JAZZ

(A portrait of the Negro
Oppression in the U.S.)

By Jose M. Peña

jazz......
a people, a breed;
extracted from the dark side of this world
by white masters of their destiny;
chained, beaten,
forced to row the ships
that will bring them to the kingdom of the powerful,
to toil, to serve
the great white kings of another conquered land,
to nourish their quest for conquest
of weaker lands, of weaker people.

jazz......
a spirit of an oppressed breed,
kept in the blood by ethnic rhythms
that seem to keep pace with the beat of the heart;
sometimes in slow, tired tempo,
at times in fiery, vibrant pace,
ready to be alive and get out of bondage
and free itself from the chains of oppression
to answer to the call of the tom-toms,
to listen to the whispers of the wilderness.

jazz......
an outburst of a people;
a spirit of the oppressed breed;
it evolved from the sadness of a colorless life
into a vivid, distinct beat of jungle music,
harmonized with the colors of its history;
it is now part of the pulse beat;
alive, vibrant, ever-flowing, fiery;
it has become part of the world,
for it is now free as a form of music and poetry;

it is just......jazz.

(C) 1986 Jose M. Peña  peping, 13 dec. '86

NOTE: The photo illustration above was created by Jazzphil member, Collis Davis, and is a video capture from a television production of a jazz concert he directed in 1975. This image was later used on a poster advertising an exhibition of Davis’s jazz photos titled, BLACKSILVER RIFFS: Solo Photography by Collis Davis at Soundscape Gallery, New York City, 1982. © 1975 Collis Davis
 

Albert leading his band (left), Pangea, at the Monk’s Dream Fusion Jazz Festival, November 10, 2003. Jerry de Leon is on bass.

A jazz poem by Albert E.Albert

The Player

Caressed in the folds of black squeaky leather,
he joins the arena.
Crowds in unison feed
the deafening mania.
Hair, the length of an arm
curls down, wreathes his nape.
The audience agape
as he calls with his instrument
a clamorous frenzy--
his eyes looking empty,
though his face gnarls with sinew as if it in pain.

He walks to the center with mock raging gait then motions the masses.
Swayed by all that he sees
he gestures, then dances.
Lights-from every which track-
imbrue at his feet;
distracted brows meet
while he bends his concoctions so
his tones weave a reverie.
His eyes are still empty,
save for gentle reflections of light that they sip.

Thunderous stabs, like an expletive row,
invade our audition.
Young and older youths howl--
breathe their elation.
Hands and gestures convoke,
all flung to the air.
A din thickens there
and yet the player plays on like
there's nothing the matter
--his soul on a platter!--
though his eyes are most empty and void of returns.

Albert E.Albert - guitarist/composer/audio-engineer/producer and much more! Albert's band PANGEA, is a fusion based powerhouse of musicians. An all-original CD album was recorded in 2003 and will, hopefully, be independently launched this year. Any inquiries may be directed to: aealbert@yahoo.com

R.Q.
Photo: Video Frame Capture: Collis Davis © 2003, 2004 Pinoy Jazz Video Project
 

For Bill Huang’s blind-fold test of Pangea’s un-released CD album, click here.

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