at the end of this line, a saxophone!
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18 June 2022
Lowell MA
(written in front of
Jack Kerouac’s birthplace)
Category: Music
It’s true! After a year away, I’m taking over the hosting duties of The Jazz Session again. Listen to the handover episode for the details.
2 CommentsIt’s been 108 years since Sun Ra arrived from Saturn. Not sure where to start with his massive discography? Try this one:
pooping at
Price Chopper to
Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love”
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21 May 2022
Pittsfield MA
at certain times in my life
all the books and songs
were written for me
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11 May 2022
Pittsfield MA
dust on my Doctor’s hat brim
Dead on the screens behind him
knowledge of self
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3 May 2022
Pittsfield MA
On my birthday in 2012 I was in Montreal as part of my Jazz Or Bust tour. I crashed for the night in the apartment of Sarah MK, a singer whom I’d never met. We had an acquaintance in common. I spent my birthday wandering the city and then took a boat ride on the St. Lawrence. I didn’t realize she knew it was my birthday, but when I got back she had a cake waiting. Anyway she dropped a new record this week and you should hear it because it’s good.
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Waiting For The Orchestra
I’m in the gallery, as high up in the concert hall
as it’s possible to go without wings.
High enough and steep enough
to just slightly trigger my fear of heights.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned
over this long comedy of errors,
it’s that music saves me when all else fails.
A trumpeter in khaki shorts is warming up.
A harpist is tuning to the piano.
I came early for the pre-concert talk,
beating everyone except four elderly folks in their box.
The room is majestic even without the music.
It reminds me to be awed.
That’s important, in these days of scarcity.
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24 April 2022
Troy, NY
(NaPoWriMo Day 24)
Leave a CommentOde To The A Space And/In Time Memorial
It’s a tall flagpole
in a well-kept field; no flags.
On each side of the base, a plaque:
a peace sign, the infinity symbol,
others I don’t recognize.
I posed there thinking
I was on the site of Woodstock,
flashing the V in a monochrome selfie.
I was off by 3 miles,
but in planetary terms
that’s still pretty close.
“Yes to more peace in the world,”
texted a friend.
And better signage.
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19 April 2022
Pittsfield MA
(NaPoWriMo Day 19)
(photo)
Leave a Commenttalk about pop music
Max Headroom pitches New Coke
two blank walls before me
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15 April 2022
Pittsfield MA
Oh, Mexico
for CC
This sandwich is named for a James Taylor song.
It has Mexico in the name because … guac, I guess?
While eating it I learn that my friend has never heard of JT.
I take our shared frame of reference for granted,
but it’s a smaller frame than our pictures require.
We send one another photos of London streets
and Berkshire marshes.
Voice notes sailing the ocean faster than any ship.
Back in my office, I look into the eyes of a Funko Pop Tom Baker.
What a weird old world it is.
Have a jelly baby.
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13 April 2022
Pittsfield MA
(NaPoWriMo Day 13)
Leave a Commentheadphones full of
New Mexican Stargazers!
::alternate life::
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6 April 2022
Latham NY
driving drums
Fender Rhodes
the sharp angles of melody
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1 April 2022
Latham NY
inspired by
“Morning Song”
by Matt Aronoff
I’m losing myself
in Lincoln Nebraska
70s Dead
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29 March 2022
Latham NY
The other day I wrote a piece called “Hum.” My friend Patrick said it needed some noir saxophone behind it. He’s a saxophonist, so I recorded myself reading the piece and sent it to him to add sax to. He did, and this is the result:
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