Second Thursday Spoken Word Series – June 13, 2024

Sponsored in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, Bloomington Arts Commission, and the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association

JOSEPH KERSCHBAUM’s most recent publications include Mirror Box (Main St Rag Press, 2020), Distant Shores of a Split Second (Louisiana Literature Press, 2018), and Midnight Sunrise just out from Main Street Rag Press. His recent work has appeared in Reunion: The Dallas Review, Hamilton Stone Review, The Inflectionist Review, Main Street Rag, In Parentheses, and Umbrella Factory. Joseph lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his family.

JASON L. AMMERMAN began his career as a poet in 1989 at the young and impressionable age of sixteen. He crossed paths with great poets who shared the stage with talented and earth moving poets like Etheridge Knight. During the 90s, Jason led many poetry readings in and around Indianapolis, becoming involved with the poetry slam scene in the late 90s/early 2000s. In 2008 He formed the Reservoir Dogwoods performance troupe along with poets Tony Brewer, Joseph Kerschbaum, and Matthew Jackson, and they have toured and performed in various configurations all over Indiana. Jason was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer in December 2022 and he Dogwoods had their final show in March 2024, which raised nearly $1000 for Man Up to Cancer, an organization for males who are fighting or have fought cancer. Jason is the author of three collections of poetry. His most recent through Chatterhouse Press is Battle Scarred. He is also the artist on the spoken word album Revival! Recorded and distributed through Perfect Mix Records. At present, Jason is completing several written and recorded projects.

TONY BREWER is a poet and audio artist from Bloomington, Indiana, where he is executive director of the Spoken Word Stage at the 4th Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts and co-producer of the Writers Guild Spoken Word Series and the Urban Deer Performance Series. He has published 12 books and chapbooks, including most recently Centaur (with Jonathan S Baker, Dark Heart Press) and Good Job, Lightning (Stubborn Mule Press). More at linktr.ee/TonyBrewer

KYLE QUASS and JULIAN DOUGLAS have been collaborating for 20 years. Across this time they have performed in many differing ensembles, co-led several bands, and worked on multiple recording projects. In the process they have formed their own unique shared language blending progressive jazz and contemporary world music. Releases on which they’ve collaborated include Kyle Quass’ Fractured and Julian Douglas’ Talafawa.