Loren Niemi rocks at Passim's

Last night, Loren Niemi told at Passim's - wow.  As I mentioned at the time, I enjoyed the sensation of surrendering myself to the Story of Fata Morgana, the Widow, the Countess, the Baker, and the Map-Maker, as Loren was telling it, being carried away by a combination of his words and my self-generated images.  Storytelling is truly a collaborative venture for this reason: both storyteller and listener co-create the experience as it is occurring.  Even in the act of "surrendering to story" we listeners are still driving the (in the case, broken-down VW bug) bus alongside of the Storyteller.  What a privilege!  I felt like the red dog (fox?) that jumped through the window of the bus to obstinately sit next to the Baker, looking expectantly at him, as if to say "Okay, where to next?"

Tell on, oh tellers, tell on!

A hearty cheer and hug to the inimitable Laura Packer for making this marvelous event a reality.  It was a great show and a packed house!

New Gal concert series

Last night at the Community Music Center in South Boston, we enjoyed a marvelous concert.  It was part of Sarah Bob's New Gallery Concert Series, and it featured the artwork of Jessica Burko, as well as the music of my better half, Curtis Hughes, and other marvelous composers such as Lee Hyla, Donald Martino, Helmut Lachenmann and Arvo Part.  A glorious smorgasbord of music and art!  I had the chance to talk briefly about my grandmother, artist Rosemarie Beck, whose work was also featured last night, in the form of a marvelous self-portrait which she painted in 1955.  To give a sense of the scope of her work, here's something from early on in her career:

House of Venus III, 1957

....and here's something from later on:

Safely in the Harbor, from The Tempest, 1976-77

It was an incredibly satisfying experience for both eye and ear, and I was thrilled at how beautifully members of the Firebird Ensemble played "The Beck Journals Volume 1" and "The Beck Journals Volume 2".  Went home floating on a cloud!