Poetry and music with a dance twist in Sedona on Apr 1

Mighty Minstrels are comprised of three Sedona poets - Gary Every, Jen Valencia and David Vincent Mills - are among those bringing poetry and music back together, but with a twist of heir own. The three have formed a performance group, which they've named honoring the Renaissance poet-minstrels, troubadours, and storytellers.

Most of the poetry is provided by Valencia and Every - Mills says he is just beginning to come into his own as a poet.

Hillary Moore has known and collaborated with Mills and Valencia since 2003. She will bring a dynamic twist to the evening's performance by adding improvised dance to the Minstrels' words and music, enhancing the stories being told.

Los Angeles choreographer and dancer Hillary Moore will be joining the Mighty Minstrels team for a special show in Sedona on April 1st at 7:30PM on the stage at the Old Marketplace, next to the Martini Bar and Ravenheart Coffee.

Mills and Valencia are a husband-wife team that came to Sedona from Temecula, Calif., outside San Diego, in April 2006.

Every came coincidentally in April of 2006 from Oracle, Ariz., near Tucson.

By August that year, the three had met at the NORAZ sponsored poetry Salon at the Well Red Coyote bookstore in West Sedona.

They combine the music of David Vincent Mills on piano and sound effects with the poetry by Gary Every and Jen Valencia, and create a dynamic experience by touching upon subjects ranging from the origins of the Blues, Native American mythology, enlightenment to the comedic. They continually search to create a fresh blend of music, poetry, and eventually expanding into other art forms.

Musician David Vincent Mills considers himself primarily a jazz pianist, however his skills and knowledge of a variety of musical styles and instruments becomes evident as one listens to him perform. As a part-time poet, he appreciates "spoken word," and his inspired sounds and music enhance that vehicle for the poets to launch their work.  Mills is one of the most sought-after keyboardists in this area.

Award-winning poet and short story author Gary Every brings together his love for ancient and unique modern mythology, bizarre true stories and wild sense of humor as he merges reality and story telling in poetic form.  Every is arguably one of the most published poets in America today, with more than 1,000 pieces in print.

Artist Jen Valencia adds her own independent variety of poetry and sound to the group. One of the most active female voices in Sedona's rich poetic scene, she sees the world slightly askew from the rest and gives the listener quick snapshots of her reality.  "We've discovered that our poetry changes with the music," says Valencia. "The music starts to interlock with the poems. It takes up the spaces between the words. Poetry is about efficiency. The music is based on each poem, so every phrase, every word, has texture and life. The poems shift and change and grow. With a dancer, it will only add so much more."

"This can get wild," says Every. "We plan on being flexible and letting the energy of the audience guide us. So it becomes a conversation between the Minstrels and the audience."

Mighty Minstrels recently celebrated a successful CD release show for their first CD, Introducing Mighty Minstrels. Their CD will be available for purchase at the performance and at Well Red Coyote Bookstore. For each show they plan on incorporating new material and creating unique shows in the future, many times by featuring guest artists, poets and in this show, a gifted improvisational dancer.  To hear their unique blend of music and poetry, visit:  http://www.myspace.com/mightyminstrels.

The show will be held at 1350 W. Hwy 89A in Sedona on the stage at the Old Marketplace, next to the Martini Bar and Ravenheart Coffee. Stay afterwards to participated or just enjoy the open mic that happens every first and third Tuesday starting at 8:30PM. No Cover.
 

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