Edwin Torres is a bilingual poet, rooted in the languages of both sight and sound. He's been creating text and performance work since 1988. Mingling the textures of poetry with vocal & physical improvisation, sound-elements and visual theater...his live performances create organic landscapes that exist beyond language.

His introduction to poetry was through The Nuyorican Poets Cafe and The St. Marks Poetry Project, where he’s worked as workshop leader and curator. His debut CD Holy Kid (Kill Rock Stars) combines poetry with music, sounds and homemade tapes, and is included in the exhibition The American Century Pt. II At The Whitney Museum Of American Art.

From 1993-99, he was a member of the poetry collective, Real Live Poetry (formerly Nuyorican Poets Cafe Live) with whom he performed and conducted workshops across the United States and overseas, applying his practice to many situations; from schools to farms, from festivals to beaches, from Alaska to Australia, from beer halls to Memphis.

He's also collaborated with a variety of performers, musicians, dancers, videographers, poets & lithographers…opening all available portals (you still with me?). He's been the recipient of a one-year fellowship from The Foundation For Contemporary Performance Art, as well as The Nuyorican Poets Cafe Fresh Prize For Poetry…applause…among other awards.

Finally, (where is the legacy of a bitter fool) his media assault has transpired on MTV’s Spoken Word Unplugged and The Charlie Rose Show and then (do you really want to know all this) on Newsweek, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, High Times (I am NOT anti-drug). In NYC, Torres (as he calls himself) has performed at many venues like (here we go) The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Dixon Place (hello Ellie), The Guggenheim Museum, CBGB's, Tonic, my mother’s kitchen, P.S. 122, WFMU Radio, Lincoln Center, The Museum Of Modern Art…and he’s still confusing a lot of folks.

Thanks for putting up with this…but the real stuff is the poetry…the spirit of one's heart…to be true…enjoy!

Edwin Torres Author Page

Pub. May 2000