Quintessential Poetry Presents Mike Jurkovic: The Poet Who Makes Jazz Sing and Words Swing
🎷EPISODE 2: MIKE JURKOVIC Poetry That Swings, Sings, and Refuses to Sit Still
This episode is the second installment of Timeless Classics, a series that has been painstakingly put together to bring you the most memorable discussions from the Quintessential Poetry podcast archives. This episode revisits Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram's interview with celebrated poet, author, spoken word artist, and music critic Mike Jurkovic.
Mike is the host of an acclaimed jazz radio show, as well as the Ulster County Poet Laureate for 2025. As a poet, Mike's work is a wonderful blend of humor, wisdom, and folksy charm. The vivid imagery and surrealist style that characterize his poetry have brought him widespread renown. His understanding of rhythm's importance is another defining feature of his jazzy, melodic, lyrical poetry. Rhythm is an inherent part of Mike's poetry.
BACKGROUND
Mike is originally from the South Bronx and has lived in Ulster County, New York, for over 30 years. He is the president and co-founder of Calling All Poets, a prominent poetry organization in the Hudson Valley that has been fostering poetic expression for 26 years. His widely read poetry collections and acclaimed poetry readings often explore themes of everyday life, absurdity, and human connection, making them relatable and impactful.
THE CONVERSATION
This conversation, originally recorded live on May 13, 2024, explored the deep connections between jazz improvisation and poetic rhythm, how music and poetry inform each other, and the art of making complex ideas feel accessible and inviting after being edited and remastered for rebroadcast. From getting nauseous listening to Bob Dylan at 14 to becoming a poet who puts a backbeat in every line—this is Mike's journey. "This conversation has rhythm. It has laughter. It has depth."
📖 BONUS:
Podcast includes six poems from Mike Jurkovic exclusively for Timeless Classics (in order): The Whereabouts of Heaven, Your North Star Still stirs (Sojourner Truth), Mama's Meatballs (off Jerome Avenue), Charming Ineptness You’ve Taken to Heart, Only Here and Saltwater Taffy with Nick Bisanz.
WHEN
Catch the episode on Monday, December 22, 2025, at 8:00 PM (EST) by visiting the Quintessential Poetry website at https://rss.com/podcasts/quintessential-poetry/2393065.
OR
Visit this link on YouTube to listen to the episode: https://youtu.be/OCNUzYZxAc8
About Quintessential Poetry: The award-nominated podcast, Quintessential Poetry, has featured 500+ poets across 450+ episodes, reaching 350,000+ listeners globally. Created and hosted by four-time Pushcart Prize nominee Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, the podcast celebrates diverse voices in contemporary poetry and spoken word.
Connect with us:
- Website: www.quintessentialpoetry.com
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Keywords: poetry podcast, spoken word, John Patrick Robbins, contemporary poetry, literary interviews, American poets, creative writing, poetry performance, literary podcast, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, poetry community, alternative poetry,
P.S. We're nominated for Best Arts & Literature Podcast! Vote by Dec 25: https://shorturl.at/EGtV5 🏆
Thank you for listening to Quintessential Listening Poetry Online Radio and YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to our podcast on your preferred platform to stay updated on new episodes. You can also leave a review on our podcast to help us improve our content and reach more listeners. Follow us on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to stay connected with us and join our community of poetry lovers. Finally, if you’re a poet or spoken word artist and would like to showcase your work on the podcast, please contact the host, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, at maingram@gmx.com. Thank you for your support and we look forward to sharing more poetry with you soon!
