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On Saturday, April 9, 2016, the Arts High School Combo and some of Newark’s known and lesser known poets will team up for Our NewARK: Poetry & Jazz at The Newark Public Library, 5 Washington St. in the 4th floor auditorium. Hosted by Breya “Blkbrry Molassez” Knight, founder of the Breathing Poets Society, the program is 2:00- 4:00 pm and is free and open to the public. Featured poets include: Them Cloud Kids, Jasmyn Thomas, Sharnell Tull, J Read, Hendii The Singer, Leah Jenae Gaines, Sean Battle, Jaleesa McEachin, Margie “Mia X” Johnson and Starski.
The Arts High School Jazz Combo is currently made up of six students: Kendi Prowell on flute, Jalin Shiver on alto saxophone, Shamar McPherson on clarinet, Odalys Garcia on piano, Samuel Anozil on bass and Jamauri Ellis on drums. They have performed for WBGO’s Champions of Jazz Gala, the Panasonic Corporation, Prevent Child Abuse Newark Agency, the Newark FBI Headquarters, Senior Citizens venues in Newark, Essex Sports Club, Horizon Blue Cross in Newark, the Newark ACLU, the Newark DEA, the Department of Education in Washington DC, the Inaugural Jazz Summit at the United Nations, the Inaugural Ball for Mayor Ras Baraka and many local churches and venues.
The Jazz program at Arts High School is supported by several partnerships including the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, Jazz House Kids in Montclair and Jazz for Teens at NJPAC. Through the partnerships. The students have had master classes with well-known jazz artists, among them Don Braden, Tim Green, Antonio Hart, Mike Lee, Jimmy Heath and Jon Faddis.
Blkbrry Molassez credits her Weequahic high school English teacher Rob Hylton and the late poet and community activist Amiri Baraka with influencing her poetic pursuits. Her rhymes are inspired by the music of local women singers and songwriters Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Whitney Houston, Rah Digga, Faith Evans and Sarah Vaughan. She is a self-published author of three books and recently released her first poetic CD project City Limits.
