Music goes where words can’t go
And jazz goes even further.
BSH goes everywhere
Nothing is a bother.
By car, cab or metro-train,
In lightning, thunder or in rain,
We’re the gig invaders
Our chariot, the 27 Crusader.
I’m told to go and hear a band
No matter what else I have planned
And if they’re bad I daren’t say
Bad is what’s meant when we say it’s okay.
A work in progress they can be
Which means they may get better
Or, in their own inimitable way,
Which means they won’t get better.
But if the band is up for the gig
Here in the northeast
I’ll write, ’of thee I dig’
And on the music I will feast.
-----
Nice Work If You Can Get It
We get paid in CDs and promises
Lance says there’ll be more to come
Does he think us doubting Thomas’
Are really that xxxxxxx dumb?
Ten percent rise he says
Smiling and tipping his hat
But ten percent of nothing
Won’t pay the mortgage on my flat.
-----
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
Gig reviews must come the very next day
CDs not much later
If I dared to take a holiday
I’d be branded as a traitor.
Come Stormy Weather, Rain Or Shine
Or midst the Leaves of Autumn
Just don’t mention Summertime
It could lead to your post-mortem.
-----
Oh Lady Be Good
So here’s to all at Bebop Spoken Here
With water, wine and hand-pulled beer.
To Lance, Russell and the Steves - H and T
Debra and Jerry and Hugh and Me.
To comments from Patti and Liz of York
And, of course, Ken Drew.
His pictures paint a 1000 words
Or more, to give him his due.
And not forgetting Tony Eales
He’s indirectly quoted
From the Wear down to the Tees
He rarely goes unnoticed.
There’s Dave B and JC
And Colin in Hong Kong.
Warren at Hoochie Coochie
Now don’t get me wrong.
We must also toast the players
Them that verily doth blow
The singers and the swingers
Who put on the evening’s show.
They are the ones who deserve to be heard
Aspiring to be Ella, Trane or Bird
Without them, we, the bloggers,
Would surely be lost for words.
We’re always looking for people
To write about the jazz
And if you don’t want to…
Well You Needn’t!
Ann Alex (with additional poetic licence from Lance).
(Ann and I have had a literary relationship going back many years to when I joined a writers' group where Ann was a prominent member and coordinator - dotting my I’s and crossing my t’s as required – something Russell does now. – Lance)
3 comments :
Ann - this is a wonderful tribute to BSH, and Lance ......
Wow Ann, that is genius, well done!
Thank you Liz and Patti, you've both commented, as it says in the poem! Lance is being modest about his contribution, which was a lot, although I did the 1st draft and used the song titles. I thought it was a good time to write this poem just when we're nominated for an award. Ann
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