Harlem’s Jimmy Castor, Dies at 71 (video)

Jimmy Castor, a singer, instrumentalist and songwriter whose mastery of genres from doo-wop to Latin soul to funk, and instruments including saxophone and bongos earned him the title Everything Man, died on Monday in Henderson, Nev. He was 71. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example:…

Walter’s World: Call Me Crazy

By Walter Rutledge After a successful two-day run in the spring of 2011 Helena D. Lewis’ one woman show, Call Me Crazy: Diary of a Mad Social Worker returns to the Kumble Theater for an unprecedented six performances beginning Friday September 23 through Sunday October 2, 2011. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter…

Last Dragon Star O’Brien Shot 3 Times In Harlem

Leo O’Brien — the actor who played Bruce Leroy‘s little brother Richie in 1985’s “The Last Dragon” star has assured fans he’s “alright” after he was shot twice on Monday (5, Sep, 2011). The actor, in the cult martial arts movie, was in Harlem, New York when a gunman opened fire on Adam Clayton Powell…

Harlem’s Duke Ellington, Photograph By Lee Tanner (video)

Duke Ellington When his drummer Sonny Greer was invited to join the Wilber Sweatman Orchestra in New York City, Ellington made the fateful decision to leave behind his successful career in Washington, D.C., and move to Harlem, becoming one of the figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select…

Anniversary Of A’Lelia Walker’s Death (August 17th, 1931)

Eighty years ago this month on August 17, 1931–after a lovely day at the beach celebrating a friend’s birthday– A’Lelia Walker, my great-grandmother and namesake, died in Long Branch, New Jersey. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from…

Butch Lewis, More than a Promoter

By Marc “The Raz” Rasbury With the all of the NFL lockout news dominating the sports airwaves of late, the death of the flamboyant boxing promoter, Butch Lewis, flew under the radar screen this week. But this in no way should diminish the impact this man had on the world of boxing and the entertainment…

My Cancer: Only A Small Part Of My Life II

I’m Still Here! My 1st article for Harlem World My Cancer: Only a Small Part of my Life was in October 2009, when I was into my 5th month living with brain cancer. Here’s a brief recap before I get into what’s been going on. I had surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor;…

Michael’s World: Lexus HS 250h

Coming from a family of big car drivers with a preference for luxury, I was so surprised to hear their overwhelmingly satisfied reactions to the look and feel of the Lexus HS 250h. My dad, an old school Buick fan, felt for the first time that he could own a foreign luxury car and a…

Harlem Jazz Museum Acquires Trove By Greats

For decades jazz cognoscenti have talked reverently of “the Savory Collection.” Recorded from radio broadcasts in the late 1930s by an audio engineer named William Savory, it was known to include extended live performances by some of the most honored names in jazz — but only a handful of people had ever heard even the…

Interview: Harlem’s Max Rodriguez Harlem Book Fair

By Janee Nesbitt Max Rodriguez is the founder and publisher of QBR The Black Book Review, a national literature review that focuses on authors in the African Diaspora. He is the founder and director of Harlem Book Fair (HBF), the nation’s largest African-American book festival and publisher of HBF publishing, who collaborates with Author Solutions,…

Collette Henry: Only A Small Part Of My Life (Part II)

By Collette Henry I’M STILL HERE! My 1st article for Harlem World was in October 2009, when I was into my 5th month living with braincancer.   Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Harlem World Magazine. (You…

Scientology Flys Medical Team to Haiti

A charter flight organized by the Church of Scientology carried 126 doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and Scientology Volunteer Ministers to Port-au-Prince where the group arrived Sunday. Assisted by Homeland Security, the plane left JFK International Airport Saturday to provide urgently needed help in Haiti in the wake of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit…

Harlemite Sean John Combs

Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Diddy, and P. Diddy, is an Harlem rapper. He’s a record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding Bad…

Woman Leads Harlem Hellfighters Unit

The first female brigade commander in New York National Guard history will lead the legendary Harlem Hellfighters. Col. Stephanie Dawson is to become the commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade during a ceremony Saturday at the Harlem Armory. The unit was formed during World War I as an all-black regiment and was among the first…