David Meltzer (February 17, 1937 – December 31, 2016) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

of the

Beat Generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Generatio ...

and

San Francisco Renaissance The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range of poetic activity centered on San Francisco, which brought it to prominence as a hub of the American poetry avant-garde in the 1950s. However, others (e.g., Alan Watts ...

Lawrence Ferlinghetti Lawrence Monsanto Ferlinghetti (March 24, 1919 – February 22, 2021) was an American poet, painter, social activist, and co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. The author of poetry, translations, fiction, theatre, art criticism, an ...

described him as "one of the greats of post-World-War-Two San Francisco poets and musicians". Meltzer came to prominence with inclusion of his work in the anthology, ''

The New American Poetry 1945–1960 ''The New American Poetry 1945–1960'' is a poetry anthology edited by Donald Allen and published in 1960. It aimed to pick out the "third generation" of American modernist poets, and included quite a number of poems fresh from the little magazin ...

''.

Biography

Early life

Meltzer was born in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

, the son of a

cellist The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 ...

and a

harpist The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orc ...

. In 1940, the family moved to

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. At the age of 11, he wrote his first poem, on the topic of the

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

subway system. He performed on radio and TV in ''

The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour ''The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour'' (later known as ''The Children's Hour'') was a variety show with a cast of children, including some who later became well-known adult performers. It had a long run for more than three decades. The program w ...

''. The family moved once again to

Rockville Centre Rockville Centre, commonly abbreviated as RVC, is an incorporated village located in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 24,023 at the 2010 census. Histor ...

. His parents separated, and he accompanied his father to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in 1954. In 1957, he moved to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

, California, and became part of a circle of writers based around

Jack Spicer Jack Spicer (January 30, 1925 – August 17, 1965) was an American poet often identified with the San Francisco Renaissance. In 2009, ''My Vocabulary Did This to Me: The Collected Poetry of Jack Spicer'' won the American Book Award for poetry. H ...

and Robert Duncan. In 1958, he recorded an album of his poems with a jazz combo featuring pianist

Bob Dorough Robert Lrod Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018) was an American bebop and cool jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Dorough became famous as the composer and performer of songs in the TV series ''School ...

for Jim Dickson on Dickson's Vaja label. The album was not released but finally saw the light of day in 2006 on

Sierra Records Sierra Records is an independent record label based in Etiwanda, California. History Sierra Records founder John Delgatto first launched Briar Records, which released folk and bluegrass music by artists including Leslie Keith; the Doc Watson Fa ...

titled ''David Meltzer: Poet w/ Jazz 1958''. Jim Dickson had earlier recorded

Lord Buckley Lord Richard Buckley (born Richard Myrle Buckley; April 5, 1906 – November 12, 1960) was an American stand-up comedian and recording artist, who in the 1940s and 1950s created a character that was, according to ''The New York Times'', "an unli ...

Lenny Bruce Leonard Alfred Schneider (October 13, 1925 – August 3, 1966), known professionally as Lenny Bruce, was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, and satirist. He was renowned for his open, free-wheeling, and critical style of comedy which ...

and the

Page Cavanaugh Walter Page Cavanaugh (January 26, 1922 in Cherokee, Kansas – December 19, 2008 in Los Angeles) was an American jazz and pop pianist, vocalist, and arranger. Career He began on piano at age nine and played with Ernie Williamson's band in 1938 ...

Trio. Later Jim would be A&R producer for

World Pacific Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

and

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...

, as well as discovering and producing the rock group,

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

. In 1968, Meltzer signed the "

Writers and Editors War Tax Protest Tax resistance, the practice of refusing to pay taxes that are considered unjust, has probably existed ever since rulers began imposing taxes on their subjects. It has been suggested that tax resistance played a significant role in the collapse of ...

" pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

Work

One of the key poets of the

Beat generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Generatio ...

, Meltzer was also a

jazz guitarist Jazz guitarists are guitarists who play jazz using an approach to chords, melodies, and improvised solo lines which is called jazz guitar playing. The guitar has fulfilled the roles of accompanist ( rhythm guitar) and soloist in small and large ...

, Kabbalist scholar, and the author of more than 50 books of poetry and prose. 2005 saw the publication of ''David's Copy: The Selected Poems of David Meltzer'' (edited by

Michael Rothenberg Michael Rothenberg (1951 – 2022) was an American poet, songwriter, editor, artist, and environmentalist. Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Rothenberg received his Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. H ...

and with an introduction by

Jerome Rothenberg Jerome Rothenberg (born December 11, 1931) is an American poet, translator and anthologist, noted for his work in the fields of ethnopoetics and performance poetry. Early life and education Jerome Rothenberg was born and raised in New York ...

), which provides a current overview of Meltzer's work. Meltzer's ''Beat Thing'' (La Alameda Press) is his epic poem on the Beat generation.

Jack Hirschman Jack Hirschman (December 13, 1933 – August 22, 2021) was an American poet and social activist who wrote more than 100 volumes of poetry and essays. Biography Hirschman was born in New York City to a Russian Jewish family. He received a B.A. ...

said of it: Meltzer's other books include, ''No Eyes'', poems on

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

, and a book of interviews, ''San Francisco Beat: Talking with the Poets,'' which is an important source for basic witnesses of San Francisco poetry culture, both Beat and beyond (e.g. Rexroth). (

City Lights Books City Lights is an independent bookstore-publisher combination in San Francisco, California, that specializes in world literature, the arts, and progressive politics. It also houses the nonprofit City Lights Foundation, which publishes selected tit ...

). Meltzer taught at the

New College of California New College of California was a college founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1971 by former Gonzaga University President John Leary. It ceased operations in early 2008. New College's main campus was housed in several buildings in the Mission ...

in the Poetics Program, which was founded by Duncan McNaughton. With his singer-musician wife Tina Meltzer, David recorded as a duo and then with their group,

The Serpent Power The Serpent Power were an American psychedelic rock and folk rock group active in the 1960s in music, 1960s. Career Ιn 1966, San Francisco-based poet David Meltzer (poet), David Meltzer and his wife Tina, who was a singer, recruited local musici ...

. With his second wife, poet Julie Rogers, Meltzer frequently performed at poetry venues; they produced a CD, ''Two-Tone'', in collaboration with tenor saxophonist Zan Stewart.

Death

He spent most of his life in the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

. Meltzer died on December 31, 2016, after suffering a stroke at his home in Oakland.

Published works

Poetry

* ''Ragas'' (Discovery, 1959) * ''The Clown'' (Semina, 1960) * ''We All Have Something to Say To Each Other'' (Auerhahn, 1962) * ''The Process'' (Oyez, 1965) * ''The Dark Continent'' (Oyez, 1967) * ''Round the Poem Box'' (Black Sparrow, 1969) * ''From Eden Book'' (1969) * ''Yesod'' (Trigram, 1969) * ''Greenspeech'' (Christopher Books, 1970) * ''Knots'' (Tree, 1971) * ''Luna'' (Black Sparrow, 1970) * ''The Eyes of Blood'' (Mudra, 1973) * ''Hero/Lil'' (Black Sparrow, 1973) * ''Bark, a polemic'' (Capra Books, 1973) * ''Blue Rags'' (Oyez, 1974) * ''Harps'' (Oyez, 1975) * ''Six'' (Black Sparrow, 1976) * ''Arrows: Selected Poetry, 1957-1992'' (Black Sparrow Press, 1994) * ''No Eyes: Lester Young'' (Black Sparrow, 2000) * ''Beat Thing'' (La Alameda Press, 2004) * ''David's Copy: Selected Poems'' (Penguin Books USA, 2005) * ''When I Was a Poet'' (City Lights Books, 2011)

Fiction

* ''The Agency'' (Agency Trilogy Book 1, Essex House 102, 1968) * ''The Agent'' (Agency Trilogy Book 2, Essex House 104, 1968) * ''How Many Blocks in the Pile?'' (Agency Trilogy Book 3, Essex House 107, 1968) * ''Orf'' (Essex House 111, 1968; reprinted by Rhinoeros / Masquerade Books, 1993) * ''The Martyr'' (Essex House 116, 1969) * ''Lovely'' (Brain-Plant Book 1, Essex House 117, 1969) * ''Healer'' (Brain-Plant Book 2, Essex House 122, 1969) * ''Out'' (Brain-Plant Book 3, Essex House 129, 1969) * ''Glue Factory'' (Brain-Plant Book 4, Essex House 134, 1969) * ''Star'' (Brandon House, 1970) * ''The Agency Trilogy'' (reprinted by Richard Kasak, 1994) * ''Under'' (Rhinoeros / Masquerade Books, 1995)

Essays

* ''Two-Way Mirror: A Poetry Notebook'' (Oyez, 1977; revised edition, City Lights Books, 2015)

Edited

* ''Journal for the Protection of All Beings'' (with Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Michael McClure, et al., 1961-1978) * ''Tree'' (journal, Christopher's Books, et al., five issues 1970-1975) * ''The San Francisco Poets'' (Ballantine Books, 1971) * ''The Secret Garden: An Anthology in the Kabbalah'' (Continuum Press, 1976; reprinted, Station Hill Press, 1998) * ''Birth: Anthology of Ancients Texts, Songs, Prayers, and Stories'' (Ballantine Books, 1973; revised edition, North Point Press, 1981) * ''Death: Anthology of Texts, Songs, Charms, Prayers, and Tales'' (North Point Press, 1984) * ''Reading Jazz'' (Mercury House, 1996) * ''Writing Jazz'' (Mercury House, 1999) * ''San Francisco Beat: Talking With the Poets'' (City Lights Books, 2001) * ''Shuffle Boil: A Magazine of Poets & Music'' (with Steve Dickison, five issues, Listening Chamber, 2002–2006; "''Amerarcana'', No. 7/''Shuffle Boil'', No. 7," Bird & Beckett, 2016)

Discography

: :: ''Serpent Power'' (Vanguard Records, 1968) ::''Ouroboros'' (Locust Music, 2008) Archival release. Originally recorded live on the air in 1969 at KPFA radio ::''Serpent Power/Poet Song'' (reissue, Comet/Akarma Records, 1996) *Tina & David Meltzer: ::''Poet Song'' (Vanguard Records, 1969). ::''Green Morning''
RD Records
1998. Originally recorded 1969; produced and arranged by

Vic Briggs Victor Harvey Briggs III (14 February 1945 – 30 June 2021) was a British blues and rock musician, best known as the lead guitarist with Eric Burdon and The Animals during the 1966–1968 period. Briggs, a convert to Sikhism, later played ...

.) *David Meltzer, Bob Dorough, et al. ::''Poet w/ Jazz 1958'' (Sierra Records, 2006) *Meltzer, Rogers & Stewart (David Meltzer, Julie Rogers and Zan Stewart) :: ''Two Tone (Poetry and Jazz)'' (Pureland Audio, 2016).

References

External links

Official Web Site
* ttp://culturecountermag.com/wandering-jew-eternal-beat-the-david-meltzer-story/ Wandering Jew, Eternal Beat: The David Meltzer Storybr>Transcription of Meltzer's extensive interview with Phillip Whalen, Jacket MagazineInterview, KPFA-FM March 2, 1970
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meltzer, David 1937 births 2016 deaths American erotica writers American male poets 20th-century American Jews American tax resisters Beat Generation writers Writers from Rochester, New York Activists from Rochester, New York PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award winners 21st-century American Jews