The Filtered Excellence: May 10, 2021

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Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this week’s picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more.

WATCH THIS

Chadwick Boseman:  Portrait Of An Artist.   The new Netflix documentary pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who in just a short period, racked up an exceptional body of work before he passed away from cancer last summer.  Directed by Awol Erizku, it features Viola Davis, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Glynn Turman and Taylour Paige, among others, telling on set stories and accolades about how Boseman was able to put in electrifying performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Black Panther, Get On Up, Da 5 Bloods, and more.  They also read passages from Boseman’s script notes that gives insight into his creative process.  There’s also interview and archival clips from the actor himself, revealing the person behind the talent.  Told with warmth, candor and love, it’s a beautiful salute to an actor who left us way too soon.  Chadwick Boseman: Portrait Of An Artist is available now on Netflix.

LISTEN TO THIS

9 Cups In The Moon by Starr Busby.   Whether as a singer, actor, composer or educator, Starr Busby always delivers a transformative performance.  Her debut EP features her otherworldly voice beautifully blurring the lines of R&B, avant garde and the experimental that soothes and stuns.  Working off a series of vocal loops, ‘Joy’ is the EP’s tour de force, as all facets of Busby’s vocal acrobatics are nothing short of majestic.  It’s an EP that at the next and highest level.  One of the year’s best.  9 Cups In The Moon by Starr Busby is available now through all major streaming services.

What Is Going On by Hannah Jadagu.  Singer-songwriter Hannah Jadagu didn’t have a laptop or studio access, so she used the GarageBand app on her iPhone , iRig, mic and a guitar to make her debut EP, and land a deal with Sub Pop Records.  Channeling her favorite bands such as Phoenix, Dayglow, Bon Iver, Jadagu put together a series of songs that address the death of George Floyd (My Bones), mental health (Bleep Bloop) love (the title track) and the insecurities surrounding adulthood (Sundown, Think Too Much).  Weaving in and out of alt rock and dream pop, it’s a striking debut from an artist with a bright future ahead.  What Is Going On by Hannah Jadagu is available now through all major streaming services.

READ THIS

Christo and Jean-Claude: 40th Anniversary Edition.  Ambitious in scope and breathtaking in execution, Christo and Jean-Claude’s public art installations were a wonderful assault on the senses, thrilling audiences around the world for 50 years.  Photographer Wolfgang Voltz was the exclusive photographer for the couple since 1971, and this new book showcases all of their projects through 2018.  Voltz has all access to the artists, from it’s early sketches to it’s unbelievable conclusion, perfectly capturing the vast scope of each project.  Working as a bio, retrospective and overview, it’s a dynamic coda to two artists who left an indelible mark on the art world.  Christo and Jean-Claude: 40th Anniversary Edition is available now through www.taschen.com.

DO THIS

New York City: Oracle by Sanford Biggers.  Conceptual artist Sanford Biggers has paired up with Rockefeller Center, The Art Production Fund and The Marianne Boeskt Gallery to present Oracle, Biggers’ largest exhibition to date.  It includes a 25 foot tall, nearly 8 ton bronze sculpture at the 5th Avenue entrance, graphic designs within each of the Rockefeller Center flags, smaller sculptures video still images, a 125 foot mural and much more.  A feast for the eyes, it gives plenty of reasons why Biggers was given  the largest art compilation by a single artist to be featured at a New York City landmark.  Be prepared to be awestruck and blown away.  Oracle by Sanford Biggers is on view at Rockefeller Center through June 29th.

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Earl Douglas

Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.
Earl Douglas

Earl Douglas

Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.