Phoenix, AZ
JAZZmeetsPOETRY is the evolution of the work of COLLABX and BLACKPOET VENTURES. Musician MICHAEL PFISTER and spoken-word poets LEAH MARCHE, FLIPSIDE, ISSIM DARK and KING SAVIOR embrace the meaning of "We Jazz June" – a phrase used by the award-winning American poet Gwendolyn Brook in her poem "We Real Cool" – in their performance approach. "Freedom, improvisation, dancing, seduction" play center stage when these artists collaboratively collide for a part concert, part theatre experience that showcases the power of Jazz and Poetry. Since staging a centennial birthday celebration for late Brooks, JAZZmeetsPOETRY has became an ongoing series – held at the award-winning jazz club The Nash – and a platform for featuring a number of musicians, poets, spoken-word artists and writers. From tributes to legendary artists like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Scott Heron, Donny Hathaway, Frank Sinatra or women in Jazz to themes that highlight Native American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, the Civil Rights Movement or Black Poets, JAZZmeetsPOETRY has inspired audiences with sell-out crowds and as many as 100 artists in the community.
MICHAEL PFISTER is a professional drummer and Instructor in the College of Integrative Arts and Sciences at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus. He is active in the Phoenix arts community as both a performer and facilitator with interests rooted in collaborative and multidisciplinary work. At the Arizona State University Downtown Campus, he teaches a variety of introductory through advanced level courses, including, freshman composition, writing on public issues, cultural literature, professional writing, and short fiction. Pfister is co-founder of two significant collaborative arts organizations, CollabX and Marche-Pfister Productions. Through these organizations he has been a force in partnering, curating, and producing multi-disciplinary arts performances and workshops. Aa a drummer, he plays in a variety of bands including: Andromeda Collective, Something Else, and US4.
Pfister’s interests are rooted in multidisciplinary work that is inclusive of composition, music, cultural studies and digital culture. He has developed a research focused idea of information flows centered on “crate digging” that combines elements of DJ culture, music, and multi-disciplinary research based practices embedded in hip-hop culture and music. He also is a co-developer of the performance piece Barriers, a dystopic vision of the future where the lack of resources, driven by climate change, cause the movement of cultures that are impediments to dignity and survival.
BLACKPOET VENTURES has been integral to the Phoenix metropolitan artist community, having presented as many as 1,000 artists on Valley stages in its more than 15 years existence. Its founding members have performed on many stages and received accolades for its productions from Vince Wilburn Jr (Miles Davis nephew), Rauschenberg Foundation, the late Hon. Calvin C. Goode and more, as well as been commissioned for numerous performances from institutions like Arizona State University and The State of Black Arizona.
Friday, January 6, 2023
11:00 AM – 11:50 AM US EST