Yellow Door Cafe – Nov 14

8pm, the cafe is filling up, we’re selling lots of 50/50 tickets, yay, donation money for the House.

Michael Cavanaugh does the introductions and announces that we’re blogging live from the Yellow Door around the world.

Michael Cavanaugh leads off Cafe evening

Tonight’s feature poet is Linda Stitt, who facilitates an open mic event every second week at Windmill cafe on Sunday afternoons. She’s an accomplished poet with several poetry books published.

Linda Stitt, feature poet

Sophia kicks off the evening with an upbeat rock song, followed by a Jefferson Airplane song, then Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix.

Sophia, master guitar player

Denny takes the stage next to play a new song on the piano, Illusion. The song talks about how alike we all are despite the illusion, we are all sides of one.

Denny, piano player, composer

He plays a tune called The World is Wide & Deep next, more upbeat, lots of energy, reminiscent of a trolley song from Meet Me in St. Louis.  He follows this with One More Chance, a song of lost love looking for redemption and reconnection, very soulful, he takes risks with melodies never resorting to predictable keys or chords.

Bob Burke sings Are you Lonesome Tonight, to a gentle drum beat by Michael, then recites the remaining verses in a speaking, not singing voice, a very nice variation.

Bob Burke, Michael on drums

Nick Gurevich begins speaking about the publishing business in Russia many years ago. He reads his story from the latest newsletter called, My First Job, My Best Job.

Nick Gurevich reading My First Job, My Best Job

He suggests that maybe some audience members will not have a chance to see the on-line newsletter, so he doesn’t want to deprive the audience of this wonderful story, so he will read aloud for us.

The story speaks of the trials and tribulations of his first job in Canada.  His wry sense of humour is warmly received as his heavily accented voice makes each syllable an experience. Nick is a writer, so his story is especially poignant and articulate.  He explains a form of poetry to us called, Rubaiyat poetry, a four line poem whose particular rhyming scheme is aaba.

Nick tells the story of a time in his life when he translated 427 rubaiyats in 427 days and graces us with a reading of a few of  these love poems originally written by Omar Kayam.

Allan Sutterfield takes the stage.  Allan facilitates a writing class on Wednesday nights at 6 St. Joseph House. He recounts an incident from 1st year university about 2 roommates and proceeds to read the story he’s written about it called, Priztki’s New Car.

Allan Sutterfield reading Pritzki's New Car

An excellent reader with animated gestures and a thoroughly theatrical delivery, Allan has us right inside the story of his uptight roommate who takes them for a ride in his new car.  His reading is highly energetic, Arthur, Joe and Paul characters are written in strong southern dialect which he interprets passionately with physical gestures and theatrics worthy of a Tennessee Williams production.

Following the reading, Michael Cavanaugh draws our attention to the beautiful abstract artwork on the wall done by participants in Marguerita Citron’s abstract art class.

Marguerita Citron, artist and Gratitude workshop leader

Ted recites next, a beautiful poem called, The Embrace, a touching love poem. Daydream is next, great structure, followed by My Woman, a slightly erotic poem about beautiful woman he once loved.

Ted

Linda Stitt is introduced by Paul who 32 pieces about St. Nicholas Street is where he met Linda at a council meeting. Macgquiggan Hall will have 29 storey’s built on top of it, poems and paintings shared that evening. Open mic at windmill cafe 2nd sunday of each month. 3 features, a few guest performers.   First poem is called One, an exploration of the meaning of one in human terms and life realities.

Linda Stitt

I Like, is an assessment of things she likes in life, about herself, her aging body, life and. Bullshit, an extremely intense poem about the bullshit in culture, the newspapers, television.

A new take on Bullshit, a powerful poem

Michael Cavanaugh takes the stage, his Beatniks absent for the night.  Stars Fall From the Sky is his first song, very humourous lyrics which draw chuckles from the audience. Feral Creatures is his second song, about paranoia and reality, the lines blurring back and forth and the tricks of survival we adopt just to get by throughout our lives.

Michael Cavanaugh

Ernest Big Yellow Taxi with Michael on drums… the second song is a blues song.

Ernest sings, Michael on drums

MaryAnn sings an Anne Murray song called Can I Have This Dance for the Rest of My Life, a very tender rendition done acapella.  She next sings The Rose by Bette Midler.

Mary Ann

Steven takes the stage with his guitar, he sings about Misery with a powerfully wry sense of humour and biting cynicism.  He sings a Johnny Cash song, Fulsome Prison Blues.  Orange Blossom Special, a cheeky upbeat song.  His heavy Russian accent and voice brings some special to southern american songs about Baton Rouge.

Stephen Bayes, singer / guitar player