Style fits when it deserves,
And shouldn’t be confused
To preserve.
I’ll write as a kingfisher
Or a Valkyrie
Or a god.
But only to reflect
the self
Rather than
Prefabricate what
I’m not
originally posted/inspired in repose to a friend of mine's recent introductory post in the Times Union
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chinese New Year at The Egg , Golden Tiger review
On the other side of the spectrum, the Chinese New Year celebration kicked off this Saturday with the Year of the Golden Tiger to a sold-sold show at the Egg. The entire performance was spoken in Chinese, making it a little difficult to understand the comedy sketches and singers. However, the New Year was not what I expected, rather than seasoned professionals; the show was more like an elementary dance recital, most of the performers being under fifteen. The three hour show did have a world class magician, Qi Le, who was remarkable (he took a full size shovel out of a hand bag) but I intrigued enough to stay past intermission.
The most interesting part of this show centered around a new usher that I met. He had a mutton chops and looked like he was late life, but I started talking to him and didn’t really stop. He’s a dancer from Saratoga (the Flurry happened this weekend), and said he didn’t stop dancing until 4am the night before and was wearing the same clothes he had on when he crashed, “Me too!” We talked about Paris for a little while and he told me how he never thought he’d be so busy after retirement.
I was really happy to find someone so down to earth, and although he talked a storm, he proved to be a great listener too, profoundly interested in an interview I just had and such. The best part of this show was that conversation, so in line with the year of the Tiger ferrying ambition, power and social upheaval, I’m glad I started it with meeting a (rarely seen) like-minded individual.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Egg review Feb 4th, Gregory Alan Isakov and Brandi Carlile
This week, the show at the Egg was slightly different than the jazz tap performance from last week. Gregory Alan Isakov kicked off the February 4th show at 7:30. Isakov was like a mix between trailer-trash folk and Bob Dylan. He played about ten tracks and I found myself more interested in the effects pedal he used for his voice rather than the actual words (because I couldn’t understand them).
Towards the end of his set, I started being able to see a little more clearly and began to appreciate Isakov’s presentation as more of a soundscape rather than simply isolating his voice or guitar.
Brandi Carlile was the main act, and straight up, that girl can sing. She reminded me of Joni Mitchell with her range, going from a gumbly low tone to the pitch of a songbird. Her band was great too, with Tim and Phil Hanseroth (guitar and bass), Josh Neumann on cello, Allison Miller on drums and Jon Pagan on the keys. The band had a real rootsy feel to it.
While I was listening, I saw a bunch of kids in the audience, and it warmed my heart to see parents taking them to see a true performer rather than the atypical mainstream garbage. Overall, I give both performers a B, both have good stage presence and, apparent from their passion, purely about the music.
While I was listening, I saw a bunch of kids in the audience, and it warmed my heart to see parents taking them to see a true performer rather than the atypical mainstream garbage. Overall, I give both performers a B, both have good stage presence and, apparent from their passion, purely about the music.
as seen in the Saint Rose Chronicle
Saturday, January 30, 2010
A review of Echoes in Time at Albany's Egg
Last night, I went to the dance performance of Echoesin Time at the Egg performing arts center. I didn't know what to expect, my first time in the Egg and my first time seeing a professional dance show. I went up the oval elevator to the concourse level and smiled. The walls seemed liked they could vibrate sounds into colors.
It was my first time ushering at the place. So I did my seating duties and then snagged a 3rd row center seat for the show. The band immediately caught my attention. I haven't been to many dance performances, but they had a five piece band positioned towards the back of the stage. The curtains went up with the drum thumping the opening lines of Ellington's Caravan. The bassist started layering the pulse and the tappers went crazy. I suppose I couldn't really judge the actual dancers, I knew the movements were amazing, but at several points during the show, I just closed my eyes and focused on the rhythms of the tapping to the accompanying music. I visualized the claps and snaps of shoes as drums of varying shapes and tones. The sliding sounds of the tappers reminded me of jazz drummers slashing brushes on a snare.
The show was shaped to chronicle the different styles of a bunch of famous tap dances, ranging from Bill “Bojangles” Robinson to Jimmy Slide with Andrew Nemr’s CPD (Cats Paying Dues) Plus dance group. The troupe leader did a solo dance as the second to last number which sounded like a seasoned drummer playing off-beats and polyrhythms asynchronously, (here's a clip). I would highly recommend seeing a jazz tap show as a medium for experiencing a new interpretation of music. And speaking of shows, as you might know, the 3rd Annual Saint Rose Music Awards is happening March 12 this year, (which yours truly is performing at) so set your calendars. We’ll get a full nomination and performance list up for ya next week.
This week’s album to check out: Wilco A Ghostis Born. It’s going to be a cold week, so throw on some of these chilly, but groovy tunes and mellow out.
(the following was written by Frank Cutie and is an excerpt from his latest installment in the Saint Rose Chronicle)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Top Three Tools for Understandment
I'm reading Autobiography of a Yogi and Paramahansa Yogananda brings up some interesting differences between Sanskrit and English. The most notable stems from Sanskrit 55 letter alphabet. He writes that words spoken in this language exemplify exactly what they mean.
When I think of language, the first thing that comes to my head is misunderstanding. Between tone and words being galaxies apart from others' definition, I find my self strictly using totally out of context words in order to relay and exact meaning, without the hesitations of incomprehension.
For example, the other day I was describing a trip to London to some new Study Abroad kids. The instructor asked me to retell my best piece of advice.
"You're not putting anything on hold while your away, because you'll find that whereever you are should be the place that's happening."
Maybe that sounds abstract in itself, but basically, when wrapping my rap up, I said , everything was strobe lighted.
Is that an out there adjective to describe something? I dunno, I was the one who said it. It seemed perfect to me, until I replayed the moment an hour after the event and took note of the expressions people made.
The expressions: Understading. I understand languge ennough to know that when one makes the face of understanding, true gasp-awe-stricken understanding; that it's not normal. People don't understand each other.
I knew the description was out there because people did understand it, more-so they exactly understood me.
Strobe lighted: The flashes. The brief moment of unknowing, and then the awareness of something new.
So here we are Top Three things to help get across your point in America, or at least pretend like your trying too.
3) "Ya know what i mean?"
Although this is a cliche one, it fits on a "quick fix list." It implies that the speaker is aware he is being abstract and wants to make sure the listener is on board. Mostly I find the listener "knows what I'm saying" regardless of if they do or not, but every now and then they call me on it. I take great pride in the fact that whenever I'm asked this question in the half-assedly "I assume you know" way...and I don't, I TELL 'EM SO!
2) "It's like.."
A simile may take time but it mostly works if you reverse the example to include the speaker.
example: A friend's friend broke the house bong. He told me he would just give me some substance, but we rather of had the money to fix the piece. It's like if you broke my car and just gave me a Hess gift certificate.
It'll be great once I get the car fixed, but who needs fuel when you don't have the vessel.
1) Sanskrit
Apparently that's were it's at. With 50 letters that carry an invariablied pronunciation, everything sounds exactly how it means (similar to the French's multiple-words-with the same meaning).
In the end it comes down to tone, and based on how Americans where raised, voicing will always be a variable.
However...I only communicate via brainwaves anyway.
When I think of language, the first thing that comes to my head is misunderstanding. Between tone and words being galaxies apart from others' definition, I find my self strictly using totally out of context words in order to relay and exact meaning, without the hesitations of incomprehension.
For example, the other day I was describing a trip to London to some new Study Abroad kids. The instructor asked me to retell my best piece of advice.
"You're not putting anything on hold while your away, because you'll find that whereever you are should be the place that's happening."
Maybe that sounds abstract in itself, but basically, when wrapping my rap up, I said , everything was strobe lighted.
Is that an out there adjective to describe something? I dunno, I was the one who said it. It seemed perfect to me, until I replayed the moment an hour after the event and took note of the expressions people made.
The expressions: Understading. I understand languge ennough to know that when one makes the face of understanding, true gasp-awe-stricken understanding; that it's not normal. People don't understand each other.
I knew the description was out there because people did understand it, more-so they exactly understood me.
Strobe lighted: The flashes. The brief moment of unknowing, and then the awareness of something new.
So here we are Top Three things to help get across your point in America, or at least pretend like your trying too.
3) "Ya know what i mean?"
Although this is a cliche one, it fits on a "quick fix list." It implies that the speaker is aware he is being abstract and wants to make sure the listener is on board. Mostly I find the listener "knows what I'm saying" regardless of if they do or not, but every now and then they call me on it. I take great pride in the fact that whenever I'm asked this question in the half-assedly "I assume you know" way...and I don't, I TELL 'EM SO!
2) "It's like.."
A simile may take time but it mostly works if you reverse the example to include the speaker.
example: A friend's friend broke the house bong. He told me he would just give me some substance, but we rather of had the money to fix the piece. It's like if you broke my car and just gave me a Hess gift certificate.
It'll be great once I get the car fixed, but who needs fuel when you don't have the vessel.
1) Sanskrit
Apparently that's were it's at. With 50 letters that carry an invariablied pronunciation, everything sounds exactly how it means (similar to the French's multiple-words-with the same meaning).
In the end it comes down to tone, and based on how Americans where raised, voicing will always be a variable.
However...I only communicate via brainwaves anyway.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Verse void
Synapsing Reflections
Timeless vision is growing in decision
white lilies force themselves through concrete.
While hollow trees met with the precision
of a flight of a thousand leaves
moist soft sounds surround
the galaxy of space within the
confounds of time.
Clear pristal pool with loud voices,
echo back and forth in my veins.
Visualizations of eternity are swirling
And the crystal ball conceives to sink.
saturated noise resounds
the nothingness of love within
the unmatter of time.
I am alive for only a single second a day
One second I, grey azure white, embody the present
Embodied/Embodying/Embodies existence
But resistance is present
Resistance of the present dismal, insistful decision?
A vision!
Run like fire to the toad’s treasure
find the eye in his mind,
wish for a hundred days that have past to be replayed again
wish for the crystal ball revived.
Run like fire to the funeral pyre;
flowers burn and melt in the flame
petals are splattered along the ceremony.
flowers defiled and frayed.
Petals are burnt; petals and dirt
Unmatter
To the sane
The insignificance of eternity
Swallow inside of me
And fountains from a crystal pool.
Like the tundra in pristine icicle deliverance
The morning rolls
towards
mountains of time
Along the savannah the present slowly wakes
And casts a shroud over the eternity I create
The Soul: Living Rooms, Television Sets and Reporters (the aftermath, pt 4 of 4)
(Contiunation of The Soul: Living Rooms, Television Sets and Reporters pt 1: the body; pt 2: the soul; pt 3: the union)
It is impossible to discuss and analyze what an object of study is without the knowledge of where it came from. Alfred Whitehead spent a great deal of time introspecting on this matter. “Why would God place us down here?”
Well the answer becomes quite simple, because God must need us for something.
Like with any human, we do not create something without purpose, even in the event of art, the meaning becomes the reason for creation. Possibly God is stuck in a similar type of karma cycle in another universe. In other words, God is trapped in an innately alien universe similar to the human soul, leading to the assumption that God created us to help him break out of his own entombing universe. So while humans strive for nirvana to be free of this reality of time, God is seeking the same form of enlightenment to get out of his prison.
Whitehead’s theory merges remarkably flush with the definition of the human being introduced in this paper. Thus, having knowledge of the human creator helps to understand the human itself.
The human being is composed of three unique identities in the war zone of this universe. Through the interaction of these organs, one can be defined as human.
The soul is the eternal part. Created out of time and entrapped in a foreign place. In the soul, one has the gift of eternity but fettered to this reality, eternity is enchained to merely watch television in the broken living room of the physical.In unison is the terrestrial, ephemeral body, which allows interaction with the present reality; a field reporter traveling amongst the chaotic abyss of the visceral, in constant transmission and journalism.
The third, the deity of consciousness, the television set which mediates and converts the alien gravity of time into subtitles for the restless soul. Consciousness as the television set, broadcasting the celestial to the earthly. The human being a combination of the actions of the body, the awareness of consciousness and the eternity of the soul.
It is impossible to discuss and analyze what an object of study is without the knowledge of where it came from. Alfred Whitehead spent a great deal of time introspecting on this matter. “Why would God place us down here?”
Well the answer becomes quite simple, because God must need us for something.
Like with any human, we do not create something without purpose, even in the event of art, the meaning becomes the reason for creation. Possibly God is stuck in a similar type of karma cycle in another universe. In other words, God is trapped in an innately alien universe similar to the human soul, leading to the assumption that God created us to help him break out of his own entombing universe. So while humans strive for nirvana to be free of this reality of time, God is seeking the same form of enlightenment to get out of his prison.
Whitehead’s theory merges remarkably flush with the definition of the human being introduced in this paper. Thus, having knowledge of the human creator helps to understand the human itself.
The human being is composed of three unique identities in the war zone of this universe. Through the interaction of these organs, one can be defined as human.
The soul is the eternal part. Created out of time and entrapped in a foreign place. In the soul, one has the gift of eternity but fettered to this reality, eternity is enchained to merely watch television in the broken living room of the physical.In unison is the terrestrial, ephemeral body, which allows interaction with the present reality; a field reporter traveling amongst the chaotic abyss of the visceral, in constant transmission and journalism.
The third, the deity of consciousness, the television set which mediates and converts the alien gravity of time into subtitles for the restless soul. Consciousness as the television set, broadcasting the celestial to the earthly. The human being a combination of the actions of the body, the awareness of consciousness and the eternity of the soul.
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