A new poem, In Two Minds, was tried out on listeners at our favourite East End haunt, Indo, in Whitechapel. This poem, scribbled impromptu the week before at Deli Felice for Rotherhithe Voices, is about inner conflict, the divided self, and beer. The dedicatory poem, Indode, was again recited, in a long-term plan to get them to paste it on the ceiling. There was also Hanky Panky.
The Near Jazz Experience rattled the rafters and snifters, accommodating a trombone again along the way.
Diners were spared the poetry, but not the trombone, in an excellent Portuguese restaurant, O Picado, over in Westcliff-on-Sea. Chris Kibble presided on piano and tried to get a fork in at the lavish seafood spread they laid on afterwards. Among the standards were a few Click Beetle tunes: Blues at Sea, Float and South of the River.
We have learned of the very sad demise of Jazzman John Clarke, South London’s indefatigable beat poet. John has been mentioned countless times in these chronicles, and inadvertently kick-started the very first one, a report on a rum night out in Deptford (one of many) which discreetly omits his name. John was always supportive and helpful to trombone poetry and it will always feel strange not to bump into him again at future down-to-earth and up-in-the-air poetry events.
On Friday, trombone poetry will follow in his footsteps onto the Book Barge, a venue as yet unseen, but which is probably something like the vessel shown above (Fig. 1). Welcome aboard!
Friday 24 August, 18:00 – 22:00
trombone poetry + Amy Acre + Worldwide Welshman & Beyond + Teige Bigman Maddison + Cal Lewis. Hosted by Oliver Cable.
JAZZ AND POETRY ON THE WATER
York Way
Granary Square
London N1C 4AA
Bring oilskins and a bottle.
Saturday 1 September
trombone poetry + bands & poets (see website for details)
PARTY IN THE PARK
Fordham Park
1-5 Angus St
Deptford
London SE14 6LU
Sunday 2 September, 14:00 – 18:00
Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra
Danny House
New Way Lane
Hurstpierpoint
West Sussex
BN6 9BB
Monday 3 September, 20:00 doors, 20:30 start
Mick Collins Legacy Jazz Orchestra
Sundridge Park Working Mens Club and Institute
134 Burnt Ash Lane
Bromley BR1 5AF
admission: £6
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