The Book Lover's Chill Spot

Reviews Roll in for Elemental: The Power of Illuminated Love

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:56:06 GMT

Following its official launch at the Telfair Museum Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, Georgia, on May 29, 2008, critics have started to weigh in on ELEMENTAL The Power of Illuminated Love (ISBN 0972114270) a coffee table gift book that showcases the work of acclaimed artist Luther E. Vann and poetry by noted author Aberjhani.

Writing in the June 4, 2008 edition of the weekly news entertainment magazine CONNECT Savannah, news editor Linda Sickler described ELEMENTAL as, “a beautiful book…the reproductions of the paintings are outstanding. The poems were inspired by the paintings, and make perfect companions for the reproductions. All in all, Elemental is a real delight and was definitely worth the wait.”

In her review of Vann’s exhibit at the Telfair Museum, The highly regarded art critic and painter Bertha Husband described the artist’s work as “real painting” that is “realized in the process of its creation, and the end result can often surprise the painter, himself.” She further described the style and method as a demanding one that most artists avoid because of the extensive time and “commitment to the language of painting” involved to employ it. Nevertheless, she noted, “Vann succeeds because he has a subject––the life observed in houses, on the streets and in the parks of his city––and a technique he has made his own…”

Another renowned critic and author, Ja A. Jahannes, spoke at the launch for Elemental and called it “A wondrously amazing book.” He added that, “I see the universal mind in both the painting and poetry of Elemental. The ‘universal mind’ is always multi-dimensional––there is always the physical and the spiritual. The book has fusion of here and otherworldliness.”

Vann’s exhibit is currently scheduled to remain on display at the Telfair Museum Jepson Center for the Arts until September 14. His book, ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love, is available at the Jepson Center Gift Shop, at Barnes and Noble , and through Soar Publishing at http://www.soarpublishingllc.com/ .

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ELEMENTAL The Power of Illuminated Love

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:09:22 GMT

(Savannah, Georgia, USA)--Acclaimed artist Luther E. Vann became the first Savannah-born African-American artist to have a one-man exhibit at the Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center for the Arts when his show opened there April 16, 2008. On May 29, the Jepson Center will host “An Evening with Luther E. Vann and Friends,” an event open to the public from 6-7 p.m.

The event will include a presentation by the artist reading from his newly released book, ELEMENTAL: The Power of Illuminated Love (Soar Publishing); a statement of interpretation of Vann’s work by Dr. Ja A. Jahannes; and other surprise events followed by a book signing. His book is now available at the Jepson Center Gift Shop, telephone (912) 790-8831 and through Soar Publishing at this url: http://www.soarpublishingllc.com/ .

“This event,” said Vann, “is very special for many different reasons. For one thing, it represents a major successful effort on behalf of the Telfair Museum, working with the Friends of African-American Arts, to interact more inclusively with Savannah’s African-American community. Secondly, the book ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love, is one that I started with the author Aberjhani almost two full decades ago, so it’s a true blessing to see the project coming to such beautiful fruition and we’re grateful to all those who helped make it happen.”

Vann has some 16 pieces of art on exhibit in the Jepson Center’s Lewis Gallery. His new book includes more than 60 reproductions of his art along with accompanying poems and introductory essays by Aberjhani. In addition to ELEMENTAL, Aberjhani recently released several new books, including his profile of life in Savannah entitled The American Poet Who Went Home Again.

The Telfair Museum of Art is one of the oldest public art museums in the United States. In addition to Vann’s show, it also currently has on display photographs of the legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Moreover, the museum is the permanent home of a collection of portraits by Kahlil Gibran, the celebrated author of The Prophet.

The Telfair’s Jepson Center is located at 207 W. York Street. For more information, please call (912) 790-8800.

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Fun Gifts for Giving and Getting

Wed, 14 May 2008 19:30:37 GMT

Three Excellent Reasons to Love Books In April 2008

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:19:23 GMT

The more the fate of books in the world are called into question ––as they compete with the ever-increasing domination of techno gadgetry–– the stronger and more enduring their impact seems to become. There is, apparently, no such thing as a permanent substitute for the written word adorned by human imagination and artfully bound in hard or soft covers.

This observation is particularly evident in April 2008 for three strong reasons. Number one: this is indeed National Poetry Month and celebrations of it are in full swing, complete with the first “Poem in Your Pocket Day” slated for April 17.

Number two: the great and mighty 92^nd Annual Pulitzer Prizes were announced this past week with Junot Diaz taking the fiction prize for his novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao; Tracy Letts picking up the drama prize for August: Osage County; Robert Hass receiving the poetry prize for Time and Materials; Saul Friedman receiving the nonfiction prize for The Years of Extermination; John Matteson getting the biography prize for Eden’s Outcasts; and David Lang receiving the music prize for The Little Match Girl Passion. Music icon Bob Dylan received a special citation “for his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

The third reason April is such a powerhouse month for books is because April 23 is World Book and Copyright Day. Instituted by UNESCO in 1995, the idea for World Book and Copyright Day grew out of the practice of giving one book as a gift with every book purchased on Saint George’s Day in Catalonia. April 23 itself was adopted as the symbolic date for world literature in recognition of Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, all of whom reportedly died on this same day in the same year of 1616. In addition, it is the date of birth or death of other notable authors like Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejia, Druon, K.Laxness, and Josep Pla.

As stated on the United Nation’s website: “It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.”

by Aberjhani
author of The Bridge of Silver Wings
and Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance

One Novelist and Poet Reviews Another Novelist and Poet

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:13:16 GMT

The following review of the novel Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World is by Louisiana writer and poet Jerry P. Bolton. It is presented here by the author’s permission:

Aberjhani. Google that name and another world will open up for the reader and seekers of excellence in the literary sense. Over the years I have discovered, when I read Aberjhani, I find his words come at the reader with an intensity not many writers can boast of being able to do. He holds nothing back within his growing and impressive list of literary and poetical accomplishments. I have just recently finished reading just such a work of unpolluted art by Aberjhani. It is a novel which cannot be pigeon-holed within a convenient genre box. The title of this most creative book is Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World.

From the strong, eye-catching cover showing two black angels, male and female, designed by Luther E. Vann, to the last page of "Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World," you will find yourself on a journey the likes of which will not be easily forgotten. The novel's protagonist, Danny Blue, has a revelation which comes to him in a dream-like conversation with Valerie, his dead ex-lover, in the beginning of this work. This stunning work is first and foremost -- to this reader -- a tale of self awareness and murder in the guise of mass suicide, which will lead the unwitting and duped participants into everlasting karma.

"Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World" is a powerful, sometimes frightful journey which takes place in a community which goes by the name of Froggtown. This exciting new novel from Aberjhani challenges the reader to hold fast to himself as he is introduced to a myriad of colorful characters, not the least of which is the diabolical superstar musician, Jimmy Redfyre, who holds Satanic-like control over his followers. If Redfyre is the villain in this breathtaking novel of good vs. evil, his main adversary is another musician who goes simply by the name of Ruzahn. From there the story begins to wind its way into the psyche of the reader.

The die is cast after Danny Blue's supernatural instructions by Valerie. Danny, aided by a cast of diverse and visionary characters --including the musician Ruzahn-- go about the business of thwarting the immoral plans of Jimmy Redfyre. Within the pages of this grand novel you will be taken on a surreal journey, but with reality nudging the reader in unexpected forms. From the phenomena of a semi-faith-based suicide, or – known in Froggtown as "dying dirty" – begun by Danny Blue's confidante and lover, Valerie who was --before she accepted her fate to "trans-evolve"-- an exceptional artist, with a mystique and allure about her which transcended mere mortals. There are supernatural powers at work in this book. Jimmy Redfyre has co-opted those psychic ability into his music in order to embed certain connotations which, at the climax of a long-awaited multi-media concert production, will send millions world-wide to their deaths in the most massive suicide pact known to mankind.

Danny Blue, with the help of Valerie, who appears within his consciousness, his friend and musician Ruzahn, along with others, race against time and forces beyond their wildest imaginations to stop the planned embedded messages from Jimmy Redfyre's music; thereby saving millions of lives worldwide that Redfyre and his legions plan on destroying.

"Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World" is a compelling read. It is fraught with complex and diverse plots, a subterranean and evil mission squaring off against those who have it in their power to stop the madness, if they only have the time and the will to venture into Jimmy Redfyre's lair; knowing they may never come out of it alive. "Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World" kept this reader spellbound and amazed, once again, at the talent of its author, Aberjhani. It is money well spent if you decide to take a gamble on this marvelous read.

by Jerry P. Bolton
author of Crimes and Misdemeanors
and Margaret and David: A Love Story

Surprise Best Seller for Taxi Driving Author

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 01:54:22 GMT

Savannah, Ga., USA––The young adult novel, Blood Kin A Savannah Story, written by Robert T.S. Mickles and featuring a foreword by Aberjhani, debuted at number four on ESSENCE Magazine’s Best Seller Book List for paperback fiction in the March 2008 “Hollywood Issue."

A taxi driver and native of Savannah, Georgia, Mickles said his surprise best-selling novel is based on stories passed down to him by, “My grandmother, Beulah Tremble. She was born not too long after slavery ended in the United States and her parents had actually been slaves. She lived to be 100 years old and at the time when she passed on to me the stories that had been passed on to her, I really had no idea what a powerful legacy they would turn out to be.”

The novel takes place during the Civil War and tells the story of two best friends, one black and one white, who discover they are actually brothers. Torn apart by the violence and politics of the times, they nevertheless struggle to recognize and preserve their newfound kinship for their own sake as well as for their families’. The novel is the first in a projected four-part series. Part two, titled Isaiah’s Tears, has already been written and Mickles is currently working on third and fourth titles.

In his foreword for the book, Aberjhani, the award-winning author of “The Bridge of Silver Wings” and “Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance” (Facts On File), notes that Mickles demonstrates a willingness “to examine the cracks and crevices of history in order to tell a story others might not be willing––or even able for that matter––to tell. It is the story of how Blacks and Whites stumbled across the dividing lines of race and slavery only to discover that each was as flawed, needy, and human as the other.”

While driving his taxi in Savannah, Mickles often shares his stories with passengers. For more on the writer, please visit his website at http://creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/AuthorofBloodkin .

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Frida Kahlo Photos and Luther E. Vann Art in Savannah Exhibit

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 01:32:49 GMT

Savannah, Ga.––The Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, Georgia, will feature one ground-breaking artist from the present and another from the past when it presents simultaneous exhibits of art by Luther E. Vann and photographs, taken by the late Nickolas Muray, of legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

The one-man show of Vann’s work, titled “Elemental,” will be the first by the artist at the Jepson Center and will run from April 16 to August 17, 2008. The Kahlo exhibit is titled “Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray,” and will run from April 16 to June 15, 2008.

“Kahlo’s imagination and the freedom she allowed herself to express it is what I admire most about her work,” said Vann. “I also appreciate the energy of surrealism that you find in some of her images. The fact that my art is hanging at the same time as Muray’s photographs of her make me feel like I’m in good company and I hope she feels the same way (smiles).”

Many of the paintings scheduled to hang in Vann’s “Elemental” exhibit are currently slated for publication in a book of the same name. In addition to his art, the title includes corresponding poetry by Aberjhani, author of “The Bridge of Silver Wings” and co-author of “Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance” (Facts On File). He maintains a profile page on Creative Thinkers International and an online art store at http://stores.lulu.com/luthervannartforlife

Muray’s photographs of Kahlo were taken prior to her fame as an artist and the wife of Diego Rivera, also celebrated for his art and born in Mexico.

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Tagging Books and Authors to Watch in 2008

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:30:24 GMT

A big part of the fun of entering a New Year is making a list of noble resolutions, some of which we work hard to keep and some of which become lost causes shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve. Another part of the fun is making lists of people and events likely to stand out as the New Year 2008 unfolds. This blog introduces my list of Books and Authors to Watch in 2008 . Rest assured that the list, maintained on my Amazon author profile page, is an evolving one.

One of the first things some of you will notice when reviewing my 2008 canon is that neither of my own two new releases, The Bridge of Silver Wings and Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World , are on it. Does this mean I don’t expect my own humble offerings to make any kind of impact in some corner of our beautiful world at some point in 2008? It certainly does not; only that these titles have not yet made it into Amazon’s book catalogue (yes I am working on it). Please rest assured that upon their inclusion, they will take their proper place on the honor roll barring any unforeseen glitches.

Secondly, you may notice the list contains some fairly well-known names, at least one famous but perhaps unexpected name, and some others that are not so well known at this point. That’s a good thing because it indicates a number of excellent writers are still producing excellent work and a variety of relatively new voices are presenting the world with fresh stories, perspectives, and insights worth our full attention. Rather than include a summary of the list here, I invite you to click on the link provided and enjoy an early harvest of selections from this year’s literary crop.

As I said before, making such a list is fun but it’s also important. Why? Because despite the nonstop forward march of the digital revolution, people still turn to books for reading experiences that inform, empower, and generally enhance their lives. So it’s good to have some idea about what’s out there to help them/us do exactly that. In the event the above link does not work, please click or paste the following: http://www.amazon.com/Books-and-Authors-to-Watch-in-2008/lm/R1H643PYYGUJ1L/ref=cm_rna_own_lm

Author-Poet Aberjhani
Books and Authors to Watch in 2008

The Art of Getting a Good Book Published

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:57:47 GMT

CTI News Room, Dec 26, 2007––Connect Savannah, the weekly news and entertainment magazine famous for its balanced coverage of cultural activities and events in Savannah, Georgia, published an in-depth update on ELEMENTAL, the somewhat legendary book project featuring the metaphysical art of Luther E. Vann and poetry by Aberjhani at http://www.connectsavannah.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A5788 .

Written by Linda Sickler, the article is titled “All for the Art.” In addition to interviews with Vann and Aberjhani, in includes statements from members of the Telfair Museum’s Friends of African-American Arts Committee, which is heading the drive to raise funds for the publication of ELEMENTAL. The full Connect Savannah article is available at the above link. In addition, you can learn more about Vann’s art and Aberjhani’s writings on the Creative Thinkers International website at http://www.creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/Angelscribe22 .

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Four Books by One Author Make Hot Titles List

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:45:47 GMT

CTI News, Dec 2007—Following the recent release of a novel and collection of poetry, four books by the American author Aberjhani made the “Hot Titles List” on the popular AuthorsDen website at http://www.authorsden.com/Aberjhani

“I’m grateful to say that all of my titles have been on the AD list at one time or another but this is the first time I’ve ever seen four on there at once,” said Aberjhani. “It’s kind of like an early Christmas present.”

The titles included on the list were: the poetry collection “The Bridge of Silver Wings”; the novel “Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World”; the award-winning “Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance”; and “The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois.”

In addition, the author was recently the subject of an interview conducted by fellow writer Chase Von for The Student Operated Press. In the interview, they discuss Aberjhani’s newest work as well as his overall career and perspectives on the current literary scene heading into 2008.

The following are the aforementioned AuthorsDen Hot List titles with their respective links on AuthorsDen:

THE BRIDGE OF SILVER WINGS

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=25279&id=22947

CHRISTMAS WHEN MUSIC ALMOST KILLED THE WORLD

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?id=22542

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=25279&id=13370

THE WISDOM OF W.E.B. DU BOIS

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=25279&id=13383

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The Panther Interviews the Skylark

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:30:37 GMT

CTI News Room--Within weeks of the release of his first novel, the controversial “Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World,” American author Aberjhani made a surprise move with the early-December release of a powerful collection of poetry titled "The Bridge of Silver Wings,” which may be viewed at http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=25279 .

In a recent interview posted on The Student Operated Press, author Chase Von discussed with Aberjhani the sometimes controversial nature of his work. They also talk about his prolific output, which includes the award-winning “Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance” and his critically acclaimed “I Made My Boy Out of Poetry.” Von described the writer as “arguably one of the best and most recognized poets in the contemporary field.” The interview is scheduled to run in a blog series on Creative Thinkers International at http://www.creativethinkersintl.ning.com/

“The Bridge of Silver Wings” is Aberjhani’s third volume of poetry but only the second to make it into hard print. His “Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black” was made available as an e-book but to date has not been published in hard print volume, though many of the poems in that collection have appeared in ESSENCE Magazine and been celebrated worldwide.

Moreover, the Telfair Museum of Savannah’s African-American Friends of the Arts Committee has undertaken a fundraising campaign to finance, with Bonaventure Books, the author’s much-anticipated ELEMENTAL book project with the artist Luther E. Vann. Both “The Bridge of Wings” and Aberjhani’s new novel feature cover art by Vann. The ELEMENTAL project is comprised of a collection of Vann’s art with corresponding poetry by Aberjhani.

For more information, please visit the above link or Creative Thinkers International at http://www.creativethinkersintl.ning.com/

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Deliverance in Action

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:02:04 GMT

FROM The Bridge of Silver Wings

Between the hopelessness of despair capable of destroying a life, and the strength that comes with self assurance capable of empowering a life, there sits a great chasm with which many people struggle when attempting to cross from one side to the other. For some, the struggle occurs only once in their lifetime and, if they manage to achieve victory, their triumph endows them with a sense of confidence, inspiration, and conviction that serves their needs for the rest of their lives. For others, crossing the gulf between desolation and faith can take the form of a battle that they wage on an annual basis. For millions more––possibly your next door neighbor, a favorite grocery store clerk, your pastor, or yourself––the battle explodes into a raging war which they are forced to fight every day.

How do we make our way out of the pit of freezing shadows that can stall a life in progress upon learning one has contracted an irreversible disease? How does a spouse or parent make his or her way back to sanity after receiving the mind-crippling news that someone who “meant everything in the world to me” has been killed in a desert thousands of miles away, or on the college campus just down the street? By what means can one hope to reestablish individual balance or wholeness after suffering heart-crushing trauma at the hands of a stranger who himself is stumbling blind through grief and rage and confusion?

The truth is we do not always know how we go from falling off the edge of one cliff to running with determination beside the ledge of another. The Bridge of Silver Wings is what I’ve come to call the unknowable unquantifiable process of deliverance in action. It is what saves a given soul when that soul no longer has any idea how to save itself. It may be described as Creator, divinity, the angelic, love, good fortune, dharma, grace, faith, or any number of ways that provide hints but no irrefutably definitive explanation. It arrives when there’s no logical reason to believe it shall and provides not only a sense of salvation but one of transformation. Whereas the conditions of a specific life may not undergo any kind of miraculous change, the manner in which a person perceives and addresses those issues do. With a revised awareness of what is required to bring balance, healing, hope, and prosperity back into one’s life, a person is often able to achieve exactly that.

The journey across The Bridge of Silver Wings can be extremely frightening. At the same time, it can be filled with the kind of joyful revelations and thrilling affirmations of one’s self and destiny that are experienced only when one dares to take it.

by Author-Poet Aberjhani

Creative Thinkers International

The Black Skylark Sang a Prophecy

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:19:40 GMT

The opportunity to work with creative artists in a variety of fields is one of the greatest rewards of becoming a writer. That reward is one I’ve long been fortunate enough to enjoy in my various projects with the artist Luther E. Vann, but one I’ve only recently come to experience through the work of Barbara Hilal as demonstrated in my recent post for The Black Skylark Sang a Prophecy .

I knew from various literary web sites that fellow Savannah native Barbara Hilal was a gifted poet. What I did not know was that she is also an accomplished visual artist who in fact has been painting longer than she has been writing poetry. Imagine the thrill of my surprise, then, when she graciously informed me about her artwork and suggested I consider pairing a piece or two with some of my writings.

The magic that artists make through their colors and forms and structured concepts has always been a special kind for me so I am always awed to view my work beside the brilliant creations of a talented artist like Barbara Hilal or Luther E. Vann . And I am always profoundly grateful.

by Author-Poet Aberjhani
author of Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World

Savannah Artist Book Cover Art Now for Sale

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 21:31:35 GMT

Framed prints of Luther E. Vann’s original art used for the cover of Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World—without the lettering used for the cover--are now available in three different sizes at the artist’s recently established Art For Life Shop .

The title for the original artwork is “Soul of a Black Skylark Singing.” Although this print does not have the lettering used on the novel, which is by Aberjhani, plans are underway to also make the book cover available as a print.

Vann, whose work is scheduled for a show April 2008 at the Jepson Center for the Arts , in Savannah, Georgia, described himself as “basically a classically schooled artist plying my creative trade in a neo-school techno world.” It was for that reason, he added, that he has waited until now before making any of his prints available online. The prints will also make his work accessible and affordable for those unable to attend his various installations around the globe.

In addition to learning more about his work at Luther’s Art for Life Shop please visit his page on Creative Thinkers International at this url: http://www.creativethinkersintl.ning.com/profile/weallare111

Uncut Goodies Part 4: the Current Conclusion

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 16:31:12 GMT

In which Devoshona listens to Nicholas Hawthorn reviewing the new and mysterious music by Jimmy Redfyre and Ruzahn.

Devoshona shook the thought of Shereen from her head and went to an unofficial web site for Ruzahn. It was one of many that had published a comparative review of both the new releases from Jimmy Redfyre and Ruzahn, written by Nicholas Hawthorn. She went to the review and looked first at the full color photo of Jimmy Redfyre, then at the animated silhouette of Ruzahn. She turned on the audio and an English-accented voice began reciting the article:

“Let’s begin by showing respect for the obvious: for the next two years music around the world will be measured, judged, and defined by the powerhouse standards established in to new releases by Jimmy Redfyre and Ruzahn, specifically Feast of Dead Souls Divine by Redfyre and Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black by Ruzahn. Make no mistake about it, the issues at stake here go beyond the fact that Redfyre’s CD debuted at number one on music charts across the board––the exception being in India where Ruzahn regally rules––and they extend past the question of who will be at number one come Christmas. From this point on, as goes music, so goes the fate of life as we know it. Those who feel that statement is just a little too much on the cheeky side need only look at how our world shifted on its axis when the Beetles exited Liverpool for the U.S. and Chubby Checker put the twist in everybody’s hips in the last century. Alright then, on with it.

“The single most significant feature of these two CDs is the fact of how simultaneously different and similar they are. It’s a huge boost for those still marketing music CDS that these two monumental artists chose to make these releases available solely in this format in a market where canned sound is no longer the dominant choice of consumers. Both have twelve songs.

“In the case of Jimmy Redfyre, there are also a limited number of DVDs available for sale separately and feature extended videos of most of the songs on Feast of Dead Souls Divine as well as––suggest those who don’t know this already hold onto their crotches––an actual quadruple-X rated movie of Redfyre on a quest to save humanity from a ring of highly sophisticated spies, devil worshippers, and terrorists attempting to throw the world into a free-for-all state of anarchy. On the way to defeating this international organization comprised of some of the most beautiful faces and bodies anyone could want to drool over, he manages to screw at least two thirds of them silly before slicing them in half with laser blasts from his maxophone or bashing their brains in with it. Were it not for the gore and ghouls that absolutely putrefy the movie, with a bit of editing it could pass as an erotic masterpiece. As it is, it’s more of masterful piece of shameless public masturbation and hardly worth the millions of dollars spent to produce it or the $1,000 for which die-hard Redfyre fans are buying it. Yes, you read that figure correctly, half a million units of that DVD sold already at $1,000 a pop and I guarantee you an extended version will be out by Christmas selling for $2,000 a copy. We’ll leave the movie critics to decide what to make of that and get back to the music at hand.

“Ruzahn’s gifts as a poet of mystical consciousness, guitarist of multi-dimensional harmonies, and singer of ecstatic passion and restraint has never been more apparent in his recorded work than it is in Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black. Here we have the man at work in song after song, soaring through double interludes of cyclonic intensity, densely layered self-performed background vocals underscoring his utterly brilliant lead, and swift waves of sweeping turn-arounds that lift you angelically out of your body and carries you to some healing mythical place on the other side of the sun before coming back to a more mundane recognized reality.

“In something of an impressive contrast, Jimmy Redfyre on Feast of Dead Souls Divine pulls off the fantastic feat of making listeners grateful for the manner in which he seduces and pillages one’s mind, body, and soul with crashing chords and mesmerizing meters that pound one into a happy abandonment of personal power or responsibility for one’s being. He hooks listeners’ hearts and hips with a repeating boomerang of computerized modulations that immerse them in the sonic depths of a brain zooming wide awake and joyfully terrified through a black hole.”

“Placing their appropriate stylistic differences to the side, the major revelation in Redfyre and Ruzahn’s new work is the intertwining narrative woven throughout the songs of each. Imagine Redfyre and Ruzahn each at the same time giving us a concept album based on the story of some mystery individual’s life. The truth is we need not imagine it at all because one of the hottest topics in music fans and industry chat rooms right now is the fact that they appear to have done exactly that.

“Song for song, we have on these two new releases the musical narrative of an abused young man who goes out into the world to experience adventures in true love, questionable friendships, natural disasters, cosmic warfare, and some sort of profound resolution after all is said and done. What amazes us here is that the musical subject matter is not merely similar but the perceived narrative develops and progresses in the same manner. From “Philadelphia Shade” to “Tears of a Black Skylark Screaming” on Redfyre’s CD, and “Shadows of Philadelphia” to “Soul of a Black Skylark Singing” on Ruzahn’s, we are forced to wonder what the hell is going on here. Neither of these artists need to steal ideas from the other. Neither is prone to dealing in trends. Therefore, what? Some say the songs are a tribute to the late Valerie Hyerman, the artist who died under mysterious circumstances in Froggtown, Georgia, and whose art is included on the cover of Redfyre’s CD. While possible, that doesn’t seem likely given that she died but a few months prior to the music’s debut and insiders on the Ruzahn project assure me any allusions to Ms. Hyerman are coincidental only. Others say they represent Jimmy Redfyre’s life story and Ruzahn’s commentary on that story. Hmmm, not sure what to think to about that.

“Here’s what this reviewer can say with certainty: with Feast of Dead Souls Divine and Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black, we have two masterpieces that reconstruct and then raise the bar on what constitutes a masterpiece. Redfyre at his nightmarish beguiling best on his maxophone makes us feel the orgasmic vulnerability of an LSD trip without ingesting the drug itself. His voice oscillates between a rasp and a roar and coo that has the weird effect of making us think we are not just listening to Redfyre but living life as Redfyre. And then there is Master Ruzahn.

“Although embarrassing to put it this way, one has to be true to one’s aesthetic sensibilities and profess that from beginning to end, Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black takes root right in the base of one’s spine then spreads like a cybernetic mutation through one’s bum and balls and schlong and thighs and feet, taking over one’s belly button and turning one’s nips into steel, consuming the tongue with the full-bodied flavor of forbidden fruit, then transforming the brain into a portal through which ancient gods and new-born angels sail in and out of our souls. His voice skims through multiple octaves and re-interpretations of world music traditions like an entire school of dolphins delightedly sailing the crest of a tsunami, courting the danger and transforming it into numinous joy. If Jimmy Redfyre is an apt interpretation of the law of sonic vibration as it applies to a command of gravity and raw uncompromising power, Ruzahn would have to be an interpretation of that same law as it applies to ascension towards the higher realms of light and angelic concordance.

“Have I perhaps overstated my case? I assure you I have not.”

Devoshona liked the way the article ended with the question of the author possibly overstating his case. She wondered if she had overstated hers. Were people actually ending their lives because they thought she had suggested they do so? A white shadow flared suddenly through her mind and she turned around. Without wondering or asking, Danny Blue knew immediately who she was and why she was there dressed in his bathrobe.

by Aberjhani
from Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World

author of Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance

In a World Made of You and Me

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:06:49 GMT

(from Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World)

In this world

made of you and me

Oooohhhh, love is all we know,

love is all we see.

Living on blind hate––

that’s not our way.

In this temple of friendship––

that’s where we stay.

I never yearn

for lots of money,

I never thirst

for what belongs to the sea,

what I have

is all I need

in this wonderful world

made of you and me.

By Aberjhani

from Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World

Introducing Uncut Goodies

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 21:48:01 GMT

INTRODUCING UNCUT GOODIES

Some Hollywood directors are famous for the “ruthless” manner in which they cut precious scenes from a given film, and many music producers have similar reputations for what they will or will not allow on a final recording project. What both have in common is the wisdom to save their deleted jewels and present them within a context or package––think “Director’s Cut” or “Extended Song Versions”––separate from the star project and yet completely viable in its own right. Editors and writers do something similar and my “Uncut Goodies” series falls in the tradition of salvaging lost scenes from the cutting room floor at http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=25279

To cut or not to cut a given word or passage from a manuscript has long been one of the battles that sometimes divided brilliant editors and just as brilliant writers. It might surprise many readers to learn the issue is not always one regarding semantics, syntax, or ego. Often it has been about the number of dollars (or pounds or yen or marks) it took produce a book of––say 300 pages versus 1,400 pages.

I didn’t think my book Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World needed to lose any weight when one of the early editors for a proposed publisher requested I drop an agonizing number of words. I nevertheless acquiesced in the spirit of combining expertise, exercised admirable editorial tough love toward myself, and got the novel down to its current sleek yet voluptuous figure. I had to admit that doing so made the book, which by its nature is not your typical linear structured novel, a tighter faster-moving read. Yet I also had to mourn the loss of huge chunks. Some of those chunks might hold certain keys for some readers. Other readers might disagree but still enjoy the backdrop provided by Uncut Goodies, which in fact include the original first two chapters.

To make them easier to keep up with, each segment of the series will be titled Uncut Goodies Part 1 or 2 or 3 or whatever it happens to be. They can make an entertaining supplement to the novel or a very enjoyable read on their own. You can read the series in Amazon Author’s blog or at this url: http://www.authorsden.com/Aberjhani

Aberjhani

The Novel and the Mystery

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:11:20 GMT

Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World combines popular music culture, science fiction fantasy, and horror to create a uniquely engaging metaphysical epic. The story takes us inside the world of Danny Blue, a young man struggling to make peace with the death of his girlfriend, a gifted artist named Valerie Hyerman whose passing sparks the creation of a controversial spiritual movement. Was her death suicide, murder, or something completely different from either?

The stunning truth unfolds in Froggtown, a college community where many people are said to have “died dirty” and wander the streets in search of release from a spiritual limbo. Such a town seems an unlikely place for a superstar musician like Jimmy Redfyre to kick off his tour on Christmas Eve, or for his main rival Ruzahn to keep popping up in Danny Blue’s life.

Moreover, how is it that both singers seem to have released songs about his life? Equally bizarre are the strange changes that Danny Blue himself begins to experience and that appear to be causing him to evolve from an ordinary human to something not so ordinary at all. Written with the visionary intensity of Franz Kafka, the mystical poetics of Khalil Gibran, and the psychological complexity of Philip K. Dick, Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World is a one-of-a-kind work of extraordinary modern fiction.

--Publisher

10-Year Milestone for Savannah Author and ESSENCE Magazine

Tue, 22 May 2007 03:23:05 GMT

Along with its annual celebration of Black Music Month, the June 2007 edition of ESSENCE Magazine includes the poem “My One Favorite City,” by Savannah author-poet Aberjhani, marking the writer’s tenth year publishing work in the famous periodical.

“I’m not just happy about reaching this personal milestone,” said the writer, who last year won the Connect Savannah Readers’ Poll for best poet and spoken word artist. “I’m especially happy just to know that ESSENCE Magazine still publishes poetry since a couple of years ago it was announced that they no longer would. That announcement was a huge blow to the literary world because ESSENCE is one of few major magazines––with a readership of 7.6 million––that takes poets and poetry seriously.”

The author’s poem appears on page 204. The first work he published in ESSENCE was a cover story in 1997 titled “This Mother’s Son,” about the challenges of becoming a caregiver. The magazine later began publishing his poetry every year and listed his Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (with Sandra L. West) on its listing of holiday gift books.

In addition to the poem in ESSENCE, readers have also taken note of Aberjhani’s “A Dancer’s Strength and Grace,” a poem that he wrote as a review of actress-author Victoria Rowell’s bestselling memoir, “The Women Who Raised Me.” Ironically, “A Dancer’s Strength and Grace” was posted on the Amazon.com page for Rowell’s book just as the Internet giant was preparing to release Aberjhani’s new Amazon Short title: “The Harlem Renaissance Way Down South.”

Other poets in the June issue of ESSENCE include Cathy Delaleu, Wendi E. Hill, Lisa Gillard, Jahbu, Tawana Moore-Cedeno, Omar Massey, Tanya Bush Richard, Gabriela Hall-Chung, and Linda J. Fuller-Browne. Grammy-winning hip hop artist Mary J. Blige is featured on two alternate covers of the issue, one by herself, and one with her husband Kendu Isaacs. The magazine also shines spotlights on performing artists: Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Jay-Z, Rihanna, The Roots, and T.I.

Poets of the Angels

Tue, 15 May 2007 05:06:29 GMT

Feet sandaled with dreams
tread paths of vision leading
to wisdom’s sharp peaks.

On a bridge spanning
earth’s delights and heaven’s tears
jeweled throats shine psalms.

Stars ink your fingers
with a lexicon of flame
blazing rare knowledge.

Hurricanes grow calm
for the pleasure of hearing
your souls’ hidden rhymes.

You are the hybrids
of golden worlds and ages
splendidly conceived.

To accommodate
humanity’s whims, gore floods
your cleanest pages.

In obedience
to eternity’s beauty
prayers cloak your heart.

Your pain is a school
unto itself––and your joy
a lovely temple.

Syllables gathered
on the shores of your genius
sing moonbright wonders.

Yours is a language
of parables made classic
by love’s sweet anguish.

The same hot lightning
that burns your blood with passion––
cools your fears with peace.

By Aberjhani
© 2007

Photo Album: November, 2007

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:33:30 GMT

November, 2007

The novel "Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World," by Aberjhani, and featuring original cover art by Luther E. Vann. Cover.jpg

Bridge 2of Silver Wings.jpg