part of Black Arts Week 2014 (April 26th – May 3rd)

Poetic Ventures Presents "The 2014 Philadelphia Black Poetry Honors".  

Bestselling, awardwinning and critically acclaimed writers, poets and spoken word recording artists scheduled to be honored or serve as performance presenters include Dr. Kimmika Williams, Lamont Steptoe, Lois Moses, Eric Webb, Stephanie Renee, Ed Shockley, Black Ice , K.D. Morris, Dr. Maurice Henderson, Supreme Dow, Dwayne Reid and Dujuan Williams, Wadud Ahmed, Christal Brinson, Tyrone Highsmith, Euware Osayande,  Runett Nia Ebo, Anwar El, In the Company of Poets co-founders Pat McLean, Nish Pugh, Debra Powell, Bill Holmes, Thelma Shelton Robinson, Ayanna Traylor, J. Michael Harrison,  Tiffany Bacon, Bobby Collier, Ron Carter, Kyree 'Superstar' Mitchell, Lamont 'Napalm' Dixon, Ed Coleman, Ronnie Way,  Keno Speller, Selvin Gordon, Kelly Miller with host Just Greg (featured on CNN and HBO).  Special Guest is Marvin X, co-founder of the Black Arts Movement and a special salute to Sonia Sanchez and PEW Fellowship Awardees. A Free buffet includes meet and greet with bestseller Dr. Neal Hall  RSVP or for inquiries contact osay121@msn.com and 215-868-7521 or 215-254-9314 and mauricebrianhenderson@yahoo.com. Further details can be obtained at www.2deep2.com.

DOLLARBOYZ 

presents

SPRING TAKEOFF PARTY (ALL-AGES)

$10 ADMISSION (STAY UNTIL 9PM)

$5 XTRA FOR VIP (STAY UNTIL 11PM)

DOLLARBOYZ SUPER SAVINGS SALE

$5 DollarBoyz Mixtape

$15 Original DollarBoyz Shirts (2) $25

$15 DollarBoyz Skullies

$25 DollarBoyz Sweatshirts (2) $40

$30 DollarBoyz Hoodies (2) $50

# Turn Down for Whaaat Sweatshirts (1)$30 (2)$50

# ImDaMan Skullies $15

Dollar Boyz is a fulltime youth-led movement that provides services to all ages. Partnering with Y-NOT (YOUTH NOW ON TOP), we provide services in many areas including: Entertainment, Creative & Performing Arts, Sports, Advocacy, One on One mentoring, Educational Guidance, and Drug Prevention & Intervention.

Every day we are constantly exercising these services by keeping our members safely off the streets, involved and active. We have daily group outings, where we get together and go places such as: Movies Theaters, Restaurants, Amusement Parks, Parties, Cookouts, Swimming, Arcades, Bowling, and Community Events.

The Rita Jones Dance Company returns to The Rotunda to present beautiful modern dance!

THE BAD SEED

Also

Diana the Huntress

and

Lady MacbethAdmission: $5 general admission; $2 senior citizens. All proceeds go to St. Jude's Cancer Research Center

Poet-tree En Motion

2014 Winter & Spring Performance Series!

This ongoing seasonal event series features a variety of dance/movement/theater mediums, live electronic/acoustic music, vocalists & poetry/spoken-word presentations, circus/fire/flow arts performances, community art creations, live painting & VJ projections… 

Plus an Open Mic/Stage & Jam Sessions!

Featuring:

May 7th: Spring Fire Lights the Night & Lunar Celebrations!

sister duo, passionate about fire dance, flow & healing arts, plus writing & performing original music in their band Silver Skies. Michelle and Angela Armour have long had a passion for the path of healing expression through movement and music, their songwriting and musicianship currently expressed through their Philly-based band, Silver Skies. Angela is a certified Hooping With Kids instructor who connects with people of all ages, and Michelle is a yoga instructor and licensed massage therapist.

facebook.com/silverskiesrise 

Guitar player. When I started this journey I had no idea where it would take me. As a teenager my dreams of playing in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands came true how cool is that? After I got tired of playing in rock bands I decided on a more personal approach to music. Composing electronic music under the name Oblivious Solitude. Later I was performing and recording with Heather Lind as Stares to Nowhere. I’ve also performed with Mike Hunter as Mayakara, as well as recording and performing solo acoustic music, sometimes modifying and creating new instruments to take the music to new places. 

facebook.com/william.fieger.39 

that uses the vocabulary of classical Indian dance to explore new spaces of artistic expression. Instead of diminishing the foundation of our classical styles, we look to investigate their communicative potential when merged with Western dance traditions. Using Odissi, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Capoeira, Flamenco, Modern and Ballet training, our dancers collaboratively converse with movement and create dialogue with expression. We are driven by creativity, human emotions, and a desire to be released from the four walls of our daily existence. Our movement vocabulary is a collective effort that aims to create a reachable area for all people to participate and communicate. Artistic Director, Malabika Guha presents the piece “The Love That Remains”. Based on the Portuguese word “saudades,” this piece explores the fervent state of longing by channeling the painful sweetness of remembering a loved one from whom we have been separated while reveling in the joy that they may return (see link above for more info)! 

kalamandirdanceco.com 

Percussion) made up of a group of dedicated women from many walks of life, who feel and express the profound rhythm which beats within us all. M.O.M. takes special pleasure in embracing the participation of all the children of the universe. Under the expert tutelage of Founder and percussionist, Jan Jeffries, the group shares their hearts and souls with each other, while exploring the universal love of tradition buried deep in their essence by the wisdom of countless ancient ones. 

facebook.com/jan.jeffries

performing professionally in 2006. She studied the science of fire under the Amazing Barry Silver, master of the seven deadly acts and is constantly in awe with the contemporary evolution of the arts & community. She has had the honor to perform with some of the best artists locally, nationally, and internationally. An expert of a multitude of tools and props [poi, fans, hoop, double staves, buugeng, fire breathing, fire eating, torches, etc.] her fire shows captivate people in a wide variety of settings and celebrations from intimate private parties to main stages at 40,000+ attendee festivals, and everything in between. In support of the progression of the craft I also teach workshops and private/semi-private clients about fire safety and flow techniques for several tools and produce large scale showcases. She has recently began experimenting with filming and am exploring fire arts installations so stay tuned for more exiting things!

laurenonfire.com

helping students implement and maintain a healthy lifestyle by providing information about different kinds of exercise and diet, a program is designed to meet each individual's specific needs.  The practices draw on the wisdom and practices of both ancient and modern traditions. East & West Come Together To Maximize overall Health & Well-being.

orientalfitnessinstitute.com  

Native to West Philadelphia, Plum is a multi-talented thespian, dancer, martial artist, instructor, poetess and writer who has been involved with performing arts since childhood. She is known for her poetic style, vocal performance, fire dance, flow arts and choreographic flair throughout Philadelphia and abroad. Over the past 15 years, she as toured not only as a solo artist but also as founding member/core performer/assistant artistic director with groups like Archedream & Be Tru Dance Crew among many others. She has also independently released 2 albums of original work with the project Plum Dragoness & the Elements, known for its fusion of multi-media, live world beat musical infusions & spoken word vocals & lyrical poetry. In addition, Plum is the resident performance artist & organizer for the ongoing community performing arts series known as Poet-tree En Motion, since 2007 at The Rotunda! 

plumdragoness.com

Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. In New York City he worked on murals as an apprentice for Colossal Media and Skyhigh Murals (the largest hand-paint ad company in the United States).  While in New York, Steve also completed community art projects for non-profits including Covenant House and the United Way. Between 2007 and 2008, Steve was an event volunteer at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM), an arts non-profit owned and operated by world famous artist Alex Grey.  In 2009, Steve left New York City and moved to Wappingers Falls, New York to work at CoSM full-time as a chapel builder. After leaving CoSM in late 2010, Steve moved to Philadelphia, where he has worked on commercial and residential properties all over Philadelphia, Bucks County, and New Jersey.  He has painted commercial advertisements and signs in New York, Newark, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.  He has live painted, body painted, and shown his work at events all over Philadelphia and New York.  Steve currently lives and creates at the Ellen Powell Tiberino Memorial Museum.

www.Steveshorts.com

artist of many talents and gifts. His musical mastery includes working with traditional acoustic and electric instruments such as djimbe, guitar, bass, piano, drums, and more. His range of vocal interpretation covers singing, emceeing, beat boxing, scatting, and performing poetry. Text Rich’s musical background started with Hip Hop music as it developed through the 80’s and 90’s and once introduced to the guitar he took to learning blues, jazz, rock, and funk. He brings all these elements of music and expression to the stage, to classrooms where he teaches music, and in the community as a known griot/troubadour openly sharing musical inspirations with others. Known well in the community as Ali Richardson, Text enjoys spending a large portion of his time creating musical learning experiences for all ages. He is also committed to providing quality educational experiences for youth through workshops and classroom education. 

reverbnation.com/textrichmusicrich 

experience!

facebook.com/vjspooky 

*Facebook Group for Poet-tree En Motion: facebook.com/groups/116980678334215

*Facebook Event for Poet-tree En Motion on 5/7: facebook.com/events/602099869860616 

Admission is FREE but donations are always appreciated!

AND THEN... June 4th: Summer Solar Festivities & Plum Dragoness Fundraising Activities!  

Never Forget May 13, 1985!

Saturday, May 10th. 12-4pm

Never forget that the Philadelphia police and US government dropped a bomb in West Philadelphia to deliberately murder MOVE members, killing 11 people and burning down an entire neighborhood.

The police bombing of MOVE was a direct result of MOVE’s uncompromising fight for the release of the M O V E 9 - political prisoners serving 30-100 year sentences since 1978. In 1985 the government murdered 11 people to stop the fight for the MOVE 9 and to try to stop the MOVE Organization. The MOVE 9 are still in prison today and justice demands their release. Come learn about what led to the infamous events of May, 1985 and what you can do to push for justice!

*Hear an update on the case of the MOVE 9 and find out how you can join in the latest campaign for their freedom

*See the award-winning new documentary ‘Let the Fire Burn’

About the film: On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police dropped two pounds of military explosives onto a city row house occupied by the radical group MOVE. The resulting fire was not fought for over an hour although firefighters were on the scene with water cannons in place. Five children and six adults were killed and sixty-one homes were destroyed by the six-alarm blaze, one of the largest in the city's history. This dramatic tragedy unfolds through an extraordinary visual record previously withheld from the public. It is a graphic illustration of how prejudice, intolerance and fear can lead to unthinkable acts of violence.

onamove.com * onamovellja@aol.com * (215) 386-1165

Bowerbird Presents GATE seriesFeaturing

NAKATANI GONG ORCHESTRA ten gong ensembleTATSUYA NAKATANI solo percussion set

ABOUT THE EVENT Vibrating metal. Glacial ambiance. Percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani returns to Philadelphia for a solo set and to lead a performance of the Nakatani Gong Orchestra (NGO) - an ensemble of 10 gongs played by local musicians and conducted by Natakatani. Anyone who has seen Nakatani perform live should be familiar with his skill in manipulating metal discs of all shapes and sizes, and as the director of the NGO, he uses the same techniques on a larger scale, creating rich expanses of sound that ripple and flow like the most seductive of Richard Serra's oversized and oxidated steel sculptures. Nakatani and his orchestra use hand-made bows and mallets to create a sonorous mass of imposing intensity and beautifully wavering mirage. The bowing and gentle striking of the gongs creates a shimmering sheen in constant motion, using the instrument's inherently complex chorus of overtones to construct a dense canvas of ever-evolving sound. The sizeable heft of the sound isn't enough to keep it from floating on air, a copper-toned aurora against a backdrop of endless black. ABOUT THE ARTIST Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Tatsuya Nakatani currently resides in Easton, Pennsylvania. He has released over sixty CD recordings in the U.S. and Europe. Since the late 1990s, he has performed primarily as a solo percussionist across the U.S. and overseas and has taught master classes at universities as well as holding workshops and lectures. His N.G.O. performs nationwide. Nakatani's approach to music is visceral, non-linear and intuitively primitive, expressing an unusually strong spirit while avoiding categorization. He creates sound with both traditional and extended percussion techniques, utilizing drums, bowed gongs, singing bowls, as well as various sticks, kitchen tools and homemade bows. His approach is steeped in the sensibilities of free improvisation, experimental music, jazz, rock, and noise, and yet retains the sense of space and quiet beauty found in traditional Japanese folk music.Admission is FREE

From The Humane League: Join us for our 6th annual Walk for Animals as we walk to protect all animals from cruelty. On Saturday, May 17th, The Humane League team along with our friends, volunteers and interns and our four legged friends, will walk to raise money to prevent animal suffering. Following the Walk will be the Spring Festival for Animals featuring adoption booths, involvement opportunities, raffle prizes, non-profits and more. More info on the walk: https://www.facebook.com/events/575695149192901

No FearThe Concert Philly's next R&B star KACHINA will be performing live and releasing her mix tape+ Performances by:Sage MarquiiisClassic RNSFonte Cruise Tickets: General Admission: $15Students with i.d.: $8Couples: $20For tickets and more info, please call 267-212-6074@mskachina

Please join us on Saturday, May 24th for a vegan potluck. Bring your family; children are welcome and encouraged to come. We ask that you please bring a vegan dish. This is open to absolutely everyone but we are especially interested in connecting vegans to each other and to providing non vegans with delicious food and easy recipes.If the weather holds up, we may even take the party outside!

Admission is FREE; please bring a small dish to share. 

Raw Preserv: Urban Arts Initiative presents the first session of "#ArtMeet"; a series of casual pop-up gatherings geared towards artists and art enthusiasts. 

Artists of all disciplines are welcome, as well as art lovers of all types. 

At this casual come-together, the ambient playlist will feature indie music from all over America and the world, presentation of art culture oriented videos, artists sharing and discussing pieces--all in a free-form neighborhood'ly format. 

Come out to meet new people, to share your creativity, and to learn more about the local world of the arts.

Admission is a donation amount of your choice; pay what you like.

RawPreserv@gmail.com

AACM's Thurman Barker with The Sonic 8 & Julius Masri    

A rare Philly performance...Thurman Barker, founding AACM Member, multi faceted drummer, composer & mallet percussionist joins the Sonic 8 (Sonic Liberation Front's new octet) along with Philly’s Julius Masri in performing: Interaxx – Music for Metals, Membranes and Circuits

Thurman Barker joins the Sonic 8 in a special performance of new music, and music from their respective repertoires in a mutually unique setting. The evening will unfold with Barker solo works for Marimba, duo works with his former Bard College student Julius Masri (drums & electronics), and with The Sonic 8 and their new octect music. 

(AAMC’s Thurman Barker)’s work long has epitomized the organization's aesthetic, which merges a quest for innovation with a profound respect for ancient African musical rituals.  Chicago Tribune

Emerging from the Chicago free scene, a founder member of the AACM, percussionistThurman Barker first played and recorded with fellow Chicagoans Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre, Joseph Jarman, Muhal Richard Abrams and Anthony Braxton, in whose quartet he played in the late 70s. Economic survival meant periods of working in musical pit bands, but joining Cecil Taylor’s Unit in 1986 brought further exposure. Taylor’s dense, polyrhythmic style required the services of someone with an acute sense of structure and an incisive attack; these Barker has in abundance. At the suggestion of Billy Bang, Barker has added the marimba to his armory, playing with exquisite grace and fire on Bang’s exotic The Fire From Within. Mr. Barker is an Associate Professor of Music at Bard College since 1993. He's taught at Creative Music School, Cornish Institute, and American Conservatory of Music. Profiled in Modern Drummer and DownBeat magazines. Recordings with, among others, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, and Sam Rivers. 

Thurman with Cecil Taylor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2j36msUFdo Thurman Barker Website http://www.upteeproductions.comPhoto http://www.allaboutjazz.com//media/large/3/a/d/18e395865bffbd0ef88b31c45020b.jpg

The Sonic 8 are the new octet subset of Sonic Liberation Front. The new octet brings an open chamber jazz and Afro Cuban Lukumi mix with influences as far afield as Ornette Coleman, Eric Satie, Prince Lasha & Sonny Simmons, and Charles Mingus… All under the watchful eyes of the Orishas.

Sonic 8: Kevin Diehl - bata & drumkit, Matt Engle - bass, Veronic Jurkiewicz - viola, Todd Margasak - cornet, Connor Przybyszewski - trombone, Tom Lowery - percussion & drumkit, Yinka Moore - bata & percussion, Nichola Rivera - bata & percussion

Julius Masri is a percussionist and circuit bender. He has played in: The Electric Simcha, TinMouth, Q-1, Circles, Chakra Khan/Air Pirates, Wolf Vs., KuruKuruPa, LionsHead, GoldenBall, Ex Reverie, Br'er, The Burrs, Unidos Da Filadelfia Samba.

Like us on FacebookTwitter @SonicLibInstagram @SonicLibiTunes www.hightwo.comwww.sonicliberationfront.comKevin Diehl plays Paiste Cymbals exclusively.

FREE! but we suggest a $10 donation to help pay these musicians!

Blue Wave Theory is an instrumental rock band formed in 2007 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The group's sound is rooted in surf music of the 1960s, but delves into many genres including elements of garage, punk, and reggae. The band's music is entirely instrumental with Steve Rabeler on guitar, Kevin Stamper on bass, and Rob Wolleben on drums. Guitarist Bob Trimble recently joined forces with the band for live shows and recordings.  Blue Wave Theory has shared the stage with the legendary Dick Dale (“The King of Surf Guitar”).  If you're a fan of Dick Dale, the Ventures, the Mermen, or Los Straitjackets, with a little X or Dead Kennedys thrown in, then you'll love this band.  

Blue Wave Theory website:  http://artistecard.com/bluewavetheory

Tony DeSimone & the River Mercy Band hail from the Philadelphia area, and open the show with a set of contemporary melodic rock in the vein of Jack Johnson and Rob Thomas.  Tony has released two CDs, licensed several original songs, and is currently working with Grammy Award winning producer Anthony Newett.  Tony’s passion for music started at a very young age when he began playing drums. This passion led him to studying music and earning a degree in Jazz Performance from Temple University as a percussionist. While studying music, Tony also spent his time playing in numerous bands in the Philadelphia area experimenting in several musical genres from pop to progressive rock which gave him the musical versatility and style that is evident in his music today.

Tony DeSimone website:  http://www.tonydmusic.com/

Admission is FREE!