KZOO POETRY SLAM-CAST

We end things back where we started. Deryk Soule opened Dirty’s Outhouse Poets’ Café in the mid 1990’s, a place for burnout boomers, angsty gen-Xers, assorted misfits and wanderers to gather, over caffeinate and express themselves. Without it, there never would have been a Kzoo Poetry Slam.

A former U.S. Marine, teacher, mentor, member of eight consecutive Chicago slam teams, honorary godmother to a generation of slam poets and one of the most incredible women to ever grace the Kzoo slam stage; there was no one more beloved and respected than Mama Maria McCray.

Of all the people I’ve met during my poetry slam years, there is no one I respect and admire more than Scott Woods. This week’s episode is all Scott Woods. . . You’re welcome.

This week’s feature on the Kzoo Poetry Slam-cast is the superbly talented Cassie Poe from Detroit.  This is what I like to call a “dessert-first” episode, one of those rare occasions when our feature had to be back on the road for reasons that I can’t remember because it was twenty damn years ago and probably wasn’t any of my business anyway. So you’ll be hearing Cassie’s feature set first followed by the slam.

Except for my slam spiel at the beginning, this week’s episode is all feature and no filler. . . Sonya Renee ( https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/ ) winner of the 2004 National Individual Poetry Slam, 2005 DC/Baltimore Grand Slam, and 2006 Four Continents International Slam.

David Blair (1967-2011) Musician, singer, songwriter, poet, friend. . . Put simply, Blair was one of the best of us, as an artist and as a human.

The 2006 Kzoo Poetry Slam Team, Kirk Latimer, Gabriel Giron, Sarah Lawrence, Leigh Fryling and Drachen Birch, take over the show before their journey to the National Poetry Slam in Austin Texas.

It’s time for another musical interlude. In this NO-POETRY EPISODE of the Kzoo Poetry Slam-Cast, singer songwriter Sheri Streeter plays a set of acoustic originals. . . I’m also happy to report that Sheri is still out there making music in Louisville Kentucky. You can find Sheri Streeter online in the usual places: iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

In this week’s episode you’ll hear feature poet Alex Charalambides, a team up from Kzoo Slam Team veteran Philip Miller and our One-Man De Facto House Band, Charlie Burgess. . . plus one busted cherry.

Finishing up part four with the second half of the slam, featuring a few familiar voices, a few new ones, and of course a short farewell feature from Dawn Saylor.

Part three is the first half of the slam. You’ll hear: Dawn, Jackie, Drach, Jordan, Leagh, and Dan.

Part two is the open-mic portion of the show. Dawn hosts, poet’s include Drachen Birch, Sarah Lawrence, Steve Ashby, Suzan Aiken, and a song and a half from Charlie Burgess before we ran out of recording space on the CD.

This show, recorded in August of 2005, marks the last time Dawn Saylor featured at the Kzoo Poetry Slam. Part one begin with two head-to-head bouts: Dan Stevens vs. Dan Carroll and Leigh Fryling vs. Drachen Birch.

The second half of my 35th birthday feature. Actually, you won’t hear any poetry from me in this half because we ran out of recording space on the disk and I can’t remember what poem I closed the show with, but you will hear a few new voices, plus: Charlie Burgess, Rose Swartz, Diana Densmore, Dan Stevens and Steve Ashby.

Perhaps the most self-indulgent thing I did during my slam tenure (and there were a few) was featuring at my own show on my 35th birthday. In that tradition, I’m going to post this episode slightly out of order. “It was twenty years ago today . . .”

We begin part two mid-slam, followed by Greg’s feature. . . I was MC’ing the slam off stage and off mic, so I increased the volume of some of the score keeping and introductions, but some were too faint and had to be cut.

When the feature that you generated press for cancels at the last minute, you call on the one guy who can bring the noise and the funk . . . and the meat-helmet. . . Greg Bliss. You’ll also get a smattering of open-mic and a little bit of slam.

In this episode, just a taste of open-mic and an amazing feature poet from Chicago, Mary Fons.

The conclusion of the 5th Tuesday Fundraiser for the 2005 Kzoo Poetry Slam Team, who competed in that year’s National Poetry Slam in Albuquerque New Mexico. 

July 2005 had five Tuesdays, so we did an extra show to raise a little scratch for our team preparing to compete at the National Poetry Slam in Albuquerque New Mexico. . . Also, we got an impromptu mini-feature from Johnathan Brown, member of the Greenville South Carolina’s 2003 Slam Team.

Just like the title says.  I didn’t record the entire slam so there’d be room on the disc for our amazing feature poet, Matthew Olzmann.

We start off this show with a one-on-one poetry duel between Karrie Waarala and Todd Bannon, followed by a couple poems from feature poet, Mattew Olzmann. . . and a lot of exposition from me.

Midwest Poetry Slam League bout between Milwaukee and Kalamazoo.

Midwest Poetry Slam League bout between Milwaukee and Kalamazoo. 

In April of 2005, Dawn Saylor hosted the last Kzoo Poetry Slam Finals held at Kraftbrau Brewery.

The prodigal daughter of the Kzoo Slam returns to host the 2005 finals.

Ann Arbor slam guru Larry Frances guest hosts the 3rd round of the 2005 Kzoo Poetry Slam Semi-Finals.

Ann Arbor slam guru Larry Frances guest hosts the 3rd round of the 2005 Kzoo Poetry Slam Semi-Finals.

Elizabeth and Christopher Bullmer guest host round two of the 2005 Kzoo Poetry Slam Semi-Finals.

Christopher and Elizabeth Bullmer guest host round two of the 2005 Kzoo Poetry Slam Semi-Finals.

Part two of the first round semi-finals to choose the 2005 Kzoo Slam Team, with guest hosts Nick Fox and Lucy Anderton.

It’s part one of round one of the semi-finals to pick the 2005 Kalamazoo Slam Team, with special guest hosts, Lucy Anderton and Nick (the voice of god) Fox.

This episode opens with a poem from Kzoo’s own Karrie Waarala, followed by a feature set from one of the best poets to ever play the game, grand slam champion of both Providence and Seattle, Laura Moran.

A feature set from Mike Swinkey, the top scoring poet in 2004’s Kzoo Slam Finals.

I’m pretty sure this was recorded in January of 2005. The open-mic features Charlie Burgess, Dave Amaluxen, Jakie Sekola and Dan Carol.

The second half of the Midwest Poetry Slam League bout between Kalamazoo and Chicago.

Midwest Poetry Slam League bout between Kalamazoo and Chicago.

Dawn Saylor is back in town to guest host, and the slam team from Chicago’s Wicker Park features.

Recorded in August of 2004 shortly after the National Poetry Slam in St. Louis. Dawn Saylor is back in town to guest host, and the slam team from Chicago’s Wicker Park features. . . with apologies for the background hum, I filtered it out as best I could. This episode is mostly the open-mic portion of the show, and features a rare visit from an old friend, Marc Hassett (a.k.a. Bear) from our Dirty’s Outhouse Poets’ Café days.

Recorded in August of 2004 shortly after the National Poetry Slam in St. Louis. Dawn Saylor is back in town to guest host, and the slam team from Chicago’s Wicker Park features. . . with apologies for the background hum, I filtered it out as best I could.