Happy (New) Year!!!

For exactly how long can you say "Happy New Year"? When does the year lose its newness? End of January? End of June? (by then it'll be half old)

Whatever the real answer to that question is... and I'm sure there is one. Happy 2010! How bout you just have a Happy Year! I'm not a particular fan of New Year's resolutions but I like to set goals and I think that should be an ongoing process. I've come up with an M.O. for 2010: Movements and Improvements.

Now that is very generalized and I like it that way because in everything I do for this year and onwards I am going to try to improve and make moves. Just take that for what it is. Who knows if I'll put out a book or a cd this year? I'm not one to talk big things before they materialize so just wait and see...

Peace

September 25th, 2009... pt II: Urban Juke Joint

A monthly open mic dedicated to "a nobler expression" of rhymes, beats, music, spoken word, and poetry. We emphasize more on the spiritual and less on the material. We seek to unite artists and community by creating a welcoming space where novice and experienced poet are equal, mutually sharing in the love and encouragement that emulates from "our family". Only with a higher level of unity can the voices of the NYC poetry community arise above the fray and give inspiration and insight to a community that is increasing becoming voiceless.

As I have said before and will continue to say, UJJ holds a special place in my heart. I can't express exactly how thankful I am for the Juke Joint family and what they've done for me as an artist and a person.

On the said date, the special guest was Sonia Sanchez, a simply amazing woman whose titles of Author, Poet, Educator, and Activist speak little for what she has done for the black and the entire community at large. Before this day, I had merely heard her name spoken and saw her perform on Def Poetry Jam. Her humble presence and experiences expressed through poetry left a lasting impression on a crowd I am blessed to have been a part of. That's about all I could say... You had to be there!

On the same night, I was further humbled by my UJJ family. Very contrary to my departure from work, my send-off from the Juke Joint was one I will never forget. It was 13 months since my first time attending the event, and saying thank you and goodbye proved to be an emotional task. After performing two poems on a time-constrained mic, and returning to my seat to a standing audience, I was recalled to the stage and presented with a scroll signed by my peers in the audience. I was rendered speechless...

Much love to all who made my day end on a high note.

September 25th, 2009... pt I: A Day I Will Never Forget

I had been avidly counting down to this date for a couple simple reasons mentioned in my last post. One, it was to be my last day at work, and two, my last Urban Juke Joint (for some time). Little did I know, the day would be far from simple, thanks (or not) to some added ingredients during its course.

I was excited about leaving the stagnant and creatively stifling position of Sales Assistant at my job, mostly just to get back some personal freedom. After 9 months of outstanding service to a well-managed organization, my send-off left much to be desired and was distasteful, to say the least. My boss said she couldn't think of what to do or get for me, so she decided she'd give me a handshake and say thanks for everything. What a way to show gratitude to probably the best person to fill that position in years.

Moving on...

While on my way to what promised to be a memorable Urban Juke Joint by the hosts, anticipating the presence of an unannounced special guest, I received the saddening news that my best friend's mother had passed away... A woman who was a mother to me, who treated me like her second son. R.I.P. Radha Bhawanie.

Bittersweet

Today was the first day of my last week of work, and perhaps a more distinct start of a countdown... I've been wallowing in the bittersweet feeling of the present for a while now. The anxiety to return to my homeland coupled with the sorrow of leaving NY makes for a miserable state of mind.

I've been in NY for 3 years, since I came to school in the Fall of 2006. It's been a great experience overall. I graduated from college and worked for the greater part of a year, witnessed some of the most random things that comes with this territory, and also many of the landmarks and attractions... And now my time is up, as they say. My intentions were always to take what I can get from this country and return to T&T to share the wealth (of knowledge)... in a way yet to be determined.

Last Wednesday I bid farewell to Work As Renaissance, the open mic in Harlem where I was first featured. This Friday I would say goodbye to the staff at my job whose company I've shared for some time, as well as the Urban Juke Joint. UJJ holds a special place in my heart, as I'm sure it does in the hearts of many others who have found a home in its four walls. UJJ is the place I found my artistic home, where I've felt the most comfortable on stage, and was able to grow to another level. The September edition will be my last... for some time...

My Word!... I Am Poetry

I performed this piece recently and reminded myself how much I liked it myself... I think it's one of my most creative... If you have ever heard my poetry, you would realize that my style incorporates a flow resembling the delivery of hip-hop. I don't often write the type of poetry to be published in books... Quoting myself from 'Speak'... "Truth is in the spoken word, that's why I'd rather not be read but instead be heard..." My goal in writing this poem was to combine the colorful imagery of written poetry with the delivery of a spoken word piece...

I Am Poetry (Poetree)

Let me start by thanking my Mother... Earth... to my Father
For planting his seed, cuz indeed it was fertile
So I succeed in growth...
In the form of reeds
So you could read the quotes
And feel the notes as I come to be what I wrote...
Poetry...
In my roots, written on the loose leaves of the birch
Where the birds and the bees never leave
And the ink from the pen is like the sap of the tree
Cuz it lives in the wood that would be...
A piece of paper later...
If the lumberjack brings me down then he could be a player hater
In either form I'm getting pissed on...
Put it like this, I probably wouldn't exist
If the originator didn't send his only son
To make my leaves go and come with the seasons
As I need them...
To chlorophyll me up with the nutrition
From the light of the day shone in the forest
Before I'm chucked like Mr. Norris for deforestation
I'll be a scapegoat for the landscape
Portrait of the art representing the heart they put into me
The oxygen I put into them so they could breathe...
Now everybody wanna do me
Use me to fight for... what is right
Or write for what is wrong
Hear me tonight on stage at an open mic
Later I'll be in a song that I hope you like
Hopefully I'll take us all to a whole new height
And in the heat of the day, in my shade you would stay
And I might bear the fruits of your labour
So that you could savour the taste of my flavour on your tongue
And due to the nature of this one...
I came from the underground
Now I bow when the sky claps with the thunder sound
And the greater that would come out of me
Will make you see what I see
Feel the joy I have brung
Sing the songs that I hum in the wind for freedom
Til, no one is hung from my limbs
No pain, and now I'm stained in your brain
And in the sign on your Timb's
And you wondering my name
How do they call him?
And the answer... you probably already know it
See... Navy's the master, but me
I am Poetry

Only the Beginning...

Every so often there comes a time in any purposed journey to reflect on where you are, in light of where you have been... A point of realisation of a dream, or part thereof... A hurdle crossed, fence scaled, or wall climbed. Exactly 3 weeks ago, I made one of those long-awaited steps. I had grown well into my (poetic) shoes for some years and it was due time to plant my foot onto a higher tier and make an ascent. On Wednesday 19th August, 2009, I was given the opportunity to feature my poetry at an Open Mic event. This was my very first feature and would be the most momentous one for some time to come...

I first hit the stage as a poet in October, 2005, in my homeland of Trinidad & Tobago. Moved to NY one year later and continued with the poetry club at College. I performed at open mics, talent shows and, in 2008, one poetry slam in which I placed 2nd (they say I deserved 1st). In that final year of school, I started venturing on my own into the unknown territory of the NY poetry scene. Nobody knew who I was. I had hit a few spots where I was met with indifference and left with mixed emotions of content vs contempt. My 4 years of experience sounds like a long time, but in NY I'd be considered a newbie, considering that their youth talent is fostered from teenage years.

Back home in T&T, the artform is still relatively new. I had been a part of what I feel was a movement, still ongoing, that brought poetry to the forefront of the art scene. Soca and Reggae/Dancehall had been the mainstream seemingly forever, but a vibrant underground was emerging. New York, however, was different. I must say that my eyes were opened wide to the poetry scene in NY. I saw and heard people and styles that I've never heard before. Expression at its liberal best! After getting my feet wet, and establishing a solid reputation for myself amongst my small circle of poetic peers, I earned my first feature.

Work As Renaissance @ La Pregunta Arts Cafe in Harlem... It was a tremendous experience and the start of bigger and better things to come. Much thanks to all who came out to see me (we packed the house!). And I must give love to the event's host, my very dear friend, and extraordinary poet, Jamica, for making this happen!

Summerstage pt. II - Jazm... Ms. Cox???

About three weeks ago, the time had come again for some more freeness in Central Park... Another Summerstage, but this time around... some R&B. The show was headlined by Jazmine Sullivan, whose soulful "Fearless" album was a breath of fresh air among today's R&B (no autotune!), and was also to feature Chrisette Michele & Ryan Leslie.

Earlier in the day I found out that Chrisette had canceled. I took this sorta personal because it was the second time she did this to me! I had bought tickets to see her and Ryan Leslie at the Apollo in February... never happened.

So new line-up... Case, Jon B., Deborah Cox, Ryan Leslie, Jazmine Sullivan (in that order). Not bad!

R. Les was amazing! He's a musical genius, I must say, and very passionate about it. Great performer. I left the show singing "How It Was Supposed To Be". His band is tight!

Jazmine was aite... she sings well live but didn't really capture my attention even though I knew all her songs. Her set seemed way too scripted... and she seems to only have one screaming-type note in her range...

... Rewind...

So after Case brought a lady on stage, sat her on a stool, and sang with his face IN her crotch; and Jon B's waayy too long and boring performance (felt like I was watching Dark Knight w/o the Joker!); came the highlight of the show for me... Ms. Deborah Cox... I must say that before the show I was probably the least hyped about seeing Ms. Cox... just because she had been gone for a whiiile... as were Case and Jon but I sorta wanted to see them perform (sigh)...

Out came Deborah, looking like she just hit 25 (she's 35), and with her very first note made my blood crawl and had my ears on lockdown. With no band behind her, just accompanied by an instrumental CD, sang 3 songs and stole the show for me. She started with "We Can't Be Friends", then had the audience singing along to a song off her new album which most of them never heard before, and ended with her classic "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here". The crowd was begging for an encore but to no avail... we wanted more!!!



I'm glad to hear real R&B again. I'm glad to hear a real singer again! Even her new stuff doesn't sound watered down and "pop". MJB should take notes... no need to sell out to pop culture to make good music. No need to let a machine sing for you if you have a voice of your own! Go Deborah!