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All that jazz

Chaka Khan on her two-night Birchmere engagement, her performance m.o. and why she can’t get enough Joni Mitchell

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An Evening with Chaka Khan
A Rare Jazz Quartet Performance
Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
SOLD OUT
The Birchmere
3701 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, VA

Chaka Khan plays the Birchmere Monday and Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Chaka Khan Enterprises)

 

Legendary singer Chaka Khan, who’s gearing up for a two-night limited engagement at the Birchmere Monday and Tuesday, took a few minutes on the phone from her Los Angeles home to talk about her upcoming concerts, her philosophies of live performance and why she can’t get enough of her hero Joni Mitchell.

BLADE: Tell us a little about what you have planned for next week at the Birchmere.

KHAN: It will be a nice mix but everybody should know going into it, there will be jazz. I think everybody will be happy though. I’m gonna do some Joni Mitchell songs, a lot of my jazz songs and then I’ll do some of the hits that people know me by.

BLADE: Have you been touring with this kind of show or is it a one-off? I know you’ve done many jazz concerts in the past.

KHAN: Oh yes, for years. But these are just one offs.

BLADE: And you’re going to Japan in the new year for a tour?

KHAN: Yes

BLADE: Jazz or other stuff?

KHAN: That will probably be more of my contemporary stuff with some jazz in there too.

BLADE: And for a show like you have planned at the Birchmere, approximately how much of the material will be stuff you’ve recorded versus standards or other material that you haven’t recorded?

KHAN: Let’s say about three-fourths of the stuff you’ll hear is stuff I’ve recorded.

BLADE: Joni Mitchell is another singer who did significant jazz work alongside her pop stuff. Which of her songs will you be covering? I’m sure you’ll be doing, well, of course right now I can’t think of it, the song from “Wild Things Run Fast” that you recorded.

KHAN: “Ladies Man,” yes of course I’ll be doing that.

BLADE: Yes, that’s it. I could totally imagine you singing “Moon at the Window” too.

KHAN: Yes, that’s another good one. I’m doing a few others of my favorites, I mean I could go on and on and on, but some of my favorites at the moment like “Hissing of Summer Lawns,” “Sunny Sunday” and a few others. I’ll keep some surprises.

BLADE: So it sounds like you’ve gotten to know Joni a little. Have you been able to spend time with her and get to know her beyond just expressing your admiration?

KHAN: Oh yes, we’ve spent a good bit of time together.

BLADE: I’ll get back to your concerts in a second, but this is fascinating since she’s become rather reclusive. What’s she like one on one? I know she’s quite outspoken.

KHAN: Yes, very outspoken. She’s really a philosopher at heart. She’s truly one of the brightest geniuses we have. Certainly a musical genius but in every other way as well. I love to just listen to her talk and speak on current events and blah blah blah, you know, all sorts of things. She’s just so buried in, you know, what’s going on. She knows everything, as you can tell.

BLADE: Did you like her last album “Shine”?

KHAN: Oh yeah, I like everything she does.

BLADE: Do you think she’ll record again?

KHAN: Well she’s moved up to Canada again and I think she’s kind of chilling a bit but I think she’s writing. I hope so. I’d be devastated if she never did another album.

BLADE: When you’re singing, from a vocal standpoint, how is the interpretation different than say, funk or pop?

KHAN: Well, it’s really not. I approach them all the same, with the same spirit. Some require a little more technique. Jazz requires a bit more of a cerebral application than the songs I’ve been doing, you know, for a hundred years. So it’s good. I just love singing jazz and I love singing other people’s stuff that I really relate to. Some I relate to so much, it feels like I actually wrote it. So, you know, the fundamental approach is the same.

BLADE: What kind of musicians will you have with you?

KHAN: We started out with just a quartet but we just added a horn player. I think we’ll have some singers too because some of the more contemporary stuff I’ll do will require that.

BLADE: How long are your shows? Do you feel you have to play a certain amount of time or sing a certain number of songs for people to feel they’ve gotten a full evening of entertainment?

KHAN: Well usually there’s a time limit with the promoter. I could go on singing all night if I had the opportunity, but yeah, it’s usually about an hour to 90 minutes.

BLADE: Is it vocally taxing to sing for that long or even during a two-hour concert?

KHAN: No, not at all.

BLADE: Lots of other singers, like Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin, have primarily had pop or R&B careers but done lots of jazz on the side here and there. Do you like their jazz material?

KHAN: I like “Good Morning Heartache” (Ross) and a lot of the Billie Holiday stuff she did. But you know, when I get in my car, I put on Miles Davis, Ella, Joni — that’s who I listen to. The originals.

BLADE: What will you be doing for Christmas?

KHAN: Working.

BLADE: Recording or giving concerts?

KHAN: A tour. Singing. Working. I almost always work through the holidays and on my birthday.

BLADE: Do you feel any sense of camaraderie with the other singers who came up and got their start in Chicago, like the Staple Singers for instance?

KHAN: Absolutely. I know most of the Chicago-based singers. You know, we have paid a certain amount of dues by coming up there. There’s a mark of excellence you earn. Chicago’s not an easy audience. It’s like the “Gong Show.” They will totally gong you if you’re not up to part. You have to have your stuff together coming out of Chicago. You go through a great deal of training and pay a great deal of dues coming out of that city singing.

BLADE: When you’re on stage and doing music that’s more loose and has more room for interpretation, to what degree are your vocal flourishes and interpretive nuances planned ahead of time as opposed to either totally spontaneous or ways you’ve sung certain lines and phrases other times?

KHAN: I’m totally spontaneous. When I’m on stage, I connect to some higher force actually. I often truly and honestly have to ask, “Was it a good show?” because I go into what you’d kind of call a hypnotic state. That’s how I know this is my calling.

BLADE: Is it hard to get to that place?

KHAN: It takes a little while. I’m usually a little nervous for the first three songs or so. I want to please, so usually during the first few songs I’m a little nervous, feeling out the crowd before I go on and then once I’m on and warmed up, I’m totally cool.

BLADE: So what about your gay fans? Are they any more vocal or exuberant than other fans? Or do you even think of your fans as being gay or straight?

KHAN: Oh please. I definitely have the gay audience and they have been the most supportive of me hands down. I truly truly do appreciate my gay audience because they’ve been there for me when times were tough and I find them, I don’t know, less fickle or something. … They really love the artists they love and it’s for real. I really like that.

BLADE: For songs in a show like you have planned at the Birchmere, especially the material you haven’t recorded, where do the arrangements come from?

KHAN: Well I arrange all the vocals. And I’ve worked with many different, really great producers over the years so they’ve done some of them. But I play bass and drums so I truly have a true musical understanding of every aspect of it. I have to say I really have a hand in it all.

BLADE: But jazz can be so improvisational — to what degree is it mapped out ahead of time, “OK, we’ll have a sax solo here, then …”

KHAN: Well what we do is I give the musical director a list of the songs I want to sing, then he rehearses the band and then once they’ve got it down, I go in and I’ll do a rehearsal, a run through and anything I want to change musically, that’s what we do.

BLADE: And who is your musical director for these shows?

KHAN: Melvin Davis

BLADE: Thank you for your time, Miss Khan. And happy Thanksgiving.

KHAN: And the same to you.

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Five easy tips to help you avoid common risks

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Be sure to install baby gates if you have stairs in your home with young children. (Photo by Kasia Bialasiewicz/Bigstock)

Your home is more than just a place to eat and sleep; it’s your safe haven. As much as you might cherish your home, you should probably also recognize the potential hazards within its familiar walls. Accidents can happen in an instant, yet with a little foresight and some simple adjustments, you can transform your house into a safer haven. 

Accidents can happen anywhere, and with a few simple tweaks, you can lower risks in your space. Below you’ll find five tips for each room in your home to help prevent injuries, falls, and other mishaps. In short, home safety. 

This article was inspired by a shower in a rental we managed that began leaking through the kitchen ceiling below. If only the landlord had installed grab bars, right!? Below, we’ll guide you through the steps to fortify your bathroom, making it a place of relaxation without the fear of slips and falls. Then, we’ll venture into the room where the magic happens, where proper planning can ensure great nights and peaceful mornings. We’ll show you how to prevent accidents while you experiment becoming the next Gordon Ramsey. And we’ll include a few surprising solutions for those other rooms that hold their own unique hazards, offering solutions to safeguard against unexpected mishaps.

Bathroom Safety

Install Grab Bars: Adding grab bars near the shower and toilet can provide essential support for family members of all ages. Not only can they help with getting in and out, but they can help provide stability when washing. Make sure they are securely anchored to the wall.

Non-Slip Mats: Place non-slip mats inside the shower and bathtub to prevent slips. They’re a small investment that can save you from falls and head injuries.

Adjust Water Temperature:  Ensure your hot water is set to a safe temperature to avoid scalding. The hot water heater should be set to around 120°F (49°C)l, the middle setting on many water heater settings. 

Medicine Cabinet Locks: If you have young children, use childproof locks on your medicine cabinet to keep harmful substances out of reach.

Proper Lighting: Ensure there’s adequate lighting in the bathroom to avoid trips and falls during nighttime visits. Nightlights can be a simple and effective solution. 

Bedroom Safety

Clear Pathways: Keep pathways in the bedroom clutter free to prevent tripping. Ensure there’s enough space to move around comfortably, particularly getting around the bed.  Be aware where all furniture is when walking around to avoid stubbed toes, particularly at night.

Secure Rugs: If you have throw rugs, use rug grippers or double-sided tape to keep them from slipping. Loose rugs are a common trip hazard. 

Bed Rails: For anyone at risk of falling out of bed, consider installing bed rails to provide extra support and prevent falls.

Nightstands with Drawers: Opt for nightstands with drawers to keep essential items.  This reduces the need to get out of bed at night, minimizing the risk of falls, as you race to grab what you need and not lose a moment’s rest.

Fire Safety: Install battery-operated smoke detectors in the bedrooms if there are none. Make sure to install them 36 inches away from an air vent or the edge of a ceiling fan.  Also six inches away from the joint between the wall and ceiling.  And test smoke detectors regularly.

Kitchen Safety

Non-Slip Flooring: Choose slip-resistant rugs in the kitchen, especially in areas where spills are common. Mats near the sink and stove can also help and you can often buy them fairly cheaply at Costco.

Childproof Cabinets: If you have little ones, use childproof latches on cabinets and drawers to prevent them from accessing potentially hazardous items.

Anti-tip brackets: Install an anti-tip bracket behind the range. These are often used when children are in the home. Although they are less likely to open the oven door and use it as a step stool to get to the stove-top, adults can also benefit from installing these. 

Adequate Lighting: Proper lighting is crucial in the kitchen to avoid accidents. Under-cabinet lighting can illuminate work areas effectively.

Secure Heavy Items: Ensure heavy pots and pans are stored at waist level to prevent straining or dropping them from high shelves.

Sharp Object Storage: Keep knives and other sharp objects in a secure drawer or block. And handle all sharp items with extreme care, even when washing and drying. These steps reduce the risk of accidental cuts.  

Other Safety Tips

Furniture Anchors: Secure heavy furniture, like bookshelves and dressers, to the wall to prevent tip-overs, especially if you have young children.

Adequate Outlets: Check for damaged outlets and replace them promptly. Avoid overloading circuits with too many devices. Install placeholder plugs in outlets to prevent young curious fingers (or tongues?) from going inside an electrical outlet.

Stair Gates: If your home has stairs, install safety gates at the top and bottom to prevent falls, especially if you have toddlers or pets to keep them off of the stairs when you cannot monitor them.

Emergency Escape Plan: Develop and practice an emergency escape plan with your family, including a designated meeting place outside.

Carbon Monoxide Detector:  If your home burns any fossil fuels for heating or appliances, install carbon monoxide detectors in common areas of your home to detect this odorless gas. The D.C. building codes require this if you use a fireplace or if you have an attached garage. In essence, if there is any potential source of carbon monoxide in the home, be sure to install these detectors.

Remember, a safer home not only prevents accidents but also provides peace of mind for you and your family. Implement these simple tips to create a secure environment in every room of your house.

With these practical tips and a few adjustments, you can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and falls in your home. Enjoy peace of mind in your now much safer haven.

Scott Bloom is owner and senior property manager of Columbia Property Management.

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Celebrity News

Lizzo makes $50K donation to Marsha P. Johnson Institute

Singer is vocal LGBTQ ally

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Lizzo at the 65th Grammy Awards (Screenshot from the Grammy Awards)

When Lizzo sings “If I’m shinin,’ everybody gonna shine,” in her hit song, “Juice,” she means it. Proof of that came this week on Instagram when the LGBTQ ally announced the first winner of her annual Juneteenth Giveback Campaign is the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a national nonprofit based in Richmond, Calif., dedicated to the protection and defense of Black transgender people. 

And she did so in song: “On the first day of Juneteenth, Lizzo gave to me,” she sang in her video, posted Tuesday, as she revealed her $50,000 gift to MPJI.

“That’s right, we know who Marsha P. Johnson is. We know what Marsha P. Johnson has done for the LGBTQ, emphasis on that ‘T,’ Q community,” said Lizzo to her 13.5 million followers. “Thank you so much to the people at the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. You deserve this, and I hope this helps you so much as you help protect our Black trans family.” 

“What the Marsha P. Johnson Institute does is protects and defends the rights of Black transgender people. They do this by organizing community, advocating for the people, and creating an intentional healing community, developing transformative leadership and promoting collective power,” she said. 

“We are overjoyed for the shoutout from Lizzo today, the generosity of her sharing her platform and the recognition of MPJI and its work,” said Elle Moxley, MPJI’s executive director. “The resources from this campaign will ensure the protection and defense of Black transgender people continue at a time where it is so vitally needed. We are so grateful for the support of Lizzo and her fans.”

As one of Time Magazine’s Persons of the Year for 2019 and a 2023 Grammy winner, Lizzo is more than a pop star but an inspiration to millions of fans for her body-positive attitude, her self-confidence on stage and in her videos, her empowering music and her activism. She’s also the founder of her own clothing line, Yitty. In 2021, she made headlines when she publicly corrected a paparazzo for using “she/her” pronouns and misgendering Demi Levato.

As part of her campaign, now in its 4th year, Lizzo recognizes Black-led grassroots organizations and businesses and encourages her fans to join her in supporting each of the five organizations she highlights this week. Fans who take action by donating are  entered into a drawing for an all-expenses paid trip to see her perform at Fuji Rock in Japan later this year. 

This week’s other nonprofits receiving gifts are: Black Girls Smile, Sphinx Music, the University of Houston and Save Our Sisters United.

Find out more about Lizzo’s 4th annual Juneteenth Giveback Campaign by clicking here.

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Celebrity News

Anne Heche dies after removal from life support

Actress dated Ellen DeGeneres in late 1990s

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(Screenshot/YouTube Inside Edition)

Actress Anne Heche died after she was removed from life support on Sunday, nearly two weeks after her Mini-Cooper crashed through a two-story house in Los Angeles’ Mar Vista neighborhood. Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department believe she was intoxicated at the time.

She sustained a severe anoxic brain injury along with severe burns and was being treated at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital, near Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley.

The 53-year-old actress who was a star of films like “Donnie Brasco,” the political satire “Wag the Dog” and the 1998 remake of “Psycho,” had been declared legally dead under California law on Friday, however, her family kept her alive long enough to be an organ donor.

In a statement Friday, the LAPD announced that: “As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case. Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.” LAPD detectives had previously made public that investigators into the crash found narcotics in a blood sample taken from Heche.

The actress’s family released a statement on Friday:

“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend. Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact,” the statement added.

Heche was married to camera operator Coleman Laffoon from 2001 to 2009. The two had a son, Homer, together. She had another son, named Atlas, during a relationship with actor James Tupper, her co-star on the TV series “Men In Trees.”

Laffoon left a moving tribute on an Instagram reel in which he also gave an update on how their 20-year-old son Homer Laffoon is coping with the loss of his mother.

“I loved her and I miss her, and I’m always going to,” he said adding: “Homer is okay. He’s grieving, of course, and it’s rough. It’s really rough, as probably anybody can imagine. But he’s surrounded by family and he’s strong, and he’s gonna be okay.”

“Rest In Peace, Mom, I love you, Homer,” the actor’s 20-year-old son, Homer, said in a statement after Heche was declared legally dead on Friday.“ My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom,” read the statement. “After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully, my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom. Over those six days, thousands of friends, family, and fans made their hearts known to me. I am grateful for their love, as I am for the support of my Dad, Coley, and my stepmom Alexi who continue to be my rock during this time. Rest In Peace Mom, I love you, Homer.”

Tupper, a Canadian actor who starred alongside Heche in “Men in Trees,” had a 13-year-old son, Atlas, with her. “Love you forever,” Tupper, 57, wrote on his Instagram post’s caption with a broken heart emoji, which shared an image of the actress from Men in Trees.

Between 1997 and 2000, Heche was also in a relationship with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

“This is a sad day,” DeGeneres posted on Twitter. “I’m sending Anne’s children, family and friends all of my love.” The year after her break-up with the comedian, in September 2001, Heche recounted in her memoir “Call Me Crazy,” about her lifelong struggles with mental health and a childhood of abuse.

KTLA’s entertainment reporter Sam Rubin noted that over the past two decades, Heche’s career pivoted several times. In 2017, she hosted a weekly radio show on SiriusXM with Jason Ellis called “Love and Heche.”

In 2020, Heche made her way into the podcast world. She launched “Better Together” which she cohosted alongside Heather Duffy Boylston. The show was described as a way to celebrate friendship. 

She also worked in smaller films, on Broadway, and on TV shows. She recently had recurring roles on the network series “Chicago P.D.,” and “All Rise” and was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.”

People magazine reported that several of Heche’s acting projects are expected to be released posthumously.

These include “Girl in Room 13,” expected to be released on Lifetime in September, “What Remains,” scheduled to be released in 2023, and HBO Max TV series “The Idol,” created by Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.

In her Instagram post from earlier this year Heche stands between her sons Atlas, 13 and Homer, 20.

From KTLA:

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