Unseen Wings is a meditation on the poetry of Bob Kaufman (1925-1986) as well as a celebration of the musical culture of the city of New Orleans. Born in New Orleans and of both African American and Jewish heritage, his writings were heavily influenced by jazz much like his contemporary Beat Generation poets and associates Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. He frequently spoke to the power of jazz in its unbridled expression and its ability to question authority. My work references the deep traditions of New Orleans music while utilizing the symphonic breadth of the modern wind symphony with the goal of evoking both Kaufman’s fiery language and his steadfast love of jazz. This piece was commissioned by the Tulane University Concert Band for its emeritus director Barry Spanier.
The work is comprised of three connected movements each based on New Orleans music and a poem by Kaufman: I. Waiting Thunder – From his Jail Poems, Kaufman describes his rage and dread while being imprisoned for his “radical” views. A slowly rising minor blues motive accompanied by the traditional second line rhythm builds to a cataclysm only to quickly fade to impotence. II. Blue Slanted into Blueness – This bold and defiant declamation of the self takes the form of serene and plaintive echoes of Bechet’s Blue Horizon and Morton’s “Spanish tinge” as many members of the ensemble cry out in their own time into the void. III. My Secret Heart, Beating – New Orleans explodes with unique rhythms borrowed from the world over as mambo, funk, and zydeco intermingle freely. The principal theme of the first movement returns defiant and triumphant, followed by a joyous and breathless finale lifts us all on the “unseen wings of jazz.” (notes by the composer, Fall 2025)