Reconnecting with the Past/Stonehenge!!

Current mood: awake
Category: Life

The sacred invitation to Stonehenge came this morning. Each year, I wait, and am again rewarded. Last year, er was it 2 now, Lee set shit on fire. Hee hee that was fun.

Anyway, nothing like a little late summer fun.

In the past week, I watched:
For a Few Dollars More
The Queen (saw it outdoors, a treat)
Spinal Tap

Lord God please save me from playing on bills with puppet shows.

Instead of going to ArtBeat last weekend, I grooved out to my new Brian Jones Jajouka CD, playing bamboo flutes my friend Joseph made me. Er, trying to play them. They're like trick flutes! I can barely get a tone out of them. Later that night I went to see Tony play with the World's Greatest Sinners at the Scooter Rally. Some band called The Raging Teens was also on the bill. They had a clean look - very 50s, upright bass, and all. And the drummer had the biggest bass drum I've laid eyes on, but the soundman sucked so bad you couldn't hear it. There was feedback the whole night. Sigh.

I presented a new song to the band which they're digging. A Battle Cry. I can see the video already. Originally, I wanted to have a theme song for the band. I always found it adorable when bands do that...but now I've just accepted that this piece has its place.

Back to NYC this weekend for our last tracking session with Martin for this album.

I connected with some friends from the past this week...local friends...from 1998...from 2002. It was nice to hang out with familiar folks. I do feel my life has been in a bit of turmoil since mother passed. It's so fascinating to see how we all change as we age. I laugh more like a survivor now.

My daddy's birthday is tomorrow. He'll be 65. He sent me a postcard from Alaska this week. It came at just the right time.

Tony's mom's BDay is today, so last night I took over a Pear Frangiapane tart, which we shared over laughs.

Microcosm Star Watch

Current mood: hopeful
Category: Life

Ah Cambridge.

Why, just this morning on my way to the post office and back - a >5 minute walk - I saw many stars. Skinny Mike, Betsy Nichols, and Adam Glasseye. Every one of them friendly. That's why Alice and I like it here so much - it's a lot like Texas.

Grooving to Brian Jones Jajouka.

Despite the noises made by strangers outside my door, I sense a collective unconscious rhythm rising to the fore.

Currently listening : Brian Jones Presents: The Pipes of Pan at Jajouka By The Master Musicians of Jajouka Release date: 26 September, 1995

Stairway to Cambridge

Current mood: chipper
Category: Life

Birds are chirping, despite the grey outside. Maybe they're happy to get a little bath from the cloudspittle.

I was a birdie last night at the space. Ah learning to let go and touch in touch with my inner dervish and grab the ecstatic is a glorious thing. Little melodies that can't be tamed pouring out from my throat and soul. My mando is my greatest weapon!

Saw many films in the past 5 days. Werner Herzog's newest, 'Rescue Dawn'. Nothing like Stroszek which is good. A completely different tone.

Then I went to see 'Lights, Action, Camera' - a presentation of local/New Englande filmmakers/animators works. Some friends had a music video in there. It definitely stood out amongst the numerous student pieces/bad goth/experimental films which went on and on...It's like, jeez, look at the plug ins the kids can use now. So much sameyness. Some of the animations were funny - like the one about a married man whose wife conivnces him to start using a daily planner. He becomes so organized he starts multi-tasking and gets too busy, starts using coke, goes crazy, and gets fired. Very funny, and tres modern.

Tony and I watched 'If You Only Knew'. It's a documentary on jazz singer Jimmy Scott. Tony's getting into him now, and we might end up covering 'Sycamore Trees', one of my fave cover songs in my repretoire. We'd wait until the autumn, naturally.

Some of y'all might remember when I read the book on Jimmy - 'Faith in Time', by David Ritz. I blogged about it surely...

This man has definitely influenced me. Did you know he worked with Lou Reed? Yeah, and Ray Charles.

Weirdness:
So the night before last, I was on the phone to my LA homeboy JJ. We were talkin' music biz an' all dat, when we started brainstorming about rent-a-pet centers and coffee shops. He told me about a new one out there {called Choke} which is like also a scooter-repair shop. Anyway, we came up with the name Church b/c people are so religious about coffee. I could even imagine the neon golden sign. Cursive, italics, not sure which font.

The next morning Tony emails me about a new club in town opening under the name - CHURCH. I kid thee not.

Crazy coincidence!! Or maybe just collective unconscious?

Started watching a doc on some guys trapped on their ship in solid ice for 635 days back in the early 20th century, but didn't finish it yet.

Speaking of ice, my dad is leaving for Alaska today. He hasn't been there in probably 40 years. I asked him to bring me some scrimshaw. Hee hee. Or a totem pole.

New York Purge

Current mood: sleepy
Category: Life

Back from NYC again. I'm a ding-dang yoyo.

I'm high on roughs from the session. OMG, sounding SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDD.

Happy Ajda, and that's a good thing.

Sunday Martin and I worked about 12 hours straight on the traxx. 7 hours the next day. We are nearing the end of tracking and it's so glorious to hear the progression.

The Breeders' version of 'I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)' has influenced me lately. I used to have the single...now it's not even on iTunes!

~~~
Went to the MidEast last night for a bite, ate at the bar, and while sitting there heard awesome music - U2, Jeff Buckley (doing Leonard Cohen), and some other stuff. It was nice to be out and about and hear cool tunes:)

~~~
I had so much fun in New York, despite not making it to the Swiss Institut. I took the Acela down, and that was most pleasant - hanging out in the Snack Car, etc. The train goes right by the water and that was wonderful and relaxing. The train speeds along, alright...

I stayed with Cynthia Friday night. First, we ate at Spice Market, near the loft, and then went for a drink at the terrace bar of the Gansevoort Hotel. Very nice, sunset-time, breezy, and we could see the Hudson clearly. Then we walked around the West Village looking for a cappuccino spot. We didn't find anything, and I was dragging my suitcase, with my as-of-late bad knee, and it was rough, 'cause of course I wasn't wearing practical shoes, either. Finally, we asked some locals hanging out on the stoop, and they recommended a place called Cafe Angelique, which was most excellent. Very good rugelach!

We took the Staten Island ferry back to Cynthia's castle, and her Pomeranian, and numerous cats, greeted us happily. The ferry was so nice. Air and water. We passed by the Statue of Liberty, which glowed in the night. It reminded me of taking the ferry in Istanbul only a month ago...

The next day I checked into my hotel in Manhattan. Met up with Martin for lunch at a fave spot of mine in the East Village - Le Petit Gamin. Headed out to Brooklyn, to see Bliss, and then we went to Coney Island for even more summer fun. Kinda ghetto, as it were, but I had a corn-dog and a beer, and we rode the ferris wheel and a wooden roller-coaster. Damn, that thing was violent. It kept going and going, much longer than I expected. It was a tortured kind of fun!

The rest of the trip was mostly work.

I'm pretty happy with the shape this summer is taking. I went to Turkey, the Cape, NYC...it's good.

Currently reading : Carry On, Jeeves By P.G. Wodehouse Release date: 31 March, 2003

Musashi

Current mood: productive
Category: Writing and Poetry

I have finished reading the epic of Musashi as given to me by Tony.

Through many months and many dark moons I have read this book. I have carried it all the way to Asia and back.

And now, just like that, it is done.

Next I shall read British butler short stories, and then a female epic - that of Marlene Dietrich.

The year is balancing out a bit, I feel.

Energy is returning; fears being dispelled.

Away again to NYC I go tomorree, for more recording, Coney Island summer fun baby, and visitation with the Countess. I also intend to make it to the Swiss Institut for the Fischli-Weiss exhibit.

Played my flute for awhile today. I went through a full warm-up - long tones, scales, thirds, tone exercises, etudes, and polonaises. Felt good. Then a little guitar practice, too. I love my classical.

Watched Casino Royale last night. I was kind of surprised at how long they let the romantic scenes go on. One truly got the impression 007 was really in love and allowing himself to get vulnerable.