Spirits & Lyrics on Tuesdays in Old Town

When friends Jasmine “Jaz” Mitchell and Jeffrey “Jeff” Johnson became business partners in Silent Treatment Entertainment LLC two years ago, they had no idea their weekly “Spirits & Lyrics” event in Old Town Manassas would take off and become the longest, most consecutive spoken word poetry event in the Commonwealth.

“Every Tuesday at 9 p.m. in rain, sleet, snow or natural disaster, we’re here,” says Jaz of the artists and enthusiasts who gather at the City Tavern Grille at 9405 Main Street to launch newcomers and celebrate professionals alike. 

Spoken word poetry has a rich history, from the Harlem renaissance of the 1920s to the African-American underground of the 1960s to college circles of the 1980s.  Today the art form is being celebrated in open mic nights in clubs and other venues across the country to increasingly diverse crowds.

Each week, Spirit & Lyrics encourages newcomers to step into the “comfort zone” and read or perform their own work.  There’s also a “soap box” portion to the evening at 10 o’clock where anyone can get up and speak their mind on any subject for three minutes.

Each event is built around a featured artist.  On Jan. 3, Washington, DC resident Rasheed Copeland, winner of the 2010 National Underground Spoken Word Poetry Award for Best Male Spokenword Performance, was Silent Treatment’s guest. 

Tonight’s featured artist is Jeff Johnson himself.  It’s his birthday, so the crowd is celebrating upstairs at the tavern with a DJ.  Ideally, patrons are 18 and older, but Jaz adds, “Absolutely anyone is welcome.  You never know who you’re going to be sitting next to – a school administrator, a mechanic, a real estate agent or a barber.”

Jaz is the barber.  He’s owner of Jaz Cutz  Salon & Barber Shop, just across the railroad tracks at 9427 Main Street in Old Town Manassas. 

Jaz & Jeff subsidize Spirits & Lyrics as part of Silent Treatment’s ministry.  There’s no cover charge – everyone pays for their own food and drink while enjoying the entertainment.  Patrons are encouraged to tip generously and support the featured artists by buying their CDs or books, or joining e-mail lists for notices of upcoming performances.

“We’re not in it for the money,” explains Jaz.  “We’re here for three reasons: to promote live art in the local scene, to give back to the community through service and to foster positive networking.  The poets let us know that they really appreciate the environment we create.”

Jaz & Jeff give back by sponsoring coat or food drives and mentoring youth through their “Shop Talk” programs on confidence and character building at the salon and barber shop.  They’ve developed good relationships with principals, guidance counselors and teachers at surrounding high schools, such as Osbourn, Stonewall and Manassas Park.

“We take the role of a big brother and let these young men know what it’s going to take to be successful in the next stage of their life,” says Jaz.

He says the same thing every Tuesday night at the City Tavern Grille, and he means it: “We offer a great alternative to sitting in the house.  Come out, enjoy live entertainment and connect with people in a positive environment.”

Spirit & Lyrics features Jeff Johnson tonight at 9 pm in Old Town Manassas.  For more information about Spirit & Lyrics, check out their website at www.reverbnation.com/spiritsandlyrics.