sounds of New York
Nate Wooley’s Seven Storey Mountain VI (NW [trumpet, composition], Susan Alcorn [pedal steel guitar], C. Spencer Yeh [violin], a choir, et al.), live, New York (St. Peter’s Church), 2019
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lagniappe
random sights
other morning, Oak Park, Ill.
only rock ‘n’ roll
Bo Diddley (AKA Ellas McDaniel, Ellas Otha Bates, 1928-2008), “Hey! Bo Diddley,” “Bo Diddley,” live, Los Angeles, 1965
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
There is still something I’d like to explain,
yet can’t be sure I’m ready yet.
Beside, we’ve done pretty well with the non-sequiturs,
and they by us, don’t you think?—John Ashbery (1927-2017), from “Hierarchy of the Unexpected”
what’s new
Brian Blade & Life Cycles (BB, drums; Myron Walden, woodwinds; John Hart, guitar; Jon Cowherd, piano; Doug Weiss, bass; Monte Croft, vibraphone, voice; Rogerio Boccato, percussion), “My Joy,” “Slow Change,” “Hello to the Wind,” “The Final Four,” live (studio), Seattle, published 1/10/20 (recorded 9/27/19)
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lagniappe
random sights
other morning, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
The moon disappears
into darkening treetops
collecting the rain—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill
tonight just outside Chicago
They’re playing at a small club (Fitzgerald’s).
Los Lobos
With Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar), “Don’t Worry Baby” (C. Rosas, L. Perez, T. Burnett), live, Austin, Tx., 2018
*****
“La Bamba” (trad. adapted by R. Valens), live, Watsonville, Calif., 1989
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
what’s new
One-word review: Wow!
Fay Victor (vocals), Baba Israel (vocals), Marc Ribot (guitar), Ingrid Laubrock (tenor saxophone), Kris Davis (piano), live (Celebration of the Life of Steve Dalachinsky), New York (Winter Jazz Fest), 1/11/19
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
*****
reading table
I speak across the vast
Dialogues in which we go
To clench my words against
Time or the lack of time
Hoping that for a moment
They will become for me
A place I can think in
And think anything in,
An aside from the monstrous.***
This is no other place
Than where I am, between
This word and the next.—W. S. Graham (1918-1986), from “The Dark Dialogues”
tonight in Chicago
He’s playing at Buddy Guy’s club, opening for Buddy himself.
Kingfish (AKA Christone Ingram, 1999-), “Hey Joe,” live, Tupelo, Miss., 2017
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langiappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
*****
reading table
a lovely night lit
with oil lamps . . .
croaking frogs—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from Japanese by David G. Lanoue
*****
radio
Today WKCR (Columbia University) is celebrating the birthday of jazz drummer Max Roach (1924-2007), playing his music all day.
what’s new
Balún, “Vaivén”, “La Nueva Ciudad”, “El Espanto,” “Punto De Encuentro,” live, Washington, D.C., 12/20/19
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
only rock ‘n’ roll
Superchunk, “Break the Glass,” “Lost My Brain,” “What a Time to Be Alive,” “Throwing Things,” live (studio), Seattle, 2018
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
basement jukebox
Doctor Ross (AKA Charles Isaiah Ross, 1925-1993), “Chicago Breakdown” (DR, vocals, harmonica, guitar, composition; Reuben Martin, washboard; Sam Phillips, producer), 1953
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
sounds of New York
Is there any greater joy, as a listener, than being swept away by sounds unlike any you’ve heard before?
Jason Kao Hwang (composer, conductor, violin) and the Spontaneous River Orchestra (Andrew Drury [drums], Ken Filiano [bass], 37 string improvisers), Symphony of Souls, live (studio), New York, 2011
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
music clip of the day 