l AdreSTORTELLER ^ by Andrea Brunais Some stories make you feel good. The stories Fred Johnson spins from the African tradi- tion put you in a trance. Some 40 children gathered around a Christmas tree with John- - son and a protge, Naysan McCord, 19, of St. Pete. The kids listened, enraptured, as Johnson spun a tale of little Baku getting up from his hut in West Africa in the middle of hthe night and gazing at the star VVjJidiII Qler ~of the unboi-n king. do ~* ,o h When Johnson burst into song, tapping the drums in harmony with McCord, a little S-dned otet tboy in the back moved in rhythm and glee, the. vibra- Avaible from Commercial News Providers" rhythm seemiand gleeto enter the vibra- hC tions seeming to enter the fiber of his DNA, euphoria unself- *. e ha consciously expressed in his being. For an hour, the mostly Fred Johnson performs with Naysan McCord. institutional and colorless feel -, of the Sulphur Sprigs rec cen- ing PC-ness, Johnson wove Wholistic Health Center in St. S ter transformed as the after- together impromptu lyrics that Pete. "The assocation offers school room became a temple celebrated Hanukah, Christ- cultural, whole health, artistic of vibration and light.. mas and Kwanzaa. He sang and multicultural events, The drums can speak. of the glory of Jesus'birth. In seminars and outreach to - J r Johnson, mostly musician other venues, he celebrates the local and global commu- S~ but partly magician, picked up the mystical Sufi tradition as nity in an effirt to promote a little drum and made it say a sound healer, a global fa-mily conscious- Sthe names of some of the kids So why does.Johnson dedi- ness and a reality of personal in the audience. "Jasmine," the cate himself to children? He and planetary well-being," he SBdrum said. was a foster child in various explains. Everyone in the room felt homs, he told an adult audi- Johnson is a regional, even Sblessed that Johnson who ence in Orlando recently. As a national treasure. Many peo- *has opened for Aretha Franklin toddler shorn from adequate ple may be acquainted with -. S- ~ WM and performed sacred music one-on-one contact, he learned him through his work at S- in Deepak Chopra conferences to move his head in rhythm, the Tampa Bay Performing Sand for other celebrities drove rock his body and tap his head Arts Center, where for many from St. Petersburg to Sulphur against the wall to give himself years he served as both vice Springs on his own time to comfort and the illusion of president of education and perform free. He has recorded company. Thus developed a humanities and artist-in- and toured worldwide withjazz percussive genius. residence. S* legends Chick Corea, Richard "Children are our most The best experience, of Elliot, George Benson, David precious treasure," Johnson- course, is seeing and hearing Sanborn, B. B. King, Ramsey says. He offers his time with Johnson live. Keep a lookout SLewis, Patti LaBelle, Herbie the children as a part of the for his announced perfor- Mann and Miles Davis. outreach efforts of the Inter- mances, or go to his web A world-class jazz smnger, national Association of Sond site (FredJohnsonVoice.com) L.3est Johnson plays the musical Breath and Healing. He is and purchase a personal instruments of Africa and president of the group, which sound sculpture for a loved India. Unworried about violat- has offices at The SoundBody one. Meantime, you can dding hop see and hear a performance at the Kennedy Center by in the Bay Area &following the link from the SBridal F r CK & POULTre center's Millennium stage Flower Giris archives:http: / /www.ken- nedy-center.org/programs/ Soia Br sm i millennium/archivemonth. Social Occasion BRIDAL LEVAMOS cfm?month=6&year=2005 Bridal Accesories BOUQUE S NUESTRA FNCA Naysan McCord, who came Tuxedo Rentals along for the ride, has been Nuestras instalaciones son aprobadas por el USDA playing drums "as long as Olga & Michele Rhoads WE PROCESS FARM RAISED POULTRY I can remember." Just like Se IHabla Espalol PROCESAMOS AVES CRIADAS EN NUESTRA FINCA the kids in the audience the Sulphur Springs rec center, Swww.eddiespoultry.com TEL: 813-351-8387 McCord heard Johnson play 4805 N MANHATTAN AVE., TAMPA, FL. 33614 years ago and magic struck. He now learns everything Johnson teaches. Thanks to them and all who keep the tradition of music and storytelling alive in our culture. Merry Christmas! Send column ideas to ColumnByAndrea@aol.com "The Costantinno family has bee7i doing busiess in Ybor City smice 1906" FRAN COSTANTINO BROKER COSTANTINO Zlh COMPANY REAL ESTATE SERVICES 2216 4TH AVE. E. TAMPA, FL 33605 PHONE: 813 241-6767 FAX: 813-241-6868 LA GACETA/Friday, December 22, 2006/Page'15