Just finished: Robert Coover’s “Briar Rose” (Grove), 1996. I picked this up because of its proximity to Angela Carter’s “Bloody Chamber.” It also reminds me of Anna Kavan’s “Ice” (a feature a friend calls “abyssal refraction”). “Happily ever after…it’s never quite like you imagine it.” #BookSky
December 3, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Just finished: Robert Coover’s “Briar Rose” (Grove), 1996. I picked this up because of its proximity to Angela Carter’s “Bloody Chamber.” It also reminds me of Anna Kavan’s “Ice” (a feature a friend calls “abyssal refraction”). “Happily ever after…it’s never quite like you imagine it.” #BookSky
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis play Sonny Sharrock’s “Ask the Ages,” The Hamilton, DC, 11/28/25. They threw in a raging version of Sonny Sharrock Band’s “Dick Dogs” and a wild set of their own music (about 50% new) for good measure. #JazzSky
November 29, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis play Sonny Sharrock’s “Ask the Ages,” The Hamilton, DC, 11/28/25. They threw in a raging version of Sonny Sharrock Band’s “Dick Dogs” and a wild set of their own music (about 50% new) for good measure. #JazzSky
Another re-read: Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland” (Little Brown), 1990. I picked this up at a New Orleans thrift store a few years after it was published. Sort through the shaggy dog anecdotes, and there’s a pretty good story in there. #BookSky
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Another re-read: Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland” (Little Brown), 1990. I picked this up at a New Orleans thrift store a few years after it was published. Sort through the shaggy dog anecdotes, and there’s a pretty good story in there. #BookSky
Vinyl reckoning: Eberhard Weber “Fluid Rustle” (ECM, Germany), 1979. Guitarist Bill Frisell’s first ECM session. One-of-a-kind quintet lineup: bass, guitar, vibes, and two vocalists. Ethereal. #JazzSky
November 19, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Eberhard Weber “Fluid Rustle” (ECM, Germany), 1979. Guitarist Bill Frisell’s first ECM session. One-of-a-kind quintet lineup: bass, guitar, vibes, and two vocalists. Ethereal. #JazzSky
I’ve been enjoying @jrdarchivist.bsky.social’s “Keep Your Ear to the Ground,” a book that’s helped illuminate the world I stumbled into when I moved from SW Va. to DC. A fan of John’s zine, Held Like Sound, I somehow talked him into letting me contribute to HLS back in the day. #BookSky
November 17, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I’ve been enjoying @jrdarchivist.bsky.social’s “Keep Your Ear to the Ground,” a book that’s helped illuminate the world I stumbled into when I moved from SW Va. to DC. A fan of John’s zine, Held Like Sound, I somehow talked him into letting me contribute to HLS back in the day. #BookSky
Morning screening: Kurosawa’s “Hidden Fortress” (1958).
November 16, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Morning screening: Kurosawa’s “Hidden Fortress” (1958).
Vinyl reckoning: Lee Morgan “Infinity” (Blue Note), 1981. 1965 session with Jackie McLean, Larry Willis, Reggie Workman, and Billy Higgins. Hard to believe it took 16 years to release this. Even the ‘81 liners acknowledge this is among Morgan’s “best work.” #JazzSky
November 13, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Lee Morgan “Infinity” (Blue Note), 1981. 1965 session with Jackie McLean, Larry Willis, Reggie Workman, and Billy Higgins. Hard to believe it took 16 years to release this. Even the ‘81 liners acknowledge this is among Morgan’s “best work.” #JazzSky
Where I’ll be for the next 207 minutes.
November 9, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Where I’ll be for the next 207 minutes.
Vinyl reckoning: Tortoise “Touch” (@intlanthem.bsky.social), 2025. Deep instrumentals that reward deep listening.
November 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Tortoise “Touch” (@intlanthem.bsky.social), 2025. Deep instrumentals that reward deep listening.
Vinyl reckoning: Grant Green “Talkin’ About” (Blue Note / King), 1965/1983. ‘80s Japanese reissue of this proto-Lifetime trio session with Green on electric guitar, Larry Young on organ and Elvin Jones on drums. I’ll listen to ANY Grant Green recording, but this one is special. #JazzSky
November 5, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Vinyl reckoning: Grant Green “Talkin’ About” (Blue Note / King), 1965/1983. ‘80s Japanese reissue of this proto-Lifetime trio session with Green on electric guitar, Larry Young on organ and Elvin Jones on drums. I’ll listen to ANY Grant Green recording, but this one is special. #JazzSky
Vinyl reckoning: Grateful Dead “Blues for Allah” (Grateful Dead Records), 1975. R.I.P. Donna Godchaux. #GratefulDead
November 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Grateful Dead “Blues for Allah” (Grateful Dead Records), 1975. R.I.P. Donna Godchaux. #GratefulDead
Interesting! No, the only place 2310 appears is the sticker on the front cover.
October 31, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Interesting! No, the only place 2310 appears is the sticker on the front cover.
Vinyl reckoning: John Abercrombie “Timeless” (ECM, Germany), 1975. Classic trio with Jan Hammer and Jack DeJohnette. Still mourning. #JazzSky
October 31, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Vinyl reckoning: John Abercrombie “Timeless” (ECM, Germany), 1975. Classic trio with Jan Hammer and Jack DeJohnette. Still mourning. #JazzSky
Another re-read: Cormac McCarthy “The Road” (Knopf), 2006. If every good disaster novel is about something else, I guess this one’s about parenting? #BookSky
October 30, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Another re-read: Cormac McCarthy “The Road” (Knopf), 2006. If every good disaster novel is about something else, I guess this one’s about parenting? #BookSky
Vinyl reckoning: Jack DeJohnette “New Directions” (ECM/WB), 1978. DeJohnette, John Abercrombie, Lester Bowie, and Eddie Gomez. My favorite record of DeJohnette as a leader. #JazzSky
October 28, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Vinyl reckoning: Jack DeJohnette “New Directions” (ECM/WB), 1978. DeJohnette, John Abercrombie, Lester Bowie, and Eddie Gomez. My favorite record of DeJohnette as a leader. #JazzSky
Where I’ll be for the next 100 minutes.
October 25, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Where I’ll be for the next 100 minutes.
“We’re Shudder to Think and we love you.”
October 25, 2025 at 4:17 AM
“We’re Shudder to Think and we love you.”
Vinyl reckoning: Herbie Hancock “The Piano” (CBS Japan), 1979. Solo piano. Half standards. Half originals. I prefer the originals, especially the moody “Sonrisa.” Reminds me of the one time I saw Hancock play acoustic. October 2001. John Patitucci on bass and Brian Blade on drums. #JazzSky
October 21, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Vinyl reckoning: Herbie Hancock “The Piano” (CBS Japan), 1979. Solo piano. Half standards. Half originals. I prefer the originals, especially the moody “Sonrisa.” Reminds me of the one time I saw Hancock play acoustic. October 2001. John Patitucci on bass and Brian Blade on drums. #JazzSky
Vinyl reckoning: Egberto Gismonti “Sol Do Meio Dia” (ECM/WB), 1978. Sunday morning vibes. Bought this about 20 years ago after hearing Ralph Towner’s “Waterwheel,” which I mistook for Gismonti. Oops. Took me a few listens to get over the fact that this is not “Batik.” #JazzSky
October 19, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Egberto Gismonti “Sol Do Meio Dia” (ECM/WB), 1978. Sunday morning vibes. Bought this about 20 years ago after hearing Ralph Towner’s “Waterwheel,” which I mistook for Gismonti. Oops. Took me a few listens to get over the fact that this is not “Batik.” #JazzSky
Just finished: “Roadside Picnic” by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky (MacMillan), 1977. Source material for Tarkovsky’s “Stalker,” this SF novel about the aftermath of an alien visitation has enough narrative-shifting and weird action that it rewards multiple readings (this was my second). #BookSky
October 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Just finished: “Roadside Picnic” by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky (MacMillan), 1977. Source material for Tarkovsky’s “Stalker,” this SF novel about the aftermath of an alien visitation has enough narrative-shifting and weird action that it rewards multiple readings (this was my second). #BookSky
Vinyl reckoning: Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal - “Catching Fire” (Rune Grammofon), 2024. Live double-album from these underrated jazz-rock bruisers—and this one has Norwegian guitar god Terje Rypdal along for the ride. 2017 concert. It’s almost as if I wished this into existence. #JazzSky #TerjeRypdal
October 16, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal - “Catching Fire” (Rune Grammofon), 2024. Live double-album from these underrated jazz-rock bruisers—and this one has Norwegian guitar god Terje Rypdal along for the ride. 2017 concert. It’s almost as if I wished this into existence. #JazzSky #TerjeRypdal
Vinyl reckoning: Early Friday morning listening, @shaneparish.bsky.social “Repertoire” (Palilalia), 2024.
October 10, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Vinyl reckoning: Early Friday morning listening, @shaneparish.bsky.social “Repertoire” (Palilalia), 2024.
Now playing: John Abercrombie “Current Events” (ECM), 1986. Some peak-80s synth guitar in this jazz. Peter Erskine on drums and ‘mullet’ Marc Johnson on bass. It really does sound like they might bust out a cover of Steve Winwood’s “While You See A Chance.” #JazzSky
October 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Now playing: John Abercrombie “Current Events” (ECM), 1986. Some peak-80s synth guitar in this jazz. Peter Erskine on drums and ‘mullet’ Marc Johnson on bass. It really does sound like they might bust out a cover of Steve Winwood’s “While You See A Chance.” #JazzSky
Now playing: Ches Smith “Clone Row” (Otherly Love), 2025. Glitch-jazz? Autechre-bop? Liberty Ellman and @maryhalvorson.bsky.social on guitars. Ches Smith on drums, vibes and electronics. Nick Dunston on bass and electronics. #Jazzsky
October 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Now playing: Ches Smith “Clone Row” (Otherly Love), 2025. Glitch-jazz? Autechre-bop? Liberty Ellman and @maryhalvorson.bsky.social on guitars. Ches Smith on drums, vibes and electronics. Nick Dunston on bass and electronics. #Jazzsky