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Richard Hoffman: Autumn Leaves | An Improvisation after Ahmad Jamal
Running time: approximately 9 minutes
Email subscribers may click on the title of this post to listen to the recording of Ahmad Jamal performing his composition ‘Autumn Leaves.‘
—
Autumn Leaves | An Improvisation after Ahmad Jamal
by Richard Hoffman
.
(If you don’t know
then you will never know
If you don’t know
then you will never know)
.
the falling leaves
of red and gold
.
begin before
the winter words
.
before the words
always before
old winter’s song
.
(you know you know
as you have always known
you know you know
as you have always known)
.
more than the sun
more than the summer
than your kisses
than sunburned hands
I miss you most of all
my darling
.
when autumn leaves
.
(If you don’t know
then you will never know
If you don’t know
then you will never know)
.
long way to you
I am still here
and yearn and wonder
how we drift
.
may misery
and mercy’s near
rhyme hold
through windows’ frost
.
and winter shadows
memories
of memories
of what is lost
.
but most of all
we sense a change
.
who all along
had to decide
.
as leaves held on
in summer storms
when fall begins
begin to fall
.
we find we are
forgetful
questions
guttering flames
.
but most of all
my darling
we are grateful
.
(you know you know
as you have always known
you know you know
as you have always known)
.
I touch your lips
I want to hear
what winter plans for us
.
the trees are black
the sky is dark
the stars are tiny
herring veering
.
into deeper water
.
mercurial flashes
disappearing
.
although the wonder
remains on offer
.
summer’s kisses
roses on a trellis
fragrant and blown
.
(If you don’t know
then you will never know
I know you know
as you have always known)
.
It starts before words
and lasts beyond them
darling
.
when autumn leaves
start to fall
Text copyright 2023 Richard Hoffman
Video, posted as open access through YouTube
Born in Pittsburgh, Ahmad Jamal (1930 –2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. He was a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master and won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for his contributions to music history.
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Gorgeous!
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Yes, it is!
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In French, “nostalgie” and “mélancolie” rhyme. Those two emotions do their own tonal rhyming in the lovely lines above…
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Thanks, Laure-Anne. I love the subtle music of your poems.
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The original song, Autumn Leaves, always invoked sadness and longing, many years before Fred died and now, suddenly, his death is 13 years ago. He loved jazz, perhaps one reason I sometimes have a hard time listening to Kenny Burrell, McCoy Tyner, Jim Hall ( was My Dear Little Sweetheart by Hall?) Autumn is a hard time, when I, for a time, understand what friends mean by “the veil is thinner.” Today the alarm sang at its usual time, but it was now dark and the bed was warm and the effort to get up and lead on-line meditation ( which takes no effort at all) was more difficult. I got through yesterday, the anniversary of his death, by daring to drive downtown to the library to celebrate the publication of the memoir of my friend, Judy Reeves, where I saw friends from before the plague somehow remaining and returning. This year the veil seems even thinner, the darkness outside more ominous, this spark of life more tenuous
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Very evocative, Barb. Thanks for sharing these memories.
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For some reason, I often need to respond to your posts and I do it quickly before whatever pressed me to write, turns sound, shakes it’s head, and flies off.
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