Short Fiction Contest-winning story #66 — “Not From Around Here” by Jeff Dingler
A story about a Jewish kid coming of age in Alabama and discovering his identity through music, in particular the interstellar sound of Sun Ra.
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Community Bookshelf #6
“Community Bookshelf” is a twice-yearly space where writers who have been published on Jerry Jazz Musician can share news about their recently authored books and/or recordings. This edition includes information about books published within the last six months or so (September, 2025 – March, 2026)
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Nominations for the Pushcart Prize L (50)
Announcing the six writers nominated for the Pushcart Prize v. L (50), whose work appeared on the web pages of Jerry Jazz Musician or within print anthologies I edited during 2025.
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“What one song best represents your expectations for 2025?” Readers respond…
What are your hopes, anxieties, expectations for 2025? How do you see it playing out? 50 readers respond to the question, What one song best represents your expectations for 2025?
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The Sunday Poem: “Bebop Salvation” by Tobi Alfier
The vast and beautiful quiet of the weekend,
a weak dawn bleeds over the skyline’s edge.
She gropes her pockets to find a single cigarette
as she waits for that moment
Short Fiction Contest-winning story #67 — “Bluesette,” by Salvatore Difalco
The author’s award-winning story is a semi-satirical mood piece about a heartbroken man in Europe listening to Toots Thielemans while under the influence of a mind-altering substance.
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Nominations for the Pushcart Prize XLIX
Announcing the six writers nominated for the Pushcart Prize v. XLIX, whose work was published in Jerry Jazz Musician during 2024.
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“Second-Hand Squeeze Box” – a short story by Debbie Burke
The story – a short-listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – explores the intersection of nourishing oneself with music, and finding a soul mate
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The Sunday Poem: “Ways to Play the Bass” by Mark Fogarty
For speed and power, use the pick.
One side of the mountain,
Then jump to the other side.
Open mike nights I learned in real time,
Rehearsal studios we never wanted to leave, still young.
But time left, and everyone left me.
“Nocturne” – a poem by Terrance Underwood
the sound became a poem
after happening into
Kenny Burrell leading
an arranged Gil Evans
below a full moon
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And Here We Are: A Post-election Thanksgiving, by Connie Johnson
Tenuous
It’s probably always
been tenuous
The notion
The concept
of democracy and
how it was designed
to protect us
Notes on Bob Hecht’s book, Stolen Moments: A Photographer’s Personal Journey
Some thoughts on a new book of photography by frequent Jerry Jazz Musician contributing writer Bob Hecht
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“The Dancer’s Walk” – a short story by Franklyn Ajaye
The world-renowned saxophonist Deja Blue grew up a sad, melancholy person who could only express his feelings through his music. When he meets a beautiful woman who sweeps him off his feet, will his reluctance to share his feelings and emotion cost him the love of his life?
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The Sunday Poem: “Day Dream” by Charlie Brice
Lauren, my high school sweetheart, and I
drive down Fifth Avenue in NYC, not in my
mother’s blue 1967 Cadilac, but in my polished
silver Caddy. This is after our group, The Kansas
City Soul Association, makes it big and I, their
drummer, can afford such a ride.
“The Sounds Outside My Window” – a poem by Bradford Middleton
. . photo via pickpik.com . . The Sounds Outside My Window ………(for Jack Kerouac) So the drunk old genius of the road once wrote that the sounds outside his window were worthy of his poetical consideration but right now, out of mine, all I can hear are seagulls squawking and sirens wailing and, in … Continue reading ““The Sounds Outside My Window” – a poem by Bradford Middleton”
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“Where the Bee Sucks (or Blows)” – a poem by David Rudd
The conductor passed the notes around — birds strung out on wires —
Pieces they all knew well, nothing too inspired.
He checked his troops, baton raised, then marched them down the street.
Was it a groove, or was it a rut, that curbed their marching feet?
“And All That Jazz” – a short story by BV Lawson
In this story – a short listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – a private investigator tries to help a homeless friend after his saxophone is stolen.
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The Sunday Poem: “Every Time” by Michel Krug
I cranked the Woody Shaw Jr.
“Every Time I See You”
Marveling at the range
Authentic modal with a hint
“I Thought About Lou” – a poem by Terrance Underwood
notice was received at the Final Arms Hotel
stating simply
expect Lou soon
& the buzz began
Good gracious!
Big John and Grant grinned
each to the other
with Hammond & Gibson harmony
“Melody and Counterpoint” – a short story by Joshua Dyer
Tucker works as a jazz pianist aboard the deep space luxury cruiser, the Royal Nebula. A flirtatious interlude pushes his new emotional software to its limits and beyond, and he learns the hard way what it means to be human.
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Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 7: “Women, by Women”
In this edition, Rife writes about jazz novels and short stories that feature stories about women, written by women.
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The Sunday Poem: “Jazz Improv” by Michael Keshigian
I am the sound,
the spontaneous voice you hear
beyond the melodic trance,
an array of multi-timbred,
fragmented, impetuous harmonies and rhythms
to carry you into an alternate dimension,
“Film Noir” – a poem by Bernard Saint
Flip day for night then lose the glossy crooner
Let the trumpet solo drain the oil from showbiz lake
Cruise a lowdown hungry blues
Along the Great White Way
To citizens’ arrest on Lower Broadway
Memorable Quote: H.L. Mencken…
. . Ben Pinchot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons . “I believe it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.” . -H. L. Mencken . . Listen … Continue reading “Memorable Quote: H.L. Mencken…”
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Memorable Quote:…Martin Luther King
. . photo via Pixabay . “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” . -Martin Luther King . . ___ . . Listen to the 1963 recording of Oscar Peterson performing “Hymn to Freedom,” with Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums). [Universal … Continue reading “Memorable Quote:…Martin Luther King”
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“Rudy Van Gelder: Jazz Music’s Recording Angel” – an essay by Joel Lewis
For over 60 years, the legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder devoted himself to the language of sound. And although he recorded everything from glee clubs to classical music, he was best known for recording jazz – specifically the musicians associated with Blue Note and Prestige records. Joel Lewis writes about his impact on the sound of jazz, and what has become of his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey studio.
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“The Pianist (Part One)” – a short story by J. C. Michaels
The story – finalist in the recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – describes the first lesson at a music conservatory of a freshman piano-performance major who is more accustomed to improvising than reading music. It is an excerpt from a novel-in-progress.
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The Sunday Poem: “He Jazzed His Way” by Susie Gharib
He jazzed his way into my heart
with pulsing beats that have surpassed
the resounding rhythm of the jungle drums.
“Hip Replacements” – a short story by William Torphy
The story – a short-listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction contest – is a humorous take on a septuagenarian attempt to resurrect a revival band,
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“All That Jazz” – a poem by Alan Abrams
Drizzly droplets
Dripping from balcony rails,
Slipping down window panes
As I listen to Stevie Ray
Play Lenny. Man that
Cat could sweat as he
Plucks magic from
Six thin strings.
“‘Different’ Trios” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In this 27-song playlist, Bob Hecht focuses on non-traditional trio recordings.
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The Sunday Poem: “Fats Waller” by Malcolm McCollum
I present you with a disgusting floor,
covered with ocher lumps of puke,
piles of paper refuse, cigarette butts,
all swimming in a sea of black water.
“Nostalgia” – a short story by John-Paul Cote
Harlan has an addiction. A most illegal addiction. It drives him from morning until night. He dreams of it. How can he escape it before it brings him into the arms of the law? Down a dark alley he will find out just how far he is willing to go.
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The Sunday Poem: “Mr. Bojangles” by Patricia Carragon
A raggedy man lived for music and Nina Simone,
called himself “Mr. Bojangles,”
played jazz on his secondhand sax,
tap-danced for tips and smiles.
“Ego” – a poem by Martha Patterson
“Big egos,” they now say –
Basie, Armstrong, Ellington
Did Louis Armstrong
Possess an outsized ego
“Moondance” – a short story by Ruth Knafo Setton
The story – a finalist in the recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – focuses on two people whose passion for music infuses their lives… and their chance at love.
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The Sunday Poem: “Jazz Is A Journey” by Christopher D. Sims
Jazz is a journey. The
listening keeps us
envisioning how creativity
is transformative. Jazz is a
journey, a sound, a tune, a note,
“Beyond the Sun” – a poem by Connie Johnson
Nostalgia
it’s the feeling that brought us here
a bit of joy / sweet glide to a hallowed space
and Fats Navarro is already here
Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 6: “Mystery, Mayhem, Music”
In this edition, Rife writes about jazz novels and short stories that feature a theme of “mystery.”
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“Gerry Meaghers” – a short story by Mark Donnelly
In the story, a short listed entrant in the recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest, a 60-year-man has lost his job as a newspaper reporter, and is left with few options.
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The Sunday Poem: “menage a trois” by debora Ewing
Antonio, steal me away from him
with a mango slice
on the tip of your knife
“Briscola” – a short story by Emily Xu
The story – a short-listed entry in the recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – is an exaggerated version of the dynamism of domestic/romantic relationships between spouses and the difficulty to sustain a family.
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“One Day Perhaps: On Russell Malone” – a poem by Terrance Underwood
Leaving residence
At the Final Arms Hotel
For a misty boulevard stroll
Could be I see you
(Maybe on your way
To meet up with Wes
To go Bumpin’ On Sunset)
The Sunday Poem: “Straight, No Chaser” by Steve Trenam
When he entered a club ‘round midnight,
all 88 keys would break into a grin
and the stool would slide out from under
to invite him to sit down and play.
“September Song” – a poem by Jerrice J. Baptiste
Sometime before September ends
I will capture your love
among the flaming
fuchsia, paprika, mustard colored
leaves, blowing in wind on a journey
to somewhere close to where you are.
“Trios – Three’s Not a Crowd” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In the history of jazz there have been many variations of instrumentation within the trio format (think of Benny Goodman’s trio or Jimmy Giuffre’s) but on this playlist, Bob Hecht concentrates on a handful of the classic trio configurations—either piano, bass and drums, or in a few instances, piano, guitar and bass……
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The Sunday Poem: “Down Jazz” by Holly Peppe
Prisms resound, glow dissonant—
refracted word-dyes salvaged from malaise.
A bleeding swatch of rainbow,
cordless stains on muslin,
stacks of frightened tightropes,
my slippers thin and worn –
“Donald Byrd’s Late Night Lullaby” – a poem by Erren Kelly
. . Mallory1180, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons . . Donald Byrd’s Late Night Lullaby The Worker Bee finds a home In the honeyed tones of a trumpet As the sun sets earlier, answering Fall’s call, she stands sometimes Sturdy as a birch tree, the trumpet’s Wail suits her majestically. Jazz is The … Continue reading ““Donald Byrd’s Late Night Lullaby” – a poem by Erren Kelly”
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“The Next Right Note” – a short story by Lisa Grunberger
The story – a short-listed entrant in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – centers on the effects of COVID on an interracial, interfaith family…
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The Sunday Poem: “Big Phat Jazz Police” by Charles Joseph Albert
When that first rumbling bass line
Tells me I’m listening to Gordon Goodwin’s
Big Phat Band playing “Jazz Police,”
I can’t help it, I always see an LAPD squad car
swinging out of the station
flipping on that groovy trumpet siren
as they join a pursuit with the whole horn section.
Deadline approaching for Short Fiction Contest #67
The deadline for entering stories in the 67th edition of the Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest is September 30.
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Fall 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter
Jerry Jazz Musician – Fall, 2024 Newsletter Information about new content published on the website Jerry Jazz Musician In This Issue Jazz Poetry…Collected! With a major collection of jazz poetry soon to be published in book form, this edition of Jerry Jazz Musician features poets from all over the world whose work … Continue reading “Fall 2024 Jerry Jazz Musician Newsletter”
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Community Bookshelf #3
“Community Bookshelf” is a twice-yearly space where writers who have been published on Jerry Jazz Musician can share news about their recently authored books and/or recordings. This edition includes information about books published within the last six months or so (March – September, 2024)
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“The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of” – a short story by Vishwas R. Gaitonde
The story – a short-listed entrant in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – explores the notion of where dreams end and reality begins through the lives of three people living in New Orleans
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The Sunday Poem: “If Requests Are Being Taken” by Terrance Underwood
If ever
I am subjected to
Further medical exploration
& something
Identified as Bio
Is discovered
Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 5: “Scott Joplin: King of Ragtime”
In this edition, Rife writes about three novels/short fiction that include stories about Scott Joplin, the primary forerunner and significant influencer of jazz.
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Four poets, four poems…on John Coltrane
John Coltrane was the absolute
the decorated, the preternatural
and acknowledged master of what fury
can pour out of the body of a saxophone.
The Sunday Poem: “Playing Sonny Rollins Loud in the Car” by Daniel W. Brown
Hurrying to a dental appointment
I didn’t want to go to in the first place
an interminable red light and honking traffic
and the curve where people merge
20 MPH faster than necessary
four lanes into two
not a good day overall
though Sonny Rollins is playing loud;
“Black Magic – 1960’s” – a short story by Gavin Kayner
In this story – a finalist in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – a Black magician reveals his life’s complexity to a white therapist who questions his ability to address it.
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The Sunday Poem: “Stompin’ at the Savoy” by DH Jenkins
Sheets of music laid across a checkered table cloth
spread out like streets across the city.
Like the quarter notes on page one, a crescent moon
is seen rising in the ink dark sky.
The Sunday Poem: “somewhere near the major-minor seventh” by j. lewis
cohen says there are major falls
and minor lifts that come before
the fourths and fifths and i suppose
he’s probably right, most likely right
but this is not about some hallelujah
“Invariable Thelonious” – nine haikus by Terrance Underwood
Scattered discordant
Symbols woven into lines
Across blank white pages
The Sunday Poem: “Weary Blues” by David Rudd
Woke up this morning to the Bugle Call Rag,
Straight no chasers made my head real bad.
Nothing left for breakfast … goodbye pork pie hat,
Dressed with chilies (ah um) – never hotter than that!
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In this Issue
Poetry
The Sunday Poem
The Sunday Poem: “Interplay,” by Bob Hecht
The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work...
Bob Hecht reads his poem at its conclusion.
Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem
Performance
Short Fiction
Community
Poetry
Interview
Poetry
Feature
Poetry
Interview
Short Fiction
Feature
Community
Poetry
Short Fiction
Poetry
Feature
Short Fiction
Jazz History Quiz
Poetry
Contributing Writers
Coming Soon
Interview Archive
