6 The Compass Friday, Decembers, 1997
Jazz House Cafe
showcases talent
At the mike
by Kimberly Hines
On Thursday, Oct. 23, 1997, the Stu
dent Life Committee held their second
poetry reading of the semester in the
Viking Den in the University Center.
The Viking Den, located in the old
snack bar beside the Blue Room, was
transformed into a jazz house cafe. Al
though student jazz bands perform
there some evenings, on this night mu
sic by Sade played over a radio as stu
dents filled the room and searched for
a seat, while others hung over the
punch bowl and circled the snacks.
Cornelius "Jackpot" Drake walked
up to the microphone and began to
whisper a poem. As he spoke. Students
began to bob their heads to the rhythm.
"Jackpot" brought a new flavor to the
poetry reading - rap.
The event was hosted by Ronel
Brewer, a junior English major who par
ticipated in the very first poetry read
ings, which began in April of last se
mester.
The packed room was so quiet you
could hear a fingernail pop. Students
sat on the edge of their seats, anxious
to hear what the next poets would de
liver.
The poetry ranged in ideas and
mood—from one student's emotional
delivery of a poem of sexual abuse en
titled "You Need To Know" to another
student's humorous poem entitled
"You Know That You're Ugly."
Students in attendance praised the
event.
"I was impressed by the talent that
was displayed," said Shina
Hemingway, a junior at ECSU, 'I didn't
realize that there were so many stu
dents with so much talent."
Darryl Turner was the second poet
to step up to the microphone. Turner
discussed the uniqueness and style of
a strong, united Black people in his
poem, "Blackness and If s Essence."
Kelvin Walston read his poem "To
Be An Individual." He was followed
by Ronel Brewer, who performed "A
Blues For Nina," a dramatic reenact
ment of an excerpt from the movie Love
Jones. Brewer also read several of his
own poems, including "Come With
Me" and "As Long As."
David Scott Gibson mesmerized the
audience with his poem "Freedom."
He was accompanied by Delicia Wright
and Tanisha Williams who sang "Free
dom! Freedom!" in the background.
Gibson continued with "My Beast,"
"God Knows," "Johnny's Train," and
"For a Quilter."
According to Blair Todd, an active
sophomore and President of the Stu
dent Life Committee, Valerie "Cap"
Bouldin, a 1997 graduate of ECSU, sug
gested the Jazz House Cafe to the com
mittee and he worked with her to have
it put into effect.
"Cap thought it would be a good
idea and I agreed," said Todd.
Ingrid Harris, an advisor of the Stu
dent Life Committee, said the idea for
the Jazz House Cafe derived from the
movie Love Jones, starring Nia Long
and Larenz Tate.
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Frank G. Scott photo
ECSU student Kendra Bunch performs original poetry at the Jazz House Cafe.
TV production course premiers at ECSU;
students to produce their own programs
by Damon Lynn
Want to learn how to take a date out
for under ten dollars?
Or perhaps you're interested in view
ing news and entertainment programs
about ECSU.
If so, you will be able to learn about
these subjects on a News Magazine Pro
gram, currently being produced by the
first television production class to be
offered at ECSU.
The program will hopefully air some
time during the spring semester, ac
cording to Elvin Jenkins, Director of
ECSU's TV Services.
The course is being offered through
the Department of Language, Litera
ture and Communication, in conjunc
tion with the new television station,
located in the Telecommunications
Building.
The station is currently broadcasting
on Channel 18 with a "bulletin board
system," according to Jenkins.
"The first step was to begin broad
casting, but by getting the bulletin
board system up, we have accom
plished a great deal," said Jenkins. The
bulletin board system allows the tele
vision station to transmit messages over
the air waves. Currently, information
about campus events and activities is
being broadcast.
"We want to enhance what is being
taught in the classroom," said Jenkins.
"Any programming that will compli
ment the work in the classroom will be
given high priority."
Jenkins, who teaches the television
production course, said the University
may soon obtain a cable channel "that
will give a greater viewing area
throughout Northeastern North Caro
lina." Currently, channel 18 broadcasts
in a 15-mile radius.
Students in the class study camera
techniques, then film games and other
campus events. They also become fa
miliar with television equipment and
terminology. Students will also produce
programs using sources from Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS), and Adult
Learning Satellite Service (ALLS.)
The news magazine program "will
be thirteen different sections of infor
mation, ranging from news and enter
tainment to different campus events,"
according to Melvin Hall, a senior En
glish major enrolled in the course.
"Each segment will run about three
and a half minutes," Hall said.
Hall said he was pleased with the
project.
"This will give people in the Univer
sity family a chance to see what stu
dents are learning, and also help to
prepare students to work in the (televi
sion) field."
The project will also consist of stu
dent profiles, including an upcoming
segment on award-winning basketball
player, Anthony Harris.
Senior English major Troy Lewter
will be hosting and producing an en
tertainment spot, "Ten Ways To Take a
Date Out For Under Ten Dollars."
Lewter said the news magazine pro
gram will show people exactly what
ECSU students can accomplish "if they
are given the opportunity and equip
ment."