Dick Lourie: Pick of the Week [ed. Terence Winch]

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Justice

It’s been reported that when the Beatles

were introduced to Steve Cropper—white genius

of Black Memphis music—the four of them

all stood as one and bowed from the waist: an

 

appropriate homage I’d say     displaying their

good sense—and making me wish that those who buy

records were that astute     instead     as we know

Steve Cropper’s name is not yet a household word

 

except when compared with that of Lowman Pauling

his own acknowledged inspiration now

forgotten     who all through the forties and

fifties played guitar and sang with The 5 Royales

 

Black musicians making Black people’s music

in the USA of lynching and Jim

Crow     colored water fountains and early

death for Negroes who didn’t know their place

 

in a better world we would all stand up

you and I     John     Paul     George     Ringo     and Steve

“The Five Royales” we’d say     as if we were

up on stage proudly introducing them

 

before a huge enthusiastic crowd

“Johnny Tanner and Eugene Tanner on

lead vocals” we’d say     “Jimmy Moore     Otto

Jeffries     Obadiah Carter singing

 

harmony    and on bass harmony and

guitar: Lowman Pauling     Ladies and

Gentlemen” we’d say “this is like gospel

sweetness caught and held by the sting of that

 

guitar—soul starts here” we’d say “and doo-wop

starts here     so will you please welcome The 5

Royales”     and then we would all kneel and kiss

their shiny shoes

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Dick Lourie’s new book, Jam Session and Other Poems (Hanging Loose), reflects his half-century of engagement with two professions: he’s both a poet and a professional blues sax player. In the book’s title poem, Jazz and Blues are two old friends sitting in a café.  A previous book of poems, If the Delta Was the Sea, was inspired by his twenty years of visiting and playing music in the Mississippi Delta. In 1966 he co-founded Hanging Loose Press with Bob Hershon, Emmett Jarrett, and Ron Schreiber. He is still active as co-publisher and co-editor.

[Click for more information on Steve Cropper, Lowman Pauling, and the 5 Royales.]

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Comments

[Howard Bass]

Wonderful tribute to the amazing anonymous music-makers whose names we never knew. All hail!

[Barbara Henning]

Wonderful. Your poem is sending me straight to the music.
Thank you, Dick Lourie

[Grace Cavalieri]

Dick Lourie brings tears of gratitude with his sensibilities in poetry, now more than ever, when sorrow is the loudest song.

[Susan Campbell]

Terrific!

[lally]

dynamite tribute to the 5 royales and steve cropper, and a terrific poem as well...and let me say dick lourie deserves similar tributes as one of the great storyteller/poet/editor/publisher/musicians who helped create and make the alternative small press poetry world of the 20th century as culturally vital as any...

[Terence Winch]

Michael---thank you for the comment, mo chara. I second your assessment.

[Gerald Fleming]

It's not possible to not read Dick Lourie's poetry aloud--from the very earliest pieces to the present--performance poet with the bonus of all the craft, too. Fantastic.

[Maureen Owen]

A lesson delivered by the lyric of abounding grace. So taken to heart and appreciated.

[Indran Amirthanayagam]

There is no finer historian of the poetry of music and the music of poetry than Dick Lourie. Thank you Dick.

[Eileen]

Wonderful poem.

[Peter Kearney]

This is all so completely new to me, but if the Beatles bowed, I am ready to do so also.

[Nate Bekemeier]

Amazingly Graceful.Amazing Dick Lourie.Just Amazing!

[Jay Paris]

There is an ever present integrity in Dick Lourie’s words that reflect his vast experience- and experiences. The notes from his sax are no different.

[Robin Zane]

wonderful music, your poem speaks the truth!
Love
Robin & Greg

[David Amram]

Dick Lourie gives young people today the chance to know abiutnthe beautiful roots of American music which a handful us were
sound to see, hear and be part of as te Great Depression ended and World War 2 began.

i had the pleasure of doing a program with Dick in 2011 for Lowell Celebrates Kerouac and when Jack nd i debuted what's called Jazz/Poetry in 1957, we always emphasized the relationship offword and music and that the blues and Jazz and all the poetic ways of speaking were all related and made life more meaningful.

Dick's beautiful poem shares all that he has learned and embellished upon as a master of playing i the blues tradition,whch means
always being creative, keeping it for real andnhonring the sanctity of the moment.
'it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing"

Thank you Terence winch for choosing this fine poem for us to read and thank you Best American Poetry Blog for giving us all the chance to hear the voices who have something today of lasting value and who have their OWN way of saying it!

David Amram...(STILL a promising young composer at 90,
in spite of my speedometer assigning me
to becoming a Nonagenarian) ...

[Terence Winch]

Dear David: Thanks so much for that generous & insightful comment.

[Elinor Nauen]

Wow, the comments are almost as good as the poem. Which is sensationally real & launched me into a frenzy of listening. Thank you, Dick & Terence, as well as everyone who commented. It feels like we're all hanging out & watching art happen in a great way.

[Terence Winch]

Elinor---thanks so much for that comment.

[Jiwon Choi]

Dick's poem reminds me of John Singleton's sublime "The Five Heartbeats", which reminds us that redemption is a worthy endeavor, as is recognizing the hardworking men and women who helped birth America's rich musical tradition.

[Doug Pell]

Thank you Dick for this testimony and Terence for giving us this work. When inspiration stands on the shoulders of giants we all reap the benefits.

[Terence Winch]

Doug: thanks for the comment.

[Dr. Earle Hitchner]

“Justice” by Dick Lourie kindled a lot of musical memories for me. One vivid one was during the late 1950s when my older cousins in South Philadelphia let me listen to their well-worn singles of “Think” and “Dedicated to the One I Love” by The “5” Royales. I was hopelessly smitten by them, their songs, and that rhythm-and-blues sound, and I soon embarked on a long journey into R&B that occupies a special place in my heart and head to this day. The “5” Royales finally made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an “early influence” in 2015, roughly 50 years after their heyday. If they had recorded just one song, their 1957 hit “Think,” it would spur me right now to join Dick Lourie in kneeling before them to “kiss their shiny shoes.” And I’d ask every one of The “5” Royales to sign the photocopy I brought of “Justice” composed in their honor--and then hand it to Dick.

[Terence Winch]

Earle---thanks for your customary knowledgeable response.

[ping wang]

Dick is the best!