Don’t know if you remember me from olden times but I first recorded with you at the South Shore conservatory of music and we cranked for a year after that (92ish?). I still have our private and public recordings on beat up cassettes and firmly believe we had the makings of a true power quartet.

My skins are firmly in place but alittle quieter now with 5 month old twin girls complaining down in Norwalk CT. If you ever wanted to put the band back together for a fun jam back north I would run up there drums draggin behind me.

I still have one more shot at “Workin in the Mine” left in these old bones if interested. Either way, hope you guys are healthy and well. I was a young buck you gave a shot to that appreciates it greatly to this day. Too much fun and that attic we recorded in should be enshrined (except for the mini drum kit I was forced to use, just saw it on that Life of Little People show on Discovery).

Rock on!!

What days those were.

Jamie – loved your post – I hear you about life’s crazy pace! Silas is 4 and starting preschool this year and Ansel is already starting to crawl all over the place…

I will be sending you guys a link to the mp3s of all the BC official releases at some point in the near future.

I still hold the 81 years as a sacred time and can’t effectively express my appreciation for the “tribe vibe” we created together.

-Nate

BC Tribe, I have just returned from hearing a concert of Steve Reich music. The first piece was “Daniel Variations” and the second was awesome, but can’t remember name (and I’m too lazy to go to my car and get the program at the moment). Well, my body is still vibrating and I’m on my second beer. I ended up at the concert because I’m attending a workshop at UB given by Elliot Caplan, who teaches film and has done documentaries involving Reich. In fact Reich, who was at the concert, will be visiting our workshop tomorrow. I was so moved by this concert, it went right to my bones. I love how music is so materialistic, in the sense that it alters the air molecules, and through its vibrations it alters your body.

“Daniel Variations” is based on a journalist who was kidnapped and executed by terrorists, and the lyrics are very simple, one goes “My name is Daniel” and it is his words from his execution videotape, another is a something he said during his life, about how he hoped Gabriel would like his music when he dies and goes to heaven (he played violin). I must say that as I write this account, I am overcome with immense grief. Like I said, this music was so powerful in its transverence of emotion. Its as if Reich grabs hold and shakes your soul. Perhaps it is that I’m one of the elder of the BC tribe, but it is this will of life, to struggle to continue to live, the will to survive, that this music conveyed to me tonight, so emotionally, tonight.

And of course my feelings for you guys, yes you BC tribe. I could not help but see Cho in the way this one of the clarinetests bobbed and swayed his head, or I could not see the Bassist without seeing Benny and the conducter, with his beard, curly hair and posture, reminded me of Nate and well I think this BC blog site crys so much of Frank. I just feel like life is crazy these days for me, my kids are crazy and everything is flying by, but then, you know, I “have” to go to this concert because its part of this workshop I’m attending, and Meg takes on the boys solo tonight and rush over and just get into my seat and…. BAM. I’m just bamboozaled my Reich. I just can’t believe I haven’t used my ears in so long. I just can’t believe that I would push so much out, that means so much to me, I mean, just the love of the experience of music, not just any old music, but music with a capital M, sophisticated and interesting music, which was 81. All the music I know, all the music experiences that I have loved came from you guys. I didn’t come from a musical family, but yeah, it moved me. But the 81 years were just dedicated to it, like it was sacred refuge, specifically for, listening to music. When I heard these kick ass musicians tonight, throw their hearts into this incredible music, I cried not just for the will of life, for the struggle, but also for you Cho, Benny, Nate and Frank and the 81 tribe…Bob and Mark’s craziness…for those years that gave me so much. You guys gave me the ability to hear this music tonight, to almost understand it…The capacity to be transformed by it, physically. I hope your all doin great these days, I look forward to seeing you again some day in the future.

God Bless,

J