by Steve Bewick, Jazz Broadcaster.
I have always had an interest in poetry particularly that of the jazz and beat poets like Kerouac and Ginsberg I had recently started writing and recording my own lyrics in that vein. My poem, `My Jewels In The Sand` has my spoken voice describing the sights that fascinated me in my flight, arrival and journey to the Hotel in Tel Aviv, revealing political and social observations amidst the general sense of wonderment. Weaving in and out of this discourse is the playing of Olivia Moore, a violinist, composer and teacher.
Three things came together in my journey with friends to Israel; a desire to record my excursion, share my love of the American Beat poets and also my love of jazz.
I arrived with friends in Tel Aviv in early February 2020. This was a regular visit for my friend and art mentor Buli Corby who is from that country. Buli is often accompanied by Peter, her husband, and a good friend to me. I was promised exceptional sights, sounds and smells. I was not disappointed.
My itinerary was a mixture of plans for us all to visit parts of Israel such as Jerusalem, as well some trips with Peter to the North of the country and a few of my own trips to the Dead Sea and Masada.
I faithfully kept a diary of my journeys each night before falling asleep, exhausted. By the end of my visit I had created something I had not expected, a fifteen page beat poem recording my visit to the Holy Land. It was to be my personal record of that visit.
The poem overall is titled, `An Englishman in Israel` and is in eleven parts over seventeen pages. It tells the story of my flight and arrival, my excursions to the cafes, markets and a football match. Visits to Abu Gosh, Halfa, Beit HaAmudim Jazz Club, Jerusalem, the desert cities, the Dead Sea and of course Tel Aviv itself. All of which I found to be a special and hospitable place and people.
My memories of that visit are now set in words and music for you to appreciate. A full print of, “An Englishman in Israel” can be found at;
The audio and video version of “My Jewels in the Sand” can be found at;
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