Alfie’s Friends everywhere & stories

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MERCEDES ELLINGTON, Founder, President, Artistic Director.   

The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts (DECFA) was founded by Mercedes Ellington renowned dancer, choreographer, and granddaughter of Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused on scholarship, education, performance and events to celebrate and perpetuate the legacy of  the maestro Duke Ellington who is considered one of America’s greatest composers.        

As a member of the advisory board I work in the capacity of advisory for projects national & international

MERCEDES ELLINGTON, Fondatrice, Présidente, Directrice artistique. http://decfa.org    

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LAURENT MIGNARD, Bandleader, Ellington Specialist    www.laurent-mignard.com

Duke’s Place in Paris

http://maison-du-duke.com     http://maison-du-duke.com/dukes-place-in-paris

In my capacity of International Advisory Advocate in 2014, I created and international partnership with the association

Duke’s Place in Paris together we presented the DUKE ELLINGTON SACRED CONCERT October 1, 2014, Paris at église de La Madeleine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lh9s2BHhtM&feature=emb_logo   the concerted toured in the Cathedrals of France June 2-12, 2015

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JACQUES PAUPER, Founder / Director    https://couleursjazz.fr/couleurs-jazz-radio/        

Jacques is a dear friend and his site functions as a superb 24/7 jazz radio station heard all over the planet. His taste, selections and programming is impeccable. On visiting the Couleurs Jazz online jazz magazine, one will find that it is a very informative source that covers the full spectrum of jazz activity national and international. We enjoy nice moments with many jazz stories I happily share. And in the spirit of unconditional support Jacques plays selections from my album for which I am truly grateful.

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DANIEL TISDALE, Founder, CEO  http://harlemworldmag.com  

Daniel Tisdale is a long-time friend from my years spent in Harlem before moving to France.

His Harlem World Magazine online is unique and content rich and presents Harlem to the world as a community in a constant state of self-reinvention, an example of leadership based not only on its strong cultural heritage but as a community empowered and able to deal with the challenges of this 21st century. It is an honor for me to work with Daniel as a member of the advisory board on projects national & international.

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ALEX ASKEW. Co-Founder, President, https://bcaglobal.org

Alex is also the author of Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community. The BCA Global empowers people of color across diverse cultures through a mindfulness approach to food, coupled with practical educational skills in the hospitality and culinary industries, leading to meaningful connections that further a vision of a beloved community.

Alex and I have been close friends from the early days for the BCA Global and we continue to work together to expand the objectives of the BCA Global, nationally and internationally.

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VOZA RIVERS, HARLEM ARTS ALLIANCE    www.harlemaa.org

During my years in Harlem I worked closely with the late Joseph Persons. His cultural arts organization at the time was known as ETA, Extending Today’s Audiences. After his passing to keep what he started, I participated in the founding of what is now, the Harlem Arts Alliance, a vibrant cultural support organization under the leadership of the inimitable, Voza Rivers, Chairman, who is  a national and international impresario.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voza_Rivers       https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&sl=en&u=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voza_Rivers&prev=search

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PAUL GILLIERON, Founder, Director, www.gsacoustics.org

Paul a true friend, musician par excellence and producer of my first album, Both he and his colleague Tim Scott, whose company is Gillieron-Scott Acoustic Design is recognized internationally as one of the top in the acoustic design profession. In addition to his skills as a masterful acoustic engineer, music is close to his heart and as a result together with his son Tim, they have created a vibrant music production company based in London known as Twanf Dynasty Productions.  

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WIM VAN WILLIGEN, Founder, Director,   https://newoodbuildingsystem.com

Wim van Willigen, is a specialist in concept engineering, as well as a timber and agricultural engineer, with whom I have been working closely for many years as communication development associate on several of his projects. Most importantly at this time the focus is on the promotion of the Newood Building System (NBS) which is a 21st building systems. The unique aspect about this system is the fact that it is a totally ecological structure which is not only earthquake and hurricane resistant. Moreover, the NBS is designed to serve as a viable recovery solution for places on the planet that have been struck by natural disasters. And of additional importance, it can be utilized to resolve the homeless problem in cities and where slums exist on a worldwide scale. Its design is affordable and self-building in compliance with the universal ecological principles intended to help to save the planet and the generations to come.