I judge people

I judge people

I judge people
I come into a room and
I see the exterior
the gray walls the concrete
the metal poles and beams
and I say to myself
what a grim ugly thing
what a cold dim space
what a reserved boring time
but if I could sit there
just sit there
in that gray ugly space
and know how it feels
to stand firmly on its ground
to breath in the cold air
to let go of pretense
then maybe my mind would calm
and I'd realize that this room
has strength dignity bravery
beneath all of that
and I'd realize that this room
can be warm if you just
let it be what it is.

Summer

Summer

Summer sun
summer rain
memories come
and leave again.

To the ends of the earth

To the ends of the earth

I hear a ringing tinging singing
over the hills in the ground
shaking like an earthquake
I feel a pitter patter putter
rhythm-ing inside my chest
thumping bumping as if
I'm in a ricky ticky roller coaster
I see a soaring roaring adoring
sky full of fluffy puffy white clouds
parting to the sight of a bright sun
as if to say I'm there to care for you
to the ends of the earth.

My sketch of Monty Alexander

Listen to "Mojo" with Monty Alexander, Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton:

Listen to Nat King Cole singing, "To The Ends Of The Earth":

Inspired by seeing Monty Alexander Remembers Nat King Cole at Scullers jazz club July 25.

No mystery

No mystery

Grateful - it is no
mystery why I love jazz
or why I love you.

My sketch of Stanley Clarke

Stanley Clarke Band playing, "No Mystery".

Inspired by the Stanley Clarke Band at the Montreal Jazz Festival. 

Network

Network

Cultures, sounds,
people, places,
time zones,
a single instant
- captured.

My sketch of  Charnett Moffett

My sketch of Jeff Tain Watts

Inspired by the NettWork Trio at the Montreal Jazz Festival: Charnett Moffett, Stanley Jordan & Jeff Tain Watts

Free

Free

I wanted to be free
I honestly always did
but I felt trapped in some way
for reasons unexplained

I thought maybe getting rid of
s
t
r
u
c
t
u
r
e
would put me in my place

I thought I could rebel and
change my self
polar
        opposite

Then I'd be free you see...
because who I am isn't free...
so who I'm not would be...

But as life went on and
days grew to weeks months a year
I started looking different in
my own mirror - a cage -
bandaged wounded trapped

Away with structure away with
schedule away with rules away with...me?

I wanted to be free
I honestly always did
but in order to be free
I had to take the plunge -
accept me.

My sketch of Ornette Coleman

RIP Ornette Coleman. 

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".

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?"

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".

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".

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".

Energy

Energy

Energy flowing
up down around across all
angles of music.

My sketch of Vijay Iyer

Inspired by Vijay Iyer playing, "Break Stuff".

Moments

Moments

Moments upon moments upon
moments galore
what separates each moment
from each second or more?

Inspired by Oliver Nelson playing, "Stolen Moments".

Identity

Identity 

Identity makes
up who we are and molds us
as human beings.

My sketch of Miguel Zenon

Inspired by Miguel Zenon playing, "Identities are Changeable".

Rainy day

Rainy day

As I look outside
the glass seems too thick
the rainy day consumes all.

Inspired by Jim Hall and Paul Desmond playing, "Here's That Rainy Day".

Village

Village

They say it takes an
entire village to raise
a child and it's true.

My sketch of Elvin Jones

Inspired by Elvin Jones playing, "Village Dreams".