Jason Davis
From AZPoetrypedia
Style: JAD Poetry Camp Influences: Romantics, Tom Waits "Dirty", Metaphysics, Slam, Surrealism, Goth, Hippie Status: Active Poet / In-active Host
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Humble Beginings
JAD began poetry at the nefarious age of 15 in Lancaster, CA. Strangely enough founding his first poetry reading before ever becoming just a poet. In 1996 he moved to Arizona and discovered the Willow House Poetry Reading... then hosted by Karla Mccormick and shortly thereafter was passed the hosting duties. From such a young age till the present... the now middle aged man has been in a room every week listening, contributing, hosting, managing, innovating and supporting the spirit of poetry in all the many forms. In all accumulating over 12 years of experience of weekly hosting experience under his belt. Not to mention performing with and learning from hundreds of traveling and local incredible poets over the years.
Irritable Presents
One should be wary approaching this gentleman. He has spent so much time exposed to extremely diverse and radioactive poetry... that he will tell you.... with complete personal honesty... what he actually thinks of your poetry. Be Afraid!
Do not expect him to go along with everyone else to the bar after a poetry event. His poetry career started long before he could legally drink and he shared a space with AA, NA and CA meetings for years on end. Thusly tempering his attitude towards alcohol and drugs. So as to not being an attitude which supports the idea that being wasted is in any way cool or desirable. JAD as a poet has never subscribed to the Beat Generation/Drunken/Drug Culture variety in the poetry scene. Nor does he attend many if any of the after parties. He does however have a strong affection for many of the "Drinking" and "Smoking" poets in the downtown phoenix scene. If you're quick you might spot him having a beer at Bikini.
JAD & Slam
On extremely rare occasions he has performed at a slam. Once a thousand years ago at Essenza. Once in Glendale. Once at Mill's End and once as a stand in at a regional slam contest in Flagstaff. He's even run a half dozen small time slams here and there not really worth mentioning at his venues. His attitude towards slam and slam poets in general is in direct relation to whatever is currently going on in the slam scene at that particular time. Which is to say not completely hostile. Yet not overly willing to go cuddling, spooning or forking. As he will surely tell you... if he get's half the chance.
His poetry...
JAD's poetry... reflects his roots in a single page offered by a English teacher in a accelerated studies "bad kid" high school. Though really he wasn't that much of a bad kid. He simply ditched most of his freshman year. That single page listed the tools of poetry... and he carried it out of class into a park where he'd hang out with the pot heads, listen to Violent Femmes and role play spirit quests... before the dangerous "racially tense" suburban streets brought him to the shores of a coffee house owned by a former editor of Playboy from Hawaii and her long haired hippie musician boyfriend from Seattle.
His poetry confronts and tickles sanity, marches surrealist metaphor, enchants and disturbs till you're pretty sure you've really got no clue what he's saying... only ya know it's important and somehow you've changed somehow on the inside... maybe. You're not sure. Something just happened though... and you can feel it like an afterglow. Certainly it is to be certain you're not sure if you've came or went.
So many years of hearing the same poem out of a thousand tongues has made him concentrate in the only way he could in stemming the flow. The only viable way to fight against the common line, the emulated voice, the borrowed formula... was to steer away against all things by example. To respond to the poetry one hears from the host's chair. To do something different. JAD's poetry is extremely different. Bits and pieces of it stem from poetic tools learned from metaphysical poets, slam poets, hip hop poets, romantic poets like Wordsworth, Goth poetry, nature poetry, spoken word... until all you have flowing in your ears is the meat of a hundred thousand poetry readings... flirting and challenging your mind to listen. Only to laugh at you because sometimes you're not listening at all.
His work is entirely multi-dimensional speaking to an audience at varying stages in understanding the world around them. Carrying various veiwpoints and world veiws... and offering each something to relate or understand in their own way.
Published Works
"Razorslutz" Chapters 1-3
"Verbal Goo" Chapters 1-2
"The Sexuality Connection" Chapter 1
He has also producing numerous chapbooks for individual poets such as "Jonathan Standifird, Stephen G. Roy, Lisa Marie, Gen Hates Microphones, Cassiopea, Parris Butler ect.
Producing "Transient Tumbleweed" A COR reading collection for the poets in Lancaster, CA and the "Wrong Way @$$(*#@" Chapters 1-4 of the WHPR Collection. The Wrong Way series being a poetry book which sold good and well... far outperforming the sales of other poetry chapbooks with it's low price, high quality and completely ethical system of paying all contributors for their percentage of the work.
Paying Poets
While running WHPR and MCPR he paid out in a two year period over two thousand dollars to the large number of amazing local poets for their feature performances. While believing slam has considerably opened a lot of people's ears to poetry... JAD does not believe it has well provided for the community of poets it creates, uses and abuses before spitting out for the next crop. With that said and understanding that it may not entirely be true... JAD believes the poetry community both requires and deserves a place for those poets whom do not seek the limelight of a thousand spotlights, or are tired of the drama, intrigue and macaroni politics of the slam poetry scene. So with the available resources and support of the Willow House at the time he established paid weekly features primarily to celebrate many poets whom had fallen off the poetry scene for many years. Additionally providing new crops of poets with new influences and mentors in which to learn.
Events
Willow House Poetry
Twilight Nimbus
Mighty Cup Poetry Reading
Conspire Poetry Hour
After Dark Poetry
Speak Up (Guest Host)
Lancaster, CA Events
Poetry Nite at Hang N' Java (Founder & Former Host)
Cedar Open Reading (Founder & Former Host)
History;
Poetry Nite (Hang N Java) 1995-1996
In 1995 at the ripe age of 15 years old JAD stumbled upon a flier which promised a poetry reading. Deep in the suburbs of Los Angelos... which is to say the suburbs of the suburbs of the suburbs known as Lancaster, California. Finding no else arriving the young man asked the owner behind the counter if it was ok to read to the chairs. Only to find himself founding his first poetry reading. Within several weeks the Wednesday "Poetry Nite" was well established. Populated with young inexperienced poets... almost completely under the age of 18.
Willow House Poetry Reading (Willow House)...aka (WHOPR or WHPR) 96-98, 01-02, 04-08
Sometime in Late 1996 JAD arrived in Phoenix and was passed the hosting duties by Karla McCormick. For several months making no changes to the format of the reading which at that time took place in the Little Theater building beside the coffee house. Around 1998 he passed the reading to Olynn Wayne, only to return in 2001 just in time to save it from obliteration. Shortly after the poetry reading moved back inside the Willow House... after so many years of exile. There JAD re-established the business paying the host for running the event. Then began booking regular weekly features. On Halloween in 2002 the reading was passed to Stephen G. Roy as JAD moved back to California for a spell. On his return in 2004 JAD received the reading back from Stephen to finish his third and final term as host.
Cedar Open Reading 2001-2002 aka Cedar Open Mic
Founded by JAD in Lancaster, CA down the street from the original location of Hang N' Java. The Cedar Open Reading grew from a handful of attendees to three and sometimes four dozen, first in the cedar centre gallery, then in the cedar centre's large town hall and finally ending in a third building in the complex. The poetry reading was passed to Robert Jones when JAD left only to fall apart for several years completely before Michelle Nevarette one of the COR poets, reestablished it in 2008.
Mighty Cup Poetry Reading 2007-2008
Founded by JAD in Glendale, CA and passed to John Lynn who later moved it to Shot of Java when Mighty Cup strangely closed and did not close, it's still open even. Hence founding Feral Poetry in the Alley. Hence passed to Dani the current host.
Conspire Poetry Hour
Founded by JAD originally as the Willow House Poetry Reading refugee camp. Later fully established as the Conspire Poetry Hour. Passed to Anna Moncada the current host.
After Dark Poetry
A short lived attempt to bring the Willow House Poetry Reading poets back to the original location. Yet for many reasons doomed to failure... as the owners of the new business in the location were non-locals, considered the previous establishment to be full of "undesirable degenerates" and had heads full of suburban misconceptions about downtown phoenix. Amidst pressure from locals who still generally loathe and refuse to patronize the location out of respect, love and admiration of the Willow House of the past. Between that pressure; the sheer lack of experience of the owners in running a coffee house... clashes of cultures, misconceptions, lack of respect, general smiling face dishonesty on the part of the Hob Nobs establishment, and the request to shorten hours. The viability and worthwhile purpose no longer existed in an attempt to continue. Best put by Kiwi a former Willow House barrista, the new business inside the building which had been a sanctuary for all the cultures not considered mainstream in Phoenix had been like seeing your favorite punk friend post mohawk in a suit. While some individuals who are themselves more mainstream may not understand the decision to close the event. JAD himself having been raised in the suburbs felt it necessary to attempt to educate such poor narrow minded souls... and just like those individuals whom educated him over the years at the Willow House. He realized there was nothing more he could do then step away after sharing his piece. Sadly and stupidly the building which once had a healthy night crowd from 9 till midnight sits empty and dead after 8pm every night. Just like any other business in the suburbs, only it's not in the suburbs, it's in the city.
Other Notes:
In 2006, Jason and Anthology, Inc. Executive Director Bob Nelson organized a group of poets to participate in the inaugural Phoenix Area Parade of the Arts, creating a "float" and reciting poetry as they rolled through the streets of Phoenix. Jason produced black armbands noting the various venues of poets to show solidarity. While WHPR had a snazzy slightly scary black banner.
Jason has also sold chapbooks during "First Fridays" in downtown phoenix during the Moratorium on the arts. When it was still acceptable and legal to sell art on empty dirt lots without the need for licenses, permits or paying extremely high ($40+) in setup fees. Doing so while wearing another one of his other many hat's noting him in this case as a "Button Man". Where the mixture of long years of poetry and his art seem to merge well in creating original phrases. His First Friday offerings have expanded to two galleries and tabling locations... despite the ending of the moratorium on the arts. He now pays 63% commission to the two galleries on anything he sells and his patrons now must pay taxes on top of that. In no way shape or form does this make JAD very happy with the current culture of what can only be called idiots currently imposing their values, ideals and ham fists on individuals like himself who are trying to build themselves up from the ground floor. Until conditions change he will not be selling other peoples goods. Though he might suggest you sell at Fire House whose commission rate is only 23%. While Fire House has a long standing tradition of good will, acceptance and camaraderie with poets in the Valley. See Firestage
Since 2004 Jason has been attempting to make enough money thru the creation of objects, such as buttons, books, beads, boxes, paintings, hosting poetry readings etc with which to exist by his own terms. Such a intention was nearing sight during the moratorium of the arts to complete and total sustainability. With the suspension of that moratorium and the closing of the Willow House completely cutting all his long efforts by 63%. In the interest of success, the sheer necessity that drives innovation he does not have any other income except that which he receives from the sale of his created good and the services he offers in operating poetry events. He thinks it funny when people call him a coward.
As a surrealist he follows the slogan, "to free humanity from boredom". So he is completely and utterly against the current corporate presence and relationship in society. Yet primarily in the retail sector where warehouse structures have diluted and destroyed the livelihood of the common glass maker, potter, silversmith, printer, artist etc with the rest of society. He is totally disgusted with corporations creating "SAMENESS" everywhere he goes and destroying naturally forming politicians who used to arrive out of small businesses... and just don't out arrive at all from playing manager at Best Buy or Target. Having sat in a poetry host chair for so long... he cannot deny the truth of what poets have spoke and he has tested the logic of for so long.
Jason does not drive a car. He does not want to. Nor can he conceive of any reason why he'd ever want a car in the future. He does ride his bicycle proudly and enjoys the interaction with real-honest "good people" when taking buses.
