Raissa St. Pierre Poop 2018


Hi Poopsters, it’s been a while and I missed ya. Hope to see some of you out and about. Raissa

Paul McMahon live at The Beverly (Thanks Kali!) bought a cassette and an excellent LP, “Hymn to Her”. Paul really hit the spot for me and his band was nice too: Michael Colletti & Try Newton (His Tree-O) He even took people’s problems and questions and made on-the-spot songs to help them. Rixey opened up on singing and guitar.

Baby Gramps at the Falcon. This guy is always fun. Old hobo style songs sung perfectly and with panache. He is a wonderful performer and great listener. He had Tony Garnier on bass (Dylan’s bassist) and a cool guy playing clarinet and some percussion and tap danced a bit.

Live music for Joe McPhee’s birthday at the Lace Mill (so GREAT!) He played tenor sax and pocket trumpet, joined by Michael Bisio, bass; Fred Lonberg-Holm, cello; Rosi Hertlein, violin; Jay Rosen, drums; Alvaro Domene, guit.; Joe Giardullo, soprano sax. Loved every minute of it. A lot of free jazz and improv happening at the Lace Mill.

Karl Berger & a CMS style orchestra, at the Bev. Called NOUS featuring Billy Martin on drums (Whoa, loved), Ira Coleman, bass and Christopher Bono, Christopher Pravdica, and Ingrid Sertso. This was part of the O+ Festival!

Hitchcock’s Psycho was screened at the Fisher Center at Bard and the Conservatory orchestra performed along with. What a JOY to see the film this way. All strings. New appreciation for the film and Alfred.

Very excited to have finally seen the new documentary on one of my favorite drummers, Milford Graves. “ Full Mantis” if you can catch this, do yourself a favor. Healer, martial artist, philosopher, teacher, inspiration and of course amazing drummer. Dig hearing what he has to say. Thanks to TSL in Hudson for screening this at the end of the year.

Duke McVinnie Band, #11 (released 2017). Songs that really take you somewhere grand. Waltz, rock, blues, swampy & foggy…… BIG fan! Lots of guests on this album. Core band is Duke McVinnie, elec. guit. & vocal; Jane Scarpantoni, cello; Matthew Cullen, elec. guit & synths; Colin Almquist, elec. bass and Manuel Quintana, drums & percussion.

Hell’s Kitchen, Live From Soundscape. Produced by Verna Gillis. This is but 1 recording among a few of some of the live loft shows Verna made happen in NYC in the 70s and 80s as well as other places. 2 tracks are of Don Cherry playing in Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, recorded by Verna in 1978. Check out this DIW (Japan) recording, which also features Ed Blackwell, Peter Brozman and others (released in 1997). Look for more.

Radio Kingston, WKNY 1490 AM, online and soon to have FM #. This station has been reinvigorated. My fave show is Speak Out, a call in show with the previous Mayor of Kingston, Shayne Gallo and a couple of older gentlemen in their 90s who really know their Ktown history. Very informative and addictive. Saturdays from 9-11am.

IrRational Music, new book by Elliott Sharp….can’t wait to get it. What I have read about it has already made me sure I will enjoy it. Thanks to Wire magazine for the head up. It’s a memoir, manifesto with stories about Cage, Hendrix and other things…MIT press, check out the kickstarter for a little more on this.