Month: November 2018

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Changes at Interim and Evelyn & Olive.

CREDIT: Photographs by Justin Fox Burks

David Todd, the newish chef of Interim, has a tattoo of a hamburger and hotdog robbing a bank. To him, it means “grub life,” as if to say this path is inevitable. He also has another tattoo of a cat DJing and spinning a pizza, so there’s that too.

But back to that “grub life” thing, Todd says he’s spent the last 22 years (he’s 40) working in various restaurants — both high- and low-end — all around town. He was recommended to the Interim job by the restaurant’s former chef David Krog.

Photographs by Justin Fox Burks

David Todd

“I told [the owners] I absolutely, 100 percent can do this job. They had heard good things,” he says. “We had a conversation about food, my vision of food. It went from there.”

Todd, who’s been at Interim now about three months, says it took some time for his culinary vision to gel, but maturity and sobriety helped him focus on the number one thing for him: flavor.

Todd says he’s got the taste version of photographic memory, so he can match up flavors of things he’s eaten sometimes years apart.

Interim’s new Duck BBQ sandwich

It’s helped him punch up Interim’s menu, with such dishes as the Duck BBQ sandwich, with duck confit, golden raisin barbecue sauce, kale slaw, and a pretzel bun. “It’s Memphis in a nutshell,” he says. “It’s fancy, but it’s barbecue.”

Interim’s new Braised Short Rib

Another Todd original is the Braised Short Rib with sweet potato, carrot puree, haricot vert, honey-thyme demi-glace.

A couple dishes he didn’t touch were the Mac & Cheese Casserole and the Crispy Gulf Oysters. That was part of the owner’s edict to stabilize and reconnect. Meaning, Todd brought consistency to the restaurant. For example, that beloved Mac & Cheese did not have a set recipe. He created one. As far as reconnecting, Todd vowed to make his existing customers happy, while energizing his new customers.

He also had to connect with his new staff. He was well aware he was the third chef at Interim in a year. “You have to treat people with respect, put in the hours,” he says.

One staffer he turned to was pastry chef Franck Oysel, whom he calls Interim’s biggest asset and a great sounding board. Todd consulted with Oysel on the menu. Oysel dissuaded him from certain items and convinced him to bring back mussels. Todd’s flourish was to serve those mussels in a coconut curry.

Todd is giving his all into this latest gig. “For me,” he says, “it’s like cracking my chest open and putting my heart out there.”

Interim, 5040 Sanderlin, (818-0821), interimrestaurant.com

When Wayne Lumsden transferred from New York to Memphis for his job, he really didn’t know too much about the city. In fact, he was expecting mountains. But, soon enough, Lumsden, a Jamaican native, settled in and founded the Caribbean Association of Memphis.

His fellow Jamaicans like the dishes at Evelyn & Olive, though they felt they could use some tuning up. That’s what Lumsden has been doing since he took over ownership at the restaurant from Tony Hall and Vicki Newsum in June. He owns the restaurant with his wife, Caroline.

Fans (like me) shouldn’t worry too much. The menu is the same. That terrific Rasta Pasta is still there, as are the popular oxtails and grilled jerk shrimp. Lumsden defines the menu as “American/Jamaican.”

Lumsden says he’s been tweaking the spices and working on the method of cooking to make the meals a bit more authentic. He says Jamaican cooking is mostly stovetop. “It’s stuff we ate as a kid,” he says.

Some of the true Jamaican fare he plans on offering soon: coconut steamed salmon and Caribbean fried chicken. For winter, he’s really going to up the game. “You wouldn’t believe,” he says, as he describes soups with chicken feet and goat’s head.

Lumsden says he’s got a regular clientele from the Evelyn & Olive regulars; he’d like to build on that. He’s using the restaurant’s original menu, making it more authentic. “Your favorite things got better,” he says.

Evelyn & Olive, 630 Madison, (748-5422) evelynandolive.com

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Gordon Ramsay’s in Memphis to Save a Restaurant!

CREDIT: Matthew Preston

Just when you think it’s going to be another typical Wednesday in Memphis, snow starts to fall from the sky, and you look out your window to see Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell on Wheels” 18-wheeler rounding the corner of your office building. The truck is part of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares reboot: 24 Hours to Hell and Back.  Matthew Preston

Gordon Ramsay’s revamped restaurant renovation/intervention show is essentially the same as the original Kitchen Nightmares, but the makeover has been consolidated into a single day, replete with a countdown timer for good measure. The show purports to be a simple kitchen renovation show, and installs known and hidden cameras to record the restaurant in action. Some time later, Gordon Ramsay will show up with a group to dine at that restaurant, in a prosthetic makeup disguise, only to reveal his identity and berate the awfulness of the food mid-meal.

The “Hell on Wheels” truck dishes education and shame in equal measure. It unfolds to become a kitchen where Ramsay’s team teaches the chefs of the restaurant in question how to cook the new menu, and produces a large video board where the restaurant’s staff and patrons witness the hidden footage captured before Ramsay’s arrival. Those videos typically feature pretty gross things, ranging from unsanitary kitchen practices to toxic workplace exchanges, outbursts at patrons, animal infestations, and structural issues with the building.

The Flyer isn’t aware of the restaurant that’ll be featured on 24 Hours to Hell and Back, but candidates on Ramsay’s show tend to be restaurants that were once considered good, located in a desirable and lucrative part of town, and frequently have a strong-headed owner or chef that’s in denial about the business failing, and contributing to that failure with their apathy or toxicity.

As a big time Gordon Ramsay addict, I’m thrilled for Memphis to get airtime on the show. As a dude who works downtown, I’m hoping to become a lunch regular at a revamped restaurant nearby.

Gordon Ramsay’s in Memphis to Save a Restaurant!

Categories
News News Blog

Leaders Work to Revamp Public Art Guidelines

CREDIT: UrbanArt Commission

UrbanArt Commission

UAC’s piece ‘rise’ painted at Humes Preparatory Academy

Leaders in the art community, Memphis City Council staff, and city officials have been working, somewhat quietly, to streamline the rules and processes around public art here.

The city council voted in March to place a 120-day moratorium on art projects going up on public right-of-ways, and then re-approved that measure again last month.

The moratorium exempts projects funded by the city’s Percent-for-Art program, as well as certain ongoing projects by the Downtown Memphis Commission and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative.

It was first put in place after the council publicly criticized one organization’s murals. The council deemed a handful of murals sanctioned by the nonprofit Paint Memphis as offensive and, in some cases, “satanic.” Some of the less popular murals featured Elvis Presley with a snake coming from his orifices, a cow skull, a dancing skeleton, and a zombie.

After months of heated debate with Paint Memphis and a vote to remove six murals, the council approved the moratorium. The hold was originally implemented to establish a “road map” or legislation that regulates art in public spaces done by outside entities, chairman Berlin Boyd said at the time.

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Though the council has not been very vocal about their ongoing efforts and quickly reinstated the moratorium at a meeting last month without any discussion, since then, Boyd said the body and others have been working to improve legislation.

Included in the effort, Lauren Kennedy, executive director of the UrbanArt Commission (UAC), has been working with council staff, as well as Nick Oyler, manager of the city’s Bikeway and Pedestrian Program to improve the process of handling public requests for public art.

“The council isn’t trying to stop public art,” Kennedy said. “The goal is to sit back and assess the guidelines for public art on city-owned property. There are good intentions here and this will be useful down the road.”

The Bikeway and Pedestrian Program, which manages the city’s artistic crosswalk/intersection program, is one of many the city divisions that often gets public art requests. Kennedy said the program has strong guidelines in place for handling those requests.

The process, in part, consists of an entity requesting to install an artistic crosswalk/intersection, submitting a design for review, and fulfilling a number of requirements to ensure public safety and proper maintenance associated with the project, Oyler said.

“Perhaps one reason that the program could be described as working is that we have a written guidelines and policy document for the program,” Oyler said. “This sets standards and expectations for everyone involved – the artist, sponsoring entity, and city staff.”

The idea is to develop those guidelines to be applied across different city divisions, Kennedy said.

The new guidelines will lay out the how the city should respond to public art requests, as well as ensure there are opportunities for design review processes to “make sure some of the things that happened in the past don’t come up again,” Kennedy said.

“We want to find a solution to address concerns of the council and administration, but also trying to make sure that the process put in place is friendly enough for people to navigate and doesn’t create too many barriers,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the goal is to have the guidelines completed before the current moratorium ends in March 2019.

Categories
News News Blog

TVA CEO Set to Retire in April

CREDIT: TVA

TVA

CEO Bill Johnson

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) president and CEO Bill Johnson will retire next year, the utility announced Wednesday.

The TVA board will conduct an internal and external search for Johnson’s replacement, which could take a couple of months. He will remain as CEO through the process and help to transition the new leader into the role.

Johnson, 64, joined TVA in 2013 as the organization’s second CEO. He is the highest-paid federal employee with a pay and benefits package that tops $6 million.

“He improved TVA’s financial health and operational performance, engaged TVA employees, and established better relationships with our customers, elected officials, industry regulators, and community leaders,” TVA board chairman Richard Howorth said in a statement.

Here’s a list TVA offered of the milestones achieved during Johnson’s tenure:

• TVA debt reduced by $3.5 billion

• reduced the effective price of energy for TVA customers 2 percent from 2013 levels

• diversified TVA’s energy portfolio, and making significant progress toward cleaner energy options

• completed and is bringing online the nation’s first new nuclear power plant of the 21st century, Watts Bar Nuclear Unit 2, and improved the performance of TVA’s entire nuclear fleet

• completed the Paradise combined-cycle natural gas plant ahead of schedule and $220 million under budget

• completed the state-of-the-art Allen combined-cycle plant [in Memphis] for reliability, reduced emissions, and flexibility

• completed the $1 billion clean-air improvement project at Gallatin Fossil Plant

• maintained 99.999 percent reliability in the delivery of TVA power while investing in the power system

• began work on a $300 million multi-year initiative to upgrade the power system’s fiber optic telecommunication system

“TVA has a direct, positive impact on the quality of life in the Tennessee Valley, and I have been privileged and honored to lead this organization and the great people who work here,” said Johnson in a statement.

U.S. Senator Bob Corker said Johnson “has exceeded all expectations.”

“With a focus on economic development, improving rate competitiveness, reducing debt, and increasing customer satisfaction, Bill and his team have ensured TVA will continue to play a critical role in the economic success of the Tennessee Valley for decades to come,” Corker said.

Johnson was also widely criticized for adding luxury jets and a luxury helicopter to the TVA fleet. TVA was also scolded by its own Office of Inspector General for the use of those aircraft.

Maya Smith

TVA CEO Bill Johnson (right) met resistance to the new rate change when he visited Memphis earlier this year.

During his time, TVA was also criticized for drilling wells into the Memphis Sand Aquifer for a plan to pump 3.5 gallons of the city’s famously pure drinking water to cool its new energy plant here. Johnson told Memphis City Council members he would have made another choice if he had the decision to do over.

Johnson’s appearance at Memphis City Hall earlier this year prompted protests over a TVA proposal to change the city’s energy rates.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy’s executive director Stephen Smith issued this statement in response to today’s announcement:

“For the last six years, Bill Johnson has steered TVA in the direction of serving corporate interests over public interests, evident in preferential rates and rate restructuring for corporate customers which have caused residential and small businesses’ energy bills to rise.

TVA has primarily been focused on serving large corporations’ interest in renewable energy, leaving behind small businesses and households that also want to take advantage of this cleaner, more independent energy choice.

And TVA has been consistently opaque, hiding details about policy decisions from public scrutiny and being less transparent, as we saw with this week’s so-called listening session which was neither web-streamed nor held the same day as the board meeting itself.

We believe it is imperative for the board to appoint a successor with a demonstrated commitment to and interest in public power values.”

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Three Thoughts on Tiger Football

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

• Despite currently occupying fourth place in the American Athletic Conference’s West Division, the Tigers could have a chance to win the division as they kick off against SMU Friday night in Texas. A lot must happen, so take a deep breath.

(1) Memphis (3-3 in AAC play) must beat the Mustangs and finish the regular season with a win over Houston. The Cougars are currently tied with SMU (and Tulane) atop the division with a league record of 4-2. Even if Houston beats Tulane this week, two Memphis wins would give the Tigers the tiebreaker with a win over the Cougars on November 23rd. Likewise, a win Friday night would give the Tigers the tiebreaker over SMU. (2) Tulane must lose its final two games, at Houston Thursday night and at home against Navy on November 24th. The Green Wave would win a tiebreaker with Memphis by virtue of their win over the Tigers on September 28th. (Tulane could ruin the fun and eliminate the Tigers with a win at Houston Thursday night.)
Larry Kuzniewski

Brady White

• He’s not Paxton Lynch or Riley Ferguson, but Memphis quarterback Brady White has had a very good season. He currently ranks second in the AAC in pass efficiency, behind Houston’s D’Eriq King but ahead of one McKenzie Milton (UCF’s all-conference QB). He’s thrown 22 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. (Ferguson is the only quarterback in Memphis history to have a season with 20 more TD passes than picks.) With 2,512 yards, White has a chance to become the fifth Memphis quarterback to toss for 3,000 yards in a season. The junior transfer doesn’t do spectacular. He’d be the first to tell you. In basketball terms, White is a facilitator. With Darrell Henderson and Patrick Taylor taking turns behind him and a veteran offensive line in front of him, White’s been tasked to not make game-changing mistakes. For the most part, he’s handled the role with aplomb.


• Deep in the shadow of Henderson’s spectacular season has been a stellar campaign by sophomore wideout Damonte Coxie. The sophomore from Louisiana has caught 58 passes (third in the AAC) for 949 yards (second) and seven touchdowns. Coxie had the impossible assignment of following All-America Anthony Miller as the Tigers’ top downfield threat. With 51 more yards, Coxie will join Miller and Isaac Bruce as the only Memphis receivers with a 1,000-yard season to their credit.
Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

#22 LSU 85, Tigers 76

It’s a season of firsts for Penny Hardaway, and the Tigers’ rookie coach absorbed his first loss Tuesday night in Baton Rouge. Memphis battled LSU well into the second half, but a 20-8 run by the Bayou Bengals proved decisive and the U of M fell to 1-1. Skylar Mays led LSU with 19 points and received support from four teammates also in double figures on the scoreboard. Ironically, LSU’s All-America candidate, Tremont Waters, missed eight of 11 shots and finished with only eight points.

Memphis hit five of nine shots from three-point range over the game’s first nine minutes to avoid any early separation. Jeremiah Martin converted a pair of free throws after a three-pointer to tie the game at 36 with 3:35 to play in the first half. The senior guard later gave Memphis the lead (54-52) on a layup early in the second half, but that field goal triggered the hosts’ game-winning run. LSU’s lead grew to 10 points (72-62) with seven minutes left to play.

LSU shot 54 percent from the field and dominated inside play throughout. Memphis shot 41 percent and had more turnovers (14) than assists (12).

Senior center Mike Parks returned to the Memphis lineup and came off the bench to score nine points and grab six rebounds. Freshman guard Tyler Harris drained six three-pointers and led Memphis with 20 points. Martin added 15 points and senior forward Kyvon Davenport scored 10.

Game three of the Coach Hardaway Era comes Saturday night at FedExForum when Yale comes to town.

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

This Week At The Cinema: Indie Memphis Winners and BTS

‘Magic Bullet’

Tonight at Studio On The Square, The Ballad of Shirley Collins. It would be hard to imagine what contemporary music would look like without the invaluable folk and blues archives of Alan Lomax. The songs he and his partner Shirley Collins collected on their epic road trip across the US in 1959 provided the basis for a couple of generations of music. Collins gets her due in this documentary, presented by Indie Memphis, that follows her through those years and into a successful career as singer of traditional English songs, before losing her voice in mysterious circumstances. Tickets available at Indie Memphis.

This Week At The Cinema: Indie Memphis Winners and BTS

Wednesday night, what’s sure to be the best shorts program of the year happens at Crosstown Arts: The Indie Memphis Award Winners Encore. Films include “Black 14,” an exquisitely edited, all-archival documentary film about a 1969 anti-racism protest by black college football players in Wyoming, and Narrative Short Film winner “Magic Bullet” by Amanda Lovejoy Street. The Hometowner short award winners include narrative short “Bonfire” by Kevin Brooks; Music Video Award winner “I’m Yours” by Faith Evans Ruch, directed by Melissa Anderson Sweazy; “Minority” by Will Robbins, and the experimental documentary “Windows” by Jason Allen Lee. More details at the Indie Memphis website.

Magic Bullet Trailer from Amanda Street on Vimeo.

This Week At The Cinema: Indie Memphis Winners and BTS (2)

Thursday night at the Paradiso, Korean boy-pop sensations BTS get the Truth Or Dare treatment with Burn The Stage: The Movie.

This Week At The Cinema: Indie Memphis Winners and BTS (3)

Categories
News News Blog

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs

CREDIT: YouTube

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs

While Memphis leaders celebrate the return of the Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) annual convention to Memphis, a video has surfaced that purports to show a church leader using homophobic slurs during the most recent convention.

COGIC leaders voted during the latest convocation this week in St. Louis to move the annual convention back to Memphis in 2021. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said since 2016 his team and Memphis Tourism “has worked hard and made it a priority” to bring the convention back here.

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (2)

On Tuesday morning, NewsOne, an outlet delivering news “from a Black perspective,” reported the video has “gone viral.” The video, posted to Twitter and Facebook, purportedly shows preacher Frances Kelly preaching directly to one man during the convocation.

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (6)

During her talk, Kelly tells the man he needs to “come out from around those sissified men who have been hanging around you” and “we call them faggots.”

“God can’t use no men trying to be women,” Kelly said in the video. “We call them faggots. I ain’t calling you that. You understand it. You understand it?”

After getting what seems to be a reproachful comment from a woman standing nearby, Kelly waves a hand at her and says, “hey, I don’t play with God.”

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (3)

Back to the man, she says, “hey, stay away from around them sissies, okay? Let God save them. God has chosen you. And they know it. That’s why the devil in hell is going to destroy you. In the name of Jesus, I curse this spirit.”

COGIC public relations executive director Robert Coleman would not confirm any of the details of the video, whether it shows Kelly, or if the sermon was delivered at the most-recent COGIC convocation. When asked if he’d like a link to the video, Coleman said there was “no need” and said he had no comment on it.  

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (4)

The video does, at least, feature Kelly, who was once listed as the church’s National Director of Intercessory Prayer Ministry. Kelly was also a pioneer in Memphis television as the first woman to host a talk show here in the 1970s on WREG.

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (5)

Discussing the situation on YouTube, Dashawn Stallings said he knows “Mother Kelly” and said she is ”a sweetheart lady.”

“Mother Kelly is like that in the church and out the church and will cuss you out,” Stallings said.

He said people have said on social media they want to fight Kelly. Also, he said he understands that Kelly is “old and we got grandmas who say the same thing.”

“But when we come into the house of god…” Stallings began. “This ain’t no house. It’s a slaughterhouse. Honey, we don’t care what we say to people. We don’t care how we act in the church.”

Video Purports to Show COGIC Leader Using Homophobic Slurs (7)

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies hosted the Utah Jazz at FedExForum Monday night, where Memphis had been undefeated for the first five home games of the season. It was the third matchup between the Jazz and Grizzlies, with Memphis winning the first two.

Memphis entered the night having played their most exciting home game thus far with Saturday’s Wrestling Night win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mike Conley’s shooting bounced back in a major way (32 points on 12-24 shooting, 4-8 from deep).
Larry Kuzniewski

The win against Philly was a trademark Grizzlies nail-biter, with Memphis coming back late, and winning by 6 in overtime. Unfortunately, they lost Dillon Brooks to a freak injury that will leave him sidelined 6-8 weeks with a Grade 2 MCL sprain.

The Grizzlies started Monday night’s game in a stupor, playing sloppy on defense and shooting poorly (1-9) from the field, and stumbling out of the gate. Meanwhile, the Jazz got a Thanksgiving spread’s worth of open looks from three in the opening period, but only converted on four of 12.

Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies defense stabilized, however, holding the Jazz to 36 percent FG shooting for the half, and Memphis was able to claw ahead midway through the second quarter to head into halftime with a 43-40 lead.

Mike Conley and Marc Gasol led the way in scoring for the Grizzlies in the first half, pouring in 16 points. Despite missing Dillon Brooks’ punch on both sides of the ball, the Grizzlies bench contributed 14 points in the half between Wayne Selden, Shelvin Mack, and MarShon Brooks. Surprisingly, Jaren Jackson led all Grizzlies in assists with 3 dimes in the half, and Memphis crushed the Jazz in the paint, 28-14.

Things were pretty much the same after halftime, with both teams struggling to score in a brawling defensive matchup. Both the Jazz and Grizzlies remained very much in the mud.

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (2)

One notable defensive stop (that featured two new Grizzlies) happened when Donovan Mitchell drove to the hoop and Garrett Temple kept his position between Mitchell and the basket, and guided Mitchell right into a Jackson weak-side block.

Speaking of Jaren Jackson, his defensive impact was felt throughout the game, and he avoided foul trouble (earning his first personal with 5:59 left to go in the third quarter). Moreover, he notched his first NBA career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Strangely, he only played 25 minutes, though he finished with 3 fouls, and wasn’t on the court at the end of the game.
Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies tied the Jazz at 62 with about 3 minutes left in the third, but Utah pulled ahead and didn’t relinquish the lead. Memphis kept the game within striking distance until late in the fourth, and looked like they might make another late comeback, but couldn’t hit enough shots (especially from deep).

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (4)

Defense was the star of the matchup tonight, with Gasol continuing to helm the Grizzlies on that end of the floor in Defensive Player of the Year fashion. Unfortunately, Rudy Gobert (15 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks) looked very much like the reigning DPOY, and held Jackson at bay. True to form, the Jazz played tremendous, and highly physical, team defense.

One area of weakness for Memphis on defense was their coverage on the perimeter. The defense gave up a lot of open looks beyond the arc, and I’m surprised the Jazz didn’t convert on more of their three-point attempts. Monday night also marked the first time this season the Grizzlies had more turnovers than their opponent, and the Jazz capitalized on those opportunities. Memphis lost on the offensive boards as well, pulling down 8 to Utah’s 13.

In his postgame press conference, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the game got away from the Grizzlies due to choppiness. He said the game was choppy in the way it was being called, and the team struggled to find a rhythm amid funky, injury-adapted rotations and offensive disorganization.

Bickerstaff also spoke about how the Grizzlies need re-establish the strong bench chemistry they had before Dillon Brooks’ injury.

Joe Ingles played exceptionally well for the Jazz, finishing with 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Garrett Temple’s defense on Donovan Mitchell was pretty impressive. Mitchell had 12 points on 3-14 shooting and went 0-2 from deep.

Mike Conley had another good shooting game, leading all Grizzlies with 24 points on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor, and converted on 3 of his 8 attempts from three.
Larry Kuzniewski

Gasol looked way more aggressive in this game, and has been talking about how he needs to step up his game in that regard. He banged around in the paint, took quick shots, and made assertive moves to the rim. He finished with 16 points on 7-13 shooting (missing all four of his three-point attempts), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. The Grizzlies need everything they can get on the offensive end, so hopefully Gasol maintains this level of aggression.

Kyle Anderson had a horrid shooting night, failing to convert on his sole three point attempt, leaving shots short at the rim, and shooting 27.3 percent from the floor on 11 shots. Anderson had a positive impact in other areas, however, gobbling up 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal. But the Grizzlies will need Anderson to pick up his shooting if they want to stay above .500.
Larry Kuzniewski

Garrett Temple’s defense was on point, but he had a cold shooting night, contributing just 6 points on 25 percent shooting, and missing all four of his attempts from deep. Shelvin Mack also failed to hit a triple.

MarShon Brooks had 10 points off the bench, shooting 4-9 and 1-2 from deep, but was often trying to manufacture a shot totally on his own when the Grizzlies offense went stagnant. The Grizzlies can’t toss the rock to Brooks and expect him to pluck buckets out of thin air against an elite defensive team like the Jazz. Memphis definitely needs him to take shots, but he needed help getting better looks in this game.
Larry Kuzniewski

The Grizzlies return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Greek Freak Bucks.

Spicy Stat of the Night:

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88

Cursed Tweet of the Night:

Grizzlies Lose First Home Game to Utah Jazz 96 – 88 (3)

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Music Video Monday: Kohinoorgasm

Make it a day at the beach with Music Video Monday.

Director Jing Niu is currently an artist in residence at Crosstown Arts. She has used part of her time to complete a video for the sitar-filled song “Chalo” for Los Angeles-based world popper Kohinoorgasm.

Niu took Kohinoorgasm (aka Josephine Shetty) to the California shore for this ecstatic, light-filled video she created on lush 16 mm.

“I had been wanting to shoot on film for a while, so this was a very special project,” says Niu. “In addition, we shot the film with an all people-of-color crew and cast. I hope that all folks of various backgrounds can enjoy this film.”

Shetty says the song and video are meant to empower. “‘Chalo’ celebrates cultures of queer femme mutual support and queer femme abundance despite misogyny’s attempts to deplete us of our power and magic.”

Music Video Monday: Kohinoorgasm

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com