CAMBA is a non-profit agency that provides services that connect people with opportunities to enhance their quality of life.  CAMBA offers integrated services & programs in Economic Development, Education & Youth Development, Legal & Housing Services & Development, Family Support Services & HIV/AIDS Services.  CAMBA serves more than 35,000 individuals & families each year with the majority of clients living, working &/or attending school in Brooklyn.

Since 1991, CAMBA has been one of the world’s premier purveyors of Shona Sculptures.  Shona sculptures are created by the internationally renowned sculptors of Zimbabwe, a country whose name literally means “house of stone.”  The work of Shona sculptors is inspired by deeply held spiritual beliefs, folklore & daily life.  Zimbabwe’s unstable political climate now makes it difficult for its artists to find a market for their unique sculptures.

CAMBA’s commitment to maintaining a Shona gallery provides the artists with the opportunity to continue their artistic endeavors, as well as for the art to be offered at reasonable prices & the sales to benefit CAMBA’s programs & services – allowing them to continue to help people improve their lives.

CAMBA’s Annual Benefit Sale of Shona Stone Sculptures from Zimbabwe takes place June 24-27.  If you’re interested in viewing the collection & making a purchase, contact CAMBA.

Early in the day, Carolyn Leonhart & Jay Leonhart joined us for some glorious jazz – on upright bass & vocals.  And, at the end of the day, Claire “Raji” Rodriguez stopped by with vocals & some classic Broadway tunes & folk music.

Lady & a Tramp’s Bloglife describes a moment with the Leonharts “as the sound of Jay’s combination upright bass & scat playing style peek(s) from under the warm blanket of sound (in which) his daughter Carolyn’s incredibly mesmerizing & soulful voice covers you.”  They also captured some great footage of the duo.  You can see & hear “Sometimes I Think” by clicking here or “The Bass Lesson” here.

Neville Dance Theatre – Myrtle Avenue’s resident dance company – promotes & creates contemporary & ethnic dance works that look at social issues, cultural traditions & the human condition.  They’re a strong contributor to our community through their productions as well as free performances.  Plus, they’re really good at what they do!

This week they’re celebrating their Fifth Year Anniversary with a rockin’ party & fundraiser.  If you can join them, you’ll have a blast & help support a staple of the arts & the community…

NDT 5th ANNIVERSARY PARTY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT

• DATE: Monday, June 21^st – ONE NIGHT ONLY
• TIME: 6-9pm
• LOCATION: Still Bar (192 3rd Avenue @ 17th Street NYC)
• ADMISSION: Suggested Donation: $20 – anything accepted!

Neville Dance Theatre as been blessed with five wonderful years of creating & presenting dance!!!  So they’re celebrating with a one-night only grand bash.

Meet & mingle with the NDT dancers & director Brenda R. Neville for an after work party celebration of drinks, food & camaraderie to celebrate their 5th Year Anniversary.

The evening includes a DJ & live musical performances, NDT repertory video instillation, amazing raffle gift baskets & the premiere of Leah Brizard’s photography project Up Close & Personal: the NDT Dance.

The evening also serves as the company’s main spring fundraiser – so come, bring a friend & have some fun!!

Make Music New York is a live, free musical celebration across the city that takes place each June 21st — the longest day of the year.

On that day, hundreds of public spaces throughout the five boroughs — sidewalks, parks, community gardens, and more — become impromptu stages for over 1,000 free concerts.

Eleven (count ‘em: 11!) of the venues are right here on Myrtle Avenue. Come out & groove to the music & relax or eat, drink & be merry.

PARTICIPATING MYRTLE AVENUE BUSINESSES…

Anima Italian Bistro @ 458 Myrtle Avenue

• 1-8pm Anthony Cedras Global (Soul & R&B)

Brooklyn Junior @ 150 Clinton Avenue

• 2:30-5pm Jesse Goldman (Experimental, Swing, Americana)

Castro’s Mexican Cuisine @ 511 Myrtle Avenue

• 5:30-10pm DJ Fuerte

Chez Lola @ 387 Myrtle Avenue

• 7:30-10:30pm Sedric Choukroroun Brazilian Jazz Trio (Samba, Jazz, Pop)

Chez Oskar @ 211 DeKalb Avenue

• 7:30-10:30pm The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn (Jazz, Swing, Blues)

Fort Greene SNAP @ 324 Myrtle Avenue

• 3-5pm Anisa Fujah (Jazz)
• 5-6pm Soulfolk Experience (Jazz)
• 6-7pm Jesse Goldman (Experimental Jazz)

Gnarly Vines @ 350 Myrtle Avenue

• 1:30-3pm Carolyn Leonhart & Jay Leonhart (Jazz, Soul, Standards)
• 5-6pm  Claire “Raji” Rodriguez (Folk, Indie, Pop)

Green in BKLYN @ 432 Myrtle Avenue

• 12-1:15pm Carolyn Leonhart & Jay Leonhart (Jazz, Soul, Standards)
• 4-5pm  Claire “Raji” Rodriguez (Folk, Indie, Pop)

Los Pollitos III @ 499 Myrtle Avenue

• 5:30-9pm Edwin Vasquez Band (Latin)

Move with Grace Yoga, Dance & Pilates Studio @ 469 Myrtle Avenue

• 8pm Nucomme (Rock, Soul)
• 8:30pm Cavalier (Hip Hop, Soul)
• 9:00pm The Outabodies (Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock)

Sans Souci Restaurant @ 330 Myrtle Avenue

• 1:00-9:00pm Metric Man aka The Freedom Fighter (Reggae)

Fort Greene Park @ Myrtle Avenue Entrance

• 12-1pm WATCH High School
• 2-3pm JHS 185 Drumline
• 3-4pm Ronald Edmonds Middle School 113 Choir
• 6-7pm Maracatu New York (Brazilian Percussion)

PLUS!  For all our neighborhood Liberaces & local Alicia Keys, the pianos are coming!  Sing for Hope takes music to the streets with Play Me, I’m Yours, a public art project that brings 60 pianos to the parks & public spaces of New York City.  Fort Greene Park will have two pianos–one on Myrtle (at the Myrtle entrance to the Fort Greene Park) & another just up the hill at the north oval, just opposite the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument.

The piano will be open & available for anyone to sit and play from Friday, June 18th at 4pm until Monday, July 5th.

Make Music New York (MMNY) is a live, free musical celebration across the city that takes place each June 21 — the longest day of the year.  It takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 327 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.

As part of MMNY, Green in BKLYN will host Carolyn & Jay Leonhart as well as Claire “Raji” Rodriguez.  If we’re lucky, a few other musicians will be stopping by to play, too.  We hope you’ll stop by throughout the day & join us for music at these times.

At Green in BKLYN – Make Music New York – Monday, June 21st:

• 12-1:15pm Carolyn Leonhart with Jay Leonhart – Jazz, Soul & Standards/Bass & Vocals
• 4-5 pm Claire “Raji” Rodriguez – Jazz, Indie & Folk

Be sure to visit Myrtle Avenue throughout the day as well.  There are free music performances taking place at 12 different spots up & down the corridor.

In addition, as part of the “Play Me, I’m Yours” public art project, there will be an upright piano stationed at the Fort Greene Park Plaza (at Myrtle & Washington Park) for passersbys to play anytime from June 21st through July 5th.

For more info on Myrtle Avenue’s Make Music New York schedule, click here.  For the Make Music New York schedule throughout the City, click here.

Make Music New York

On the first day of summer, hundreds of public spaces throughout the five boroughs — sidewalks, parks, community gardens & more — become impromptu stages for over 1,000 free concerts.  Musicians of all ages, creeds & musical persuasions perform for new audiences, who are encouraged to come out from under their headphones to hear unfamiliar groups risk-free.

Green in BKLYN is excited to be hosting Carolyn & Jay Leonhart as well as Claire “Raji” Rodriguez as part of Make Music New York.  On Monday, June 21st, the shop will be open & featuring live music – two unusual events for a Monday.  We hope you’ll stop by throughout the day & join us for music at these times.

At Green in BKLYN – Make Music New York – Monday, June 21st:

• 12-1:15pm Carolyn Leonhart with Jay Leonhart – Jazz, Soul & Standards/Bass & Vocals
• 4-6pm Claire “Raji” Rodriguez – Jazz, Indie & Folk

Be sure to visit Myrtle Avenue throughout the day as well.  There are free music performances taking place at 12 different spots up & down the corridor.

In addition, as part of the “Play Me, I’m Yours” public art project, there will be an upright piano stationed at the Fort Greene Park Plaza (at Myrtle & Washington Park) for passersbys to play anytime from June 21st through July 5th.

For more info on Myrtle Avenue’s Make Music New York schedule, click here.  For the Make Music New York schedule throughout the City, click here.

Their monkeys are made by volunteers & the profits from the sale of the monkeys go to fresh art‘s arts programs for people with disabilities.

For more information on fresh art & their programs, go to their web site.  If you’d like to support them & their commitment “to provide expanded artistic, personal development & entrepreneurial opportunities to New York City artists with special needs,” go to their fresh art’s Annual Fund Raiser…

• Date: Tuesday, June 15th
• Time: 6:30 to 9:00 pm
• Where: Bowery Wine Company @ 13 East First St. (Bowery/2nd Ave.)
• How Much: $30 in advance/$35 at door

Get there early! There’ll be a FREE open bar with wine, beer & sangria from 6:30 to 7:30 pm as well as light snacks.  After 7:30 there will be a cash bar.

Be prepared to bid on something fabulous at the silent auction with all event proceeds going directly to benefit fresh art.

Reserve your space now on fresh art‘s website.

Myrtle Avenue’s resident dance company, Neville Dance Theatre, is rocking May & June with a series of FREE & low cost events – parades, performances & parties.

Neville Dance Theatre promotes & creates contemporary & ethnic dance works that look at social issues, cultural traditions & the human condition.  They’re a strong contributor to our community through their productions as well as free performances.  Plus, they’re really good at what they do!

Below are a number of ways – free, cheap & easy – to get a taste of & support this community mainstay… Enjoy!

DANCE PARADE & DANCEFEST

• DATE: THIS Saturday, May 22^nd
• TIME: 1-3pm – Parade (Starts at 20^th & Bway NYC)
• TIME: 4 pm – NDT Performance (Mainstage A in Tompkins Square Park NYC)
• ADMISSION: None.  Events are FREE!

Come on out for this year’s DANCE PARADE & FESTIVAL!  Enjoy the warm weather & tons of FREE dances as more than 6,000 NYC dancers, companies & schools march down Broadway for the 4th Annual Dance Parade.

The multi-cultural parade starts at 20th Street & Broadway in Manhattan, travels South through Union Square, turns East onto 8th Street & continues into Tompkins Square Park in the East Village where there will be tons of FREE performances, events & dance classes!

Visit their website for parade route & info on all the free events taking place.

INDEPENDANCE PERFORMANCE

• DATE: Wednesday, June 2^nd & Thursday, June 3^rd
• TIME: 8pm
• LOCATION: City Center Studio 5 (130 West 56 Street, 5^th floor – btw 6 & 7 Ave. NYC)
• ADMISSION: $10 in advance.  $15 at door.

NDT premieres Shift (a work-in-progress) as part of Eidolon Ballet’s IndepenDance Choreographers’ Showcase.

Coupling contemporary dance & flamenco flare, the piece for six women draws inspiration from earths’ ongoing internal clashes & eruptions of its ever shifting plates.  Audience members have the rare opportunity to get up close & personal with NDT plus the work of several emerging & established choreographers & dance companies.

Visit their website for more info.

NDT 5th ANNIVERSARY PARTY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT

• DATE: Monday, June 21^st – ONE NIGHT ONLY
• TIME: 6-9pm
• LOCATION: Still Bar (192 3rd Avenue @ 17th Street NYC)
• ADMISSION: Suggested Donation: $20 – anything accepted!

Neville Dance Theatre has been blessed with five wonderful years of creating & presenting dance!!!  So they’re celebrating with a one-night only grand bash.

Meet & mingle with the NDT dancers & director Brenda R. Neville for an after work party celebration of drinks, food & camaraderie to celebrate their 5th Year Anniversary.

The evening includes a DJ & live musical performances, NDT repertory video instillation, amazing raffle gift baskets & the premiere of Leah Brizard’s photography project Up Close & Personal: the NDT Dance.

The evening also serves as the company’s main spring fundraiser – so come, bring a friend & have some fun!!

You might have caught them on Ugly Betty a few months ago, also.

Wherever you’ve seen them, if you’ve seen them, you know they rock!  Clever, funny, rugged, beautiful & – of course – eco-friendly, they’re one of a kind.

And now, there’s a new girl in town.

Joining Brobot, Mr. October, Robama 3.0 & Dougie Goes Walkies is… Pearl.  She’s been described as full-figured, girly & quite a catch.  However you slice it, she’s a looker.

So, come by, take a look.  Or take her home.

On Saturday, May 15th & Sunday, May 16th from 12-6pm (rain or shine), the Stroll (sponsored by SONYA) is free & open to the public.

A self-guided tour of SONYA artists’ studios & galleries, it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet local artists & experience the work they create.

SONYA (South Of the Navy Yard Artists) is a non-profit organization of visual artists living, creating &/or exhibiting in the Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Wallabout & Bed-Stuy neighborhoods of Brooklyn. They’re as diverse & dynamic as the community they serve – Flushing Avenue on the North, Bedford Avenue on the East, Atlantic Avenue on the South & Flatbush on the West.

The SONYA Studio Stroll is the best opportunity to become part of their creative process, see their latest work & learn how their art is created.

Plus, we’ll be hosting SONYA artist, C Bangs, at Green in BKLYN!  C’s work investigates frontier science combined with symbolist figuration in all media.  Curious?  Well, then stroll on into the shop to meet this wonderful woman & artist, view her work & learn more about her process, art work & experience.

To download a copy of the Stroll map, go to SONYA’s website or click here.