Charles E. Rogers – President: Rogers Artist Media, Inc.

In addition to public relations representation for Algonquin Theater Productions, Woodie King Jr’s New Federal Theatre, the Negro Ensemble Company, Black Spectrum Theatre, The H.A.D.L.E.Y. Players and the 2006–2008 AUDELCO Awards, Rogers Artist Media President, Charles E. Rogers (an alumnus of St. John's University), has, for numerous major recording labels including Sony, Polygram, Epic, Motown, Elektra, Island, RCA, Interscope, and Universal, been a PR consultant, written press releases and artist biographies, created special multi-media packages, performed Media Training, and written and edited biographies and personalized newsletters for gold and platinum recording stars such as Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child, Luther Vandross, Kelly Price, Donelle Jones, M.C. Trouble, Jodeci, Immature, BeBe Winans, TLC, Sisters With Voices (SWV), BLACKstreet, Salt 'N' Pepa, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, and Naughty By Nature.

As an experienced, respected entertainment journalist Mr. Rogers, former arts editor for the upscale urban men’s magazine Today's Black Men, has had bylines in many major publications in the U.S. and abroad, including: the New York Daily News, the Amsterdam News (“Different Stages” column), Spring Creek Sun (“Star Tracking” column), Essence Magazine, Everybody's Caribbean Magazine, Black Radio Exclusive, Billboard Magazine, Right On!, Word Up!, Rapmasters, Black Elegance, Spice, Black Beat; and in England, Street Scene, and Blues & Soul magazines.

Currently the public relations representative of popular film, TV and stage stars Obba Babatunde’, Carol Woods, and Samaria Graham, Brooklyn, New York born and based Charles Rogers concludes, “Presenting our clients in the best possible light, to the widest, most responsive audience is the primary mission of Rogers Artist Media, Inc.”

Disco Video Remix by Glenn Rivera

"Calling Planet Earth" by The Dennis Coffey Band - Disco Video Mix by Glenn Rivera

DiscoVideoMix.com
WATCH ON YOU TUBE
WATCH ON MULTIPLY

The Dennis Coffey Band released “A Sweet Taste Of Sin” in 1978 – arranged and produced by Mr. Dennis Coffey. The project features Coffey’s outstanding work on guitars as well.

The funky track is a spin on a sci-fi encounter in this Disco Video Mix along with the 1968 film, “Planet Of The Apes” staring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter. The script was originally written by Rod Serling But many changes were made to create a more primitive ape society rather than a futuristic as Serling envisioned.

I have used the theme of Coffey’s disco number as the outline for the science fiction premise of the film in a lighter end.

Featuring scenes from “Planet Of The Apes” – RENT THE DVD!
Disco Video Mix by Glenn Rivera
Produced by Ken Emmons

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GO TO SHADES OF SEVENTIES!!!
www.discovideomix.com

 

A Day in the "The Life of Riley"

"WE WILL FIND A WAY"*

* Song titles from Melinda Doolittle's CD 

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to take this time to underscore the ‘pop culture’ and ‘possibilities’ in my days, one of my joys. Not because my cup isn’t running over with things to ‘report’ and ‘optimism’ to boot. From Obama to The Super Bowl, there’s a lot of great stuff going on. But right now, it’s tough for me. Work is drying up. Bills are piling up. Depression has kicked in. And sometimes I feel there’s nowhere to turn because so many are experiencing the same despair. I suppose that should help (in a small way) that I am not alone in this recession that has taken hold of many in epidemic numbers. But it doesn’t. Not always at least.

But I TRUST IT TO PASS. So, I’ll aim to stay focused without the interruption of collectors calling incessantly on auto-dial (for me to say the same thing to them today that I said to them yesterday. NO MONEY RIGHT NOW but working on it!!!!). And I’ll attempt to catch you up – knowing that the many breakdowns that are popping off quite regularly these days will eventually lead to a BREAKTHROUGH. This marks as a TESTIMONY!!!! And a PRAYER!

 

"COMING BACK TO (MELINDA)"

 

Remember “American Idol” finalist Melinda Doolittle whose Season 6 run took her near the top slot of the popular TV show and allowed her to be coached by ‘my American Idol’ Diana Ross? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ2uN5yBqes Well, I got the chance to sit down with her one-on-one at the posh London NYC Hotel (www.thelondonnyc.com/).

Of course, I had to ask her about Diana:

PATRICK: You gave [Diana Ross] “goose bumps”?

MELINDA: I was in a sheer panic because it’s hard when you’re sitting this close to someone [measuring our close distance sitting next to each other] and singing their song to them. And “The Wiz” is my favorite musical – hands down. So, for me, I was like – to do “Home” and do it in front of her. And she was just there with all of her hair. Beautiful! Motherly! Sweet! And she gave me a lot of great insight. But I was scared out of my mind.

PATRICK: You must have been scared as she sort of approached you on the night that she performed [“MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzX71lRZp9w]?

MELINDA: I was like “Thank God it was on the chorus because that’s all I could think of were the words for just that!” She’s walking over to me with her glorious dress. Just AWESOME!

Through the ‘boot camp’ of Simon, Randy, Paula, and Diana, Melinda – a well-known background singer for the likes of BeBe & CeCe Winans – is now ready to step into the spotlight with the release of her new solo CD “Coming Back to You” (www.myspace.com/melindadoolittle), out February 3. And it is her turn! Featuring Grammy-nominated producer Mike Mangini at the boards, she follows in the footsteps of Mike’s other clients Joss Stone, Run DMC, and The Jonas Brothers. But her style is all her own (if not that of every soul great that came before her). Recorded with a team of live musicians in Nashville and New York City, Melinda knocks out 13 songs that offer you a ride through blues clubs of Louisiana to the churches of Mississippi to the piano bars of New York City and beyond. CONGRATS, MELINDA! Thanks for giving Ant and me the chance to come by and hang with you for a little bit. I will continue to chronicle your rise to the top!

"WALKIN' BLUES"

My industry friend Aliza Rabinoff with Dan Klores Communications (www.dkcnews.com/) hooked me up with Melinda. Too, in the wake of our excitement around Obama’s being sworn in as our 44th President of the United States, she invited Ern, Ant, Manivone, and me out to celebrate. The evening was scored by the sounds of Latin, Afro-Brazilian and funk grooves at Bembe (www.bembe.us) courtesy of Barcelona’s DJ Turmix!

(www.myspace.com/djturmix). Since my desire to be in DC didn’t pan out, Ern, Ant, and I still celebrated at home (and we did enjoy hearing Howard University’s band perform Diana Ross’ “The Boss” for Mr. President and The First Lady - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNA6mweMUFQ... but we just wanted to get out and dance... and fellowship with our fellow Americans. And that we did which required a quick schlep from Jersey to Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. But also we met some great folks – most notably Miss Deb Goldstein, T-shirt designer whose business Miss Wit Designs, LLC - Tees For Good Times and its inventory should also be celebrated (www.misswit.net) and (http://misswiticisms.blogspot.com/). Deb was so much fun... and quite generous in buying us a couple of rounds, which goes a long way during these lean times. THANKS DEB (not pictured in one of her T-shirts above, but next to me in the group pictures above)! I look forward to hanging out with you very soon! Ant, Ern, and I continued getting our dance on at a Harlem set to which we were invited by our friend George (and Jamar worked with this party as well). The party is called "BLOOM" and this was an inaugural dance party featuring many of Harlem's brightest. Its mission is to celebrate the art and self-expression of the new post-modern tribe of the African Diaspora, their friends, and lovers. The party is produced by Supa'wine Productions Olubode Shawn Brown. One of Ern's and my favorites is Mariah Carey (circa early-90s). So, imagine our pleasure to pose with her duet partner and career-long background singer Trey Lorenz who you must know from his own solo project from the '90s and his collaboration on the #1 remake "I'll Be There" with Mrs. Canon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBCjx0pogY0).

"I WILL BE"

Look out “Real Housewives of Atlanta”!!! There’s a new reality show cast of 20-something Harlemites who are all on the road to actually creating their wealth and letting the world now how the FAB do it. I attended one of its tapings as this particular scene required a loft space full of grown and sexy tastemakers, celebrity notables, and fabulous fashionistas. It was my Spelman sister/'Harlem Heights' cast member Bridget Bland’s cousin Briana Bingham – also a cast member – debuting her luxury handbag line in Manhattan at Westside Loft (www.loft11.com/). Look out for her bags! Good look! Two of the cast members Landon C. Dais (www.UptownDems.org) and Aden Seraile are my young Morehouse brothers. And we met some other AUC alums while there – from the halls of Clark Atlanta University; Morehouse; and Spelman. Ern, and our girlfriend Cy (http://www.vivedesignhaus.com/) joined Ant and me. We enjoyed seeing my good friends Karu Daniels, entertainment producer for AOL/Black Voices:

(OFFICIAL URL: http://blackvoices.aol.com/black_entertainment)

(OFFICIAL BLOG: http://www.blackvoicesblogs.com/category/entertainment-newswire).

Also, Kevin-Anthony of “Black 2 Broadway” fame was in the house (www.b2productions.xbuild.com) and (www.myspace.com/b2bookings). It was also good to see Ra-Fael Blanco (www.myspace.com/2rsentertainmentandmedia) and (www.2RSENTANDMEDIA.com). His clients include Devon Christopher and Devon's publication BLEU Magazine (www.thebleumag.com/) which features a Diana-inspired “Mahogany” layout in its most recent issue. Ra-Fael also represents Danity Kane’s Dawn Richards. She was such a treat. So sweet! Dawn recently launched the first edition of her own comic book line, DANITY KANE Comics, which can be found at http://www.danitykanecomics.com/. This is cool as Ant is incorporating cartoon animation into an art project on which he's currently working. Stay tuned. Editions 2 and 3 will be released in the coming months and will be accompanied by an Original Music Soundtrack. Dawn is also in middle of shooting Season 5 of MTV's Making The Band, which will begin airing February 12 (www.mtv.com). Also, I got to introduce Cy to my girl Marcia Cole who now heads up her own cyber-mag Amber Magazine (www.ambermag.com). For more on “Harlem Heights”, check out http://www.bet.com/onblast/default.html?chan=3&id=2630&i=0&sub=&itype=e . And also check out “Baldwin Hills” (www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/baldwinhills/default.htm). Miss Sheryl Lee Ralph and her son Etienne take their reality chemistry beyond last year’s MTV's "My Super Sweet Sixteen" and shine on BET's new season of “Baldwin Hills”. CONGRATS! One more thing – since Morehouse came up in this section. My friend and a Morehouse brother Ken’s mother Gwen sent me this link: http://delasso.googlepages.com/kennedycenterhonors-moorhousecollegeglee

WOW! Talk about a blast from the past. I have mentioned my appearance on Kennedy Center Honors with my fellow Morehouse brethren as we honored Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Composer Robert Shaw but I only had it on VHS and hadn’t seen it in many, many years (It was taped in December 1991). Well, now there’s proof. It’s a holiday special I always looked forward to seeing (even as a child)... and clearly some years carry extra weight than others (i.e. Diana Ross being honored in 2007). But for me to be chosen by the producers my senior year to speak on behalf of my beloved Morehouse College Glee Club was truly a highlight... and still (after all these years). What a look BACK TO MY FUTURE!!!! Gwen asked “WERE YOU EVER THIS YOUNG?” I replied: “I am STILL 'THAT' YOUNG - boasting a 29" waist from high school... black not cracking... still have my hair (though a chosen bald do)... and I am ever-connected to my inner child.” LOL!

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