The Capitola Review is presenting another reading and performance this coming Sunday, October 25th in Mineral Point, WI at Foundry Books from 2:00pm – 5:00pm and we’d love for you to come out and join us if you can!
Mark Miskelly and I will be performing a couple tunes again along with a number of writers and poets reading their works as well.
Come out and say hello!
October 22, 2009 | Comments (0) | Views (224)
For pumpkin carving? Noooooo.
For turkey and brown food? Noooooo.
For insomnia! I’m decorating my insomnia tree this year with mania and insanity, how about you?
Here’s another window into my world. Enjoy.
October 15, 2009 | Comments (2) | Views (228)
So I tried something new…
Please note that I was asking my computer to do a lot of multitasking when I recorded this little snippet, so excuse the fact it sounds like it’s about to blow in the bkg. It’s not.
A few notes while you listen to the tune. The chorale part in the middle of the tune was a real ball breaker for me. That kind of took all of Saturday and Saturday night to figure out what the harmonies would be and to sing them and get the harmonies just right. There are 9 individual tracks for it and many little pieces inside those 9 tracks aka House Of Cards. I haven’t sung that high since I was 10 and in the Racine All City Choir. I still am not convinced they are just right (read: perfect) but I am currently working on progress not perfection otherwise NOTHING ever gets done. That was easy to type. Not so easy to put into action.
Anyway, I can’t believe I am admitting this, but I had TSO’s Christmas Canon in mind when I came up with this bridge of the song. I will admit, however, that I love Christmas music. Not TSO, however. Sorry. Just that song. I also love the sound of boys choirs and choral music in general and since I don’t have a choir on hand to sing what I need, I’ll utilize digital multitrack recording to its fullest. Should I be concerned that I sound like a choir full of 10 year old boys? I’m still on the fence about that.
So, hope you enjoy. Both the song and the moving pictures of my world.
October 5, 2009 | Comments (6) | Views (264)
Finally watched the Sylvia Plath movie the other night. I wanted to see it when it came out, but like usual, didn’t. It was excellent and of course depressing, but you know, what else would one be expecting when dealing with Sylvia Plath.
What I liked the most about the movie is that they addressed how she distracted herself with making cakes while she was supposed to be writing. They never really go into that when talking about artists/writers/musicians etc’s. That is something I have talked about within my circle of creative friends, but you never really see that displayed or demonstrated in a movie when they go into their life stories and the pursuit of their craft. The very real aspect of distraction and procrastination. And the fact that they showed her husband Ted Hughes calling her on it was even cooler yet. And you certainly never expect accomplished “well-knowns” to do the same tricks you do to avoid making your things. I don’t know why the very thing you want and need to do – you try to avoid sometimes like the plague. The “why bother, nobody cares, you suck” voices come out and do a slight of hand with internal dialogue like “guess I’ll cut the grass and obsess about my lawn, make some cherry crisp, experiment with soup recipes, get a part-time job at the library or make 15 appetizers for the hell of it and distract myself with what the rest of the world views as real because hardcore artistic pursuits aren’t”.
I mean, all of those things are all admirable things mind you, it is just the way they are applied and to what degree. But it takes over quicker if one is not careful and art/music/writing gets avoided or not done at all. Just speaking from my own personal experience.
Plus she was a woman in the 1950’s so we all know what extra voices from society she probably had pushing her into making cakes when she should have been writing. Oddly enough, some of that society chatter is still in existence for female creatives in my humble opinion, but certainly not as intense as before The Women’s Movement of course. Anyway, I really liked that they addressed the art of distracting yourself aspect. It was good to see. Reassuring in an odd sort of way and noted when I start veering into that direction. Which I do. Often.
September 23, 2009 | Comments (3) | Views (287)
Busy yet an incredibly fun weekend for me. Just got back from hanging out with my family who came in from out of town for Saturday night’s event and just getting time now to give a little report.
Kind of goes without saying that I had a crazy good time on Saturday night performing and being a part of The Capitola collective. Also had a great time helping out with hanging all the art, making wall tags for the pieces, and getting to help out with the overall setup of the whole event. It was great to be immersed in it all.
We had a nice crowd too (pictured below) which was pretty awesome. Incredibly gracious and kind as well. A lot of kind words were said to me after the show about my art and vocals that really meant a lot to me. And many, many, many thanks to the 40-50 people that crammed themselves into the hot one room schoolhouse to check out the readers of poetry & short stories, the makers of art and our little musical ensemble which all make up The Capitola. You really all made it quite special for all of us.
I was kind of busy with other matters before and during the show to take pictures, but these were floated past me and thought I’d share.
Mark (left), Aaron (right), and me (center).
Mark (left), Aaron (right), and me (center).
Crowd/audience shot middle of room.
Back of the room audience shot.
Looking forward to being part of the next Cap event which will take place October 25th, 2009 at Foundry Books in Mineral Point. I’ll post more details here as soon as more become available.
September 20, 2009 | Comments (3) | Views (336)
