Twenty years ago on March 11th, I was involved in an accident that left me facing 1 in 100 odds for survival.  After 6 and 1/2 hours of surgery, the doctors told my mother I would not survive.  After 5 days on life support, I was released from the hospital two weeks later on my way to full recovery.  Later when I asked my surgeon about the 1 in 100 odds, he said that was just for survival and that the odds for full recovery were pretty much non-existent.  I asked if he could give me an explanation and he could not.  He said we just try to give the body a chance.  
   

     As my niece, Jennifer Jordan Sealy said, "I can't imagine life without you in it!! I remember when I got the news of your accident...I was in Athens going to UGA.  I was told NOT to get my hopes up...if you lived...it would probably be in a vegetative state.  So we prepared ourselves...and you beat all odds!!!You are an example to others to live every day to it's fullest." 

     I am so glad to have lived these last 20 years.  To think of all the wonderful people I've met and all the amazing things I've experienced.  I guess I would not have know what I missed.  I don't know.  I do know that I am glad I'm here!  Last night I celebrated by trying to get in touch with many who were close to the situation, to thank them.  I am humbled to think that (basically) my stupidity almost ended my life.  I am so appreciative of all those who helped save my life.  I try to remember the lessons I learned.  I know I am a lucky man.  I look forward to the next 20 years...
Kodac Harrison

Kodac Harrison
www.kodacharrison.com

I feel inspiration is one of the greatest gifts one can give.  I have recieved this gift so many times.  I wish only to give that gift to others.  The poem below was written after the writer came to see "Reach for the Moon."

Kodac  

by Alan Sugar

Stones in a stream seem to glow like quartz.
Your words flow by from a secret source.

The wind weaves and sings to a distant star.
These are the strings of your old guitar.

High on the cliffs you balance alone.
You bend and you bow and you stand like a stone.

Unbound and unsteady you whisper and wail,
spying a mermaid by the flash of her tail.

The waves go on crashing against the rocks--
all foam and silver spray.
Seashells shine upon the shore. They beckon you to play.

Nothing disturbs the polished sand except the morning rain.
It is the memory of joy and love and the darker clouds of pain.

Ringlets of gold surround your head--
a seraphim who sings the blues.
You are a prophet in old worn jeans. A child in high top shoes.

Like the rooster who sings before the dawn, you wake us from our woe,
You take us down new roads of life wherever the winds may blow.

Rudy Reaches for the Moon

     In the 7 Stages production of Reach for the Moon, I follow the loosely constructed path of the artist named Rudy.  This artist could be male or female, but mostly, because I am male, the writing is from the male perspective.  Rudy starts out in the dark as a young boy around the age of puberty.  Under the influence of a full moon, he has a dream of a young dancer.  This could be just a wet dream, a fantasy that's all.  All the same he is drawn to this dream, and to the moon as a symbol of his dream.  He reflects back on a father he hardly knew and asks for help.  He's just a kid as he comes alive in his dream.  He is just a small town boy who dreams of seeking out the ultimate American urban experience, because he believes his dream can be found there.  He travels to New York City, where he struggles to come of age and to deal with the temptations, the frustrations, and the broken hearts that tear at his dreams.  He is an idealistic romantic, who is confronted by the realities of life on the street.   These realities often are accompanied by death and addiction.  Then he comes to see the light, which is love, and at the end of the first set, we find him in Amsterdam on his honeymoon, enjoying life at its fullest.

     Time passes between the first and second sets and we don't know exactly what has happened, but after some time, we understand that he has gotten laid.  At this point we don't know if he is still married and that things have not been going well in the marriage, or why he hasn't gotten laid in a while, but he is exuberant and the future looks bright for him.  We soon find out that he is on his own again and back on the road chasing his dreams, while seeking the company of waitresses.  He is a free man now and has chosen to leave love behind in search of his dream.  He still feels the intensity of passion, heartache, and regret, as he tries to pursue his dream without compromise.  He justifies his pursuit as reaching for the impossible, which he believes is possible.  He is reaching for the moon.  He returns to his roots, to his home state in search of his long ago youthful enthusiasm.  Rudy is getting older now, and it is getting harder and harder to hold on to his dream.  Still he believes it is well worth the pursuit and that if he can only hold out, his dream can still come true.  He struggles to remain true to his dream, but at times the loneliness drags him down like a ball and chain.  All the same, he knows its too late to stop now, and he proclaims that he is ready to fly, as he sees the moon break through a dark blue cloud.  Suddenly he finds himself starring directly into love at first sight, under the spell of a full moon.  He finally finds some one he can talk to.  He has connected to his dream.  He sings at the top of his lungs, "I let my heart sing" over and over again.   He's got no regret.

Kodac Harrison

7 Stages Presents Reach for the Moon —

Kodac Harrison expands the horizons of spoken word

with music, dance and featured artists

February 1, 2008 (Atlanta) — Atlanta spoken word artist Kodac Harrison takes his gritty , raw and powerful poetry  to new heights in this original production that combines his words with music and dance in 7 Stages' upcoming production of Reach for the Moon.  Declared "one of the Southeast's musical treasures" (Creative Loafing), Mr. Harrison is internationally known for his vibrant character studies and clever word play.  As an acoustic guitarist, he uses a wide variety of tones and has shared the stage with many distinguished artists including Patti Smith, John Mayer, Indigo Girls and Brendan O'Brien.  He has also had the opportunity to write and perform for many honorable events including the Andrew Young Tribute in 2001 hosted by Maya Angelou and Harry Belefonte as well as for President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center in 2001.In addition, Kodac Harrison has won many spoken word awards both locally and nationally including Creative Loafing's "Best Spoken Word Artist" 2002-2004.

For Reach for the Moon, Kodac will be joined on stage by Nick Longo, Kristin Markiton, Erin Weller and Blake Dalton. The production will feature the words and music of Kodac and will be directed by Del Hamilton.

This production and the 7 Stages 2007-08 season is sponsored in part through funding from the Fulton County Arts Council, Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Council for the Arts, National Performance Network, The Schubert Foundation, The Rich Foundation, Theatre Communications Group and Delta Airlines.

All performances of Reach for the Moon, take place on the Mainstage at 7 Stages Theatre, located at ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />1105 Euclid Avenue in Atlanta's Little 5 Points. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by calling 404-523-7647 or by visiting www.7stages.org.

To schedule an interview with Kodac Harrison, please contact Sydney Ellis at 404-522-4755 Digital Photography is available upon request.

Performance Times
March 20 – 23, 2008

Thurs. - Sat. 8pm, Sun. 5pm

Ticket Pricing
$25 for all performances
$5 off for students, seniors over 65, and educators

Kodac Harrison - Dreams and Nightmares  

Even if you aren't a fan of Kodac Harrison's beatnik mélange of spoken word, jazz, soul and folk, you have to admire his tenacity.  As a longtime fixture on the Atlanta singer/songwriter fringe, Harrison's crafted a distinctive talk/sung style honed through decades of playing weekly a local hangouts.  His new album adds another burnished gem to his catalog.  It's predominantly stripped down to stark acoustic guitar, sax and Harrison's ragged, whiskey-soaked vocals.  The format perfectly frames these hard-bitten tunes, leaving room for Harrison's gritty voice and edgy lyrics to do their work.  The spoken word "Dear Father" is a letter to his deceased dad, with whom he has unresolved issues.  The piece brings a dark(er) sense of melancholy to this moody, introspective set, which finds Kodac Harrison walking the tightrope between the titular dreams and nightmares with a journeyman's balance and restraint. – HAL HOROWITZ, Georgia Music Magazine, Winter 2008

I am proud of this review, because Jeff Clark can be tough sometimes.  I love his paper even though his writers often take a little too right wing of a slant for my taste. 

Kodac Harrison has one of the most recognizable voices in this city.  Alternately gruff and soaring, beatnik and beautiful, the Atlanta poet and musicians has focused his various approaches on his newest disc, Dreams and Nightmares.   His forays into spoken word performances in recent years meld with his innate songwriting skills to tremendous effect here, and the result is his most diverse and lyrically moving disc to date.  While known more for low-key, soulful, Americana-stewed singer-songwriter fare, "Run Rudy Run" explores shadowy, keyboard-heavy electronic territory.  Longtime followers may notice a familiar old tune or two, also.  Jeff Clark, Stomp and Stammer, Atlanta, Ga. January 2008.