danger in rome pt. 2
He kept time. He knew the modes. He never startled a room or left a silence where a flourish was expected. When he sang, his fellow Romans nodded. When he […]
danger in rome pt. 1
He learned early that music, like travel, required light baggage. You carried only what you could afford to lose. He was a singer in Rome, sang with the economy of […]
you had to be there
With Blue Rodeo, I played the Juno Awards a few times, which is to say I spent several evenings inside a highly managed snow globe with a budget. Everything controlled. […]
Lena at Ruggi’s
Lena was performing a fragile ballad. This was Ruggie’s Cafe in August. Two minutes in and the espresso machine erupted like a subway train deciding also needed to see the […]
jeff burke at the oakville hospital
I went to the hospital to say goodbye to Jeff Burke. It was after nine pm. His daughter gave me the password and the nurse directed me to his room. […]
travelling with musicians
There is a special branch of human endurance reserved for travelling with musicians you do not like. You share vehicles that smell like hot fast food and unresolved childhoods. You […]
The Improviser’s Water
The piece I wrote for the German magazine called Improfil came out this month. It’s odd everything is in German yet my article remains in English. Earlier they told me […]
job at socan
The rehearsal room at the community arts centre smelled of winter boots and varnish. Fluorescent lights hummed. Joe, nineteen and on fire, attacked a run of notes like enemies on […]
The Planet I Live On.
I recall one time Neil Young was disgruntled that Trump used “Keep on Rockin’ (in the free world)”. It might be because Trump liked the song or it might have […]
Jeff Burke pt. 1
Jeff Burke had been playing bassoon in the Dundas Station tunnel for an hour, long enough that the rhythm of the trains were syncing to his phrasing. Toronto moved the […]