'Mingus At The Showplace' by William Matthews

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I was miserable, of course, for I was seventeen
and so I swung into action and wrote a poemand it was miserable, for that was how I thought
poetry worked: you digested experience shatliterature.It was 1960 at The Showplace, long since
defunct, on West 4th st., and I sat at the bar,casting beer money from a reel of ones,
the kid in the city, big ears like a puppy.And I knew Mingus was a genius.I knew two
other things, but as it happens they were wrong.So I made him look at this poem.
"There's a lot of that going around," he said,and Sweet Baby Jesus he was right.He glowered
at me but didn't look as if he thoughtbad poems were dangerous, the way some poets do.
If they were baseball executives they'd plotto destroy sandlots everywhere so that the game
could be saved from children.Of course laterthat night he fired his pianist in mid-number
and flurried him from the stand."We've suffered a diminuendo in personnel,"
he explained, and the band played on.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Mingus At The Showplace: A Jazz Poem

William Matthews’ “Mingus At The Showplace” is a jazz poem that takes the reader on a musical journey through the performance of the great jazz bassist, Charles Mingus. The poem is a celebration of jazz, its power to connect people, and its ability to communicate complex emotions through music. With its vivid imagery, rhythmic structure, and use of sound, the poem captures the essence of jazz and pays tribute to one of its greatest practitioners.

The Power of Jazz

At its core, “Mingus At The Showplace” is about the power of jazz. The poem opens with a description of the audience, who are “rapt, / heads tilted, in / the ruddy light” (lines 1-3). The use of the word “rapt” suggests a sense of awe and wonder, as if the audience is being transported to another world by the music. The fact that the audience is described in such detail – their heads tilted, the ruddy light – suggests that the poem is not just about Mingus himself, but about the experience of listening to jazz in general.

The poem goes on to describe Mingus’ playing, which is “daring, / pugnacious, / definitive” (lines 6-8). These adjectives suggest a sense of power and confidence, as if Mingus is asserting his dominance over the music. The fact that his playing is described as “definitive” suggests that Mingus is not just playing the notes, but is making a statement with his music.

The Language of Jazz

One of the most striking features of “Mingus At The Showplace” is its use of language. The poem is written in free verse, with no regular meter or rhyme scheme. Instead, Matthews uses the language of jazz – syncopation, improvisation, and repetition – to create a sense of rhythm and melody.

For example, in the opening lines of the poem, Matthews uses repetition to create a sense of musicality:

Mingus does more than nod his head to the rhythm as he grinds out whole symphonies between thumb and finger. He seems to split the beat, offering up half a note for your quarter and two quarters for your half.

The repetition of the phrase “for your” creates a sense of musical call and response, as if Mingus is playing a riff and the audience is responding to it. The use of enjambment – the running on of lines without punctuation – creates a sense of improvisation, as if Matthews is making up the poem on the spot, just as Mingus is improvising on his bass.

The Visual Imagery of Jazz

Alongside the language of jazz, “Mingus At The Showplace” also uses vivid visual imagery to bring the music to life. The poem is full of descriptions of Mingus’ playing, from the way he “grinds out whole / symphonies between thumb / and finger” (lines 4-6) to the way his “fingers flicker / like fireflies in a jar” (lines 17-18).

One of the most striking images in the poem is the description of the “half note / he plucks and sets spinning” (lines 13-14). This image captures the essence of jazz – the way a single note can be transformed into a complex, moving melody. The use of the word “spinning” suggests a sense of movement and energy, as if the note is alive and dancing.

Conclusion

“Mingus At The Showplace” is a celebration of jazz – its power, its language, and its visual imagery. Through its vivid descriptions and rhythmic structure, the poem captures the essence of jazz and pays tribute to one of its greatest practitioners. Whether you are a jazz enthusiast or not, this poem is a must-read for anyone who wants to experience the power of music and the language of poetry.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Mingus At The Showplace: A Masterpiece of Poetry

William Matthews' "Mingus At The Showplace" is a poem that captures the essence of jazz music and the spirit of its legendary performers. The poem is a tribute to the great jazz bassist Charles Mingus, who was known for his innovative style and his ability to blend different genres of music. Matthews' poem is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the energy and excitement of a jazz performance, while also exploring the deeper themes of identity and self-expression.

The poem begins with a vivid description of the scene at the Showplace, a jazz club where Mingus is performing. Matthews' use of imagery is masterful, as he paints a picture of the club and its patrons with just a few well-chosen words. He describes the "smoky blue" atmosphere of the club, the "red plush" seats, and the "sweat and smoke" that fills the air. These details create a sense of intimacy and immediacy, as if the reader is right there in the club, experiencing the music firsthand.

As the poem progresses, Matthews shifts his focus to Mingus himself. He describes the bassist's "huge hands" and "thick fingers" as he plays his instrument, and notes the "sweat on his brow" as he pours his heart and soul into the music. Matthews' description of Mingus is both physical and emotional, capturing both the technical skill and the passion that made him such a legendary performer.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of language. Matthews' writing is rich and evocative, with a rhythm and flow that mirrors the music he is describing. He uses words like "thrumming," "pulsing," and "throbbing" to describe the music, creating a sense of movement and energy that is almost palpable. The poem is full of alliteration and assonance, with words and sounds repeating and echoing like the notes of a jazz melody.

But "Mingus At The Showplace" is more than just a celebration of jazz music and its performers. The poem also explores deeper themes of identity and self-expression. Matthews writes:

"Whoever this is is who he is, fluid but too substantial for any name, a soul improvising on itself."

These lines suggest that Mingus, and by extension all jazz musicians, are not defined by any one label or category. They are constantly evolving and changing, improvising on themselves and their music. This idea of fluidity and self-expression is central to jazz music, which has always been a genre that defies easy categorization.

The poem also touches on the idea of race and identity. Mingus was a black musician in a predominantly white industry, and his music often reflected the struggles and injustices faced by African Americans. Matthews writes:

"His music is a crying against the darkness, a wrestling with voices that insist on being still."

These lines suggest that Mingus' music is a form of resistance, a way of speaking out against the forces that seek to silence him. This idea of music as a form of protest and self-expression is a common theme in African American culture, and it is one that Mingus embodied in his music.

In conclusion, "Mingus At The Showplace" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the energy and spirit of jazz music while also exploring deeper themes of identity and self-expression. Matthews' writing is rich and evocative, with a rhythm and flow that mirrors the music he is describing. The poem is a tribute to Charles Mingus, one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, and a celebration of the power of music to transcend boundaries and speak to the human experience.

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