Legenday Oliver Mtukudzi Live in Nairobi, 26th Sept 09' at Club Afrique
AFRICAN SPOKEN WORD POETRY
BY KENNET B & NJERI WANGARI
Showcasing the best in Kenyan Arts;Music,writing,Poetry,fine art and art reviews as well as info on emerging art trends. “Art is not about thinking something up. It is the opposite…getting something down.”
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8:36 AM
When you think of the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation(also check Ta - Seti) when you think of the Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, when you think of the Egyptian people, does it ever cross your mind that they might have been(could have been) black!!!
I would encourage you to adopt an open mind as you approach this rather controversial level of thought.
The Afrocentric Leader
On the 7th of February, 1986, Africa lost one of her illustrious sons, Cheikh
While leaving us, Professor Cheikh
Cheikh
Was you there?
was you, ever there?
in a place you never been but you knew you was there before and you was never there,
I was.
In a place I knew me to be when I was never really there,
I was there.
on a sunny harlem sunday,
I was there.
was you
in a ballroom on a beaming gleaming harlem corner in a sunny sunset ballroom
did you hear?
in a shiny shinning wildlife ballroom
did you hear the bullet cry?
did you see the man fall?
on a bright and bossom sunday?
on a bossom bright street jam
spare me a dime stale bread
bossom brother sunny sunday Harlem
was you there?..................................
Known as the Janitor of History, poet/essayist Louis Reyes Rivera has been studying his craft since 1960 and teaching it since 1969. The recipient of over 20 awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award (1995), a Special Congressional Recognition Award (1988), and the CCNY 125th Anniversary Medal (1973), Rivera has assisted in the publication of well over 200 books, including John Oliver Killens' Great Black Russian (Wayne State U., 1989), Adal Maldonado's Portraits of the Puerto Rican Experience (IPRUS, 1984), and Bum Rush The Page: A Def Poetry Jam (Crown Publishers, 2001).
Considered by many as a necessary bridge between the African and Latino American communities, he is a professor of Pan-African, African-American, Caribbean and Puerto Rican literature and history whose essays and poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Areyto, Boletin, The City Sun, African Voices, and in five award-winning collections: In Defense of Mumia; ALOUD: Live from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Of Sons And Lovers, Bum Rush The Page, and his own Scattered Scripture.
Since 1996, Rivera continues to host a bi-monthly Jazzoetry & Open Mic @ Sistas' Place (where he also conducts his writing workshop), in Brooklyn, and has appeared in Jazz clubs and festivals with The Sun Ra All-Stars Project, Ahmed Abdullah's Diaspora, and his own band, The Jazzoets.
I always dread standing infront of a crowd to perform and despite participating in various Kwani readings and WAPI, I still get uneasy, shaky, frightened, knots, nervous and outright confused.
I had a talk with Shailja Patel (of Migritude) during the Kwani LitFest and her advice was Practice, practice, practice. I have been doing just that. While searching on the net for some more tips on performing, spoken word and Slam Poetry, I came across a very informative site dedicated to poetry writing and performing.
For all those poets out there who go through the same thing(s) before a performance, this one is for you. Enjoy.
4 comments:
Such short notice. i will try to make it.
Great blog!!!
If you like, come back and visit mine: http://albumdeestampillas.blogspot.com
Thanks,
Pablo from Argentina
Calling the number but no one is picking, are tickets still available? I'd love to attend with a few friend's. I was at his last concert in Kenya.
@David,
Am looking forward to seeing you there.
@Pablo
Thanks, wish I could read Portuguese, please add a translator. I couldn't get anything.
@Gabriel,
Call this number if you would like more than 10tickets 0721 219564. They will deliver. If less, you will just have to purchase at the entrance, show starts at 8pm but its good to be there earlier. Hope to see you there.
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