Poems by Nathan Holaway

Eric Dolphy - Serene But waiting under that Serenity is an Ever-burning ember An ember of anguish An ember of torment Frustration Urgency Echoes, echoes, echoes After the storm has passed After the message sent Dolphy takes us back to A place with silent sounds Of serenity...sweet Eric Dolphy - Serene

Villanellington (For Duke)

Duke, for we love him madly. His contributions to music and history astound minds. He leaves us his music, a jazz aristocracy.

Sophisticated and dapper, he was the epitome of jazz royalty. His palace, the Cotton Club, in time he left behind. Duke, for we love him madly.

From "Take the 'A' Train" to "Cottontail" he never wrote with complacency. What a travesty for those in soundless darkness! He leaves us his music, a jazz aristocracy.

Black, brown and beige were the shades of creativity For a musical ambassador who always shined. Duke, for we love him madly.

With the indigo from his veins, he compositionally Perpetuated emotions of blues with tears entwined. He leaves us his music, a jazz aristocracy.

Forever he will reign with infinite musicality, So superlative, so sublime.

Duke, for we love him madly. He leaves us his music, a jazz aristocracy. 

Nathan Holaway is a jazz musician residing in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. At age 23, he has already invested a lot into learning the history, roots, and fundamentals of jazz music. Holaway graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. in Music and plans on continuing his musical education in the New York area.

Holaway can convey his knowledge of the music called Jazz not only through his playing but through the written word. He has been writing Jazz poetry for a while now and has around 30 poems currently completed. A compilation of some sort is most likely in the works.

When once asked how he defines "jazz," Holaway's response was telling: "There is only one definition of 'jazz' to me. A 'soul embrace'. What this means is that you have to give everything you have into this music, just to get anything out of it. That goes for musician, listener, newcomer, or aficianado.There is a rich tradition to this music and to fully understand everything that is going on, you've got to be willing to do that." This kind of earnest devotion to understanding and appreciating the music is seen nowhere more clearly than in his poetry.

Nathan Holaway has just locally released his first project of recorded music called Inspiration. It includes five original compositions as well as traditional standards. For more information contact [email protected] .