Straight Up!: Compilation Volume 1, Album Companion Book

Straight Up! is a collection of poems written by original members of the Muntu Poets of Cleveland buttressed by musical accompaniment. The members are all accomplished writers, poets, educators, and leaders in their respective fields. The music is as diverse as the written works. Jazz, Hip Hop, Rhythm and Blues, the Blues, and some Classical musical forms are displayed in various periodic renditions. The Muntu Poets, a creation of Master Poet Russell Atkins, are the quintessential reflection of the turbulent 1960’s mindset in poetic form. Just like straight ahead jazz, their expressions are just as relevant in the new millennium. The suggestion is reading the poetic works with and without the musical accompaniments and simply “Dig It!”

The Muntu Poets first arrived on the cultural and political scene of the turbulent mid '60s to the early '70s in the City of Cleveland, they have re-grouped over forty years later and are as relevant and provocative as ever. Their arrival on that scene was described in the introduction of Muntu Poets Anthology Volume 2: 47 Years Later with Russell Atkins - "They reflected the rage, dissent, and rebellious nature of the community during this time. The group consisted of several young members from every political stripe, from liberal to radical."