Love in the Time of COVID-19: Working Apart but Creating Together.

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Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

Love in the Time of COVID-19: Working Apart but Creating Together.

By Sammie Venn Jeeni's Official Writer, Columnist and Blogger.

Here at Jeeni.com we celebrate and support all musicians and performers, and poetry has its own dedicated channel for artists and performers to showcase their work and earn 100% of their sales, ticketing, merchandise and donations. Today, Jeeni has returned to Crowdcube to raise more funds for helping new talent. If you want to see our pitch click HERE.

Today we showcase Sammie Venn as a very talented and creative writer.

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it” – H.E Luccock

Sammie says, "Creativity brings people together. Artists, poets, writers and musicians have been forced apart, to distance, to isolate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet collaboration has flourished. Adversity has brought us together to create in new and innovative ways. I have learnt over the years that it is not possible to be great at everything. Different skills that blend and morph with each other are key to an effective alliance. That’s where the magic happens.

I have forged a new partnership with a UK-based award winning sound designer to launch a series of poetry short films – I call them “Poetry Porn” – on YouTube as a prelude to publishing an anthology of work in the autumn. Joe Churchman and I have worked on various projects together over the years. She wrote and co-directed the multi-award winning short film “Gloop” and collaborated with Sir David Attenborough. Joe has worked with MC Saatchi and the BBC, her talents and eye for creativity know no bounds .

Where once we joined forces over the kitchen table, enjoying a glass of wine, we have been forced by the pandemic to find new ways of working together, including our latest venture. We both have a thirst for learning and a need to enthusiastically share and impart the wisdom we have gained. Creating during COVID-19 has been an exhilarating and challenging experience for us both, but one we have overcome and enjoyed with fervour and passion. Never before have Zoom, WhatsApp and the desire to teleport been at the forefront of our combined creativity. Despite the 50 plus miles between our respective homes the soul sister bond that we have nurtured over the years has never been lost.

The verve for all things lyrical has surfaced again whilst working on the Poetry films. Having created a series of 100 poems, I am now in the editorial process: altering verses, changing words and making sure rhythm, beat and iambic pentameter all synchronise.

The work embodies the emotive journey of womanhood: traversing sorrow, despair, anger and liberation. The natural environment heals all woes and this journey is told through the changes in season. Death, loss, renewal and growth are all subjects covered within the poems and the films. Winter teaches us how to be patient, to rest, hibernate and prepare for growth. Autumn helps us to embrace the process of letting go. Spring is a period of regrowth and birth. Whilst Summer is our time to blossom and burst into the most vibrant versions of ourselves.

In the depths of winter combined with a broken heart, “Kiss the Tinder” was born. Poetry was and still is my solace, it helped me to rediscover compassion, serenity and hope. I was lucky enough to meet a fellow poet and songwriter via the writing community on Instagram a couple of years ago, Renée is from Texas, so we have only ever virtually met but he kindly agreed to record this poem. A true gift. I woke one morning to his dulcet tones in my inbox, and with a voice of liquid silk, he is the soundscape to this film.

This Poetry Short is therefore a true collaboration. Global restraints from continental distance to COVID-19 have not curbed our resourcefulness. The project has only just begun. This poem was published in June in American Journal “The Starlight Emporium” along with a collection of my other work.

“Kiss the Tinder” by Sammie Venn

Kiss the tinder, fall in love with the ashes
The storm destroys the pain with lashes
Indigo shards, incandescent stains
Life blood flowing, ripped like veins.

Lightening shreds the Arial sky
It punches, spits and angrily cries
Glorifying the night with celestial screams
Mother Nature voices her savage dreams.

Dancing with Hope, thunder follows alongside,
For now, there is nowhere in the world to hide.
Like a love-lorn couple, they rampantly combust
Tears of anguish wash away rage and lust.

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16
Mar

Prettyboyface – ‘HighSkool’ Single Review

With a throwback boom bap beat and laid-back hooks, London’s Prettyboyface makes a splash with his first 2022 single, ‘HighSkool’. Prettyboyface is a rising power in London’s underground rap scene and is brand new to Jeeni’s mission. He has so far contributed eight tracks to Jeeni’s hip-hop and rap channels, including three music videos, ‘Goddess’, ‘Escargot’ and the single in discussion, ‘HighSkool’. Seeing that Face is yet another Jeeni artist that is at the very early stages of their discography, Jeeni can’t wait to see what other projects Face releases in the future. ‘HighSkool’ opens with a sparkling sample that lays down the main foundation of the instrumental before the beat enters and completes it. When the percussion does enter, the composition falls into place in a satisfying and impactful fashion, ready for Face to contribute his formidable vocal talent. He opens with a title-based wordplay for the repeating, “you man went to high school, I went school, high’ hook. Face’s rapping delivery is quickly becoming a recognisable and unique hallmark of his. His voice is recorded very close to the microphone, resulting in intense, clear and intentional performances. His voice is heard well over all other parts of the track, especially when he double-tracks his rapping when the hook re-enters. His delivery is unquestionable, commanding and confident which is refreshing when compared to other rappers who opt to slur and mumble their rapping, which although certainly has its place in corners of rap music, hasn’t got a patch on lucid and accessible alternatives, heard here in full-force from Prettyboyface. This being the first single from Face certainly makes certain promises for the near-future of his craft and has no-doubt inspired hope in his growing fanbase. Check out Prettyboyface’s showcase on Jeeni here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/prettyboyface/ How can Jeeni support artists like Prettyboyface? album review album review album review JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make. • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way. • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.

12
Mar

Podcasts to Boost Your Playlist Game

Whether your music listening is via online platforms, vinyl or even cassette, you can use podcasts to boost your playlist game. Get the commentary on the industry, its insiders and how they craft their tracks from a vast library on offer. Or, explore new genres, find the tracks that resonate and then get drawn into their backstory. There are decades of music history to be found, listened to and deciphered, from the BBC's 'Desert Island Discs' to the huge hit 'Song Exploder' which due to its success, has now become a Netflix series. Below is a list of a few of the best, to get your lug-holes tuned into and feed your music curiosity. SONG EXPLODER Listen Here - Song Exploder Hosted and produced by Hrishikesh Hirway since 2014, his podcast guests are invited to take apart their songs piece by piece and tell the story of how they were created. The journey involves breaking down the sounds and ideas involved in the writing and recording. Recent guests have included Yusuf/Cat Stevens and Grammy award winner PJ Morton. SWITCHED ON POP Listen Here - Switched On Pop We've all had good and bad 'Ear Worms' sending us loco at some point and there's no denying certain tracks get stuck in your head! If you are interested in why certain songs have these hooks which draw you in or you can't shake, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding are here to explain. Recent treats include The Weeknd ' Blinding Lights' and Adrian Younge's new project. DISSECT Listen Here - Dissect Something to really get your teeth into, podcast Dissect is a mix up of episodes and mini-series podcasts that explore individual albums, track by track. Series can run up to 12-13 episodes and the track detail takes in comparisons and history. Recents featured artists have included Kendrick Lamar, Lauren Hill and Frank Ocean. The current series is diving into Beyonce's 'Black is King'. ROLLING STONE: MUSIC NOW Listen Here - Rolling Stone: Music Now When is comes to pedigree and heritage, Rolling Stone is up there. If you are a music legend, there are a handful of publications you will bother to get out of bed for. Rolling Stone, is certainly one of them. Taking you inside the biggest stories in the industry and securing interviews with all the top artists of music history, from Rock 'n' Roll to Hip-Hop, not stone left unturned. ALL SONGS CONSIDERED Listen Here - All Songs Considered The various hosts of All Songs Considered, include Bob Boilen and Rob Hilton, giving you their personal recommendations for your listening pleasure. The experience compares to chatting at the pub, and swapping ideas with your best friends. Laid back and charming the focus is on new music and brings interviews with emerging artists and musing over historical figures from the industry. QUESTLOVE SUPREME Listen Here - Questlove Supreme This podcast series is about secrets, passions and personal projects. The themes drive the conversation for the fabulous Questlove and Team Supreme. Using fun and irreverence to entertain and educate their audience, the episodes are a joy of easy listening. They can certainly draw the names, and have put their interview skills to the likes of Michelle Obama, Chris Rock, Chaka Khan and Steve Miller. LOST NOTES - 1980 Listen Here - Lost Notes - 1980 A collection of the greatest music stories never told. This season the poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib resides over the podcast and explores a single year: 1980 - the brilliant, awkward and sometimes heartbreaking opening to a monumental decade in popular music. David Bowie got divorced. Lou Reed got married. Ian Curtis died before Joy Division got to touch down for a U.S. Tour. By the end of the year, John Lennon’s death would signal the end of a rock n’ roll era. This gripping series includes the work of Stevie Wonder, Ian Curtis and Grace Jones. THE THISTLE & SHAMROCK Listen Here - The Thistle and Shamrock If your tastes are more on the Folk or Celtic tip, Fiona Richie is your gal. Her podcast show takes you through the history of the genre whilst indulging you in performances and personal playlists. Music from old favourites and new comers are entwined with spoken word artists and interviews with acclaimed authors and award winning composers. DESERT ISLAND DISCS Listen Here - Desert Island Discs The original music podcast, and still arguably the best. Created during World War 2 by Roy Plumley, the show has interviewed heads of state, music and acting legends, world renowned scientists, plus sporting and every-day heroes. The archive is vast and awash with choices, which are easy to source in the 'Collections' area. The format is simple – a guest is invited to choose eight discs, a book and a luxury to take with them as they’re castaway on a mythical desert island. They’re given the complete works of Shakespeare and the Bible or religious book of their choice. During the interview, guests explain their choices and discuss key moments in their lives, people and events that have influenced and inspired them and brought them to where they are today. www.jeeni.com

03
Sep

The Creator of Jeeni.

Jeeni has returned to Crowdcube to raise more funds for helping new talent. Jeeni founding director Mel Croucher says, “I admit we're ahead of our original schedule, but there's still so much more to do. We need to scale our online platform globally now and build our mass artist showcases. Then we can hit all our targets, and give our new artists the recognition they deserve.” It is day 5 today and we have raised 98% of our target £100K. If you want to see our pitch click HERE. Mel has been writing the best-loved column in top-selling tech magazines for over 30 years. Now he's agreed to share his work with all our members. He's a video games pioneer and musician, and to to find out more about Mel check out his Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Croucher. Here's one of Mel's latest! There was once a little Quaker boy called Charlton, who got sent off to a nice school in Oxfordshire. Charlton liked videogames very much indeed, and when he turned thirteen he became a fan of one particular game which was called Deus Ex Machina. It was hopelessly life-affirming and it allowed him to influence the plotline and outcome, just like a load of similar games. But it was also the first truly interactive movie, running in real time, with voice actors and a full music soundtrack. It came with a large monochrome poster of the face of a beautiful, innocent, yet alluring lady robot, which the boy hung on his wall. And that thought pleases me, because I was the creator of the game, and my intention was to blow the minds of children just like Charlton. Ten years later, he was no longer a Quaker schoolboy but a stroppy atheist, and he was making a living writing very naughty cartoon strips and highly scurrilous columns for a computer magazine called PC Zone. I hope his career choice was influenced by the naughty cartoon strips and scurrilous columns I was writing for the rival magazines he devoured, but I suspect he already considered me to be an old fart. Back then I believed it was my mission to take the piss out of anyone and everyone in the computer industry, and so did young Charlton. He was calling himself Charlie by then. Charlie Brooker. Today, Charlie Brooker is probably best known as the creator of the Netflix phenomenon Black Mirror. In a brilliant episode, he didn’t just nick my idea of an interactive movie where players influence the plotline and outcome, he went and did it for real. He set his episode in 1984, which was the year of my game’s release, and he hung my old poster on the wall for a touch of authenticity. And yes, he did ask permission. And yes, I was more than happy to give it to him. And no, he didn’t pay me. Brooker’s use of the branching narrative was absolutely seamless, and when the viewer-player-actor makes a choice via a mouse or remote control there is absolutely no buffering involved. And just like in my old game, if the viewer-player-actor refuses to make a choice, then the movie-game-stage makes it for them. In the future, I am sure this technique will become an active tool of the porn and ultra-violence industries, but consumers of mainstream entertainment have become more and more bone idle over the years. In fact vast numbers can’t even be bothered to select the crap entertainment they watch or play, but allow algorithms to select for them. So no, this is not the future of movies, it’s the past. Charlie Brooker didn’t predict this, and neither did I. It was predicted by Ray Bradbury in his 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451, where books have been banned because they encourage people to think, and the 1966 film of that story was one of my greatest influences. In the movie, the writer/director François Truffaut introduces us to a world in which the masses consume pap via personal screens, and believe they have choice in determining the outcome of all sorts of vacuous plotlines. They don’t, of course, and the purpose of such so-called entertainments is to pretend the people have a say in the way things are run, what choices they have, and what garbage they believe in. And here we are, more than half a century later, living in just such a society. And we don’t even need movies to condition the masses, we can use videogames. People who live-stream their gameplay are called streamers. People who watch them playing are called lost souls. Today more people watch streamers play sports simulations than watch live sport. This passive practice is ridiculously popular on streaming sites like Twitch, YouTube and a whole host of others. Even back in 2014, Twitch streams for computer games attracted more traffic than America’s leading cable and satellite network HBO, with professional streamers mashing up high-level play and banal commentary. Now they can extort big money from sponsors, subscriptions, and donations. Last year, passive viewers watched active players for more than 450 billion minutes of streamed content on Twitch alone, as the streamers jiggled and babbled while playing with themselves at FIFA 19, Monster Hunter World and all the rest. One such streamer is a charming young man called Richard Tyler Blevins, who sports attractive neon-tinted hair and goes by the name of Ninja. He has minted around ten million dollars from subscribers who pay to watch him play a game called Fortnight. Let me just make that clear – they are not paying to play Fortnite themselves, they are paying to watch Mr Ninja play. Fortnite involves a hundred players at a time who fight and butcher one other to the death until only one is left alive, all in high-definition video. There are currently 200 million players of the game. The youngest players are aged eight, which should worry their parents, but probably doesn’t because mom and pop are too busy passively watching some other streamer. The average age of a Fortnite player is 13, which is the same age as the schoolboy Charlie Brooker was when my hopelessly life-affirming game helped turn him into a potty-mouthed cynic. At least I know I succeeded in something. Click HERE to visit or return to jeeni.com

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