The Pulse 15.05 » February 1, 2018

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

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VOL. 15, NO. 5 • FEBRUARY 1, 2018

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A YEAR OF TRUMP FATIGUE

After 365 days with Donald Trump posing as the “leader of the free world”, I have a flaming case of “Trump Fatigue”.

FROM DIESEL FAKERY TO PAYDAY LENDING

The Netflix documentary series Dirty Money is an exercise in frustration. There are six episodes, each one detailing a separate example of corruption from around the world.

GETTING INSIDE THE MIND OF MATTHEW DUTTON

Some artists are like a force of nature, like a big art hurricane barreling at beach eyes. One bright shining example of this is Matthew Dutton, whose work has been a driving force within Chattanooga’s art community.

OLD WORLD MUSIC WITH A NEW WORLD TWANG

As a rule, I concentrate on purely local bands and artists, but every so often I will venture out past the city limits. Today’s discussion takes us three hours north to my home state of Kentucky.

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Mayor, Senator…Now What?

For a quarter of a century, Bob Corker has been in the public eye.

Notably, he’s been in the national public eye almost constantly during the past few months. In 1994, at age 41, he launched his first campaign for U.S. Senate, and was defeated in the primary by future senator Bill Frist.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 3

POLITICS ∙ OP-ED

A Year Of Trump Fatigue It’s been an exhausting year under the “leadership” of Trump

By Terry Stulce

Pulse constributor

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher & President Jim Brewer II FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Gary Poole Assistant Editor Brooke Brown Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rob Brezsny • Janis Hashe Matt Jones • Mike McJunkin Tony Mraz • Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib Terry Stulce • Michael Thomas Editorial Interns Adrienne Kaufmann • Austin M. Hooks Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin

Account Executives Chee Chee Brown • Rick Leavell Libby Phillips • John Rodriguez Danielle Swindell • Logan Vandergriff

CONTACT

Offices 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Website chattanoogapulse.com Facebook @chattanoogapulse THE FINE PRINT: The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on music, the arts, entertainment, culture and local news. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publisher may take more than one copy per weekly issue.

The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Contents Copyright © 2018 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

A

FTER 365 DAYS WITH DONALD Trump posing as the “leader of the free world”, I have a flaming case of “Trump Fatigue”. I often have fantasies about Trump being “frog-marched” out of the Oval Office by Elliot Ness and his Gmen to a waiting jail.

I must confess that my antipathy for Trump has little to do with his policies, his criminal conspiracy with Russia in the 2016 election, or his money laundering for the Russian Mafia. My objection to Trump is personal.

So don’t expect me to be objective. He is a vile, indecent human being.

He has the impulse control of a toddler and, by all accounts, is a sexual pervert.

His confession to Billy Bush about sexually assaulting women is just the beginning. He allegedly had unprotected sex with a porno actress four months after the birth of his son Barron, which featured the actress spanking Trump with a magazine. Then he is accused of paying the actress thousands of dollars in “hush” money.

Trump’s most obvious feature is that he is a pathological liar. Fact checkers have documented thousands of distortions, misstatements, and “pants-on-fire” lies. If his mouth is moving, he is lying.

He is abysmally ignorant of the world at large and is clueless about his own ignorance. This ignorance, in combination with the fact that he is a malignant narcissist, makes a very toxic personality.

He thinks the world revolves around him.

His grandiosity leads him to believe in his own superiority. He believes that he is smarter, more talented, and more capable than anybody else. His needs take precedent in any circumstance and he expects others to meet his needs and please him.

He surrounds himself with “boot lickers”.

He chronically overestimates his own value

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“Fact checkers have documented thousands of distortions, misstatements, and ‘pants-on-fire’ lies.

If his mouth is moving, he is lying.” and underestimates the value of others.

His narcissism leads to misbehavior. He is a bully. What some see as “counterpunching” is actually a very typical response to “narcissistic injury.” His cyberbullying is despicable. He has attacked everyone from his own cabinet to war heroes and their families on Twitter.

Trump is a racist. He has used his bigotry to appeal to white supremacists and their supporters and enablers. He began his campaign by attacking Mexicans. He encouraged violence against African-American at his rallies and pledged to ban Muslims from entering America. “Trump’s Wall” is a direct appeal to racism and white fears of becoming a minority in the future. He found “good people” among Neo-Nazis and called Afri-

can countries “shitholes”.

Trump’s policies have damaged America. Tax cuts for the rich, weakening protections for workers, environmental degradation and undermining our national security apparatus will have long term negative consequences for America.

However, the damage of having an indecent, narcissistic, lying, racist bully representing our nation can’t be overestimated. Trump’s deplorable character has been the elephant in the room. For a year, many Americans have, for whatever perverse reason, ignored it.

We continue this denial at our own peril.

Terry Stulce served two combat tours in Vietnam, one with the 101st Airborne and one with the 69th Border Rangers. He was an LCSW and owner of Cleveland Family Counseling before his retirement in 2009.

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon

by Rob Rogers

“What is love? Love is the absence of judgement.”

— The Dalai Lama

Walking History: Nothing Barrs the Way Local Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Services have chosen to start the month of February with an insightful tour of Southern antebellum history.

This 90-minute excursion, kicking off at 2 p.m. this Sunday along Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trace on Moccasin Bend National Archeological District, is an excellent educational experience.

Join Park Ranger Chris Barr as the life of Jacob Cummings, a run-away slave, captures the local area’s involvement in the Underground Railroad. Cummings’ jour-

ney to freedom is highlighted by the remarkable series of events which took him from Chattanooga, TN, through the free Northern States, Canada, and eventually Columbus, Ohio.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

SHRINK RAP

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THE LIST

11

NEW IN THEATERS

24

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

14

ARTS CALENDAR

25

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

20

MUSIC CALENDAR

26

SUSHI & BISCUITS

23

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Throughout the tour, Ranger Barr expresses his sincere admiration for our shared, local history. He feels, “what’s exciting the most, is that every year we are finding new connections to the Moccasin Bend area”, having stumbled across Cummings’ story himself.

The story of Jacob Cummings will set the framework for introducing key aspects of our local history. As we follow Cummings’ life, we will explore the origins of Hamilton county, its relationship to the local Cherokee, and the way its settlers subsisted at the time.

— Austin M. Hooks

One of the many universal needs of humans is the need to be heard.

To feel heard. To know that you matter enough to someone to gain their attention, their respect, their nonjudgmental care. It is one way we feel love from another.

Listening is a true art. Often the “listener” in a conversation is not really listening, but waiting…which is the opposite of listening. Waiting for their turn. But listening is where we might learn something new. When we talk, we are repeating what we already know.

Consider this: Work on becoming a patient, non-judgmental listener.

Before you state your opinion, pause to make sure you’ve accurately heard what was just said. If all your sentences begin with “I” or “my,” you’re not listening.

Breathe, and let the other person feel your compassion. Without judgment, without rushing, without agenda. Just…listen.

Janis Hashe has been both a staff editor and a freelance writer/editor for more than 25 years. She has a master’s degree in theatre arts, is the founder of Shakespeare Chattanooga and a member of the Chattanooga Zen Group.

Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan, currently living abroad, who has trained chefs, owned and operated restaurants, and singlehandedly increased Chattanooga’s meat consumption statistics for three consecutive years.

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COLUMN ∙ SHRINK RAP

Keeping The Best Parts Do you have what it takes to end a relationship on a postive note?

Dr. Rick

Pulse columnist

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APPY FEBRUARY. THE MONTH of Valentine’s Day, Heart Health Awareness, and Black History. (One of my African American friends, Owen, likes to say, “Oh sure, give us the shortest month!”)

It’s a good month to talk about relationships. This year I’ll let others write about flowers, chocolates and Cupid. I’d like to address some issues about relationships that don’t usually garner attention: The ending. And the transition. Is your ex a friend or foe? And, how to transition, if/when that time comes, from one kind of relationship to another?

As we all know, not all relationships end on a positive note with an ex who is a good friend, a continued confidant, someone who remains a welcomed member of the family. In fact, some people are not in touch with any of their exes and have never experienced a degree of civil communication after a breakup. They consider themselves fortunate if the ending was minimally acrimonious. Others stay friends with all their exes, and feel empowered and proud of that.

It takes a great deal of mutual respect and skill to end on a hopeful note, to develop and maintain any sort of follow-up connection. And certainly there are situations, such as in the case of a physically or emotionally abusive relationship, in which it is neither desirable nor healthy to maintain contact with the abusive partner.

I have couples ask me all the time if their divisive, or hostile, or dysfunctional marriage should be maintained “for the sake of the kids.” The short answer is: No! You are planting the seeds for your children to internalize your dysfunctions by keeping them immersed in a hostile, non-loving environment.

Kids don’t thrive with two unhappy parents under the same roof.

They thrive with loving, happy parents (or parent, or parental figure), who can role-model what constitutes a healthy relationship. My (admittedly naïve) hope is for all struggling parents to seek relationship counseling to discover if they have a strong enough foundation to be repaired, or if it’s healthiest for all concerned to make changes.

Of course, this goes against certain religious beliefs. But I am writing from a psychological perspective, not a religious one. And if your religion has taught you otherwise, okay. However, I encourage you to keep my number handy because your kids are going to need it. Consider this: Unless you change your thinking, you will always recycle your experiences.

So…kids aside, I have worked with many couples for whom a friendship has turned out to be a happy, healthy fit. Perhaps their previous romantic relationship was a good fit at one time but no longer, or perhaps it never was a very good match. Either way, and whatever the reason for the break-up, the question becomes, are there

“It takes a great deal of mutual respect and skill to end on a hopeful note, to develop and maintain any sort of follow-up connection.” still aspects of this relationship, this emotional investment, that can continue to enrich the lives of both individuals?

How to assess this? It is important to get in touch with the feelings you have about your former partner, feelings being the best navigational tools we have. Becoming aware of the following is a good start: 1) The anger you have left about the relationship; 2) Any guilt you’re feeling; 3) Your level of attraction for your ex, and what kind of attraction that might be; 4) The positive qualities your ex possesses, and would those qualities still be available in a friendship; 5) What kind of a bond would you like with this person; 6) Can you forgive them; 7) Can you forgive yourself.

These are merely starting points,

and this is not to say that it’s an easy, purely logical process. Quite the opposite. Everyone’s situation is different, there are lots of lessons to learn, and feelings are often a confusing, murky landscape. Give yourself time, and permission, to feel what you feel. Perhaps speaking with a professional, together, would be quite helpful.

Until next time, I will leave you with this gem (author unknown): “Happiness is a choice, not a result. No person can make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Lasting happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.”

Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, author, minister, and educator in private practice in Chattanooga.

Contact him at DrRPH.com, visit his wellness center at WellNestChattanooga.com

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COVER STORY

Mayor, Senator…Now What?

Bob Corker’s work is not done in DC, but Chattanooga is calling

By Janis Hashe

Pulse contributor

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OR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, BOB CORKER HAS been in the public eye. Notably, he’s been in the national public eye almost constantly during the past few months. In 1994, at age 41, he launched his first campaign for U.S. Senate, and was defeated in the primary by future senator Bill Frist.

Appointed commissioner of finance and administration for the state of Tennessee by former governor Don Sundquist, he took four years off after that position, then was elected mayor of Chattanooga in 2000, serving one four-year term.

Elected to the Senate in 2006, he was reelected in 2012, and became chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2015.

He also sits on the Senate’s Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Budget Committees and the Special Committee on Aging.

But on Sept. 26, 2017, Corker announced he would not seek reelection in 2018. In an exclusive interview, The Pulse asked him about past and current service—and what he intends to do post-Senate. Sen. Corker can candid about the different types of challenges faced by a city mayor and those faced by a U.S. senator.

The Pulse: What would you like to accomplish in your final months before leaving the Senate?

Sen. Bob Corker: I’ve actually 8 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

got a year, and during that time, I’ll continue to work on the Iran nuclear deal issue to make some changes to the sunset provisions. I am working with [Democratic] Sen. Ben Cardin on this. [Other media reports state that he is “said to be working with Democrats to hold Iran accountable for ongoing ballistic missile construction.”]

I’ll be continuing to look at how to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which failed during the housing crisis. It’s a heavy lift. Things around here don’t happen very quickly.

We want to figure out more efficient ways of delivering our [international] food aid. We could use the same amount of money to feed millions more people. The current system is too costly and cumbersome.

We also want to support sustainable farming efforts.

We continue to work on the End Modern Slavery Initiative to end human trafficking around the world.

TP: What are the major differences in your experiences as mayor of

COVER STORY Chattanooga and serving as a U.S. Senator?

BC: There are major differences.

Executive and legislative offices are very, very different.

In Chattanooga, I was able to create a bold vision for our community and make it happen… the 21st Century Waterfront, the Gig City concept, which was embraced by EPB, the public art initiative, Enterprise South, putting high-performance teachers in low-performing schools…Here, things move much more slowly. But the issues are huge.

TP: As part of Vision 2000, you “were instrumental in creating Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise.” Why, in your view, is it so difficult to replicate the success of a program like this at the national level?

BC: We took the CNE concept to use in crafting the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act. This would ask for $250 million from the U.S. for the first seven years, $500 million from other countries, and $750 million from private resources. There are many areas where public/ private partnerships can work.

TP: In the current divided political climate, are there issues that can see bipartisan support?

BC: In the Foreign Affairs Committee, everything we do begins in a bipartisan way. The Russia sanctions bill, food aid reform…it’s one of the few committees that work that way.

TP: Do you feel the issues most impacting Tennesseans are being addressed at the national level? What are those issues, in your view?

BC: As mayor of Chattanooga, I was able to pull a lot of people together. It was very rewarding to work with so many community leaders.

As commissioner of finance, I helped resolve issues with TennCare.

We dealt with welfare reform, treating people as human beings and giving them the tools so they could go back to work.

I helped bring the Titans to our state. I acted as a kind of Henry Kissinger with people who did not necessarily see eye-to-eye.

Here, I feel I’ve established myself as a pragmatic consensus builder. I played a pivotal role during the financial crisis.

Wins here are a little difficult.

TP: Do you plan to return to Chattanooga when your term expires?

BC: Sure. I commute up here each week.

When I turn the lights out here, people in Chattanooga will see me more often at the dry cleaners and in local restaurants.

TP: What are your goals/plans post-Senate?

Do you plan to remain active in politics?

BC: I don’t know. A year…the realness of that is just beginning to sink in. As you know, we’ve had a controversial fall.

I’m just beginning to think about it. I first ran for Senate at age 41…I’m now 66 [talks with office staff about how many years he’s been active in politics], so except for four years after leaving office in 1996, that’s 21 of 25 years.

I’ve had a chance to work with some really talented people. Some of us will continue to work together in some form or fashion.

“Tennessee is a great state for attracting businesses. I voted for the tax bill because of the effect it would have on our state.”

BC: Tennessee is a great state for attracting businesses. I voted for the tax bill because of the effect it would have on our state. I called the heads of every Chamber of Commerce in the state, and they all agreed that the way this tax bill is set up is highly beneficial. [Tennessee attracts] a lot of foreign investment, and a taxation cut to 21 percent from 35 percent makes it even more attractive.

[Referring to his visit with Pres. Trump to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 99th Annual Convention in Nashville] We have many rural issues. They [farmers and those living in rural areas] are being left behind.

TP: What, up to now, are the things you are most proud of accomplishing, both in politics and outside it?

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 9

FILM & TELEVISION

From Diesel Fakery To Payday Lending Netflix's Dirty Money shines a light in dark corners

Bolshoi Ballet: The Lady of the Camellias One of the most renowned ballet companies in the world, Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet, comes to the big screen for one night only for a special showing of The Lady of the Camellias.

At a theatre performance of ‘Manon Lescaut,’ the young and naive Armand is utterly captivated after meeting the ravishing and most desirable courtesan Marguerite Gautier.

Yet Marguerite, once the most desirable courtesan in Paris, has died. The complete furnishings of her luxurious apartment are to be disposed of by auction.

Carrying Marguerite’s diary, Nanina, her loyal servant, bids the place farewell. Among those inspecting the items is Monsieur Duval, whose son Armand rushes in frantically. Overcome by memories, he collapses.

Their encounter gives birth to a passionate yet doomed love as Alexandre Dumas' novel comes to life on the Bolshoi stage, with prima Svetlana Zakharova as the ailing Marguerite seeking love and redemption from her life as a courtesan.

The Bolshoi brings choreographer John Neumeier’s work of rare beauty and tragic depth to new emotional heights, accompanied by Chopin’s romantic piano score.

— Michael Thomas Bolshoi Ballet: The Lady of the Camellias Saturday, 12:55 p.m.

East Ridge 18 Hamilton Place 8 5080 South Terrace 2000 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.

(423) 855-9652 (844) 462-7342 www.fathomevents.com 10 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

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HE NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY SERIES Dirty Money is an exercise in frustration.

There are six episodes, each one detailing a separate example of corruption from around the world. We all have a sense that the world is unfair, that it’s stacked in favor of the wealthy and is likely to remain so. We handle it the way we handle most unsavory things—we ignore them.

We deal the problems we have control over. The crack in the windshield. The spider in the bath.

The leak in the sink. But the bigger problems, like racism, like fraud, like graft, we avoid. We forget.

We’re content that someone else is in control of it.

The ignorance of ordinary people is exactly how these things become systemic. When we close our eyes to the bigger picture, the bigger picture

doesn’t vanish. It becomes bigger.

Dirty Money forces open the eyes of the viewer and explains, in simple, uncompromising terms, just how dirty the world is and just how angry everyone should be.

That they aren’t is a problem the series will rectify for anyone that watches. Anger is a byproduct of every episode, as is shock and horror.

There’s no call to action needed. These things happen and they shouldn’t. That message is simple enough.

The series is wide ranging, covering everything from Volkswagen to maple syrup to Donald Trump. The Volkswagen episode should hit home here, in particular. The episode focuses on the 2015 Clean Diesel scandal that should have been a bigger deal than it was.

For those that don’t remember, Volkswagen was outed for lying to consumers about the emissions

FILM & TELEVISION

“Dirty Money forces open the eyes of the viewer and explains, in simple, uncompromising terms, just how dirty the world is and just how angry everyone should be.” of millions of cars sold worldwide. In an effort to bring diesel engines to the U.S., where environmental regulations were stricter regarding nitrous oxide than in Europe, the company introduced their Clean Diesel engine, which supposedly dramatically reduced nitrous emissions and met regulations.

Except, it wasn’t true.

Volkswagen equipped their cars with a defeat device in the form of software that allowed the cars to pass tests in the controlled conditions of the lab.

It didn’t work in road tests, however. When Volkswagen was exposed, it was revealed that not only did the company know about the device, they ordered it.

However, the documentary goes further. The problem is not just with Volkswagen—most European car companies employ defeat devices in Europe, as they are legal provided they’re necessary to maintain the integrity of the engine, a

brewer media

regulation that is maintained by the EU and goes continuously unchallenged.

As a result, noxious oxide levels are significantly higher than previously understood, exposing millions of people to dangerous emissions that are a key component in smog and acid rain. Volkswagen simply made the mistake of attempting to bring it in U.S. markets—they’d be much more successful if they tried it now.

Each episode of the docuseries has an enormous amount of information to unpack. Produced and occasionally directed by Going Clear documentarian Alex Gibney, Dirty Money is carefully and delicately told.

Consider the second episode, which focuses on the payday loan business. Rather than outlining the various laws and focusing on those affected by this corrupt industry, Dirty Money chooses to tell it through the eyes of Scott Tucker, the man behind one of the most notorious scams in the industry.

Tucker was caught, along with his lawyer, skirting state laws by funneling money through companies founded

by Native American tribes. But to hear him tell it, Tucker is the victim (the story begins with the confiscation of his many expensive racing vehicles). The episode allows Tucker to tell his story and shows the viewer to decide where the suffering lies.

But at the heart of every story lies the root of all evil. Valeant, HSBC, and Donald Trump all love money more than anything else. All are willing to exploit others to for their own personal gain. Save Scott Tucker, most of those responsible for enormous corruption receive no consequences for their actions.

When this much money is involved, consequences can be as damaging as the behavior.

And so the series leaves audiences wondering what can be done. There are no answers to be found. Maybe the only thing we can do is be aware. Being angry might help some too.

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

Winchester Eccentric firearm heiress believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.

Directors: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig Stars: Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson

A Fantastic Woman Marina, a waitress who moonlights as a nightclub singer, is bowled over by the death of her older boyfriend.

Director: Sebastián Lelio Stars: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim

Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits

everywhere. every day.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Getting Inside The Mind Of Matthew Dutton One of Chattanooga's most...interesting artists

Making The Common Unusual The early twentieth-century witnessed the true birth of Modernism. A medium of photographic, artistic innovation that was obsessed with the natural, formal state of the world. Even though the era can be traced back to the 1850’s, the technology itself wouldn’t catch up to their aspirations for yet another half-century.

Often, the Pictorialism of their predecessors focused on the manipulation of a photo. They would achieve this by adjusting the focus as to create a blurred, almost painted image. Pictorialism sought to create beautiful images through manipulation; meanwhile, Modernism endeavored to bring out the beauty of everyday life with expert camera work.

The almost eerie, cold photos of the age of Pictorialism are a far cry from their lively successors. In this new era, the faces of those photographed are no longer hidden but explored. The lonely, distant figures of that time are in contrast with the Modernists commitment to their subject’s waking eyes, desires, and brief moment in life. The self-expressive mood of the photograph was no longer implied but explicitly stated.

The Hunter Museum of American Art will showcase the most prominent artwork of the time—captured in Mexico City’s post-revolution atmosphere—from 1920-30’s. As a result, the museum has dubbed the event, “Under the Mexican Sky: A Revolution in Modern Photography.” The exhibit will include artwork exclusive to the 1920’s by the famous Edward Weston, Tina Modotti, Paul Strand, and several others. — Austin M. Hooks Under the Mexican Sky: A Revolution in Modern Photography February 2- April 22 The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968, huntermuseum.org 12 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Tony Mraz

Pulse contributor

S

OME ARTISTS ARE LIKE A FORCE OF nature, like a big art hurricane barreling at beach eyes. One bright shining example of this is Matthew Dutton, whose work has been a driving force within Chattanooga’s art community for over two decades.

From working with and inspiring artists, to teaching classes and generating new opportunities, he has devoted much of his time to furthering the arts. At the same time, he has worked full time, and created an incredible body of work that goes back all the way to his childhood.

“Some of my earliest memories are of drawing dinosaurs and monsters,” he says. “I used to make my own wooden toys on my father’s construction sites out of scrap materials, and often took things apart to see how they worked. I have been keeping my hands busy my whole life.”

Dutton finds inspiration in different places every day. “I am tuned into seeing things that perk my

aesthetic, whether it is the texture of an old fabric, or the faded yellow of a vintage toy,” he tells us.

“Sometimes inspiration hits me when I least expect it, and I try to bring it back to my studio for reflection.”

His studio practice was nurtured by a series of teachers and professors, starting with Jack Denton from Hixson High School. “He made creating fun and often pushed experimentation with materials and techniques,” remembers Denton.

At the college level, he was inspired by Ken Page, Michael Holsomback, Mark Bradly-Shoup, Dan Bethune, David Young, Phillip Andrew Louis, Gavin Townsend, and Junita Tumelaire, to name a few.

“I absorbed all that I could from teachers and peers, building up my personal inventory of skills and applying them, learning as much as I could as quickly as possible,” Dutton notes.

Dutton is inspired by curiosity and experimentation, and chooses not to settle for a single style or subject. As he works, he balances materials and processes that he knows with new experiments that

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“Dutton is inspired by curiosity and experimentation, and chooses not to settle for a single style or subject.” have unknown results.

“After a few tests, I take with me the things that work well and fold them over into the next test, while discarding undesirable outcomes,” he explains. “For example, I do a lot of silicone mold making and cast using urethane resins. Once I had a good handle on what the resin is ‘supposed’ to do, I began trying to push the material into non-traditional directions. I remove the form from the mold prematurely, so I can manipulate the casting while it is still in a semi-liquid state.

“This allows me to distort and change my original positive cast, and to customize the positive object into a new form.

I play with resin additives to effect curing time, and pigments to vary color and opacity. I then call upon other types of materials and techniques to combine with a casting to create a plethora of textures and finishes.”

From a variety of learned material manipulations, he gains the ability to assemble a cor-

nucopia of processes. “I try to juxtapose surface treatments that interact with one another in interesting combinations,” says Dutton. “Something craggy flowing to something supple like skin... soft animal fur adorning plastic shiny pop. A consolidation of opposing ideas expressed through material placement and selection.”

This diverse knowledge base is manifested in a myriad of projects. From building Legos with his five-year-old son, to exhibiting abroad, Dutton stays busy. He currently has work showing in CA, NY, PA, Germany, and here in Tennessee.

He recently launched an online shop that showcases small affordable works at mduttonart.bigcartel.com, and he just wrapped up all of the materials for a top-secret installation project that will be revealed this Spring in downtown Chattanooga.

He has been appointed to a new position that will allow him to help other artists with growth

opportunities, and also has irons in the fire for the Main Line Ink Harry Potter Tattoo Convention happening in March, more contributions for the next Chattanooga Film Festival, possible Hunter Underground action, a group show at AVA, and shows coming up in the summer in Long Beach, Orlando, and MI. Bear in mind that he is doing all of this in addition to working as a preparator at the Hunter Museum. This work entails lighting, painting the gallery walls, installing, framing and matting works, packing loaned works and assembling exhibitions both digitally and physically.

“The preparator is the work horse part of a curatorial museum team,” he says. “The preparators are involved with most of the things that have to happen behind the scenes to make the museum look ready for the public. Not only are new exhibits under our care, but gallery rotations and outdoor sculpture maintenance and preservation, fund raising, event auction prep, and much more. We’ve got a good team that works together to keep the machine rolling.”

See more of Dutton’s work at mduttonart.wixsite.com/matthewdutton

THU2.1 Chattanooga Boat Show

See the latest in aluminum boats, fishing boats, inboard, wake boats, pontoons, runabouts, cruisers and more.

3 p.m.

Convention Center 1150 Carter St. bkproductions.biz

FRI2.2 The Souls of Free Folk Release Party

Experience the trials and triumphs of an African American artist’s coming-of-age story.

6 p.m.

Association for Visual Arts 30 Frazier Ave. avarts.org

SAT2.3 Harry Potter Fantastic Beastly Festival

Games, giveaways, costume contests, and the crowning of the Queen of Magic and the King of Fantastic Beasts.

7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.

UnitedWayCHA.org

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR The Heart Of Art

THURSDAY2.1 Ooltewah Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Ooltewah Nursery 5829 Main St. (423) 238-9775 ooltewahnursery.com Chattanooga Boat Show 3 p.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (256) 509-3574 bkproductions.biz Throwback Thursday 4 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Signal Mountain Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Pruett’s Market 1210 Taft Hwy. (423) 902-8023 signalmountainfarmersmarket.com New Year Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Vision and Verse: Rhyme N Chatt 6 p.m.

Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968

14 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

huntermuseum.org Bordeaux & Bubbles Fishing 101 6 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com “Venting & Gratitude: Journaling 101” 6 p.m.

Chattanooga WorkSpace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 413-8978 thechattery.org Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com

Matt Mitchell 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Country Line Dancing Class 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. (423) 498-3069 westboundbar.com

FRIDAY2.2 Under the Mexican Sky: Revolution in Modern Photography 10 a.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art

ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT A pure southern mash boogie comedian from Alabama with barefeet, mush-mouthed drawling and a milewide social streak. He's like Lynyrd Skynyrd as a stand-up comic.

Matt Mitchell The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Chattanooga Market at Erlanger 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. chattanoogamarket.com Chattanooga Boat Show Noon Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (256) 509-3574 bkproductions.biz The Heart Of Art 4 p.m.

Artists On The Loose 1401 Williams St. (423) 321-8154 artistsontheloose.com Block By Block Opening Reception 5 p.m.

In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com Haley Fazio and Dillon McMillan Artist Reception 5 p.m.

Barley Chattanooga 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200 chattanoogabarley.com “Mindscapes” 5 p.m.

Exum Gallery at St. Paul’s 305 W. 7th St. (423) 227-9464 Open Studio Nights: Art is for Lovers

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles 5:30 p.m.

Chattanooga WorkSpace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com The Souls of Free Folk Release Party 6 p.m.

Association for Visual Arts 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org Chattanooga Aerials Inversion Dance Performance 6 p.m.

Inversions Circus Arts & Performance Center 2315 Cannon Ave. (423) 682-8219 southsideinversions.com Michael Kessler & Steve Olszewski Opening Reception 6:30 p.m.

River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com Photographic Works by Barrot Rendleman 7 p.m.

Frequency Arts 1804 E. Main St. facebook.com/frequencyarts Chamber Music for Body and Soul V 7 p.m.

UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/fine-arts-center The Floor Is Yours: For Any Kind of Love 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Matt Mitchell 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Nooga! Visit Rock Village 8 p.m.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com

SATURDAY2.3 St. Albans Hixson Market 9:30 a.m.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 Terrarium Art Workshop 10 a.m.

Signal Mountain Nursery 1100 Hubbard Rd. (423) 886-3174 signalmtnnursery.com Chattanooga Boat Show 10 a.m.

Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (256) 509-3574

bkproductions.biz Brainerd Farmers Market 10 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Miniature Garden Workshop 11 a.m.

The Barn Nursery 1801 E. 24th St. Pl. (423) 698-2276 barnnursery.com Farmer’s Market 11 a.m.

Nutrition World 6237 Vance Rd. (423) 892-4085 nutritionw.com Chattanooga FC vs FC Dallas Noon Finley Stadium 1826 Carter St. chattanoogafc.com Red Wolf Feeding and Talk Noon Reflection Riding Arboretum 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org Chattanooga Art Tour 1 p.m.

Bluff View Arts District 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 290-2477 newsouthtourco.com Valentine Mini Sessions 2:20 p.m.

Coolidge Park 150 River St. (423) 637-0116 elizabethburnsphotos.com Comedians with Day Jobs 5 p.m.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Winter in West Village 6 p.m.

West Village 802 Pine St. westvillagechattanooga.com Body Exhibition 6 p.m.

LIT Gallery 4015 Tennessee Ave. (423) 401-8171 litgallery.com BIG BIDS Auction Party 7 p.m.

DoubleTree Hotel 407 Chestnut St. (423) 756-5150 chattanooga.doubletree.com Mardi Gras Ball – Hearts & Honour 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Marriott 2 Carter Plaza facebook.com/MKIChatt Harry Potter Fantastic Beastly Festival 7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(423) 893-0186 UnitedWayCHA.org Matt Mitchell 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Psyche Cronicals Exhibition of Love 8 p.m.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR Inversions Circus Arts & Performance Center 2315 Cannon Ave. (423) 682-8219 southsideinversions.com

SUNDAY2.4 Sterling Silver & Pebble Workshop 9 a.m.

Chattanooga WorkSpace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com Chattanooga Boat Show 11 a.m.

Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (256) 509-3574 bkproductions.biz Journey Dance 1:30 p.m.

Center for Mindful Living 400 E. Main St. (423) 486-1279 centermindfulliving.org Free Fiddle School 2 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 In the Footsteps of Tragedy and Hope: Examining Slavery on Moccasin Bend 2 p.m.

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park 707 Moccasin Bend Rd. (706) 866-9241 nps.gov Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com Bi-Monthly Queer Youth Night 6 p.m.

Mercy Junction Justice and Peace Center 1918 Union Ave. (423) 521-0642 mercyjunction.org Wish Bowl XVI 6 p.m.

Make-A-Wish 6005 Century Oaks Dr. (423) 629-9474 etn.wish.org

Oil Painting with Mia Bergeron Matt Mitchell 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

MONDAY2.5 New Year Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Basic Energy Workshop 6 p.m.

Glass House Collective 2501 Glass St. (423) 648-0963 empowerchattanooga.org Oil Painting with Mia Bergeron 6 p.m.

Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com The Chattanooga Hiking Club Presents Ben Friberg 6:30 p.m.

IMAX 3D Theater 201 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4629 tnaqua.org/ima First Monday Improv Comedy 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347

16 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

barkinglegs.org

TUESDAY2.6 Valentine Love Notes 10 a.m.

The Barn Nursery 1801 E. 24 St. Pl. (423) 698-2276 BarnNursery.com Wake Up & Run 6 a.m.

Fleet Feet Sports 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 771-7996 fleetfeetchattanooga.com Northside Farmers’ Market 3 p.m.

Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Ave. (423) 266-1766 CryptoParty 5 p.m.

The Edney 1100 Market St. (423) 774-7205 Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Self-Driving Cars and Smart Cities 7 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 509-8445 Intro to Improv

7 p.m.

First Draft Theater 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

WEDNESDAY2.7 Lookout Farmers Market 10 a.m.

Memorial Hospital 2525 Desales Ave. lookoutfarmersmarket.com Middle Eastern Dance 10:30 a.m.

Jewish Cultural Center 5461 North Terrace (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com Special NextGen Home Construction Tour 11:30 a.m. green|spaces 63 E. Main St. (423) 648-0963 greenspaceschattanooga.org Cultivating Relationships 11:30 a.m.

The Edney 1100 Market St. (423) 315-0939 cleanishlife.com Take Aim and Try Archery 3:30 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Main Street Market

4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Valentine’s Card Making Social 6 p.m.

Chattanooga WorkSpace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 413-8978 thechattery.org Still Life Painting Boot Camp with Melissa Hefferlin 6 p.m.

Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Mutzie 7 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Wednesday Night Comedy Improv Show 7:30 p.m.

Chatt. State Humanities Theatre 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-4400 chattanoogastate.edu Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 7:30 p.m.

The Bitter Alibi 825 Houston St. (423) 362-5070 thebitteralibi.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 17

MUSIC

Old World Music With A New World Twang Barrenhart expertly blends Celtic and Bluegrass

New Notes From An Old Guitar Even after famous musicians have passed away, their instruments often remain, preserving a special alchemy in their much-used strings, keys, and buttons. This relationship between musician and instrument is what Songbirds Guitar Museum captures in their live music events.

On most days, Songbirds is a typical museum, showcasing important artifacts for people to view. On event nights, however, these artifacts come alive. This Friday, Songbirds is tuning up the legendary B.B. King’s Gibson ES-355, which King affectionately called “Lucille,” and placing it in the capable hands of musician Paul Childers.

Childers has a special musical style, weaving expertly between R&B, pop, and soul. As the singer’s website states, “Paul finds a way to blur the lines cast between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix styles of guitar playing, a Motown rhythm section, and Pop vocal melodies.”

His musical dexterity is not the only draw, however, as Childers also puts on fantastic performances. Songbirds describes it as “a Clark Kent-like transformation from mild-manner, suit-wearing gentleman into a guitar-slinging superhero.”

This special combination of B.B. King’s music, “Lucille’s” history, and Childers’s talent is sure to result in a memorable night. — Adrienne Kaufmann Songbirds Series: Paul Childers Honors B.B. King Saturday, 7 p.m.

Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St., (423) 531-2473 songbirdsguitars.com 18 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

A

S A RULE, I CONCENTRATE ON purely local bands and artists, but every so often I will venture out past the city limits. Today’s discussion takes us three hours north to my home state of Kentucky, the birthplace of bluegrass music.

There you will find Barrenhart, as fine and well-seasoned a bunch of performers as I have ever known. Their album, Celticgrass, as the name suggests, manages to straddle the line between Old World and New in a way many attempt and few ever get right.

It’s understood, of course, that Celtic music is the progenitor of bluegrass, and it isn’t uncommon to hear a modern bluegrass band occasionally belt out an old Irish or Scottish standard.

It is slightly less common, but by no means unheard of, for a Celtic band to feature a recognizably bluegrass tune in their set. By and large though, despite the direct line relationship between the two styles, a band is either one or the other.

Barrenhart, consisting of Hazel Johnson, Masako Yamashita, David Foster, and Greg Cutcliff, is one of the few bands that manage to seamlessly blend both styles in to all that they do.

The track list of Celticgrass is replete with familiar old Irish titles like “The Old Dun Cow,” “Rambles of Spring,” “Drowsie Maggie” and “Tam Lin,” but the execution of those tunes is unmistakably bluegrass and, more poignantly, unmistakably Kentucky.

Trad Irish, Appalachian string band, bluegrass ensemble, any of those are accurate descriptions of the band’s sound, but no

MUSIC

“It’s understood, of course, that Celtic music is the progenitor of bluegrass, and it isn’t uncommon to hear a modern bluegrass band occasionally belt out an old Irish or Scottish standard.” single one completely defines the band which just serves to reinforce the notion that Barrenhart is a genuine (and very successfully accomplished) synthesis of styles.

The production quality (courtesy of David Barrick of Barrick Recording Studio, Glasgow, KY.) is superb and was accomplished with minimal overdubbing.

Indeed, it is a testament both to the producer and the band that the overwhelming majority of the album was done in single takes, recorded in the round (which is to say all the musicians were seated in a circle, in one room, playing live.)

The instrumentation is standard to the style, with fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass. Guest artist Troy Mimms provides percussion throughout. Additionally, the Scottish chanter is used to great effect on “Hector the Hero” and the inclusion of two bagpipe tunes (beautifully performed

by Greg) secures the band’s Celtic credentials.

The group’s successful melding of various traditions gives them an almost cha-

meleon-like ability to move from festival to festival without being pigeonholed in a particular niche.

There is certainly a good deal of overlap between fans of Celtic, bluegrass and old time music, but Barrenhart moves beyond that overlap in to a realm of broader appeal than their more genrespecific peers.

To date the bulk of their performances have been somewhat further north than the Scenic City, but their growing success and Chattanooga’s expanding collection of folk festivals mean it’s just a matter of time before the band’s live performances are a little more accessible to the local crowd.

In the meantime, Celticgrass is available via their website at arrenhart.com along with extensive biographical notes and pics, and their YouTube channel features a number of excellent performances.

Fans of the various genres mentioned here in addition to Americana, roots, and other associated styles will find much to love in this twelve song collection.

Jonathan Wimpee’s Long Awaited Album Release State of Mind, the first solo album from local guitar hero Jonathan Wimpee (reviewed here in The Pulse a few weeks ago) is slated for release next Thursday, February 8th at the Revelry Room.

The album, a cornucopia of brilliant musicians from the local scene, is available on CDBaby, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google and most other online services, but there’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned release party, particularly with such a

great bunch of players, movers and shakers.

Marcus White, Ivan Garcia, Danimal Pinson and many others, along with the artist himself, will be on hand to discuss the album, answer questions, and be affable drinking buddies.

The release is scheduled for 8 p.m. to midnight, there is no cover, and a great time will be had by all. You need to be there. You’ll thank me afterwards, and likely for months to come. — MTM

THU2.1

FRI2.2

SAT2.3

Jimmy Dormire

Troy Breslow

Bob Marley Birthday Bash Reggae Ball

You read about him last week here in The Pulse, now go see why we are such big fans of Jimmy and his music and the 10th floor hangout.

6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com

A singer-songwriter from Yorktown, Virginia, diligently versed in old time country music and modern Americana.

8 p.m.

Moccasin Bend Brewing Co. 3210 Broad St. bendbrewingbeer.com

Celebrate the life and music of the legendary Bob Marley with legendary local reggae supergroup Milele Roots.

9 p.m.

SPOT Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. spotvenue.co

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 19

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR An Evening with Scott Miller

THURSDAY2.1 James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Open Mic Night with Megan Saunders 6 p.m.

Whole Foods Market 301 Manufacturers Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com Jimmy Dormire 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m.

Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Open Mic Night with Ryan Oyer 7 p.m.

Moccasin Bend Brewing Company 3210 Broad St. bendbrewingbeer.com The Soul of Broadway Songbook Series: The Wiz 7:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Jesse James & Tim Neal

20 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

7:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. mexi-wingchattanooga.com Bluegrass Thursdays 7:30 p.m.

Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Toby Hewitt 8 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com

Open Mic Night with Jonathan Wimpee 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Bongsloth, Lottery, Jaguar Purrs 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

FRIDAY2.2 Erik Kirkendall 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar

ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT Richly versed in the old skool of soul, Marquee Mayfield is a modern mind smitten by disco's dance floor, with a flair of fetish for the EDM scene.

Marquee Mayfield Friday, 9 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com

801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Amber Fults 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com An Evening with Scott Miller 7 p.m.

Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com Chamber Music for Body and Soul V 7 p.m.

Roland Hayes Concert Hall 752 Vine St. utc.edu/tickets Drew Robbins 7 p.m.

Oddstory Brewing Company 336 E. MLK Blvd. oddstorybrewing.co Rick Rushing and The Blues Strangers 7:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com The Soul of Broadway Songbook Series: The Wiz 7:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Arlo Gilliam 8 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR Milele Roots 9 p.m.

SPOT Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. spotvenue.co C2 & The Brothers Reed 9 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Sunsap Release Party, Ashley and the Xs, Over Easy 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Throttle 21 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

Della Mae

puckettsgro.com Troy Breslow 8 p.m.

Moccasin Bend Brewing Co. 3210 Broad St. bendbrewingbeer.com Rebirth Brass Band 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Fresh Mind, CBM Church Boi Muzic, Seed from a Tree 8 p.m.

SPOT Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. spotvenue.co David Ingle 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Barrot Rendleman, Eric Nelson, Ashley Krey 9 p.m.

Frequency Arts 1804 E. Main St. facebook.com/frequencyarts Marquee Mayfield 9 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Kindora, Waterfall Wash, Side Affect 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Absent from the Body, From

Another Planet, Sickness in the System, Peruvian Necktie 9 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Throttle 21 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Gino Fanelli 10 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com

SATURDAY2.3 Bluegrass Brunch Noon The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy. thehonestpint.com Mad Record Show 4 p.m.

Mad Knight Brewing Company 4015 Tennessee Ave. (423) 825-6404 madknightbrewing.com Courtney Holder 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Megan Howard 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St.

westinchattanooga.com Songbirds Series: Paul Childers Honors B.B. King 7 p.m.

Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com Dana Cooper 7 p.m.

Charles and Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Scenic City Showcase: Songwriters in the Round 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 Danimal 7:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com The Soul of Broadway Songbook Series: The Wiz 7:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Della Mae 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Black Jacket Symphony: Led Zeppelin IV 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St.

(423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Playing Possum Blues Band 8 p.m.

Moccasin Bend Brewing Co. 3210 Broad St. bendbrewingbeer.com The Foothills 8 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com The Loop 8 p.m.

The Casual Pint 5550 Hwy. 153 hixson.thecasualpint.com The Countrymen Band 8 p.m.

Eagles Club 6130 Airways Blvd.

(423) 894-9940 Taylor & Company 8 p.m.

VFW Post 4848 2402 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 624-6687 Up the Dose 8 p.m.

McHale’s Brewhouse 724 Ashland Terr.

(423) 877-2124 mchalesbrewhouse.com Mark Andrew 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Bob Marley Birthday Bash Reggae Ball with

SUNDAY2.4 Spinster 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Nabil Ince 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Free Fiddle School 2 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 barefootnellieandcompany.com Mad Record Show 4 p.m.

Mad Knight Brewing Company 4015 Tennessee Ave. (423) 825-6404 madknightbrewing.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Roy Treiyer & Diego Aravena 4 p.m.

Burks United Methodist Church 6433 Hixson Pike burks.org Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 21

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Lola Pistola Ryan Oyer 6:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Mathis and Martin 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Maria Sable 8 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com

MONDAY2.5 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Open Mic Night 6 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Carrie Bowen and Tyler Goforth 7 p.m.

Stone Cup Café 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd.

22 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

thepalmsathamilton.com Attack of the Open Mic 7 p.m.

Barley Chattanooga 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200 Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com Eyehategod, Coathanger Abortion, Bongsloth, Silver Tongued Devilz, Sickness in the System, Devils Gotta Hold On Me 7 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net The Hills and Rivers, Tessa Lynn Plank, Joshua Songs 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

TUESDAY2.6 Bill McCallie and In Cahoots 6:30 p.m.

Southern Belle 201 Riverfront Pkwy. chattanoogariverboat.com Danimal 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St.

backstagechattanooga.com Open Mic Jam Session 7 p.m.

Crust Pizza 3211 Broad St. crustpizza.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Tir Asleen, Paperback, My Captain My King, Midnite Rollercoaster 7 p.m.

The Daily Ration 1120 Dartmouth St. thedailyrationchattanooga.com Turntables Whit A Twist 7:30 p.m.

SPOT Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. spotvenue.co Lola Pistola 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

WEDNESDAY2.7 No Big Deal 6 p.m.

SpringHill Suites 495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Show 6:30 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Jesse James Jungkurth 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Travis Kilgore 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Proven Ground Open Mic 8 p.m.

Urban Grind Café 2193 Park Dr. (423) 386-5330 urbangrindcafechatt.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Jazz In The Lounge 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Prime Cut Trio 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ERNIE PAIK

L. Eugene Methe / Megan Siebe, More Eaze

L. Eugene Methe / Megan Siebe Revisited, Revisited, Revisited (Eh?)

C

ountless philosophers have contemplated time and memory for millennia, but one notable contemporary covers those topics in an extraordinarily pithy manner, with equal parts truth and absurdity.

This writer is talking, of course, about the comedian Steven Wright, who has quipped such gems as “I intend to live forever.

So far, so good.” and “A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.”

One of Wright’s jokes in particular comes to mind when absorbing the album Revisited, Revisited, Revisited by the Omaha, Neb. duo of L. Eugene Methe and Megan Siebe: “Right now I’m having amnesia and

More Eaze Staring at a Statue of Paint (Kendra Steiner Editions)

deja vu at the same time; I think I’ve forgotten this before.”

The new album, available on cassette from the Public Eyesore offshoot, Eh? Records, features variations of the stately, majestic theme for the 1981 British television mini-series Brideshead Revisited composed by Geoffrey Burgon.

Revisited, Revisited, Revisited was intended to also pay tribute to the show’s source material, Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel, by both breaking down and blurring time and structure, as the protagonist’s memories sculpt the story’s nonlinear path.

When listening to the album, it’s difficult to gauge how much time has passed without a stopwatch. Main melodic motifs

appear and reappear through Siebe’s cello parts, almost oppressive in their repetition; however, those themes hardly seem like markers or milestones, and the entire affair feels amorphous.

Methe handles the sonic manipulation side of things with measured electronic treatments and echo processing through cassette loops, and there’s occasional sound warping through bent notes or envelope effects, making tones scamper cyclically into various frequency ranges.

At one point, the faint sounds of a sampled classical record can be heard, and it wouldn’t be off-base to lump this album in the worlds of minimalism and ambient music.

Some of the most compelling moments on Revisited, Revisited, Revisited reveal themselves through careful delay effects.

Sometimes the echoing provides an urgent pace, and at other times, it allows the main theme to interact with itself, like a round (think “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” with staggered beginnings for the vocal parts), perhaps like a time traveler having a conversation with its younger self.

Oddly, while the primary melody is hammered into the

listener’s head, everything that surrounds it remains a curious, fuzzy memory.

T

here’s a sort of glistening hopefulness and childlike playfulness in the cluttered electronics of More Eaze—the project of prolific Austin-based musician Marcus Maurice.

It’s a strange type of warmth at play among the bleeps and bloops and metronomic pulse that is simultaneously artificial and welcoming, and this feeling dominates More Eaze’s latest album, Staring at a Statue of Paint, which was recorded in real time.

One digital audio glitch that sound engineers can immediately recognize happens when a waveform is cut right in the middle of a wave, making a sharp noise; while most would consider this to be sloppy, More Eaze celebrates this type of messiness by overloading the beginning of “happiness attempt #1” with such notes.

Simple note patterns appear innocuously, but they soon register in the listener’s consciousness like a small insistent child incessantly begging for junk food without changing the form of the request, despite constant denials.

While that distraction is happening, the track gradually becomes more manic and nervous sounding, with jittery notes appearing faster within the framework; this writer imagines that this might be the aural equivalent of what the future looked like to someone living in the ‘80s.

The track “a denial of coin” tends to linger on its pitches, wildly varying its timbres, textures and attacks rather than mixing up its melodic diversity. However, it soon becomes overloaded; imagine a planetary explorer slowly scanning the land with some kind of metal-detector-like device, and the device’s sound output reflects the overwhelming discoveries found.

It pummels the listener with quick, tiny jabs, like a robot cat batting away at a chipmunk. “how 2 build a home” uses a twang effect on certain notes—similar to how a mouth harp sounds— among sustained ambient tones and occasional irregular beats, peppering the 3-D rendered landscape, and the final track, “i never asked 4 this,” features Maurice contributing bright, chorus-treated guitar soloing over churning synth waves before an abrupt conclusion, ending the cybernetic playtime.

You complete us.

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Send your resume and cover letter to: Mike Baskin, Director of Sales mikebaskin@brewermediagroup.com In the subject line, please include: Brewer Sales Position Learn more about us at BrewerMediaGroup.com.

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CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 23

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

The List

ficult to find and collect than what we’ve already gotten. We need better technology. If I had to say who would be the entrepreneurs and inventors best qualified to lead the quest, my choice would be members of the Aries tribe. For the foreseeable future, you people will have extra skill at excavating hidden treasure and gathering resources that are hard to access.

How We Handle Money ROB BREZSNY

Our friends at the Statistic Brain Research Institute surveyed over 4,000 people to see how people handle money, what their spending prioritiwes are, and how often they carry cash with them.

• 41% said housing was of primary importance.

• 37% said healthcare was of primary importance.

• 18% said food was of primary importance.

No surprise here, people want a place to live over any other necessity. The surprise is that only 15% of people choose the one thing you HAVE to have to live— food!

• 62% said they usually have cash in their wallet.

• 17% said they sometimes have cash in their wallet.

• 17% said they rarely have cash in their wallet.

• 4% said they never have cash in their wallet.

Basically, the prediction that we are moving to a "cashless" society is still a bit premature, though nearly 40% are moving away from keeping cash on hand.

Source: statisticbrain.com/how-wehandle-money-survey-result-statistics

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I was in my early twenties, I smoked marijuana now and then. I liked it.

It made me feel good and inspired my creativity and roused spiritual visions. But I reconsidered my use after encountering pagan magician Isaac Bonewits. He didn’t have a moral objection to cannabis use, but believed it withered one’s willpower and diminished one’s determination to transform one’s life for the better.

For a year, I meditated on and experimented with his hypothesis. I found it to be true, at least for me. I haven’t smoked since. My purpose in bringing this up is not to advise you about your relationship to drugs, but rather to urge you to question whether there are influences in your life that wither your willpower and diminish your determination to transform your life for the better. Now is an excellent time to examine this issue.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Would you like to shed unwieldy baggage before moving on to your next big challenge? I hope so. It will purge your soul of karmic sludge. It will prime you for a fresh start. One way to accomplish this bravery is to confess your sins and ask for forgiveness in front of a mirror. Here are data to consider. Is there anyone you know who would not give you a good character reference? Have you ever committed a seriously unethical act?

Have you revealed information that was told to you in confidence? While under the influence of intoxicants or bad ideas, have you done things you’re ashamed of? I’m not saying you’re more guilty of these things than the rest of us; it’s just that now is your special time to seek redemption.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In all of history, humans have mined about 182,000 tons of gold. Best estimates suggest there are still 35 billion tons of gold buried in the earth, but the remaining riches will be more dif-

24 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stories have the power to either dampen or mobilize your life energy. I hope that in the coming weeks, you will make heroic efforts to seek out the latter and avoid the former. Now is a crucial time to treat yourself to stories that will jolt you out of your habitual responses and inspire you to take long-postponed actions and awaken the sleeping parts of your soul. And that’s just half of your assignment, dear Taurus. Here’s the rest: Tell stories that help you remember the totality of who you are, and that inspire your listeners to remember the totality of who they are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Author Anaïs Nin said, “There are two ways to reach me: by way of kisses or by way of the imagination. But there is a hierarchy: the kisses alone don’t work.” For two reasons, Anaïs’s formulation is especially apropos for you right now. First, you should not allow yourself to be seduced, tempted, or won over by sweet gestures alone. You must insist on sweet gestures that are synergized by a sense of wonder and an appreciation of your unique beauty. Second, you should adopt the same approach for those you want to seduce, tempt, or win over: sweet gestures seasoned with wonder and an appreciation of their unique beauty.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Are you more inclined right now to favor temporary involvements and shortterm promises? Or would you consider making brave commitments that lead you deeper into the Great Mystery? Given the upcoming astrological omens, I vote for the latter.

Here’s another pair of questions for you, Cancerian. Are you inclined to meander from commotion to commotion without any game plan? Or might you invoke the magic necessary to get involved with high-quality collaborations? I’m hoping you’ll opt for the latter. (P.S. The near future will be prime time for you to swear a sacred oath or two.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In March 1996,

Homework: What’s the best, most healing trouble you could whip up right now? Testify at Freewillastrology.com a man burst into the studio of radio station Star FM in Wanganui, New Zealand. He took the manager hostage and issued a single demand: that the dj play a recording of the Muppet song “The Rainbow Connection,” as sung by the puppet Kermit the Frog. Fortunately, police intervened quickly, no one was hurt, and the kidnapper was jailed. In bringing this to your attention, Leo, I am certainly not suggesting that you imitate the kidnapper. Please don’t break the law or threaten anyone with harm. On the other hand, I do urge you to take dramatic, innovative action to fulfill one of your very specific desires.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Many varieties of the nettle plant will sting you if you touch the leaves and stems.

Their hairs are like hypodermic needles that inject your skin with a blend of irritant chemicals. And yet nettle is also an herb with numerous medicinal properties. It can provide relief for allergies, arthritis, joint pain, and urinary problems. That’s why Shakespeare invoked the nettle as a metaphor in his play Henry IV, Part 1: “Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety,” says the character named Hotspur. In accordance with the astrological omens, Virgo, I choose the nettle as your power metaphor for the first three weeks of February.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Knullrufs is a Swedish word that refers to what your hair looks like after sex: tousled, rumpled, disordered. If I’m reading the astrological omens correctly, you should experience more knullrufs than usual in the coming weeks.

You’re in a phase when you need and deserve extra pleasure and delight, especially the kind that rearranges your attitudes as well as your coiffure. You have license to exceed your normal quotas of ravenousness and rowdiness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In his “Crazy Lake Experiment” documented on YouTube, Harvard physicist Greg Kestin takes a raft out on a lake.

He drops a tablespoon of olive oil into the water, and a few minutes

later, the half-acre around his boat is still and smooth. All the small waves have disappeared. He proceeds to explain the science behind the calming effect produced by a tiny amount of oil. I suspect that you will have a metaphorically comparable power in the next two weeks, Scorpio.

What’s your version of the olive oil?

Your poise? Your graciousness? Your tolerance? Your insight into human nature?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In 1989, a man spent four dollars on a painting at a flea market in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. He didn’t care much for the actual image, which was a boring country scene, but he thought he could use the frame.

Upon returning home, he found a document concealed behind the painting. It turned out to be a rare old copy of America’s Declaration of Independence, originally created in 1776. He eventually sold it for $2.42 million. I doubt that you will experience anything quite as spectacular in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. But I do suspect you will find something valuable where you don’t expect it, or develop a connection with something that’s better than you imagined it would be.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the 1740s, a teenage Capricorn girl named Eliza Lucas almost singlehandedly introduced a new crop into American agriculture: indigo, a plant used as a dye for textiles. In South Carolina, where she managed her father’s farm, indigo ultimately became the second-most-important cash crop over the next 30 years. I have astrological reasons to believe that you are now in a phase when you could likewise make innovations that will have long-range economic repercussions. Be alert for good intuitions and promising opportunities to increase your wealth.

Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of curiosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, myth-savvy perspective to his work.

It’s all in the stars.

JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

“The Jokers”—and the ones seen with them.

ACROSS 1 ___ Lama (Tibetan leader) 6 Some football linemen, briefly 9 “The Destroyer,” in Hinduism 13 Oak-to-be 14 Slip up 15 McGregor in a hyped 2017 boxing match 16 “Super Freak” singer 18 The Mad Hatter’s guest 19 Commotion 20 Roths, for short? (abbr.)

21 “King Lear” daughter 22 Tree with an extract that purportedly helps memory 25 Sea of ___ (Biblical location) 28 Word before bump or boom 29 It’s a sign 30 Actor Benicio del ___ of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” 31 Daily ___ (political blog since 2002)

34 Worth a “meh” response 39 D&D game runners, for short 40 Quicker than quick 41 Participate in a poll 42 Letters over 0 on older touchtones 43 Stretchy shirt of sorts 46 He was assassinated on the Ides of March 50 ___ to arms 51 Winter ride 52 Diddley and Derek, for two 55 Bete ___ (nemesis) 56 Jokers, usually (or what the circled letters represent) 58 Not yet burning 59 Gator or Power follower 60 Constellation with a “belt” 61 Catch on clothing 62 “___ Kommissar” (1983 pop hit) 63 Jury members DOWN 1 Irish comedian ___ Ó Briain 2 Hydrochloric ___

3 In ___ parentis (legal doctrine) 4 Boat with a pair of bears 5 Monopoly board words near “Just visiting” 6 2011’s “Arthur,” e.g.

7 Duane Allman’s brother 8 Near-grads, for short 9 Without help 10 “The Princess Bride” character ___ Montoya 11 Word knowledge, briefly 12 Scene of action 15 Arctic herd 17 Actress Hathaway of “The Princess Diaries” 22 “I Just Wanna Stop” singer ___ Vannelli 23 Wind section member 24 Surname of two brothers behind a root beer brand 25 Beyond passable 26 Radio band letters 27 Microscope piece 30 Cough syrup amt.

31 Shape of a pretzel (but not a pretzel stick) 32 Septa- plus one 33 Dissipate slowly 35 Juliet’s surname 36 Medical suffixes 37 Drug bust participant 38 At any point 42 Offshore drilling structure 43 Half of a headliner at the Rio in Las Vegas 44 Like cheaper textbooks 45 The rougher interrogator, in procedurals 46 Roman god with two faces 47 Home of the Huskies, for short 48 Boxer Ali 49 Stage whisper, perhaps 52 Cheese that goes with red wine 53 Quality of some cheeses 54 Some bank acct. data 56 Stack of cash 57 “___ you for real?”

Copyright © 2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents perminute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 869 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 25

FOOD & DRINK ∙ SUSHI & BISCUITS

In Praise Of Black Garlic Chef Mike extols the virtues of one of the most perfect foods in the world

Mike McJunkin Pulse columnist

I

T’S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT AFTER six thousand years of use as food, seasoning, medicine, aphrodisiac, currency, and magic potion, there would be anything new in the world of garlic news.

But lo and behold, after a half dozen millennia, this ubiquitous allium has crept its way back into the world’s collective culinary consciousness in a way that seemed to have slipped past garlic enthusiasts from Tutankhamen to Pliny the Elder; from L.F. Diat to Paulie Cicero.

We modern folk with functioning taste buds may think that garlic has always been a part of everything right and good about food, but in the early 1900’s garlic was actually shunned by American gourmands who referred to it as “Bronx vanilla” and “Italian perfume.”

Thankfully, just before WWII, the American palate became woke to the value of garlic, not just as a deliciously versatile seasoning and positive culinary force, but eventually as a way to make unlimited amounts of bland, white breadsticks seem like a good idea.

Now, here we are in 2018 and the food world is atwitter at the (re?)emergence of a vastly different version of allium sativum— black garlic. Why would anyone want to turn garlic black, let alone eat it? Because black garlic is not simply a different color from the bulbs of white, run-of-the-mill garlic you grab from the bulk bin at FoodMart—it’s a gloriously different ingredient

altogether.

Black garlic is indeed black.

Cloves of regular white garlic are aged under controlled heat and humidity over the course of several weeks, eventually turning into soft, inky black umami nuggets. There are no additives or preservatives used in the process.

The enzymes in fresh garlic that give it that sharp bite begin to break down under these conditions and facilitate the Maillard reaction—the same chemical process that not only creates browning in our favorite foods, but also works to create the flavor compounds we can thank for deep meatiness of a grilled steak and the dark, rich taste of molasses.

Black garlic was first used as an ingredient in Asian cuisine, probably originating in China or Korea, where they would pack bulbs of fresh garlic into clay pots and let them slowly bake in the sun for up to two months. In Thailand, black garlic is believed to increase longevity, but in Korea it is rumored to bless women with supernatural powers as well.

I have been feeding small amounts of black garlic to my wife over the past several weeks and thus far she has not developed the power to manipulate shadows or lead departing souls to the other side. I’m monitoring the situation closely, however. Just in case.

There’s a common misconception floating around the garlicsphere that black garlic is fermented. Strictly speaking, it does not

26 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

meet the technical requirements for fermentation because there is no microbial action involved in its transformation. It’s created through an enzymatic process like garum, nam pla, and ishiri, so rather than fermenting, it’s actually just been roasted really low and really slow.

This low and slow cooking wholly transforms mild-mannered white garlic into soft, smooth cloves of sweet, dark umami. Imagine molasses-like richness with a sweetsavory, aged balsamic syrupy flavor that I would compare to slightly acidic dark caramel candy or a sweet tamarind gummy bear—but so much more complex and delicious.

Because of the time and resources involved in making black garlic it’s fairly expensive, which leads many people to attempt to make it at home, usually documented in a sad YouTube video of their failure.

It IS possible to make black garlic at home, but it requires a dedicated rice cooker, a suitable outdoor black garlic making location (the smell may launch an EPA

investigation) and the patience of Job. So unless you plan on eating an immortality-promising amount of the stuff, I would recommend buying it ready-to-eat from a specialty grocer such as Fresh Market, or order from one of the many black garlic producers available online.

Unlike white garlic, black garlic has a very subtle and muted flavor that can easily be overpowered.

It’s very soft, which makes it easy to mash into a puree and spread on bread, rub onto steaks, or create Bob’s infamous “Bet It All On Black Garlic Burger.” It can be added to cream sauces, pasta or virtually any dish that needs an extra bump of deep umami flavor.

My personal favorite is a purée of two parts overripe figs to one part black garlic for a hoisin-type sauce that’s perfect for roasted chicken, duck, pork or steak. Experiment, eat and enjoy!

Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan currently living abroad who has trained chefs, owned and operated restaurants.

Join him on Facebook at facebook.com/ SushiAndBiscuits

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE PULSE • 27