A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Summer, 2021 Edition

The spirit of jazz is not limited to the musicians, because celebrating the music is rich in creative opportunity for writers and visual artists as well. The 54 poets who contribute to this poetry collection are living proof of that.

As always, thanks to the poets, and I hope you enjoy…

Joe

Featuring the art of Darryl Daniels

Interview with Travis Atria, author of Better Days Will Come Again: The Life of Arthur Briggs, Jazz Genius of Harlem, Paris, and a Nazi Prison Camp

Short Fiction Contest-winning story #57 — “Constant At The 3 Deuces” by Jon Zelazny

In Zelazny’s story, the faltering, forgotten British composer Constant Lambert steps out of the classical world for a fateful 1949 midnight jaunt to the venerable New York City jazz club.

(photograph by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress)

Veryl Oakland’s “Jazz in Available Light” — “Keeping Jazz Alive in the Desert”…Monk Montgomery and the jazz musicians of Las Vegas

In this edition of photographs and stories from Veryl Oakland’s book Jazz In Available Light, the influence of bassist Monk Montgomery on jazz in 1970’s Las Vegas is detailed, along with profiles of the era’s working Vegas jazz musicians

(photo of Monk Montgomery by Veryl Oakland)

True Jazz Stories: Musical Adventures of Joe Maita, Sr.

My father was not a writer, he was a storyteller who had an intense desire to share his personal experiences as a young musician who performed during the big band era and World War II.  It is my privilege to publish his colorful stories.

(photo of Joe Maita (right), with bandmember Lou Mitchell and Roy Eldridge, Pittsburgh, 1938)

“The Art of Accompanying” — a 50-song playlist

“The Art of Accompanying” is a 50-song Spotify playlist — assembled by contributing writer Bob Hecht and featuring great performances by Shirley Horn, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, and many others.

(photo of Ella Fitzgerald by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress)

“Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s” Vol. 3 — Ubangi Club

Jeff Gold’s book Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s is a visual history of many of the country’s most influential night clubs and ballrooms during jazz music’s golden era. Jerry Jazz Musician will occasionally publish a noteworthy excerpt from the book. In this edition, Gold writes about Harlem’s Ubangi Club, and shares photographs and memorabilia from his collection.

(photo of pianist and vocalist Gladys Bentley, who performed at the Ubangi Club)
 

Jazz History Quiz #147

This saxophonist – best known for his Blue Note soul-jams of the 1960s – replaced John Coltrane (pictured) in Earl Bostic’s early R&B/jazz band, played in Max Roach’s band after his time in the military, and was married to the organist Shirley Scott. Who is he?
 
 
(Photo of John Coltrane by Hugo van Gelderen (Anefo), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)
 

“Pressed For All Time,” Vol. 10 — producer Creed Taylor talks about Wes Montgomery’s Goin’ Out of My Head

Drawn from interviews with prominent producers, engineers, and record label executives, Michael Jarrett’s Pressed For All Time: Producing the Great Jazz Albums is filled with interesting stories behind some of jazz music’s most historic, influential, and popular recordings. In cooperation with Jarrett and University of North Carolina Press, Jerry Jazz Musician occasionally publishes a noteworthy excerpt from the book, which is now available in trade paperback.  In this edition, producer Creed Taylor recalls working with the guitarist Wes Montgomery on his 1965 Verve album Goin’ Out of My Head
 

In the Previous Issue

A poetry collection — inspired by Miles Davis; An interview with Richard Carlin and Ken Bloom, authors of Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm, and Race; An interview with Jeff Gold, author of Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s; “Under Quarantine” — COVID era poetry of Erren Kelly; Interview with Alyn Shipton, author of The Art of Jazz; Two of a Mind: Conversations on Creative Collaboration, Vol 1: featuring Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart

(photo of Miles Davis by Francis Wolff/© Mosaic Images)
 

Coming Soon to Jerry Jazz Musician

 Interviews, book excerpts, playlists, poetry, short fiction, art and photography, true jazz stories and lots more in the works….
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Jerry Jazz Musician is a non-commercial website whose mission is to explore the culture of America with jazz music as the centerpiece…For news about how you can submit your work, click here. 

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