Tuesday, March 12th
timeless
Bix Beiderbecke (1903-1931, piano, composition), “In a Mist,” rec. 1927 (New York)
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lagniapppe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: New York
2024
Saturday, February 3rd
two takes
Carlos Simon (1986-), “Between Worlds” (2019); Miranda Cuckson (1972-), violin
#1 (1/21)
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#2 (9/21)
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About “Between Worlds”
Bill Traylor was born a slave in Alabama in 1853 and died in 1949. He lived long enough to see the United States of America go through many social and political changes. He was an eyewitness to the Civil War, Emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation and the Great Migration. As a self taught visual artist, his work reflects two separate worlds— rural and urban, black and white, old and new. In many ways the simplified forms in Traylor’s artwork tell of the complexity of his world, creativity, and inspiring bid for self-definition in a dehumanizing segregated culture. This piece is inspired by the evocative nature as a whole and not one piece by Traylor. Themes of mystical folklore, race, and religion pervade Traylor’s work. I imagine these solo pieces as a musical study; hopefully showing Traylor’s life between disparate worlds.
—Carlos Simon
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Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts (2023)
2024
Saturday, January 13th
sounds of New York
James Francies (keyboards) with Immanuel Wilkins (alto saxophone), Tyshawn Sorey (drums), “My Favorite Things” (R. Rodgers), live, New York, 6/23/23
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2023
Thursday, December 21st
sounds of New York
Adam Rudolph (percussion), Tyshawn Sorey (percussion), live, New York, 2021
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2023
Friday, November 3rd
like nothing else
Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Hank Roberts (cello), Aurora Nealand (accordion, voice, clarinet), live, New York, 11/1/23
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2023
Monday, October 16th
sounds of New York
Being & Becoming (Peter Evans [trumpets, compositions], Joel Ross [vibraphone, electronics], Nick Jozwiak [bass, electronics], Michael Ode [drums]), “Malibu,” live, New York, 9/10/23
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
radio
Today, in celebration of the birthday of Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti (1938-1997), it’s all Fela all day at WKCR (Columbia University).
2023
Saturday, September 16th
alone
Marta Warelis (piano), live, New York, 5/11/23
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2023
Monday, September 11th
It was, I recall, a cloudless morning in Chicago, as it was in New York. I had a hearing scheduled in federal court, but then, after the second plane hit, court was cancelled. I sat, with my office mates, in front of the TV, unable to turn away.
William Basinski (1958-), “Disintegration Loop 1.1,” 2001
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lagniappe
reading table
Photograph from September 11
by Wislawa Szymborska (1923-2012, MCOTD Hall of Fame), translated from the Polish by Clare Cavanagh and Stanislaw Baranczak
They jumped from the burning floors—
one, two, a few more,
higher, lower.
The photograph halted them in life,
and now keeps them
above the earth toward the earth.
Each is still complete,
with a particular face
and blood well hidden.
There’s enough time
for hair to come loose,
for keys and coins
to fall from pockets.
They’re still within the air’s reach,
within the compass of places
that have just opened.
I can do only two things for them—
describe this flight
and not add a last line.
2023
Thursday, August 31st
sounds of New York
Matt Mitchell (1975-, piano), live, New York, 7/23/23
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, Art Institute of Chicago (Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: The Modern Landscape, through 9/4/23)
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), View of the Pont d’Asnieres (1887), detail
2023
Wednesday, July 19th
sounds of New York
Bumped into this last night: enthralled from the first note.
Cory Smythe (1977-, piano) & eddy kwon (1989-, violin), live, New York (Target Margin, Brooklyn), 12/9/22
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
music clip of the day 