Darryl Moss presents ‘Poetry Undressed’ on Feb. 29

Feb. 26, 2020 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – Many people know Darryl Moss as a key staff member in the office of Mayor Domenic Sarno, but many more know him as a poet and as the producer of a long-running showcase for both spoken word artists and musicians.

Moss’s “Poetry Undressed” shows have been presented for the past 12 years and his newest showcase for both local and national talent will be at 8 p.m. on Feb. 29 at Smokey Joe’s Cigar Lounge, 395 Dwight St.

Appearing at this show will be poets Tai Allen of Brooklyn, NY, Jamaal St. John of New Jersey, Iyaba Mandingo of Stamford, CT, and Ashley Rose of Boston. Malado will perform music.

Moss explained to Reminder Publishing he had been running open mic nights through Organic Soul. When his business partners left, he transformed the event into a mix of spoken word and live music, called “Poetry Undressed.”

The “undressed” part of the title refers to the adult tone of the poetry presented about love and relationships. He described the event as for “the grown and mature.” He said the poetry presented could go from rated PG to X. “The performers can be raw, but entertaining,” he added.

As a producer, Moss travels to venues in New York City, Philadelphia, PA and Boston to scout for talent. His idea in building a show is to match performers who complement one another.

“I look for artists who can feed on each others vibes,” he said.

He likened what the poets do to classic Mississippi delta blues: “gritty, but still smooth and mainstream.”

He said that each show has at least three professional performers, which he then likes to present with local people.

“We kind of like to mix it up,” he said. Moss presents shows about every six weeks.

The shows have built up a strong local following with sell-outs not uncommon. “It’s not an artsy audience,” he explained. “It’s a consumer audience. They want to see, hear, and experience something different.”

Concerning the musical performers, Moss looks for original material and has discouraged bands from playing covers of other artists’ work.

He noted that there are few places locally to experience such entertainment and praised Smokey Joe’s Cigar Lounge. “Venues like this are absolutely essential,” Moss said. He noted that in cities likeSpringfield, growing the creative economy is “critical.”

He added the audience appreciates that there is a drink and food menu available and cigar smoking is allowed.

“It’s a great place to meet people,” he said.

For the best seats, Moss advised audience members to arrive by 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 at the door and also online through PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/webapps/shoppingcart?mfid=1582225985285_5d2193a057547&flowlogging_id=5d2193a057547#/checkout/shoppingCart.

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