Hi buddies,
If you’re new to this list, welcome! I send out a little letter near the beginning of every month with show announcements, professional tidbits, and tiny recommendations (this last section usually rambles into recipes, movies, music, etc.).*
This fall has been so busy, full of travel and music. I’m grateful for the fullness, and also looking forward to a slower December. I’m sitting on a couple of new records, and continuing a few duo collaborations, but mostly cooking with N and petting my cat, who has miraculously grown about 30 percent more fur. He’s so fuzzy! I wish I could do that.
I’m remembering and honoring a dear friend and wonderful musician Mars Williams, who died this month after a year-long battle with cancer. Mars was a force of joy in many music communities and a huge inspiration to me. May his memory be eternal!
Professional tidbits:
This afternoon (12.2) from 4-6pm EST I’m wrapping up my Wave Farm Fellowship with a live broadcast on WGXC, in conversation with Gregory Whitehead and incoming fellow Desiree Mwalimu-Banks. The fellowship has included three parts:
A research component: adding five new works to Wave Farm’s Archive. I’m honored to add works by Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek, Claire Williams, Adriana Knouf, Hali Palombo, and a new work by Elizabeth Flood.
A creative component: I wrote and recorded Variations on a Topography, which you can stream on Radia.fm.
A community engagement workshop: I taught a workshop called The Radio as Collaborator! I had a blast working with a group of thoughtful and curious artists from around the world last week, discussing and recording new work with radios. I’d love to teach more workshops in the future.
The fellowship has been so wonderful, and I’m incredibly grateful to Wave Farm for having me this Fall.
One single show:
12.14 duo with Sarah Clausen; Hungry Brain, Chicago
Tiny recommendations:
I am slowly recovering from my second cold of the season (ugh). Seems like it’s really going around, so in case you have a cold too, here’s Lia Kohl’s Patented Cold Tonic:
Juice one lemon into a mug. Grate about an inch of ginger into a cup of water and boil for 5 minutes with a teaspoon of turmeric. Strain the ginger/turmeric mixture into the mug of lemon juice and stir in a healthy spoonful of honey.
(this is a modified version of my Mama’s cold tonic — credit where credit is due)
My friend James Wetzel is putting out a record! It’s a BOP, I’m listening to it while I write this.
I have been using this Zizia Botanicals Flower Balm every day ever since I picked it up on a tour whim and it really helps with crackly winter face.
It’s soup season! We’ve been making a lot of congee for breakfast — the easiest version so far is boiling 1/4 cup rice in 3 cups of stock for about an hour (I usually also add matchsticks of ginger and a couple of dried shiitake mushrooms). Throw in some greens or peas at the end and serve with chili oil. N also recently made this chorizo lentil soup (which can be made sans chorizo, for ye fellow Orthodox folk).
Extra Toasty Cheezits
This is a good time to buy yourself flowers. Or buy your friends flowers.
that’s all, for now.
Lia