The ARTSpace on Main in Pine Bluff was abuzz with activity Friday night.
The Live@5 program went several steps beyond its usual monthly offering of music and art beginning with a free concert by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Jazz Ensemble. That program was followed with a blues show beginning with Detroit Johnny Johnson and the Chad Walker Band. In addition to a night of live jazz and blues performed by some of the finest, an outstanding art display of 15 resin face castings of blues greats hung on exhibition in the Loft Gallery.
The Black Box Theatre was also engaged with arts, crafts and a chess tournament.
The evening launched with a two-hour concert in the Kline Family Gallery by UAPB's Jazz Ensemble. The largest audience to date for Live@5 saw 50-plus patrons gather for the 15-song program. The crowd kept growing throughout the show until the room was filled to capacity with nearly 100 guests.
With the exception of a pair of keyboards, a drum kit, two percussionists, a bass and six-string guitar, the ensemble consists of all brass. The horns include five saxophones, four trumpets and three trombones. The individual players flawlessly blended their contributions into each of the flowing melodies. With all 19 musicians and their director dressed from head to toe in black, the brass instruments shone brightly among the rows of dark clad players.
Between numbers, ensemble director Darrell Evans explained, "When you see each of these guys stand up to play a solo, they are using improvisation. Improv is the ability to create music off the top of their head without the printed page. Without improvisation you really don't have jazz. This young group of freshmen and sophomores is only going to get better and better at their craft."
Melodies on the song list included jazz renditions of such classics as "Misty," "Summertime," "Isn't She Lovely," "The Girl from Ipanema," "Mo Better Blues" and "Sandu," winding up the 120-minute presentation with Chameleon.
"We've been doing this at the Arts & Science Center for 10 years now, usually twice a year each spring and fall. It's always a pleasure to share the gift of jazz with the Pine Bluff community. Jazz is America's contribution to world culture. This group of young people are just getting started and have tremendous potential!"
Following the Jazz program, musicians and patrons adjourned upstairs to the Loft Gallery to enjoy a variety of free food and beverages courtesy of MK Distributors. The Chad Walker Band consisting of Chad Walker on lead guitar, accompanied by Gene "Pops" Cooper on keys, Earl Bass on drums, C. Roscoe Willis playing bass guitar joined Jefferson County native son Detroit Johnny playing guitar and singing.
A Cast of Blues resin exhibit includes a pantheon of Bluesmen and women well-known throughout the world. The 15-piece collection on display in Pine Bluff is only a portion of the approximately 60 facial castings created over the years by Mississippi artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson. She is a visually impaired artist who designed her work to be a "hands-on" display where viewers are encouraged to touch and feel the facial castings. The exhibit is accompanied by a Braille publication telling the history of the project and stories behind each individual work.
The faces on display through May 25 contain Bobby "Blue" Bland, done Feb. 27, 2004; Ruth Brown, cast April 20, 2006; R.L. Burnside, captured Dec. 3, 2002; James Cotton, done Oct. 6, 2005; Bo Diddley, as seen Jan. 30, 2004; David "Honeyboy" Edwards, from May 13, 2003; Jessie Mae Hemphill, from Dec. 3, 2002; Willie King, done Aug. 9, 2003; Robert Jr. Lockwood, captured Aug. 27, 2003; Pinetop Perkins, cast Dec. 11, 2002; Hubert Sumlin, from Oct. 6, 2005; KoKo Taylor, done on May 14, 2003; Little Milton, from Dec. 4, 2002; along with Otha Taylor and Bobby Rush. Of all the artist represented in A Cast of Blues, only Rush is still alive and performing regularly throughout the world.
The exhibit additionally includes numerous photographs of legendary Delta Blues artists such CeDell Davis, James "Super Chikan" Johnson, T-Model Ford and B.B. King as captured by Ken Murphy.
Present for the gala was Orson Weems, executive director of the Music Education Initiative based in Northwest Arkansas. He said, "This region is where the Blues came from, the Delta. I found this exhibit last year after looking at some history Dr. William R. Ferris asked me to check into on display in a museum at the University of Mississippi. After seeing A Cast of Blues, I was able to book it for an exhibition in April of 2022 for 214 Gallery in Springdale. Daniel Hintz from Northwest Arkansas was doing some economic development work for Pine Bluff. I told him I'd love to bring the display here. He helped introduce me to the right folks and almost a year to the day, we were able to schedule its appearance in the Art Space on Main through Mid-America Arts Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts and Exhibits USA." In addition to Weems Nonprofit Music Education Initiative, the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission, The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas and Delta Rhythm and Bayous Alliance worked in together to make the art show happen in Pine Bluff."
Weems said besides the opening gala held Friday evening, it is expected that another celebratory event will mark the close of the Pine Bluff showing on May 25.
Outside of special events, The Art Space on Main is open daily until 4 p.m.
Presenters of A Cast of Blues included from left: Jimmy "Catfish" Cunningham, Rachel Miller, Sheri Storie, Kevin Haynie and Orson Weems. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
UAPB Professor Lemanuel Williams presents an improvisational solo on trumpet. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Jean Jester and Chad Walker admire and touch the facial castings of Delta blues legends on display at the Arts & Science Center through May 25. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)