Testimony, A Tribute to Charlie Parker: With New and Selected Jazz Poems

Contents

C o n t e n t s Foreword, Sascha Feinstein vii Part One Jazz Poems, Yusef Komunyakaa 1 Rhythm Method 3 Togetherness 5 Twilight Seduction 6 Woman, I Got the Blues 9 Jasmine 10 Gingkoes 12 Tenebrae 13 Cante Jondo 16 Changes; or, Reveries at a Window Overlooking a Country Road, with Two Women Talking Blues in the Kitchen 19 The Same Beat 22 To Beauty 24 Ignis Fatuus 26 Pepper 27 Satchmo, USA 29 Nightbird 32 Copacetic Mingus 33 Gerry’s Jazz 34 Speed Ball 36 February in Sydney 37 The Plea 38 Elegy for Thelonious 40 Dolphy’s Aviary 42 Gutbucket 43 Blue Light Lounge Sutra for the Performance Poets at Harold Park Hotel 44 The Story of a Coat 46 No-Good Blues 48 Ode to the Saxophone 54 Coda 55 Part Two Testimony, Yusef Komunyakaa and Sandy Evans 57 The Libretto Yusef Komunyakaa’s “Testimony” and the Humanity of Charlie Parker Sascha Feinstein 61 Survival Masks: An Interview with Yusef Komunyakaa Sascha Feinstein 69 Testimony Yusef Komunyakaa 79 The Music Testimony, The Ties that Bind Miriam Zolin 95 French Flowers Blooming: The Music for Testimony Sandy Evans and Christopher Williams 105 Composer/Musical Director’s Notes Sandy Evans 111 Testimony, Songs and Musicians Sandy Evans 115 Australian Art Orchestra Performances Paul Grabowsky 121 Contributors 125 Selected Bibliography 131 Selected Discography 133 Acknowledgments 137 Testimony, The Recording 139 ...