Greetings, buddies!
If you're in the Midwest, I hope you saw/heard some Sandhill Cranes migrating this month.*
I spent half of November surrounded by French musicians, touring around Chicago and the midwest with Temple of Enthusiasm: Marvin Tate (poetry), Erwan Keravec (bagpipes), Gerrit Hatcher (tenor saxophone), Gaspar Claus and I (cellos). We have a new album out via the Bridge Sessions here.
I am currently spending a week in Chile with Keefe Jackson (clarinet/sax) and Bill Harris (drums). It's warm here (wow, hemispheres) and we're having a great time eating fish and improvising with Chilean musicians.
I just released some new music via Longform Editions, an online gallery for listening. It's a synthy 25 minute piece responding to radio static that I made this summer in Wisconsin. Listen here, if you want!
Lots of upcoming shows in December:
December 1st - Constellation Chicago - duo with Kiku Hibino + trio with Kiku and Alex Inglizian in celebration of Kiku's new release on SUPERPANG
December 3rd - Elastic Arts - Duo with Katinka Kleijn as part of the Catalytic Sound Fest
December 9th - Department of Harmony - Honestly Same *unplugged* (Mabel Kwan, Zach Moore, Sam Scranton, Zach Good + me)
December 13th - Fulton Street Collective - solo, sharing the bill with Khouri and Hall
December 17th - Elastic Arts - with Circuit Ensemble, A/V fest curated by Kim Alpert
Deep recs for the month:
Take a bath while listening to Green by Hiroshi Yoshimura.*
I didn't watch much TV but I do highly recommend Die Kaiserin, because it's so pretty and the acting is quite good, and who doesn't love a monarchy drama in late stage capitalism? Also Joe Pera Talks With You, on Adult Swim -- S1 Ep. 6 is honestly some of the best TV I've ever seen (yes I am aware I am late to this party).
I also just pre-ordered my friend Elizabeth Metzger's poetry book, Lying In (here's a preview poem in Guernica Magazine). And on the plane to Santiago I read Weather, by Jenny Offill, which is so good.
N and I have been making this really good pasta with kabocha squash: For 2: peel and grate half a kabocha and chop up 4 or 5 garlic cloves, saute in butter and oil with some salt and red pepper flakes. If it sticks to the pan, deglaze with some white wine. Cover and cook for a few minutes until the squash is soft. Meanwhile, cook however much spaghetti you want (be sure to salt the water!). Puree the squash mixture in a food processor until smooth. When the pasta is al dente, drain and mix with the squash puree, a 1/4 cup of pasta water and a bunch of grated parmesan over low heat for a minute, until the sauce sticks to the pasta. serve with grated lemon zest and more pepper flakes.
Hope to see you in real life soon!
Lia
*fun trick: open the tab about Sandhill Cranes and the Yoshimura album and play both sounds simultaneously -- *chef's kiss*