The Language of Saxophones: Selected Poems

by Kamau Daáood

A long-awaited collection from a pioneer of the spoken word movement, these poems soar and sway with the syncopation and melodies of jazz. Portraits, chronicles, incantations and invocations, drawn from a lifetime of prolific activity.

From his early days in the Black Arts Movement and up to the present, Daáood has been a powerful artistic and social force, an inspired seer/seeker. Whether collaborating with renowned musicians, heading up a performance group or inspiring and nurturing new talent, he speaks to and from the urgency of his time.

Kamau Daáood, performance poet and community arts activist, is the artistic director of Los Angeles’ World Stage Performance Gallery, which he co-founded with master drummer Billy Higgins. His work can be heard on his award-winning CD Leimert Park.

Genres: Poetry, Music

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Jack Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best poetry book I’ve read this year.

There are 26 out of 36 poems that I really dig, and from that number, 11 were absolute bangers:

- The Language of Saxaphones
- Ancestral Echoes
- World Music
- The Last Psalms
- One
- Blakely’s Sticks
- Papa, The Lean Griot
- Sweating Paisley
- The Watch
- Weeping at the Mailbox
- Zillion Tambourines

Also, if yre a spoken word poet or into spoken word poetry, this is a must-read.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry with the rhythm and cadence of jazz. Brilliant.

[Keir Etchison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of this collection is made up of free verse poetry intended for recitation atop music, and in my opinion, these poems lose much of their effectiveness when ripped from that context unfortunately. Still a worthwhile collection though, especially if you dig the spiritual jazz scene in the West-Coast, which Daáood has been a major figure in for decades at this point. My favorite poem in here is probably "Ancestral Echoes" of which there exists a recording from 1976 of Daáood reciting it during a performance of a Horace Tapscott composition of the same name with Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra released a couple years ago, extremely powerful stuff (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZWzS...). I also really enjoyed the odes in this collection, most of them dedicated to jazz greats like Coltrane and Tapscott, as well as one addressed to his father that was very compelling.

[David Garza · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no surprise Kamau Daáood appears on numerous recordings, both in spoken word and in jazz settings. It's readily apparent that it's the music that moves him. He dedicates pieces to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Paul Robeson, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday and Lester Young, Jimi Hendrix. The dedications continue.

The two poems that captured me the most are "Balm of Gilead"~
and at the church
Lester laid out in a casket
like a saxophone in a case
Billie pleaded to sing
this offering, this final gesture
but they, the bloodsuckers
the holders of her cabinet card,
spit no on her purest request
shit on her gift and
stepped on her heart
once again

and the unintentionally timely "Damage" ~
there is child's hand
in the street
it should be attached
to a three- or four-year-old
you cannot tell if it is the hand
of a Palestinian child
or Israeli child

[Dan Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

From "The Language of Saxophones" to "Zillion Tambourines" with stops along the way with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, Billy Higgins, Lady Day, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bob Kaufman, Duke Ellington, Paul Robeson, Art Blakey, Jimi Hendrix, Horace Tapscott, King Pleasure, other Elders & mentors & piano players -- a celebration.

[Salty Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant observations on jazz legends, heroes, family, Kamau Daaood tells it like he sees it in this exciting collection of poems. Highly recommended.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some amazing poems here, one of my favorite pocket poet books to date

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible mix of mysticism, Black musicianship, and surrealism that I really dug but had to keep putting down because every poem sounded the same.

[tyler collin · Rating 5 out of 5]

possibly one of the best poetry books i have ever read and will read. powerful and beautiful and moving.

[Steven Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! That's about all I can say. One of the best books by far in the City Lights pocket poets series and there are some great ones. First, if you are an LA poet and have not read this book, you need to! Second, if you are a poet period and have not read this book, you need to!

[amf · Rating 4 out of 5]

jazz poetry; on beat, a riff, indeed~

[S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read over and over, Kamau is a friend of mine, I remember when he had that record store.
For any cat that plays sax read these inspirational poems...

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, alternating among percussive, lyrical, and gritty. Important themes. A surprising number of uses of the word "fart," but also many appearances of saxophones.