September Heat

Our first Tues in September took off with a bang! Several regulars and returnees showed up as special surprise guests, as well as a handful of "virgins" performing for the first time on our stage - including not one, but TWO females. A big deal for us because as you all know, we have primarily had gentlemen poets for several months now. We're feeling more confident than ever about the increasing presence of the ladies at our ever expanding night on Tuesdays at the Vortex in Downtown LA. Check it out!

Pasadena Poet Patrick Thomas swung through
for a second time to the open mic.

Hype Hustle Artist Megan Heavlin Ochoa
brought some hot and heavy tunes to match the heat of the night.

Painter/Muralist Eloy Torrez surprised us with a second visit to Soulophonic -
his first being at the very start of the open mic back in March of this year.
His original music, as well as his paintings are just super.

Cal Arts Senior Scott Oshima reading from his little red notebook.

Old School DJ in residence, Dan aka DJ 5 min, D Thrice.

The Lovely articulate and profound
Poetess/Writer Xitlalic Guijosa Osuna
making her first round at Soulophonic.

2 weeks in a row we were Blessed to have
Poet/Singer Roger Nduku "break it down."

Group Improv from left to right: Film Maker Louis Easton, Host Mataji Booker, Soulophonic team member Mark, Patrick Thomas and Hype Hustle's Phil Irwin.

East LA's Bus Stop Prophet bringing the love, wisdom and
inspiration his performances are known for.

Members of the audience watching Bus Stop Prophet.

Soulophonic Host Mataji Booker

Poet Sammy rockin' it.

Parou Banayan came by to check out the open mic and
couldn't resist coming up to read a poem from his phone.

Hype Hustle's Danny Reaume & Phil Irwin

dropped by with one of their artist's Megan Ochoa.

Phil Irwin

August Highlights

The last Tues in August....

Impromptu performance with beat boxer Joshua Silverstein
who came just as we were about to end the night.

Opening the night with Group Improv madness.
Topics: "The Cat at the Door" and "Hunger".

First time performing on the Soulophonic Stage:
Roger, who found out about us from our friends
at Corazon del Pueblo.


Spoken Word maverick Jason Michael aka 23 Skadu:
also a first timer at the open mic.

The Usual Suspects: Mataji Booker [above]
and Zsoveonne [below]

Working them there loop pedals.

Boyle Height's Dez Hope [Anthony Mendez]: featured artist
for this month's Acoustic Night. 8/23/11

Riel Paley performing a brief excerpt
from his one man show "Antiman".

Featured poet of the night, Sammy
representing "Corazon del Pueblo."

Host/MC Mataji Booker

Soulophonic founder Tito takes to the stage

Group Improv fun.

Zsoveonne in fine fashion form

Robyn "Ro" Smith getting cozy on the stage:
It was a hot night, and she was reading some hot,
passioned filled poetry if you know what we mean.

Starky Gonzalez doin' his thing, reading some of his super social conscious poetry.

The night's Group Improv Poem set
included the topics: Freedom & The Sea

Lindsay Smith, Zsoveonne, Mataji Booker & Starky Gonzalez.

Singer/Songwriter Lindsay Smith and a friend on percussion.

Lindsay Smith was joined by her sister Robyn, a Yoga teacher during her last few songs she did an improvised Yoga flow it was A M A Z E to the i-n-g !

TIGHT!

Lindsay Smith Rocks our first official Acoustic Night at Soulophonic!

Acoustic Singer/Songwriter Lindsay Smith rocks the mic
as our featured Musical Act of the night!

Guest DJ Mbela aka Abstract Butta Fingers

First timer Patrick Thomas

Robyn Smith performing some empowering feminine poetry

Anthony Valdez venting it out!

Darius Shipp

Dead Poet MC dropped in last minute to flow.

[DA Collective/Tercer Quetzal]
Conscious Hip Hop duo Owen Martinez and Mauricio Gomez
stopped through last minute: Always a nice surprise.

Next time I'll get a better photo!

Teen Night, July 2011

Lulu Favela (above), and Joy Woo (below), came down to
rehearse poems to be shared at an upcoming Step Up Showcase.

Xochilt Lopez, Elisa Contreras (far right)
and reps from Wilson High shared with us the inspiring story
of how they have been raising money, against heavy odds, to
fund themselves and other students for a super educational
trip to various parts of Mexico later this year.

Performer Anthony Minton stepped in to help DJ
from my laptop when the DJ couldn't make it.

Jason P., a second year student at Northridge came down
to share his culturally aware and social conscious poems.
We challenged him to memorize them for next time!

Alexis, on stage for the first time since she fainted on stage
when she was 5! - singing Selena Gomez accapella whilst
reading the lyrics from her iphone!

Soulophonic returnee Anthony Minton performing
two moving acappella rendention's of Justin Beiber & Kings of Leon.


It was an acapella night....

We closed the night out with our traditional Group Improv Poem. The audience threw out the topics "Techonology" and then we also did a poem about the "Beach." Ages ranged from 7 on up!

The perfect finale: Huitzil showed up just before we
closed shop and sang some seriously fly original reggae tunes.


Another beautiful night in Downtown LA...