It's the Poem-A-Week Challenge Discussion Thread

[Angeline]

I came across some of Philip Levine’s jazz poems and thought of you. One I saw is a very long poem about Charlie Parker inspired by Phil Schaap’s “Bird Flight” radio show, a NYC institution for jazz lovers for over 40 years. Another one, which I like even better, is “I Remember Clifford” about Brownie; he made a recording of this about 10 years ago with Tom Harrell on trumpet, which you probably know about. It’s on YouTube.

There's a lot of great jazz poetry out there. Sasha Feinstein and Yusef Komunyakaa edit a great journal of jazz poetry and literature, Brilliant Corners. Feinstein has also edited two collections of jazz poetry, both of which include Levine's poems (as well as many wonderful others). Not sure if these books are still in print. I rather doubt it but I've had success finding used copies on sites like Alibris.

I'm a long-time fan of the late Phil Schapp. I used to listen to his show on my commute. I especially loved his birthday tribute shows, which usually included rare recordings and interviews with legendary jazz sidemen. Phil's father Walter Schapp was an early jazz historian and Phil literally grew up around jazz legends. Papa Jo Jones, the original Count Basie drummer, used to babysit Phil!

Also the site Jerry Jazz Musician is an excellent resource for jazz poetry, stories, interviews and other ephemera.

Yeah I like jazz a little bit.

 

[12oclocktales]

I met Phil a couple of times, once at a jazz club in NJ when he walked in with a drop-dead gorgeous babe on his arm (his wife, it turned out, though that didn’t last very long) and they spent the night dancing beautifully together to just about every tune Harry Allen and Howard Alden played. He was quite tall and a big basketball fan, too. You weren’t around long enough in the NYC area (or anywhere) to remember a jazz dj named Ed Beach on WRVR, were you? He had a huge influence on Phil and did specialized shows on artists 5 days a week. I first heard Bird on one of his shows. His opening theme every show was Wes Montgomery’s “So Do It” with James Clay on tenor and he played background music under his talking – Montgomery’s “D Natural Blues.” Both those tunes are so firmly implanted in my head, I’m sure they’ll be the last things I remember just before the ticker stops. Zoot Sims wrote a song dedicated to him: “Beach in the A.M.” An amazing man. Phil, too.

 

[Angeline]

I met Phil a couple of times, once at a jazz club in NJ when he walked in with a drop-dead gorgeous babe on his arm (his wife, it turned out, though that didn’t last very long) and they spent the night dancing beautifully together to just about every tune Harry Allen and Howard Alden played. He was quite tall and a big basketball fan, too. You weren’t around long enough in the NYC area (or anywhere) to remember a jazz dj named Ed Beach on WRVR, were you? He had a huge influence on Phil and did specialized shows on artists 5 days a week. I first heard Bird on one of his shows. His opening theme every show was Wes Montgomery’s “So Do It” with James Clay on tenor and he played background music under his talking – Montgomery’s “D Natural Blues.” Both those tunes are so firmly implanted in my head, I’m sure they’ll be the last things I remember just before the ticker stops. Zoot Sims wrote a song dedicated to him: “Beach in the A.M.” An amazing man. Phil, too.

That's a very cool Phil Schapp story!

I've heard of Ed Beach (actually from an old friend from Eugene, Oregon where Beach retired), but I'm not familiar with either his show or the radio station. The only other NYC radio personality I was into is the great Jean Shepherd whose late night shows from WOR are still around online. Were you a fan? I guess Shepherd is more jazz adjacent (kinda, sorta lol), but I loved his stories, found him absolutely hilarious. I was lucky enough to see his live show a few times at Princeton University (I'm originally from that area) and he was even better live!

 

[12oclocktales]

I was a little bit late discovering Jean Shepherd, but did catch his PBS TV show and read most of his books; also his being the narrator on Mingus’s “The Clown,” though that came even later after it was reissued. It seems the few times I had a chance to listen to Shep on WOR he was on before midnight and was being partially pre-empted by a sporting event, so he might only be on for an hour. Besides the Mingus gig, he was another big jazz fan.

 

[Angeline]

Jean Shepherd's stories of life in the fictional Hohman, Indiana (based on Hammond, Shep's hometown) are probably the funniest things I've ever read. I can't count how many times I've read them and they still make me laugh out loud. The story of the Bumpuses and their insane dogs stealing the Easter ham!!! I can probably quote whole swaths of that story, laughing until I snort (it's not a pretty sight!).

Ok I'm moving these posts to the discussion thread to keep this one focused on the poems.