Ted King - Close to the Cool (jazz-poetry cd)

Ted King calls this beatnik jazz, but it has as much in common with spoken word: he rhymes.

Lines slam and slither together linked by the sound repetition but also by a staccato rhythm. He speaks of everyday stuff like trying to be cool and being misunderstood and lighting a cigarette in the wind and believing in being true and authentic.

But the poetry isn't traditionally "deep," true and authentic: it tells stories. The heart is in the narrative, the characters, the children and wives and girlfriends.

This is about getting close to the cool when you know there is no such thing.

As much self-effacement as proclamation.

To me, there is no "cool" in King's universe, rather it's a teasing, unattainable ideal that no one can touch. How do I know this? The accordian playing behind him on some songs creates an ironic counterpoint. His lines often pull him down and make fun of himself. Sometimes, he lets the musicians take over.

The music varies—sometimes rock, sometimes jazz, sometimes French torch. This is a fun, multi-faceted CD by a Twin Cities artist who seems to me most interested in swaggering for the fun of the swagger, not because he actually believes in it.

The CD can be picked up at The Beat Coffeehouse, just east of Hennepin on 28th. If you don't live in the Twin Cities, check out the link. They will figure out how to hook you up with a copy.

Also, Ted King will be giving a talk/presentation on jazz and poetry 7:30 on Monday, April 2, 2012 at the same The Beat Coffeehouse.