How about Clay Street Records in the Pearl Bailey Building?
You know I have oft wondered what would be the best course of action for that building that sits on the corner of Clay Street and West Washington Street. Ahh, in case you are just joining us, I mean 49 Clay Street. This building has been featured on this blog several times:
It first appeared here:
http://www.iliveonclaystreet.com/archives/16
Most recently the back of the building was featured here:
http://www.iliveonclaystreet.com/archives/278
Well this building which prior to its current incarnation as “the building on the corner of Clay and West Washington”, was called The Bramble Building, and the Annapolis Times building (yes that Annapolis Times). About 6 months or so ago that building was purchased by 1st Baptist Church. The parishoners at the behest of their Pastor Reverand Boston commingled their cash and made the buy. I believe the total cost was in the neighborhood of a half a million bucks. Word.
Well, not much has changed in the 6 months that they have owned the building. When it was first bought there was much cloudy speculation as to what would be developed. Currently, there is only one tenant, The Computer Learning Center run by Mark Thomas and Tim Boston. Phenomenal spot, about 8-10 computers packed every afternoon with kids from the neighborhood, all learning different programs and skills but, most importantly just using computers.
That opens up an amazing can of worms doesn’t it? Many of us take for granted using a computer, in fact I recently read a statistic in a high flying tech firm’s presentation about its company, that stated people are spending 9% of their time online. Many on Clay Street are not using it at all. That means we are at the obvious low end of the curve. In this respect Clay is not so good. I could get on a tirade here about all the money is not getting here and I could be met with pushback saying that its a free country kids could go to the library and use the computer or someplace to that effect. You and I would both really know though that its not the same.
But, getting back to my original thought…Clay Street Records.
“The building on the corner of Clay and West Washington” should be molded into a recording studio, a live recording practice area, and an artist development atmosphere should be created. I would borrow the idea from some homies of mine out in Buffalo, New York who I mentioned earlier this week, Deep Thinka Records. The front door should be all glass emblazoned with a cleverly created logo “Clay Street Records”, get rid of the old school wooden doors, the windows that surround the upstairs should be replaced with greener more insulated options. The flat openly exposed roof should be filled with solar panels. Now, my “green” knowledge is not as thorough as it should be but, the city is adopting a very “green” stance so that could easily be rectified with some professional guidance.
Walk with me a minute, so we go through the front doors and into Clay Street Records in the “Pearl Bailey Building”, you were wondering when I would get to that right? There needs to be some historical respect paid to those musicians that have graced this place before us and what better than naming one of the commercial crown jewels for a successful woman who spent time here?
Back to the walkthrough, so as we enter you will see an area dedicated to learning and working the craft of promoting your music, film, art, etc. This will be an open air “high-tech start up” type of space. To the back of the office spot will be the walled in completely digitized 21st century recording studio. Enough space to move around both in the booths and in the production room. Moving further still we would create a room where practice session could occur so artists could perfect their craft in a public forum. Rounding out the downstairs there would be video production room where aspiring filmmakers could be working on shooting, editing, and producing high quality video.
Upstairs there would be both office and living space so, we could entertain artists from out of town and to have a space for those artists to live that are advancing their craft to the point that would merit more focus.
There would be a hip hop spin on the building but, would not be dedicated only to hip hop. All forms of music and film would be welcome as it is important in this IPod shuffle world for all types of music to be welcome to your ears. This would also foster greater creativity. Imagine a folk singer crushing the hook to a new school rap track. “Sky’s the limit, keep on pressing on”
Ladies and Gentlemen, how have you ever been? We have a winner. I will begin reaching out to the people at 1st Baptist Church in short order. If you see Reverand Boston tell him Timmy Grins has an idea.
Mark your calendars in the tradition of Motown, Harlem, Chicago, Atlanta, Brooklyn, LA, Houston, Nashville…enter ANNAPOLIS.
Think a second, we have a significant history, one that has been swept under the rug…”THE REBIRTH OF COOL”.
Attention old school Annapolitans, this will not destroy the cherished boating heritage, it will augment it in a way you can not imagine. Take the last word of my last sentence, find it under SONGS in your IPod and play it, then check back with me.
Peace.
Grins
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This was started for those that live and breathe on or around Clay Street in Annapolis, Maryland but, we invite everyone who has an interest, would like to help, or wants to learn more about Clay Street to come on in and get involved..
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:56 am
Get to know PEARL BAILEY (this should really get its own post and will later but, for reference sake here you go):
Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946.[1] She won a Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1968. In 1986, she won a Daytime Emmy award for her performance as a fairy godmother in the ABC Afterschool Special, Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale.
Her rendition of “Takes Two to Tango” hit the top ten in 1952.
Early life
Bailey was born in Southampton County, Virginia, to Rev. Joseph and Ella Mae Bailey, and raised in the Bloodfields neighborhood of Newport News, Virginia.
She made her stage-singing debut when she was 15 years old. Bailey’s brother Bill was beginning his own career as a tap dancer, and suggested she enter an amateur contest at Philadelphia’s Pearl Theater. She entered, won first prize, later won a similar contest at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater, and decided to pursue a career in entertainment.
Bailey, costumed in the role of Butterfly, gauges the applause following her performance of the song “It’s A Woman’s Prerogative”, July 5 1946. Sustained applause required her to take another bow
Career
Bailey began by singing and dancing in Philadelphia’s black nightclubs in the 1930s, and soon started performing in other parts of the East Coast. In 1941, during World War II, Bailey toured the country with the USO, performing for American troops. After the tour, she settled in New York. Her solo successes as a nightclub performer were followed by acts with such entertainers as Cab Calloway. In 1946, Bailey made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman. Bailey continued to tour and record albums in between her stage and screen performances.
In 1954, she took the role of Frankie in the film version of Carmen Jones, and her rendition of “Beat Out That Rhythm on the Drum” is one of the highlights of the film. She also starred in the Broadway musical House of Flowers. In 1959, she played the role of Maria in the film version of Porgy and Bess, starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge. Also that year she played the role of “Aunt Hagar” in the movie St. Louis Blues, alongside Mahalia Jackson, Eartha Kitt, and Nat King Cole.
In 1968 she and Cab Calloway headlined an all-black cast version of HELLO, DOLLY!. The touring version was so successful David Merrick took it to Broadway where it played to sold out houses and revitalized the long running musical. Also in the cast was Emily Yancy as Irene Molloy. Pearl Bailey was given a special Tony Award for her role and RCA made a second original cast album.. That is the only recording of the score to have an overture which was written especially for that recording.
The following year, she sang the national anthem at Shea Stadium, prior to game 5 of the 1969 World Series.
During the 1970s she had her own television show, and she also provided voices for animations such as Tubby the Tuba (1976) and Disney’s The Fox and the Hound (1981). She returned to Broadway in 1975, playing the lead in an all-black production of Hello Dolly. She earned a B.A. in theology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1985.
Later in her career, Bailey was a fixture as a spokesperson in a series of Duncan Hines commercials.
Personal life
On November 19, 1952, Bailey married jazz drummer Louie Bellson in London.
Bailey, a Republican, was appointed by President Richard Nixon as America’s “Ambassador of Love” in 1970. She attended several meetings of the United Nations and later took part in a campaign ad for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.
She was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 17, 1988.
Death
Pearl Bailey died in the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia on August 17, 1990. Following an autopsy, Dr. Emanuel Rubin, professor and chairman of the Department of Pathology at Jefferson Medical College, announced the cause of death as arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease with significant narrowing of the coronary artery. She is buried at Rolling Green Memorial Park in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Tributes
Pearl Bailey: With a Song in Her Heart, a children’s biography by Keith Brandt, illustrated by Gershom Griffith, was published in 1992.
Film roles
Tubby the Tuba (1975) (voice)
Norman… Is That You? (1976)
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
The Landlord (1970)
Carmen Jones (1954)
Porgy and Bess (1959).
Discography
Ain’t She Sweet! (audio CD 2000)
Cocktail Hour: Pearl Bailey (audio CD 2001)
Hello, Dolly! (1975 New York Revival) (audio CD 1991)
It’s a Great Feeling (audio CD 1995)
Pearl Bailey: 1947-1950 (audio CD 2003)
Pearl Bailey Sings for Adults Only (LP, ca. 1960, Roulette Records # R-25016). LP jacket notes are revealing of her career as a nightclub singer and of the censorship of recorded song lyrics, including those containing what would be seen as mild sexual innuendo today, that was prevalent at the time of the LP’s release. Disk is clearly marked “Not for airplay.” Notes also say she was known to friends as “Pearly Mae.” See image of notes at: [1] (Use magnifier icon in upper-right corner to make it easier to read.)
Pearl Bailey Sings Songs for Adults//More Songs for Adults (audio CD 2004)
16 Most Requested Songs (audio CD, audiocassette 1991)
Some of the Best (audio CD 1996)
Takes Two to Tango (audio CD 2004)
Very Best of Pearl Bailey (audio CD 2007)
Won’t You Come Home, Pearl Bailey? (audio CD 1995)
More Songs for Adults Only (LP, Roulette SR 25101, 1958) Side A: Westport / There’s a Little Bit of Bad in Every Good Little Girl / Confession / The Great Indoors / Singin’ The Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home) / Love for Sale. Side B: One Man is Good Enough for Me / Aggravatin’ Papa / Nobody’s Chasing Me / The Duchess Threw Her Crutches Away / The Begat / Show Me Love.
Pearl Bailey Sings For Adults Only (LP, Roulette SR 25016, 1958) Side A: She Had To Go and Lose It at The Astor / Josephine / To Keep My Love Alive / I Want a Man / Zip / Let’s Do It. Side B: The Physician / Legalize My Name / You Brought Me More Sunshine (Than I Can Use) / Flings / You Can Be Replaced / I Wanna Get Married.
SAINT LOUIS WOMAN. 1946 original cast album. Originally issued by Broadway Angel but later reissued by DRG.
CARMEN JONES (Soundtrack). Bailey is about the only cast member to do her own singing. The roles played by Dorothy
Dandridge and Harry Belafonte were dubbed by Marilyn Horne and LaVern Hutcherson. The album was issued by RCA.
[edit]Bibliography
The Raw Pearl (autobiography, 1968)
Talking to myself (autobiography, 1971)
Pearl’s kitchen: an extraordinary cookbook (1973)
Mothers are wonderful: Warm words of praise by Pat Boone, Pearl Bailey, Margaret Mead, Billy Graham and many more (1974)
Hurry Up, America, and Spit (1976)
Between you & me (autobiography, 1989)