Lawson Inada and Emmett Wheatfall: A Celebration of Poetry in Jazz April 23, 2011

In honor of National Poetry Month, celebrated Poets Lawson Inada and Emmett Wheatfall are joining together for “A Celebration of Poetry in Jazz.” Performances are in Portland on Friday, April 22nd and in Seattle on Saturday April 23rd. Visit www.petersonentertainment.com for show details.

“A Celebration of Poetry in Jazz” has been created to share the works of these inspired and gifted writers. Lawson & Emmett bring their diverse backgrounds, styles and experiences to life in thoughtful and expressive poetic story. Using music to accent their poetry, these performances are inspiring and evocative. Their mutual love of jazz and music allows this very special concert program to take place.

Lawson Inada’s performance will feature works that are greatly influenced by his childhood experiences while at internment camps during WWII. Lawson’s inspiration comes from dreams, memories and experiences. He will also explore Japanese poetic forms and the interplay of how his life-long love of jazz has influenced his poetry. Lawson cites jazz as the strongest influence in his writing and has done live collaborations with Andrew Hill, Mal Waldron and Jimmy Smith.

Emmett Wheatfall’s material covers romance, faith, betrayal and the matters of life. His words are set to a fierce, sensitive and moving accompaniment that crosses the boundaries of jazz into blues, funk, soul and gospel.

Accompanying the poets are musicians Noah Peterson and Larry Nobori on saxophones, Gordon Lee on piano, Andre St. James on upright bass and Tim DuRoche on drum-set.

Lawson Inada is a true, American, literary talent. He was named Oregon State Poet in 1991 and served as the Oregon’s Poet Laureate 2006-2010. His collection of poems “Before the War” was the first book of poetry by an Asian American to be published by a major New York publishing house. Considered a pioneer in Japanese-American literature, Lawson has received many honors and awards. He won the American Book Award for his work “Legends from Camp” in 1992. He won the Oregon Book Award for Poetry in 1997, the Pushcart Prize for Poetry in 1996 and was honored at the White House for a “Salute of Poetry and American Poets.” He is a Professor Emeritus of English at Southern Oregon University, received two Poetry Fellowships from the NEA, was a Guggenheim Fellow in Poetry in 2004 and currently serves as the Steinbeck Chair for the National Steinbeck Center.

Emmett Wheatfall is a rising star in the world of poetry. He burst onto the scene with his recorded work, “When I Was Young” a music and poetry collaboration with producer Noah Peterson. Featured in Wine and Jazz Magazine, Emmett was called “…one of the most original and powerful debut jazz artists of the year.” “When I Was Young” is currently on air at various stations throughout the country including WWOZ, New Orleans, KMHD, Portland and WPRB, Princeton University. Emmett is a gifted orator and is sought out for his speaking ability. He has done voice-over work and is an annual presenter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s "I Have A Dream Speech" for various organizations during Black History Month. He has two published collections of poems, “He Sees Things” and “We Think We Know” and an audio CD of his poetry entitled, “I Speak.” Emmett has several poems published online for organizations celebrating and promoting African-American Poetry.
The first show is Friday, April 22nd at the First Unitarian Church located at 1211 SW Main St in Portland, OR. Show time is 7:30pm, tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/163203

The second show is Saturday, April 23rd at the Daniels Recital Hall located at 811 Fifth Ave in Seattle, WA. Showtime is 7pm, tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/163198

Please join Lawson Inada and Emmett Wheatfall for a rare and special evening of Poetry in Jazz.

For more information, please visit www.petersonentertainment.com

Official Website: http://www.petersonentertainment.com