On behalf of Sofrito For Your Soul, I want to wish all Mothers a very Happy Mother's Day!
Let today be the first out of many days that you show them how important they are in your life...
As I am,
George Torres
The Urban Jibaro...
Hijo De Carmen, Nieto De Gloria!
Sofrito For Your Soul is proud to be a media sponsor for the
2008 "Bomba y Plena" Spring Extravaganza.
Puerto Rican Bomba & Plena Spring Extravaganza
In celebration of Spring awakening come and enjoy the sounds of Puerto Rican folklore, music and dance. “Bomba” rhythms & sounds of African heritage and “Plena” is the type of music that reflect community happenings known as the singing newspaper.
Date: Monday, May 26
Time: 6PM
Admission: $25 In Advance ; $30 Day of Show
Place: Symphony Space 2537 Broadway at 95th St. Upper West Side
More Info: (212) 864-5400
or visit
www.symphonyspace.org
The concert features New York City's legendary group Los Pleneros de La 21, current Boricua Roots sensation Tato Torres & YERBABUENA, the Segunda Quimbamba folkloric ensemble from Jersey City, and the theater/dance troupe Danza Fiesta.
This event is sponsored in part by Mega 97.9 and 93.1 Amor
As I am,
George Torres
The Urban Jibaro
As many of you may already know, Author Piri Thomas recently suffered a stroke and is currently doing well in recovery. We had an opportunity just before this happened to have him as a guest of the Capicu Poetry show so that we could pay tribute to him via performances by many people he inspired. At the end of the night, he blessed us with his words and made the night unforgettable.
Now we have an opportunity to inspire him and lift his spirits with our words. Over the past few weeks we have received many emails and phone calls to our Capicu Community Hot line of people wishing Piri well. We are going to make this available to Piri in CD format.
We are going to host a tribute to Piri Thomas on Radio Capicu this Wednesday April 23rd. We will be sharing some of Piri's work, reflecting on his legacy and taking your calls so that your words can help him in the healing process.
The show will run 2 hours and all calls taken will be live.
This will be the last opportunity to be included in this "audio" get well card. We want to make sure he gets it before his 80th Birthday.
To Tune in to the show...
Log in to Radio Capicu by visiting www.BlogTalkRadio.com/RadioCapicu
Again the details for calling in to the show are....
Date: Wednesday April 23rd, 2008
Time: 9:00 PM - 11:00pm (eastern standard time)
Call-in Number: (646) 716-7745
Show description: Hosted by The Urban Jibaro & The Guy, this show will be dedicated to Nuyorican legend Piri Thomas, author of "Down These Mean Streets". We will revisit his legacy, listen to his words and share stories of inspiration in the hope that our listeners and his fans can lift his spirits as he recovers from a stroke.
If his words ever touched you...spend this time sharing your voice with him.
Special guest hosts: Papo Swiggity & Latyn Jazz
Contact Info
Email:CapicuPoetry@gmail.com
Website:www.CapicuPoetry.com ; myspace.com/capicupoetry
Phone:(208) 723-5966 (Community Hotline)
City/Town:Brooklyn, NY
Siete Pajaros
This morning I walked
and saw seven birds,
siete pajaros,
lined up on a bare branch
of a tree
waiting for something.
They stared at me silently
with piercing black eyes;
without a sound
without a word.
So I turned away.
As I looked back,
there are still seven birds,
siete pajaros,
lined up on a bare branch
of a tree
waiting for something.
Daly Martinez is a writer and visual artist currently living in Montgomery Village, Maryland. She is a student at Montgomery College and intends to major in foreign languages. Daly likes to experiment with art, whether it'd be a collage, a painting, or even something bizarre with miscellaneous objects. Her writing has been published in the school literary magazine Temet Nosce (Watkins Mill High - Gaithersburg, Maryland) and in the poetry anthology Immortal Verses.
You can read her poems and short stories at http://www.writerscafe.org/writers/Timehopper
I am proud to present a voice that I first heard when we started Capicu Poetry at Area 51 in Brooklyn. Since then she has developed incredibly...writing everyday and I have often wondered when she has time for it all. She has blessed the Capicu stage numerous times and each time, her performance has gotten stronger and stronger. I recently listened to her first CD entitled "Mi Diario" and it really allows you to peek into the soul of a true poet warrior...a Poeta Guerrera.
Buen Provecho...
As I am,
The Urban Jibaro
--------------------
Poeta Guerrera means Poet Warrior. That is, I am a warrior with words. Weapons have no place here unless you considers adverbs, adjectives, nouns, and facts to be so. I write because my soul forces me to. My first LP is entitled "Mi Diario," properly named, because it is, in fact, my diary. I'm just a crazy militant girl trying to add my two cents to the world. Maybe in another life or another time, I was a philosopher of some sort. This is me, just trying to find me through expression.
Take a moment to read some of Poeta Guerrera's work
Breathe I Liquid Ending I Vonnegut's Awakening I Write I Death
Some of the Stages that have honored me:
Columbia University, UWS, Manhattan
Carlito's Cafe, Spanish Harlem
Capicu @ Area 51, Brooklyn
No Intros @ Nuves, Queens
Cemi Underground, Spanish Harlem
Women In Islam, Betty Shabazz Tribute, Harlem
Semi-Finalist at the Parle 2007 Poetry Slam
AIDS Crisis in Puerto Rico: A fundraiser, Spanish Harlem
Artistas Dándole Cara al SIDA, Yonkers, NY
Capicu @ Notice Lounge, Brooklyn
123 Community Space,Brooklyn
Langston Hughs House, Harlem
La Bodega de la Familia's Annual Block Party, LES
Bowery Poetry Club
Nuyorican Poet's Cafe
NYC Subways
and anywhere people will listen...
For booking information:
Contact Info:
Melinda Gonzalez
gonzalez.melly@gmail.com
myspace.com\poetaguerrera
(sing) Mama Mama I'm sick in bed
She called the doctor and the doctor said:
Let's get the rhythm of the
Let's get the rhythm of the (sing)
The scabs on my scars are beautiful
This is how I want my history to be read
Buried beneath ground and dead
Cannot loosen the noose around my head
Boriken screams chaotic symphony
Here goes my epiphany
Taino, charcoaled skin
Forefather to the soul within
Chafed, bruised and battered
His daughter finds him
As her breath is lost
His choice
And I pay the cost
Or the price
Choose the words that suffice
His decision sacrificed my childhood
Bent backwards any dream of being normal
Shot down by ephemerality
Bleeding gums
Bruised, battered, frightened
Words escape her
Love corresponded by hope
Turn magnetic skin, bone, fist
This is mother's kiss
Orange scissors
Sharpened knives
Broken promises
End the pain here
Against the line that marks your birth
Caesarian section from one axis to the next
Umbilical chord strapped
And I can't breathe
Is it what it seems
She gets burned again
Maintaining her filial duties
Responsibilities
Was she born to lie upon blankets?
Pillows perched behind her back
Overstimulated by television programs
Numbing her mind and senses?
This is the consensus
We'll hide, masquerade ourselves behind shame.
Color the exterior hues of guilty.
Etch the contours in lies.
Shade the edges in Aguadilla sunshine.
Climbing the hills of Moca
To discover dead ancestors.
CAUSE:
Mutilated self effaced by colonialist propaganda,
Slander, tinted by managerial ideologies confiscating
Pride in the form of land. Hope with a periphery mirroring
Genocide.
TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOO
Cut the rope
Loosen the strings
Hold up his head
Breathe
Tap against his aorta
Breathe
Breathe
Breathe
There's no exhale.
Only life in the features he's left behind.
These are my eyes—
Colored Afro-Taino
The scabs on these scars are beautiful.
They are, after all, how history is written.
Written by:
La Poeta Guerrera
March 1, 2008// 2:20 p.m.
I'm too in touch with the voices of my inner truth
To stroll through time nonchalantly minding my own business
I feel so purposeless
So out of touch with who it is that I want myself to be
I want love so passionate that fingerprints dance against my thighs in
weeks to come
Love so real that time and space appear irrelevant
Love so strong that lies and mistrust could never surface in our thoughts
I don't know what is rhyme or reason anymore
There's just this lingering sense of treason
A betrayal that so deeply permeated my soul
That all I can recall is the smile upon my lips
From all of the times you called me beautiful
I should be over you
If letting go means no communication of hearts
While mine is drowned out by the rejection of your hands upon another body
Then I should have long ago been able to sail against the sea of another man
When lover is the only friend
And lover departs
What friend is there to calm your heart from the crying that resonates
louder than any other reality?
There is not
Just memories that soothe you
To cling onto pillows that no sooner hug back than walls respond
I want to press my heels against stage floors again
Confess my deepest passions to eyes that will smile
Press their hands against their chests
In recognition that they, too, understand this silent torture
I beg to myself to stop this endless call to you
You will not reciprocate
This time love is not stronger than pride
This time love is not stronger than broken promises
This time love cannot heal the wounds not caused by us
Written by:
Melinda Gonzalez
January 25, 2008
1:28 p.m. Eastern Time
I'm knocking on heaven's door
Will the Creator let me in?
Shelter me from the cruelties of my childhood
Forgive me for being unable to achieve Oneness with the universe
Slipping into the crevices of festering wounds
Unable to heal
Because I pick the scabs when I cannot find answers to the questions
that plague me
Bashing my head into memories where a noose hangs around a dangling neck
As an Angel whispers death into the wind
Numbers haunt me
2 lovers
Three years
One parent
Countless fears
It's like finger tips against naked skin
Bones cracking under pressure
As moans escape from quivering lips
I am only guilty of human form
The cross is laid against the mantle of unbuilt churches
The masses scream, "burn her."
Where is the essence of believing?
In the clothes I adorn against my skin to reflect my inner truth?
In parched lips where thirst only resonates in dry tears?
Where men run to deserts
And soldiers swim against the ocean of an endless sea?
Escape
Escape with me
This is obsession
Forget love
Forget what you imagined I would be like
My flesh is naked now
Wind blowing through the straightened hairs of my neck
Am I saved from my inclinations to posses it all?
Acquainted to the secret desire that allows us quiet freedom?
Imprisoned by the mundane chores of every day life?
Or enlightened by the realization that truth is not absolute?
Wrap me up in a scarf, long skirts, low shoes
And label it modest
When the sun sets each article falls against a bedside
So far away from my home
His kiss leaves me wanting
His touch is much too rough
My heart is beating because I thought it was forever
Does love not transcend the crashing of a broken heart
Does it not transcend the deceit of your lips
Your hands against another's face
Your embrace in another state
The dominant theory outlines itself
The remote control was always in your hand
As I awaited the next command
Now, you've dropped the instruction manual in the trash
Explored greener pastures
While leaving me behind to figure this all out on my own
Prayer beckons me
My head falls to the ground
In shame
Sheltered by guilt
As the inner linings of my soul are painted by hypocrisy
Can I escape from you?
Panic ensues
Arms fading into darkness
Mirrors glare blurry images
WHERE AM I?
WHO AM I?
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
Pulse raises
Goose bumps
And chills
Room's spinning
I'm dizzy
HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLP ME
Is this death?
Has my mind deserted me, too?
The Angels watch me
It is time to be judged
And this is when I realize,
We are not always who we pretend to be.
Melinda González 2//08//2008//2:33 p
This is death manifested in breath
Tainted by the success of love affairs gone end
Tears against glass frames
A soul that refuses to be tamed
Repentance that never comes
Because I am undone
I'm yearning against a sea of sorrow
Looking with tinted eyes
Cheeks wet with sin
I don't know you or me
Can faith falter like this?
Unsheltered by the sound of my lips
Where does right begin?
And wrong ascend?
With my fingers curling against his chest?
Crying for the father I never had
I'm seeking acceptance
I'm lost
Hair blowing against the wind
This is death manifested in chests tightened
Voice scratched
Fingers trembling
2/18/2008// 1:24 a.m.
Another stream awaits its descent
Another stream awaits its descent
So little seems to make sense
Fingers against keys
If only I could truly see
Here is this moment
The song plays against my ears
Willow trees dance in the wind
To part my lips and sing
Care to see me delicate?
Deconstruct the intricate
Puzzle pieces unfold
I'm not as you were told
Little of what you recall
The pedestal falls
Waves against the bedrock
Coney Island dreams
It's not what it seems
Oh Angel
Where is the picket fence?
The stream awaits, awaits its descent
I used to be so poignant
Now it's all just a sea of disappointment
Mother scolds and father died
I'll pretend he tried
Somehow there was love
Ascend ascend
I'll just pretend
There's an orange bottle
It's against my case
Shake the pills
As they rattle
Reminding me
You're not well.
The story goes
It's read wrong
I thought I was strong
Resilience, too, has faded
Erasing it all because I'm jaded
Oh love
Where are the kept promises?
It was you
Just you
And I
Now it's shy
Martyred by lies
Sustained by good-byes
Expect the unexpected
Or expect nothing at all
Shhhh
Close your eyes
It'll be okay
It'll be all right
Just sit here and write and write and write
Cheer to old memories
To smiles once known
Laughter resonates
This is fate
Another stream awaits its descent
It's gone and went
And another stream awaits its descent
2/19/08// 7:39 p.m.
Melinda Gonzalez
In honor of Black History Month and St. Valentines Day, Capicu Poetry has fused the themes of February to create the "Love Your History" weekend event. Our curator and co-founder Papo Swiggity created this fusion with the idea in mind of celebrating people of color in New York City. The response was incredible! I quickly realized that this event was too big for one day...so it became a 2 day event. The Love Your Culture Part 1 Event was the Friday open mic. Our opening poet was decided in a game of "Rock Paper Scissors" between Reina Miranda (of Taino Spirit) and Bella Trastorno (of Despierta Boricua). Reina won and set the pace for the evening. Other open mic performances included the likes of Canella, Yubelky Rodriguez (trying out a piece from her upcoming play), Blaze a Page, North (of Division X), Definition, Hybrid, Ponce and a surprise recital by Aguilar Marrero, reading publicly for the first time in 40 years! Also, Aguilar shared some exciting news with Capicu's audience. Because of his work with Capicu Poetry at the PaL Pueblo Charity event, he is being commissioned to design a restaurant in Missouri with an indigenous art theme. The reaction of his wife, Reina Miranda who was in the audience hearing the news for the first time, was priceless. Taino Spirit will be painting, sculpting various elements to shape the identity of what may be the newest Latino hotspot in Missouri. Congratulations to Taino Spirit! We also featured the poetry of Bushwick's own Conan, who repped with an eclectic mixture of poetry to a full house of Brooklyn supporters. The after party brought Webster Hall's DJ Denco to Williamsburg Brooklyn for one of the hottest lounge parties that bumped way into the twilight.
Saturday night's Love Your Culture Part 2 had a completely different vibe as Capicu Poetry brought Nuyorican legend Piri Thomas for a rare appearance, complimented by some of the most powerful voices in our community. Unlike our traditional open mic, this event was an invite only 'who is who' of the New York cultural diaspora. The special invited guests, one by one opened their poetry with remarks about how Piri Thomas inspired their work. The show began with the powerful words of educator & mentor Luis Bernard (of In Progress Group) and immediately following the groundbreaking performances of Joe P.Y. (author), OL SoUL, Boricuation artist Adele Ramos, Blaze - A - Page (aka The Capicu Marine), True (Grito De Poetas), Chance (Grito De Poetas), Jaime "The Maestro", Bonafide Rojas and a surprise performance by Poeta Guerrera, who has come back from a 4 month hiatus with a more diverse menu of wordplay. The visual artist display was nicknamed "El Bohio Boricua" and consisted of a large array of art created by Aguilar Marrero and Reina Miranda of Taino Spirit. Other notable guest included were fitness trainer Phoenix Carnavale, Poet Porto Rock from NJ, Ms. New York Plus America 2008, some key members of current political campaigns and Gary Santana from the NY International Latino Film Festival.
The main event drew the crowd to the stage like the paparazzi, with camcorders, cameras and cell phones recording history as the prominent author of "Down These Mean Streets", after vibing off the energy of the poets who he has inspired (some for as long as 41 years), took the stage to perform some of his powerful and life changing poetry with Capicu. He sat in a chair and with his unique Nuyorican prose, read such classics as Born Anew at Each AM and closed with a tribute to Pedro Pietri as he recited Puerto Rican Obituary. "The applause has never been so loud here" said Sandra, a regular at Capicu Poetry."It is always beautiful when an Icon gets appreciated while they are still with us...Thank You Capicu!"
After his performance, a table was set up so that the audience could buy books, get autographs and even take pictures with Piri as they each shared how his books touched their lives. The Love Your Culture show may have ended, but a night like this is sure to re-ignite the passion for cultural expression in many of those fortunate enough to have attended this event...as Piri himself would say if he wrote this...vayaaaaa...PUNTO!
As I am,
George Torres
The Urban Jibaro
and a by product of Piri's Legacy.
Capicu Poetry would like to extend our gratitude to Piri Thomas and his wife Suzie as well as many of those who helped spread the word and making this event a success. First of all...Notice Lounge for allowing us to host here in the heart of Brooklyn, our team at Capicu, The Guy, Boricua Goddess and Blaze A Page, American Latino TV, Latin Nation, Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc (especially Theta, Sigma and Pace University chapters), Boricuation.com, Curvesity Entertainment, The Swiggity Cartel, Boricua College, Residential Life at Pace University, Cemi Underground, Taino Spirit, Despierta Boricua, Grito de Poetas, Radio Capicu, Sofrito For Your Soul, all of our MySpace, Facebook, MiGente.com supporters and last but not least Cryfoto.com for documenting it all. A special thank you is in order for Kimberly aka Kim Possible for mamking the connection and Esteban Jimenez for opening his resources to Capicu and making the experience one that can never be forgotten
It is 2008 and the Capicu New Year has begun in Brooklyn...marking the "Year of The Choops." For clarification, "Choops" is a new Latino term of endearment, based on the idea of a comedic urban chupacabra. The Capicu Playas returned to their cultural sanctuary in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of
Williamsburg to celebrate 9 months of success culminating in the Pa'l Pueblo charity event last December. This community initiative brought smiles to local kids of Bushwick United Head Start this holiday season. This carnaval of poetic wordplay did not come without its own array of surprises as the socially conscious from as far away as New Jersey and even Texas made their way over the Verrazano bridge to feed their souls. They did so with the amazing artwork of Taino Spirit serving as a backdrop providing visual inspiration to poets anxious to perform their work for the first time at Capicu Poetry.
The Urban Jibaro opened the show by screaming "is Capicu in the house?" to about 95 guests who started the night early at the Capicu Culture Happy Hour with Notice Lounge Mojito's and Apple Martinis. The crowd went crazy as he introduced master of ceremony PaPo Swiggity to reclaim his mic and officially begin the show. He came in dancing to the beat of a Capicu Culture produced Soulja Boy song spoof "ChoopyMan," laced with references to Capicu's show. The young crowd loved it and sang along with the "Capicu" hook. Show producer Javier "The Guy" Ramirez looked around and simply said "wow...what a crowd." It had just become a reality, CAPICU POETRY was back...and better than ever!
The centerpiece of this cultural showcase is the open mic, and tonight we had an amazing line up of poets. These poets included Ancestral Poetisa (NJ), Jose Arias (SI). Rebel Eagle, Definition, artist Reina Miranda and Noshawn Street, who was moved to perform for the first time in 3 years because of the sense of Familia he felt in the room. Poets returning to Capicu were Ponce, Susan Justianio aka Rescue, Yubelky Rodriguez, Bella Trastorna, Bushwick's own Conan and we were blessed with a surprise performance from North (of the boogie down hard knock rockers Division X), dropping an exclusive single of their upcoming hip hop release. We ended the night strong with an in depth look at the world of hip hop poet Blaze - A - Page through his words. His poetry echoed a message of hope through adversity, indifference and the importance of friendship in the presence of some of the people he credited as having pulled him thru the dark times. He paused for a moment to invite his good friend "Lissette Lissette" to perform her written works for the very first time in public, which she ended with her new poetic signature "I am Lissette Lissette, The Renaissance
Woman, Don' t Forget." Blaze ended his dynamic performance with an ode to what it means to be Puerto Rican to thunderous applause, laughter and CAPICU cheers from the crowd.
Featured visual artist Taino Spirit, a Capicu Culture sponsor, raffled off custom hand painted Taino inspired jackets and prints to the crowd throughout the night. Taino Spirit also presented the Capicu Playas with an original painting of them in caricature form, as well as a custom made RADIO CAPICU jacket that was modeled by the Urban Jibaro. Aguilar Marerro displayed great generosity when he took the jacket off his back to give to a Brooklynite that had relocated to TEXAS so that she can take home a piece of "LATINO NY" with her. She was overcome by joy when at the last minute she also won the raffle of a TAINO SPIRIT
piece that was recently featured at the Museum of Natural History.
The feedback from the crowd was amazing as Radio Capicu host Urban Jibaro talked to the people during the breaks:
Denise (Brooklyn) - "I have not been to an open mic this intense since the Sugar Shack, thanks for bringing poetry back to Brooklyn."
Giovanni (Harlem) "Very profound and original."
Evelyn (Queens) " It was right on point, very creative."
Flower from East New York - "This is my first time at a poetry show...it was deep!"
NoShawn Street (Brooklyn) "Definition's poetry impacted me so much I had to get on the mic, it's like a family here."
Jose Arias (Staten Island) "This is what Brooklyn needs...food for the masses..."
Ponce - "It is always a pleasure to work with Latinos that are doing things in the community."
Once the show ended, the Capicu Culture Happy Hour was reborn and the party began...and did not end until 3am. We danced all night to the best of Salsa, Merengue, Hip Hop and Reggaeton at Notice Lounge while
we got our drink on! This is what Notice Lounge is known for...simply being "THE HOT SPOT" to be. We thank Jason, the owner for giving us a voice in Brooklyn.
So there it is people. If you have read a recap or two about what we have done here in Brooklyn. Levantate! It is time for you to experience it for yourself.
Visit www.CapicuPoetry.com and sign up to win free passes to the premier venue for cultural expression in NY. We also have a Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/capicupoetry.
Tell a friend to tell a friend to tell their cousins....We do this for you!
As I am,
George Torres
The Urban Jibaro
Familia....
I wanted to share some very exciting news, Two talented Taino artists, John “Aguilar” Marrero (Boriken) and Reina Miranda (Kiskeia) have expanded their selection of Taino themed artwork on their CafePress website.
The website "Taino Spirit" sells orginal artwork by the duo whose works were recently donated to the Pa'l Pueblo Charity event to help raise money for the children of Bushwick United Headstart.
Now you have an opportunity to buy or gift this beautiful artwork and represent for your cultura.
Visit Taino Spirit at www.cafepress.com/aguilar
As I am,
Your friendly neighborhood Jibaro
(SofritoWire December 2007)
It was time to make it rain candy canes in Brooklyn!
It was Tuesday, December 19th, 2007. There we were in Bushwick United
Headstart School on Montrose Avenue, which is flanked by the historic
167 year old Most Holy Trinity Church in Williamsburg. Going into this
partnership, we knew that the school itself provides services to many
low-income families from Borinquen Plaza housing projects, which one
easily sees on the street right beyond the school. There was an
element of surprise here for us, as we saw that the children came from
a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. However, when one comes to
think of it, when we look at the diversity of Brooklyn itself, one
would see that the classrooms were a microcosmic representation of the
County of Kings.
Once we walked into the doors, we were greeted by many appreciative
members, some of whom were not only parents but eager volunteers of
Bushwick United who were with us every step of the way. Coordinator
Jessica Arocho (who was dressed as Mrs. Claus) introduced the program
to us with these words:
"We have 3 classrooms, but there are 5 daily class sessions at our
center. One full-day session and four half day sessions, all in all
we have around one hundred children in our care every day that we are
responsible for. We also feed all of these children, there is a
full-scale, fully staffed kitchen on the second floor. What makes our
school stand out is that we prepare our meals using sofrito seasoning,
and the kids love it!"
In the bustling activity of Bushwick United, it was hard to find a
place that would not be disturbed for our Santa to get into gear.
Nonetheless, George "Urban Jibaro" Torres transformed himself into the
childrens hero of the day, Santa Claus! Or, as the adults took to
calling him, "Jibaro Claus"! In his new supercharged North Pole gear,
and along with Mrs. Claus and myself as PaPo The Reindeer in tow,
Santa was ready to help the children burst into radiant smiles,
inspirational laughter, and the giving spirit of the season.
We spent the entire day giving out gifts to these beautiful kids. We
were even joined by a brother of the Phi Iota Alpha latino fraternity,
who put on some Reindeer antlers and helped us give out toys. Jessica
and I would go in first to prepare the children for Santas arrival,
getting them to clap and chant "Santa! Santa! Santa!" to set the
Christmas mood, and our Capicu Santa would walk in and talk to each
child, take pictures, sing songs and even dance with the children. One
of the many highlights of the day took place in one of the older
classes, where the back of the room became a sing-a-long dance floor,
and we even saw Santa Claus doing the "robot dance"!
The warmth with which these kids received us stirred up powerful
emotions. Throughout the day, volunteers, parents, staff...and even
Santa and his helpers would be found with tears of joy in their eyes.
All in all, every single child at the center received a high quality
toy gift and also a DVD movie, as a direct result of the Pa'l Pueblo
Charity event that we held days earlier in the month for this school.
We recognize that the true, genuine heros of this story are the
community workers at the school who work tirelessly to secure a future
for these children and the parents who fight to defeat the odds
stacked against their children. It is because of these real life
everday Santas that we commit to the neighborhood.
This is the beginning of something dynamic, and we welcome you all to
join in our community movement as we look to continue using our
combined resources to make history in Brooklyn.
Felicidades!
PaPo Swiggity
This event was made possible via sponsorships from the following
entities, Notice Lounge, LatiNation, American Latino TV,
SofritoForYourSoul.com, Blaze – A Page Graphics, 5 Star Events, Phi
Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc, Hermandad De Sigma Iota Alpha Sorority Inc,
Exit Studios, Boricuation.com, Aguilar Marerro & Reina Miranda from
Taino Spirit, The United Confederation of Taino People, Raul Rios from
Despierta Boricua, Pathmark, Rachael Strauss (People in Espanol),
FutuVision and all the Capicu supporters.
SofritoWire: December 2007
This year, not only does Santa Claus wear a Pava in Brooklyn, he definitely dances to hot salsa!
The Pa'l Pueblo Charity event held on Friday December 14th 2007; what an incredible success story! So many talented artists of different disciplines took the stage to stand in solidarity with the Capicu Poetry commitment to giving back to the community. Over a hundred kids had a Christmas this year due directly to our Pa'l Pueblo event.
The stage was set for a full scale parranda celebration. The native congas of Notice Lounge were now in the company of magnificent band instruments awaiting their masters calls.
At the door, you were greeted by the warm smiling faces of Bushwick United Headstart volunteers and their Family Coordinator, Jessica Arocho who would take your donations, answer any questions about the event and direct you to the heated trays of delicious arroz, pollo y pernil which were available all night for guests.
On a wall near the stage, one would see large posters of some of our event sponsors, Phi Iota Alpha, American Latino TV, and 5 Star Events.
As one looked around the lounge and saw all the familiar faces of the immediate neighborhood, most of which have never seen anything like Capicu Poetry in their whole lives in Brooklyn, right away we knew that this would indeed be a powerful, significant step towards our goal of community engagement and service. This is what the Pa'l Pueblo Charity represents. This is what we are about.
Showtime. After thanking our sponsors and our staff, Urban Jibaro introduced the evening by saying that due to the budget, we would be celebrating Noche Buena, Navidad, Ano Nuevo and Dia de Los Reyes all rolled up in one night, to which the crowd laughed and applauded. Jibaro introduces the Master Of Ceremony PaPo Swiggity, who immediately gets to work to whip the full house into a frenzy.
Here are some lines from the opening salvo:
"Let me tell you about this rumor I heard today,
I'm bringing you the best bochinche in NYC, uncut.
Are you guys ready for what I found out about cuz it's tssssss hot..
Here it is.. (points to a man in the crowd, asks his name)
I heard that YOU are an ACTIVIST.
(does the same with 2 more people around the room)
The allegations are that tonight you aligned yourself with the
progressive Capicu movement.. yes! You, a Community Activist! An agent
of change. Think not? if you made a donation today, of toys, money, or time..
put your hands up for me. If you are a sponsor of this event, or an artist,
musician, or brought someone with you, thus making you a
promoter.. put your hands up. By your participation, you are directly
responsible for the positive emotional welfare of a child in Brooklyn
who otherwise may not have had a holiday this year, so give yourselves
a round of applause! And we're not stopping here, are we?"
PaPo then tells the crowd that they are now infused with the spirit of the Civil Rights Era Black Panthers, Brown Berets and Young Lords who were all about assuring community control, and gets them to pump their
fist into the air and yell out "Pa'l Pueblo!" and "Capicu!" What a sight.
The energy was high, and right away the stage bursts into live parranda
music by the legendary Joe Falcón & the Coco Rico band. Falcón's bass guitar stood as tall and proud as he, as they swayed together to form the rhythmic dance of music making. We were certainly not surprised that salsa dancing broke out in the middle of the party, as this is becoming a ritual of the Capicu community since MelleSol and Canella had their salsa dance-off in September.
The range of artists was astounding. Conscious hip hop, reggaeton, poetry, comedy, salsa y parranda, Taino art and revolutionary urban art. All delivered as promised by Capicu Poetry, making them indeed the Capicu Cultural Showcase. There were music performances by Peruvian female hip hop artist IllFamed, the hip hop poet OL SoUL who set spoken word to a hip hop beat, a reggaeton performance by La Vision and stand up comedy by Edgar Rivera (of Tangana Comedy; Nuyorican Poets Cafe). Our Poetry session included powerful spoken word by Blaze-A-Page, poet/musician Bonafide Rojas of The Mona Passage, Brooklyn's own Conan, Canella ("but he is not a poet") and poet/painter/playwright (from the Dominican Republic) Yubelky Rodriguez.
We were also honored to feature the urban fashion of 1Soul Designs, a fellow progressive Brooklyn Boricua company which challenges the media, fashion industry, and implements programs for neighborhood High School teens (and, in fact, throughout Latin America) to learn the fashion craft.
More highlights of the evening included the spontaneous collaboration of Edwin Berroa (of 5 Star Events) playing congas with Coco Rico, comedian Edgar Rivera's hysterical performance as he poked fun at the crowd, The Taino Godfather Kahayarix (of Despierta Boricua) coming through with big red bags full of toys! They came from a host of organizations connected to Kahayarix and Taino Spirit from the Lower East Side to Yonkers. Last but not least, artists Reina Miranda & Aguilar Marrero (from Taino Spirit) raffling off their hand painted Taino themed denim jackets. This stunning artwork helped Capicu Poetry raise an additional $400.00 to buy toys for the Bushwick United kids, and we thank them deeply for showing such strong support for the kids and offering their creations to our public.
Indeed, a magical night in a sense, if you consider a handful of people set out to bring Christmas to over 100 kids, and to have done so succesfully. We want to thank all who showed support, and we'll see you at our New Years Open Mic on Friday, January 18th, 2008. Happy Holidays to you and yours from the staff at Capicu Poetry!
Note:
This event was made possible via sponsorships from the following
entities, Notice Lounge, LatiNation, American Latino TV,
SofritoForYourSoul.com, Blaze – A Page Graphics, 5 Star Events, Phi
Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc, Hermandad De Sigma Iota Alpha Sorority Inc,
Exit Studios, Boricuation.com, Aguilar Marerro & Reina Miranda from
Taino Spirit, The United Confederation of Taino People, Raul Rios from
Despierta Boricua, Pathmark, Rachael Strauss (People in Espanol) and
FutuVision.
Esperate, is there a strange new language of sofrito-flavored
Brooklynese brewing at Capicu Poetry? It certainly seems so! If you know the significance of Papo Swiggitys new urban latino terms of endearment "Coki" and "Choops", or the now infamous "Cacaracu" cry of veteran Brooklyn poet Joe P.Y., then you find yourself at the door of a new cultural revolution taking place in the County of Kings! We had about 80 guests for this special Latino Heritage show. However, love and art is universal and the room was still as diverse as ever. Urban Jibaro and Lisa "Goddess" Centeno did an amazing job juggling the needs of the door and bar in the front, while The Guy set himself up in the audio room. One would find a piece of Spanish Harlem off in the featured artist table as Olga Ayala and her beautiful, unique jewelry and figures attracted alot of attention throughout the evening. One of Olga's standout pieces is a brightly colored clay Vejigante dancer, looking at this piece gives you an immediate vision of a carnival in the tropics. PaPo went around greeting the guests and taking names for the open mic list.. and boy did we have some surprises in store! We opened up our night in Capicu tradition, with a surprise introduction to the poetry of an amazing Bronx Latina artist and activist, MelleSol! One of her powerful pieces, entitled "My Twelfth Second", focused on the experience of domestic violence and drew the admiration and attention of the many women in attendance. We were also honored to see the poetic powerhouse known as Max Parthas (of PrysmaticDreams) perform one of his signature pieces, "What Happened To Hip Hop", which was received very well by our young crowd. Shout out to Tribal Raine as well, as they both travelled up from South Carolina and we were honored that they chose our event as part of their NYC tour. Among the open mic'ers, we were honored to have author Joe P.Y. (Of Poetry Alive), Luis Bernard (spoken word artist, NYC community organizer from the In Progress Group), Boricuation hip hop artist G Positive, Taino Brigs, Canela, Bushwicks Own Conan (who offered some beautiful tribute pieces). PaPo surprised everyone by having our resident soundman "The Guy" play a salsa set, and pitted Canela and MelleSol to dance to Marc Anthony's"Nadie Como Ella". Soon, the floor was packed with salseros and salseras, and we spun directly into the open mic with Canelas piece"You said!" In our feature artist's OL SoUL ( who is, ironically, in his early 20's), one will find a dynamic charm in the way he commands his words and the crowd. His set included one of his signature pieces about Hip hop, entitled"Radio", and also a duet erotica piece with Bella Trastorna. SoUL had a very exciting surprise in store when he decided to end his set with friends from the progressive artists Readnext Poetry Squad- Decora, Latin Translator and FreeFlowin. OL SoUL also announced the upcoming Capicu / Lose Control Collaboration JIBARO SOY featuring his poetry as well as some of Urban Jibaro's wordplay to take place at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe on September 27th. (More details can be found on www.CapicuPoetry.com) After Urban Jibaro came on stage and thanked the crowd for coming out, Notice Lounge opened it's door to an eager young crowd for pool and dancing and many of us got to mix and mingle, Brooklyn style! Many thanks to those of you that continue to support true art! Signed, El Coki Next Show in Brooklyn: Friday, October 12th @ 7:30PM Check out http://www.CapicuPoetry.com or our MySpace at http://www,myspace.com/capicupoetry for our schedule |
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Thank you for your interest in preserving our culture. Supporting Sofrito For Your Soul helps us to continue to bring quality information and programming to the Latino community, a mission we have been committed to for over 10 years.
One of our biggest aspirations is to take Sofrito For Your Soul beyond the scope of the internet and integrate with other means of communication. Great examples of this is our new Blog Talk Radio Show, RADIO CAPICU and our partnership with Espacio Latino in creating a premier venue for cultural expression in Brooklyn, NY called CAPICU POETRY & CULTURAL SHOWCASE.
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The Capicu Playas promised to take us away in a whirlwind of swirling verbal dominos when they came back to Brooklyn, and that promise was well delivered with the Capicu Poetry showcase last Friday night. As you walk in, you'll be greeted by co-founder George "Urban Jibaro" Torres and resident first lady Lisa "Boricua Goddess" Centeno who will greet you with the Taino spirit of community.
At 9:00PM, with the number of guests surpassing 70, an open mic list
of 12 poets and the young talented Poeta Guerrera with a 20-minute
Feature set lined up, there must have been a crack in the time-space
continuum that took us around the world and back home to Brooklyn, all
in 2 hours!
Our host for the poetry stage show is myself, the "urban legend" known as PaPoSwiggity. This night, I was light-hearted and happy to entertain our guests with my antics, but I made a point to explain the true goal of Capicu Poetry to the audience, which is to educate and instill pride in Brooklyn through performance arts and the power of the pen and mic. Honoring a tradition set by Capicu of opening with urban poetry greats, the night opens up with a wonderful surprise, the fiery political Puerto Rican poet Prisionera takes the stage and offers up poetry to inspire the many aspiring artists in attendance.
There were actually 20 artists signed to the open mic, but there was only time allowed for 12 to perform, prompting PaPo and George to discuss beginning the show at 8:30pm in future events and speaking with some poets about getting in earlier.
On the Open Mic, some of our regulars:
Bushwicks own Conan aka Mr. VIP, Yubelky Rodriguez, Bella Trastorna, Chilo, OL SoUL, Franchesca and newcomers: Tina G, Ponce, Vee, Kevin Hotep, Taino Brigs, and Enrique Vasquez.
Our featured artist Poeta Guerrera had an amazing set.. she gave us a wide range of topics as grand as love and religion. When she spoke of her pain, it felt so deep and her newfound understanding came off as profound. there was a buzz afterwards for quite some time for her piece "Las Madres de la Revolucion", honoring the women warriors who are seldom mentioned in times of revolution. As the night drew to a close, it seems as though Brooklyn itself will remain open at all hours for the community labors of the Capicu Playas.
Notice Lounge itself is handsome, trendy, newly redesigned and committed to serving the urban latino community in Williamsburg that has been it's champion patrons for the last 8 years. Capicu Poetry is proud of it's nuyorican origins, but is a multicultural talent showcase that represents the diversity of Kings County.
Also note: Capicu Poetry Showcase now has two components.
1. RadioCapicu Online Talk Show:
Wed. August 15th: 6:30PM
Radio Capicu presents: 5 Principles to releasing your Inner Loca.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com
Hosted by the Urban Jibaro featuring open mic poetry. Special guest is
Comadre, Nancy Marmolejo who will guide you thru an empowering
celebration of creativity, community, and culture.
2. Next Stage Show Tentative Date: (*Subject to change*)
Capicu Poetry Open Mic
Friday, September 14th @ 8PM
Notice Lounge
198 Union Ave ( between Broadway & Montrose)
Williamsburg Brooklyn
New York, NY 11211
Hosted By: PaPoSwiggity & The Capicu Playas
J, M train to Lorimer Street
G train to Broadway
Tune in, and see you there!
Papo Swiggity
-------------------------------
About Capicu Poetry
First things first.. what does Capicu mean? In the game of Dominos, el Capicu is a very special winning piece that covers all ends, it is the ultimate finishing move. Any piece can become the Capicu, with the right mixture of skill and fate. The Fichas (as dominos are sometimes called) is often slammed down on the table for emphasis, in celebration!
The Capicu Poetry Series is a collaboration between the creators of EspacioLatino (on MySpace) and SofritoForYourSoul.com, also supported by some of NYC's most powerful poetry artists, including some of the elders from Nuyorican Poets Cafe. We welcome all styles and poets, though it is themed around our Nuyorican origins.
Ultimately, our goal is to develop the event to the point where it is a place where all kind of urban artists can play, paint, or otherwise express themselves.
Currently on hiatus, The Capicu Poetry Series is currently being developed to encompass different forms of cultural expression and to expand the reach of our mission nationwide. The Poetry Series is a smaller piece of a bigger puzzle, which will include charity work and community events, as our network grows and people welcome the idea of solidarity.
About BlogTalkRadio
The explosion of niche, social media is a massive cultural phenomenon. Blogging, social networking and video sharing are changing the face of the print and television industries. Similarly, the most fundamental impact on the $40b radio industry may arise from the social radio movement, which allows anyone, anywhere to broadcast or listen to radio.
MEDIA CONTACT:
George Torres
phone: 718.371.0671
email: CapicuPoetry@gmail.com
web: www.CapicuPoetry.com
In the city that never sleeps there is never a shortage of things to do...but with a night off the regular Capicu Cultural Showcase show, my business partner Paposwiggity and I decided to hit up the Broadway Comedy Club to experience Lose Control.
So we roll up to the club not really knowing what to expect...and before you know it, Andres " Chulisi" Rodriguez begins to acknowledge us as well as other guests. Almost instantly his take control comedic personality starts interacting with all of his guests in a very unique way. Although he is talking to (you) and making the experience very personal, he does so in a way that does not alienate the rest of the audience. His hosting style completely sets the stage for what is going to come next...just simply some of the funniest sketch comedy you will see. The humor is derived from familiarity...if you are Latino, you cannot walk out of this show not seeing someone in your family. I know I saw like my whole mother's side of the family.
The show was off the hook with sketches like HOOK/SHOOK UP which shows you what can happen if you put Latinos on an anglo show like Change of Heart. THE INTERVENTION which was a Latino family trying to get help for a Latino...that is just TOO LATINO and has never assimilated to American culture. (I have an uncle like that...noooo joke). LATINOS ANONYMOUS (featured clip) which highlights a woman addicted to stealing souvenirs and capias from parties, a man addicted to lottery scratchoffs as well as a woman addicted to Novelas who actually looks like she is living one.
What is unique about this show (which actually reminds me of In Living Color meets House of Buggin) is that it reflects who I am as a Latino...young, bilingual and very diverse in cultural experiences. The show combines comedy with heavy doses of music, dance and poetry. That combination of elements really helps demonstrate the richness of our culture which is celebrated but also deals with real life experiences which may not be so pleasant. it also really allows the comedic actors to really showcase a multifaceted portfolio of talents. The featured performers that night were Caroline Hulsc, Yaritza Prendergrast, Nixaliz Rojas, Hector Lopez, Jazmine Villegas, Jerry Diaz, Jaime Fernandez. There is soooo much more to this show... and it is more than what I can possibly describe in this article . After talking to some regulars I realized that unlike other comedy troupes, Lose Control actually makes sure that every time you come to show...the experience is different. Just like an actual TV show...you get your doses of Lose Control in seasons.
Aside from the show, the venue was really conducive of what the show brings to the stage. The Broadway Comedy Club is conveniently located in the Broadway Theatre District. The club is known for featuring comics who have appeared on Letterman, The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, and/or BET. The bar has a great drink menu and the drinks are average price for a NYC hotspot but are bigger than your average bar drinks (did someone say 20oz Pina Coladas?) and a great assortment of finger foods.
Again...in order for you to get a taste of Lose Control's Comedic Sancocho...you will have to go down their personally. There is a $15.00 cover charge and a Two Drink Minimum. If you have a friend with you who is having a birthday...let the host know and get your cameras ready! I do not have a scoring system for reviewing shows but if I did I would give Lose Control 5 Quenepas!
The Broadway Comedy Club is located at 318 W. 53rd St. , right off the corner of Eighth Avenue and in the heart of the Broadway Theater District.
Their next two shows are July 13th and July 27th...All shows start at 7pm sharp!!!
For More Info about Lose Control click here or see them on My Space
Check out this Latinos Anonymous Clip!!!
The Mona Passage:
We are the workings of a poet who had too much music in his head. An experiment that could care less about structure as is does about actual singing, a puerto rican, two dominicans, a white boy from Ohio, we wear our brains on our sleeves and our foot up your asses, We're The Mona Passage, its a pleasure to meet you.
*Guys, we NEED you to RSVP below!*
Hosted By:
Papo Swiggity & Urban Jibaro
When: Friday May 18, 2007
at 8:00 PM
Where:
Area 51 Bar/Lounge
291 Hooper Street
Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY 11211
United States
Description:
Papo Swiggity & Urban Jibaro
Click Here To RSVP and View Event
