Nights at the Turntable: Jazz Poetry
"Jazz speaks
the language of love.
It also speaks
in great volume
the trials of life..."
Nights at the Turntable is the second collection of poetry by Nathan Nicolau. It is a collection of jazz-inspired poetry by avid jazz lover and poet Nathan Nicolau. Across twenty poems, this collection pays homage to the people, places, and voices that made jazz what it is. Brimming with poetic language and heart, Nights at the Turntable will delight both the casual listener and the most serious jazz fans.
Nathan's Commentary:
"The reason why I wrote this collection is simple: I adore the music. I’m infatuated by its history, its culture, and its people. I love jazz so much that I often struggle to find ways to express that love. I decided the best way to do so would be through poetry....If someone were to ask me how I feel about jazz, I would simply point them to this book....On one of my favorite live jazz recordings, drummer Art Blakey exclaims “Wow! First time I enjoyed a record session!” I feel the same about this book. Writing these poems felt like the first time I enjoyed writing and my only hope is that readers enjoy them as well...." - from a deleted author's note
Praise
"Once again, Nicolau has wowed me with his words."
- Finley
"I absolutely loved this collection of poems. I wish I had words eloquent enough to describe how I felt reading these. I didn’t know you could hear music through text until tonight."
- Angela
"There’s a unity in this collection—both in form and subject—and Nicolau’s ardor and nostalgia for the bluesmen and women of a bygone age shines through in both. At times elegiac, others almost liturgical, and utterly ecstatic throughout."
- Claire
"I found his poetry clever and relevant, particularly his associations to the moods of specific artists, and the tonal impact of various musical instruments. It's a shame he wasn't around, like some of us were, when many of the folks he is writing about were at the height of their popularity and giving live performances."
- Don