Poets, Pricks, and A Candle with No Wick...

The National Poetry Slam in Austin, TX was a hoot. Poets like to party! There was so much activity one would think all would be exhausted come late night. But NO... poets don't sleep, or require very little when they gather for the National competition.

The Capitol Bldg from the bridge where the bats take flight at dusk.

Austin is a pretty city, but the heat kept me inside except when moving from venue to venue. I never got to see the bats take off from the bridge. My volunteer schedule was so crammed. No matter. I was there to immerse myself in all things SLAM.

Austin...a river runs through it.

After the bouts, showcases, and post show feeding frenzy we would gather at a gazebo adjacent to this river to play slam tag in the moonlight. It was awesome, although my body was a banquet for mosquitoes, and I worried a bit about the other creepy crawlers lurking nearby. The poets graciously allowed me to sing my songs in their midst. Thanks gang!

Seattle Slam Master Daemond getting a prenuptial lap dance from fellow poets.

Daemond was flying high Friday night after Seattle poet, Danny Sherrard, won the Indie Finals. The ladies & gents gyrating all over his person and pouring copious amounts of liquor down his throat helped broaden his grin, too. Told ya the poets are a wild bunch. It was a fun night, despite the pricks who tried to ruin it for me. Had a taste of 'good old boy' meanness in this venue. Oh well... their karma, not mine. Just let it roll...

Final night party complete with shot serving ice sculpture.

Congrats to team Slam Charlotte who won this year's competition. I saw them perform a couple of times throughout the week and they were inspiring. There were so many amazingly talented people in Austin for NPS 2007. I am blessed to have been among them for an entire week. The energy and non-stop partying nearly killed me. My candle needs a new wick. Geez! I thought I was hardcore. Guess not.

Thanks to Sharon, Danny, & Barbi for Austin hospitality; Mona-Jean for the chica connection and the reminder of why I love L.A. ( U left some treats in my bag!! I noticed.)

Dallas is my refuge for a few days while I recover from Poet-itis. I'm sleeping, playing with the babies, and reading Harry Potter's last adventure before heading to NYC and Barcelona. Anybody got any United or American Airline miles? I could use a few for this last leg of my gypsy journey.

Texas Heat, Cowboys & Clowns...

Yep! I landed in Dallas, Texas home of the Cowboys Tuesday afternoon. My play little sister, Leah lives here with her family-hubby, Eric and the lil' ones, Teagan & Wyatt. Seems like this leg of my adventure has been filled with the small tykes. It's amazing how open and pure they are. They haven't had the benefit of grown-up fear, loathing, and hate yet. Thank God for innocence!

Baby Wyatt

It's so freakin' hot here! I can't even begin to describe how sticky it is all the time. There's not even relief at night when coolness usually arrives. Oh well... I'm totally jazzed to be in a whole new place. Can't wait to get to Austin for the National Poetry Slam Convention and all the music! That place is said to be tres cool.

Send In the Clowns... No such thing as coincidences, these guys were at the Seattle show!

Meanwhile, I need to send out thanks to my friends in Seattle. I had such a wonderful visit! Playing the Queen in Cymbeline was terrific and all was enhanced by the presence of my pal, Kevin T Moore (see post 6 May). I was reminded how precious friendship is and how incredible are the people in my little circle of friends. As I said at my live show at The New Orleans Creole Club, you know who you are and what you mean in my world. Just want say, "I love you, no shit!!!" Thanks for housing me, feeding me, watering me, and keeping me in touch with the hip happenings. The treats were fabulous!!!

Lovin' every minute of singing my music and sharing the stage with friends...

Eric Verlinde & Neda Shahram

Me & Dr G~aka Evan Gackstatter

David & Daniel Thompson (Dr G's Band) backing my vocals

A very special thank you to Evan who dug my music enough to provide the soundtrack with his guitar and band at my Seattle gigs. You and the fellas rock, Dude!!! It'll be a blast to do it again! Check out Dr G & the Funky Recovery Monday night at the Rendezvous in Seattle's hip Belltown section.

Tonight I'll be chauffeured around Dallas, so I can totally misbehave. Time to pull out my Cowgirl boots!!! See y'all...

Texas Here I Come...

The Girls Gather for a Reunion

It seemed like old times at the New Orleans Club Sunday night. There at my last Seattle show friends and fans gathered to celebrate my music. It was a night of pleasurable mayhem and a blast to boot! The evening was completely live and spontaneous. I shared the spotlight with several musician pals. Everyone was just terrific!!! Thanks to all who came and made the show a success.

Being back in Seattle has been wild. I reconnected with great friends and made some new ones. I feel blessed to have so much lovin' support. As usual what I learned about myself and my artistry is worth more than any amount of money. Don't get me wrong. My mission is to travel to make art and make money to travel, but some things are priceless.

I head out to Dallas and Austin next week. More excitement on tap at the National Poetry Slam Convention. Can't wait!!! I also began the setup for myspace, so add me to your friends (however one puts that). It's not done yet, but you can still access it: www.myspace.com/kattsworld2

See ya around the planet...

Tick Tock Goes The Clock...

I thought my visit to Seattle would seem long, but with all the Shakespeare performances and visits with friends my time here has gone by quickly. Nearing my last days here, I still haven't covered all the things I had wanted to do. That's the way. Isn't it?

I have 2 shows of music and poetry before I head down to Austin for the National Poetry Slam Convention. I'll be at The New Orleans Creole Restaurant performing jazz, pop, and originals on Sunday 7/22. I'm the featured guest at the Seattle Poetry Slam Tuesday night 7/17. Both gigs will enable me to do original material and present a talented friend, Evan Gackstatter, on guitar. His band, Dr G and the Funky Recovery (www.myspace.com/drgandthefunkyrecovery) will play the New Orleans gig with me. Eric Verlinde, who played for years with me in Seattle, will grace the piano with his presence. I can't wait for all the musical madness to happen.

One thing my journey has taught me so far is to embrace collaboration. I love to create and having spontaneous, creative energy around me is amazing! Check back for pix and postings from the above mentioned gigs.

Enjoy life!

NYC to Shakespeare, Rain, & The Island...

A remembrance of 9/11 in NYC

Katt always finds her fish...even in the Urban Jungle.

Although I hadn't planned to visit the 9/11 memorial site-kinda had a boycott the commercialism, mass mourning, gawking moment-my friend Kevin T is a licensed NYC walking tour guide, and with no prompting just walked me and other friends directly to the site where destruction rocked the world six years ago. We passed through quickly. It felt a bit strange to just hang around as if we were checking out the sights. Guess there's no way to privately mourn a disaster of that magnitude.

My visit to The City also gave me a chance to reconnect with a musical pal from my childhood, Andy Chase (www.myspace.com/brookville). It's so cool to see my friends pursuing their dreams and having successful ventures! We spoke of times past and plans for the future. Andy generously gave me ideas for taking my music to another level. So schweet!!!

NYC gave me a different kind of zest for life and the pursuit of Kattness. I left there with lots to think on during my flight to Seattle. Thanks to my girl, Niahm, for sharing her space with me-Andy, for nurturing my artist-Kevin, for long walks and great eats-Enrico for just bein' U.

View from a bridge of the Emerald City.

Seattle welcomed me with sunshine. Unbelievable sunshine! Warmer than NYC sunshine! The mountain ranges shone fabulously under blue skies and I remembered the best of my days here. Then...the rain came. Yuck! Its been cold and rainy for over a week, making me miss my California girl sun. On the flip side, I'm rehearsing for Cymbeline and lovin' every minute of the process. The actors have various ranges of experience and all are committed and talented. I'm so lucky to be immersed in their energy every day! The first public performances are in July. We tour prisons, hospitals, and Juvenile detention centers for the private performances. It's amazing work! A journey for both actor and audience.

I'm reminded of my vision for the music I sing and write: to motivate me and you to live life fully and let joy be the result of all we experience. Make sense?

When I'm Free
Wonder what will be when I'm free
Wonder where I'll be when I'm free
The world is spinning 'round & 'round
I'm am floating upside down
Wonder what will be when I'm free
When I'm free
When I'm free
Do do doooooooooo....

© K Tait 2007

My best bud, Stephen, on our John Legend night out.

I didn't know much about John Legend before this show. I'd heard of him and read about him, but that's it. Whew! He's a sexy man. The white T-shirt gathering, what I could only hope was, sweet drippings from his fine frame did it for me. Made note of that for when I get to entertain a large audience: wet t-shirt=SEXY. May my tits still be perky at that point! I digress. No really... my favorite moments were John sitting alone at the piano singing. What a voice!!!

Alex on Bainbridge Island-a minus tide afternoon

Christian & Dashiel looking for sea creatures.

The meat is smoking and I'm getting hungry...

Guests are on the way to the Island retreat I get to share with Alex, Christian, & Dashiel. Me and Mister D played music this morning. He's napping now, I'm writing, Poppa is cooking and watching Tiger play golf, and Mamma's in the kitchen creating delicious edibles for our Father's Day bash. Happy Father's Day if you're a Dad! If not... enjoy this moment of you life anyway. You'll never have this day again.

Peace, Light, & A Ton of Love...

A Quickie...

Its been much too long since I posted, but that laptop, notebook, portable device is still on my list-and I have been living in true gypsy fashion. I don't have the time to tell all at this moment. Just wanted to post a quickie:

NYC was wild and sweet. I spent time with friends and reconnected with others. Always a good thing! I actually had to purchase a warm jacket there 'cause the weather wasn't cooperating with the wardrobe I had packed for this leg of the journey. It was a bit frustrating to add another piece to my overstuffed luggage, but I am grateful for the puffy jacket in Seattle where it keeps raining all the time. I'll squeeze in the details of all this roaming later when I can upload pix too.

Rehearsals for Cymbeline are going well. Working with my mentor again is magnificent. In fact, I must get going. I have a fight scene in the show and today is the day we review the moves. Ahhh, stage combat! I'd sorta forgotten how much versatility Shakespeare demands of the players.

Shine on!!! Check back soon for a more detailed update.

Another Chance to Shine & Share...

"All hell done broke loose now!" Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" is on my mind. I watched the classic again recently and was reminded of our power, not only, to change our own perspective, but to change that of others as well. Z Free (www.myspace.com/zaccai) and his friends gave me another chance to re-create how I present myself artistically. Yippee! The uber artist strikes again! Plant the seeds and watch them grow!

The Uber Artist doing his poetorial on The Verge-a soon to be released web cast.

There was amazing creativity surrounding me when I attended a taping of The Verge: a fantastic show of political satire, commentary, consciousness raising, fitness, and just plain silliness produced & hosted by Jomo (www.myspace.com/unseentheamericandream)- the million dollar Mister. Don't call him a Buppie!

Me, Producer, & Uber Artist... Grins supplied by self-timer madness and the high of a successful performance.

Gotta back track for a minute... Z Free, Jomo , & his bride to be, Nicole met up with me on Monday night at Bar Nun for an open mic 10 years running. It's a popular showcase for singers, musicians, & poets. My bro knows the host, so I was assured a spot to perform. Good karma was how I stacked that one, because I ran a jam for 5 years & know it's tricky to slide in friends. City vibe? Yeah!!! Mellow soul, Z. He, Jomo, & Nicole gave a little pep rally to soothe the uncertainty lurking in me. There was a lot of rappin' going on and I felt a little a bit folkie. Who me??? Yep. The message handed down: what you have to give is yours & the rest doesn't matter. Whew!!! Got me right out of self-judgement mode, although my heart was still pounding.

Open Mic at Bar Nun in the U Street Corridor-every Mon. night, 10 yrs strong!

Live performance has taught me how to utilize the energy of nervousness. It is ENERGY!!! The nerves usually show up when I enter new territory or have an extreme emotional response to an upcoming event. All the nervous cylinders were firing Monday night when I took the mic and rocked the house with my music!!! The shouts for an encore thrilled me. It was also a kick to hear audience members singing bits of the tune I presented, Let It Rain Love!

This brings me back to The Verge and the tapping session to which I was invited on Wed. evening. Major love fest. Sooo cool to be surrounded by creatives and spontaneous combustion! When Jomo informed me I was to be the guest poet on the show, the heat was on. When did I become a poet? Oh well... I did have some writing with me I hadn't yet unveiled. So on with the show!

Unseen, host of the show, in a Verge induced frenzy.

Hanging with The Verge crew: Jim, Z Free, 2 Word Dueling Dudes, & Unseen.

All these guys are gifted. They're exposing a whole community of artists and doing their own thing too! I was captivated by Jim's-the sound man- incredible art hanging in the warehouse. Amazing stuff! Typical artist, though: a load of talent and fresh out of business cards. So I have no idea how you can find him or his paintings other than in Baltimore. However, if you want to reach out to him, I'll find a way to connect you. Networking is the way of the World.

Jim's self-portrait

Exercise your power to change your perspective and create the life you wish to live! As Z Free said to me... What R U waiting 4?