The original soundtrack recording of poetry written & performed by Piri Thomas with music by Kip Hanrahan.

american clavé

Piri Thomas – voice | Robby Ameen – trap drums, percussion | Tedulo “Chocolate” Armenteros – trumpet | Billy Bang – violin | Milton Cardona – percussion, coro | Edsel Gomez – piano | Andy Gonzalez – bass | Jerry Gonzalez – percussion | Kip Hanrahan – percussion | Stefon Harris – vibes | JT Lewis – trap drums | Pedro Martinez – percussion, coro | Mario Rivera – flute | Fernando Saunders – electric bass | Alfredo Triff – violin, mandolin | James Zollar – trumpet | Jose M. Oliveras – voice on “I’m Tough”

Music recorded 1992 through 2002 at Sound Wave Studio, New York, engineer: Alberto Bengolea; RPM Studio, New York, engineer: Jon Fausty; Sorcerer Sound, New York, engineer: Dick Kondas; voice and ambient effects recorded 1 990 through 2002 on film locations, engineers: Sara Chin, John Haptas, Rob Taz; and at Dance Home Studio, Emeryville, engineer: Lisa Richmond; Tabby Sound, New York, engineer Elliot Peper; Cheverote Studio, Berkeley, engineer: Jonathan Robinson

“Freedom of Expression” is from the CD Milton Cardona / Cambucha – amcl 1028 p & c 1999, american clave Records. “Mindtraces” and “Distant Shore Dreams” are from the CD Alfredo Triff / 23 Broken Melodies at Once, amcl 1024 p & c 2000 american clave Records. “Deep Summer” is from the CD Kip Hanrahan / Tenderness, amcl 1016/7 p & c 1990 american clave Records “Unobtainable Days, Unobtainable Nights” is from the CD Kip Hanrahan / Days and Nights of Blue Luck Inverted, amcl 1012 p & c 1986 american clave Records

Additional musicians: on “Freedom of Expression”: Michael Brecker – tenor sax. On excerpt from “Deep Summer”: Giovanni Hidalgo – congas. On excerpt from “Unobtainable Days, Unobtainable Nights”: Peter Scherer – piano, Steve Swallow – electric bass, Jack Bruce – electric bass, Puntilla Orlando Rios – congas, Ignacio Berroa – trap drums

Mixed at Dick Kondas’ Place, engineer: Dick Kondas Produced by Kip Hanrahan & Jonathan Robinson
Gatlage works by Juan Sanchez. CD design by Juan Sanchez & Zachary Fabri. “Additional Layout by Matt Blanks.

Tracklist: 1. Like Tight (at Juvie) (Thomas) 2. Bullets or Butterflies/Every Child Is Born a Poet (Thomas, Hanrahan) 3. Born Anew at Each A.M. (Thomas, Hanrahan) 4. iOye Familial (Thomas, Hanrahan) 5. What Better Place? (Hanrahan) 6. Softly, Puerto Rican, You’re Not Alone (Thomas, Hanrahan, Robinson) 7. Mom and Pop Had Filled My Eyes With the Wondrous City (Hanrahan) 8. I Speak For Myself (Sermon From the Ghetto excerpt) (Thomas, Hanrahan) 9. Vaya! (Sounds from a Street Kid excerpt) (Thomas, Hanrahan) 10. Mindtrances (Triff) 11. Freedom of Expressions (Cardona) 12. Getting From Nothing (Sounds from a Street Kid excerpt) (Thomas, Hanrahan) 13. Pride on Bended Knees (Hanrahan) 14. Momma Never Lost Her Sense Of Beauty (Thomas, Hanrahan) 15. Those Who Is and Those Who Ain’t (Sounds from a Street Kid excerpt) (Thomas, Hanrahan) (incorporating excerpt from Deep Summer) (Hanrahan) 16. Armed Robbery on West 8th Street (Hanrahan) 17. Puerto Rican Identity/I’m Tough/El Miedo (Thomas, Gonzalez, Hanrahan) 18. Distant Shore Dreams/The Cruelest Prison of AM (Triff, Thomas) 19. Hollywood in Harlem (Hanrahan) 20. Every Child Is Born a Poet (Hanrahan) 21. The Hard Stuff (Sounds from a Street Kid excerpt) (Thomas, Hanrahan) 22. El Vejigante (Hanrahan) 23. Doubt Kills (Thomas, Hanrahan) 24. Dignity (Ameen) 25. No Vuelvo (Cardona, Martinez, Hanrahan, Thomas) 26. A Dialogue with Society a/k/a Sermon from the Ghetto (Thomas, Hanrahan) (incorporating excerpt from Unobtainable Days, Unobtainable Nights) (Hanrahan) 27. Pretty as Thee (Eyes of My Heart excerpt) (Triff, Thomas)