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Maurice Greenia, Jr. Collections
Poetic Express Volume 28

In 2013 I added quite a bit to this digital archive, around 700 image files.  It was another busy year.  It started with my participation in the exhibition Black Detroit 21 at the Work Detroit art space.  I did a new group of paintings and drawings for it.  Also, the first four 2013 issues of the POETIC EXPRESS were connected to and inspired by this exhibit.

The Spaceband was busy too.  This is my main musical project.  Jim Puntigam and I founded the band in 1998, fifteen years ago.  We went from a five member band to six.  Now there are nine of us.  Sometimes guest musicians are added.  We're known for mixing rare and unusual instruments with drumming, percussion, bass, keyboards, vocals and electronics.  I'm the main singer.  We perform in masks and costumes and utilize props.

Performances in 2013 included a set played live "on the air" at WHFR-FM and shows at the Free City Public Arts Festival in Flint, the Trinosophes Grand Opening concert, the Jam Handy Building and the Belle Isle Aquarium.

I visited New York in early August.  I got by the Louis Armstrong House and Museum, in Queens.  I also caught some live music and went to more museums.  I walked around a lot and got caught in the rain in Central Park.

I loved the animation history exhibit Watch Me Move at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  I spent a lot of time there.

In October, I turned 60.

The POETIC EXPRESS started its year  with poems about Youth/ the Younger Ones and Ancestors/ Elders.  In Number 2, I did a poem called Researches, in memory of Jayne Cortez.  She was an amazing poet and I got to see her perform live.  In Number 3, I did a poem called artist, for Charles McGee.

Numbers 11 and 12 included poems dealing with refuse, refusal, discards and recycling.  Number 15 was inspired by my annual trip to NYC.  Number 16 had a poem for artist Bill Traylor.  I saw an exhibit of his work on that trip.

In September, I published older poems.  Number 17 included The Cathedral of Time from 1995, and poems from June 8, 1997 and Halloween Day, 1998.  Number 18 included Battered Relics from 1990.

In December, the 27th annual Dedications Issue provided Prescription Number 3 for blues performer Son House, Crescendo for pianist Don PullenOn Grand Boulevard near Woodward for the people of Detroit, Rant for the amazing Nikola Tesla, muse for Charlie Haden and It Will Stop for Charles Mingus.  Haden and Mingus were both bassists and much more.

Personal Favorites included Researches in Number 2, Inventory 2013  in Number 9, Refusal in Number 12, failed state in Number 14, Darker Clues in Number 19, free map in Number 20  and testimonies in Number 21.

SURREAL THEATRE dealt with flying, being cold and hungry, a world alarm, wigs, conference, centering and extremes.  Favorites include the comics in Numbers 6, 14, 16, 20 and 24.

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