Music Greats Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston & Geri Allen Headline Cave Canem Benefit on October 27

BROOKLYN, NY, October 24, 2010 (Press-News.org) Cave Canem Foundation, North America's premier "home for black poetry" since 1996, will celebrate its first year in Brooklyn with an evening of exceptional music and poetry on October 27 at Pratt Institute's Brooklyn, NY campus. The benefit program will be held 8 - 10 pm at Memorial Hall, 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Musical greats Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, Geri Allen and Elliott Sharp will headline; and celebrated artists Eisa Davis, Pauline Jean, Margo Jefferson, Jennifer Miller, the Tracie Morris Band, muMs & Aurora and Cecilia Smith will round out the evening. A complementary online auction, featuring fine dining, original art and unique literary services, offers opportunities to support Cave Canem's mission to cultivate new voices in African American poetry. To participate in the auction and purchase tickets, starting at $40 for general seating, visit http://www.cavecanempoets.org/benefit.

"With this benefit event, we're celebrating our first year in Brooklyn, where we've been making new friends for Cave Canem and poetry. Though Cave Canem has been building a 'home' for black poetry for over 14 years, establishing our national headquarters in DUMBO, with space for readings and workshops, is exciting progress. We hope the community will come out to support us, meet members of our poetry family, and enjoy some great performances," said Toi Derricotte, Cave Canem co-founder.

Describing Cave Canem's place in the literary landscape, co-founder Cornelius Eady added, "Cave Canem is a metaphor for the history of African American poetry. Our programs embrace the formal, the slam, the political, the academic, the apprentice, the elder. Cave Canem is a space where poets can test who they are, and discover the traditions their voices are a part of."

Cave Canem's benefit is hosted by Pratt Institute; the Institute for Research in African-American Studies, Columbia University is Supporting Sponsor; and Adelphi University and The University of Georgia Press are Sustainers.

Cave Canem, founded in 1996 by poets Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady to remedy the under-representation of African Americans in writing workshops and MFA programs, has been advancing the artistic and professional growth of African American poets in New York City and nationally for 14 years. The organization has grown to become an influential movement with a high-achieving fellowship of over 300 and a renowned faculty that includes Inaugural Poet Elizabeth Alexander and Pulitzer Prize winner Yusef Komunyakaa. In October 2009, the organization moved its headquarters from Manhattan to DUMBO and expanded its Brooklyn-based programs.