Cowboy Bebop Concert Personnel: Dennis Reynolds

Trumpeter Dennis Bradley Reynolds will join the big band for the Cowboy Bebop jazz tribute concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Withrow High School!

Take the #CowboyBebopChallenge and Buy a Concert Ticket for a Local Student!

Ten years ago this month, back when I was a full-time magazine editor, I had the pleasure of witnessing the birth of a dream in real time.

I’d spent several months in late 2007/early 2008 shadowing a local teacher named Betsey Zenk and her autistic student Latron Dodd. Latron didn’t read, write or talk but he had perfect pitch. Betsey used her music therapy background to connect with him through music. Shortly before winter break, she taught Latron some chords on a piano. When he returned, he was playing parts of “Moonlight Sonata.” Betsey was amazed. Through music, she began to see something come alive in Latron and she wanted to nurture that spark.

Cowboy Bebop Online Costume Contest Finalists Announced!

Midwest BSFA and Airship Ashanti are sponsoring a Cowboy Bebop online costume contest and we’ve narrowed the contestants down to four finalists! Check out the finalists and visit the Facebook invite for the concert (https://www.facebook.com/events/1215545841880985/) to vote in the poll for your favorite cosplayer!

Diasporic Blackness and Revising Steampunk Characters

Art by Laanz

I’ve been thinking a lot about the rift between black Americans and continental Africans, and how more visible it is these days, thanks to social media. From Seren Aishitemasu’s slightly unhinged but still insightful YouTube videos about continental Africans’ appropriation of black American culture for profit and fame to the online grumblings from continental Africans about Black Panther/Coming to America mashups earlier this year to Luvvie Ajayi starting what felt like a diaspora war on Twitter last week when she tried to talk slick about Tevin Campbell, I’m seeing more clearly the fissures in the already fragile foundation on which black Americans and continental Africans stand. As someone who does steampunk from a multicultural perspective centering on a  West African narrative, this all makes me think about changes I could make to my character’s backstory.***

First Media Plug for Cowboy Bebop Concert: WVXU’s Local Exposure

Our co-founder, Aiesha, spoke with the host of WVXU’s Local Exposure podcast about our upcoming Cowboy Bebop jazz tribute concert. Click here to listen to the interview!

Cowboy Bebop Concert Personnel: Roland Joseph

Trumpeter Roland R. Joseph will join the big band for the Cowboy Bebop jazz tribute concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Withrow High School! 

Cowboy Bebop Concert Personnel: William Ward

Trumpet player William Ward will join the big band for the Cowboy Bebop jazz tribute concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Withrow High School! 

Sorry to Bother You Doesn’t “Stick To The Script”

Special guest contributor (and casual Midwest BSFA program participant) Geoffrey Dobbins gives us his take on Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You!

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Cowboy Bebop Concert Personnel: Ricardo Wilkins

Percussionist Ricardo Wilkins will join the big band for the Cowboy Bebop jazz tribute concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Withrow High School! 

Queen City Black Comix Day Participant: Zakiyya Ashe

Artist Zakiyya Ashe will attend Queen City Black Comix Day on Aug. 11!