Wild, Wild, Wild About Harry

Wearing a purple scarf  sporting a snowflake motif  — a item of clothing that must have some Bukowski-related sentimental value; if not, cool fashion choice for a summer night in L.A. — Harry Dean Stanton oozed charisma at the Charles Bukowski tribute on June 30th as he shared tales of his encounters with Buk and read from the great writer’s oeuvre.

Harry wrapped up his performance with a song (“Cancion Mixteca”) in Spanish, featured in the iconic film Paris, Texas (1984). In the Wim Wenders masterwork — written by Sam Shepherd — Harry Dean Stanton (as Travis) delivers a compelling monologue about his conception in Paris, Texas. Fellow performer Joan Jobe Smith was eager to meet the actor — because she was born in Paris, Texas. Hear Harry sing the hauntingly beautiful “Cancion Mixteca” at this link.

(Photo by Silver Birch, Los Angeles, June 30, 2012)

Danny Boy

At the Charles Bukowski tribute in downtown Los Angeles on June 30th, Dan Fante — novelist/poet son of writing legend John Fante — was a highlight of the event as a reader, raconteur, and poet. Dan explained that the venue held personal meaning for him — because from the building’s terrace he could view Angel’s Flight, the funicular memorialized in his father’s masterpiece Ask the Dust. Dan also shared other favorite nearby locations he’d visited with his father — including Pershing Square — and reminded the audience, “We are on Bunker Hill,” the site of hotel featured in Ask the Dust. Visit Dan’s official website here.

Another standout performer was Chiwan Choi, who read Bukowski’s poem “Twins,” which Bukowski wrote about his father’s death, along with an original poem about his father. Find out more about this brilliant poet here.

The evening ended with a touching version of “Danny Boy” by actor Harry Dean Stanton, who opened with a harmonica solo and sang with uber soul.

Bukowski Tribute, Downtown L.A., June 30, 2012

Silver Birch Press author Joan Jobe Smith will perform at a celeb-filled Bukowski tribute in downtown Los Angeles sponsored by Tongue & Groove on June 30, 2012.  Readers will also include Dan Fante, Harry Dean Stanton, and Rebecca DeMornay. Best of all…it’s FREE. For location, time, and other details, visit: www.grandperformances.org.

Artwork: Origafoundation

Author Spotlight: Joan Jobe Smith

COMING SOON FROM SILVER BIRCH PRESS…

Charles Bukowski Epic Glottis:

His Art & His Women (& me)  by Joan Jobe Smith

Joan Jobe Smith was born in Paris, Texas, then moved to San Francisco and eventually to Southern California. A go-go girl for seven years, she boogaloo’d live with Jim Morrison, the Ike and Tina Turner Review, and Dick Dale. Founding editor of Pearl and Bukowski Review, she received a BA from California State University Long Beach and attended one year of law school before receiving an MFA in writing from University of California Irvine. In 1974, she founded Pearl Magazine.

Since 1973, her poetry, stories, reviews, essays, and memoirs have appeared internationally in more than 500 publications as well as 21 published books of poetry, notably Jehovah Jukebox (Event Horizon, 1993, USA) and Pow Wow Café (Poetry Business, UK, 1998) and anthologies The Outlaw Bible, Literature and Its Writers, New Geography of Poets, Blood to Remember: American Poets on the Holocaust and The Best of California Women Poets.

Her many honorariums include US and UK arts council grants and a finalist post for the 1999 UK Forward Prize. With her husband, poet Fred Voss, she did five-whistle-stop poetry reading tours (1991-2001) around the UK — debuting at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and ending at the Hull Literature Festival. In 2011, Fred Voss and she headlined the Pittsburgh University Writers Festival and performed at the Long Beach Poetry Festival.

UPCOMING SUMMER READING DATES: 

June 30, 2012: Joan will read at the Grand Perfomance Tongue & Groove Tribute to Charles Bukowski in Los Angeles with actors Rebecca DeMornay and Harry Dean Stanton and poet/writers Dan Fante, Gerald Locklin, Jack Grapes and more. For more information, visit: www.grandperformances.org

July 5, 2012: Joan will appear with Fred Voss at the 2012 Humber Mouth Literature/Arts Festival in Hull, England, at the Hull Truck Theatre. Info available at: www.thisisull.com

July 13: Joan and Fred will read in London at the Betsey Trotwood. Get additional info here: www.thebetsey.com

Photo: Courtesy of Joan Jobe Smith