Is it possible? The art of listening, the art of thinking together.
The rest is here
Written by Jonathan Freilich
On
In video
Tagged Conflict, Discipline, J.Krishnamurti, Saanen, Thinking, Violence, listening
A past improvisation-Jeff Albert, Nick Sanzenbach, Dave Capello
This came up while perusing Jeff Albert's Open Ears blog. It's from Nov. 21, 2007 and sounded pretty interesting after all these years.
Have a free listen...
Sanzenbach(sax), Capello(drums), Freilich(7string guitar), Albert(trombone)
Interview with Jeff Treffinger- guitarist, songwriter, architect, co-founder of The Mermaid Lounge, Tribe Nunzio.
A complete interview with Jeff Treffinger is now up on the interviews page. You may have seen him with the singular Geraniums, or any number of other projects. You may also know him as one of the key hands in the, legendary to some, Mermaid Lounge.
Here he talks about his foregound and background activities that at different times have shaped the New Orleans music scene. Treffinger describes how he came to be putting a bands together in New Orleans at all and, what his purposes were in doing so...or at least his thinking at the time. He tells stories about the accidental discoveries that led him to architecture and how that led him into certain other nooks in New Orleans music. He is frank about what he learned and how, and the interesting folks that he collaborates with or has dealt with over the years that have enabled his dealings to be loaded with a delightful, risky creativity.
Also available as a podcast from the itunes store.
Audio interview with Other Planets leader, Anthony Cuccia
Anthony Cuccia- Percussionist, keyboardist, composer, idea man for The Other Planets. Anthony uses music both for social consciousness and for exploration of its own various technologies. He is always striving for a new way to assemble his ideas.
Both parts of the interview have been posted and are also available as a podcast from the itunes store.
To New Orleans- half open letter
Firstly, I'll be back.
Secondly, it definitely feels like the end of a chapter and it's caused some amount of reflexive pondering. There were a lot of warm send off parties and parting gigs, and I can't express what it I felt like to receive that sort of attention from friends and colleagues. Thank you for all those who sent me off so well and made me feel some sense of accomplishment. It's nice to leave thinking that some musical efforts really have been understood.
...Now I find myself here in California, on the precipice of the Pacific, thinking so hard and gratefully about the last 22 years in New Orleans. I would always rather be there but I suppose musical exploration is driving me right now, more than location. New Orleans offers both in a way I love, but there are some directions that, artistically and, yes, even in music, that the city doesn't really foster at this juncture. There are, of course, still other well known features where the city shows itself to have no ceiling. I feel lucky to have benefitted a great deal from those limitless directions.
The music community that accepted me so easily when I first got to town is really composed of individuals. I can't really say enough about these figures. On the outside we spend a lot of time talking about the groups. And that is important from the outside, as music goes a long way in describing co-effort and harmony within groups. Yet, from the inside, particularly while playing, one is really feeling the
New Orleans Musician's Clinic is in dire need of help
I know a number of musicians who have been saved by this clinic. In the world of New Orleans music, which so many around the world love, it is an unbelievably important service. Please watch the video and, if nothing else, pass it on...
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars play Outside Lands festival, San Francisco. Mother Jones gets the review
photo by John MargarettenInteresting article focusing on the band's humorous side.
Through the Klezmer All-Stars site: http://www.klezmerallstars.com/
Collaboration, dictatorial ideology, Platonic philosophy hangovers, and other thoughts before starting work on an opera
In preparing to write larger, theatrically bound pieces of music, a voracious appetite for webs of information, culled from as many fields as possible seems to take hold. (I'm speaking as a "newbie" here because I've only written one opera previously, Bang The Law.) Perhaps, it is because things like opera involve so many different features: poetry, acting, producing, directing, music, stage design, costume, psychology, history. Reasearch into everything possible seems to be called for. There is also the perennial fear of accidentally creating something too narrow or trivial. I get into a kind of trawling, sometimes directed, sometimes not, that leads to the right sort of mental and emotional fullness and wonder that overcomes stagnation, procrastination, and distraction. Opera demands collaboration anyhow so mental flexibility derived from poring over related ideas seems paramount becuse there is a certain openness and general knowledge required in working well with others with specialized talents.
I'm involved in the writing of a semi-operatic work currently so this is the process that seems to be dominant again. A couple of months back I was handed a libretto by writer, Adam Falik and agreed to collaborate on his libretto about a couple of early twentieth century art behemoths and a fictional encounter that drags them both down. In perusing some of
'twould have been his Birthday. By now, we'd be celebrating for a week. "This is for you Louis."
What Character! What a band!
Muggles, The Viperrrrrrr!
3 new interviews
Standby, for three new audio interviews.
Anthony Cuccia- Percussionist, keyboardist, composer, idea man for The Other Planets. Anthony is uses music both for socially consciousness and for exploration of its own various technologies. There is always a new way he is striving to assemble his ideas.
Dave Capello- a singular creative drummer with a desire for what is unique and portraying the importance of going for it even where there are risks involved. Originally, from Kansas City, Dave has spent many years playing with a smorgasboard of the most interesting creative units. Previous to New Orleans he was in New York playing with The Bern Nix Trio, and William Parker.
Jeff Treffinger- Architect, song writer, cofounder of Tribe Nunzio, guitarist with The Geraniums, co-owner of The Mermaid Lounge and The Truck Farm. That list is short and only covers the things that folks know most. He went pretty deep in this interview that discusses changes in the New Orleans music scene and the factors that contributed to it, as well as anecdotes that describe what it looked like at various times since his arrival.
Jay Mazza and The Vinyl District article on the leaving-town-epic-jam
This was a nice piece in that it feels really good because more than anything I have wished to be a contributor to this city that has my heart, New Orleans. No doubt, it is a drop in a vast ocean but it feels good that my efforts have been recognized. I hope to come back and be able to give more. More on that later...
Meantime...The Vinyl District
Made it in to the Downbeat Critics Poll
Strange!... auspicious and perhaps a little suspicious. I have made it to Rising Star in the guitar category in the Downbeat Critics Poll. Getting the attention is, as Jeff Albert says in his blog, probably a good thing. Jeff's article puts it well and points out that Aurora Nealand also made it. Congratulations to Aurora, Jeff, and... Me!
New, partially operatic piece about E.E.Cummings and Jackson Pollock
Local playwright, Adam Falik approached me about writing the music for his recent original libretto, ee me and pollock thee. The work is set to be performed in New Orleans in the middle of November. The production will involve conductor Francis Scully (New Resonance Orchestra) who conducted my previous opera, Bang The Law. It will also involve actor Chris Lane who played the lead acting role in Bang the Law.
Interview with Tim Green
Tim Green is one of the most interesting saxophonists that you can hear in New Orleans. Occasionally he travels, but most of his career has been within the city. Over the years he has played with many of the greats that people associate most with the city- Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Irma Thomas, Cyrille Neville, Mem Shannon, Herlin Riley and many legendary others. In fact, he is one of the greats, but he plays a unique role by very particular design and musical conviction.
His affection goes out most to original, creative, music projects. He is interested in so much music and, has brought himself to a place where he can insert very creative ideas in almost any context without breaking the balance or excitement of a piece of music or its setting. He was a large figure in many explorational bands from, Gulfstream and the Stick Band in the 80's, to Michael Ray, Naked On The Floor, and James Singleton, Dennis Gonzalez, and others like Fred Wesley in the 90's. In fact, he was a huge supporter of my own musical developments and projects and I think there are many things in life on which we see eye to eye and this really is something, speaking as a grateful collaborator, that Tim is able to show just by playing- support!
Tim has a very deep linguistic or conversationalist playing style that really has its best place on stages for live audiences. Where the musical "moment" happens is where he strives to be and his best work is there. For that reason, you won't find records under his name. One day perhaps someone will be brave enough to release some of the extensive collection of recordings he keeps of his involvements in truly epic improvisational moments.
Tim's genius and where it resides really emerge in this relaxed, and probably pretty rare, interview.
Happy Talk with songwriter Luke Allen.
A conversation with Luke Allen of the Happy Talk Band is now up on the interviews page. Luke is a very honest fellow with a dark songwriting style and a band that delivers the picture. It speaks to a large number of folks in New Orleans. The discussion is fairly informal and took place at Markey's Bar on July 9th.
Appearing in San Francisco Aug 13. w/ Robert Walter
Performing at The Boom Boom Room in San Francisco on Aug 13. I will be appearing with Robert Walter on a double bill with Gypsophonik Disko (Ben Ellman+)
Robert Walter was in New Orleans for a long time playing across the scene with a driving organ style. He was already well established at that point from his work with the Greyboy All-Stars and the Headhunters. On this particular show, Robert will be leading band a composed of notable instrumental stylists, as well as having Jonathan Freilich in the guitar seat.
Ben Ellman's Gypsophonik is an interesting DJ melange. He calls the style, Sissy Gypsy and it really keeps folks on the dance floor achieving some other state of mind with his mixture of New Orleans Sissy Bounce and Eastern European music. If you equate his name with Galactic or the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars this will shatter the frame you've got him in.
By the way...
Those of you in the area can also catch a rare West Coast appearance of my other band, The New Orleans Klezmer All Stars at the Outside Lands Festival on the day before, Aug. 12.
Interview with Hart Mcnee- Flautist/Saxophonist/Artist
Henry Griffin conducted this very moving and honest interview with the incredibly vibrant musician, Hart Mcnee. It was done shortly before his passing. Hart gave a lot (he let us know when there was nothing left) and a lot of it is here, beautifully condensed. This is probably as real as you can get.
Thanks to Henry Griffin and Kate Mcnee for allowing this to go up.