Joe Balaz "Eastside/Westside"

www.joebalaz.com www.13milesfromcleveland.com
"Eastside/Westside" was written in 2007 after Joe Balaz met and eventually worked with Mark Tapajna who is a member of a Cleveland band formerly known as Fourteen Floor. Balaz and photo-artist Mary Ellen Derwis first met Tapajna in Cleveland in 2005. Balaz and Derwis were later invited to a party at Tapajna's residence in Cleveland in 2006. Tapajna's band played at the party. Later, at a smaller dinner gathering at Tapajna's residence in Cleveland in 2007, Tapajna shared a few recent music tracks that the band had recorded. One in particular caught Balaz's interest. Balaz asked to take a copy of that track home with him. The next day Balaz wrote and arranged the text to "Eastside/Westside." The music is by Mark Tapajna, Mike Tapajna, Tim Tapajna, Al Rothacker, and Robert Mozik. In 2009 the music-poem was performed by Balaz and the video of that performance was filmed by Mary Ellen Derwis in Brecksville, Ohio.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Cleveland Poetry