From the recording Album: The Night Squad's Here
Words & Music © Martin Craig.
For my friend Lindolph de Oliveira; 1944-1990. I first encountered him when I was 15; he was a young fighter at the boxing booth at Newcastle's annual Hoppings fair. We became friends in the Seventies and remained so up to his tragic death in 1990. One of the best guitarists and saxophone players I've ever heard, and a great pal.
Lyrics
Last time Lindolph, you looked so Jazz
White Troop boots and a black beret
Brazillian Beat with a tenor sax
And sideways laughing through your cigarette
Talked about Prince, listened to Miles
You laughed when I said you'd gig at Ronnie Scott's one day
I was too wound up, you were too wound down
Smokescreens hiding what we might have said
Cause last time, you looked so Jazz
Didn't pick up any clues, driving away
You waved at my mirror from your back doorstep
No 'wait a minute' looks, no 'hold on' words
Just sideways laughing through your cigarette
Rewind - did I miss any sign?
Was I thinking of myself through your S.O.S.?
Rewind - we jammed up the lines
Trying to get some news, trying to make some sense
And last time, you looked so Jazz
(Solo)
Standing by the flowers and the saxophones
Made me JUMP when the man said aloud your name
And looking at the queues and the cars outside
Knew that each of us was wanting to take some blame
Rewind - "I want to turn back time"
It's the stupid things you say at times like this
Rewind - if the power was mine
I would rewrite the score, I would change the script
But last time, you looked so Jazz
So some got angry, some got sad
Some said it still hadn't hit them yet
And afterwards we passed around your photographs
You were sideways laughing through your cigarette
Never mind Miles, shut up about Prince
It's YOU that should've played at Ronnie's one day
Jazzman down to your fingertips
But smokescreens hiding what you might have played
And last time, you looked so Jazz
Brazillian Beat with a tenor sax
De Oliveira, you looked so Jazz
De Oliveira, you looked so Jazz