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The Fat Man” Cometh
POETRY SINGS THE BLUES
Celebrating FATS DOMINO’s Birthday in Poetry and Song
February 25th @ 1 pm – 4 pm
RIDGEWOOD – Poets, musicians, a Southern-style chef, fans, and anyone else who’s interested or curious, will gather Saturday, February 25, at 1 p.m. at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church (271 Lincoln Avenue at West End Avenue) for “Poetry Sings the Blues.” The festival will celebrate the life and music of Fats Domino, the legendary rhythm and blues performer who shaped early rock and roll, upon his 84th birthday.
All poets are invited to attend and read their works on the blues and R&B themes, and drop-in musical performers are welcome. A free-will offering will aid ongoing post-Katrina relief in New Orleans, where Domino has been a lifelong resident of the devastated Ninth Ward. The event follows New Jersey poets’ successful tribute to Elvis Presley at the same church a year ago.
The featured poets are James Gwyn of Clifton, first prize winner in the 2008 Allen Ginsberg poetry contest and recipient of five Pushcart prize nominations, and Francesca Maximé of New York City, a TV host and journalist and author of “Rooted,” a forthcoming book of poetry.
Musical tributes will be performed by the Victoria Warne Band and special guest, pianist Joe Sabina. Warne, a songwriter and the lead singer and guitarist with her band, has performed at the JVC Festival, many other New York area venues, and internationally.
Chef Jesse Jones, winner of Bergen County’s Ultimate Chef competition for 2010 and known for his Southern cooking with a French twist, will honor Domino with a demonstration of Voodoo Shrimp.
Antoine (“Fats”) Domino Jr., born February 26, 1928, was the major bridge between Southern black rhythm and blues and early 1950s rock and roll. Unlike many rockers, he co-authored almost all his pieces, sung with a distinct Creole inflection, while accompanying himself on piano with a much-imitated rolling style.
Domino’s first nationwide hit, “The Fat Man” (1949), is generally regarded the first rock record to sell more than a million copies. He posted a remarkable 37 singles on the Top 40 charts, including such huge sellers as “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill,” “I’m Walkin’,” “I’m in Love Again,” and “Blue Monday.”
