All over the moment: in memoriam Brian Case
Writer, journalist, father, colleague, policeman's son. 1937-2026. Also, completely and utterly naturally hip. Wherever he rests, it's got to have lateral movement. And cats
I RIDE THE 1pm express to Ipswich and
Wrestle with what I have on
Brian, trying to snake it all together.
Tie him up. Bring him in. But I have to suck it
Up: this is really skinny-minus. Only thing that
Holds it all is Stanley Turrentine, whooping
Like a sultan in my block with Shirley at the
Hammond — not sure that Turrentine is right though.
Not hard enough, not bop.
Brian is always sideways on in
My recall, eyes slotted, ready for what
Comes through the door. But in the room?
Yeah man, very much so. Always in the room,
You dig? Fag downwards, elbows in,
No glam, no fig, just grit — as if some cluck pressed pause
… As his move was made, the gun halfway in or halfway out —
Could be either, might be both.
It is what it is. Brian is not the cause
Or the outcome. But he is all over the
Moment. All over it, like steam. Like vapour.
Like the saxophonist’s breath, the out subvisible
In the room, notepad of the horn-bright night
Blooting lemurs from the hip — not a bum note in the
Rip, which comes for you like squalling cats.
Brian gave me the kindest beating I ever took.
He did it by the coffee machine, two sharp jabs and then
Downstairs for a short right to the slats. Fnnnffff! It was Monk
I’d dissed, and if it’s Monk you’re going to do, then don’t be …
Callow. And as he was Brian, every jab and hook had
Landed like the hippest music. And then, to celebrate,
We had lunch.
Nick Coleman is the author of three books which take music as their environment: ‘The Train in the Night: a Story of Music and Loss’, ‘Voices: how a great singer can change your life’ and ‘Pillow Man’, a novel — all three are published by Vintage / Jonathan Cape in the UK and by Counterpoint in the US. A fourth book, ‘Dreaming Music: Adventures in Time, Memory and Silence’, is to be published by Vine Leaves Press