Bill Martin Photo: Max Cao
Bill Martin is drawn to the edge of things.
For many years he lived on the northern edge of Australia – in Darwin.
Now he lives on the southeastern edge of civilisation itself, in Dunedin, where there’s nothing between the coast and Antarctica.
It’s no surprise the jazz pianist has called his latest gig 'Poetry on the Edge' in which he mixes his music with the words of four of Dunedin’s finest bards.
Geography comes into the title a bit, but the real ‘edge’ is that Bill is encouraging the four poets – Susan Wardell, Claire Beynon, Sophia Wilson and Robert Sullivan – to improvise their own poetry, while the band improvises its music.
Three to Seven host Bryan Crump spoke with Bill about the gig, why he came to Dunedin (to escape Darwin’s heat), and his other life as a high school English teacher.
Poetry on the Edge
An evening of new poetry, with award-winning poets and emerging voices, accompanied by jazz from the Bill Martin Trio.
Friday 25 August, 5.30pm, Dunedin City Library
