I got da blues

Last night I got to see Blues guitarist Chris Duarte in a master class and concert performance at the War Memorial in Trenton. The unusual setup features the audience sitting on the back of the stage and the performers on the front of the stage facing us. Sounds mixed-up, but it's a very intimate setting, plus I can now tell people that I shared the stage with Chris Duarte! That's Chris at left with local phenom Paul Plumeri Jr during the master class. There are sixteen photos at http://michaelmancuso.zenfolio.com

(above) Graduating seniors from Notre Dame High School in Lawrence Township turn their tassels during commencement ceremonies held at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton. (below) Heartfelt hug. Are we really done with high school?

I heard some insightful comments in North Trenton the other day at a press conference/vigil in memory of shooting victim Tamrah Leonard, 13, who was killed by stray gunfire while at a block party billed as an event to help stop the violence in Trenton's North Ward hosted by North Ward city council candidate and New Black Panther Party youth minister Divine Allah, top left. I heard pain, sorrow and frustration, and things like "Don't say a gang member killed one of our babies. Say one of our babies killed one of our babies."

You can make up your own headline for this one using the words hot, dog, hotdog, well you get the idea . Last Sunday was the 3rd Annual Bark At The Park Day presented by Dogs & Cats Rule at Trenton's Waterfront Park, home of the Trenton Thunder a minor league NY Yankees affiliate. Fans were invited to bring their dogs and this is Yorkshire Terrier "Rudy".

Earlier that day...(top photo) During a presentation on Peace in Judaism, in the New Jersey State Museum Auditorium, Marsha Rudolph, of Lambertville, NJ, holds in her hand a pointer used to follow along in reading or singing from the Torah. Out of respect, the Torah itself is not touched, so a pointer is used as a placeholder. (bottom two photos) Rabbi Donna Kirshbaum of String of Pearls Congregation in Princeton talks about and reads from the Torah scrolls. Participants next walked up West State Street to Trinity Cathedral, for a presentation on Peace in Christianity, where the event concluded with an Interfaith Potluck Dinner.

What an awesome day I had yesterday photographing the wedding(s) of Sara & Ajay! I almost never get sick, but came down with laryngitis on Saturday. Fortunately my style is to seamlessly blend into the background for most of the day and when I needed to communicate, my assistant (and son) Andy was my voice. Thank you, Sara and Ajay for allowing me to be part of your memorable Memorial Day weekend.

Last Sunday I got to photograph country legend Randy Travis at his Mother's Day concert in Trenton at Patriots Theater. Besides being a photojournalist, I do some graphic design and now features editing at The Times and I put him on the cover of our weekend entertainment tab called Good Times so I thought I'd go and see in him in person, too. I'm not the world's biggest country fan, but still a fan. I've never seen a big country star in person and Randy is big and he and his band are damn good and I say that as a fan and lifelong musician. It's always a pleasure to see someone at the top of their game, even if it's a game I'm not good at myself. First, here's the cover:

(I had to give a little shout out to the Star Trek movie opening, too.) And here's from the concert:

Also, I posted some others on a site I'm trying out called Zenfolio. The slideshow feature is nice. (The icon is near the top right.) http://michaelmancuso.zenfolio.com/p472687973/h1d378c66#h1fe486fc

Last Sunday was a real dog and pony show and in the words of Sammy Davis Jr. "And I mean that!" (If you don't know who he is, you're a lot younger than I am.) There was a horse show in Hunterdon County followed by the Trenton Kennel Club's 80th Annual All-Breed Dog Show held in Mercer County Park.


Clockwise from top left, Uli, a bulldog from Manhattan, chills (literally) with a cold compress wrapped around her head waiting for the finals. Hickory, a scottish deerhound and Best in Show winner gets groomed before the official photograph is made and Morgan Mattrioli, 14, leads Hawaii Quinn, a great dane, around the ring during judging.They won 1st place in the Junior Division Open Intermediate.




Now for the equine part, clockwise from top left, American Saddlebred horse named The King's talent is ridden by Julie Butler, of Trenton, New Jersey. Check out the horse's posture. Looks like a real merry-go-round horse. So that's where they get that! Before the show King's Talent is groomed with clippers by Lalo Carroen and finally, Theresa Scott, of Long Valley, New Jersey, shows an American Saddlebred horse named A Magic Surprise.