Friends, I wanted to update you on our progress as we begin to finalize all plans for this year’s Rouge Forum Conference.
I would invite you to please visit the conference website: www.rougeforumconference.org for information related to hotels, maps, the schedule of papers and professional developments (67 presenters involved in 37 presentations), as well as the overall conference schedule. Presenters, in particular, please visit the paper sessions link to be sure that the information about your presentation/panel/performance is accurate.
As far as the overall conference schedule goes, let me highlight a few of the events going on:
Thursday night, 3/13, we’ll kick things off at 7:00 at the Blue Mountain Coffeehouse and Wine Bar, located at 400E. Main St., right across from the Louisville Bats Baseball Stadium. We’ll be entertained by spoken word and jazz, featuring Janiece Jaffee. Come hungry because you can purchase dinner there.
Friday, 3/14, we’ll begin with a welcome from the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at Bellarmine University, Dr. Doris Tegart. After two sessions of paper presentations, we’ll break for lunch. You’ll want to stick around for lunch since we’ll be engaged by our first speaker of the conference, Dr. Milton Brown. Dr. Brown is a retired professor/administrator/teacher. His distinguished career has been dedicated to the anti-racist and civil rights struggle and it will be a pleasure to welcome him back to Bellarmine. (For those who have ordered lunch for this day, or still wish to do so, please reply this week and let me know whether you would prefer a turkey, ham, or veggie boxed lunch, provided by our friends at the Loop Deli.)
After another session of papers, our afternoon will conclude with a panel discussion which I’ll moderate involving radical/revolutionary pedagogy and featuring Dr. Nancy Patterson (Bowling Green State University), Mr. Greg Queen (Fitzgerald High School), and Dr. Joe Cronin (Antioch University). After a break for dinner, the evening will conclude with another panel, entitled “No Child Left Unrecruited?” This panel on the potential school to military pipeline will be moderated by Dr. E. Wayne Ross (University of British Columbia) and will feature Dr. Faith Wilson (Aurora University) and Dr. Rich Gibson (San Diego State University). Most events for this day will be held in Frazier Hall, which is located in the Brown Activities Center. See the map at the conference website.
Saturday, 3/15, will kickoff with a few words from the dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisville, Dr. Blaine Hudson. After professional developments on critical literacy and green education, as well as two paper sessions, we’ll break for lunch and be engaged by a panel discussion on the student assignment situation in Jefferson County. You may recall the Supreme Court recently found Jefferson County’s student assignment plan, largely based on race, to be unconstitutional. Moderated by Dr. Blaine Hudson (University of Louisville) and featuring Dr. Tracy K’Meyer (University of Louisville), Mr. John Heyburn (attorney), and Mr. Dwayne Westmoreland (Kentucky Youth Advocates), this panel will explore what led to this decision and what is next for Jefferson County. (For those of you have ordered lunch for this day or still wish to do so, please reply this week and let me know whether you would prefer chicken salad or veggi boxed lunch, provided by our friend, Tess Krebs).
After one final paper session, the afternoon will conclude with two talks, both of whom are charter members of the Rouge Forum, Dr. Rich Gibson and Dr. E. Wayne Ross (who will provide our keynote address). It should be energizing to hear them both speak on the state of the Rouge Forum, education, and resistance. Both have been longstanding vanguards in the struggle for justice in education, schooling, and the work place.
After dinner, the evening will conclude with some spoken word and music, featuring our speical guest, jazz pianist, Harry Pickens, as well as the local band, The Uprising. Most events for this day will be held in the Red Barn. See the map of U of L’s campus on the conference website.
Finally, we’re excited to be concluding the 2008 conference on Sunday, 3/15 at 10:00 at the Braden Center located in the Kentucky Alliance against Racist and Political Oppression Headquarters, located at 3208 W. Broadway. Here, we’ll wrap up the weekend with reflections on the conference, as well as a discussion of next steps and possible action. (This later start time will give folks an opportunity to grab breakfast at one of the premier diners in the country, Lynn’s Paradise Cafe on Barrett Ave.)
We look forward to hosting you at the conference. If you need anything, please let me know.
I want to be sure to thank my partner, Gina Stiens, as well as my friends and colleagues–Mary Goral, David Owen, Sonya Burton, Judi Vanderhaar, Wayne Ross, and Rich Gibson–for their help in pulling this 2008 conference together .
in solidarity. adam
Adam Renner, Ph.D
Associate Professor
School of Education
Bellarmine Univeristy
Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II—Neil’s sequel to an album that doesn’t exits. Thanks Perry.
The Budos Band, The Budos Band II—FUNKY, FUNKY, FUNKY. Old school funk and R&B from Staten Island crew in the Dap-King circle.
Easy Star All-Stars, Radiodread—Had my doubts about this reggae cover of Radiohead’s OK Computer, but the guys at High Life Records on Commercial Drive said it was stupendous, and it is.
Easy Star All Stars, Dub Side of the Moon—Even better than the Radiohead cover!
Mulatu Astatke Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale, 1969-1974—”…the 14 instrumentals here were originally issued on two LPs in 1972 and 1974 in Ethiopia, and represent a curious blend of soul-jazz and R&B with just a smattering of Ethiopian roots breaking up the stabbing horn lines, wah-wah guitars, and simmering electric piano. ” Fantastic!
Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Hope Radio—Great “live in the studio” album but highly underrated blues guitarist out of Boston.
Aesop Rock, None Shall Pass—This was on lots of best of 2007 lists so I said what the hey, I’ll check it out. AP strings together some amazing stream of consciousness rhymes, but this supposedly “accessible” album didn’t really grab this 50 something white guy, maybe not too surprising.
Eagles, Long Road Out Of Eden—Perry sent me this one (and the Robben Ford cd below) and while I was skeptical it’s not bad.
Robben Ford, Truth—Guitar god’s first album in four years is pleasing blend of jazz and smooth blues even a little rock on the opening track. But, hit the old skip button when his tribute to BB King starts up. 
Mavis Staples, We’ll Never Turn Back—Songs of the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s produced by Ry Cooder.
Ani DiFranco, Imperfectly—Early album from The “Righteous Babe”.
Johnnie Taylor Live at the Summit—This is an amazing document. Because of time overruns Johnnie got bumped from the line up at the main event of the legendary 1973 
Warren Zevon Stand in the Fire—Masterpiece live album from 1981. This reissue has four previously unreleased cuts including “Johnny Strikes Up The Band,” “Frank And Jesse James,” and “Hasten Down The Wind.”
Ike Turner & The Rhythm Kings A Black Man’s Soul—First released in 1969, this album shows how Ike crossed R&B with funk, rock and gospel to show off the wide spectrum of black music. The opening track, “Thinking Black” was nominated for “Best R&B Instrumental” Grammy in 1969; that same year Tina was nominated for “Best Female R&B Singer” Grammy. 
Tony Joe White Beginnings—Just Tony Joe, his acoustic guitar and some great songs. 
Dinosaur Jr Beyond—I was inspired to buy J Mascis comeback after reading 
Beruit Gulag Orkestar—Largely the work of one 19-year old Albuquerquean named Zach Condon, this album basically sounds like a Balkan gypsy orchestra playing modern songs, despite this it sounds pretty good.
Robert Pollard’s Superman Was A Rocker is a return to old ways. This mini-album (13 songs, 30 minutes) finds Pollard using recording methods he hasn’t engaged in since his time in Guided By Voices. Pollard recently poured through a bunch of old cassette tapes and found some great, never-used instrumentals that he either wrote or co-wrote, and and he decided to go into the studio and put vocals (and melodies!) over them, just like he used to back in the old Guided By Voices days. The music spans a 20+ year period, so in essence, this is an album 20 years in the making.
