Blaster. Absolutely awesome!
I filmed a bit of it just so those of you who couldn't/wouldn't make it can gnash your teeth. Gnash Gnash.

And Thanks to te performers for coming down and pulling off a fitting end to the poe's year: Stac and co, Paul Lyalls, Alex Gwyther, Z-W...

Poejazzi will see you all next year.

Poetry Lovers... Ahola!

First off, i'd like to thank you all for making our first Proud night a success. So packed at one point we were turning people away!

To the people who were turned away: SORRY. REALLY SORRY. If it's any consolation... WE HAVE A NEW NIGHT COMING!

PoeJazzi!

(last one this year!)

24th November, Tuesday,
 
2009

5pm doors open,  8pm Start!

Volupte Burlesque Bar And

Restaurant,
 
No 9 Norwich Street,

off Furnival Street, EC4A 1EJ

(Close to Chancery Lane tube)

Founder of Express Excess,

king of leftfield humour,

probably the inspiration for La

Roux's haircut; Paul will be

doing all in his power to make

 you buy his new book, even if

 it means making you laugh til

 you give in.






http://www.volupte-lounge.com/events/2009/11/24

Or call 0207 8211622


OR

£5 Standing Tickets.

Please book early; spaces limited. And I

would be really, really happy to see you

all there.

Yay. (Josh)




.and now for the

 reviews section.




...That rhythm that both

 performance poetry and live

music need, a pulsing

heartbeat, runs through all the

 acts and pumps its way

through the crowd too... If you

go along, you're sure to feel

the beat (Spoonfed, 2009) 




Spoken word and music night with a killer

 line-up that will see queues of cool peeps

 right down the street... (TimeOut No.1

Critic's Choice, January 2007 AND Listed

 among 101 Things To Do In London

 2007!)

'Something for everyone' may be a bit of

a platitude, but with the diverse talent it

showcases, this remarkable poetic feast

actually offers it.'

(*****, SkinnyFest, Edinburgh 2007)



BENIN CITY

NEWS!!

Benin City just did a wonderful

 set @ Onetaste Fest, and is

now looking into writing more

 songs. Meanwhile, out EP

draws ever closer to the public

 ears: stay tuned for info. And

 thank you ever so much for all

 your support.

Yay.

Yes, I know, I'm not subtle, but look outside!

The Sun! The Sun is showing love!
He's saying something... I think he's saying you should all come out and shine tonight!
'But you need good music to shine to!' I hear you cry.
Well, good thing Poejazzi's got you covered.

Tonight, we got Louise Golbey, we got Kasai Masai, we got Benin City with a brand new-ish set, we got 12 tone brass band (baaaadasss) we got Tim Clare, we got LV. Hell, we even added Raymond as a cheery on top.

All you gotta do is... show up!

Poejazzi @ Proud Galleries
South Gallery
Tonight!

C'mon, mondays can be fun too.!

Good Thurdays Poetry Lovers!

The next week and a half are favoured with wonder and magic. I dare you to stay in and watch X(crement) factor*

Tonight's freebee is one for all those fans of love songs and... old skool video games. Stand Up Poet and Ukelele tickler Tim Clare deciphers a failed relationship using Donkey Kong. Intrigued? He has much more where it came from.. live.
Downloady here http://www.zshare.net/audio/676572891665ed79/


And then come down to:

POEJAZZI @ PROUD GALLERIES!


Where: Proud Galleries, Camden.
The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AH

When: November the 2nd... MONDAY!

WHO:
12 Tone Brass Band
Benin City (definitely performing new-ish set!)
Louise Golbey.
Tim Clare:

ALSO INCLUDING... KASAI MASAI!

Spirit-lifting, toe-jamming, Afrobeat/Soukous, the kind they play in heaven, honest!

Check them out myspace stylee here

 DJ sessions  by Micachu/Yungun collaborators LV/Moomu!

Hosted by: A Poem Inbetween People.

Price: £5 online Clickety click here for guaranteed good vibes! http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/clubs/poejazzi-at-proud-tickets-13129-32432.html
or £7 on the Door.


ALSO HAPPENING! ALSO AWESOME!

BEAR'S HOUSE!
THIS SATURDAY, 31 OCT
The Albany, Deptford, one stop from London Bridge

Sound of Rum, John Berkavitch, Polarbear, Scroobius Pip, Laura J Martin, Speakers Corner Quartet. Need I say more?


ONETASTE FESTIVAL,
SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER
2009 @ THE GLOBE, BEDFORD, BALHAM.'

Sound of Rum, Inua, Polar Bear,  Gideon Conn, United Vibrations,
AND BENIN CITY! much more!

Buy Tickets? Click here http://www.wegottickets.com/event/61031
 
INUA'S 14TH TALE. THIS FRIDAY. BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE, CLAPHAM

I have seen it. It is excellent. What are you doing this friday. You are doing nothing. Go and see.


FINALLY.

I've got this band...

It's called Pencil Stringhorn...

It's very good. Imagine Grizzly Bear teaming up with Maxi Jazz/Roots Manuva. No, I haven't got any tracks for you to hear.


I got a gig on 161 Kingsland Road. It's called the dig.


Come down.


Yay.

*please don't stay in. Show is rigged. Jedward will win it, and then you'll feel bad. Support real music.

ood Friday Poetry Lovers!

I come to you with Paragraphs packed with Good News!


And not the New Testament kind, either...

First off,

One of the smashing acts performing two mondays from now: Louise Golbey - sassy, voice like bittersweet burbon cocktail- lended us an MP3, to give to you, free of freeness, yay to the max.

To Download... Click here http://www.zshare.net/audio/67361452e68b3e91/

If you love it as much as we do, then you can listen to more of her here
http://www.myspace.com/louisegolbey

And then she's performing at this night called Poejazzi you might have heard about...

POEJAZZI @ PROUD GALLERIES!


Where: Proud Galleries, Camden.
The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AH

When: November the 2nd... MONDAY!

WHO:
12 Tone Brass Band
Benin City (Possibly performing new set!)
Louise Golbey.
Tim Clare:

ALSO INCLUDING... KASAI MASAI!

Spirit-lifting, toe-jamming, Afrobeat/Soukous, the kind they play in heaven, honest!

Check them out myspace stylee http://www.myspace.com/kasaimasai

DJ sessions by Micachu/Yungun collaborators LV/Moomu!

Hosted by: A Poem Inbetween People.

Price: £5 online Clickety click here for guaranteed good vibes! http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/clubs/poejazzi-at-proud-tickets-13129-32432.html
or £7 on the Door.


ALSO HAPPENING! ALSO AWESOME!

'ONETASTE FESTIVAL,
SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER
2009.'


Do I really need to tell you how good this is going to be?

South London. Balham. Globe Theatre. A whole day of spoken word, music, parades, art, film, possibly non-lethal ninjas; one whole day of brilliance!

South of Rum, Inua, Polar Bear, Gideon Conn,
AND BENIN CITY!

You have to come. Onetaste'll make you feel like you saw something really amazinhttp://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/inbox/?compose&oid=165705725675g that very few people saw too, which technically will should you feel special.

Buy Tickets? Click here


P.S!



In light of the recent 'activities,' on Question-Time. I post this youtube link of a very, very touching, heart warming, funny and delightful story about a black preacher and the KKK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBwIRq_hmjg&feature=fvw

Yay.

Poetry Lovers.... hello!

Hi there, Hope you are swelliest on this non-monsoon thursday. Just wanted to give you stuff, seeing as I'm actually Santa in disguise. Really. Honest. True thing.

FREE GIFT #1


Lail Arad: Winter

A little acoustic magic from the majesty that is Lail Arad. Yours to download/keep/own/share. For Free. Click Here

http://www.zshare.net/audio/65696703fc18960b/
or here.

Now you go ahead and tell yourself you're not coming down.

Just one of the many, acts performing at-

PoeJazzi!
29th September, Tuesday, 2008
5pm doors open,  8pm Start!

Volupte Burlesque Bar And Restaurant,
No 9 Norwich Street,
off Furnival Street, EC4A 1EJ
(Close to Chancery Lane tube)

PRICE

£10 Seated Tickets.
http://...com/lycreg
Or call 0207 8211622

OR

£5 Standing Tickets.


Also Featuring Poeticat, Inua Ellams, Musa Okwonga, Kevin Molloy and Byron Vincent!

Speaking of which...

FREE GIFT #2

Byron Vincent produces a pretty-much-no-holds-barred critique of the pub life. Watch Here

http://vimeo.com/3464375

the Other Nights Section!


Ah, other nights. Also known as what you do when you you're not thinking of buying Poejazzi tickets.

Yes, I said it. It's out there. I'm not taking it back. You take it.


TONIGHT! THE MONTO RATS!

Featuring Luke Wright, Scroobius Pip, Polar Bear. Happening today/night. Click here.



FRIDAY! 12 TONE AT PASSING CLOUDS!


Hands down the best night of music in london. Full stop. Especially if you like Brass bands and Funk. If you don't it's just another great night that costs a FIVER. click here



SUNDAY 27th ! ONE TASTE BRIGHTON!

Living in Brighton? Want Good Poetry and Music? Free on Sunday? Course you are.

London's Finest stretch to the stony beach Sea. Featuring thee unstoppable Park Bench Poet, MC Xander and the half sisters. Click here for details

ALSO:

I (josh) will be poet residing at the free word festival for two weeks. Its a big ass celebration of the word and the freedom to fucking express, man. Yay. Me and the great Raymond Antrobus!

And as such I have created and special (!) blog: http://josray.blogspot.com/

And I'll be twittering about it at www.myspace.com/benincitizen

expect awkward poetry, pictures with famous writers, and pictures about stuff we find ironic.



Yay. (Josh) :-) :-) :-)

and now for the reviews sections.


Spoken word and music night with a killer line-up that will see queues of cool peeps right down the street... (TimeOut No.1 Critic's Choice, January 2007 AND Listed among 101 Things To Do In London 2007!)

'Something for everyone' may be a bit of a platitude, but with the diverse talent it showcases, this remarkable poetic feast actually offers it.'
(*****, SkinnyFest, Edinburgh 2007)

Poetry Lovers.... hello!

Dear God in Heaven, we've missed you all.

It's been months, months since our Great Big

Southbank Romp in June, and we hope to hell you've

had as wonderful a 'summer' as we've had... blizzard

nights, half sunny half rainy days... been a blast!

And no, the title doesn't lie: Poejazzi is back! Back to

its old house, wearing its old Tuesday shoes,

bringing you the finest in Spoken Word and Music!


P oeJazzi!

29th September, Tuesday, 2008

5pm doors open, 8pm Start!

Volupte Burlesque Bar And

Restaurant,

No 9 Norwich Street,

off Furnival Street, EC4A 1EJ

(Close to Chancery Lane tube)

http://www.volupte-lounge.com/events/2009/09/29

Or call 0207 8211622

OR

£5 Seated Tickets.

Please book early; spaces limited. And I would be


really, really happy to see you all there.

Yay. (Josh)

and now for the reviews

sections.


Spoken word and music night with a killer line-up

that will see queues of cool peeps right down the

street... (TimeOut No.1 Critic's Choice, January 2007

AND Listed among 101 Things To Do In London 2007!)

'Something for everyone' may be a bit of a platitude,

but with the diverse talent it showcases, this

remarkable poetic feast actually offers it.'

(*****, SkinnyFest, Edinburgh 2007)

this ones about me and my dad
2years ago the bonds began to sag
I mean
of course he's across the sea so naturally there's some lag
but recently he got cross I'd taken a course in some fad
where I'm from childern are more than children they're investments
investmentssuggest profits
so when I told him I would be chasing sonnets
the first retort
mild distortion
storm of expletives
to teach a man patience
have him argue with his parents
'you are going to be a writer, eh, you are going to waste your life?!'
'I'm not wasting my life.'
'SHUT UP!'
'sorry dad.'

this one's about my dad and me
he's across the sea but at least an eve
a month we had a family meet
now those I remember vividly
dinner was fried rice,
fried plantain and very big pieces of fried chicken
switch off the telly
me and my brother uneasy in the living room
mother is the last in, like the harbinger of doom
in her hand was father, on the phone, loudspeaker
and she puts it, in the middle, mate forget lewis carroll
five minutes with my dad'll turn any alice little
trust me, you haven't got a belittling
...
imagine, if you will, a chick wandering off from the coop
now imagine some fuck-off hawk
with big fuck-off wings swooping in for the kill
and at that last moment, just before the chick gets it
the hawk disappears, and in his place a cockerel
'bet you didn't like that bitter soup did you now?'
'get yourself back in that coop! Look at him, idiot.'

While I'm reveling in the the bollickin
my elder brother on the other end, tracksuit slinglet, half tired shoulders
look on a face like 'oh well'
he's smart, donny
keeps it all a mystery like roswell
wheneever they ask he's quick on the sell
'what's roland doing?'
'Sound engineering'
he's a hip hop DJ in a pub
'why can't you be more like ur brother,
you want to die poor?'
'dad I'm not going to die poor'
'SHUT UP'
'sorry dad.'


low self esteem is a dish made of many a receipe
the dismissal of a parent I can't wish on my enemy
I mean I know in his mind he's helping me
I know my dad, he carried his weight sure,
lot of risks taken
a lot of mistakes
can't say he's true pleased with his fate
maybe he saw in me the scheme to set things straight
where we're from, respect goes to the oil the bullet and
food on the plate
and the pen don't weight much
on them stakes
the speaker phone's trembling, cuz my dad's so bloodly Irate
attacking my dreamboat like a somali pirate
mom don't say much
in her corner, with her TShirt leggings and slippers
she nods to whatever dad says
and the more violent his voice
the more movement her head makes
that's how they used to relate

don't get me wrong, we do get on,
my dad and me... example
I played him that eminem track
you know the one
My name is my name is
what does my dad do
he digs in the records collection
returns with the track that track was originally sampled from
that's me and my dad, remix and original, origin
though I grew taller could never overshadow 'em
cept now I'm whole grain
ride my own lane
trying to explain to him
I see a path that's not so clear to him
but to me every step gets a bigger grin
'SHUT UP!'
'sorry dad'
he says there's no money in poetry
it's all good having a fancy vocabulary
but that's not the language of the bank or the tummy
Ur underestimating steady cash in hand
its the bedrock many backbones stand
can't build a family on backwards plans
I say he doesn't understand
he says shut up
I say sorry
dad talks mother nods brother's like 'oh welling'
six eves six months no budging
like playing tennis with muffins
every serve disintegrating the game until
I'm not listening he's not listening
we stop speaking

christmas evening, at home
in the living room
no chicken no rice no phone
many relatives here
and relatives gather when it really matters
When times are great when times are grave...

mother draped in the color of raven,
uncles and aunts pass over and offer condolences
mother nods, bro's welling
topic of the day, who's going to pay
burial, ceremony, wake, the partying,
two sons, thank god, they'll be providing, what careers are they in
shit
heart has the tonic, but the pocket has no gin
Ever was a moment this is the moment of no win
All of my dad's shut ups spin in my noggin
when an uncle taps my shoulder
you're the writer one, arent you
eyes on his sandals, yes uncle
hm. he always talked about you.
stop.
you should write something for your dad
Stop.
yes sir
something good, something long,
Stop.
Yes sir.

He had stella with the fellas
but he didn't like the taste
her pout warmed many men's south
but she'd issues with her weight
if them together was fate
it's a practical joke
come watch love go up in smoke.

"Pig City"

Here’s a snapshot of Pig City, and within it is
A series of quick lyrics on some of its piggy citizens;
Some of them sinister; some of them innocent;
All took place in same short period: here it is…

This little piggy went to trade in the markets;
Knew those loans were dodgy, but he bought them regardless
Then he sold them on to a fresh sucker every month;
That's how it started, the little piggy credit crunch...

This Miss Piggy was discovered at an open mic
Singing blues; she ruled the pop kingdom overnight;
She was mostly liked, but the media was spiteful;
Said that they despised her, she was overhyped as swine flu...

Meanwhile, this little pig just left the military;
Didn't really live experience that he'd seen in his dreams;
Fought piggy guerillas who had shown brilliant ability
At killing; witnessed best friend blown to piggy smithereens...

This little piggy has his bacon and he eats it;
Always goes and sows wild oats in every sow he meets, and
Has a sow at home who is powerless to leave him;
So, sitting with their daughter, this is what she teaches:
“Dear Piglette, I regret that men are whores;
Get to menopause, then they’ll leave you for better pork;
Gave my heart to Daddy; you should never give a fella yours,
Their lust for other ham is never cured…”

This little piggy is a racist; gains happiness
When he and his mates with shaved pates are attacking us…
Pig Griffin is his name; pig ignorant; pig bigoted,
Picking on pig immigrants:
Swine Minister sniffs, but Brits pick Griffin since
He's the only politician who is piggy listening…

Little black piggy had a more than niggling feeling that
Piggy cops deliberately were getting on his piggyback;
On his way to college, was accosted by some coppers that
Gave him nonsense chat that he had robbed the city piggybank;
"Pigger, freeze!" yelled the coppers, "and raise your trotters";
Which the pig offered; still, the coppers shot shot him;
Though police had got him, it was not as if they'd done enough;
Piggy Scotland Yard did a little piggy cover-up…

This little piggy aimed to set some minds racing;
Doing what he could to save this piggy planet's bacon;
Standing there across from me in Oxford Street
On a rooftop,
Little piggy said "I'm sorry, but I've got to scream...
Fellow swine, here arrives the climate apocalypse!
Piggies, we are clinging to survival by our trotter-tips!
Temperatures, spectacular;
Glaciers are cracking up;
Earth's gone berserk, now she's getting her own back on us!”
Shouts himself hoarse - of course,
He gets ignored as usual
By most - and then those who don’t, think he’s an amusing fool…

Pig City. Sometimes it feels like a massive
Piggy soap opera with ham actors;
Pig liberals giving ridicule
To religions, pig criminals, pigs miserable
'Cause they can't unwind, free time's miniscule,
So their friendships are digital, not physical...
All these types, and millions more
Are living within Pig City's walls;
All these types, and millions more
Are living within Pig City's walls

What is black?

Black is rap;
Black is jazz, tap;
Black is Hackney as a habitat;
Black is no backchat to your mum, she’s a battleaxe…
Barack is the new black;
The old black, back when they sold black,
Was trapped in the shadow of the gallows…
Black is a straitjacket;
Black is a lower-than -average paypacket;
Black is not gay!
No!
Black is man!
Black is a brag, a swagger;
Black is baggy jeans, an urban teen with a dagger;
Black is twice as long a wait getting through Customs;
Black is “I don’t know what it is about those boys on the corner, but I don’t think I
trust them”;
Black is millions of Billie Jeans -
Single mums with sons whose dads were gone before their delivery;
Black is laughter and anger,
Richard Pryor and gangland pistol fire,
Black is hardcore, Darfur -
Black is a victim…
Black is a street-corner yelling evangelical Christian;
Black is a true story more compelling than fiction -

Black is black-and-white, always the extremes, it seems;
Either President or menacing,
Either thief or first-class degree in medicine…
But my black is grey -
Most, if not all warts on display;
My black doesn’t worship God, but his friends are saints;
My black is not on the Pele, Othello, Mandela level of melanin;
But every day, it’s a little more genuine

"Harry"

Harry's heart loved like a high-performance car;
Two seconds' revving, it would go from nought to fast...
He would talk in bars to these elegant
Fellas; in one night, he'd be genuine -
Ly in L-O-V-E; seized
Anything, any hint
Which gave him hope of settling
Down; runaround he was always given -
His heart by bastards all day test-driven:
Ever heartache;
Never could he slam on
His heart's brakes;
Never partake in a calm way;
Boy after boy enjoyed him; joyridden
He'd been; sun risen, he'd be got rid of;
Discarded, he charges back to the start grid
Parks, waits for more flakes to depart with:
Arguments were pointless to start with
Hara-kiri Harry, he'd speed regardless;
Never really felt I could ask him to chill as
I'd never seen what was in his rear-view mirror:
Rumour is -
That he'd grown up with some village kids
Whose fill of ignorance made them pretty militant;
Millions of little instances had chipped at him
Till he, timid, reached limit, fear was crippling him;
Once, in a gym, getting into his swimming things
Kid's knife took a swing at him, near disfigured him:
Harry hurried too much - he didn't reminisce;
But there are those who'd bet he's been whizzing ever since,
That into bed he takes his worst fears;
That's why we've never ever seen the boy in first gear

Hey! there are still some ticvkets left for poejazzi!

click here

http://www.lastminute.com/lmn/pso/catalog/Product.jhtml?CATID=95901&PRODID=792939668

But hurry! HURRY!

Hello People.

Josh here, once more. Finally. On the final wednesday before the big shebang. The Big boom. The last gonzales. What we've been leading up to all this while.

Monday.


Once more, the event is at the E4 Udderbelly on Monday 15 June, 7pm.
(click here http://...com/pq43td&id=preview or call 0871 663 2538) -

For those who've already bought tickets... thank you ever so much.

Everyone else, what are you waiting for.

?

Nothing on monday will be this good. It's going to be in the belly of a big upside down inflated purple cow. I will be dressing in costume. The best poets and their bands will be there. We will be doing songs most of you haven't heard yet. WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. are you waiting for?

Today, we have (technically) nothing free (tracks are not cheap) HOWEVER! here are the downloads for the last month, for those of you who missed out:


To Download Kate Tempest's Sound of Rum, click http://...com/lfnwng

To Hear her Accapella, Click http://...com/nnx4c4

To Listen to Catherine Martindale Feat Jono Mccleery, Click http://...com/mlfbtx

Musa tells a tale of immigration and inner strength http://...com/mg3xcd

Scroobius Pip feat Polar Bear, click http://...com/nkpo42

Inua Ellams: A Poem: Get it http://...com/q3a5n9

A free poetry podcast can be found here
iTunes Lovers: Click http://...com/p5dp35

For Those Allergic to Apple (like me): Click http://...com/qzm4oe

.
These downloads and the poem are brought to you courtesy of PoeJazzi @ Udderbelly, Southbank; hosted by Scroobius Pip, and starring Benin City, Afrobear, Sound of Rum, Inua Ellams and Poeticat; TimeOut Critic's Choice No.1, Edinburgh Fringe *****

and in the case of 'Letter FROM God to man, courtesy of www.sundaybest.net

Finally, A Poem In Progress, by me

Old fashioned Robbers and Shopowners

She said, chill,
hunny
My heart is here,
hunny
same corner
where we met
is yours to steal,
hunny
ain't going nowhere
Why the hurry,
hunny
wait till eve,
there'll be more
cash in the till then

trust me.




Joshua 'West Africa Rules(WAR)' Idehen,
Twitterer-in-Chief, Benin City

(Pssst...the acts for Monday 15 June are here:
www.myspace.com/wearebenin