People often ask me where I draw my musical inspiration from, and I often draw a blank. Reason being: most of the things that inspire me are not music. Theater, film, art, literature, history, religion, ideas..these are the things that generally get me going.
There are few things worse than being stuck in the audience at a bad piece of theater, but the converse is also true: when theater is really effective, no other art form can touch it for the visceral, exciting, startling feeling it inspires.
This week I had the opportunity to see “DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS”, as good and imaginative a production as I’ve seen on Broadway in a long time. Today I read that the show is closing early (May 24) because of bad box office receipts, mainly due to getting shut out of the Tonys (a travesty). Even if there are some casting issues, I still urge you to go see it before it’s gone forever.
In the musical realm (although there was a good deal of theater in this too), I had another opportunity to see Leonard Cohen perform last night in Waterbury, CT. I caught him for the first time last October in Obernberg, Germany, but Leonard and the show have only gotten better in the intervening months. He’s absolutely at the top of his game: totally present, giving and fully cognizant of his tremendous power at this late stage of his career/life. He’s in NYC this weekend, then has a few more dates in North America before heading back across the pond. Amazingly, there are still seats left at many of the shows. Really, if you can, do yourself a favor and go and see Leonard Cohen. You’ll never forget it.
“we are destroyed” (which we’re now calling an opera, btw — why not?) is about to go into rehearsals for its next showing, the first time that the piece has had a multi-night run and the first time that there will be movement, staged with elaborate brilliance by Ed Schmidt. You may remember Ed as the host and curator of DUMBOLIO, a very smart and entertaining monthly variety show that, sadly, has been on hiatus for a little while. Ed is directing a brand new cast, led by none other than the fabulous Susan Oetgen.
“we are destroyed” will be at the ABRONS ARTS CENTER here in NYC, on April 24-25 @8pm, and on April 26 @3pm. Tickets are here.
we are destroyed
The other good news is that since I’ll be here all month, I booked myself a residency at none other than PETE’S CANDY STORE, my old neighborhood haunt. I’ll be holding forth every Thursday night @11pm, and bringing in a variety of friends old and new to play with me. Lots of new material. Week one (4/2) will be a rare outing of the MONKEY FARM, with Jon Flaugher joining me on bass and Dave Berger on drums.
Photo by Sean Gallagher
Meanwhile, work in the studio continues apace. Stay tuned and thanks for listening!
I feel like I’ve been underground for most of 2009, writing and recording a pretty large trove of music with a variety of different ensembles. This week I’ll be making like a groundhog and popping my head out for some air to do a couple of shows in Brooklyn, before burrowing down again and getting back to work.
I don’t want to jinx anything, but it’s looking like three distinct new CDs are taking shape: a Biting Fish Brass Band record, a “Romania” record, and a collection of new originals. It’s all very heady and exciting, and perhaps irrational in the present economy, but what the hey?
Come on out and say hello if you can. My stuff tends to cool and form only after it’s been put in front of a live audience a few times. You’re my sounding board — come and weigh in…
ANISTAR is one of the best bands I’ve heard in a while. Sadly, they played their last show in NYC last night (the leader, Harel Shachal, is leaving the country to raise his family in Israel), but you can get their CD here, a live recording made a few years ago. I’m listening to it now. All of the players are ridiculous, but Harvey Valdez on Oud is on another level. I may have to get myself one of those things.
I went to see the band for the first time a couple of weeks ago on the recommendation of my friend and sometime-violinist Skye Steele , who plays in Anistar and also fronts his own mighty quintet that was sharing the bill that night. Skye recently put out his debut CD “Late Bloomer,” a fine collection of originals, standards and traditionals highlighted (I think) by Skye’s vocal debut on “I Don’t Want To Live on the Moon.” If you haven’t heard Skye play with my band, you’ve missed out. Check him out playing on : "A Ghost " from last December at Joe’s Pub.
Someone else I’ve checked out a few times recently is Sasha Dobson, a fabulous singer who has that rare something between jazz, country, pop and blues that I like so much. I don’t know a lot about Sasha, but she’s the real deal as far as I’m concerned. I met her, her beau Richard Julian and Josh Radin a few weeks ago when we all took turns passing around Sasha’s guitar and trading songs after her gig at MOTO. The four of us, plus Jon Flaugher and Ian Riggs (taking turns on bass) hung out till the wee hours playing each other tunes — lots of fun. I don’t know Richard’s music as well yet, but I plan to check it out some. Sasha plays Sundays at my old stomping grounds Pete’s Candy Store — be sure to stop in and see her.
People often ask when I’m going to put out a new record, and I think I can finally, safely, say “soon.” Maybe more than one. Maybe more than two.
There’s no shortage of new material — those of you that come to hear me play live know that there are a number of unrecorded songs that I’ve been playing out with regularity for some time: “Show Me The Way,”“A Ghost,”“When It Rains,” all of the “Romania” songs…the issue has been a financial one. Like a lot of musicians who have their own labels, I often wonder what the point is of making a new record in the current landscape where, let’s face it, music is now free.
But there is a point, darn it, — the point is to make art. I’ve got somewhere between 40 and 60 unrecorded songs, and more where those came from every week it seems. I like most of them better than anything else I’ve already written and recorded, and the rest are just really good songs. So, I’m gonna record them, and I’m going to pay as I go — a few songs here, a few songs there, some with one group of musicians, some with others. I started a couple of weeks ago with some sessions up in Harlem with my brass band, and we got a bunch of really good tracks down. The next batch will probably be with a different band. When there’s enough material to make a cohesive album, I’ll put one out. But I’m going to keep recording where and when I can. Maybe by the end of the year there will be two or three new CDs of mine.
I recently posted a live version of one of the “Romania” songs on my facebook page — it’s called “The Pensione Owner’s Song,” and it’s from a show at JOE’S PUB in NYC this past December.
There’s also an interesting discussion happening on that page about my music and what it sounds like to different people. I’d love to hear from you if you have any thoughts to contribute.
This month (December 2008), I’m doing something a little wild to celebrate the tenth anniversary of my musical debut.
Beginning on Tuesday, Dec.9th, I’ll be performing 10 consecutive shows, with 10 different bands, in (almost) 10 venues (one venue has two different bands over two nights).
It’s going to be a little nuts, but I’m excited…not least because I’m bringing back a number of players that have been with me over the years AND bringing back some projects that mean a lot to me. There will be a brand new showing of a revamped “we are destroyed” at galapagos , a return to the Algonquin where it all began (with my erstwhile bandmates Russell Farhang, Jon Flaugher, and special guest Orange Kellin), a new outing for the Basement Tapes project, a rock show at PIANOS, and another chance to play my newest material (with a string section!) at Joe’s Pub.
I’ve highlighted each show with its own page, so have a look on this blog, and click away to see what’s in store. Hope to see you at a few of them!
Complete show listings are on the schedule page back here.
On Monday, December 8th, I’ll be talking and playing live on two of the best local indie stations around. There may be some ticket giveaways, so tune in!
Photo By Ann Vellis
At 11:00am EST, I’ll be on WFUV 90.7 FM with CLAUDIA MARSHALL to talk about my upcoming shows and play a few tunes. Mazz Swift will join me on violin. Tune in here: http://www.wfuv.org/audio/stream.html
Then at 3:00pm EST, I’ll head down to WFMU 91.1 FM to talk and play some more with host IRENE TRUDEL, this time accompanied by Roland Barber on trombone. You can listen live here: www.wfmu.org
Every once in a while, someone asks me about playing a house concert for them. I’ve just joined a network that specializes in setting them up…check it out!
The band and I have done a few of these over the years, and they’re always fabulous.
