Cafe C'est What Closed Down Today

To all you fellow music lovers, we lost one of our own today-Tom Terrell- who finally had to move on after struggling with cancer. It's kind of funny that just the thought of Tom, which has always made me smile, is making me cry today. Long ago, driving home from the old 9:30, I'd turn on the radio, and if he was on, I'd just laugh. Sometimes I'd call him up when I got home, and he always sounded so happy to hear from me- never bothered by the interruption. When he was spinning tunes on WHFS, he was "Tom Tee", and his show was called "Cafe C'est What" which is just so Tom. I know that was a million years ago, but I still remember how fun it was- he just loved to share his love of music with everybody.

I went to Tom's site today. He writes about that love so well, I'm letting him take over. Here's an excerpt from a memoir he'd been working on:

I remember how music somehow always made things better. When I was lost in the music, I found hope, freedom, joy, magic; I found me. WNJR, WABC, WWRL were my flashlights that chased away the darkness, Sonny Taylor, Dan Ingram, Frankie Crocker, Murray The K were my Obi Wan Kanobies. James Brown, the Temptations, the Miracles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Joe Bataan were my Guardian Angels.

And this after attending his Aunt Shirley Horn's funeral:

See, all my life, vocalists have given me faith, hope, and charity, caressed me, comforted me, taught me, guided me, carried me, nurtured me, encouraged me, loved me, forgave me, sheltered me, touched me, influenced me, and reached me in the darkest hours far heavily than family, friends, and lovers ever have or could. When I was a baby, my Moms told me the only thing that would stop me bawling was Johnny Ace's "The Clock" and "Pledging My Love". David Ruffin proved to me that wearing thick black eyeglass frames was cool, not corny. Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and the Staple Singers taught me smart was the real hip, black was always beautiful, funk is spiritual, and to always love myself for myself.

Most importantly of all, Marvin Gaye showed me that a real man is not ashamed to cry, beg, repent, atone, and apologize. After he died, I was in so much pain that I couldn't listen to his music for months: if a song of his came on the radio, I turned it off; if they played him at a party, I ran outside. I grieved profoundly until I heard Paul Young sing "Wherever I Lay My Hat Is My Home" a year later at the Bayou. I cried and wailed my soul out of mourning that night. To Sir With Love: From then until right here right now, not a day's gone by that I don't play at least one of your records.

And finally from a posting last spring:
Anyways, today was my last radiation session. The numbness is mostly gone and I have to do some physical therapy 'cause my right leg muscles are a tad weak. I resume chemo at the end of the month. Good news: my PSA last week dropped to 42, my hormone-pumped weight of 183 is now down to a svelte 168 and I STILL have a helluva appetite, no nausea, no pain, no lethargy. Oh yeah, my lust for life and laughter remains unstoppable.

Peace and Love Every Time,

lil tommy tee

(photo by Jeff The Purple)

He always signed his pieces that way- peace and love every time. I love that.
Thank you, Tom for all that love, and right back at you wherever you are.
Man, we'll miss you.

Update on dc space Benefit for Tom Terrell(from those that put it on)

Greetings!

We thought you'd like to know that together we raised nearly $12,000 for our friend Tom Terrell at this outstanding event.

If you want to make a further donation to Tom, or know someone who does, his sister has set up a benefit fund for him. Here's the donation information, please feel free to pass this on to anyone who wants to help:

Tom Terrell Benefit Fund (Check should be written out to)

c/o Bevadine Z. Terrell

1839 Otis Street, NE

Washington, DC 20018-2713

dc space reunion bulletin

Tom and Dodie @ the dc space reunion-by Jeff The Purple

Jeff The Purple, a good friend of Tom's, sent me the link to his Tom Terrell Photo blog.
Go there to see lots more pictures of the d.c. space party at the 9:30 Club.
(good ones since he is a photographer by trade) There are also links to Tom's blogs.

Make sure you hit the "archives"as well because most of his pix can't fit on one page.


Stay cool, you all.

All You Need Is LOve

(Tom Terrrell and Bill Warrell @ The 9:30 party)

What better way to have a good time than to start
a bar in 1977... have a reunion thirty years later
and invite all those people that made it happen?
Thank you Bill Warrell, for making this whole scene possible.
And how great it was to see Tom Terrell who was being
chased around all night by family, fans and friends alike.

This was the real DC.

People got there early and stayed late.
Laura Fasulka came all the way from New Jersey.
Some people came from just down the street, but
we never each other anymore, but that's what
reunions are all about.
Here's just a little of what went on Sunday at the 9:30 Club:
(And thank you Seth and Rich for giving up the place for "space")


See that beautiful woman with the water bottle?
That's Dodie DiSanto- a founder of the original
9:30, talking to Michael Beil. Susan and Cort
next to her and Boyd at the bar.

And below- Laura, who used to go to all
the Troublefunk shows with me,
Susan, from the ticket window at the ole joint, and
Milo of golden WHFS days.



Another great thing was the photo booth
where Charles Steck did a brisk business.
(See the Beatnik Flies getting their picture
done
behind Alberto And Laura?)



Here's Jean, you may have seen her lurking around
the new 9:30 Club as the bar manager, but she was
a pillar at dc space back in the day, and Ruthie
of Ruthie and The Wranglers getting ready to play.



You could catch people on stage like Mark Noone
and The Beatnik Flies...



and you could catch 'em off-
Marie, a bartender from the ole 9:30 and
Mark, an incredibly steady customer.



Kenny from The Beatnik Flies
and PHil from Puptent.





Eric and Rick used to man the door at the old club.


The best thing about this event was it was an act of love.
It wasn't about who you were or who you are or who
you know. Everybody who came brought
something to the party,
and gave it away to someone who need it more.



Thanks ...everybody.

Last Call

I know I've been ranting, but this is the last call for the dc space reunion/benefit for Tom T. Here's the scoop- the "new" 9:30 Club is located at 815 V Street NW, near Howard University Hospital, and right around the corner from the now bustling U Street corridor. There is a pay lot near the club and some street parking. The Metro stop is U Street /Cordoza- two blocks away. The doors open at 4; performances start at 4:30 and go on pretty much non- stop until 1 a.m. Sunday.
Expect art, poetry, music, dance and the unexpected. It's an all ages venue, so bring the off spring, bring your friends, bring everybody.

And tonight, catch The Hula Monsters free at Lubber Run Park in Arlington. Show starts at 8 p.m.

Raise Your Hand If You Remember 1977

OK. Thirty years was a long time ago. Jimmy Carter was president. Star Wars came out. Elvis Presley was still alive. (until August) Disco was in, though punk was here. The Ramones' "Teenage Lobotomy" and The Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" were up against The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. Alice Cooper went into rehab; Elvis didn't make it. Talking Heads and the B 52s were coming up. The funk band, Parliament put out "Get Down and Boogie". Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd were still touring. (All that music and my class picked Boz Scagg's "Lido Shuffle" as our song.)
On the dark side, Debby Boone was elected best new artist. My college housemate played "You Light Up My Life" for more than two hours straight- an experience which scarred me for life.

And last but not least, dc space opened its doors.

My memory is crystal clear, but for those of you who are little hazy, and you know who you are, here's a little primer on just some of the names performing this Sunday at the dc space reunion @ the 9:30 club :

Marshall Keith, (Slickee Boys)
Martha Hull, (Slickee Boys, DCeats, the Steady Jobs, The Dynettes)
and Bob Berberich (The Hangmen, Grin, Rossyln Mountain Boys)
are all in Ottley.

Boyd Farrell, (Black Market Baby)
Mike Dolfi, (Black Market Baby)
and Sean Saley (Government Issue, Moodroom)
are in Rustbuckit.

Michael Reidy, ( Razz, Nightman)
Abaad Behram ( Razz, Johnny Bombay & the Reactions)
and Doug Tull( Razz Tommy Keene Billy Coulter)
are in The Howling Mad.

Also, Mark Noone ( Slickee Boys and too many bands to mention) will perform for the first time with The Beatnik Flies, an historic event.

Speaking of too many bands to mention, the performances are limited to ten minutes each and scheduled from 4:30 p.m. until 1 a.m. with five minute change overs. (This is not the old 9:30 by the way, but a very professional night club with a huge staff.) All kinds of music and performing arts will be going on- see previous posts for a large, but partial list.

I would pay twenty dollars just to see a few of these acts, but most importantly this event will help our friend, Tom Terrell and his ongoing struggle with cancer. Not a fun fight or a fair fight, but he's fighting just the same. Please come and celebrate the local scene here, past and present, and give a hand to Tom. Besides being a good cause, it's going to be a great party.


(Michael Reidy @ the 9:30 Club, 2006 by Steve Edgar)

Have You Seen These Bands?

can you name these bands?





You could see them THIS SUNDAY July 29th at the dc space reunion/benefit for Tom Terrell at the 9:30 club.


(They are: Ottley, Rustbuckit, The Beatnik Flies)

dc space...back in the day

Count Four /photo by danny brown

Back in the day, 1977 to be exact, one of the scarier walks at night was between dc space and the old 9:30 Club. People may be leery of the new 9:30 Club's urban setting on V street, but back then there was nothing open and lit between 930 F Street and 7th and E. (except maybe those adult places on 9th) There was a truly scary pedestrian mall where the Portrait Gallery is, or you could skirt around that through a parking lot. But it was worth it. Once you got to either of those places, there was music and poetry and people interested in whatever was new inside. ( And sometimes a lunatic from the bus stop outside Space would reel through) Bill Warrell and his mother, Susan had a vision, and they made it happen- way back when DC was NOT the place to be anymore- "space was the place".

And now over 50 artists are gathering at the 9:30 Club to celebrate dc space and to donate their efforts to help their friend, Tom Terrell who is battling cancer. Tom T, King Pleasure-always upbeat on the radio. I would call him late at night just to hear him say hey.
His show "Cafe C'est What" was on WHFS, but he also deejayed at WPFW, space and the 9:30 club. He wrote music articles for The Unicorn Times and The City Paper and others. If you're lucky you might still catch him reviewing jazz for NPR on "All Things Considered."

So come on down to the 9:30 Club on Sunday. Doors open at 4. Dig up a twenty (for Tom) to get in.
It'll be a scene like no other...

dc space

(9353 will be there)


It opened 30 years ago on the corner of 7th and E. Then it was a bar, but more importantly it was a space for ALL kinds of art: music, poetry, dance, and performance art. (which was sometimes provided by the drunks at the bus stop)
Now it's a Starbuck's.

If you've ever been there, you have a story about it, and if you haven't- Sunday, July 29th is your chance to catch up. Over fifty artists and musicians are gathering to perform at the 9:30 Club for the dc space reunion/ benefit for Tom Terrell. You might remember him as Tom T on WHFS. ( Cafe C'est What and Sunday Reggae Splashdown) He was on WPFW, too.
If you don't know him, he's always smiling, and always made me smile when I heard him on the radio late at night. Now he's fighting cancer and needs support.

And even if you don't remember any of the above, it stands to reason you might have been there anyway.
So be there now. Somebody might remember you. It's going to be a great party, and it's a good cause.

WATCH THIS SPACE

Space was the place
Originally uploaded by alex.DC

It happened before- it can happen again...
DC Space Reunion at the 9:30 Club- Sunday- July 29th, 2007 in conjunction with a benefit for the one and only Tom T. who is fighting cancer. Tons of performances: Ajax Joe Drayton, Amy Pickering, Beatnik Flies, Bill Warrell, Bobby Donovan, Rust Bucket, 9353, Ruthie and The Wranglers...

And that's just the top of the iceberg-more later!