I've been in Pittsburgh since Tuesday night, and I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon. I don't want to. This place is too awesome. It'll still be great to get back to NY and pick up my work there again, but wow. All of these times I've been away since moving, I've mostly been in familiar places (Boston, VT, etc..). Having visited both Ohio & Pittsburgh within the span of a couple of weeks, I'm feeling like I have a refreshed view of things, and I'm realizing that it could be beneficial to get out more often.
The biggest reason for this extended trip has been to look at doctoral programs in composition. I haven't talked about that too much, but in the midst of HONK and preparing for the Zorn concert last October, I realized that having the freedom to commute long distances this year, there was a good reason to finally apply to some of those programs. I also finally feel that my work since leaving NEC is representative of what I can bring to the table in a scholastic context, and I can't say that I was feeling this way last year (many things have happened in this time).
Pittsburgh has once again proved to be an incredible place. It's not difficult to navigate by bus, and that certainly helps. I'm playing a set at a suburban gallery tonight, and the people who organized the show have been wonderful to work with. They've really been promoting it, and I'm looking forward to meeting some local improvisors, and seeing what their audience is like here.
There's so much interesting an crazy stuff that has happened in the last month that I need to blog about in detail. I will, but for now I'm still exploring, and will get to all of that soon.
The entryway to my hosts apartment in Squirrel Hill
With Sonny Lalchandani at the top of the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh
Greetings from Bowling Green Ohio. Whoa... I'm in Ohio.
More on that soon, but first:
It's 1/13/15, so though I'm a bit late for the year-end reflection, I really need to let some of this stuff out - 2014 was a remarkable year. When it started, I found myself in an unfamiliar Boston apartment that I ended up living in for 5 months. I wasn't planning on that, but it worked. In retrospect, alot of the things I did this year couldn't have happened any other way. In February, we played Voyage at the University of Pittsburgh. I don't know when we'll play it again, but I'm pretty sure we will. For many reasons (too many to cite here), the 4 days we were in Pittsburgh had a huge personal impact on me, and I'll never forget them. I'm going to be in Pittsburgh next week actually, checking out UPitt's Doctoral program, and playing a solo show at a suburban DIY space. Then I head back to NY. Again, I'll write about that craziness later.
2014, when I was living in Boston, I played more music than I think I have since graduating, and that's what really keeps me going. Since March I haven't had much regular work (and I've really been looking). Sometimes I've had to stretch out pretty thin, but I've figured out how to make everything come together in a certain way. Maintaining a multi-city schedule has (mostly) helped, and it's been incredibly uplifting to have spent even more time with people that I don't regularly see, or in some cases, just met.
Here are some pictures, in a completely random order, highlighting some wonderful moments from 2014:
12/20 Flathouse series
Christmas Eve kitten
February quartet rehearsal w/ Alec, Brittany, & Ethan
I've taken a break from blogging for a bit, but maybe it's not such a bad thing. I feel like a greater volume of posts might lead to a greater volume of crap (except for the little post about the Q train - I felt that was necessary and substantial).
The pattern of traveling between places for gigs (and now, holidays) continues. Despite this, I don't feel any stronger-than-normal lack of involvement in the world, by which I probably mean the city that I live in. This is doubtless due to the nature of the projects that I've been a part of since returning, or the things from other places that continue.
When I last left VT, I knew I'd see Balagan soon again at the People's Climate March in NY (about 2/3 of the group came down for the event). I was happy to see them down there, and I love having visitors in general. A few weeks later, we would all be in Somerville for HONK. I may have written about the festival last year, but this years October in Boston was filled with an even more varied, rich, and extreme palette of feelings. Let me elaborate on a few of these things:
Meeting up with the band in Somerville was particularly warming. I came a few days earlier to rehearse for the NEC John Zorn retrospective (a then-frustrating experience), and made it a point to greet the first arrivals from Balagan pretty much as soon as they got in on Friday afternoon.
I got to the Davis Square VFW, warmed up, and soon after greeted Emily DiPaola and Jen Berger (trumpets), who were staying with a host close by. They called their host (Maggie, a HONK Committee member), and we went over to the house. Though I was staying with my brother in JP, it was great to meet a HONK host and hear a bit about how the committee has managed to warmly accommodate hundreds of musicians for the last 8 years. It was a nice house, not broken into apartments, with a live-in landlord who was away much of the fall. Maggie showed us the place, where the other band members could settle in when they arrived, and told them they could use the kitchen however they wanted (last year she had hosted a group from New Orleans, and woke up on Saturday morning to a bunch of dudes cooking fried chicken prior to the opening ceremony).
Jen Berger on the T with two members
of the Red Flame Hunters from NOLA
There was a rally with some of the bands going on downtown in Boston, so we went to check that out before the others got in. As the sun began to set more Balaganistas showed up and we joined the neighborhood lantern parade. We were missing a few key players (basically 3/4 of our percussion and our tubist), and were off to a shaky start. After a debriefing, we went over to the VFW to have dinner and hang with the other bands - a cleansing end to to the evening.
The next morning was a rainy one, but by the end of the opening ceremony it began to clear up. Our two sets that day were great, and we were able to hear alot of the other groups. one of them was Veveritse from NY, who we all went to see together right after the last set. They played at the edge of the big field we all met in the night before - totally mind blowing, and there were only about 10 others there. It was mildly surreal, but awesome.
The whole thing ended on Sunday with a parade down to Cambridge Octoberfest, where each band played a set somewhere in Harvard Square, and then a couple songs on a big stage set up across from the Harvard Coop. That's probably the most people we play for every year. Really fun. There was an afterparty at this big club where they served unlimited mac & cheese, and had a full bar. We sat down for one more time as a band before dispersing. I stuck around for a bit, listening to some other bands and talking to some people I'd met that weekend. Later I went up to Davis to say goodnight to a few people who hadn't left yet. Emily, who I haven't seen since HONK, is currently on a cross-country bike trip to the west coast. It was a bit sad knowing that she'd be leaving VT indefinitely, but at least we all have skype now, in addition to pen & paper.
Right before and after HONK, I met with Daniel & Lautaro to again to rehearse Hockey. We rehearsed as much as we could when I was in town, and brought it in to a few C.I meetings. I planned to leave town right after the next meeting, but would have to come back 4 days later for another rehearsal and a coaching. After a brief existential meltdown, I decided to stay in MA for those 4 days. This allowed me to visit my grandparents and cousins. That weekend, we went up no NH for my cousin Amy's engagement party. Before last year, I hadn't been up that way for about 8 years, and I realized then that I needed more frequent getaways to quiet little places like that. On our way back to MA, my uncle Peter and I drove all around the white mountains, checking out a few of the ski towns with awesome views - also some paces I hadn't seen in years. While some things in Boston are constantly changing, its interesting to see what few small changes there have actually been up north.
FlatHouse Series
The next day, we had a coaching for Hockey, which we recorded and sent to Zorn for comments. He wrote back with a few suggestions, and it was clear we'd at least get to play for him when he was in town. When we met him, he worked with us individually to get our sonic vocabulary consistent, and made sure we could move from sound to sound easier (and with greater speed). Though he didn't hear the piece in full, we'd previously worked out strategies between us that propelled things, and he was happy with our interaction.
During the concert, Zorn would go backstage between pieces and talk to each group before and after they played. Lautaro had a tie and suit jacket, and he jokingly said "Man, do you really want to go out there like that? Come on, loosen up a bit!" He successfully got Lautaro to get rid of the jacket and tie (I wish there was a picture of this), and calmed our nerves in the process. When we finished, he was back there again. "You did it, man! You f***king did it!!" It's hard to tell when you're playing that piece how you're actually doing, but in retrospect, we got it that night, and he was happy with the whole concert (there were over a dozen pieces on the program). He gave a talk for students during the day, and a public discussion prior to the concert. Among several things, he spoke at length about his earlier days. They were playing in small spaces for a few people at a time, and seeing elders do the same thing. "That tradition continues," he said. It's always interesting and encouraging to see that the legends and artistic heroes of our time had experiences that to an extent parallel our own. To interact with all of this firsthand is invaluable.
Dan & I on Boltbus after the Zorn concert
Between that concert and Thanksgiving, things calmed down for a bit. I spent more than 2 weeks in NY, had a couple of private gigs, and started to really work on a couple of things that had taken a backseat. Steve and his roommates had another house concert, and we played a set of Gershwin tunes. This turned out to be a super deranged performance, where we didn't quite line up the way we'd hoped. A few days later, we listened to a recording of it, and just shook our heads. It's good to do something that falls on its side, so you can sit it upright again. Our duo project isn't over, but we've got our work cut out for us.
I was contemplating staying in NY for the holiday, but I found a $2 roundtrip for Boltbus, which I of course had to use. December was a little busier in NY, but not so stressful. Zorn invited everyone down to NY to play at the Stone. It was great to see everyone down there (without having to travel), and play that music again.
Right before I came home for the holidays, Mark, Steve, and I had another house concert at Steve's place (now dubbed FlatHouse series). We revisited our trio with Joanna, which has always worked well. Anthony came down from the East Village to play a set, and there were a few other NEC people there. Mark & I drove back to Boston the next day, and I took a train to my grandparents house later that afternoon. I was completely exhausted after all of this, but said exhaustion has been slowly wearing away since.
Last year, I was living in Harlem, and I often thought "The 1 train and I are Bros." Now I'm over in Astoria, and though I love the Q train (it's fast, convenient, and reliable), I haven't been able to muster up the same sentiment for it. It does however, offer it's passengers some great views.
I've been back living in NY for over a month now, and I just got back from a quick gig in VT with the brass band. I was up there for 2 1/2 days, and spent most of today in transit. It was definitely refreshing, and (as I may have said before) I love playing in street bands. More than anything else, the Balagan brings me back to VT, and the community inside and around the group is huge. Visiting them also makes me want to blog more. I hate to say it, but living here isn't really conductive to blogging for me. I'm starting to get better at writing regularly, though. Back in February, I was given a journal and a bunch of stationary, which I've been making use of (I've had to start a new journal, and the stationary is almost gone). I've been writing letters to people on a more or less consistent basis since I was 16 or so, and it became more special than email after a couple of years.
Since I've returned to NY, I've found it easier to get around, schedule rehearsals or sessions, and book gigs (to an extent). This is mostly due to my planning on coming back for a while - when I decided to stay in Boston, I knew I'd end up back here, so I had a lot of time to get ready. I started letting people know I was on my way back ahead of time. Actually, NY is feeling much more like VT these days in terms of having a community of folks to work with, and I'm sure that this can only get better if I keep at it. It's always been an important thing, but with all of the global conflict this summer has brought on, it somehow seems more vital.
Summer has been in full swing for over a month now, and I'm feeling pretty good about how things have turned out in Boston over the last few months. The most stressful details of my upcoming move back to NY are behind me, and I have four more full days in this near empty Brighton apartment before the lease is up. I've been cleaning up the place (not that it was a mess), and have managed to get rid of alot of papers and worn out clothing. It's definitely nice to be leaving with a little less clutter than I came here with.
After a few gigs around July 4th, parade season is effectively over for me, and I'll be driving down to NY with Mark, Jake Rudin, and Will Bridges to play a house concert on 7/6, and drop off my stuff in Queens beforehand. We're planning to leave early, stop in New Haven for lunch, and get to town by 3 or 4. The show is a birthday celebration for Steven Long, who came up to Boston to play at my first house show with his roommate Joanna Mattrey (who is a fellow NEC graduate). We played trio, and we're planning on working as a group regularly as soon as I get back. Aside from Steve's birthday, we've got one other date booked in July, and I'm sure we'll add more. I'm really excited about this project.
Yesterday I recorded a whole bunch of music with Joe Morris and about ten others. Most of us had graduated from NEC recently, and it was a really energetic session. Also present was a cellist from abroad named Miriam Felix, who many of us were meeting for the first time. We were split into several combinations, and recorded about four hours worth of music. I'm looking forward to seeing what the outcome of this is. Joe has been teaching at NEC for 14 years, and is always recording with different folks. We're definitely very grateful that he likes to work with younger generations, and releases a good amount of stuff on his own label (riti records).
Early in June I returned again to VT for the Burlington JazzFest, during which I played about 6 or 7 sets with different people. There were a few really incredible reunions as well as a couple of special first meetings. Despite the gigs I was scheduled to play (or asked to be a part of), there was some confusion that unfolded upon my arrival to my first set. I was asked not to play that night due to my lack of seniority/eldership in the ranks of the ensemble. This initially confounded me (I was always welcome after I left town), but when I started to see who was showing up, and how long they had known the groups leader (most for over 15 years) it made a bit more sense, and a brief inner crisis subsided. I enjoyed listening to them play, but had only played with half of them in the time I'd lived there, and felt some sort of disconnect. It was strange, but I wasn't going to let it put a damper on anything else happening during the festival.
The only other off-putting thing about my time in VT that week was the news of Lee Hyla's death. He was a composer who chaired the NEC program until 2007, and though I only met him once, I've been actively listening to his music much more in the last few years, and was looking forward to the possibility of working with him in the future. Many of my friends and teachers knew him well, and his passing has sent shockwaves through the new music world. There were a few concerts that featured his music at Sick Puppy, which happened at NEC the next week (Lee was scheduled to be SICPP's Composer-in-Residence this summer). As usual those concerts and the people I met there were fantastic.
For anyone who hasn't yet been to Burlington, I highly recommend it, and if you haven't been to the American Flatbread there, you should go. Now.
They have great pizza, great beer (brewed in-house), and they treat their musicians really, really well. The Psychedelicatessen is a great addition to the scene as well. When I came back to Boston, I immediately started preparing for my move, and I'm just about ready to leave.
When I figured out that I'd be staying here longer than I initially planned (around the end of February), I made a mental list of things I should do before I left for good. Tiny things - mostly having to do with food in the proximity, that I might not get the chance to cross off in the few remaining days I have left here:
Thai North (Oak Square)
Angora Cafe (BU)
Super 88 (Packard's Corner)
one last ride into the Back Bay on the BU Shuttle
...and a stop in Roslindale, which is easy enough to get to from here via the 51 bus.
I've been to all of those places before, but Super 88, Angora, & Thai North are much easier to get to from my current dwelling. Oh well...
Super 88 Market and food court
I did take a walk to my old apartment by Rogers Park a couple of weeks ago, after which I discovered that it had been vacated and sold twice in the last two years. This wasn't a shock, and gave me a strange sense of relief. I'm imagining that my old street will be developed with apartment buildings in the next 15 years or so, and will look similar from where I'm living now. During my last real search for housing in Boston (circa 2011), the realtor was quick to tell us of a housing crisis in Boston due to a larger influx of students. Casey and I landed in Rozzie, and I'm happy to see more of my friends living out there now.
I've also been thinking about things that made me want to move to NY in the first place, and those same things never fail to excite me. Among other things, I listen to Milton Babbitt, Andrew Hill's later recordings, or TILT Brass, and I can't help but feel great about going back - this music is alive, and offers true inspiration for my return.
Commonwealth Avenue Mall in the Back Bay with Winter Lights
It's May, the flowers are blooming, and I've been back in Boston for about 5 months now. I wasn't planning on a stay that lasted this long (I'll be moving back to New York in July), but it's been pretty fruitful for the most part, and I was made a housing offer that I couldn't refuse. Among other things, I played a solo set at the Advent Church in March, and FULL CIRCLE TIME MACHINE appeared in Jordan Hall as part of the CI department concert last month. I'm finding myself really happy with the way things are going here. Though I'm excited to return to NY and pick up where I left off (I've already arranged a couple of performances), I'm not feeling any rush to get out of here soon.
At a JP house concert performing Lemming (or Advent, 138th st., Williamsburg & Brighton Rails)
When I signed a sublease in Vermont (10/2012), the first thing I did was buy a bus ticket in advance to come back and play a gig here in November (only three weeks after I moved). On that first trip back it didn't quite hit me, but later on I found myself constantly revisiting specific places that had personal significance to me. Living here again, I've definitely added a few places to that list, and I'm always going back to them - sometimes on purpose, and sometimes spontaneously. Those places exist in NY and VT now, too. I know I'll always walk by W.138th Street in Manhattan thinking about the Autumn months that I lived there, being able to walk to the Hudson River in about 45 seconds. One recent piece of mine is somewhat of a comment on this (and playing trio with Allison & Eve at the Advent Church last year). Over the last year I've started naming and constructing pieces after places I've lived, or people I've met while there. I'll be playing another one of these in Somerville this weekend.
The Charles River near Harvard
I could go on and on detailing some of these places, but I don't think I will too much, other than that this time of year has a bit more of a lift to it that makes me want to actively ponder them. This could be due to a slowing of activities centered around schools, the weather being nicer, or people leaving for the summer (my roommate just moved back to NY, so I have the place to myself for most of the next 5 weeks).
I've been living in this apartment near Cleveland Circle since January, and I'm about a mile away from Brighton Center, where I lived in the winter of 2007. For a few reasons, it wasn't the most pleasant time or living situation, but it's been in my brain for the last several weeks, that maybe one of these nights I should walk over there and see the neighborhood and house where I used to live. I have no doubt that my perception of that area will change, and that l may get some sort of strange feeling from walking by an old house that I haven't seen in 7 years. If I get a vibe walking by my old apartment in Burlington, or when I pass my former street in Roslindale on a bus, I can imagine that this will have similar affects, maybe deeper due to the time that has passed since then.
Other places, like the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, ArtsRiot in VT, or 808 Gallery at BU are ones that I pass by much more frequently (usually en route to somewhere else), but am making an effort to revisit. Now more than ever, I feel like a miner in places like these, and I'm happy to find a little piece of gold every now and then.
