Dear friends,
Last month my dear friends Dodge Paterson (AKA 'OUTRI'- live bass artist) and Marcus Flack (drummer/film-maker) came over to Ireland to play on my 20th anniversary 'Francesco' show in the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival. It was glorious, joyful and full of laughter and nostaligia. (More to come here at Patreon - we filmed and recorded the entire show! Watch this space!)
Quick cup of tea before we head onstage
PLUGD RECORDS LIVE VIOLIN IMPROVISATION
On the Friday night of the weekend it was Culture Night in Ireland and I set up a little performance in Cork for myself and OUTRI - solo violin followed by solo bass. We were hosted by the legendary venue 'Plugd Records' - an institution over the last 25 years, thanks to the wonderful Jim! It's a cozy little hub for all things musical, records, coffee, wine, and always interesting gigs. If you haven't ever popped your head in, next time you're in Cork make it your destination.
Marcus took some footage on his little Osmo camera, so here is a little teaser - the entire set was a full improvisation with violin, pedalboard and my 8 track reel to reel tape machine. At various times as the music sweeps me along I play recordings I've gathered on my reel of tape. In the opening sequence you'll hear author Marilynne Robinson reading from her essay 'Grace and Contempt'. At other times there is some distorted Greta Thornberg, an old WW1 radio recording and a beautiful bit of Sarah Kay's performance poem 'A Bird Made of Birds' to close.
If you're looking to get new music, videos, thoughts and writings from me each month, do have a look at patreon - it's a direct way of supporting independent artists - you can sign up for as long or short as you want, for as little as the cost of a nice espresso per month, and access the library of music I have made available here! There is also a film-maker’s tier who get to use the music in any film projects while they are part of the community. And lots of scope for asking questions (gear nerdery/composing ideas/general chit chat)!!
OCTOBER BOOK RECOMENDATIONS
he destruction of Gaza and the continued violence in Israel/Palestine continues and at this stage there is no turning away from the images and daily news. It’s a situation that stretches back a long way (I was involved in student groups 25 years ago) and the way the (social) media reports it tends to divide communities, severe friendships and fuel polarisation. My stance has always been anti-violence, and I have tried my best over the last years to listen to real Palestinian voices, in poetry, music, in writing and broadcasts. I want to stay radically human, and have ears that listen before I speak. I want to hear songs and poems and cries and even laughter.
Thanks to my local librarian Elaine, who continues to order me in books of contemporary Palestinian poetry!
These two books hit hard - Raja Shehadeh is a human rights lawyer, so he writes with a clarity and sharpness that is so needed right now. He manages to end with a message of great hope.
Omar El Akkad is an Egyptian journalist now living in America, and gives a scathing account of how the news media and the western governments use language, money and power to allow atrocities to go unchecked. In this interview he says :
“I don’t know who I am on the other side of this book. There’s a good chance it will wreck my career, and a previous version of me would have seen that as a disaster. But I have a very different sense now of what the “worst thing” is. I’m never going to be the same guy I was before this. That’s just what happens when you don’t look away.”
Where-ever you stand, I encourage you to stay human, keep listening, don’t look away, build connections, build community and work for peace and justice.
JG