The inaugural event for this new series of poetry and music performance events matches Sean Bonney and John James, two of the most exciting and energetic readers/performers of innovative poetry, with the new improvising duo, Grapefruits.

Sean Bonney has acquired a totally justified reputation as a poet and performer. His work is urban, political and therefore angry. The diverse voices of the streets and alleys of London come through in glorious waves of creative language, affirming through its rejection al nice acceptances. “Like getting a telephone call from the barricades, the Paris Commune.” That important! Most recent books: Baudelaire in English (Veer Books, 2008) & Document: Poems, Diagrams, Manifestos July 7th 2005 – June 27th 2007 (Barque Press, 2009). Sean Bonney runs yt communication with Frances Kruk and lives in London.

Grapefruits is a recent offshoot from the tremendous Bleeding Heart Narrative ensemble, and is Max Bondi and Oliver Barrett. Essentially they do improvised cello and piano. Textures are rich, sonorous, exciting, meditative, building up cities of sound to live within, compelling listening.

John James has been writing poetry since the 1960s. You can get most of his work in his Collected Poems (Salt, 2002). John James is a legendary poetry performer: direct, energetic and totally alive. His writing combines quick-witted and ever-alert verbal invention with a masterful relaxation and humour, and political and cultural passion. Sometimes urban, sometimes rural – always full of actual, delightful and obstreperous human life. This a rare London reading from the Cambridge-based poet.

Diverse Deeds is a new series of poetry in music events, each featuring two or three poets and a musician or two. The emphasis is on contemporary innovative poetry and music at least inflected by improvisation. Diverse Deeds succeeds last year’s successful afternoon Sundays at the Oto events, but now with an evening scheduling. No more cake for tea, unfortunately, but there will be information available beforehand and on the night on all the performers.