Entertainment
Jazz pianist Kirk Lightsey found respect in Paris that was missing in the United States — Andscape
Black Americans in France is a series of reports specializing in African Americans living abroad during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Pianist Kirk Lightsey moved to Paris permanently in 1994. After moving there, Lightsey, then 87, joined one other wave of African Americans to maneuver to the City of Light.
Since the early twentieth century, Paris has been a magnet for African Americans who saw the country and city as a refuge from the brutal reality of racism in the United States. For generations of black Americans, Paris has offered opportunity, recent beginnings, and an escape from the constant hum of racism.
As a highly regarded jazz musician, Lightsey was a part of a wealthy jazz tradition that had delighted Parisians since the early twentieth century, when jazz was introduced by the regimental bands of black American soldiers who spread the exciting recent music throughout France.
While Paris was under no circumstances a paradise for people of various races, for a lot of African writers, musicians, and artists the city was a protected space where their humanity was not only recognized but valued.
“Paris was welcoming,” Lightsey said from his home in Paris during a recent interview. “I felt more at ease. I felt appreciated. I felt like people were people, and I was just a human being to all people, and I was very appreciated. It was wonderful to be here. It was great.”
Brian O’Connor/Images of Jazz/Heritage Images via Getty Images
Born and raised in Detroit, Lightsey began playing piano at age 5 and spent his teens and early maturity becoming a part of the city’s vibrant jazz scene. Eventually, Lightsey was prompted to maneuver to Paris when the burden of racism became an excessive amount of to bear.
The first incident occurred while he was serving in the army.
Lightsey was drafted in 1960 and was a member of the Fort Knox Army Band. During one visit, Lightsey and his then-wife decided to go off base for dinner.
“She was visiting me at Fort Knox. We were hungry. We just drove down the hill about 15 minutes from Fort Knox,” he recalled. “I said, ‘I’ve never been to this place, but it looks pretty good, so let’s go in and get something to eat.’ We went in, I was in my uniform, and they immediately said, ‘Excuse me, we don’t serve blacks here.’ I didn’t know what to do. All I could do was take Shirley’s hand and walk out. It was the most outrageous thing that had ever happened to me, as far as race was concerned. And they still expect me to fight for my country.”
In addition to soldiers, black musicians weren’t spared the humiliation of racism during their tours.
“The whole Count Basie band had to do it, a lot of people who were on the road, all these black musicians at the time had to go through it,” Lightsey said. “That’s why so many black individuals who were playing music at the time decided to come back to Europe, decided to come back to Paris, and most of them stayed. They stayed because they knew after they got back to the States they were going to get their asses kicked by white toes.
“There was no racial issue here (France). The French were really happy to accept us as artists and had great respect for us.”
After his discharge, Lightsey became a staff pianist at Motown Records and continued to achieve fame by fiddling with a few of Detroit’s finest musicians. In the mid-’60s, Lightsey joined trombonist Melba Liston’s all-female band and made a pilgrimage to New York.
After his time with Liston, Lightsey moved to California in 1969 to work with vocalist OC Smith, during which era he made his first trip to Paris. He then joined saxophonist Dexter Gordon’s band, returned to New York, and have become a fixture on the New York jazz scene.
One night, Lightsey was riding a crowded subway back from a concert when he was arrested by the New York City Transit Police on a vague charge of hit-and-run. He later learned that he and other black passengers had been racially profiled by the Transit Police in a scheme that was uncovered when the Transit Police targeted an off-duty black police officer. Lightsey sued the city and won a positive settlement seven years later.
“I was working all over New York at the time and had been to Europe a few times,” he recalled. “I was playing in Paris, and Paris seemed like a good place to live.”
Lightsey decided to make use of the settlement money to maneuver to Paris along with his recent wife, who was French. At 57, he had had enough.
The subway incident was the final straw.
“What was happening politically was a big part of why I left the States and came to Europe,” he said. “The club owners were dying and things were changing in New York in the business and it just didn’t feel the same. It’s worse now than it was then, but it was bad enough then. It was at a time when a lot of American musicians were moving to Paris and Europe because life in the States was just so ugly for black Americans, and especially black American musicians. A lot of people moved here. And I came here and found a lot of people who were my friends.”
Samuel Dietz/Redferns
There was no shortage of labor for Lightsey, who enjoyed widespread recognition at this point in his profession. He worked repeatedly at several clubs in Paris, the surrounding countryside, and taught at an academic program outside of Paris. Lightsey believes his profession in Paris has reached one other level.
“Yes, that happened. I was at a different level because now not only was I from New York and playing from New York, but it was a great level,” he said. “And I was one in every of the best pianists in Paris and other parts of Europe that I had been to. So I was on a ladder going up.
“Life in Paris was very easy. I just had to learn the language. But it wasn’t that hard because people in Paris at that time were trying to learn English, so they practiced their English with me back and forth. I don’t have to speak French as much as I did when I came here.”
Because of the historical origins of black jazz musicians in France, Lightsey said, he and other jazz musicians enjoy a level of respect that is usually lacking in the United States.
“My French wasn’t bad. It was beginner’s French, but when people talked to me, they knew I wasn’t French, I wasn’t African, I was from the United States. And that earned them respect,” he said. “Being here and being an American musician, and also being a musician from the States and living in Paris, was a great honor for them. So I was very respected for being a musician and being from the States. I worked all the time. So it was a great feeling.”
After we finished talking, I asked Lightsey what he had gained from moving to Paris. “You gain freedom,” he said. “You gain the language. You gain proximity to very interesting places, like Germany. You’re close to Vienna, you’re close to other worlds. And that’s great, because you can hop on a train and go anywhere.”
How does he see himself? As a black Frenchman? As a black man living in Paris? “As an American living in Paris with a French family, my French wife and my French daughter,” he said.
Would Lightsey ever consider returning to the United States?
“Never, not even in the next life,” he said. “What’s going on there politically is crazy. It’s just crazy.”
Joe Freshgoods selects five years and counts with New Balance because of his latest version 992 “Arged Well”, a tribute to his creative partnership with a characteristic brand of sportswear, which still supports his design talents and a contagious passion.
After Debut On the Joe Freshgoods New Balance 992 website, Chicago Creative is preparing for a wider version of February 28 via newbalance.com and chosen retail sellers. The new edition of the sneakers means the fifth anniversary of Joe of New Balance, milestone after almost stood before closing his now widely beloved and known brand.
The document coming in June 2025 is shared within the history of Joe’s success, from his start as an area Streetwearus brand in his hometown of Chicago to providing New Balance partnership in 2020, when he wasn’t sure find out how to keep his business.
“He examines how the partnership influenced the global culture of sneakers and development transparency”, Joe common In the announcement on Instagram, “which was more important to me than just doing it about tennis games. This is a real life. ”
The trailer of the documentation offers access to Joe’s journey, presenting his modest approach to success and its influence on the Boston brand of sportswear founded in 1906. Since joining New Balance, Joe Robinson (higher referred to as Joe Freshgoods), a champion with a young history.
Five years later, with 20 Sneakers Publishing House and counting the most recent cooperation of New Balance Joe Freshgoods is a love letter for his creative journey with the Boston brand.
“Sometimes I feel that I shouldn’t be here. But I am here and say, “Oh, I’m good at what I do,” he says within the film.
Project 992 “Agnish well” attracts the inspiration from the primary cooperation of Joe Freshgoods from New Balance – the edition of New Balance 992 “No Emotions”, also referred to as “heart anatomy”. It was a right away hit and celebrated in the course of the NBA All-Star weekend, and now charges resale prices around $ 3,000.
While the explanations for the New Balance revival may vary, many consider the primary release of Joe 992 to be a catalyst that enlivened the brand. Sneakers have pink and red suede silhouettes placed on an olive mesh base and accented saddle skin on the tongue and rear card.
Four sets of lace are attached, and the box is decorated with unique details reflecting the theme “aging well”. In addition, Joe Freshgoods designed the “Championship Dreams” leather university jacket to commemorate his five -year success as a designer.
“I wanted this jacket to capture the essence of the last five years – each project was a milestone, another closed chapter, another dream,” Joe signature Post on Instagram. “Over time, I had the honor to tell culturally important stories, and this jacket reflects this travel project according to the design.”
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This is a cloudy day in Los Angeles, but the shining stars of the city brought light to the annual black Essence women in the Hollywood Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza. At the 18th 12 months, the show we celebrated extremely talented and galvanizing distinctions, akin to Cynthia Erivo, Tyana Taylor, Raamla Mohamed and Marla Gibbs.
Before the event, Black Beauty took a red carpet. The Essence cover star, Tyra Banks, got here in a neutral rhythm – with voluminous hair matching her makeup. Meanwhile, each of the Cynthia Erivo nails found a press release – drawing black and white stripes with decorative greens. And, Teyana Taylor, in the most perfect shadows to eye shadows and lips, she had black, half -burned pixie cutting.
Then Laverne Cox arrived with chopped and cropped bob-made by Jodie Turner-Smith-with a round blush to animate her cheeks. Speaking of hair, Taraji P. Henson immersed his ends in the bleach, which consumed shine on nails, mouth and eyes. To close the carpet, the butt appeared in a brief, curled cut and a thick black French tip.
Below is the best beauty of Essence black women in Hollywood Awards.
Tyra Banks
Cynthia Erivo
Teyana Taylor
Laverne Cox
Jodie Turner-Smith
Taraji P. Henson
Silence
Nzyda Nash-Betts
Fish
Crystal Stewart
Danielle Brooks
Karrueche Tran
Zoë Kravitz
Meagan Good
Tia speech
Tasha Smith
Yvette Nicole Brown
Jackie all the time
Dominique Fishback
Kandi Burruses
Muni long
Storm Reid
Ryan Destiny
Danielle Pinnock
Arnold in China
Entertainment
Tia Mowry, accused of being a “red flag” and having a “medium crisis” after divorce, gives her haters something else to talk
Actress Tia Mowry shoots her haters after years of control of her life after resolution.
The 46-year-old Mowry married one other Cory Hardrict actor, 45 in 2008–2023. Their catchy division stays rumors, even after two stars apparently move.
Many web excavations were directed to the star “Sister, sister” after the breakup. On February 25, she shared news for anyone who left negative comments about her on social media.
The former child’s star sent a video on instagram in regards to the synchronization of lips to doechia’s “Delivery is a river” song. When the speech got here to her observers, quotes from her critics flashed on the screen.
For example, one comment was: “Tia, you are a red flag! You need liberation. “Another said:” He has a middle age crisis. ” Mowry also added a long signature for her inspired by the doechi-inspired clip.
“Entering my power means selecting peace, love and grace on daily basis. I learned that real strength isn’t about what others say, but about how we react. The world will at all times have opinions, but a real peace? It comes from the within – Mowry wrote.
Her statement continued: “We can be doe for external validation and pleasure of people, constantly looking for the approval of others. But the most important voice? It’s the one in us. Finding your own love and confidence is what really justifies us, because it is a voice that is most important. “
“In this manner we cultivate our minds, protect our energy and talk with one another with kindness. It continues to be, self -care and trusting our voice. I melted me and tune in me – a version of myself that radiates immunity, confidence and joy – she concluded.
@Tiamowry Entering my power means selecting peace, love and grace on daily basis. ✨ I learned that real strength isn’t about what others say, but about how we react. The world will at all times have opinions, but a real peace? It comes from the within. We may be addicted to external validation and pleasure of people, always searching for the approval of others. But crucial voice? It’s the one in us. Finding your personal love and confidence is what really justifies us, since it is a voice that’s most significant. In this manner, we cultivate our minds, protect our energy and talk with one another with kindness. It continues to be, self -care and trusting our voice. I tick up noise at me and tune me – a version of myself that radiates immunity, confidence and joy.
Fans gathered in the best way Mowry reacted to criticism of his private life. Supporters left positive answers of their instagram post.
“It’s so powerful! The real room comes from the inside, and learning to trust our voice is the greatest form of freedom. I love this reminder! “One person exclaimed.
The next comment was: “Lol. The fact that everyone has something negative to say about you is wild. People are haters and you are great. “
In addition, one person noticed that Mowry put his digital tormentors on the explosion, writing: “I love that you do not feel the need to censor their handles.”
After a 4 -year profession within the series, Mowry became an energetic personality of social media. Currently, it has 12.7 million followers on Instagram and 7.9 million observers on Tiktok.
Hardrict also has supporting social media. The star “All American: Homecoming” has a million followers on Instagram. Each of them emphasizes their two children on their pages.
Mowry gave birth to her son, Cree Taylor, in June 2011, who was documented within the “Tia & Tamera” series with her twin sister, Tamira Mowry.
The second child Hardrict and Mowry, a daughter named Ciairo, was born in May 2018. Four years later in October 2022, Tia announced that she and Cory were dividing in regards to the unusual differences.
“I’ve always been honest with my fans, and today I’m not different. I wanted to share it from Cory and we decided to go in our separate ways, “explained Tia within the Instagram post on October 4, 2022.
She resumed: “These decisions are never easy and not without sadness. We will be friendship, coexisting our beautiful children. I am grateful for all the happy times we had together and I want to thank my friends, family and fans for your love and support when we start this new chapter in our lives. “
Hardrict admitted that he experienced emotional pain brought on by a divorce of the mower. A member of the solid “Divorce in Czarna” thought in regards to the failure of his marriage throughout the panel discussion on the American Black Film festival in 2024.
“A year and a half has been crying for sleeping every night. Nobody sees it – hardribe He confessedBefore adding: “People who know Cory Hardrict know that my children and his family were every part to me. I’m stronger than I assumed I used to be. By God’s grace I’m here and I still go. “
(Tagstotransate) cory hardrict
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