About Kinds of Blue
American History via Music
Kinds of Blue is a large and ongoing project that explores America and its mythology through a series of poems and essays that function as biography, history, and cultural commentary. As it happens, many of them are musicians, hampered in various ways by discrimination, ranging from old fashioned racism to institutional and cultural indifference. Thus far, through three collections of poems, I’ve honored a number of icons (some well-known; others unfairly neglected), seeking to capture something essential about their lives and the times they lived in, bearing witness while paying homage.
Kinds of Blue is a forum that carves out a designated space to celebrate artistry, tracing an at times uneasy but undeniable line stretching from field hollers and the blues, to jazz, funk and beyond. Tributes to misunderstood or mistreated icons include musicians such as Thelonious Monk and Marvin Gaye, fighters like Joe Frazier and Marvin Hagler, and comedians like Richard Pryor and John Belushi. Despite every systemic disadvantage and all the obstacles placed in their paths, these geniuses lived, played, persevered, and became immortal. America is still very much a work in progress, but any country that can claim such inspired forces of nature is worth preserving and celebrating.
What to Expect from This Substack Section
Each week I’ll share excerpts from my writing (including fiction, poetry, essays), and you’ll have access to conversations via my podcast SOME THINGS CONSIDERED.
Since I first began blogging, I’ve believed it’s essential to make my work free and fully accessible. You can buy my books here, but I’ll never charge you to read my occasional ruminations on the free subscription.
About The Author
Sean Murphy is founder of the non-profit 1455 Lit Arts, and directs the Center for Story at Shenandoah University. He has appeared on NPR's "All Things Considered" and been quoted in USA Today, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and AdAge. A long-time columnist for PopMatters, his work has also appeared in Salon, The Village Voice, Washington City Paper, The Good Men Project, Writer’s Digest, and others. His chapbook, The Blackened Blues, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2021. His second collection of poems, Rhapsodies in Blue was published by Kelsay Books in 2023. His third collection, Kinds of Blue, and This Kind of Man, his first collection of short fiction, published in 2024. He has been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize, twice for Best of Net, and his book Please Talk about Me When I'm Gone was the winner of Memoir Magazine's 2022 Memoir Prize.
Website: seanmurphy.net
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41
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