Poet Gary Glazner

April 3rd, 2002

Gary Glazner

Gary Mex Glazner makes his living as a poet. He is a graduate of Sonoma State University’s Expressive Arts program with an emphasis in poetry. In 1990, Glazner produced the first National Poetry Slam in San Francisco. His poetry has appeared in anthologies, periodicals, on CD, radio, television, and underwater on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. His poems have been translated into Chinese, Moldavian, Nepali, and Vietnamese. In 1997, Poets and Writers Inc. awarded him a grant to work with Alzheimer patients using poetry. Glazner is the Minister of Fun for Poetry Slam Incorporated.

In honoring Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and the entire Beat influence on younger generations of creative artists, KnitMedia, parent company of the Knitting Factory clubs, and Pontiac Vibe are presenting Beatfest 2002, a festival of words and music inspired by the Beat Generation. This festival will be bookended by four-day events at both Knitting Factory New York and Hollywood, with an “on the road” leg, going cross country, connecting the two festivals.

Glazner is the emcee of the road events.  He talks about his life as a poet, the beat era, and Beatfest 2002 with Jerry Jazz Musician publisher Joe Maita.

 

 

 *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________

JM Who was your childhood hero?

GG My childhood hero was the character that wore PF Flyers, who could run and jump and save people. As a child I believed that was true, and I tried to jump over a brick wall in New York. Of course, I smashed into it and the reality of the world became apparent.

JJM Why do you suppose he was your hero?

GG I just thought it was so cool that you could put on these shoes – sneakers as we called them – and go save people and jump over buildings.  It was fun to see all the great things they showed this kid doing.

JJM You grew up in New York?

GG Yes, Staten Island.

JJM How did you get into poetry?

GG  I started writing dirtly limericks to amuse my school chums, and found out that I could make people laugh with my poetry. Then, in college I read story of a beat poet named Lou Welch, who was Gary Snyder’s roommate in college. He wrote a great poem called “Raid Kills Bugs Dead.”  Welch walked off into the woods in the early 1970’s with his gun, and having left a suicide note, has never been found. I loved his poetry and started writing poetry out of that. That was about twenty years ago.

JJM Did you put a lot of effort into reading Ginsberg and Kerouac’s work?

GG I did in college. I had the best program there called Expressive Arts. Whatever we decided to study, we could do it. I just went into the poetry stacks in the library, and for about a two year period read books of poetry every day. I would go in and pick them out and read, and that is how I got my grades in college.

JJM You lead a pretty enviable life. One of the things that stands out about you is that you make your living as a poet, something a lot of us would like to able to say. How do you do it?

GG  I do it primarily through giving readings and doing tours.  I have also been able to work with different kinds of concepts, like taking the poet in residency idea from universities.  That benefits universities by the prestige, and by bringing in money from the alumni.  I apply that to businesses. For example, I was a poet in residency at a hotel where they gave away 45,000 of my poems.

JJM How did they distribute those?

GG They put them on the pillows of the guests. They are called pillow poems. One of them is “Tortilla, are you moon or sun? Each bite brings the answer.” So they are just little short little southwestern poems. That was a really steady job for a year and a half. I made really good money. Can you imagine every morning people waking up and reading your poems?

JJM Have you been able to transfer that success to other business concepts as well?

GG Yes, I have been able to work with a sponsorship for tours. For instance, in the summer of 2000, Grand Marnier funded a tour across America that included 100 poets. We did 38 readings in 32 cities in 30 days. That is what the film Busload of Poets documents. I was able to make a strong connection between their demographics and our poetry.  Do you know how great it is  to be able to say “demographics “and “poetry” in the same line?

 

JJM What is a ‘poetry slam’?

GG It is a performance contest that is judged by members of the audience. Audience members hold up scorecards like the Olympics and they judge on the performance and the concept of the poem. It lets the audience be a part of the show and it tends to get the poets to practice a little harder so their presentation is sharp. The whole thing was invented by Mark Smith in 1986, and his concept was to build an audience for poetry.

JJM Is this something that poets feel comfortable with, that their art is being judged in this fashion?

GG Well, it is controversial. If the people take the competition too seriously, it can lead to bruised poetic egos. You have to be careful about that. Of course, no one can really judge poetry like that, it is just a fun thing to do, a sort of mental sport. It can be harsh for people if they care too much about the winning part. I always say poets have to try really hard, but not care what the outcome is.

JJM Tell me a little about Beatfest 2002.

GG Beatfest is another opportunity to combine poetry and music with a corporate sponsor ,so we get a nice splash out of this and get a nice tour. The bottom line is, touring is fun. It is fun to drive across the country with a jazz band and do poems. Beatfest takes the idea that we are touring across the country in a Pontiac Vibe, and the jazz band is called The Vibes. I am doing poems, and hosting a poetry slam each night. The poets can read sections of their favorite beat poets, or they can read their own words. They can come dressed as a beatnik if they want to. It is just going to be a fun kind of thing.

JJM It seems fashioned in the spirit of Kerouac and Ginsberg and the beat writers. Are you going to be stopping in physical settings that were important to them?

GG We are trying to connect with people that are still either active in the scene, or they have reminiscences of being around at that time. We are trying to connect with certain club owners and musicians to include them in the documentary for the tour. We will certainly do some stuff in New York and the Village. I am sure they will go to San Francisco and shoot some things there, although San Francisco is not on the tour.  For the documentary I am sure they will visit some of those places and get interviews there. We are pretty much reading at modern day slam venues.

JJM Is Pontiac planning to use any of this footage in their commercials?

GG Not at this time. People have suggested it, so it is an idea. I am sure they will make a decision after they see how it goes.

JJM  It seems as though Beatfest has the potential for being a spiritual adventure for the participants. Is that the way you see it?

GG I certainly think there is a spiritual component to poetry. We are going to intersect with poets all across the country. There will probably be 300 poets who read during this. Yes, I think there will be a spiritual component in meeting them and learning about their community. It is still a little different to live in the South than it is to live in a big city in the East. The stories come out differently and there is a certain spirituality in that.

JJM How is this journey that you are taking different and how is it similar to what Kerouac did in the 50’s?

GG This particular tour is much closer to a rock tour than what Kerouac was doing, which was hitchhiking around by himself, riding on trains and getting rides across the country with blondes giving him benzedrine. This is a little more structured.

JJM Yes, he didn’t exactly have a corporate sponsor.

GG In fact, it was difficult for him to get On The Road published. It was rejected by numerous large publishers before it finally got picked up. So, even the artistic part of it was hard. It is similar in the sense in that we are going out and doing poetry, and those three magical words in the English language, “on the road.”  It still counts, whether you are driving with your family in a Country Squire back to the promised land of Oklahoma, or if you are in a car filled with jazz musicians from New York, or you are by yourself. You are still moving across America, so that part is similar. We are still going to have those adventures, we are out there trying to make poetry alive.

JJM The times are so different, yet the spiritual essence of what you are doing, even though it is corporately sponsored, feels similar. You say you are trying to bring poetry and the spirit of the beat writers to the people. What are your expectations about your reception?

GG Before I answer that, let me address the earlier question, because it was an interesting question. The beats considered themselves outsiders. They were outside of society and considered themselves outlaws. Conversely, the poetry slam is totally inside the culture. The kids are hip-hop and completely urban. That is the big difference  between then and now – the shift in the way poetry is perceived now. There are opportunities that there weren’t before, so that is a huge difference. Now, as far as how we are going to be received, I think the band Vibe already has a good following. They have a couple of records out. I have a pretty good following across the country, from the tours I have done, so I think putting us together will be great. We have a lot of local poets we are mixing in, so the shows are going to be strong.

JJM What kind of jazz does Vibe play?

GG The instrumentation is vibraphone, drums and bass. It is pretty straight ahead in a 50’s cool style.

JJM To Kerouac and the beats, jazz was such a significant influence. Lester Young and Charlie Parker and people like that were heroes to them. What is musically significant to today’s poets?

GG Well, certainly hip-hop. That is probably the driving force if there is a connection between music and poetry, because hip-hop artists bring back rhyme and rhythm and speech that hasn’t really been around since the romantic poets.

JJM Having said that, is the jazz group that you are touring with someone the kids will be able to connect with? Would it have been more appropriate, perhaps, to have a hip-hop sort of group touring?

GG  It remains to be seen. The idea of bringing around a DJ who would have done scratching and that sort of thing is not a bad idea, mixing it in with the jazz. Jazz and beats reminds me of one of the saddest stories, which is when Kerouac recorded with a couple of jazz musicians and the session was over and he wanted to listen to the playback and have a drink with them. He had a little pint bottle with him, but they took off, they didn’t want to listen to him. He sat there sort of broken hearted. I think that is a very poignant Keroauc moment, how music was such an important part of his life, yet back then it was somewhat hard for them to actually connect with the musicians. Kerouac is most famous for having played with Steve Allen….

JJM There is a famous Steve Allen show where he is interviewing Kerouac while playing the piano and reading On the Road…

GG Yes, that is his big shining moment. I think he would have loved to have been with Charlie Parker or someone like that.  That is the great thing about the poetry slam, is that it brings cultures together, and it brings different urban and rural races, different sexual preferences. They all get along together under the umbrella of poetry slam or spoken word readings.

JJM Ginsberg and the beat poets were on the razor’s edge of change. What changes do you see your work and this tour bringing about, especially when combined with the events of the world?

GG If anything, right now, people need to speak out, and a safe place in which to speak.  They need a place where they can say what is on their mind and not feel like they are being censored and not feel like they can’t be honest about how they feel. Hopefully we will be able to do that somewhat with the tour.

JJM Is the poetry being read during the poetry slams more political now than a year or so ago?

GG It has always been political. The intensity has just been turned up.

JJM Do you find that there is a renaissance of beat culture, and if so, who is leading it?

GG I don’t know if there is a renaissance of beat culture. There is certainly a renaissance of poetry, culturally and also professionally. I see that more than any specific beat renaissance.

JJM What kind of poetry do you hope to write a year from now after having had this experience?

GG I am thinking that some sort of jazz flavored poems will come out of this. Certainly, I am going to have an opportunity to work with a jazz band over a good amount of time. I think we will be able to improvise some stuff. I am looking at some current pieces taking on a different tone and rhythm. There are certainly going to be experiences on the road to write about. That is clear.

The Doors

by Gary Glazner

You must answer

this question first,

exterior or interior?

To hang the door

never use gravity.

Hinges are flapping

metal wings.

Miter them a nest.

Link the sound of

opening with

the scent of closing.

Wait for light

to shine a path,

seal off the glow.

Chisel away any

surface that slows

your step. Guess

how far you have come.

Let it swing, see how

it rides, this moment

of entrance.

Portal, the threshold

of key chain.

String of discovery,

mouth of house,

eating trembling candle,

archway without rest.

Misalign? Springs open?

Sticks? Rattles?

Look into your tool box,

speak with the muse,

slip in the key.

Confess.

Step through,

disappear.

 

 

 

 

_____

 

 

 

 

Nepal Goat Head

by Gary Glazner

Goat head on table.

Man sitting in chair.

Dream boat lips.

Mother’s milk eyes.

Man sitting in chair.

White head, black horns.

Mother’s milk eyes.

Butchered, butcher.

White head, black horns.

Work done.

Butchered, butcher.

Soup water boiling.

Work done.

Dream boat lips.

Soup water boiling.

Goat head on table.

 

_____

Gary Glazner

About Beatfest 2002

Fifty years ago, the New York Times published an article about “The Beat Generation,” a new term borrowed from a conversation with a then unknown writer named Jack Kerouac. The term was used to describe a growing post-war population of young Americans with a lust for freedom, individuality and a bohemian lifestyle.

KnitMedia, parent company of the Knitting Factory clubs, and Pontiac Vibe will be presenting Beatfest 2002, a festival of words and music inspired by the Beat Generation. Beatfest 2002 sets out to honor Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and the entire Beat influence on younger generations of creative artists. This festival will be bookended by four-day events at both Knitting Factory New York and Hollywood, with an “on the road” cross country tour in a Pontiac Vibe, connecting the two festivals.

At the conclusion of the New York festival, Vibes, a popular downtown jazz trio (with Bill Ware, Brad Jones, and EJ Rodriguez), will hit the road with emcee Gary Glazner, the nationally recognized poet and master of poetry slams, for a cross-continental adventure launched in the spirit of Kerouac’s On The Road. Fifteen “Beat Slam” events will be held over two weeks between New York and Los Angeles in Borders stores and at existing poetry slam events across the country. The Beat Slams will be poetry slams with a Beat theme. Appearing writers will read a short excerpt from a selected Beat work and then read their original poetry. Each live reading shall be accompanied by live music from Vibes, and hosted by Mr. Glazner. The audiences will decide on the Slam winners, based on Beat style and content, who will win special prizes and an opportunity to have their poetry featured on a jointly publicized, year-long website. There will also be a prize for “Best Beat Attire”, performer or audience.

_______________________________

Gary Glazner products at Amazon.com

_______________________________

Interview took place on April 3, 2002

 

*

If you enjoyed this interview, you may want to read our interview with jazz poet Sascha Feinstein.

 

 

Share this:

Comment on this article:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Support is Appreciated

Jerry Jazz Musician has been commercial-free since its inception in 1999. Your generous donation helps it remain that way. Thanks very much for your kind consideration.

Site Archive

In This Issue

photo of Rudy Van Gelder via Blue Note Records
“Rudy Van Gelder: Jazz Music’s Recording Angel” – an essay by Joel Lewis...For over 60 years, the legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder devoted himself to the language of sound. And although he recorded everything from glee clubs to classical music, he was best known for recording jazz – specifically the musicians associated with Blue Note and Prestige records. Joel Lewis writes about his impact on the sound of jazz, and what has become of his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey studio.

The Sunday Poem

photo via RawPixel

”Bebop Salvation,” by Tobi Alfier


The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.... Tobi Alfier reads her poem at its conclusion


Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem

Poetry

photo via pickpik.com
And Here We Are: A Post-election Thanksgiving, by Connie Johnson

Short Fiction

Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons/blur effect added
Short Fiction Contest-winning story #67 — “Bluesette,” by Salvatore Difalco...The author’s award-winning story is a semi-satirical mood piece about a heartbroken man in Europe listening to a recording by the harmonica player Toots Thielemans while under the influence of a mind-altering substance.

Interview

Interview with James Kaplan, author of 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool...The esteemed writer tells a vibrant story about the jazz world before, during, and after the 1959 recording of Kind of Blue, and how the album’s three genius musicians came together, played together, and grew together (and often apart) throughout the experience.

Community

Nominations for the Pushcart Prize XLIX...Announcing the six writers nominated for the Pushcart Prize v. XLIX, whose work was published in Jerry Jazz Musician during 2024.

Publisher’s Notes

photo by Rhonda Dorsett
On turning 70, and contemplating the future of Jerry Jazz Musician...

Essay

“Gone Guy: Jazz’s Unsung Dodo Marmarosa,” by Michael Zimecki...The writer remembers the late jazz musician Michael “Dodo” Marmarosa, awarded Esquire Magazine’s New Star Award in 1947, and who critics predicted would dominate the jazz scene for the next 30 years.

Community

Notes on Bob Hecht’s book, Stolen Moments: A Photographer’s Personal Journey...Some thoughts on a new book of photography by frequent Jerry Jazz Musician contributing writer Bob Hecht

Feature

Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 8: “Jazz’s International Influence”...A substantial number of novels and stories with jazz music as a component of the story have been published over the years, and the scholar David J. Rife has written short essay/reviews of them. In this seventh edition of excerpts from his book, Rife writes about jazz novels and short stories that feature stories about jazz music's international influence.

True Jazz Stories

Brianmcmillen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
True Jazz Stories: “Hippie In a Jazz Club” – by Scott Oglesby...The author relates a story that took place in San Francisco's jazz club the Keystone Korner in 1980 that led to his eventual friendship with the jazz greats Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy…

Book Excerpt

Book Excerpt from Jazz Revolutionary: The Life & Music of Eric Dolphy, by Jonathon Grasse...In this first full biography of Eric Dolphy, Jonathon Grasse examines Dolphy’s friendships and family life, and his timeless musical achievements. The introduction to this outstanding book is published here in its entirety.

Playlist

“‘Different’ Trios” – a playlist by Bob Hecht...A 27-song playlist that focuses on non-traditional trio recordings, featuring trios led by the likes of Carla Bley, Ron Miles, Dave Holland and Jimmy Giuffre...

Interview

Interview with Larry Tye, author of The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America...The author talks about his book, an intensely researched, spirited, and beautifully told story – and an important reminder that Armstrong, Ellington, and Basie all defied and overcame racial boundaries “by opening America’s eyes and souls to the magnificence of their music.”

Poetry

John Coltrane, by Martel Chapman
Four poets, four poems…on John Coltrane

Feature

photo of Art Tatum by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress
Trading Fours, with Douglas Cole, No. 22: “Energy Man, or, God is in the House”...In this edition of an occasional series of the writer’s poetic interpretations of jazz recordings and film, Douglas Cole writes about the genius of Art Tatum. His reading is accompanied by the guitarist Chris Broberg.

Short Fiction

photo by Jes Mugley/CC BY-SA 2.0
“The Dancer’s Walk” – a short story by Franklyn Ajaye...The world-renowned saxophonist Deja Blue grew up a sad, melancholy person who could only express his feelings through his music. When he meets a beautiful woman who sweeps him off his feet, will his reluctance to share his feelings and emotion cost him the love of his life?

Feature

photo of Lionel Hampton by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress
Jazz History Quiz #177...This saxophonist’s first important jobs were during the 1940’s with Lionel Hampton (pictured), Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong’s big band, and Billy Eckstine’s Orchestra. Additionally, he was a Savoy Records recording artist as a leader before being an important part of the scene on Los Angeles’ Central Avenue. Who was he?

Poetry

“Revival” © Kent Ambler.
If You Want to Go to Heaven, Follow a Songbird – Mary K O’Melveny’s album of poetry and music...While consuming Mary K O’Melveny’s remarkable work in this digital album of poetry, readings and music, readers will discover that she is moved by the mastery of legendary musicians, the wings of a monarch butterfly, the climate and political crisis, the mysteries of space exploration, and by the freedom of jazz music that can lead to what she calls “the magic of the unknown.” (with art by Kent Ambler)

Interview

The Marvelettes/via Wikimedia Commons
Interview with Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz, authors of But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: An Oral History of the 60’s Girl Groups...Little is known of the lives and challenges many of the young Black women who made up the Girl Groups of the ‘60’s faced while performing during an era rife with racism, sexism, and music industry corruption. The authors discuss their book’s mission to provide the artists an opportunity to voice their experiences so crucial to the evolution of popular music.

Short Fiction

photo by The Joker/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Second-Hand Squeeze Box” – a short story by Debbie Burke...The story – a short-listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – explores the intersection of nourishing oneself with music, and finding a soul mate

Art

photo of Johnny Griffin by Giovanni Piesco
The Photographs of Giovanni Piesco: Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman...Beginning in 1990, the noted photographer Giovanni Piesco began taking backstage photographs of many of the great musicians who played in Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, that city’s main jazz venue which is considered one of the finest in the world. Jerry Jazz Musician will occasionally publish portraits of jazz musicians that Giovanni has taken over the years. This edition is of saxophonists Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman, who appeared together at the at Bimhuis on June 25/26, 1999.

Short Fiction

bshafer via FreeImages.com
“And All That Jazz” – a short story by BV Lawson...n this story – a short listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – a private investigator tries to help a homeless friend after his saxophone is stolen.

Essay

“Like a Girl Saying Yes: The Sound of Bix” – an essay by Malcolm McCollum...The first time Benny Goodman heard Bix Beiderbecke play cornet, he wondered, “My God, what planet, what galaxy, did this guy come from?” What was it about this musician that captivated and astonished so many for so long – and still does?

In Memoriam

Hans Bernhard (Schnobby), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
“Remembering Joe Pass: Versatile Jazz Guitar Virtuoso” – by Kenneth Parsons...On the 30th anniversary of the guitarist Joe Pass’ death, Kenneth Parsons reminds readers of his brilliant career

Book Excerpt

Book excerpt from Jazz with a Beat: Small Group Swing 1940 – 1960, by Tad Richards

Click here to read more book excerpts published on Jerry Jazz Musician

Community

photo via Picryl.com
“Community Bookshelf” is a twice-yearly space where writers who have been published on Jerry Jazz Musician can share news about their recently authored books and/or recordings. This edition includes information about books published within the last six months or so (March – September, 2024)

Contributing Writers

Click the image to view the writers, poets and artists whose work has been published on Jerry Jazz Musician, and find links to their work

Coming Soon

An interview with Larry Tye, author of The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America; an interview with Jonathon Grasse, author of Jazz Revolutionary: The Life & Music of Eric Dolphy; A new collection of jazz poetry; a collection of jazz haiku; a new Jazz History Quiz; short fiction; poetry; photography; interviews; playlists; and lots more in the works...

Interview Archive

Ella Fitzgerald/IISG, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Click to view the complete 25-year archive of Jerry Jazz Musician interviews, including those recently published with Judith Tick on Ella Fitzgerald (pictured),; Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz on the Girl Groups of the 60's; Tad Richards on Small Group Swing; Stephanie Stein Crease on Chick Webb; Brent Hayes Edwards on Henry Threadgill; Richard Koloda on Albert Ayler; Glenn Mott on Stanley Crouch; Richard Carlin and Ken Bloom on Eubie Blake; Richard Brent Turner on jazz and Islam; Alyn Shipton on the art of jazz; Shawn Levy on the original queens of standup comedy; Travis Atria on the expatriate trumpeter Arthur Briggs; Kitt Shapiro on her life with her mother, Eartha Kitt; Will Friedwald on Nat King Cole; Wayne Enstice on the drummer Dottie Dodgion; the drummer Joe La Barbera on Bill Evans; Philip Clark on Dave Brubeck; Nicholas Buccola on James Baldwin and William F. Buckley; Ricky Riccardi on Louis Armstrong; Dan Morgenstern and Christian Sands on Erroll Garner; Maria Golia on Ornette Coleman.