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August 23, 2000
The Focus
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Earth, Wind & Fire from page 2
later, that I’d still be doing this, I age and culture.
w ould have th o u g h t th at that Q: On this new project, you’re go
statement was crazy. People have ing to be working the hip-hop bad/
truly em bracedEW F andourm usic group The Roots'! W hat has this
and that’s what truly keeps us going. been like?
As long as people want to hear the A: Correct. Their one entity. Others
music, then we will be out here would be W yclef Jean, Eric Benet,
Angie Stone. Yeah, w e’ve got a
performing it.
Felicia: Well on behalf o f your fans, g o o d m ix tu re o f w rite rs and
we thank you. I look forward to producers
having m y children experience working on this project, but Maurice
W hite is still the head producer.
EWF as well
A: Thank you. I can’t tell you how Q: I know that in my strong inter
good it sounds and how often we est in hip-hop as well as R&B, I’ve
attended two Roots concerts, and I
hear
people say that they’ve introduced know comparatively speaking if I
their children to EWF and they love may, The Roots, as an all-out hip-
it. It’s wonderful to hear that you hop band, have honorable similari
and other people embrace the EWF ties w ith EWF, instrum entation
legacy like that and want to pass wise. The Roots are very much rec
their music down to their kids. It’s ognized as live hip-hop band play
a tremendous feeling to know that ing their own instruments.
you ’ ve created a sound that actually And I say this to mean, there are so
many groups/bands out there that
transcends all ages and cultures.
Q: I’ve enjoyed some o f your re are trying to make a name for them
cent perform ances, specifically selves, but I many o f them rely so
speaking o f Sinbad’s annual HBO heavily that every member o f the
Groovefest. The one EWF per group wants to sing and just sing
formed at was in Aruba and just alone. But when you can fuse dif
looking in the audience, the wide ferent talents together as the Roots
variety and spectrum o f people and do with rappin, singing and play
ages was wonderful. 1 enjoyed see ing their own instruments, it’s defi
ing a kaleidoscope o f people en nitely something to roll with.
joying your music. Did you visual A: You are so very correct. And
ize and experience that as well for those who do play, I think that the
you?
quantity o f musicians has slightly
A: Yes. The demographics at our deteriorated in that some are not
concerts are very broad in terms o f really taking the study o f their
chosen instruments seriously. It’s
like this: everybody in EWF can
play all styles o f music. And that’s
what you’ll hear when you come to
our show because it’s a very musical
show.
Q: I’m also a fan o f Mint Condi
tion and in a lot ways, they remind
me a lot o f your style and format o f
musical instrumentation. Are you
familiar with Mint Condition’s style
o f R&B?
A: Yes, very much so. Great band
by the way. I greatly agree. I have
told others in interviews that the
only group out there now that comes
close to EWF is Mint Condition,
figuratively speaking.
Q: Please give me some insight on
your tour that starts this November
with Mrs. Patti Labelle? Are you
looking forward are you looking to
this and is this your first time on
the road with Mrs. Patti?
A: Actually, large scale tour wise,
it is. We did do a date with her a
couple o f months ago, which was
really nice. That date was really
what gave us the idea to do the tour
package. W e’ve been working on
this for a while and it’s finally
coming together and EWF is very
excited about it.
RJ: EWF is just happy to be able to
do this, still. When you start this
thing, you never know where it’s
going. To even get one record out,
let alone 20 or 25. We stay blessed.
Q: W hen did you receive the
Hollywood Walk o f Fame Star?
A: That was in 1996. The most
recent was the induction into the
Rock n ’ Roll Hall o f Fame. That
was in March o f this year.
Walk a Mile to Save a Mind
CO NTR IB UTED STORY
for
T he P o r i land O bserver
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) will be holding their 6th annual
W alk-a-Thon to raise money for minority students to attend college. The
benefit will be held on Saturday, September 9 at Peninsula Park and
registration is required.
Join in the team fun. To be a leader and form a walking team, round up a
minimum o f 2 other teammates. Fill out a registration form and mail it back
or phone UNCF at 503/223-8890. Set a fundraising goal and sign up
sponsors on the enclosed sponsor sheet form. Be sure to collect donations
from your sponsors as you go along. Register for the walk between 8 a.m.-
9:15 a.m. Turn in you sponsor sheet, checks and cash at the registration
table. After the Walk-A-Thon, please notify your sponsors that you
completed the walk and make arrangements to collect any outstanding
funds. You have until Friday, October 13, 2000 to turn in all funds to
qualify for prizes. Post-walk refreshments and raffle will be provided at
11:30 a.m.
UNCF is the nation’s oldest and most successful minority assistance
organization. Their mission is to provide affordable access to quality
higher education and the financial assistance needed to ensure that
deserving students can achieve their academic goals and earn the college
degrees that will prepare them to function successfully in an increasingly
complex world.
Almost 90% o f the students attending UNCF member colleges require
some form o f financial aid in order to attend college. They have found that
federal and state educational assistance programs have not kept pace with
rising college costs. Against this backdrop o f need, UNCF helps thousands
o f deserving students achieve their academic goals, but for everyone we
help, there’s one we can’t. Not without the funds. You participation in this
year’s walk-a-thon will help to ensure that everyone who should go to
college does.
A rt Galleries Show case: Paintings, Scu lp tu re & Fabric
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A kt Q uilt 2000
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Red Eagle Gallery on the south side o f the Central Library, brings
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Mudonha 2000
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