Poetry and Music

Nightdiver performing live
Nightdiver at Haworth (photo: Ian Palmer)

Because of her interest in the connections between poetry and music, Christine Bousfield founded Nightdiver, a poetry jazz group.

Christine is the group's poet. Her husband, John Bousfield, plays and teaches woodwind—particularly improvisation. Gus, their son, is a freelance musician, composer and writer for television and film. Nan, their daughter, sings and plays flute, bass and saxophone. All four members of the group work on composition whilst Gus arranges the final song/poem. (We now have a new member, Mark Hearn, a classical and rock guitarist)

They all concentrate on the way the language, register and address of a poem can inform musical structure, rhythm, pitch and tone, and try to encourage cross-fertilisation of instruments and voice in preference to the more traditional voice/backing hierarchy.

Their performances include appearances at Mind Odyssey (Leeds), The Albert Poets (Huddersfield), Riverlines (York), Ilkley Literature Festival, Bradford Literature Festival, Haworth Literature Festival, and Cheltenham Literature Festival.