August 2019 (Audible Original, maybe June/July);

This was a lovely, audio journey experience, with far more pieces read and performed in concert. I hadn't expected the format, but I loved the live stage performance feel and definitely felt the shifts in focus with the reinterpretations each time. ( )

If new to you, listen to the last 11 minutes first
Review of the Audible Studios recording (2019), a theatrical version of Olio (2016)

If you aren't familiar with Tyehimba Jess's poetry collection Olio prior to listening to this audio performance, then the afterword interview is a good introduction as it gives a brief introduction to Jess's poetry structures and to the three-act structure of the theatrical performance. Alternatively, reading reviews of the Olio original will also give you an idea of the historical subjects of whom only a small portion are covered in this theatrical version.

Jess's syncopated poetry form is of two poems printed side by side in parallel which are intended to be read by various methods such as call and response and/or as a conversation. This format doesn't necessarily translate well to theatre, so instead the performance is structured as more of a historical overview of the lives of three of Jess's real-life historical figures: Blind Tom, Blind Boone and Sissieretta Jones. His intent is to create an aural history of the post-Civil War Black American culture which existed prior to the medium of early 20th century audio recordings.

The cast perform an outstanding job here and author Jess and interviewer Yahdon Israel help to orient you through the piece. This was more of an historical theatrical documentary rather than a poetry performance. For the poetry itself, the printed collection is still to be preferred.

Cast List:
Interlocutor: Tyehimba Jess
Eliza Bethune / Mark Twain performed by Piper Goodeve
Charity Wiggins / Eva Shoe performed by Jaylene Clark Owens
Blind Tom performed by David Pegram
Blind Boone performed by Esau Pritchett
Interviewer: Yahdon Israel
Sissieretta Jones performed by Kayla White
Pianist: Jeremy Gill

Olio Live was one of the free Audible Originals for members in June 2019.

Trivia and Links
The concluding work to Olio Live is a performance of a setting of jess's poem Sissieretta Jones, Carnegie Hall, 1902: O Patria Mia by composer George Lam, performed by soprano Kayla White and pianist Jeremy Gill. They also perform the work at the National Opera Center in a YouTube video here. ( )