"Wordshakers" is a beautifully rendered compilation of the spoken word, not only because of its rhythms, but also because of its wit and relevance. The narrative presence of host and poet Andrei Codrescu is strong. He seduces listeners into his revelry of poets, readings, and songs.
He hooked me from the start with Thomas Edison's scratchy and hard to understand recordings of Tennyson and Whitman. Codrescu, who calls Whitman the Daddy-O of American poetry, knows what he hears in that unstinting recorded voice: "I hear Whitman in my dreams," he says. And it's on to a re-mixed Carl Sandburg, the everyday poetry of a hot dog vendor, the provocative piece by a stripper and the Beat poets, among others.
What's interesting is that during the two half-hour segments, different producers shape how each poet sounds with high production values. One moment it's the re-fashioning of Sandburgs's dramatic and tremulous voice with contemporary music, and for another, it's a counterpoint between wordshaker Alex Caldiero and producer Scott Carrier. For me the most moving piece features Jan Kerouac's poetry about her absent father, Jack. This segment is produced by Marjorie Van Halteren
and it snaps with brilliant beat: one of jazz, one of Jan and one of Jack.
Who can argue with hearing the joy of double-dutch rhymes, cheerleading chants and the poignantly realized sing-a-long of a teenaged girl with of Phoebe Snow's recording of "Poetry Man"? All of these voices are included with their poetic truths. High marks for a terrific hour.
Review of WORDSHAKERS Poetry Special
Yolette Garcia
Posted on April 08, 2007 at 08:49 AM
"Wordshakers" is a beautifully rendered compilation of the spoken word, not only because of its rhythms, but also because of its wit and relevance. The narrative presence of host and poet Andrei Codrescu is strong. He seduces listeners into his revelry of poets, readings, and songs.
He hooked me from the start with Thomas Edison's scratchy and hard to understand recordings of Tennyson and Whitman. Codrescu, who calls Whitman the Daddy-O of American poetry, knows what he hears in that unstinting recorded voice: "I hear Whitman in my dreams," he says. And it's on to a re-mixed Carl Sandburg, the everyday poetry of a hot dog vendor, the provocative piece by a stripper and the Beat poets, among others.
What's interesting is that during the two half-hour segments, different producers shape how each poet sounds with high production values. One moment it's the re-fashioning of Sandburgs's dramatic and tremulous voice with contemporary music, and for another, it's a counterpoint between wordshaker Alex Caldiero and producer Scott Carrier. For me the most moving piece features Jan Kerouac's poetry about her absent father, Jack. This segment is produced by Marjorie Van Halteren
and it snaps with brilliant beat: one of jazz, one of Jan and one of Jack.
Who can argue with hearing the joy of double-dutch rhymes, cheerleading chants and the poignantly realized sing-a-long of a teenaged girl with of Phoebe Snow's recording of "Poetry Man"? All of these voices are included with their poetic truths. High marks for a terrific hour.