sounds of Chicago
Junior Wells (1934-1998, vocals, harmonica), Buddy Guy (1936-, guitar), et al., “Cryin’ Shame” (AKA “Country Girl”), live, Chicago, c. 1970
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
All day long, singing,
yet the day’s not long enough
for the skylark’s song—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill
never enough
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major; Alfred Cortot (1877-1962, piano), 1929
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langiappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
Error is boundless.
Nor hope nor doubt,
Though both be groundless,
Will average out.—J. V. Cunningham (1911-1985), from “Meditation on Statistical Method”
basement jukebox
The Mellotones, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” (J.B. Scaife), 1963
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday morning, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
Two dangers never cease threatening the world: order and disorder.
—Paul Valéry (1871-1945), Analects (quoted in Lyn Hejinian, “The Rejection of Closure”)
back to church
“I Have Crossed That Separating Line,” Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Chester, S.C., 2001
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
I shall keep singing!
—Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), from 270 (Franklin)
passings
Peter Serkin, pianist, January 24, 1947-February 1, 2020
Live, Tokyo, 2003: Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996), Rain Tree Sketch (1982)
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Live, New Jersey (Ridgewood), 2017: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Adagio in B minor, K. 540
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago, Ill.
*****
lagniappe
reading table
Even in Kyoto—
hearing the cuckoo’s cry—
I long for Kyoto.—Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), translated from Japanese by Robert Hass
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”
alone
Sigurd Hole (bass), “Eg veit I himmelrik ei borg” (“I Know a Castle in Heaven” [Norwegian folk song]), live (studio), New York, 1/31/20
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
In a Station of the Metro
by Ezra Pound (1885-1972)The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
petals on a wet, black bough.
tonight in Chicago
They’re playing at Elastic Arts.
Dave Rempis (alto saxophone), Brandon Lopez (bass), Ryan Packard (drums, electronics), live, New York, 2019
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
*****
reading table
How many traits
must a thing have
in order to be singular?—Rae Armantrout (1947-), from “Two, Three”
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
sounds of Algeria, France, and the United States
Mohamed Lamouri, “Billie Jean” (M. Jackson), live, Paris, 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day 