I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
Edgar Allen Poe

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...
-James Branch Cabell

March 15, 2015 - 12:56 p.m.

4-tet Reaching the Heights

So this seems to be the pattern now. I get home late, I sleep late, so I don’t have time to edit my pictures before I post. No. I will take the time as there are things I want you to see. OK. I'll be back in a bit. Go about your business till then. You can read my last entry. It was a good one and not enough of you read it. Never mind my pictures suck. Sorry. I got a good video but I can't show that till it's approved.

Yesterday was giving me tons of anxiety. I had a huge conflict, there were two house concert that I said I was going to. Yes I double booked myself. There were other shows I wanted to go to too. But they were not in the running as these I made a commitment to. I realized this earlier in the week. I had neglected to put one on my calendar. So here were the choices. I could see Heather Aubrey Lloyd and Matt Nakoa at Church Korner Concerts aka Chris's house or the 4-Tet at the House of Love satellite site in Brooklyn Heights. I debated whether or not to discuss my mental process and decided that as that is the point of this blog I would.

I never miss a concert at Church Korner, I mean NEVER, but I never miss any of Brittany Haas's projects. Brittany is one of the 4-tet. It's the immovable object meeting the irresistible force. Church Korner is the ultimate home game. Not only are Chris and Seth, his roommate, two of my best friends but Matt and Heather are friends too. Matt was my roommate at NERFA and Heather is just Heather. I showed her around her first Falcon Ridge. Not only that but the audience would be filled with my good friends. This was the gathering of the tribe.

I wasn't sure if I'd know anyone at the 4-tet show other than Amy who arranges them. And if I did know people I wouldn't know them as well. This is a different musical world. I'm part of it but not integral to it. It was at an incredibly convenient location, four stops on the followed by a four block walk. Chris's is tougher to get to. If the weather were nice I'd walk the four miles.

How could I decide? One other factor, I missed Kristin Andreassen playing at the House of Love last month because it was when I was in desperate straits and totally forgot about it. So I fell guilty.

I ended up going to see the 4-tet. It's just a kind of music that I hear far less often. I can't miss the opportunity when I get it. I also chose it because it was less in my comfort zone. That's how you enlarge your world. I'd roll the dice and meet new people and expand my horizons.

I looked at calendar and it said the show was at 8:30. That seemed a bit late and I figured I'd double check but I kept putting that off. Then at 6:30 I checked on Facebook. I searched events for the 4-tet and saw the show was at 7:00. Oh uh. I wasn't even dressed. I jumped into my clothes and headed out. Like I said, it was an easy place to get there and 7:00 was probably when the open house started, not the music. So I knew I'd be OK. But I like being there early and getting a good seat. I got there almost exactly at 7:00. There was some question as I did not see a house number. My phone GPS said I was there but it isn't accurate when it comes to house numbers. But the next house had a number an it was just two numbers higher so I figured I was at the right house. I rang the bell and the door was answered. I asked, "Is this where the concert is?" I was told "Yes but it's not to 8:30 and we aren't ready yet." Yes I'm an idiot. I think I must have found the facebook event from years ago. I don't know the hosts and I couldn't really expect them to entertain me for an hour and a half. You can usually go in early to a house concert but not a hour and a half early. So I headed home. It was just a 23 minute trip. I made myself some hash browns. I knew there's be a spread but nobody ever brings potatoes to these things. I finished that and headed back to Brooklyn Heights. This time I knew where I was going. I was a little early so I went into Duane Reade and bought a decent umbrella. I lost my last umbrella earlier in the week and it was drizzling. I didn't actually use the umbrella then but I wanted it in case it was raining harder when I left.

Wow I have written 852 words and not gotten to the concert yet. And I told some of the artists that don’t know me that I'd be writing about the show. Sorry Cleek and Nic. I'm almost there. But as My Gentle Readers know I have to talk about the food first.

So I get to the house at 8:27 and was let in. I wasn't the first one. Not a bit deal except that there were two comfy chairs up front and I'd have loved to have gotten one of them. Yes that's a first world problem and I'm not really complaining.

Everyone I knew at the show other than Amy was a musician. That's what it's like when I am in this musical subworld. Why don't I see Kevin at the house concerts? I see him at other shows. Amy, Stephanie, and Lily I had just seen at Kristin's show on Tuesday. I think Eddie was the only other one I knew there. My usual apologies to those that I forget. But lets' get to what's important, the food. There were these amazing cornbread and maple bacon biscuits. They were beyond amazing. The woman that told me what they are called them cornbread with maple bacon. I told her that that sounded like a good name for a bluegrass band. She said, "Yes like biscuits and gravy." We then proceeded to plan a tour of the two bands playing brunches. We are going to be billionaires! Sorry LORi. I'm cheating on entrepreneurial dreaming. Meantime the biscuits were so good that I realized I had to propose to the man who made them. I'm straight but will become gay for really good food. Hey sex is fine but we are talking maple bacon biscuits. So happened he was my entrepreneurial partner's husband so the marriage was out. But I was promised to be supplied with food when we go into business together. Her husband also makes grits. We had a great discussion of breakfast foods. He's so my people.

One woman brought fried chicken. She wasn't sure if that was OK at a house concert. name, Meg. I talk to her and her friend Devon and John quite a bit. I didn't get her It's more than OK, it's just what I want! I proposed to her too. I actually remembrer her contact info, that's going to make it hard to marry her.

I saw Brittany and wandered over to talk to her and got my hug. But then realized that Amy or was in Melanie (Melody?) introducing the show. I am always the last one in my seat at these things. Gene knows that I require a special invitation to sit down.

OK I've written 1305 words and I'm just getting to the music and it's music that's needs discussing. OK here's the band.


Nic Gareiss, Brittany Haas, Jordan Tice, and Cleek Schrey
. I thought that Cleek's name as Clete till I friended him on Facebook after the show. You can all see the Brittany and Cleek are playing fiddles and Jordan the guitar. Nic is not carrying an instrument. Have you figured out what he does? The hint is that he's not carrying an instrument, he's standing on it. He's a percussive dancer. Did you know there was such a thing? You know one subgenre, tap. Nic plays with leather soles. The dancing is the defining feature of the band. It isn't on every song as Nic occasionally needs a break. Hell I was getting exhausted just watching him. He never seems to get out of breath. There are all conservatory trained musicians, and I love when classically trained musicians go feral and play trad. They bring something new to it. OK I don’t know that Cleek is classically trained. But he fits in so well with Brittany and Jordan if he isn't he might as well be.

There's nothing like what they do. The level of musicianship is incredible. They guys can play. Should I say that Nic can play? I think yes. He talked quite a bit about dance and his philosophy and it is playing an instrument. It isn't about the visuals but about the sounds he creates. Not that it isn't great to watch too.

The thing to me about the music is the feelings it generates. It is truly ethereal. It brings me to Nirvana, unline the band Nirvana. Forget yoga and meditating. If you want to bring peace to your soul listen to the 4-tet. I so wanted to say "if you want to bring peace to your soul listen to Nic's soles. But it really is the combination of all four.

Now don’t get the wrong idea. This is not music to snooze to. It can get quite energetic and exciting. I did say they went feral. But when they are finished you get the peace you feel after shooting the rapids.

I'm not happy with the pics so I'll just show them as a slideshow.

As usual my plans to leave early were foiled by fun people to talk to. I also had another biscuit and some cookies. Oh I forgot to mention I also had apple pie earlier. I know you aren't happy if you don’t get a full report on what I eat. I got to catch up with Brittany. I really should resist telling her how great she is every time I see her. But it's hard, she is great, and not part of regular life. Hey I gush; it's part of who I am. I should have gushed to Jordan too. I did introduce myself to Cleek and we got to talk for a bit.

I stayed late and then did something that shocked me for the second time this week. The stragglers were invited to join the musicians when they headed over to a bar and I turned it down and went home. Am I getting old? I love post musical get-togethers. If it were going to a diner I'd have been there.

I'd like to get some of my friends to come with me next time I see them play.

OK now to eat. Yes I always come back to food.


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please hold me accountable.





Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
Wise Madness is Now In Session - May 28, 2018
The NFL and the First Amendment - May 27, 2018
On The Road Again - May 26, 2018
Oliver the Three-Eyed Crow - May 25, 2018



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Horvendile March 15, 2015
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