Arts & Entertainment

March brings poets to Breakfast Klub

By Udochi Igbokwe
The Daily Cougar

Performance poetry remains a largely underground art form, eccentric in nature but gaining wide popularity in the Houston metropolitan area. This old art form is currently enjoying a broad-based resurgence.

The Breakfast Klub venue gives the best artists in the Houston area the opportunity to educate as well as entertain. The Klub is currently featuring "March Madness," where exciting and innovative spoken-word artists perform their works with great food and a musical variety of jazz, soul and r&b.

The Breakfast Klub has a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere with room to breathe. The venue has a $5 cover, which includes a nice buffet.

Headlining last weekendis March Madness was poet-singer Punkin from Pluto, whois gaining wide recognition for her voice as well as her words. Punkinis poetic and musical style is reminiscent of the neo- soulism of Jill Scott. Her message is that of love, life and self-identity.

The charismatic Punkin from Pluto was entertaining and relayed her message through the sounds of her jazz band, which included pianist Marcus Johnson.

Last weekendis March Madness event was completely enthralling, and Johnsonis easygoing and comical nature added to the show.

March Madness features Houstonis best poets, singers and musicians, including Marie Brown, Liquid Soul, Keshia, Two Black Ladies in Chairs, Black Poet, Barnone, Blackout, Seven, Tony Henry and many others.

These artists use poetry as an outlet for their feelings and thoughts while cultivating love. Relying on elements of storytelling, political debate and prose, they discussed the present status of the youth, sex and love, American democracy and the wars we fight as people, nationally and locally.

With the growing popularity of artists such as Jill Scott, Mos Def, Common, The Roots and Talib Kwali, people are turning their ears from commercialized hip-hop towards music and poetry with meaning and substance. This great demand is turning into what people have now deemed the "Poetry Renaissance."

The final show for March Madness will be on Thursday.

For information about The Breakfast Klub and poetry shows, contact Raymond at 713-398-5777.

March Madness

The Breakfast Klub, 3711 Travis St.

The verdict: March Madness is a great way to experience spoken word.

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