| |
A
few reviews of books, CDs, performances...
| Two
Million Years of Technology (my new one-man show)
|
| "Sobol
wields the English tongue like his saxophone, coaxing exotic,
melodious and profoundly poetic combinations of words into
the air...Sometimes he's a storyteller, sometimes he's a philosopher,
sometimes he's a beat poet or an a cappella singer, and sometimes
he's simply this really interesting and intelligent guy having
a chinwag with us, his audience friends." ****
|
Steve
Tilley, Edmonton Sun, 2005
|
"In
the expansive world of the Edmonton Fringe, there isn't
a known category for John Sobol. 2 Million Years of Technology...is
a tirelessly smart and rigorous blend of performance poetry,
history, lecture and political speech -- with a jazz intro."
****
|
| Todd
Babiak, Edmonton Journal, 2005 |
| Digitopia
Blues – Race, Technology and the American Voice
(Banff Centre Press, 2002) by John Sobol |
| “Digitopia
Blues is a cutting edge, highly recommended look at an American
popular culture of the future.” |
| The
Midwest Book Review, 2002
|
“Briskly
paced and superbly written, Digitopia Blues provides a lucid
account of the history of African-American music, a music
that has become, for better or worse, the world’s. His
book begs to be read, and what’s more, it begs to be
discussed.” |
| Martin
Turenne, The Georgia Straight, 2002
|
| "One
outstanding feature of this book is the infectious quality
of the author's passion for the music and poetry he writes
about...No mere pontificator, Sobol backs up his points with
pertinent references to the jazz canon - both the much and
the lesser known."
|
| Paul
Dutton, CODA Magazine, September 2003
|
Blue
History, The John Sobol Poetry Band (Word of
Mouth) |
| "His
is a spirit that loves to explode sounds and images, that can
deliver a palette of emotions, that alternates free jazz and
funk, platonic love and post-industrial delirium” |
Alain
Brunet, La Presse, 1991 |
"Sobol's
project is to be in the world but not of it; to revere sex
and despise whores; to be an 'anti-citizen' and member of
the the voluptuous world." |
Option
Magazine , 1991 |
|
The Salome Dancer an opera
by John Sobol (libretto) and Tim Brady (composer) |
“Breaking
the mould for innovative storytelling and multimedia art,
the audience left the theatre moved, stirred and thought-provoked.” |
| Kitchener
Record, April 27, 2005
|
AWOL
Love Vibe -- John Sobol, Alex Ferguson, Kedrick James |
| "The
truth is that AWOL Love Vibe is a three-man urban assault team
that will dramatically change the way you listen to poetry…Together
they form three points of an equilateral triangle. Each equal
in intensity, honesty and dedication yet each exploring the
extremes of vocal communication from a different vantage point…Like
the good-natured fools of yore, the three wise storytellers
mesmerize us with their amazing wordplay and good humour. They
incorporate everything you have ever seen or heard about poetry
and public performance, multiply it by the power of three, and
mold it into new polyvocal combinations."
|
| Paul
Breau, The Vancouver Gleaner, June 1996 |
"The
poetry's interesting when it achieves an epigrammatic kind
of clarity; but, it does lapse into (perhaps intentional)
incoherence" |
Judith
Fitzgerald, Toronto Star , 1997 |
| “The
opening night bouquet goes to AWOL Love Vibe, a rascally trio
of improv poets who created five minutes of extemporized poetry
on a theme provided by the audience. In this case the magic
word was “debris” and the three took turns creating
real, word-loving poetry out of the detritus of love.”
|
Vancouver
Sun, 1996 |
Bittersweet
Canada - Songs of the New Depression (Word of Mouth
records, JS producer) |
"One
of the most remarkable musical documents to emerge from Canada's
current recessionary doldrums...a proactive package of modern
protest songs."
|
| Canadian
Composer,1991 |
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