Up a little before 6 - felt more rested than the last few days, but had a bout of heartburn. Had coffee and listened to a podcast about reparations. Bree was out after 8. Managed to record and mix by track by 11. Used a phone app called Spire that Simon Joyner told me about. Did about 3 vocal/guitar takes, once I found a good place for the mic. Found that I hadn’t tuned to the keyboard, but that our “out-of-tune” piano, a half-step up in G minor, was close enough. Started fooling around w/ a more determinate part, finally decided to do 2 passes, floating in/out of time a bit. Mostly high-register ringing stuff, added more solid chord on one take near the end. Not an “arrangement,” but effective enough hard-panned. Harmonized w/ last chorus and tag, to “go” somewhere at the end — think it works. Mixed in the app (though you can export individual tracks), didn’t mess w/ add’l effect. Basically, it sounds like a 4-track recording from 1991. Emailed myself the file (not in the best format possible - a lot of data transfer involved), checked it on other headphones, dropboxed it to Luigi in Italy.
Rested for a while after that, listened to a duo set of Angelica Sanchez w/ Sam Newsome, ending w/ Monk’s “Raise Four”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VybhoOuZ-cI. Hot water was out, and then the water was off while it was being fixed; couldn’t shower or do laundry. Read the rest of Nicholson. Better when it gets past pointing out lyric conventions. Sent the Secret Stars cover to Jodi (who wrote it); old, email address, who knows if I’ll hear back. Talked to my dad; took energy. Finally showered.
Left at 7, to hear Dan Clucas (and NY musicians he’s fallen in with) William Parker’s music, some unrecorded, at Michiko, w/ Charlie Waters woodwinds; Matt Lavelle, trumpet, alto and bass clarinets; Hilliard Greene, double bass; Jack DeSalvo, guitar; Tom Cabrera, drums. Other 2 horn players have worked w/ Parker, and know his ‘book.’ Two uptempo numbers, “Mayor of Punkville,” and “I Believe” (in 3) were outstanding - the latter just sounds like a classic hard bop head. Ballads, arranged kind of chorally between the 3 horns and bass, were harder to distinguish on first hearing — a lot of donuts and fermatas - but the solos were good. Didn’t hang out long, ate a salad and read Christgau’s piece on his friend Marshall Berman on my phone.
Read Antwerp on the train (both ways) - it’s 60 p. I’ve read it before but it didn’t stick. It’s not so strange coming off some Robbe-Grillet — whether it’s a new novel, and anti-novel, or something else, it’s more in that line than later Bolaño.
Physically out of sorts all day, off and on. Lights out 11 - went to sleep to Crispell/Dresser/Hemingway playing Braxton.