The Longing

The Longing

for

Completion

The Longing within

has become so much a part of me

that now

it is me

inseparable

wherever I go

the Longing comes with me

Heavy

dirty Laundry

Not so easy to wash clean

Weighs me down

carried daily without choice

a noise without sound

until expressed

which then explodes

as a desperate mess

tangled in knots

an opened box

the freedom of breath

released from the trappings of panic

an expanded chest

understanding stress

Excited by hope's promise of possibility

Anticipation

of where I'm landing next

I Long for the feeling of FULLNESS

empty

I Long for the feeling of FULLNESS

empty

the bright lights of the city titilate and tempt me

the bottomless pit of my appetite

misleads me

and leaves me

with indigestion

a visit to the gents

to make more space for a refill

the perpetual endless cycle of a Longing never fulfilled

We never stand still

for we have come to see

stillness

as stagnation

Never being simply

still

long enough

for appreciation

to truly settle in

I get by with a little help from my friends

but still this Longing never ends

The Longing is life as I know it

We Long for an escape

creatives create

because we Long for another place

not quite like this

but better

transending boundaries

with much better weather

an internal landscape

re-arranged

re-built

put back together

on any foundation

the creation of my very own proud nation

made from

breaking my own limits

and tapping a limitless imagination

The Longing

still unresolved by encores

because once the applause stops

we only want more

Passed down

Father to Son

Mother to Daughter

Uncle to Neice

Aunt to Nephew

Is this Longing mine

or yours?

agony's residue

Victory's echoe

Victory's echoe

Victory's echoe

the need to hold on

the eternal urge to

let go

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New Day Dawning

New day dawning

Freedom forming

from the smoke of war

that settles at Peacetime

Find self

unclutter the congested mind

calm stands alongside chaos

waiting in line

for you to choose one

and reject the other

Though close as brothers

two sides of one coin

calling for Heads

soon to feel the lash

of Tails.

(from OBURONI)

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Friendship

You come to me with your hand out

Not for money

but to shake my hand

Embrace it

and welcome me into your world, your land 

You come to me not with finance

but with something of more value

Friendship

A foundation to build upon

I come to you with little more than a song

an idea

No empty promises,

No false hope

I’d like to inspire you

as you’ve inspired me

If I can, do more

then I will

I came here to experience

a place I’ve never been

With stories from a land overseas

that you’ve never seen

You come to me with your local expertise

I come to you, a freshman on this scene

This, your everyday reality

is for me, but a dream..

Your trap, my freedom

your hard life, your cage

my holiday, my escape

my CD, your cassette tape

my Big City, your small town,

Lets not make my smile your frown

I wanna be treated equally when we go into bars

Not for them to serve the westerner first

and leave you til last

I wanna be spars

Friendship,

without all the global power relations

but somehow they seem to seep into every conversation,

rear their head in many situations

and make themselves known, blatant.

You would be in my tight close circle of friends

back in ....England....

Thanks for your friendship

I can feel that it’s genuine.

(from OBURONI)

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The pursuit of happiness

The pursuit of happiness

Starts within,

In the warm heat of sunshine

I fight cold dark knights in my mind

Inseparable from depression

My oldest foe and closest friend

When all else leaves me

He remains

That familiar place.

The devil I know

Taking root in me

Makes his home

My happiness his enemy

(from OBURONI)

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OBURONI

WORK IN PROGRESS

I’m currently working on a one man poetry play called

OBURONI (White Man)

It is a play about difference, and indifference.

BRIEF

Based on a recent trip to the Agona (rural) region of ..Ghana.., ..West Africa.., OBURONI deals with themes of Race/Identity, Difference/Acceptance, Global Power relations and the ongoing Legacy of Slavery.

PROGRESS

The play has been written and is now going through its developmental stages to transform it from a written text into a full length poetry ‘show’, incorporating spoken word, prose, music, acting and drama/theatre principles.

I have begun doing sample readings from the play to ‘road-test’ the material – get audience feedback (which so far has been good!) most recently at a Black History Month Event Friday 31^st October 2009 at Honor Oak Youth Club in SE London.

SAMPLE READING (1^st 15 minutes) from OBURONI

@ Honor Oak Youth Club, Black History Month Event,

Friday 31^st October 2009.

I knew I set myself a real challenge by deciding to read from my play in front of an audience of teenagers.  How much of a challenge I didn’t realise until I arrived at the youth club and saw the stone-faced youth in front of me.  This is not a ‘spoken word crowd’ I thought, they are not an audience used to sitting still and listening, providing the ‘quiet’ needed for a good poetry reading.

At the same time I thought to myself, if I can engage these young people, get them to listen, gain their interest, then I can conquer any audience with my material.  So, yes, this was the very challenge I needed.  Opening up the evening, I was surprised to see and feel the young people actually listening and absorbing my set!  I acknowledge the personal achievement of being able to hold the attention of a group of today’s ‘tear away youth’ for 15 minutes without interruption!

Praise and recognition for my set was more forthcoming from some of the older members of the audience, including workers at the centre, parents and my Dad whom I was glad was there to support me!  I realised, as I was reading my piece (performing it rather, animating it with the short attention span of the young in mind) that what I’m saying in my play is actually very relevant to the youth of today.  I’m not the only one in ....Britain.... who has had headaches around Identity and Acceptance.  In fact most non-white Britons (and increasingly whites too) can vouch for the pains, dilemmas and confusion surrounding our ‘identity’ and the ‘place where we belong’.

All in all, a Great start to the journey of my play on the road.  I gained from this experience what I hoped to gain – encouragement, energy and the confidence to inject into taking the works forward.

Directly following my set was an excellent performance by spoken word all star EL CRISIS.  His rhythmical conscious poetry gripped the youth, and his use of humour in some of his pieces got some much needed laughter to balance the ions in the atmosphere.  Truthfully, I don’t think these youngsters knew how very blessed they were to get to see EL CRISIS, one of the Giants on the poetry circuit, free of charge on their very own doorstep!

After a Food break (where it was an effort to get my Dad out of the kitchen area – he can’t help himself, he loves his Jerk chicken and rice too much, Blame my Mum for that!) there was a short-but-sharp rap set by my good friend and Brixton based MC Artic Force.  Performing his track ‘Mental Ghetto’ and handing out free promo CDs, his political Hip Hop vibe and very comfortable stage presence worked to loosen up any tension in the air, and was lyrically and musically right up the young audience’s street.

Finishing off the evening was a powerful talk by Motivational Speaker Sister Verse aka Tracey Jarrett Backayard.com.uk who reminded us (as black/non-white Britons) that we have to seek out our own history as it’s not in anyone else’s interests to teach it to us.  What made her talk so engaging was that it was less of a talk and more of a live debate, involving everyone in the centre.  I think everybody, regardless of age or position, gained something valuable from this inspirational end to a Great evening.  Big Up to Angelique Thompson (Centre Manager)

(01/10/2009)    

Welcome to the Wonderful World of JB SPARKS!

JB Sparks is a Rap and Spoken Word Artist based in South London, whose word-art/writing and music is a rich and rugged blend of many styles and tastes.   

Creative Of The Month – December 2009

Damien Hirst

 

 

The first time I saw the works of Damien Hirst I was stunned. 'Inspired' was not the word I would use but it definitely left a deep impression on me. It was the Sensation show at The Royal Academy of Art in 1997. There were plenty of 'shocking' pieces including Chris Ofili's wall hangings laced with cow dung and cuttings from porno magazines. But for me, the most shocking of all was anything that had Damien Hirst's name by it. A cow dissected into vertical strips that you could walk in between and see the beast's insides close up. A pig cut in half, with each half moving back and forth so you could see the animal's insides and outside at the same time. A cow head being feasted on by flies who then instinctively flew up into the bright light that killed them instantly. I wasn't sure exactly what he was trying to say with these seemingly horrific installations, but it was enough to put me off eating meat for the next three weeks.

Was it questioning society's widespread acceptance of eating beef and pork (meat) by allowing us to see what meat actually looks like before it ends up with chips and salad on a plate in front of us? The beauty of art is that it means what it means to you. It either has an 'effect' on you or it doesn't. The nature of this effect depends on your nature, what's going on inside you, the viewer.

Since then I've come to see familiar themes in Hirst's works. Nearly always morbid, dealing with death and the uncertainty and vulnerability of life, seeming to ask 'What is the point of it all?'. Hirst's 'installations, sculpture, painting and drawing – has sought to challenge the boundaries between art, science and popular culture' (Whitecube.com). Hirst himself challenges the boundaries between the artist and the successful businessman, or 'marketing magician' (Adrian Searle, Guardian). Estimated to be worth £200m, Hirst's midas touch means that anything he puts his name to can potentially be sold for tens, or hundreds of thousands of pounds (even if he didn't actually put the piece together with his own hands but employed others to do so). Such apparent focus on money and business has sparked a lot of criticism from the art world. The argument being that 'brand names' and high price tags are demeaning the true value of art, turning art into a 'commodity' to be sold to the highest bidder, betraying its roots as a purely creative form of expression.

I've heard this argument before in the world of popular music, especially in Hip Hop, where the likes of P Diddy and Jay Z have similarly come under attack for turning art into a materialistic circus, lining their pockets in the process. But why shouldn't an artist be paid well for their hard work? Why is it ok for bankers and footballers to earn incredible amounts of money while creatives suffer and struggle throughout their miserable lives, unacknowledged until years after they have left this world? Case in point, Vincent Van Gogh, and to some extent Tupac Shakur.

I like Damien Hirst because he makes art accessible to the rest of us who are not from middle class and upper class backgrounds. Those of us who never 'studied' art, those who aren't familiar with the elite academic language used which keeps us on the outside of art – as if it is not for us. 'Anyone can be a Rembrandt', says Hirst. He doesn't believe in genius. 'It's about freedom and guts. It's about looking. It can be learned. That's the great thing about art. Anybody can do it if you just believe. With practice, you can make great paintings.' (Guardian).

Born into a working class family in Leeds Hirst now lives in London with his wife and children. A student of Goldsmiths he is one of the new generation of British artists (Britart), alongside other controversial brand named media darlings such as Tracy Emin, Sarah Lucas and Marcus Harvey. Known as the bad boy of art by some, Hirst is the most controversial of all. 'It wasn't simply the pickled cows and sharks; it was the swagger, the swearing, the rock n' roll attitude' (Adrian Searle). Once, Hirst got into trouble for putting a chicken bone behind his foreskin and exposing himself at a posh hotel event. Not exactly the kind of thing I would do but I do appreciate the sentiment. As if he was literally 'taking the piss' out of the seriousness of the art establishment, or perhaps making a statement about his power to make anything 'art'.

Such bad behaviour has made Hirst a lot of enemies (including the lady who sued him over the chicken bone incident), but funnily enough seems to increase his credibility as a bit of an eccentric, the artist doing his own thing, breaking the rules. These were Damien Hirst's turbulent years of drink and drugs, again, the artist as rock star.

Now sober and off the drink and drugs Hirst has come back to the more traditional art form of painting. Still doing things his way, still morbid with signifiers of the inevitable death that awaits us. Still shocking and memorable in their own way, his recent paintings at The White Cube, and The Wallace Collection have received damning criticism across the art world.

Being one who has to see for myself, I felt the familiar immediate shock sensation, followed by the delayed sense of inspiration that came a few days later. Skulls next to ashtrays and lemons, crows as bad omens splattered with blood against blue skies. Make of it what you will, but despite the bad reviews critics just can't help paying close attention to Damien Hirst, fuelling his fire, keeping him in the top spot even if this was not their initial intention.

In an interview on TV I saw a while back Hirst was asked about one of his unusual installations, 'Why is this art?', to which he replied 'Because I'm an artist, and I made it, so it's art.' I love it! Forget the long words and pretentious arty farty jargon, just say what you mean. The Jay Z of the British art world?

See for yourself:

'No Love Lost, Blue Paintings' is showing at The Wallace Collection, London W1 until 24^thJanuary 2010. 'Nothing Matters' is showing at The White Cube, London N1 and Mason's Yard SW1 until 30^th January 2010. Free Entry for all.

For more info on Damien Hirst:

http://www.whitecube.com/artists/hirst/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/nov/24/damien-hirst-nothing-matters

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Creative Of The Month - November 2009
Lizzie Emeh

 
 

 


I love true stories about local heroes.  People who overcome great obstacles in their lives to achieve life long dreams and ambitions.  They inspire the rest of us to believe we can do it too.  They can energize hundreds, if not thousands of others to continue following their dream.  They remind us that it is worth all the time and energy put into their craft, that it will reward us in the long run if only we don't give up, if only we keep the faith.
 
Lizzie Emeh, is one such local hero.  She always stood out from the crowd when I worked as an usher at The Beautiful Octopus Club events put on by Heart and Soul - an arts organisation supporting people with learning difficulties - at The Albany in Deptford South London.  Her passionate soulful voice - like one of the old-skool divas - combined with her confidence on stage and natural charisma, seemed to spell the word 'Star' from early on for Lizzie.  So it wasn't really a surprise to see a news item on ITV's London Tonight recently about Lizzie Emeh, the first recording artist with a learning disability to be signed and release an album to the general public.
 
This, plus an article in the Guardian newspaper, brought mainstream media attention to Lizzie, and to Heart and Soul, who do so much to support and inspire people with learning difficulties.  People who are likely to suffer more than their fair share of discrimination and prejudice.  People who, like Lizzie, may not read and write, and may get laughed at and called insulting names on the bus.
 
Regular Beautiful Octopus Club events gave Lizzie the platform to let her innate talent shine and be noticed.  The regularity of the events allowed her the time and space to really hone in on her skill and develop her craft.  The Beautiful Octopus Club is empowering, as it also encourages participants to get involved and help to plan, organise and deliver the events.  So that far from feeling patronised or force-fed, people with learning difficulties can really take ownership of the night as something by, and for them.
 
However, Lizzie's road to success started even earlier than this.  Born with a mild learning disability, doctors said she wouldn't walk or talk.  She was able to do both by four years old.  Lizzie gives meaning to the phrase 'Start as you mean to follow' as she continues to break expectations, break down barriers and break records too, by releasing an album and recently performing at the Royal Festival Hall.  From Strength to Strength, Achievment to Achievment, Knowing she Can, even when she's told that she Can't.  Keep defying the odds and silencing the pessimists, Lizzie Emeh you are an inspiration to us all.
 
Despite her now very busy schedule as a recording artist, Lizzie was kind and humble enough to make time for a quick interview with JB SPARKS arts. 
 

1) First of all Congratulations to you, for releasing your album LOUD AND PROUD, and for being the first ever learning disabled solo musician to release an album to the general public!  That is quite an achievement, for any musician to reach.  It must feel great to be an inspiration to so many others who would like to follow in your footsteps.  I can imagine your journey must have been difficult at times, coming up against many barriers such as people's prejudice and ignorance.   What more do you think can be done to support and promote artists with disabilities?

I think to succeed, you need a really good back up team who will offer you lots of advice and support. Heart n Soul have been fantastic in doing this, they’ve just let me focus on my music, while they’ve been helping with everything else.

I also think more funding from the government to help artists with learning disabilities get their music out there would be great too.

2) When did you first realise you wanted to be a singer?  

From 7 years old, I just loved singing! My Grandmum used to be a jazz and blues singer and she really encouraged me.

And what, and who, would you say your main influences are?

Well my Grandmother would be one and the other main influence is Stevie Wonder, I think he’s amazing. I love his music and the way he’s been able to overcome his disability to achieve so much.
 
3) What were the High points and Low points of recording your album LOUD AND PROUD?

There were lots of high points! I loved going to the studio and seeing the music come alive. It was also great working with all the different musicians – it was amazing. I had no low points – I loved it all!

 
4) As a Creative, aside from recording and performing music, can you see yourself extending your creativity to any projects outside of music in the future?

Possibly acting – I had a part in Celebrity Shotgun http://www.heartnsoul.co.uk/art_shotgun.html, Heart n Soul’s first feature film, but really music is my passion and my life.
 
5) If you had unlimited funding and time to carry out any project of your choice, what would it be?

To get as many people with learning disabilities that I could find into a music studio to record an album. That way they could have a voice, like I do now.

Lizzie’s album Loud and Proud is out now.

Available to buy from iTunes, Heart n Soul               020 8694 1632        or Amazon (from 11^th December)

For more details:

www.myspace.com/lizzieemeh

www.heartnsoul.co.uk

-link to Lizzie's myspace

http://www.myspace.com/lizzieemeh

-link to You-tube video HARD LOVE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TF1alWUhW4

-link to Heart and Soul (Beautiful Octopus Club) website.

http://www.heartnsoul.co.uk/BOC3.html

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JB SPARKS arts
Creative of the Month

Every month a different Creative / Artist is selected to receive acknowledgement and recognition for their talent, hard work and energy they’ve put into their art/craft, by way of the prestigious ‘JB SPARKS arts Creative of The Month’ Award.

The Creative is assessed by such assets as their;

-Talent

-Drive

-Achievement

-Originality / Uniqueness

-‘Buzz’ about them in scene / among their following

-Amount of Time, Work, Energy invested in their craft

We at JB SPARKS arts feel it is only right to acknowledge Creatives for their efforts, especially in this present age where creative people feel increasingly pressured to put aside their creativity (which isn’t always economically rewarding at first) and ‘go get a regular job’ and pay the bills, etc..

Creative Of The Month - October 2009

BASHY

Voice Of The Streets, ....Stratford.... Circus, Jan 2008.  My name on the flyer as one of 3 hosts for the night, alongside Darwood, and Bushkin (Heartless Crew).  Bashy, the Big name and the face on the front of the flyer.  A lot of Big names from the ....UK.... 'urban music' scene graced the stage including Ghetts, Chipmunk, Young Nate and NY, but the headline act, the crowd puller was the controversial young star Bashy.  But why the controversy?  Because the video for his song 'Black Boys' was actually banned for being racist in 2007 by OFCOM, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries.  Deemed 'racist' because it focused on the successes only of black boys.  But what’s wrong with focusing on what’s right?

What’s the other side of the argument?  That black boys get a bad press, not just in urban music but in general.  That a black boy is too often the media poster child for the latest crime epidemic.  That with black, the emphasis in mainstream news is too often on the negative, never enough on the positive - the achievements, the strength of mind and spirit required to overcome such adversity, the determined struggle against the odds.  'Black Boys' is a song that needed to be made, played, heard and recognised.  Black boys need to be acknowledged for their successes, not just our perceived flaws and problems.  In a sense this is a song that shouldn't have to have been made.  The very need for its existence shows us the inherent racism here in the ....UK...., the need to readdress the balance, paint a truer fairer picture of society, of reality. 

My first impressions of Bashy arriving backstage were of a confident young man, determined, steely-eyed with fire in the iris.  No doubts, capable, aware of the high expectations of him and more than ready to meet them.  As a host it was easy to get a response from the audience, just mentioning the name 'Bashy' was enough to send shockwaves through the venue, the crowd loud, electric, and hungry, anticipating more...  But it wasn't a line from one of my poems they heard (that'd be nice) that made them react like that, it was the name of the headline act.  Girls screaming hysterically and trying to jump on stage like the days of Elvis!  This new to me, seeing a ....UK.... rapper getting treated like a superstar.  Intriguing.  All the UK Rap shows I've been to over the years, and I aint never ever seen anything like that! 

....UK.... Hip Hop VS Grime?  Increasingly it seems that Grime is UK Hip Hop.  The voice of the people, voice of the streets, local focus, global outlook.  Something that does actually feel like it's ours, not just our version of an American song, but truly ours.  Fast forward to 2009 with Bashy's current release 'Catch me if you can', still at the top of his game, no doubt one of the leaders in ....UK.... urban music.  Respected for sticking his neck out and boldly saying something that all of us were thinking.

This album for me does not disappoint, but confirms his place as a true pioneer.  Just when I was starting to feel disillusioned with UK Hip Hop/Grime/Rap I needed to hear something to re-inspire my faith in what we are capable of.  I needed to hear this album.  The feel of a Hip Hop album VS a Grime album, at times meeting halfway, creating unique soundscapes, with spoken word like delivery, articulate and fierce when necessary.  Soul music, dance music, sometimes even the blues.  Power music that you understand and feel.  With passion, positivity, clarity of vision and delivery that seem too advanced for someone of only 23 years.  Bashy, for me is the best all round spitter I'm hearing from the ....UK.... right now.  Catch me if you can?  He has, caught me as a fan.

Visit bashy's Myspace

www.bashy.com

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