A Taste of Spoken Word Today in LA: Poetry CDs by Dottie Grossman, Ellyn Maybe, Robert Peters, Scott Wannberg, Viggo, Hank
One of the pleasures in life is listening to fine poetry read in person by the poet–at least one of my pleasures in life!
Tonight at 7:30pm I am fortunate enough to go to the Artists Union Gallery, 330 S. California Street, Ventura at the beach promenade to hear Dottie Grossman do a call and response reading with the very improvisational and creative Michael Vlatkovich and the equally inspired Jeff Kaiser sitting in. Jeff and I have been friends since we were about 6. An open mic follows where I’ll read a poem or two, then we’ll have a drink somewhere and share stories. Tomorrow morning, I’m off to have caffienated beverages with Kaiser just like we used to before he abandoned me alone in Ventucky and went off to get his Ph.D at UC San Diego. (I know, I know–I could have gone to! but I am stuck in Ventuck and left to follow his intellectual and other adventures in green tea, yoga, whisky, etc on his blog.) The picture of Dottie, by the way, was photo-shopped by Kaiser.
So listening to recordings is a reasonable second best to hearing a poet in person. I have some favorites on-line like Paul Squires who blogs at gingatao (happy holidays, Paul!) Word Salad is another great source and Rafael Alvarado puts on a lot of shows on blog talk radio.
In addition to on-line recordings, there’s plenty of spoken word YouTubes but on most of them (my own included), the audio is not very good.
And then there are CDs–lots of them, actually, as recording has become easier and cheaper and so has making cds. Some CDs are very professional, like Danika Dinsmore’s All Over the Road; her’s also integrates music. Others are not that great for a lot of reasons.
People don’t seem to associate Los Angeles with poetry but I’m here to tell you, if you’re looking for spoken word CDs for yourself or gift giving, I have four I
strongly recommend, all by LA area poets:
Dottie Grossman and Michael Vlatkovich (Angry Vegan Records/pfmentum)
“Jazz and poetry have been periodically hooking up since, like, the Fifties, man, so it’s a hard thing to bring off without sounding like Ferlinghetti, or worse, Maynard G. Krebs. So, bouquets to Philadelphia-born poet Dottie Grossman and eminent L.A. trombonist Michael Vlatkovich for bringing something fresh to the conceit. Vlatkovich improvises on the poetry. Sometimes he comments on it, sometimes he illustrates, and once or twice, he outright guffaws. That is a very valid response, especially on the selections that are part of what Grossman calls “the Henny Youngman series.” These are epigrammatic little one-liners that capture some of the pathos, nihilism and absurdity of the late comic’s work. And delivered in Grossman’s nasal Philly deadpan, they’re quite funny. But they’re also short; most of the poems here are only a few lines long, and that makes most of the 37 cuts on this hour-long CD little more than sketches. But they’re enjoyable sketches, miniatures, really, and several are laugh-out loud funny. A pleasant way to spend an hour.” -John Chacona, Signal-to-noise, Spring 2005
Rodeo for the Sheepish Ellyn Maybe (Henhouse Studios)
“Reading Ellyn’s poems from the page is one thing but hearing her read them just the way she meant them to be heard is something else altogether. Ellyn has a great sense of humor and reads wonderfully. The musical accompaniment on the album is not mere background filler but a true collaboration between Ellyn and the musicians that really works.”–Henry Rollins.
I’ve been a huge fan of Ellyn’s since I met her back about 1996 and first started hearing her read around. I’ve bought her books, both formally and informally published, and enjoyed them. The format here is lovely–you get both a CD and text of the poems; this way, you can put the CD in with the others and the book on the shelf! I’m looking forward to putting this CD in the changer in the car and listening to it on road trips.
Going Down The River in a Hayloft Coffin: the evocative years by Robert Peters Robert Peters (Henhouse Studios)
“The fascination with the dead, with the rotting, with the pigs rooting into the earth, a poem about a primal scene in a root cellar, discovering sex and the underground, taboo, death-related experience–this is what all of Peters’ poetry is about which gives it great originality and power.”–Diane Wachoski
This CD starts out with a prologue and two important pronouncements “I’m 84,” and you can tell from the craggy voice, he is at least that old. The first poems ends with “I simply have to trust whimsy.” This project offers 49 poems by Robert Peters set to music by Harlan Steinberger; like Ellyn’s cd, the poems are here like in a little book. A poet, critic, scholar, playwright, editor and actor, Robert Peters was born in 1924, received his BA in 1948, MA in 1949, and his doctorate in literature in 1952. His first book of poetry, Songs for a Son, published in 1967, is still in print (W.W. Norton). His publications and awards are many. I look forward to sharing some of these works with my 89 year old father-in-law.
3 Fools 4 April Hank Mortenson, Viggo Mortenson, Scott Wannberg (Perceval Press $20 supports Beyond Baroque)
3 Fools 4 April is a CD/DVD set of a poetry reading given by Scott Wannberg, Hank Mortensen, and Viggo Mortensen in support of the Beyond Baroque Foundation in Venice California. It comes as both a CD and a DVD; instead of one poet and music, you get three poets and no music as far as I know as I haven’t heard this yet myself but am intrigued after reading this very positive review by Richard Marcus: “All the little clues that you normally get from watching a person come through on a DVD. Whether body language or eye movement, it all helps us to interoperate the poem all the better,” writes reviewer Richard Marcus. And yes, it’s that Viggo Mortenson reading with his son Hank (whose mother is Exene Cervenka is memory serves me right).
To get you “in the mood” to listen to Dottie Grossman, here’s five fun photographs and four of Dottie’s poems.
And just in case this matters to you: Ellyn sent me the Henhouse CDs, I asked Scott for one of his but he hasn’t responded yet, and Kaiser gave me a copy of Dottie’s a few years ago.
Poetry From the 3:15 Experiment August 2, 2002: what to believe
We hike up to Two Trees
fossilized shells under feet
one spiral whole in my hand.
When I was five maybe seven or eight
my grandpa and I walked up
the steep dirt hill
walked on seashells.
Why Grandpa how Grandpa–
my mind trying to wrap itself around
someone carrying these shells
up here to leave behind–
did they live here?
I knew the Chumash
left piles of shells in their middens
shells as trash
shells as beads
shells as money
the shells deep in the dirt.
I kneel and want to pick up the pieces:
there are more shells here
than I have ever found on the beach.
My grandpa tells me
these are ancient seabeds we walk on
high now above the shore.
The mountain used to be underwater.
The mountain used to be the beach.
This is sand.
I would be swimming.
I would be underwater.
It was very different then he says.
The shells I have found
he holds in his hand.
He may have named them.
He knew these things.
He was a tough man, a sharp man
funny sometimes but not friendly
to children always.
I knew he put a caterpillar in his mouth
telling a child they were tasty.
The child didn’t believe him.
My grandpa rolled the caterpillar
under his tongue but the child
saw it—so he swallowed.
Was I too being fooled?
They tell you so many things
these adults and they expect
you to believe them:
dinosaurs, planets, Santa Claus.
From the 315 Experiment: August 2, 2002; the broadside is available for purchase. Let me know if you’re interested!
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Have a Very Merry Solstice! Winter Solstice Images from NASA’s APOD
For those of us on the West coast of the Pacific, winter began this Monday morning December 21 at 9:47am. Now the days will become longer and the nights shorter oh so slowly! until Mon. June 21, 2010 at 4:28am when the days will shrink and the nights will grow long again.
My favorite aspect of winter is that the nights here are so clear and we can enjoy the bright moon longer. Next winter solstice we will celebrate a full moon and a total lunar eclipse!
According to NASA’s photograph of the day on this year’s winter solstice, this photo pictured, Tutulemma: Solar Eclipse Analemma (by Credit & Copyright: Cenk E. Tezel and Tunç Tezel TWAN) depicts what you would capture if you went outside at exactly the same time every day and took a picture to see how the Sun would appear to move. The explanation of this photo continues:
With great planning and effort, such a series of images can be taken. The figure-8 path the Sun follows over the course of a year is called an analemma. This coming Tuesday, the Winter Solstice day in Earth’s northern hemisphere, the Sun will be at the bottom of the analemma. Analemmas created from different latitudes would appear at least slightly different, as well as analemmas created at a different time each day. With even greater planning and effort, the series can include a total eclipse of the Sun as one of the images. Pictured is such a total solar eclipse analemma or Tutulemma – a term coined by the photographers based on the Turkish word for eclipse. The composite image sequence was recorded from Turkey starting in 2005. The base image for the sequence is from the total phase of a solar eclipse as viewed from Side, Turkey on 2006 March 29. Venus was also visible during totality, toward the lower right.
Last winter solstice, I posted this image which I absolutely LOVEand which has become quite popular in recent weeks sending my stats soaring with lots of people heading over to the site of photographer Danilo Pivato! Here’s the image again along with the explanation from the NASA APOD site:
Tyrrhenian Sea and Solstice Sky
Credit & Copyright: Danilo Pivato
Explanation: Today the Solstice occurs at 0608 Universal Time, the Sun reaching its southernmost declination in planet Earth’s sky. Of course, the December Solstice marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the south. When viewed from northern latitudes, the Sun will make its lowest arc through the sky along the southern horizon. So in the north, the Solstice day has the shortest length of time between sunrise and sunset and fewest hours of daylight. This striking composite image follows the Sun’s path through the December Solstice day of 2005 in a beautiful blue sky, looking down the Tyrrhenian Sea coast from Santa Severa toward Fiumicino, Italy. The view covers about 115 degrees in 43 separate, well-planned exposures from sunrise to sunset.
So what is NASA’s APOD? It’s the Photograph of the Day–a fabulous image of the heavens to inspire those of us on earth. In January, the top photos of the year are selected and highlighted: APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007Su Learn more about APOD here: About APOD.
This year we once again celebrated Winter Solstice with a Santacon Bike Ride. More on that soon with lots more pictures by Sheila Piala (who took this one with her iPhone and posted it directly to my facebook wall!)
So have a very merry solstice! Here’s a winter solstice ritual and invocation. Here are winter solstice activities. This will take you to ways winter solstice has been celebrated other places.
Great God of the Sun, I welcome Your return. May You shine brightly upon the Goddess; May You shine brightly upon the Earth, scattering seeds and fertilizing the land. All blessings upon You, Reborn One of the Sun! Know that you are Blessed.
What wine goes with YOUR Winter Solstice Celebrations?
Wine Blogging Wednesday #64 December 23rd, 2009 is hosted by El Jefe at Twisted Oak who naturally adds a twist to it and is, also, naturally, running some Twisted holiday specials which you can see for yourself here The point, he says of this WBW, is to come up with your own holiday pairings, and to have fun:
Pick any winter holiday or observance EXCEPT Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, or New Years Day or Eve, and choose a wine to celebrate it! For purposes of this WBW, the holiday date chosen must be between December 7, 2009 and January 7, 2010. You may also pair a food with your chosen holiday and wine, but that is optional.
According to Astrology.com, Mars, the planet of action, turns retrograde in the sign of Leo tomorrow, Sunday December 20, 2009, just before the Winter Solstice on December 21. (Here’s some winter solstice activities and here’s a winter solstice ritual). What does it mean? Check out my horoscope:
Nothing about you will be mundane, ordinary or expected, but others will be far from shocked. They’ll appreciate your rebelliousness, and applaud you for it. While you have their attention, isn’t there something you’d like to announce? Something drastic and eccentric? Better do it now.
Hmmn, as I’m about to ride off on my bikergo with a bunch of Santas, elves, reindeers and who knows who all else, this makes me wonder especially since my horoscope for Tuesday through New Year’s Eve is:
| Each and every word that escapes what are soon to become known as ‘those famous lips’ will stun, astound and easily charm anyone even remotely within shouting distance. As a result, the media (and other representatives of your public) will arrive, craving your attention. Try to dole it out fairly. |
My goodness! Hope I can come up with something quick to post to live up to these predictions!
So what might it mean for you? Check out your chart but in general this is how astrology.com interprets it: Read more…
Gotta Love Rudolf, the non-conformist
Ever think about how Santa was a real jerkoff in the children’s classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?
Well, take a minute. Consider how Rudolph is unappreciated and laughed at AND there’s a whole island of sad misfit toys!
It has come to my attention that the North Pole has become a hotbed for intolerance over the years. I believe that I have pinpointed the source of this lack of understanding. Santa Claus himself appears to be the catalyst for the effects plaguing this area. Santa, by his example, has made clear that individuals considered “misfits” should be taunted and bullied. Let us look at the list of offenders.
Check out the rest of the above critique of conformity in Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer: http://www.kindertrauma.com/?p=3316
Then join a slew of Santas who appreciate the Rudolphs among us!
You’ll find this Ms. Claus on a bike Sunday 12/20 at 12:30 along the Ventura Bike Path and San Jon Road then heading south to the Ventura Harbor. Join us on the Carousel at 2pm. Next we’ll head to Aloha and then downtown to Watermark, Good, and maybe Bombay.
We do insist however that if you want to roll with Santa, you gotta dress like Santa–or other denizens of the North Pole (reindeer, elves, bears, Christmas trees, etc).
You can find yourself a Merry Little Santacon here. Here’s how to make a costume, download carols, and in general prepare for a Santacon. Find a Santa Con near you here.
PS Thanks to Burning Moms for sharing this link about Rudolph with me last holiday season!
Happy 83rd Birthday, Rachel Rosenthal! Congratulations on your new book!
According to The Los Angeles Times, “Rachel Rosenthal bills herself simply as a performance artist. That’s about as accurate as calling the Taj Majal a house. The woman is a monument and a marvel. She is a force of nature…She is timeless, ageless, gutsy, quirky, exotic, potentially poignant.”
Back when I was in grad school at the University of Nevada Reno, Rachel Rosenthal came to visit. I didn’t know what to expect, but attending her performance came highly recommended by my friend Helen Jones who ran the Women’s Center. “Don’t miss it,” she said. And I was glad I didn’t. I can still feel the energy with which she filled the room, even if I don’t quite recall the particulars.
Flash forward many years later when another Helen, this one helen13, invited me to Rachel Rosenthal’s 83 birthday celebration and book release party–just in time for holiday gift giving, a perfect book for all the creative types on your list it looks like, too.
The DbD Experience: Chance Knows What It’s Doing! DbD, or “Doing by Doing” describes her signature method of teaching improvisational theater. In the 130-page book, the Obie winning performer explores improvisational theater and its relationship to life, offering a blow-by-blow account of what happens in her 34-hour DbD weekend intensive workshops (currently still happening on a bi-annual basis in Los Angeles). This mix of memoir, teaching manual, and manifesto was edited by Kate Noonan and is set for US release December 15 2009 by Routledge (ISBN 978-0-415-55102-1, http://www.routledge.com).
“Chance is the core of improvisation,” says Rosenthal when crystallizing the point of her teaching methods, “The DbD Experience is about breaking down borders, opening up to the givens, activating the moment, and paying attention to what is.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I told her. “Unless of course I win that wine blogging contest and go to Portugal–haha!” Well wonders will never cease–I did win that wineblogging contest, went to Portugal, and was just too severely jetlagged to go to LA the day after I returned.
Fortunately, helen13 went to Rachel Rosenthal’s 83nd Birthday Bash–and wrote about it for us (with photos by lennyBruce Lee cc):
The press was dubbing it “The Cultural Event of the Year” so I was expecting an over-crowded, stuffy event to honor Rachel Rosenthal’s decades of theater and performance art. All I knew was that Rachel did performance art in the 60’s and had a shaved head.
The hosting gallery, Track 16, in the Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA, avoided décor with just plain white walls. Half the gallery was dedicated to the works for a silent auction that benefited Rosenthal Company’s TOHUBOHU! This new performance troupe, bills itself as an “Extreme Theater Ensemble” where nothing is scripted, rehearsed or repeated.
The event also premièred her new book The DbD Experience – Chance Knows What it’s Doing!, a mix of memoir, philosophical musing, and teaching manual. Read more…
Poetry from the 3:15 Experiment August 6 2009: weight of sleep
Th. August 6, 2009 3:15am
The weight of sleep
urges to decide
She fights back sure that it is
worthwhile to stay awake long
enough for meaning to be made.
A compromise is reached
But each side thinks the other
was the winner.
Here’s more 3:15am poetry. For poetry written while the poet is typically awake and not between sleeps, catch a ride on the poetry train.
As you can imagine, all kinds of things get lost at Burning Man. (Yes, it’s ok–you can imagine all those things that get lost there–have fun!)
I remember some post-Burn event I attended one year that featured a HUGE pile of car keys. I picked up a set of Toyota keys with a bottle opener. The keys didn’t work in my Toyota but the bottle opener did its job.
I’d hate to lose my camera out there–but people do every year. And other people find them and turn them in to Playa Info who takes care of Lost and Found from Burning Man and SF Decompression. They then post a sampling of images to help people get matched back up.
This first guy is obviously praying to get something lost back…
and whoever took this second image must have lost the camera AFTER visiting the Temple. And the final couple we can see went to the Man at night before he Burned during a dust storm (that’s what’s producing that hazy quality).
So, follow the flickr link below and peruse the images; see if you recognize anyone. Maybe you didn’t lose a camera, but you might recognize someone who did:
- Did you lose a camera?
- Did you lose just a camera card?
- Maybe a whole bag or backpack with a camera inside?
Immediately, visit this Flickr Set to see twenty-four web photo pages of Burning Man images because this is a limited time offer! If you spot yours, email lostandfound (at) burningman (dot) com and include:
- The camera/card or bag inventory number
- A description of the make and model of the lost camera/card, or bag.
- A description of other (non-posted) images from the same source.
Or just visit these images to see what random people found interesting at Burning Man.
Remember: They’ll be GONE by January 13th, 2010. (I’m curious–aren’t you?) So check them out soon! Oh, just so you know–there’s no naughty bits showing in any of the pictures on-line–just lots of smiling, dusty every day Burners!
It was a rainy Santacon today in LA but judging from tweets from SF Santa and LA Santa a good time just the same (see tweetpics like this one or http://twitpic.com/ta1qj of elves in Pershing Square LA for evidence!)
Bob Dylan’s latest cd Christmas in the Heart will be the soundtrack for the Ventucky Santacon 12/20 starting at 12:30pm from the San Jon Barranca and the beach bike path. Need a place to park? There’s a lot right there or at the top of San Jon Road in the City of Ventura parking lot (go to the east end by Chrisman) or use the pay lot at the end of California Street.
We Ventucky Santas will roll on our bicycles along the bike path through the State beach Park and Pierpont to the Ventura Harbor where we’ll be jolly, sing carols, ride the carousel, and all that (bring your songbook and some cash!) From there, we’ll take the beach bike path all the way to downtown for more Santacon cacophonous fun! HINT: do you know how to polka? This might be a good time to learn!
Here’s how to make a costume, download carols, and in general prepare for a Santacon. Find a Santa Con near you here.
Get a Santa suit together by next Sunday 12/20 at 12:30! Reindeer, elves and polar bears are welcome. We’re also hip to 350 action groups and Copenhagen Save Santa activists provided they’re wearing their red “Save Santa” or “Save the North Pole” t-shirts.
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