653 Chenery Street
in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood

1-415-586-3733
[email protected]

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Tuesday to Sunday
noon to six

 

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But nothing beats being in the room with the music & the musicians!

Wednesday, 2/22/23 – 7pm
Black Fire This Time: a reading with jazz

Black Fire This Time
An Ensemble of Jazz & Poetry

Poets
Avotcja
Venus Jones
Shizue Seigel
Christl Rikka Perkins
Zakiyyah G.E. Capehart

Nazela Jamison
Bryant Bolling
Dondi Dancy

Music
Avotcja, small percussion
Heshima Mark Williams, bass

Heather Buchanan, piano

Readings with jazz, from contributors
to the new and acclaimed anthology from Willow Press
— Black Fire This Time —
a collection of over 100 poets and writers on the history
and legacy of the Black Arts Movement,
edited by Dr. Kim McMillon
and assistant editor Kofi Antwi.
With special guests from
Write Now! SF Bay.

This event at Bird & Beckett occurs on the eve of
The National Black American Read-In (NBARI),
a celebration of excellence by Black poets, writers and playwrights,
kicking off officially with an event at the
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) on February 23, 2023
and running throughout the year.

No cover charge, but your donations are greatly appreciated.

Avotcja is an award-winning Poet/Playwright/Multi-Percussionist/Photographer/Teacher. She has been published in English and Spanish in the USA, Mexico and Europe. She has opened for Betty Carter in New York City and at Cuba’s Gema y Pavel, and has played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Bobi and Luis Cespedes, and John Handy.

Venus Jones is the author of three poetry books and four spoken word albums. Her one-woman show, Poetic Soldier, was dubbed “Most Inspiring Solo Performance” at the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival. She is also a TEDx speaker and mentor.

Zakiyyah G.E. Capehart is a writer, poet, performance artist, storyteller, visual artist, radio producer and host. Her poetry is published in several anthologies. Her radio shows air on KPFA 94.1fm.

Bryant “The Singing Bard” Bolling has a Masters of Art in Musicology from Morgan State University. He is the founder and bandleader of the Bryant Bolling Quartet.

Shizue Seigel is the director of Write Now! SF Bay, which has produced writing workshops and anthologies by BIPOC Bay Area writers building multicultural solidarity since 2015. The most recent anthology, Uncommon Ground as well as Write Now! SF Bay’s previous anthologies are available at Bird & Beckett.

Heather Buchanan is the owner of Aquarius Press (founded 1999), for which Willow Books is its flagship imprint. A University of Michigan Difference-Maker Alumnus of the Year, Buchanan is a lecturer on the university circuit and a three-time fellow. She is the director of the LitFest national festivals. An Arts & Humanities consultant, Buchanan was a Poet-in-Residence for the Detroit Public Library, COO of the Wayne County Council for Arts, History & Humanities and received a Proclamation for her work in the arts. She was the 2019 Michigan Humanities Champion of the Year nominee and currently serves on the board of LATITUDE Chicago. A 2020 Career Pathways committee member for the Society for American Music, Buchanan is a violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Community Ensemble. She is the founder of AUXmedia, a Detroit-based studio.

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The Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project

Our events are put on under the umbrella of the nonprofit Bird & Beckett Cultural Legacy Project (the "BBCLP"). That's how we fund our ambitious schedule of 300 or so concerts and literary events every year.

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The Independent Musicians Alliance

Gigging musicians! You have nothing to lose but your lack of a collective voice to achieve fair wages for your work!
The IMA can be a conduit for you, if you join in to make it work.

https://www.independentmusiciansalliance.org/

Read more here - Andy Gilbert's Feb 25 article about the IMA from KQED's site

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