Image by The Library of ConÂgress, via WikiÂmeÂdia ComÂmons
“Langston HughÂes was nevÂer far from jazz,” writes RebecÂca Gross at the NEA’s Art Works Blog. “He lisÂtened to it at nightÂclubs, colÂlabÂoÂratÂed with musiÂcians from Monk to MinÂgus, often held readÂings accomÂpaÂnied by jazz comÂbos, and even wrote a children’s book called The First Book of Jazz.” The 1955 book is a strikÂing visuÂal artiÂfact, with illusÂtraÂtions by Cliff Roberts made to resemÂble jazz album covÂers of the periÂod. Though writÂten in simÂple prose, it has much to recÂomÂmend it to adults, despite its someÂwhat forced—literally—upbeat tone. “The book is very patriÂotÂic,” we notÂed in an earÂliÂer post, “a fact dicÂtatÂed by HughÂes’ recent [1953] appearÂance before SenÂaÂtor McCarthy’s SubÂcomÂmitÂtee, which exonÂerÂatÂed him on the conÂdiÂtion that he renounce his earÂliÂer symÂpaÂthies for the ComÂmuÂnist ParÂty and get with a patriÂotÂic proÂgram.”
EarÂliÂer stateÂments on music had been more canÂdid and close to the heart: “jazz to me is one of the inherÂent expresÂsions of Negro life in AmerÂiÂca,” HughÂes wrote in a 1926 essay, “The Negro Artist and the Racial MounÂtain”—“the eterÂnal tom-tom beatÂing in the Negro soul—the tom-tom of revolt against weariÂness in a white world, a world of subÂway trains, and work, work, work; the tom-tom of joy and laughÂter, and pain swalÂlowed in a smile.”
The sweet bitÂterÂness of these senÂtiÂments may lie furÂther beneath the surÂface thirÂty years latÂer in The First Book of Jazz, but the children’s introÂducÂtion to that thorÂoughÂly origÂiÂnal African-AmerÂiÂcan form made it clear. “For HughÂes,” as Cross writes, “jazz was a way of life,” even when life was conÂstrained by red scare represÂsion.
HughÂes invites his readÂers, of all ages, to share his pasÂsion, not only through his careÂful hisÂtoÂry and explaÂnaÂtions of key jazz eleÂments, but also through a list of recÂomÂmenÂdaÂtions in an appenÂdix: “100 of My Favorite RecordÂings of Jazz, Blues, Folk Songs, and Jazz-InfluÂenced PerÂforÂmances.” (View them in a largÂer forÂmat here: Page 1 — Page 2.) In this playlist below, you can hear 81 of HughÂes’ selecÂtions: clasÂsic New Orleans jazz from Louis ArmÂstrong, blues from Bessie Smith, “jazz-influÂenced” clasÂsiÂcal from George GershÂwin, bebop from TheloÂnious Monk, swing from Count Basie, guiÂtar gospel from SisÂter RosetÂta Tharpe, and much more from SonÂny TerÂry, TomÂmy Dorsey, CharÂlie ParkÂer, MemÂphis MinÂnie, BilÂlie HolÂiÂday, and oh so many more artists who moved the Harlem RenaisÂsance poet to put “jazz into words” as he wrote in “Jazz as ComÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion,” an essay pubÂlished the folÂlowÂing year. If you need SpoÂtiÂfy’s free softÂware, downÂload it here.
For HughÂes, jazz was a broad catÂeÂgoÂry that embraced all black AmerÂiÂcan music—not only the blues, ragÂtime, and swing but also, by the mid-fifties, rock and roll, which he believed, would “no doubt be washed back half forÂgotÂten into the sea of jazz” in years to come. But whatÂevÂer the future held for jazz, HughÂes had no doubt it would be “what you call pregÂnant,” and as ferÂtile as its past.
“PotenÂtial papas and mamas of tomorrow’s jazz are all known,” he conÂcludes in his 1956 essay. “But THE papa and THE mama—maybe both—are anonyÂmous. But the child will comÂmuÂniÂcate. Jazz is a heartbeat—its heartÂbeat is yours. You will tell me about its perÂspecÂtives when you get ready.” Just above, see HughÂes recite the poem “Weary Blues” with jazz band accomÂpaÂniÂment in a CBC appearÂance from 1958.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Langston HughÂes Presents the HisÂtoÂry of Jazz in an IllusÂtratÂed Children’s Book (1955)
Watch Langston HughÂes Read PoetÂry from His First ColÂlecÂtion, The Weary Blues (1958)
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
I had to canÂcel my debÂit card. AutoÂmatÂic payÂment is canÂcelled. I will remake my HUGE conÂtriÂbuÂtion again as soon as I receive my new debÂit card. Thank you. Bert Branch
The playlist didÂn’t work at all. This has nevÂer hapÂpened to me before on SpoÂtiÂfy. I could downÂload SpoÂtiÂfy as often as I wantÂed but hear the playlist? No.
These embedÂded spoÂtiÂfy lists don’t work for ereryÂone PLEASE include a simÂple link or name of the actuÂal list so when this hapÂpens we can find it in SpoÂtiÂfy directÂly. I have SpoÂtiÂfy app on this machine and yet they can’t figÂure that out. Your artiÂcle doesÂn’t include the most simÂple info like THE NAME OF THE PLAYLIST> not helpÂful. I guess it’s more imporÂtant ror OC.org to get credÂit for views than for it’s users to access the conÂtent.
What can’t I access the playlist through my SpoÂtiÂfy?!
For all of the rest of us who can’t access this (because someÂone can’t be bothÂered to actuÂalÂly post THE NAME OF THE PLAYLIST) open your SpoÂtiÂfy app and search openÂculÂtureÂdotÂcom (spelled that way) and then click on their proÂfile and the list is there. I tried sevÂerÂal ways to post a link but it won’t work.