In this collection of poems, J.D. Carpenter takes the reader into nightclubs and concert halls in New York, London, New Orleans, Montreal, and Toronto where he witnessed performances by some of the greatest jazz musicians of the last half-century – among them Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Keith Jarrett, Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, Charles Mingus, and Gerry Mulligan. As he captures the atmosphere of these storied venues, Carpenter evokes the spirit and passion of the artists who played them. As well, All Us Cats on Stage contains a Thelonious Monk list poem, a New York City caption poem, and elegies to Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Art Pepper, and Woody Shaw.

“Carpenter pays tribute to my favourite musical heroes and does them all justice.”
– Guido Basso (trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer, conductor, Member of the Order of Canada, two-time Juno Award winner)

“In his jazz poems, Carpenter plays his words like Clifford Brown played the trumpet – with clarity and detail.”
– Baruch Zone (host of The JazZone, 99.3 County FM)

Soft-covered – Published by Cressy Lakeside Publishing, Prince Edward County