"Come here you little big eyed gull, and "Uh, huh, I see yo' eyes is too big for yo' stomach", were phrases I heard constantly as a little girl in my small home town of Sylvania, Georgia. Although the term "big eyed" sounded somewhat negative, they were however, more like words of endearment.
On the occasions I was teased about the size of my eyes, oftentimes it would be accompanied by a hot tea biscuit, or a piece of jelly cake or some equally tasty tidbit, which would get me from underfoot and on my "big eyed" way.
In adulthood, I began to realize that the eyes are the mirrors of the soul and therefore interpreters and great historians.
Big Eyed Productions was borne as a vehicle and out of my desire to perform regularly without the pressure of auditioning and the heartwrenching wait by the phone for the ever so desirable " callback". However, after producing several events I realized I had stumbled upon "my life's passion". Although it was told to me earlier by my beloved college professor, Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer, I was a Blues singer, I still wasn't sure. I knew I enjoyed singing all styles of music; gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Opera, even a little bit of Country. Yet it was completely different when I heard the first few notes of a 12 bar blues. I just knew that something heavy was coming, and it was going to hit me hard. The same way it hit me the first time, the last time, the time before, and everytime!
This is the experience I would like to share with our youths. The kind of freedom they may have never felt. Our aim is not to take away the music that they're accustomed to, but to allow them to take a glance at their past. To realize their rich heritage and contributions, as well as to re-educate the community that Blues music is not only " downtrodden, woest me, devil music", but a music of a deep rich culture and heritage embedded in America's existence. Blues is an American art form.
Big Eyed Productions has produced such events as Sista's Pampering Session, Africa Arises - The Roles of Black Women from Slavery to Present, Dinah's Blues, (a one act play about Dinah Washington, written by Ms. Reddy). Swing the Night Away with George Gee and the Jump Jivers, a musical theatre production, The Gospel Truth About a Blues Singer, a blues fundraiser with Bobby "Bluesman" Hinton, and the 1st Annual Brooklyn Big Eyed Blues Festival, featuring Ms. Reddy and the Befo' Quartet, Keith "Captain" Gamble and the Brand Nu Gypsies and The Michael Hill Blues Band.
The 2nd Annual Brooklyn Big Eyed Blues Festival featured great musical talent such as SaRon Crenshaw, Ptah Brown and the Jazz Expressions, Jeff King's Jazz Band, Melanie B Charles, Madame Pat Tandy, Ayodele Maakheru Band, and blues guitarist/historian, Bill Simms Jr.
Our featured artist for the 3rd Annual BBEB festival was the electrifying Ray Schinnery Band.
Ms. Reddy is in the process of producing the 4th Annual Brooklyn Big Eyed Blues Festival, October 16th, 2009 at club Jazz966 in Brooklyn. Please visit our website for further information concerning upcoming festival.
You may contact Ms Reddy at (718 - 919-0697)
Shows produced by Big Eyed Productions
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