Clifton Joseph, John Sobol and Robert Priest

Clifton JosephClifton Joseph is a dub poet and performer who has appeared in various reggae and folk festivals.

He was an interviewer on TVOntario's literary programme, Imprint.

Working both individually and with fellow dub poets Lillian Allen and Devon Haughton, Clifton Joseph has been performing his poetry at clubs, universities, political and community events throughout Canada, and has appeared at international book fairs in London, England.

His poetry has its roots in the African/Black oral tradition, infused with reggae and other rhythms.

It appears in recorded and printed form, including the album De Dub Poets (VersetoVinyl, 1983), and the book Metropolitan Blues.

For more information on Clifton Joseph, see http://www.dubpoetscollective.com/cliftonjoseph.html

Photo courtesy of John SobolJohn Sobol is an interactivist working in oral, literate and digital media. He has played the sax for 30 years and performed poetry live for 20 years. He loves gigging. Over the years he has worked with many amazing poets and musicians and visual artists, whom he won't name-drop here, but whose wisdom he soaked up from the first. He started gigging steadily in 1979 at age 15 in Montreal, 4 late nights a week in a skid row parking lot off the Main, eventually leading to the inaugural gig at Les Foufounes Electriques. He has had many adventures since, far and wide, including the greatest - a family.

John has only performed in Ottawa a couple of times. Once in 1986 at Barrymore's with a band called Condition, which had the #1 album on Canadian campus radio at the time. Then in 1997 (also at the Mercury Lounge) with his poet-trio AWOL Love Vibe. That group was a pioneering ensemble in Canadian spoken word history, performing extensively between 1993 and 1997 in Europe, Canada and the USA.

John now lives in Ottawa.

For more information on John Sobol, see http://www.johnsobol.com

Photo courtesy of Robert PriestRobert Priest is the author of fifteen books of poetry, 3 plays, 2 novels, lots of musical CDS, one hit song and many columns for Now Magazine . His words have been debated in the legislature, posted in the Transit system, quoted by politicians, and sung on Sesame street. AKA Dr. Poetry HIs latest book is: Reading the Bible Backwards (ECW)

For more information on Robert Priest, see http://www.poempainter.com

The A B Series gratefully acknowledges the support of The Canada Council and The League of Canadian Poets for this event.