Speaking of Alberta - An Evening of Spoken Word Artists

National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage

Saturday, May 7, 2005 at 8:00PM

All of the artists on this lineup are unique talents in the realm of spoken word. By bringing them together in this way, we’re offering a spectacular night of literary prowess from beat poetry to hip-hop and everything in between. The Mama of Dada - Sheri-D Wilson (poet, playwright, performer, film-maker, essayist, teacher) has been called one of North America's most compelling action poets. Her unparalleled performance style is rich with erotic jazz, infused with a sharp feminist sensibility, and laced with a dangerous wit. Sheri-D's unique poetry shatters all conventions. In 2003 she won the ‘Heavyweight of Poetry, USA’ in a Bumbershoot Bout against the incredible Andrei Codrescu. Her accomplishments are too numerous to list—suffice it to say that Sheri-D Wilson sits easily atop the list of Canada’s most prolific wordsmiths. Calgary native Kris Demeanor is a truly original musical talent. One part spoken word, one part hip hop, one part folk-country, one part rock--you have to see him live to appreciate how all these parts fit so uniquely well together. Performances on bills with Rufus Wainwright, The Rheostatics, and Hawksley Workman have proven Kris Demeanor to be a live performer capable of wide ranging styles, potently mixing the thoughtful with the frantic. DJ Cosm is half of the electrifying hip-hop duo Dragon Fli Empire. They have been spreading their brand of soul-hip hop with their live shows all over Canada, their debut release Conquest and much airplay on the CBC.