A quick trip down to London last weekend, to shake things up a bit, having put carers in place and told sam not to be too vocal about my absence (as though he would listen…). To wit: Art (kentridge and klein at tate modern) and Theatre (michael gambon and eileen atkins in beckett); sunday morning jaunt to Columbia Road flower market (to purchase an orchid for mum – saw my favourite buskers to boot, and scored a fabulous winter coat for pennies); sunday lunch (and much else) with jan (partridge and too much wine); sunday afternoon tea with david and valda, who were en route home to nyc after 2 week’s teaching in edinburgh (and with whom I also saw the beckett); and a wonderful boat ride down the river to Greenwich, to take the cable car that runs over the river from the O2 arena – gotta love heights… really fun… highly satisfactory all ’round. the only thing missing was music…
Talking of which, I wish to put an APB out for all possible UK musical contacts – everyone must know someone, right? It’s time to start putting out feelers here, both generally – for my creative health – and more specifically for Vagabond, my current labor of love. I would like to record a bit of it, and therefore…
4 voices wanted: young soprano or mezzo for the title role (sounding 17ish, passing as a boy) – early music type voice (i.e. little or no vibrato) but with some steel in there – plus alto (for the mother – richer voice), tenor (for the brother and husband) and baritone (for the father and other roles).
Variety of instrumentalists wanted: string quartet (young, hungry, good); bass (upright); clarinet/bass clarinet; guitar (acoustic and electric) – all with good reading chops but ideally also able to improvise) – plus 2 arabic musicians covering percussion (rik, dumbek, frame drum), oud, and possible ney/shenai/violin.
Simple, right?
And tomorrow is thanksgiving… how I will miss the Nyack gathering… who will make the gravy? I am invited out to lunch, as it happens, so will make that my thanksgiving meal and raise a glass to all so far away and say thank you for hands and hearts across the sea… I MISS YOU ALL. But I’ll be back…