[Picture by Alice Williamson]
Hello dear ones, near and far.
How are you all doing? I hope you and all your loved ones are safe and well, wherever you might be.
For those who want the speedy read, let me tell you the one thing you should know: Yja, my Ladino duo with Francesca Ter-Berg, has a new video (pic below) and track (for free/pay what you want) - watch on Bandcamp here - in which I get the Gibson out and Francesca makes some luscious cello loops. We'd love you to to hear, see, enjoy and download it. ***MESSAGE ENDS***
And for you you guys with time to read my ramblings, read on >>>
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I've just been on a Danish forest wander with Jasper, because we're spending a few days out of town. (Before you think I've gone all Dominic Cummings on you, I should add freedom of movement is fine in DK!).
It was soothing being out in the forest and fields ("Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud/And the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows/Higher than soul can hope or mind can hide" - ee cummings ).
We saw bright magenta corncockles, hundreds of delicate white wood anenome stars, foamy sprigs of cow parsley and a startled deer dashing past us like a dream...
A snail, upturned and glistening that had met a (literal) sticky end, a trundling May beetle and a bright yellow-handled axe, ownerless and suspended like Excaliber on a tree stump. After we'd wrestled it out of the wood, Jasper tried to teach me the best chopping technique, but I think I was more in it for the stress-relief of whacking that sharp blade inexpertly into the wood.
Then we wandered to the reedy swamp to spot hatchling damselflies - I remember their little iridescent green and blue stick bodies from last year - but no sign of them. Maybe that moment has passed for this year.
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[ The forest // wood anenomes ]
So good to be in nature, in the midst of this serene forest and its ancient rhythms of growth and decay and growth again. Because for quite a few of us humanoids - even for those of us lucky enough to have all the basics of a roof over our head and food on the table and citizenship and some kind of money to get by - it continues to be a strange time So much of my 'normal' life is usually about making plans. I'm so used to being in a rush, on a deadline, in constant communication, existing in a state of 'the next challenge'.
But now my real world music interactions have faded and so much has moved online. And I am trying to understand where is the line between genuine creation and where is it just adding to the noise, 'producing' to feed the algorithms of a techno-capitalistic model of consumption? In this constantly shifting world of social media, what is sharing and what is giving too much away? What is helping and what is harming? Where should I be silent and when should I speak or sing? What is needed, what serves?
Yesterday would have been the live launch of Yja at JW3, London...
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[ Picture by Liv Anastasia Ikkala ]
But alas, like pretty much every musical event this summer, it's been cancelled. However, we have some Yja-shaped offerings for you to enjoy.
1. Yja have recorded a new version of 'La Serena' (a follow up to last month's 'official' single) that we filmed and recorded as a 'Lockdown Session'. Originally, me and Francesca had planned to record the video in London but of course, with the old COVID situ getting in the way, we went for a split screen take recorded in Margate and Copenhagen, respectively. It was great to get our loop pedals going and I dusted down my electric guitar specially for this new version - Bandcamp page is here. Please note * payment is truly optional * you can download it for free, we just want you to enjoy the track and have it for keeps, if you'd like.
2. A couple of weeks back, Yja had a chat with the lovely Jude Cowan-Montague on her Resonance 104.4 FM show, 'The News Agents'. She did a deep dive into the history of Ladino music and we nattered about lots of things including our experience of delving into the archives and the perils of unflattering gig photos. Listen here
3. To celebrate the Yja launch in spirit, Francesca and I have hand-picked a selection of tunes on Spotify for you, to celebrate the diverse array of Sephardic music our in the world. The playlist includes archival recordings, classical interpretations of traditional, instrumental pieces and modern reworking from the jazz, improv and electronic worlds. We want to celebrate the depth of work already put to this vast genre by our contemporaries globally and in the London scene where we both grew up. We've also added some recordings from celebrated Algerian and Moroccan legends as we feel the spirit of their music is part of the wider musical world in which Ladino song and Sephardic music situated itself. Enjoy the music here.
I'll leave you with a picture of Jasper giving you a wave :) Hugs and stay safe,
Ana xx
ps I LOVE hearing back from you and I know I'm sometimes slow to reply but I will eventually, promise!
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