Jazz Is…
Jazz is spinning on a turntable
Jazz is best served up vinyl
Jazz is eyes closed, mind open
Jazz is swaying, undulating, smooth moves
Jazz is a rasp, a kick in the pants
Jazz is velvet, silk, satin, sexy
Jazz is not a snob; the party’s always free
Jazz is every good season
Jazz seeped through the loam, the swampy shame
of the Old South, spinning, spinning:
Out of the whorehouses and into the clubs,
out of the clubs and onto the stage,
to enliven, to embrace,
to soothe every soul
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
ABC Wednesday, brought to you by the letter “J.” Also at my poetic oasis, Poets United. Click on these links to discover some amazing poets! Peace… and jazz, always, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Joseph Harker
Even the word “jazzzzzz” is sultry. Those S’s and Z’s draw out nicely in every line, and I like the turn towards the end.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Joseph. It’s true – when you hear the original B’way production of “All That Jazz,” it’s sung “All – that – jayazzzzzzzzzz,” and it sends a shiver up my spine!
I broke form at the end because there was simply too much wound up inside me to continue. Kind of like a summation at the end of a jury trial! Stay warm, honey – Autumn is in the air! Amy
Lafemmeroar
Reading this made me feel like a jazzy crazy chick. Love the poem …
Sharp Little Pencil
That’s because you ARE a jazzy crazy chick! Takes one to know one. Glad you liked the vibe! Amy
Roger Green
It is what it is. Hot jazz. COOL jazz. Definitely can dig it. I have quite a bit, mostly compilations, but also Miles, Sassy, the Count, a bunch more. and some obscure Slam Stewart LP.
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, we gotta have our Slam, don’t we, Roger? Did you ever hear the Slam Sessions at Tommy’s Chinese on Court Street back in the day? His wife, Claire, was on piano. God, amazing. Thanks, Roger! Amy
Inside the Mind of Isadora
I am so thrilled to read this. It has a subject that is closest to my heart. My husband was a jazz musicians ( clarinet, sax, cornet). He still play for friends and me. He introduced me to Jazz. I became a bigger fan through the years. We had many a vacation in New Orleans visiting the French Quarter. Pete Fountain and Al Hirt were his favorites but he loves old time jazz and blues. The Preservation Hall band which we also had the opportunity to see in person was another. The cafes in Manhattan, New York were our haunts for all of the years of our youth. Cafe Wa – the Jazz and Open Mike Poetry reading spot. We went to it when beatniks were the avante garde group to be with if you were different. The Greenwich Village groups who jammed, read poetry and sold handmade jewelery on blankets ( me ) as the free spirited danced and grooved to the sounds. WOW … I could go on. BUT … basically… this poem took me down memory lane. Thanks for the memories.
Great write ..
Izzy xoxoxo
Drop by and read my poem on the Poets Rally :
http://insidethemindofisadora.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/yes-how-old-we-get/
Sharp Little Pencil
If you dug the Village scene at the Cafe Wa? period, you’ll have to pick up the book I just finished editing, “Bruce Lee, Woodstock, and me,” by Fred Weintraub, who started the whole coffeehouse scene by opening the Bitter End. I’m telling you, the history, the personalities who show up – you’ll love it. Should be out in January – I’ll let y’all know!
Jazz is what runs in my veins; always has, since I was a little girl singing with the grownups. I had a long career of big bands, piano bars (my favorite) and cabarets for years, all over the place. So I’m with you, Izzy! And thanks for the link! Love, Amer
Inside the Mind of Isadora
Look forward to the book … keep me posted on its’ release. WOW … Bitter End – know it well. I’m sure we wll find lots in the book to bring back a slew of memories.
Where has all the good Jazz gone??? Time they are a changin’ …!!!
Hugs,
Izzy
Sharp Little Pencil
I KNEW you’d know the Bitter End. My goodness, where do you live? We need to do a meet-up someday!!!
The jazz is right here, on my record player and in my IPod…! Love, Amer
Debbie
I love how jazz lives in you and your poems! 🙂 Thanks for jazzing up my day!
Sharp Little Pencil
Debbie, jazz IS so much a part of me – and piano bar was great ministry training, too! 😉 Amy
vivinfrance
This is a good ‘un, Amy. Reminds me of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby in High Society: “and that’s jazz” !
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, the highlight of that movie, for me, was Bing singing “True Love” with Grace Kelly. The two of them actually had a hit single off that one! Thanks, Viv! Amy
dani
my cat of seventeen years was Jazz and he embodied much of what you describe {except he wasn’t vinyl, though i agree that IS the best way to serve up the music.} great poem, Amy! very jazzy. {smile} ♥
Sharp Little Pencil
I have a nephew by my former marriage whose name is Jasper, but his nickname is Jazz. Of course, his dad is a drummer! How funny. Thanks, Dani! AMy
brian
nice..like me some jazz…from the whore house tot he clubs to the streets…let it spill and lets get moving…smiles.
Sharp Little Pencil
Amen, brother! Grab your coat and get your hat – we’re out the door!! Amy
Pat Hatt
Wow Jazz sounds like quite fun and just the place to be or the people to see. The use of it to be in the right was great, especially liked the snob one, too many of those, they’d be what? heavy metal?..haha
Sharp Little Pencil
Actually, it was classical musicians who used to look down their noses at jazz, while the jazz players were sometimes classically trained! Jazz is the love of my life. Amy
claudia
yes! yes! yes! jazz is all that and even more…jazz can make me forget my name and the world and i also think jazz is the most erotic music style ever….very nice…enjoyed your jazz abc…
Sharp Little Pencil
Jazz and its Brazilian offshoot, the bossa nova… Antonio Carlos Jobim… I could go on and on about Joblim, Gilbert, and others… Thanks, Claudia! (I just had a hot flash, LOL) Amy
Mike Patrick
I was on my feet cheering by the time I finished this. Talk about writing what you know.
Sharp Little Pencil
Wow, thanks, my friend! That’s a rousing endorsement if I ever heard one. Yeah, many years in the clubs, and after hours, sharing a drink with the older musicians, hearing them tell the tale of making it north from the Deep South… amazing stories. Thanks, my friend. Amy
Beriowne
Amy, you took me WAY back, to days I remember well — at Eddie Condon’s in NYC, with Wild Biill Davison, PeeWee Russell, Bobby Hackett, eccentric, ecceentric. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Berowne, Eddie Condon’s! I was there once before it closed. Always said that if I could travel back in time, I’d love to visit the Harlem Renaissance. Everybody had the Jazz Age in common… no discrimination from either side, dark or light. I would have sought out Chick Webb’s band, Gwendolyn Brooks, Billie… oh my. Amy
mish
I LOVE IT ! LOVE IT ! LOVE IT ! Talking my language !! And you mentioned Jobim … aaaah ! Now we’re talking about the REAL DEAL !! Girl From Ipanema – one of my all-time-faves … smooth & sultry is the name of my game … what about Desifanado ? I love that piece to bits !!! You’ve got me jumping up and down like crazy … also love Sergio Mendes especially his Brazil ’66 album … and what about Masquenada … aahhhhh … so many songs , so little time … *hugs*
http://writer-in-transit.co.za/red-carpet-moment/
Sharp Little Pencil
My favorite Jobim song, and my favorite version (believe it or not), is Jobim and Sinatra: “Sky, so vast is the sky/with wandering rainbows drifting by… where do they go? Oh, I don’t know, don’t know…” Prelude to Dindi. And Astrud Gilberto singing anything… and Dusty Springfield singing “The Look of Love.” And SERGIO MENDES YES YES YES! Start mixing the margaritas… or maybe just kick back with Coronas and lime… I could listen to the bossa nova all day!! So excited someone loves it as much as I do! Amy