“Any of my local Blues
Brothers or Sister have (any) free time between 5pm-9pm this Sunday?”
The Facebook
message above, posted by local blues icon Marquise Knox, means a lot to me.
Knox, who hosted a fundraiser for the Sweet Potato Project (SPP) last year, was
asking his friends if they had time to join us this weekend for another
fundraiser. This one, co-hosted by the owners of San Loo and Red Guitar Bread,
will be this Sunday. You can find more
information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1105590769514337/)
Knox is a true
friend who continues to offer words and deeds of support. Because of this and
more, he fits in the category of the “cool people.”
 |
| Banner from SPP's 2015 blues fundraising concert |
They’re the ones who
don’t hesitate to say “Black Lives Matter,” who build neighborhoods like the
Grove, the Ville and the Cherokee strip without the permission or largesse of
the rich and powerful. They are the politicians, spoken word and graphic artists,
musicians, bakers and coffee shop owners (I’m talkin’ ‘bout y'all, Mo, Jason and Jessie) who
open their hearts and storefronts to anyone and everyone who simply want to…well,
be.
They are the cool
people and I’m humbled to call them my friends. They are the ones who gave me needed
balance when I had my own magazine or wrote for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After writing something race-related, I’d receive
a barrage of negative feedback that sometimes made me question my words. The cool
people always chimed in to encourage me to keep pushing the envelope, even if
they disagreed with my positions.
After I lost my
job at the PD and found myself in dire straits a year or so later, it was
people like Tom “Papa” Ray of Vintage Vinyl who called to encourage me to “hang
in there” and even gave me a few bucks to ease whatever crisis I faced at the
time. Papa Ray is but one of many who’ve been there to support whatever
endeavor I was attempting over the years.
 |
| Tom "Papa" Ray |
The youth we serve
are the primary reason I keep trying to push the Sweet Potato Project boulder
up, what at times, seems like a tumultuous hill. The secondary reason is that
so many cool people believe in and support our mission to educate and empower
youth while working to seed food-based economic opportunity in North St. Louis.
How can I say “No, I can’t…” when so many down-to-earth, benevolent people who
volunteer, donate, mentor or buy our products say, “Yes, you can?”
I’m always in awe
of circumstances that, at first, seem tragic but wind up placing me on pathways
to my perceived purpose. If I hadn’t been fired from the PD, I would have never
started SPP. A year after losing that job, my wife and I broke up. I forget how
(and I’m sorta embarrassed to admit this) but I started singing sad “break up”
songs at karaoke bars. I’ve since developed a more diverse repertoire and I’m now
a certified slut of the local karaoke scene. Singing, dancing and listening to
good, live music, mostly blues, is the only release for this old, suave hipster.
I’m mentioning
this because I’ve been exposed to a whole subset of really cool singers and
performers here in St. Louis. Karaoke people, for the most part, are extroverts
who sing because they love music and life itself. They, like me, are
hard-working, passionate, creative people who happen to let their hair down
through song. For me, music has been the bridge to real conversations with local
musicians, performers, singers and otherwise “cool people.”
Attorney Sarah
Tupper sings mean versions of songs by Patsy Kline, Ray Charles and other bygone
era singers. We became fast friends through karaoke. Most of Sarah’s clan has
adopted me and SPP as well. The family firm has given us pro bono services and
her partner, Alex, is co-hosting Sunday’s fundraiser. Alex Carlson is a member
of the local group Trigger 5 and owner of Red Guitar Bread on Cherokee next to
the San Loo Bar. Last year, he met with our youth, talked with them about entrepreneurism
while letting them sample fresh bread and pizzas. Sarah, Alex and his parents,
Frank and Nancy, have been to every fundraiser we’ve held and have been above-board
supportive.
 |
| Alex Carlson of Red Guitar Bread and Trigger 5 |
I absolutely love
BB’s Jazz & Soups where Knox hosted the fundraiser for us last year. Another favorite blues place is Beale on Broadway across the street. That’s where I met another local blues aficionado,
Jeremiah Johnson. One evening we were outside talking about our upbringings in
St. Louis. Johnson told me about his humble beginnings and the issues of “race”
that he grapples with on a constant basis. He knew about SPP and vowed to lend
his support when he could. This Sunday, he’s making good on that promise by
joining musicians for our event.
 |
| Jeremiah Johnson will perform at SPP's fundraiser this Sunday |
I enjoy our fundraisers because I get to meet and converse with the cool people of St. Louis. This was true with the one hosted earlier this year by Dave Golliday, a retired cop and owner of Golliday’s bar and Grill on Chippewa. It also relates to the event we held in June at the Royale, hosted by local foodie Brian DeSmet and the owner, Steven Fitzpatrick Smith. The event was attended by long-time friends, followers and grass root folk who simply want the best for our region.
 |
| Photos from the June 21, 2016 fundraiser at the Royale |
I’ve said that SPP is the most rewarding yet
challenging thing I’ve ever tried to do in my lifetime. I’m working with some good
people trying to figure out ways to increase funding from traditional and
private sector sources. What’s gratifying for me, though, is that we’ve made it thus far
and have touched the lives of many, many young people because of the contributions of myriads of wonderful local people.
So, come on out and join us
this Sunday. I’m jazzed about the musicians who will show up for the
impromptu jam session. I’m geeked about our friends meeting some of our students,
hearing their stories and trying out their delicious sweet potato cookies. Most
of all I’m looking forward to another great gathering with some of the coolest
people of St. Louis.
What: The Sweet
Potato Project Fundraiser
When: Sunday, July 31st
5-9pm
Where: San Loo / 3211
Cherokee St / St. Louis, MO 63118
Hosted by: San Loo, Red Guitar Bread and Earthbound Beer
Hosted by: San Loo, Red Guitar Bread and Earthbound Beer
$2 cover / Local musicians
/ Snacks / Sweet Potato Cookies
For more information contact Sylvester Brown at 314-341-4071 or sylvesterbj@gmail.com
Comments