Skin - Kwame Dawes From 'Wisteria'

Wisteria: Twilight Songs from the Swamp Country, was a finalist for the 2007 Paterson Prize.  These poems are written in the voice of elderly African American women from South Carolina who Dawes interviewed in 1995.

 The poems explore the world of Jim Crow South and show the power and resilience in these women who survived in that world and found a capacity to thrive. These are difficult poems, challenging poems and poems that ultimately show Dawes at his most lyrical.  

Wisteria was recently noted in the New York Times as a best selling collection among poetry books published by independent presses. 

This recording of Skin was made Live at the Purcell Room, International Poetry Week 2006.

RIP Fran Landesman, 21st October 1927 - 23rd July 2011

Such a feisty, progressive Woman with inspiring fire in her belly and an incredible poet, whose poetry was sung by the best

"Scars" - one of her most famous. Performed Jan '11.

"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most"

Written by Fran Landesman

Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most"

Once I was a sentimental thing;

threw my heart away each spring.

Now a spring romance

hasn't got a chance.

Oscar Brown Jnr - Bid Em In

Black History Month Begins today in the UK.

Oscar Brown Jnr's brilliant and haunting redition of day at the auction block...

Lest we forget the Maafa - the African Holocaust. RIP all those lost in it.



Wiki Of Oscar Brown Jnr

Common Rumour - Marcina Arnold

Vocalist, songwriter, performer and all round Supa-Talent Marcina Arnold recounts a personal story of her mixed heritage, Scottish and South African Cape Malay, but growing up a Londoner. This poem to music is so rich with muti-layered beauty and  gritty storytelling, something a London experience would inevitably give birth to.
Click play to hear "Common Rumour".

Common Rumour

COUNTRY BOY by HKB FiNN ft Maxwell Golden, Zena Edwards, Soweto Kinch

HKB FiNN performs as part of the Conversations Project @ The Albany
An etheric, soulful autobiographically themed live performance workshopped in one day!

Gil Scott Heron on Hard Talk

Godfather of Hiphop Gil-Scott Heron Interviewed

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RIP GIL SCOTT HERON

"Hard Talk" cos it tests the tenacity of the person being interviewed. Plus it challenges their integrity, putting them on the spot and putting questions to them that I'd want ask, although this lady struggles with Gil cos he's a strong force to reckon with.

Gil Scott-Heron has been a huge influence in my life. He's the spokesperson for the spirit in me that finds it hard to express my frustration sometimes. Poet or no poet that i be. Ok so he's had his fair share of BS in his life and most probably dished out some but the point is when someone has a sense of articulation when it comes to lyrical word play and social documentary that is precise, eloquent and pulls no punches, then for a moment, you got to listen.
Respect where respect is due.