11/29/10

Poetry Slam, Inc.

Ever hear of the "National Poetry Slam" (NPS) or "Individual World Poetry Slam" (IWPS).  Either way this is "The" site to go to and the one you will want to get acquainted with.

The mission of Poetry Slam Incorporated (PSI) is to promote the performance and creation of poetry while cultivating literary activities and spoken word events in order to build audience participation, stimulate creativity, awaken minds, foster education, inspire mentoring, encourage artistic statement and engage communities worldwide in the revelry of language.

Link to PoetrySlam.com

11/28/10

Poetry Slam; The book

The Competitive Art of Performance Poetry

Edited by the producer of the first National poetry slam this unique book documents ten years of these unprecedented events including tips for memorization, winning strategies, informative essays, details on hosting your own slam as well as 100 of the best slam winning poems ever.





11/22/10

Jason Carney "My Mother"

I previously posted a Bio on Jason Carney along with his performance of "Southern Heritage."  You can find it in the Oct archives.  I came across this piece and it has quickly become one of the best I have ever heard him do.  This is one of the most prolific spoken word poems you will ever see or hear of Jason paying honor to his mother.  His depth and use of sentences is beyond measure.  If this is a name you are not familiar with, then you are going to want to be.  Jason's life and poetry is on a level all artists should want to strive to be on.

 

11/21/10

"We Are Men" Shihan, Poetri & Black Ice


The triple threat perform on Def Poetry

 

Four Walls


A Spoken Word, Slam Poetry, Guerrilla Freestyle Documentary.

Four Walls began as a postmodern art documentary presenting performance poetry, more specifically, slam poetry. However, over the course of two years of filming, it transformed into something much greater.  The vision was fine-tuned and re-focused on four artists from the spoken word group known as BlackSunshine.  In getting to know these artists we formed friendships that stretched beyond the walls, both literal and figurative, of the documentary.  As a result, Four Walls grew beyond the presentation of slam poetry, transforming into a portrayal of the lives of these artists.  Four Walls is more than merely capturing slam poetry; it is also about the plight of the artists behind the words.


11/19/10

Sarah Kay "Hands"

Known for her spoken word poetry, Kay is the founder and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E., a group dedicated to using spoken word as an inspirational tool.  Sarah began performing at the Bowery Poetry Club East Village at the age of 14, joining their Slam Team in 2006.  That year, she was the youngest person competing in the National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas.  In 2007 Kay made her television debut, performing the poem "Hands" on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.  She has performed at events and venues like the Lincoln Center, the Tribeca Film Festival, and at the United Nations where she was a featured performer for the launch of the 2004 World Youth Report.



11/18/10

Youth Speaks

Youth Speaks places young people in control of their intellectual and artistic development.  They are urgently driven by the belief that literacy is a need, not a want, and that literacy comes in various forms.




11/17/10

Poetry 180


Poetry 180 is designed to make it easy for students to hear or read a poem on each of the 180 days of the school year.  Listening to and or reading poetry can encourage students and other learners to become members of the circle of readers for whom poetry is a vital source of pleasure.


11/15/10

Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam


Bum Rush the Page is a groundbreaking collection, capturing the best new work from the poets who have brought fresh energy, life, and relevance to American poetry.

“Here is a democratic orchestration of voices and visions, poets of all ages, ethnicities, and geographic locations coming together to create a dialogue and to jam–not slam. This is our mouth on paper, our hearts on our sleeves, our refusal to shut up and swallow our silence. These poems are tough, honest, astute, perceptive, lyrical, blunt, sad, funny, heartbreaking, and true. They shout, they curse, they whisper, and sing. But most of all, they tell it like it is.”   –Tony Medina


11/14/10

Smokey Robinson "A Black American"

I previously had not planned on posting performances by well know celebrities that graced the stage of HBO's Def Poets, as it is my desire to profile the top artists of this generation, but this spoken word piece is profound beyond measure.  There is so much to take in and so much knowledge we can all walk away with.  Smokey lays it all out about race, attitudes and mindsets in America.   





"We are the only people who's name is always a trend"  "When is this shit going to end" "Look at all the different colors of our skin"  "Black is not our color it's our core"  "It's what we have been living, fighting and dying for"



11/12/10

GV7 Random Urban Static

A mesmerizing Spoken Word Poetry documentary film in which filmmaker Bob Bryan, in 2008, proudly unveiled his seventh powerful installment in his multi award-winning Documentary Series entitled GV7 RANDOM URBAN STATIC: The Iridescent Equations of SPOKEN WORD.
 
GV7 returns to the enigmatic world of Poetry.  This time around he retrieves the perspectives of fifteen (15) uniquely talented poets involved in the world of Spoken Word.  From Grand Slam Champions to Open-Mic Veterans, GV7 crosses all philosophical, racial, and social lines becoming the quintessential Spoken Word documentary.

“Your voice is your power; don’t ever let anyone take away your voice.”
— Two Time Grand Slam Champion

Bridget Gray
 

11/11/10

Scott Compton "Truth be Told"

On stage @ The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
After my first stage performance for RL Productions and the overwhelming reception I received from the audience I was asked by the founder/owner of RL to write a spoken word piece to open for a play they were already in production with called "Women Want Everything."  This was a monumental task as I have only ever been able to write through inspiration.  Further, this play was debuting at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and I had just been on stage for my first time.  The piece I wrote is one of my best to date and the experience became my driving force to accomplish everything I am working towards today.

Please give a moment for the camera man to zoom in, apparently he was asleep when I began & quickly made the adjustments needed :)

 
Copyright © Scott Compton 2009

11/10/10

Mos Def

Mos Def was the host of the award winning HBO spoken word show "Def Poets" that ran for six seasons.  He is one of the few stars of today that flourished from the roots of Spoken Word.

Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def.  He was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hopRawkus Records.  As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.  Initially recognized for his musical output, since the early 2000s, Mos Def's screen work has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. 

Mos Def won Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman.  For his portrayal of Vivien Thomas in HBO's film Something the Lord Made, he was nominated for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and won the Image Award.  He also played a bandleader in HBO's Lackawanna Blues.  He then landed the role of Ford Prefect in the 2005 movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Mos Def freestyles to the audience with his song "Ghetto Rock" as host of HBO's Def Poets.

 

Gemini "Poetic Bloodline"

Gemini appeared on several seasons of HBO's Def Poets.  This incredible poem entwines an entire list of great writers & poets throughout the entire piece.

"When the writing gets tough hold on to your pen and don't drop this." "Always take time in your mind to reflect back on the fact that you are the next to step forth from a poetic bloodline."

 

11/9/10

The Spoken Word Revolution

Spoken Word encompasses many movements, yet all share a common credo – namely, that the poetry is meant to be performed in front of an audience.  While no one could claim to have the "definitive" collection of slam, hip hop, and other spoken word styles – the art form is still evolving – this recording aims to introduce you to the art with a diverse array of extraordinary talent.

Featuring poems/performances by Taylor Mali, Nuyorican Cafe Poetry Slam founder Bob Holman, poetry slam creator Marc Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, New Line Cinema star from the feature film Love Jones Regie Gibson, Patricia Smith, Cin Salach, and star of Lord of the Rings Viggo Mortensen.  

11/8/10

Rives "Sign Language"

Rives is a performance poet, storyteller, and author.  He has appeared on multiple seasons of HBO's Def Poetry Jam and was a member of the Def Poetry international tour group.  His most well-known performance on Def Poetry Jam includes a story about poetry in the deaf community inspired by the work he does with the hearing impaired.

Truly one of the most original spoken word pieces I have ever come across as it defies all stereo types associated with Spoken Word.

 

Spoken Word New York

In my attempt to stay true to my word in bringing you some of the best websites on Spoken Word I bring you SWNY.

Spoken Word New York is THE hot-spot for your passion for spoken word and poetry. Enjoy!


Link to SpokenWordNewYork.com


11/6/10

"Sobriety Blind"

Never thought I would find myself where drinking has got me thinking I’m not finding a means to an end. 

Better yet I think I’m hitting nothing but dead ends. 

The liquor I’m ingesting is infesting and is quicker to delude me while my problems elude me.  Sobriety would not have me in trouble with society so why isn’t my anxiety understanding this.  The chaos I’ve created is becoming out dated and I wish I could erase it but I can only stand here now and face it.  I know there are better days and this does not define me but the pain I have left behind I cannot undo or uplift… so I’m left with no where to shift. 

Let alone the apprehension that’s bringing on the tension from what oversight is going to have my hands locked up behind me tight.  Cause I never thought my actions would be causing me infractions and all this distraction from whom… I thought to be. 

Three nights in time that has changed me rearranged me and has somehow brought me awareness but I have to question the unfairness for those who got caught up in my wake. 

From within all I here is to make this right as I reach out trying to absorb and attract the shimmer of lights coming at me in waves of insight.  I have the self worth so it’s time to implement my life’s rebirth as this is all so new to me cause to much time has past not being true to me. 

Matter of fact I think I’m flat out screwing me. 

Instead of slipping and tripping along this troublesome road it’s time to bring forth true vision and sight in order to see out from under… all that I have allowed to cloud me.












 Copyright © Scott Compton 2008 

11/5/10

Twin Poets "Dreams are not Illegal"

Michael and Matthew Dickman, twin brothers and poets.  Michael and Matthew Dickman often draw from a similar well of images and experiences.  Michael’s poems are interior, fragmentary, and austere, often stripped down to single-word lines; they seethe with incipient violence. 



 

11/4/10

Why Poetry is Essential

Of all human endeavors, poetry is unique. It is an adventurous exploration of the unknown that affects each of us in untold ways.  Poetry inspires wonderment as it adds to our perspective, knowledge/understanding of the world around us and how it functions.

Poetry is a process that explores every facet of our world in a way meant to uncover and test for verifiable truths.  The controlled creativity of poetic inquiry can take us in unexpected, often amazing, directions.  Dare to be creative and see what directions it may take you.

Performance Poetry

Some people think it’s about acting things out in some form of "Shakespeare poetry."  They don’t think it’s something highly creative or cool, but it’s more than that, even.  Performance poetry is a state of mind where artists don't just recite their words, they become them.  It is specifically composed to perform in front of an audience.  The word poetry in any reference tends to turn a deaf ear to the average individual but Spoken Word or Performance Poetry is changing what people once thought about it.  As soon as people can remove the negative connotation of people sitting in a room snapping their fingers or that it is just rap without the music then their minds begin to open to the powerful force that is Performance Poetry.  I personally have stood before audiences and have watched tears stream down faces when I perform my highly praised poem "Dear Dad."  The ability to act out raw emotion and infuse it with an incredibly written piece at the same time knowing where to place your breaks and pauses holding the audience in your hand is what defines Performance Poetry.  Further, this unique talent is grabbing the attention of people who ordinarily would never be interested in poetry and is why it is making its way back to the mainstream.

11/3/10

Scott Compton "This is Life not A Tryout"

Back Stage @ The Historic Polk Theatre
This video was recorded while performing in-between sets with a singer song writer friend of mine in 2008 at "It's A Grind" coffee house in Sarasota FL.  I thought I had accomplished what I set out to do, simply recite my poetry before crowds at coffee houses.  Little did I know my talent for spoken word was going to lead to several stage performances at premier venues with production companies in the Tampa Bay area and gain recognition with some of the best poets Tampa has to offer at places like Black On Black Rhyme.  Although, you will still find me at any open mic today honing my craft and networking with other fresh artists.

 
Copyright © Scott Compton 2008

Black Ice "Lone Soldier"

Before poetry was big business there was Lamar Manson, known throughout the spoken word community as Black Ice.  Black Ice is a prolific artist, whose stage performances bridge the gap between hip-hop and poetry.  Circa 1993, Black Ice's spellbinding presence, combined with writing that speaks to the common man, helped to bring poetry out of the coffee houses and into the mainstream, simultaneously creating a career as a dynamic performer whose talents proliferate television, radio and theater.  Because of his intense love for children and youth, his message can also be heard in classrooms and lecture halls across the country.  Black Ice, has lent his genius to the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, and has made feature TV appearances on BET (Live 8 Concert Special, Rap City the Basement and 106th & Park) and NBC (Showtime at the Apollo), in addition to starring in six consecutive seasons of HBOs Def Poetry Jam.

 

11/1/10

Getting You Started; Part 2

You can have the most amazing poems but if no one gets to read them or hear them, they will never touch anyone's heart or change a life.
Here are some ways to get noticed in the Spoken Word community or at least work up the courage to start performing:
  • Share your writings with some spoken word poets
  • This could be as simple as connecting with some poets that you met on facebook and tagging them in a note.  This is really scary in its own way because it opens up your soul to different people but most often they have nice things to say and are flattered by the gesture.
  • Join a meetup group or other online group
  • I like the thought of joining poetry meetup groups (meetup.com) because you can actually meet people in person for drinks and discuss things you like.  Most often at a slam venue people tend to be very focused on their performance and many strategies but if you are just starting out on this journey it may be best to keep it informal and a virtual space may help with that as well.
  • Befriend other poets and learn from them
  • Birds of a feather, as they say.  Go to a show, network and get to know the spoken word and slam poets you really admire.  If you befriend really popular slam poets you can pick up a lot about the tricks of the trade and learn different performance techniques, learn how to land a feature, book a venue etc - learning all this will help you gain recognition within the industry.
  • Perform at an open mic
  • This may sound intimidating but it is the easiest way to get to meet other poets in your local community and to start getting recognition for your work.  Do a short piece to start off with and then keep doing longer and longer pieces as you become comfortable on stage.  Whatever you do, I really suggest performing at an open mic - the thought of it is scarier than the reality but you will be glad you did it
  • Enter a slam poetry contest
  • It's scary to have people judge your poetry and to put yourself out there like that but at some point you are going to have to do it.  Most really good poets today started off as slam poets. Slam poetry has its bad points but it also has some good points - the competitive aspect can make you a better writer and performer.  Winning a slam can also gain you recognition within the community.