PUBLISHER’S COMMENTS:
I met Abiodun in 2004 when I was working on the phatLiterature, A Literary TV Program, which was videotaped at the Langston Hughes Library in 2004. We did a show about political poetry and I thought he’d make an interesting guest. When I contacted him, he was nothing what I expected . . . instead of this angry, rabble-rousing poet from The Last Poets, here was this kind gentle-man. Since I was interviewing him, I did some considerable research to prepare my questions, and was amazed by Abiodun’s background: born in Ohio, relocated to New York at young age; an activist who landed in prison and became an educator. Although he majored in biology, Abiodun began performing poetry in the late 1960s, which led to the recording of what many consider the first spoken word album in 1970 with The Last Poets. Amazing.
Who knew that ten years later he would ask me to edit and publish his first book of poetry, BRANCHES OF THE TREE OF LIFE, a compilation that was long overdue. It was great fun, a labor of love and a privilege, which I expressed in the afterword of his book.
What’s even more amazing is Abiodun’s voice, a rich baritone that in one moment spits out rhymes, and in the next, purrs and sounds like butter. When he embarked on his recording career and produced two CDs, it made perfect sense.
He’s now working on more books and more CDs, touring and teaching, and being true to himself, his beliefs and convictions. That, in a nutshell is who and what Abiodun is all about.
Vagabond is right: Abiodun Oyewole is truly the “Last Poet in Harlem.”
—Gabrielle David
