Midnight Groove
My little boy likes a few notes
but he loves the chill of free sax at midnight.
To warm him up he eats his special
soul food gumbo—
a side of saxophone, a pinch of trombone,
and from church to juke joint
a hearty helping of Hammond organ.
All leading to his 9-year old groove—
free and easy— boy it makes him move.
And it makes him smooth, too
asking questions like,
“Daddy why do I have to learn to read music
and who was the bird anyway?”
I tell him,–
your bedtime is 8:30,
the story of Charlie Parker is too sad
and that
love comes naturally
but sometimes you need a little help
to repeat its rhythm.
-Leo Victor Briones
Soundtrack of Mi Vida-Happy Blues-Gene Ammons