“Good Morning, daddy!
Ain’t you heard
The boogie-woogie rumble
Of a dream deferred?”

– Dream Boogie, Langston Hughes

On Sunday, November 9th at 9p.m., poets, scholars, producers, WWOZ ODJs and all around avatars of music & culture, John Sinclair and Kalamu ya Salaam, will perform in a “Jazz Poetry Cutting Contest” at the Funky Butt.

For Kalamu, music and writing have always been strongly connected. “In eighth grade,” the 9th ward native remembers, “an English teacher played a recording of Langston Hughes reciting his poetry with a jazz piano playing behind it, and that’s what originally got me interested in writing.”

That moment sent him on a life’s journey through the work of not just Hughes, but James Baldwin, Leroy Jones (who later became Amiri Baraka) and beyond into Caribbean and African writers. Musically, Kalamu started out listening to Duke Ellington’s “The Drum is a Woman,” played by his father as a Mardi Gras day ritual: “A real swinging chick. Was, is, and always will be, a real swinging chick. She goes way back, as far back, as far back go, and she’s far out, as far out, as far out, go… ”

He began checking out Charles Mingus, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, John Coltrane and almost everything else under the Afro-American sun. Today, he probably owns the most extensive library of black poetry and music in the city, which helps explain why his “Kitchen Sink” radio program on WWOZ Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ranks among the best on local radio.

Since The Blues Merchant in ’69, he has published a wide array of poetry, essays, fiction, music criticism and historical pieces (this while producing records, acting as the Executive Director of the Jazz & Heritage Foundation for four years, co-founding a PR/Advertising firm, Bright Moments, and performing his poetry around the country.) The Magic of Juju, a history of the black arts movement, is due out in print shortly, along with Tarzan Cannot Return to Africa, But I Can, a travel memoir from his trip to Ghana.

Kalamu’s new spoken word CD on AFO records is entitled My Story, My Song, featuring musicians like Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Percussion Incorporated and the late Danny Barker. (On the 9th at Funky Butt, Kalamu performs with guitarist Carl LeBlanc.) Kalamu sees jazz poetry as an essential, thriving component of black literature. “It goes back almost to the beginning; [I’m] talking about the griots, the oral tradition.”

Also a prominent DJ on WWOZ, John Sinclair is known these days for his work with the Blues Scholars, whose second release Full Circle has been getting a lot of attention this year. Back in the late sixties Sinclair managed the legendary band MC5 and led the radical White Panther Party. Today, he is an adopted New Orleanian, known primarily as a laid back poet/hipster who knows more about music, than most people know about their own mothers.

Sinclair, whose biographical style is quite different than Kalanu’s, says he is looking forward to the competition, although he plays down the rivalry aspect. “The tongue in cheek factor should at least be noted. We aren’t gonna have rawes in our pockets… I’m just looking forward to having a good time. You better be with poetry because there’s no money in it,” he laughed. If you can’t have a good time you should stay home.”

November should be a stimulating month intellectually, highlighted by two nights of Mose Allison on the 28th and 29th at Snug Harbor. Allison, whose eccentric fusion of rustic blues, stride and bop piano has epitomized hipness for over 40 years, is also known as a profound, wry lyricist. He has written over 150 songs such as “Parchman Farm,” “Young Man Blues,” “Middle Class White Boy,” “Your Mind is on Vacation,” and “No Trouble Living.” (“Cause I got no trouble livin’ it’s dyin’ that bothers me.”)

Snug also features a record release parry for Roland Guerin on the 16th. The new CD on Turnipseed Records, The Winds of the New Land, features Guerin on bass with Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Peter Martin (piano), Mark Whitfield (guitar) and Donald Edwards (drums).

D-Bassed, featuring guitarist Brian Seeger and trombonist Rick Trolson, made its Snug debut the previous Sunday on the 9th. D-Bassed is a highly original off-shoot from Neslort (which also features Trolsen and Seeger). Neslort’s performance at Tipitina’s last month lived up to the “Tuesday jam night” slogan “the most eclectic night of local music you can find.” Standing before a wide array of percussive devices and toys like a wild-eyed doctor, Trolsen led the sextet through a surprisingly well integrated combination of styles and ideas, ranging from reggae and funk to classical. This band seems determined to put the fun and the funk back into jazz. They perform at Cafe Brasil Nov. 12.

“We know the music, but now we come to New Orleans to get the soul,” says the Black Bottom Brass Band from Osaka, Japan, who play Donna’s on the 19th and 22nd. In fact, the Black Bottom Band knows more about New Orleans soul than you might guess. They have formed ties with several New Orleans musicians who tour Japan, such as percussionist Michael Ward; who appears on their two CD’s. In Oct. ’96, they performed with The Wild Magnolias in Osaka. The Black Bottom’s second album, Meet Up On The Street, features the trumpet and voice of Kermit Ruffins and a version of “Do Whatcha Wanna” recorded live at Donna’s. Now, if that doesn’t make it a “real” New Orleans brass band record, I don’t know what does. Regardless, these guys have the chops to hold their own, having gone to school on both the traditional style of the Treme Brass Band and the funky work of Dirty Dozen and Rebirth. (If you don’t believe me, go check it out for yourself).

Black Bottom was accepted with great warmth by the brass band community during their February New Orleans trip, which was filmed as a TV documentary that aired in Japan. They sat in with numerous bands, and were honored when asked to play during the funeral procession for pianist Ed Frank. The Black Bottom reminds us that the folk music we take for granted is actually an international force with which to be reckoned.

Kermit Ruffins is set to make another record of his own in November, but this one will be recorded live from Tipitina’s on Friday the 14th with the Barbecue Swingers. Kermit’s association with Justice Records has come to an end, and while shopping for a major label (and while free of contractual obligations), this is the perfect time to capture Kermit’s one-of-a-kind live vibe on tape. A joint production between Kermit and Mark Samuels’ fledgling label, Basin Street Music, a live Kermit record seems as natural as red beans & rice. It should be available in the spring, hopefully before Mardi Gras.

Other noteworthy shows in November: 3 Now 3 at Dream Palace on the 19th, the UNO fall Sandbar series concludes with “Papa” Don Vappie on the 5th, Kermit with the UNO Big Band on the 12th and Yon Freeman on the 19th.

Noteworthy national releases: On Impulse, Diana Krall’s Love Scenes; On Concord Picante, Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va! The Dance Collection; Poncho Sanchez’ Freedom Sound; Mongo Santamaria’s Afro Blue, and Fiesta Picante – The Latin jazz Party Collection. On Verve, two dynamite pianists in an acoustic trio setting, Hank Jones’ Favors, and Rodney Kendrik’s We Don’t Die We Multiply (this last one is especially tasty.)

(Contact Jonathan Tabak through or at [email protected])