Alumni of Dianne McIntrye's company, veteran dancers Mickey Davidson and Ron McKay, will perform an excerpt from the modern dance legend's Memories. Ms. McIntyre's, whose choreography and dances are in the repertoires of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, choreographed Memories in 1974, to Eubie Blake's music. The CBJC, chaired by Jitu Weusi and spearheaded by such venues as Sistas' Place, Up Over Jazz Café, and Jazz 966, Pumpkins, the Jazz Spot, and others, was formed in 1999 as a cooperative organizaton of local venues, faith based institutions and musicians. This tribute to Brooklyn giants serves as an annual precursor to what has now become an annual April Jazz Festival in Brooklyn. The Tribute also helps to spiritually reaffirm and reconnect diverse Brooklyn communities.

In its fifth year, the CBJC, a voluntary organization will produce an unparalleled 26 day Festival in 2004 at venues throughout Central Brooklyn. This follows a very successful collaboration with Brooklyn's Borough Hall in 2003. In addition to the festival, the CBJC has established The Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame. Previous inductees include Max Roach, Joe Carroll, Betty Carter, Lena Horne, Betty Roche, Ernie Henry, Reggie Workman, Carmen McRae, Cal Massey, Noel Pointer, C.Scoby Stroman, Art Blakey, Roland Alexander and Tulivu Donna Cumberbatch. The Chief Bey and Eubie Blake tribute is part of CBJC's ongoing commitment to honor those musicians who have contributed greatly to the continual development of Jazz. "These musicians, Mr Bey and Mr Blake, take us back to the foundation of the music," states trumpeter/bandleader Ahmed Abdullah, a CBJC's founding members and Tribute organizer, "Eubie Blake's relationship with James Reese Europe is key to what we're doing today with the CBJC. James Reese

Europe organized the Clef Club, the first known union of African American musicians in 1910 and it was through Mr. Blake's biography "Reminiscing With Sissle and Blake," that I first became aware of James Reese Europe's importance. Of course, Chief Bey has always been a roots man and the music he's been involved with also reminds us from whence we came."
The Concord Baptist Church of Christ is located at 833 Gardner C. Taylor Blvd. (on Marcy Avenue, between Putnam and Madison), with the Rev. Dr. Gary V. Simpson, Senior Pastor, presiding, For more information call 718-237-1246 or 718-434-4438. Tickets are $10 in advance or a suggested donation of $15 on the day of the event.

Biographical Profiles on the Honorees

Chief Bey

Born in 1913, Chief Bey is a living legend. Known throughout the country as an African American drummer, Chief Bey is a Brooklyn folk hero whose contributions are far reaching. A "Renaissance Man' in the tradition of Paul Robeson, Chief Bey has earned many accolades as an exemplary actor, singer, dancer and spiritual leader. His professional training began in the art of drumming in the 1930s with pioneer female African American percussionist Isame Andrews. Touring the USA, Europe and Africa, Chief Bey has performed for kings and queens and for our own luminaries, including Malcolm X. Certainly, the artistry of Chief Bey has influenced many leading practitioners of the drum tradition. This includes the renowned Olatunji, with whom he collaborated on his first recording "Drums of Passion" and MacArthur Award winning percussionist Max Roach. Some of Chief Bey's artistic collaborations have included projects with Jazz artists, Art Blakey, Randy Weston, Jackie McLean, Herbie Mann, Bluiett and the World Saxophone Quartet.

Eubie Blake

Born on February 7, 1883, we celebrate the 121st birthday of this legendary artist on the day of the tribute. Eubie Blake lived to be 100, and left the planet 5 days after his centennial. However, it isn't smplyfor his longevity that we celebrate Mr. Eubie Blake. His piano playing was marvelous and his compositions such as "Dollar for a Dime," "Memories of You," "I'm Just Wild About Harry," "My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More," "Shuffle Along," "Sounds of Africa," "That Charleston Dance," "You Were Meant for Me," and "You're Lucky to Me", to name a few, are immortal. Born to former slaves and the only one of eleven children to survive to adulthood, the young Eubie Blake taught himself the organ after his parents purchased one for $75. It would take them almost six years to pay for it at 25 cents weekly. Already an exceptional pianist by the early 1900's, Blake had to dramatically simplify his music in order to become published. Eubie Blake was a ragtime pioneer and often was far ahead of his time. His compositions show evidence of advanced harmony, even before the music had evolved to that state. It is thus fair to say that Blake played an important role in the development of the music. In 1915 Blake formed a partnership with bandleader and songwriter Noble Sissle (1889-1975). Their Broadway show "Shuffle Along" was a hit musical, lasting for 14 months, a very long run in 1921. In "Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake," they spoke with admiration about the influence of James Reese Europe. One of the first independent union organizers, Europe essentially advocated that the music and community of African American people should celebrate their own uniqueness.