FLOW
Words on Water: Poetry and Jazz in Concert
Readings and Musical Improvisation
Thursday, February 11, 2016, 5 - 7 p.m.
Northcutt Steele Gallery, MSU Billings
Promotional poster by Patrick Mueller
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Tami Haaland (MSUB Professor of English, Montana Poet Laureate 2013-2015), John Roberts (MSUB Asst. Professor of Music), and their students presented a series of water-related readings and musical improvisations on Thursday, Feb. 11 in conjunction with the FLOW exhibition.
MSU Billings Creative Writing students Amelia Bacon, Desiree Kling, Thomas Mendenhall Sierra Parcel, and Sarah Williams wrote response to the works in the FLOW exhibition and researched poems from well-known poets that address themes of water. Each read a selection of these works. MSU Billings Music students Tyler Briceno (drums), Juanilla Chavis (bass) and Drew McDowell (guitar) accompanied by John Roberts improvised responses to each reading. Additional jazz selections were performed after the readings. |
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Still shots from performance
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Reading of Langston Hughes' The Negro Speaks of Rivers with jazz improvisational background and followup
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Tami Haaland is the author of two books of poetry, Breath in Every Room and When We Wake in the Night. A professor of creative writing at Montana State University Billings, Haaland chairs the Department of English, Philosophy, and Modern Language. She taught creative writing at Montana Women’s Prison from 2008 to 2013 and was instrumental in founding a writing-in-the-schools program for Arts without Boundaries. Her poetry has appeared in many journals and anthologies and has been featured on the Writers’ Almanac and American Life in Poetry. She was Montana’s fifth poet laureate.
John Roberts is an Assistant Professor of Low Brass Music at MSU Billings, with 18 years of experience recording and touring internationally with Soul, Jazz, World Music and Orchestral ensembles. He is active in the Montana, New York and Los Angeles Music scenes, most recently recording on the Hollywood Blockbuster, “Straight Outta Compton,” and is producing Jazz, World Music and Americana projects in Montana and Los Angeles. John is passionate about sharing an open-minded, real-world view of music performance, business and education with his students and the community.
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Amelia Bacon is a MSU-Billings senior in English Education. She is also a busy, motivated mother of two. She grew up near Dillon, Montana, with a rich involvement in ranch life as well as all outdoor activities. Her college career has allowed her to rediscover her love of writing, music, and the arts. She is eager to graduate and start her teaching career.
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Desiree Kling is a Sidney, Montana native getting her degree from MSU-Billings in English with an emphasis in creative writing. She hopes one day to become a successful writer and travel the world. Besides reading and writing she enjoys drawing, cooking, and anything that has to do with The Beatles.
Thomas Mendenhall is studying English at MSU Billings and hopes to pursue a career in writing and teaching because those are his passions. He is a Billings native. In his spare time you can find him binge watching Netflix, taking naps, and staring at a computer screen.
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Originally from Swan Valley, MT, Sierra Parcell is a senior seeking a Liberal Studies degree, focus in creative writing. In time that would be free, forgoing the drudgery of the 9 to 5 existence, this restless wanderer would create, write, and explore her way through different regions of the world. But, for now, she is content remaining in the moment.
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Sarah Williams is a junior at MSUB. She is studying English and History and greatly enjoys poetry as a creative outlet. She has lived in the Billings area for the majority of her life.