News & Events - The Great English Songbook

John has a strong regard for the work of the American jazz and big band singer Carmen McRae. Amongst her best work is the 1971 album 'The Great American Songbook', a live recording of her choice of 'standards' with a top flight jazz combo.

Taking this great work as a leaping off point John is working on poems for 'The Great English Songbook' which will become a new collection. Here are some early drafts.

Blue Infinity
Look at me
While I sing and play
For you
I will not squander
Your gaze
And I'll look straight back;
You won't wonder.

Looking at you
You can see
My eyes
Are blue infinity.

Broken Crowns
Too close for comfort

It's a clash of egos
Where I go, he goes.
It's a storm of wills
Up and down the hills.
Better buy in vinegar
Get more brown paper
To mend the crowns
Broken in this caper.

Hey, Jack – can you recall
Why we were together at all?
We were king and queen
Of our own silver screen
And we made a moving picture.

We were young and thirsty

Though it was all uphill
We thought we had time to kill
And it was murder in that gown!
But it all had to stop
When we both reached the top
And it all came tumbling down.