal," he points out. "So much of what happens in life comes as a result of your approach, and when you change that, you can change your life."

Now CEO of the investment firm Gardner Rich LLC, Gardner also tackles causes ranging from homelessness to violence against women to financial illiteracy. He is teaming with actor Will Smith again on a forthcoming project: a network reality show, though Gardner cautions, "It won’t be something sensational or exploitative. We want to do real stories and give people the opportunity for growth, change and empowerment."

Gardner and Smith are joining forces with superstar producer Mark Burnett, creator of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," among other shows, and he’s hopeful the program might be ready for the fall season, though he adds that details are still "in negotiations." So for now, Gardner will continue his lectures and work, hoping that Start Where You Are will prove as transformative and inspirational as The Pursuit of Happyness.

Ron Wynn writes for the Nashville City Paper and other publications.

Sports

Sports

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Interview by Ron Wynn

by Ron Wynn

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the greatest scorer in the history of professional basketball by perfecting a game based on finesse, agility and phenomenal shot-making technique rather than brute force or physical bulk. Since his retirement 18 years ago, he’s become a fine historian and narrative writer, delivering valuable works on subjects ranging from overlooked African-American World War II veterans to the year he spent coaching basketball on a Native American reservation. Just as his game on the court had a stylized and distinctive flavor, Abdul-Jabbar’s books have always done more than simply stating facts by offering his personal insights on events and personalities he’s found inspiring.

That trend continues in his latest book, On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance. Rather than giving readers an academic treatise on this important cultural movement, Abdul-Jabbar turns the book into both a memoir and a reflection on the debt he owes to the figures who came before him. Focusing on basketball, jazz and writing, he shows how key people and developments in these areas influenced his life. One of the reasons I chose the Harlem Renaissance period is that it came on the heels of one of the great migrations of black people in America, Abdul-Jabbar says in an interview from Los Angeles, where he’s working as an assistant coach for the Lakers. I also wanted to show people the difference between the fantasy world of Harlem that’s often depicted in films and the real community, the place where people were living and working, and where remarkable achievements and cultural and political history was being created. When you consider that what happened in Harlem during the ’20s and ’30s came during an era when KKK membership was climbing and a major backlash was occurring, it’s even more incredible. Though he’s been a student of history, particularly African-American history, since his days as an undergraduate at UCLA when he was known as Lew Alcindor, Abdul-Jabbar acknowledges that he made some unexpected findings while doing research for the book. I was pretty surprised to discover that the great bandleader Cab Calloway actually tried out for and made the Harlem Globetrotters, he says. Things would have been pretty different had he decided to play basketball, but it’s good he chose music. The book’s early sections detail the sordid history and ugly treatment blacks suffered in the pre-Renaissance period and also outline the scope of the migration from both the South and the Caribbean to Harlem during the early 20th century. In a call-and-response format, co-writer Raymond Obstfeld contributes chapters that summarize the history of the era. Then Abdul-Jabbar shifts the treatment to specific periods and people, spotlighting his artistic and athletic heroes, such as writers Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Claude McKay and Chester Himes, and the effect they had on him from time he was born in Harlem in 1947.

A key section of the book considers the achievements of the New York Rens, a basketball team named for Harlem’s Renaissance Casino and Ballroom, whose 1939 World Championship made them the first black team to win any pro title. Ironically, Abdul-Jabbar himself originally planned to be a baseball player rather than a basketball player. Because baseball was the predominant sport for African-Americans prior to the 1960s, Abdul-Jabbar says, the exploits of many great black basketball players were largely forgotten.

There was a time when baseball was the main sport among African-Americans, which is why there’s so much written about the Negro Leagues, Abdul-Jabbar said. But without the Rens and other great black teams and players from that period, there’s a major gap in the knowledge that many people have about the growth of basketball in the nation.

Another thing that so many people overlook about the Harlem Renaissance was the boom it triggered in terms of writing and publishing, Abdul-Jabbar adds. These people were writing and publishing poetry, essays, short stories and books, developing an artistic tradition, yet there were still people in America doubting the humanity of black people. Their resilience, their versatility, their awareness of the importance of art as a political and personal weapon that could be used to help better everyone’s lives is something that has always resonated with me. I think some people don’t understand how the example of the Harlem Renaissance writers is still influential and important in contemporary times. But so much of what came later, from the civil rights movement to the black arts explosion, can be traced to the Harlem Renaissance. The son of a jazz musician, Abdul-Jabbar devotes plenty of space to instrumentalists, vocalists and composers in On the Shoulders of Giants. The young Alcindor knew such immortals as pianist Thelonious Monk and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and has since become a prominent advocate of jazz. He finds links between that style’s expressiveness and flair and basketball, while also establishing a connection between the improvisatory elements of jazz and those of rap. One of the things that I hope young people understand is that nothing begins in a vacuum, Abdul-Jabbar said. Without people like Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and others, there wouldn’t be any subsequent musical forms. Their emphasis on individuality, on never playing something the same way twice, is a vital part of the African-American heritage and is no different than what’s happening in today’s music.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of the Harlem Renaissance is how so many people’s efforts, whether in literature or sports, were done on behalf of others, Abdul-Jabbar notes. Langston Hughes or the Rens or Duke Ellington truly felt what they were doing was vital to improving the lot of all African-Americans and ultimately was also part of helping America become a more just society for everyone. They weren’t trying to get rich, they were trying to make a difference.