with Nina Nastasia at BAR

Once again a show has come up that I've forgot to post about on my blog (although in my defense I was added only a week ago...) If you're in New Haven, come to check out An Historic solo, my first set in awhile, opening for Nina Nastasia. This promises to be a fun show, and I've been itching to do more An Historic sets recently. The next after this is June 15th at Greenwell Organic Coffee and Tea in New Haven, duo with Brian Slattery.










 Also approaching, of note, is this date:
   Dr. Caterwaul's is opening for Secret Swing Society, from Amsterdam. They're a quality quartet, and we are definitely looking forward to that date, and returning to the Outer Space. 7:30, on June 11th.

Interview with Tri-Centric Orchestra Blog

This is probably the first actual written interview I've done, and what an honor that it comes from the Tri-Centric Orchestra's blog, which has provided interviews and information about various projects that members/affiliates of the Tri-Centric Orchestra are involved in. The Tri-Centric Orchestra is a large group devoted to performing the music of Anthony Braxton, and involves some incredibly talented musicians of extremely diverse backgrounds. Check the interview out HERE.

Opera Podcast

I recently recorded a tri-city podcast with George Lam and Ruby Fulton, co-artistic directors of Rhymes with Opera, who are premiering my opera "Red Giant" in just under two weeks. Have I mentioned how stoked I am for this? Yes? No? Some of that should come across in my babbling on this podcast. Check it out here!

a few upcoming things

on Tuesday, May 8th. I'll be joining Nathan Bontrager and Jonny Rodgers in accompanying Brian Francis Slattery in a reading from his latest, highly acclaimed novel Lost Everything.  The reading takes place at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT. We'll be reprising this to some extent with the help of Michael Paolucci and Sarah Alden at WORD in Brooklyn, NY on May 17th. Very exciting stuff - watch Brian talk-sing his way through some really vivid passages from his novel (and in one case play the banjo at the same damn time!). It promises to be really exciting stuff.

on Saturday, may 12th, Dr. Caterwaul's (minus Nathan) will be performing at the New Haven Artwalk at 2:30. We'll be on the Central Ave stage (corner of Central Ave and Fountain St.).

And the next An Historic gig is scheduled for June 15th at Greenwell Organic Coffee and Tea, at 6PM. I'll be accompanied by Brian Slattery for this one, and it promises to be a bunch of fun.

Between that, the opera. Oh yeah. That thing.

Discography/Compositions section finally updated!

Now features the most current and complete list of compositions and updated links to all extant recordings, including the most recent Broadcloth and An Historic live releases, and some of the more recent session work.

Recently, and Ahead

This post is much belated, and my apologies for letting it build up in this way.

I have a few upcoming dates on the "new music-y" side of things, rather than the songwriter-y side. Tonight, April 13th, in Hartford, Broadcloth is performing a set as part of the Hartford Phase Shift series. This is our Hartford debut, despite living so damned close to the city, and we're excited. Composer/performer Ben Klein has cultivated a really nice series up there, and we're excited to be there. Tomorrow night, Ben Klein and I are doing a duo set as part of the Uncertainty Music Series. (Also on the bill is a duo of Anne Rhodes and harpist Maura Valenti, performing a set of Anthony Braxton's Ghost Trance Music.) The music I've written for this duo is rather unlike anything I've done before, focusing primarily on vocals in a way my writing hasn't for several years. It's been a blast to work on, and will be an interesting challenge, with a result I hope is intriguing. I'm also very pleased to be performing in a new quartet with the members of Not The Wind, Not the Flag and Carl Testa, which will have its debut on April 25th at Elm Bar in New Haven, as part of the ongoing biweekly Uncertainty Series installments that have been happening there. I am beyond excited for this date, and, well, more to come.

Next Thursday, April 19th, I'm performing a duo set with guitarist Chris Riggs as part of his thesis concerts. This performance will be at Wesleyan University at the CFA Hall at 9PM. Chris has a unique approach to the guitar that utilizes no pedals or shredding whatsoever, and I am greatly anticipating this date. Broadcloth will be performing with Carl Testa at the Russell House at Wesleyan on May 6th at 8PM. This will, in effect, be a preview for our June Tour, which begins the 22nd. Further details for that will definitely be forthcoming.



Broadcloth also has a new release up for digital download, an unedited set of our recent performance at The Stone. We all felt it was a really strong performance, giving an accurate representation of what we've been up to. Download it HERE, either for free or with a donation, which will go towards our tour fund.

Finally, SAVE THE DATE! "Red Giant," my short-ish opera (with libretto by Brian Slattery) is being premiered in New York on June 9th at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Rhymes with Opera commissioned the piece and will be performing it, along with works by George Lam/Benjamin Rogers and Kathleen Bader. The performance begins at 8PM and is part of the NYsoundCircuit Festival. RWO will be bringing an encore of that performance to New Haven the following day, June 10th, at the Big Room in New Haven, CT. More details for both as the dates approach.

Unfortunately a scheduling conflict means I won't be able to participate in the debut performance of Anne Rhodes' 8' by 2' embroidered graphic composition, but y'all should still go see it on May 5th in Hartford, if you can. End shameless plug.

Check the sidebar for other upcoming dates. I'm especially excited for the accompanied reading for Brian Slattery's new book "Lost Everything." The band will feature all of Dr. Caterwaul's as well as guitarist Jonny Rodgers and violinist Sarah Alden. Dr. Caterwauls is also working on a date to host Ben Von Wildenhaus, a VERY intriguing guitarist. And sooner, rather than later, will be the cassette release of "Seicremllams" a new EP of self-recorded An Historic material. Stay tuned, as ever.

I've been a longtime fan of Peter Hammill, whether in brooding and introspective songwriter mode or going for more ambitious and/or grim topics with Van Der Graaf Generator. His career has been a real treat to explore at a relatively slow pace, and provided some key inspiration for some of my first songs. While I don't like all his material equally (and it encompasses such a wide range that it would be difficult for anyone to accomplish that), at his best he can create a pretty immediate mood through his choices in vocal delivery and general phrasing. Bucking the expected trend of someone who's been recording for 40 years, he's made some of the best albums of his solo career in the last decade, and this tune is from one of them, Incoherence. My version takes equal grounding from the original recording as it does on the recording from his live album with violinist Stuart Gordon, Veracious.