Buncombe County Public Libraries hold “Jazz Greats in Poetry” series

Each week in July, different jazz artists and poems will be discussed as part of the Buncombe County Public Libraries series, “The Language of Music, the Music of Language: Jazz Greats in Poetry.” Events take place from 3-4 p.m. in the Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library on Tuesdays, beginning July 9.

“Michael Jefry Stevens, an internationally-known jazz pianist and composer, will discuss and play the music of the jazz greats in tandem with poet Tina Barr, who will read poetry inspired by them,” says press for the series. “Over the past 40 years Stevens has released more than 80 CDs and continues to perform and conduct workshops in North America, Latin America and Europe. Barr has directed the creative writing program at Rhodes College in Memphis and has written several award-winning collections of poetry.”

The program is as follows:

• Tuesday, July 9: Sax and clarinet player Sidney Bechet; poetry by Philip Larkin and Bill Matthews.

• Tuesday, July 16: Pianist Art Tatum; poetry by Phil Levine and Bill Matthews.

• Tuesday, July 23: Sax players Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Hank Moble; poetry by Cornelius Eady, Howard Hart and Bill Matthews.

• Tuesday, July 30: Flute and sax player Eric Dolphy; poetry by Yusef Komunyakaa and Etheridge Knight.

Pack Memorial Library is at 67 Haywood Street, Asheville. Call 250-4700 or email library@buncombecounty.org for more information.