MC Baden Prince Junior presided at another outburst of the long-running Speakeasy in the Marie Lloyd Bar in Mare Street, Hackney. Vibe Machine pounded out East End Beat poetry with keyboards, Janet Boyede sang her heart out, performance poetry stalwart Steve Tasane starred, and trombone poetry dished out the jazz.
The Return Of Civilization blossomed again at the Hope & Anchor in Acre Lane, with house combo, the Clare Hirst Band and a new joint music/poetry project by trombone poetry and Frances Knight, with improvised responses to each other’s poems. Zolan Quobble gave a spellbinding performance of his compelling poetry, and Dan Maitland delivered the melodious goods from his fine new album.
For a long-overdue stint at The Klinker, trombone poetry offered foundlings and other inventions, bookended by all-too-brief piano solos by Jez Parfett. We were also blessed with a trio featuring Ricardo Tejero’s clarinet corrugations, Javier Carmona’s turn-on-a-sixpence drumming and Rodrigo Montoya’s shamisen in occasional rum duet with Jew’s harp.
Thanks to the gentlemen of The Orchestra Pit, trombone poetry returned to the Arts Theatre Club for the London Jazz Festival, in the high-powered company of Led Bib and Outhouse. See the Pit’s site for archived stuff.
For the swansong of Freedom Of Expression III at The Perseverance, trombone poetry brought the blues, Eddie’s Brother brought wit and polish, and Mike Halliwell brought bassist Matt from Hull, in a finale of soft-rock wistfulness. Freedom Of Expression has left the building. See you in Croydon.