Gnawa Nova show recap

On the night of Thursday May 6th, I headed to Nublu on Avenue C & 10th street to see Gnawa Nova. This was my first proper show in a physical venue since before the pandemic. Gnawa Nova is fronted by guimbri wizard from Agadir, Samir Langus, and drummer Daniel Freedman, joined by Jason Lindner on keys, David Lizmi on electric bass, Gustavo Di Dalva and Nizar Dahmani on percussion with Arta Jekabsone and Carolina Mama backing up vocals.

Shortly after 7, Linder headed to the stage and set the mood with some spacey synth parts. The sound of qraqeb, large castanets used in Gnawa music, started up backstage. Langus led the parade of musicians to the stage, beating a large bass drum slung over his shoulder. The hypnotic rhythms of the qraqeb and drums shifted the atmosphere in the room. I had the sense that something sacred was about to happen - live music. Langus played a few low, resonating notes on his guimbri and the band kicked off the set.

Traditionally, Gnawa music is played by the Gnawa people, descendants of slaves in Morocco and Algeria. Over the past 60 years or so the music has spread to the rest of the Moroccan community. Healing rituals called lilas are guided by a Maâlem (master musician) who plays a three stringed lute called a guimbri. Several percussionists play qraqeb and respond to the Maâlem's call and response chants. Lilas may last several hours and people in need of spiritual healing can clap and dance to long jams designed to allow a trance or hypnotic state.

Over the course of an hour and a half the band played a number of long, repeating melodies and created different textures by weaving instruments in and out or by varying tempos. During vamps the band would improvise by listening and responding to each other. Langus seemed calm and relaxed as he sung lead and beat out the song's form on his guimbri. Freedman's solid playing added a soulful groove. Linder punctuated sections with stabs on the rhodes or synths. Di Dalva and Dahmani, on djembe and doumbek respectively, added both West and North African flavors. Lizmi's electric bass supported Langus's guimbri and gave the groove a more western low-end feel. The backup singers echoed Langus's vocal refrains. Several musicians shared qraqeb duties, their polyrhythms creating a shaky-sounding but steady pulse. At times Langus or Freedman signaled to the rest of the band to pick up the tempo, which the audience gladly clapped along to, and the band brought the tune to an intense climax.

The band's set was food-for-the-soul: a satisfying fusion of traditional Gnawa music, African rhythms and Western influences. The long jams allowed me to focus on the groove and vibe the band created. The audience itself was part of the performance, our claps spurring the band forward. As I looked out across the room, I saw a lot of smiles, dancing and clapping; it was clear to me that we all needed the healing power of live music.


Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnawa_music

https://daily.bandcamp.com/scene-report/gnawa-bandcamp-list

Five Bullets on Creativity from artist Tom Sachs

 

"The void. Negative space. The existential abyss. A blank piece of paper. 

It represents the first step in the creative process. 

Confronting it is an irrational fear we all experience. 
Be afraid and do it anyway. Put pencil to paper. " 

-I.S.R.U. Week 2: Get Started "Pencil to Paper"

 

Writer's block. Not knowing what to work on or where to start. Not feeling inspired. These are familiar problems to creative people. Developing techniques for putting pencil to paper can help confront the 'existential abyss'. In his I.S.R.U. video series, artist Tom Sachs discusses his 'bullets' on overcoming writers block and being creative.

I.S.R.U. Tom Sachs ©

If you are familiar with Sachs' work then you might have guessed that I.S.R.U. is a NASA term. I.S.R.U. (In-Situ Resource Utilization) describes the process of generating products with local materials. As humans go deeper into space, resupplies will become more difficult and crew members will need to become self-sufficient by using what is readily available.

At the beginning of last year's quarantine in New York, Sachs and his studio team began working at their personal spaces. Through a series of Instagram stories, Sachs and team shared their workspaces and art as well as their progress in physical fitness and productivity challenges. Following the practice of I.S.R.U., the team uses the tools and the space they have at hand to get their work done.

Sachs says "there's no secret to creativity… Think about art as a problem-solving exercise". The way to overcome problems like writer's block is "finding mechanisms and tricks to fool yourself into working better". Week 2: Get Started "Pencil to Paper" contains five 'bullets' - strategies which Sachs uses to put pencil to paper. 

• Output before Input

Write, draw, sing, dance. First thing in the morning, before you look at your phone.

• Get your setup

Getting your setup means having the tools and the space you need to work. "For me it’s the right pencil, the right emotional environment and a good hard surface", says Sachs.

• What to do

"Sometimes you don't know what to do and you want to just busy yourself with activity". Cleaning and knolling your workspace "allow you to meditate on a problem while you're occupying your body and mind. This connects your body and mind with your work environment so that you have a greater flow when the moment of inspiration strikes."

• Be a thief.

Make a gift for someone but instead keep it for yourself. Use this as a way of just getting to work.

• Do what you love

"Never in these first moments of waking spend time doing things out of duty and obligation. You spend most of your day doing that." Steal a chunk of time and use it for yourself to write, draw and work on your art. 

 

Be selfish and steal these tricks, says Sachs, the next time you're dealing with a logjam of creativity. You might find that working at night is a better time to let your creativity flow. Write a letter to someone but don't send it. Try out your own tricks for overcoming writer's block and find what works for you. However you do it, confront the abyss and put pencil to paper.

"The reward for good work is more work." - Tom Sachs 

Links

https://www.tomsachs.org/

ISRU youtube playlist

Ten Bullets by Tom Sachs

More movies by Tom Sachs

NASA ISRU overview

Alley Pond Park continued

Recently I returned to Alley Pond Park in Queens to explore the northern wetland section of the park and, of course, to revisit the Giant. Though I've walked many of the other trails in the park, I've yet to walk the yellow-blazed trail which circles Alley Creek. I parked my car in the lot nearest to the southern terminus of the marked trails and headed north on the white trail first then picked up the orange trail. I thought this trail would be the most direct route to the Giant. I followed an unmarked trail back to the white trail and exited the woods near the intersection of West Alley Road and 233rd Street.

I crossed West Alley Road and then the overpass above the Long Island Expressway (LIE). I re-entered the park at Horace Harding Expy. and E. Hampton Blvd., following the purple-blazed Tulip Tree trail. The trail turns south towards the LIE. I looked towards the area of the Giant and spotted the tree quickly – it's the only one in the valley with a fence around its base. I followed the trail along the edge of the LIE to the opposite side of the hill from the Giant to get a good view of it and then descended into the valley for a closer look.

From the other side of the valley the tree already looked bigger than the rest, though several are quite large as well. Once I stood near the tree, I noticed the tree's large trunk, perhaps two times the size of the other trees. Though not nearly as large, the tree's size compared to the surrounding trees reminded me of the giant redwoods and sequoias of California.

The Queens Giant from the opposite side of the valley. 

The valley edge behind the giant is at street level.

After visiting the Giant I continued along the purple trail which parallels the southbound side of the Cross Island Parkway (CIP). Looking to the east, I could see the Alley Creek section of the park. Continuing north, I crossed Cloverdale Boulevard to have a quick look at Oakland Lake before continuing east on Northern Boulevard towards the Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC).

Oakland Lake from Cloverdale Blvd.

APEC was completely under construction and a sign directed me to a detour to the yellow trail. I went south on the trail, along the northbound side of the CIP. Once I reached the east side of the trail, away from the noise of the highway, I was immersed in the natural sounds of the area: wind moving through the reeds, flowing streams and springs, and bird calls.

South-looking view of the Alley Creek wetland section of the park. 

The part of the trail furthest from the highway is quiet and must be a birder's paradise. I spotted several species of birds and possibly a beaver, which quickly hid in a stream as I approached. Walking among the high reeds and other vegetation gives the area a 'wild' feeling, that nature is allowed to do (mostly) what it pleases. I only saw a handful of people on this cool, sunny March morning. As I walked back from Little Neck bridge, past Oakland Lake, past the Giant, and through the woods near the parking lot, I was grateful for being able to witness this remaining wilderness so close to my hometown.

More photos below. 

The Tulip Tree Trail parallels the north side of the LIE.

The only item, aside from the fence,

distinguishing this tree from the others:

a statue placed at the base of the tree.

The enclosed base of the Giant.

Vertical panorama of the Giant.

No wildflowers present this time of year 

at the Oakland Lake Wildflower Meadow. 

Behind APEC, the trail is marked with informational signs.  

Boards make up some sections of the trail.

Alley creek near the northbound side of the CIP.

View of the trail heading north on the east side of the wetlands Yellow trail. 

Alley Creek flows under Northern Blvd at the Little Neck Bridge. 

View of Alley Creek and wetlands from the Little Neck Bridge.

The unmistakable shape of Creedmor Psychiatric Hospital,

near the south section of the park, is visible in the distance.

Sources:
https://www.nycgovparks.org/pagefiles/145/AlleyPond-Trails-2019__5dde87a3ebb41.pdf
https://ny.curbed.com/2016/6/9/11891372/nyc-parks-alley-creek-queens-photo-essay
https://longislandsoundstudy.net/2012/10/alley-pond/

The 'Queens Giant' - NYC's tallest tree

In the woods of Alley Pond Park in Queens stands the tallest tree in New York City. At 134 feet tall, the tulip poplar dubbed the 'Queens Giant' is estimated to be between 350 and 450 years old. In fact, the tree may be the oldest living thing within the city. I grew up near the park and often visited for school trips and little league games. I didn't learn about the tree until I began exploring the parks trails several years ago.

Created in 1929, Alley Pond Park occupies 635 acres and is the second largest park in Queens. The park borders Bayside to the west, Douglaston to the east, Little Neck Bay to the north, and Union turnpike to the south. The Grand Central Parkway (GCP) and the Long Island Expressway (LIE) run east-west through the park, while the Cross Island Parkway (CIP) runs north-south. 

Alley Pond Park is home to old growth forest, glacial ponds, a lake, wetlands, and many species of animals. Further to the north, Alley Creek flows through marshlands into Little Neck Bay. The Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC), located near Little Neck Bay, is a nonprofit environmental education organization which works to educate and conserve this diverse ecosystem. I can recall visiting APEC on an elementary school trip.

The park contains ballfields, tennis courts and wooded trails. A paved bike/walk Greenway follows the route of the old Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, a private highway built in 1908 by William Kissam Vanderbilt. Following a series of connected Greenways through Queens, I've biked from Alley Pond Park to Flushing Meadows Park.

 
Visitors seeking the Giant must follow the Tulip Tree Trail which descends into a valley near the intersection of the LIE and the CIP. The location is marked on the park's trail map as well as on Google maps but there are no signs to aid visitors in finding it. Stepping off the path and searching around reveals the Giant's trunk, protected by a fence.

I spent many years walking, running and biking the park's trails before I visited the tree. Several years ago, I made my way down into the grove around dusk; the thick vegetation made the area darker. Aside from the expressway noise, I was alone in the woods. I searched around a bit before locating the tree. I was surprised to see a fence around it. I remember feeling that I owed the tree an apology, for not visiting sooner.


Sources
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/Q001/history
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/Q001/highlights/19645
https://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/hiking/alley-pond-park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alley_Pond_Park
https://www.alleypond.org/mission--history.html
https://ny.curbed.com/2016/6/9/11891372/nyc-parks-alley-creek-queens-photo-essay
https://naturalareasnyc.org/map
https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2009/06/where-are-new-yorks-oldest-living-trees.html
https://untappedcities.com/2015/02/20/this-is-the-oldest-and-tallest-tree-in-nyc-the-queens-giant-in-alley-pond-park/

Fort Tilden

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown last March, I began making regular trips to Fort Tilden, escaping my apartment and enjoying this natural preserve only a 30-minute drive away. I visited the area once before but now I had the chance to roam the trails and discover the fort's history, hidden from the beach under overgrown vegetation. Below is a brief description of the fort's history.

Fort Tilden Plan
http://www.fortwiki.com/File:Fort_Tilden_Plan.jpg

Fort Tilden, once a functioning military fort, is today part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Located on the Rockaway peninsula in Queens, N.Y., the fort is bordered by Jacob Riis Park to the east and Breezy Point to the west. The area is a popular beach and fishing destination for many New Yorkers, as well as a marine habitat preserve. Beaches, sand dunes, and maritime forests make up the interior of the park. Hidden from the beach stand two towering artillery batteries, their 16-inch cannons long since removed. Visitors who stick to the beach may be unaware of the fort's 57 year history of protecting New York City.

Fortifications in New York Harbor began in 1807, with the Second System coastal defenses. Prior to the War of 1812, clashes with the British prompted President Thomas Jefferson to build fortifications on America's coasts. Forts were built on Manhattan Island as well as today's Governor's Island, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, and Staten Island. These forts, known as the Second System defenses, were constructed of earth and wood . The smoothbore cannons which could fire up to 1 mile, keeping enemy battleships from striking distance. Between 1817 and 1867, the forts were updated with cannons with a range of 3 miles. This allowed construction of Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, NJ, which guarded the southern entrance of New York Harbor. A blockhouse was also built on Rockaway Peninsula, establishing the first of many military installations on the Peninsula.

In 1917, the United States entered World War I and fortifications on the Rockaway Peninsula began. Camp Rockaway Beach was constructed as well as the Naval Air Station (NAS) Rockaway, located in today's Jacob Riis Park. Camp Rockaway Beach was later renamed Fort Tilden after Samuel J. Tilden, former governor of New York and 1876 presidential candidate. The East and West Batteries were built, each with two 6-inch guns.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper Friday September 13, 1935
Source https://www.facebook.com/forttilden

Fort Tilden's Battery Harris was built in 1924. Two 16-inch M1919 cannons were added, operated by the Army Coast Artillery Corps. The cannons were the largest used in seacoast defenses and had a range of up to 26 miles. The shoreline defenses, East Battery and West Battery, were renamed to Battery Fergusson and Battery Kessler.

By 1941, the United States entered World War II. Fort Tilden's detachment increased to 1,000 men and barracks were constructed. In 1943, Battery Harris's cannons were casemated with concrete and disguised with sand to protect against aerial attacks. The concrete structure also included a railway system which moved ammunition from the adjacent magazine buildings and then loaded the one-ton artillery shells.

One of the casemated Battery Harris cannons. 
Photo copyright https://www.facebook.com/forttilden

After World War II, Fort Tilden's coastal defenses were no longer needed. In 1946, parts of the facility were converted to apartments for Army veterans and their families. These families vacated in 1951 as Fort Tilden was once again needed during the Cold War. As sea attacks were no longer a danger, the 69th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion was stationed to man anti-aircraft batteries. Soon these batteries became obsolete and surface-to-air missiles were emplaced to defend against Soviet jet bombers.

Nike launch Area, 1965
Copyright US Army
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/coldwartilden.htm

Under the threat of the Cold War, Fort Tilden became a Nike Missile site (NY-49), one of 19 sites within the New York City area. This site protected the area from 1954 until the fort was decommissioned in 1974. The missiles were purely defensive and could intercept enemy jets out at sea. The Nike Hercules system was designed to carry a nuclear warhead, though the army never confirmed whether or not Fort Tilden's missiles carried nuclear material. During holidays, the missiles were on display, pointed towards the sky. Due to the SALT treaty with the Soviet Union, all Nike sites were decommissioned and in 1974 the army transferred Fort Tilden to the National Park Service.

Today, Battery Kessler can be seen from the beach and many military support buildings still remain. An observation deck above Battery Harris East offers 360 degree views. The Nike missile site is closed to the public but is easily found with the help of Google Maps. The concrete launch area is visible. Visitors can wander trails through the park's interior, past the giant concrete bunkers of Battery Harris which now stand as a reminder of Fort Tilden's role in protecting New York City.

Sources

http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Tilden
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/samuel-tilden-biography.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Tilden
https://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/2ndsystemforts.htm
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/newyorkharbordefenses.htm
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/forttilden1917-45.htm
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/coldwartilden.htm
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/nike-missile.htm

https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/upload/Willis-lt-colonel.pdf

A Note on Journaling

I've adopted a new habit over the last few months. I've journaled every day for the last 80 days. This wasn’t much of a conscious decision, but an attempt to write more. I journal in the morning while having breakfast. After some stretching and meditation, journaling is the next thing I do.

I have been journaling regularly over the past three years, but I didn't make a daily entry. Sometimes I'd journal every other day, sometimes once a week. Sometimes not at all for long stretches of time, which necessitated a simple entry detailing recent events but not much about what's happening now. Reading over some old entries, I felt my journaling had become hollow. I wanted to get inside my head. Once I began journaling every day, I found that I could write more about how I was feeling that day, without too much detail about 'this happened, then this'.

Now, my daily morning entry has become an essential part of my routine. As I sit down for breakfast, I consult my planner for the day's event and log bullet points on the events of the previous day. Next, I open my journal and write about what I'm thinking and feeling. When I look back on these entries, I am able to remind myself of my headspace that day. This has more substance and meaning for me than simply writing about what's happening. Journaling every day also allows me to explore ideas or thoughts I'm having in the moment.

I plan to continue journaling daily. It's part of my routine now. I look forward to it. I write and get my thoughts down first thing in the morning. I find my mind is clearer after journaling.

My 10 Most Listened-to Albums in 2020

My 10 most listened-to albums this year (in no particular order):

A Song for Paul – Ghost Funk Orchestra
Favorite tracks: Modern Scene; A Song for Paul

The debut album from local funk/soul band with a D.I.Y aesthetic. I learned about the band from Instagram. During the quarantine, primary songwriter/mastermind Seth Applebaum posted videos of his recording process for Notes from Quarantine. A Song for Paul blends jazz, funk and soul into a psychedelic journey to ghost-funk land. The tonal qualities of the record remind me of the sort Daptone Records re-invented. I look forward to finally seeing G.F.O. live once music venue restrictions are lifted. The band just released a new album Ode to Escapism which I will be checking out as well.

 

Preludio – Fabiano do Nascimento

Favorite tracks: Rainha; Preludio Amazonico  

I learned about Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento from his recent NPR's Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. I loved his performance and immediately downloaded Preludio. I've listened to this record endlessly; while working, walking or just sitting down and listening. I love the musicality, sparse instrumentation, and beautiful, meditative arrangements. Though I am not too familiar with Brazilian music, I feel do Nascimento is drawing on a rich history with this album and I am interested in discovering some of his influences.

All My Relations – Cochemea

Favorite tracks: All My Relations; Al-Mu'tasim; Mescalero 

A veteran of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, saxophonist Cochemea Gastelum assembled the Daptone crew in exploring his Indigenous roots on this record. Blending traditional percussion and melodies, with nods to jazz and other genres, this record is at times empowering, haunting and beautiful. When I listen to this record, I feel it's weight; the songs are ceremony, lifelines to ancestors and family traditions. While exploring his own roots, Cochemea shows us that we are all related.

Medaho – Kaleta & Super Yamba Band

Favorite tracks: Medaho; Goyito; Super Yamba Theme; La Guele

I saw Kaleta & Super Yamba Band open for St. Paul & The Broken Bones last December at the Brooklyn Bowl. Before the show, I sampled some of the band's music and knew I'd be getting there early to see them. The band was tight and powerful, with driving Afrobeat rhythms and rock solid bass lines. The group consists of singer/guitarist Kaleta, who toured with Fela Kuti, and Brooklyn Afro-funk band Super Yamba Band. I enjoy the deep percussive grooves and memorable horn lines on this record. During the protests following the death of George Floyd this past summer, I found this record uplifting and that it gave me spiritual strength.

Ilana: The Creator – Mdou Moctar

Favorite tracks: Karmane Tarhanin; Inizgam; Anna; Takamba

Ilana, the first studio album from Taureg rocker Mdou Moctar, blends Saharan desert blues music with Hendrix-inspired intensity. Moctar, from Agadez, Niger, became popular through cell phone bluetooth music sharing. His discography (and also the Sahel Sounds label) includes a treasure trove of lofi mp3s and field recordings from the desert and local community weddings. I can certainly imagine the interaction between the musicians and the audience on tracks which have several vocalists or sing-along parts and lots of rhythmic clapping. While Moctar may stick to more traditional tones on some parts of the record, he takes off on overdriven guitar solos on songs like 'Tarhatazed'. This record never fails to pull me in and transport me to the Sahara.

Guilty – Billy Martin

Favorite tracks: Home Beat Home; Across The Street; Xporto.

Billy Martin, of legendary jazz-funk band Medeski, Martin & Wood, plays drums and bass on his latest release Guilty. Martin, one of my favorite musicians and percussionists, draws on an eclectic assortment of influences here, with spaghetti-western vibes on 'Home Beat Home', surfer punk on 'Lonely Surf' and ambient compositions on 'Montaukett Sky'. Initially, Martin released short videos of himself on Instagram, looping bass parts and playing drums over the loops. These videos became the genesis of the record, eventually being compiled by Martin and then overdubbed by friends including John Medeski and Marc Ribot. Martin's inventive bass lines and masterful percussion creates a world inside each of these tracks which I frequently return to explore.

Resonate – Lettuce

Favorite tracks: Blaze; Moksha; Silence is Golden; Resonate.

Funk outfit Lettuce is without a doubt one of my top five favorite bands. When I heard the band was releasing an album this year, despite not being able to tour due to the pandemic, I purchased the vinyl and received a downloadable copy which I could listen to until the vinyl arrived. Resonate is the twin and follow-up to last year's grammy-nominated Elevate. As always, Lettuce brings the funk with ragers like 'Blaze' and 'Checker Wrecker'. 'Moksha' was the track that initially hooked me, with its incorporation of Indian music and classic Lettuce vibes. With indoor performances and touring being mostly impossible this year, I'm certainly looking forward to hearing these songs live – whenever that may be.

Universalists – Yonatan Gat

Favorite tracks: Medicine; Fading Casino

Back in January, I was able to see Yonatan Gat perform with the Eastern Medicine Singers, a group of Algonquin drummers and singers. Gat, a modern guitar legend, combined his frenetic riffs with the pounding rhythms and chanting of the Eastern Medicine Singers. The energy coming off the stage felt like shamanic ritual. With elements of avant garde, jazz and other genres, Gat looked like a crazed sea-captain while he steered the ship from one song to the next, utilizing his guitar and sampling instrument. I was already hooked on Universalists by the time I saw the show and I continued to revisit it throughout the year. Certain melodies, like on 'Fading Casino' would be on endless repeat in my mind. On 'Medicine', the track which initially hooked me, the pairing of Gat with the Eastern Medicine Singers seems like a strange one, but it works. Gat is able to break down all musical borders, seamlessly weaving in and out of genres while producing tracks which are thoughtfully composed but retain a feeling of improvisation.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

All right I couldn’t name just one! Polygonwandaland, Nonagon Infinity, Flying Microtonal Banana, and K.G. have all been on constant repeat.

Folksinger Vol. 2 – Willie Watson

Favorite tracks: Gallows Pole; Walking Boss

Willie Watson, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, sings and plays guitar, banjo, and harmonica on this interpretation of classic folk songs. During the summer, I'd lay in the grass, soaking in the sun and watching the clouds while listening to this record. I find it comforting to hear these old tunes of hard times and struggles, while our world now is itself in constant turmoil. Watson's cover of traditional folk song ‘Gallows Pole’ (first recorded by Leadbelly in 1939) moved me to tears the first time I heard it – and still does.

Throughout this tumultuous year, I am reminded of the special place music holds in my life. Music allows me to relax and reflect; to get lost in a song or album and temporarily leave my earthly problems behind. Music also gives me energy and inspiration. I am especially grateful for all these artists and their music and I thank them for guiding me throughout the year.

Notable Mentions:

Cinematics Vol. 1 – Soulive (My favorite band)

Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music! - Mark Guiliana 

A Love Supreme – John Coltrane (A record I frequently revisit). 

The Universe Smiles Upon You; Con Todo El Mundo - Khruangbin 

Naxatras – Naxatras (I've been listening to this a lot at the time of this publication).

Links

• Ghost Funk Orchestra
• Cochemea
• Fabiano do Nascimento Music & Tiny Desk Concert
• Kaleta & Super Yamba Band
• Mdou Moctar Music & KEXP performance; Sahel Sounds
• Billy Martin
• Lettuce
• King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
• Yonatan Gat & Medicine music video
• Willie Watson

Music projects

This past week I worked on a few music projects (instead of writing!).

I wrapped up a project in Ableton and sent it off to my brother and bandmate Eric for his thoughts and additions. I chopped up a Youtube sample of a former soldier speaking about his experiences during the Vietnam war and made trigger-able oneshot samples to 'play' over a jam we recorded recently. I will post the finished version at a later date.

Over the weekend, I performed a simple repair to an old Technics SL-BD22 turntable (see manual). The turntable played well but over time developed a speed issue. The turntable would speed up and slow down, making the pitch of the record sound warped (I should’ve recorded a sample of it!). From past experience and research, I've learned that sometimes this issue is caused by dirty controls and knobs.

With some help from Youtube, I took off the back plate of the player and located the speed control circuit board. I sprayed the controls and the switches with Deoxit. This seemed to do the trick - the turntable plays perfectly now. I ordered a new needle as well; I haven't changed it since I received the turntable and I noticed some high-end distortion.

 turntable backing plate removed

Speed control circuit board 

vr101 and vr102 - the speed controls; below is the

Pitch wheel

Update

After not posting for a week, I thought I should write about something, which is the purpose of this blog after all. I created the blog to practice researching, note-taking and writing. I hope it will act as a catalyst as well as an archive for projects. Through writing, I am able to understand my thoughts better as well as the topic I am studying. I look forward to sharing and thus 'letting go'.

Some topics I am interested in:

• Audio/music
• Current events
• History
• Nature/the environment/climate change
• Reading
• Photography and film

What I am currently working on:

• Writing
• A longer piece on the history of Fort Tilden (Queens, NY)
• Pieces on current social issues
• Writing samples for jobs
• Book notes of recent books I've read Audio
• Compiling field recordings from this past year
• Creating and writing my own music and sound experiments
• Working on music with my band

A little about me:

Currently 31 years old, living in Brooklyn, NY with my partner and our pet rabbit. I was born and raised in Queens, NY. I am a paralegal and digital court reporter. I play percussion as well as write, record and produce for my band. I enjoy walking, hiking, running and cycling.

Election Day

Today is Election Day here in the U.S. Early voting has been open and many votes have also been cast by absentee ballot. We are in the middle of a pandemic. There is social unrest and economic hardship. No doubt this is a historic year.

Over the past four years, my connection to news, social media and politics has waxed and waned. Sometimes I was deeply involved, while other times I stopped following the news at all and learned what was going on only from those around me. (As an experiment, I also traded my smartphone for an old flip phone).

Always trying to find the hidden meaning, I began to look for the conspiracy behind each event. I learned though, that conspiracies are a self-fulling prophecy - everything becomes a conspiracy. This is a very negative outlook that I adopted; it doesn’t allow for hope.

When the protests began following the death of George Floyd, my whole perspective shifted. I saw injustice everywhere I looked. I couldn’t look away anymore. By attending community solidarity meet-ups, I learned how to help fix the problems. First, I listened to my neighbors experiences. Then, I educated myself on social issues to environmental. I learned about my local and state governments. I listened to podcasts and watched documentaries. I became involved.

I am inspired by the strength of the community in this neighborhood and this city. What began with protests against police brutality has become much more. People want change in all areas. Recently I learned that protestors chained themselves to a fracked gas pipeline which is currently being built in our neighborhood. People are still involved and still fighting. The actions of normal people who try to make our country (and our world) a better place gives me hope.

This year has been tumultuous. I've learned a great deal since lockdown began in March. I am not apathetic as I once was. I am involved and I will continue to learn. We are all responsible. I want to do my part. After this election is over, the fight for better will continue.

-KW

Edgar Allan Poe in New York City

Around Halloween each year, I'm reminded of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In high school English class, we were given the assignment of writing a college-style term paper. As part of the assignment, we were expected to visit the library of a local university to learn how to locate books, gather notes, and create an outline for the paper due later in the semester. I distinctly remember sitting at a desk among the library's bookshelves and reading Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. I researched Poe's use of imagery and symbolism throughout his popular works. His macabre texts still pull me into his dark and mysterious world. Recently, I listened to a podcast on Poe's life within New York City by historical duo The Bowery Boys (named after a 19th century New York gang). Here's a few facts I learned from listening and some further research on his life.

Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was raised in Richmond, V.A., and later moved to New York to find work. Though he spent portions of his life in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Richmond, Poe kept returning to New York. The Poe family lived in several neighborhoods including Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, and in lower Manhattan near the present-day Financial District. In 1844 the family moved to the Brennan farmhouse in today's Upper West Side. Here, Poe worked on his poem The Raven, published in January of 1845. He frequently visited a nearby rocky area he named 'Mount Tom' which can still be seen in present-day Riverside Park. In May of 1846, Poe moved his family to Fordham village (located in the Bronx today) to find seclusion and cheap rent. He befriended the local Jesuit monks at St. John's College (now Fordham University, my alma mater). Poe's wife, Virginia Clemm, died here in 1847 from consumption, or tuberculosis. The Poe cottage survived and is now a museum located in Poe Park. 

Poe died in Baltimore on October 7, 1849. The facts surrounding his death are mysterious and the exact cause of death is still unknown. He left Richmond on September 27 on his way to Philadelphia for work, but never made it there. On October 3, Baltimore Sun compositor Joseph W. Walker discovered Poe lying in the gutter outside Gunnar's Hall, a public house which was being used as a polling place for an election. Poe was semi-conscious and wearing dirty second-hand clothes. The night before he died, Poe's doctor said he kept repeating the name "Reynolds". The death certificate states the cause as swelling of the brain but no information has surfaced about how Poe ended up in the gutter outside the public house or where he'd been for the week before Walker found him.

Many theories exist, including that Poe may have drank himself to death. Another theory is that Poe was a victim of cooping, a method of voter fraud whereby gangs would beat and force people into voting for a candidate multiple times under different identities. This could explain why he was found wearing second-hand clothes outside the public house.

The Poe Museum in Richmond, V.A. explains Poe's legacy on American writing:

• one of the most influential writers of the 19th Century and the first to try to make a living solely as a writer.
• transformed the horror genre and was also an early pioneer of science fiction.
• credited with inventing the modern detective story with Murders in the Rue Morgue and the concept of deductive reasoning, thus influencing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

Sources:
https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2017/10/edgar-allan-poe-new-york-places-master-gloom-horror-made-mark.html
https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2020/01/raven-edgar-allan-poe-published-170-years-ago-today-2.html
http://bronxhistoricalsociety.org/poe-cottage/history-of-the-cottage/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/still-mysterious-death-edgar-allan-poe-180952936/
https://www.eapoe.org/index.htm
https://www.poemuseum.org/poes-biography

Upgrading my Macbook

I’ve had my 13” aluminum Macbook 5.1 since my second year of college, back in 2008. Over the years, I made several modifications to increase its functionality while running music recording software.

Several years ago, I increased the RAM to the maximum 8GB, replaced the original hard drive with a 120GB SSD and installed a 500GB HDD in the CD bay. The SSD functions as the startup drive where I run all of my applications, while the HDD is storage for various projects.

After I updated to Mavericks, I never again updated the OS. Why? I had obtained (via torrents) perfect working versions of Ableton Live 9 and Pro Tools HD and I didn’t want to risk losing their functionality with an update. I taught myself how to create and record music with these programs. I used Ableton to record my band's first album. Years later, when we recorded in a friend’s state-of-the-art studio, I was able to edit the recordings using my Pro Tools copy.

Now, due to security concerns about my old drive, I picked up another SSD to install El Capitan, the most recent OS compatible with this Macbook.

I also purchased (finally) Ableton Live 10. Live’s license allows the user to download to two authorized computers. I plan to install a copy on my brother's computer as well. Per the license, both copies may not be able to run at the same time, but they will both be fully functional. This will allow us to work on projects together and send each other project folders.

Below are the steps I took to install the new SSD with El Capitan:

• I purchased a SATA 120GB SSD and a USB enclosure from OWC. [Note: I believe OWC states that the enclosure is recommended for HDDs only, but it seems to work fine with the SSD installed. I wanted to setup the drive externally first.]
• From the App store, I downloaded El Capitan to my current startup drive.
• Next, I Installed El Capitan on the new SSD. The installation would not complete due to the ‘no package was eligible’ error. Apparently, changing the date in Terminal fixes this issue. Open Terminal, type: date 101615072016. This completed my installation. 

I now have a (mostly) updated OS installed on a new SSD. In the future, I may swap it out with one of the current internal drives. The new drive will run Ableton and other apps, with files being saved elsewhere. Here’s to the joys of new gear, legal software and most important of all - a blank slate.