Pure Pop For Now People!, Vol.2

Chanteuse Sam Phillips
Friday, March 26, 2010

"What's up with all this 'pop' stuff he's been posting recently," you might be wondering? "First there was Macca, then Prefab Sprout, and now some dreamboat with a man's name... what gives?" Well to be perfectly frank, I've been so freakin' depressed lately that the bounciness of these old records is the only thing that has managed to lift my spirits. But of course, none of these songs are just mere confection. As with McAloon and McCartney, Sam Phillips too has made a remarkable series of pop albums that are filled with subtle passion, great wisdom, and no small degree of wit. In fact, her first three secular recordings for Virgin Records in the 1980's form an almost ageless triumvirate of pop perfection. Produced by her then husband, T-Bone Burnett, 'The Indescribable Wow,' 'Cruel Inventions,' and 'Martinis And Bikinis' stylistically straddled both the past and the present without sounding dated or retro,* while lyrically and emotionally they are as steady as a mountain stream. The result is simply timeless. Much like 'Revolver' by The Beatles, these three records play like a collection of exquisite diamonds, expertly cut to reveal all of the facets hidden within the gem to produce a sparkling luminescence that dazzles the eye, or in this case, the ear. Like perfect pop songs should be, each track runs 2:30-3:00 minutes in length making them ideal for blasting from a car radio, and all have hummable melodies that stick in your head long after they've finished. Charged with hooks, harmonies, drums that snap, and guitars that ring, the songs bristle with a crispness that fills them with more bite than a viper. And every one of them is just long enough to create visceral excitement, while being short enough not to become wearisome and thus wear out its welcome. Instead, they leave the listener simply wanting more.**

*The radio tuning and related sound effects in a few of the crossfades were added by yours truly in an effort to create that sort of AM quality. In 'Where The Colors Don't Go,' I even tried to loosely replicate the long fade of The Beatles, 'All You Need Is Love' with its inclusion of a King Lear radio play. Do you think I might have too much time on my hands?

**Yes, I really feel that strongly about her music. Give it a listen if you're not already familiar with her work. These are great tunes!

To paraphrase the All Music Guide:

"Phillips' strong suit lies in her outstanding ability to spin clever phrases, and to wrap her slightly quirky voice around only the most accessible of pop melodies. (Giving respectful nods to the masters of the '60's like Brian Wilson and Lennon/McCartney, Phillips deftly folds her political inclinations into spiritual ruminations, and poses moral and ethical riddles within a tapestry of color and sonic experimentation.) The difference between Phillips and the vast majority of her pop-revisionist contemporaries however, is that she never coasts on the fumes of her influences, but rather turns them on their head and gives them new life. Regardless of the approach, her impassioned, spiritually charged songs remain the product of a singular vision."

Pretty Sam Phillips flashes her girl-gang affiliation hand signal

The "slightly quirky" voice alluded to in the All Music Guide deserves some clarification. Fresh from her Christian recording days, Phillips' previous label marketed her as some sort of non-secular version of another popular blond girl singer of the day who had great success with a certain 'She Bop' LP, solely because of her occasional vocal similarity to one Cyndi Lauper. The similarity is apparent, but only when Phillips ascends into her highest registers. So please, don't dismiss the girl based on that one unfortunate comparison! Phillips' voice is not nearly as grating, or annoying as her peroxided counterpart, nor is it as ever present. Acutely aware of the resemblance, she wisely toned it down on her subsequent records, frequently employing a new, lower range. Nevertheless her chirrup does remain a unique if not "quirky" one that is actually well suited to her material, adding an indisputable effervescence to the proceedings. In fact, you might say that her vocals are to the songs what a cap of chocolate kissed milk foam is to the cappuccino --- a creamy treat.

Drawing from the above mentioned trilogy of recordings, the sets below demonstrate why Phillips is almost universally the darling of critics, and has attracted some extremely well-know admirer's within the music community. And unlike a few others in her field, she didn't peak quickly and then dissolve into mediocrity, although I might suggest approaching her follow-up, 1996's 'Omnipop (It's Only A Fleshwound Lambchop)' with a bit of caution. Not that it's undistinguished, mind you. Far from it. In actuality it's quite adventurous, but perhaps too much so if that's even possible. Sonically, T-Bone Burnett's production is extremely dense, cluttered, and claustrophobic on this one. It's an interesting experiment, but ultimately it detracted from those incredible melodies Phillips is capable of writing. Elsewhere however, Burnett's impeccable touch and sterling arrangements raised these early recordings to the level of 'pure pop' art. However, after taking it to its limit so to speak, she regrouped and stripped down her approach with her next recording ('Fan Dance'), sound sculpting with a more acoustic palette that served to even better showcase her highly intelligent wordplay, forging both a new identity and audience in the process.

The bottom line is, if you've been feeling as miserable as I have been recently, listening to Sam Phillips may be just what you need to loosen the vice grip on your mental health.

Genuflecting before the Wheel of the Broken Voice

Pure Pop For Now People!, Vol.2:
Chanteuse Sam Phillips

1) Holding On To The Earth
2) I Don't Know How To Say Goodbye
3) I Can't Stop Crying
4) Strawberry Road
5) Love And Kisses
6) Wheel Of The Broken Voice
7) Lying
8) Private Storm
9) Standing Still
10) Signposts
11) Flame
12) Baby, I Can't Please You
13) Same Rain
14) Now I Can't Find The Door
15) I Don't Want To Fall In Love
16) Same Changes
17) Cruel Inventions
18) Where The Colors Don't Go
19) She Can't Tell Time
20) I Need Love
21) Go Down
22) Remorse
23) What You Don't Want To Hear


Source material for 'Pure Pop For Now People!: Chanteuse Sam Phillips' comes from the following:

The Indescribable Wow (1988)
Cruel Inventions (1991)
Martinis And Bikinis (1994)

Pure Pop For Now People!, Vol.1

Paddy McAloon & Prefab Sprout
Friday, March 19, 2010

In the spring of 1984, I may have been one of approximately 12 people in the whole of the United States who actually took a gamble and purchased a copy of 'Swoon,' the debut recording from a young British band called Prefab Sprout. Led by songwriter, Paddy McAloon, I was initially taken by 'Swoon's' cryptic album jacket, a cover that depicted two lovers locked in a passionate embrace, engulfed by what appeared to be either a bed of clover, cabbage leaves, or conceivably even brussell sprouts. The vague, nondescript song titles listed on the rear appeared equally mysterious, and so without having heard one note of its content, I was intrigued enough to pull out my wallet and take that chance. You see, the competition for ears and dollars in the field of pop music was particularly heavy that year. Leading the pack of course were Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Phil Collins, and Billy Joel, along with The Police, Cindy Lauper, and Culture Club who already dominated the American airwaves with recordings from the previous year, while 1984 saw strong new releases from Bon Jovi, Sheila E, Sade, The Cars, Wham, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Tina Turner, Billy Ocean, Van Halen, The Pretenders, and others. When you also factor in Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.,' and U2's 'Unforgettable Fire,' plus uber-followups from Prince and Madonna ('Purple Rain' and 'Like A Virgin' respectively) which were all released later that same year, you're then looking at an extremely cutthroat market over the battle for record buyer wallets and radio chart placement.

And so what pop records actually did manage to earn my hard earned greenbacks in 1984? The Smith's debut recording for one, which has always been a favorite. R.E.M.'s 'Reckoning' was another, as was The Replacements 'Let It Be.' Add to those The Waterboys 'A Pagen Place,' and the aforementioned 'Swoon' by Prefab Sprout, the LP that ultimately won prime rotation on my turntable. And why 'Swoon' you might ask? Well, in addition to the cryptic jacket, the primary reason was because it was so out of step with what others were producing at the time, the majority of which were either dance floor anthems, jangly guitars, M.O.R. balladry, or synthesizer pap driven by drum machines and heartless computer software. Secondly, it was because the album contained decidedly intelligent, sophisticated, and well crafted pop songs that were a bit off-center while remaining melodically satisfying. Thirdly, it was because those songs were filled with all but the most impenetrable of lyrics with oblique references to Bobby Fisher, Che Guevara, Stella Marta, and the mysterious Roger D, only serving the amplify the puzzling quality of the cover art. But most of all it was because the songs penned by Paddy McAloon were conceivably loaded with more ideas per bar than almost any other chart record released that year! It was refreshingly new and different, and the charms hidden within his songs revealed themselves on the very first listen. I was convinced I had stumbled upon a sure thing, for in my mind the Sprouts embodied the best of all four of the previously mentioned bands who had also caught my ear. Present were the passion, the ringing guitars, the gilded lyrics, a small but tasteful bit of synthesizer to appease the 'New Romantics,' and even an art school kind of edginess that gave them a certain degree of cache. And to assuage my 'old school' predilections, they also displayed the smart jazz kissed sophistication of an established band like Steely Dan. Additionally blessed with an extra melodic accessibility that could serve to make them radio friendly, I thought that surely in time they would prove themselves to be head and shoulders above the status quo, but I was wrong. The other groups went on to garner acclaim and accolades, and in the case of R.E.M., even great fortune. Meanwhile, Prefab Sprout caused barely a ripple, and we had to endure the insufferable tedium of The Talking Heads instead. Though somewhat successful in their homeland, Paddy and his band never quite caught on here in America, which was a reality I could never understand. Neither then, nor even today.

Paddy McAloon

Steve 'Spaz' Schnee of the All Music Guide sums up the overlooked talent of McAloon nicely with these observations:

"Why on Earth isn't Paddy McAloon a legend? Honestly, he really should be a household name all around the world. From Prefab Sprout's early-'80s singles right up through their often brilliant but much maligned album 'The Gunman And Other Stories' in 2001, McAloon has written some of the finest pop tunes you're likely to hear in your lifetime. If you are not familiar with the Sprouts' output, comparisons are futile. How can you possibly describe a songwriter who is as unique as he is mysterious? Comparisons have been made with Cole Porter, Lennon/McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, Elvis Costello, and many others, but he remains a truly original and gifted singer and songwriter. While Prefab Sprout could never be called prolific in terms of physical album releases, McAloon has continued to write and demo material throughout the band's 20-plus-year career. But unfortunately, America has never quite been able to decipher the lyrical genius of Paddy McAloon. Although his band ventured several times onto the U.K. charts, McAloon's whispery voice and smart, sometimes vague lyrics often bewildered American radio programmers."

Michael Sutton, also of the All Music Guide adds this as well:

"Widely considered to be one of the most underrated lyricists of our time, Paddy McAloon formed Prefab Sprout in 1982. The group also included his brother Martin McAloon (bass), Neil Conti (drums), and Wendy Smith (guitar, vocals). McAloon has a calm, breathy voice that can register deep sorrow or profound joy whether he is talking or singing in his songs. His heartbreaking vocals on 'When Love Breaks Down' wooed listeners of new wave radio stations in 1985. Taken from the LP 'Steve McQueen' (a.k.a 'Two Wheels Good' in America), 'When Love Breaks Down,' along with 'Appetite,' introduced McAloon's distinctive croon and mature, insightful songwriting to an American audience. However, the love affair was a brief one; the eclectic, eccentric pop of Prefab Sprout's next album, 'From Langley Park to Memphis,' left music fans outside of Europe confused. Even McAloon's sly jab at Bruce Springsteen with his 'Cars And Girls,' was too subtle to generate much laughter in the United States. Those who choose to push music to the background in their lives may not completely understand where McAloon is coming from, but for those who have lived and breathed music since their early days, his songs are a true revelation Today, McAloon continues to lead Prefab Spout in name only, not allowing any lack of commercial success or shifting musical trends to steer his artistic vision."

With such high praise, doesn't it make you question then why some lesser talents find success and acceptance from the public while other more deserving artists languish in relative anonymity? And is it any wonder why I've not only found ample shelf space for Prefab Sprout in my collection, but also a soft spot in my heart for the wonderful music written by Paddy McAloon?

McAloon in his prime

O.K., so seeing as how the music of Prefab Sprout is primarily a product of the 80's and 90's, it doesn't exactly qualify as being for 'Now People.' But there's no denying that it is 'Pure Pop!,' and only in the best sense of the phrase. And despite the sometimes syrupy sweetness of his later material, I still remain enamored by the pen of Paddy McAloon to this day, and that's why I include him within these pages. I lament seeing music like his being overshadowed, buried, and forgotten, especially by the mediocrity of what passes for pop music today. Furthermore, McAloon has endured some serious setbacks in the last decade as well, adding insult to injury. Quoting Spaz once again, "...in recent years while less talented artists bask in the spotlight and sell boatloads of albums, McAloon has dealt with a series of health issues, including vision and hearing problems. He's had retinal detachments in both eyes and a severe bout with Ménière's disease, leaving him virtually unable to carry on as a recording artist. Thankfully, he continues to write songs that can be sung by other vocalists, and perhaps one day he will be able to grace listeners with his own voice once again."

Without sounding anything like them, 'Electric Guitars' is a classy tip of the hat to the Fab Four, while 'Cars And Girls,' outwardly a dig at the innocent romance of Bruce Springsteen's early songs, gives way to an unexpected salute when McAloon cries, "Brucie's dreams are pretty streamers/I guess this world really needs its dreamers/May they never wake up!" Meanwhile, 'Swans' is a poetic testament to the virtues of marital fidelity, a song that's as beautiful and as graceful as the regal birds themselves. And after hearing 'Dublin' and you'll have to agree that it's probably among the prettiest of songs you're ever likely to encounter. As you then begin to come to terms with his sensibilities, you'll quickly discover that McAloon is perhaps the last of the true romantics. A man who believes not only in the power of rock n' roll to free the soul, but also the mysterious ability of music as a whole to soothe the mind, heal the heart, and maybe even change the world. Perhaps it's a naive notion, but it's a noble one nevertheless, and Paddy McAloon is sincere in his desire to do just that.

Paddy McAloon today

Pure Pop For Now People!, Vol.1:
Paddy McAloon & Prefab Sprout, Pt.1

1) Elegance
2) The King Of Rock n' Roll
3) Life Of Surprises
4) Wicked Things
5) I Never Play Basketball
6) Technique
7) Horsechimes
8) Enchanted
9) I Remember That
10) Oh, The Swiss!
11) Green Issac II
12) The Ice Queen
13) Paris Smith
14) Knock On Wood
15) Goodbye Lucille #1 (a.k.a. Johnny, Johnny)
16) Donna Summer
17) Bonny
18) Anne Marie
19) The Golden Calf
20) Moving The River
21) All The World Loves Lovers

Pure Pop For Now People!, Vol.1:
Paddy McAloon & Prefab Sprout, Pt.2

1) Electric Guitars
2) He'll Have To Go
3) Horsin' Around
4) When Love Breaks Down
5) Dublin
6) Cruel
7) Cars And Girls
8) The Mystery Of Love
9) Nightingales
10) Cue Fanfare
11) Hallelujah
12) Don't Sing
13) Swans
14) We Let The Stars Go
15) If You Don't Love Me
16) Appetite
17) The World Awake
18) Life's A Miracle
19) Couldn't Bear To Be Special


Source material for 'Pure Pop For Now People!: Paddy McAloon & Prefab Sprout' comes from the following:

Swoon (1984)/Steve McQueen (a.k.a. Two Wheels Good) (1984)
From Langley Park To Memphis (1988)/Protest Songs (1989)
Jordan: The Comeback (1990)/A Life Of Surprises (1992)
Andromeda Heights (1997) and various singles (1984-1998)

Memorable Macca Moments

Select Music From Sir Paul McCartney
Friday, March 12, 2010

No doubt everyone has an opinion regarding Paul McCartney. Not only about the man, his work, and his career, but also about might constitute his more 'memorable moments.' While McCartney's years as a solo artist far outweigh his time as a Beatle, the quality of his output as a solo act is in equal measure overshadowed by the often superb material he produced with his former bandmates. Obviously the creative competition between he and John Lennon resulted in Macca consistently bringing only his best work to the table. But once outside of that microcosm and the discerning taste of producer, George Martin, McCartney's sometimes grandiose 'I can do it all myself' inclinations tended to yield some surprising mediocrity, as well as more than a few moments of pure brilliance. As is frequently the case, the unfortunate lack of an objective ear often allows for self-indulgence to take the place of good judgement and solid songcraft. But given the sheer amount of tunes that McCartney has penned over the years, he should be forgiven for the occasional missteps that weaken his catalog. Overflowing with talent and charisma, Paul McCartney remains a creative force to be reckoned with even today. In fact, his years with The Beatles notwithstanding, the man may very well be at the absolute apex of his popularity as a solo act. And given that he is clearly a charter member of the rock elite, he continues to strike me as a rather down-to-earth and accessible individual, which in this ridiculous age of celebrity entitlement seems a most admirable and redeeming quality.

With nearly 4 dozen full length LP's to his credit as both a solo artist and a band leader (not including his work with The Beatles), not to mention his forays into electronic music, and classical composition, there are obviously going to be cavernous gaps in most anyone's McCartney collection, and mine is no exception. Therefore the sets below are drawn from a fixed number of exclusive recordings that happen to occupy shelf space in my own library. From those releases, I've selected what I believe are some of the more 'memorable Macca moments' committed to tape or hard drive. The criterion is strictly subjective. There's no disputing that McCartney is one of the most melodic and creative of bass players, and his guitar chops are not too shabby either. So that aspect of his craft is not applicable here. Likewise is his capacity to pen tuneful pop refrains. Certainly no contest there. I'd say if there were anything that indicates a key to my choices, it would be his vocal delivery, and his ability to rock. I personally have always been partial to his gruffer singing style, a voice that first appeared on 'I'm Down,' and later took greater prominence from 'The White Album' onward. Performances like those on 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road?,' 'Oh, Darling!,' 'Smile Away,' and 'Oh Woman, Oh Why?' simply slay me. What more can I say? And when McCartney rocks out, he displays a wild abandon that I find irresistible. Witness 'Helter Skelter,' 'I've Got A Feeling,' and 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' as testament to that impulsiveness. We all know that Sir Paul is more than capable of writing a lilting melody, sometimes with great sentimentality, and often more than a bit of sugary syrup. But the above mentioned songs are ragged and joyous examples of Macca at his best --- simple rock and roll that comes from the heart and soul rather than from schooling and intellect.

Memorable Macca Moments, Vol.1

1) I'm Down
2) Back In The U.S.S.R.
3) Why Do We Do It In The Road?
4) Junior's Farm
5) Name And Number
6) Oh, Darling!
7) Maybe I'm Amazed
8) Too Many People
9) Let Me Roll It
10) The Mess
11) Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
12) Smile Away
13) Good Rockin' Tonight
14) Lady Madonna
15) Helter Skelter


Memorable Macca Moments, Vol.2

1) Come And Get It
2) Only Mama Knows
3) Oh Woman, Oh Why?
4) I've Got A Feeling
5) Hi Hi Hi
6) Girl's School
7) She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
8) Ain't That A Shame
9) Good Day Sunshine
10) Birthday
11) Oo You
12) Helen Wheels
13) 3 Legs
14) Little Woman Love
15) Can't Buy Me Love
16) Hey Jude


Source material for 'Memorable Macca Moments, Vols.1&2' come from the following:

The Beatles
A Hard Days Night (1964)/I'm Down (Single) (1965)/Revolver (1966)
The White Album (1968)/Lady Madonna & Hey Jude (Singles) (1968)
Abbey Road (1969)/Let It Be (1970)/Anthology 3 (1996)

Paul McCartney
McCartney (1970)/Ram (1971)/Oh Woman, Oh Why? (Single) (1971)
Little Woman Love & Hi Hi Hi (Singles) (1972)/Band On The Run (1973)/The Mess (Single) (1973)
Junior's Farm (Single) (1974)/Girl's School (Single) (1977)/London Town (1978)/Choba b CCCP (1988)
Unplugged (1991)/Memory Almost Full (2007)

Jazz + Poetry =

Jazzoetry

Friday, March 05, 2010

A bit more contemporary than the previous collections posted back in December of 2008 which can be found here and here. These are some of the new generation of practitioner's who mix jazz and poetry into what I've always referred to as 'Jazzoetry.' As a point of reference however, I've included a few old timers in the session, the most bizarre of which would be Yvette Mimieux. Not someone I would normally associate with poetry and spoken word, I added her piece, 'Episode' from 'Flowers Of Evil' as a small tribute to her accompanist, the late master, Ali Akbar Khan. Drawn from Charles Baudelaire's poem of the same name, it isn't really jazz as we know it in the traditional sense but, Khan's improvisation is decidedly jazz-like, plus he's always a joy to hear.

For me, some of the featured highlights include newcomer Robyn Rease along with The George Russell, Jr. Trio. Her 'Jazz, Rhythm And Blues' is exquisite and in the pocket, the perfect blending of passion, poetry, and syncopation. True Jazzoetry. 'Trilogy...' too is the real thing, and quite hilarious. The Jeff Robinson Trio accurately describe with harrowing urgency the dope sick mind of a junkie, while Norman Riley's 'The Rock' is conceivably the one of the most tender and personal tomes on loneliness and longing, questioning the futility of walking through life lost, alone, and without love. And what more can I say about Oaktown's, Upsurge! JazzPoetry Ensemble? They're simply the best! Led by Raymond Nat Turner and Zigi Lowenberg, the band takes the art of Jazzoetry to new heights with original ideas and sounds. Meanwhile, N-Side's '...Tribute To (Drummer) Smiley Winters' is ambitious as well but lacks a certain cohesiveness. That's not intended as a criticism. The individual segments are simply more powerful that the sum of the parts. Nevertheless, it remains a vital piece of jazz and poetry. Lastly, 'Dr. Bop' by Satin And Velvet comes from a collection called 'Beat Jazz/Pictures Of The Gone World, Volume One' which I found on the blog site 'Like...Dreamsville.' I'm not entirely certain that the track was labelled correctly as the piece has absolutely nothing to do with 'bop,' and neither does it sound like the work of two individuals, assuming that's what the name Satin And Velvet implies. I've listed it as I found it however, mislabelled or not, as one of the older examples of prose mixed with music.* I hope you'll enjoy all of these Jazzoetry performances.

*Please see the comments section for some clarification surrounding this bit of confusion

The Early Set

1) Night Life :: Charlie from Chicago
2) Jazz, Rhythm And Blues :: Robyn Rease w/The George Russell, Jr. Trio
3) My Head :: Jeff Robinson Trio
4) Cathedral :: Prisoners from Cell Block D
5) Episode :: Yvette Mimieux w/Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
(performing an excerpt from Charles Baudelaire's 'The Flowers Of Evil')
6) A Black Oriented Love Poem/The First Time I Saw Loneliness
:: Wanda Robinson
7) Pull My Daisy :: Lynn Sheffield w/The David Amram Quintet
(performing an excerpt from an 'Exquisite Corpse' poem by
Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Neil Cassidy)
8) A Jazz Opera: A Poetic Tribute To Smiley Winters (A Suite) :: N-Side
a) Intro/Selfish
b) Vanguard Five
c) In Time
d) The Art Of Traveling Black
e) I Don't Know Why
f) Voices (From A Disinherited Wasteland)
g) Vanguard Dreams
h) Jazz Opera
9) Together To The Tune Of Coltrane's Equinox :: Sarah Webster Fabio
10) 4 a.m. - 5 a.m. Willies :: Bam Miller
11) The Man Wants To Go :: Jeff Robinson Trio



The Late Set

1) On The Shoulders :: Doris Kay
2) Bridging :: Upsurge! JazzPoetry Ensemble
3) Beautiful Black Women :: Amiri Baraka
4) Big High Song For Somebody :: Roy Glenn
5) Jazz Is No Doubt Blue :: Bam Miller
6) Chicken Shack Blues :: Al from East St. Louis
7) Because They Envy Us :: Wanda Robinson
8) Love And Jazz :: Nicole Moody
9) Catastrophes :: Jayne Cortez
10) The Junkie :: Prisoners from Cell Block D
11) The Rock :: Norman Riley
12) Trilogy: Being Like I Am/Loved Me Backwards/The First Time
:: Robyn Rease w/The George Russell, Jr. Trio
13) Sax Is To Jazz :: Bam Miller
14) Dr. Bop :: Satin And Velvet
(Actually 'Satin And Velvet' by Doctor Bop as evidenced by Andrey in the comments section)
15) Black Is :: The Last Poets
16) Eclipse/Interrogation :: Sarah Webster Fabio
17) Black Satin Amazon Fire Engine Cry Baby :: Kain
18) Don't Go :: Claire Philipps
19) Abbey's House :: Upsurge! JazzPoetry Ensemble


Source material for 'Jazz + Poetry = Jazzoetry' comes from the following:

Beat Jazz : Pictures From The Gone World/Roy Glenn, David Amram, Dr. Bop
Avant Retro/Al from East St. Louis, Charlie from Chicago
Everywhere Drums/Jayne Cortez
From The Cold Jaws Of Prison/Prisoners from Cell Block D
This Is Madness!/The Last Poets
Jazz and Other Hues/Bam Miller
Getting Fixed/Jeff Robinson Trio
Reflections/Doris Kay
Underground Streets/Norman Riley
The Pianist & The Poet/Robyn Rease & George Russell Jr.
The Blue Guerrilla/Kain
Love and Jazz/Nicole Moody, Claire Philipps
Together To The Tune Of Equinox/Sarah Webster Fabio
The Soul-Jazz Poetry Of Wanda Robinson/Wanda Robinson
A Jazz Opera/N-Side
Flowers Of Evil/Yvette Mimieux & Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
Black and Beautiful, Soul and Madness/Amiri Baraka
All Hands On Deck & Chromatology/Upsurge! JazzPoetry Ensemble