Friends of the Fifties

Some reunions are really wonderful.Our crowd that hung together, played together, partied together and studied together... gets together every other year and enjoys each others company at a 5 star hotel somewhere on the East coast. This year it was held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Alexandria, Virginia. All of us hail from somewhere in Virginia. Most are from the Petersburg-Richmond Area and attended Peabody Highschool in Petersburg(Junior Lawson,Moses Malone,Royal Walker), Maggie Walker or Armstrong High in Richmond or St. Emma Military Academy. Many, however, are from Tidewater.(That's what Virginians call the Hampton,Newport News and Norfolk area).The famous ones would have attended Huntington(Allen Iverson,Bennie MaCrae)Carver of Warwick(Michael Vick), Booker T. Washington(Bruce Smith),Bruton Heights(LT) and I.C. Norcom(Doc Hurley) Highschools for the most part before intergration.The youngsters went to college as Va. Tech & UVA. Most our crowd attended Va. State College, Hampton University, Virginia Union University. Others went to Howard or decided to intergrate a college or two like Bobby Bland. See: http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/lawn/HarrisonI/Robert.html. Royal Walker did some great playing in college as did Harold Deane & his son.Royal and his lovely wife, Virginia Pratt were really enjoying themselves and looking good.Deane did not make this one. Jocelyn Jarrett ,Cecil Saunders,Bill Brown,Bobby Bland, Barbara Bracey Wiggs and Joe Wiggs were also among those we missed this year.

Most of us are in our sixties.Surprisingly, all of us looked good. Obviously all of that good living has paid off. The ladies looked great. They all were stylish, well -groomed and dressed to the nines even when casual. Joyce A. Brown of Petersburg(The Boss) and her husband Vincent (an Episcopalian Minister)were the heart of the crew (worker-bees) as Joyce affectionately calls Germaine Williams, Marcellous Heath,Nanette Pegram, Jimmy (Bones) White and Grace Jones. It was Joyce and the worker-bees that created this wonderful happening and carried it through to fruition.

The first person I saw at the reunion was Jan White. She is Jimmy (Bones) Whites lovely and debonair wife. We chatted for a couple of five minutes before I went over to Dupont Circle to watch the chess games.

Things got off to a great start at the hospitality suite in the Embassy Suites on Friday , September 2, 2003. Joyce and the worker-bees had put together a dynamic dine & sip brunch which really hit the spot.Joyce really looked great. Cliff Morgan showed up with a picture his brother had made copies of for everyone there. Many of the attendees were in that flick that was taken in the late forties. It was something else.The beautiful Michael Moses was there as were Dr. Henry Williams and his gracious wife Alease. My old freshman year in high school flame,Gabrielle (Paige) Neverson was there. Joyce's brother Bill Brown took her away from me way back in 1953 and married her later on. She was stunning in her classic outfit.

Another favorite person of mine, Ann Jackson, was there with her charming daughter. As I sat and chatted with Ann, Lena & Shirley Bugg appeared. Both looking as glamorous and charming as they did back in the day. I was very impressed with Shirley's dialogue and the positive approach to life.Sam Brown then appeared on the scene along with Sir Dion Diamond. What can I say.....dozens time. Those cats can crack jokes forever. Everytime I Think of Sam I remember the superb architectual happening he created over at the "Soulfood Restaurant" in Southwest D.C. in the late 60,s.Dion has not changed at all. He is still Dion.
Lula Harris Lawson and her brother C.J. Harris were also there.Lula realy looked good. C.J. is still living in Va. Beach and working out regularly.

Brunch time began at 8 A.M. Saturday morning. Ann Jackson, her daughter and Cliff Morgan & I broke bread together. It was some kind of wonderful. Eggs the way you want them; bacon, link sausage,ham, pancakes, waffles,French toast....coffee, tea,a variety of jucies. We ate well.

Twelve noon: Cruise-ship time. The Odessey is a ship built for great times.You can't get much more scenic than the Odessey steadily floating along the Potomac River with views of the Jefferson, Washington, and Linclon monuments seemingly a stones throw away. Mary Hardy Moore and her fiancee showed up looking casually elite as did my buddies from the forties...Judy and Jackie Ceaphas. I must say they both were dressed to the nines looking delightfully devine.I spent most of the time on the boat chatting with Sam Brown and C.J. Harris about this, that , and the other.The women took to the dance floor and did a few line dances so well that folk thought they were with a dance troupe.

At the dinner brunch Alice Robinson was one of the delightful conversationalist in our group. I must say that she looked lovely and happy. Natalie Jones was as gorgeous as ever and dressed to the hilt. She was sharp. I just missed seeing her husband, Wallace. They both have been an inspiration to me down through the years. AnJean Carter and I discussed some things that happened at VSC in the early fifties that were nearly forgotten by most folk. AnJean looked great... and content. Ann Jackson also added delightful conversation.I was happy to get in a few quality moments with Roy Thweatt before leaving that evening for my room.

The following morning was Au Revoir to the reunion for me. My cousin Teresa Howard & her husband Danny Cox, both of Huntington High and Newport News,appeared to drive me to Petersburg.I must say that the Friends of the Fifties Reunion was the best I've attended.May God bless all of the wonderful people in that group with health and long lives. In peace and harmony- Jo-Jo Baker.

Deep Throat Part II

After a comfortable weekend which included viewing the videotape 'All The President's Men' and reading the Vanity Fair, New York Times and New York Amsterdam News accounts of the "coming forth of Deep Throat", I got good account of the activities of Mark Felt during and prior to the Watergate scandal which led to the stepping down of then President Richard Millhouse Nixon.

Mark Felt, the man, seems to have gone full circle in terms of how he viewed the world in which he lived. Much akin to the prodigal son, he aspired to be the best that he could be at whatever he was doing at given points of time in his life cycle. As a young man he was good at espionage or spying. He seemed to believe that his superiors at that time could do no wrong. He appeared to be loyal, honorable and dedicated to the defense of his country. A defender of turf...right or wrong!As he grew in age , knowledge and wisdom and the occupants of the Whitehouse became conservative, he began to question the integrity of the leaders. It appears he came to the correct conclusions based upon the actions of those leaders.

Papacorn sees a man that grew into a person that sincerely wanted the best for the country. "Bob Woodward"of the Washington Post states that Felt was convinced that the Nixon Whitehouse was infested with Nazis. This implies that Felt did the best he could to rid the country of what he perceived as a threat to our way of life.

Espionage is not for the weak-hearted.The game this man played was extremely dangerous and far above the call of duty! But for Mark Felt and others like him it is very possible that this country would have gone down the tubes a long time ago.

Papacorn's poll of 100 people indicates that Mark Felt is a bonified HERO.

Peace & Harmony...papacorn....I'm out.

The Musicians

Papacorn has read the Vanity Fair article concerning the happenings with Deep Throat. As promised, he will post his conclusions about the heroness of Mark Felt. First , he must re-see the flick All The Presidents Men.
In the meantime, we will take a gander at some of the things these musicians hanging around Petersburg, Virginia(Virginia State University) who were members of or sat in with the Jaguars are up to today. Eddie Pazant went on to play for around 10 years with Lionel Hampton as his main alto sax man. He then payed the rent and the Deli man by backing up a host of artist. I caught him gigging behind Smokey Robinson down in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the early 1970's while on a date with the beautiful Faye Booker from Washington, D.C. & St Francis De Sales School for Girls & Howard University. Eddie has been laying down fantastic sharps and flats with none other than PUCHO & HIS LATIN SOUL BROTHERS. They are featured in clubs in and around New York City.
Newman Baker ,out of Ettrick, Virginia and the campus of Virginia State, went on down south to Livingston University in North Carolina where he was the head or assistant head of the music department before departing for the New York area where he has gigged with most of the great musicians.
Papacorn caught him at the Closepin in Philadelphia where he drummed out a few notes with the Kenny Baron Trio that caused the fans to scream for multiple encores. Something else I tell you.
Lucky Edwards, gigs consistently in the Philadelphia area. He recently acquired his bachelors degree in Music and is the proprietor of a noted school of music. Peace & Harmony Lucky. Remember now, that F. Nathaniel (Pops) Gatlin played a great role in the success of all these artist.
Papacorn is signing out.
Peace & Harmony to all.

Deep Throat

Papacorn was living in Washington, D.C. at the time all the leaking and faulty plumbing was taking place. Yep...I was biding my time at 29th & Calvert Streets. You come out of my garage, walk a few feet and go into the rear door of the Sheraton Washington Hotel. (Presidents held many a gala in those halls in the 14 years I resided at that location sandwiched in between Connecticut & Wisconsin Avenues.) Man, That place was just like heaven. Anybody thats anybody has got to pass through one of those hotels or eating spots around the corner of Conn. & Calvert ...trust me. Many a whistleblower has sprung a geyser up in this hill. Could Deep Throat have done his heroic deeds around here in one of the subterranean garages like the one under good ole papacorn's apartment building??? One never knows do one.

The reason the subject matter this morning is about Deep Throat..AKA...W.Mark Felt, is because of the controversy surrounding his status as a hero or a bum. Turns out that Deep Throat was a big time official in J.Edgar Hoover's FBI organization. Hoover himself lived right around the corner from the Sheraton on the other side of Calvert & 29th Sts. Anybody know where Deep Throat lives?
Small world huh? Matter-of -fact , another guy name Mark used to play a little stride piano while poking fun at folk in politically high places in the lounge of the other hotel across the street from the back entrance to the Sheraton!If he is still there he is having a field day with this bomb. I can't wait to see Jay Leno and Dave Letterman tonight.
Papacorn is going to perform a little reseach before reaching any conclusions concerning the degree of heroness that should, or should not, be conferred upon our newly confessed safeguarder of our country. I need to reread All The Presidents Men and the Vanity Fair article plus view the DVD. See you next time with my findings.

papacorn makes 66 !!

Today is papacorn's 66th birthday.

I'm thankful to the Lord God in heaven for blessing me with this much time on earth and with so much abundance. I'm not rich but I am comfortable and able to be happy much of the time.

Carolyn, my wonderful wife of 25 years is quite a blessing.

My Mother is a wonderful blessing. Dear ole Dad, now departed, was a great father.

My Children: Leora, Carla, Lamont and Claude are achieving many of the goals they have set for themselves.

The greater picture is rather distressing. Many of the children of the world are in dire straits. Many of the world's adults could care less about them. Some because they are wrapped up in struggles for survival themselves. Some because they are too self-indulgent.

I'm told that millions of children around the world are dying unnecessarily every week as adults go about business as usual.

What can we do to help? Many people that are not doing anything because they don't know how or who to trust with donations. One thing that is being done is great. People are gathering signatures on petitions and phoning their congresspersons. If this happens in great numbers its a possibilitiy that the hearts of many leaders will soften and positive things will happen.

I appreciate the cards I received for birthday. I'm hoping you all will remember to send or give a card to a needy child with a little gift to help keep them alive. Yours truly.

papacorn

The Jaguars

The Jaguars is the name of the Rythm & Blues band we had in Virginia back in the early and mid 1950's. We were pretty hot too. Played a lot of gigs around Richmond, Petersburg and Tidewater (Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Warwick & Pheobus). I played trumpet with them for about a year or so.

Lucky Edwards was the bandleader, vocalist and tenor sax man. Gerald Granderson was on alto, Matthew Chandler on drums, Pete Jones on Piano and Jerome on electric guitar. Lucky's sister, Rachel, sang also. She could really warble. Reminded one a lot of Faye Adams who was really burning up the charts with Shake - a - Hand...which was also Rachel's favorite.

We would practice at each others houses. I really liked the sessions at Lucky's house because it was over on Dupuy Road in Ettrick.I lived close by on River Road in that same town. We had a built -in audience because of Lucky's huge family.Mr. & Mrs. Edwards and their eight children and numerous relatives had us thinking we were the best band in the world. Were they ever supportive and generous with their positive observations.

Lucky went on to play behind numerous R & B groups with the Drifters being one that I remember him backing. Other musicians that played with us in that or other bands that did themselves proud in music are Eddie Pazant, altosax. (Lionel Hampton), Newman Baker,drums.(Kenny Baron Trio) and Leon Harvey.tenorsax.

Dr. F. Nathaniel( POPS) Gatlin was responsible for most of us learning a musical instrument. He was an accomplished classical clarinetist out of St. Louis who was a tremendous influence on the lives of many an aspiring musician. (Amateur and Professional). His son, Nathaniel Gatlin,Jr., is also an accomplished musician. He , T.Nelson Baker and myself, were featured boy trumpeteers sponsered by Dr. Gatlin to play "The Carnical of Venice" at many gatherings throughout Viriginia.

The Jaguars are also indebted to Dr. Gatlin for making it possible for most of us to learn those instruments and to read that music.

Introducing Papacorn

Hello there,
I'm papacorn. A retired certified high school teacher and track coach in the State of CT. At least that was my profession up until I decided to hang up my chalk and eraser. I am now an uncertified part time instructor in the school system. I hold a Masters Degree in Instructional Media Technology from the University of the District of Columbia in the Capital of this United States called Washington, D.C. I currently instruct high school students in the use of computers. I also taught in a Cisco Computer Networking program embedded in the school system for a period of 2 years.

Prior to becoming college educated, I spent much time in the 82nd Airborne Division as a BAR(Browning Automatic Rifle) carrying paratrooper here and in the US Armed Forces in Europe.Played football(halfback) for the Mainz Troopers and defensive corner and return artist for the Baumholder Blue Rangers.