Kayt Perlman, Sedona Poetry Slam, round 7

Vermont slam veteran Kayt Perlman.Just in from Southern Vermont, Perlman aka Kayt Pearl, has recently relocated to Sedona with a deep sigh of relief. The north is cold. Co-founder of Women Divine Acapella & Rhyme, a traveling collaborative installment of all-women expression; Finder/Founder of Sound Foundation, an organization/movement for universal connection and cross cultural understanding through word and sound; northeastern regional slam poetess and co-master and founder of Martial Poetry Slams, the local slam scene in Brattleboro, Vt., local vocaless singer/songwriter and otherwise unknown human just trying to commun-i-kayt with the rest of us.
Kayt Perlman represented the Sedona Team at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

Kayt Perlman, Sedona Poetry Slam, round 2

Vermont slam veteran Kayt Perlman.Just in from Southern Vermont, Perlman aka Kayt Pearl, has recently relocated to Sedona with a deep sigh of relief. The north is cold. Co-founder of Women Divine Acapella & Rhyme, a traveling collaborative installment of all-women expression; Finder/Founder of Sound Foundation, an organization/movement for universal connection and cross cultural understanding through word and sound; northeastern regional slam poetess and co-master and founder of Martial Poetry Slams, the local slam scene in Brattleboro, Vt., local vocaless singer/songwriter and otherwise unknown human just trying to commun-i-kayt with the rest of us.
Kayt Perlman represented the Sedona Team at the Sedona Poetry Slam on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

Studio Live needs 12 spoken word poets for July 17 poetry slam

Studio Live needs 12 spoken word poets for July 17 poetry slam

Sedona's Studio Live needs 12 poets to compete in a poetry slam Friday, July 17, starting at 7:30 p.m.

In late June, a dozen of Arizona's best performance poets competed in a team poetry slam at Sedona's Studio Live. The event drew a packed house that enjoyed three hours of original spoken word as the teams vied for first place in a high-energy bout.

Before the slam was over, the leaders of the Sedona Performers Guild were so moved by the skilled poets' ability to emote that they offered to host a second poetry slam before the team heads off to the National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, Fla., in August.

Video from the June 27 poetry will soon be available on YouTube.

Proceeds from both the June and July poetry slams benefit the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team.

All poets are welcome to compete. Slammers will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets will be judged Olympics style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam. The top poet at the end of the night wins $50.

Already slated to appear are the five members of the Flagstaff Poetry Slam Team.

Jessica Guadarrama is a Sedona Red Rock High School alumna and current Northern Arizona University student. Guadarrama describes herself as a bilingual Mexican-American. She started writing in eighth grade but it wasn't until ninth grade that she discovered slam poetry when NORAZ Poets held a slam at the SRRHS auditorium.

Frank O'Brien is a 20-year-old student at Coconino Community College, focusing in the general studies and pre-nursing. Originally from Phoenix, O'Brien entered the slam poetry scene in fall 2007. In August 2008, he traveled with Cartier, Brown and Guadarrama to Madison, Wis., as a member of the 2008 Flagstaff National Slam Team. O'Brien is now an active poet and administrator of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam in Flagstaff.

Ryan Brown stated that he is a kid from Phoenix who spends most of his time posing as a writer and poet. He now goes to school and lives in Flagstaff, where he is the SlamMaster of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam.

Antranormus is a hip-hop artist who stated that he constantly seeks to redefine or blur completely the boundaries between hip-hop, poetry and absolute absurdity. Known for his complex, multisyllabic rhyme schemes and controversial subject matter, he has shared the stage with members of the Wu Tang Clan, Jurassic 5, Abstract Rude, Illogic, and Sole.

John Cartier helped revitalize Flagstaff's poetry slam scene two years ago and is on his second nationals team. Cartier is well-known for his politically savvy and socially edgy performance poetry.

The team will represent Northern Arizona against more than 80 other teams from around the country.

Also signed up to compete are:
Prescott Area Poets Association founder, Arcosanti Slab City Slam co-founder and seven-year host Dan Seaman


Sedona MC Fun Yung Moon






Kingman slam poet Mikel Weisser. Son of a nightclub singer, Weisser spent his teens as a hitchhiker. Since then Weisser has gone on to receive a masters in literature and a masters in secondary education, published hundreds of freelance magazine and newspaper articles and political comedy columns, along with seven books of poetry and short fiction. A former homeless shelter administrator, contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," and survivor of his first wife's suicide, Weisser teaches junior high history and English in Bullhead City. He and his wife, Beth, have turned their So-Hi, Ariz., property into a peace sign theme park.

FlagSlam poet Nika Levikov









Vermont slam veteran Kayt Perlman.Just in from Southern Vermont, Perlman aka Kayt Pearl, has recently relocated to Sedona with a deep sigh of relief. The north is cold. Co-founder of Women Divine Acapella & Rhyme, a traveling collaborative installment of all-women expression; Finder/Founder of Sound Foundation, an organization/movement for universal connection and cross cultural understanding through word and sound; northeastern regional slam poetess and co-master and founder of Martial Poetry Slams, the local slam scene in Brattleboro, Vt., local vocaless singer/songwriter and otherwise unknown human just trying to commun-i-kayt with the rest of us.

Recent Sedona Red Rock High School graduate Liana O’Boyle








two-time Haiku National Slam Champion and 2007-2008 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion Ed Mabrey, who has been a member of and coached several winning Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam Teams out of Columbus, Ohio. Mabrey has released two books, "From the Page to the Stage and Back Again" to critical acclaim and "Revoked:My GhettoPass(ivity)" which was a limited release item.Maybrey has released two CDs of his own work, and has been on projects with other artists and DJs.

Mesa National Poetry Slam Team 2009 Grand Slam Champion Tufik "Tom" Shayeb. Shayeb has been writing poetry since 1997. His poems have appeared appearing in several anthologies, including "Lifelines" (2008) and "The Good Things About America" (2009). Additionally, he has published three chapbooks titled "Cracked Verses" (2007), "I'll Love You to Smithereens" (2008), and "How Did Things Get So Janked Up?" (2009); the second and third of which are selections from full-length manuscripts. Aside from slamming original poetry, from 2000-2008 Shayeb programmed the poetry of other authors into ten-minute selections for poetry interpretation performances on pre-collegiate and collegiate circuits. In 2007, he was one of the National Forensic Association's Poetry Interpretation semi-finalists, and then in 2008 he advanced to the American Forensic Association's National Poetry Interpretation quarter-finalist rounds.

Sedona Red Rock High School alumna Julio Perez is known for his graffiti art. His graffiti murals currently fill a 100-foot hallway at SRRHS and various arts venues around Sedona. As a bilingual poet, Perez cut his teeth on the stage performing poetry in both Spanish and English at the Sedona Arts Center, Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village and the Sedona Poetry Open Mic. A lyricist, Perez and his band have also performed around Prescott and the 2007 and 2008 GumptionFests in Sedona.

Phoenix National Poetry Slam Team member Lauren Perry .








The slam will be hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham, who represented Northern Arizona on the Flagstaff team in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006, attending National Poetry Slams in Seattle, Chicago, St. Louis, and Albuquerque.

Tickets are $10, available at Studio Live or Golden Word Books, 3150 W. Hwy. 89A. The team needs to raise around $2,000 to fund the trip.

Studio Live is located at 215 Coffee Pot Drive, Sedona. For more information, visit http://studiolivesedona.com.

For more information about the 2009 National Poetry Slam, visit http://nps2009.com.

Get your tickets for the Sedona Poetry Slam

Get your tickets now for the the Sedona Poetry Slam, held this Saturday, June 27, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Twelve poets will compete on three teams pouring out their hearts, artistic skills, and personal passion, merely for your amusement.

They hope to change your life in three short minutes, but will also attempt to make you bust a gut laughing, tug at your heartstrings, entertain your love of language, or remind you of an experience you’ve lost. Either way, you will leave the slam with at least one new reason to love spoken word.

Proceeds benefit the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team, helping five young poets get to the National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, Fla., in August.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door, available at Golden Word Books & Music, 1575 West Hwy. 89A, 1-800-248-4405.
Studio Live is located at 215 Coffee Pot Drive, Sedona. For more information, visit http://studiolivesedona.com/, call Christopher Fox Graham at 928-517-1400 or Jennifer Reddington at 928-821-2694.

What is the Sedona Poetry Slam for?

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., four of the five members of the 2009 Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team will compete against other top poets from around the state in three teams of four poets each. Proceeds from the poetry slam bout will help send the Flagstaff team to the National Poetry Slam, held this year in West Palm Beach, Fla., Aug. 4 to 8.

The team will represent Northern Arizona against more than 80 other teams from around the country.

Since it was founded in 2001, the Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team has served as the common banner for all Northern Arizona poets at the National Poetry Slam.

Flagstaff National Poetry Slam Team

Poets from Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Cottonwood and Camp Verde have routinely made the trek up the hill to compete in Flagstaff. Likewise, Flagstaff poets often bring theirspoken word talents to Sedona audiences. Several Sedona poets have also been members of the Flagstaff team in past years.

This year, Jessica Guadarrama continues that proud tradition. Guadarrama is a Sedona Red Rock High School alumna and current Northern Arizona University student.
She is joined on the team by poets Frank O’Brien, Ryan Brown, Antranormus and John Cartier.

Frank O’Brien is a 20-year-old Coconino Community College student, focusing on pre-nursing. Originally from Phoenix, O’Brien entered the slam poetry scene in fall 2007. As a member of the 2008 Flagstaff team, he traveled with Cartier, Brown and Guadarrama to Nationals held in Madison, Wis.
O’Brien is now an active poet and administrator of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam.

Ryan Brown stated that he is a kid from Phoenix who spends most of his time posing as a writer and poet. He now goes to school and lives in Flagstaff, where he is the SlamMaster of the FlagSlam Poetry Slam.
Writing mainly about love and the true impact that it can have on the world, Brown stated that he enjoys baseball cards, cheap candy, and eating his girlfriend's cooking.

Antranormus is a hip-hop artist who constantly seeks to redefine or completely blur the boundaries between hip-hop, poetry and absurdity.
Known for his complex, multisyllabic rhyme schemes and controversial subject matter, Antranormus has shared the stage with members of Wu Tang Clan, Jurassic 5, solo artists Abstract Rude, Illogic, Sole and others.

Their Flagstaff foes

The Flagstaff team will face off against a second team of Flagstaff poets including Kami Michel, Andrew Michel, Maple Dewleaf and Garrett Lackner

Their Sedona foes

The Sedona poets include MC Fun Yung Moon, Aaron Levy, Than Ponvert and Kayt Perlman.

“When i'm in my proper element call me "fun yung" one tongue to bring the song that might've gone unsung one son sprung from the sun never leave the job undone fun one, love is forever in, i'm reverend, revellin', and relevant and i'm reverant, i'm severin' the devil in half, i have to laugh i can't help it, i'm just a addict, gotta nasty habit, i gots to have it. well what am i supposed to do man? i got no new slang just my du-lang, du-lang, du-lang, and i can see you and your crew hang lookin' for the pu-tang with the wu-tang in the tape deck, but have you figured out your own fate yet? you need fatih, know when to chill, i got will power though no will, no trust fund, used to trust none now i trust one, just fun, thrust upon the world lust none, just run hand me a mic and watch me bust one it goes: f-u-n-y-u-n-g 'cuz i still think there's a place for me, and just maybe i departed a little bit too hastily, and plus the only way to be in time and space is free. f-u-n-y-u-n-g, 'cuz i still think there's a place for me, plus all these party people keep on chasin' me, and i think it only right to keep showin' them ways to see...

--from "admit one" off of "liberation theology"

Aaron Levy is an anarchist who believes that the capitalist fairy tale is killing us all. What's great is that it seems to be killing itself right now. Levy loves a great deal but I have no room in his life for dogmatic and destructive religions that are destroying this world through patriarchal heterosexist privilege constructs.

Just in from southern Vermont, Kayt Perlman aka Kayt Pearl, has recently relocated to Sedona with a deep sigh of relief. The north is cold. Co-founder of Women Divine Acapella & Rhyme, a traveling collaborative installment of all-women expression; founder of Sound Foundation, an organization/movement for universal connection and cross-cultural understanding through word and sound; northeastern regional slam poetess and co-master and founder of Martial Poetry Slams, the local slam scene in Brattleboro, Vt., local vocal-ess singer/songwriter and otherwise unknown human just trying to commun-i-kayt with the rest of us.

Perlman has been part of several different bands and musical acts over the last 10 years. Mostly performing in the Northeast, she uses spoken word and song, with the help of guitar, and other sound acoustics, to get her point across. She was the singer for "Off the Hip" - a fusion-house band playing funk/tribal beats/r&b and world music for Stratton Ski Resort's Red Fox Inn.

Than Povert is a student at Sedona Red Rock High School, following in the poetic footsteps of his predecessors Jessica Guardarrama, David Ward and Jordan Boner.

Ponvert most recently competed at the Old Town Poetry Slam in Cottonwood in April against some of the top poets in Northern Arizona, some more than twice his age.

Sedona Poetry Slam details

The June 27 slam will be hosted by Sedona poet Christopher Fox Graham.

Graham has been a member of four National Poetry Slam teams, representing Flagstaff in 2001, and Flagstaff/Sedona joint teams in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Graham was part of the Save the Male Tour, a four-man international spoken word tour in 2002.

Graham has repeatedly stated that "all slam poets are Jedis." In keeping with this, Graham has contributed to training "youngling slam poets" in Northern Arizona through mentorship and his Treatise on Slam Strategy.

Graham has performed for MTV's "Made" and on The Travel Channel's "Your Travel Guide" episode of Sedona. He has performed poetry in nearly 40 states, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain.

Sorbet poets include Ryan Garlington, mikel weisser and Markus Eye.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. The team needs to raise around $2,000 to fund the trip.
Studio Live is located at 215 Coffee Pot Drive, Sedona. For more information, visit http://studiolivesedona.com/.

What is a poetry slam?

Founded in Chicago in 1984, poetry slam is a competitive artistic sport. Poetry slams are judged by five randomly chosen members of the audience who assign numerical value to individual poets’ contents and performances. Poetry slam has become an international artistic sport, with more than 100 major poetry slams in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe.

Since 1990, teams from around the North America have competed at the National Poetry Slam, held in a different city every year. For five days, poets enjoy critique and camaraderie
as they compete. The top four teams face off on the final night.

Daytime events include instructional workshops, featured readings, poetry showcases, the infamous “Haiku Deathmatch.” Because of the rich diversity and intense focus on the art of spoken word, the National Poetry Slam is considered a transformational experience for young poets.

For more information about the 2009 National Poetry Slam, visit http://nps2009.com/.