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
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
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Bobby Jackson
Jazzhead Great Bobby Jackson Dies at Age 57
The world and jazz community has suffered a great and sudden loss.
Although Bobby grew up in the Bronx we claim him as our own. Bobby
died suddenly at his home in Cleveland, Ohio Monday December 9th common era 2013.
Jackson leaves his
wife Lisa Jean and his 10-year-old son, Xavier. The family is welcoming support
through donations to the Bobby Jackson Memorial Fund. Send donations to
Key Bank, 3266 Steelyard Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109. Here is the obit from Jazz Times.
Also Monday evening the 16th at 7PM at Nighttown, Sean Jones,
the artistic director of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, on whose board
Jackson served, will lead area jazz musicians in a celebration of
Jackson’s life. There is no admission, donation to the Bobby Jackson
Memorial Fund are be welcomed.
The family is also inviting anyone who has a story about or memory of Jackson to share it at his website, The Jazz Mind. www.thejazzmind.com/
Bobby Jackson muy sauve
I will also remember Bobby. He was wonderfully funny and had a penchant for pulling his expressive face into the act. I marveled and still do at his intimate relationship with jazz greats like Percy Heath, Christian McBride, Janis Seigel of Manhattan Transfer and on and on. These folks were more than just a day at work to Bobby. There was nobody he couldn't call up 'out of the clear blue.'
He could make lemonade out of lemons faster than most. He was warm, engaging, honest, straight forward and authentic and boy did he love his family.. yeah and he was the ultimate jazzhead..
Quote from Monday:"
Bobby Jackson is kickin' it with Miles and Mandela this morning. " Makes me smile.
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!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Many Cleveland poets and musician will probably be participating in 100,000 poets for change. The Nia Coffeehouse will be participating. Here is some info on 100,000 PaMfC. Leave a comment especially if you'd like to participate. What should the creative community be doing? What good does it do?
