What a pleasure to be involved with this event. I've been dreaming of it for years. Looking forward to more poetry/music collsborations in the future. Thanks to Julian, Greg and co. for organising and for all the performers who travelled far to turn out for something which was more than the sum of its parts.

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thank you for the comments and thank you to all who turned up to both events. Greatly appreciated after a small team of us worked so very hard to put it on. I agree about the noise, David, and will have a think about that. I dislike having to ask people to be quiet which they did at first, then it came back up, though got better in the second half.

We decided to pitch to do this quite late in the day, so it was a minor miracle that Barney, the festival artistic director, agreed to put it on, it being a bit of an experiment really. I think we have learned a lot from doing this.

There were some last-minute hitches too, which seem not have been noticed - I hope - by the pleasingly big, enthusiastic crowd.

Thank you to our fantastic performers: Ralph Dartford, Dave Cooke, The Green Door Ensemble (Dave Morgan, Kevin Bates, James Hartnell), Anjum Malik, Lavinia Murray and London's Jazzman John Clarke.

I want to single out the musicians, Edward Henderson on piano and Louis Archer on tenor sax, who did an incredible job of improv behind some of the poems. They are at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music at Greenwich University and we shall be putting more up about them and this once we have reviewed and edited the video footage.

I really want to go on record here and thank Greg Freeman for his heroic support over the weekend, above and beyond the WOL of duty. it just would not have happened without you. Thank you.

The weekend at Marsden has a brilliant atmosphere with music in every pub and club and cafe. Do get yourselves booked in for next year.

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Fantastic mix of poetry and jazz. Great to see something so different at the festival. It was a shame that the layout of the pub and the chatterers at the back made it difficult to hear some of the words.

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I'm obliged, Isobel. You don't think I was on LSD when I wrote it? It's been suggested ...!

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

ps Great review Greg!

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Two radio 4 play writes, a host of talented poets and musicians - and all for free!

It made me realise how much we miss Moxy on here. I know that I malign surreal poetry now and again - but hers was rather special - and I could often find meaning in it, if I thought hard enough. I do hope she makes a return some time.

What do I feel about the mixture of poetry and jazz? I think it works well when it's been previously rehearsed, as some of these pieces had - otherwise, better with the music in between the verses, so not to distract from the words. That's just my opinion though - being more of a wordsmith than a musician.

Comment is about Shades of the Beats: a poetry-jazz happening in the heart of the Pennines (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman