The Echo Lounge is a celebration of artists and art. Each show features one artist. It can be an author, actor, musician, painter, etc. and consists of an interview that explores not only the featured guest's life and work, but also the artists and art that influenced him or her.

The Echo Lounge featuring John Trudell

Because there is no way to fast forward or rewind, I inserted tracks into the show. A new track occurs about every 10 minutes, and a new track does not necessarily indicate the beginning of a song or the return to the interview. The tracks are there in case you navigate away, or would like to hear a section again, but don't want to listen from the beginning.

The Echo Lounge is currently audio only. Future shows will be in video

I've been listening to John Trudell for more than 15 years, and I still find it hard to describe what he does. Artists are usually identified by genre, but John Trudell doesn't fit into a single category and that's why so many adjectives usually preface or follow his name (poet, songwriter, lecturer, actor, etc.). Yes, he's an artist, but he's really a philosopher, one who writes in lines and communicates in song.

In the classroom, the effect Trudell's poetry has on students is profound. In the course evaluations I give at the end of each course, Trudell is consistently listed a favorite writer studied, but perhaps more impressive is the fact that 13 weeks have passed from the time we read Trudell's work and when the course evaluations are given. Students don't forget his name and they don't forget his work, and neither will you.

If you're not familiar with John Trudell, Lines from a Mined Mind is a great place to start. This book is a collection of all of the lyrics/poems from the 11 CDs he's released over the past 25 years. There is also Trudell, a documentary that is often shown on PBS and the Sundance channel. If you are interested in learning more about the "mined mind" Trudell speaks about in his poems and during our interview, DNA, a recorded lecture he gave in 2001, explains it.

We started a discussion board and we look forward to reading any comments you have about the show, or anything. The board is open to discussions on any topic, and we're hoping the board will become popular because we'd like to invite the artists who do the show to participate in forums and perhaps hold workshops.

To really appreciate John Trudell, you need to see and hear him speak. We want to thank MothersWorldMedia and JohnTrudell.com for allowing us to use thesevideos. MothersWorldMedia has a number of John Trudell's clips on YouTube and even more on their website mothersworldmedia.

Give Love Give Life is an organization founded by Marcheline Bertrand and John Trudell.

The following is from the GiveLoveGiveLife website:

Give Love Give LifeWomen and Children First!

National Health Insurance for the Women and Children of America.www.givelovegivelife.netGive Love Give Life is an attitude focused on the health of women and children, about what we have in common - women and children. This is not about our differences - political, class, racial or religious. This is not about whether we are from the left or from the right. This is not about whose fault it is. This is not about whose medicine is the best.

This is not about our differences. We all have our differences. Give Love Give Life is about what we have in common. Too often in the chaos of the world we are in, there seems to be a programmed focus on our differences, and this focus on our differences is perpetually being emotionally manipulated to the point that we no longer remember what we have in common. We are human beings. It is time to think together and show responsibility to the women and children.

If you are in agreement with this issue, please add your name to the people who get it.

Thanks to PhilosopherSeed.org we have a video clip of John Trudell speaking about GiveLoveGiveLife.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

. . . Joseph Marshall III, author of Long Knives are Crying and Grammy Award winner, Larry Mitchell.