Big talent in Brooklyn living rooms

Samantha Thornhill

There was standing room only at the premiere Up Close Open Mic last night. Organizers and roommates, Samantha Thornhill and Sunshine Zerda from Brooklyn Bodega, welcomed the packed crowd with big smiles calling Cafe Nijasol an extension of their nearby living room. And It might as well have been with all the loving familiarity flowing through the cafe. But then again, it's not you're average living room that boasts world-renowned poets and musicians playing atop a coffee table or the arm of a chair. When that happens, you know you're in Brooklyn.

First time readers were urged on with blessings from the crowd and then wowed with confidence and talk of identity. 1999 National Poetry Slam Champion, Roger Bonair-Agard silenced the space with a sharp-tongued poem on the many meanings of his name. Saxophonist Stacy Dillard and bassist Diallo House played two jazz tunes, one composed by each player, and in an instant what was becoming a slam turned to something of a sultry club. 

Kevin Coval

After a short intermission the night's featured artists took the stage and made it known this was no casual get-together. Louder than a Bomb founder and HBO's Def Poetry Jam regular, Kevin Coval was in from Chicago to tell tales of Chuck D and making mixed tapes. He read mostly new pieces written about hip hop legends and turned poetry to music, making words melody and beats the space between them.

Vanilla Ice was called out and the soldier in Tupac was honored with goose bumps on everyone's skin. In his black on black Cubs hat, Coval congratulated New York on buying another World Series Championship and got the crowd all sorts of rowdy. But then called Jay-Z's performance, swagger and on-point representation of the big city a big dose of "oh shit" for the Phillies and everyone was on his side again.

After the rise of his first two collections of poetry, Slingshots: A Hip Hop Poetica and Everyday People, Coval has no doubt joined the ranks of second city's finest poets. Speaking to the struggles and beauty of regular folks, the warm but tough nature of the city of big shoulders and what it is to grow up with hip hop pumping through your suburban boom box, Kevin Coval makes a good Brooklynite, even if it's just for the night.

Quetzal Guerrero

Quetzal Guerrero makes another fine adopted Brooklyn boy. The Arizona-native started with a violin piece that bends traditional ideas of what the instrument is meant to be. But after studying the it since the age of four it's no wonder he can shape the sound into anything he wants. Guerrero does the same thing when playing guitar and singing. Influences from jazz, salsa and soul lay the foundation for his sound that bridges myriad styles.

Guerrero has put out five records to date including The Acoustic Album and Vamos Conversar (EP) which were both released on Yoruba Records. He was signed to the label after gaining the attention of DJ and producer, Osunlade, at the Winter Music Festival in Miami in 2004. Guerrero's newest album Now was released this year in the United Kingdom by the same label to excellent reviews.

Quetzal Guerrero ended the night with a cover of D'Angelo's 'Spanish Joint' that had the audience pulsing and invited Stacy Dillard, Diallo House, Samantha Thornhill and Kevin Coval to the stage to bring it home.