Totem Maples

Totem Maples recieve critical acclaim

2013 Independent Music Awards

www.independentmusicawards.com

* In the Realm of the Senses -- Album Finalist Best Spoken Word & Music Album



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2007 American Idol Underground * single "Spoken Turd" peaks at number 6 for 3 weeks. Top 50 Rock song listing.

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2006 Independent Music Awards

www.independentmusicawards.com

* Trip to the Sun -- Album Finalist Best Jam Band

* Trip to the Sun -- Album Finalist Best Hip Hop

* Ars Poetica -- Album Finalist Best Jam Band

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2004 Just Plain Folks Independent Music Awards

www.jpfolks.com

*Best Spoken Word Song nominee "Gethsemane".

*Performed live at the JPF Indie Award Festival November 2004 Galaxy Theatre Santa Ana, CA.





- Awards

Totem Maples recieve critical acclaim

2013 Independent Music Awards

www.independentmusicawards.com

* In the Realm of the Senses -- Album Finalist Best Spoken Word & Music Album



-

2007 American Idol Underground * single "Spoken Turd" peaks at number 6 for 3 weeks. Top 50 Rock song listing.

-

2006 Independent Music Awards

www.independentmusicawards.com

* Trip to the Sun -- Album Finalist Best Jam Band

* Trip to the Sun -- Album Finalist Best Hip Hop

* Ars Poetica -- Album Finalist Best Jam Band

-

2004 Just Plain Folks Independent Music Awards

www.jpfolks.com

*Best Spoken Word Song nominee "Gethsemane".

*Performed live at the JPF Indie Award Festival November 2004 Galaxy Theatre Santa Ana, CA.





- Awards

“Totem Maples are mighty indeed!”
—LitRave.com


Now, I know many people would say, "it's either music or poetry -- it can't be both, it can't be in-between." Well... I don't quite agree with that. At least not when it comes to Totem Maples.

I heard Totem Maples first a couple of months ago at RHYTHMz, and fell in love at first sound. Their music is jazzy enough but not overworked, innocent enough but not too sweet, bluesy enough but not too heavy... in two words, their music is just right. And the spoken word, the "unshackled poetry," pulls just the right strings of audiences' hearts. At least, that's what it does to mine. And in one moment I want to snap my fingers to that guitar tune, in the next I want to dance to that conga beat, and in the following one I feel like crying in perfect rhythm with the rainy sound of the keyboard and Larry's poetic word. Totem Maples are mighty indeed!

There is one problem, though: they don't perform in Los Angeles very often. So, when they do, it's a real treat. Last night, that treat was served at the Un-Urban Coffeehouse in Santa Monica, and boy was it sweet! You should have been there! You really should have been there! I'm glad I was.

By the way, Totem Maples will have their first CD coming out beginning of next year, so make sure to get one. I have already reserved my place in line, and will be waiting patiently. Guess, once they become famous, I can start boasting I was their first official groupie.

If you want more information about the band, or to find out where they are performing next, visit their website at www.totemmaples.com and get your name on their mailing list. These 4 guys and a girl are going to be big some day soon. They are going to be really big!


- LitRave.com

“Totem Maples are mighty indeed!”
—LitRave.com


Now, I know many people would say, "it's either music or poetry -- it can't be both, it can't be in-between." Well... I don't quite agree with that. At least not when it comes to Totem Maples.

I heard Totem Maples first a couple of months ago at RHYTHMz, and fell in love at first sound. Their music is jazzy enough but not overworked, innocent enough but not too sweet, bluesy enough but not too heavy... in two words, their music is just right. And the spoken word, the "unshackled poetry," pulls just the right strings of audiences' hearts. At least, that's what it does to mine. And in one moment I want to snap my fingers to that guitar tune, in the next I want to dance to that conga beat, and in the following one I feel like crying in perfect rhythm with the rainy sound of the keyboard and Larry's poetic word. Totem Maples are mighty indeed!

There is one problem, though: they don't perform in Los Angeles very often. So, when they do, it's a real treat. Last night, that treat was served at the Un-Urban Coffeehouse in Santa Monica, and boy was it sweet! You should have been there! You really should have been there! I'm glad I was.

By the way, Totem Maples will have their first CD coming out beginning of next year, so make sure to get one. I have already reserved my place in line, and will be waiting patiently. Guess, once they become famous, I can start boasting I was their first official groupie.

If you want more information about the band, or to find out where they are performing next, visit their website at www.totemmaples.com and get your name on their mailing list. These 4 guys and a girl are going to be big some day soon. They are going to be really big!


- LitRave.com

“The message is that truth, beauty and love do exist in our world. And poetry can be the medium to find and celebrate them. Which is a message we can all stand to hear sometimes.”
—G. Murray Thomas. (Poetix.net)
- Poetix.net

“The message is that truth, beauty and love do exist in our world. And poetry can be the medium to find and celebrate them. Which is a message we can all stand to hear sometimes.”
—G. Murray Thomas. (Poetix.net)
- Poetix.net

“…entertaining, thought-provoking, and just on the left side of experimental.”
—Marie Lecrivain (Poetic Diversity Magazine)

Totem Maples are a local spoken word troupe from Azusa who have recently released two CDs, Nus eht ot pirt//Trip to the sun (revised), and Ars Poetica, but they deftly mix their message of spirituality and social issues with spoken word and music.
Totem Maples started back in 1997 when founding members Larry Handy and Matt Coleman got together to form The Maples. Erik Elsey, Joanne Kim, Justin Punzalan, and Brain Sadler joined later, and then the troupe rechristened themselves the "Totem Maples."
The first CD, Nus eht at pirt//Trip to the sun (revised), is a revamped version of TM's first CD of the same name. According to Handy, the first album was recorded in one night for a mere $700, and the decision to re-record was to "bring some justice to the songs."
I'm not privy to what was missing from the original, but the new version of Nus is entertaining, thought-provoking, and just on the left side of experimental. Nus is peppered with spoken word gems like "City Jazz and Fire," (two versions, I like the second one better) "Rain/Storm/and After," and my personal favorite "The Parting Glass/Last Call" which starts with a heartfelt recitation of that Irish traditional, and ends with a PSA by Punzalan outlining the more graphic symptoms of STDS accompanied by the gentle strains of an acoustic guitar. About a third of the tracks on Nuis begin and end with a conversational vignette; it's the poetic equivalent of Sublime's 40 Ounces to Freedom.
TM does emphasize:
a) They are "spoken word artists," not slammers.
b) Poetry should be fun.
This particular point is driven home in "Tabloid," a tongue-in-cheek, free-flowing and humorous piece about how to win a slam competition: the key is having "the voice. If one has "the voice," then that person could win by reciting passages from The New York Times.
Ars Poetica continues in the same quirky vein, but with more emphasis on spirituality (the poet's relationship to God, or the poet in the role of shaman/visionary), as illustrated in "The Musician," and "Gethsemane." The issue of whether or not a poet's views are heard is explored in "Spoken Turd," a caustic, yet honest query:

Hey reader why are you reading this poem? Why do you read any of the poems I write? Are you searching for answers you think I might have?

Sadly, the only distraction from both Nus and Ars Poetica is that some of the tracks are overwhelmed by the volume of the music, but fortunately not on the more jazzy pieces. Both CDs are available at Amazon.com, and through the TM's website. If you want to catch a gig with the Totem Maples, you can visit at http://www.totemmaples.com/.

Totem Maples, Nus eht ot pirt//Trip to the Sun,(copyright 2004 Furor Poeticus/ASCAP), 18 tracks, $18.00.
Totem Maples, Ars Poetica,(copyright 2004 Furor Poeticus/ASCAP), 18 tracks, $18.00

- Poeticdiversity.com

“…entertaining, thought-provoking, and just on the left side of experimental.”
—Marie Lecrivain (Poetic Diversity Magazine)

Totem Maples are a local spoken word troupe from Azusa who have recently released two CDs, Nus eht ot pirt//Trip to the sun (revised), and Ars Poetica, but they deftly mix their message of spirituality and social issues with spoken word and music.
Totem Maples started back in 1997 when founding members Larry Handy and Matt Coleman got together to form The Maples. Erik Elsey, Joanne Kim, Justin Punzalan, and Brain Sadler joined later, and then the troupe rechristened themselves the "Totem Maples."
The first CD, Nus eht at pirt//Trip to the sun (revised), is a revamped version of TM's first CD of the same name. According to Handy, the first album was recorded in one night for a mere $700, and the decision to re-record was to "bring some justice to the songs."
I'm not privy to what was missing from the original, but the new version of Nus is entertaining, thought-provoking, and just on the left side of experimental. Nus is peppered with spoken word gems like "City Jazz and Fire," (two versions, I like the second one better) "Rain/Storm/and After," and my personal favorite "The Parting Glass/Last Call" which starts with a heartfelt recitation of that Irish traditional, and ends with a PSA by Punzalan outlining the more graphic symptoms of STDS accompanied by the gentle strains of an acoustic guitar. About a third of the tracks on Nuis begin and end with a conversational vignette; it's the poetic equivalent of Sublime's 40 Ounces to Freedom.
TM does emphasize:
a) They are "spoken word artists," not slammers.
b) Poetry should be fun.
This particular point is driven home in "Tabloid," a tongue-in-cheek, free-flowing and humorous piece about how to win a slam competition: the key is having "the voice. If one has "the voice," then that person could win by reciting passages from The New York Times.
Ars Poetica continues in the same quirky vein, but with more emphasis on spirituality (the poet's relationship to God, or the poet in the role of shaman/visionary), as illustrated in "The Musician," and "Gethsemane." The issue of whether or not a poet's views are heard is explored in "Spoken Turd," a caustic, yet honest query:

Hey reader why are you reading this poem? Why do you read any of the poems I write? Are you searching for answers you think I might have?

Sadly, the only distraction from both Nus and Ars Poetica is that some of the tracks are overwhelmed by the volume of the music, but fortunately not on the more jazzy pieces. Both CDs are available at Amazon.com, and through the TM's website. If you want to catch a gig with the Totem Maples, you can visit at http://www.totemmaples.com/.

Totem Maples, Nus eht ot pirt//Trip to the Sun,(copyright 2004 Furor Poeticus/ASCAP), 18 tracks, $18.00.
Totem Maples, Ars Poetica,(copyright 2004 Furor Poeticus/ASCAP), 18 tracks, $18.00

- Poeticdiversity.com

“If you have never listened to Totem Maples before, you are bound to get completely immersed in the poetically thick, lyrically sweet but not sugary sound of their musically backed spoken word that overflows with symbolism and love.”
—Jelena Andjelkovic (LitRave.com)


syrup – n. mass 1. a sweet, fairly thick liquid food made from sugar.

maple – n. count 1. a tree with five-pointed leaves that grows in countries which do
not have hot climates. 2. maple leaf is the emblem of lovers in Oriental cultures.

totem – n. count 1. an object that is regarded as a symbol by particular group of people who treat it with great respect.

If you have never listened to Totem Maples before, you are bound to get completely immersed in the poetically thick, lyrically sweet but not sugary sound of their musically backed spoken word that overflows with symbolism and love. Maple syrup at its best, indeed! And now it is available on a CD. Totem Maples first (double) album, titled "nus eht ot pirt" (Trip to the Sun), was released early this year and is already making waves on the spoken word scene. Recently, I managed to get my dirty little hands on a copy of this gem, and I highly recommend it to all of you, LitRavers.

From track one of this recording, you will be floating on the surface of music like on calm ocean and diving into the meanings of words, sailing on the smooth, polished and soulful sound of “sweet poetry unshackled,” wishing to drown in the depths of imagery, and wanting to never come down from this poetic and musical high. You will be asking yourselves “if the poets are cursed” (Dusk Cantation) … and if you are cursed. You will be wondering “if Jesus is ever writing poems about you and does he treat you as a singer, hanging posters on the wall.” (Muse) You will fall under the spell of Totem Maples “sweet legacies,” and “close your eyes and let poetry experiment with you.” (Experimental) From unpretentiously jazzy sound of love poems (love for nature, the city, as well as fellow human beings), over the ambient sounds underlying spiritual messages, to an Irish drinking song in The Parting Glass and the captivating cacophony of The Americans, Totem Maples explore a whole gamut of human emotions and universal truths as Larry “pours his hot poetic soul into a cup” (The Parting Glass) and “speaks in tongues of rainbows.” (Modern Prometheus)

It is extremely hard to pick just one favorite from this album, and it is even harder to decide between the studio recording and the live one. While the studio recordings present themselves as polished and professional, the live recordings on the other hand, capture all the energy of Totem Maples in live performance, from the mystery of Indrumduction, over almost tactile imagery of Solomon's Princess, to “Columbine, Waco and coffee & cream L.A. … suits and ties, white collared lies” of The Americans. So, “What else can a poet say?” What else can a critic say except, “Bravo!” If a book can be judged by its cover, the book titled Totem Maples is bound to be a bestseller.

Note: Information about purchasing the album and a schedule of Totem Maples live performances can be found on their website, www.totemmaples.com or by e-mailing them at totemmaples@hotmail.com




- LitRave

“If you have never listened to Totem Maples before, you are bound to get completely immersed in the poetically thick, lyrically sweet but not sugary sound of their musically backed spoken word that overflows with symbolism and love.”
—Jelena Andjelkovic (LitRave.com)


syrup – n. mass 1. a sweet, fairly thick liquid food made from sugar.

maple – n. count 1. a tree with five-pointed leaves that grows in countries which do
not have hot climates. 2. maple leaf is the emblem of lovers in Oriental cultures.

totem – n. count 1. an object that is regarded as a symbol by particular group of people who treat it with great respect.

If you have never listened to Totem Maples before, you are bound to get completely immersed in the poetically thick, lyrically sweet but not sugary sound of their musically backed spoken word that overflows with symbolism and love. Maple syrup at its best, indeed! And now it is available on a CD. Totem Maples first (double) album, titled "nus eht ot pirt" (Trip to the Sun), was released early this year and is already making waves on the spoken word scene. Recently, I managed to get my dirty little hands on a copy of this gem, and I highly recommend it to all of you, LitRavers.

From track one of this recording, you will be floating on the surface of music like on calm ocean and diving into the meanings of words, sailing on the smooth, polished and soulful sound of “sweet poetry unshackled,” wishing to drown in the depths of imagery, and wanting to never come down from this poetic and musical high. You will be asking yourselves “if the poets are cursed” (Dusk Cantation) … and if you are cursed. You will be wondering “if Jesus is ever writing poems about you and does he treat you as a singer, hanging posters on the wall.” (Muse) You will fall under the spell of Totem Maples “sweet legacies,” and “close your eyes and let poetry experiment with you.” (Experimental) From unpretentiously jazzy sound of love poems (love for nature, the city, as well as fellow human beings), over the ambient sounds underlying spiritual messages, to an Irish drinking song in The Parting Glass and the captivating cacophony of The Americans, Totem Maples explore a whole gamut of human emotions and universal truths as Larry “pours his hot poetic soul into a cup” (The Parting Glass) and “speaks in tongues of rainbows.” (Modern Prometheus)

It is extremely hard to pick just one favorite from this album, and it is even harder to decide between the studio recording and the live one. While the studio recordings present themselves as polished and professional, the live recordings on the other hand, capture all the energy of Totem Maples in live performance, from the mystery of Indrumduction, over almost tactile imagery of Solomon's Princess, to “Columbine, Waco and coffee & cream L.A. … suits and ties, white collared lies” of The Americans. So, “What else can a poet say?” What else can a critic say except, “Bravo!” If a book can be judged by its cover, the book titled Totem Maples is bound to be a bestseller.

Note: Information about purchasing the album and a schedule of Totem Maples live performances can be found on their website, www.totemmaples.com or by e-mailing them at totemmaples@hotmail.com




- LitRave

“…intensely personal lyrics reveal intimate daydreams about life, love, religion and anything else-moving at the speed of thought.
—The Clause (a publication of Azusa Pacific University)


Spoken word for the music lover

Local band, Totem Maples, merges music and spoken word, with a dash of faith and innovation.
by Adam Pasion

The Totem Maples have had shows on and off Sunset in Hollywood, been nominated for "Best Spoken Word Song" at the Just Plain Folks Independent Music Awards, played at the award ceremony, was offered a project for an MTV pilot with X-Patriot Studios and released three albums. So why aren't you listening? For those looking to break away from the whiny acoustic and emo bands, the Totem Maples (TM) are truly new and innovative. Composed mostly of APU graduates (and one hoping still to graduate), TM emerges on the scene. Named after the Algonquian word totem, which means "his relations," and an old maple tree that poet and alumnus Larry Handy used to write poems under, TM are simply poetry and music. They are a band without peer, but in a market that demands classification, they are most commonly labeled spoken word. For those unfamiliar with the genre of spoken word, it is an umbrella term that encompasses everything from political ramblings to slam poetry but even those terms don't adequately define TM. As Handy declares, "it's like a genre-less music. We have songs with harmonica, songs with the organ now, piano, electric guitar, congas, drums, turn tables, sound effects, you name it. You can bring a bagpipe in, just don't let it conflict. We are a very imaginative band, and the possibilities are endless." Within their genre, they are perhaps the only spoken word act to incorporate a full band, which goes far beyond the simple three-piece (guitar, bass and drums) formula. They incorporate Justin Punzalan on turntables, keyboards provided by Joanne Kim and Erik Elsey's percussion-everything from African djembes to South American goat toes. Also included is Matt "coffeehouse" Coleman, whose soulful acoustic guitar draws from influences such as folk singers and jazz greats like Louie Armstrong. And if needed Coleman, throws in Irish tin-whistles, thick bluesy harmonicas and anything else that may come up. Brian Sadler finishes off the roster on electric guitar, as well as the new love of his life, his Hammond Organ. Each song has its own feel, like "The Musician" featuring harmonica or "DJ Kimochi vs. Scratch Mouth Master Owlyism," with beatbox and turntables. All of this is complemented by Handy's thoughtful and provocative poetry, of which Kim declares, "it's genius." His carefully crafted lines paint pictures of his own Los Angeles as a mistress with smeared lipstick, and at other times it breathes with powerfully honest, probing questions that make you reflect on your own faith. Handy's intensely personal lyrics reveal intimate daydreams about life, love, religion and anything else-moving at the speed of thought. He probes into Christianity, but theology is not his primary concern, as he writes about music, race issues and the monotony of life in a cubicle ("Reflections Beyond 9 to 5'). Handy's poetry is and always has been the focal point of the music. Coleman attests, "One reason all of us even started playing music in the first place was because of Larry's poetry...it's all based on what you're gonna hear vocally." While TM are made up of mostly APU alumni, and certainly all Christians, they cannot be (and all but refuse to be) labeled a "Christian Band." As a matter of fact, Handy tries to avoid classification, as he states, "I don't want to teach, I don't want to preach and I don't want to persuade-I want to inspire." The other members agree that their sound should not be lumped in any particular genre, especially one that has a tendency to pigeonhole artists. Perhaps the most insightful comments on Christian music came from Sadler. "My guitar is really Christian on the album," Sadler said. "The bends [of the guitar]: You can't hear it but I am actually sounding out scripture in them. I think its Leviticus that I got most of it from!" Nonetheless, the spirituality of the Maples inevitably exudes from their music. Such honest lyrics like the award nominated song "Gethsemane" go on to describe the inadequate views of God inherent in churches, atheism, New Age and even among theologians, who Handy declares, "limit You [God] to the left brain." The provocative and honest lyrics falling at the cadence of folk guitar and melodic piano is a new kind of experience. The music, "delivers thought to the listener but it also demands thought from the listener," Coleman said. "It's a home cooked meal, not fast food."

(Article taken from the April 22, 2005 issue of The Clause; a publication of Azusa Pacific University)
- The Clause (Azusa Pacific University)

“…intensely personal lyrics reveal intimate daydreams about life, love, religion and anything else-moving at the speed of thought.
—The Clause (a publication of Azusa Pacific University)


Spoken word for the music lover

Local band, Totem Maples, merges music and spoken word, with a dash of faith and innovation.
by Adam Pasion

The Totem Maples have had shows on and off Sunset in Hollywood, been nominated for "Best Spoken Word Song" at the Just Plain Folks Independent Music Awards, played at the award ceremony, was offered a project for an MTV pilot with X-Patriot Studios and released three albums. So why aren't you listening? For those looking to break away from the whiny acoustic and emo bands, the Totem Maples (TM) are truly new and innovative. Composed mostly of APU graduates (and one hoping still to graduate), TM emerges on the scene. Named after the Algonquian word totem, which means "his relations," and an old maple tree that poet and alumnus Larry Handy used to write poems under, TM are simply poetry and music. They are a band without peer, but in a market that demands classification, they are most commonly labeled spoken word. For those unfamiliar with the genre of spoken word, it is an umbrella term that encompasses everything from political ramblings to slam poetry but even those terms don't adequately define TM. As Handy declares, "it's like a genre-less music. We have songs with harmonica, songs with the organ now, piano, electric guitar, congas, drums, turn tables, sound effects, you name it. You can bring a bagpipe in, just don't let it conflict. We are a very imaginative band, and the possibilities are endless." Within their genre, they are perhaps the only spoken word act to incorporate a full band, which goes far beyond the simple three-piece (guitar, bass and drums) formula. They incorporate Justin Punzalan on turntables, keyboards provided by Joanne Kim and Erik Elsey's percussion-everything from African djembes to South American goat toes. Also included is Matt "coffeehouse" Coleman, whose soulful acoustic guitar draws from influences such as folk singers and jazz greats like Louie Armstrong. And if needed Coleman, throws in Irish tin-whistles, thick bluesy harmonicas and anything else that may come up. Brian Sadler finishes off the roster on electric guitar, as well as the new love of his life, his Hammond Organ. Each song has its own feel, like "The Musician" featuring harmonica or "DJ Kimochi vs. Scratch Mouth Master Owlyism," with beatbox and turntables. All of this is complemented by Handy's thoughtful and provocative poetry, of which Kim declares, "it's genius." His carefully crafted lines paint pictures of his own Los Angeles as a mistress with smeared lipstick, and at other times it breathes with powerfully honest, probing questions that make you reflect on your own faith. Handy's intensely personal lyrics reveal intimate daydreams about life, love, religion and anything else-moving at the speed of thought. He probes into Christianity, but theology is not his primary concern, as he writes about music, race issues and the monotony of life in a cubicle ("Reflections Beyond 9 to 5'). Handy's poetry is and always has been the focal point of the music. Coleman attests, "One reason all of us even started playing music in the first place was because of Larry's poetry...it's all based on what you're gonna hear vocally." While TM are made up of mostly APU alumni, and certainly all Christians, they cannot be (and all but refuse to be) labeled a "Christian Band." As a matter of fact, Handy tries to avoid classification, as he states, "I don't want to teach, I don't want to preach and I don't want to persuade-I want to inspire." The other members agree that their sound should not be lumped in any particular genre, especially one that has a tendency to pigeonhole artists. Perhaps the most insightful comments on Christian music came from Sadler. "My guitar is really Christian on the album," Sadler said. "The bends [of the guitar]: You can't hear it but I am actually sounding out scripture in them. I think its Leviticus that I got most of it from!" Nonetheless, the spirituality of the Maples inevitably exudes from their music. Such honest lyrics like the award nominated song "Gethsemane" go on to describe the inadequate views of God inherent in churches, atheism, New Age and even among theologians, who Handy declares, "limit You [God] to the left brain." The provocative and honest lyrics falling at the cadence of folk guitar and melodic piano is a new kind of experience. The music, "delivers thought to the listener but it also demands thought from the listener," Coleman said. "It's a home cooked meal, not fast food."

(Article taken from the April 22, 2005 issue of The Clause; a publication of Azusa Pacific University)
- The Clause (Azusa Pacific University)