Going Underground for Some Rap and Roll

Photography by Paparazzi Paul

An atmosphere of joy and excitement filled The Origins Gallery in Stroudsburg, PA as an evening of musicians and rap artist unfolded on Friday April 29^th as part of their Underground Series. The anticipation felt by the large gathering shared grew to fever pitch when the gallery's Director, Jody Singer, came upon the stage to share his welcoming remarks and news of what will be presented at the venue in the future. He was followed by the appearance of the event's host, Danny Ferron, who also shared his welcoming and appreciative sentiments before introducing the first performer.

The rapper, ONEmanSHO (aka Davey Beacher), took the stage and immediately began to his move words through the esoteric corridors of the mind until they were blended into one another to form a garland of perceptions. His performance was enhanced by recording of his own voice which formed a self induced duet until a gentleman, whose name I neglected to retrieve, joined Mr. Beacher adding his voice to the singular chorus. ONEmanSHO (aka Davey Beacher) has been performing since 2004 and has recently released his 5^th CD titled, “The Jewprint.” You can learn more about ONEmanSHO by exploring his Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/onemanshofanpage/?fref=ts

ONEmanSHO was followed by C-Rock (aka Chris “Cee Rock” Roberts) who performed a number of original compositions along with some songs written by other artists. Regardless of their source, Mr. Roberts' blending of the attributes of each song with his life experience created a concoction whose consistency and depth formulated a poetic communication with the soul through their conveyance. C-Rock (Chris “Cee Rock” Roberts) has and continues to perform in various venues in Northeast PA and beyond. He currently has his CD titled, “Common Cents” available for purchase and will be releasing another compilation of his songs in the near future. You can learn more about C-Rock (Chris “Cee Rock” Roberts) by exploring his Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/crock113officialmusic/?pnref=lhc.

C-Rock (aka Chris “Cee Rock” Roberts) was followed by the evenings featured performer, K-Oz (aka Rafael Martinez), whose raw emotion and passion moved the room to gentle laughter and thoughtful tears. Through his rapid fire delivery of the words he rapped, Mr. Martinez expanded the perceptual scope of the audience by instilling within them the power of listening to that one (uni) song (verse) played upon the orchestra of the soul. The meaningfulness found in Mr. Martinez's performance is drawn upon his continued battle with Tourrette's syndrome which has formed a desire to better the human experience through his life's course. You can learn more about K-Oz (Rafael Martinez) by exploring his Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/kdashoznj/?fref=ts.

As K-Oz (aka Rafael Martinez) concluded his performance, a break ensued while the band for the evening prepared their set. A great deal of conversation filled the room as many sought to learn more about the artists that performed up to that point, their music, and what inspired them. A number of delicious snacks were available to be consumed and they were devoured with great eagerness and delight. It was soon time for many to retake their seats as the band was ready to play.

The band known as “Azure” consists of Jazz Ortiz on vocals and guitar, Victor Velez on guitar, Andrew Baer on drums, and Lauren Bruckstein on guitar and keyboard. The mesmerizing tones of the musicians transcended the riffs and melodies of the classic songs they performed. A deep understanding of the material permeated the high school aged musicians and transformed those who remember where they were when they first heard each tune through the transmutable qualities embodied in their approach to the compositions. You can learn more about Azure by exploring their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/AzureBandPA.

As Azure concluded their performance, Danny Ferron took the stage to share his appreciation to those who performed and to the audience who were present. It was at this time did he bid farewell to the gathering and its members proceeded to follow suit by expressing those sentiments to one another. It was a great evening filled with fantastic performances, tasty treats, and good company. A communal desire to experience similar events in the future touched the hearts of those who were leaving. But, until these events arrive, you can view photographs taken during the first installment of The Origins Gallery's Underground Series in our Going Underground for Some Rap and Roll Gallery at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154828027178761.1073741967.91146283760&type=3.

The Origins Gallery's Underground Series was a collaboration between the venue and Danny Ferron who is an advocate for those afflicted by Tourette's Syndrome. It is a condition from which he suffers and he has created the documentary film titled, "My Life My Story My Tourette's.” The film is currently being shown in a variety of venues and festivals throughout Northeastern PA and beyond. You can read the article we wrote regarding a screening we attended titled, “A Life Touched by Tourette's” at www.facebook.com/notes/the-forwardian-arts-society/a-life-touched-by-tourettes/10154270979088761.

In addition to their their Underground Series, The Origins Gallery holds gallery exhibitions throughout the year. Their next exhibition will be their Outta Space Exhibition featuring the work Cat Burbage and local artists. The Artists' Reception is scheduled for Saturday May 6^th beginning at 6pm. The venue also holds a number of special events like classes and workshops, their Last Minute Monday Series, festivals (such as The Forwardian Film Festival which is scheduled for May 14^th and 15^th featuring original cinematic works), and their Below the Surface: An Arts Experience Series (such as the one scheduled for Wednesday May 18^th beginning at 6:30pm featuring Lobo Marino) are presented. They are quite enjoyable and I hope to see you at many of them.

The Origins Gallery is located on the lower level of The Gamers Edge Comics and Games Store www.facebook.com/TheGamersEdgeStroudsburg?fref=ts which can be found at 580 Main St. in Stroudsburg, PA. The Origins Gallery is a contemporary arts gallery within the Pocono Art District having one of the highest and fastest sales records in the Stroudsburg area, provides a space to those who teach the arts to those who would like to learn from them, and continues to do everything with the local community in mind. You can learn more about The Origins Gallery and view images and videos of the event taken by members of their staff and others by exploring their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/OriginsGalleryStroudsburg or their Website at www.originsgallery.org.