People’s Poetry Gathering
2003
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In 2003, the Gathering highlighted ballads and epics. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins, wrote an insightful essay on the ballad for The New York Times on the festival’s opening day; and we hosted a special conference and concert honoring Alan Lomax for his contribution to folk music and poetry. Sierra Leonean Kewulay Kamara, a member of the finenu caste of poets joined with jali musicians from West Africa for a performance of Sundiata. Acclaimed chanter of medieval epics Benjamin Bagby performed the Anglo‑Saxon Beowulf, and Kazakhstan singer Almasbek Almatov presented a stunning performance of the traditional epics of his homeland.
Selections from the 2003 Poetry Gathering Brochure (Forthcoming):
Recognition: An Epic
The Ballad Hunters: Sung Stories at the PPG
Points of View: A Global Salon/The Iliad and Postmodern War
Some Highlights:
-Epics and Ballads
-Folk Music in the American Century: an Alan Lomax Tribute
-Lyrical Campaigns: Celebrating the Legacy of June Jordan