Local Color - January 17, 2012

>> female announcer: This is a
production of WKNO, Memphis.
Production funding for this
program is made possible in part
by..
>> [instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: I'm so sorry.
Welcome to 'Local Color."
We are over here smooth jazzing
it up.
>> Worley: We love that intro.
>> Shannon: I do!
I love that intro.
Breeze Cayolle rocks the jazz.
You know what's coming up?
>> Worley: What's coming up?
>> Shannon: King Day-Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr's birthday.
The Civil Rights Museum on
January 21, 8:00 AM until 6:00
PM is having many special things
going on.
Many things!
Special admission-If you bring a
canned good, you get a dollar
off admission.
If you give blood, four people
can.
Pat's going to give blood.
We can bring somebody else and
all four of us can get in free.
>> Worley: And then also if you
give blood, you have until the
28th to actually use that
voucher to get in free.
>> Shannon: Oh, I like that!
>> Worley: To go there during
King weekend is just-the lines,
the people.
It's just like-wow!
>> Shannon: It's like New Year's
Eve.
I don't go there.
I don't go there on that one day
because it is pretty packed.
Well and another thing that I
think is I love this idea.
MIFA is having Martin Luther
King Jr. Day as well.
And it's called A Day of
Reflection and Service.
And they honor their volunteers
and the people in the community
that do service projects because
that's what the whole day should
be about.
You know it's not a day off to
get off work or out of school.
Go and do something.
Do a service in the community.
>> Worley: MIFA's a great
example where you can.
You know as a family, we usually
volunteer and go deliver meals
which as a family, it's always a
phenomenal experience because,
you know, my daughter is there.
And we go and some of the
elderly people we go visit-They
just want to sit there and talk
with you.
And they won't let you out of
the door.
>> Shannon: You know what?
You get as much out of it as
they do.
And that's what I love about it.
Speaker Reverend Dorothy Wells
from the church of the Holy
Apostles is going to be there.
But this is what I really like.
They're announcing the finalists
for the 8th annual Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Teen Oracle
contest.
These teens share what they want
to do in their post-secondary
after their graduation.
And then they relate it to what
they've learned in this program
that's called the cool program
that they've gone through at
MIFA and how they're going to
use the tools that they've
learned to achieve it.
I love that!
I love that!
And then there's exhibits.
They'll have awards.
They'll have a birthday cake.
Speakers, performances, music,
and birthday cake!
I love birthday cake.
And then there's A Celebration
Fit for a King at the Children's
Museum.
And that's going to be the 21st
from 10:00 until 1:00-again,
birthday cake.
They're going to have arts and
crafts where the kids can
participate.
And they're going to have a
peace quilt on display.
>> Worley: So who's the peace
quilt done by?
>> Shannon: That is what we need
to find out on the 21st when we
go.
But there'll be sing-a-longs and
they're also going to sing
"Happy Birthday" to Dr. King.
I like that.
>> Worley: Yeah, Children's
Museum-making life, you know.
Taking life and making it work
for kids.
>> Shannon: I have Hannah Sayle
coming on from the Flyer and
we're going to talk about Bar
DKDC.
>> Worley: Can't wait to go!
>> Shannon: I know!
And we're going to talk about
the Big Bad Pop Up in Oxford.
Have you heard about that?
>> Davis: Is it big and bad?
>> Shannon: It's big and it's
bad.
And it pops up!
Enough said!
Who do you have?
You have something that I'm
really looking forward to, you
little trendsetter.
>> Worley: We are going to make
this "Club Local Color" today.
And we're going to have a little
Latin Fusion music as a part of
our Latin Night at Senses.
I've got the two DJs who run
everything over there.
And they are funny guys and
they're so shy so I can't wait
to see.
It's hard to believe that these
two shy guys are up there, you
know, putting out music.
So that's going to be fun.
>> Davis: Are you interviewing
them?
Are they going to give us a
little sample?
Nice.
>> Shannon: I love it.
And you've got Dan from
Tennessee Shakespeare coming.
>> Davis: Dan McCleary from the
Tennessee Shakespeare Company.
We're going to talk about a
partnership between TSC and
WKNO.
And also, we're going to talk
about their production of Hamlet
that's coming up in a very
special gala at Germantown
Performing Arts Center with some
real life Broadway superstars.
>> Shannon: Well I'm digging
that!
>> Worley: May-haps I will enjoy
it.
>> Shannon: Thanks, guys.
Thanks, guys.
I'm looking forward to our
guests today.
I really am.
In just a moment, Chris will be
talking about Shakespeare.
>> [instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Davis: So, Shakespeare-
apparently he's a thing.
>> McCleary: Has been for a
while but it comes in waves.
It gets pretty popular every now
and again.
He's very popular now.
>> Davis: He seems to be on fire
right now.
And PBS is going to be airing a
six-part series called
"Shakespeare Uncovered."
And WKNO and the Tennessee
Shakespeare Festival are sort of
teaming up to create some local
events to stir up some interests
around this series.
Can you give us a little insight
as to some of the things that
are going to be happening?
>> McCleary: Sure, this is
actually out of the BBC and WNET
out of New York offered to
around the country and Unites
States 10 potential
collaborations and we're one of
them.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company
and WKNO is one of the 10
collaborations to help draw
viewers to Shakespeare
Uncovered.
And we've had a great time
collaborating with WKNO.
We're doing a number of intros
to each of the six episodes that
will be taking place over the
next several weeks.
We'll also be involved in
introducing some of the
screenings.
And then our Shakespeare Readers
which comprises some of our
board members who will have
people who have never
necessarily spoken Shakespeare
before or read Shakespeare out
loud.
So they get a different
understanding of the text like
the Elizabethans would have.
That will be a very public event
as well.
And we'll also collaborate on
some workshops around the city.
>> Davis: Let's back up just a
little bit and talk about the
series.
You've had a chance to see some
samples of what we're going to
look at.
And they brought in a great crew
of celebrity hosts-Derek Jacobi,
Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke.
Oh, Doctor Who!
The name has just gone out of my
head.
>> McCleary: Oh, you're-I'm out.
>> Davis: Well anyway, it's a
great-
>> McCleary: David Tennant for
Hamlet.
Is that who you're thinking of?
>> Davis: That is who I'm
thinking of.
>> McCleary: Oh, okay.
I haven't really seen a film
since The Graduate in 1967.
I'm so sorry.
But I just saw the Hamlet piece
in it's entirety earlier this
week.
It's lovely.
It's really lovely.
It has a very introductory and
populous feel to it and it's
very moving.
I mean, it's, you know, it has a
lot of traffic to it.
But it has scholarship involved
as well.
You get the whole sense of the
story without seeing the whole
play.
And you see a lot of the fairly
well-known actors who played,
for instance, the title role.
>> Davis: Hamlets a great
example of something that's so
well known.
What are they bringing to this
that's going to be exciting and
new for us?
>> McCleary: What I was
interested in is the humility of
a lot of the actors who are
involved, including David
Tennant but you'll see Patrick
Stewart and Mel Gibson and a
number of others.
How they approach the hugest of
Shakespeare's roles and they
approach it with sometimes some
trepidation but also great
humility.
And they talk to a number of
scholars and they deal with
Shakespeare's life as a
transparency laid over the
creation of the play.
You know in the room Shakespeare
wrote the play, it wasn't a new
idea.
It had come form multiple
sources.
But in the time that he wrote it
from what's called a bad quarto
to the second quarto to the
first folio version, his father
died whom he loved.
And his young son Hamnet died
whom of course he adored.
And his son died when he was 11.
So in this time of writing
Hamlet, he becomes a fatherless
son and a sonless father.
And you can see Shakespeare's
life and the love of his family
woven in to this very well-known
tale.
And so from that comes a very
personal story.
>> Davis: Are you going to be
able to use any of this in your
production of Hamlet that's
coming up in the spring?
>> McCleary: Yes, I can't use
David Tennant.
But I have a very fine young
actor out of New York playing
our Hamlet.
That actually is-that feel of it
being a very personal story-
It's imperative.
It will be imperative to our
production.
We go in to rehearsals in March
and we'll be running in April at
the Dixon.
>> Davis: Before we get out of
here I want to talk a little bit
about your Valentine's Day Gala
that's coming up because you
have a pair of-I would describe
it as a Broadway super couple--
Some real life valentines who
are coming in.
Tell us a little bit about that.
>> McCleary: That's Marin Mazzie
and Jason Danieley.
If they're not household names,
the shows they've been in.
They've been awarded for Tonys
for like The Full Monty,
Spamalot, Next to Normal-the
Pulitzer prize winning play.
And they're a real life romantic
couple off-stage.
And they'll be singing all their
Broadway tunes on February 8 at
our Gala.
>> Davis: At Germantown
Performing Arts Center.
That's great.
Thank you so much, Dan.
We'll be right back with a
review of a new restaurant
opening in Cooper-Young.
Thanks a bunch.
>> [instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Hannah, it's taken
me long enough to get you here
and I'm so glad that you're here
today.
We're talking about the new bar.
I guess you can call it a bar-
BAR DKDC.
>> Sayle: It's part bar, part
restaurant as most of Karen
Carrier's operations are.
I think the bar part she's
focusing on rum, particularly
rum that's sipping rum which is
not something we think of here
in the south.
We think of scotch as sipping a
sipping a liquor.
>> Shannon: Now if you go
further south, they do sip rum.
>> Sayle: Exactly and so she's
going to pull some of those up
from the south.
And she's going to have a focus
on rum and some tequilas I
believe.
But then the food is obviously
what interests me the most.
>> Shannon: I'm really excited
about this.
>> Sayle: Yeah so she's going to
focus on street food.
>> Shannon: Which street food
just means what the people on
the street are eating.
>> Sayle: Exactly and it can
come from anywhere all over the
world.
And that's exactly what she
plans on doing.
So the menu's going to change
like every three weeks.
It will be a different country.
And I think the appeal is that
it doesn't hem her in it all.
I mean, she can just really-
>> Shannon: She can go with the
trends.
And you know Karen Carrier is a
visionary and she's usually
ahead of the trends.
She usually sets the trends.
I'm really excited about this.
It's not just a bar.
It's not just a restaurant.
It's a happening, you know.
And I like the fact that the
kitchens going to be open late.
>> Sayle: It will be open late
and as you were saying, it's
going to be a happening.
She really wants it to be a
place where people can dance.
They're going to spinning 45s,
focusing on soul music from New
Orleans and Memphis.
I think Goner Records I think
actually helped her kind of
curate a playlist.
Yeah so it's going to be really
cool.
>> Shannon: And it's located in
the building right next to the
Beauty Shop in Cooper-Young that
was Do which was hers.
Well now the opening-I mean have
you been yet?
>> Sayle: I have.
It's a really great space.
I think the appeal is that it's
a small, cozy space.
I think that's what Karen was
really looking for from her time
in New York where they have a
lot of those kind of small
neighborhood bars.
I think she was looking for
that.
>> Shannon: And she's really
good at going from the outside
all the way through the entire
venue making it so unique and
such a cool environment as well
as the culinary part which is
wonderful.
And I'm really excited about
learning about rum.
>> Sayle: So Karen graduated
from MCA actually-Memphis
College of Art.
She was a painter.
And so I think she's always just
had a really great sense of
style and her own personal
flare.
And she brings that in to every
restaurant.
>> Shannon: Well and you know
Karen came here-what?
In the '90s and opening
Automatic Slims when there was
nothing across from the Peabody.
And then she had Mollie
Fontaines.
Still has Mollie Fontaine's and
The Beauty Shop which I love.
I love the bar at The Beauty
Shop.
It's just so much fun.
It's a neighborhood gathering
and like you said, a happening
place.
And I can't wait to go
experience it.
And one of my favorite
bartenders is going to be there
I'm sure, Blue Burly.
So tell me-Do you like dark rum?
>> Sayle: You know, I have to be
honest.
I think I'm one of those people
that typically mixes rum and
coke.
I'm one of those blasphemous
people who doesn't really sip on
rum.
But I'm looking forward to
broadening my horizons.
>> Shannon: And see, I'm not a
sipper either.
I'm a girly drink girl.
I like rum with fruits and you
know, flowers and things in it.
>> Sayle: Me, too.
>> Shannon: So now what are the
hours?
Are they going to be open for
lunch?
>> Sayle: No, I think it's
pretty much going to be a night
spot.
I think around like 5:00 PM to
3:00 AM if I remember correctly.
>> Shannon: So really it is
going to be a late night spot.
>> Sayle: Yeah I think that's
what she's going for.
>> Shannon: Well that's cool.
So tell me about Big Bad Pop
Ups.
I am so excited.
I love Oxford.
Oxford is like my home away from
home.
>> Sayle: It's amazing.
It's amazing and it's that
perfect distance where it's far
enough that it feels like a get-
a-way but not so far that it's
unreasonable.
>> Shannon: You can go and come
right back in the same day.
So the City Grocery team-they're
doing some renovations.
And instead of being closed,
they're having these Big Bad Pop
Ups.
And we're almost out of time but
I want to tell you real quick.
January 6 through the 19, the
City Grocery team is going to be
cooking in a space at Main Event
Catering.
January 23 through the 26 is
going to be Andrew Ticer and
Michael Hudman from Hog and
Hominy which I love.
>> Sayle: Everything they touch
is delicious.
>> Shannon: And then Kelly
English January 30 through
February 2.
Come back and see me.
>> Sayle: Absolutely.
>> Shannon: Thank you so much.
Cue the music, Pat.
Pat's out at the DJ booth to our
"Local Color" set and she's
coming up next.
>> [instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Worley: I'm here with DJs
Manny and Luis Gee and they are
Latin fusion DJs.
You guys have been doing.
You started up this Latin night
at Senses that everybody in town
is talking about.
Now you guys DJ all around town
but my first question for you
is-what is Latin fusion?
>> Campos: Latin fusion is what
we came up with.
It's actually me being from LA
and him being from New York, we
kind of brought that style here.
Being the population of
Hispanics a lot more.
It's bigger over there so we
have to cater more different
styles of music.
So now bringing it here, it's
been a little mission but it's
being done.
It's being done and we have Luis
Gee from New York and me being
from LA, we have to mix
different tropical music from
Mexico for Bachata from Puerto
Rico or LA style.
>> Worley: Wait, wait!
You're talking about all of
this.
Give us an example of Bachata.
>> Gee: Bachata is one of the
original tropical music or
rhythms.
It's one of the hottest right
now.
>> Worley: I know.
I've heard people talking about
it.
That's how I know to go in to
ask about that.
>> Gee: We've got Manny here
who's going to play some of that
which is, like I say, it's the
hottest right now.
[Bachata playing]
>> Campos: La Bachata.
>> Worley: Oh, okay.
This artists is Prince Royce.
He's Dominican?
>> Campos: I think he's from New
York.
>> Gee: He's from New York.
>> Worley: Okay and was he just
in Memphis.
Wasn't he here not too long ago?
>> Gee: Yeah, he was in Memphis.
>> Worley: Okay, I thought I
remembered that.
I think I shared a plane with
him on the way here.
(laughter)
>> Worley: So for you guys when
you're putting together music,
how do you decide what you play?
>> Gee: It all depends on the
crowd.
You know we're pretty much with
the crowd and decide which way
to go.
And that's basically it.
You know, we spend hours, and
hours and hours searching and
looking for music.
And we just have everything
prepared and ready for the right
moment basically.
>> Worley: So you feel how the
mood in the room is going.
Do you use the music to control
the mood in the room?
>> Gee: Oh, definitely.
>> Worley: That's what y'all do?
>> Campos: Yeah, basically use
that when you want to hype up
the crowd.
Like I said, we cater to
everybody being from hip-hop, to
Spanish, to top 40s.
And then we've got read the room
out to see what we got.
Then we just go with the flow.
And we've been talking about
this.
Music is like a time machine.
You have your hits back in the
day and now you have your hits
now.
So we try to mix it up with a
little bit of everything.
So yeah, it's a mission but it's
a good one.
>>Worley: Well, when you guys
are-you know, I've been lucky
enough to come to some of the
shows that you DJ'd and
everything.
And the thing that's always
struck me is your audience is
always so diverse.
It's just like-Wow!
Okay, this is Memphis, right?
I feel like I'm in LA or Atlanta
because it's such a mixture of
cultures.
And everybody's, you know,
having a great time.
And they're getting along and
everything.
And it's always interesting
thought that that international
flavor brings out Memphians.
That they want something that
has an international flavor.
>> Campos: Downtown is mostly
where people go.
And they see, you know, a lot of
tourism.
And now being here and now that
we have Senses is actually the
first Latin night club that's
actually labeled as a Latin
Night.
And that's helped us out a lot
as well because Memphis has been
waiting for that.
Given the population of
Hispanics been growing here,
they never had an actual night
club.
Now being at Senses, that helps
us of course because that's been
there for like maybe 10 years
now.
So we have a lot of whites,
blacks, Asians.
We have Hispanics and it's good.
>> Worley: Well I know that you
guys look at it.
You're very involved in the
community, not just with what
you do in your professional life
but just involved.
And you have your La Onda
Magazine shirt on.
And there are so many
opportunities for people who
like to experience the Hispanic
culture in Memphis.
And it's not jut, you know,
Mexico or Cuba or, you know, one
specific country.
We've got everything here in
Memphis.
And you're offering an
opportunity for them to
experience that music.
But talk a little bit about your
community service.
>> Campos: Community service-We
have a couple.
We have La Onda magazine.
That's more of a publication we
came out with for the same
reason-for the Hispanics.
We're the only magazine.
We also do a toy drive every
year called Angeles Unidos that
helps out the community with low
income families that can't
afford gifts for their kids.
I mean, actually Memphis Music
Foundation has been support with
us on that.
A lot of big companies have
supported us on that so that's
great.
So we do do a lot of that stuff.
Then we also look for local
artists with their music.
We try to help them come out,
you know, or say something on
our website, or make interviews
for the magazine.
It's also a local thing.
Try to help the community out,
as well.
>> Worley: As far as, you know,
how DJing fits in to the music
world and everything, it really
is an art form, you know, to be
able to mix the music up.
But what role do you guys play
in introducing new artists to
the community?
>> Campos: I have a couple of
local artists that give me songs
to try to get them out there.
So we do that.
We do have a couple of labels
that send us stuff from Los
Angeles.
Sometimes we may play a song
here where people don't like it
until six months later.
I don't know why there is a gap
still being we have the internet
now.
But there's still a gap
sometimes.
I mean, I play songs at the club
that you won't hear until six
months from now.
I made a mixed CD like years ago
and it was all for me but people
were just playing those songs
like a year after.
So I mean, it's kind of weird
but at the same time even with
the internet, I guess people are
getting more curious with music.
So they start finding it.
And we pay attention, they kind
of feel it or they go by the
vibe.
And it's still a little gap with
the music but we're filling it.
>> Worley: Well, I'm excited
about Latin Night and wanted to
since we're ending the segment,
I want you to play something
else for us.
Give me something else to listen
to that we might hear if we come
to Senses.
>> Gee: Yep, definitely.
>> Worley: Y'all have got so
much equipment here but it
really all boils down to your
computer.
>> Gee: And this is not
everything.
We got four turn tables and the
computer.
It's a lot bigger.
[music playing]
♪♪♪
>> Worley: And so you just
switch it over.
>> Gee: Yeah, we just blending.
That's what we call blending.
It's an art.
>> Worley: Oh, wow!
Oh, wow!-blended right in to the
next song!
That's so awesome.
[Latino music playing]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Man, I really can
not wait to go to Latin Fusion
Night at Club Senses.
>> Worley: It's going to be a
great time!
>> Shannon: And it's on Saturday
nights.
>> Worley: We can dance!
We can, you know!
>> Shannon: Neither one of us
can dance but we'll go and
dance.
How about that?
Are you going to go with us?
>> Davis: Sure.
(laughter)
>> Worley: Just watch and laugh.
>> Shannon: Chris will be over
there with the camera going
-"These chicks can't dance at
all."
>> Davis: Yep, YouTube here I
come.
>> Shannon: Manny and Luis are
adorable.
>> Worley: Aren't they?
>> Shannon: Yeah, I think that
they would make it not so
intimidating.
>> Worley: Yes, and they're
willing to explain everything.
They love to share.
It's just sort of funny that a
guy from New York and a guy from
LA meet up in Memphis.
>> Shannon: I know, I know!
And have this cool night.
So Chris, Tennessee Shakespeare
Company.
Now I like the idea.
They're going to have the
Shakespeare costumes in a
gallery at Ten Ninety One.
>> Davis: They are.
>> Shannon: I love that.
All of this in conjunction.
I like the way this is just
woven together.
>> Davis: It's very, very nice
how they brought the shows that
are going to be airing on PBS
across the country together with
a lot of local events.
>> Shannon: I think I figured it
out.
We should come to Ten Ninety One
and see the Shakespeare
costumes.
Then we should go dance.
Then we should go hit BAR DKDC.
But now how are we going to work
in the Big Bag Pop Ups in
Oxford?
>> Worley: We need a limo
driver.
>> Shannon: We do need a limo
driver.
So you were telling me about-
What were you telling me about?
>> Worley: oh, there's some
great shows that are coming up.
Just entertainment in Memphis
always, you know, we've always
got something fabulous.
We've got Patti LaBelle coming
to the casino on the 25th.
We've got Clay Otis-great, like,
Indie Rock Soul thing.
He's going to be at the Hi-Tone.
But then we've also got at GPAC
has Savion Glover coming.
Just, you know, one of those
dancers that just one man can
make it all interesting.
And you just sit there and watch
him for a couple of hours and
feel completely fulfilled and
overwhelmed at the end.
>> Davis: Tap dancer and yet a
dancer in a percussion ensemble
all in one.
So it's like he's a one-man drum
circle.
>> Shannon: That does sound like
I want to go.
>> Worley: I like that.
So that's going to be at GPAC
and that is-We've got all the
dates for the shows on the
website and everything.
It's definitely an opportunity
to go out and see some good
shows.
Everybody thinks that in
January-Oh, nothing happens.
We've been packed!
We've had so many great things
that people can go to.
So they can't sit at home.
>> Shannon: And you can also go
to the International Car Show
which is at the Cook Convention
Center.
That's going to be January 18
through the 20.
And that is where you can go
without no hassle from salesman
and look at all the new cars and
all the current trends.
You know, I know you're just
sitting there with a blank look
on your face.
>> Davis: Are you in the market?
>> Worley: Is it just regular
cars?
But when you say international,
will they have some like really
cool?
>> Shannon: They have cool cars.
They have new cars.
They have visionary future cars.
>> Davis: That's what I was
going to say.
Do they have the future cars?
>> Shannon: They have the future
cars so let's go.
You guys, thanks for coming.
Go out and enjoy.
And come back and see us next
week where we'll have some more
cool things to talk about.