New at the Brooklyn Paper: The Brooklyn Wire

From the Brooklyn Paper:

Starting today, The Brooklyn Paper is offering “The Brooklyn Wire,” a new feature on BrooklynPaper.com that scours the Web for all things Brooklyn.

Our Web geniuses have created a single page that delivers you to the
widest range of news, commentary, features and entertainment coverage
about Brooklyn on the Web. Bookmark it now. It’s simply amazing.

This is best thing that’s happened to the Internet since Google,”
said sometimes-hyperbolic Brooklyn Paper Editor Gersh Kuntzman.

More on Gehry Removal and Denials by FCR

From the New York Times:

The rumor this week concerning the troubled Atlantic Yards project near
Downtown Brooklyn had the developer firing the famed architect Frank Gehry, who designed the project’s centerpiece: a $1 billion basketball arena.

The developer, Forest City Ratner, emphatically denied on Thursday that it had gotten rid of Mr. Gehry,
but acknowledged that it was exploring less expensive ways to build an
arena for the Nets basketball team.

Executives are concerned that even
if they are able to overcome a pending legal challenge, it would be
hard to finance what would be the most expensive arena in the world.

“Frank
Gehry has not been removed from the project,” said Joe DePlasco, a
spokesman for Forest City. “We are continuing to speak with many arena
experts and working hard to find ways to build a world class venue in
an incredibly difficult economic environment.”
It is only the latest setback for the ambitious project. Last March, Bruce C. Ratner,
chairman of Forest City Ratner, said that a weak economy was hobbling
his efforts. He said then that he would start building the
glass-enclosed arena designed by Mr. Gehry, but the apartment houses
would proceed more slowly, while a planned office tower would not go up
until he found an anchor tenant.
Last month, Forest City
Ratner stopped all site-work for the 22-acre project, until a court
rules, presumably in the spring, on a lawsuit brought by opponents. And
there were reports that Mr. Gehry, who is based in Los Angeles, laid
off two dozen people who had worked on Atlantic Yards just before
Thanksgiving.

UN and Red Cross Call for Cease Fire in Gaza

From the New York Times:

JERUSALEM — International aid groups lashed out at Israel on Thursday over the war in Gaza, saying that access to civilians in need is poor, relief workers are
being hurt and killed, and Israel is woefully neglecting its
obligations to Palestineans, who are trapped, some among rotting corpses in a nightmarish landscape of deprivation

The UN declared a suspension of its aid operations after one of its drivers
was killed and two others were wounded despite driving United
Nations-flagged vehicles and coordinating their movements with the
Israeli military. The United Nations secretary general, 
Ban Ki-moon called for an investigation by Israel for a second time in a week after
the more than 40 deaths near a United Nations school from Israeli tank
fire on Tuesday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross
reported finding what it called shocking scenes on Wednesday, including
four emaciated children next to the bodies of their dead mothers. In a
rare and sharply critical statement, it said it believed that “the
Israeli military failed to meet its obligation under international
humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded.”

About Brooklyn in January: Tree Mulching and Philosophy

She's done it again! Kristin Goode of About Brooklyn has a nice selection of things to do in January. Here are a few examples. There are plenty more at her site.

  • Saturday, January 10
    Mulching Madness

    Not sure what to do with your Christmas tree? Head to one of
    Brooklyn's parks, "treecycle," and watch your tree be made into mulch.
    Saturday at the Green-Wood Cemetery; Saturday and Sunday at two locations in Prospect Park.
    10am
    to 2pm at the Green-Wood Cemetery (25th Street and 5th Avenue) and
    Prospect Park (Park Circle entrance or Third Street and Prospect Park
    West)
  • Sunday, January 11
    Eating Local in the Big Apple

    This class
    will teach you everything you need to know to become a true locavore.
    Learn how to eat local, find local ingredients without spending a
    fortune, and more. $44 includes class and a cooking demo/tasting.
    Advance registration required.

    12pm to 3pm at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue
    (718) 623-7200
  • Tuesday, January 13
    Philosophy and Fries
    How do you define belief? Talk it out while taking in dinner at a diner. This meet-up is sponsored by the Center for Inquiry.

    7:30pm to 9pm at Park Plaza Restaurant, 220 Cadman Plaza West

Issue Project Room: The Meeting of Two Fabulous Violins

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The meeting of two legends in experimentation and sound: the meeting of two fabulous
violins:
Tony Conrad and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge.
Guest musician: Edward Morrisey, PTV3.
Guest visual artists: Bradley Eros and Sebastien S. Santamaria.

 
Tony Conrad and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge will meet for the first time
and perform on two consecutive days in improvisatory concerts centered
on their mutual love for violin. The shows will take place at ISSUE
Project Room on January 10 at 9 p.m. and January 11 at 4 p.m. The event
will be recorded for an album release and filmed by Marie Losier for
her upcoming feature documentary on P-Orridge.

The idea to unite the two influential musicians was conceived at the screening
of "Marie Losier's Film Portraits" at the French Institute Alliance Française in September of 2008. Upon watching
Losier's documentary, "Tony Conrad DreaMinimalist," P-Orridge
confessed that violin, which figured prominently in the film, was her
favorite instrument and that hearing Conrad's personal story made her
cherish it even more. "I initially wanted to create a scene for the
film on Genesis in which she and Tony would just play the violin
together," says Losier. "But very quickly this idea developed into a
strong desire to see the two musicians I love perform live for an
audience. Even though their paths have not crossed up until this point,
it only felt natural to me that they should."

The Where and When

January 10 at 9 p.m. and January 11 at 4 pm
Issue Project Room

The (OA) Can Factory
232 3rd Street,
3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
get directions
t: 718-330-0313
contact us

Learn to Speak with Power, Authenticity and Ease with Jezra Kaye

Here's something about Jezra Kaye's upcoming public speaking workshop; lots of good food for thought—and speaking. If you would like to communicate with POWER, AUTHENTICITY and EASE, join her for an evening of hands-on activities that will lift your speaking skills to the next level. I took a 3-hour workshop and enjoyed it very much and picked up some very useful ideas and tips.

For weeks, I’ve been shuffling through
the same stack of papers, articles, notes, biz cards, invitations, old socks and photos waiting to be scanned.

If you want to de-clutter your public speaking
(and that means everything you say that's not private), here are some simple ways to start:

 

1.  ADD SOME
SPACE

 

Those of you who live (and talk!) in New York will be glad to hear that adding space does not
mean s p e a k i n g   r e a l l y   s l o w l y. 

 

And those
of you who went to college will be glad to hear that it doesn't require
you to give up those erudite-sounding, run-on sentences, so rich in
subordinate clauses and clever little asides that allow you to keep
talking
about the topic at hand, which is probably quite delightful, until
you've exhausted everything that one could imagine saying about it and
then
you add something else because…

 

No, "adding space" means pausing—briefly, fractionally—between one phrase and the next so that people can
hear your entire thought.

 

And if you want to slow down further, add some emphasis.

 

Now you're pausing…   briefly, fractionally…  between one phrase and the next…   so that people can hear your entire
thought.

 

You can practice this
trick in your "private" speech (i.e., when you're talking to family or friends): 

 

Add some space! 

 

You'll sound calmer…   and
smarter…  and people will have time to
take in your words!

 

2. 
SIMPLIFY

 

Now that you've slowed down enough to hear yourself think, you can start to edit.

 

Most of us say much more than we need to:

  • We repeat ourselves.
  • We pile on the arguments.
  • We make point after point.  After point.

Unfortunately, people don't remember large chunks or subtle nuances unless they've studied a
topic at length.

 

In normal conversation, as in public speech, they're likely to recall just ONE
THING that you said.  So what's it going to be?  

 

To find the answer, ask yourself: 

  • What ONE IDEA do you want them to retain? and
  • WHY THEY SHOULD CARE?

When you can answer those questions, you've got the simple, elegant core of what you want to
say.

 

Concentrate on stating it as clearly…   cleanly…   and authentically
as possible.

 

And leave some space to let it sink it!

 

3.  CALL A
“SPEECH-ALIST”

 

An experienced Speaker Coach can help you develop these (and other) tips into
a powerful and authentic speaking style.

 

Would you like to begin right away?

 

Contact me about private
coaching, or come to…

Presentations that
Persuade Workshop

Next Thursday, January 15th, 2009, 6:30-9:00PM

Download the PDF

Seeking: Unsung Heroes Who Are Making Distinctive Contributions

My cousin is the Executive Director of the Petra Foundation, which identfies and recognizes unsung heroes who are making distinctive contributions to the rights of others. Here's the email I received this morning. If you are thinking of nominating someone make sure you read the criteria carefully.

Dear
Friends

Each
year since 1988, through a national search and nomination process, Petra has
identified and recognized unsung heroes who are making distinctive contributions
to the rights, dignity and autonomy of millions who are marginalized in America
today

 Now almost 80 in number, Petra Fellows work in 29 states, often at risk and without
the safety net of personal privilege or institutional support. The foundation
gives fellows a no-strings personal financial award, publicizes their models
for change and welcomes them to a national network of leaders working across
the divides of age, ethnicity, class and issue to build a more just society.

If
you know a leader who fits the awards criteria, please nominate your candidate
for a Petra Fellow award. If you know of others who might make a
nomination, please forward this note and help to spread the word.

The
awards guidelines and brief nomination questionnaire can be easily downloaded
from http://www.petrafoundation.org/nominations.html

Please
read the guidelines closely and note that nominations are submitted without the
knowledge of the nominee by those who know the nominees and their work.

This
year’s deadline is February 12, 2009.  If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

With
your help, the Petra Foundation will continue to champion local leaders who are
fighting on the frontlines of the struggle for justice.

We
look forward to hearing from you!

 

Brooklyn Based: Weekly Tip Sheet

What would we do without the weekly Brooklyn Based Tip Sheet? It's got loads of interesting ideas for things to  do in Brooklyn in music, art, shopping, culture and food.

So what is Brooklyn Based?

Like all good things, we come in threes — three
emails a week that will turn you onto the best food, art, shops,
services, and people in the County of Kings.

From where to find the best tailor, to weekend
events, to interviews with neighborhood chefs, we are the most original
guide to Brooklyn life you’ll read.

Sound good? Then sign up for BB, delivered Tuesday through Thursday.

Go for it.

Honor Thy Neighbor: One Family Discontinues Hallway Play

So how do people with kids in co-ops, condos and rentals co-exist with those without children, who don't appreciate the noise generated by the pitter patter of little feet, especially in public spaces?

A post on Park Slope Parents brought this vexing issue to light. One mom has resolved the problem she had with her neighbors by deciding  to "discontinue hallway play." She even had a revelation:

They brought our playtime noise to our attention in such an awful way that our shock at their behavior overshadowed the fact that we were actually being really inconsiderate in the hallway.

After a few days, the smoke cleared, and we realized what had to be
done.  We actually feel rather stupid not seeing it before now!  Our
neighbors say they've been giving us hints for a YEAR.  Unfortunately,
those "hints" were just mean looks.  It's just sad that 2 months ago
they came to my son's b-day party, and now I'm not sure we'll exchange
6 words in 2009.

So I guess it's about communication. It sounds like the angry neighbors should have brought up the matter earlier. Guess what? The complaing couple is pregnant. The PSP member wonders:

Perhaps that will change things in a year or two, but for now, we'll have fun on the 5th floor where short play times are encouraged.  I'm also going to try to get a playroom in the
building, since it looks like it could help everyone out – not just the families, but the neighbors as well!

Learn New York: Educational Advocacy

I got this email from Robin Warren about an education advocacy coalition called Learn NY.

Hello Brooklyn Parents,

My name is Robin Warren and I work with an education advocacy coalition called Learn NY based here in New York City.

Some background on our
organization: Learn NY is a non-profit organization dedicated to
ensuring that each of New York City's students receives a high-quality
education. We believe in an education governance system that provides
our schools with accountability and efficiency, so that our children
have a chance at a brighter future.

I am reaching out to
online New York City parent communities across all five boroughs to
introduce our organization and to hopefully begin a real dialogue with
you all.

In this community and
other New York neighborhoods, concerned parents are discussing how we
can improve the education system in New York City;
one of the issues that we are trying to raise more awareness about is
the renewal of the important Mayoral Control Law, as well as how we can
work to improve it.

In the coming weeks, I
hope to come back here to give some more background on Learn NY and on
this issue for those who might be less familiar with the law. I also
want to share with you some of the results and improvements that we
have seen, and which are directly benefitting New York City students. 

And lastly, the more we
hear from parents, the more we can improve the mayoral control law when
it comes up for renewal next year. I would love to gather some feedback
from you to help us better inform lawmakers in Albany of what's working
and what's not.

Parents from across the
City are getting involved with Learn NY, and we hope you will too. We
have received many comments noting the differences in the school system
recently, from how the schools are safer to the increase in test scores.

 If you would like to share your observations about your school's performance recently, please share your story with us on our website, a post here, or you can write to me at robin@learn-ny.org

We all want the best for our children. You can learn more about Mayoral Control at our website www.learn-ny.org, read what others are saying at www.Learn-NY.org/Viewpoints, or follow our blog at www.Learn-NY.org/Blog.

I look forward to continuing this discussion with you all.


Post-election Strategies and Campaigns Around Environmental Issues.

Will the Economy Overshadow the Environment?Will green jobs really change the way we operate?

Will the climate crisis be overshadowed by the economic crisis?

Where does the new administration stand on issues of the environment?

Join the Center for the Urban Environment (CUE) at our monthly "Third
Thursday" forum to discuss post-election strategies and campaigns
around environmental issues. Listen in as experts dissect the recent
election’s impact on national, state and local environmental
politics—including the role youth will play in ushering in a new clean
energy economy by holding newly elected officials to their campaign
promises and demanding real solutions to the climate crisis.

Come to CUE's Third Thursday to network, learn more, and take action.

Panelists:
Josh Nachowitz—New York State Policy Director for the New York League
of Conservation Voters; Dave Shukla—Organizer with the Student
Environmental Action Coalition and a Ph.D. student at the New School
for Social Research.

The Where and When

Thursday January 15, 2009
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Center for the Urban Environment
68 7th Street, Brooklyn
$10 Suggested Donation
Light Refreshments

A Bit of a Trek: Philip Pearlstein at the Montclair Museum of Art

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This is an artist I've always liked. Known for his nudes, he's having a retrospective at the Montclair Museum of Art that includes other works as well. Ken Johnson of the New York Times writes:

"Realism returned from the dead in the 1960s, and Philip Pearlstein was
one of its chief revivers. His seven-decade career is the focus of
“Philip Pearlstein: Objectifications,” a small, surprisingly varied
exhibition at the Montclair Museum of Art. The show offers proof that
Mr. Pearlstein, 84, has been an artist of greater range than his
signature nude works."

Closes January 10: The Art of Politics at the Brooklyn Public Library

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Political artist Randy Jones exhibits his work in the main lobby of the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza:

This exhibition shows three aspects of my art: current (featuring
the long march of the 2008 presidential race), historical and the Inner
Circle Annual Roast for Mayor of New York City.

From food fights to lipstick, the first section features highlighted
events leading up to the memorable 2008 presidential campaign. It also
includes tear-sheets and original artwork from this long two-year race.

The second section features some of our favorite historical figures
such as Teddy Roosevelt, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Bud Abbott
and Lou Costello. It includes original art and the tear-sheets from the
publications in which they were printed.

Finally, work from the Inner Circle is featured. The Inner Circle
has been around since New York City Mayor Hylan (1918-1925) was in
office, and it continues to operate today. Its 100 members are
reporters who have covered City Hall and who are elected to join by the
standing members. I have created art that illustrates the songs about
the political year, from mayoral to national politics, written and
performed by the members of the Inner Circle. My first year doing so
was the last year of Mayor Dinkins's time in office in 1993.

Exciting Schedule at Fifth Avenue’s Brooklyn Arts Exchange

Loads to do at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange, including a special President's Week Arts Program for kids, programs for curious dults and the Deedle Deedle Dees (four guys raised on the Muppets, Tom Waits, Dr. John, and the
Pixies).

President's Week Performing Arts Program includes: theater, musical theater, dance, singing, tumbling… and lots of fun!

8:30am–3:00pm daily (late pick-up to 5pm) during President's Week

Limited to 30 children currently enrolled in grades K-5.
Registration begins Jan. 2nd. Slots fill quickly!
For more information please click here or call 718-832-0018.

And check out these workshops designed for the curious, creative adult...

Hard-Core Dance Workout with Pene McCourty
Mondays Jan 5, 12, 26 & Feb 2 | 7 – 8pm
*There will be NO class Monday, Jan 19* in observation of MLK Day
$40 for the workshop | $15 drop in

Imagine
a hot sweaty dance party does a major mash-up with a structured dance
class. You learn new steps, get to do your own dance and de-stress. No
prior dance experience necessary.Just bring your bad self!

Then there's a series called January First Weekends, which highlights work by BAX’s Artists in Residence
and Artist Advisors

Friday & Saturday, January 9-10, 2009
8pm on Friday, 4pm on Saturday
admission: $5
(special first First Weekends of 2009 discount)

Friday January 9, 2009 at 8 PM:
Faye Driscoll, Sam Kim and Victoria Libertore

Saturday January 10, 2009 at 4 PM:
Abigail Browde, Sam Kim, Shannon Hummel and Victoria Libertore

In
837 Venice Boulevard director and choreographer Faye Driscoll revisits
her childhood while examining the construct of identity and how we
blame the world for our problems.

In her newest memoir piece, My
Journey of Decay, Victore Libertore delves into her extensive dental
work with her trademark humor, aplomb and sensuality.

Abigail Browde’s The Home by Josephine, a virtual house tour, transforms into a
map of the inner workings of Josephine, a person who is terribly afraid
of the unknown.

Shannon Hummel/Cora Dance’s latest work, Prey,
examines what could have been through the lens of what is as it
captures the essence of survival in all of us.

With
uncompromising honesty, Sam Kim’s Self Surgery exposes the horror and
reverence we feel for the magnitude of the body's potential.

For reservations, call 718-832-0018 or visit http://bax.org/tickets.php.

And one more thing:

The Jumpin' Juniper Show
Featuring the Deedle Deedle Dees!

Sunday, January 11, 2009 @ 2pm (playspace 2:45pm-4pm)
admission: $15 (includes one child), $8 each additional child or adult, Under 2 Free

Join
our popular host Jumpin' Juniper for an afternoon of music and fun.
Alongside the show, BAX offers a staffed, indoor playspace for children
with their parent or caregiver full of equipment appropriate for tots –
elementary age kids. BAXsnax will be available.

January features
The Deedle Deedle Dees — a rock band for the entire family featuring
four guys who were raised on the Muppets, Tom Waits, Dr. John, and the
Pixies.

Brooklyn Born Al Farrow Exhibits Powerful Work at San Francisco Museum

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Last week in San Francisco we went to the gorgeous new deYoung Museum, designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron and Fong & Chan, and saw an amazing—and very powerful—exhibit called In the Name of God: War, Religion and the Reliquaries of Al Farrow.

In this work, Farrow appropriates and reinterprets the iconography of Jewish,
Christian, and Islamic religious institutions. The Spine and Tooth of Santo Guerro (2007), which is pictured to the left, is an elaborate construction, which looks like a scale model of a European Gothic cathedral.

A closer look reveals
that the entire structure is fabricated from deconstructed gun
components, as well as bullets and steel shot.

I heard from Al Farrow today. He thanked me for mentioning him on the blog. It turns out that he was born and raised in Brooklyn and left 20 years ago for California, where he exhibits widely.

Representative Yvette D. Clarke to be Sworn into 111th Congress

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Yvette D. Clarke will be sworn into the 111th Congress on Tuesday, January 6th by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.   

The ceremony will take place at 4:00pm following the en masse oath of office on the floor of the House of Representatives.

On November 16th, the Congresswoman was elected as Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus.  She will also be sworn in as
Whip of the Caucus for the 111th Congress on the same day. Rep. Clarke
was recently re-elected in November with 94% of the vote. 

She currently sits on the House Committee of Education and Labor, the House Small Business Committee, and the Committee of Homeland Security.

New: NYC Graphic Novelists Website

GraphicNYC
This Tuesday, January 6th, photographer Seth Kushner (The Brooklynites) and comic book journalist/historian Christopher Irving (Comic Book Artist Magazine Associate Editor) join forces to introduce a new brand of comics journalism, with  NYC Graphic Novelists.

The site is a preview of the work that Seth and Christopher are doing for Graphic NYC, their photo-essay book that combines Seth’s photos with Christopher’s in-depth interview based essays on New York cartoonists.

“I consider Graphic NYC, the upcoming book project that NYC Graphic Novelists is based off of, to be a kind of ‘New Comics Journalism’, combining New Journalism with comics history, and Seth’s lush photography. I’ve been ready to bring a little something new to comics journalism for a while, and this is it.”

Graphic NYC not only features conceptual photographs of comic book auteurs in their favorite and symbolic environments, but it also paints a narrative picture through essays that employ on-the-spot interviews and a critical view of their most personal work. Like a graphic novel, it employs the marriage of words and images to tell a story; in this case, it is the story of New York’s position in the development and life of comic books.

Previous attempts at chronicling comic book artists have either been too general, showing the artist behind their drawing table and accompanied by a brief biography, or so academic that they turn off potential casual readers. Graphic NYC offers an insider’s view of the comic book industry in New York (both past and present), but is presented in an accessible and general enough manner for that casual reader, yet savvy enough for the long-time comic book fan to appreciate.

The first subjects introduced in the site’s launch are the legendary Howard Chaykin of American Flagg! fame, and emerging star Dash Shaw, of the highly acclaimed graphic novel The Bottomless Belly Button. Following will be photo-essays on Dondi creator Irwin Hasen, Billy Dogma’s Dean Haspiel, Dan Goldman of the upcoming ‘08 graphic novel, Mad Magazine’s Al Jaffee, Battling Boy’s Paul Pope, and other comics luminaries. Updated on a regular basis, along with reviews and commentaries of work by other NYC cartoonists, www.NycGraphicNovelists.com promises to serve as a Who‘s Who of New York‘s favorite cartoonists.

But www.NycGraphicNovelists.com doesn’t give it all away at once, notes Irving. The essays presented are not published in their entirety: that won’t happen until the book version of Graphic NYC hits bookstores.

“It’s only a matter of time,” Irving notes. “Until we find the perfect publisher for what Seth and I consider our dream project. But, for now, we‘re enjoying the total freedom of putting it online for everyone to sink their teeth into.”

New: Non-Fiction Book Club at Community Bookstore

Over at the Community Bookstore, they're starting the Non-Fiction Book Club.

Third Wednesday of Every Month @ 7:30 pm

Moderated by Debbie Everett-Lane debra.everettlane(at)gmail(dot)com

This
club will read thought-provoking and entertaining nonfiction, both
classic and modern. The books will be chosen on a common theme, with
the club switching themes every six months or so. Every third session,
a book will be paired with a movie shown at the bookstore – film first,
then discussion afterwards.

The first theme is "Nature" and the book/film list so far includes:

Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854)

Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac (1949)

Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance (1982, dir. Godfrey Reggio, music by Philip Glass)

John McPhee, The Control of Nature (1989)

Jared Diamond, Collapse (2005)

Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma (2007)

The first event will be: Wednesday, January 21 at 7:30
You've heard of Walden, but have you ever read it?  Now's
your chance to read one of the classics of American literature and
nature writing! In 1845, Henry David Thoreau quit working at his
family's pencil factory in order to begin a two-year experiment in
simple living, building a small cabin outside of town and living a life
of self-sufficiency. Join us for an evening of lively discussion as we
explore Walden Pond along with Thoreau, and learn about the pleasures
of "simplicity, simplicity, simplicity."


We
will be reading the Norton Critical Edition, which includes commentary
and other related texts. Though our discussion will focus primarily onWalden,
feel free to explore these other materials also. The book will be
available at your favorite local bookstore, Community Bookstore.

Park Slope’s Nerissa Campbell: Jazzy Musings of a Telescopic Tree

Musingsofatelescopictreecove
Nerissa Campbell, an indie-jazz singer- songwriter originally from Perth,
Australia has been lving in Brooklyn, (Park Slope/Prospect
Heights) for over seven years.

She is set to release a new album next week. Check it out: there are a few tracks on her website at www.crookedmouthmusic.com.

Musings of a Telescopic Tree is described on the website as "an album of moodiness and of melancholy
– stories of desire and the sorrows of losing loved things, the weight
of depression and the lightness of being. The indie-jazz
singer-songwriter ponders a new approach to her music, – its roots in
jazz, it also ponders its way through somber pop-ballads, bluesy folk
songs, moody instrumentals and a lyricism full of thought and space."

"Her songs roil in the smoke of forgotten bars and express a love of
many styles and thoughts. Campbell composed these songs in her home of
Brooklyn, NY as well on travels across Europe, Australia and North
America. Drawn largely on her own life stories and from the tales of
the characters from those adventures, her songs are a manuscript of
insights to self and the world around her."

There's an album release gig  on January 15th at the 55 Bar in Manhattan.

The Where and When

January 15th
55 Bar
55 Christopher St (btn 6th and 7th av)
www.55bar.com
7 – 9pm
no cover