Nawi – Some Pogues. Apropos and helpful. The Pogues, for me, growing up in Boston, trended towards an audience of kids I wasn’t connected with, but I appreciated their fervor for the music and wondered often about its marriage between Punk and Folk musics. This song in particular reaches me deeply and it does have that feeling that the song just erupted in the Pub, with the the folks of the town, but it also feels “performed” and ecstatic. Meaning that it wasn’t just a random happening, but a great performer in a casual atmosphere bringing something to life. With McGowan’s passing it is great to be reintroduced to his music and sparked with a reason to go dig deeper. The Pogues – “The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn”
Bart – Starts out with something sounding like what I would describe as corpse bells… Some bass clarinet in there, which makes me think I should know it, but I don’t. Hendrix, orchestrated and sounds like the 60’s. Herbie Mann covers that criteria well, but Bart nods no when I ask if this is a hairy chested version. “Third Stone From the Sun” – Robert Dick. Definitely weird and wild flute playing and we diverge into topics like the special glissando flute neck Robert Dick created and then lots of Mann/Dick duo album pun/titles.
Travis – “I’m just going off of meeting with old co-workers (from Ibanez guitars?)” sounds like a great plan. This is has some weirdo 90’s rock sounding instrumental parts, but with intricate vocals, not in English, and tricksy. The singers sound a little like the Bulgarian choir singing, but without them really messing with the harmonies and instead using really focused, layered, intense vocals. The way the melodies skate around remind me of the Bulgarians. It all works in a freaky kaleidoscopic way. Värttinä – “Reina” – Finnish/Karelian vocals! I got a Karelian Folk music CD a while back, I’ll need to compare.
Dan – “I break all the rules of Seshjawn, with a long ass play” – Régis Campo – “Dancefloor With Pulsing” for Theremin and Orchestra. Carolina Eyck. So long, but riveting, and it felt like we were having a moment (though maybe not for Matt? Silence from him.) so I kept it going rather than bailing out halfway through. I’ve used this in teaching and find the orchestration, use of theremin and the tension & release to be modern and mesmerizing. There are moments where it becomes overwhelming and I feel that is described in the title, telling you how the music should be perceived.
Matt – Omer Avital – “Homeland” – Modern Jazz and I must say it takes us around the bucket tonight. We went from Pogues – to Hendrix/Dick – to Finland – to Minimalist Theremin w/ Orchestra – to Clean Ostinato Jazz. Exactly what a Seshjawn should be. This is ruminative and played with fervor. A good way to end a year that won’t end.
Additionally tonight was a fitting recap to 2023. I’m hoping for a better 2024 but today is going alright so a continuation of the end of 2023 would be fine. And a special thanks to the Seshjawners Prime, Bart, Travis, Nawi and Matt for opening my ears all year and lots of love for that supportive friendship they all bring. Hope to see some others at a Seshjawn in 2024 sometime!
Found Sounds 