What’s New on RezaRitesRi.com
by Reza Corinne Clifton
PROVIDENCE, RI - I am long overdue with posting an update about what’s new here on my website, www.RezaRitesRi.com, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been updating it. For one thing, I’ve changed the template or “theme” of the page so that you’ll see new colors, new graphics, and…well you’ll see. And if you hadn’t noticed yet, I added two pages recently: “Just So You Know: Listings”; and “Recent Photos”. I’m updating the From Reza Rites section of Just So You Know as often as one to three times a week - with art and music events, community events, leadership trainings, and more, and I’ve even begun including events outside of Rhode Island. Recently, I had a few New York City listings, including a CD Release party for a reggae artist and a show by one of my favorite singers of all time, former R&B group, Groove Theory frontwoman, Amel Larrieux.
The current listings include alternative holiday shopping opportunities, an announcement about a Brown University film festival, and announcements about a couple jazz concerts. I’m getting the listings from all kinds of public and personal sources, and I’m trying to keep them pertinent to music lovers, artists, parents, grassroots leaders, and more. And there are three other sub-pages in the listings section that come from other RI community members, so make sure you’re checking in regularly or else you may be missing some pretty great stuff.
I heard a story recently on NPR about the research of a scientist who studied the relationship between brain activity and music and concluded that music activates some of the same brain responses produced by chocolate, sex and certain drugs and pharmaceuticals. I was fascinated at his findings, though hardly surprised given my own preoccupation with music. That preoccupation has always extended to live musical performances, a habit which has always exposed me to local and independent artists as well as experienced and commercial performers. That’s why I decided not to hold back recently when my schedule, photos, and write-ups all evolved into a short series on local (RI) music and local hip hop. Check out my site (Keep reading) for four postings about some of the places and some of the people creating and hosting cutting edge urban art in the RI area, and check out the Recent Photos page to catch extra, bonus photos.
Oh and one last thing: RezaRitesRi.com is being featured on TV! The Jim Vincent Show is a weekly program that airs on the new CW (UPN-WB) station and on Cox public access channels in RI. The program features different community members and organizations and is about, according to host and creator, Vincent, “access” and opportunity.” The show airs in RI first on CW28 (COX 9) this Sunday morning,
November 26, at 9AM. Re-broadcasts can be seen on COX 18 (Prov & Kent counties) this Sunday night at 9:30PM, and On COX 13 (statewide) this Monday evening, November 27, at 7:30PM.
You may be one of the people I’ve met and written about along the way and you may be a first-time or infrequent visitor who doesn’t leave comments. You may have seen my work and a reference to my website in The Providence American or you may have read one my articles online at Rhode Island Roads Magazine. You may be a friend or family member who promises to be there all along. Whoever you are, thanks for your support; it’s just as important now as it ever was before.
-Reza