Saturday, July 21, 2012

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING BROOKLYN HOUSE SHOW REPORT by Evan Ginzburg


TNA IMPACT WRESTLING BROOKLYN HOUSE SHOW REPORT by Evan Ginzburg www.wrestlingthenandnow.com
      A- 3,000 Approx MCU Park Brooklyn, NY 7/21/12
Mr. Anderson W. Robbie E. 2*
More comedy shtick than actual wrestling. Entertaining but instantly forgettable
Rosita W Gail Kim 1 ½*
Over before you blinked and didn’t much matter.
RVD W Kazarian  2*
Big pop for RVD. Match nothing one will ever remember.
AJ Styles W Jeff Hardy 2 ½*
Eight minute matches shouldn’t have lengthy rest holds. Felt Rushed. Disappointing.
Sting W Bully Ray No DQ Falls Count Anywhere 3*
Sting by far biggest fan reaction of night.  Exciting 12 minute brawl throughout stadium into stands.
Austin Aries W Bobby Roode Championship Match 3*
Great to see deserved Aries with belt. Real solid 18 minute match although I’ve seen Aries, my favorite active wrestler, in far better ones in ROH. Roode strong in-ring performer but essentially colorless.

Summary- Overall show was entertaining but way too much talking and shtick while the total in ring time was anemic on a six match show. Of the three shows I saw in NY over the past month, ROH, Extreme Rising and this one, TNA’s was unquestionably the weakest of the three. For $20 it was a fun night out, but really nothing I’d likely be inclined to seek out again. When AJ Styles wrestles 8 minutes and they hawk merchandise for a half hour at intermission following, the balance is just plain off. Dixie Carter was there in ring saying she appreciated feedback, well, hope this helps: a once a year stadium show in a major market like NY should feel special. This felt like any other indy, albeit a loaded one.

Monday, July 16, 2012

SoSoon’s “For Nina- 1st Annual Sarcoidosis Fundraiser” Concert Review


SoSoon’s “For Nina- 1st Annual Sarcoidosis Fundraiser” Concert Review
July 15 NYC Sapphire Lounge
Sarcoidosis is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. In spite of it being a disorder that has affected the likes of Bernie Mac, Angie Stone, Tisha Campbell, and other celebrities, little is known about it. In 2005 SoSoon’s grandmother, Nina died after battling it for some twenty years. And thus came “For Nina,” a fundraiser and event meant to raise awareness of this disease.
Opening with the great Edwin Vazquez, an artist who has performed with the likes of Paul Simon, Bill Cosby and other luminaries, his trio featured brilliant guitarist Alpha Halvorsen and  Cheo Changui on congas/percussion. Ranging from Marvin Gaye covers to Latin Jazz ballads, Edwin remains one of the finest, most in-demand NY based musicians in the Big Apple, and once again proved why with his short but sizzling set. Using his mouth to imitate a trumpet- or “vocal mouth brass” if you will- it’s part of Edwin’s crowd-pleasing repertoire; the group easily won over the young, hip hop loving crowd.
Female rappers MizzP and Sabrina Gilbert came out for a duet and to say these two young ladies are talented, sharp, funny, sexy, and have something to say would be an understatement. Both later did their own memorable sets. MizzP exudes confidence and personality, as does Ms. Gilbert who is able to walk that fine line between being a polished, yet fun-loving performer. There’s a whole lot of sexism in the hip hop game because both these ladies deserve to be in front of far larger crowds than this packed but intimate space was able to hold. And did I mention Ms. Gilbert can sing, too?
Speaking of singing, another talented young lady in Angel Sent gave the crowd some fine R&B tunes and left the audience wanting more.
The host of the show, SoSoon, performed his own set of socially relevant hip hop, starting out with Edwin Vazquez’s crew. Until you’ve heard pure hip-hop backed by Latin Jazz artists, you haven’t experienced a great hybrid style that I believe has unlimited potential. As always, this pairing of SoSoon and Edwin’s group killed. SoSoon later went to his tracks where he performed The Underclass and other cuts that got you thinking as well as moving, and isn’t that the way great hip hop is supposed to be? The show’s finale was SoSoon with the group MI-6. Now MI-6’s choreography (or lack thereof) isn’t going to make you forget The Temptations, Spinners or O’Jays, but it didn’t much matter because the raw energy was off the charts and the place was electric. This was a party. It was a perfect end to a great evening where the music and the vibes were “just right.”
I only wish more club owners could see how positive hip hop is when done by its underground ambassadors like SoSoon and crew. Kudos to the bunch of them for 3 hours of fun, great music, and for bringing awareness and some financial support to battle a disease that needs to be conquered.
Bravo.

--Evan Ginzburg www.legendsradio.net  

Listen to our special 3 ½ hour Legends Radio Hip Hop Legends Radio special co-hosted by SoSoon and Coole High featuring Sabrina Gilbert, MizzP, Ciph Diggy, AtLas’, Sketch tha Cataclysm and A.I.G. Click below to listen-

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Evan Ginzburg’s Summer 2012 Mini-Concert Reviews Part 2


Evan Ginzburg’s Summer 2012 Mini-Concert Reviews Part 2
VAN HUNT- Thursday July 5 BAM R&B Festival Metrotech  Brooklyn
For those who don’t know this brilliant young musician, Van Hunt is in the Prince mode, easily blurring the line between rock and R&B.
In a scaled down setting with just his guitar and a female drummer to back him, the first 15 minutes of the show were obliterated by horrendous sound which was mercifully fixed.
Hunt possesses a beautiful voice and is a truly virtuoso guitarist. His best known song, Dust, resulted in multiple fans in the audience coming up to dance behind him. And at one point the scantily clad drummer leaped into the audience to bang her drumsticks together rhythmically. So even in minimalist mode, there was showmanship to spare.
However, I can’t honestly say that every song fully connected with the crowd, and Hunt ran off the stage at about the 75 minute mark like he had a train to catch. But all in all, it was a unique event and an opportunity to see someone who isn’t seen live quite enough. Check out his CDs to truly appreciate just how good this guy is.

BUDDY GUY/JOHN MAYALL/QUINN SULLIVAN July 11  Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival NYC

Blues in the Big Apple ain’t what it used to be, so when a big name fest hits town, I’m there.
And there isn’t anyone more entertaining than the still great at 75, Buddy Guy.
Prowling the stage tiger-like, Buddy hasn’t lost anything whatsoever. In fact, in certain ways he was “better,” basically doing whatever struck his fancy including going acoustic at one point and jamming with 13 year old wonder-kid Quinn Sullivan.
Speaking of the young prodigy, Sullivan, he did his own set, which from a technical standpoint was superb. However, and it’s a big “however”- his singing Clapton songs of lost love just doesn’t have the pain and gravitas as someone who’s actually lived it. In fact, it came off more as parroting than true blues. But when he stuck to just playing, the kid’s most certainly “got it.”
Opener John Mayall is also extraordinary musically, but mere ordinary vocally. And his creaky pipes did, at times, take away from otherwise great jamming.
All in all, though, this was memorable thanks to the joyful blues ambassador, Mr. Buddy Guy.

GEORGE CLINTON AND PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC July 12 River to River Fest NYC

On that fateful day when I finally leave this planet, I sincerely hope that one of the last things I remember is one of the many, many nights I’ve seen George Clinton.
Now 70 and without the colorful locks, George looked almost conservative by his standards, dapper in a fedora and all white outfit.
The show itself could best be described as an abbreviated (for them anyway at an hour forty five or so) greatest hits gig- with an emphasis on the great.
Simply put, on this memorable night, in front of an estimated 2,500 or so people, this merry and brilliant band of musical madmen, tore through one hit after another, leaving the outdoor audience both happy and spent.
My wife, a classical pianist from Korea, saw him for the first time, probably didn’t understand a word they were saying with her limited English, but loved every second of it.
That’s the power of the funk.
And the great George Clinton.









Saturday, July 7, 2012

Apt. 4B, Like in Brooklyn and Hey Cabby books available from Evan Ginzburg



SCROLL DOWN FOR BOOK REVIEWS

Apartment 4-b, Like In Brooklyn.
To order: please send check or money order to: Evan Ginzburg, P.O. Box 640471, Oakland Gardens Station, Flushing, NY 11364. Only $14.95 plus $2.00 postage/handling.
We accept Paypal: $16.95 to evan_ginzburg@yahoo.com


ALSO AVAILABLE FROM EVAN GINZBURG
The critically acclaimed:

Hey Cabby- A New York Cab Driver's Million Miles Behind the Wheel
$4.95 plus $1.00 postage to Evan Ginzburg PO Box 640471 Oakland Gdns Station Flushing, NY 11364
Paypal customers: $5.95 to evan_ginzburg@yahoo.com

Marilyn Monroe, Jackie O, Ali, Nixon, pimps, prostitutes, hold-up men & more in Hey Cabby- a collection of true road stories!

Apartment 4-B, Like in Brooklyn
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ORDER FROM:
Evan Ginzburg
PO Box 640471
Oakland Gdns. Station
Flushing, NY 11364
$14.95 plus $2.00 postage

Also available at: www.allbookstores.com
Paypal customers: $16.95 to evan_ginzburg@yahoo.com

Zine World says: 

"With the same enthusiasm and humor that makes his zine Wrestling Then and Now such a treat, Evan Ginzburg chronicles his childhood as one of the last Jewish kids in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood in the '70s. Our protagonist endures constant bullying and defines himself through games, pranks, friendships, family, soul music and his beloved wrestlers. As a character, he's seldom heroic but always reflective and resilient. As a narrator, Ginzburg maintains his friendly tone while revealing the horrors and conflicts of his time and place in their full, agonizing glory. Great stuff."
Scroll down for awards/reviews for Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn
purchase online now from Barnes & Noble.com
Happy New Year,

This is Bob Davis, owner of Soul-Patrol.com  I wanted to wish you a happy new year and inform you of some good news. Your book Evan Ginzburg - "Apartment 4B,Like In Brooklyn" has been selected as one of “Soul-Patrol.com’s Best of 2006.” You can view your selection at the following url:
http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2006/news12/best2006.html  As you can see you are listed there along with a hypertext link to a review, an audio presentation, an eCommerce site or your homepage, where Soul-Patrol readers can get a taste of your accomplishment.

We will be sending out a special email to all 44,000 Soul-Patrol Newsletter readers during the first week of January/2007 notifying them of all of the winners. We will also keep a link up to this awards page on every page of the Soul-Patrol.com website for the next 12 months (till we announce next year’s winners).

As you know we have been giving out this award for the past seven years to artists that we feel have gone above and beyond in creating high quality music that helps to advance the culture that Soul-Patrol.com represents.

 Congratulations on your selection for this award.

As always we will be making presentations of these awards at the 2007 Soul-Patrol Convention which will be held this year in Philadelphia in May/2007, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Black Heritage Festival. Watch the Soul-Patrol Newsletter for more details about the 2007 Convention!

Thanks in advance and once again have a happy New Year and continued success.

Bob Davis
CEO Soul-Patrol.com
Review by Bob Davis- CEO www.soul-patrol.com

"Why Can't We Live Together"
--Timmy Thomas

"Why Can't We All Get Along"
--Rodney King

Evan Ginzburg is an author, broadcaster, promoter and educator. He's
also a member of the daily Soul-Patrol Mailing List, and that is how I
got to know him.

Evan has also written a very timely book called "Apartment 4B, Like In Brooklyn" (Reliving Times of a Bygone Era). It's a very timely book because there is currently a great debate going on in our society about the way we treat each other.

At first glance, Evan's book appears to be yet another one of those
feel good, exercises in nostalgia about how good it used to be to live in
Brooklyn. In fact the cover of the book even has a picture of the
entrance to what appears to be one of those well constructed small
pre-war apartment houses inhabited by those mythical Brooklyn Dodger fans that Roger Khan wrote so lovingly about in the book "Boys of Summer". Perhaps this apartment house was at one time inhabited by those mythical Brooklyn Dodger fans. However that isn't what Evan's book is about.

Evan's book is all about his very painful memories in being the very
last white family to leave the neighborhood (Lenox Road) and that for
him was a stigma of monumental proportions as a jr. high school student during the early 1970's. I am somewhat familiar with the area, having lived not to far from there (Sullivan Place, oddly enough right across the street from the former site of Ebbtes Field) about 5 years prior to the timeframe that Evan is writing about. I can clearly remember my own mother telling me not to go across Empire Blvd because of the white people there. Evan lived on that "other side of Empire Blvd, "when it was still all white.", By the time he left, his family was "the only white family left."

In some ways the book is an assault on the reader.
On most every page of the book Evan is called the following by his
Black & Hispanic jr. high school peers:

- jew boy
- honky
- white boy
- white motherf*cker
- etc.

(over and over again)

The book works best as a study in young Evan's thought processes as
each day he must get up in the morning and figure out a game plan to insure that he suffers the least amount of physical/verbal abuse from his classmates at school and his neighbors on the block. At one point in the book he even talks about his fears of potentially having to attend
Erasumus Hall HS and having to suffer the abuse from even older kids.
This book is not pleasant to read at all.

Young Evan is clearly "de-humanized" as a result of the treatment. The book ends with his family "escaping" to Bayside Queens, just prior to his entering high school. It doesn't really tell us how he was able to overcome the "de-humanization" that he describes in such detail in the book.

- jew boy
- honky
- white boy
- white motherf*cker
- etc.

(over and over again)

In today's society there are some black people who are currently
engaged in a debate over the usage of the so called "n-word". There are some folks who claim that it's "casual usage removes/negates the hate previously associated with the word." In my opinion these people are suffering from low self esteem that, they are in fact slaves and have no desire to be anything different.

After reading this book, I can assure you that Evan Ginzburg doesn't
think that "casual usage removes/negates the hate previously associated with words like...."

- jew boy
- honky
- white boy
- white motherf*cker
- etc.

(over and over again)

I'm certain that there are some Black folks reading this review who are
silently smiling. They are saying thinks like "good, the white boy got
a taste of his own medicine..." I am certain that Evan Ginzburg knows
that as well. That's because the pain of such treatment never goes away.
Having the upper hand, gives one the "right" to terrorize others,
doesn't it?

There even comes a point in the book, where young Evan is asked if he is Jewish and he lies and says he is "only 1/2 jew". He feels ashamed
afterwards, that's a part of the de-humanization. These type of words
hurt when you are 10 years old. They still hurt when you are 70 years
old. It's all a part of taking advantage of the perceived "weaker
person" and then taking it to the n'th degree of torture and
humiliation. Once that is achieved the goal then becomes to so ingrain
the emotions into the victims brain so that not only do they carry it
around for the rest of their lives, but that they also pass the very
same "fear, uncertainty & doubt" (FUD) on to their children.

Today in America, nobody wants to have an honest discussion about race.
Nothing unusual about that, it's been that way since the country
started. Back in the early 1800's a French journalist named Alexis de
Touqueville write a book called "Democracy in America." The book is
actually a collection of magazine articles writen by de Touqueville for
the European press giving his opinions about the prospects for the new
country called "America.". Alexis de Touqueville comes to the
conclusion that America will never live up to it's potential until it comes to grips with it's race/slavery problems.

As we sit here 200 years later, Americans not only are no closer to
fixing the "race problem", hell we won't even talk about it honestly.
Looks to me like de Touqueville was right in his predictions?

Yet there are people out there who think that it's ok to just throw
around the "n-word". I'm here to tell you that it isn't ok. And to
think that it is ok would be such a serious error in judgment. An error in judgment that could potentially do serious damage to your children and their hopes to lead a decent life. Where else but in America could the victims actually be persuaded that it's ok to de-humanixed by each
other and claim that it's "a term of endearment."?

How can it be possible to gain the respect of another man, when clearly
you don't respect yourself?

As I said, Evan's book is very timely...


"We Got To Live Together"
--Buddy Miles

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 Edit
Book Review: Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn
By Evan Ginzburg
Alternative Press 148 pages $14.95
Reviewed by Tom Filsinger
I'm pleased to announce that another excellent book has come across my desk at Fed HQ. It's a book written by old friend, Evan Ginzburg. Game fans will remember Evan from his appearance at GalactiCon 2004 with Johnny Valiant. He is the producer and editor of Wrestling Then and Now newsletter and manages several wrestlers. Evan has written an autobiography called Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn.
God, how I love a good autobiography, mainly because the best ones offer some universal insights and concepts to ponder that stretch beyond the life of the author. Evan's book does just that. Evan grew up in Brooklyn in the 1960's and 1970's. He saw his neighborhood slowly evolve from a traditional ethnic immigrant neighborhood to a multi-racial neighborhood populated by Blacks and Hispanics.
Apartment 4B is the story of a Jewish family adapting to these major changes.And adapting is the key word. Evan describes in graphic detail the pleasures and pains of these adjustments. From being beaten up regularly for any change in his pocket, to having his brand new bicycle stolen in broad daylight, to tales of murder, cheating, and degradation, it all seems like a painful and bitter life lesson.And yet the book is free from real rancor or hostility. Evan's world is a complex world where his new friendships were very fulfilling, from playing inner-city street games like Skully and stickball, to going to the latest showings of Bruce Lee movies, to identifying with James Brown as his hero, Evan has carved a romantic vision at the same time that his stories are frightening, dehumanizing, and sometimes downright revolting.
The book is written in a short story format, making it easy to pick up and put down at the drop of a hat. Not that it's easy to put down. Evan's writing style is easily accessible with many humorous touches thrown in to offset the sometimes painful memories. As a child of the same time period, I can identify with Evan's stories, the main difference being that my family moved (ironically to a Jewish suburb) prior to the inner-city upheavals that the Ginzburg family endured. I saw the tip of the iceburg when I lived in East Cleveland in the 1960's.
Evan's family stayed at Apartment 4B even when "white flight" saw many other families moving out. Wrestling fans will enjoy Evan's references to his love for professional wrestling beginning with Bruno Sammartino and many others. There's even a nice drawing of Baron Von Raschke by Rick Knox in the book. Maybe Rick would let us use it someday if we add the Baron to the Legends game lineup. I heartily recommend Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn. It's an easy read on a difficult subject.
Ginzburg's love of life and pop culture shine through the tough times and his experiences represent a microcosm for the shifting template of American culture in the 1960's and 1970's. Take it from me, a big reader of memoirs, that this is worth picking up. The book is available now through mail order at: PO Box 640471 Oakland Gardens Station Flushing, NY 11364 for $14.95 and $2.50 postage and handling (Add $5 for overseas orders).

From Fred Geobold, WBAI-FM 99.5 NYC-
Evan Ginzburg has put into words the emotions and experiences of growing up in the ever-changing Brooklyn of the ‘60s and ‘70s: a Brooklyn that is lost forever. We read several tales on the air and they’re funny, poignant and most certainly memorable.

Review by Fred Argoff from Brooklyn Magazine Issue #52-
This quote appears at the end of the introduction: “In adulthood, Ginzburg moved to a foreign country (Flushing), yet his heart is still in Brooklyn. This book is a reflection of Ginzburg’s lifelong ties to his beloved Brooklyn. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
If you were born in Brooklyn, it doesn’t matter how long you lived there. Whether you move away as a child or as an adult, and wherever you go, you will always carry a little bit of the borough around with you. We offer this as a pathetic, tip of the iceberg explanation for the waxing nostalgic of Brooklyn.
That said, there’s nothing better than a book recalling one’s childhood in Brooklyn. Why, Your Friendly Local Editor could have written this-but he didn’t; Evan Ginzburg from Lenox Road in Flatbush did. And for this we can all be grateful.
The book has six chapters, and a look at their titles tells hints at what’s to come: Early Daze; We are Family; Reading, Writing and Humiliation: Block Heads; Boys and the Hood; Last Gasp. And there’s an appendix with photos—including a stickball picture that will be immediately familiar to everybody.
Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn is available for $14.95 (plus $2.50 postage and handling) from the author at PO Box 640471 Oakland Gardens Station, Flushing, NY 11364. You will be severely remiss if you don’t send away for a copy ASAP. If you come from Brooklyn, every page will bring a smile to your face, because you will have experienced many of the same things. And if you’re not from around here, well, at least you’ll understand why natives feel Brooklyn is such a special place.

Evan Ginzburg and Days of Brooklyn Past


Author's Memoir Reflects a Brooklyn Long Gone

Brooklyn's cultural landscape is ever-changing and those who remember "the old" Brooklyn are few. One of those Brooklyn natives, Evan Ginzburg, decided to preserve the Brooklyn he once knew in his memoir Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn.
A Queens College sociology class inspired Ginzburg to pen his memoirs of growing up in East Flatbush during the 60s and 70s. Says Ginzburg, "I was writing how and why the neighborhood changed with all kinds of statistics to go with it. The professor was incredibly encouraging saying, 'Let's do something important with this,' but my beloved father had just died and my head wasn't on straight then." So it wasn't until years later that Ginzburg gave in to the inner voice urging him to write.
"It was always this nagging thing on my shoulder - "I need to write about this." The "this" was a Brooklyn that no longer exists.
Ginzburg grew up on 245 Lenox Road between Nostrand and Rogers. A mostly blue-collar Jewish neighborhood when Ginzburg's family moved there, demographics changed dramatically in the 1960s.
"The changes in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70s weren't natural," Ginzburg explains. "They were expedited by 'blockbusting.' The real estate interests knock on people's doors and scare them by telling them, 'The blacks are coming in – you should get out now.' Then the [real estate] agents make a low offer on their house. Rip them off. They’d turn around rip off the black family interested in buying the house by overcharging them. Taking from both sides. They created an unnatural flight to the suburbs. I remember on the next block over [from him], a young white woman was murdered. This was 1968 or 1969. Murders were few and far between back then. Months of fear went by; of course everyone thought a black guy did it. What happened? Turned out that her white boyfriend did it. They were turbulent times politically then as well. Martin Luther King was just killed." Ginzburg says. And that that aura of fear remained. The 'white flight' to the suburbs was common."
Ginzburg's family didn't leave though and ended up being one of the few white families in the neighborhood. It wasn’t easy for Ginzburg, but there were always some amazing experiences that Ginzburg held on to for many years.
Much later, as an Adult Ed teacher, Ginzburg started teaching Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street, a book about growing up in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago in the 60s and it touched Ginzburg. "I loved the format- very, very short stories that could be read by either kids or adults and although there were repeat characters, the stories didn't really flow from one to another. But it told the story! Poetically no less. And that, too, inspired me. So finally, after literally decades of wanting to write my story, a political writer/friend named Jeff Archer just shamed me into it. 'Writer's write,' he'd tell me. That kind of thing. Over and over again. And I sat down during one summer vacation and wrote a story a day. Just jumped in like a lunatic. Almost 60 stories in 60 days. It was like therapy. When I wrote that last story about the day I moved from the block, I just cried. It was like I was reliving it. I spent years polishing it and production etc. al. and four or so years later, here it is. But some of this is just about the sheer desire of getting something you believe in "out there."
The memoir chronicles Ginzburg’s Brooklyn – from getting hassled for his lunch money to playing skully to watching the Ed Sullivan show with his music-mad mother. "Mother wasn’t not a groupie," Ginzburg comments, "She didn't sleep with musicians but she did run around with Tito Puente." And she enjoyed listening to James Brown and Motown instilling a love of music that remains with Ginzburg. "Culturally, I'm more like a 60 year-old black guy than a 46 year-old Jewish guy," he says, "My tastes are more Al Green and Marvin Gaye.”
Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn skillfully captures a Brooklyn that is no more and is as engaging as it is nostalgic. The cover is a close up of his old building. "The building has a huge gate in front of it now, like a fortress," Ginzburg says, "The photographer, Bernard Ente, had to go inside to get the shot." In addition to the cover photo, Ginzburg provided personal photos of his family, friends and neighbors that add to the book’s Brooklyn flavor.
Ginzburg who now lives in Queens, is especially nostalgic for Brooklyn block parties. "Such a beautiful thing, all cultures together, Jews, Trinidadians, all nationalities together. It was a unique Brooklyn experience. You don't see that in the suburbs. On Long Island, there are people who literally never go into Manhattan much less Brooklyn. They did the wife, kids, dog, cable thing. It's fine, but to me, it's vacant culturally."
Today, Ginzburg teaches and hosts a radio show on WBAI-FM's Light Show (Wednesdays from 2-3pm, and www.wbai.com on the Web). Ginzburg’s diverse Brooklyn upbringing made him open to reaching out to those who would maybe otherwise get lost in the shuffle. Ginzburg books talent that he find interesting, from big bands to various pro wrestlers, comedians and porn stars. "Interesting people who aren’t one dimensional," he explains. He writes on his Web site, "I am proud to say that we not only interview and report on the name groups, but some performers who are virtually unknown. From the latter, we have offered some of the most astute interviews in the world. For some reason, the lesser-known talent (not necessarily lesser-talented) are more open with their words.

Instead of getting a pre-planned answer written by a publicity guru for a big star, we broadcast the real emotions and responses of those who have not quite 'made it' in their field."
People like Greenpoint musician, Ansel Matthews, a 6'7", 250 pound ex-football player. Says Ginzburg, "His music is uncategorizable. He does this sensitive, spiritual music that is so soothing I can't even explain it. And he's the bouncer at the gigs he plays!"
Ginzburg says, "When you’re out there doing creative things, not just pursuing money, then interesting things happen. I’ve never gotten rich but I’m rich from experiences."
To order: "Apartment 4-B, Like In Brooklyn", send check or money order to: Evan Ginzburg, P.O. Box 640471, Oakland Gardens Station, Flushing, NY 11364. Price is $14.95 + $2.00 shipping.


Review by Dann Leonard- Editor Betty Paginated (Australia)

APARTMENT 4B, LIKE IN BROOKLYN by Evan Ginzburg: What could have been a wistful look back at one man’s childhood growing up in a culturally and racially changing neighborhood in New York City, instead ended up being a painful look at racism, petty crime, random childhood cruelty and school bullying. Evan – the editor of long-running wrestling nostalgia sheet Wrestling Then & Now – is a good writer and this short book of anecdotes certainly held my attention. I just felt quite depressed afterwards. For every story about Evan’s parents, his wacky friends playing stickball or reading comics is countered by an unpleasant tale of being mugged in the street by black kids, beaten up by a gang of Puerto Rican teenagers or being forced into an all-white class at school for his own protection from the non-white students. All forms of racism – anti-black, anti-white, anti-Hispanic, anti-gay, anti-Jew, hell…even anti-Jehovah’s Witness – are addressed and the overall picture is a very unflattering portrait of 60s/70s multicultural America. Apartment 4B is available through mail order from Evan at PO Box 640471, Oakland Gardens Station, Flushing, NY, 11364, USA for US $14.95 and US $2.50 postage and handling (add US $5 for overseas orders). It can also be bought by credit card at www.evanginzburg.com and www.wrestlingthenandnow.com


Two Sheds Review
Julian Radbourne (England)

Ginzburg's second book, Apartment 4B, Like In Brooklyn, is an autobiographical book, as Ginzburg looks back at his childhood years, of life growing up in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

It's a tale of a child growing up in the 1960's and 70's, at a time long before kids found their entertainment with video games and mobile phones, and they found enjoyment by playing ball games in the street and in backyards. Things certainly were a lot easier and simpler back then.

And it's a truly enchanting tale, as Ginzburg tells us about his parents, a mother who looked after house and home, and a father who worked fourteen hours a day, six days a week, as a New York cabbie, estimating that he's driven over a million miles during his life.

Ginzburg also tells of the many influences in his life, which, of course, also involve professional wrestling, and learning Spanish along the way while watching Lucha Libre on television. The story of his first ever visit to Madison Square Garden, to watch his hero Bruno Sammartino, was also enjoyable.

But it's the stories of his friendships and encounters with other kids in the neighborhood that make this book. While not wanting to go into to much detail here, there are tales that will make you laugh and cry, and even though these events took place over thirty years ago, and you knew things would turn out fine (otherwise he wouldn't have written this book), you couldn't help but root for the guy during some of the more troublesome moments.


In conclusion - a highly enjoyable read here. Ginzburg manages to the sense of the era perfectly, and after finishing the book, I began to wonder if Ginzburg ever got back in touch with any of the friends he made in Brooklyn, and if he found out what they're doing now.



Baby Boomer Head Quarters www.BBHQ.com says:

This is a frequently amusing nostalgic series of essays about growing up in Brooklyn in the 70s. It is a little cutting edgy, but as such it captures the spirit.

CULTURAL ICONS LOVE APARTMENT 4B, LIKE IN BROOKLYN

Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn- his book is a very realistic, easy read about growing up in New York and reliving times of a bygone era. Once you pick it up you won’t be able to put it down.”

-Handsome Jimmy Valiant (Professional Wrestling Legend)

“I must say that from the time I picked up the book ‘till I finished it that it has made me think about how I not only see people but how I treat them and what I say to them. The book was just POWERFUL, a tool if you will on how one can be affected by words; light hearted and painful all at the same time. I was laughing and crying all at the same time. I have not picked up a book that had this kind of impact on me since I read Truman Capote. Thank you just doesn’t seem to be enough.”

-Seka (Adult film Legend)

Reviews From Amazon.com:


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Reviewer:
Robin D. Young (Sag Harbor, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)  
Although set in 196o's Brooklyn, this coming of age story is about feelings of joy , pain, discovery,and growth, that are universal to us all.Evan paints a portrait of his life as a gentle tough kid in a racially mixed and consistantly volatile urban environment. He was an urban Huck Finn with the mean streets of Brooklyn standing in for the mississippi. His adventures, scrapes, beatings, and occaisional misdemeanors are endlessly entertaining and will linger in the memory long after the reader has finished the book. I look forward to the sequel.


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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-4-0._V47081936_.gifIt's all about NY , September 1, 2006
Reviewer:
Marsha Brandsdorfer "Marsha B." (Mountain View, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)  
I know Evan from Queens, New York, from when we were teenagers. Evan told me that he spent his childhood in Brooklyn, but eventually his parents decided to leave the neighborhood as it got difficult with the times. Evan definitely addresses the problems that the residents had with each other based on their differences. I no longer live in New York, but it was interesting to see how Evan captured the favor of my home. I would recommend his book, as it is a quick read and it really is like reading a compile of short stories and incidents.

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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gifNothing but the truth!!!, August 27, 2006
Reviewer:
MICHAEL KATZ (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)  
I grew up in Brooklyn in also one of the toughest ares,Brownsville. Brooklyn was just as Evan Ginzburg explained. Reading the book brought back many memories for me some good and some bad but life was a bit more easier back then. Too bad life isn't more like stoopball,scully and stickball with your mothers broom handle. Wouldn't life be better for all?


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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gifAn endearing glimpse into a Brooklyn neighborhood's past, August 27, 2006
Reviewer:
I loved this book for two reasons; it was very easy to read and is such a loving, honest testimonial to Evan's coming of age in 1960s and 70s Brooklyn. Brooklyn is fascinating because of it's history and this book gives the reader an idea of what this neighborhood went through during it's changing times by someone who lived it and loved it. Evan tells why through his memories and photographs which takes the reader back with him. An endearing memoir of how the neighborhood shaped the man.



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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gifApartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn, August 22, 2006
Reviewer:
Thomas C. Dawber (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)  
Anyone who has ever grown up in an urban area will relate to and love this book. I not only laughed but was moved by what I read. I urge you to read this.



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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gifApartment 4b, ike in Brooklyn, August 21, 2006
Reviewer:
It was an easy, pleasant read. It took me back to a time when the world was at peace and a neighborhood was sacred. Ginzbug captures the emotion, respect and love that was present in that era.

Nikita Breznikov.


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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V47081849_.gifFascinating! A rarity!, August 21, 2006
Reviewer:
This book offers a rare look into the ever changing and somewhat racily charged culture that was/is Brooklyn. The depiction of a neighboorhood going from white/Jewish to mixed to what was known as "white flight" is captured masterfully. No punches are pulled, Mr. Ginzburg is not afraid to show vulnerability, or to relive difficult times in order to portray childhood experiences that will strike a chord in all readers. This book can be compared to the tv series the "Wonder Years" minus the rose-colored glasses. A must read.


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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-4-0._V47081936_.gifGrowing up in Brooklyn, August 20, 2006
Reviewer:
If you lived in Brooklyn, or want to know what it was like to to grow up in Brooklyn, you'll truly enjoy reading this book.

A wonderful compilation of short stories relating just some of the author's life shaping events as he "comes of age" at a time when Brooklyn was enduring a dramatic demographic change.



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http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-4-0._V47081936_.gifNostalgia Distilled Into a Small Package, August 20, 2006
Reviewer:
We just Finished reading, APARTMENT 4B, LIKE IN BROOKLYN. It's filled with vignette after vignette about growing up in Brooklyn in the Late 60s and Early 70s. It will remind you of growing up in your neighborhood but this is Brooklyn so it got a few more interesting stories that the rest of us didn't go through. It's a rather quick but Very entertaining read. You should go visit, evanginzburg dot com and tell Evan we sent y'all over. You should read the book too, if you Like these sorts of things.

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM EVAN GINZBURG
The critically acclaimed:

Hey Cabby- A New York Cab Driver's Million Miles Behind the Wheel
$4.95 plus $1.00 postage to Evan Ginzburg PO Box 640471 Oakland Gdns Station Flushing, NY 11364
Paypal customers: $5.95 to evan_ginzburg@yahoo.com



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