The Sunday Poem: “Jazz clouds under the undulating sky of Riga while digging the Epistrophy of Thelonious Monk” by Namaya

January 18th, 2025

The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.

Namaya reads his poem at its conclusion.

_____

“Monk” by Allen Mezquida, The Jazz Dive

Jazz clouds under the undulating
sky of Riga
while digging the Epistrophy
of Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk tune
borrowed
Epistrophe
A bit of a mystery
A turn that twists
and turns

Yeah
fly right
fly bright
love in sight.

Kenny Clarke
Charlie Christian
Cootie Williams
and the holy choir
of Minton’s café swung
that infinitely
cool Fly Right Beat

The Epistrophy
becoming
an epiphany
of laughter.

A dash of the
arcane
an Apocrypha
of the holy
book of the Monk!

Laughter
becomes laughter
turning back
into itself

The band was swinging
I was lying back on the grass
with my love
and we were listening
to the most luscious jazz band

in medieval
Riga surrounded
by church spires

Could these church bells
have imagined
a heavenly choir
so glorious as jazz?

Could they even
fathom that a Monk
could play such
divine music?

Immense clouds
dancing
in chromatic scales
of laughter

shards of sunlight
pierced the clouds
as sunset purple
and lilac iridescent

Splashed and played
epistemological
ontologicalswinging funk
in the groove of Epistrophy.

Yeah
fly right
fly bright
love in sight.

I was in a reverie
as the notes and scales
danced above.
And painted the sky
as dreams unfolded

Laughter
becomes laughter
turning back
into itself.

Jazz swinging,
….bebop playing
…. I was soaring
…….. and swinging
………… with the band

jazz clouds

Laughter
becomes laughter
turning back
into itself
in the blue sky of Riga

Yeah, dig that band!

___

Namaya is an internationally renowned Jazz poet, storyteller, humorist and sublime improvisational artist. He has performed throughout the US and has toured in Europe, New Zealand, Japan, Asia, the Americas and Palmyra Syria. www.thejazzpoet.com

As a solo artist, with his band, the Jazz Beat Blues Poetry Ensemble, and with jazz musicians around the world, Namaya performs an astonishing blend of jazz word, story, and improvisation. His CD “Jazz Ku” is a collection of stories and poems of Jazz in the Key of Ku. He has shared the stage with many jazz luminaries like Sheila Jordan, who appeared in his production of the Beatnik Café. Appearing in jazz clubs like No Black Tie in Malaysia, Ben’s Café in Tokyo, on tour throughout New Zealand and Australia.

___

The saxophonist Allen Mezquida is also an artist who channels his passion for design, drawing, and animation into creating the portraits of players he continues to be inspired by. John Coltrane, Ron Carter (pictured above) Miles Davis, Michael Brecker, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Dexter Gordon and Chet Baker are some of the musicians whose legacy has been captured by Mezquida, which can be viewed on his website, The Jazz Dive.

Listen to the 1957 recording of Thelonious Monk’s Septet playing his composition “Epistrophy,” with Ray Copeland (trumpet); Gigi Gryce (alto saxophone); John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Wilbur Ware (bass); and Art Blakey (drums). [Universal Music Group]