On Wednesday, October 4 Andrea Gibson will be the Featured Performer at Caffe Lena's first Wednesday of the month poetry open mic. Andrea is a powerful spoken word artist with a strong political bent. She is currently touring the east coast. Her full bio is below and sample poems and recordings are on her website; www.andreagibson.org
Caffe Lena Poetry Open Mic Wednesday Oct 4 7pm sign up, 7:30 start Featured Poet: Andrea Gibson! $2 Hosted by Carol Graser www.caffelena.org Info: 518-583-0022
“Guileless, genuine and alive,” Andrea Gibson is a poet who creates more than art (San Francisco Magazine).
Rousing audiences throughout the United States and Canada with her poignant message and her genuine interest in generating change, her words are powerful, compassionate, and inspiring. She is a queer poet/activist who is “political, opinionated, and partial to the big issues: (The Westword, a Denver publication).
Andrea moved from New Orleans to Colorado in 1999, where she began attending weekly poetry readings at Denver’s political hub, The Mercury Café. In a years time she had rushed the scene, making her mark with the 2000 Denver Slam Team at the national Poetry Slam in Providence, Rhode Island. In the same year, Andrea joined Vox Feminista, a multi-passionate performance tribe of radical, political women bent on social change through cultural revolution. She went on to become a four-time Denver Grand Slam Champion. Andrea took 4th place out of 350 poets in the individual finals at the 2004 National Poetry Slam in St. Louis, while simultaneously leading Team Denver to a 2nd place title in the team competition.
Andrea has headlined everywhere from the Nuyorican Poet’s Café, to Pride fests and Lady Fest, to high schools and universities throughout the country. She has been showcased on Free Speech TV., Dyke TV, the documentary Slam Planet, and Independent Radio Stations nationwide. She is featured on New York City’s 2004 Best of Urbana CD, and is currently a member of the prestigious Bullhorn Collective “comprised of 30 of the highest ranking slam poets and most accomplished performance poets in the world.” She has shared the stage with such names as Leslie Feinberg, Amy Goodman, Dennis Kucinich and KRS1.
Andrea’s poetry deconstructs the foundations of the current political machine, highlighting issues such as patriarchy, gender norms, white-supremacy, and capitalist culture. Her words are honest, humble and “oh my god, I can’t believe you said that in public!” (ex-girlfriend #4).
Make sure you do not miss this show. Andrea was in town last year for a performance at Valentines for Albany Poets Presents and was amazing.
The New York State Writers Institute began its 2006 Fall Visiting Writers series last week with short story writer Amy Hempel ("The Dog of the Marriage") and novelist Margot Livesey ("Eva Moves the Furniture"). According to the Times Union:
Poets, fiction writers, historians and journalists will be on hand in the coming months to read from their works and discuss a broad range of topics. All events are free and open to the public.
Jack Prelutsky is the inaugural winner of the Children's Poet Laureate award from the Poetry Foundation. The announcement was made at the third annual Pegasus Awards ceremony last night on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park in Chicago.
The new award aims to raise awareness that children have a natural receptivity to poetry and are its most appreciative audience, especially when poems are written specifically for them. Findings from the Poetry Foundation's recent research study - "Poetry in America" - demonstrate that a lifelong love for poetry is most likely to result if cultivated early in childhood and reinforced thereafter.
About the Pegasus Awards
The Poetry Foundation believes that targeted prizes can help recognize underappreciated accomplishments and diversify the kinds of poetry being written as well as widen the audience for the art form. With this in mind, the Poetry Foundation has established a family of prizes with an emphasis on under- recognized poets and types of poetry. Inaugurated in 2004, the Pegasus Awards honor achievements not already acknowledged by other poetry prizes.
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine and one of the largest literary organizations in the world, exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs. For more information, please visit http://www.PoetryFoundation.org
There are a couple of special poetry and spoken word events coming up in October.
Tuesday, October 10 at 8:00PM Wize Words WAMC Performing Arts Center, Central Ave., Albany WAMC sponsors an evening of spoken word/ poetry slam that will challenge every conventional rule of poetry. Come support local wordsmiths at the Linda.
Wednesday, October 11 at 7:30PM An Evening with Jerome Rothenberg UAG Gallery, 247 Lark Street, Albany Albany Poets and Ta'wil Productions are proud to present this one-night-only reading from world renowned poet Jerome Rothenberg.
According to Wikipedia: "Rothenberg was born in New York City and attended the City College of New York, graduating in 1952. In 1953, he got a Master's Degree in Literature from the University of Michigan. Rothenberg served in the U.S. Army in Mainz, Germany from 1953 to 1955, after which he did further graduate study at Columbia University, finishing in 1959.
In the late 1950s, he published translations of German poets, including the first English appearances of poems by Paul Celan and Günter Grass. He also founded Hawk's Well Press and the magazine Poems from the Floating World, publishing work by a number of the most important American avant-garde poets of the day and his own first book, White Sun Black Sun 1960. He published eight more collections between during the 1960s. "
Friday, October 13 at 7:00PM "The Last Cigarette" Perfomance Party and Book Release From R.M. Engelhardt UAG Gallery, 247 Lark Street, Albany Local poet and writer R.M. Engelhardt will be signing his new book, "The Last Cigarette" as well as reading poems from the book with Dr. Sax (Bruce Richardson and James Washburn) and John Weiler on guitar.
The Arts are alive in Albany! 1st Friday September brought almost 400 people to Lark Street to see the openings of 4 new art shows.
For October, the Albany Center Galleries will be joining this new Albany Art tradition and promises to make the evening even bigger.
Our mission is to open the doors of Albany's visual arts community by joining together and introducing a wider audience to the unique vitality of the artists and venues of Albany. 1st Friday hopes to promote interest in the arts by making it easy and accessible, thereby strengthening the arts community in Albany.
October 6th, 2006 from 6 to 9 PM ALBANY CENTER GALLERIES 161 Washington Avenue Jan Galligan's: 30 Year Introspective WORKSPACEd OUT
AMROSE + SABLE 306 Hudson Avenue Works by Robert Gullie
ROMAINE BROOKS GALLERY @ CDGLCC 332 Hudson Avenue Works by Elizabeth Dubben + Rob O’Neil
UPSTATE ARTISTS GUILD 247 Lark Street “Face and Facades” with featured artist Mark Gregory
WAMC's RoundTable program this morning is asking listeners to call in and tell who their favorite local artist, musician, or artist, alive or dead.
It is about time that people are realizing that there is a lot of talented people in this area involved in the arts. From what I have heard of the show so far, they have already gone over all of the famous arts heros from the area, but so far I have not heard anything about any of our local poets.
You can send them an email about who inspires you locally and they will read them on the air on Monday. You can also leave a comment here and let us know who your favorite local artist is.
Documentary on Music Legend Gram Parsons Makes Capital Region Debut at The Sanctuary For Independent Media; Local Musicians To Present Music Tribute
On Tuesday, September 19, 2006 some of the Capital Region's most talented musicians will pay tribute to country/rock music legend Gram Parsons as "Fallen Angel," the documentary film about his life, premieres at The Sanctuary For Independent Media (3361 6th Avenue in Troy). The event begins at 7 PM with a brief musical introduction, followed by the film screening and concluding with a full set of live performance.
For this event, songwriter/bandleader Michael Eck has cherry-picked the best of the region's alt.country scene, including Jeff Sohn (bass), Sten Isachsen (lead guitar), Kevin Maul (pedal steel and dobro), Bob Girouard (drums) and guest artists Leigh Gibson (of the Gibson Brothers), Hayseed, Mother Judge, Sloughter Jug All-Stars, Peter Bearup, Steven “Cousin” Clyde (of Ramblin Jug Stompers) and Don “Diego” Ackerman -- all performing their favorite Gram Parsons songs!
On September 19, 1973, musician and million-dollar heir Gram Parsons died under the influence of drugs and alcohol near his favorite place The Joshua Tree National Monument in the Californian desert. As the founder of the Flying Burrito Brothers, a member of the hit-making, legendary Byrds, an important influence on the Rolling Stones and the man who catapulted Emmylou Harris to fame, Gram Parsons made music history in only a few years. Using rare footage of his performances, director Gandulf Hennig shows why Gram Parsons has become a legend. Interviewees include Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman and "Road Mangler" Phil Kaufman.
According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the All Music Guide, "Gram Parsons is the father of country-rock. With the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Parsons pioneered the concept of a rock band playing country music, and as a solo artist he moved even further into country music, blending the two genres to the point that they became indistinguishable from each other. While he was alive, Parsons was a cult figure that never sold many records, but influenced countless fellow musicians, from the Rolling Stones to the Byrds. In the years since his death, his stature has only grown, as numerous rock and country artists build on his small, but enormously influential, body of work."
Among the many enduring compositions by Gram Parsons are classics like "Hickory Wind," "Sin City," "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning," "Streets Of Baltimore," "A Song For You," "Christine's Tune (Devil In Disguise)," "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and "Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome?"
"His songs stand the test of time," said Emmylou Harris. "They have a universal, timeless quality to them. And all of them were written before the age of 26, when he died. So it's pretty amazing to think of what he came up with. His songs run the gamut from being deeply romantic and touching, and sad, and playful and funny to apocalyptic." In his San Francisco Chronicle review of the film, David Wiegand wrote, "It might seem easy to dismiss Parsons for flaming out too soon, except for his astounding musical legacy. It isn't just that he was a member, however briefly, of the Byrds, or that he gave Harris' career a start. It's that he personally brought his abiding love for pure country music, as delivered by guys like Lefty Frizzell and George Jones, to the attention of Hillman, Richards and others, made them see that it was something to respect. Parsons is still known as the father of country-rock. Bands that came later, such as the Eagles, then Son Volt and others, carried the legacy."
"Gorgeous archival footage of the pretty, young, Nudie-suit clad Gram performing with the Flying Burrito Brothers mixes with old home movies of Gram's privileged upbringing," said Jason Moon Wilkins in The Tennessean. "Parsons' almost unbelievably dramatic life was cinematic in every respect, but, shockingly, until 'Fallen Angel' arrived, no one had ever successfully filmed Gram's story."
This event is made possible by volunteer labor and small financial contributions from hundreds of patrons of The Sanctuary For Independent Media. Admission to this screening is by donation ($10 suggested, $5 student/low income).
The Sanctuary For Independent Media is a community media arts center located in an historic former church in Troy, NY. The Sanctuary hosts screening, production and performance facilities, training in media production and a meeting space for artists, activists and independent media makers of all kinds. The Sanctuary is located at 3361 6th Avenue, three doors down from 101st Street in north Troy.
Call (518) 272-2390, or email info@TheSanctuaryForIndependentMedia.org, or visit www.TheSanctuaryForIndependentMedia.org for more information.
Are you too busy to read your favorite novel? Well, here is a service where you can have novels emailed to you a little bit at a time. There are many classic books and novels to choose from on the site.
How long will it take to read the book? DailyLit answers that in their FAQ:
"That depends on three factors. First, on how many parts are in the book (shown when you browse for books). Second, on how frequently you choose to receive emails. Third, on how often you read more than one part (by using the "send me the next part immediately" feature). So here is a typical example. I am currently reading Dracula, which has 187 parts and I am receiving parts on weekdays, i.e. 5 days/week. So at most it will take me 187/5 = 37 weeks. But when I am on the train or waiting, I often read more than one part, so I usually wind up reading about 10 parts/week. This means I will finish Dracula in about 19 weeks or 5 months. If that seems long to you, try something shorter!"
The Mop & Bucket Co., the area's oldest improvisational theatre troupe, will stage its season premier at Steamer 10, 500 Western Avenue Albany, on Sept 29 and 30 at 8 PM. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for all others.
Originally founded in 1995, the company has been the chief innovator in the Capital District improve scene, offering an ever-evolving blend of short-form sketches, musical improvisations, audience participation, and innovative long-form pieces.
MopCo offers a new format this season: elements of Saturday's performances will be based on suggestions gathered from Friday's audiences. Audience members who attend both shows will receive a discounted ticket price, and have the opportunity to see a more intricately structured performance piece, crafted from their ideas.
In addition to regular performances at Steamer 10, the company performs at various other venues. The company also offers corporate, murder mystery, and specially tailored training events to organizations. The web site is www.mopco.org.
For reservations call the Steamer 10 Box Office 438-5503.
Another little resource for writers. I have never heard of some of these websites, but it seems like they may be good jumping off point for aspiring writers.
"They offer plenty of advice and insight into the world of writing and publishing by those that are within the industry. And if five isn't enough, each includes a links list to other great blogs!"
Here is a great website with a huge list of resources for writers who are self-publishng their work. Self-publishing has long been the only way that poets can get their work published as many of the big publishing houses do not want to take the chance and print something that may be interesting and thought provocing.
Here is a website featuring recordings of poets from all over the world. It looks like this is a great resource for teachers and students for research.
"The Poetry Archive exists to help make poetry accessible, relevant and enjoyable to a wide audience. It came into being as a result of a meeting, in a recording studio, between Andrew Motion, soon after he became U.K. Poet Laureate in 1999, and the recording producer, Richard Carrington. They agreed about how enjoyable and illuminating it is to hear poets reading their work and about how regrettable it was that, even in the recent past, many important poets had not been properly recorded."
Autum Ashante has been mentioned on the Albany Poets BBS recently concerning the controversy surrounding her poetry and background.
"A 7-year-old prodigy unleashed a firestorm when she recited a poem she wrote comparing Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin to "pirates" and "vampires" who robbed blacks of their identities and human rights."
Poetry can turn up anywhere these days, which is great to see. According to an article from Indianapolis, Indiana TV station WISH, "Thirty-nine Indiana poets will have their work displayed on IndyGo busses and for 10 days they'll be doing live readings." These readings took place from 4:00pm to 6:00pm right on the busses. What a great way to let people know about poetry and spoken word.
I would love to see this happen in the Capital Region.
What is going on in the world of poetry and spoken word outside the Albany community? Who are the up and coming poets and performers downstate in Woodstock and Hudson?
Welcome to the new Albany Poets blog. This will be updated with the latest from the poetry, spoken word, music, art and performace scenes all around the Upstate New York area and beyond. Be sure to comment on the post that are in this section and voice your opinion.
If you would like to be a contributor of the Albany Poets blog, send an emal to info@albanypoets.com and tell us about your self and how you can help out with the Albany Poets Blog project.
