Few American stages have produced as many music legends as Harlem’s landmark Apollo Theater, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary, and not many people know more about its rich past than its long-time historian Billy Mitchell.
Since 1934, the Apollo has launched the careers of many of America’s greatest black artists — legends of blues, jazz and soul, swing, gospel, Motown, funk and hip-hop.
“Before they had success, they started here and went on to become legends,” said Mitchell, 64, who was 13 when he began working there, running errands for performers.
Photos: Reuters
照片：路透社
Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald was a teenager when she won an Apollo amateur night contest in 1934. And, 30 years later, guitarist Jimi Hendrix won one at 22.
In between, the Apollo has showcased jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, singers Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, composer and band leader Duke Ellington, singers James Brown and Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and many more.
Mitchell’s own history is deeply entwined with the Apollo and the legends it has produced. Over the years, he worked as an usher, coordinated amateur nights, guided tours and eventually became the theater historian in the early 1990s.
Photos: Reuters
照片：路透社
One of his fondest Apollo memories is the day in 1967 when The Jackson 5 first performed.
“They rocked this stage,” he said, recalling with wonder how 9-year-old Michael Jackson brought the house down.
“That man was a gift, by God,” Mitchell said. “I’ve never seen anyone, before or after, anywhere else, do what Michael did,” he added.
Photos: Reuters
照片：路透社
The “Godfather of Soul” James Brown performed at the Apollo more than 200 times and, along with Motown legend Marvin Gaye, helped put Mitchell through college with their generous tips. Brown was always pushing him to read and study hard, he recalls.
Mitchell’s tasks involved doing a bit of everything. He made sure B.B. King had a hot meal waiting after each performance. He took food orders, pressed clothes and shined shoes for Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson.
For all the Apollo has given him, Mitchell is intent that he and his family give back. His daughter is currently working part time in the gift shop and over the years his brothers, nephews and grandson have all been employed there.
On the night of June 10, the Apollo celebrated its glorious history with a gala celebration and performances by Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, The Isley Brothers, Doug E. Fresh, Joss Stone and others.
“This place is more than a concert hall or a performance space,” said Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, a theater supporter. “It is a grand cathedral.”
As Knight appeared on the stage she looked out at the crowd and summed up the sentiment of many of the artists who performed there, and its historian.
“It’s good to be home,” she said.
(Reuters)
美國鮮少有劇院能像正逢八十週年慶的哈林區地標阿波羅劇院般，捧出那樣多的音樂傳奇人物。對劇院八十載風華歲月有長期研究的歷史學者比利‧米歇爾，對劇院瞭解甚深，應無人能出其右。
自一九三四年以來，阿波羅就成為許多美國著名黑人樂手一試身手之首站，音樂類型遍及藍調、爵士、靈魂樂、搖擺樂、福音音樂、摩城黑人音樂、放克與嘻哈等。
現年六十四歲的米歇爾表示：「，他們成名前在此發跡，進而成為傳奇。」米歇爾十三歲就在該劇院幫表演者跑腿。
一九三四年，爵士歌手艾拉‧費茲潔拉在阿波羅劇院的「業餘藝術家之夜」選秀活動勝出，當時的她還是位青少女。三十年後，二十二歲的吉他手吉米‧罕醉克斯也在同樣的選秀活動脫穎而出。
曾在這期間於阿波羅劇院登臺的有：爵士小號手路易斯‧阿姆斯壯、歌手貝西‧史密斯與比莉‧哈樂黛、作曲家兼爵士樂隊首席領班艾靈頓公爵、歌手詹姆士‧布朗與黛安娜‧羅絲與至高無上樂團、史摩基‧羅賓遜與奇蹟合唱團等。
米歇爾的生平與阿波羅劇院及其所創造的傳奇密不可分。多年來，他在劇院擔任引導人員、統整「業餘藝術家之夜」、劇院導覽，與最後在一九九零年代成為一位劇院歷史學者。
回憶阿波羅劇院歷史，最為他所津津樂道，是在一九六七年初次登台的傑克森兄弟合唱團。
他回想九歲的麥可‧傑克森得到滿堂彩的光景而驚歎地表示：「他們的演出棒極了。」
米歇爾說：「那位仁兄是上帝賜與的禮物。」他補充說：「從未看過有任何人能夠做出麥可所做的，他是空前絕後的。」
有「靈魂樂教父」之稱的詹姆士‧布朗在阿波羅演出超過兩百場，布朗與摩城著名歌手馬文‧蓋伊捐出慷慨小費，供米歇爾上大學。米歇爾回憶道，布朗總是逼著他要閱讀，並且用功讀書。
米歇爾的打雜工作包羅萬象。他要確保比比金在每場演出後備有熱食；他幫史提夫‧汪達、黛安娜‧羅絲與史摩基‧羅賓遜訂餐、燙衣服與擦鞋。
米歇爾及其家人正致力於回報阿波羅有恩於他的一切。他的女兒正在劇院禮品店兼職，而這麼多年來，其兄弟、姪兒與孫子全都成為劇院的職員。
六月十日晚上，阿波羅劇院為慶祝其輝煌歷史而舉行一場慶典，並且有葛蕾蒂絲‧奈特、娜塔莉‧高、艾斯禮兄弟合唱團、道格‧伊‧弗里士與喬絲‧史東等人的出席獻藝。
福特基金會主席同時也是一名劇院贊助者達倫‧沃克表示：「這個地方不僅只是個音樂廳，或是個表演場所。」他說：「這是一座大教堂。」
當奈特登臺時，在放眼望去台下滿滿的觀眾的時空下，她為曾在那裡表演過的許多藝術家，以及其歷史學者發表感言。
她說：「很高興能回家。」
（路透／翻譯：林亞蒂）
Many consumers are guilty of filling drawers or closets with old laptops, cellphones, fitness trackers and other electronic devices once they are no longer needed. It’s hard to know where to recycle such items, or it seems costly and inconvenient to do so. The world generates millions of tons of electronic waste — also called e-waste — each year. According to the UN’s most recent estimate, people worldwide produced 62 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022, and only about 22 percent of it was properly recycled. The US’ Environmental Protection Agency estimates that less than a quarter of e-waste is
You’re sitting in class when a classmate asks to borrow a pencil. It seems like a small favor, so you agree without hesitation. The following week, the same classmate asks to share your notes. Later, they request help with a group project. You agree each time — after all, you helped out the first time — but before you know it, it has become automatic. This scenario demonstrates the “foot-in-the-door technique,” a psychological concept that shows how agreeing to small, acceptable demands makes it easier to accept larger ones later on. The name for this strategy comes from door-to-door
A: The four-day Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend begins Friday and will run until Monday. Are you going to sweep your ancestors’ tombs? B: I did in advance last weekend, so I can go to Kaohsiung to see the musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” A: Wow, is “Phantom” touring Taiwan again? It debuted in 1986, so this year marks the 40th anniversary of the show. B: And it’s not just touring Kaohsiung starting March 31, but also Taipei starting April 21 and Taichung starting May 26. A: “Phantom” is one of the world’s Four Major Musicals. I’ve seen all of them, except “Les
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang Gig Tripping “Gig tripping” combines concerts with travel. People fly to see their favorite artists perform — usually abroad—and spend a few days sightseeing before or after the show. While die-hard fans have done this since the 1960s, the post-pandemic travel boom changed the game. Even people who aren’t superfans are now booking international concert trips because they want to make the most of travel opportunities. This trend exploded in the US, as the math makes sense. Domestic concert tickets are so costly that flying abroad for the show plus tourism expenses often matches or even beats the price
RSS