Notes

Final jazz piece for now!

Caught up in a moment,

a haze,

a place of deep contentment

where everything

is coffee and cigarettes

and whisky and cocktails,

and New Orleans blues.

I sit in the smokey womb,

a cavern of musical bliss,

drinking scotch 

with a beer chaser

and imbibing sultry sounds

as improvised jazz plays soft,

in sad, romantic,

timeless tones,

that pacify the restless

heart and soothe

the stresses of

the tortured soul.

 

23/10/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[X]

Aha, the quiet journey of the soul--raw and beautiful...:)

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Kira. Love to go there.

[Gee]

I'm here :))
Mate of mine used to listen to Courtney Pine and some fella Coltrane( not Robbie) and was always enthusing over their music. Me, was more of a Bay City Rollers, Slade, Sweet, then moving onto Bowie, U2, Simple Minds, kinda guy. However, I do love the sound of the Sax.
Good morning John, hope all is well with you.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hello there Sir. Good to see you. I have to admit I was not a jazz fan either until later life. Always been a bit eclectic in taste though so loved Julie London's rendition of 'Cry Me A River', Aretha Franklin - 'I say a little prayer' and Anita Harris (believe it or not)-'Dream a Little Dream of Me'. Sad really! Many thanks Gee.

[Chris Shaw]

You have created a great ambience here John with this fine piece of free verse. I see you with your beer and whiskey chaser drinking up the jazz. Nicely penned. Excuse me if I don:t stay. Smoke gets in my eyes.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Funny Girl! No smoke these days, sort of changes the atmosphere of the small basement jazz club but far healthier. P.S the beer is the chaser! Cheers Chris and good morning.

[Chris Shaw]

A beer chaser, ha ha. You like the hard stuff then. Yes, much healthier air now in the jazz clubs. Have a great Friday and good morning.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ah you see you take a sip of whisky and then a sip of beer and it enhances the flavour of the scotch.

[Gerald Parker]

I've been following the Haringey Young Musicians (jazz) since my grandson took up the saxophone. I've acquired a big collection of Gil Evans, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Your poem reminded me of the enjoyment to be had from listening to jazz in good company. Not having been to the type of jazz clubs you describe, I feel it's too late for me. I've missed out.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Never too late. In fact jazz is a form that everyone, young and older can enjoy. Many thanks.

[Eilis]

You definitely put us there with you with this one, John. The smoky womb phrase is enviable poetics.

I’ve never been to a bar, I mean a bar that’s just a bar, so I don’t have first hand familiarity with the atmosphere. But I have gone to concerts in small venues where the room is smoke filled and you’re sharing oxygen with strangers who are bumping up against you.

Sort of the feeling this gives. The anonymity of the public space where we are free to enjoy ourselves with dozens of strangers who are there, like we are, to absorb the sound and scene.

Cool poem.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Eilis, Jazz clubs are just like this but not smokey these days lol. Ya just gotta miss that darned smoke even, if like me, ya don't!

[Einstein Noodle]

well done! poem puts me right there ... in the experience ... particularly like the Boiler Maker, my only cocktail preference ;) ... and ohhhhhhhhhhhh that Billie Holiday ... perfect fit with your poem sir ... in my opinion .. thanks for sharing the jazz, blues, New Orleans and dives :)
E.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

My pleasure that you 'voyeuristically' enjoy my self indulgence in such a scene and such music big 'E'. Many thank yous.

[Einstein Noodle]

:) ................

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thought you were off to bed?

[Einstein Noodle]

i just got up! ;) i was using poetic license and allegory ... or just fibbing i guess :)))))))))))))))))))))

[John Alexander McFadyen]

You little liar you!

[Einstein Noodle]

ahahahahaha i'll never tell ....

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Try this cattle prod ya pervert!

[Einstein Noodle]

oooo man flirting .... GOOD NIGHT! :)))))))))))))))))

[R.E. Ray]

This poem is a snapshot I recall so well! I worked in Memphis and the Mississippi Delta for a few years, and you've captured the images, aroma and moods of so many evenings, often alone, my hand wrapped around a whiskey glass, sometimes smoking a cigar. And, Billie Holiday... the ideal music to pair with this piece. When words transport us to another time and place, that's art.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed it is art and those moments in such venues have such a profound effect. Many thanks R.E. and I hope you enjoy many more.

[Kelly Scheppers]

"...where everything is coffee and cigarettes and whisky and cocktails, and New Orleans blues."

Now, that's the good life, indeed! A pulse just simply oozes out of this one, John!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Good life indeed Kelly. So nice to see you again. Many thanks.

[CD Campbell]

I like a lot of jazz, mainly Miles Davis. Been into bluegrass mostly these days. There is a song sung by Gillian Welch called Orphan Girl. I was on the side porch drinking tin cup whiskey one night and that song came up on my pandora Allison Kraus station and it literally brought me to tears. Maybe it had something to do with my background, whiskey, and her old timey voice, I don't know, but the whole point of the story is that I know and understand the power that music can have over us at anytime. There is this connection that's always present. Anyway, I can definitely get the vibe that's coming across in your fine words and it brought that out after reading. This is great stuff of yours. Have a good day.

[gram linski]

very ambient feel, sounds like a good night, those blue notes definitely got a feel to them,

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Aye tis a sufficiency of whisky and beer me thinks gram. Cheers!