Doublehanded Suite: The debut album of Yolanda Wisher & The Afroeaters, a Philadelphia-based jazz band fronted by Wisher. This album, released in 2022, was sponsored by The Rosenbach, a historic house museum in Philadelphia. The album comes out of the event series, Yolanda Wisher's Rent Party that has taken place at The Rosenbach since 2017. The series invokes the tradition of the rent party dating back to the Harlem Renaissance, when communal gatherings of artists fed an outpouring of blues, jazz, and poetry. Like the series, Doublehanded Suite is a love letter to the literary past, focusing on writers with Philly connections and/or those whose work has been lost, forgotten, or misunderstood. The album skips along the continuum between past and present, poetry and song.
The Afroeaters are V. Shayne Frederick (keys/piano), Lance Gamble (drums/percussion), Paul Giess (trumpet/trumpet effects), and Mark Palacio (double bass/electric bass). Doublehanded Suite was recorded by Tyler McClure, with assistance from Gianni Brown, at WRTI-FM. The album was mixed by Michael Cumming and mastered by Tom Scheponik. Cover photography by Kielinksi Photographers. Cover design by M Slater. Wardrobe/Styling by Kate Fry. Hair by Syreeta Scott, Duafe Holistic Hair Care. Makeup by Terrell Maurice Carr.
The album is available on Bandcamp and all other music streaming platforms.
Cover photography by Kielinksi Photographers. Cover design by M Slater.
Cover design by Douglas Kearney.
Monk Eats an Afro: Yolanda Wisher’s first book of poems, published by Hanging Loose Press in 2014. Available from Hanging Loose Press, SPD Books, and Amazon. Reviews: Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene, Coldfront, Goodreads, and Publisher's Weekly. Cover design by Douglas Kearney.
Individual Poems:
"5 South 43rd Street, Floor 2": Sometimes we would get hungry for the neighborhood.
"American Valentine": Phillis to Obour,/Valentine's Day 1776./Her lacerating ink...
"bird-poem (after biggers)": we all just birds callin & respondin. melodic & paper thin.
"black beauty": look—like fugitive buckshot/like a silent, stuttering reel/like a mad black mass...
“Color Haiku #1”: blue monk with a trace of greensleeves…
"Dear John Letter to America": America, you beautiful suitor of indigenous bitches.
"From Imhotep's Kundalini": what thoughts I have of you tonight, Du Bois...
"A Letter to the President-Elect and All of US": Dear Co-Pilot(s) of These Upper Ethers & Downy Domains...
"Love is Like a Faucet": these vitamin double ds/gonna put cows outta business.
"A Love Letter to Philadelphia": Dear Philly,/Sonia always puts the words "a place called" before your name.
"Poets Bill of Rites/Rights": poets have r.i.t.e.s./poets have r.i.g.h.t.s...
"Ruby Flo": some folks like to plug her up/but she's the only woman i wait for...
"sonnet with cooking lexicon": we met a fish fry poetry reading inside the food truck of life.
“The Ballad of Laura Nelson”: Mama Laura/hangs from the eave/of a bridge…
"Tin Woman's Lament": i’d rather have/an agogô for a heart...
"Vines": I grew up in libraries/sacred spaces like churches...
“west of philly”: they asked me to write a poem like a lush life…
“We Were Born To Be Kissed in the Dark”: Let us recite an irreverent prayer for the club, the disco, the spot.