Leeway

Yes, I was there. You? I was too busy this weekend to write up any kind of extended review, but I'll just recount what I can here. The trio played at Windup Space in Baltimore, a club/bar with a nice stage. The evening consisted of two 45 minute (approximately) sets, with a short break in-between. The crowd was quite large, maybe 150 (?). IIRC, Brotzmann started with with the tenor, then moved to the tarogato. In the second set, Brotzmann played alto, then a metal clarinet, something I don't recall seeing him play before. That was very interesting. I think at the end he moved back to the tenor. I don't think I have to tell anybody how Brotzmann sounds or how Drake and Parker play. The latter was like watching human Loc-tite in action. Hamid played the frame drum for part of the sets, and Parker spent some time on the zintir, a stringed wooden instrument, as well as the double bass. Brotzmann was his usual intense self. What always draws me to Brotzmann is the elemental, or primal, power of his music-making. One knows his trademark sound and approach, and yet it always seems powerfully alive when experiencing it. It's not language but the deep well of feeling beneath language that is communicated. In the more plaintive passages, I had the impression of blues merged with German lieder. In the more gale-like parts (and there were still many), I kept thinking if we had to re-score "The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla," this would be the man to do it. And there is, indeed, that Wagnerian quality to Brotzmann's playing. Somehow after a Brotzmann show I always feel as if I have been baptized again into the power and expressiveness of free music. I will see the trio again at the Vision Festival in about 10 days. Maybe I'll write more at that time. I saw Brotzmann at the same venue about 5 years ago when he did a solo show. I recalled that the crowd was shockingly small. At the show this past weekend, after rehearsal/sound check, and before the show started, Brotzmann came over to the bar where I was sitting at the time, and ordered an iced water. We started talking and, quite surprisingly, he seemed to remember me (certainly sketchily) from that previous set 5 years ago, and he absolutely remembered the details of that solo show. Considering how much he tours and performs, that surprised me. He was kind enough to sign my copy of, "We Thought We Could Change the World." It was really a fine evening.

I'm restricting myself to only those I've met a number of times: Ken Vandermark, Nate Wooley, Mary Halvorson, Evan Parker, Mat Maneri, Jooklo Duo (Virginia Genta and David Vanzan). The late Roy Campbell was always very friendly when I saw him. I only met Anthony Braxton once where I could talk with him briefly, and he struck me as exceptionally nice, both in his discussion with me and witnessing his interaction with others.

A couple of them sound like Henry Mancini, one of which sounds like it's from the "Pink Panther" soundtrack, so I'll go with Mancini.

SNAKE-OUT - Steve Lacy, Mal Waldron. Hat Hut LP.

RAPPORT - Ran Blake (p), solos, duos with Ricky Ford (ts), one with Anthony Braxton (as), plus one track Chris Connor (vocals), Jerome Thomas (g), Rufus Reid (b), and a duo with Eleni Odoni (vocals). Novus LP. BREAKTHRU - Ran Blake (solo piano). Improvising Artists LP. Haven't listed to any Ran Blake in quite a while. Can't say I really "get" him yet. Of the pair above, I like the solo disc more than the one with various groupings. I have a few others on the shelf I'll try to get to.

Wanted to followup on the Proust. Have you made your way through all 7 volumes? Or "only" Volume 1, "Swann's Way"? I still have a self-commitment to read Proust (have only gotten to "Swann's Way") but haven't buckled down to it. It may be one of those works that defeats my attempts. Sounds like it wasn't much fun for you. Maybe you could give us a better idea of the difficulties in reading Proust, or at least what to avoid. Bravo for getting through. PS: I think you'll like the Murdoch. Yes, this will be all 7 volumes. Had I stopped with Swann's Way, I don't think I would have bothered posting on it. Not to belabor this too much, but I have been blogging about Proust, and here are a few representative posts: http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/04/proustian-disappointments.html and http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/04/proustian-contradictions.html You can actually do a keyword search to find out everything that I have said about the man and the work. (Perhaps of more interest is a challenge where I am giving away a copy of Robert Kroetsch's The Studhorse Man. -- http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-studhorse-man-challenge-closes-june.html ) I think if this had been boiled down to its essence -- 400 to 500 pages on memory, the shifting sands of people's status in social circles and some thoughts on "art" it would have been brilliant. I find it totally overstays its welcome at 3000+ pages. But mostly I find the length completely wasted on a group of parasites who are quite loathsome -- it seems almost 1/3 of the book is the Narrator frittering away his time at parties where one person is snubbing another. I found them all interchangeable and thus couldn't tell you much of anything about these party scenes. (While I tend to feel the same way about the nobles in Tolstoy -- a useless parasitical class -- they still tended to be better drawn portraits.) And the Narrator goes from spoiled brat to a fairly monstrous young adult who keeps his mistress virtually locked up for an entire volume (The Captive). And why does he do this -- because he has decided to save her from herself and not let her indulge in her bisexual tendencies. That's right -- close to a third of Proust is completely driven by discussions about homosexuality (which he almost always called inversion) and how terrible it is, particularly in men (and how widespread in high society). There is just so much self-loathing going on here (Proust was gay). I have come to think about this as the epic literary monument to "the closet." So if a lot of high-minded self-loathing bothers you, you probably are not going to like Proust and you should skip the last 3 volumes. Had I known going in what this would have been like, I would never have started it, but it was a book that I thought (as a former English lit. major) I really ought to read... It is one I will never return to. Thank you for making clear the problems you find in Proust. I did go to the links you provided and read your blog posts too. Forewarned is forearmed as they say, but if I decide to go forward, I'll know there are a bunch of red flags to consider. And if I don't go forward, I won't feel so bad about it . I confess to never having read Proust - I've got a thing about translations and my French isn't up to it - but I did watch a film last week based on La prisonnière which you mention: I like the cover for sure. I note that it is a Chantal Akerman film. Just watched her Les Rendez-Vous d'Anna and was quite impressed.

Nice show. 2 long involved pieces. 11 people attended - the avant garde is still a tough sell out here in the provinces. The musicians couldn't have been more gracious. Did Ingrid play both tenor and soprano? I sure wish more would be listening but as they say it is what it is I'm also wondering if Rainey at times ever ended up in one of his super off kilter grooves? I love it when he gets to that place. One of the reasons is that when it happens it happens organically without any roadmap Played both tenor & soprano. Rainey had a bag full of drum sticks that at one point he smacked from drum to drum. Also rather amazing cymbal work. I loved it. Even my wife said "that was pretty good". My wife has become a big fan of the jazz drummers I like. Her favorites are Hamid Drake and Nasheet Waits. Although when Nasheet filled in once for Tom Rainey with Open Loose, she was upset that she didn't hear what she liked from Rainey. She likes Rainey except that she thinks he's grumpy - which he may be when he's not with Ingrid!!! But what she really likes Rainey for is when he rocks out in those mysterious grooves. I think he is as fascinating a drummer as there is as he is totally unpredictable and the musical results on one night with the same partners/collaborators can differ mightily. Happy that tomorrow my wife will see Nasheet so usually that means she will be in a good mood!!! Just to go back to the issue of attendance, my experience is that it is not unusual for the audience to consist of 10-12 people. I attended one residency at The Stone last year where the audience rarely exceeded a handful of people. It's too bad, and it always makes me wonder how anyone survives in the business (without a well-to-do spouse that is). When I first saw Ingrid, maybe 5 years ago in Baltimore, trio with Kris Davis and Tyshawn Sorey, probably not more than 6 or 7 people there. Of course, she's played a lot bigger gigs. I wonder if this tour with Ingrid and Tom is a sort of busman's holiday; getting out of NYC, touring the country together, and hitting gigs along the way to pay the way (sort of). If they sell some CDs along the way, and help build the fan base, so much the better. Still, it would have been nice to see more people in the seats. As for Tom Rainey, agree with what Steve says, I love seeing him on a gig. This seems to be his moment.

Wanted to followup on the Proust. Have you made your way through all 7 volumes? Or "only" Volume 1, "Swann's Way"? I still have a self-commitment to read Proust (have only gotten to "Swann's Way") but haven't buckled down to it. It may be one of those works that defeats my attempts. Sounds like it wasn't much fun for you. Maybe you could give us a better idea of the difficulties in reading Proust, or at least what to avoid. Bravo for getting through. PS: I think you'll like the Murdoch. Yes, this will be all 7 volumes. Had I stopped with Swann's Way, I don't think I would have bothered posting on it. Not to belabor this too much, but I have been blogging about Proust, and here are a few representative posts: http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/04/proustian-disappointments.html and http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/04/proustian-contradictions.html You can actually do a keyword search to find out everything that I have said about the man and the work. (Perhaps of more interest is a challenge where I am giving away a copy of Robert Kroetsch's The Studhorse Man. -- http://erics-hangout.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-studhorse-man-challenge-closes-june.html ) I think if this had been boiled down to its essence -- 400 to 500 pages on memory, the shifting sands of people's status in social circles and some thoughts on "art" it would have been brilliant. I find it totally overstays its welcome at 3000+ pages. But mostly I find the length completely wasted on a group of parasites who are quite loathsome -- it seems almost 1/3 of the book is the Narrator frittering away his time at parties where one person is snubbing another. I found them all interchangeable and thus couldn't tell you much of anything about these party scenes. (While I tend to feel the same way about the nobles in Tolstoy -- a useless parasitical class -- they still tended to be better drawn portraits.) And the Narrator goes from spoiled brat to a fairly monstrous young adult who keeps his mistress virtually locked up for an entire volume (The Captive). And why does he do this -- because he has decided to save her from herself and not let her indulge in her bisexual tendencies. That's right -- close to a third of Proust is completely driven by discussions about homosexuality (which he almost always called inversion) and how terrible it is, particularly in men (and how widespread in high society). There is just so much self-loathing going on here (Proust was gay). I have come to think about this as the epic literary monument to "the closet." So if a lot of high-minded self-loathing bothers you, you probably are not going to like Proust and you should skip the last 3 volumes. Had I known going in what this would have been like, I would never have started it, but it was a book that I thought (as a former English lit. major) I really ought to read... It is one I will never return to. Thank you for making clear the problems you find in Proust. I did go to the links you provided and read your blog posts too. Forewarned is forearmed as they say, but if I decide to go forward, I'll know there are a bunch of red flags to consider. And if I don't go forward, I won't feel so bad about it .

Red Buttons Zippy the Pinhead Captain Hook

Nice interview. Was it done via email, phone call or in-person?

And the Good Housekeeping Stamp of Approval no less... I am within striking distance of wrapping up Proust (300 more pages). It has been a dreary slog that I should have pulled the plug on months ago. But I was determined to finish it. Next up in rough order: Molly Keane's Laughter without Tears, Martin Amis's Other People, Iris Murdoch's Under the Net, Hugh MacLennan's Two Solitudes. Wanted to followup on the Proust. Have you made your way through all 7 volumes? Or "only" Volume 1, "Swann's Way"? I still have a self-commitment to read Proust (have only gotten to "Swann's Way") but haven't buckled down to it. It may be one of those works that defeats my attempts. Sounds like it wasn't much fun for you. Maybe you could give us a better idea of the difficulties in reading Proust, or at least what to avoid. Bravo for getting through. PS: I think you'll like the Murdoch.

Billy Bang Boom Collective Miley "Bangerz" Cyrus

You know, it occurs to me that LP2 of "All the Magic!" is Bowie doing solo trumpet, but using overdubs and some extended techniques, to get various effects Quite marvelous and truly avant. It would make a happy comparison with the Wooley LP. I've seen Nate do that solo amplified trumpet a number of times, never fails to awe, real virtuoso stuff.

Robert Lovelace Linda Lovelace Deep Throat

PM sent

Gillette is not offering cheaper prices, these start-ups are, and Gillette is trying to squeeze their supply source, either by buying them or making it hard for the start-ups to get adequate supplies, thus keep the prices high. See below. Yes, this is one of the online sources the article talked about.

Eva Trout Eddie Fisher Laurence Fishburne

I read along article (can't recall where) that looked into why men's razors are so expensive. Short answer is that Gillette has a monopoly and can pretty much charge what they want. The article cited a few examples of start-ups trying to challenge that monopoly. Basically they are online services that mail the blades to you. IIRC, Gillette bought out the more successful of these and has squeezed the production capabilities of the others (apparently limited production facilities, and Gillette I think owns the major supplier). Still, you might check around online and see. My response has been to grow a beard, thus requiring less shaving.

I'm actually more interested in the former. Looks like we'll have to get them both

Ice Cube Phoebe Snow Chill WIlls

That Bowie is interesting. The 1982 Berlin concert performance appears to have been previously released in 1990 by a label called Repertoire Records, and the recording made by the DDR (East German Radio). That group appears on "All the Magic" but different tunes. I would want to hear the Berlin performance. As for the trio performance, appears to come from "The Phillip Wilson Project," New Edition label, Germany 2005, which has more tracks on it (some of those are not trio).

LaMonte Young Montel Williams Monty Python

Johnny B Goode Sam Goodies Goody Two Shoes

Here's an Angelou quote that seems appropriate here: Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. RIP