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All of us have watched Charles Blow's success with admiration and respect, so you can imagine how thrilled we were to learn that his 2016 memoir Fire Shut Up in My Bones was the inspiration for the libretto of the new opera by Terence Blanchard, that had its Metropolitan Opera premiere to open the 2021-2022 season last Monday night. Most of us know of Blanchard's success via his film scores and his performances as a jazz trumpeter. The audience at the Met last was treated to several jazz numbers, the music of a gospel choir, and a "step" dance by pledgees of an HBCU fraternity. Charles Blow Blow's memoir is the story of his return to the town of his birth to seek revenge against an older cousin who had raped him as a child. The opera opens with him in his car and a gun in the passenger seat. The story is told via a series of flashbacks culminating in the moment when he must decide whether to murder his cousin and potentially go to prison, or learn to live with th...

In early January, some of the MNN producers were given VIP tickets to sit in the studio audience for a taping of “The Harry Connick Jr. Show,” so April and I took advantage of this opportunity. The lavish set in the gigantic studio was most impressive; and I, of course, was immediately struck by the beautiful white 9-foot concert grand Steinway prominently positioned on the stage. Harry Connick Jr. at his Steinway We were told by the staff and the floor manager to prepare to have a good time, because we were about to hear some great music. And they were right! Harry Connick Jr.’s band is one of the best groups of musicians in the talk show circuit. These were top-quality instrumentalists, many of whom have played with Harry for years. But again, as I have observed so many times, Harry Connick Jr. did not have one female in his band.  Harry and his band Now I’m sure that, if questioned about it, Harry would say that his band members travel togethe...