The Musical Poemwriter

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The Musical Poemwriter

Bonji

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Pour some wine. Steep some tea. Get comfortable. Just before the sun sets, or in the wee early morning hours. Awake in the middle of the night. Turn it down a bit. Give your mind room to wander, imagination some space to Read more

Pour some wine. Steep some tea. Get comfortable. Just before the sun sets, or in the wee early morning hours. Awake in the middle of the night. Turn it down a bit. Give your mind room to wander, imagination some space to explore. Light a candle. Stare into the night. Gaze at the wall. This isn't singer-songwriter entertainment. This is a musical poemwriter journey. An adventure & a mystery. There's a whole new world out there, waiting inside you...

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  1. 1
    Soft Tissue 3:33
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  2. 2
    Thrives in the Cold 4:08
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  3. 3
    Whiskey Trains Mines 4:53
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    Viridescent Fog 4:31
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    Holy Wine 2:38
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  6. 6
    Black Crow Blues 3:45
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  7. 7
    This is Not a Drill 6:49
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    The Other Side of Day 4:41
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    Kathleen 2:13
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  10. 10
    Things Most Real 3:34
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  11. 11
    Black Widow Blues 3:36
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  12. 12
    Bump & Grind 4:42
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  13. 13
    So It Goes 3:28
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Previous events

Hepcat

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Hepcat, 6A State Street, Montpelier, VT

BROKE MY ANKLE! THIS GIG HAS BEEN CANCELED!! NOT SURE WHEN I'LL BE BACK...

Gonna make some noise at the Hepcat on Feb. 24th. Raucous guitar, refined guitar. Footdrums & harmonica. Original musical poemwriter material along with stuff Townes & Johnny & Nick might play. I know, I know... which Johnny, which Nick? You'll just have to come & find out for yourself. See you there...

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Benefit for Montpelier Performing Arts Hub

Benefit for Montpelier Performing Arts Hub

Montpelier Performing Arts Hub, 35 College Street, Montpelier, VT

Come & support Montpelier's new non-profit Performing Arts Hub! ALL proceeds go to fund The Hub, a venue which has begun to offer all kinds of great new opportunities for our community, from performances to workshops to special programs dedicated to helping & inspiring our youth. The Hub is up & running, but WITH YOUR HELP we can make it FLY!!! Event listing & advance tickets available here: https://www.mpa-hub.org/events/bonji

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Aubuchon ACE Hardware

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Aubuchon ACE Hardware, 40 Main St., Montpelier, VT

Will be adding live music to the festivities as the ACE Hardware cooperative celebrates its 100th anniversary & one of its newer members, Aubuchon's of Montpelier, joins the nationwide "Biggest Block Party" event as ACE-affiliated locations across America simultaneously celebrate the occasion.

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Grand Re-Opening Celebration

Grand Re-Opening Celebration

Aubuchon ACE Hardware, 40 Main St., Montpelier, VT

Live music will be part of the weekend's festivities as Montpelier's downtown hardware store returns, new & improved after building back from the flood of July, 2023. Friday's performance begins following the 10:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sat & Sun times TBD.

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About

I grew up listening to my dad's records in the '70s. Darkness on the Edge of Town, Who's Next, Zep IV. As an '80s teen, I became fascinated by rap music & loved Run DMC, but also consumed significant doses of Metallica. Pretty typical midwestern kid.

In my 20s, I was living in Iowa City, not working because I was just about to move to Santa Fe when my old college friend Michelle Rubin called with a mini-emergency & asked if I could go deliver some newspapers for the weekly ICON. I was busy packing up, but had plenty of time so said "sure". After I'd finished filling the vending machines around town, she handed me a couple tickets to a Paul K show at Gabe's later that night.

I didn't plan to go, but said thanks & went home & got back to packing. But as the evening wore on & I had a few beers, I figured I might as well take a break & go check it out, so I walked downtown.

With all apologies to Mr. K, I don't remember any of the music from that night except for two songs. He introduced them by saying he had just been at the wake for a recently deceased musician named Townes Van Zandt. I'd never heard of the guy before, but those next two cover songs, Lungs & Our Mother the Mountain changed my life. I walked out of there in a daze of wonderment. The universe had just opened up & played me some music that was exactly how I'd always wished music sounded, just didn't know it till right then.

I spent the next couple decades trying to play Townes songs & failing miserably. But the extended accumulation of all that determined failure, mixed in with a penchant for Surrealist poetry, Dylan harmonica, & John Lee Hooker's foot stomping added up to where I'm at right now. A quirky songwriter who mixes in Townes covers, spoken word pieces, & lotsa foot stomping with a little harp now & then. I'm really only just getting started as a performer & recording artist even though I'm in my 50s. Took me a while to put the pieces together, but better late than never!

Montpelier's Times Argus published a feature chronicling some of my recent adventure, while Burlington's Seven Days did a brief review of my debut album Telling Secrets in case you wanna follow along in the press.

To book a gig or just say hi, shoot me a message through the Contact form below or email bonjidude@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you...

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