Writin is Fightin Fighting the Good Fight Rest In Peace Amiri Baraka

I like that Alexs Pate states in the video below “Amiri was before beat,” because though Mr. Baraka was part of the movement, even publishing, Kerouac and Ginsberg before he started Yugen magazine, he is often not thought of as part of this very significant beat shift in literary thinking, especially poetry.

Amiri Baraka strikes a chord in me for many reason, one reason because of his bravery.   Still I search for that consistent core or reserve and resolve to be who I am and do the right thing.  He is asked in this video what is the cost of truth telling. I feel that I have made great and significant gains but sometimes not. 

 I’m not quite sure what institution Amiri Baraka didn’t buck while being himself and following what he learned and what he believe in.  For instance he distanced himself from Black Nationalism to become a Marxist.

           He imparted some insight to this shift stating, "As long as the black writer was obsessed with being an accepted, middle class, Baraka wrote, he would never be able to speak his mind, and that would always lead to failure. Baraka felt that America only made room for white obfuscators, not black ones."           

            His life at the very least exemplifies, an Ismael Reed, quote, “writin is fightin,” from Reed's essay titled, Writin is Fightin: Thirty Seven Years of Boxing on Paper. I love that Baraka was more than sympathetic toward Castro and Cuba, which he made plain with, Cuba Libre, an essay and as a member of the Fair Play for Cuba committee in 1960 and through, ‘A Declaration of Conscience,’ a literary endeavor in favor of Castro’s regime that he co authored.

     

       Alexs Pate’s intro is rather long but, actually 

one of the few intros you don’t want to fast 

forward through. Amir Baraka starts at 9:34

Perhaps the following bespeaks my simple-mindedness, but of all his endeavors, of all there would be to discuss I would have loved to talk to him about his name change.  I legally changed my name in the early 90s and to this time, January 2014 still many are insulted and hurt feelings continue with many refusing to speak it or even write it in legal documents. I approached it thinking of its permanence more or less like a tattoo.  Interestingly, out of all the stakeholders (many more than I thought there could be) the only one who heard the why and embraced me, Cavana Ibeji Opo Faithwalker, was my father after whom I was named.

            Many laugh at us Africans-American half-breeds and we at ourselves as the misspellingess, most prolific name changers on the planet from Shanaynay to Tequila to Mercedes to Trevon, Malik, and Jamal.  I am not positing that we should all change our names or even that we corner the market on name changing and creating anew. I do affirm it is one of our weapons of mass construction to reclaim our very souls and bodies as we have light to do so.  However, we must stop and look at the continuum from Shanaynay to Amiri and realize that  “X” marks the spot.  “X” may be the alpha and omega of our kujichagulia, our self-determinism.  Poor Shaniqua political at birth, political by birth, political when she just wants a proper future for her son.  Take heart in Amiri.  

Thank you Amiri Baraka (born Everett LeRoi Jones; October 7, 1934 – January 9, 2014), formerly known as LeRoi Jones and Imamu Amear Baraka

Jazz is My Religion Surrealism is My Point of View

Ted Joans reads poetry with jazz, 1964 Amsterdam, read starts at 2:47 in.
Theodore "Ted" Joans (July 4, 1928 – April 25, 2003) was an American jazz poet, surrealist, trumpeter, and painter. His work stands at the intersection of several avant-garde streams and some have seen in it a precursor to the orality of the spoken-word movement. However he criticized the competitive aspect of "slam" poetry. Joans is known for his motto: "Jazz is my religion, and Surrealism is my point of view".- Wikipedia Ted Joans

Jazz, Two Poems and a Funeral

King Pleasure's vocalese classic
Parker's Mood

Jazz, Two Poems and a Funeral

The impetus for the last blog, 'The impetus for the last blog, 'Jazzhead Great Bobby Jackson Dies at Age 57.' Here are bits and pieces sparked by his memorial had jazz or course and poetry.
One thing that thrills me about ‘spoken word’ is how the structure of the word on the page, its grouping with other words, whether consistent end rhyme is employed, stanzas and couplets, that make meter and even individual iambs in say tetrameter or pentameter all are questioned.   The word is primary but flows with, pushes against, responds to and calls or answer or completes an idea the music. Enter jazz vocalese the art of taking lyrics and singing them to pre-existing tunes, the structure of the rhythm of the words against and with the structure of jazz tune. The music and it's form is primary. In either case words can be on the upbeat, downbeat, off tempo, they expand and contract in the most interesting and exciting ways.

At Bobby Jackson’s memorial service on Monday the 16th (2013) councilman Jay Westbrook read a piece he found in a small book of poetry at Bobby’s house.  The poem/lyrics were by King Pleasure aka Clarence Beeks a jazz singer in the 40s and 50s.  The piece is called, Parker’s Mood by Charlie ‘Yardbird’ Parker.  King Pleasure does a vocalese version of it and thus the lyrics exist, a year before Parker died in March 1955. It was already an emotional time at Bobby’s memorial. At the reading of Parker’s Mood myself, many in my row, the row in front, the row behind cried Bobby a river.  Jay didn’t read with any particular expertise as much as reading from a place of deep loss at Booby’s passing.  It is easy to confuse the piece with ‘Goin’ to Chicago’ many of the lyrics are the same and there is a hint of humor throughout.  Jay’s reading of the piece was so different from the performance of the piece yet the spirit seemed to remain.

 King Pleasure - Parker's Mood- Come with me If you wanna go to Kansas City

I'm feeling low down and blue, my heart's full of sorrow Don't hardly know what to do;

where will I be tomorrow? Goin' to Kansas City. Want to go, too? No, you can't make it with me. Goin' to Kansas City, sorry that I can't take you. When you see me comin', raise your window high, When you see me leaving, baby, hang your head and cry,

I'm afraid there's nothing in Miss Creamy's dreamy town A honky-tonky monkey woman can do.

She'd only bring herself down.

So long, everybody,

the time has come and I must leave you. So, if don't never see your smiling face again

Make a promise you'll remember, like a Christmas day in december, That I told you all through thick and thin,

on up until the end, Parker's been your friend.

Don't hang your head when you see those six pretty horses pullin' me.

Put a twenty dollar silver piece on my watch chain, Look at the smile on my face, And sing a little song  to let the world know I'm really free. Don't cry for  me, 'cause I'm going to Kansas City.Come with  me, if you want to go to Kansas City

Don't Let the Sun Go Down..

Well not exactly. Another set of words that was not read was, The Sun Must Go Down. it was in the program and I was struck by how the sanctity of creations aren't that holy if they don't fit the occasion. There were a few lines cut from the lyrics before going into the program. Mandrill came into being in 1968, started by three brothers from brooklyn all horn players; trombone, trumpet and sax. They are considered funk not jazz. (Click on the pretty Mandrill to hear, "The Sun Must Go Down," lyrics are below)

It is an interesting conversation between poetry (I’m using an expansive definition of poem) on the page, poetry when one speaks it and words when music is included.   Often the relationship is poetry with music added and many times music w poetry added.  

2014 marks year 17 for the Nia Coffeehouse.  In the early years I endeavored to bring music, mostly standard jazz  and poetry audiences together.  The jazz folks inevitably wanted more jazz less poetry and the poetry audience wanted more poetry and less jazz.

On venues like youtube how often music and even the interpretation added to the word on the page are distasteful. Many times it seems the poster does not fully understand or accept the power of the word on the page and seeks to help it out a bit. So often the music is inappropriate to the word or the volume is plain overpowering.  Many times the voice is not so much interpreting as pushing a preconceived idea of what the poem should do or helping the poem with trills here and whispers there.  

The Sun Must Go Down lyrics:

The Sun Must Go Down

One moment feels good, the next not the same

The only thing changeless is change.

The pendulum swings the tides creeping in In the darkness we question

The sun must goo down! Sun must go down and so are we bound

To give way to inevitable changes.

One more time around but look what we ve found

A fresh dawn, a new growth for the ages.

As we flow on our trip once again have a grip,

on the hassels that we probably lack

the sun shine on we turn our backs. T

HE SUN MUST GO DOWN

-Omar Mesa 21 Mandrill

Whole Lotta Readin Going On.. and Poetry Dec. 1st

Near the 216 CLEVELAND area?
Don't forget to stop by the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Woodmere's Eton Square on Chagrin Blvd., and join me for a fun time of browsing, shopping, kibitzing and hearing poetry . . A great group of poets reading between 1:00pm and 5:00pm (see flyer).  Buy something with vouchers (PRINT pic two below) and Heights Writes gets a percentage of your purchase. Heights Writes supports the Poet Laureate of Cleveland Heights which is a two year post and other artistic educational endeavors. My term ends in June. It is also Educators' Day at Barnes & Nobles and educators get discounts. NEED MORE INFO? CALL B&N ((216) 765-7520) There are very nice restaurants and shops in Eton Square and in the area from moderate to expensive, I here tell some folks will be smoking cigars across the street at Cousins afterward... could be just a rumor ;-)

 

Vouchers!

 

Nia Coffeehouse dates and Protest songs from our readers

Home base for the Nia Coffeehouse is at 2555 Euclid Heights Boulevard in St. Alban in Cleveland Heights 44118.   For more information Ph. 216/759-0790, leave a message here in comments or at Leftthumbprint@gmail.com.  

Follow us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nia-Coffeehouse/129467261263 and on Google +.

In this bloggissue:

1. Announcement and information about our next Nia Coffeehouse events
2. More on protest jazz and music
3. Comments and favorites from our readers
4. Wade in the Water

Our next happenings...

1. Our next Nia Coffeehouse @ St. Alban music and poetry set is June 26th @ 6:00pm. Nia is coming at you with healthy music, phenomenal words, and some healthy eats for you. And unless we say otherwise, Always Open Mic.  

 Our featured poet is Judith Mansour.   

Judith after her last event... got kinda rowdy

Judith Mansour

Judith has a BA in English and, Psychology and an MA in English and Creative Writing.  She has been a creative force in the writing, art and literature scene behind the scenes and in front of the mic for years. You can find Judith at LinkedIn  and at  facebook.

Vince Robinson (seated) with past and current Jazz Poet members

 The band- Vince Robinson and the Jazz Poets.  Look for future Nia blogs dedicated just to this powerhouse who has done so much in poetry, jazz and the community but for now go here are no less than ten pages on Vince and the cats take your pick.

So Many Issues Too Little Time

Soon Nia will be looking at beautiful music and laying protest jazz aside unless you our readers want to keep protest alive.
We've got some interesting responses for favorite protest music from you but first we have questions. It is quite possible that most folks feel overwhelmed and powerless to do anything about today's social ills.  For one thing, the "what can little ole me do" syndrome kicks into effect for many and secondly there are so many things that need attention it is overwhelming, for instance there is fracking, homelessness, infant mortality, child abuse, oil spill issues, Kony, Travon Martin; the object or the objects of the occupy everything movement; the Grammy awards categories being cut that Nia thinks is an important cultural, diversity and monetary issue for people of color and the list goes on.  

Musicians: Powerful or Powerless

Should musicians and people in media feel powerless? Many talk about the power of music but maybe it's a fairy tale conjured up by musicians and their managers.  Already the entire burden shouldn't be put on jazz so we can broaden the conversation for now with an emphasis on jazz.

Mark David Ritscher aka Malichi Ritscher, a fixture and musician in the Chicago music scene, apparently didn't think the power of music was enough.    Ritscher's self-immolation in 2006 on downtown Chicago's Kennedy expressway not mentioned by the media for nearly a week . Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper, finally wrote  "With all due respect, if he thought setting himself on fire and ending his life in Chicago would change anyone's mind about the war in Iraq, his last gesture on this planet was his saddest and his most futile."^[3]

Ritscher left a detailed smoking gun (sorry) pointing at protest as the raison d'être of his actions.  What about protest music, the power of music, the music that soothes the savage beast?  The actual quote is "music has charms to soothe the savage breast" and forgive me for waxing pedantic. It would be remiss of us not to mention that according to Ritscher's son Mark David was a recovering alcoholic fighting depression and yet we say this exposes two more arena's in which one must question the power of music.

Latin Jazz, Grammy Awards Protest

Go to Multi- American for the entire video and more info on the protest

In contrast to Mr. Ritscher's self-immolation members of the Latin Jazz community protested with music and signs and slogan-chanting the elimination of 31 mostly people of color categories from the Grammy Awards. Polka, gospel, Native American and R&B are among the categories that have been removed.  It would be very interesting if musicians took a page from Black folk and started their own Grammy since they as a group are now not allowed to participate; because of this kind of exclusion Black newspapers sprang up, Miss Black America beauty pageant and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to workers' unions, clubs and restaurants.






Nia would like to hear from musicians and people in the industry; 

1. What are you doing/ have done with your talents to "fight the power?"  Where and when are you doing it, venues, times and dates if appropriate.  Here is an effort by Cleveland Orchestra member violinist Isabel Trautwein.
2. Is Nia asking the right questions?
3. Is Nia defining the "power of music" correctly?

Nia would like to hear from patrons and music lovers;

1. What place does music hold in your life?
2. Has music effected change in your life, an epiphany perhaps, set you on a different path, "saved your life," or helped you through a most difficult time in life?  What was the music that "did it?"

What could local musicians do to help local causes say in Cleveland, Ohio? 

Your comments on Protest music

Ian Heams from Barnet a borough of London writes:

"I totally agree Oscar Brown Jr and also that satire and humour can be found in the MUSIC as well as the lyrics. At our local pub on Sunday (The Mitre) the band playing there (Big Chief) played Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehaving" to a ska beat. It worked a treat and the humour of the contrast between old and new wasn't lost. There's also a tension between a song by a black composer/performer being played to rhythm mostly thought of as being developed by white artists."For me Jazz works best when it's in fusion with other music and the players are pushing the boundaries."

Ian concerning Nina Simone: 

"There's a woman who understands, and owns, her own feelings and is big enough to respect other people and allow them theirs. Great performance."

From musician: Simmie Davis PROTEST SONGS. I aint got time to die, Lift evry voice and sing, To be young gifted and black.


From pitmonkey

"One of the most powerful protest songs is surely, "Wade in the water". Still sung today, it is well known for the double meaning of it's lyrics which continually remind us of the horrors of slavery which, after 300 years still exists in various forms."

"Wade in the Water" is the name of a Negro spiritual first published in New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901) by John Wesley Work II and his brother, Frederick J. Work (see Fisk Jubilee Singers).
The main chorus is:

Wade in the water.

Wade in the water children.

Wade in the water.

God's gonna trouble the water.

The song relates to both the Old and New Testaments. The verses reflect the Israelites' escape out of Egypt as found in Exodus:14.^[1] The chorus refers to healing: see John 5:4, "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."
Many internet sources and popular books claim that songs such as "Wade in the Water" contained explicit instructions to fugitive slaves on how to avoid capture and the route to take to successfully make their way to freedom.^[2] This particular song allegedly recommends leaving dry land and taking to the water as a strategy to throw pursuing bloodhounds off one's trail.
 - Wikipedia

Here is a cool version of Wade in the Water by Kevin Whallum:


Wade in the Water - Jazz Version from unityall on GodTube.

Protest Jazz and Spoken Word

Jazz is known for it's musical humor and satire, it only makes since that humor and satire would be present in lyrics written to and for jazz as a tool that enhances protest.  Last Nia blog we looked at protest without lyrics this week let's look at the spoken word traveling from in front of the music to melody without music to pure spoken word. Oscar Brown, Jr., runs the gamut.
 Oscar Brown, Jr (October 10, 1926 – May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, and civil rights activist who created lyrics for jazz protest and whose lyrics easily crossed over into the realm of poetry and spoken word. Here is Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Forty Acres and a Mule" music and lyrics. As you will see it is not about reparations but face value broken promises observed from street level.  Notice how the spoken word comes down and dances around a tight driving 4/4 cymbal and upright bass with a 2/4 rim shot:

 

Here is an interesting counter point to "Forty Acres and Mules," spoken word  jazz with jazz great Oscar Brown on Def Poetry Jam more or less singing spoken word without any music in "I Apologize" but laying down a much tighter meter (4/4 maybe?):

Here is a show tune by Rodgers and Hammerstein that floated by unscathed until it got to ... not Mississippi but Georgia.  Quoting Rene Marie in an article last August in Jazz Times,

Who woulda thunk that this lovely song written by Rodgers and Hammerstein about racial prejudice could be snuck into South Pacific? Rodgers and Hammerstein were repeatedly pressured to remove the song from the musical, with lawmakers in Georgia actually going so far as to introduce legislation that would make illegal the performance of any creative works with ideas that stemmed from “Communist” thinking. According to James Michener (author of the book that inspired the musical), “The authors replied stubbornly that this number represented why they wanted to do the play in the first place. … [E]ven if it meant the failure of the production, it was going to stay in.”

Artist's Choice: Rene Marie on Protest Music

Today’s top jazz performers pick 10 favorite tracks by the players, singers and styles that helped define them.

Well check out the above list and send us some of the protest songs that help define you whether you be a musician or librarian. We'll post your selections and comments.

Here is one of my favorites from Gil Scott Heron, hmmm I think he's talkin' to Black folk  What do you think? The Revolution will not be Televised...

 

 

Poet Laureate Party at the Heights Art Gallery April 27th

Trina Jones

Vince Robinson

Friday April 27th marks the start of my 2nd year as poet laureate of the City of Cleveland Heights.  To kick things off I've invited some of my favorite poets to read at the Heights Art Gallery on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.  The gallery is a few doors south of the Cedar-Lee theater with ample metered parking in the rear.  Vince Robinson, Kathleen Cerveny, Tammi Powell, Phil Metres, Vince Robinson and Trina Jones.
Check this out to see the Heights spit on this event.  I hope to see you all there!

peace and blessings,

Cavana

The Nia Coffeehouse Has a New Home

Well the Nia Coffeehouse has been on hiatus for a couple of months. We hope you missed us.  We will be back soon.  Home base will be St. Alban, 2555 Euclid Heights Blvd.  Look for the read door on the hill.  We have more space, we'll serving food and bringing you poetry, music, and spoken word.  We will be back to you soon with times and dates.  You can see where we've been at facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nia-Coffeehouse/129467261263?sk=app_2309869772