Sacred Seeds Travel – Plant, nurture, cultivate and sow, Sacred Seeds everywhere you go…

Adventures March 8, 2019

MORE THAN A MUSIC FESTIVAL – IT’S AN EXPERIENCE

“Music is the vernacular of the human soul.” Geoffrey Latham

Here we go again! Arctic blasts, wind chills below zero, and in some regions the coldest March in decades with record-breaking lows nationwide, has many folks searching for summer somewhere. Alas, this weekend Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival (JITG) dubbed “the fastest growing jazz and R&B festival in the U.S.” ushers in the 14th Annual fest along with its ancillary official JITG events. Hard Rock Stadium will host The City of Miami Gardens’ festival filled with spectacular music, amazing food, fabulous shopping and abundant fun in the South Florida sun. Bye winter.

Consider the line-up of this quintessential event: Lionel Richie, Stephanie Mills, The O’Jays, Teddy Riley & Friends featuring Blackstreet, Dave Hollister, Bobby Brown, Doug E. Fresh with special guests En Vogue and Jagged Edge, Black Violin, Tye Tribbett, and the Jazz in the Gardens All-Stars with Maysa, Chieli Minucci, Gerald Veasley, Lao Tizer, and Nelson Rangell and hosted by nationally syndicated radio personality, Rickey Smiley.

*I love music, just as long as it’s grooving…*

Music is the healing force of the world / It’s understood by every man, woman, boy and girl / And that’s why that’s why I say I love music…

JITG will produce the celebrated event for an anticipated 70,000 attendees at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens. Headlining the JITG festival stage will be the voice of R&B royalty Lionel Richie, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Teddy Riley & Friends featuring Blackstreet with Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister, Bobby Brown, and Doug E. Fresh with special guests En Vogue and Jagged Edge, the legendary smooth trio The O’Jays, the soul-stirring Stephanie Mills, eclectic violinists Black Violin and gospel sensation Tye Tribbett.

*‘Cause I never knew love like this before…*

Back by popular demand, this year’s Jazz in the Gardens All-Stars will feature Maysa, Chieli Minucci, Gerald Veasley, Lao Tizer, and Nelson Rangell. More artists are being announced, such as local artists Bigg D & Da Band and Sherronda Daye.

“It’s JITG 2019 and we are excited about the talented artists who will be gracing the stage,” said Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert. “The diversity in the music and talent offers something for everyone, from the most requested artist for the JITG stage, Lionel Richie, to gospel and of course jazz. The city is extremely pleased with the growth of the festival and the opportunity to showcase our home, Miami Gardens, to the thousands of patrons it attracts.”

Other JITG-related events this week include:

The 3rd Annual Film, Music, Art & Culture Conference (FMAC) is an exciting one-day, multi-genre experience that will educate and showcase celebrated, diverse art forms and locally and nationally based artists at the FIU Kovens Center, 3000 NE 151st St., North Miami.

3rd Annual Poetry in the Gardens: The national poetry contest is an exciting addition to Jazz in the Gardens that explores the best in spoken word. Poets and spoken word artists age 18 and over are encouraged to enter the competition for a chance to participate in the final rounds during the FMAC. Prize money is $10,000 1st place, $5,000 2nd place and $1,500 3rd place. The event will be held at Lorna’s Restaurant.

The 8th Annual Women’s Impact Luncheon (WIL) is back by popular demand in honor of Women’s History Month. The action-packed experience is curated to inspire women to live centered, active, fulfilled and balanced lives. Attendees will be entertained and engaged as distinguished guest speakers deliver powerful expertise on how to create a happy, healthy, spiritual, and centered existence. Men are welcome and celebrated too! The event will be held at the FIU Kovens Center.

All roads lead to the official Jazz in the Gardens Opening Night Party held at the luxurious Hyundai Club located inside Hard Rock Stadium. Featuring The Sugarhill Gang rockin’ the mic while bringing back old school hip-hop vibes; this party is an opportunity for Jazz in the Gardens attendees to kick off the “fun filled” weekend of music, dancing and great weather!

*With the pow pow boogie and the big bang bang…*

Last year, I ran into my “Oh so fly” Kappa Phi Soror, Melanie Massie, during the mass exodus at the conclusion of this stellar event. We were on Cloud 9! Mel and her crew had a blast! She highly recommends the festival and fondly remembers,

JITG is the perfect event for a quick girls trip weekend! Had the best time with my girls last year, going back down memory lane with Anita, Chaka, and Salt-N-Pepa! The 90’s was in the building.”
Melanie Massie

Whether a girls trip, date night, family get together, hanging with the fellas, or a solo journey, you’re guaranteed to make melodic memories at Jazz in the Gardens. Grab your dancing shoes, sing your heart out, and get ready for the time of your life! Can’t wait to see you there!

For additional information call 305-490-9145, 917-881-2468; visit jazzinthegardens.com; Facebook: facebook.com/jazzinthegardens; Twitter: twitter.com/jazzgardens ; Instagram: http://instagram.com/jazzgardens

TICKETS: ticketmaster.com and jazzinthegardens.com

Sending sunshine,

The Globetrotter

Plant, nurture, cultivate and sow Sacred Seeds everywhere you go…”

Local Fun March 25, 2018

Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly Headed To NYC

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As I fly from Fort Lauderdale to Philly, rejuvenated and recharged, this “laid back kinda girl” has boundless creative juices flowing. What better time to research and scribe this piece on Philadelphia’s native son and homegrown legend. An incredible musical innovator; a powerful collection of talent; and a record-breaking run of hit-making music, there’s only one legendary name that fits that description: Frankie Beverly & Maze, also known as Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

Their soulful sound is distinctive; passionate, creative, original, honest and powerful. For nearly thirty years Frankie Beverly and Maze have created a unique sound and become one of the most influential groups in modern history. Frankie reveals,

We’ve made it this far because we love and respect ourselves and our fans. But, most importantly, we believe in what we do.”

I’m a believer too. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen them perform. Whether in the Tri-State area, internationally, or closing out the Essence Music Fest and Jazz in the Gardens, they are one of my all time favorite groups.

Fortunately, they are coming to B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City on March 29th, and kicking off our “Local Fun” feature. B.B. King is my reliable go to spot. It’s an intimate venue with great sight lines. Their calendar consistently delivers amazing artists, and they have a full menu and bar. (It’s NYC folks, so as expected, some items can be pricey). Their manager extraordinaire, Bill, is the consummate professional, who consistently takes great care of his patrons, he treats us like family. Utmost sincerity and much appreciation to Bill for making my job easier and seamless, thank you my friend.

According to Maze’s website, the journey began when Frankie relocated from his hometown of Philadelphia to San Francisco and formed Maze. In 1976, he released his first album, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly which yielded a string of hit singles, including “Lady of Magic” and “Workin’ Together.”

The 80’s brought the release of the best-selling albums, Golden Time of Day, Inspiration, Joy and Pain, containing a list of chart-topping singles including “Travelin’ Man,” “Feel That You’re Feeling,” “Joy and Pain,” “Look in Your Eyes” and “Southern Girl,” to name a few. The group gained worldwide appeal with its legendary sold-out live appearances, and released the deluxe album Live in New Orleans which captured the energy, excitement and electricity of a Maze stage show and offered a fourth side of new studio material which included the hit single “Running Away.”

In 1983, with the release of We Are One, Frankie Beverly & Maze solidified their international standing with such hits as the title track “Never Let You Down”, “I Love You Too Much” and “Love is the Key.” As the 80’s came to a close, the group released Can’t Stop the Love and a second in-concert package, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly Live in L.A., which served both as a retrospective of the group’s remarkable career to date and a fitting close to the first chapter of the Maze legend.

What we’re gonna do right here is go back!

With a change of record labels and shifts in the group’s line-up, a new era was launched for Frankie Beverly & Maze. The band released Silky Soul, one of their most successful albums, which included the smash singles, “I Can’t Get Over You” and the title track. Frankie explains,

We wanted to emphasize our strengths, bring together the elements that have always been a part of our music and really focus on them.”

After a solid year of touring North America and Europe, the group took a break to recharge their creative juices. Frankie continues,

When you’re trying to do the best you can, to give the people everything you’ve got, you need to be patient.”

With anticipation and excitement, the group released Back to Basics which captured the passionate, electrifying essence of the group, and included the hit singles, “Laid Back Girl,” “The Morning After” and “What Goes Up.”

In between preparing material for the release of their third Warner Bros. album and a Christmas album the group continued to be one of the most requested at music festivals throughout the world drawing major crowds. As a headlining act, Frankie Beverly and Maze have been instrumental in giving exposure to several new recording artists, before they became household names, including Anita Baker, Toni Braxton, and Regina Belle to name a few.

Maze released a 20-track double-CD “Anthology” of the most popular and successful songs by Frankie Beverly’s smooth Soul/R&B group Maze. The group won the prestigious Trumpet Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and in 2012 the long awaited BET Lifetime Achievement Award. They continue to attract sold-out audiences shedding a long lived title of “best kept secret in the industry”.

Secret no more, this will surely be a melodic and mystical night to remember. Come belt out your favorite tunes with the ultimate laid back kinda guy. The silky silky soul singer will serenade us while we dance the night away. Maze will never let you down, clearly they know love is the key.

Doors open at 6 PM, showtime is 8 PM. General Admission tickets are $79.50 in advance (highest I recall for a show there but will be worth every penny) and $85 day of the show. Limited seating available, first come, first served. $10 minimum per person at tables. VIP reserved side loge seating is $150, also first come, first served. Tickets can be purchased at the B.B. King box office from 11 AM til midnight with a $4 per ticket surcharge or at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. B.B. King is located at 237 West 42nd Street between 7th & 8th Ave. Check them at www.bbkingblues.com or call 212-997-4144. Exclusive deal for discounted parking available at Meyers Parking Garage at 146 West 44th Street (additional entrance on 43rd Street) between 6th & 7th Ave, $25 with your concert ticket validated.

Wheels down, headed to Max’s for a Philly (Chicken) Cheesesteak. I saved up my appetite for this #1 hotspot, on the eve of National Cheesesteak Day! Stay tuned for a Jazz in the Gardens recap, and all the sun, fun and foodie festivities in Florida including: Margaritaville Beach Resort, the Water Taxi, Le Tub, Caribbean delicacies, and my very first paddleboard ecotour experience with Waterway Adventures, exploring the mangrove maze and West Lake. I had a blast and this newbie (not anymore I’m a veteran now) didn’t fall at all. Really!! See you Thursday Fam, at that golden time of day!

We are one,

The Globetrotter

Adventures March 14, 2018

JAZZ IN THE GARDENS MUSIC FEST

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Are you ready to thaw out from the frigid temps and douse those winter blues with some sun, fun, and good vibes? I know I am, and I have the perfect melodic remedy for us. Finally, it’s that time of year again good people. The City of Miami Gardens will host the 13^th annual Jazz in the Gardens (JITG) stellar music festival from March 17-18, 2018. The S.O.S. Band will kick it off Friday at the Opening Night Party.

For music connoisseurs and those bitten by the travel bug, national and international music festivals satisfy our Souls on several levels. What I love about this family friendly, top notch music festival is you have time to enjoy fun in the sun at the beach, then beginning at 4 PM, sing and dance the night away beneath a blanket of stars. The arts, cuisine, and marketplace heighten the experience. Lynn M. Scott, a veteran of the music industry and dear friend reflected on last year’s JITG,

“It was good to have quality, family time. My son knew the songs so he was singing and dancing along too.”

The signature event for this vibrant community, fans will again experience the ultimate festival event featuring the world’s top artists from the R&B, Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Funk genres. Hosted by nationally syndicated radio personality, Rickey Smiley, JITG will present this world class line up to an anticipated 70,000 attendees at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.

At a time when women’s voices are being heard more loudly than they have in decades, Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest is giving female artists an equal platform on the stage. This year, women make up half of the lineup. Shine on Sheros! Through extensive polling, the Jazz in the Gardens team has learned that 55 to 60 percent of the fan base is female, so it has become a priority to consider what those attendees want to hear and see.

Gracing the stage is the incomparable Chaka Khan and the soulful voices of Grammy award winning songstresses Anita Baker (it took three years to get her so don’t miss out) and Fantasia. Iconic soul legend Smokey Robinson makes his first ever Jazz in the Gardens appearance, along with gospel sensation Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Back by popular demand are The Jazz in the Gardens All Stars with this year’s lineup including Pieces of a Dream, Walter Beasley and Avery Sunshine. Also on the bill is R&B sensation Joe, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue . Reminisce Old School style with the “I Love the 90s” tribute featuring Salt-N-Pepa, Kid ‘N Play, Biz Markie and Trick Daddy.

AEG Events producer Scott Gartner, who played a significant part in booking the acts for the festival’s 13th-annual run, says Jazz in the Gardens organizers have always been cognizant of putting together a diverse lineup. “We try to bring an even mix. Some years, we’re more successful than others. This year, I think we really came through.”

“I think what makes Jazz in the Gardens a fairly cool event is that it’s still a homegrown festival,” Scott Gartner says. “It’s all about the city of Miami Gardens. Over the years, we’ve actually increased the number of local businesses that are involved in the event, both behind the stage and in our vendor area. We’ve also given a lot of kudos to the local music scene over the years — encouraging regional bands to perform and doing tributes to everyone from Betty Wright to Sam & Dave, who all came out of the South Florida music scene. It’s all about embracing the roots of this community. People seem to really respond to that too!”

Rounding out JITG, guests will enjoy an array of delicious American and Caribbean cuisine, and indulge in a unique shopping experience with a marketplace of artwork, handbags, clothing and memorabilia. Additional events include: Film, Music, Art, and Culture Conference, Women’s Impact Luncheon, and Poetry in the Gardens National Poetry Contest. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.jazzinthegardens.com. Hard Rock Stadium is located at 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens, FL 33056.

Plant, nurture, cultivate and sow, Sacred Seeds everywhere you go…

Adventures, Inspiration March 14, 2018

Greetings From The Globetrotter

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Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets

“Life is bigger than your own backyard, you need to go out and explore it,” encouraged my parents. From a young age, they instilled in me a love of, and passion for travel. I have been globetrotting all my life including: frequent family road trips in our station wagon, annual spring break vacations with the Holland family to Nassau, Bahamas at the Casuarinas Hotel, summer trips to Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, national and international business conventions through my dad’s job that were family centered, a train trip to Washington Workshops with Woodlands High School in my junior year, and a high school graduation gift to Senegal, Goree Island, and Gambia with Mrs. Glover and the Africa Study Group.

Grandpa gave me the nickname “Globetrotter” shortly after I graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park, and it immediately stuck like super glue. I was always traveling somewhere, and he would beam with pride as he regularly asked my parents, “Where in the world is my Globetrotter now?!” Grandpa graciously taught me,

That’s what life is all about; get on the plane, train, bus, whatever, go to the other side of the world, see how the people are doing, and if they need help and you can help them, then help them.

People consistently ask me where should they go, stay, eat, play and relax. I’ve been told for years, ‘I can’t believe you don’t have your own travel website or blog!!’ So this is long overdue, decades actually. I have written travel articles and features for numerous publications, and was a travel writer for One World Magazine. I have a travel agency, Sacred Seeds Travel and am a seasoned traveler acquiring international expertise on the regular.

When I see family and friends they immediately quiz, ‘Now where are you going?! Where have you been? Where are you going next? You don’t EVER sit still!’ Ideally, I plan to see as much of the world as possible, and travel to places I don’t even know exist, before the final sunset of my life.

I hope this blog inspires you to travel, and if you already do, helps you navigate our wondrous and wonderful world!! As Louie Armstrong soulfully serenades, “And I think to myself what a wonderful world…”

The sweetest, safest, and most contagious bite is that of the travel bug!! Clearly it bit me long ago. See you out there, “Somewhere out there, out where dreams come true…”

Wheels up,
The Globetrotter

Plant, nurture, cultivate and sow, Sacred Seeds everywhere you go…