Posted on March 9, 2013 by John-Michael Albert

[update: 3/26/13] Jazzmouth Lite, Sun Apri 28, 2013, 11:30-02:00 pm, The Press Room (upstairs). I would like to invite all fans of Jazzmouth, poetry and jazz to mark their calendars for a breakfast buffet ($15+drinks+tip) at The Press Room (upstairs) on Daniel Street. I have received the approval of the Jazzmouth organizing committee, the Jazzmouth/Beat Night musicians* have agreed to participate, and the new Press Room kitchen staff will be preparing the buffet.

*The Musicians: Mike Barron, Cynthia Chatis, Don Davis, Skip Gallant, Frank Laurino, Chris Stambaugh, (guitarist TBD)

What will be different this time is that there will be 15, 5-minute open mic slots for poets, in the tradition of the third-Thursday Beat Nights at the Press Room. Sign up will take place at the door.

PLEASE NOTE: I am also encouraging poets to consider writing and reading “food poems” in honor of the event.

Come, celebrate National Poetry Month, Jazzmouth, and poetry and jazz with a fine meal in the company of poets and musicians, on the site of Jazzmouth’s parent event, Beat Night.

PLEASE NOTE: Please post this note on your social media to help us get maximum publicity.)

PLEASE NOTE: A collection will be made to honor the musicians. Please bring a $5 or $10 to add to the pot–and let the musicians walk away with a tangible demonstration of your appreciation for their year-round service to the poetry community. Thanks.

More news here as it becomes available. See you there!

PREVIOUS JAZZMOUTH FESTIVALS:

2012 Schedule:

Thur. April 26th
7pm- Film The Manchurian Candidate(1962). The Music Hall. With soundtrack composer David Amram.

Fri. 27th
5pm-Reading (free). River Run Books.
8pm-Jazzmouth Celebrates Seacoast Women Musicians. The Press Room.
Featuring :Cynthia Chatis (with guest Catherine Sikora), Joanne Connolly, and Agnes Charlesworth
with “Swing a Cat” also a special appearance by The Manchester Slam Team.

Sat. 28th
11am-Jazzmouth Young Writers Festival. River Run Books. Teen poets read w/ live music.
Music provided by Larry Simon Ensemble with special Guest David Amram
1pm-Poetry Workshop Presented by The Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program, The Levenson Room,
Portsmouth Public Library
3pm-Screening “David Amram, first 80 Years”. The Loft. Amram & director Lawrence Kraman present.
7:30pm-The Jazzmouth Extravaganza. The Loft. With David Amram, X.J. Kennedy, Eric Mingus
also Larry Simon band, poets Claire Breger-Belsky, Ryan McLellan, Betsy Sholl, Chris Elliott & Meg Kearney

Sun. 29th:
11:30am-2pm-Poetry and Jazz Brunch. The Library at Rockingham Restaurant. $25. Poetry & Music with some of New England’s finest Poets. For reservations please call: 603) 431-5202
Sunday Brunch Readers
1. Kate Leigh
2. Sal Sciretto
3. Joanne Duncanson
4. Walter Butts (current Poet Laureate of NH)
5. Ewa Chrusciel
6. Neil English
7. Helene McGlauflin
8. John-Michael Albert
9. Sam Teitel

2010 Press Release:
RAY MANZAREK, FOUNDER AND KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE DOORS WITH BEAT LEGEND MICHAEL MCCLURE and FORMER US POET LAUREATE ROBERT PINSKY HEADLINE AT JAZZMOUTH THIS YEAR; TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!

Jazzmouth, The Seacoast Poetry and Jazz Festival, is celebrating its Sixth Jazzmouth Extravaganza and this year will be no less explosive than the ones that came before. Having roped in Billy Collins, David Amram, and Donald Hall in the past, this year the Jazzmouth committee proudly announces the earthshaking collaboration between legendary Beat poet, playwright, songwriter and novelist Michael McClure and Ray Manzarek, the founder and keyboard player of The Doors, one of the most iconic bands in the history of rock and roll. Nationally acclaimed poet Gary Snyder writes that McClure and Manzarek’s “transformative appearances are just the tip of the iceberg of aesthetic and spiritual energy….Michael and I have been conspirators in the cultural rebellion of our times since we were both in our twenties…and Manzarek is a clear-eyed musical and cultural craftsman, a professional in the best sense.”

In addition to McClure/Manzarek Jazzmouth is proud and honored to also feature former US Poet Laureate and professor at Boston University Robert Pinsky. Early on, Pinsky was inspired by the flow and tension of jazz and the excitement that it made him feel. He said it was an incredible experience that he has tried to reproduce in his poetry. The musicality of poetry was and is extremely important to his work. He received a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship in 1974, and in 1997 he was named the United States Poet Laureate and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. He now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and teaches in the graduate writing program at Boston University. As Poet Laureate, Robert Pinsky founded the Favorite Poem Project, in which thousands of Americans of varying backgrounds, all ages, and from every state share their favorite poems. Pinsky believed that, contrary to stereotype, poetry has a strong presence in the American culture. The project sought to document that presence, giving voice to the American audience for poetry.

Also on the bill are Boston-based Nigerian-American performing artist and award winning poet Iyeoka and and coming from Scotland, former Seacoast poet Young Dawkins.

For more information about Michael McClure and Ray Manzarek, or to hear an interview with Manzarek on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, see: http://www.mcclure-manzarek.com/lightmyfire.html

The weekend of the festival will include other acts throughout the Portsmouth community which are known to draw people from surrounding areas near and far. These events include a workshop, readings, events for children and youth, a film and others. (See http://jazzmouth.org/jazzmouth-2010-schedule for details).

Event Listing: Jazzmouth Poetry and Jazz Festival with Former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky and Former Keyboardist for The Doors Ray Manzarek, Portsmouth, NH. April 22-25th, 2010. Tickets for all events are on sale now at http://www.jazzmouth.org. Tickets for the 6th Annual Extravaganza on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. at The Music Hall (28 Chestnut Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, tel. 603.436.2400) can also be purchased at http://www.themusichall.org.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity–too marvelous to miss!!

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