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Lia Chang Photos: Kathie Lee Gifford at the 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Unveiling in New York

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2011 Lord &Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Photo by Lia Chang

On Monday, November 14, 2011, the Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Flagship store in New York unveiled the 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows.

2011 Lord &Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Photo by Lia Chang

This year, the windows were inspired by children’s drawings of “What is Christmas Made of?” and an illustration by Carl Wilson from 1941 that shows tiny illustrations and asks “What is Christmas Made of?” Lord & Taylor asked children from Women In Need shelters and local schools to draw what they believe Christmas is made of. The mechanical holiday windows were inspired by their art and feature 125 of the original drawings.

Santa and the kids whose drawings inspired this year's windows! Photo by Lia Chang

The 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows unveiling was live streamed online and a video of highlights can be viewed at www.lordandtaylor.com/christmas

The Young People's Chorus of New York City Photo by Lia Chang

The celebration began with performances by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™ who were joined by Kathie Lee Gifford, co- host of the fourth hour of NBC’s Today Show for one number.

NBC co-host Kathie Lee Gifford performs Photo by Lia Chang

Prior to the unveiling, the Young People’s Chorus of NYC performed “What is Christmas Made Of” a holiday song composed exclusively for Lord & Taylor. Simultaneously, Lord & Taylor stores throughout the chain hosted local student choral groups to perform the special song.

Santa and Brendan Hoffman, President/CEO Lord & Taylor, dedicating the windows to New York City on November 14, 2011.Photo by Lia Chang

With a little help from Santa, Brendan Hoffman, President/CEO Lord & Taylor, dedicated the windows to New York City. Lord & Taylor also hosted a charity day with proceeds benefiting the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™.

Francisco Núñez, founder and artistic director of The Young People's Chorus of New York City. Photo by Lia Chang

Brendan Hoffman, President/CEO Lord & Taylor and Scott Devine, Lord & Taylor's VP of Visual Merchandising. Photo by Lia Chang

Kathie Lee Gifford and Brendan Hoffman Photo by Lia Chang

The Lord & Taylor Sweetery Truck giving out free treats! Photo by Lia Chang

The Lord & Taylor Sweetery Truck was parked along Fifth Ave, doling out delicious Red Velvet and Fudge Whoopie pies, Smores and cupcakes.

Delicious treats from Sweetery Photo by Lia Chang

Inside the store, Sarabeth’s hot chocolate was being served up as well.

Austin serves up Sarabeth's hot chocolate after the 2011 Lord & Taylor Christmas Windows Unveiling. Photo by Lia Chang

I caught up with Kathie Lee in the Christmas Department on the 9th floor, where she was signing copies of her new book The Three Gifts and the Angel Blocks ornament, both exclusive to Lord & Taylor and created in collaboration with award-winning Creative Director and Illustrator Michael Storrings.

Kathie Lee Gifford with her book, The Three Gifts Photo by Lia Chang

Kathie Lee Gifford and Michael Storrings Photo by Lia Chang

2011 Lord &Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Photo by Lia Chang

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Playwright David Henry Hwang Reading and Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/15
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
Photos: Fall Foliage at Devil’s Lake State Park
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim, Leigh Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, Kenny Leon, David Ives, Douglas Carter Beane and More at The Drama Desk & Fordham University Theatre Program’s “Anatomy of a Breakout” Panel
Photos: Backstage with the Cast of Chinglish and David Henry Hwang at the Longacre Theatre
Lia Chang Photos: Backstage at Mu Performing Arts’ Four Destinies by Katie Hae Leo
Photos: Crossroads’ Ain’t Misbehavin’
Up Close and Personal with Rick Shiomi, Award-winning Playwright and Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts
Broadwayworld.com Photo Flash: Library of Congress’ IN REHEARSAL Exhibit
Lia Chang Theater Portfolio at Library of Congress Features Photos of Thom Sesma’s Makeup Transformation as Scar in Disney’s The Lion King Las Vegas, Robert Lee and Leon Ko’s Heading East Starring BD Wong, David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish, and Samrat Chakrabarti and Sanjiv Jhaveri’s Bakwas Bumbug! on View Through August 2
Photos and Video: Disney’s The Lion King Las Vegas- In the Makeup Chair with Thom Sesma
Photos: “How To Succeed” stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rose Hemingway and John Larroquette at Lord & Taylor for Windows Unveiling
Lord & Taylor CEO Brendan Hoffman to receive 2011 “Father of the Year” & Milton Margolis Humanitarian Award in NY
Multimedia: Promises, Promises’ Stars Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes at Lord & Taylor Fifth Ave
NY Yankee Fans Show Love for Brett Gardner at Lord & Taylor Fifth Ave
Multimedia: Lord & Taylor 2009 Christmas Windows
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo at Opening Night Party of Neil LaBute’s Break of Noon
Multimedia: Tino Martinez and Sherri Shepherd at Lord & Taylor Benefit Bash
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

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Lia Chang Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.
Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.

November 18, 2011
Categories: Entertainment, Fashion, Free, New York, Travel . Tags: 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows, Angel Blocks ornament, “What is Christmas Made of?” Carl Wilson, ™ Kathie Lee Gifford, Back stage Pass with Lia Chang, Brendan Hoffman, Charity, Children’s Art, Christmas Windows, Christmas Windows in New York, Lia Chang, Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Flagship store, Michael Storrings, NBC’s Today Show, President/CEO Lord & Taylor, Santa, Scott Devine, The Three Gifts, Women In Need shelters, Young People’s Chorus of New York City . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Lia Chang: 32nd Annual Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Festival at Union Square Park in NYC on May 8

MyFoxNY.com reporter Ti-Hua Chang, MSNBC anchor Richard Lui, NY1‘s CeFaan Kim and Michelle Yu, spoken word poet Kelly Tsai and actress Jen Kwok will emcee the 32nd Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival on Sunday, May 8, 2011 at Union Square Park (East 17th between Broadway and Park Avenue) in New York from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Organized by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans since 1971, this annual festival is the longest running and largest event celebrating Pan Asian heritage on the East Coast.

Ti-Hua Chang

This year’s festival is themed around the journey that Asian Pacific American ancestors have taken to bring us to this moment that celebrates not only the value of families but also our heritage in the combining of the traditional and very colourful culture across the continent of Asia that make us proud to be Asian Pacific Americans. The festival will feature fun activities for children and adults, savory samples of Asian cuisine, booths representing local Asian American organizations, and an impressive lineup of musical artists, dance presentations, martial artists, taiko drumming groups and magicians. For more details on the event, click here.

List of Performing Artists:
Music: Hsu-nami, PaperDoll, Reni Mimura, Dana Leong ft. Le Zhang, Nina Sophia Mojares, and Nuf Said ft. Ioana Vintu
Dance: Polynesian Dance, New York Chinese Cultural Center, and Yosakoi Dance
Martial Arts Demonstrations: Chinese Freemason Athletic Club, Kyakkokan Dojo, Blue Dragon TKD Demo Team, World Martial Arts Center, Asian United Sports Club, Moy Ving Tsung, City Wing Tsun Kung Fu and Gao’s Kung Fu Academy
Taiko Drum Artists: Soh Daiko, Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center and Taikoza
Magicians: Ronald McDonald and Rich Kameda

Taiko drummer Kaoru Watanabe © Lia Chang/www.liachang.com

About CAPA:
The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization staffed solely by volunteers working together to build a sense of community among the tri-state area’s Asian Pacific Americans.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Sixth Annual Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival – Ajay Naidu’s Ashes Screens on May 11 & May 15 in Edgewood, PA
Victory Gardens appoints renowned director and playwright Chay Yew as its new Artistic Director
AEA’s celebrates Asian Heritage Month w/ Leviathan Lab’s Asian American Female Playwright’s Short Play Festival in NY, 5/12, 13
Ruby Dee, Alicia Keys, Sidney Poitier among honorees at Woodie King, Jr.’s New Federal Theatre’s 40th Anniversary Gala at Edison Ballroom on May 22
Samrat Chakrabarti stars in Soham Mehta’s Fatakra, Shiva Shankar Bajpai’s Raju, and Rehana Mirza’s Zameer & Preeti at NYIFF
Vikas Khanna’s Holy Kitchens Karma to Nirvana premieres at New York Indian Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas
11th Annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), May 4-8, 2011
Nan Melville’s Documentary ‘Nrityagram: For the Love of Dance’ screens at the Newport Beach Film Festival on May 3
Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s 30th Annual Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival: April 30 and May 1, 2011
Duke Ellington Week 2011 Events in NY, April 25-30
Foremost American Taiko Artist, Kenny Endo, to perform in Tokyo on April 24 and April 30
Join Minami Tamaki LLP & Inspirational Opportunities for Youth and Seniors (IOYS) in Helping Victims of Japan Earthquake
Philip Glass, Hal Willner, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Ryuichi Sakamoto in Japan Society’s Concert for Japan in NYC
Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund
Marva Hicks and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra light up the Southern Theatre with a “A Night at the Apollo”
Video: Denise Burse as Claretha Jenkins on House of Payne
André De Shields stars in Chicago Premiere of Charles Smith’s The Gospel According to James at Victory Gardens 5/14-6/12
Up Close and Personal with Darren Pettie, Star of The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet,Tracee Chimo opening night of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon
Multimedia: Exclusive photos and video of Disney’s The Lion King Las Vegas -In the Makeup Chair with Thom Sesma
AAJA & MOCA FREE Panel & Town Hall on covering Chinatown: “CHINATOWN, UNCOVERED”
Fox 5 News NY WNYW-TV’s Ti-Hua Chang Receives AAJA National Journalism Award – story on Asian American Poverty
Ti-Hua Chang reports on poverty among Asian Americans in New York
2009 Asian American Journalists Association Awards
Living Colour NYC Concert Photos
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Lia Chang Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

As a photographer and videographer, Lia collaborates with artists, organizations and companies in establishing their documentary photo archive and social media presence. She has been documenting her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism since making her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden. Lia currently plays Nurse Lia on “One Life to Live”. She has appeared in Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and “New York Undercover”.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

April 18, 2011
Categories: Art, Asian American Artists, Asian American Issues, Culture, Dance, Entertainment, Food, Free, Music, New York, Non profit, Travel . Tags: 32nd Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival, and Nuf Said ft. Ioana Vintu, and Yosakoi Dance, Asian United Sports Club, Backstage Pass with Lia Chang, Blue Dragon TKD Demo Team, CeFaan Kim, Chinese Freemason Athletic Club, City Wing Tsun Kung Fu and Gao’s Kung Fu Academy: Soh Daiko, Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, Dana Leong ft. Le Zhang, Hsu-nami, Jen Kwok, Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center, Kelly Tsai, Kyakkokan Dojo, Lia Chang, Michelle Yu, Moy Ving Tsung, MSNBC, MyFoxNY.com, New York Chinese Cultural Center, Nina Sophia Mojares, NY1, PaperDoll, Polynesian Dance, Reni Mimura, Rich Kameda, Richard Lui, Ronald McDonald, Taikoza, Ti-Hua Chang, Union Square Park, World Martial Arts Center . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin on view at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Group, Anthony Martin and the Estate of David Stone Martin

Through December 31, 2010, Jazz at Lincoln Center is presenting a free art exhibition entitled Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin, featuring the record-album art of David Stone Martin (1913-1992)—whose brilliantly evocative jazz covers for the Verve label and others set the industry standard. The prolific graphic designer sought visual equivalents of the music contained in the sleeves he illustrated: iconic images instantly recognizable as modern jazz.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Group, Anthony Martin and the Estate of David Stone Martin

Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin, on view at the Peter Jay Sharp Arcade, 5th floor, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle in New York, is curated by Robert G. O’Meally, C. Daniel Dawson, Diedra Harris-Kelley and Linda Florio (designer), with Tad Hershorn of the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, as special curatorial advisor.

Born in Chicago on June 13, 1913, David Livingstone Martin declared at age 16 that he would build a career as an artist. His submission of drawings he made for school publications garnered him a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago.

In 1935, Martin worked as a supervisor for the Federal Arts Projects of Western Illinois, and then as art director of the Tennessee Valley Authority. During the 1940s, Martin teamed up with William Golden (designer of the CBS “eye” logo), and with Ben Shahn, who became a close friend and the most important influence on Martin’s fast-evolving style. During WWII, the trio of Golden, Shahn, and Martin produced charts and maps for the U.S. Office of Strategic Services as well as visuals for the Office of War Information.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Group, Anthony Martin and the Estate of David Stone Martin

Martin’s work for Life magazine during these years set the stage for his painting important cover portraits for Time magazine in the 1960s and 70s.

Martin’s foray into the jazz world began in 1944 when his friend Mary Lou Williams, the composer/pianist, persuaded the producer Moses Asch to hire Martin to design the cover for her new album of 78 rpm records—Martin’s first record cover. Martin did dozens of covers for Ash, which attracted the attention of one of Ash’s associates, Norman Granz, who would become one of the most important jazz impresarios.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Group, Anthony Martin and the Estate of David Stone Martin

With more than 400 album covers to his credit, Martin’s has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. In April 1986, the New York Public Library and the Museum of the Performing Arts presented an exhibition of Martin’s jazz work called “Designs in Jazz.”

Martin spent his last years in New London, Connecticut, with his wife, Sheri. Two of his sons, Stefan and Anthony, also are visual artists. David Stone Martin succumbed to pneumonia in New London, CT, on March 6, 1992.

The exhibition Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin is FREE and open to the public, Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm and 6pm to 11pm and Monday from 6pm to 11pm.

There are also free guided gallery talks with curators. No RSVP required.
Sat., September 25, 2010 at 6:30pm with Robert G. O’Meally
Sat., October 9, 2010 at 6:30pm with Diedra Harris-Kelley
Sat., November 13, 2010 at 6:30pm with C. Daniel Dawson
All tours meet in the Peter Jay Sharp Arcade, 5th Floor, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Columbus Circle, NYC

Sponsors:
This exhibition is made possible by a generous gift from Janice and Bob Burns.

MasterCard® is the preferred card of Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners:
BET J, Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Related, and Sirius XM Radio.

Lia Chang Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

As a photographer and videographer, Lia collaborates with artists, organizations and companies in establishing their documentary photo archive and social media presence. She has been documenting her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism since making her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, VIBE, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Celebrating my mom – AN ACTIVE VISION: BEVERLY UMEHARA…LABOR ACTIVIST…1945-1999
Crafting a Career
My Empire State Building at Dusk on view in HHC’s “Art and Healing-Healthy for the Holidays” Art Exhibit
Andy Warhol, Romare Bearden, Alexander Calder, Lia Chang in Art & Healing Exhibit at Snug Harbor on SI
A night out with Gordana Rashovich, Flora Goforth in The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
André De Shields Set for World Premiere of Charles Smith’s The Gospel According to James at Indiana Rep, 3/22-4/10
Photos: De Shields, McClendon, Elisa, Glasco, Nemser, Phillips, Thompson at The Sovereign State of Boogedy Boogedy Reading
Photos of Lion Dancers in Los Angeles Chinatown
Photos: A.B. Cruz III and Lillian Kimura Receive 2011 AALDEF Justice in Action Awards
Photos of Lion Dancers in Los Angeles Chinatown
Photos: Chinese New Year Festival at The Huntington in San Marino
Photos:The Working Theater’s Off-Broadway production of HONEY BROWN EYES by Stefanie Zadravec at The Clurman
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet,Tracee Chimo opening night of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon
André De Shields leads cast of Charles Smith’s Knock Me A Kiss at Abrons Arts Center
Multimedia: Exclusive photos and video of Disney’s The Lion King Las Vegas -In the Makeup Chair with Thom Sesma
Photo Call: BD Wong and the Cast of Heading East at the Asia Society
Lia Chang’s Botanical Beauties Portrait Commission at School of Nursing at Kings County Hospital Center
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

July 27, 2010
Categories: Art, Entertainment, Free, Jazz, Music, New York . Tags: Art Exhibition, Backstage Pass with Lia Chang, C. Daniel Dawson, David Stone Martin, Diedra Harris-Kelley, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Institute of Jazz Studies, jazz album covers, Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Lia Chang, Linda Florio, Peter Jay Sharp Arcade, record-album art, Robert G. O’Meally, Rutgers University, Tad Hershorn, Verve . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Lia Chang: AAIFF 09 Free Film Screenings, 7/30-8/1

Christopher Wong’s Whatever It Takes, Sarba Das’ Karma Calling and Nian Liu’s Li Tong are among the films featured in the Asian American International Film Festival’s (AAIFF) weekend of free community screenings, which will be held in Harlem, Manhattan Chinatown and Flushing, Queens from July 30-August 1, 2009.

Christopher Wong's Whatever It Takes

The Festival continues its partnership with the Maysles Institute in Harlem with a screening of the documentary feature Whatever It Takes on Thursday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m. The film, which won the Audience Choice Award at this year’s Festival, follows the first year of principal Edward Tom at the Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics, a small, specialized school that is still working to patch the cracks in America’s public education system.

Nian Liu's Li Tong

Venturing out to the Queens Library in Flushing, the Festival will showcase two feature films, Li Tong by Nian Liu and Karma Calling by Sarba Das. Both were Festival highlights: Karma Calling was the only feature to be screened twice during AAIFF, and Li Tong’s director, Nian Liu, won the jury award for Best Emerging Director in Narrative Feature. Following the feature presentations will be a collection of short films from the Festival program, Home Is Where the Heart Is. The screenings will begin at noon on Saturday, August 1st.

Sarba Das' Karma Calling

“This is a great opportunity for anyone who missed the main Festival to see some of its best films,” commented John Woo, Acting Executive Director of Asian CineVision. “It’s also part of our resolution to overcome the financial pressure that faces the arts this year. AAIFF was conceived as a space for emerging artists to showcase their work, and with these screenings, we ensure that this space is preserved within New York communities- especially within underserved communities that have a great need for cultural and artistic expression.”

A complete listing of screening events and venues follows:
AAIFF COMMUNITY SCREENINGS, JULY 30 – AUGUST 1, 2009
Whatever It Takes, dir. Christopher Wong
USA / 97min / Documentary
The first year of the Bronx Center of Science and Mathematics is documented in this film. While the school’s stated mission is to patch the cracks in New York’s education system, it’s clear that the odds are stacked against its success.
Maysles Cinema
343 Lennox Avenue and 127th St., Harlem
Thursday, July 30 @ 7:00 p.m.
$7 suggested admission

Li Tong, dir. Nian Liu
China / 74min / Narrative
A restless young girl loses her bus pass one day after school. Her meandering trip home is the thread of this poignant “day in the life” tale, which wends its way through the various homes, personae and urban landscapes of contemporary Beijing.

Followed by:
Karma Calling, dir. Sarba Das
USA / 90min / Narrative
The Raj family is definitely not comprised of stereotypical model minorities living the American Dream. On top of the family’s troubled finances, the family hosts a recently widowed relative who is an endless source of comic disasters.

Followed by:
Shorts Program, Home Is Where the Heart Is
Immigration is more than a series of border crossings. Whether in New York, San Francisco, or Taiwan, the immigrants in these shorts must reconcile their places in the new world with their foundations in the old. Their lives, by choice and by force, plot a new course for the meaning of “home.”

Featuring The Veiled Commodity, dir. Dickson Chow and Vinh Chung; A Green Mountain the Drawer, dir. Hwa Jun Lee; 20 30 40, dir. Mei-Yu Lee; Here to Stay, dir. ManSee Kong; Lower East Side: An Endangered Place, dir. MA Shumin.

Queens Library, Flushing Branch
41-17 Main St., Flushing, Queens
Saturday, August 1 @ noon
Free admission

July 29, 2009
Categories: Asian American Artists, Asian American Issues, Entertainment, Film, Free, New York . . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Melba Joyce and her Big Band at Mid Summer Night’s Swing on July 14 by Lia Chang

Melba Joyce

One of my favorite things to do in the summertime is Lincoln Center’s annual dance event, “Mid Summer Night’s Swing.” Melba Joyce and her Big Band will play two sets of dance music, at 7:30pm and 9pm, on Tuesday, July 14 at Damrosch Park, (62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues).

The big band era had only a few female band leaders – Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday were two – but now veteran jazz songbird Melba Joyce joins their ranks. Joyce, who has sung with The Count Basie Orchestra and The Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as made numerous recordings, has assembled a constellation of New York jazz all stars to perform this summer.

The band features Helen Sung on piano, Wally Gator on Drums, Melissa Slocum on bass, Michael Slocum on bass and trumpets, Michael Howell, guitar, Tanya Darby, Freddie Hendrix, Shawn Edmonds and Valery Pomomarve on trumpet, Don Braden and Anat Cohen on tenor sax, Cleve Guyton and Leticia Benjamin on alto sax, Lauren Savian on baritone sax, Debra Weisz, Benny Powell and Clarence Banks on trombone and Barry Cooper on bass trombone.

The group will swing the standards, the no-so standards, old tunes, new tunes some Latin on the side.

“I am dedicating this evening to the memory of my father, Melvin Moore, who was a big band singer in the 40′s and 50′ celebrated in The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. He sang and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, Neil Hefti, Lucky Millinder and Ernie Fields to name a few,” shared Miss Joyce.

www.melbajoyce.com
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July 13, 2009
Categories: African American Artists, Dance, Entertainment, Free, Jazz, Music, New York . Tags: Anat Cohen, Barry Cooper, Benny Powell, Big Band, Clarence Banks, Cleve Guyton, Debra Weisz, Don Braden, Freddie Hendrix, Helen Sung, Lauren Savian, Leticia Benjamin, Lincoln Center, Melba Joyce, Melissa Slocum, Michael Howell, Michael Slocum, Mid Summer Night's Swing, Shawn Edmonds and Valery Pomomarve, Tanya Darby, Wally Gator . Author: Lia Chang . Comments: Leave a Comment

Lia Chang

Lia Chang Photos: Kathie Lee Gifford at the 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Unveiling in New York

Lia Chang: 32nd Annual Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Festival at Union Square Park in NYC on May 8

Jazz at First Sight: The Art of David Stone Martin on view at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Lia Chang: AAIFF 09 Free Film Screenings, 7/30-8/1

Melba Joyce and her Big Band at Mid Summer Night’s Swing on July 14 by Lia Chang

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