On her debut CD, poet Venus Jones uses rhythm and soul to take listeners on a series of journeys.
By JANEL STEPHENS
Published May 22, 2003
Venus Jones is on the cutting edge of Tampa Bay's spoken word scene. She's a three-time poetry slam winner and has performed at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Centro Ybor's Improv.
Now Jones has released a collection of her poems in a debut CD Venus (to Earth), a trip around the word.
Spoken word, a mixture of poetry and performance, regained its mainstream popularity in 2001 with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons' HBO series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry.
Jones' 12-track album begins with an affirmation, Flame, where Jones speaks about being in universal harmony, not looking for fame but instead "transmitting insight to ignite your flame."
She takes the listener on a rhythmic journey of dance in Dance with Time and talks bluntly on why it's okay to cry openly in Cry Out.
Jones assumes various characters in the album: a single mother struggling with her baby's father in I Need a Man; a waitress in a rush to get home to watch a Mike Tyson fight in Assistance; and an older woman who wants to let loose and dance in Dance with Me.
A native of Kansas City, Jones grew up in Akron, Ohio. She earned a bachelor's degree in communications and voice at the University of Akron. She has performed in plays and has done voice-overs for radio and television commercials.
The track Earth to Venus talks about the relationship between the planet Venus and Earth as well as Jones' relationship with society's standards.
"Venus is the only planet that rotates in an opposite direction from the Earth ... That's me," Jones says.
Venus Jones will have a CD release party for Venus to Earth at 8 p.m. Friday at New Place Multicultural Arts Center, 2811 N 17th St., Tampa. She will perform selections from the CD. The band MOD also will perform. The CD is $10 or $12 for an autographed copy. (813) 241-4706 or www.venusjones.com
