Accra-based poet, musician and filmmaker GhaliLeo released this video a few days ago, influenced by African-American jazz, hip hop, metaphysics and neocolonialism

This beautiful poet, beautiful voice, critically important story, captured with a very light touch by Luka Lesson on Kabalko Island …

Aja Monet’s new EP is a courageous collection coming from deep within the living art of storytelling.

Released in September this year, a full concept spoken word album from Bologna’s Matteo Buratti.

Back in February, Anthony Joseph released Time, a collaboration with bassist and singer Meshell Ndegeocello, and for me, the spoken word album of the year so far, by far. Since then he’s been touring that collection of spoken word funk, jazz, roots, far and wide. And this month, three remixes take three tracks into new territories of sound.

Say Sumthin - released in June - is a beautiful mix of spoken word deeply rooted in soul.

Drawn from linguistics studies of the 1960s, the title creole continuum refers to the degrees of language shift between speakers from the dominant language to Creole. Kaie explores from this point, the social and racial distinctions brought about through colonialism of person and language. Reaching far back to his African origins, he draws out the drums of voice.

Woke up to some nice news this morning (in the south) as spoken word maestro Ken Nordine posted (in the evening of the north) this message:

“Guess what? A 94 years old guy called me (who doesn’t know better yet) has had a big fun of putting together a new CD called “bits & pieces”... Your Honor, forgive me. I confess… I am guilty again of having committed Word Jazz. I couldn’t help myself… I had to do it. And the woman I’ve been married to for nearly 70 years told me I’d better do it… Playing the age card, silly”

The art of the storyteller is to stop the chatter, focus the listener, bypass the propaganda and the politics and reveal the story of the heart.

“A funeral party for the age of materialism.” Tramp the dirt down.

Stop everything for a moment. Pause to listen. This is a very beautiful project, and a valuable project too.

A spoken word song for lost children, for lost adults counting, losing count, for a world connected and disconnected, watching, turning away, hoping, losing hope. A poetic call to arms, a communication direct from a fearless heart.

Released today (May 1st) the new album from Greek-Australian poet Luka Lesson takes great leaps musically. Refreshingly mutable, fluidly shifting through styles, musical and poetic ideas, EXIT is an album with a heart of uncompromising truth.

L’amore non è bianco e nero … o è?

The final instalment of Candy Royalle’s cinepoems series arrived this month, bringing the project to completion and maybe, full circle.