Saturday, September 21st
what’s new
Greatest, ever, Ukrainian kindergarten teacher turned rapper?
Alyona Alyona, “Булінг,” 9/9/19
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
2019
Friday, September 20th
what’s new
Anderson .Paak, “Old Town Road” (Lil Nas X cover), live (studio), London, 9/16/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
2019
Thursday, September 19th
sounds of New York
day four
Nicolas Jaar (1990-, DJ), live, New York, 2013
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lagniappe
reading table
What is the language using us for?
—W. S. Graham (1918-1986), from the poem so titled
2019
Wednesday, September 18th
sounds of New York
day three
Tomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio (TF, compositions, drums; Patricia Brennan, vibraphone; Tomeka Reid, cello), live, New York, 6/10/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
2019
Tuesday, September 17th
sounds of New York
day two
Sam Pluta (1979-), Broken Symmetries (2011-12); Wet Ink Ensemble (Sam Pluta, electronics; Joshua Modney, violin; Erin Lesser, piccolo; Alex Mincek, tenor saxophone; Eric Wubbels, piano; Ian Antonio, percussion), live, New York, 2016
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Bellwood, Ill.
2019
Monday, September 16th
sounds of New York
day one
Jason Kao Hwang Human Rites Trio (JKH, compositions, violin, viola; Ken Filiano, bass; Andrew Drury, drums), live, New York, 7/16/19
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lagniappe
reading table
Today is very nothing like / Any other day that once soared / In this place.
—W.S. Graham (1918-1986), from “The Don Brown Route”
2019
Sunday, September 15th
timeless
What singers did Al Green listen to before he became “Al Green”?
Swan Silvertones (feat. Claude Jeter, 1914-2009), “That Day on Calvary” (C. Jeter), 1957
2019
Saturday, September 14th
Some artists dim over time; others continue to glow.
Neneh Cherry (1964-), “Natural Skin Deep” (N. Cherry, et al.), 2018 (audio, Broken Politics), 2019 (video, directed by Akinola Davies, shot in Beirut)
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
2019
Friday, September 13th
I can’t listen to this just once: the moment it ends I want to hear it again.
Womack & Womack, “Teardrops” (C. Womack, L. Womack), 1988
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lagniappe
art beat
Robert Frank, photographer, November 9, 1924–September 9, 2019
Today, remembering him, we revisit some of our favorite images.
Cafe—Beaufort, South Carolina, 1955
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Funeral—St. Helena, South Carolina, 1955/56
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View from Hotel Window—Butte, Montana, 1955/56
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Rooming house—Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, 1955/56
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US 285, New Mexico, 1955
2019
Thursday, September 12th
This song was released in 2011; the words were written in 1861.
David Sylvian (1958-), “I Should Not Dare” (Emily Dickinson [1830-1886]),* 2011 (Died in the Wool)
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lagniappe
reading table
I look at my father and mother and Vinnie, and all my friends, and I say no – no, can’t leave them, what if they die when I’m gone.
—Emily Dickinson, letter to friend Jane Humphrey (L86), 1852
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*Poem 234 (Franklin):
I should not dare to leave my friend,
Because – because if he should die
While I was gone – and I – too late –
Should reach the Heart that wanted me –
If I should disappoint the eyes
That hunted – hunted so – to see –
And could not bear to shut until
They “noticed” me – they noticed me –
If I should stab the patient faith
So sure I’d come – so sure I’d come –
It listening – listening – went to sleep –
Telling my tardy name –
My Heart would wish it broke before –
Since breaking then – since breaking then –
Were useless as next morning’s sun –
Where midnight frosts – had lain!
