Birthday

Birthday

Celebrations are
never complete without a
lot of laughs and cake.

Inspired by Art Blakey playing, "A Night In Tunisia".

You needn't apologize

You needn't apologize

I'll be the first  to admit
I was disappointed in you
but I've grown stronger
you needn't apologize
or start a conversation
let's just forget the past
as if nothing changed
because at the end of the day
I moved on.

Inspired by Thelonious Monk playing, "Well You Needn't".

Change

Change

Things ain't what they used
to be - but maybe it's all
for the best today.

Inspired by Marian McPartland playing, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be".

Royal

Royal

Royalty isn't
just for kings and queens but for
innovators too.

My sketch of Duke Ellington

Inspired by Jazz at Lincoln Center playing Duke Ellington's "Royal Garden Blues".

Improvisation

Improvisation

What fun is a song
if it doesn't have sparkle -
improvisation?

Inspired by Paul Desmond playing, "Skylark".

Happy Birthday Miles

Happy Birthday Miles

Happy birthday Miles
I never met you but I feel
as if we've met many times
each record I listen to
each solo you take
your trumpet tone
becomes a voice
and I feel as if we've
talked for years and years
and as times change
and I grow older too
your records remain
a moment stuck in time -
quintessentially beautiful.

Happy Birthday to Miles Davis.

Bebop

Bebop

Bebop is more than
a sound; it's a language: sharp,
witty, family.

My sketch of Dizzy Gillespie

Inspired by Dizzy Gillespie playing, "Bebop".

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

What are you doing
the rest of your life - for I
see our future now.

Inspired by Frank Sinatra singing, "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?"

Take

Take

Bebop? Swing? It don't
mean a thing without a sound
that captures the heart.

Inspired by Woody Hermann and Gary Smulyan: "Take The A Train".

Blood count

Blood count

People tell me it's
dead artifact history:
to me it's living.

Inspired by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, "Blood Count".

Funny

Funny

Funny how things change
just one year, we fell apart
not sure how to feel.

Inspired by Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker playing, "My Funny Valentine".

Giant steps

Giant steps

Every small action
builds up like a staircase and
becomes giant steps.

Inspired by John Coltrane playing, "Giant Steps".

Define

Define

My sound is my sound
no matter the day or way
it's a piece of me.

Inspired by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers live @ Village Vanguard - Fuller love + Ms. B.C.

Concerto

Concerto 

And the strings seem to pull
while the brass seem to shout
and the drums seem to push
while the clarinet soars above
a jazz symphony
a classical improvisation.

Inspired by Artie Shaw playing, "Concerto for Clarinet".

Criss cross

Criss cross

I used to get quite upset
by every little fault
or lack of perfection
someone calling me out
or me calling myself out
but as I become more aware
of myself and the world around me
wrong is right too.

My oil painting of Thelonious Monk

Inspired by Thelonious Monk playing, "Criss Cross".

I can't help it

I can't help it

Unconditional
I can't help it, I can't change
unconditional.

Inspired by Esperanza Spalding performing, "I Can't Help It".

What I hear

What I hear

What do I hear? 

I hear shapes I hear colors

I hear hills valleys and streams

I hear winter I hear autumn spring

I hear summer in all its warmth

I hear the blues I hear rejoicement

I hear history and its troubles

I hear tradition I hear innovation

I hear jazz I hear music I hear life. 

My sketch of Anat Cohen

My sketch of Kurt Elling

Inspired by Kurt Elling and Anat Cohen performing at Sanders Theater on May 15th. 

A jazz concert

A jazz concert

People ask me what it's like

to go to a jazz concert

so I got to thinking 

how do I explain this?

a night of elation

excitement nervousness anticipation

building building building

entering the venue 

taking a seat front row

dim lights crowded tables

chitter chatter

waiting waiting waiting

the group comes out

suits on sneakers on hats pressed shirts

spotlight on them applause

a torrent of sound erupts 

lightning across the sky!

a familiar tune a new way

past present future

the group melds as one

solos pass along each performer

a narrative a storyline a conversation

fresh free fun fantastic

the sound seems to come from a higher source

hearing notes lines phrases stories
philosophizing through sound

everything is happening right now

clapping along each solo amazement 

you turn to look at the people in the club

the guy rocking back and forth

the woman closing her eyes in thought

the guy calmly drinking grooving along

the exuberant smiles popping 

feet tapping legs moving bodies swaying

feeding energy to the artists

and the music! 

zig zags circles lines spirals

red blue green yellow purple

clashing here dissolving there

purpose intention focus

and all the while I am happier here - there

at that jazz concert 

than anywhere else in the world

there is nothing so joyous as live jazz

for it reminds me that I am alive.

My sketch of Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano (L to R)

Inspired by Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Sound Prints playing, "Destination Unknown" at Scullers Jazz Club on May 14th. 

Stardust

Stardust

I cannot fall asleep most nights
for the darkness seems so bright
full of stars full of dreams full of tomorrows
and the simplicity of silence soars as a symphony
keeping me awake rolling over possibilities
imagining stardust lighting a path
to the sea to the stars to the Milky Way
oh the places I could go!

My sketch of Artie Shaw

Inspired by Artie Shaw playing, "Stardust".

City of lights

City of lights

As I look out into the night
I hear the sounds, I see the lights
and for once in my life
everything feels all right.

My sketch of Tony Williams

Inspired by Tony Williams playing, "City of Lights".

Urgency

Urgency

Jazz developed out
of an overpowering
urgency, passion.

Inspired by the International #JazzDay Global Concert - Afro Blue with Esperanza Spalding and Robert Glasper.

I wish

I wish

I wish
oh how I wish
the whole world was the way I see it
grand
gorgeous
gregarious
and free from all evil.

My sketch of Billy Taylor

Inspired by the Billy Taylor Trio playing, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free".

Mother's Day

Mother's Day

As I look into my mirror
as I often find myself
I glance into past reflections
so young, naive, and fresh
what has changed?
my clothes mismatched
my hair scattered with barrettes
lipstick proudly drawn across my face
glowing with no concerns

As I look into my mirror
as I often find myself
I glance into my present reflection
so grown, big, and tall
what has changed?
my shirt tucked in
my hair neat and curled
made-up like a doll
focused on a bright future

As I look into my mirror
as I often find myself
I glance into your reflection within me
so gentle, kind, and gorgeous
full of simple elegance
the perfect proud step
beauty without trying to be beautiful

And with every angle of my reflection
every smile, every wink, every laugh, every sigh
these three girls live within me:
my past, my present, my mother
and as life twists and turns
nothing has changed after all
for my reflection manifests my perfect love:
me, my mother, and I.

--------

Inspired by Mother's Day.

future

future

to see the future is
to see the past in reverse

Scat

Scat

When I find I have nothing to say
I can always turn to scat:
Scoo-ba-dee-op
Za-zoo-ped-ee-wow
Da-dop-a-da-ee-op
Doo-waa.

Inspired by Ella Fitzgerald scatting on the song, "One Note Samba".

free

free

to be free
to feel free
is but a mindset for many
and how it does feel great

if i could be rich

if i could be rich

if i could be rich
but never hear jazz again...
i'd choose being penniless
the real treasure...

Inspired by the video: NEA Jazz Masters: Tribute to Lou Donaldson.

Beauty

Beauty

The beauty of jazz:
it has no agenda or
false advertising.

want

want

when you want something so much you
can't sleep
sleep walking through life
a bit of a fantasy
needing to accomplish
when you want something so much
nothing else seems to matter
and the world revolves around a pencil sized
pivot point
goals
goals
goals
when you want something so much you
think the sun won't rise until it just
happens
but the sun rises
and sets
the waves pull in and out
and you will be there
sleep walking through life
until then

happy

happy

i thought in order to be happy
people
had
to like
YOU
and you had to be surrounded by
others
all
the time
but really
in order to be this thing called
happy
YOU
need to like
YOU
and you need to be surrounded by
positivity
in any form

alone

alone

i often feel a bit alone
as many people do i'm sure
i often feel a bit alone
as many people don't i'm sure

important things

important things

i wish there was more
time
for the important things in
life
such as
prancing through a book
as one of the characters
dancing along the hills valleys
mountains streams - clouds!
strolling through the garden
tulips blooming roses lush
i wish there was more time
for the important things in
life.