“Artistically Speaking Anniversary Slam & Jam!” @ Seven Restaurant & Lounge: Wed., Oct. 3rdby Susan Spit-Fire Lively - MetroEast NEWS
(BELLEVILLE)
Woohoo!! It’s on people! J The 1 year Anniversary show for “Artistically Speaking!” – the “Artistically Speaking Anniversary Slam & Jam!”, is scheduled for Wednesday, October 3rd at Seven Restaurant & Lounge ( Seven Belleville 7 S. High St., Belleville, IL 62220). And in honor of this anniversary milestone that we could not have achieved without your support (thank you!!), we will have a special impromptu jam session featuring local musicians, poets, and spoken word artists, and a drawing for fabulous free door prizes! Seven, a haven for regional arts and entertainment, lies in the heart of historic downtown Belleville and features wonderful Creole, French, Italian, and American food, a large outdoor seating area, two full bars, and wide-screen TV’s. To learn more about this stylish venue, please call (618) 277-6700or visit their website at www.sevenrestaurantandlounge.com.
There’s no cover charge for this special event!! The doors open at 8:00 and the show, which also has an Open Mic, will begin at 9:00. Experience the thrill of live performance-based art with the most amazing musicians, poets, comedians, and more in a gallery filled with enchanting local artwork. The friendly and dedicated staff even keep the kitchen open late so you can enjoy mouthwatering appetizers ($2.00 Off All Appetizers) and beverages ($5 Martini Wednesdays!)
So, as you can see, our Wednesday, Oct. 3rd show is going to be absolutely electric!! Our Special Guests will be Musician, Spoken Word Artist, and Author Aja La Starr (St. Louis, MO); Poet, Spoken Word Artist, and Vocalist Taylored Poet (St. Louis, MO); Musician, Songwriter, and Vocalist Kwame Segar (East St. Louis, IL); and Poet, Author, and Spoken Word Artist Michelle Henschel (St. Peters, MO). . We’ll meet in the second floor gallery!
SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY:
Aja La’ Starr
St. Louis native Aja La’ Starr is a renowned hip-hop musician, poet, spoken word artist, and educator. She first began rapping during the early 1990’s. She attended Xavier University in Louisiana where she earned a Bachelor’s degree and then went on to attain an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Dedicating her life to underserved minorities and youth, she runs programs benefitting them in local communities. In addition, she has facilitated, moderated, hosted, and organized many conferences, workshops and teen summits throughout the U.S. La’ Starr is the founder of “IAMHIPHOPSTL”, a dynamic movement celebrating the positive contributions of women throughout hip hop culture.
In the course of her career this award-winning artist has performed all over the country, appeared several times on BET, and opened up for the likes of Jill Scott, Mary Blige, and 50 Cent. In 2011, Aja received the “Author of the Year” award at the “2012 Traffic Music Awards” and was honored two years in a row by “Divas of the Lou”. She has been featured at numerous shows across the country such as: “Spoken Word Groove”, “Sistah Speak”, “S.W.A.U.”, “Hustle and Flow: The Experience”, “Soul Spektrum”, “Soul Sessions”, “Soul Stage”, “Thundaground Open Mic”, “Erotic Interludes”, “Got Lyrics”, “The Word”, and many more. She has also performed at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, Forest Park Community College, and Florissant Valley Community College.
In addition to self-publishing her own books - “Refuge: A Poetic Sanctuary” (2011) and “Venus Loves Music” (2012), La’ Starr has helped to publish over 18 authors, many of them children. Her Cd projects include: “Back II Tha Elements”, “Sistah Souljahz”, “I'm Different”, and “Intimate Conversations”. She has also appeared on several different mix tapes. Aja has been deeply influenced by artists such as Queen Latifah, Bahamadia, Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez. To learn more about this amazing and inspirational woman, please visit www.wix.com/gotrefuge/gotrefuge.
Taylored Poet
South Carolinian vocalist, producer, poet, and spoken word artist Taylored Poet is highly respected in the Arts community. She made her debut in 1998 as a poet and spoken word artist at the Divinity Café, and has been rocking stages across the country ever since. Her performances are compelling, emotionally charged, and incredibly touching. This proud mother of six owns “Out Tha Box Entertainment” and was the producer and host of “The Sipher”. Her wildly popular spoken word CD “Shades of Gray” was released in 2005, and her first novel – “Crazed Sanity”, came out in April of last year.
Taylored Poet is currently devoting her time to her studies and a new poetry anthology project in honor of 19 year-old murder victim Aniya Cook of St. Louis, whose shooting death was virtually ignored by local media and whose case is still unsolved. 75 women will dedicate 75 poems in honor of Cook, a beautiful, young high school graduate who was preparing to leave for Springfield on a scholarship to Missouri State University. Proceeds will benefit a scholarship fund set up in Aniya’s name. Taylored Poet and her wife currently reside in St. Louis, MO.
Kwame Segar
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Kwame Segar is a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and vocalist. He currently lives in East St. Louis, IL, which he credits for the development of his considerable music abilities. He is a full-time student at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville where he is studying Music Instruction and Merchandising. Segar skillfully plays a wide variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, and trumpet. His music ranges from the deeply spiritual to R&B, Alternative, Jazz, and Rap, and his live performances are soulful and moving. He’s performed at several popular local venues, among them Schmidt Art Center, Southwestern Illinois College, Nigel’s Bookstore, Legacy, FOAM Coffee & Beer, Sheba’s, and Rance John Styles.
The former host of “One Mic” at SIUE, Kwame’s influences include many well-known musicians such as NAS, Bob Marley, India Arie, Anthony Hamilton, Sizzla, Straight Gutta, Prophecy Sound International, 18 Karat Reggae, Jah Cure, Alicia Keys, Nneka, Lauryn Hill, and Louis Conphliction. He also enjoys listening to Classical, Rock, and Country. To learn more or for booking information, please contact Mr. Segar atksegar@siue.edu.
Michelle Henschel
A fresh face in the world of the arts, Michelle Henschel is dynamite in the form of a very poetic soul. Based in St. Peters, Mo., Michelle is a poet, writer, spoken word artist, author, and painter. This eclectic artist specializes in slam style prose and delivers dramatic, intriguing live performances. She frequents the “Saint Louis Poetry Slam”, Legacy Café & Books, and the Queen Café. She was recently chosen as one of only 40 writers to get to submit to “Naughty Gras”. She is now hard at work on two books: “Hunting in Society’s Cross Pool” and an art book featuring her poems and paintings entitled “A Dark Dose of Blinding Reality”. Henschel’s other interests include listening to music, politics, and attending local literary events.
Aja La’ Starr
St. Louis native Aja La’ Starr is a renowned hip-hop musician, poet, spoken word artist, and educator. She first began rapping during the early 1990’s. She attended Xavier University in Louisiana where she earned a Bachelor’s degree and then went on to attain an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Dedicating her life to underserved minorities and youth, she runs programs benefitting them in local communities. In addition, she has facilitated, moderated, hosted, and organized many conferences, workshops and teen summits throughout the U.S. La’ Starr is the founder of “IAMHIPHOPSTL”, a dynamic movement celebrating the positive contributions of women throughout hip hop culture.
In the course of her career this award-winning artist has performed all over the country, appeared several times on BET, and opened up for the likes of Jill Scott, Mary Blige, and 50 Cent. In 2011, Aja received the “Author of the Year” award at the “2012 Traffic Music Awards” and was honored two years in a row by “Divas of the Lou”. She has been featured at numerous shows across the country such as: “Spoken Word Groove”, “Sistah Speak”, “S.W.A.U.”, “Hustle and Flow: The Experience”, “Soul Spektrum”, “Soul Sessions”, “Soul Stage”, “Thundaground Open Mic”, “Erotic Interludes”, “Got Lyrics”, “The Word”, and many more. She has also performed at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, Forest Park Community College, and Florissant Valley Community College.
In addition to self-publishing her own books - “Refuge: A Poetic Sanctuary” (2011) and “Venus Loves Music” (2012), La’ Starr has helped to publish over 18 authors, many of them children. Her Cd projects include: “Back II Tha Elements”, “Sistah Souljahz”, “I'm Different”, and “Intimate Conversations”. She has also appeared on several different mix tapes. Aja has been deeply influenced by artists such as Queen Latifah, Bahamadia, Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez. To learn more about this amazing and inspirational woman, please visit www.wix.com/gotrefuge/gotrefuge.
Taylored Poet
South Carolinian vocalist, producer, poet, and spoken word artist Taylored Poet is highly respected in the Arts community. She made her debut in 1998 as a poet and spoken word artist at the Divinity Café, and has been rocking stages across the country ever since. Her performances are compelling, emotionally charged, and incredibly touching. This proud mother of six owns “Out Tha Box Entertainment” and was the producer and host of “The Sipher”. Her wildly popular spoken word CD “Shades of Gray” was released in 2005, and her first novel – “Crazed Sanity”, came out in April of last year.
Taylored Poet is currently devoting her time to her studies and a new poetry anthology project in honor of 19 year-old murder victim Aniya Cook of St. Louis, whose shooting death was virtually ignored by local media and whose case is still unsolved. 75 women will dedicate 75 poems in honor of Cook, a beautiful, young high school graduate who was preparing to leave for Springfield on a scholarship to Missouri State University. Proceeds will benefit a scholarship fund set up in Aniya’s name. Taylored Poet and her wife currently reside in St. Louis, MO.
Kwame Segar
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Kwame Segar is a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and vocalist. He currently lives in East St. Louis, IL, which he credits for the development of his considerable music abilities. He is a full-time student at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville where he is studying Music Instruction and Merchandising. Segar skillfully plays a wide variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, and trumpet. His music ranges from the deeply spiritual to R&B, Alternative, Jazz, and Rap, and his live performances are soulful and moving. He’s performed at several popular local venues, among them Schmidt Art Center, Southwestern Illinois College, Nigel’s Bookstore, Legacy, FOAM Coffee & Beer, Sheba’s, and Rance John Styles.
The former host of “One Mic” at SIUE, Kwame’s influences include many well-known musicians such as NAS, Bob Marley, India Arie, Anthony Hamilton, Sizzla, Straight Gutta, Prophecy Sound International, 18 Karat Reggae, Jah Cure, Alicia Keys, Nneka, Lauryn Hill, and Louis Conphliction. He also enjoys listening to Classical, Rock, and Country. To learn more or for booking information, please contact Mr. Segar atksegar@siue.edu.
Michelle Henschel
A fresh face in the world of the arts, Michelle Henschel is dynamite in the form of a very poetic soul. Based in St. Peters, Mo., Michelle is a poet, writer, spoken word artist, author, and painter. This eclectic artist specializes in slam style prose and delivers dramatic, intriguing live performances. She frequents the “Saint Louis Poetry Slam”, Legacy Café & Books, and the Queen Café. She was recently chosen as one of only 40 writers to get to submit to “Naughty Gras”. She is now hard at work on two books: “Hunting in Society’s Cross Pool” and an art book featuring her poems and paintings entitled “A Dark Dose of Blinding Reality”. Henschel’s other interests include listening to music, politics, and attending local literary events.
