Poet
and
Composer

photo of Allan Andre at the typewriter

Brief Bio

Alandra Markman (before 2018, known publicly by the psuedonym “Allan Andre”) is an avant-bard on voice, saxophone, guitar, piano, and typewriter, equal parts literary and musical. A New York City native, he survived a brutal childhood entrapped by a human trafficking ring to travel, meditate, and pursue his lyrical gifts in adolescence. He was educated in modern verse at the Poet’s House and Naropa University and in classical composition at Mannes College and Marlboro College. He went on to study rock, jazz, and improvisation with creative luminaries like Anne Waldman and Ornette Coleman. In addition to a conventional performance career of readings and concerts, he has been commissioned by hundreds of venues as an improvising poet.

Education

2011-2013

Naropa University, Boulder, CO

Creative writing and music composition.

Recipient of Naropa’s Margaret Randall Poetry Prize.

2008-2010

Flourishing Clouds Hermitage, Portland, OR

Zen Buddhist seminary.

2004-2006

Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT

Literature study.

2002-2004

American Institute of Guitar, New York, NY

Jazz study.

2000-2002

New School for Music, New York, NY

Classical study.

1993-1999

Third Street Music School Settlement, New York, NY

Classical study.

Recent and forthcoming performances

2007-present

“Poetry Upon Request.” I set up with a portable typewriter and create improvised poetry; I have written over five thousand poems this way. I do this in public spaces as well as for private events. Some recent venues in New York include Soho House, The Riverdale Country School, Columbia University, and Culture Fix Gallery. Press coverage can be found on several blogs and websites. One example URL: http://wwword.com/3303/featured/street-poet/

2009-present

Solo singer/songwriter performances on vocals and guitar. Recent venues include the Sidewalk Cafe, the Cornelia Street Cafe, and Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar.

2014-present

Jazz duet performances with drummer Mohamed Kubbara on saxophone and guitar.

Recent venues include the Shapeshifter Lab, Shrine, and Panoply Lab.

September 2014

Premiere of “Ocean Suite,” a collaborative musical piece with violinist and composer Piotr Szewczyk. Performed by members of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Nashville, TN

April 2014

Featured Earth Day poet at St. John’s University, Queens, NY

December 2013

Solo saxophone concert at ABC No Rio, New York, NY.

Literary publications

April 2014

The New York Times City Room Blog. “New York in 17 syllables.

February 2014

Nerve Lantern #7 “Incantation.”

May 2013

“Community Supported Art” in Denver, CO. I was commissioned to create a series of 59 original poems integrating photography and collage. These were given to patrons who subscribed to “CSArt,” a joint project of BMoCA and the Denver Botanical Gardens. http://csartcolorado.org/artist-profile-allan-andre/

January 2012

Revolutionesque #2 “Exquisite Corpse.”

Limited Edition Chapbooks

August 2012

Traveling By Mirror: A Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to Tenderness. 128 pp. Co-authored with Erin Likins. Edition of 100. Self-published through Tattered Cover Press, Denver, CO

September 2010

Religious Anarchy: Poems. Chapbook, 20 pp. Edition of 100. Self-published, New York, NY.

October 2009

Mind Breaths: Top Ten Places to Wake Up in North America. Chapbook, 20 pp. Edition of 50. Published by the Visual Voice Gallery, Montreal, QC.

September 2009

Love Songs for Pedestrians: Poems. Chapbook, 50 pp. Edition of 100. Self-published, New York, NY.

Blogging

2013-present

Regular blogger for the Bryant Park Word for Word Poetry Series. I do write ups of two or three readings each summer for the Bryant Park website.

September 2015

I have recently begun regular blogging for the music website All About Jazz. I will be doing show and album reviews as well as some editorial writing.

August 2015

Guest blogger for the Poetry Foundation’s Harriet blog. Invited by Amy King.

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