Issue 12 • February 2019 • Facebook.com/TalkArts
IT’S ALL ABOUT
ARTS
Supporting Local Arts and Culture
Sculptor Morris Norvin
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
Sculpture Art
My early childhood was spent playing in the beautiful and expansive Forest Hills Cemetery - yes you heard right. I lived for thirteen years next to the cemetery and it was a natural place for a curious young mind and body to wander. What left the most impression on me in the cemetery were the large, attention-demanding monuments. Forest Hills Cemetery has amazing sculpture throughout its many acres created by such famous sculptors as Daniel Chester French and Martin Milmore, to name a few. So at a young age I was eagerly exposed to the art form of sculpture art. More info about their collection at foresthillstrust.org. Next on my sculpture art journey was a trip to Washington DC and a visit to the Hirshhorn Museum’s Sculpture Garden. I was both fascinated and creatively motivated during that visit. I came away with a new appreciation for all sculpture and public art but mostly contemporary work. Lucky for people living in New England, we have many resources nearby to see sculpture and public art (I like to call it ticket free museum art). Massachusetts is a wonderful advocate for public art. According to Mass Creative, “Modeled on the nation’s oldest state public art program in Hawaii, the Massachusetts Public Art Program, or MPAP, would invest approximately $2 million a year in the creation and preservation of public art on Commonwealth-owned properties”. Boston in particular has some wonderful sculptures to feast your eyes on. For me first is “Make Way for Ducklings”, in the Boston Public Garden by Nancy Schön. Another favorite of mine is the Arnold “Red” Auerbach statue at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Too many to mention, just Google Boston sculpture and look at images to see the bounty. You can also visit the page on Boston. gov hosting info about the Boston Arts Commission. I would be remiss to not mention the great It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
work of DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum that has sixty sculptures on thirty acres close by in Lincoln, MA. More info at decordova.org. I admire artists who create sculptures. The ambience of our visual world is truly enhanced because of sculpture art. I hope that the articles and info in this issue peaks your interest and curiosity about sculpture art. Image: Me in my yard holding a rake next to a sculpture by Rick Carpenter (he lent to me for Roslindale Open Studios many years ago). More about his work at rickcarpenterstudios.com.
Editor: Janice Williams IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS watch on www.bnntv.org www.itsallaboutarts.com facebook.com/TalkArts Twitter - @itsallaboutarts Instagram #itsallaboutarts ROSLINDALE ARTS ALLIANCE www.roslindalearts.org facebook.com/Roslindale-Arts-Alliance-129685993761701 ART STUDIO 99 www.artstudio99.com facebook.com/Art-Studio-99-145566388819141 Twitter @artstudio99 Instagram - janice_art_studio_99 Published by It’s All About Arts Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved Glenn Williams - 617-543-7443 glennsmusic.williams@gmail.com Janice Williams - 617-710-3811 janice@artfulgift.com TO ADVERTISE - REQUEST OUR MEDIA KIT
Sculptor Morris Norvin I was born in Queens, but have lived in and around Boston for most of my life. I have lived in Chicago and New York for brief periods as well. I live in Mission Hill now. My main focus artistically is with welded found metal, but I work in many other materials as well such as clay and plastilina, wax, wire and plaster to name a few. I have carved stone, wood, and bone, engraved into Plexiglas, and even done some performance pieces. I also cast work in bronze, aluminum and acrylic. I was introduced to sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts when I began studying there at the age of seven in the Saturday Art Program, and I began classes with Ralph Rosenthal at the age of ten. I was a bit too young for his class but remained there until I turned eighteen. He must have seen something in me and awarded me a scholarship when I was fifteen, so I spent all day Saturday in his class, and I teach those very classes today. I have a studio where I create and teach in Jamaica Plain, Stonybrook Metal Arts and Sculpture School, or Stonybrook MASS for short. We are a small school offering classes in welding, metal casting and jewelry. I also teach five classes a week at the MFA. I take my inspiration from life and make many sculptures of animals It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
and people, but over the last two decades I have been troubled by humanity’s effect on wildlife so my work has been lately an attempt to communicate the beauty I see in nature through the medium of cast-off and discarded man-made objects, both in appreciation of their form and an intentional distortion of their purpose in an attempt to link the familiar aspects of machination with the also familiar gestures of life in motion. I hope my work helps people to relate more to the natural
world and perhaps my re-use of material may inspire them to recycle more in their life. Over the course of my career I have shown and sold sculpture of (continued)
Sculptor Morris Norvin (continued)
many sizes and materials. My tool archway stands in front of the Boston Building Materials Coop and a cast glass relief hangs outside the weight room in the Reggie Lewis Center. I have worked on multiple design projects for theater and film and have created original art for movies. I have performed live sculpture demonstrations at a variety of venues, from grocery stores, churches and fairgrounds to periodic events at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. My studio has assisted in multiple private inventions as well, performing research, development and working models for things such as medical stent technology, physical health systems, and display/advertising products. My business has also made custom fencing and handrails for businesses, parks, and homes around Boston and Cambridge. Although I have been dedicated to my artwork, I have had to fund it in many ways over the course of my life, so I spent 20 years in the building trades painting houses and doing carpentry. I managed bars and restaurants for years as well, and worked in a variety of security jobs from Methadone clinics and parking garages to private offices and shopping malls. I drove small packages as a courier, and worked as a route planner/base operator for international small package rush shipping. There were probably other things as well I may have forgotten. I am inspired by the artists of antiquity. Ralph Rosenthal was probably my most inspirational person, and I wanted to be able to use my hands the way he did. As an instructor I must be It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
able to be versatile so that I can help students without forcing my own vision upon them, but that being said, I am constantly amazed and impressed by what others have created, whether ancient or contemporary and I’m always trying to find relevant art to show my students. I look to Cicero D’Avila in Brazil whose marble work and portraiture are both modern and traditional, or Kate MacDowell, a porcelain artist also working on environmental issues. Alexander Seton’s marble is very political but he also knows whimsy, and his “shrouded objects” in marble are just amazing. I like Damien Hirst for the way he thinks even though some of his work can be troubling. I make a point of showing Ron Meuck to my students, his hyper realistic style and use of material is out of this world, and he achieves a massive scale with his work that is humbling to perceive in person. I could be here all month talking about other artists. My work is consistently selected by juries, and I take part in many invitational shows. My sculpture is frequently shown in botanical gardens as a complement to exotic plantings. One of my steel dogs resides in the Federal Reserve on Boston, but much of my sales have been to private collectors. Since I mainly work with found objects every piece is an adventure. I have an image in my head of the overall shape and gesture of what I want but how and what it will ultimately be made of is a mystery until it happens. (continued)
Sculptor Morris Norvin (continued) I am a member of New England Sculptors Association showing at multiple venues around the greater New England area and I frequently exhibit at the Millbrook Gallery in Concord NH. I also participate in the yearly Flying Horse Sculpture Show at the Pingree School in Hamilton MA. I should have several upcoming shows this summer around New England, the juries are still out. ABOUT STONYBROOK FINE ARTS
WE ARE NOW A NON-PROFIT, STONYBROOK METAL ARTS & SCULPTURE SCHOOL, STONYBROOKMASS
24 Porter Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02131 https://stonybrookfinearts.com
Stonybrook is primarily a metal-oriented school with classes in welding, jewelry and casting. We cast bronze and aluminum sculpture and small silver and gold casting for jewelry as well as mold making and a variety of cold casting methods and materials. I run a figure modeling class on Thursday nights, and we have many one-day workshops in welding and jewelry for those who want more of an introductory experience. One-to-one lessons are available and for those who have become proficient in our offerings, we have shop time. Although we are not a full production foundry we will do commission work for mold making, casting, and general fabrication. An artist could produce their own bronzes for a fraction of what a full foundry would charge. Stonybrook also offers custom workshops to create your own wedding bands, birthday parties, team building and interactive school tours. In addition, we have eight artist work spaces in our building. Stonybrook participates in ArtWeek Boston, the Maker Faire at the Children’s Museum and Jamaica Plain Open Studios. We also do seasonal events around the various holidays and school vacations. I can be reached at info@stonybrookfinearts.com I just want to add that I would probably still be tending bar if not for the persistence, patience, love and support from my wife Anne Sasser. She has made it possible for me to be doing this today, and deserves all my gratitude. It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
DUSTY CONFUSION
!
I have been sleepwalking in a dusty confusion while my soul longs for the clarity of transcendence. I retreat into my room. fall into my bed, weary.
!
Sleep comes to me, heavy with fatigue and melancholy. I dream of wordless, menacing beings who attempt to destroy me. I wake myself from the rush of fear before I die this dream death.
! I lie there in and out of fitful unconsciousness. ! “Why do you sleep?” says a Voice at the edge of my awareness. “Don’t forget me,” I say in my anguish. “Come to the door and greet me.” “Hello”, says the Voice. I say, “Come in.”
!
A gentle hand wrestles with the tangled bedclothes of my consciousness, letting in a sliver of light under the blanket of darkness.
!
The Voice, warm and honeyed, soothes into my ear: “Open your eyes, the lights will guide you. They shine on the pathway to wherever you are heading.”
!
A star, shining in my head, seems to say: “Be just, be kind, be loving. Watch and learn. Choose.”
!
From a place of green, warm, enfolding comfort deep inside me, I hear my own voice: “Open your heart and mind and your mouth will sing, spilling out an evanescent music which bubbles forth a thousand spirits chanting like flutes, like bells, like chimes, like gongs of goodness.
!
Its All About Arts
February 2019
Open your arms and hands and your fingers will become feathered wings, fanning out seeds of change with a whoosh upon the wind.”
!
*** I open my eyes. I arise. I stretch off the dusty sleep of the shadows. I draw over my shoulders the many-hued scarves of sensation. I let fear be simply one color of the cloak I wear.
!
*** My feet follow the trail of the Voice.
! ! Janna Maria Fröhlich ! ! ******************************************************** ! ! AGE CURIOUS ! Six decades worth of amazing moments I still ponder my reason for being in a world that seems forever surly
!
Most days I feel a smorgasbord of eager thoughts
sometimes more than the mind/body can handle all at once
a sheep herder with an endless flock
!
Age has brought a feeling of calm acceptance
my youthful enthusiasm rearranged
I am not sure if I like it or not
!
I have not many regrets or complaints
it has been a true existence of fullness
I only ask that curiosity continue to be my guide
!
Janice Williams
Its All About Arts
February 2019
BLACK HISTORY MONTH Digital Artist Rachel Goldberg rachelgoldbergartitude.com
The Knowing of My Roots- Artitude ancestral Collection 2019 We look and we seek to understand where the Now converges with our ancestors and integrates while never forgetting our stories. With Grace and love let us embrace the beautiful tapestry we weave as we walk together.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”. Martin Luther King Sculpture Memorials in Boston Robert Gould Shaw Memorial by Augustus Saint Gaudens Depicting the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Beacon Street opposite the State House. Image from National Park Services. Phillis Wheatley in the Boston Women’s Memorial by Meredith Bergmann. Wheatley was the first African-American poet and the first African-American writer to publish a book. Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Image from Friends of the Public Garden Harriet Ross Tubman Memorial by Fern Cunningham. Harriet Tubman leading slaves to freedom as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. South End. Image from Boston Herald Staff
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
EXPOSED SECRETS OF AN ART REP HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR SUCSESS AS AN ARTIST How does an artist define success? The answers are as varied as the number of artists. Each individual has a different idea of what provides them the greatest fulfillment. One would define it as the first sale, another a review in a respected publication or yet another a gallery show. To still another it could be as simple as sharing their view of the world through their art. Regardless of the goal you might have, you will always have a greater chance of achieving it if you have a clear understanding of what matters most to you. Before events with my artists, I frequently ask, “How will you define success tonight?” Their response is often measured by sales or attendance or even reviews, but it can also be simply making one good contact. Most of my clients realize that success is defined in many ways and one of the most important reasons they hire me is to sift through all the ideas and help them develop a clearly written definition of what they view as success. If you have never clarified your goals into a simple, concrete written statement it will be difficult for you to succeed. Go create your action plan!
Be Mine
I Heart You
Hug Me
Established in 2007, Canvas Fine Arts is a Boston agency that strives to be the best tool for the artist to get the work seen, appreciated, and sold. This goes well beyond the gallery show using a host of alternative methods to achieve the goals. Contact: suzanne@canvasfinearts.com or 617-470-1889 Let’s Kiss It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
VA L E N T I N E S DAY
by Suzanne Schultz
Heart Collages by Janice Williams
Folk music artist Prateek is a powerhouse of emotion and virtuosity By Mary Ellen Gambon
Prateek is an amazing study in contradictions. The Bostonian folk singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player is of Indian descent. He spent his formative years studying classical music and opera before becoming influenced by the music of Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles. He also began playing piano at age four and played the clarinet in the school band. “My parents had a crazy record collection,” he said before a January show at the Lilypad in Cambridge. “I listened to a lot of The Beatles, The Eagles, and AC/DC, plus a lot of modern rock and metal like Green Day, Alkaline Trio, Avenged Sevenfold and Audioslave.” “Basically, if it had guitars, I listened to it,” he explained with a laugh. What is striking about Prateek is his amazingly energetic personality, sense of humor and stage presence. He joked with the packed crowd at the Lilypad between every song, drawing them into his songs like a vortex. Yet the emotional wrenching of his folk, blues and gospel tinged songs nearly brought the standing room crowd to tears during his new song dedicated to his brother, entitled ‘The Gang’s All Gone.” Forget your job, forget the bills Run your mouth and chase the thrills And swear that this is gonna be your year. The gang’s all gone and you’re still here… A bottle’s not a place to build a home.
Prateek will be promoting the release of this single at a show on Friday, February 22nd at Encore Apparel Company in Boston. The address is 303 Newbury Street in Boston. The show begins at 7 p.m. “It’ll be just me and my guitar, plus a It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
secret special guest who I’m very excited about,” he said. “There are a limited number of tickets available, and they can be purchased here: http://bit.ly/encoreshow.” “December” is an up-tempo song of contrasts. It uses stunning imagery of nature of crocuses and blades of grass, speaking of Spy Pond in Arlington. It turns more thought provoking, however, when it refers to “sunshine in a pill.” The imagery, combined with the bridge of Prateek’s whistling, captivated the audience of millennials, Gen Xers and those older aficionados as well. Prateek’s music is both visual and visceral, painting landscapes while simultaneously tearing at the heartstrings. Prateek can take you on an emotional rollercoaster of love and loss without losing his poise. One of Prateek’s more popular songs is “Diamonds.” He inflects some blues and a bit of gospel by the end of the song. This world will break you if you don’t Allow your knees to hit the floor
By the time he reached the chorus, Prateek’s voice thundered and growled, reverberating the walls and reaching out to Inman Square. Prateek earned a degree in psychology from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. “I got my degree in psychology even as I intended to be a musician,” Prateek explained. “There’s no real overlap or anything.” When he began writing music in his early twenties, Prateek’s music evolved, incorporating influences of alternative, country and folk rockers Ryan Adams, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Jason Isbel and John Fulbright. He gained proficiency in playing the acoustic guitar and maturity as a vocalist that demonstrates decades beyond his years. (continued)
Folk music artist Prateek is a powerhouse of emotion and virtuosity By Mary Ellen Gambon (continued)
“I have a real aversion to writing fake songs,” Prateek said. Not that fake songs are always happy. When I started writing, I wrote some really awful, wanna-be country songs before realizing that wasn’t me. But yeah – I just try to write as honestly as possible and most of the time it comes out pretty sad. Of course, being sad on stage keeps me from being sad everywhere else.” Prateek’s big break came while still in college. He got his start playing at the famed Lizard Lounge Open Mic in Cambridge nearly every week. In 2016, He released his debut EP, “Walking in My Sleep,” recorded in a bedroom with only his guitar and two microphones.
Since then, Prateek has played on stages and at festivals across the United States, including the Kerrville Folk Festival and Club Passim. His most recent single “Emma,” has been described as “stripped-down, honest heartbreak” (Vanyaland), and is available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. Prateek has been nominated for “singer-songwriter of the year” at both the New England Music Awards and the Boston Music Awards. “I wish I could be better with words and emotions,” Prateek said in his song, “December.” But, at this point in his career, how could Prateek not? Follow at https://www.facebook.com/prateek.poddar.77
ALittle Help
WE DO WORDS
• • • • • • • • • • •
janicebiz.com 617-710-3811 Press Releases/Press Kits Ghost Writing Memoirs/Biographies Newsletters Articles Blogs Resumes Cover Letters Proposals Artist Statements Grants
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
we all have a great story to tell what’s yours
Through February 24th at Hibernian Hall (184 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119) Tickets: https://www.actorsshakespeareproject.org
Glenn Williams Named Radio Station Manager
BNN Media is happy to announce that Glenn Williams was named as Station Manager of WBCA 102.9 FM on January 2, 2019. Glenn is no stranger to BNN having been the host of the weekly TV program “Its All About Arts” for more than 20 years and of “Beyond the Pallette” which airs Thursday evenings on WBCA. He served on the BNN Board of Directors from 2004 through 2012 as Director, Treasurer and President.
Councilor Timothy McCarthy (left) shared his thoughts and pride of the great diversity, history, and future of Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roslindale as well as the magnificent City of Boston with WBCA manager Glenn Williams (right). Tune into WBCA 102.9 FM to hear Councilor McCarthy, as well as other City Councilors’ thoughts and feelings about the city they represent, Boston. Contact Glenn for more info at: gwilliams@bnnmedia.org Phone: (617) 708-3241 It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
Linda Burnett, Realtor
ÂŽ
Helping build our communities through the arts for 30 years.
Insight Realty Group 617-335-2824 linda.realty@gmail.com
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
ARTof Travel & Food by Kelly McKeeney
Mardi Gras in New Orleans this year is
March 5, 2019. “Fat Tuesday,” is the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
NOLA/The Royal
New Orleans, Louisiana has become a very special place to me over the past fifteen years. The people, the atmosphere, the music, and the FOOD are what bring me back to the Big Easy. Each time I visit the French Quarter and surrounding areas, I feel elated. Everywhere you look, there is something interesting to catch your eye. Jazz, Rock, Zydeco, and my personal favorite, the Blues, blare out of each tavern along the way. I love Frenchman Street where my favorite music lounges, Vaso and Bamboulas, buzz at night. The goal is to soak it all in as much as possible. Between the sites and sounds, Grenade and Hurricane drinks, beers, and cutting a rug, a girl can really work up an appetite. Oysters and beignets are on my mind. Strolling down the many streets of the French Quarter, including Bourbon Street, one of the most famous, checking out all the beautiful boutiques, art galleries, shops, bars, and eateries is no easy task in a very good way. Visitors from all over flock to NOLA and it can become the best people-watching situation you have ever experienced. Street performers and bands form in the middle of the roads. Playing various items as instruments, singing, and dancing. The best is reveling in a band which features someone playing the washboard. Awesome! Good old-fashioned NOLA parades march on down through the streets, celebrating weddings and special occasions. Anyone is welcome to join in the fun. Grab an umbrella and your beverage and strut your stuff. Over the years, my main squeeze and I have met so many interesting, kind, good people It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
in NOLA. Most of the cool individuals we meet are the hard- working people in the restaurant/bar industry. Striking up conversations with servers and bartenders is the fast route to what the locals prefer. And they have so many wonderful recommendations for FOOD. One of my favorite places to eat and drink is The Royal House Oyster Bar. Such a fantastic bar and restaurant which includes outdoor seating on the second level. The drinks are STRONG to say the least but oh so delicious. The menu is mostly seafood featuring oysters, crab, crawfish, shrimp po boys, and more. We always start off with chargrilled oysters, Louisiana oysters, fresh shucked, topped with Parmesan butter cheese filling and grilled to perfection. OMG! I know licking the plate in public is considered rude but once you have popped one of those delectable babies into your mouth, you would feel me. I don’t really but I SO want to. My next choice is ALWAYS the French Onion Soup. The Royal has one of the tastiest concoctions you will ever sample. Classic beef stock with caramelized onions, house made croutons, topped with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Sounds so simple, yet so freaking yummy. My man went with the gumbo which was also amazing. Traditional New Orleans-style with chicken, andouille sausage and white rice. (continued)
ART of Travel and Food by Kelly McKeeney (continued) For the following courses, Nairobi, our awesome server, The MAN who knows, took it from there. We did not argue. We smiled and sat excitedly sipping our bevvies, eagerly awaiting what Nairobi had coming. As we sat and chatted with Nairobi, he was shucking away at the fresh oysters. Can’t even imagine how many they go through per day. He did say that he finds a pearl now and then while shucking which I thought to be pretty dang bombastic. The humungous seafood stuffed mushrooms were placed in front of us, button mushrooms filled with a crab and shrimp stuffing and baked to a golden brown. Drooling. Next came the crab claws, fresh crab claws sautéed in a lemon, garlic butter sauce with toasted French bread for dipping. Yeah! Nairobi instructed us on which hot sauce to drizzle where and what other phenomenal sauce to dip in there. The feast we consumed
can only be described as RIGHT ON! There are a million hot sauces to choose from in NOLA. It’s crazy. Each has its own little flare. We were super thankful for Nairobi’s direction. He was so down to Earth, a great guy and on point with all his suggestions. You can’t go to NOLA and not experience the beignet!! Every night we would stumble on over to Café Du Monde. They are open 24 hours. What? Yup. The perfectly round fried doughs smothered in powdered sugar are to die for. Each fresh bite sprinkles the sugar all over the place. For sure worth it. I could go on for days about the unique experiences I have encountered in NOLA. As usual, I follow the good food and for that reason I will return to New Orleans as much as possible. It’s one of the areas I refer to as ‘my happy place.’ If you have not been, you need to. There’s something in NOLA for everyone to enjoy.
Contact Me Kelly McKeeney - Email: rozziefoodie@gmail.com Blog: http://rozziefoodie.blogspot.com - Website: https://rozziefoodie.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rozziefoodie It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
A New Resonance - Part 2 !
!
by Curt Naihersey!
! Last month’s responses thrilled me to the core. Right now, I’m continuing to wrestle with the dilemma of effort and effect = where is music heading and is that "good enough"? What do I need? What do I want? We know where it's been, trundled along happily with its expansion, and have been quite satisfied with the adventure. But if the sense of “new” is any consideration for consternation, morphing into incongruity leaves me in a muddle. Having access to numerous concepts and dreams (and fears of lesser things to come) has left me twisted and concerned. Music-making still performs the normal functions either prominent or background noise for people eating, thinking, talking, drinking, scheming, revolting, teaching, seducing, etc etc. But hey, that’s okay with us. It’s not that we should be complaining. After all, it’s only leisure time - isn’t it? If we're at the water's edge of mediocrity, then yes indeed - let the tide go out. The love of music will always be my undertow.! ! To repeat my premise: all of this introspection has led me to the crossroads of personal culture and direct appreciation. Do we hear what we want or need or is it merely fol-de-rol? Do we keep looking for new tomorrows or is past development sufficient for internal growth? I felt compelled to ask many of my musical compatriots these questions to elucidate some amusing and earnest observations: WHAT NEW MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO? and WHERE DO THINK MUSIC IS HEADING? The beat goes on…..!
!
Clara Kebabian [theater violinist, music teacher]: New/new to me music: It’s All About Arts
February 2019
Robyn, Drake, Lucky Chops, Little Suns, Elliott Brood, Miles Francis, Max Richter, Olafur Arnalds. To source new music, I go to the various blogs and see what is coming on, but when I travel around, besides photographing stratospheres, I like scanning the local community radio stations to see what and who is popular playing locally. The current ability to stream radio globally has been great as well in finding new international music. >> In addition, having become a new auntie this year, I have been studying up on new (Alastair Moock) and old kids music classics (aka Best of Sesame Street and The Great Muppet Caper) in the hopes to assist in the next generation's musical guidance & development.
!
Bob McCloskey [jazz saxophonist]: I don't encounter new music too often and when I do I'm usually trying to find value in styles that don't really pertain to my life now. Recently, I have enjoyed revisiting pop music from late 60's. Of note is the quality of voices pre autotune. I think for me, age determines a bit of focus in appreciating music. Looking for the satisfying rather than the new….to get to full appreciation of master musicians. >> The direction of music, well that's for the youngsters to deal with. As someone said, music will go where the youth takes it. They are usually reflecting the times.
!
Michael Bloom [journalist, bassist]: I am, to say the least, not at all the target audience for NEW - the last new record I listened to in its entirety (besides 21st century Van Der Graaf Generator) was probably Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. My previous girlfriend was trying to get me to appreciate the likes of Iron and Wine or Girlyman (I did like
"Easy Bake Ovens"), and none of that stuck. I think The Decemberists are as good as it gets for a "new" band (though they're old enough for one of them to get cancer) and they average maybe two good songs per album. And I don't like any dance type musics, not just because they're mechanical, but because being mechanical, those tunes are incapable of breathing. >> (Do you know the story about one of the not-stupid British magazines, I think it was Mojo, did a big article about Stockhausen, as part of which they played him some then-new electronica, Moby and Aphex Twin, neither of which he approved of because they were way too repetitive - and then they played "Gesang der Junglinge" for Moby and Richard James, both of whom complimented his sound world, but said ol' Karlheinz should really lighten up and get into a groove! Obviously this goes beyond aesthetic principles into a whole different theory of what sound art is supposed to aspire to. In this regard I am an old fart and proud of it.) >> I'm trying to evolve a whole new theory, building on the idea that all the officially sanctioned music before rock'n'roll existed mainly to justify the status quo (and that's why Symphony Hall looks and feels rather like a church). The blues came about so people could sing their truth, and lower class whites did the same thing with country music, and when those two strains got together, we got rock’n'roll which, knowing itself to be mongrel, gobbled up every other music it encountered, and got fat and complacent and homogenous, and lost sight of what made it necessary - which implies that it isn't any more. I can expand on this if you'd like…..
!
C h u c k U . [ r a d i o d e e j a y, s o u n d engineer]: What new music are you It’s All About Arts
February 2019
listening to? = New music comes to me in a variety of ways. Largely through radio and musician/friends. We are fortunate here in the Boston area to have a wealth of non-commercial community based radio which supports independent non-corporate driven music. The radio is on in our house and in our car quite a lot. Tuned mostly to WMBR, WMFO, WUMB, WZBC, the music flows through (full disclosure, I am involved with two of these stations). Sometimes it’s hard to keep track and it can get to be a bit of a blur, but mostly still enjoyable. Radio is both an advantage and a disadvantage. As a listener, I’m exposed to things I might not otherwise seek out, and hence can be amazed. But sometimes I’m served something I find doesn’t fit my personal taste, to put it mildly. That’s why radios (most!) come with dials - to change the station! >> I’m also blessed to have a number of dear friends who are also talented musicians. I follow their recording projects with great interest. Then I get to use their material on my radio shows. >> Where is music heading? = Not in any single direction. There is so much out there. I’m always open to experimentation, and even pushing the boundaries of what defines music. Earlier this year, I was filling in on “The New Edge,” on WMBR. It’s a show dedicated to the crossroads of jazz, classical and improvised music. I was playing some “noise art” (a piece by Helen Thorington) and a listener texted in that he was enjoying the audio, but wasn’t sure if he’d call it music. There you go: Beauty is in the ear of the beholder.
!
Ed Morneau [artist, author, singer/ songwriter guitarist]: Very interesting questions. Aside from listening to the music my friends make, like Bird
Mancini, Sal Baglio, and the Lowbudget artists from the tribute albums, there’s very little that catches my ears over these past several years. I’m trying to understand why and I have a few reasons:
1. There is a fear of melody these days. Listen to Bird’s new album, Dreams and Illusions, and Billy and Ruby crush it, each additional listening reveals constant surprises carried by the unusual chord changes and risky melodic turns, but everything works in service to the melody, which is what carries any good song. >> Sal Baglio always honors his melodic muses, but carries them with performance convictions that are often startling and guitar playing that harkens back to the pre-navel gazing times when guitarist played with a sense of lyricism i n s t e a d o f fl a s h . > > T h e re c e n t Lowbudget Records’ Dylanology is a master class in adaptation, playing to Dylan’s oft-ignored melodic gifts, and his sense of humor. >> Even Mr. Curt music has been a consistent exploration of mood, rhythm, and heartfelt sympathies, wrapped around melodies dipped in blues, spoken, scat, jazz, and experimental. >> Listen to a Ray Mason record and experience a consistent effort to tell a story, write a simple melody, and know that he will pop up at your nearest coffee shop or bar and charm you with his honesty and decency as a journeyman. >> Another very interesting artist is T Max. His recent Halloween album, Transylvania Twist, could not exist without a devotion to the melodic heft that humanizes the monsters he serenading us about.
2. The ongoing degradation of formatting into digital one-offs marginalize the longer album narratives that slowed down the listening experience, allowed for the fan to experience a panorama of It’s All About Arts
February 2019
varied work, and inspired the listener to work out a personal lyricism with the pan-lyricism of the artist.
3. The recording dynamics of a lot of today’s music is flat and loud, no matter what calculations and hooks are contrived by the committee of producers. And I’m not talking about metal, et al; I’m talking what passes for formulaic R&B, pop, and the worst of all, Lipstick Country. At least Uber-metal doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is. >> And the critics don’t help. The free tickets to concerts is a bribe and just a different form of payola. They perpetuate the same mediocrity that corporate-owned critics do with the schlock that passes for films today.
Outside this small circle of people above, one commercial album that fit the bill for me is Regina Spektor’s Remember Us to Life. Nothing comes close to this record for elegance, melodic simplicity, b e a u t y, a n d g y m n a s t i c s , v a r i e d performances on par with The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and a rich narrative expressing love, anger, loss, triumph, and a self-reflection that should inspire the most disconsolate to make better arrangements with life. >> Other artists who make valiant attempts to remain true to the virtues enumerated above: Field Music - Mark Knopfler - Tracy Bonham Jason Isabel - Goldfrapp -Esperanza Spaulding - Petra Haden - Randy Newman >> Hope this helps. Yours in fealty to your love of music.
!
Didi Stewart [iconic singer/songwriter, associate vocal professor @ Berklee]: Interesting comments from the folks you interviewed last month. Thinking about it, I realized the only 2018 recordings I really enjoyed were by my student songwriters or by local artists/friends. Maybe because they're labors of love rather
than fodder for mass consumption, and are spiritually more in line with the music that first inspired me all those years ago. So Bird Mancini, T Max's monster bash, your Bollards CD, and albums by Berklee faculty buds Cassandre McKinley, Steve Kowalczyk, and Carolyn Wilkins top this year's list. Not forgetting Dennis Brennan, who sings/writes/performs rings around your average chart-topper. >> I did discover, or rediscover, some non-2018 items this year. Had to do loads of listening for my Celtic vocals class, and three albums stood out. A longtime fave, BRIGHT PHOEBUS by Lal and Mike Waterson finally got released on CD and feels as fresh as it did in the 1970s. Lal's work is a revelation - aching beautiful songs that seem to exist in a world beyond tears. Also RISING ROAD by Oysterband lead singer extraordinaire John Jones, and ENGLISH REBEL SONGS by Chumbawamba—(yes, the "Tubthumper" folks) - featuring bracing a cappella takes on historical songs of protest and resistance. There ya go! Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and h e re ' s t o a h a p p y, h e a l t h y, a n d productive 2019!
!
T i m C a s e y [ s i n g e r / s o n g w r i t e r, producer, ex-high school teacher]:
1. What new music have you been listening to?
Mostly classical, checking out some new composers after being urged to by Stereophile Magazine. Some of it’s good, some of it’s not, but that’s true of anything. I’ve also become enamored with Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, which I never appreciated before. Kerry Maxwell turned me on to the original quadrophonic mix, and now I really get what they were doing and I enjoy it. As far as music written in the past few years, Garbage’s recent album Strange It’s All About Arts
February 2019
Little Birds blew me away. It has three songs on it that were described by a Tape Op reviewer as three songs that you’d have heard constantly all summer on the radio, only there’s no radio anymore. Which brings me to the second question:
2. Where do you think music is heading? Splintering, mostly. Which is a good thing for being creative but a bad thing for our culture. Fifty years ago, there wasn’t as much choice in what you could listen to. There were only a few radio stations, and they played any record that was selling, which then sold more copies. It was selfperpetuating promotion. The great thing about it was that AM Radio would play rock, folk, easy listening, instrumentals whatever was climbing up the charts. So I had to hear stuff like Englebert Humperdink that I would otherwise never had listened to. Some of those Easy Listening songs (“Tiny Bubbles”, anyone?) are still stuck in my head and have probably influenced my choices when writing music. And it was great to be in love with a song that everyone loved - even my mom and her mom. And the bad stuff hardly ever made it to the top, so you didn’t waste much time on it. Of course, some good stuff never got the audience it deserved, either. So although the radio stations acted as the gatekeepers for what music you heard, they generally did a pretty good job of it. >> That’s gone now. If you want to hear some music, and you don’t have your own collection, you need to chose what kind of music you want to listen to, and the individual categories are getting really precise. If I want to listen to SerbianHeavy Metal-Drone Music, there’s an internet link for that, and that’s all I’ll hear. And Spotify will forever remember that I like that and will filter out other stuff. Even half of the kids in my high
school haven’t heard of the music that their other classmates are listening to. And they never hear it all together at once - they hear it individually over headphones. Even if they all listened to the same song at once, it’d be out of sync if you compared all the headphones. So the collective listening experience is slowly becoming extinct among our youth. That’s a real drag, because since the dawn of man, music developed as a social experience; it became a way of bonding. I also think that what passes for pop, rock and country nowadays is really, really boring. That stuff needs the flashy visuals to give it weight. I can’t think of any really, really big hit song that I’ve heard in the past decade that will still be listened to twenty years form now. It’s all empty calories.
!
Mr. Curt [singer/songwriter, catalyst]: Since I initiated this conversation, let me end with some personal observations. I’ll call them “arty-facts”. As many people mentioned, “new music”, for the most part, seems geared towards youthful commercial interests…a time to be inquisitive, impulsive, indecisive, demanding, disinterested, detouring, and constantly changing. The notion of adult balanced musical understanding hasn’t taken hold yet. In the “pop” market, turnover demands innovation [or is it vice versa??], which, as far back as I can remember, is the prime focus of the music biz…or rather, THE MUSIC BIZ!
When I was much younger, I worked retail in record stores for many years and witnessed the corollary between “rack sales” and “stiffs”. Some people wanted classic albums to build their library foundation; some wanted to discover fresh and challenging artists & albums to soar into the unknown, with radio, press, and word-of-mouth It’s All About Arts
February 2019
salespeople spreading the fervor. If it didn’t sell well, it was shelved and returned. It was just fiscal entertainment - pure and simple.
At some point thereafter, this burgeoning industry changed and grew beyond all expectations to extol profit and prophecy and control. But, it never stopped the endless flow of artists who lived and breathed music and wished to spout it to the world. If some of these lucky talents have advanced through the years to create an acceptable oeuvre, their balanced nuance of active credibility should gain strength and support. Either recycling valued styles, d i s c o v e r i n g n e w a p p ro a c h e s , o r combining them is the goal of continuity. We are at a stage in our “pop-musical" evolution where the room gets too full with the demands of the “new” and may force the “old” out of the limelight. But, with the advent of reissues and remastered collections, sometimes the “old” becomes “new”. (As I write this, The Beatles’ “White Album”, remastered with bonus tracks, is #1 on the trade charts!!) This is all substantial, coexisting, and pervasive. In this era of record store closures and decreasing distribution, we now depend on the internet for connection. If streaming and files are supplanting physical collections, we are still so lucky to have the choice to be who we are and what we want to listen to...anyway, anyhow, anywhere.
STRETCH YOUR MIND!
February 1st: Gallery Walk in Brattleboro, VT Join us for our first pop-up at Studio East, an artist’s studio in Brattleboro, VT at 58 Elliot St., on the second floor, from 5:30-8:30 PM. See work on display by Mia Scheffey, Beth Barry, Ruth Lague, Daniel Senie and Lawrence Libby! February 9th: Art Opening February Artist Priscilla Levesque at the Bull Run Restaurant Join Lowell artist Priscilla Levesque for an Art Opening from 1-3 PM at the Bull Run Restaurant located at 215 Great Rd., Shirley, MA 01464. The opening features her series of “Mill City Scenes”. February 15th: Art Opening Bearing Witness – North Central MA Women’s Caucus for Art Group at ZAVO in NYC at 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM ZAVŌ Mediterranean Restaurant 1011 Third Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, New York, NY Join us for another iteration of “Bearing Witness” a show put on by the North Central MA Women’s Caucus for Art Group. The term “bearing witness” refers to shared experience through life altering events. “Visual artists often bear witness through the art making process” said WCA member, Helen Obermeyer Simmons. The artists will show recent work inspired by the theme. The artists prepared for Bearing Witness II during a sumIt’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
mer retreat to rural Vermont. The exhibit will embrace a variety of art media including Pastel, Watercolor, Printmaking, Photography, Fiber Art, Sculpture and Collage. The exhibition is curated by Tamar Russell Brown of Gallery Sitka East located in Shirley, MA. Artists include WCA members Gail Bloom, Tamar Russell Brown, C. M. Judge, Sue Norton, Kate Shaffer, Helen Obermeyer Simmons, Sylvia Vander Sluis, Elsa Voelker and Susan Wadsworth. March 1st: Gallery Walk in Brattleboro, VT Join us for our second pop-up at Studio East, an artist’s studio in Brattleboro, VT at 58 Elliot St., on the second floor, from 5:30-8:30 PM. March 2nd: Art Opening March Artist Colette Shumate-Smith at the Bull Run Restaurant Join artist Colette Shumate-Smith on Saturday, March 2nd from 11:30 AM -1:30 PM at the Bull Run Restaurant located at 215 Great Rd., Shirley, MA 01464. March 2nd: Art Opening Winter Doldrums Curated by Melissa Richard Join NH artist Melissa Richard and a selection of work she curated during the Art Opening for “Winter Doldrums” on Saturday, March 2nd from 2-4 PM at Gallery Sitka East located at 2 Shaker Rd., D101, Shirley, MA 01464.
T
ess’s FEBRUARY To-Do List
Masters of Miniature: 40th Annual Model Ship Show Saturday, February 2nd through Saturday, March 23rd, 10:00am - 2:00pm at USS Constitution Museum, 22 Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02129 Attendees can view the prize winning models from the last 5 years, partake in family activities including a scavenger hunt, learn how to get a ship into a bottle, and more! You can also watch professional ship model conservator Rob Napier clean and restore a late 19th century model of USS Constitution from the USS Constitution Museum’s collection that was built by one of her crew members every Wednesday. RSVP to the Facebook event here:www.facebook.com/events/355878471915571
Traveling Tide Pool with the New England Aquarium & Boston Centers for Youth & Families Sunday, February 3rd, 1:00 - 3:00pm BCYF Paris Street Community Center, 112 Paris St., Boston, MA 02128 boston.gov/calendar/traveling-tidepool-bcyf-paris-street See and touch hermit crabs, snails, clams, oysters, sea stars, and more! Learn all about these creatures found in local New England waters. This event is free and repeats on the first Sunday of each month through May of this year. Check the City’s event page for more info.
Super Bowl LIII Sunday, February 3rd, Kickoff: 6:30pm ET Watch parties throughout Boston, MA eventbrite.com/d/ma--boston/super-bowl-events We hear there is a Super Bowl happening involving a little local team called the New England Patriots! If you’re looking for a place to watch with friends and fans, check out locations at above Eventbrite’s link.
Black History Month Tour Saturday, February 23rd, 2:00 - 3:00pm The Davis Museum, 106 Central St., Wellesley, MA 02481 wellesley.edu/davismuseum Join a Student Guide for a drop-in tour celebrating Black History Month at The Davis Museum at Wellesley College. Tours will focus on the arts of Africa and the African Diaspora in the Davis Museum permanent collections. Learn more on their website. It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
Tess’s February To-Do List (continued) A Date with Boston Art Dealers Association Member Galleries Thursday, February 14th, 6:00 - 8:00pm Chase Young Gallery, 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118 www.eventbrite.com/e/art-affair-tickets-54977191259
Join BADA for their 3rd Annual Art Affair on Valentine’s Day and peruse the work of local artists. If you already have a Valentine’s Day date, this work will be up to view through Saturday, February 16th. Register for free at the above link.
Powerhouse with Kelly Ransom
Monday, February 11th, 7:00 - 8:30pm Bella Luna Restaurant and Milky Way Lounge, 284 Amory St., Boston, MA 02130 facebook.com/events/228603451389538 Former It’s All About Arts Co-host Kelly Ransom will be the featured speaker in the next installment of POWERHOUSE, a series featuring creatives who have successfully transitioned their passions into purpose and profit. Kelly has a background in hospitality, events management, and marketing. She teaches social media marketing classes for small business owners, and produces events through her small business, Ransom Productions. This event is FREE and a great opportunity for networking with members of the communities in and around Jamaica Plain. Learn more and RSVP to the Facebook event at link.
Bugs Bunny Film Festival
Friday, February 15th through Saturday, February 23rd Showtimes vary The Brattle Theater, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138 brattlefilm.org/category/calendar-2/special-engagements/bugs-bunny-film-festival-2019 Get silly with all your favorite Looney Toons characters and your kiddos over school vacation this month. This film festival has been bringing joy to The Brattle Theater for over 20 years. All of this timeless classic toons are shown on uncut 35mm film to make it an authentic blast from the past! Check out showtimes and purchase tickets AT LINK ABOVE.
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
Tess’s February To-Do List (continued) Tess McColgan comes from a big family full of artists and has always enjoyed embracing local talent.
She’s lived in many places throughout New England including York, ME and Dover, NH, and moved to Boston at age 14. In 2015 she moved to Roslindale where she found a sense of community that resonated with her. She started as the Program Manager for Roslindale Village Main Street in April 2018 and loves being a part of the volunteer-driven organization that works so hard to support local businesses and to make Roslindale Village a destination where everyone wants to eat, shop, play and collaborate. Tess’s background includes customer service, clinical research, volunteer management & recruitment and Human Resources. In her free time, she doodles and plays with acrylic paints on canvases, writes in her journal, attends yoga classes, and gets out in nature as often as possible. Photo: Bruce Spero Photography at brucespero.smugmug.com
Roslindale Village Main Street Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays through March 30th, 10:00am - 2:00pm Sons of Italy Hall, 30 Birch St., Roslindale, MA 02131 From January through March, RVMS hosts a Winter Farmers Market, which is located at the Sons of Italy Hall at 30 Birch Street. Stop by to shop a rotating roster of about 15 vendors that bring fresh veggies, prepared specialty foods, and crafts to the Market. Farms accept EBT/HIP benefits. Learn more here: roslindale.net/rvms-farmers-market More about Roslindale Village Main Street: roslindale.net
Host Glenn Williams Co-host Tess McColgan
facebook.com/TalkArts itsallaboutarts.com/cableshow.htm Sponsored by Boston Main Streets bostonmainstreets.org
It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019
Tune in Mondays 6-7 pm Boston Cable Comcast Channel 9 RCN Channel 15 Verizon 1961 Stream Live bnnmedia.org On Demand bnntv.media/vod
M eet Bo st on Sc u lp to r E r ik Gr a u
Madonna Acrylic on Expanded Polystyrene Foam 72”x60”x35” Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Erik studied sculpture at Carroll University before moving to Boston to pursue an MFA in sculpture at Boston University. His work focuses on depictions of cats, crystals, and knick-knacks in his immediate home environment. In addition to visual art, Erik studied Applied Behavior Analysis and education at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and works as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and BPS Kindergarten inclusion teacher. Erik is a member of MUSA Collective, an artist owned and operated gallery space. He is the current president, exhibition coordinator, and secretary of the Piano Craft Gallery. www.erikgrau.com It’s All About Arts Magazine February 2019