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The album cover of 2022 collection of Christmas recordings by Louis Armstrong [Verve/UMG]
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Now Is The Time
Of our year so dangerous and extreme
that I’m refreshed by a mixed recording
(formerly a cassette transferred to CD).
Greensleeves by both Desmond and Coltrane,
Roland Kirk’s We Free Kings along with Bessie Smith’s
Christmas Ball. Of course let’s not forget Santa Claus Blues
by The Red Onion Jazz Babies 1924.
Tony Bennett and Dexter Gordon enchant White Christmas
with Mr. Gordon quoting The Christmas Song to boot.
Symphony Sid on a radio feed introduces Bird
who greets the White Christmas morning sharing a Be-Bop gift.
Next the sadly unknown Dill Jones conflates a Merry Monk with
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Don Lambert and Wellstood
take a stride with Jingle Bells while The MJQ rest with God
and Merry Gentlemen. Victoria Spivey and Leroy Carr
have Christmas Blues as Bechet wails Silent Night.
Louis brings it home to New Orleans with his Shatchy raspy
recitation of A Night Before Christmas. And then it’s done
with a cup of cheer, a smile and sigh over what may come.
so many Christmases
the best part of human kind
a short hour reprieve
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Listen to Daniel Warren Brown read his poem
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Daniel Warren Brown has loved jazz (and music in general) ever since he delved into his parents’ 78 collection as a child. He is a retired special education teacher who began writing as a senior. He always appreciates being published in journals and anthologies. At age 72 he published his first collection Family Portraits in Verse and Other Illustrated Poems through Epigraph Books, Rhinebeck, NY. Daniel writes daily about music, art and whatever else catches his imagination.
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Watch the animated feature of Louis Armstrong reciting “A Visit from St. Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas)” [Louis Armstrong]
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Click for:
More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician
War. Remembrance. Walls. The High Price of Authoritarianism – by editor/publisher Joe Maita
“The Sound of Becoming,” J.C. Michaels’ winning story in the 70th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
More short fiction on Jerry Jazz Musician
Information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
Subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter
Helping to support the ongoing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it commercial-free (thank you!)
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Jerry Jazz Musician…human produced since 1999
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