M. David Hornbuckle

Author: mdavidhornbuckle

  • Send Me Stuff to Read

    I’m beginning to accept submissions for my latest project, a literary arts web magazine called Steel Toe Review. We are accepting fiction, plays, poetry, audio, and video. Basically anything interesting. Preference is given to people who live in or are connected to the Birmingham area in some way, but work from anyone anywhere will be considered if it is of high quality and fits our aesthetic model.

    For the first issue, I’m mainly interested in work that has a new take on conventions associated with traditional Southern writing and art. However, submissions need not be limited to Southern themes. I hope to have the first issue out in November.

    For more information see the manifesto and submission guidelines.

  • Labor Day Weekend

    I spent Labor Day Weekend with old and new friends in the Florida panhandle. I’m happy to report that I didn’t see any black balls of oil. In fact the water was beautiful and calm and warm. Of course, that doesn’t mean the problem is solved by any means, but it’s a good idea to support the local businesses there while the cleanup is still underway. As for myself, I did my best to help out by patronizing a number of bars and restaurants in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, and Destin.

    I did a little work while I was at the beach as well. I got started on a web site for Steel Toe Review with some design help from Mike Tesney. It’s coming along, but it’s still not perfect. I decided to try doing it via WordPress, but I’m not convinced that’s the best format. And the email address for submissions doesn’t work. So don’t send me anything yet.

    The new band is also imminent. Rehearsals start a week from tomorrow. Still need a band name. George came up with The Featles, and I like that one, but I’m not sure it’s right for this particular band.

    I got back in town late Sunday night. I spent the first part of Monday at a church fair/flea market/barbecue with Tia and Warren (and baby Walter). Then the four of us joined my parents, my brother, and my niece and nephew at the Birmingham Zoo, which I have not been to in I don’t know how many years. The kids all had an excellent time, and I had a pretty good time myself.

  • Steel Toe

    Firstly, I apologize for not updating in more than a week. Most of what has been on my mind has been too personal for this particular vehicle. In any case, my transition is getting a little easier day by day, and I’m getting work done. I finished a new short story, and I’ve made daily progress on my new novel. Angela and I collaborated on a couple of new songs, and I’ve come up with some other song ideas that I still need to flesh out. Gigs are on the horizon, but nothing is concrete. Everything is in limbo.

    I’ve been giving a lot more thought to my idea for a new literary arts magazine. I hope to start soon setting up a website and an infrastructure, though it may be a couple more months before I have the funding to get a unique URL and start really promoting it. I would like to start with mostly local support and then start branching outward. The tentative name for this project is Steel Toe Review. It will be mostly online, but I hope to do a print version as well, which may end up including a CD or DVD. The online version will have fiction and poetry, as well as multimedia content, collaborations between visual, literary, and sound artists. I’d like to take advantage of the unique resources that Birmingham has to offer, including the amazing improvisational music scene, young energetic writers and artists from various universities in the area, and the unique characters that have been around Birmingham forever and have not gotten their due recognition outside the area.

    But I also want participation from all over, so I want to talk to all the best writers I know and have them talk to all the best writers they know to get submissions to get this thing off the ground. Once it starts, it can be a vehicle for staging readings and other performances locally, and it can be affiliated with my so-far theoretical creative writing workshop. I have resources to get the print edition into the hands of literary agents in New York and San Francisco, and of course the website itself can be promoted nationally or even internationally.

  • The Adventures of Yesterday

    I haven’t updated in a few days, so here is just a travelogue of my day yesterday.

    First–a recap of previous yesterdays which I utterly failed to write about at all:

    • Tuesday, nothing interesting happened, at least that I remember.
    • Wednesday, I interviewed John Morse from Bhamwiki.com for a possible article. We ate lunch at one of my favorite places in Birmingham, the Garages Cafe, which I’m aware is actually just called the Garage Cafe, no plural, but I think it should be plural anyway, and I refuse to refer to it that way. They should just change the name to fit my belief system.

    And now, without further adieu, today’s Adventures of Yesterday…

    My automobile-challenged friend Brent called me yesterday to see if I could pick him up to run a couple of errands. As it happened, I was already out running my own errands and was nearby, so I went to get him. In New York, I was virtually the only one of my friends who had a car, so I’m used to doing things like this anyway. I call it New York car karma. If you have a car there, you have to give people rides because it brings good luck.

    After the errands were done, Brent said, “Well, what do you want to do now?”

    So I said, “Here’s an idea. How about instead of hanging out in a bar where creepy old guys like us hang out, let’s go to a bar where cute girls hang out?”

    He said he knew just the place and directed me to the Parkside Cafe in Avondale. It’s a sleepy neighborhood just a little east of where I live, and it was a lovely bar with a high A-frame ceiling and eclectically decorated by local artists. We ordered a delicious snack of goat cheese and edamame spread and some refreshing beverages (which I paid for because Brent is not only automobile-challenged but also money-challenged). There’s a vast patio out back and what looks like an old cabana with a dart board and free pool table (all the pool cues, however, had been stolen or broken). In the cabana, we played some darts, and I plugged my blackberry into the stereo to play Brent some of the songs we hope to do in one of the bands we plan to start.  We also hoped this would attract girls in our direction. It did not.

    And as soon as I walked in, I ran into a couple of guys I knew. These guys were friends of the band that was about to play, which was an an additional bonus because we didn’t even know there was going to be live music there. Between the two of us, Brent and I, we ran into another half dozen or so people we knew, so it was all very pleasant and homey. AND it turned out that this very cool bar is owned by Michael Dykes, who went to the same high school as me, so it was fun to catch up with him as well.

    The band was Jypsy, from Nashville, one of those nouveau bluegrass acts with sexy girl fiddle players that are all the rage these days. They were all exceptionally good musicians though, and I enjoyed listening to them, especially since I hadn’t expected to hear a band at all. Incidentally, there were also a number of cute girls there, but Brent and I failed miserably at talking to any of them.

    We left about midnight, and when I got home the elevator in my building was full of puke. This elevator, by the way, smells different every time I’m in it, and it’s never a pleasant smell, but this was the worst yet, especially because there was evidence of what was causing it. Upon reaching the tenth floor, where I live, I had to step over a guy sleeping in the hallway. I asked him if he was okay, and he said, “Yeah, I’m just charging my cell phone (which he was actually doing, I noticed). I probably should have called the cops, but I decided to hope for the best that this is an isolated incident.

    I was a little keyed up and didn’t fall asleep until after two, but I can’t seem to sleep past 6:30 these days no matter how late I stay up. So today I’m feeling great, as you can imagine.

    Stay tuned for another Adventures of Yesterday soon, unless I have something better to write about, which for your sake, I hope will happen.

  • Three Week Assessment

    Birmingham is a quiet city, and it’s quieter still in my mostly empty studio apartment. The view is pretty stunning though.

    I’m still trying to find my footing here, but I’m not waiting for some magical moment of inspiration to hit me. It’s imperative that I move forward even if I am doing so half blind. I’ve been talking to some folks about starting a literary arts journal. I have ideas about what I want to do with it, but I don’t know how viable these ideas are. The writing workshop that I wanted to start is going to have to be on hold for a bit, and I am going to have to move to a one-on-one tutoring model instead of a classroom model. I don’t have enough of a public presence yet to properly advertise it and scour up interest. So it goes.

    My own writing continues. I could be getting more done day by day, but progress is happening, if slowly. I’m a little more than 100 pages into writing my new novel. I have a few short stories I’ve started but not managed to finish yet, and if I can’t finish them, I’ll just start new ones.

    Tym Cornell helped me get some good recordings of a few of my old songs, so I can start sending a demo around to try and get gigs. I’ve spoken to several people about getting a band together, and I have a clear idea of what the band is going to sound like. The next step is just to get together and play. I need band name suggestions.

  • Weird Music

    When I was in college at UAB was the first time I was really exposed to improvisational music, free jazz, and other “weird” music of that ilk. It was the first time I heard Sun Ra, a Birmingham native who has since relocated to outer space, and his presence still lingers over the city. Because of him, I sometimes think of Birmingham itself as a space ship that will eventually leave earth to return to whatever faroff planet it initially came from. George Mostoller, a bandmate of mine at the time, was responsible for my Sun Ra education.

    Through George, I also met Davey Williams and LaDonna Smith, who to this day have no idea how much they influenced me as a young musician. Later I became familiar with New York improvisers like John Zorn, but there is something about Southern weirdo musicians that will always hold a special place in my heart. Where New York music of this genre hits you in the face again and again, there is something about the Southern variety that grows on you like, well like kudzu, I guess.

    Friday night, I got to see Davey and LaDonna, and a host of other incredible musicians, as part of the Improvisor Festival. I arrived just in time to see Andrea Centazzo do an AMAZING solo percussion piece. And then he was joined by Davey and Ladonna themselves, followed by an all-star “meltdown” performance by about a dozen of the best musicians this town has ever seen.

    The festival goes throughout this week. I’ll definitely be attending more shows.

    VISIT LIVE FEED BROADCASTS “THE PHONE IMPROV SHOW” AUGUST 1-31
    LISTEN TO the improvisor festival, and more…
    RADIO RADIO RADIO     To hear the show August 1, at the Stone: A.M.I.C.A. Bunker Reunion,
    and other improv phone shows, go to…
    http://www.jeweltone16.org/PhoneImprov

    UPCOMING EVENTS HIGHLIGHTED

    Fri      July 30     7:00 BARE HANDS “Mastering the Art of Improv”
     Festival preview and  art opening featuring Howayada Klann:  Larry Hoagland, Brad Davis,
    Walker Yancey, and Jess Marie Walker,a collaborative group exploring interactive noise installation
    and performance work using assemblage and electronics along with occasional language
    manipulation and playful game exercises.

    Sat       July 31    7:30   BARE HANDS “Corpus Euphonium” (Birmingham) freejazz noise with dance!
    Stella Nystrom, Rhea Speights, Rebecca Harris w/Stephen McClurg, Dave Ault (sax), Eric Jenkins (Sax),
    Adam     LeBerte(dr).

    Sun AUG 1 8:00 THE STONE (NYC) the improvisor festival opens  in New York City! THE STONE is located at  the corner of  avenue C and 2nd street, New York City http://www.thestonenyc.com/ The  A.M.I.C.A. Bunker Reunion Concert featuring
    LaDonna Smith    , Jack Wright, Chris Cochrane,  Reubin Radding,  Andrea Parkins,  Blaize Siwula,
    Sean Meehan, Judy Dunaway, Matt Ostrowski, David First, Andrew DeWar and others…     more
    hear this broadcast on the phone internet radio show!

    Sun AUG 1 8:00 The North Midtown Arts Center, Jackson, Mississippi Satellite Concert
    121 Millsaps Avenue Bruce Golden, Evan Gallagher, Jeb Stuart and others will perform In the spirit of this 30 year anniversary, old friends and 80’s-era Ars Supernova ensemble-mates   reconvene in improvisation to ruminate on their past and the surprising future they now find themselves in.
    read more

    THURS     5 4:30 p.m.“the improvisor parade” Birmingham AL  to be broadcast
    the phone internet radio show!
    a  “progressive parade….” from Forest Park to Five Points South, then Crestwood!
    Come in costume, or bring an axe (instrument of your choice), toys, battery operated tools
    & household items, dogs, signs & streamers.  Join us at any point.
    4:30 Forest Park Shopping District (Meet at V. Richards Parking Lot on Clairmont)     5:30 Five Points South, around the fountain & shopping district
    7:00 Crestwood Coffee:  parade concludes: Alice Faye Love Art Opening

    THURS     5         7:00 p.m. Satellite Concert GREY GABLES in Montevallo, Alabama.   Performers
    include: Pony Bones (Atlanta, GA) free-form death blues; Yakuza Dance Mob (Bham)
    party noise;   Jefferson Mayday (Columbia, SC) free jazz drumming; Gashy
    (Atl) unconscious balladeer;  Cedro Danado (Montevallo) southern gothicetry, minimalism;
    Karst (Montevallo) quiet one-woman fiddle and found object percussions;
    HoWaYaDa Klann + surprise special guests (Bham & Montevallo) transdio noiseaumitions

    FRI  AUG  6 WORKPLAY (Birmingham) “Magic City Meltdown!“
    the improvisor festival
    doors open  6:30
    7:00 “August Us  Melt” musicians, dancers, puppets and wheelchair dance
    featuring Jill Burton, Claire Elizabeth Barratt, Celeste LaBorde, Clifford McPeek, Juliet
    Eastlick, Stella Nystrom, Some Grets..Rhea Speights, Mary Foshee, Stephen McClurg,
    Gino Robair, Alice Faye Love, Sycamore,  Hunter Bell, Si Reasoning, Deborah Mauldin,
    American Tribal Style Bellydancers(ATS) – Robin, Liz, Heather and DeAnna,
    Out of the Darj-(Mark Freeman),Ryan Carlson, Rich Miller, Robert Stewart, and Kevin Barrett

    7:30 Killick  & DeWar

    8:00    Henry Kaiser & Davey Williams

    8:30 Gino Robair  and you …
     9:00 Ut Gret Rio styled alt-classical improvisation, elder bros.

    10:00 Andrea Centazzo + LaDonna Smith + Davey Williams
    USA CONCERTS Reunion

    11:00  “Magic City Melt-down“
     Chris Cochrane, Davey Williams,  Oteil Burbridge,
    Matt Ki    mbrell, Gino Robair,
    Rick Nance, Cliff McPeek, Andrew DeWar

    SAT        7          9:00 a.m. Pepper Place “Farmers Market” “Morning Improv Parade”

    10:00-12:00 “Stomp Kitchen” Children’s Improv Workshop Pepper Place at
    Cantley & Company Kitchen Design Shop just behind the Farmer’s Market Square.
    “Exploring the sonic potential of the kitchen” for kids, designed by Reynolds Shook
    with Mary Foshee, Charlotte & Spencer Leffel, Jasper Justice, and Si Reasoning. FREE

    7:00-10:00 p.m. ~Night of Mini-Performances~ Pepper Place “The Listening Room”
    featuring Craig Hultgren, Phantom Limb-Cardew , Tea Time With Flaura
    Katherine Young,

    SAT        7 8:00 p.m. Barking Leggs (Chattanooga), the  improvisor  festival tour
    features Gino Robair & Ann Law, Killick, Jill Burton, Stella Nystrom & Claire Barratt
    Andrea Centazzo,  LaDonna Smith,  Chris Cochrane, Terry Fugate

    SUN      8 4:00 p.m. Pepper Place, “The Listening Room” Raj Kumar Singh,
    from Ujjian, India:  “Devotional Music, from India ”

    8:00 p.m. EYEDRUM (Atlanta) the improvisor  festival tour Atlanta
     features Andrea Centazzo,  Killick,  Jill Burton, Claire Barratt,
    Gino Robair , Chris Cochrane, Skryxl Pony Payroll Bones, Karst, Cedro Danada
    Duet for Theremin & Lap Steel, Pocketfull of Claptonite, Them Natives

    MON     9 8:00 p.m. CINE’ (Athens) the  improvisor  festival tour Athens
    Pocketful of Claptonite, Pony Payroll Bones, Karst, Cedro Danada, Them Natives,
    Heather McIntosh,     Skryxl, Chris Cochrane,  Gino Robair, Andrea Centazzo,
    Jill Burton, Claire Barratt

    TUES   10 7:00 p.m. CINE’ (Athens) “I-NORTON” Gino Robair conducts his Creative
    Opera, a collective workshop-musicians, dancers, singers: experienced and non-
    experienced collaborative improvisational orchestra.

    WED      11 7:00 p.m. “The Listening Room” (Birmingham)  Pepper Place CONCERT
    Doug Carroll “Animal Sounds” (S.F.)
    “Street Lingo”     Craig Hultgren, Rick Nance, Lindsay Motlow
    Rich O’Donnell & Anna Lum (St. Louis)
    Andrew DeWar & Gino Robair duo

    THURS  12 7:00 Pepper Place “The Listening Room” CONCERT
    “LaDonna Smith, Andrea Centazzo, Claire Barratt” & friends
    “Bluff Duo” (Nashville, Tn)  Brady Sharp (g) + David Maddox (sx)
    Rich Curtis  & Andrew DeWar
    “CREATIVE Opera  I-NORTON” Gino Robair, (improv opera for the experienced & non-
    experienced alike, please participate!)

    FRI          13 7:00 p.m.  BOTTLETREE MUSIC CAFÉ             
    “DIXIE FRIED”   ~ “ OLD SCHOOL SOUTHERN WEIRDNESS”
         7:00 “Pico Dorado” (FILM & MUSIC GAME w/animations)
    Ben Matthews(g), Matt Atatat (b), Wayne Anderson (d), Charles Pagano
    (vib),Jason George( b), Louis Perry (e),  Scott Bazar video conduction (45 min)
    8:00  “Doug Carroll (SF), Jill Burton (FL)-, LaDonna Smith-, Andrea Centazzo (20 min)
    Claire Barratt, Jim Willett
    9:00    Wally Shoup (Seattle), Davey Williams(BHAM), Terry Fugate (TN),
    Bruce Golden (Jackson, MS) of Curlew.
     10:00  Col. Bruce Hampton (GA) & the Shaking Ray Levis (TN)   

    SAT     14 10:00 a.m. Pepper Place, “Farmer’s Market” Guerilla Dancers….
    “John Scalici     Get Rhythm! Percussion Workshop”
     Bruce Hampton-Davey Williams-Terry Fugate- Bruce Golden
    Wally Shoup,  Clifford McPeek

    1:00 -3:00 p.m. CDF “Dance This Mess Around”
    [Improvisation for Dancers]     by David Appel.
    Dance improvisation can be closely ordered, totally unruly,    and everything in-between.
    And there are as many ways of approaching it as there are people playing and thinking about the
    dancing body in this context. Our tack will be to engage some structures through which we can
    develop a greater sensitivity within ourselves and to each other, garner skills to organize and shape
    our dancing from moment to moment and over time, and foster a more acute awareness of the
    space we’re moving in and enlivening. Plus we’ll give a shout-out to the music of the body in
    motion, and to bodies engaging the sound that surrounds us.

    “Spaceship Saturn: A Tribute to Sun Ra.”
    Outdoor Stage behind the Winery at Pepper Place
    2801 2nd Ave. South
    7:00 Them Natives accoustic improv from the Hinterlands (inside)
     8:00   Portal Dementia  Hunter Bell (mainstage)
    8:30   Brad Davis     with LaDonna Smith (inside)  
    9:00   Juka Tribe,     John Scalici- d, Karen Bentley-Pollick v, Randy Crow-Hammer  
    dulcimer, Shariff Simmons-spoken word, Cody Mclain-percussion
    with EryniasTribe –Raven Thrasher, Brooke Schwarz, Denise Wiggington
    fusion belly dance and fire!
    9:30   RTD3   Doug Carroll, Ron Heglin, Tom Nunn     (inside)
    10:00  “    Spaceship Saturn” SUN RA TRIBUTE   ~ RA STAGE (mainstage)
    Hunter Bell-synth-conduction,
    Sharriff Simmons-spoken word, Jill Burton-v, Wally Shoup -s, Andrea Centazzo, Jim
    Willet-pw,  Juliet  Eastlick-fl,  Cliff McPeek-tp, Rick Nance tp, Tom Nunn-tb, Ron
    Heglin-tb, Ben Matthews, Matt Atatat(b), Wayne Anderson(d), Charles Pagano
    (vib), Jason George- b, Louis Perry-e, Randy Crow-hd, Andrew  DeWar-s, Cody Mclain-
    p,  Zac-dr John Scalici-dr , Karen Bentley Pollick-v, LaDonna Smith-v, Doug Carroll-c,
    Claire  Barratt-c/mvt, David Appel,  Celeste LaBourd, Stella Nystrom-dance.
    Portal Dementia-synths & drums,  Erynias Tribe, musicians & dancers welcome!

    SAT     14         8:00 p.m. SATELLITE CONCERT: Joe McPhee    Wayward Music Series (Seattle, WA)
    at “the Chapel” of The Good Shepherd  Center, by Non Sequitur.

    Sun     15         11:00 a.m.  Pepper Place, “The Listening Room”  Raj Kumar Singh, from Ujjian, India:  
    “Contemplative music  & practice in the South Indian tradition”

    Sun    15            4:00 p.m
     “VISIONS” the multi-media-films
    CHILDRENS DANCE FOUNDATION     1715 27th Court South, Homewood Andrea Centazzo solo multimedia anthology concert    .
    See amazing demo previews on UTUBE
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYrcdJAC-Y
    http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=andrea+centazzo&aq=f
    with Andrea Centazzo:   film, solo percussion & electronics.  $10         

    Sun    15              7:00 p.m.   CHILDRENS DANCE FOUNDATION –   “Orb. Fade. Trip. Dog.”
    David Appel (NYC), Mary Foshee (Birmingham), Ann Law (Chattanooga),
    Sycamore (Huntsville).     One Hour Performance. F    our acclaimed veteran dance improvisers
    hit the stage     with a probing look at the intricacies of the body in motion, and all manner of
    carrying on! As this quartet of dancer/choreographers re-convenes for the first time since
    their dynamic October 2009 premiere performance in Chattanooga, Birmingham’s audience
    will have a rare chance to see them again push the limits of themselves and their art.
    Expect an evening both humorous and thought-provoking, where individual virtuosities
    meet  razor-sharp sensibilities and sly twists on a moment’s notice.
    No bad airport food or clogged highway travel required!

    Tues      17          “Odd of Medusa”
    7:00     Pepper Place, “The Listening Room, 2801 2nd Ave. South
    Voices of the Alarming Female,         Neko Linda, Laura Secord,  Anne Bailey,
    Pamela Plumber, Mimi Latoine, Delores (Dee) Smith, DeJuana McCary & Redemptive
    Soul, a women’s     jazz band.

    Wed      18        7:00 Pepper Place “The Listening Room”
    Jill Burton     & “The Sisters” vocal workshop (community)
    8:00   Indian devotional vocalist/harmonium Raj Kumbar Singh

    Thurs     19
    CAFE CONCERT: “Extended Play“ The Red Cat
    2901 2nd Ave. South at     Pepper Place
    7:00    KARST – Kathleen Hairston (Montevallo)  vln, tape loops, g, bjo, vocals
    7:30    “Ultra Hip Review”  Improv Sensational
    8:00     Cedro Danado (Montevallo)   ukelin, fiddle, vocals
    8:30    Charlie Rauh (Nashville) solo style gtr in the style of Hildegarde von Bingen
    9:15    “Them Natives”     (Montevallo)

    Fri         20 7:00  CHILDREN’S DANCE FOUNDATION “Laura Knox Dedication”
    slides, film & stories (wine & cheese) reservations suggested

    8:00 “Just Move It” CDF  Dancers, Movers & Shaker’s improvisor Showcase
    featuring:  David Appel (NY), Sycamore, Juanita Suarez & Mark Olivieri (NY)
    Susan Hefner & Michael Evans (NY), Claire Barratt (NC), Rhea Speights (CDF),
    Mary Foshee (CDF), Doug Carroll, Stella Nystrom, Chris Helleke     (suitcase), 
    Deborah Mauldin, Ashley Muth, Si Reasoning (Butoh), Davey Williams,
    LaDonna Smith,  Ginger Wyatt, Jill Burton, Alice Faye Love, Jim Willett

    SAT        21           9:00-11:00 a.m. Pepper Place The LiteBox Gallery   Children’s Improv Orchestra
    with Si Reasoning

    “Sudden Death” poets & spoken words
     ROJO at  2921 Highland Ave. S.
    7:30       Rich Curtis
    8:30 “Sudden Death” 20 poets- curated by Hunter Bell & Lori Lassetter

    SUN 22-28   “ODD PLACES WEEK” Claire Elizabeth Barratt
    improv happenings in odd places, some known and some unknown, Moundville, Sloss Furnace, Naked Art, Black Belt-Folk Roots Festival, and elsewhere…tbs..surprise!

    FRI         27
     “    “Improv Roulette”
    THE LISTENING ROOM at Pepper Place  2801 2nd Ave. South

    7:00 Stella & Rhea “In Silence”
    7:30    Johnny Coley, Jimmy Griffin, Davey Williams
    8:00    Bearing Light Butoh, Deborah Mauldin & Ashley Muth
    8:30    “Stringtrek”  LaDonna Smith & Misha Feigin
    9:00   “Improv Roulette”     (curated by Si Reasoning) Deborah Mauldin,  Ashley, Andrew,
    Jennifer Caputo, Celeste LaBorde,  Rhea Speights,  Stella Nystrom, Juliet Eastlick,
    LaDonna Smith, Alice Faye Love, Claire Barratt, Stephen McClurg,
    Davey Williams, Johnny Coley, Jimmy Griffin, Cliff McPeek,  Misha Feigin,

    SAT        28     9:00-11:00 FARMERS MARKET  “Childrens Improv Workshop”   10:00 – 12:00
         Improvise with Charlotte and Spencer Leffel of the PINK HOUSE with
    sonic musical explorations for kids of all ages in movement, rhythm and song.
    Kids of all ages!  FREE.


     10:00 a.m.   “BLACK-BELT FOLK ROOTS FESTIVAL” (EUTAW, AL)  Davey Williams

    “Sounding Off” the-improvisor festival Closing Party-
         7::00-10:00 p.m. “The Red Cat” 2901 2nd Ave. South at Pepper Place
    Dana Moore,“Aura Hoops”, Celeste LaBorde & Sharrif Simmons,
    RX LeBelle, James R. Hood, THEM NATIVES. “Sounding Off” Finale Community Jam
    (bring a horn, string, voice or other hand-held musical contribution)

    SUN       29      WHEREVER  YOU ARE Day of Rest, Gratitude & Meditation (improvised of course!)
     11:00 a.m.  Pepper Place, “The Listening Room”  Raj Kumar Singh, from Ujjian, India:  
    “Contemplative music  & practice in the South Indian tradition”

    4:00 p.m. “Artburst” Unitarian Universalist Church micro-tonal works by Monroe Golden

  • You’re In High School Again

    I wasn’t going to write about this, but this morning Nirvana’s song “School” has been stuck in my head. Cobain was a genius at taking a simple idea and turning it into a haunting mantra that invades your psyche — the bridge where Kurt mutters over and over “You’re in high school again,” leading to the screaming chorus of “No recess!” I have nightmares that are like this song.

    Which brings me back to the reunion last weekend. It’s pretty pedestrian to say, but it really is remarkable how much being in that room made me actually feel as if I was in high school again. And high school was not a fun time for me. Everybody I talked to was nice to me and all, but I just didn’t feel comfortable, in much the same way that I never really felt comfortable 20 years ago. It was a strange and sort of sickening sensation that I still haven’t quite finished processing.

    Being back in Alabama has its ups and downs that way, but even the downsides are things that I think are important for me to get through and think about. They are a part of this homecoming experience that is just as important as reconnecting with my family and friends here and being able to eat breakfast for less than $8.

  • What Is This Blog About?

    Do the things I write in this blog have anything at all to do with the book I wrote of the same name? I admit I have not really addressed that or even thought about it much, but I’m thinking about it now.

    Brilliant observation #1: I don’t live in Mississippi. I live in Alabama.

    Much of the novel (about 1/3 of it or so by page count) takes place in Mississippi. Much of it also takes place in Birmingham. In recent days, and for the foreseeable future, I am writing about being back in Birmingham after many years away.

    Brilliant observation #2: The protagonist in my book and I have a few things in common.

    The novel is also about a person that runs away from the place where he grew up, searches for meaning in his life, and then discovers that he has to return home and deal with issues there before he can really move on and try to be happy. I found in the past year or so that this was more than a mere metaphor. Writing this book, especially the last parts (which I wrote last, duh) uncovered things in my own subconscious mind that I never really came to terms with. I’m not going to get into that stuff here. That’s between me and my therapist (btw-anybody know a good psychotherapist in Birmingham?)

    What else? Oh yeah, I want to keep reminding all you wonderful people out there to buy the damn book. It’s really good. Really.

  • Reunion Day 2

    Yeah, I know I didn’t blog about the second night of my high school reunion. There wasn’t really anything noteworthy about it. Nice to catch up with some people. Others, I didn’t really need to catch up with so much.

  • Hitting the Ground Crawling

    Last week I said I was ready to “hit the ground running” now that I’d landed back in Birmingham, but that’s easier said than done (how many cliches did I just use in that sentence? Three? Yeesh. Anyway…). Rounding up like-minded musicians is going a little slowly, and I will probably delay the start of the writing workshop if I don’t get a little more interest soon. And even what I should be mostly doing, just writing–working on new stories and on my next book–is harder to focus in on than I expected. I’ve gotten some work done, but it’s not coming easily at all. I guess I’m still settling in, figuring out what my routine is going to be.

    And establishing myself with whatever literary/music/arts community there is here is obviously going to take more than just showing up and saying, “Hey look at me. I lived in New York and I wrote two books.” Generally, I’ve found that people here have a low tolerance for bullshitting, not that that’s what I’m trying to get away with, but I feel like I have to do something a little more public and a little more spectacular than anything I’ve done so far. The right idea is still germinating.

    I also haven’t found my hang out spot. Bottletree is perfectly fine for seeing bands and even for brunch, but I don’t get the sense that this is a place where the revolution is being planned. I need more friends with a lot of energy and too much time on their hands. So things are off to a slower start than I’d like, and I’m impatient. And I’m open to suggestions.