Friday, January 10, 2014

Swayin' to the Beat

Been pecking away at this Jazz Poem since September. Still consider it "work in progress," but saw the call to share, so am sharing at dVerse Meeting the Bar: Looking Back, Looking Ahead


He plays a mean guitar, this one-time star,
  the crowd waits, anticipates
            those old tunes, crooned…

Takin’ ‘em back to that old Rat Pack—
            movin’ to the groove;
Frankie and Dean, Sammie and Tony…
  then he turns it around,
                        lowers voice down
adds some scat 
            ‘n quick as that 
Louie and Nat are in the house.

Not done yet, throws in some clarinet
  and a little sax from his combo tracks—
he holds the crowd, 
                        cranks it loud;
  turns up the heat with that steady beat,
            that keeps it rollin’ down to their soul.

Then he takes the sound and slows it down
             orders up another round
and settles the score with a song or two more.

Too soon then, his evening ends…
  he walks away,  leavin’ crowd swayin’
                        to the beat

©  Ginny Brannan 2014

Inspired, in part at least, by many singers, including this gentleman who has entertained where I work and does an amazing Louie Armstrong-Mr. Jerome Robinson.
*Image: Google Images, guitar player.

13 comments:

  1. i love live music...as much for the music as the experience...and watching guys just like this get lost in their songs...wish i was there to watch him...smiles.

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  2. Nice! I love the rhythms of jazz, too, and I can see this man giving his all to the music, not even noticing the crowd… Well done. Thank you.

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  3. This describe the musician well .. The connection and the audience thinking it ends too soon .. Yes then live music is magic.

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  4. very cool.. live music is just always an experience and i really like how you captured the beat and energy with your words here

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  5. There's such fabulous music in this poem, Ginny, all from the internal rhymes and the strong rhythm. I love it. I love live music too ... smiles

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  6. I love it Ginny ~ You captured the soul of the music man ~ Lovely flow like musical beats, swaying the crowd ~

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  7. A really nice take on the experience of live music with the rhythm in this poem. I think it is interesting that you consider this a work in progress, that's how I think about music because it changes with every live performance...it is always a work in progress.

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  8. I can feel the music and live the experience. Great music here

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  9. … they do live on! LOVE it - I'd love to hear this performed ;)

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    1. Oh, me too Margaret, except not by me. I don't have the right voice for this to do it justice! I can hear it in my head, but it really needs a deeper male voice.

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  10. Oh, if he's half as enjoyable to listen to as this is to read it would be an amazing night! Rock on Ginny! :o)

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    1. Mary, I am privy to a concert each Friday afternoon at work. This is inspired by many singers who have sung and entertained there. I have added a link at bottom of poem above to bring you to the music of one of them.

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  11. I really enjoyed this, Ginny... and agree with Mary!

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Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.