DESCRIPTION:
Written & read by Frances Livings
Alto sax improvisation by Zane Musa
Photos by Dailey Pike and Birdie Breeze
Video by Dennis Hamm

(A note from the author is below)

Exposed in the idle spotlight
awkward and unfashioned
almost uncongenial
bleak and inhospitable
transparent paper swaying
languidly waiting
lost, but no frustration
life, does it feel alien?

But then you strip down to the bone
start slashing at my flesh
emotions bluntly plundered
and torn out of my chest
as your songs of the soul
impatiently unfold
revealing dark obsessions
that violently evolve

Slave to your instrument
the bridge to each sentiment
the culprit of insanity!
or the medium of lucidity?
A lover lost in rapture
in haunting ecstasy
distilling good and evil
to disturbing melodies

That are darker than the darkest
side of a blood-shot moon
your notes a lake of indigo
spreading through the room

Longer than the longest
Arab caravan
drying my insides
winding through the desert sands

And sweeter than the sweetest
mistresses’ delight
sugar dusted lokum
in the heat of a vibrant night

Oh and softer than the softest
warm summer‘s breeze
ling’ring in the shadows
of ancient cyprus trees

Steeper than the steepest
spiral stairway
as you climb to higher higher –
and your body folds in labour
bearing sighing melodies

Pain and passion synchronized
comprising unborn, old and wise
Songs of the soul
oh, in torment they are born.

© Frances Livings 2005-07


"I met Zane when I first visited Los Angeles and heard him play. Like many others, he so touched me, his darkness and his light, that I wrote a poem about him. I didn’t tell him (or anyone actually) that it was about him - I was a bit embarrassed. But I asked him to do a studio session to record my recital and his improvisation on the saxophone. We recorded at Nolan Shaheed’s, who, absolutely adored Zane and has been very supportive also of my writing, like Greg Porée, my husband, who produced it.

I couldn’t have been happier with both the process and the results; no edits, nothing, the second take was the one. It was magic. It’s called “Songs of the Soul” and to have the musician who inspired the piece play on it felt like double magic. I think everyone who has ever heard him play will deeply understand the piece. It is a dialogue between my spoken words and his improvisation, perfectly interwoven.

I did tell Zane, years later, when I was recording my last album that the piece was about him. He had just played a heart wrenching solo on my tune “Only Time Will Tell”. It was one day after his brother had died… He had given me so much with his passionate playing that I felt I wanted to give him something too. I will always treasure these two recordings." ––Frances Livings