'Talking that talk'

The Tenth National Festival of Black Storytelling will be held Wednesday through Sunday at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel, co-sponsored by the Griots' Circle of Maryland and the National Association of Black Storytellers.

The festival -- this year's theme is "Still Talking that Talk" -- will workshops, storytelling, a "liars contest" and tours of African-American historical sites.

The festival includes a storytelling concert and awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Friday at Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts Center. Performers will be Oscar Brown Jr., Maryland griot Mary Carter Smith, Paul Keens Douglas (Mr. Tim Tim) and Jamal Koram (the "Story Man"). Tickets are available at Murphy Fine Arts Center and at Pyramid Bookstore in Mondawmin Mall. Call [phone].