A Little You, A Little Me
Helga Davis fills in for Nadia Sirota this week on Nadia Sirota on Q2
Monday, April 26, 2010
The streets of my Harlem village offer me the sights and sounds of the world. On my block alone, there’s a Mosque, a Baptist church, a Pentecostal church, a Masonic Temple, and The Church of Latter Day Saints right there on Lenox Avenue. The Senegalese drummers wake me at dawn each Monday morning with their dance, and their offerings give rise to the incense vendors who pause five times a day and offer the most beautiful music through the hum of traffic and cries of the sliced mango vendors from Mexico.
In the evening, the homeboys of the lowest slung jeans ilk rock the block from an old-school boom box carried in the jaws of a pitbull terrier named Doobie. We traverse through myriad genres: musical, cultural, linguistic to complete a holistic emotional journey each day. At night we marvel at the wonder of our union in this seemingly, un-sharable bed.
From this place, I am as moved by Abbey Lincoln’s heavenly view of mortal life, Down Here Below, as I am by measures fifty-eight through sixty-two of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. For me they are not and must never be separate conversations.
This week on Q2, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue when you’re actually feeling kind of blue, or dissolve into the steady rhythm of your own heartbeat inside the music of Steve Reich. Either way, you won’t have to choose. You won’t have to make one better or worse. You can, for a moment, have it all.
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Helga DavisFollow WQXR
About Nadia Sirota
A linchpin of New York's indie-classical scene, violist Nadia Sirota shares her unique perspective on upcoming events, recent recordings and yet-to-be-fêted collaborations with an enthusiastic nod to their antecedents. Always game for discovery and dialogue, she shares the fruits of her travels with the musically curious.
Hosted by Nadia Sirota
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Comments [10]
I liked Jomama Jones. It was fun, and I thought the poetry was stunning. And just in case you are wondering (although I doubt you remember) when i met you after the show my friend was lying when he said my name was 'Robert' when we came to see you and Sonia Perryman and Bobby Halverson and Jomama Jones herself. Guess who was sitting behind us-David (yes 'The') Cote, and we exchanged wish envelopes. (That is also no lie.)
Dear Ms. Davis,
Huge thanks for Shostakovich tonight. In my "later years" I love what I formerly didn't and appreciate his willingness to express the fullness of his anger & pain. Thanks also for the lesser-known Satie -- instrad of Gymnopedies! Sometime can you play Poulenc's beautiful sonata for Flute & Piano? Followed closely by Prokofiev's? : - )
Helga, thank you for the story of the little girl on the subway. I always love listening to your programming and your insights and stories.
Gary-
First, I love Alice Coltrane.
My good friend at WPRB, Marvin Rosen, brought me to Hovhannes. I enjoy at his music.
In fact, somebody on one of these comment pages said there was nothing written in the last 60 years worth hearing.
I gave him quite a list just going through my hard drive. Since I use first names, HIvhanness was near the top of the llist: Janabar, Shambala, and a couple symphonies.
thanks for the link, richard (helps too with nadia deprivation therapy) ... all kidding aside, helga's endeared herself illimitably to me this week ... for instance programming morton feldman as the silence after quartet for the end of time ... and then alice coltrane ... brilliant ! ... ... p.s. can't seem to get enuf of silvestrov, part, and hovahnnes [sic] ...
Oops, sorry Helga, no slight intended. I love whjat you do on the program speifically and for Q2 in general.
If anyone wants to see/hear Nadia, visit
http://www.bedroomcommunity.net/whale_watching_tour/. There a a number of good videos, the group sounds wonderful.
Helga, great to have you back this week. Thank you for that thoughtful, compelling introductory comment to the Golijov this afternoon -- these perspectives you offer are always telling and much appreciated. Enjoy your week back with us Nadianistas, glad you're here!
-p.
Eberhard Weber....(Where are you now?)
His music in classical ~ jazzy COLOURS should be played on Q2.
Yellow Fields, Silent Feet, Little Movements, Later That Evening, Fluid Rustle ~>
Such beautiful moments in time...
I remember
Eberhard Weber > Where are you now?
MDD on Q2. Great. Might I suggest his "Concierto de Aranjuez" from "Sketches of Spain". It is still the best version of this Joaquin Rodrigo masterpiece. All we ever get is the John Williams version
Also, pleeeze, "My Funny Valentine", from (1956) The Legendary Prestige Quintet Collection Disc 3, 6 minutes. There are two longer versions in the "Plugged Nickel" set, but they are noisy, like in a club setting.
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