A peek at a moment in time as the growing urban culture that began in Harlem, NY during the early 1900s made its way, right along with African Americans, through port city after industrial city. Bringing along the burgeoning culture of song, dance, poetry and literature to inspire stage and screen writers and authors to flourish in the streets and gatherings of the urban environment.  This is a reminiscent glide through a monumental period in  the Fillmore of San Francisco during the 40s through 60s. A pivotal evolving moment in our country's cultural and social maturity happened here. An historic Port City with a shining light on the hill and a beckoning valley of magical mist, when any challenge could be overcome. Sit back and let Buddy Bean paint the picture. 

Why Buddy Bean?  Buddy Bean walked out of slavery and found his way  from turpentine camps in east Texas along railway construction;  Stevedoring along the rivers from the gulf around the Caribbean and back  in time to be denied a US Naval general assignment as wood ships became  steam and America's Navy offered black sailors nothing more than mess duty, Buddy would rather walk the path from Memphis to Pittsburgh and  work in the Ohio valley as a coal packer than Porter for the 1898 "equal but separate" Navy. He surfaced in the first World War and saw duty in  the French Foreign Legion where recognized as a man of honor and principle  for the values and ferocity which he brought to the fight. A fight that wasn't his, but  made it so in the name of truth and justice. As the War ended, Buddy  remained on French soil and soaked up the eagerness of the French people around Montmartre to  feel the rising popular culture, as jazz from Harlem and New Orleans  became all the rage in France. Buddy, and his Black musicians brothers,  many from Harlem, richly rewarded to taste the sweet flower of  appreciation. Still the experience left him sober to conquer that  which was home. Working a merchant ship, steamed west back to the  Americas. In time to find the folly of the great Gatsby had left much  the United States under a great depression. For Buddy, there were plenty  of ways a brother with a little life under his belt could fine a way to  make a living. And he did. Buddy, now nearly 70 years in, would counsel  generals and admirals through the 2nd World War. Go on to continue  living a life with purpose on into another 70 years of life. Much of that life playing a  harmonica to speak his natural born truth in burgeoning urban neighborhoods such as Beale Street in  Memphis, the Hill district in Pittsburgh, the South Side in Chicago,  Tremé and Congo Square in New Orleans out west in Seattle, Los Angeles  and finally ending up in San Francisco's Fillmore of the 1940s through 1960s. 

Last  heard, Buddy had opened a pie shop in Ghana. Specializing in Bean pies.  Makes me hungry and thirsty for life just thinking about it. 

Lance Burton