Event...I'm Performing at the Junction Arts Festival (Sept. 9th - 13th)

Hey, All! I'm back at the Junction Arts Festival this year. Poetry, dramatic stories and songs. You know me, I can't just do one thing:) Hope you can join me. I will be performing on Saturday and Sunday*. Bring the little ones with you; they always inspire me.

JUNCTION ARTS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

SATURDAY
12:30 Amanda Earl
Sistah Lois*
Rob Read
Jenny Sampirisi

3:30 Gregory Betts/Gary Barwin
Angela Carr
Steven Zultanski
Shannon Bramer

5:00 Marianne Apostolides
Melissa Major
Jay MillAr
Stephen Cain

SUNDAY
12:00 Jenny Sampirisi
Stephen Cain
Shannon Bramer
Angela Carr

3:00 Margaret Christakos
Mark Truscott
Jay MillAr

4:30 Adam Seelig
Daniel f Bradley
Rob Read
Sistah Lois*

Info: www.junctionartsfest.com

Thoughts...AIDS

This video trailer highlights various issues on the topic of AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago, but I want to comment on a point of view that is shared by some in the film. My personal response is this:

What's is still really so sad about the Caribbean is that colonization is so deeply ingrained, that the intuitive, naturally confident, spiritual response to the heat rhythm collide with taught religiosity. Some are unable to perceive the downpres...sion of the creative, via their Anglicized fear of their humanity. Sex=Taboo, so music and art, the steel drum and 'wining' must be abolished to save youth from AIDS. Are they for real?

The complacent silence of a sexually repressed societal intellect versus nature, is the reason AIDS is on a worldwide rampage. No honest human "talkie" (dialogue). If something is still taboo, it doesn't ever get brought out in the open; therefore, trying to attack the disease of AIDS is a battle that cannot be won without open discussion and understanding of our very present human sensuality and the frailty that sometimes comes with that need for connection. So, everybody that's undervalued and affection-deprived enough to chose to sex any on offer in anyway just for the human body contact to another non-nurtured part of their own humanity as oft exist within the sensuality of contact dancing, is human..not exclusive to Caribbean folks. Do these folks indeed know themselves or the European designed version of what is a good African/West Indian?

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZk2pzEt12g and http://inbluewatersfilms.com/

Opinion: My own:)

Thoughts...Good-bye My Friend: R.I.P Terry Leroy Levis

Yesterday evening was a grand celebration for Terry Leroy Levis, a great stalwart in the anti-oppression struggle, a musician of great renown, a wonderful husband to Bea, and father to Collen, Donna, and Kim.

Terry volunteered for many years at CIUT 89.5 FM. He hosted a program for elders (part of the Caffeine Free line up), but spoke of every conceivable issue on his show. His love of invention and mechanics were topics he and I spoke of often. I know my partner Stephen will miss their quantum mechanic jokes that often seemed private until Terry broke it down for others to be included--that was part and parcel of Terry's life mandate that we are all connected.

Our love of classical music was something else Terry and I shared and I'm glad I got to share Handel's "Where e'er you walk" (the aria from Semele) with him. Terry encouraged me to create and write my own stories, and supported me very often by attending my performances. I recall many shows and community concerts (sometimes in the weirdest, far out places), where I would look up and there would be Terry holding a up a corner. Our shared love of stories and music had brought him out.

Terry, you will be sorely missed.

Event...Flying Solo at Pedestrian Sunday in Baldwin Village

After last year's performance with a five piece band, back-up singers and flautist, this year I stood and nakedly faced my fears yesterday during Pedestrian Sunday in Baldwin Village. Well, not quite that naked, I had my clothing and two drumsticks!

Why was I so worried? I had enthusiastic audience participation. The folks in the crowd clapped and sang along with me and everybody had a great time. After my performance, a woman with two youngsters in tow stopped me to say she had been about to step into the shower when her children called out "Mom, there's a woman singing at the fair. It sounds like the kinda of music you would love."

If you were in the crowd, thank you so much for participating and for sharing in the expressions of love that flowed between us all during that gathering.

Event...Pedestrian Sundays Baldwin Village 2009

About Pedestrian Sundays Baldwin Village 2009

Pedestrian Sundays were imagined as a community building event centered on values of culture and ecology to celebrate diversity in Baldwin Village. Our moto is ‘streets are for people’ and we promote car free days. Our inaugural year in 2007 was a great success and involved the participation of many folks from or visiting our community. In 2008, we celebrated again and this year, look to build on past successes. 

The merchants and residents of Baldwin Village invite visitors to join them this summer as they once again introduce Toronto's best-kept secret to the city. Why settle for just a taste of one culture when here you can taste the world! Cuisines of Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, Mexico, France, India and cosmopolitan Toronto all located on one quaint street.

We look forward to having you, your family and friends join us to celebrate the community through dance, art, performance art, music and let's not forget food!

Location: Baldwin St.  Toronto, ON

Here is the tentative schedule as it is at this point.

Henry Stage
11:45 – 12:30 Moyo wa Africa (to open event up with drumming)

1:00 – 1:45 H2Orchestra
http://funtain.ca/

2:00 – 2:30 Tai Chi (University Settlement)

2:30 – 3:15 Annie Si-Wing Tung

4:00 – 4:45 Hotcha!
 
5:30 – 6:15 Janet Panic
 

McCaul Stage
1:45 – 2:30 Tanya Philipovich

3:15 – 4:00 Michael Louis Johnson

4:45 – 5:30 Gary Bluestone

6:15 – 7:00 Sistah Lois

8:30 - 10:00 Little Video Shop Movie