music clip of the day

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Category: reading table

Saturday, August 15th

sounds in the dark

Morton Feldman (1926-1987, MCOTD Hall of Fame), Clarinet and String Quartet (1983); KOAN Quartet and Katie Porter (clarinet), live, Los Angeles, 2/15/20

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago

*****

reading table

In the beggar’s tin
a few thin copper coins
and this evening rain

—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill

Sunday, August 9th

back to church

Vernard Johnson (alto saxophone), live, Texas (Roanoke), 2008

 

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lagniappe

random sights

this morning, Chicago (Columbus Park)

*****

reading table

At the ancient pond
a frog jumps into
the sound of water

—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill

Saturday, August 8th

Feeling inert?

Not anymore.

Tomeka Reid Quartet (TR, cello; Mary Halvorson, guitar; Jason Roebke, bass; Tomas Fujiwara, drums), “Old New” (T. Reid), 2019

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)

*****

reading table

On these southern roads,
on shrine or thatched roof, all the same,
swallows everywhere

—Yosa Buson (1716-1784), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill

Friday, July 31st

Something sweet for the strangest summer ever.

Bill Frisell (guitar) with Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar), Tony Scherr (bass), Kenny Wollesen (drums), “Surfer Girl” (B. Wilson), live, France (Nevers), 2014

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.

*****

reading table

Brilliant moon,
is it true that you too
must pass in a hurry

—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill

Wednesday, July 29th

basement jukebox

Otis Rush (1934-2018, vocals, guitar), “All Your Love (I Miss Loving)” (O. Rush), 1959

 

If you take the words from ‘Black Magic Woman’ and just leave the rhythm, it’s ‘All Your Love’—it’s Otis Rush.

—Carlos Santana

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.

*****

reading table

Roads run forever
Under feet forever
Falling away
Yet, it may happen that you
Come to the same place again
Stay! You could not do
Anything more certain—
Here you can wait forever
And rejoice at your arrival

—Samuel Menashe (1925-2011)

Saturday, July 25th

basement jukebox

Dobby Dobson (July 5, 1942-July 21, 2020), “I’m a Loving Pauper,” 1967

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.

*****

reading table

A lifetime adrift in a boat, or in old age leading a tired horse into the years, every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.

—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), from Narrow Road to the Interior (translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill)

Sunday, July 19th

basement jukebox: sounds of Shreveport

B. L. Blade (Pastor Brady L. Blade Sr., 1939-, Zion Baptist Church; father of drummers Brady L. Blade Jr. and Brian Blade), “By His Grace We’ve Come a Long Way” (Parts I and II), 1982

 

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Chicago

*****

reading table

bobbing and weaving
a know-nothing bird sings . . .
fallen leaves

—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from Japanese by David G. Lanoue

Saturday, July 18th

timeless 

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (AB, drums; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; John Hicks, piano; Victor Sproles, bass), live (music starts at 4:25), Paris, 1965

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago

*****

reading table

If I had known
how sorrowful this world is,
I would have become
grass or a tree
in a deep mountain!

—Ryokan (1758-1831), translated from Japanese by Kazuaki Tanahashi

Tuesday, July 14th

what’s new

How often does a drummer get equal billing?

Tom Misch (vocals, guitar) and Yussef Dayes (drums), “Night Rider,” “Tidal Wave,” published 7/13/20

 

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lagniappe

random sights

this morning, Chicago

*****

reading table

Rescue workers said there was little hope of finding any more survivors from a landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar that killed at least 170 people. Many of the dead were scouring the mine’s rubble for remnants of the gemstone.

The Economist, 7/11/20

Friday, July 10th

alone

Not able to travel? Your ears can.

Keyvan Kalhor (1963-, setar), live, Iran (Tehran), 5/21/20

 

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)

*****

reading table

To what shall I compare
this life of ours?
Even before I can say
it is like a lightning flash
or a dewdrop
it is no more.

—Sengai (1750–1837, Japanese Zen monk)