rainbowimmin newsletter (dinner/concert Sun 4/10!)

rainbowimmin newsletter: for womyn-loving-womyn of all colours in Greater Philadelphia

(a Cassendre Xavier Enterprise)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011


Table of Contents....

1) GREETING
2) RAINBOWIMMIN UPDATE
3) NEXT RAINBOWIMMIN EVENT
4) BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
5) CREDITS AND OTHER PLUGGERY DEVICERY UNITS (AKA “SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION”)
6) FAREWELL BLESSING

Contents of Table...

1) GREETING
Dear wimminfolk!
I trust this letter finds you doing well :-)
I am thrilled to announce that for the first time in over 7 years, rainbowimmin is having an event and this release is also its first newsletter in a very long time!


2) RAINBOWIMMIN UPDATE
For years, I waited for “someone” or group to approach me to take over rainbowimmin, but no one ever did. I am no longer waiting and have decided to let go of the typical newsletter and/or event production model and simply find things I’d like to attend and post them as events. This reminds me that was the original idea and functioning of rainbowimmin to begin with – funny how as we “grow” we solo/ARTrepreneurs sometimes feel pressured to mimic other business models. We don’t have to do that. We can just do what makes us happy!


3) NEXT RAINBOWIMMIN EVENT
Gaye Adegbalola in concert!
Gaye was a long-standing member of Saffire: Uppity Blues Women (including blues piano-playing singer Ann Rabson, whom I had the pleasure of twice sharing the stage with).
Gaye is one of the first well-known singers to come out as a womon-loving-womon in the early 1990s, well before k.d. lang, Melissa Etheridge, and Janis Ian did, and for those of us black chyks who are always looking for examples of ourselves, Gaye is also melanin-enriched! You can learn more about her at www.GayeAdegbalola.com.
She will be performing at the esteemed acoustic listening venue the Psalm Salon, located in the Overbrook area of Philadelpia (accessible to SEPTA’s Thorndale/Paoli regional rail, and buses G and 65 among others.)

Further details:

Gaye Adegbalola sings at the Psalm Salon
Sunday April 10, 2011
8:00pm
Tickets $22 in advance (includes $2 service fee)
Psalm Salon
5841 Overbrook Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131
215-477-7578
www.PsalmSalon.com


4) BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
For those of you who would like to meet and much before the show, I and a few of my friends will be meeting at a nearby restaurant before the concert. You’re welcome to join us, as this is an official rainbowimmin event. So, you’re actually very much wanted there!

rainbowimmin dinner (before Gaye Adegbalola’s Psalm Salon concert)
Sunday April 10, 2011
6:00pm
Saffron Indian Kitchen
145 Montgomery Avenue
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Ph. 484-278-4112
Ph. 484-278-4113
www.saffronofphilly.com (Please note their homepage shows their city as being “Ambler”, but that is incorrect. They are indeed in Bala Cynwyd. But you don’t have to take my word for it – call them if you want more confirmation!)

RSVP requested: Please email rainbowimmin(at)yahoo.com if you plan on coming. Thanks!


5) CREDITS AND OTHER PLUGGERY DEVICERY UNITS (AKA “SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION”)
rainbowimmin newsletter & events is a project of Cassendre Xavier (aka Amethyste Rah, aka Amrita Waterfalls). Cassendre, as she prefers to be called, is an award-winning multi-media artist and community/arts organizer who coined the term “renaissance negresse” in 2002.
Between a whole lot of naps, dates, tomfoolery, malarkey, and shenanigans, Cassendre is the founder, director, and, where applicable, multi-media performing host of the following, which are all projects of Cassendre Xavier Enterprises:

Serious Creature Music (Indie record label, established in 1994). Musical projects: http://www.Cdbaby.com/artist/cassEndrExavier. Guided meditations: http://stores.lulu.com/cassEndrE.

ARtivist Publications (Small press, established in 1995): Multi-genre feminist writing (mostly spiritual, uplifting, overall health-related, and humorous) with a black, New Age, eclectic pagan, sexy, LGBT-friendly slant. http://artivistpublications.homestead.com.

The Women’s Writing & Spoken Word Series (Established 2002), a nurturing environment that celebrates women in the craft of multi-genre writing. Monthly reading at Moonstone Arts Center/Robin’s Books, in Center City, Philadelphia, featuring 2 female readers, and always including a Mixed-Gender Open Mic. Streams live, and only $5 Admission! Schedule and submissions: http://WomensWritingSeries.org.

Black Women’s Arts Festival (Established in 2003) Philadelphia’s 8th Annual - Thursday July 28th thru Sunday July 31sth, 2011 at multiple venues including the Rotunda, Moonstone Arts Center, and Big Marble Bookstore. Submissions and other information, such as how I can assist you in producing a BWAF in your neck of the woods, at http://www.BWAFphilly.org.


6) FAREWELL BLESSING
May you stay true to yourself in all ways.
May you continue to seek, be, and find community.
May you celebrate your life and all its joys.
May you receive all your heart’s desires, surpassing all your expectations – this, or something better, and may it be for the good of all.

~Cassendre

CONTACT US
Join the mailing list by sending a blank email to: rainbowimmin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. After you send this email, please add to your Contacts/Safe list: rainbowimmin AT yahoo.com (remove spaces and “At” – add @).
Email us (no events, please): rainbowimmin(at)yahoo.com
Visit our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rainbowimmin
Please, NO calls, texts, or emails to any other address other than what is listed here. Help a busy gal keep on the saner side of things, will ya? Thanks!



(c) 2011 by Cassendre Xavier Enterprises. All rights reserved. www.cassEndrExavier.com.

ME! ME! ME! CX Museletter “Joy at the Psalm 4/2”

ME! ME! ME! A Cassendre Xavier Museletter
The “Joy at the Psalm 4/2” ediccione, if you will. (As it were.)
Friday, April 1, 2011

A) GREETING
1) I WANNA BE ON THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW!
2) SINGING WITH RUPERT WATES!
3) DID YOU SEE ME ON THE “COMPUTER TV” LAST NIGHT?
4) BUYING TICKETS IN ABSENTIA
5) BLAH BLAH BLAH, AND DUELING FOR GUMMI BEARS
Z) FAREWELL BLESSING

A) GREETING
Howdy, folkseses! How’s it goin’?
Fine, here. I loves me some overcast/rain so I’ve been pretty tickled these last few days, but it’s challenging because the general population doesn’t feel so much enamored of this weather. I’ve gotta hear rain being slandered hither and yon most of the time when it rains and I’m tired of it, iffn’ ya wanna know the truth!
But Moi digresseth (aka “digressifieth”):
I am here to share a story:

1) I WANNA BE ON THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW!
So I’m busking the other day (Google it) and a new CX music appreciator stopped by to say how much he enjoyed my CD. He said, “You should be on...” and proceeded to list the latest talk shows. I responded, “Funny, ‘cause when you said that, the first thought I had was “Merv Griffin”. And he said, “Ohhhh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were that old!” High-larious! I thought about it later and realized why I had thought of Merv Griffin. Why had I gone so far back in my TV watchin’ experience? Surely, I have watched many shows, from Jimmy Kimmel to Craig Ferguson and so forth. I realized that Merv Griffin’s show was what I watched in my formative years as budding musician. I was coming home from school and watching his show, dreaming of the day I’d play that, or a similar stage. I merged myself with Diana Ross (later to be Sade, as most black female singers dream of being/like), for some reason always a huge ‘fro, and lights – always lights. I watched the Merv Griffin show, enjoying his curious combination of gaydar-alarming behavior and chyk-flirt-with-ism. He had chemistry with Zsa Zsa Gabor, dahling, and I thrilled when the always outrageous Grace “Grapes” Jones said, “Would you like a black lipstick kiss?” and planted one before I could squeal, “Omigod, a black woman is kissing a white guy on TV!!!” How far we have come, my friends. How far we have come.
But where was I??
Oh, yeah, some deud said I was old. But I am forever young at heart, so there!
Guess what I’m doing tomorrow?

2) SINGING WITH RUPERT WATES!
Saturday, April 2, 2011 8PM - $16/Advance, $20/Door
I'll be singing with Rupert Wates at The Psalm Salon, 5841 Overbrook Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19131, 215-477-7578 www.PsalmSalon.com . Rupert Wates online www.BiteMusicLimited.com, www.RupertWatesMusic.com, www.MySpace.com/RupertWates
I am so busy I haven’t taken the time to tell you this:
Rupert rocks. He is my friend and you should go because he’s a superb songwriter. I met him in NY in 2009. We’ve been friends ever since and I’m one of the many singers on his acclaimed project Joe’s Cafe. This is an album based on true stories of the American dust bowl era, whatever that is. History and geography are not so much my thing, but music? You’re damn skippy, and those songs are GOOD. I sing track 6 “Snow in New York” and it’s been getting play all over the world. Rupert and various musicians have performed this album live numerous times, culling local singers whenever he is able. I’ve sung with him in New York’s Metropolitan Room and now tomorrow.
Please know that you can watch the show live tomorrow from wherever you are, then anytime for free, because it’s archived!!! www.ustream.tv/channel/live-at-the-psalm-salon

3) DID YOU SEE ME ON THE “COMPUTER TV” LAST NIGHT?
If you missed our show last night at Ray Naylor’s, it also is archived. Visit the following link for details: CX singing with Rupert Wates on Ray Naylor's UStream internet show "Artists You Should Know About" www.RayNaylor.net
Incidentalment, Ray invited me to be his featured guest in autumn, so I’ll be sure to let you know about that rockin’ segment when it is schedulified (aka “scheduliated”).

I am very impressed with all this live streaming business. Another way cool idea is...

4) BUYING TICKETS IN ABSENTIA
The great Toshi Reagon (www.ToshiReagon.com) gave me the idea when around 2008 I noticed she not only hardcore plugs her shows (I didn’t have a naturally occurring need to use the beloved word “ass” in this newsletter, so of course I took the opportunity to put the word “plug” next to the word “hardcore”. See? I does what I cans :-), but she also encourages folks to buy tickets even if they couldn’t make it. A grand idea, that, being that she being a typical Aquarian (such as Yorz Trooli) has a wide breadth of fannery (aka “fannage”). Twixt MySpace, Facebook, and the newfangled Twitterocity, one has the capacity to have appreciators all across this green, green globe of ours. If someone in Arkansas wants to support our work, they can, simply by buying a ticket from afar.
And you can make your gift go further if you buy the ticket(s), then notify the venue that you’d like the ticket reserved for the artist you are supporting. Then we can offer those tickets to people we barter services with, or with human services organizations, such as homeless shelters. I’ve been at events before wherein some of the attendees were the recipients of such gifts. It’s a grand idea. $16 (the advance price of the Rupert Wates tickets) is not such a high number for most people, and it would do a great service to Rupert and us, as we not only fill seats but sell tickets for the venue as well. And the more people who appear, the more who are likely to either purchase CDs of the artists(s) or become fans.

5) BLAH BLAH BLAH, AND DUELING FOR GUMMI BEARS
Last thing, and I know I should’ve covered this in the “just the facts” section (the beginning), but the singers who will be with Rupert tomorrow: J.D. Malone, Craig Bickhardt, Gina (sorry, don’t know her last name), Stacey Lorin Merkl and myself, will not only be singing 2-3 songs of Ruperts, but in the 1st set, we will be performing our own songs – one each.
So, come to the show, watch us do our thing – what we were born to do. If you can’t be there, buy a ticket, or more than one ticket. Support the arts, and the arts will support you. Or something, I dunno. I’m bummed because I thought I was going to busk today, being a Friday and the 1st of the month and all, I thought it would’ve been a great day to do that, but alas, I may have missed my opportunity writing this here love letter to you good people. But it’s all good, as my people say (they do say that, you know. They really do! What? You dare to dispute me? You wanna take it outside huh? Fine. You take it outside. I’ll wait here and not pursue this matter any further as I really do prefer to avoid confrontation. So go ahead and put your little white glove back on, buddy, because I will NOT duel you, okay? Well, I mean, not unless by “duel”, you mean having a contest to see who can eat the most Gummi bears. ‘Cause that I could do. Seriously. And you wouldn’t have a chance. You’d be all cryin’ on your way home. Waaaaaah! Yep. That’s what you would sound like, ya jive turkey. Don’t get me started! Now where was I? Oh yeah!)
I shall do some writing and much needed napcatchuppage (aka “napcatchuppery”)!

Hope to see you tomorrow or at some future CX show.
Rock on with yourself that is oh so very, very....GOOD!
P.S. I just realized what I can do....practice for tomorrow show! Duh! :-)
P.P.S. And I have a hunch there might be some rewards for avoiding great numbers of people on a day notoriously known as “April Fool’s”, although it’s not nearly as ominous as “Mischief Night” :-)

Z) FAREWELL BLESSING
May you feel the glory and fullness of Life at every moment.
May you notice when you have a negative thought, and without judgment, put a positive thought next to it.
May you muster up the gumption to say the L word more often (love, love, love).
May you make loving yourself your top priority.
May this year harmoniously and joyfully bring you all your heart’s desires, surpassing all your expectations – this, or something better, and may it be for the good of all. And so it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Make yourself a beautiful day!

In art and community,


Cassendre Xavier (aka Amethyste Rah, aka Amrita Waterfalls)
renaissance negresse (musician, writer, visual artist, actress)
http://www.cassEndrExavier.com

Founder, Curator and Musical Host of the Women's Writing & Spoken Word
Series (Est. 2002) http://WomensWritingSeries.org (Next event: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 streaming LIVE from the Moonstone Arts Center, and featuring The Ignant Intellectual, and Brooke Strauss! $5 includes Mixed-Gender Open Mic!)

Founder & Director of Philadelphia's Annual Black Women's Arts Festival (Est. 2003) http://BWAFphilly.org (Next event: Thursday, July 28th thru Sunday, July 31st, 2011 at the Rotunda, Moonstone Arts Center, Big Blue Marble Bookstore! Mid Submissions April 1 thru May 1!)

Ó 2011 by Cassendre Xavier. All rightsen reservenitzhken. www.cassEndrExavier.com.
Number of times the word “ass” appeared in this writing: 1. (I’ll do better next time :-)
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