Mmzsummer2013 by ModernMetroZine

modernmetrozine

/ 1

modernmetrozine

/ 3

modernmetrozine

/ 5

[MASTHEAD]

modernmetrozine modernmetrozine@gmail.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard Quinn quinn@modernmetro.com GRAPHICS & LAYOUT Carrie Spinelli Faeth PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Jesse Frayne, Mike Lombardi, Alex Hausner PHOTOGRAPHY BY Richard Quinn, Carolyn Magnani, and Sarah Olson MMZ AD SPACE IS NOW AVAILABLE Contact us at info@modernmetro.com for specs + special pricing CONTRIBUTORS Laurie Lago Rispoli, Jesse Frayne, David Biedny, Alex Hausner, Cora Harrell, Star Blossom Goddess, Carolyn Magnani, Richard Quinn, Heather Younker

ON THE FRONT COVER Cover Design by QUINN

Sophie

nyack village theatre official mascot

distributed online at modernmetro.com + rocklandworldradio.com modernmetrozine is a quarterly digital publication. our content cannot be reproduced - ask us ﬁrst. © 2013 modern metro studios 94 Main Street Nyack, New York 10960

modernmetrozine

table of contents A Something in a Summer’s Day Emily Dickinson

Nyack Film Fes�val Informa�on

Ar�st Spotlight

Bobby Belfry

Let’s Talk About it Cora Cora Harrell

Believe This

Nyack Rock Scene

Seasonal Recipe

David Biedny

mmz

summer issue

18 9

Heather Younker, RD, CNSC

All About Rabbits Laurie Lago Rispoli

Wild Children Vincent Pastore

What is SLAM? Cherie Raglin

Le Jazz Electronique With Peter Furlan and Neil Alexander

Media Mashup Alex Hausner

32 34 40 44 46

modernmetrozine

/ 7

modernmetrozine

A Something in a Summer’s Day By Emily Dickinson A something in a summer’s Day As slow her ﬂambeaux burn away Which solemnizes me. A something in a summer’s noon — A depth — an Azure — a perfume — Transcending ecstasy. And still within a summer’s night A something so transporting bright I clap my hands to see —

The wizard ﬁngers never rest — The purple brook within the breast Still chafes it narrow bed — Still rears the East her amber Flag — Guides still the sun along the Crag His Caravan of Red — So looking on — the night — the morn Conclude the wonder gay — And I meet, coming thro’ the dews Another summer’s Day!

Then veil my too inspecting face Lets such a subtle — shimmering grace Flutter too far for me — modernmetrozine

/ 9

[local Internet broadcast leader] is gearing up for Rockland World Radio itsthe10th season. No small task, considering the hold

traditional media has had in convincing the public they’re the only game in town. The Internet will no longer be looked upon as a passing phase - digital is here to stay. Worldwide, the broadcasting industry is being turned on its head by the Internet. It’s no different locally, where technological advances — online and otherwise — are taking place at an unprecedented pace and leaving a wave of uncertainty in their wake. But it’s all about opportunity, not catastrophe.

“For advertisers there’s the ability to better target audiences online where they are better deﬁned. Financial people have a better idea of how their budgets are being used. For consumers there’s the ability to watch or listen to programming whenever and wherever they want — they decide, guided in some form by broadcasters. Nothing illustrates this more effectively than the rise of YouTube, now owned by Google. Take the stats: YouTube receives approximately 2 billion views a day — more than double the prime-time audience of the three major American TV networks combined. Last year more than 13 million hours of video were uploaded to the site, and 35 hours of video are uploaded every minute. Put another way, more video is uploaded to YouTube in 60 days than the three major American networks have created in 60 years.

Rockland World Radio is . . .

modernmetrozine

email: quinn@modernmetro.com

www.rocklandworldradio.com Have Your Next Show

at the Nyack Village Theatre nyackvillagetheatre@gmail.com

MUSIC | THEATRE | FILM www.nyackvillagetheatre.com modernmetrozine

/ 11

MODERN

METRO

MODERN

METRO

MODERN

METRO

MEDIA MEDIA WITH WITH A A PORPOISE PORPOISE 12

modernmetrozine

/ 13

August 15, 16, 17, 18 Submission Deadline 7/21

Submission Directions:

Take part in The Nyack Film Festival, presented by Nyack Village Theatre.

Short Shorts $5 - Less than 5 min Shorts $10 - Less than 10 min Short Features $15 - Less than 40 min Features $20 - More than 40 min

Submissions will be accepted in the following categories:  Short Shorts - Less than 5 min  Shorts - Less than 10 min  Short Features - Less than 40 min  Features - Over 40 min 14

modernmetrozine

Awards:    

Best Short Short Best Short Best Short Feature Best Feature

Send All Films in DVD format with Release form and Check/Money Order payable to Modern Metro to: The Nyack Film Festival 94 Main Street Nyack, NY 10960

Submit trailer links/etc. to: nyackvillagetheatre@gmail.com Subject Line: Film Festival Submission Press/General Email: nyackvillagetheatre@gmail.com

modernmetrozine

/ 15

Artist Spotlight Bobby Belfry

an Award Winning Singer & Songwriter Bobby Belfry, whose latest album, entitled “One Lucky Day”, is a collection of pop classics set to the thrilling jazz virtuosity of The David Budway Trio. Born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, Belfry’s work on “Day” has been greatly inﬂuenced by The Big Apple’s immeasurable wealth of culture, which can be felt and heard on all 13 tracks. Bobby can also be heard (and seen) on his ﬁrst two albums, LIVE: In The Heart of The Universe (a CD/DVD) and “Imperfect Rhymes”, which have both received great critical notice: “Bobby Belfry is one to savor, embrace and lend the hand of fame to...smooth jazz outlets will have a ball with this shrewd offering” said Chuck Taylor of Billboard Magazine. Two cuts from Rhymes have been included on a popular jazz compilation, “In Love With Jazz”, released in Europe and Asia. He also appears on Broadway: Unplugged 2 and Chip Deffaa’s “The Johnny Mercer Jamboree”. A mainstay at Feinstein’s, The Metropolitan Club, and Brandy’s, Bobby has also performed at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, The Russian Tea Room, The Rainbow Room, Bitter End, China Club, CBGB’s, Smoke, The Fairmont Hotel

16 modernmetrozine 2 / / modernmetrozine

in Dallas, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Kennedy Center, and The Cinegrill in Hollywood. Bobby has also appeared on national television on “The Morning Blend”, a news/ talk show on MSNBC (interviewed by Soledad O’Brian), and was a frequent guest on WOR Radio’s The Joey Reynolds Show, whose theme song, penned by Bobby, was played for an audience of 5 million listeners, nightly. Bobby has been the recipient of the Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist. Imperfect Rhymes and “So What”, a cut off the album, were 2nd and 3rd place finalists for the Just Plain Folks Independent Music Awards, in a field of 10,000 submissions. He has also received the MAC Award for outstanding Pop/R&B Vocalist and several Critics Choice Vocalist Awards. Filmmaker, Victor Mignatti (R Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet”, The Real World) has included Bobby in his documentary “This Time”, which follows the careers of diverse artists in the music industry (including the legendary Sweet Inspirations & Cissy Houston) by weaving their music-filled stories, exploring the relationship between faith and persistence to longevity and the process of making music against all odds. The film is currently available on DVD and iTunes. Experience Bobby Belfry online: at www.BobbyBelfry.com He can also be found on:

Photo by Frank Louis modernmetrozine modernmetrozine / /173

LISTEN LIVE

RocklandWorldRadio.com Wednesday @ 9pm

Well, well, well......... We found it all in one spot! Fashion, Beauty, Celebrity and Glamour!!! Where.... at NoMa Social, 1 Raddission Plaza, New Rochelle NY. Hosting the annual poolside summer bash of the year 2013 was VIP Perez Hilton. Perez Hilton is a celebrity blogger whom started blogging as a hobbie. Within 6 months he began working on the insider and has been on the Wendy William’s Show as a favorite several times. The beautiful and sexy Christina Milian was also in the house. The face and Brand Embassador of Viva Diva, American Actress, Singer-songwriter, 18

modernmetrozine

signed to Def Jam Records. I found Christina to be very well spoken and professional. My favorite movie Christina stared in was Bring It On in 2009. Loved it! Loved! Loved it! As the night went on and we moved room to room. To socialize and take glamshots. We all made an exit to the poolside. It was there we all sang “Happy Birthday” to The Millionaire Match Maker Reality Star Patti Stanger. Patti is the producer o her own show ‘The Millionaire Matchmaker which can be viewed on Bravo.

modernmetrozine

/ 19

Special Shout Outs: Diva Madonna Glamsense www.glamsensedivas.com ShayStar www.shaystar.com Photography Credit: Cynthia Shantel Check Out Cora www.rocklandradio.com/program/cora 20

modernmetrozine

and Genuine. Planning a wedding, looking to be pregnant soon!!! We can look forward to a new clothing and jewelry line coming from Tracey in the near future. The Big Rich Atlanta Reality Stars Meyer and Harvin made an appearance as well. Jonathan Cheban PR KIng Expert and Reality TV Star is simple a gem. Very pleasant and kind. Really!!!!! Jonathan is most widely recognized for his association with Kim Kardashian. While his own net worth is said to be Three million. Born May 31. 1961 in Short Hills, NJ. Patti is also The CEO of the Millionaire’s Club International. Login to Bravotv. com to register for your millionaire match. You just might get a good catch!!!!!! and me too LOL. Jerseylicious Reality Star Tracy DiMarco graced her presence. Golden tanned as always wearing a colorful spaghetti strapped maxi dress that she wore well. Tracy is such a joy to be around. People friendly

Jonathan is the head of New York-Based PR’s Firm for eleven years, Command PR, the head of the clothing line Kritik and the Co-producer of “The Spin Crowd” with Kim Kardashian which airs on Sundays at 10:30 PM on E! As I could go on and on..... I’ll stop just to tell you what a great time we had with a great group of people. modernmetrozine

/ 21

BELIEVE THIS By David Biedny

eliefs are easy, anyone can have them, and they don’t have to be based on reality, facts or logic, one merely has to be able to suspend all critical thinking and open-minded fairness and simply default to the ultimate stance of childish entitlement: I believe, therefore everything is anything I believe it to be. I believe my government is watching out for me, has my interests in mind, is making sure my family is safe and reasonably comfortable. And by comfortable, I mean, there’s clean water coming through my faucet, there are roads to drive on, and there are bridges to get me across rivers and the like. I believe that large corporations will abide by the letter of the law, and strengthen the communities in which they are located, treat their workers fairly regardless of their position or responsibilities to the company, and make the goal of proﬁt just one of their many missions. I would 22

modernmetrozine

pretty much hope for the same goals for smaller businesses, but I understand that a little profit for a small guy scales differently than a little profit for a big, publicly traded entity. I believe that anyone inside of the government who finds their superiors breaking laws, will expose them for their crimes, and demand that they be brought to justice. I believe that our elected officials will not abuse their powers, and will not put our armed forces in harms way unless the security ALL the people of the United States are in direct danger of attack. I believe that I can be proud of the things that my government does in my name, with my tax money, around the world. I believe that humans can understand the motivation and methods of the Universe as a whole, and our role in it as a sentient species.

I believe in justice for all, due process and the balanced application of the law of the land. I believe that money has no influence over our legal system, nor does it in any way change how someone is treated in any court in this land. See what I mean? I would go on, but my fingers and soul are becoming disgusted by the process of typing things I in no way believe anymore, it just makes me feel dirty. Yes, there was a time in my life when I did indeed believe in America, when I was 16 and moved back to the States after living overseas for five of my most formative years, I left my immediate family and returned home by myself, and I’m not ashamed to admit that when I got off the plane in Miami, the very first thing I did was fall to my knees, and kiss the floor of the terminal. I believed I was finally home, away from the weirdness of Venezuela.

Little did I know that so many years later, my mind and soul would so desperately want to leave this country and go just about anywhere else on the planet, somewhere where I did not have to fear dying of medical need. Earlier this year, my insurance company essentially scammed me out of my expensive, meager coverage, I wasn’t enough of a proﬁt center for them, so they made sure that I would not be able to get my desperately-needed insurance (I suffer from multiple chronic illnesses), leaving me in one hell of a quandary – if I am in a car accident, I basically have to make sure I don’t survive it, as I won’t be able to afford the healing process. I can’t afford this freedom I read about all the time, it’s just too expensive. I’m in a terrible state of constant anxiety, having no clear vision of my future outside of any number of scenarios my admittedly dark mind can conjure, and I have to believe that there modernmetrozine

/ 23

are many who share similar thoughts about their lives, the seemingly grim future of living in a society with minimal safety nets. We were brought up to believe that it could be better than it is, some would say we expect it, believe in the idea that things will be better. The gravity of reality is an exceedingly strong force. Once you have a large number of people in ANY society living in constant fear of losing whatever little they own or have access to, it’s hard to move forward in any significant way, it’s really tough to find the energy to speak up, protest this battle against the economically desperate and weak, the sickly segments of our society. A large portion of the American public has come to believe that Capitalism is the law of the jungle, that only the fit, strong and wealthy deserve to survive, anyone who is not a profit opportunity is immediately discounted, marginalized and forgotten. Big business owns most of the mainstream media, so these are the memes we are fed, this has become the ideology of a nation with the largest arsenal of weapons of mass de24

modernmetrozine

struction ever built. This is our everyday, this is where we’ve come to, this is our Now. I have often said that I’m not much interested in belief, because it has nothing to do with truth, or knowledge or understanding. That said, I will indeed say that I believe in a few things: I believe that humans are nowhere near as advanced or evolved as we’d like to think. We’re a young species who is quickly demonstrating that our technological development has far outpaced our spiritual evolution, putting us in a truly dangerous position. I believe that though we may be a serious threat to any number of other species on this planet, we are not actually a threat to the planet; it has been here so much longer than humans, to study geology is to understand how resilient this planet actually is, and how much we’ve yet to discover about the true history of life on it. I believe that at some point, the backs of the masses will collectively break, and people will take to the streets and demand

justice. It won’t be pretty. And it will be a global uprising. We’ve been seeing the beginnings of this for a few years now, but we’ve only just begun. I believe that if humans really get out of control, the planet will reign us in, hit us with disease that culls our numbers and makes us manageable again. I believe that greed is the greatest disease afﬂicting our species, always has been, and until we evolve past this base insecurity, humans will be in constant danger of self-destruction.

the fallout and resulting nuclear winter would kill a majority of humans on the planet. I believe that the two party system has failed us, and that unlimited campaign dollars are the cancer of our country. I believe it’s going to get a heck of a lot worse before anything improves.

What do you believe?

I believe that the nuclear nightmare hovers over our heads every moment, and anyone who forgets this is playing with ﬁre, we’ve internalized and forgotten how we can indeed wipe out most of the mammals on Earth. If India and Pakistan were to engage in a nuclear confrontation,

Tuesdays @ 10pm

David Biedny is just a human being who realizes that we’re in a dangerous epoch, and he’s concerned about the denial which is rampant in our society. Complacency is a disease of the soul, and Angry Human is the cure modernmetrozine

/ 25

Nyack

Rock Scene Nyack Village Theatre is always presenting Rockland and beyond rock bands and rap artists. This past season NVT rocked with great shows that included the bands Mike Lombardi and Permanent Rain, Russell Cooper, Everyone Caught, John Nico, Kevin Olsen, Nobody Yet, LuFilthy, WTFJaheto, Section 8, Sacred Ash, Night Trail, Christina the Astonishing and more. Nobody Yet clowning around before their set

Kevin Olson and Kelly pose for the camera before his performance Hanging out before the Rap Show LuFilthy and Nyack Village Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Producer Richard Quinn

Photos by Carolyn Magnani and Sarah Olson 26

modernmetrozine

Sarah got a great shots of heavy metal bands Sacred Ash (above and below right) and Night Trail (below)

modernmetrozine

/ 27

Dead Pool Rocks Out! At Nyack Village Theatre Sarah Olsen got a great shot of Mike Lombardi performing Permanent Rain

Father Figure did an amazing set!

modernmetrozine

Photos by Carolyn Magnani and Sarah Olson modernmetrozine

/ 29

Delicious, Healthy, Seasonal

Recipe

By Heather Younker, RD, CNSC

For a delicious healthy meal, I have adapted this wonderful recipe from Food & Wine by substituting the mayonnaise with low-fat mayonnaise which will decrease the saturated fat and calories.

Enjoy! 30

modernmetrozine

Ingredients: ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons pine nuts 1 pound fusilli pasta ½ cup cilantro leaves ½ cup basil leaves 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped oregano leaves 1 garlic clove ¼ cup low fat mayonnaise ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 ½ cups baby arugula 1 ¼ cups grape tomatoes, halved ½ small red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a pie plate toast 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fusilli until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water, then drain again; transfer to a large bowl. 3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the cilantro with the basil, oregano and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice and the remaining ¼ cup of pine nuts and process until smooth. Season the herb dressing with salt and pepper. 4. Toss the fusilli with the toasted pine nuts, arugula, tomatoes, red onion and the herb dressing. Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper and serve.

modernmetrozine

/ 31

WANTED: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail, and Peter by Laurie Lago Rispoli

Laurie Lago Rispoli, Tappan, Nature Photographer and Master Gardener, Cornell Coop

It’s already June and HOT here in the Northeast. The lazy days of summer seem to be here a little too early. Thankfully the weather will cool off soon, and be more seasonal. The heat has kept many people indoors, but if you look outside your window, all the wildlife is busy, busy, busy, looking for food for themselves and their young. Is one of your garden visitors a cute little cottontail rabbit? Is that cute little cottontail eating your newly planted vegetable garden for the nice tender green shoots? Is it making your crazy? Annoyed? Frustrated? Are you feeling like Mr. McGregor from Beatrix Potter’s book? Perhaps it’s time to remember all those animated, animal friendly movies we watched and books we read as children, and try to coexist with our wildlife. There are some things that you can do to assist you with this endeavor. First a little history about our cuddly furry friends: wild cottontail rabbits live an average of 2 years, weigh in at approximately 2-3 lbs and are less than 12 inches long. Early Spring is when they start to repro32

modernmetrozine

duce. They can have 3-4 litters per year, with 4-6 young per litter. Of course not all the young survive due to factors such as illness, climate and predators. They are herbivores, whose diet consists of 90% grass. Cottontail rabbits are found all over the USA as well as Canada and Central America. Deterring those little bunnies is not as hard as you may think. Rabbits are afraid of humans, and they are considered “prey” by many other species. Perhaps you’d like to try one or more of the following non-lethal ways to deter them from your garden: ✤ Wormwood (a perennial): planted near

your garden will keep rabbits away.

✤ Galvanized chicken wire around your

garden, 3 feet high, and either 1 foot into the ground or create an L-shape just under the ground coming out 6 inches. This will keep them from digging under the fence. ✤ Sprinkle a mixture of ground black pep-

per, a dash of cayenne pepper and some bone meal around plants.

Sprinkle wood ashes around plants – this needs to be repeated more often. ✤

Try putting a rubber snake near your garden. Rabbits are afraid of snakes. ✤

Hang aluminum strips tied to wooden stakes that are 3 feet high. The movement will scare them. ✤

Plant plants that they don’t like: squash, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, peppers and potatoes. ✤

If you’re starting your garden from seed, put a “cloche” made from a 2 liter soda bottle (bottom cut off, bottle cap off) over seedlings to protect them. Once plant grows, cut top of bottle 4 inches from the tapered neck, and put the “middle” section of the bottle around the base of the plant to protect it. ✤

Put aluminum foil or chicken wire 1 foot high around base of young trees in winter to protect them. ✤

OR, you can give them their own garden, preferably a distance from your garden, where they can eat and coexist in harmony with you. If you want to take this route, try planting your wildlife rabbit garden with some of their favorites: Clover (not just good for the bunnies – but also for our honey bees!) ✤ Varieties of lettuce ✤ Cabbage ✤ Parsley ✤ Peas ✤ Beans ✤ Beets ✤ Carrots ✤

Most leafy vegetables, grasses and root vegetables, as well as some ﬂowers ✤

Important: a water source nestled near their garden – a saucer from your terra cotta pot is perfect for this. ✤

I hope that this has inspired you to try your own rabbit garden to coexist with them instead of trying to eradicate them. Remember, we all have a purpose here on earth. Embrace life and all its creatures! Happy Wildlife Gardening! If you would like more information on creating a wildlife garden, please visit The National Wildlife Federations site at www. nwf.org. References: Your Backyard Wildlife Garden, by Marcus Schneck 1001 All-Natural Secrets to a Pest-Free Property, by Dr. Myles H. Bader Panty Hose, Hot Peppers, Tea Bags and more – for the Garden, by Yankee Magazine http://www.hopperhome.com/wild_bunnies.htm

modernmetrozine

/ 33

Wild Children by Vincent Pastore Wild Children by Vincent Pastore presented at Nyack Village Theatre April 2013. Nyack Village Theatre was pleased to present the world premiere of Wild Children on April 12, 2013. Wild Children was written by the multi-talented Vincent Pastore, who played Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos. This ﬁrst run of Wild Children was directed by Nyack Village Theatre’s Richard Quinn, and the production starred former “Sopranos” alumn Al Sapienza, who played Mikey Palmice and Anthony J. Ribustello, along with Rocco Parente (Boardwalk Empire), Peter Evangelista (The Rascals Once Upon a Dream), Dominic Marcus (Brave New World, Law and Order) and Sam Waymon (Ganja and Hess). Together they joined with local actors Steve Zarro, Dana Duff, Wes Laga, Jonathan Baldwin, Ted Odell, Shana Lin, Leigh Pupps, Vincent Cueva, Warren Bub and Joe DeSpirito in Vincent Pastore’s semi-autobiographical tale. This ﬁrst production was produced by Paul Borghese and Brooke Malloy. We had a successful, sold out run from April 12th through the 28th. 34

modernmetrozine

Wild Children is the story about a man, his dreams and his demons. The play is set in a New Rochelle bar frequented by real and interesting characters from wise guys to blues singers, from drug dealers to strippers, and how they effected the bar owner’s life and choices. Adding to the excitement of the show, the jam session scene featured different guest musicians including Julie Sax, Steve Johnson, Killer Joe, Robbie Rigo, Benny Harrison and Nyack Village Theatre’s own Richard Quinn.

Vincent Pastore and Al Sapienza celebrate after a successful performance

Nick Clemens, Richard Quinn and Vincent Pastore in the Nyack Village Theatre lobby afterwards Shana Lin Warren Bub Rocco Parente Jr. Peter Evangelista Ted Odell Jonathan Baldwin Steve Zarro Leigh Pupps Dana Duff Richard Quinn Wesley Laga Vincent Cueva modernmetrozine

/ 35

modernmetrozine

/ 37

modernmetrozine

/ 39

I discovered slam poetry while living in Detroit. Weary of abandoned buildings, empty lots, the rusty overpasses of I-75, BEER WINE LIQUOR signs and the bullet-proof glass at the ice-cream stands of Detroit proper, I finally happened across the small enclave of Hamtramck and a bar called The Road Runner’s Raft, operated by a friendly guy from Buffalo called Brian. It also turned out to be the home of the Detroit Poetry Slam. “What’s a poetry slam?” I asked having been lured inside by the word “poetry” in a flyer posted on the door. A skinny guy in torn jeans and glasses urged me to sign up and find out. So I did. That night I participated in and won my first slam. I also met new, interesting people and joined a new community. We read poems,

What exactly is slam? And how can I get some? slammed poems, listened to poems, talked about poetry and drank beers. We had heated discussions for hours after events had shut down. We hung out with the visiting feature poets and basically had good times. So what exactly, you may be wondering, is slam? And how can I get some?

modernmetrozine

According to the definition of “Poetry Slam” given by Shilanda Woodridge on page 3 of the 1999 National Poetry Slam in Chicago where I attended the Tenth Anniversary National Championship August 11-14 of that year: The Poetry Slam is a lyrical boxing match that pits poet against poet to determine who has written the most compelling poem and who can perform it with the polish of a Broadway star. The poem must be performed within three minutes. Three judges, randomly chosen from the audience, score the poems from 0 to 10 points, 10 being the best. During the National Poetry Slam Championships, three teams of four poets take turns performing their work, either solo or as a group… The National Poetry Slam Championship is an extension of the Uptown Poetry Slam founded by Marc Smith at the Green Mill Jazz Club in Chicago as a celebration of community through poetry. This year the National Poetry Slam takes place in Boston from Monday, August 12 through Saturday, August 17. The event will include up to 88 teams of poets from all over the U.S. and Canada. More information is available on the official website at http://nps2013.poetryslam.com. An event pass allowing access to all daytime and late-night activities cost 75.00 for the full five days. There are events at

three to five venues each day. A Tournament Pass for all competition events (preliminary bouts, semifinals, and finals) costs 50.00. Single event pricing is also available, ranging from $3-$7 for daytime readings, etc. and $10 for actual competition events, of which there are several each night; pitting Slam Teams from cities across the nation against each other in separate groupings from which winners will emerge to move on to the semi-finals and then the finals. A ticket to the final competition costs $30.00 purchased as a single-event ticket. Since events will take place all over Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, a pass is the easiest way to get in and out of all the various venues where the action is happening. Flipping through the pages of a journal I kept while I was at the National Slams in Chicago and then in Providence, R.I the next year, reminds me that with poetry and the people who slam you can be in for a wild ride.

of this one poem and his personal activism at his website: www.taylormali.com. Also, he can be found on many Tuesday nights at the NYC/Urbana Slam at the DL Lounge, 95 Delancey, where recent Poetry Rising feature Jeanann Verlee is also Slammaster. For more information on the NYC/Urbana Slam go to their website: www.urbanapoetryslam.com or ﬁnd current event info on the Urbana Poetry Slam page in Facebook. In addition to the Urbana Slam (which ﬁrst took place at CBGB’s down on Bowery--before expanding into the Bowery Poetry Club) there are two other poetry slams in Manhattan. The Nuyorican Poet’s Café, on 3rd street in East Village, which hosted

Here in Nyack, the former Poetry Rising series featured many nationally acclaimed slam poets. The ﬁrst featured poet of the series was Regie Gibson, National Slam Champion--now a Boston resident and sure to be on hand for this year’s National Slam. Poets Taylor Mali, Patricia Smith, and Staceyann Chin also featured at Poetry Rising. Each has a strong web presence. You can catch them on Youtube. Taylor Mali is particularly famous for his poem “What Teachers Make”. There are so many different performances of this poem available online, you could get lost for a very long time if you start clicking through them all. Let me save you the trouble and tell you that the best one is his performance at the National Slam Championship in Providence in 2000, posted by David Moody 6 years ago, with over 4 million views. Believe me. I was there. The intensity of a performance given in competition at a National Slam is hard to duplicate. You can ﬁnd out more about Taylor Mali and how he got 1000 people to become teachers through the power modernmetrozine

/ 41

NYC’s ﬁrst poetry slam back in 1989, shortly after the You can founder of the slam, ﬁnd Marc Smith, started the whole Louder thing at the Green Mill in Arts Chicago. (For very detailed online history of slam and some at www. other things go to www. slampapi.com and watch louder Marc Smith in action.) The arts Nuyorican has an open slam .com on Wednesday nights. On Friday there is another slam where sign-up is open only to the winners of Wednesday night slams. To learn more about all their events go to www.nuyorican. org. Another lively and highly entertaining slam is the louder Arts Project (formerly the Union Square slam) at 13 Bar Lounge, located on the corner of 13th Street and University Place. Their slams take

place on Monday nights, preceded by an open mic that is extremely popular. The $5 entry fee gets you 2 for 1 drinks. You can ﬁnd LouderArts online at www.louderarts.com. A perusal of some of the resources mentioned in this article has hopefully answered the questions “What is slam?” and “How do I get some?” to your satisfaction. You are ready to add a little slam to your life, whether by attending a slam or a poetry reading, participating in an open-mic, or enjoying videos of performances online. You might even decide to visit Boston this year! If you are a resident of Rockland County and looking for something closer to home, be sure to come to the next Poetry Rising event at Nyack Village Theatre, upcoming date TBA. Over the last 25 years, poetry has become more popular than ever before. For this, we have to thank the slam.

©Cherie Raglin June, 2013

modernmetrozine

/ 43

Le Jazz Electronique With Peter Furlan and Neil Alexander

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Le Jazz Electroniqueâ&#x20AC;? performed this season at Nyack Village Theatre. Le Jazz Electronique is an exciting musical exploration of the connections between modern jazz and musical forms like Hip Hop, Jazz Fusion, Ambient, Electronic Music & Progressive Rock. Pianist/Moog wizard, Neil Alexander and Saxophonist Peter Furlan, feature a wide range of material, including tunes by Pat Metheny, Joe Zawinul, John Scofield and originals and standards, this exciting duo covers enormous musical ground while keeping improvisation & interplay in the forefront. Peter Furlan (Saxophones) Website: www. PeterFurlan.com. is a composer, arranger and educator whose striking originality is demonstrated on his Twinz Records release Peter Furlan - Spy Glass Hill. In addition to leading The Peter Furlan Project, his own trio, and quintet he has performed and re44

modernmetrozine

corded with Terumasa Hino, Dizzy Gillespie, Thomas Chapin, Don Alias, Frank Foster, Brian Lynch, David Budway, John Hart, Mike Richmond, Terry Silverlight, Cameron Brown, Vinnie Cutro, Steven Bernstein, Mahavishnu Project, The Temptations, 10,000 Maniacs, The Four Tops and many others. Peter is the founder, artistic director and conductor of the Rockland Youth Jazz Ensemble (www. ryje.com) in Rockland, NY; an adjunct music professor at Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ; the jazz ensemble director and ProTools instructor for Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, NJ; a board member of the Rockland County Jazz and Blues Society (www.rcjbs.org) and an active member of the Rockland County Music Teachers Guild. Neil Alexander (Synth, Keys & Loops) Website: www.NAILmusic.com Neil has been performing, composing and arranging since age 14. In 2007 he released

“Tugging At The Infinite”, his 4th CD as leader with his contemporary electric/ acoustic jazz ensemble “NAIL” and is about to release a new CD titled “Darn That Dream: Solo Piano Vol. 1”. Throughout 2013 he will be performing his extraordinary solo piano transcription of Stravinsky’s “Rite OF Spring” to mark the centennial of its premier [www.100yearsofspring.org]. In addition to his working groups (The NA3, Inner Circle, NAIL, etc.) he performs solo acoustically and electronically, and is involved with ensembles including the “Mahavishnu Project”.

He has performed with Tony “Thunder” Smith, Erik Lawrence, Virgil Donati, Judi Silvano, The Machine, Glenn Alexander & The Adaptors movement Theater. Neil does sessions as both player and programmer, composes for and/or is the musical director for a variety of NYC based Modern Dance and Avant Garde theater companies, teaches music technology clinics at high school and college levels, and produces concerts in both small venues and large outdoor settings. http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=fA3dOa5PMAM

modernmetrozine

/ 45

ALEX

THE GREATEST RADIO SHOW HOST EVER SOLD

HAUSNER

(HOWZYYOUDOING) When last we spoke, Media Mashupers, springtime had just begun. Now, summer time has just begun! AND now I am going away to college, so peace ya’ll... IN THE MEANTIME, take these words and shove them into your eyeballs, I, ALEX “THE GREATEST RADIO SHOW HOST EVER SOLD” HAUSNER (HOWZYYOUDOING) Upon my departure buddhas great Nyack Village Theatre, hereby leave these remarks, THE MAN OF STEEL was not very good. I repeat, not very good. Do not see it at my behest. THIS IS THE END, just kidding, no but seriously, the movie by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg may have been the best movie of 2013 ever! I say this having not seen the film, but I nominate James Franco for the National Golden Oscar EMMY GRAMMY TONY ESPY RAZZIE in his role as JAMES FRANCO! He really got inside his character (no pun intended) and I could no longer distinguish James Franco from James Franco from Adam from Adam and Eve. But in music news, Macklemore could now actually aﬀord to go to an actual clothing store. Also, 46

modernmetrozine

Ariana Grande has reached the age of 18, and now I will call her up. She has reached the double platinum jupiter icy grills record of the year, which is the most prestigious award ever, next to the National Golden Oscar Emmy Grammy Tony ESPY RAZZIE award. Lebron James is on the cover of Modern Metrozine summer 2013 edition. He has been photoshopped to the point of invisibility. LOL, MADE YOU LOOK! Lebron James is going to be on the cover of NBA 2k14 though, which is cool I guess. The Knickerbockers will get em next year and the next year and the next year and the next year, but not the year after that. The 2019 Finals will go to the Celtics! The Xbox One, more like XBOX ZERO! HAHAHAHAHAHA. Seriously folks, don’t buy this crappy electronic device, it is terrible. Basically, Microsoft will be watching your every move, including sexual healing and harming. Not rape though, we don’t condone rape. Zico Vitamin WATER IS THE BEST DRINK EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! VIN DIE-

SEL will be making an appearance at Multimedia Modern Metro in the next few months for he is a jolly good fellow and promoting his movie, Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead 2. Well Folks, that about wraps it up here. Right now, The President of the World, Chuck Norris wants me to fight an alien force. So, I will be saving everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives while you sit there quietly masturbating like the old Spiderman.

BYE GUYS ITS BEEN REAL! BUT NOW IT IS FAKE!

modernmetrozine

/ 47

New book from writer, Christopher (Kit) Lukas

Featured on Amazon’s Hot New Releases List

SHRINK RAP:

A Guide to Psychotherapy from a frequent ﬂier. is now available in paperback.

From the author of Blue Genes, comes an easy-to-read anecdotal book from a long-time consumer of psychotherapeutic services, explaining why he fervently believes that psychotherapy can be very helpful to people with emotional problems.

Christopher Lukas is a writer, an Emmy-Award winning television producer & director who, for the past 45 years, has worked primarily for public television. He has produced over 200 hours of programming for the public broadcast station WNET in New York City. Lukas’ has published a number of books, primarily concentrating on both end-of-life matters & writing+producing for broadcast television.

modernmetrozine

/ 49

modernmetrozine

/ 51

“The Lighthouse” (voice of Spirit) Join Star Blossom Goddess Thursday at 4 o’clock pm on Rockland World Radio The new year is an exciting time for all. It is a time where the energies are helping to awaken and shift the entire planet. That shift includes animals, humans and of course Mother Nature her self. If you are experiencing reminders of your past challengers, not yet healed, it is important that when they come up, to stay in your heart and release any fears to move in trust and love. Everything happens for a reason and knowing that will allow yourself to move to vibrate at a higher frequency in-order to be peaceful.

There is alway some chaos before new great things begin and it is so very important to focus on the new opportunities that come from being in the heart. We have enormous capabilities as the new human of compassion Love awakens. And many will begin to become aware of their spiritual intuitive gifts. Embrace the real you as being divine and release the judgments towards others that only cause separation. Welcome in these new times for it is the Age of Aquarius and it is the time to ﬂy inside ones heart here on the precious home we call Earth.

Join Star Blossom Goddess She will share channeled messages, read inspirational poetry and share her insights on different spiritual issues. There will be guests on future shows who will share their insights and gifts as well.

modernmetrozine

Thursdays @ 4pm only on

Pep Talk With Preston Pepper *NOW ON DEMAND* only on

Tuesdays @ 8pm Only On

brought to you by Gregâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auto Body & Mr. Plumber

www.rocklandworldradio.com

modernmetrozine

/ 53

THE YOUTHOLOGY HOUR A group of teenagers presenting the urban world of Hip Hop. We have been live since 2010, showcasing many artists and small buisness owners. No Mercy Squad (the group behind the show) is a Hip Hop/ Rap group live representing the Bronx. Lucky 7, the main lead in group (also the Host on show), has interviewed a serious amount of artists, LIL Q (Live Engineer/ Videographer) along with G-Netics (third member). NMS Youthology Hour is from 7-8 pm eastern New York Time, Broadcasting Live On www.RocklandWorldRadio.com.

Wednesdays @ 7:00pm only on RocklandWorldRadio.com 54

modernmetrozine

/ 55

June/July 6/27 8:00 pm

Dog Sees God

6/28 8:00 pm

Dog Sees God

6/29 8:00 pm

Dog Sees God

6/29 8:00 pm

Dog Sees God

7/12 8:00 pm

Local Bands

7/19 8:00 pm

Bands: Infected and Down to Fox

Be sure to visit www..nyackvillagetheatre.com for up to date performance schedules 56

modernmetrozine

August 8/2 7:00 pm

Bands

8/15

Nyack Film Festival

8/16

Nyack Film Festival

8/17

Nyack Film Festival

8/18

Nyack Film Festival

8/23

“SHAKEN” A New Play by Ryan McNeil

8/24

“SHAKEN” A New Play by Ryan McNeil

For booking and rental information Contact the Nyack Village Theatre (845-826-2639) modernmetrozine

/ 57

E V I L

modernmetrozine

in g e B s am r g Pro

g n i t s a c ad o r B

t ga

r e m m u S e h t g n i r u D T S E . m p. 0 5:0

modernmetrozine

/ 59

modernmetrozine

/ 61

modernmetrozine