| Author | Message | ||
     Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2412 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
"1931-1976" (A Poem: In loving memory of Charles Stepney) By Kola Boof Spokes of rain listen no speak. The Speakers, main. Percussion: Pointillism I feel brown...I feel red...I feel yellow. Sitt'n on the heater: cold and knotty. Spokes of sound and Sun on the ground. The Speaker's notes. Falsetto baby: My heart/ cain't beat without you My heart can't beat without you, main! Less roll. Spin my 45/Born at 45: Orchestrating Everything behind the sky Laugh nigga--I am with you. Like all my life --like living...all N life/Touching sound. To be touched. Ain't nobody laugh'n. No Solo. No such thing. No Solo. You don't hear me now... The Reasons I feel brown...I feel red...I feel yellow The reasons/that we're here In Hand: The spokes in heartbeats Beating/ The Speakers Everything that can be touched... Everything/can be touched Every...Thing. I know you know. Sound. Ain't no time, Autumn: Ain't nobody play'n wit 'choo! I feel brown...I feel red...I feel yellow Ain't no time, Winter: Sitt'n on the heater: cold and knotty I know you know Muddy slush and rainbow snow Putt'n sugar/On Sound, hot as oatmeal Ain't no time, Spring: Big ol life--and no more footprints Grandma watching "Organ of the people/the people's organ- Mr. Charles Stepney!" Thank you Thank you My brothas and sistas...I thank you! Ain't no time, Summer: Gimme Five/on the black hand side! The Reasons Ache me into this world. Organ of the people/the people's organ burn Cess--pretty brown leaves/sweet Titties dance burn Cess--pretty brown girl/Dunk ash burn Cess--burning in my chest burn Cess--honey on my flute burn Sleep and chime and don't never wake up. Organ of the people/the people's organ sleep'n Time I surrender. Time. Organ of the people/the people's organ I feel keyboards...I feel Percussion...I feel horns Dear Speakers: I feel The Reasons: The reasons/ that we're here In and out of buildings/the doors to Kalimba My foot against the address book and sheets tangled against phones ringing too early In and out of consciousness Laughing in Key To wit/In key I am with Everything: Bringing to life. A kind of Cool Aid/Back down memory lane. Harmony pulling back curtains of harmony. In Hand: pull back the curtains. Our picture frame. Our picture frame. I am with Autumn mastering the Rake. A fleeting note (inside of carols and church robes) --surpassing even time. A Casket of leaves. I am with Everything: Bringing to life. To be the sun on flowers now Touching In key with everything: Bringing to life. Keep your head /To the sky And I will touch you. *This is the first of four poems inspired by the legendary musical genius Charles Stepney that will appear in Kola Boof's new poetry collection, "TALK ABOUT THE LIVING TO THE LIVING". | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5532 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, *WHEW* That's just a beautifully BEAUTIFUL poem. It is so sweet, I can actually HEAR Charles' music play in my head as I read it. Truly. Your talents are without bounds. Thank You VERY MUCH! *bowing* | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2484 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
ABM, I am so STOKED that you like it.  You actually knew him, and I don't, so your reaction---if it had been negative---would have sent me back to the drawing board. I still have a "few" reservations and will be tweaking it over the next few months. All I really have is his MUSIC to listen to and a few scant pieces of Research I tracked down at the MAMMOTH-sized L.A. Library. But I still don't feel IN TOUCH with who he was. I intended to make the poems more about MY reaction to his beautiful work---how it affected my family. But when it started writing it, the part of me that is an "artist" wouldn't stop seeking his own voice as an "artist"---and how beautiful and difficult that is. I wrote another poem that IS STRICTLY A "DRAFT"--in fact--it's very unlikely that I will use this one for my KOOLOX: The Charles Stepney Rememorysection, but it came while I was into his music: STAY Scarf around the Sun; Girl of light Light of dreams to my heart That song The one that ages me with each rehearsal Cutting tendons, through bone Heavily Hurting to my heart If I could have sung it myself Girl of light Words in my palm/Hands in my If I could have balled up this fist around your magic. Choking back tears Wavy hair, bitter magic Pretty swaying dreamy Scarf (Crack-voiced but) Singing, Hurting That song that ages me to my heart If I could have sung it myself. If I could have opened my palm and let you go | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5561 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Charles seldom performed publicly. And when he did, he did so more to accompany someone for whom he'd written, arranged and/or produced music than to become some 'star' in his own right. For example, he performed A LOT of the music you hear on the great Earth Wind & Fire recording. Yet he very SELDOM performed with them on concert tours. He, instead, trained others to perform the parts that he had performed on the recordings. Charles was very much a FAMILY man. And he largely coveted his privacy to protect the sanctity of family and home. For those reasons, there's very little about his private life that is available to the public. Though I struggle to relate it to Charles, I like the second poem as well. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2519 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the insights ABM. That's enough to build a novel let alone a poem. The poem called "STAY" may be used in another part of the book, but I won't use it in the Stepney section. Some really powerful stuff has been coming to me. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5572 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Charles was well-known and appreciated for being willing to work with YOUNG people. When Charles was working with Earth Wind & Fire (EWF), he was more a father figure to them than a peer. Most of them were scantly in their 20's while Charles was well into his 40's. He not only worked with EWF, he help to bring maturity, order and professionalism to what they were doing. Legend has it that when Charles Stepney spoke, famed EWF's leader Maurice White shutthefuhkUP. One of the guys that Charles worked with is a guy who's produced music for the Oprah Winfrey Show named Butch Davis. Butch was in his TEENS when Charles took him in (largely as a favor to Butch's aunt) to help him to produce some of the great EWF tunes. Butch had NO formal musical training, no real prior experience and he couldn't even read music. But Charles saw that Butch had some talent and was willing to follow directions and work. And that was mostly all that was needed for Charles to give you a chance. Butch is one of those guys who can scantly talk about Charles...without crying. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2523 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Wow. Great stuff. You have no idea how you're helping me to "arrange" the stuff that's been coming to me. I had to extend the poems to 5, because one exceptionally powerful piece that I'm working on---broke in half and started a separate life. I am grateful that the poems I'm working on now are even stronger than the first one. I listened to Coltrane's LOVE SUPREME this morning while showering and nothing but STEPNEY came to me---really poweful stuff. I had to get out and take notes! My Rotary album arrives today from Macon, Georgia and a friend down the road is loaning me a "record player" to listen to it. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2525 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
ABM, I am very curious. Can you SING? How much into music are you? | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5575 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Funny you mention Coltrane. A guy who worked with Charles alleged that he and 'Trane were friends. However, alas, Charles' former associate died before I could divine any details about their relationship. Also, Charles grew up with Eddie Harris, another great jazz saxophonist. And Charles wrote, arranged and produce a couple of Harris' best tunes: "A Theme In Search of a Movie" and "A Theme In Search of a Commercial". CD versions of the Rotary albums are available via the Internet. And local radio stores who specialize in great oldies will either stock Rotary CD's or order them for you. Lemme tell you: When you hear all the wondrous things Charles Stepney did with Minnie Riperton's voice on the Rotary albums, you might find it difficult to enjoy much of anything else you'll hear again. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5579 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Can't really sing (Please DON'T repeat that to my kids, though...Hehehehehe!!!). Destined is a wonderful singer. I do, however, KNOW music. I definitely have an acute ear for such. And in another life I probably would have been a splendid producer of music. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2527 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Well GOT-DAMN! You just gave me the title for one of the poems!!! "A Theme In Search of a Movie". Perfect. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5580 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Charles produced a cover of Otis Redding's great "Respect" (which was, of course, famously rendered and immortalized by Aretha Franklin) that featured Minnie Riperton. It's on Rotary's "Songs" album. Charles' "Respect" is much more dark, plaintive, even foreboding than Aretha's. It’s much more of a Rock recording than it is R&B. Baby. That suckers a friggin' Work Of ART. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2528 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
I need to hear the Rotary music just as it was heard in the late 1960's---via stereo record player--which is why I found the collector in Georgia. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2529 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Tell DESTINED that I WISH I could sing! I have so many beautiful African songs that could really raise the level of my book readings. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5581 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Foks figure had Charles Stepney lived he would have scored movies, perhaps even on par with that of the Great John Williams (Jaws, Superman, Star Wars, etc). Oh, and you'll REALLY love this: Just before Charles died, he'd begun discussions to produce an album with BARBARA STREISAND!!!. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2530 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Poor Barbra Streisand. She TRULY could have moved her music to the next level with Stepney producing her. I have ALL her music and Stepney would have done for her what Quincy Jones failed to do. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5582 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, I understand the need to hear the phonographs. Especially from the perspective of a ARTIST. Because there is something more REAL and EARNEST about vinyl. Perhaps it has as much to do with who we were then juxtapose to, alas, what we have become. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2531 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
To your last post "vinyl"-----EXACTLY. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2532 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
And poor Deniece Williams for not sticking with Stepney. She never sounded so "TRANSLUCENT" again. He made her an apparition on "Niecey". | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5583 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Look. The White woman thing notwithstanding, I give Quincy Jones A LOT of credit for what he's achieved. But Charles Stepney was just flatout BETTER. Really, in EVERY way. The things that Charles would have done with and for Streisand probably could not have been duplicated in the annals of American Music. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5584 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, It wasn't Deniece Williams fault. NOT AT ALL. Deniece WORSHIPPED Charles. Legend has it she refused to allow anyone BUT him produce her first album "This is Niecy". The ONLY reason she never worked with Charles again was because Charled DIED soon after they started working together. It was Minnie Riperton who left Charles. But she didn't leave Charles as much as she did Chess records, who wasn't really up to the task of optimizing the talents they had at their disposal. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5588 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Btw: I think you probably could be a WONDERFUL songwriter. Have you tried to collaborate with any singers or musicians? Because, really, you SHOULD! | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2533 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
I completely agree that Stepney is superior to Quincy Jones. In fact, in the biography paragraph section, I'm going to state that and the fact that Stepney has really been overlooked for not being "Hollywood". I really feel excited about this--especially because I am 30 years late, falling in love with this genius. The MUSIC is vaporizing and astounding. So "alive" is the only way to describe it. I put him with Bacharach/David when it comes to nailing real utter irony and emotion--and of course he blows them out of the water with SOUL. So many shades in his work! | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2534 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
ABM, I write LOTS of songs, which is why it's so frustrating I can't sing. One of my songs "I'll Never Leave You for the One I Love" is going to be in the book as a poem. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5589 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, Charles was a HUGE fan of Bacharach/David/Warrick. If you can, pick up a copy of Ramsey Lewis' "Maiden Voyage (& More)" Album (GRP Records) that was produced by Charles. It includes some SPLENDID covers of Bacharach/David/Warrick songs. Perhaps my favor piece on "Maiden Voyage'" is a cover of the Beatle's "Mother Nature's Son". Baby. That one there is joyously & utterly...BEAUTIFUL! | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 5590 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, You shouldn't worry about being able to sing (Charles couldn't sing a LICK!). You should, instead, find you someone who can sing and someone who can compose/arrange music. Really. I think you could probably make a FORTUNE as a collaborative songwriter. | ||
| Kola_boof "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Kola_boof Post Number: 2545 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
OK. Just got my ROTARY lp. Talk later. |
