renaissance negresse museletter/catalog February 7, 2012

art | inspiration | community

brought to you by Cassendre Xavier

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
1) WHO IS THE RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
2) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL UPDATE
3) WOMEN’S WRITING & SPOKEN WORD SERIES UPDATE
4) WRITING/LITERARY UPDATE
5) RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE CATALOG
6) BOOKING/CONTACT (HOUSE CONCERTS, PRIVATE/PUBLIC/CORPORATE AND/OR LITERARY EVENTS, ETC.)

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1) WHO IS THE RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE?
Haitian/Chinese-American multi-media artist Cassendre Xavier coined the term "renaissance negresse" in 2002. A musician, writer, actress, andvisual artist, Xavier (who sometimes works under the names Amethyste Rah and Amrita Waterfalls) says the term describes a black woman who is skilled or gifted in 3 or more arts. Xavier is a recipient of a Leeway Transformation Award for her work as a community cultural arts advocate, having founded and directed several Philadelphia arts initiatives including the Women's Writing & Spoken Word Series (Est. 2002) and the Black Women's Arts Festival (Est. 2003). She is originally from Brooklyn, NY and has resided in Philadelphia since 1990. ["Negresse, Negre: In the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean Islands, these words often have a connotation of affection, entirely non-racial in meaning. `Ma petite negresse, mon negre, are equivalent to `My dear, my darling, my sweet.'" [From Masters of the Dew, a contemporary classic novel by the Haitian author Jacques Roumain, translated by Langston Hughes and Mercer Cook.]

2) BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL UPDATE
For the latest news about the Black Women’s Arts Festival’s PARTNERSHIP WITH MOONSTONE, its PLANS OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA, and how you can SUPPORT THE BLACK WOMEN'S ARTS FESTIVAL, please read our latest Newsletter (dated February 4, 2012, please visit http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/BWAFphilly/message/4315 or http://tinyurl.com/6rl4xxz.

3) WOMEN’S WRITING & SPOKEN WORD SERIES UPDATE
For reasons similar to those stated in the Black Women’s Arts Festival’s latest newsletter listed in the previous section, the Women’s Writing & Spoken Word Series is on hiatus insofar as producing events until further notice, however we are still archiving the various video and print materials we’ve gathered since 2002. Please visit http://www.WomensWritingSeries.homestead.com or stay tuned to CX newsletters for further news and updates.

4) WRITING/LITERARY UPDATE
Cassendre is doing a lot of personal journal writing for self-actualization and the accomplishment of certain specific personal, creative, and professional goals. Currently she resigned from her monthly column commitment of Wisdom Magazine’s online edition. As with Skrewtips and the PGN columns, Cassendre’s columns ran roughly a year each. You may read archives of Cassendre’s Wisdom Magazine columns at http://www.tinyurl.com/CXWisdom.
When new items of Cassendre’s writing are available, they will be included in the renaissance negresse catalog portion of this newsletter.

5) RENAISSANCE NEGRESSE CATALOG
Below are the places where you can find Cassendre’s various works for free, for sale, in various print, and recorded formats. Enjoy and thank you for your interest in and support of the renaissance negresse!
Below is the section about Cassendre’s music. Here is a brief bio of her music: “Described as “a cross between Tracy Chapman, Sade & Enya” (Steven M. Wilson, Borders Music), Cassendre Xavier has been performing her brand of jazzy-soulful acoustic pop in a folk/rock style since moving to Philadelphia in 1991. Her CD Live at Tin Angel garnered the high praise from Philadelphia City Paper music critic M.J. Fine who said that had live albums been eligible, it would’ve been number 9 of the “Top 21 Local EPs of 2007” (Jill Scott was number 21!). She has shared the stage with folk/rock greats Cheryl Wheeler, Toshi Reagon, John Flynn, Charlie King, and Pat Humphreys, among others, and been featured on Power 99FM, WXPN, in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, among other local media. Also an award-winning community arts organizer, Xavier is the founder and one of the organizers of Philadelphia’s 6th Annual Black Women’s Arts Festival. Her 8th indie release Capable of Love was released in January to critical acclaim.”
MUSIC CDs
Capable of Love (2009)
Live at Tin Angel (2006)
Beautiful (2004)
The Cassendre Xavier Collection, Vol. 1 (2004)
Live at the Kraftbrau, Kalamazoo (2004)
4OUR: A Cassendre Xavier Sampler (2003)
Live at Café Improv (2002)
The Whittenberg Sessions (2002)
The above titles are all available from CD Baby at http://tinyurl.com/CXCDbaby
MUSIC DOWNLOADS
Capable of Love (2009)
Live at Tin Angel (2006)
The above titles are available from CD Baby at http://tinyurl.com/CXCDbaby
They are also available from iTunes at http://www.tinyurl.com/CXiTunes
GUIDED MEDITATION CDs
Affirmations for Survivors: Spirituality (2007)
Affirmations for Survivors: Self-Love (2007)
The above titles are available for $12 each or $20 for both (includes shipping in the USA). Send an email to cxmusic(at)gmail.com or send a blank self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Cassendre Xavier, POB 30204, Philadelphia, PA 19103-8204 USA to receive an order form.

PRINT AND EBOOKS
NEW!!! Cassendre’s ebooks are now available for donation only! That’s right, for a donation of any amount, you, too, can have an ebook in your inbox in a matter of hours (or minutes, depending on whether I’m online when you order!)
(Print book) Expanding Your Capacity for Joy: a Raw Vegan Comfort Book, Sourcebook & Journal $18 (includes shipping in the USA) Order at http://www.cxbooks.eventbrite.com
(Print chapbook) This is What a Millionaire Looks Like: Inspiring Essays - a Curious Bookling ($7 includes shipping in the USA) Order at http://www.cxbooks.eventbrite.com
(Ebook) Expanding Your Capacity for Joy: A Raw Vegan Comfort Book, Sourcebook & Journal (Donation of any amount) Order at http://www.cxbooks.eventbrite.com
(Ebook) This is What a Millionaire Looks Like: Inspiring Essays - a Curious Bookling (Donation of any amount) Order at http://www.cxbooks.eventbrite.com
You can also make a www.paypal.com “Gift” donation to cxmusic(at)gmail.com (be sure to remove the “at” and replace it with @).

VISUAL ART (TO VIEW)
From Cassendre’s official website, “I painted and/or drew these images between 1985 & 2005. I use acrylic on canvas; watercolor, markers, chalk, and/or pencil on paper. I am currently working on expanding my collection of paintings and drawings, including sculpture, and I hope to someday have a group or solo exhibit.”
To view, visit http://www.cassendrexavier.com/Visual_Art.html

COLLABORATIONS, ANTHOLOGIES & COMPILATIONS
Cassendre has contributed to various musical and literary projects currently available for purchase:
MUSIC
Joe’s Café, by Rupert Wates (2010 Bitemusic Limited) Cassendre sings Track 6 “Snow in New York”, an original Rupert Wates song. Listen /order CD/ download : http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/RupertWates1
Darimar Presents (2003 Darimar Records. Tracks 8 & 9 “Friend”, and “Life of the Party” original CX songs and performance) Listen / order CD / download: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/darimarcomp
BOOKS
Butch Cookbook , edited by Lee Lynch, Sue Hardesty, Nel Ward ((June 15, 2008 – TRB Cookbooks) Cassendre contributed a raw vegan dessert recipe. http://butchcookbook.com/detail2.php?photo=8 (That’s Cassendre’s author page with butchy pics. Click on “Home” for more info about the book and other contributors.)
Dykes with Baggage: a Lighter Side of Lesbians in Therapy, edited by Riggin Waugh (Nov 1, 2000 / Alyson Publications) Review / order: http://www.amazon.com/Dykes-Baggage-Riggin-Waugh/dp/1555835686/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328589486&sr=8-1 or http://tinyurl.com/6s267j8
We’Moon: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn (1999 / Mother Tongue Ink) Order from www.amazon.com or http://www.wemoon.ws
We’Moon: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn (2001 / Mother Tongue Ink) Order from www.amazon.com or http://www.wemoon.ws
When Falls the Coliseum: a journal of American culture (or lack thereof) edited by Scott Stein (Sep 7, 2001 / Free Reign Press) Cassendre received a wonderful Philadelphia City Paper review (by Karen Gross) for her several pieces in this anthology. Review / order: http://www.amazon.com/When-Falls-Coliseum-journal-American/dp/0970155417/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328589643&sr=1-1 or http://tinyurl.com/6lgac83

CXTV (VIDEO / YOUTUBE CHANNEL)
Cassendre has music, raw food prep, guided meditations, affirmations, humor, poetry, erotica, tomfoolery, shenanegans, and malarckey at her official YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/cassendrexavier or http://www.tinyurl.com/cxyoutube or at her official website at http://www.cassendrexavier.com/CX_TV.html

6) BOOKING/CONTACT (For HOUSE CONCERTS, PRIVATE/PUBLIC/CORPORATE AND/OR LITERARY EVENTS, ETC.)
Music booking email: cxmusic(at)gmail.com
Literary booking email: cxwriting(at)gmail.com


renaissance negresse Museletter is © 2012 by Cassendre Xavier. All rightsen reservenitzken. www.cassEndrExavier.com