Dancing with Language: The Poems of Quincy Troupe
By Kwan Booth (April 15, 2007-Whatchusay.com)
For the over 30 years, the poet, professor, biographer and memoirist Quincy Troupe has been fooling around with words. From 1972’s “Embry” to the 1996’s “Avalanche” and up through his current volume, Troupe has made a career of reinterpreting the musicality in language. His 1989 biography of Miles Davis, took those interpretations a step further as he chronicled the life of one of the most important figures in jazz history.
“The Architecture of Language,” released in October 2006, finds the poet at a creative crossroads. Since the 1999 collection “Choruses”, Troupe has been hinting at a new direction in his work. One poem from that collection, “Song,” promises “words & sounds that build bridges toward a new tongue” and “Architecture” is Troupe’s attempt to make good on that promise. In this collection, newer, more experimental poems share space with Troupe’s classic jazz styles. (more…)
