News and thoughts

In January, the Cambridge Arts Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council supported the Vortex Series for New and Improvised Music with a matching grant.

In March we had a fundraiser at the new Somerville Armory building which featured some great improvisational performances and the semi notated, semi improvised work "Tips" by Steve Lacy. Even though it was a cold a blistery night in Somerville, we had a wonderful time and had a great turnout.

That same weekend, I played a concert with virtuoso pianist Amira Acre that was recorded live for Framingham access television and my spoken word band, Neon Juju played at the Alchemist in Jamaica Plain.

In April, I’ll be joining flutist Matt Samolis, cellist Rob Bethel and soprano Sarah Bielanski at the Longy School’s Pickman Hall as part of Peter Cassino’s 70th birthday celebration. Happy Birthday Peter!

The Vortex Series will feature a show called Guitars and Horns with trumpet player Tom Duprey and guitarist Tom Hawthorn, guitarist Garrison Fewell and oboist Esther Viola. Neon Juju will be doing special performance at the Democracy Center at Harvard University.

In May the Vortex Series will feature the legendary Birdsongs of the Mesozoic and a duo by Katt Hernandez violin with Steve Norton on bass clarinet. Ken field will also be featuring a movie about the 60/60 festival, so that should be a wonderful evening of mixed music and media.

In mid-May, I’ll be traveling to London, Milan and Switzerland with Musaner, a band that features the compositions of Ara Sarkissian with innovative arrangements of folk music from Armenia and the Balkans.

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