#i was like ‘well i think it was folk metal and they spoke spanish’ so i just went thru all the spanish speaking folk metal bands on metal

[clanoffelidae]

People: I listen to everything!

Me: okay cool! -puts on one of the most popular and mainstream metal bands to play it safe like Rammstein or Korn-

People: not that tho :/

Me: alright that’s cool -puts on psytrance-

People: not that either :/

Me: just say you want me to put on the top 100 billboard if that’s what you want please

I’m not saying ‘oH My MuSiC TaSTe iS So WeiRD’, LOADS of people love metal and I’m one of them!!! I’ve happily indoctrinated two of my friends into Powerwolf, lots of people like metal! I also love a lot of edm and like surrealism so they may overlap depending on my mood, loads of people love that kind of stuff!!!

But like, if you don’t actually want to listen to ‘anything’ say so!!! People have different tastes and that’s fine!!! I myself generally answer with ‘I’m quite fond of metal (though I prefer if the vocalist is singing; nothing against growling and screaming and I quite like it as an add on for extra flavor, but I’m partial towards more audible melodies is all!), edm, and a lot of orchestral/choral music; but I’m open to trying anything! I tend towards specific genres but I’ve found specific country songs I liked, rap, more classic pop, latin music; so I’m not closed off to anything by genre alone and am willing to give anything a try!’

Because that’s the truth. If you don’t want to try a certain genre SAY so!!! Most people will respect it!!! I myself am open to trying most anything and if I don’t like the particular song I can just tune it out or put my headphones in! You can put on what you want instead of saying you like ‘everything’ because you don’t want to sound picky and then getting uncomfortable when you don’t actually like what I pick but didn’t want to say it. It saves a lot of stress for everyone, especially when things like headphones exist nowadays so we DON’T have to listen to the same thing!!!

People have different tastes and no one will think less of you for not liking a specific type of music. Those who do are stuck up snobs and shouldn’t have their opinions on music valued anyway. Just be honest and everyone will have a much more enjoyable experience, please.

[dustedmagazine]

Dusted Mid-Year Exchange, Part 2: Positive No to Yves Tumour

Six Organs got a lot of mid-year love this time

Welcome back to part two of the Dusted Mid-Year Exchange, in which we tackle the second half of the alphabet. If you missed part one, with its lengthy description of what we’re doing here, you can read it here. Or just muddle through. Cheers.  

Positive No — Kyanite (Little Black Cloud)

Kyanite by Positive No

Who recommended it? Tobias Carroll

Did we review it? No.

Tim Clarke’s take:

Positive No braid tight bursts of guitars, bass and drums into upbeat yet agitated shapes. There’s a touch of Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino in Tracy Wilson’s vocal delivery, or My Bloody Valentine’s Belinda Butcher, especially on expansive opener “Elevator Up.” At just under half an hour, the urgent economy of Kyanite’s songwriting makes all the more sense when you learn that it’s the band’s final album, released on Valentine’s Day this year. As their parting gesture, nothing is wasted, everything invested. As one of the song titles says, “Get In, Get Out. Don’t Linger. Go On.”

 Raspberry Bulbs — Before the Age of Mirrors

Before The Age Of Mirrors by Raspberry Bulbs

Who picked it? Jonathan Shaw

Did we review it? Yes, Jonathan said, “Even in its heaviest metal moments, on ‘Reclaimed Church’ and excellent closing track ‘Given Over to History,’ the record’s punk vibe cuts and grins. It insists on a deadly aesthetic seriousness, and at the same time, it’s tugging the rug out from under its own feet.”

Jennifer Kelly’s take:

Raspberry Bulbs splices punk’s antic venom with metal’s storm and roar, shifting from one mode to the other inside individual tracks, sometimes measure to measure. Consider “Doggerel” which kicks off in a pogo-ing furor, rattling violently over rapid oi band rhythms, everything clipped and percussive, even the vocals, though hoarse and splintered. Midway through, a sirening guitar riff intercedes and the singing turns ominous and measured; all the sudden it’s metal. “Midnight Line” pulls the opposite trick, beginning in clanging, feedback-morphing guitar and larynx shredding howl, then introducing a punk rock palm-muted chug and anthemry. It’s a volatile mix, at times nearly playful, at others agonizingly heavy, at still others (the “Intervals” mostly) surprisingly lyrical.  I lean towards the punk-er tracks—"They’re After Me” and “Doggerel”— metal fans may feel otherwise.

 Stephen Riley — Friday the 13th (Steeplechase)

Who recommended it? Derek Taylor

Did we review it? Yes. Derek said, “Knuffke and Riley are a directly collaborative pairing now and their partnership politely demands many more dates like this one.”

Justin Cober-Lake's take:

Saxophonist Stephen Riley has put together a quartet with a singular idea of playing these classic tunes on Friday the 13th in relatively straightforward and spacious renditions. Their take on Eddie Vinson's “Four” has Riley and cornetist Kirk Knuffke trading long solos. The rhythm section does its job, but it's a horn players' record. The album comes alive most when Knuffke and Riley interact more immediately. On Oliver Nelson's “Hoe Down,” they reveal how great a partnership they have, initially matching each other on the main melody before spiraling off. “Round Midnight” could have been too obvious a choice, but the combo's personalized take on the standard works out. Everyone sounds at ease enough within the song that they take a few more risks, and the horn players supplement each other nicely with more harmonic considerations. The album ends with a trio of spirited numbers, and in each case Riley and Knuffke play off each other's solos with a sharpness that by now makes sense. Riley's listening to Monk and playing like Rollins (hence the title track) as he and his group find ways to make old bop sound new.

  Gil Scott-Heron and Makaya McCraven—We’re New Again, A Reimagining (XL Recordings)

Who recommended it? Jenny Kelly.

Did we review it? Yes. Arthur Krumins notes, “McCraven lays down a lush musical backdrop that allows Scott-Heron’s words to have emotional impact.”

Jonathan Shaw’s take:

The word “reimagine” has a sexy resonance, and for that reason, it’s often too casually used. But in the case of We’re New Again, the word is warranted. Drummer and producer Makaya McCraven doesn’t just remix Gil Scott-Heron’s final record, I’m New Here (2010); McCraven shuffles the track list, adds some relevant recordings of Scott-Heron’s voice, and creates entirely new arrangements, moods, and musical accompaniment for the earlier album’s songs. It’s ballsy — I’m New Here is justly recognized as a masterpiece, and it’s marked by a stylistic austerity. On that record, Scott-Heron sang and spoke and recited his poetry over minimalist beats, a strummed guitar, or his own piano playing. McCraven attentively reimagines the tunes, working with polyphonic, post-Bop ensembles; busy hip-hop soundscapes; gospel and funk quotations. Remarkably, none of the richness of Scott-Heron’s vocals and none of the complexity of his poetry get obscured. More often, McCraven inventively intensifies the impact of Scott-Heron’s songs. And the reordering and recontextualizing of the tracks reveals a different narrative, grounded in the resilience and the suffering of Scott-Heron’s upbringing and too-short life. You listen and you feel it. It’s a terrific record.

Six Organs of Admittance — Companion Rises (Drag City)

Companion Rises by Six Organs of Admittance

Who recommended it? Jennifer Kelly

Did we review it? Yes. Jenny said it’s “straight-down-the-middle Six Organs, not as loud and abrasive as the first Hexadic disc, not as reticently wisp-y as the older folk-derived records.”

Patrick Masterson’s take:

Back when Dusted was still a dot-com, we talked about making a site-specific canon for our 10th anniversary, a kind of “Dusted 500” field guide. There was a shared spreadsheet and talk of a benefit show and a mixtape comp and so on that never amounted to anything for myriad reasons, but I can promise you Ben Chasny would’ve figured into it somehow — and nearly a decade on from that, my promise stands. The latest (30th? Let’s call it 30th) Six Organs of Admittance record is a beautiful slow burner that shows why, all astral spirits and slow-rolling starlight guitar plucks that is, as Jenny rightly notes, a Six Organs line drive. My belief after numerous spins since early February — mostly in the mornings, for which this music also seems suitable accompaniment — is that, like the rest of Chasny’s oeuvre, it will appeal to anyone who likes guitars or reads this. On the off chance you stumbled in here or haven’t heard this record yet: Welcome. It’s always been this way.

Patrick Masterson

 Spanish Love Songs — Brave Faces Everyone (Pure Noise)

Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

Who recommended it? Ian Mathers

Did we review it? Yes. Ian said, “it’s more a record of solidarity and mutual support than it is anything more prescriptive.”

Patrick Masterson’s take:

L.A. quintet Spanish Love Songs occupy a very specific point on what I like to think of as the Bar Band Spectrum, where one end is a bottom-rung covers-only collective found in just about any weeknight dive pre-COVID playing for beer money out of boredom and modest ambition… and the other end is Bruce Springsteen. This band isn’t as ramshackle as, say, Ladyhawk, nor have they yet hit a glass ceiling à la the Constantines; they sound to me more like Beach Fossils or Single Mothers, where everything from their songwriting to their slightly glossy production suggests they’re as ready as they’ll ever be for arena life. And what a record to make the case, too: Brave Faces Everyone is the sound of Run for Covers Records growing up or early onset Gen Z realizing a glass of wine after everything is, in fact, a coping mechanism for adulthood in a profoundly uncaring world. It’s got a big, young heart to match its big, old sound. It says, loudly, that in the increasingly untethered reality of 2020, we are all losers forever — but there’s still a “best of it” to be made if you wanna and the bravest face is an optimistic one. I’ll rock with that (from the quarantined confines of home and the other side of another lousy livestream, of course).

Patrick Masterson

Squirrel Flower — I Was Born Swimming (Polyvinyl)

I Was Born Swimming by Squirrel Flower

Who picked it? Patrick Masterson

Did we review it? Nope.

Arthur Krumins’ take:

Making the most of a dour mood, Squirrel Flower squeezes disaffection from her vocal delivery. The instrumentation is reminiscent of a less noisy Built to Spill, or maybe Julie Doiron, and is effectively now a retro indie rock sound originally from the late 90s or early 2000s. The jamminess of some of the drawn out riffs feel both pretty and sad, and could be a good soundtrack to a rainy drive. The heaviness is well developed without being bogged down. The lyrics catch your attention with their plainspoken narration of conflict (“You slap me, I’ll slap you right back” she repeats in “Slapback”). A fitting album for looking your troubles head on while still being totally surrounded by them.

 Waterless Hills — The Great Mountain (Cardinal Fuzz)

Waterless Hills - 'The Great Mountain' by Waterless Hills

Who picked it? Bill Meyer

Did we review it? No.

Arthur Krumins’ take:

A dissonant flow that steadily increases in intensity starts this record, which is a live recorded improvisation. The combination of aching, modal violin by dbh with slightly overdriven cascading electric guitar by C Joynes makes for a feel reminiscent of “Venus in Furs” by the Velvet Underground. The percussion by Andrew Cheetham, a drum kit plug some extras like a hung Chinese gong, creates texture and mood. Sometimes there’s just a steady counting of time in the background, at other moments waves of cymbals crash and make a cacophonous emphasis as the music rises and falls. The overall effect of the jams is hypnotic, like getting absorbed in a swirling light show. The players’ sensitivity to the musical interplay of their instruments, combined with a masterful looseness, makes it a trip worth taking.

Well Yells — We Mirror the Dead (Self-released)

Who recommended it? Ian Mathers.

Did we review it? Yes. Ian Mathers notes, “tipping towards the slightly industrial/EBM side of the genre, We Mirror the Dead gains a kind of gloomy propulsion without losing any of the atmosphere or intensity of [the band’s] prior work.”

Jonathan Shaw’s take:

The Gothic is not famous for stylistic restraint, and neither are the various contemporary subgenres that have inherited goth music’s romance of dark interiors, painfully fraught feeling and highly stylized self-fashioning. A few recent acts have cut against the grain of those established maximalist textures: see the grim industrial rancor of Street Sects, and the more experimental, sample-based austerities of Wreck and Reference. Well Yells’ music feels similarly stripped down to a pulsing electronic essence. But the record is more interested in the strobing spaces of Clubland than in decrepit factory ruins, and the darkwave gloss of We Mirror the Dead presents a more conventional relation to goth’s sensations. At its best—as on album opener “Kill the King”—the music of Patrick Holbrook, sole member of Well Yells, snaps and glimmers with compelling dread and arch sophistication. Holbrook’s breathy tenor is a useful counterpoint; his vocals are vaguely reminiscent of the best of those other habitués of Clubland, the British New Romantics (remember Bronski Beat?). It’s good stuff, somehow simultaneously polished and dirty.

  Lucinda Williams—Good Souls Better Angels (Thirty Tigers/Highway 20 Records)

Who recommended it? Justin Cober-Lake

Did we review it? No.

Bill Meyer’s take: I haven’t listened much to Lucinda Williams; the one record I have by her, Sweet Old World, is 28 years old. The first thing that hit me when I listened to Good Souls Better Angels is what’s changed. Williams’ voice is much rougher, and she’s adjusted the music correspondingly, adding Hendrixian guitar flourishes to “Bone of Contention” and coarsening the domestic violence scenario “Wakin’ Up” with bad-trip electronics. The next is how pissed she sounds. Violent boyfriends are bad enough, but having a charmless sociopath for president is even worse. Fortunately, bile hasn’t overwhelmed her writing chops. Big-sounding roots rock isn’t really my thing these days, but if I feel the need to change that, Good Souls Better Angels is a good place to start.  

  Wire — Mind Hive (Pink Flag)

Who picked it? Andrew Forell

Did we review it? Yes, Andrew said, “Mind Hive is concise yet full of restless intelligence, musical ideas and willingness to push boundaries.”  

Derek Taylor’s take:

I tapped Wire late and left early. That truncated exposure lends a narrow vocabulary in describing their music contextually, pre- and post-reunions. This latest missive sounds alternately like what I remember and at least several zip codes removed with a heavy lean into synths. “Be Like Them” and “Primed and Ready” fall in the former category, while “Off the Beach” trades gangly ennui and menace for what almost resembles instrumental optimism until the lyrics stack dutifully into another ode to the disaffected and disconnected. “Oklahoma” feels inscrutably weird. “Hung” drops as the album’s extended, incremental, post-industrial dirge. There’s additional insulation sheathing this Wire, an inevitable adjunct of ascendancy to elder status, but the current foursome is still dependably conducting current.

 Yves Tumour — Heaven to a Tortured Mind (Warp)

Who recommend it? Patrick Masterson

Did we review it? No.

Ian Mathers’ take:

Listen to music for long enough and you might realize that most of the time when you hope any artist goes in any particular direction with their work, you’re bound to be disappointed. But every so often, maybe after a promising album that you just didn’t fully click with, an artist does exactly what you were hoping for and fully manifests all the potential promise you thought you glimpsed. Yves Tumor’s 2018 album Safe in the Hands of Love was admirable in many ways, but it was really only on crucial single “Noid” that all the combustible elements were really brought together into something that properly bangs. Well, Heaven to a Tortured Mind might not have as many showcases for the ambient/noise chops that Tumor definitely has, but it does consistently bang for 36 minutes of should-be alternate universe pop hits, from the brassy “Gospel for a New Century” to the floaty duet “Kerosene!” For anyone who loved “Noid” and then found more to respect than the viscerally love on Tumor’s last record, this is the record you were waiting for, and it is magnificent and ferocious.

[tentoriwrites]

Hypatia

This is my contribution to the Atlas Molniya appreciation week! Ye olde pirate AU. Sorry, folks, writing an entire fic where everyone talks like a pirate in a week’s time was a bit too much for me... It’s a pirate AU so there is some shooting and mild violence, but generally no other warnings or triggers.

Before you read: Hypatia is the name of the woman often attributed with inventing the first astrolabe. Astrolabe were the bar none instruments for helping sailors navigate the oceans by using the ship’s position relative to the stars. They are often described as primordial computers. The word astrolabe roughly means, “that which captures the stars” in Greek.

Tagging: @jane-runs-fast @dear-mrs-otome @yoolee @otomelin and @frywen-babbles

Thank you for your support in writing my first Lovestruck fic! <3

“Halt!” An imposing figure cloaked in red shouted as he spotted me dashing through the streets. Nope, nope! Not going to do it! I kept running trying to find a place to hide where there wasn’t a member of the Inquisition loitering about. My daring escape from custody was made all the more difficult by a suffocating corset and billowing skirt. Not sparing any blame on the heels of my shoes getting stuck in the cobblestones street sorely in need of repair! I mean really, if they aren’t using our tax money to fill pot holes, what are they using it on?!

My feet were taking me to the port where my brain told me I could hide on a ship until I thought of a better plan. I had almost made it when someone grabbed my arm and forced me to stop. His strong grip pushed me out of the middle of the crowded street and up against the rough brick wall.

“Turn over the device and renounce your heretic ways and you might just live.” I dragged my eyes up the expanse of polished armor to the insignia emblazoned on his chest. I could tell from how he was dressed he was a high-ranking member of the Spanish Inquisition. My hands rubbed against the rough texture of the wall behind me, the cool brick a stark contrast to the sickening heat of fear coursing through my veins.

The device in question pressed unpleasantly into my back and I fidgeted out of instinct. What better place to securely hide it than in the back of my corset where no one would find it? It sounded like a completely brilliant idea at the time. It was working well so far but If this jerk kept me pinned against the wall much longer I was going to faint, and it might just pop out!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I’m pretty sure my voice could not have sounded any less convincing.

“Don’t play coy…” His eyes narrowed a fraction as he looked me over. “We know you have an Arabic astrolabe in your possession.” Arabic? The astrolabe I had found laying around and cleaned up was Arabic? “We have it under good authority that you have been working with the Arabs to undermine the Reconquista, the Inquisition, and all Christendom.” Well that’s news to me!

“I just found some books and tools laying around and studied them.” My voice came out on a shaky breath as my body trembled beneath his touch. I could tell from the way his grip tightened and his brow dug down he was not buying that.

“We will see how well that holds up during interrogation.” He hissed into my ear in a way that made him seem more a demon and less a man of faith. I wondered why a person of obvious belief such as himself would be so bent on my being guilty. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it as a low rumble started coming from one of the nearby streets. We both looked in the direction of the rumbling. Somehow, despite the fear singing through every fiber of my being, I managed to smile.

“It’s a Tuesday…” I remarked in relief.

“What does that have to do with…” His question was cut short by a man frantically rounding a corner nearby.

“CLEAR THE STREETS! CLEAR THE STREETS!” The man rushed by us as the rumbling intensified. It almost felt like the ground could open up at any moment and swallow us whole.

“What happens on Tuesday?!” He glared down at me and my broadening smile. I opened my mouth to answer him, but a stampede of cows rounded the corner before I could utter a single syllable. A charging bull at the front of the herd collided right into him, horns barely missing my arm. The bull took him off to parts unknown.

“Tuesday is when the cows are brought in for slaughter.” I answered smugly as I used the dust cloud for cover to slip into a narrow alley. At the end of the alley was the sea glittering in the sun brighter than the finest cut jewels. I made a break for it as fast as my ridiculous fluffy dress would allow in the cramped space.

 I looked around the docks to make sure the coast was clear before venturing out of the alley. There were boats of all shapes and sizes lining the docks. Many were in some stage of being loaded or unloaded. It would certainly look suspicious if a woman wandered on to any of them. Then one caught my eye, a smaller boat, with no one milling around. It had a Greek name on the hull making me hopeful the crew would be foreigners out for a good time right now. I tried to act as casual as possible as I walked quickly over to the boat’s gangplank. A rather clumsy hop, skip, and jump later and I stumbled onto the deck.

I glanced around before making my way to the door of the cabin. I slowly turned the knob and opened it just enough to slip inside. I heaved a sigh of relief as I slid to a crouched position against the door. I made it! I really made it! Relief washed over me as I let out a sigh. That’s when I heard it, a tell-tale click. I winced as I looked up. Seems it was a bit early to be celebrating.

“Who are you and why are you on my ship?” I followed the sound of the voice to a man leaning back in a thick wooden chair, feet propped up on the heavy table. He wore sturdy black leather boots to just below the knee with black trousers tucked into them. Burnt orange leather vest peeked out from the black waist coat draping off the side of the chair and dusting the floor on either side. Faded orange embellishments drew attention to tarnished brass buttons.

He seemed aged beyond his years, flecks of grey in his dark hair betraying a younger looking face. The large coat that hung loosely over his frame obscured most of his body. For a moment I pondered what his physique was like hiding under there. Regardless, he painted a stunningly handsome picture that hit me completely off guard. That is until a cold glint in the dimly lit cabin caught my eye. He had the barrel of a gun pointed right at me.

“Well it’s a very interesting story actually…” I called back as I quickly scampered to my feet. “You see the Inquisition thinks I’m a heretic because I found this astrolabe and fixed it up… So now they want to take me in for questioning.” There is a long moment of uncomfortable silence that compelled me to continue, but he beat me to the punch.

“So, you thought you’d just meander on the first boat you found and stowaway?” He sat the gun down on the table as he spoke flatly.

“Not exactly, no… the name caught my attention. Asteri. It’s a beautiful name! Did you know Asteri means…”

“Star in Greek? Yes, I’m the one that named it.” He cut off my nervous meandering with those few short words. Now is not the time to start rambling! Now is probably the time to be leaving…

“Yes! Of course! You mentioned that… Well I just thought I’d hide out until dark when it would be easier to escape… I’ll just see myself…” Suddenly there were frantic foot falls from outside and Atlas rose wordlessly to his feet. “Out?” He crossed the room quickly, grabbing me by both arms and lifting me out of the way of the door.

“ATLAS!” At precisely the same time a man yelled, and the door flew open. “Time to go…?”

“You heard the Captain, off you go.” The man, I presume was named Atlas, gave me a pointed look as he gestured out the door with a tilt of his head.

“Why is she even here?” The captain asked as he walked out behind Atlas.

“Stowing away.” Atlas’s voice had all the compassion of an executioner.

“I guess today’s her lucky day seeing as I already pulled in the plank and Nova is already hauling anchor.” Another man wearing red chimed in merrily as he shot the three of us a dashing smile. The tramping of hooves and clinking of metal on stone filled the air as Inquisition knights drew down on the ship.

“He’s right we’ll have to take her with us to the next port.” The captain conceded causing Atlas to mutter a string of obscenities the likes of which I had never heard before. Success! Way out of town secured! A bullet whizzed past my head killing yet another short-lived moment of happiness.

“Well there you have it! Miss, if you would kindly just wait in the cabin.” The man in red motioned to the door behind me. I gaped at him as he pushed me out of the way. Not one among them seemed the least bit bothered about being shot at.

“Why is the Inquisition shooting at us anyways.” The captain posed the question as he moved to release the sails. They aren’t shooting at you! They’re shooting at me! I looked on in abject horror as they were caught in the middle between the Inquisition and I. Bullets embedding themselves in the worn wooden deck as the crew rushed to get the ship moving.

“Ask the stowaway!” Thanks, Atlas. Way to make me feel even better about this being all my fault. Just as another round of shot careened towards the ship, I saw him, the Inquisition knight from before. He was looking down at me smugly from atop his horse. The fact that he could look so smug while wearing dented armor somehow made him even more infuriating to look at. The volley threw up a cloud of smoke obscuring his face temporarily.

“Prepare to board the ship!” The knight commanded with a sneer.

“Now! While they’re reloading!” The captain yelled as he and the man in red unfurled the sails. A woman in purple gunned down the knights trying to lower a plank onto the ship with startling accuracy. The boat lurched forward at a pace that would make a snail look like the bull runner I saw earlier. Thankfully, it quickly picked up speed as we neared the entrance to the harbor. I leaned over the railing as we cleared the sea wall, watching the city start to fade behind us. Soon even the coast itself seemed small.

“I think you owe us an explanation.” The captain said pulling me back on to the deck with the sound of his stern voice. “But first I suppose we should introduce ourselves.” He added as he motioned for us to convene at the wheel with Atlas. He introduced himself and the crew. They were bounty hunters, it would seem, and they had only been in town to cash in on their latest mission when the Inquisition attacked them.

They were all looking at me now with questioning eyes. All except Atlas, he looked like he wanted to chuck me over the railing. Joke’s on him because I can’t swim! So, that would actually be a perfect way to get rid of me… Who’s brilliant idea was it to hide on a boat when they can’t swim? Oh yeah, mine… Focus brain!

“I found this old astrolabe and book full of calculations from it. I fixed it up and started studying the calculations.” I started my explanation while trying to wrest the astrolabe from my corset. The other woman on the ship, Nova, seemingly sensing my distress walked up behind me and untied the strings.

“You hid the thing in your dress?” Orion, the captain, looked at me skeptically.

“A corset is a very secure place to keep valuables.” Nova answered for me as she loosened the strings. Thank you! I couldn’t help the smug little smile that tugged on my lips. “Something flat would be better kept in one than an astrolabe though.” And there’s goes my happy little moment… again…

Once the device had been freed, she handed it to Orion, much to my apprehension. I fretted anxiously at the strings of my corset as he looked it over before handing it back to me. “Looks ordinary enough to me.” I felt myself pouting a little at his underestimation of my little treasure.

“May I?” Atlas had one hand stretched out towards me.

“Um… sure…” I slowly reached the device out and gingerly sat it in his hand. My fingertips lingered on it a moment longer than I meant to before pulling my hand away. He looked the device over carefully, a small smile on his lips for the briefest moment.

“Not a bad restoration. Definitely, Arabic.” He flipped it over and his eyes narrowed as he ran his fingers over the back.

“The inscription was there when I found it. I put the stain on it to try to enhance it and make it easier to read.”

“Had much luck with it?” Atlas wondered flatly as he flipped the astrolabe over again.

“The notes and calculations I found with it suggest the inscription is directions to a destination the astrolabe was made to lead someone to. But I wasn’t able to figure out what before I had to make my escape.” I explained as my shoulders slumped with regret.

“Don’t suppose it’s buried treasure or anything, do ya?” Jaxon, the man in red, commented playful with an amused grin.

“Whatever it is, the Inquisition wants it, which means we do not.” Atlas answered handing me the device again. Despite Nova’s earlier admonishment, I stuffed it back in the front of my corset for safe keeping. Nova suddenly gave the wheel a hard yank and the whole boat yawed. A moment later, a cannonball sailed through the air landing in the water with a splash. I looked at Nova flabbergasted.

“Nova’s what you’d call… a clairvoyant… sort of.” Jaxon explained with an easy smile.

I glanced behind us and realized the ships pursuing us were Inquisition vessels. These guys just don’t know when to give up! Just when I thought I’d lost them, they creep back up when I’m least expecting them! I looked over the deck watching the crew members scurry around to man the few guns the small, nimble vessel had. Atlas at the wheel expertly dodged the cannon fire. There I was, perfectly useless trembling in fear.

Think, think, think! This is my fault! There has to be something I can do to help. West. We’re traveling west. I took stock of our position to the coast. I looked up at the sky to figure out the time. Low tide. PERFECT! “Atlas! About face!”

“Oh yes! Let’s just drive right in to the arms of the people shooting at us!” He bit back as an irritated glare painted itself on his face. “How about you just sit down and leave the privateering to the professionals, Princess.”

Clearly, he’s not going to listen to me. Time to take matters into my own hands. Literally. I grabbed the wheel and gave it a hard yank. The whole boat whipped around violently bringing Atlas face to face with my plan.

“That sea cave loops around and comes out down the coast to the east. They would be expecting the Asteri to continue its heading west! It’s big enough for a vessel this size but not a boat the big!” I pointed to the coast and he quickly caught on. “I am fairly certain you can get us there.”

“You’re crazy.” He started to turn the boat back around.

“Atlas, we might be able to lose them on the open water for a while, but they’ll catch us again. We need to find a friendly port and get a plan together.” Chagrin clear on his face, Atlas made for the cave after Orion voiced his approval for my plan. I watched with bated breath as Atlas turned the ship around and started to head straight for the flagship.

“Atlas… The cave’s over there.” He didn’t seem to hear me, just kept our course steadfastly locked on a collision with the other ship. “Atlas…” I could see people on the ship rushing about to point their guns forward. “Atlas…” My voice was a little more desperate this time.

“Look, kid. I’m not about to hand you over to the Inquisition that easily. If they want you that badly they’re going to have to sink this ship first! And I’m not about to let them do that!” I crouched down and hugged a railing as I braced for impact. At the last second, just before the guns were primed to fire, he swerved out of the way. I watched that terrible knight fly by as the sound of cannons being turned filled the air. The smug look on his face faded once again, watching it fall deeply satisfying despite my precarious position.

“You did that on purpose…” I muttered looking up at Atlas in awe. He deliberately picked that path, so they’d have to adjust their guns before firing at us. This guy was good… Really good…

“Hey, do your hands work?” He shot me an irritated glance.

“Y…yes?” My voice trembled uncontrollably as I spoke.

“Good, light some lanterns and stick them at the front of the ship!” I looked at him confused for a moment too long and his glare sharpened. “I could drive the Asteri through a pinhole with my eyes closed, but that doesn’t mean I want to!”

“Oh! OH!” I jumped to my feet and scurried around moving all the lanterns. Caverns are dark… He needs to be able to see… Once I had all the lanterns lit I waddled back up to the wheel. I watched Atlas drive the ship with strong, steady arms into the cavern. True to my word, the Asteri just fit. He made the whole affair look effortless, almost as if it bored him. He was one of the most amazing helmsmen I had ever seen. My idle staring was cut short by Orion approaching us. Jaxon and Nova were close behind.

“What port does this come out near? The city we left from?” I nodded slowly.

“There’s another cave system on the eastern side of the city slightly larger than this one. We can use it to obscure our movements.”

“We?” Atlas barked causing me to jump slightly.

“You’re not a seasoned sailor. Not to mention we don’t want anything to do with your troubles with the Inquisition. We’re dropping you off at the next port.” With that he started to walk away.

“Wait!” He stopped and turned to look at me. Okay… We’re waiting… What are we waiting for exactly? CRAP! I should have thought of something first.

“What?” Now even Orion looked a bit miffed.

“It’s an astrolabe so it probably relates to something in the stars. That means this whole thing is just one big misunderstanding! I need to clear my name, so the Inquisition leaves me alone!” I explained quickly as I looked around the ship. “If you can take me to the College of Cardinals I can plead my case!”

“You want us to take you to Rome?” Orion asked skeptically. “Rome is nowhere near our next job.” I tried not to let them see how crestfallen I was. Come on! Think! These are bounty hunters and mercenaries! There must be something I can do to convince them.

“My Father was the leader of a shipbuilding guild!” I blurted out suddenly. They all turned their attention back to me. Save for Atlas who was steering the ship idly with one foot better than I imagined most people could do with both hands. “I may not look it,” I continued on apprehensively, but I know my way around a boat. I can build the, fix them, design them. Plus I’m well-versed in map reading, navigation. I know the coastal topography of most of the northern Mediterranean.” YES! SELL YOURSELF! Wait… that makes me sound like… NOT THE TIME! Focus!

“What are you suggesting exactly?” Orion looked intrigued and I felt relieved.

“If you take me to Rome I’ll act as your navigator and ship maintenance person for… Five years!” That’s a good number, right?”

“We don’t need a navigator or a ship maintenance person.” Atlas grumbled.

“There is a job in Greece. You have until then to prove your worth. If you’re pulling your weight, we’ll evaluate a trip to Rome.” Orion answered definitely. From nearby Atlas was string obscenities together under his breath again.

Once we were out of the caverns, Nova took over for Atlas. It was a beautiful crimson twilight outside and the stars would be out soon. “Oh um…” Atlas stopped his descent down the stairs and turned to look at me incredulously. “Where exactly will I be staying?” Atlas rolled his eyes and motioned for me to follow him. He led me down the hatch into the hold. I looked around confused as he approached one of the cargo nets.

“Aren’t the crew’s quarters usually in the forecastle?” You know… under the elevated deck at the front of the ship?

“There’s no more rooms up there so you’re sleeping down here.” He offered a curt explanation before turning to leave.

“It’s getting a little cold in here, don’t you think?” Though I said as much, I hardly expected more than the sigh I received. I’m not sure how much time had gone by as I took off my shoes and settled drop in the rope hammock. I had started staring idly out a nearby port hole completely wallowing in self-pity when something heavy and course plunked down on my head.

“Anything else, Princess?” I could already hear the heavy plunk of his boots on the wood floor before I said a word.

“Thank you!” I called out to his retreating form. As the events of the day raced through my head, they all kept circling back to that completely unreadable man. On the one hand, it felt like he could not be any more inconvenienced by my presence on his ship. On the other hand, it seemed almost as if he might actually care about my plight. Whatever the case may be, I would have plenty of time to get to know him better even if I only made it as far as Greece.

Save for a nocturnal visitation from something I’m told is a capybara named Comet, an unspeakably large rodent the crew picked up in South America at some point, the days that followed were pretty laid back. Thankfully, I had managed to escape detention with a spare change of clothes more fitting for life on a ship. Boots and pants were certainly were easier to move around in, but I still wore the corset so I could keep the astrolabe close at hand. I spent most of my free time when I wasn't navigating trying to decipher the inscription.

I started to fit myself into life on the Asteri. Fixing broken ropes, mending sails, patching holes in the planks by day. At night I would calculate our course by the stars. Atlas was usually on the quarter deck, lounging by the wheel. I seriously wondered if he ever slept. Every night he would be drinking a dark liquor from the galley while his eyes seemed to focus on something intangible. I always wondered what it was he was looking at, but never worked up the courage to pry.

Sometimes I would make the excuse that I was having trouble with a calculation to drum up a conversation with him. He was not much of a conversationalist. Prying information out of him was like pulling a rusty nail out of a pitch-soaked board. Hard, messy work. I had the feeling though, as with the nail, eventually all the hard work would pay off.

Still, no matter what I said or how I said it, he always seemed to have a sarcastic retort to put an end to the conversation. I gathered from how the other members of the crew approached him this was just his way. That didn't stop me from wondering if he'd ever open up to me like he did them.

I had picked up bits and pieces from conversations with the crew. Atlas had once been affiliated with the Knights of Saint John. The Knights of Saint John were basically the seafaring arm of the Catholic church. The Order's primary goal was to combat the pillaging of Christian vessels and lands by the North African Barbary corsairs who were Muslim. It seemed like a pretty admirable thing to do seeing as the Barbary corsairs and been pillaging the coasts of several Christian nations including my own. Something must have happened while he served for them that didn't sit well with him. I had no idea what it could be though. Tonight felt like a good night to try a different approach.

“Atlas...” I hummed out the name idly as I took stock of our position. He didn't look at me which was fine. I was really just trying to fill the silence with something besides the lonely lapping of water against the hull. “That's a very strong name. In mythology Atlas was the being that held the whole sky on his shoulders. That's quite the burden to bare alone...”

“It's the name I was born with. Don't go getting all philosophical on me.” He huffed before taking a swig of his drink right from the bottle. Well that didn't work quite the way I had hoped.

“I'm just trying to get to know you better as a member of the crew.”

“When you're a member of the crew, maybe I'll tell you about the time I found a stowaway in the cabin.” My face instantly twisted into a pout. I had been excited thinking I was going to at least get an inkling of something else about him only to have that excitement dashed like a ship of the rocks of a foreign coast. My dashed hopes and dreams seemed to be a recurring theme on the Asteri. I looked over at him when he sighed.

“One question. Can't guarantee I'll answer it though.” YES! I did a happy little jig and he let out an even more exasperated sigh. I quickly settled myself and tried to think of a question that would give me a bit of insight into the man without being so probing he wouldn't answer.

“Why did you name your ship the Asteri?” That's pretty good right? The name of a ship is usually meaningful in some way, but still not prodding too much? I hope? Atlas's reaction was not encouraging though. He sat up straight before knocking the bottle back and taking the last of the liquid in a few hard swallows. Then he corked the bottle. With one smooth swipe of his hand he wiped the residue from his lips. Damn if he wasn't even more attractive in the moonlight. But the moonlight seemed to give his features a melancholy look.

“There's nothing up there among the stars.” He started to explain as his face tilted up to the sky. “No people, no religions, no wars. Just stars.” There was an unmistakable sadness that passed over his face for a blink and you'd miss it moment. “That's what the Asteri is meant to be. A place where none of the things that divide people exist.”

“That's... a beautiful sentiment.”

“Only if you believe religion divides people more than it brings them together.” I didn't know how to respond to him. I certainly had my own thoughts on religion. Clearly now was not the time or place to discuss them with him.

“How's our heading looking?” He asked looking down at me as he got to his feet.

“Good... It looks good. We'll be in Greece before week's end if the weather holds.” I answered absently, mind still on the last subject.

“Good. Get some rest, kid.” With that, he disappeared down the stairs and towards the forecastle.

 After a few weeks at sea, I had just about figured out the inscription when we put into dry dock in Greece to make repairs to the ship and resupply while Orion, Jaxon, and Nova hunted down the bounty.

It was kind of odd working in silence next to Atlas prying rotten planks away from the hull and replacing them with new. Well let me rephrase that, Atlas pried all the planks off with those well-sculpted arms of his. I just enjoyed the show until he asked for a new one.  We had just finished sealing the repairs with pitch when a commotion pulled our attention to the city.

“Get on the ship...” Atlas commanded giving me a shove towards the rope ladder. It didn't take long before the dry dock was overran by armed men. I spared a glance over my shoulder as I reached for the ladder. Atlas was huddled behind the pile of rotten planks. Despite the fact he could reload and fire his gun a lot faster than the men shooting at us, he was still hopelessly outnumbered. As one man tried to flank him, I decided to do something truly stupid.

“ATLAS! Look out!” I screeched as I barreled towards him brandishing the hammer. One good conk and he was out cold on the ground.

“Nice hit, Kid. Now get over here!” With one solid yank I was behind the pile, though positioned squarely on Atlas's broad, strong chest. Now is definitely not the time to be appreciating his physique! I quickly rolled off him and made myself as small as possible while he shot over me.

“Who are these guys anyways?! They're not from the Inquisition!” I screeched as I held my ears.

“Might as well be! They’re Knights of saint John! The seaborne equivalent of the Inquisition. “

“But why are they shooting at us?! We aren't Muslims!”

“You think they care about stuff like that? Half their boats are manned by Christian convicts forced into servitude as their sentence!” Just as Atlas fired his last shot, and things were looking hopeless, one of the Asteri's cannons fired knocking most of the remaining Knights into the air.

“You're late!” Atlas yelled as he rolled over on his back and stared up at the ship.

“Better late than never!” Jaxon yelled back as he removed his hat and gave us a dramatic bow.

“Get on the ship. And stay on it this time.” Atlas gave me another firm shove and I took off running for the ladder again. Atlas on the other hand went running for the gate holding the water out of the dry dock. He quickly cranked the doors open as Nova manned the helm. I was barely able to out climb the rising water on the shifting, unstable ladder. When my feet finally found the deck again, my eyes searched for Atlas. At last, I saw him standing on the end of the seawall.

“He's not... Is he?” I wondered aloud, a question answered by him backing up a few steps and getting a runny go. Then he jumped landing on one of the rope ladders into the rigging. I let out an unsteady breath, though I'm not sure why I had been so anxious in the first place.

“I’m getting too old for this!” He grumbled as he tossed and turned until he was off the ladder. “Why are the Knights of Saint John after us?” He sighed as he trudged to the wheel, relieving Nova.

“It appears the Asteri and all its crew were branded as Muslims and members of the Barbary corsairs. There were wanted posters for us in town.” Nova explained the situation in a straightforward, level tone. The calmness of her voice did nothing to keep my heart from sinking into my stomach. The crew looked to me and I fidgeted with the astrolabe in my corset nervously.

“Do you have any idea what that thing is supposed to lead to?” Orion pressed me with a stern look.

“The inscription is coded, and I haven't been able to crack the code. I was able to figure out who made it and where he worked out of though. If I can get there I might be able to find a copy of the cipher.”

“Where?”

“Rhodes.” I answered excitedly. Atlas's normal scowl became even more irritated.

“Absolutely not!”

“It's not really that far from here! If we can figure out exactly what this astrolabe is for it will help clear all our names!” I pressed the issue, but Atlas wasn't budging.

“Rhodes is where the Knights of Saint John operate out of.” Atlas’s voice spoke volumes more than his words ever could.

“If nothing else we can use it as leverage to get what we need to get out of the Mediterranean until things die down.” Orion sighed. Atlas looked beyond done with the whole situation. “Do you know exactly where to go once we get there?”

“The town Archangelos on the eastern side.” Atlas heaved out another sigh when I said this.

“As long as you’re in and out quickly and avoid the castle it should be fine.” He was already moving to change our course. With Orion’s approval, I headed down to the cabin to plot our course. Anxiety played at my nerves as I charted our course. Atlas was a former Knight of Saint John, so he knew the island well. He wouldn’t have agreed so readily if he thought it would be extremely dangerous to go. His judgment had been sound so far and I was going to trust it when it came to this.

To be continued...

I’m just going to apologize now for the level of History nerdom that went into this. I tried to explain all the references as they appear, but if you have any questions or want more information on something, please feel free to ask.

I also apologize for the characterization being off. Atlas is not the type of character I normally write well, so I was trying to challenge myself. I will work on improving it as I finish the rest of this.

Thank you to the organizers of this event, to Voltage and the Lovestruck app developers, and everyone that went into creating the source material!

[shah2323-madtitan]

Pittsburgh Tomorrow Podcast: Richard Florida, Author, “The New Urban Crisis”

Donald Bonk interviews Richard Florida, influential professor, writer and concrete theorist, as a part of the Pittsburgh Tomorrow podcast sequence. That is the second a part of a three-part interview. The transcript is abridged and edited for readability.

View the episode archive here. Learn Richard Florida’s Inventive Class bio here. Learn his College of Toronto bio here.

“I feel focusing actually exhausting on ensuring that Pittsburgh isn’t pulled aside—respect for distinction—might be necessary. The truth that Pittsburgh is blue and purple is necessary. However in Pittsburgh, that isn’t a pitched battle like it’s within the nation. Folks even of their similar household have a Trump supporter and a Biden supporter.” —Richard Florida

Richard Florida’s ultimate quote from Episode 11 (Half 1)

Florida: I feel Pittsburgh might be the perfect, probably the most livable, probably the most sustainable. And I’d echo probably the most racially and economically inclusive. Mayor Peduto is an previous pal of mine from my Pittsburgh days. He’s put an emphasis on inclusive innovation. I feel this concept of a shared prosperity, reminiscent of the union motion, the steelworkers, to individuals who wrestle, who actually fought pitched battles within the streets of Homestead alongside the Monongahela River. I feel Pittsburgh must be the mannequin of the perfect, probably the most equitable, probably the most inclusive, the healthiest, the most secure and most resilient small metropolis on this planet.

Richard Florida Episode 12 (Half 2)

Bonk: That’s extraordinarily useful, simply tying that previous historical past, as a result of the union motion clearly shared wealth. Shared prosperity was Pittsburgh’s story via the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

Florida: Take into consideration additionally the devastating influence of the Spanish flu on Pittsburgh: The truth that individuals had been annihilated within the manufacturing unit and metal mill complexes, the truth that there wasn’t entry to well being care, and the way that stimulated a motion in Pittsburgh to offer significantly better public well being.

After which, that mixed with the nice floods and the air air pollution, with the air air pollution contributing to respiratory misery. This different motion after World Warfare II, to sort of do the Renaissance, which wasn’t a lot about altering the economic system because it was about making Pittsburgh a cleaner and safer and higher place to dwell.

If you happen to take the union motion to present working individuals a greater livelihood, and also you mix that with the environmental motion and the motion for well being, Pittsburgh has this sort of innovation in its very DNA. That’s the opposite factor I feel Pittsburgh has going for it within the wake of this COVID disaster.

My view is that the central enterprise district such as you see in Manhattan—the monetary district, the Mid-City Headquarters District—is a relic of the previous. It’s sort of the final echo of the commercial age. It’s what the manufacturing unit complexes had been to Pittsburgh and Detroit. There isn’t a motive that lots of of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of individuals have to get in vehicles and trains and busses and subways and commute a half hour, 45 minutes, an hour, 90 minutes every method to go to work.

Pittsburgh is a metropolis of neighborhoods. At its core, it’s a metropolis of neighborhoods. What urbanists are speaking about at this time is that the COVID disaster creates the power to rebalance metropolitan areas round a set of hubs and spokes. In fact, there’ll be a midtown and a monetary district. There’ll be a downtown Pittsburgh.

However you possibly can think about—there already is—out close to the schools, out in among the northern, southern and western suburbs, creating these spokes, these neighborhoods the place individuals can work, dwell and play and spend much more time with their household. Pittsburgh is completely laid out to do that as a result of it’s a metropolis like Toronto, a metropolis of neighborhoods. It isn’t only a metropolis constructed round one middle core, though it’s middle core, after all, is spectacular. It’s a metropolis constructed round quite a few spectacular neighborhoods with little facilities of their very own. In turning into this new sort of metropolis area, Pittsburgh can construct itself round its nice historical past of neighborhoods as a secure, inclusive and resilient place with round 15 and 20 minute neighborhoods unfold all throughout the area.

Bonk: You’ve listed a variety of concepts when it comes to fairness, innovation and the inexperienced motion. The writer is on this moonshot notion. If you happen to had one massive concept that Pittsburgh may take into consideration adopting, what wouldn’t it be? Do you assume there’s one singular concept amongst these concepts that will be transformative of Pittsburgh’s narrative?

Florida: Yeah, I do. Pittsburgh ought to put collectively each single philanthropic greenback it will possibly. We will go down the listing of foundations and the brand new wealth that’s been created in Pittsburgh, not simply of Pittsburghers in Pittsburgh, however individuals from Pittsburgh who made wealth exterior of Pittsburgh. Put collectively the largest pot of cash—Tepper, Cuban, Heinz, Mellon, Benedum, no matter—to draw the 100 finest and brightest celebrity geniuses on this planet, from pc science and synthetic intelligence to arts and tradition.

One of many issues the COVID disaster has achieved is make individuals really feel unmoored. For the primary time of their lives, individuals are saying, “How do I wish to dwell? I wish to spend extra time with my household. I don’t wish to return to the grind. I don’t wish to get on a aircraft. I don’t wish to go to the workplace day-after-day. I’m working from house. I’m spending time with my spouse and youngsters. Spending extra time with my pals. I’m dwelling in my neighborhood. I’m getting more healthy. I’m using my bike. I’m strolling.”

If Pittsburgh mentioned we wish to appeal to 100 MacArthur Genius Awards—which isn’t a MacArthur Genius Award that claims, “Keep the place you’re”—it will say, “Come to Pittsburgh and be a part of this cohort of 100 of those unbelievably good individuals from throughout disciplines.”

And use this to undergird Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon is the place that’s nonetheless closest to my coronary heart. I feel, pound for pound, Carnegie Mellon College is the best college on this planet. Bar none. It will not be as massive as MIT, will not be as massive as Stanford, however pound for pound, given what it does, as a result of it doesn’t have this grandiosity. It has a humility and the individuals there are simply unimaginable.

I don’t know everyone in my division within the Rotman faculty (College of Toronto), it’s so massive. Ninety 5 thousand college students within the College of Toronto. I knew nearly each college member at Carnegie Mellon. I had a joint appointment in pc science and software program engineering as a result of I used to be working with individuals there.

Anyway, make Pittsburgh the best middle of synthetic intelligence and computer-related, software-related city know-how on this planet. So one genius award every for 100 of the perfect and brightest, however an actual concentrate on synthetic intelligence, significantly because it applies to good cities.

This space of city tech—mobility, surveillance, city automation, supply, we will go right down to listing, micro-mobility—is massive. That is the largest sector of excessive know-how since software program.

Pittsburgh is a laboratory. It has the dimensions to attempt it out. It has Carnegie Mellon. I’d say, general, concentrate on these 100 geniuses, however make an actual deep dive transfer now into making Pittsburgh the middle of synthetic intelligence, computer-related innovation in cities and good cities of city know-how. These two issues are moonshots that may repay.

I keep in mind when Astro Teller (CEO of Google X) was at Carnegie Mellon and he got here up with this firm known as Physique Media, which was one of many first to place a sensor in your arm—I’ve a match bit on my arm now. He was the primary to do this sort of factor. All of that sensor know-how in your home and within the airport, temperature checks, well being checks, we’re going to must outfit elevators and buildings in order that they’re more healthy and safer: That stuff comes out of about 4 universities on this planet, of which Carnegie Mellon is one.

In order that’s the moonshot. The Heart for City Innovation, City Tech and the 100 finest and brightest on this planet come to Pittsburgh with their analysis financed. Boy, it will be one thing that will place Pittsburgh for achievement for the subsequent hundred years.

Bonk: As you mentioned, the human scale that exists permits individuals actually to have a cup of espresso in a means, in Pittsburgh, amongst these hundred geniuses or different college members at CMU, which may not exist at a large college.

Florida: Yeah. One different factor, Donald, that we all the time talked about, Herb Simon (1978 Nobel Prize profitable economist and a Turing Award winner, pc science’s highest honor) all the time talked about and I talked to my colleagues about once I lived in Pittsburgh: My home or condominium saved getting nearer to the college such that once I left, I lived on Devonshire Highway throughout the car parking zone from the Heinz College, renting a home that the college had acquired.

Now, why is that? In New York Metropolis, Toronto, Los Angeles or Boston, there are plenty of distractions. In Pittsburgh, there are fewer. I’m not saying that’s good or dangerous, however you gravitate to the place the power is. The place’s the power in Pittsburgh? On the Carnegie Mellon campus.

I in all probability would have been dwelling in my workplace had I stayed one other 5 years. The size of town is small. Many individuals dwell shut by. Most of us come to the workplace once we lived in Pittsburgh. Nobody ever goes to their workplace in New York Metropolis as a result of it’s exhausting to get to, it’s far, and there’s plenty of distractions. However in Pittsburgh, you gravitate to your colleagues and your college students into the on-campus life.

That’s one other massive benefit to the world surrounding Carnegie Mellon and the College of Pittsburgh—it’s nearly like an prolonged campus, a collegial campus. That’s an enormous deal. Extra individuals are on the lookout for that now. Extra individuals are saying, “I don’t wish to get on a aircraft. I don’t wish to do all this different stuff. I wish to do actually fascinating work and be near my household and pals.” And I feel Pittsburgh has that to supply.

Sensible individuals have all the time cherished Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has good and progressive in its DNA. Pittsburgh has all the time revered intelligence. It’s not like a lot of the remainder of America is, so captivated by superstar tradition.

I’ll offer you a comic story. We spend the winter in Miami Seashore and, you understand, we like town and wish to assist the mayor. And also you see what’s occurring with the COVID disaster there. It finally ends up that my youngsters, despite the fact that I’m Catholic and my youngsters and my spouse are Catholic, my youngsters in Miami are in Jewish preschool. In our little Jewish preschool are DJ Khalid’s youngsters. DJ Khalid is Palestinian. It’s a really secular Jewish preschool.

Anyway, so, the mayor is attempting to get it collectively. COVID is spiking. My spouse says, “I’ll speak to Khalid and have him do a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for carrying a masks.”

The one particular person the parents in Miami would hearken to is DJ Khalid. Do you see what I’m saying? They wouldn’t know what to do with a professor like me if I mentioned, “Put on a masks.” They might say, “Who’s that man?” However in Pittsburgh, there’s a respect for intelligence. If you happen to’re at Carnegie Mellon, you might have standing locally the best way you don’t have even should you’re at MIT in Boston; you might have some. So there’s a respect for studying, for analysis, for intelligence in Pittsburgh.

In that means, it’s a magnet as a result of individuals say, “Oh, I can have help from my analysis, however individuals assume what I’m doing is definitely good. If I work at UPMC and I’m a transplant surgeon or working at tissue engineering, individuals assume I’m truly contributing to the society in a significant means.”

So I feel it’s each the truth that we’ve magnets for expertise and that there’s great respect for that expertise within the surroundings that’s very distinctive within the America of superstar tradition at this time. Tradition worships celebrities and wealthy individuals. Pittsburgh is very similar to, I hate to say, going again in time. It’s like being a part of the material of what America was and plenty of issues we misplaced. Intellectuals and researchers actually, actually like that local weather.

It’s actually fascinating that once I have a look at the USA from the vantage level of Toronto, I’d say our nationwide politics is in deep, deep hassle. We’re so darn polarized. I imply, look, Joe Biden will get elected. It might be means higher. The nation will pull collectively. He’ll truly put some Republicans in his administration. I feel this (time, now) is the low level.

However once I have a look at what’s nice about America, it’s the Pittsburghs and the Philadelphias and even Newark, my hometown and Bentonville, Arkansas, the place I’m doing work, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Omaha, Nebraska. It’s this up-from-the backside, public-private partnership anchored by universities like Carnegie Mellon, Penn, Drexel, or NYU—I might go down the listing—Rutgers, Newark and NJIT in New Jersey, which can be placing collectively these redevelopment efforts and now specializing in resiliency and inclusivity. It’s this up from the underside factor.

I feel one of many massive tendencies we’ve to vary within the wake of this COVID disaster is don’t strengthen the federal authorities. The very last thing we have to do is give our federal authorities extra energy. What we have to do is give the Pittsburghs of the world the facility they should develop.

Perhaps Pittsburgh won’t ever be the trendiest place for younger individuals. Perhaps younger individuals will all the time go to the large, massive cities, particularly of their 20s and early 30s earlier than they wish to have a household.

However then when you might have youngsters, you say, “Oh, it’s exhausting to dwell right here. The faculties aren’t superb. I’ve received to commute. I’ve received to attempt to discover a public faculty. I received to commute them a half an hour, an hour to a personal faculty. I don’t wish to put them round all elite wealthy youngsters. I’d quite have them in a superb public faculty or in a neighborhood faculty.”

Pittsburgh has an surroundings of affordability, cohesive neighborhoods and great housing inventory. There are just a few locations like that in the USA, however it’s not an infinite listing. Going again to the COVID disaster: When individuals develop into unmoored, they are saying, “I like New York. I like San Francisco. However I’ve two or three youngsters now and it’s getting much less reasonably priced. Do I actually wish to go to the suburb, or can I distant work from Pittsburgh, Nashville or Indianapolis?”

Now, it won’t be that everyone results in Pittsburgh, however everyone has a pal who mentioned that they favored Pittsburgh. Nashville had this vibe occurring 5 – 6 years in the past. Pittsburgh’s now there.

What I’d say to Pittsburgh is to be careful for the brand new city disaster. Be careful for the disaster of success. If you happen to mentioned to individuals in Austin 20 years in the past that Austin would develop into unaffordable, they might have checked out you such as you’re from the moon. If you happen to mentioned Nashville would develop into unaffordable, individuals would simply say you’re an insane particular person. However when you get this dynamic, it will get a maintain of you. Denver is within the throes of it now.

The opposite factor I’d say to Pittsburgh is to watch out, as a result of all the pieces that you simply’ve achieved proper, might develop into, paradoxically, a problem for you or part of a brand new city disaster that units up the lure of success.

Bonk: Only a sidebar right here shortly earlier than we get to the final query. I interviewed two individuals just lately. One is a Wharton grad who has a startup named Qlicket (www.qlicket.com). His identify is Vivek Kumar. He’s 35. He has his firm in Pittsburgh, however he additionally has distributed groups in New Delhi and San Francisco. What he does is arbitrage Pittsburgh. He lives in Pittsburgh, however he has a room in Silicon Valley, so he flies there, stays in his little room, after which flies again to Pittsburgh when he must. So it’s not essentially staying in a single place or the opposite, however Pittsburgh is a house base.

Florida: I feel you’re precisely proper. I feel this concept of the multi-locational family goes to develop into increasingly more. I’ve heard this lots about San Francisco, however I’ve additionally heard it more and more about New York.

San Francisco and New York are just too costly to have plenty of house. It’s actually exhausting to have the house it’s essential to have a house workplace and have youngsters. So what you do is hire or purchase a studio, which continues to be dearer than a home in Pittsburgh. Now, some individuals in San Francisco are going to the agricultural areas exterior of San Francisco. Some individuals in New York are going to the Hudson Valley, however others are saying, “The heck with that. I’d a lot choose Pittsburgh.”

My good pals on the Kaiser Household Basis in Tulsa have created this program known as Tulsa Distant, which an try and create a neighborhood of distant employees. There are individuals from New York, San Francisco, L.A., Chicago and Atlanta. I might go down the listing of those who mentioned, “I’d quite dwell in Tulsa.”

I feel I’ll all the time must be related to New York, Washington, D.C. or someplace. However you possibly can dwell in a single place and hook up with the hub facilities. And Pittsburgh is one.

Look, when individuals speak in regards to the rise of the remaining, they make a mistake once they discuss 300 locations. Once we actually drill down into the rise of the remaining, you’re speaking a couple of dozen or two dozen locations. And Pittsburgh is on that listing. There’s a very quick listing of locations that may be hub and spoke connections, and Pittsburgh is definitely one in every of them.

Bonk: So, the analogy is the hub and spoke within the Pittsburgh metro space—neighborhoods connecting to the good facilities like Oakland—is identical hub and spoke metaphor for the nation utilizing Pittsburgh.

Florida: Yeah. I forgot my one different moonshot concept. I had one other one which I received so enthusiastic about, which fits again to days in Pittsburgh speaking to people like Tim McNulty, who’s nonetheless at Carnegie Mellon, and Don Smith on the Regional Industrial Growth Company (RIDC).

We talked about how you could possibly make Pittsburgh extra of a hub. With the Biden administration more likely to come on stream and with main infrastructure spending, a part of the continued stimulus can be excessive velocity rail.

If we had been to undertake a excessive velocity rail initiative in the USA, we might join what John Gottman, the nice financial geographer who invented the concept of megalopolis known as the Chi-Pitts Mega Area—excessive velocity rail going from Pittsburgh, west to Detroit and Chicago and east to Washington, D.C. and New York, or connecting in via Washington, D.C. And perhaps sometime to Toronto; that’s extra of a pipe dream. However take into consideration an East-West Coast connection the place you’d have excessive velocity rail that would cut back the rail commute considerably.

That’s the sport changer, the best way to make Pittsburgh actually the core spoke in a multi-hub spoke system. So that will be my third moonshot: 1. A expertise genius grant to deliver them to Pittsburgh (for instance, the highest 100 in AI, Pc Software program, Robotics, City Sensible-Tech, Arts & Tradition) 2. Make Pittsburgh the AI-urban tech capital of the world. three. Join the rattling place via high-speed rail, as a result of the Biden administration goes to must do it.

Bonk: Proper, so, create the bodily equal of the digital infrastructure that we have already got in place. That’s actually great and I respect that deep thought on that stage.

Lastly, have a look at 2050, three a long time sooner or later. 1990 is as distant as 2050. If you happen to’re within the City Redevelopment Authority, the mayor’s workplace or the county government’s workplace in Pittsburgh, are there three extra Pittsburgh-centric, granular issues that you simply assume Pittsburgh might tackle as mission that will make an impactful distinction?

Florida: In 2050, I’d be 93. I don’t assume I’ll be alive. My youngsters are going to be of their mid-30s. I need them to dwell in an excellent world. That’s what I need greater than something—my two ladies to dwell in a incredible world. That’s one thing I’m nervous about.

I’d say Pittsburgh wants to actually double down on social cohesion. It’s a tough factor. It’s not like, you understand, create an incubator or develop an industrial incentive bundle. One of many issues that distinguishes Pittsburgh from the remainder of America, which I like about Toronto and why my ladies have twin citizenship, is it’s very cohesive and you’ll really feel it pulling collectively in a disaster.

We arrange our entrance porch right here. Folks stroll by and have a glass of wine and speak within the night. That’s a Pittsburgh factor. I feel focusing actually exhausting on ensuring that Pittsburgh isn’t pulled aside—respect for distinction—might be necessary. The truth that Pittsburgh is blue and purple is necessary. However in Pittsburgh, that isn’t a pitched battle like it’s within the nation. Folks even of their similar household have a Trump supporter and a Biden supporter.

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The Funny Fish Are In For Those With Great Patience – CapeNews.net

One of my favorite topics when I was teaching high school English was the use of “semantic ambiguity” in poetry—and, yes, I realize the kids in my classes most likely weren’t as interested in the subject!

In any case, the best example I used concerned the words “and the skies are not cloudy all day,” a phrase you might be familiar with from the song, “Home On The Range.”

According to how you read them, they can either mean “the skies were clear with no clouds all day” or “the skies were cloudy, but not all day long.”

So before you think I have lost my mind completely by starting out a fishing column with a poetry and semantics lesson, let me try to delve into a connection between this concept and angling.

On Tuesday, I spoke with Evan Eastman over at Eastman’s Sport & Tackle on Main Street in Falmouth and, as seems to be the case at the moment, his news primarily concerned funny fish, especially the albie biting along the south side.

That said, while the locals go nuts over albies, bonito, and the like, folks traveling from a distance to fish our waters most often are interested in catching stripers, so I made a point of asking Evan about what he heard regarding them.

In short, he pointed out that while he typically sells about 30 pounds of eels a week, this week that number had fallen to three to four pounds as of midweek.

Now, to make the connection to ambiguity, you can look at Evan’s statement three ways: 1) Nobody is using eels for bass; 2) There aren’t any bass to catch with eels; or 3) Nobody is fishing for bass.

From what I have seen on the water, the vast majority of boat and kayak anglers around these parts have gone all-in on funny fish and that can only mean one thing: it’s a mad, mad world out there.

Earlier in the year, Tommy over at Maco’s Bait & Tackle in Buzzards Bay and Monument Beach told me that I should write a column about how to act when fishing the Cape Cod Canal and I told him it would be a waste of time, given that the miscreants who should read and follow such a column’s message wouldn’t care.

Clearly, it’s the same on the water right now, as the run-and-gun lunacy is in full force, and I believe it has gotten even worse with the movement toward those monster center consoles that are so in vogue these days.

Anyway, the good news is that there are plenty of fish around, from Woods Hole down to the Elizabeths and Nobska to Waquoit. That’s why, despite my propensity toward frustration when confronted with funny fish inanity, I so respect folks like Jonathan Gitlin, with whom I was fishing near on Tuesday morning off Nobska. He later emailed to say, “Yes, way too many wild boats. We gave up on the chaos and went down to Naushon and found them up without so much pressure.”

In fact, despite the fact that the fish there were as picky as they have been in so many other locations—based on the numerous reports I have received—Jonathan did manage to help his best friend and his best man from 42 years ago catch his first albie.

The one thing that seems to be consistent so far about this albie season is that the fish have been very finicky, for the most part. Michael Beebe emailed me to say that he fished with Capt. Jaime Boyle and found fish all along the Elizabeths that were feeding on very small bait and they finally cracked the code when they started tossing one- to two-inch flies, while the folks tossing all kinds of lures went empty.

Gerry Fine and I experienced a frustrating day on Tuesday, no more so than when we had schools of happily feeding fish around Lackey’s that required six fly changes, two drops in tippet strength, and changes in fly line type to get a bite.

Now, the one thing that did work for at least one spin angler was a metal jig with the tail hook removed and a fluorocarbon leader attached with a trailing fly—in this case a peanut bunker pattern made of synthetic material matching the size and shine/coloration of a tiny baby menhaden.

Capt. Warren Marshall picked up his first albie of the season with Bob Lewis on Wednesday morning and he added that the fish were spitting up micro bait, most likely just hatched baby anchovies and the like.

With Labor Day weekend upon us, there will be plenty of folks out there hoping to take advantage of their one last long spell of fishing with school and fall weekend athletic events on the docket.

Along with the albie action, A.J. Coots at Red Top in Buzzards Bay said that there was a really good bonito biting off Wing’s Neck this week and they were also apparently thick on Tuesday off Scraggy Neck, with a friend of Jonathan Gitlin’s confirming the solid action.

There have been some Spanish mackerel taken between Craigville Beach and Hyannis, while king mackerel have been caught off West Falmouth, at Hedge Fence, and Horseshoe Shoal.

As good as the boat fishing has been for funnies, what’s really cool is when shore folks get into them. According to Shawn Powell at the Sports Port in Hyannis, that is a very real possibility around Dowses and Craigville, where he has caught both false albacore and bonito this week on the 5/8-ounce Hogy Epoxy Jig in the Electric Chicken coloration.

Folks fishing from the Waquoit and Great Pond jetties, the stone pier in the Hole and off Nobska have been getting good shots at them. Kevin Downs from Falmouth Bait & Tackle in Teaticket mentioned that the glow and green Epoxy Jigs have been working well.

Throughout the sounds and up in Buzzards Bay, there are schools of marauding small bluefish and the schoolie bite has been improving; in fact, Pat Rourke told me that he ran into a really solid bass feed inside Popponesset recently and there have been stripers feeding heavily inside Woods Hole and down the islands. In all cases, a number of these fish are in the 30-inch class.

And lest I lead you to believe that eels aren’t worth fishing with, Phil Stanton and other folks who fish our local archipelago faithfully continue to pick up some quality stripers on snakes. In fact, Phil sent me a photo of a wheelchair angler holding a nice fish, and he told Phil “he had the best day in his whole life,” so kudos to the good captain for making such a great time happen.

The Canal is kind of in a holding pattern this week, with both A.J. Coots and Jeff Miller at Canal Bait & Tackle in Sagamore anticipating that with a new set of breaking tides slated to start later this week, things could really go off this holiday weekend.

Jeff told me on Wednesday morning that folks were picking up good numbers of schoolie bass at both ends of the Big Ditch, with some bonito mixed in at the west end. These smaller fish are feeding primarily peanut bunker, which makes Epoxy Jigs and small metal jigs most productive.

Jeff did say that folks concentrating on jigging, especially with wacky mackerel-colored, sand eel soft plastic models, have been picking at some low- to mid-30-inch fish working the bottom. The night bite has been better, especially with the higher daytime water temperatures.

Although it’s Labor Day weekend, there are still good numbers of squid in the land cut, A.J. emphasized, which is kind of unheard of, and along with this big bait, there are plenty of mackerel, pogies, and even some small bonito, all of which should help draw in the big bass on those early morning, east-turning tides.

Jeff has heard that some schools of fish are starting to move south from the Boston area and there are some schools of bigger bass, up to the 30-pound class, being picked at from the Fingers to the Parking Lot on mustard- or red-colored tubes. The issue with this technique has been getting seaworms, which are in short supply. As an alternative, Jeff suggested trolling Hogy Perfect Squids or Mojo rigs, which can be trolled at higher speeds, allowing boaters to cover more water.

The size of the scup in the sounds and Buzzards Bay has dropped, and fluke fishing has become an afterthought for most ground fish anglers, other than up around the west entrance to the Canal. Recreational sea bass season closes on September 8, with most sizeable fish still in deeper water between Noman’s and Cuttyhunk, although Ruth Anderson continues to catch at least one big one each trip in the Hole on a Hogy Heavy Metal Jig.

The offshore bite remains solid, according to Kevin Downs, with one boat enjoying another solid trip on good-sized yellowfin at Hydrographer on a varied spread of Joe Shute’s, Beamish lures, and green machine bars. There are lots of skipjack out there as well and Kevin said one way to target the yellowfin that are holding below them is to vertical jig; in addition, targeting the surface-feeding skippies with plugs is fun in and of itself, with Kevin preferring to toss Hogy Charter Grade Sliders. As for mahi, the canyons are holding larger ones that are typically being caught on the troll, while south of the Vineyard, your best bet is to still target the high flyers and any flotsam you find.

Freshwater wise, Shawn Powell fished Big Cliff again earlier this week and managed a seven-pound largemouth trolling his faithful Savage 3-D Perch, a jointed, eight-inch plug that culls out the small fish. In Mashpee-Wakeby, he had a good trip, with several three- to four-pound bass trolling Yo-zuri Crystal Minnows.

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Listed: Matthew Golombisky

Matthew Golombisky grew up in North Carolina, where he picked up the bass to play metal with his buddies and jazz in a couple high school bands. After college he moved around the US, playing upright and electric in countless bands and spending time in the Bay area, upstate New York, and New Orleans. In the Crescent City he bonded with his most enduring musical partner, drummer Quin Kirchner, with whom he has toured extensively as a duo and as the rhythm section for other bands. When Hurricane Katrina laid waste to the town they both eventually moved to Chicago.Both of them played with trombonists Jeff Albert and Jeb Bishop in the Lucky 7s, and Golombisky made strong connections with the city’s jazz scene. In 2007 cofounded Ears And Eyes Records, which has issued albums by notable current and former Chicagoans such as Bill MacKay, George Freeman, Caroline Davis, Chad Taylor, Charles Rumback and Matt Piet. He has toured the US with Zing! And NOMO and stage-managed at Pitchfork, but after traveling around South America he landed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2013. There he plays and teaches music and is raising a family, but he sustains ongoing connections with his mates in North America. Golombisky has recently released two cassettes, Cuentos 1 & 2 and Cuentos 3,named after the Spanish word for short stories. Each volume is devoted to a group of musicians connected with one of Golombisky’s old homes, and the music that he composes for them combines the emotional expressiveness of mid-20thcentury modern jazz with the close engagement of chamber music.

Milli Vanilli, Girl You Know It’s True

Though as a kid, I grew up listening, per my parents, to a lot of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Who, CCR, Steppenwolf, Jethro Tull, Simon and Garfunkel, and David Bowie, the first cassette I ever bought with my own money was in the late 80s and it was Milli Vanilli’s. I was 9 or 10. How I came across their music I don’t remember, but probably from MTV. I remember on late night drives back home with my father from his auto body shop in his red 1986 V8 5-speed Z28 Camaro (with louvers on the back glass), which I bought from him as my car in 1998, we’d blast that cassette (as well as Herb Alpert and Fine Young Cannibals cassettes, what a mix, no?)! I have no idea how long this lasts, but it couldn’t have been long because when I learned Milli Vanilli was a total front and a lie, I went out into the boonies(woods), where we lived, in the middle of small-town North Carolina, and had a cassette-tape-burning session. I gathered some gasoline and matches and melted that tape to a little pile of plastic. It felt good and well-deserved. When my dad found out, he got incredibly upset (or so I’ve told the story as I remember… maybe one day I’ll confirm with him if it’s true if he’d even admit to being angry about my destroying myMilli Vanilli tape, I’m not sure). I guess the only reason I’d include this in Dusted’s “Listed” feature is that it was a profound experience of “create your own damn music!!”

Miles Davis, Volume 1

Me getting into jazz: All I knew of jazz for a few years was my playing bass in the high school big band, so mostly reading what Sammy Nestico had written out for me. My first jazz record, Miles Davis’ Volume 1, was a birthday present from a girlfriend, but I didn’t immediately become a jazz enthusiast. I didn’t run out and buy more jazz records (I was still buying Mr. Bungle, Infectious Grooves, Primus, Nirvana, Megadeth, and Faith No More cassettes and CDs). But I did play this Miles CD over and over again! I had played cornet for years prior to this and it simply blew my mind what Miles was accomplishing here; his tone, his lyricism, and also his patience. I did, however, fall in love with what I thought the idea of jazz was; at least one of them: improvisation. In high school, I founded the school jazz combo and this is where I discovered more improvisation; I was always super elated that we could play the same song over and over, and I could manipulate the vibe and mood of the tune in the moment. Improvising! Creating something new(ish) all the time, each time. This idea is what attracted me so much to playing jazz and that idea of creating something from little (or nothing) is how I think I came to be a composer, among other creative outlets I find myself in. With music (which spoke and called to me) and being able to always explore and find new ideas via ‘jazz’ the most viable avenue to do this? Yes!, then let’s study jazz!!!

Opeth, My Arms, Your Hearse

I feel in love with Opeth on their first release, Orchid (1995). Not only was the music incredibly original and fresh for me, but I was also a fan of the fact that it was metal music, which I had already been listening to and playing, that I could distinguish and hear the bass guitar clearly from Johan De Farfalla. And then Opeth’s Morningrise (1996) was released; even better! And then My Arms, Your Hearse came out, even better! My Arms, Your Hearse is probably my favorite “death metal” album of all time. Lead singer, main guitarist and composer, Mikael’s death and clean vocals are thick, heavy, soaring, beautiful and powerful. I’m a person that doesn’t often hear or pay much attention to lyrics. I can sing along with the melodies always, the notes, but I almost never know the lyrics to most songs I love even. I’m definitely not one to write lyrics either (I wrote a children's musical a few years ago and had to “contract” out for lyrics). Sometimes, I take a closer listen to lyrics when conscious about my lack of musical character and most of the time, it just makes me dislike the song (admit it, a lot of lyrics are crap. Not all, but a lot). But I know the lyrics to My Arms, Your Hearse, start to finish. It’s such a cool mysterious story about a ghost checking in on his friends, family and environment, chock full of lush imagery… in my humble opinion. (As writing this paragraph and re-listening to this record, I had an almost second-by-second opinion of each phrase, harmony, and melody and the wow-ness I thought about including but decided against writing a short novel.)

This Is Spinal Tap (a favorite scene)

In my second year of college my band at the time, Daylight Dies, rented a house together. We had also been friends for about 6 years by then. I don’t know if it was weekly that we watched Spinal Tap, but it was a lot. Since that time in my life, Spinal Tap has continued to be my all-time favorite movie. I watch it at least a few times a year still and can start the movie dialogue from the start and recite a good 90% of it in its entirety. Then when the DVD came out around 2004, I was blessed with another 45 minutes of unseen footage! I think that one of the best aspects of the movie is that with all this material filmed and executed amazingly, there were only 11 pages of a predetermined script when they started filming. Again, improvisation, I love it! “Lukewarm water”… I might add that Daylight Dies continued on to great success, even touring with some of the bands that were our favorites when we were in high school. I got to revisit the band in a way and recorded a contrabass “choir” on one of their releases and arranged strings/woodwinds, using my Tomorrow Music Orchestra on another release of theirs. It was fun to have my death metal “upbringing” returning to my professional musician/composer life.

Steve Reich, Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboards

I was really lucky to have attended an undergraduate program, majoring and studying jazz, that also required me to take three years of classical music history and theory. Even luckier, the professor who designed the program, Dr. Joye Dorr, was a big fan of 20th Century Classical music and thought it important to expose undergraduates to its wealth, even for the jazz folks. In those years, I was transformed into a musician much different and more of whom I am now. But just before we started in on that 20th Century material, my alarm clock woke me one morning and on the radio was a recording of Steve Reich’s Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboardsand I missed my first class, transfixed in bed with this repetitive “trance” music I had never experienced before. I became a devote fan of minimalism (for a while) from there. Honorable mentions in this category would have to be Gavin Bryars’ “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet” and “Sinking of the Titanic”.

Charlie Haden, The Montreal Tapes with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell

Charlie Haden is my musical hero. I’m not sure I could choose just one recording because I find beauty in everything he’s done. But for the sake of the Listed-vibe, let’s say the first album I experienced, The Montreal Tapes with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell. I was mesmerized and captivated by his sound, his singing-like soloing/lyricism, his patience, his support in the trio, his tone. The open feel of this record makes for an incredibly clear statement, musically. By the time they recorded this live at the Montreal Jazz festival in 1989, these guys had been exploring jazz (and quite a bit of free jazz) together for some 20 years; and it comes through on this record. And yes from here, I went out and bought every Charlie Haden-related record I could. And when I finally met him for the first time in Montreal in 2002 after a concert, I couldn’t help the flow of tears. I heart Charlie Haden profoundly.

Arvo Pärt, Fratres

What an incredible composer to get to know if you’re looking to enhance aural beautification to your life. Part’s music is so powerful for me and not because many consider him (including himself) a “religious minimalist composer”; that I could care less about. The motion of the lines and dramatic candor are completely intriguing and alluring to me. This record especially. I love that it’s also a piece that can be played with varying instrumentation and carry a different timbre but still be as powerful. The voices between the instruments, where they are placed in the sonic spectrum, the repetitive melodies, and especially the drone! This music not only takes me to a tranquil place but also invigorates me to be better and try to heal the world the best I can. Part is an inspiration for creating more beauty in the world. One of his most popular pieces is called “Spiegel im Spiegel” and the first thought I had upon listening years back was: kindness. Yeah man, more of this, please.

Henryk Gorecki, Symphony No. 3

I have a hard time falling asleep; it started when I was about six or seven. Thoughts of the day, as well as newer and older ones, arose continuously (and still do). This piece has psychosomatically calmedso many of those, what would have been, sleepless nights. It has a depth to it where my mind can get out of whatever million thoughts are being processed and then relax me in order to calm the mental activity. The low strings repeating the same melody in a brooding canon, wow, with a mix of minor 9ths, major 7ths, perfect 5ths, major/minor 6ths; a mix of doublings I find chilling in the first couple minutes that set the tone for the rest of the piece.

James Blake, The Colour in Everything

Bon Iver, 22, A Million

Honorable mentions on current production ideas and such that I study: all of Bjork, Radiohead, and artists that are involved with visual art in some form. But these two mentioned records are fascinating production (and music) - wise. Woah.