he swings open
the door not on
the familiar bar
but upon this acknowledged
standard they play it
most weeks he’s there
predictable
unknowable
each time whatever
arrangement the band is finding it
hits with that question
how many
more times will he be gifted this
song he glides
inside the fragile thought
comfortably maudlin but
an offbeat crack in a drum
roll topples the
tune coaxes flicks and
slides from the upright bass the piano *
thickens chords but trickles fills
as the flugelhorn nudges bunched
flourishes into the new
now and now they all bump him
onto the moment
and then the next and then
* alternative phrase, line 20-1, for differing
instrumentation some Sundays:
the guitar
chops chords and threads runs
.
Text Robert Sheppard
Photos © David Hynes 2026
(One of the changing iterations of this band has recently released an album, The Weave, Rufusalbino Records. See http://www.theweavemusic.com for more.)
.