Langston Hughes. Carl Van Vechten, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-92598
In the 1920s, both the music called jazz and the word-art called poetry began to evolve and challenge the norms of their respective disciplines. Poets such as Langston Hughes and e.e. cummings began to use the brash rhythms of jazz in their work. By the time of the “beat poets,” jazz musicians improvised while poets like Jack Kerouac performed. Charles Mingus and his group performed on a Langston Hughes album called Weary Blues in 1958. The two disciplines have been intertwined since the 1920s with the poetry of the lyrics of the great American songbook.
Two of my good friends, pianist/composer Kim Portnoy and saxophonist/composer Paul DeMarinis have been melding these disciplines for some time. Both have included Missouri State Poet Laureate David Clewell in some of their concerts. Portnoy has written music set to e.e. cummings poetry for jazz choir and small ensemble. This work was performed in St. Louis and at an International Association for Jazz Education meeting in New Orleans. It has been recently recorded and it is hoped that the recording will be released soon. Portnoy has also been inspired by the work of Tennyson, setting some of his work to bossa nova rhythms.
Paul DeMarinis issued a CD of his own poetry and music in 2009 called The Sun…The Stars (Paul DeMarinis Music) that is available in some local record stores. The music is set to his own poetry on a variety of subjects and includes a piece dedicated to my late wife, Rosa.The Paul DeMarinis Sextet features the wonderfully clear vocals of Debby Lennon, who negotiates tunes with occasionally difficult intervals. In addition to Lennon and saxophonist DeMarinis, the group consists of guitarist Dave Black, pianist Nick Schlueter, Bassist Ben Wheeler, and drummer Kyle Honeycutt. All of the pieces on this CD feature empathetic, to the point improvisations by all the voices of the ensemble. This is original music and words that are a cut above what I hear on most of the jazz CDs that come across my desk at St. Louis Public Radio. This is not background music—and deserves repeated close listening.
