Jazz

As WUSF jazz lovers know, this format is easy to recognize but hard to explain in words. Jazz evokes strong emotions and allows for creation while honoring its great founders. Thanks to Brand Manager Warren Buchholz, the jazz scene in the Greater Tampa Bay area is more accessible to our audience.

Singer, composer, and creator Ona K envelops you in a mist of beauty.  With the sensuality of her voice, the elegance of her compositions and arrangements, her powerful aesthetics, and the strong community of musicians she has created around her music, she moves the listener’s soul in a way that they will always remember.

Her music pushes stylistic boundaries. It is born in the roots of descriptive cinematic music, connected to poetry (in English and Spanish), with a voice and arranges that navigate between r&b, and jazz, and a string quartet that is rooted in her classical origins. 

Born in Barcelona, having lived in Spain, India, United Kingdom, and Austria, Ona K describes herself as a migrant bird. In her travels, she has performed to critical acclaim in venues and festivals across Europe and the United States, winning several national and international awards. She is in the process of releasing a new full-length album, FULL NEW LUNA, coming soon.

ERG is a new ensemble exploring the intersections of composed and improvised creative music. Four of its five members are SHIM alumni and include David Pate (saxophones & flute), Tom Kersey (cello), David Manson (trombone), TJ Glowacki (double bass) and Jim Stewart (drums). Their collective experiences include the free spirit of SHIM, experimentalism of BONK and groove and grittiness of Zappa repertoire band Bogus Pomp. For more information about ERG, see https://emitseries.org/erg

They recently performed a concert in collaboration with the The Dalí Museum entitled "where ideas come from: creating music with ERG" where improvisation, collaboration and composition merged in an exciting interactive concert with audience members and new music group ERG. Dr. David Manson hosted an "instant concert" asking audience members to contribute motifs and moods, then quickly conferring with ERG musicians on the spot to produce music.

Spoken Word Poetry

WUSF and Arts Axis Florida is proud to host the Spoken Word Poetry Video Series in the WUSF Performance Studio in Tampa, Florida. This video series highlights local Florida spoken word and slam poets as they perform up to three original poems. Spoken Word is co-presented by The Blunt Space and powered by Community Foundation Tampa Bay.

QuinKillin' is a born and raised Miami, Florida poet who currently resides in Daytona Beach, Florida. They are currently the 38th nationally ranked Womxn of the World Poetry Slam. They participate in slams all around the country and are a graduate student of Stetson University's MFA Creative Writing program with a focus in Expanded Poetry. Other than being a full-time educator, part-time blerd, a part-time bad ass, and non-binary baddie, they are also the creator and co-founder of the non-profit organization, The Blunt Space Inc. If they're not performing poetry or teaching, they are voguing and dancing in ballroom.