'Tis The Season

We are officially in the thick of the holiday season, and my humble abode has subsequently been doused with a sprinkling of Christmas cheer. This past week, my roommate Regan decorated our kitchen door with a big, pine-scented wreath (complete with gold ribbon) and yesterday, I trimmed us a little tree. (If you all remember my Charlie Brown tree from last year, I am proud to announce that I've graduated to a slightly larger specimen.)

My favorite ornament on the tree is this old-school yellow checker cab ornament from Fortunoff. I think next year I'll pick up some new ornaments to spruce things up a bit.

In keeping with all things holiday, I put on my tourist hat (along with my winter hat) this morning and met my sister and cousins at Rockefeller Center to view old faithful. As per usual, the tree looks great. However, after snapping a few pictures and taking in the sights, it is 100% necessary to promptly exit the madness.

For some reason, it seems like it's taken a bit longer for the holiday buzz to seep into the atmosphere this year ... maybe it's the unseasonably warm weather we've had? (I'd hate to think it's because I'm getting older ... oy gavolt!) Nonetheless, the impending Christmas festivities always put a pep in my step - I love the onslaught of holiday get-togethers. I'm about half way done with my shopping and am looking forward to spending Christmas Eve at my cousin Christopher's house in New Rochelle. We normally have Christmas Eve at my house, but this year, Christopher and his wife Joanna are hosting all of us. I have no doubt celebrating Christmas Eve a la Westchester will be a fun twist on tradition.

It's funny to think back to when you were a kid and could barely sleep the night before Christmas, because you were so overwhelmingly excited that Santa was coming (!!!!). For me, those feelings of holiday excitement haven't completely gone away, they've just been reallocated. Now, I am excited to be home for a few days, enjoy delicious food/drink and exchange gifts with my family and friends. There is something so comforting to me about sitting in the living room with my Mom's tree all a-glow. I know, I know, can you say corny? (But it is so true.)

On that note - Happy Holidays, y'all!

Edgar Degas: Dancers at the Barre

Degas' Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint, an exhibit featuring more than 30 works by celebrated French artist Edgar Degas, is currently on display at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. Degas created 1,500 pieces focused solely on dancers - most notably ballerinas from the Paris Opera in the late 19th century - one of the reasons I love his work. While I've always thought Degas' paintings were extremely beautiful, I never knew much about Degas himself.

Self-Portrait, 1886

The artist was a perfectionist and witty, although a recluse. What's remarkable about his career, was that he, an un-married, male artist, was allowed backstage, to rehearsals and even to dressing rooms in the opera - to quietly sketch the goings-on. Apparently, it was entirely commonplace for "subscribers" to have such access during that time. How incredible that would be today!

The Dance Class, 1873

His drawings and paintings made the mundane profound. (A reprint of) his 1875 oil on canvas La Classe de Danse hung in my grandma's spare room throughout my entire childhood. Back then, taking dance classes myself, I would stare at the painting and wish I was one of the ballerinas warming up in that studio. Degas' paintings chronicled the stretching, warming up and rehearsing of dance, almost never the performance of. These every day, fundamental dancers' rituals were made just as enticing, if not more, than the performance itself.

La Classe de Danse, 1873-75

When my grandma moved to New Jersey a few years ago, I was bequeathed La Classe de Danse, which now hangs in my hallway. I can't count how many times I've stared at the painting and wondered what the girl sitting on the piano was scratching at behind her, or what the dance instructor (if that's who he is) is telling his dancers, or how a cute little pup was allowed in the dance studio. It's a rich, lovely painting, and while simple in subject, very intricate in detail.

I'm afraid a trip to D.C. is not in my near future, so I won't make it to the exhibit, but here's hoping it travels to New York! NPR featured an enlightening article in its Arts & Life section detailing the exhibit (and Degas) if you're interested in further reading. The exhibit runs through January.

My Technics SL-B1 Turntable

While downloading albums through iTunes and streaming songs on Pandora or Spotify have become industry standards, I've also found myself drawn to the music-listening practices of yore. Over the past few years, as friends have unveiled vinyl collections in their apartments and stores like Urban Outfitters* began selling portable turntables, I realized I appreciate, and am intrigued by, the classic system. There is something about the active relationship between the art form and the listener - taking an LP out of its sleeve (after remarking on its creative artwork), placing it on a turntable, setting the needle to the appropriate groove and listening to the remarkably intense sound emitting from the speakers - that I like being a part of.

I vaguely remember my parents playing records every once and a while during my childhood, but with the advent of CDs, their turntables were casually sold at yard sales and their records were delegated to the basement with an unhopeful future. The years went by and the records sat, forgotten, in their subterranean home. Just over a year ago, while chatting on the phone with my musically-inclined Uncle Ed, who's lived in California for the past twenty-plus years, he told me I could adopt a turntable of his that was in my aunt's attic in Queens. I was thrilled (!), and on the next visit to my parent's house, I went down to the basement and began flipping through my mom's pretty stellar record collection. I thumbed through the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Sly and The Family Stone, CSNY, David Bowie and more, and happily took them over to my apartment. I was especially excited to listen to the classic bands whose music I didn't own myself. (I also took two Fisher speakers from my parent's house ... it's remarkable what you'll find in a basement!)

When I finally set my eyes on the Technics SL-B1 turntable (circa 1980) I discovered that the rubber belt had eroded over the years and was preventing the very necessary spinning action to take place. I did a little research, purchased a replacement belt online and was all set, except for one minor thing. I did not have a receiver. Due largely to my own procrastination, I waited an entire year before purchasing a receiver, but purchase one I did - through eBay - and after hooking up the speaker wires, I now have a fully functioning record player.

I guess I get a nostalgic kick out of experiencing music as it was experienced in a bygone era. However, it's also a great time to be a music fan today, as you can access music through so many platforms. More and more albums are available on vinyl (which, when purchased, usually come with a CD as well) and fans can easily download a plethora of music online. It's really neat to be able to purchase quality music from both the virtual iTunes store and the physical record store. Speaking of record stores, Record Store Day is also attributing to the current resurgence in vinyl's popularity.

So, I'm definitely still a newbie in this area, and learning as I go along, but I have a list of albums - new and old-school - that I can't wait to get my hands on. First up on my list is a band I've become acquainted with over this past year, the incredible Fleet Foxes. I've also been eyeing some great shelves from The Container Store, so my lovely little entertainment center won't have to sit sheepishly on the floor.

*I was in the Urban Outfitters on 14th Street last winter and purchased this Aaron Morris photograph of a record store. I think the angle of the photo is really interesting and it's been hanging above my living room couch ever since ;)

Ra-Ra for Ta-Tas!

This past Sunday, my family got together for an American Cancer Society breast cancer walk in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. My Aunt Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and, thankfully, after catching it in a very early stage and undergoing the necessary treatment, she is now cancer free. We walked to support her and everyone who is affected by this awful disease.

I have to give exceptional props to my 83-year-old Grandma, who walked the entire 5K distance, only stopping a few times to rest. Ten years ago she was diagnosed with lymphoma, but remains unbelievably strong - not even the toughest chemo got in her way. I am proud to have such brave women in my family!

A few humorous catchphrases kept the mood of the walk light, here are some that I remember: 1) Ra-Ra for Ta-Tas 2) Save 'em all, big or small 3) T.I.T.S (Together In Tough Situations) 4) Keep 'em bouncin!

Let There Be Light

I've been thinking of ways to make my living room a little cozier lately, and have finally come up with a plan of action. A new lamp.

I absolutely love the store Anthropologie, but as most of its clothing is out of my price range, I am left to browsing most of the time. One particular browsing session lead me to the home department, which is exactly in line with my taste - and surprisingly offers a lot of affordable goodies.

These lampshades are eclectic and shabby-chic, and would pair splendidly with an antique brass base I already have. While they do carry a pretty hefty price tag - coming in around $100 a pop - I think I'll splurge and buy myself one.

http://www.anthropologie.com

PaperTrail

Hi Everyone,

Just a little update - my Will Knox post was featured on Paper Trail music blog, check it out here!

Will Knox; Recharging the Relationship Between Music and Art

I can’t think of a better place for a singer-songwriter to display his or her craft in its rawest form, than at the Lower East Side’s Rockwood Music Hall. The space that holds Stage 1 is roughly the size of a studio apartment, and the exposed brick walls and minuscule stage add to that bare-bones sentiment.

I hadn’t been to the venue in a few years, but after browsing a recent amNY article about an alternative/folk singer, my interest was piqued. Will Knox, a British transplant who now resides in Brooklyn, became disenchanted by the fact that physical art has lost its prominence in music. Since the advent of digital downloads, the need for album art is almost nonexistent. And while digital booklets available on iTunes offer fans a one-dimensional version of traditional liner notes, there is something to be said of holding a fantastic record sleeve or imaginative CD booklet in your hands.

With that in mind, Knox created a comic book to accompany his latest EP Lexicon. The book, illustrated by Robin Ha, details the tragic story of a man overcoming life’s hurdles. It is with this effort that Knox aims to reconnect the long-standing relationship between music and art.

Knox began his performance at Rockwood with the song “Belly of the Beast,” off The Matador & The Acrobat, which was inspired by living in New York. We were given a glimpse into his jovial manor throughout the hour-long set, when he cheerfully exclaimed, “I really like writing songs, which is very convenient when you’re a songwriter.”

He then transitioned into “Footprints on the Moon,” which exemplified the clear, velvety quality of Knox’s vocals. He proved the strength of his voice by, what I can only describe as, yodeling in a few songs, most notably in Lexicon’s brilliant “Ice Capades.”

His third selection off The Matador & The Acrobat was “Buckled Knees.” During the show, Knox declared his dissatisfaction with L.A., a feeling he partially attributed to the fact that he doesn’t know how to drive, and one he details in this tune. Due to the acoustic nature of the set, we couldn’t experience the fleshed out version of the song, which boasts a banjo and a fiddle. However, his tongue-in-cheek lyrics - “On my way to join the circus that they call Hell A … I’m as empty as the pockets of my skin-tight jeans” - filled that void.

Accompanying the set was drummer Timur Yussef, who sat unassumingly in a corner off the bite-size stage and carried each song with his skillful use of mallets and brushes.

Ari Herstand joined Knox and Yussef on stage for the beautiful love song “The Ship and the Storm,” playing trumpet, and “Cog in the Machine,” playing piano. Before performing “Cog in the Machine,” the singer let us in on a secret of his. “I miss having long hair,” he explained, “there’s so many things you can do with long hair, like ponytails … well, I guess that’s about it actually.” Corny as it sounds, it was a humorous intro to a song that resonated with almost everyone present - a song about being unhappy with your job. Unfortunate as it may be, many of us find ourselves as cogs in a machine. It is also worth noting that the song’s video deserves a look. While Knox sings, his now regretful haircut is documented in reverse.

To add to the comedic undertone present during the show, Alec Gross was welcomed to the stage for a rendition of the song he co-wrote with Knox, “The Ballad of Frankenstein.” The final selection off Lexicon was “Bullets.” This bluegrass-infused pop ballad was one of the nights more upbeat songs. To end the night, Knox spared no emotion while singing “Immigrant Hands.” As an immigrant himself, he told the crowd he was inspired to write this song after taking his mother to Ellis Island. Whether you or your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents are immigrants, the song was incredibly relatable. It spoke vividly to his experience in this country and his ability to create a vision through song.

Art and storytelling were central themes of Will Knox’s performance. And while he has come of age in the digital age, he still believes wholeheartedly in the relationship between traditional art forms and music. Through his songs and comic book, he is successfully perpetuating that concept.