Be Bop Blues & Random Riffs

Be Bop, Blues & Random Riffs explores the musics that influence my personal and professional life and act as identity markers of my personality and world view. From the age of 12 I listened especially to Be Bop in clubs, at home, and in record stores where listening booths let me listen to an entire 78 or 33 rpm record (very old school). My small east coast home town and the community where I grew up provided a protective atmosphere that allowed me to enter clubs. The bartenders, who knew my parents, issued stern warnings against drinking and disturbing customers. I heeded those warnings and the enclosed works are the results of my relationship with the music, musicians, sessions attended, scenes witnessed and observations jotted down as I enjoyed the music. My youthful pub crawling started the process of creating the works presented here for your enjoyment, enlightenment, pleasure, and entertainment. More than 40 years ago I published my first writing on Charlie "Yardbird" Parker and the first and last poems in the volume indicate that Bird is still a driving force in my creative life.