Come ride a jazz guitar solo — welcome aboard…
Original DDE™ art: “Solo Flight” — by: rob kistner © 4/7/26
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embraced by the spot
held in its glow
the crowd gathers around him
close—
lifting him—
to help him ignite the fire
his foot is already moving
soft…
rhythmic…
that quiet
metronomic hammer of the heart
the bass lays
the foundation
…low
…steady
…certain
the brushes sizzle
sparkle—
whispering heat—
a living shimmer underneath
the piano leans in
with color—
then light within the color
showing the way forward
(spark)
he’s in it
one special note
placed—
and held
it blooms
a warm sustain—
…turning
…building—
(spark)
then—
he releases
fingers rush—
a brightness
spilling into chords—
phrases shaping themselves
a flurry—
cascading down the neck—
he rides it
…eyes closed
head tilted slightly
back and right—
he’s inside the sound
lines forming—answering—
the brushes keep their sparkle
the bass holds solid—
the beating heart of jazz
the piano lights the way
(spark)
and he drives it
…lets it cook
…lets it rise
until—
a magical chord
lands—
and everything settles—
like a hand on his shoulder
he eases—
lets it roll
momentum carrying forward
(spark)
then—
a small cluster
of explosive notes form—
and with them
brief vocal tones
shaped to the notes—
riding them tight
and harmonically
in just a breath
that quick flare
lifts the line back up
rollin’ hot
rekindled
his fingers already moving—
…back into the flow
…back into the heat
risin’ scorched
the motion alive—
no hesitation
no break
(spark)
and now—
it opens wider
…more than notes
…more than lines—
the fire finding itself again—
fanning fierce
rolling forward—
…spilling out
…roaring on
…enchanted
—flaring
into the mystic…
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rob kistner © 4/8/26
And what a ride it is.
Thank you, Ken. I do hope you enjoyed it. 🙂 I I tried to make it as authentic as I could. I’ve never done a guitar solo, but I’ve done so it was on my horn, my Bflat Coronet… not many years… not in many many years. 🙂
I LOVE me some jazz! My favorite poem of all time is Jazz Fantasia by Carl Sanburg….and now yours here!
“the brushes sizzle
sparkle—
whispering heat—
a living shimmer underneath”
And oh yes….you’ve described those rhythmic brushes on the snare drum and at times on the high hat….LOVE that idea of them shimmering!
NICELY DONE!
PS: hope you’ll drop in to our LIVE session on Saturday!
Thank you Lil — they shimmer, simmer, sizzle, and splash… 🙂
This reminds me of the British Joni tribute band, Hejira, who only play songs from her jazz period, ones that mainly feature in Shadows and Light; I saw them in Cambridge a few weeks ago. I love the phrases ‘metronomic hammer of the heart’, ‘living shimmer underneath’ and the simile ‘everything settles— like a hand on his shoulder’.
Thank you! Very cool Kim. Bet they include some from her “Mingus” album. Would love to see and hear them!! 🙂
I love that “quiet metronomic hammer of the heart,” my friend. This is a gorgeous poem 🙂
Thank you Sanaa. This was a joy to write, putting myself back in that mindset that leads into a solo.
I didn’t have to hear it to hear it, Rob. You play / wrote it perfectly. Thanks
Thank you Ron, that means a great deal coming from you bro…! 🙂
So well done, capturing the genius of jazz musicians like Metheny, Wes Montgomery. I could hear every line in my head as you wrote it! This is an excellantly done tribute to your writing and the greatness of good players!!
Thank you Cara, so glad you enjoyed this… 🙂
I can feel the beat of the music captivating poetry. Now, I have Van Morrison in my head singing Into the Mystic.
Another fine piece my friend…I need to get out and hear some live music soon.
Thank you True, and yes you do! I’m not able to make it to the clubs anymore, but I listen to a lot of good live recordings. There’s a kind of magic that only happens live. 🙂
jeez rob this is jazz! never got into it much myself but wow you make a superb case for it.
Jazz frees the soul because it frees the mind to ride the energy. When you listen, you’re not counting you’re just flying along with what’s being played. It’s gotta be good jazz though. I do not like Dixieland jazz and the like — that’s stifling because at its heart is too arranged and predictable. Listen to the tunes at the bottom of this post — its that style that of soloing moves my soul! 🙂
You brought us all there, Rob!
So very pleased you cam Merril. 🙂
Free-form improv in the dark, brother. Very nice.
Thank you very much, Christopher, but those fingers and that soul have been up and down the fretboard on that guitar so many times it doesn’t need light to explode into a solo, it only needs rhythm and a reason.