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Dwayne Morgan Live – 10 Year Anniversary
August 17, 2009 @ Lula Lounge
Toronto poetry is finally evolving, and the person partially responsible for this Dwayne Morgan, “Mr. Poetry” himself.
I have seen Morgan perform numerous times, but this event was like no other. Before I get ahead of myself let me tell you about the line up.
The show was hosted by one of Toronto’s hottest comedian right now Trixx, he opened the show with his regular routine of making fun of African and Jamaican cultures to a mostly African and Caribbean Canadian audience. He warmed up the crowd and had them ready for more.
Then the Juno award nominated vocalist, Lorraine Reid stepped up on to the stage. After a few technical difficulties (the band members wanted to finish their food) she sang a melody of tunes, ranging from old Mary J. Blige and Tessanne Chin to new Jazmine Sullivan and Estelle. The crowd had no choice but to sing along.
Getting the crowd even more hyped was AKA Subliminal. He started his set by “checking his mic”, beat boxing some popular tunes, making the crowd laugh and cheer and sing along before he performed a couple songs off his debut album “Train of Thought”.
Trixx returns to the stage to introduce the night’s headliner. After giving a brief bio of Morgan’s work, he took a minute to warn the men who came with dates to hold tight to their woman as “Dwayne Morgan has an effect on woman you can’t control.”
Then finally, Mr. Dwayne Morgan takes the stage, and as I’ve told you before I’ve seen him perform numerous times. Morgan’s style is always very calm and cool. So when he danced (yes I said danced) on the stage, in some stunner shades, a fitted yellow v-neck t-shirt and white fitted jeans, with shoes to match. I was taken aback! Ladies were screaming, and cheering, it took me a minute to realize at least one of those screams had escaped from my mouth. There he was rocking to the beat as the band 88 Keys played Michael Jackson’s Human Nature. I have to admit I didn’t hear one lyric in first 2 poems as I was still in a state of shock. “Mesmerized by the sweat running down his chocolaty skin.” I managed to pull myself together and focus for the rest of the night.
The combination of live music with Lorraine Reid adding extra vocals to each track was beautiful. There were poems for everyone “January 1974” was dedicated to his parents, and “Tell Her” a poem for his daughter. For the underdogs, “Lunch Money” which he recited over Beyonces’ EGO with lyrics like “I love you so much that I don’t give a damn if I go without lunch” had everyone laughing and feeling nice.
But of course he had to bring out the sexy to close the show. The crowd favourite was clearly “Armani Man” with lines like “Wash board abs so defined you could have bubble baths in them” and “I love to give and hate to receive” AND “I’ll be the piranha that eats you” you can draw your own conclusions as to why it had the crowd screaming, especially when the women out numbered the men 5 to 1!
The final piece of the night was “Come Fly With Me”. If Jets Go would have used this poem in their advertisements it may have never gone under. It didn’t help that he spoke it over Jeremiah’s song “Birthday Sex” which already had everyone grinding in their seats from the moment the beat hit our ears.
As I sat with Twitter-holics @DarlingNicky999, @NurseKaren and @ReadBeanpie they twittered play by plays of the night, from discussing Subliminals’ long fingers and gadgets, to Dwayne’s fresh attire, and quoting his lyrics for all to hear, it was a great night of music, soul-hop and of course poetry!
“Dwayne Morgan Live” was live. With 10 new poems celebrating 10 years in the business of entertaining audiences with his lyrics. Lyrics that are sometimes sexual, thought provoking, heart breaking, and encouraging. The night was rhythmic and very entertaining. It was refreshing to see another side to Dwayne Morgan, and a pleasant surprise to say the least. He has stepped up his game and I can only tip my hat in respect and look forward to seeing what he has to offer in the next 10 years.
Bio
Dwayne Morgan began performing Spoken Word professionally in 1993, and has since published 6 books, 5 albums, and has performed extensively throughout Canada, the United States, the U.K., Europe, and the Caribbean. For more info go to http://www.myspace.com/dwaynemorgan
Tracks
Party Like Juan
Sally Dumps Johnny
How to Write and Perform A Slam Poem
Border Crossing
Secret Hidden Track
Audiotape French Lesson
Norman
Naked Woman
Brad Dumps Sally
Review of this Piece
Jeff Cottrill’s story telling is satire at its best. Read with the perfect clarity of a 1940’s radio drama but with a raunchy and weird, sarcastic twist. Jeff will have you laughing the whole way through. Warning: You may not want to have his CD on while driving.
After seeing Jeff’s live performances I wasn’t sure how they would translate to CD. Jeff’s live performances are very animated, adding to the hilarity of the piece he is vocalizing for his audience. Clown With A Coat Hanger translates perfectly. Using his voice, he powerhouses his way through ten, hilarious, cynical and wonderfully entertaining tracks.
I want to Party Like Juan. The way I look at it, when I go, it has to be either two ways, very, very, very old and in my sleep or partying like there is no tomorrow and I really wish I had heard Sally Dumps Johnny before I dumped my last boyfriend. It would have made my life so much easier. I have also taken lesson from the track ‘Review Of This Piece’. No reviews with filler or gratuitous alliteration from this writer.
Though a lot of fun to listen to on your own, I strongly suggest listening with a group of people. This CD is a perfect accompaniment to any party. Do yourself a favor, head over to http://jeffcottrill.coffeehouse.ca and buy a copy.
Party on Juan!
Bio:
Jeff Cottrill is a satirist, fiction writer, and spoken-word performer based in Toronto. His stage act often uses elements of performance poetry, comedy, theatre and storytelling. With a darkly comic flavor, he likes to make audiences laugh, cringe, or (preferably) both.
He has featured in many local literary shows and toured twice with the Perpetual Motion Roadshow, which brought him to such cities as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Montreal and Vancouver. In June 2003, he performed two full sets at the Open Eye Festival in Seaforth, western Ontario. Jeff has also headlined for shows throughout southern Ontario and the Midwest U.S. and he has toured England twice.
He was the co-host of Strange Tongues, a popular monthly spoken-word series (created by monica s. kuebler) that ran from February 2002 to June 2004. He has also been an occasional guest host of other open stages, including WordJam!, Cryptic Chatter, Coffeehouse Cabaret, Every Buddha Plays and Cafe at the Centre.
Jeff has also written arts reviews, interviews and articles as well as (gasp!) relationship self-help. He is the current Managing Editor of DivorceMagazine.com and has appeared in The Detroit News, Canoe.ca, NOW, Vu, Exclaim!, The Village Post, OWL, The Richmond Hill Post, Glued, Jagged, Wordsmith, The Independent Weekly and The Varsity.
He has authored three chapbooks of fiction and satirical monologues, Cruelty and Kindness (2002), Karaoke Dogs (2003) and Guilt Pasta (2007), published through Burning Effigy Press. In June 2005, he released his first CD, Cracktastic!, through Moody Loner Records.
Jeff likes movies, travel, and puppies.
October 21st, 2006
Tracks
These Lips
Tainted
Good Girl
Everything
Violated
He Had A Gun
It’s Like That...
Sometimes I Feel
Lips Snippet
Missed Flight
Bent Over
Welcome Home
The Reason Why (Reggae Mix)
He Wouldn’t Let Me Leave
Sexy, Sensual, Strong.
It is obvious that Devon ‘The Split’ Jones is a polished spoken word artist. Right from the first track you are instantaneously drawn into the rhythm of her velvet smooth voice. Backing the spoken word lyrics are the sultry beats of Sean Mauricette AKA Subliminal. The music sways back and forth between hip hop, reggae to jazz, each perfectly blending with the track it is accompanying.
The Cd’s tracks touch on broken relationships, abuse, love and love lost. Each new track just as powerful as the last. Tracks like Tainted is every single woman’s theme song with powerful words reminding us what we deserve.
Devon’s lyrics are so vivid, such as the track Violated that you can feel the pain and fear the victim is going through and the track Bent Over is so hot it sets the room on fire. Spoken word can very sexy when done right and Devon, brings it to a whole new level. She knows how to use her voice to bring the listeners attention all to what she is saying and keeping them fixated wanting more.
Pleasure In Pain, was an absolute pleasure to listen to. If this CD is any indication of the breadth of Devon’s talent, this girl is going far.
Bio
Devon "The Split" Jones is a Poet, Writer and Made Woman. "The Split" writes poetry from her soul, she feels pain deeply and expresses her sexuality graphically. She shows and proves that 'poetry is therapy' in her debut CD "Pleasure in Pain". Scheduled to be released January 2009. She takes each part of her personality and takes it to the extreme to give a deeper understanding of woman. For more information go to www.thesplit.ca.
Violated is a debut spoken word video, chronicling and auto-biographical account of a tragic story.
This short film is powerful and the words are immediately carved into your brain, taking you to that fateful night, the tone shameful and defiant at the same time.
The story is about a friend’s betrayal the woman he betrayed. It is about using sex in a most casual way against someone not willing, and with no remorse. It is about power and control. It is about satisfying a need using familiarity as its primary argument. It is a woman’s story of healing after such a betrayal happened to her.
Laviathan Grant takes us on a journey, letting us into her life following a rape by an ex boyfriend and friend. After realizing that no one thought what she went through was of that much importance and that some even made her feel like the guilty party, she turned inward. This inability to deal with the issue at hand threw her into a year long depression, where she sought counseling in various forms, finally finding Poetic Therapy. This film is her healing process and she shares it with all in the hopes to educate men to understand the effects of rape.
Her spoken word is concise and filled with emotion and you are immediately caught up in that fateful night. Visual Artist Ricardo McRae is deft and the switch from the female perspective to the male is powerful. The “man” who is now the victim of rape by a male friend he let stay the night is overcome with shame and instead of defending himself is seen showering to wash away the shame, a powerful testimonial to how a violation against another person has no gender.