James Joyce's Dirty Letters: subject of my new short Opera for Bloomsday,NOLA 6/14-6/16

“Darling, Please do not be offended (by what I wrote.)”

-is the full title. This will be performed for the Bloomsday celebration in New Orleans. Bloomsday is the annual celebration of James Joyce’s groundbreaking masterpiece, Ulysses. The festival is now being handled by the collaborator in two of my previous operas (‘Bang the Law’, ee me and pollock thee’) , Chris Lane.

I have had the idea for a long time and finally the opportunity came up to stage the piece. Libretto and music by yours truly. All the text however is by Mr. James Joyce. The lyric is totally unexpurgated. Immoral restoration theater type directness for our tightening times…except of course- of and for the common people.

The opera is also to remember the great victory over victorian censorship of the book.

The piece will be at the church at the Hotel Peter and Paul in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans. There will be two performance on the 14th and two on the 16th of June.

Great artists have been assembled to work on it.

Zara Zemmels- Mezzo-Soprano
Nelson Gonzalez- Joyce
Tim Robertson- Guitar
Janna Saslaw- Flutes
David Gamble- projections and design
Joan Long- Lighting/ stage design/ performance consultant

Jonathan Freilich- composer/librettist
Chris Lane- producer and set builder.

Extremely important here is our gofundme campaign to raise the money for the production. We hope that if you support arts in New Orleans, or are a theater fan, or a literature fan, or an independent/ experimental/contemporary opera buff, or prefer that your ribald times aren’t impinged upon, or support diversity in music, or the livelihood and development of the arts in general, that you will contribute. Any amount helps greatly.

The link is here…

Zara Zemmels

Tim Robertson

David Gamble

janna saslaw

Donate

Playing Hipfest with Jeff Parker Tuesday 20th at Blue Nile, New Orleans

Very happy to be headed into New Orleans for a few days to be a part of instigators, Jeff Albert and Marcello Bennetti's accomplishment in progress, the Hipfest.  

All the improvisational and Avant Garde Lights of New Orleans will be there and it is truly an event if you really love music.

For my part, I am honored to be doing a duo set with the great Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker.

Check his stuff out!  It all happens September 20 at Blue Nile.  I hear at around 9pm.

The Naked Orchestra rides again. Tonight 10:30PM Blue Nile-downstairs!

Fresh off a refreshing hiatus, with new works, some newer faces and a lot of old friends.  There will be a catwalk!
The full complement will be there:

Jimbo Walsh- conductor
Janna Saslaw- flute/piccolo
Chris Kohl- clarinets
Steve Bertram-Bassoon
Martin Krusche- soprano sax
Aurora Nealand- Alto sax
Rex Gregory- tenor/ bass clarinet
Joe Cabral- tenor sax
Dan Oestreicher- bari sax
John Culbreth-trumpet
Scott Frock- trumpet
Jeff Albert- Trombone
Devon Taylor- Tuba
Nobu Ozaki-bass
Helen Gillet-cello
Carl LeBlanc-guitar
Jonathan Freilich- guitar
Doug Garrison-drums

I'll let you in on a secret.  The Naked Orchestra shows are also a party with some of the most interesting and colorful folks in town. Come over and get down while comparing the key system on bassoons and bass clarinets; the body differences between a cello and a bass, all while pretending to eye the object of your desires so you aren't caught staring hungrily at such things. You wouldn't want to appear over eager.  

 

Playing with Stephanie Nilles and James Singleton. Cafe Istanbul- 9pm 8/18/15

Don't miss! The best thing for your Tuesday night.  Very interesting grouping here in the mellowest mid week listening room in town. The music will be raucous and refined.  

Stephanie Nilles-keys
James Singleton-bass

4 Naked Orchestra concerts in New Orleans this July

You can catch the orchestra 4 times this month.  

3 shows at The Old U.S. Mint on Friday 10th, 17th, and 24th of July from 2-3pm.
1 Show at Snug Harbor on Sunday 12th of July.
It's going to be fascinating and entertaining no matter what.
 

New Naked Orchestra website coming soon!

Interesting show with James Singleton's Force Majeur Orchestra last week at Zeitgeist

Here is a clip that Reynard Rochon posted to FB.

Ugly Beauty by Thelonious Monk.  Was a pleasure of an evening...

James Singleton-bass
Justin Peake-drums/Electronics
Brad Walker-saxes
Rex Gregory-reeds

Playing tonight with cellist, Helen Gillet at Baccanal, NOLA

Come by Bacchanal tonight, 7:30-10:30pm to check out a duo show with Helen Gillet.  There will be improvisations, French music, other types of songs, Helen's solo pyrotechnics.  It's a revisit of the old Monday night weekly . 

Bacchanal is located at 600 Poland Ave in Bywater, New Orleans

Part 2 of audio interview with Jimmy "King James" Horn, leader of the Special Men

Part 2 of the audio interview with Jimmy Horn is up. To go directly to the interview click here...

 To hear part 1 start here... 

The breakdown of who Jimmy is and what he is up to starts there.  Check it out if you are in anyway interested in the goings on in the New Orleans music scene.     

Last few shows in New Orleans

joe cabral
doug garrisonmarcello bennetti
jimbo walsh

Coming into my last three scheduled shows before heading out for quite a while.  It would be great to see you out there.  We guarantee the music whimsy, fun, and for those of you still hung up on the myth of respectability, standards!

Tonight (July 30)- at Bacchanal (8-10:30pm) with Marcello Bennetti-drums and Jimbo Walsh-bass.

Thursday August 2nd- at The Circle Bar (10-30pm) with The Jackals

Monday August 6th- at Bacchanal (8pm) with Doug Garrison-drums

Jonathan Freilich Trio

Looking forward to this lineup tomorrow (saturday) at Three Muses on Frenchmen St.

Doug Belote-drums

James Singleton- Bass

Jonathan Freilich- Guitar

6-9pm

Naked On The Floor rides again at Snug Harbor this Sunday

...and with the old majestic lineup (we have been playing since 1995) but with the addition of one very esteemed guest, Mr. Johnny Vidacovich.

so, Naked On The Floor will be...

Jonathan Freilich- guitar

James Singleton- bass

Johnny Vidacovich- Drums

Tim Green- saxophone

Rick Trolsen- Trombone

 

All the music is original, and some very recently composed and, most of all, it will be exciting.

There are two shows at Snug Harbor, 8 & 10.

Big and interesting show lined up for Cafe Istanbul, New Orleans

This Sunday at 8pm, there will be a very interesting lineup for improvisational delight at Cafe Istanbul in the Healing Center in New Orleans.  The show is scheduled for 8 pm.

I foresee a sonic physick for renewed vigor brewing!

 

Jeff Albert-Trombone

Jesse Morrow-Bass

Jonathan Freilich- Guitar

Doug Garrison- drums

Presented by Benjamin Lyons and Valid.  

Great lineup for tomorrow's show at the Bacchanal

Playing at Bacchanal tomorrow (Monday) night at 7:30 pm. Stellar lineup, why would you miss it??

James Singleton- bass

Rick Trolsen- Trombone (pictured)

Doug Garrison- drums

Jonathan Freilich- guitar

Playing with cellist, Helen Gillet at Bacchanal Monday June 18

This Monday for my weekly Bacchanal show I will be playing with cellist, Helen Gillet.  Just the two of us.  Expect French music, improvisations, Rock 'n' roll flares, Baroque hauntings, jazz flecks, and Rococo rescue.  Also, there will be the great food and wine that Bacchanal offers.  The whole thing kicks off at 7:30pm.

New Recording by Carl LeBlanc

My old guitar teacher, friend, and brilliant New Orleans musician, Carl Leblanc has just released his brand new recording- Those Who Have Ears.  It's available at CD Baby amongst other services and... help out an artist and pick up a copy.

I wrote a string quartet arrangement for one of the pieces on the record and am honored to find out that he wanted to use it on its own for the finale of the record.  It's called Hesed if you pick up a copy.

Carl is a great guitarist and all around musician who always comes out with a landscape of musical statements on record that really shows all he can breathe life into for a listener.  He has played on some key New Orleans recordings and has played in many of the greatest groups associated with the city including the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint- (actually the list is so extensive- I'll let you music fans seek out the rest of the bio information).  He was also guitarist for the Sun Ra Arkestra for about 9 years and luckily my generous guitar teacher for a long time. 

This one is worth checking out and many great musicians were involved...