1/5 Today’s news seem to be particularly strong in both stupidity and racism. I’m making a concerted effort not to retweet it. Instead, I’ll say a short word about Abbey Lincoln, actor, singer, songwriter, and one of the greatest jazz lyricist to ever live

2/5 Her voice was unique - between Billie’s ethereal heartbreak & Ella’s piercing clarity. But, what makes her a legend most is that, as her career matured she came to write her own songs &, as a writer, she was superb. Here’s a passage from The world is falling down

3/5
Summer's gone
And winter's here
We had a lot of rain this year
The news is really very sad
The time is late,
The fruit is bad
The morning's come
And roosters crow
But people have no place to go
And disappear
Just like the sun
When the day is done.

4/5 there’s not a single wasted word in those lyrics. Like a lot of Black artists, she left the US for a while and fully found her voice the years she worked in Europe, though in the end she came back home. An easy introduction to her work is A Turtle’s Dream CD

5/5. I’m going back to work now. Through all the assholery from the top of our government the news brings day in and day out, I’m just trying hard to remember that this country can also produce an artist like Abbey Lincoln.