AL YOUNG AND THE SUEZENNE FORDHAM CHAMBER JAZZ ENSEMBLE RETURN TO SOUTH PASADENA LIBRARY FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008
Noah Garabidian, contrabass | Don Pendleton, percussion
Photos: Time Warner
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
On Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room will showcase illustrious California State Poet Laureate Al Young and the Suezenne Fordham Chamber Jazz ensemble for a return engagement. A year ago he read (and even sang) to an appreciative, enthusiastic audience who filled the venue on the date proclaimed as “California State Poet Laureate Day” by the South Pasadena City Council.
Al Young’s wondrous poems and warm, vibrant recitations (and singing) were artfully accompanied by the Suezenne Fordham’s group. Young later declared the show one of the highlights of his lengthwise tour of the Golden State which concluded the next day at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival. Suezenne Fordham added that she considers their extemporaneous pairing in South Pasadena last year as one of the highly accomplished group’s high water marks. She promises an even larger combo this time around.
California was the first state to honor a Poet Laureate, conferring the honor upon Ina Donna Coolbrith in 1915. The poetry circle she founded still exists today. For the rest of the past century California honored various Poets Laureate with lifetime appointments. It wasn’t until 2001 that Sacramento enacted legislation that revamped the Poet Laureate program and gave it more sharply defined public responsibilities, a 2-year term, and an appointing system. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger named Al Young as the successor to Quincy Troupe in 2005.
To put it mildly, Al Young, has been an extremely popular choice. Outgoing and blessed with magnetic communication skills, he possesses the ability to inspire audience members of a broad spectrum of backgrounds and sensibilities. Young has written over 20 books during his illustrious career, including his most recent, Something About the Blues. His many honors include two American Book Awards, roughly equivalent to one individual winning two Super Bowl MVP trophies. As a screenwriter he’s worked with Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, and Richard Pryor.
– Steve Fjeldsted
City of South Pasadena Librarian
The free Author Night program is presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, the Arroyo Vista Inn, and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. The Library Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Doors open at 6:30 and refreshments will be provided by the Friends.
Photo: Maurice Grants
Showcasing the dynamic musical stylings of Suezenne Fordham’s Chamber Jazz ensemble.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
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AN ACCOUNT OF THE 2007 PROGRAM
Poet Laureate Al Young Displays His Power With Grand Style
by Steve Fjeldsted
City Librarian
April 27, 2007 was indeed a very special day in South Pasadena. A welcoming reception was held in the Library Community Room for Poet laureate Al Young at 4:00 p.m. City Councilman Mike Ten presented the Proclamation declaring ‘Al Young Day,’ Scott Feldmann, the Executive Director of the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce offered a certificate of recognition, and the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library supplied refreshments. Mr. Young’s address outlined the backdrop to his appointment by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005, and included tidbits about the nomination and approval processes. He also described some of his duties traveling as a literary ambassador around the Golden State.
Mary Fitzpatrick, an adult Pasadena-based poet, shared her recent award-winning poem “The Awakening” that first appeared in the Fall/Winter issue of Atlanta Review. The poem recalls Mary’s encounters with Viola B. Sirolos, a South Pasadena Public Library Children’s Librarian who inspired her as a youthful Summer Reading Program participant.
The Library and the Friends presented an Author Night with Mr. Young at 7:00 p.m. Also showcased was the Suezenne Fordham Chamber Jazz ensemble which provided expert backing to Mr. Young’s readings. The full house of more than 150 enthusiastically cheered, clapped, and sang along to the improvisational performance. Suezenne, an empathetic and spontaneous pianist, was ably supported by Noah Garabedian on bass, Don Littleton on drums, and Akemi Uchiyama on congas. Their fluid backing added florid backdrops to the lyrical poems.
Wearing a necktie emblazoned with illustrations of phonograph records given to him by the Library, Mr. Young read many selections from his latest book Coastal Nights and Inland Afternoons (Angel City Press, 2006), his first collection since his appointment as Poet Laureate. One of them, “Hot October,” about a wildfire, was dedicated to Suezenne who had rushed from her house in Sunland to play for the concert while a blaze spread within a quarter of a mile from her home.
The band played such classic tunes as Miles Davis’s “So What” and “All Blues” and “Five” by Bill Evans as backing to Al’s readings. The Poet Laureate’s vocal talents were in full evidence as he sang “All the Things You Are.” The performers even collaborated for “Blue Moon.,” a lighthearted Doo Wop tune.
Mr. Young also shared a few selections from a few of his older books which number more than 20 titles. Interspersed were several warm, humorous explanatory tales, including an unforgettable story about the very few English language words that rhyme with “love.” Throughout the event, Al gracefully hit one literary home run after another, stunning round-trippers that delighted the crowd.
Photographers from the South Pasadena Review and LA Jazz maneuvered amongst the lively, engaged audience, as did Naomi Okamoto, a Japanese-American film documentarist from Los Angeles. Ben McBain, a talk show host from Time Warner, interviewed Mr. Young before the event for a segment to be aired around Southern California.
Special thanks for the highly successful event are due to Angel City Press, Artists’ Inn, Poets & Writers, Inc. with financial support from the James Irvine Foundation, Pasadena Weekly, South Pasadena Review, the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, Time Warner Cable, and Vroman’s Bookstore.
May07
