Ode to Jazz

At the age of five I was spiritualised

when my uncle played Coltrane

(Blue Train, Blue Train.)

There’s freedom in music like a soaring Bird

there’s colours you don’t see ‘cause colour can be heard

When Mingus says goodbye to that pork pie hat

you know where it’s at man - you know where it’s at.

(You know where it’s at man, you know where it’s at.)

Miles and Miles of syncopated horn -

the year was '59 when The Cool was born

A kind of blue like a vaccine shot -

a real Bitches Brew. So What ? So What ?

And love ain’t no easy street, it’s a no-man’s land

a field holler singin’ in a rag-time band

Bill Evans on the porch of a candy shop

playin’ Doo-wop, doo-wop-wop, doo-wop-wop.

(Doo-wop, doo-wop-wop, doo-wop-wop.)

Mr Watermelon Man will you spin that loop ?

Make it echo like a Monk in a chicken coop

Strange fruit whispers on the windowsill

when Billie sings bamboula in Storyville.

Ella found a tasket in a clapboard church -

the blues rolled her over like a flatted third.

Swingin’ on red velvet in Carnegie Hall

“It hits you in” she said “why doncha give me a call.”

Back-beat brushes bend a be-bop time

runnin’ down a track while Lester does a line

Jazz is alive and it’s mine, all mine

(Jazz is alive and it’s mine.)