Author: knowingtrees
-
Night One of Off Center Art’s New Works Program
“Together, we create our community”
I’m so pumped to be part of the New Works program, sponsored by the City of Albuquerque and facilitated by Off Center Arts.
I’ll spend the next few months working along side a cohort of 11 other artists, as we each make up to four pieces of work. We’ll be sharing that work in process and practicing the skills artists need in the “real world” like approaching galleries and creating biographies and artist statements.
It all culminates in a gallery show at Fusion on June 6, 2025.
I can tell from the positive energy, from both the other artists and facilitators, that this is going to be a fantastic few months! Can’t wait to share my new work with you.
-
What I’m Reading – The Perfect Wrong Note
Today, I passed along The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self by William Westney. When I consider the repair process I went through after college, this is one of the most important books. I highly recommend it.
-
What I’m Reading – Empire of Pain
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sacklar Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
I thought this book was fantastic. I listened to it on Albuquerque Public Library Libby audio book app.
It is an excellent reminder that, while our current governmental situation is certainly very messed up, a lot of very nefarious shit has been going down for a long time before. I find the “shock and awe” narrative at the moment is very demoralizing. This book helped me bring things back to, what I would consider, reality. Not that it is anyway pleasant, but I don’t need to be “shocked”. More important for me to continue to do the work that I hope bring folks together to make a more beautiful world.
-
Guest Post on Banjo After Dark
I was quite honored when, last summer, Jonas Friddle of Banjo After Dark, asked me to make a guest video.
The topic I choose was one we regularly work on in Guitar Crew; knowing which songs are appropriate to bring to the jam.
In this video I share my thoughts on, why it’s fun to bring a song to lead at an open jam, the types of songs to lead, and a few pointers to smooth the bumpy road that that beginning song leaders alway encounter.
Do you have any advice to share, or an interesting story from a time when you lead a song, or when you heard someone else lead a song? We’d love to hear it!
p.s. I highly recommend joining Jonas’ Banjo After Dark Patreon page. It’s free to join (although tossing a few bucks his way is always helpful) and I think you’ll find some fantastic resources.
Jason McInnes Teaches How To Choose A Jam Song on Banjo After Dark. -
2nd Banjo at the Fandango
I’ve been the sole banjo picker at a lot of son jarocho jams. But, last Saturday I was one of TWO banjo players! So cool.
