Steven Blier is back to curate Song of the Day this week!
November always turns out to be a four-sided deadline crunch: the Juilliard program is due, we’re putting the final touches on next season’s casting and touring dates, the Schubert/Beatles program looms, a fundraiser letter needs to be produced by the end of the weekend. Oh, and I have a dim recollection that Caramoor might be wanting their program information too, but I have decided to play ostrich about that for a few more days because it is certainly not going to get done.
Practicing Rachmaninoff and Zez Confrey has taken over most of my brain cells for the past few months, leaving me just enough room for basic mitochondria. In these times my head can feel as if it is about to explode, and I need soothing music. What soothes me is Italian opera, because it is so familiar, and certain jazz discs—nothing too frenetic, no be-bop. Charlie Haden’s Nocturne is a go-to CD for me: inventive, opulent, calm, medium-to-slow tempos, blessedly simple and heartfelt. It is a pH-restorer, and I recommend that everyone listen to it twice daily as the holidays approach.
As if I didn’t already love Steven Blier, Charlie Haden’s “Nocturne ” has been my “go to” album for many years.
We’ve moved from NYC to western Massachusetts and we truly miss our NYFOS concerts.