A hip batch of underground poetry tracks – collected together by the Before Columbus Foundation, a group dedicated to promoting the works of African-American and Native American artists! Despite the 1980 date, the collection has a feel that's similar to earlier righteous poetry albums on the Folkways label – proof that the flames were still burning strong in the underground, even though artists such as these weren't getting as much mainstream attention at the end of the 70s! Most readings are recorded live, with a relatively spare, stark sound – and performances include "Dope" by Amiri Baraka, "St Louis Woman" by Ishmael Reed, "For The Poets" by JayneCortez, "Bark Is What Us Dogs Do" by David Meltzer, "Flipochinos, Being Your Woman, & Pacific Lover" by Cyn Zarco, and "Artist/Art This" by Victor Hernandez Cruz. CD
JayneCortez recites her poetry over jazz backing from a group that includes Frank Lowe on tenor, Talkib Kibwe on alto, Bern Nix on guitar, Billy Branch on harmonica, and Denardo Coleman on drums. Titles include "Cultural Operations", "Taking The Blues Back Home", "Bumblebee You Saw Big Mama", "The Guitars I Used To Know", "You Can Be", and "Nobody Knows A Thing". CD
A completely sublime collection of spiritual jazz numbers from the 70s – put together by the legendary Kev Beadle, one of the first cats to spin the music with Gilles Peterson on the UK scene! The package is a great mix of essentials from years back, plus some under-discovered nuggets from the American underground – all with a nice emphasis on the grooves and rhythms – in a way that you might have heard back at Dingwalls on a Sunday afternoon! The set's a great reminder that music can be progressive and groovy at the same time – and the whole thing's overflowing with righteous treasures. Vinyl version features some exclusive tracks not on the CD – "Safari" by Frank Walton, "Padali" by Chuck Flores, and "I See Chano Pozo" by JayneCortez & The Firespitters – plus "In Every Way" by Reverie, "Open Your Mind" by Southern Energy Ensemble, "Brotherhood" by Kamal Abdul Alim, and "Freedom Road" by The Pharoahs. LP, Vinyl record album
Righteous poetry and jazz from Eugene Redmond – aka Illu Gan Gan – a very spiritual figure from the early 70s Bay Area scene! The album was recorded live in the studio, in a style that has Redmond introducing his work, then moving into dramatic recitations backed up by small combo jazz instrumentation that includes guitar, percussion, and soprano sax. The feel is open and free, almost an African-American take on the beat poetry style of late 50s San Francisco – but with themes that are more righteous, and a bad-talking style that puts the record in the same sphere as contemporaneous work by Camille Yarbrough, JayneCortez, Wanda Robinson, and even Iceberg Slim. Titles include "Hummin Hookin & Cookin", "Sun Ritual", "Epigrams For My Father", "River Of Bones & Flesh & Blood", "The Edge Of Myself", and "All Athighed In Black". LP, Vinyl record album
(Early 00s Ikef reissue. Cover has some marks and remnants from price sticker removal.)
The soundtrack to this hit broadway play is mostly poetry – but it's poetry with sort of a hip, black edge, in the vein of Nikki Giovanni, Camille Yarborough, or JayneCortez – written by Ntozake Shange and read by Seret Scott, Larie Carlos, Trazana Beverley, Janet League, Aku Kadogo, Rise Collins, and Paula Moss; with titles that include "Graduation Nite", "Abortion Cycle #1", "Dark Phrases", and "No More Love Poems". LP, Vinyl record album
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