DWAYNE MORGAN`S

P o e t
•
S p e a k e r
•
S o c i a l
E n t r e p r e n e u r
DWAYNEMORGAN.CA
DWAYNE MORGAN’S Media Kit
2 - Biography
3 - Highlights
7 - Events
8 - Appearances
10 - Publishing History / Discography
11 - Awards
12 - Affiliations
D
wayne Morgan began his career as a spoken word artist in 1993. In 1994, while
still in high school, he founded Up From The Roots entertainment, to promote the
positive artistic contributions of African Canadian and urban influenced artists.
A member of the Writers’ Union of Canada, Morgan has received both the African Canadian
Achievement Award, and the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts. Morgan is the winner
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
biography
of 3 Canadian Urban Music Awards (2001, 2003, 2005). In 1998, Morgan introduced regular poetry
slams to Toronto, and has watched them blossom across the GTA and beyond ever since. In 2005
he was recognized as Poet of Honour at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Vancouver.
In 2008 Morgan’s contribution to the Arts and Canadian society were recognized on the Legacy
Black History Month poster.
Dwayne has published 6 books, most recently, Her Favourite Shoes, which followed, The Sensual
Musings of Dwayne Morgan (2010), The Making of A Man (2005), The Man Behind The Mic
(2002), Long Overdue (1999), and chapbooks, The Revolution Starts Within (1996), and Straight
From The Roots (1995). In 2009, Morgan’s work was translated into French, culminating in the
book, Le Making of d’un Homme. His albums include, Another Level (1997), The Evolution (2001),
Soul Searching (2003), A Decade in the Making (2004), Mellow Mood: The End of the Beginning
(2007), and Idle Hands (2011). In 2008, Morgan released a commemorative DVD entitled, Dwayne
Morgan The First Fifteen.
Dwayne has performed for the former Governor General of Canada, The Honourable Michaelle
Jean, and has shared the stage with many of Canada’s top artists including Russell Peters, Deborah
Cox, Kardinal Offishal, Jully Black, K-OS, and Nelly Furtado, while opening for international artists
Alicia Keys, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Mutabaruka, Ursula Rucker, Colin Channer, and Saul Williams,
and recording with Canadian artists including Grammy nominee, Drake.
To further explore his creativity, Dwayne collaborated with Driftwood Studios to film, Three Knocks,
a ten minute film based on his domestic violence poem of the same name, which premiered in
Toronto’s Reel World Film Festival. In March 2008, Dwayne hosted his first photography exhibit,
The Sum of Her Parts, exploring female body image.
Dwayne’s work ethic has taken him across Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Barbados,
England, Scotland, Belgium, Budapest, Germany, France, Norway, and Holland. His emphasis on
quality has driven his success, and has made him a well-respected component of Toronto’s urban
music community, as well as the North American, and Global, spoken word scenes.
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
2011
Highlights
• Mixtape, Eartight Volume 1, by DJ Manifest ft. Dwayne Morgan released
• Idle Hands, sensual album, released by Up From The Roots
• Her Favourite Shoes and Other Stories of Life and Love, published by Up From The Roots
2010
• Cunnilinguistics: The Sensual Musings of Dwayne Morgan, published by Adage Editions, Montreal Quebec
2009
• Le Making of d’un Homme, published by Adage, Montreal, Quebec/maelstrOm reEvolution
• Track, Incomplete, appeared on Jef Kearns album, On The Level
2008
• DVD, Dwayne Morgan, The First Fifteen released by Up From The Roots
• Track, Samitra, appeared on the Jamie FInlay, I Am Love EP, Wah Wah Records, UK
2007
• Mellow Mood: The End of the Beginning double album, released by Up From The Roots
• Track, Any Given Sunday, appeared on the Underground Hits and Exclusive Bits album, Wah Wah Records, UK
• The Making of A Man, appears on the album, Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Volume One
2006
• Track, Bombs Over Brampton, commissioned for and released on the Urban Noise Compilation Album
• Track, The Sum of Her Parts, appears on the Kate Bowen EP, Bare
2005
• Produced, Carte Blanche, comedy album featuring Jean Paul and Marc Trinidad
• The Making of A Man, published by Up From The Roots
• Erotic Anthology, published by Up From The Roots
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
Highlights
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE
MORGAN’S
Highlights
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
Highlights
2004
2003
• A Decade in the Making, double album, released by Up From The Roots
• Released the Toronto International Poetry Slam compilation CD
• Soul Searching album, released by Up From The Roots
2002
• The Man Behind the Mic, published by Up From The Roots
2001
• Appeared on the Baby Blue Sound Crew’s Gold Selling compilation album
‘Private Party Volume 2’ (Universal Music Canada)
2000
• The Evolution, album, released by Up From The Roots
1999
• Long Overdue, published by Up From The Roots
1997
• Another Level, album, released by Up From The Roots
1996
• The Revolution Starts Within, chapbook, published by Up From The Roots
1995
• Straight From The Roots, chapbook, published by Up From The Roots
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
events
Founder and producer of Black Present, a celebration of today’s trailblazers
Producer of the 2006 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
Founder of the Roots Lounge open mic and poetry slam (1998 – present)
Founder of the Toronto International Poetry Slam (2003 – present)
Founder of When Brothers Speak and When Sisters Speak Spoken Word Concerts (1998 – present)
Producer of the Walking on Words poetry tour which has featured performances in Jamaica, Barbados,
Canada, the U.S., Spain, France, Hungary, England, Germany, Belgium, and Holland
Dwayne Morgan
2011
Toronto Storytelling Festival
Les 15 Cents Coups du Festival,
Paris France
2010
Hillside Festival, Guelph,
Ontario, Canada
Hamilton Fringe Festival
Toronto Fringe Festival
Montreal Fringe Festival
Ontario Writers Conference,
Ajax, Ontario
2009
Hillside Festival, Guelph,
Ontario, Canada
African History Week, Oslo, Norway
Hamilton Fringe Festival
FiEstival MaelstrOm ReEvolution, Brussels, Belgium
Kuumba Festival, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada
2008
Hillside Festival, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Calgary, Alberta
Irie Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
Street Seen Urban Arts Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Appearances
Hamilton Fringe Festival
Calgary International Spoken Word Festival
2007
Calgary International Spoken Word Festival
Hillside Festival, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Festival Voix d’Ameriques, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2006
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Toronto, Canada (producer)
Mariposa Folk Festival, Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Dwayne Morgan
DWAYNE MORGAN’SAppearances
2005
2002
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Poet of
2001
Calgary International Spoken Word Festival
Honour)
Hot and Spicy Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
2004
Calgary International Spoken Word Festival
Kanadai Tavaszi Fesztival, Budapest, Hungary
Kuumba Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
Congaline Music Festival, Barbados, West Indies
Distillery Jazz Festival, Toronto, Canada
Toronto International Dub Poetry Festival, Toronto, Canada
Jamaican Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, Jamaica, West Indies
Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Word Up Spoken Word Expo, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.
2003
Toronto Storytelling Festival, Toronto, Canada
Kuumba Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
Wordfest, Calgary, Alberta
Caribbean Canadian Literary Expo, Toronto, Canada
Irie Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
Spoken Word Expo, St. Louis, U.S.A.
Irie Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
Kuumba Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto, Canada
Toronto Street Festival, Toronto, Canada
DuMaurier Downtown Jazz Festival, Toronto, Canada
Toronto Urban Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
2000
DuMaurier Downtown Jazz Festival, Toronto, Canada
1999
North By North East Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
Caribana Arts and Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
1998
Caribana Arts and Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
1997
Caribana Arts and Music Festival, Toronto, Canada
Dwayne Morgan
Her Favourite Shoes and Other Stories of Life and Love,
published by Up From The Roots
2010
Cunnilinguistics: The Sensual Musings of Dwayne Morgan, published
by Adage Editions, Montreal
2009
Le Making of d’un Homme,published by Adage, Montreal,
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
2011
Idle Hands, sensual album, released by Up From The Roots
Quebec/maelstrOm reEvolution
2008
Release DVD, Dwayne Morgan, The First Fifteen
Track, Samitra, appears on the Jamie Finlay, I Am Love EP, Wah Wah Records, UK
2007
Release Mellow Mood: The End of the Beginning double album
Track, Any Given Sunday, appears on the Underground Hits and Exclusive Bits:
Two Album, Wah Wah Records, UK
The Making of A Man, appears on the album, Canadian Festival of Spoken Word,
Volume One, Toronto 2006
2006
Bombs Over Brampton, commissioned for and released on
the Urban Noise Compilation Album
The Sum of Her Parts, appears on the Kate Bowen EP, Bare
2005
Producer of Carte Blanche, an album featuring the comedy of
Jean Paul and Marc Trinidad
Publishes book, The Making of A Man
Publishes erotic anthology, Erotic
Publishing History / Discography
Track, Incomplete, appears on Jef Kearns album, On The Level
2004
Releases 10 year anniversary double album, A Decade in the Making
2003
Releases Toronto International Poetry Slam Compilation CD
Released album, Soul Searching
2002
Published book, The Man Behind the Mic
2001
Appears on the Baby Blue Sound Crew’s Gold Selling compilation album
‘Private Party Volume 2’ (Universal Music Canada)
2000
Produced album, The Evolution
1999
Published first full length book, Long Overdue
1997
Produced Cassette, Another Level
1996
Produced Chapbook, The Revolution Starts Within
1995
Produced Chapbook, Straight From The Roots
DWAYNE MORGAN’S
Awards
• 2001, 2003, 2005 Canadian Urban Music Award
for Best Spoken Word Recording
• 1998, Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts
• 1998, African-Canadian Achievement Award for
Youth Achievement
Affiliations
• Member, League of Canadian Poets
• Member, Canadian Alliance of Black Educators
• Member, Society of Composers, Authors, and Music
Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
• Member, Canadian Urban Music Association
• Board Member, SpoCan (Spoken Word Canada)
• Board Member, Caribbean Canadian Literary Expo
• Member of SWAN (Spoken Word Artists Network)
• Member, The Writers Union of Canada
Dwayne Morgan
P o e t
•
S p e a k e r
•
S o c i a l
E n t r e p r e n e u r
Contact
DWAYNE MORGAN
647.284.9135
www.dwaynemorgan.ca
[email protected]
theofficialdwaynemorganpage
dwayne_morgan
dthepoet