Jazz Christmas

A JAZZ Christmas, by Jack Sheldon

"Hey, you guys got anything slow?"

"Well, January and February....."

Christmas time and the holidays
I go from gig to gig.
Settin' up and tearin' down
at least I'm still in town.
I'm playin' nice and simple for the old folks.
If they heard my flat five's and my minor nine's
I'd be heading for the unemployment line.

Cha cha this and rhumba
Then it's rock n roll.
Break's too long, and the band's too loud
Critics in the crowd
The leader's gettin' nervous
and his son is sitting in.
Yes, it's a Jazz Musicians' Christmas

Cancel moves on the vocalist, hubby's playin' drums.
Sure could use an open bar
But got stuff in the car.
Requests sent on a napkin
wow, a dollar heh, heh, that's good.

Remembering the bridges to those Christmas tunes
are the death of me - in the singer's key.
One more set, we're closin' in.
Get them out the door.
We've done the hits, we've made it snow.
So why don't they just go.
The host forgot his checkbook, [I hate that!]
And the bread's stuck in the mail.
Oh, yes, it's a Jazz Musician's Christmas

Where did the music go?

We hear.. therefore it is. I sing, you hear, therefore it is. The music plays, you hear, therefore it is. [bear with me]

But, what happens to the music, when the musician dies? Ever thought about that?
A person spends years of their life performing..... their notes rising up in numerous music halls... rising, rising...wafting into the crevices of every corner.... reaching every music patron or enthusiast in the house. Somehow, it collects there with a multitude of symphonies, arias, concertos, rhapsodies, solos, duets... every last note..........

yet...

Where does it go after the musician passes on? Will it remain in the ears of the listener forever? Is there a concert etched into the architecture of the hall?

Will we say to one another - "You should have heard her/him perform... [insert obligatory praise here]... ah, that was talent."

These days, we are fortunate to have the assistance of technology to keep us in touch
with the designated 'masters.'

What about those working to be acknowledged as 'master ' and run out of time?
Those talented, yet brilliant, that never laid down a track.... or been immortalized forever?

Where did their music go?

Where will YOUR music go?