Author: catsynth
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Cats on Tuesday: Diggy and Slicky
We visit again this Tuesday with Diggy and her buddy Ein Slicky Vömel from Jacksin Music.
We posted a photo of Diggy and the Access Virus two weeks ago. It generated quite a few comments, including a question from Jewelgirl on how Diggy got her name. This week, Jackson responds with Diggy’s story:
I think she’s the sweetiest-meatiest k-mow ever. She got her real name when I got her 2 years ago (her name was Gracie but she didn’t respond to it so I felt a change was in order). This puffy Siberian k-mow always digs her face onto my fingers/knuckles (Diggy) and is so fluffy & overweight (at the time) & she looked like a massive pillow (Malow) & when she’d eat she was so round she looked like a huge ball (Ball) & that’s how she got the name Diggy Malow Ball.
She’s about 6 years old now & I only hope I have her for as long as I can. Diggy loves to take residence on my lap or bed & curl up to my gear yet is overwhelmingly respectful to avoid my keyboard & tv remote. The perfect cat IMO
I got a buddy for her, Ein Slicky Vömel, but that’s another story…
And we conclude with a photo of Ein Slicky Vömel, with the Virus of course.
Check out more Cats on Tuesday.
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Under The Paw
Last week I finished reading Tom Cox’s Under the Paw: Confessions of a Cat Man
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Both the book and his blog The Little Cat Diaries chronicle his life as a “cat man.” There is undeniably a love of cats expressed in this book, but without being overly maudlin, or overly cuddly. The more frustrating or ridiculous moments of living with cats are not hidden. There are some very funny stories, some quite familiar to anyone who has lived with a cat, and also some very poignant and sad moments, such as the story of his youthful companion Monty. Between chapters, I often flipped back to the inside cover, which featured photos of each of the cats in his life, and comparing the images to the stories. Did the image of “The Bear” fit with his narrative, for example?
As a fellow “cat man” (I suppose there is no avoiding that label when you write a site about music and cats), there is certainly a lot in common, but also quite a contrast. While Tom Cox and his wife Dee live with six cats, there is only one cat here at CatSynth. Tom moved with his cats from London back to rural and small-town England, while I recently made the transition from a smaller coastal town to downtown San Francisco. One cat man has a passion for golf, another for modern art, photography and mathematics. But music is a common theme. And black cats (the Cox household boasts three black felines).
I found myself reading Under the Paw while getting some maintenance on my car in one of the outer neighborhoods of the city. A man came in with a large but friendly dog who did what large but friendly dogs are wont to do, namely try to become best friends with everyone sitting and waiting and systematically being told that they had a “burnt out headlight that needed to be replaced.” (What are the chances that three cars in a row would all have burnt out headlights?) After the man asked if I wasn’t fond of dogs, I showed him the cover of the book I was reading. “Hmmm, Confessions of a Cat Man…”, he mused. There was no accusation in his voice, just curiosity, and it turned into brief but friendly conversation between two people on opposite sides of the “pet divide.” Actually, the conversation was mostly just my describing the book, which I highly recommend…
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Guitars at Cafe Du Nord
With a bit of quiet here at CatSynth over the next few days, I can finally catch up on the many reviews and other articles waiting in the queue. And the show at Cafe du Nord a week ago is one I definitely wanted to review, as it falls in the “I’m really glad I went” category.
First, it was the main new-music show I could find the Monday after July 4. It was just a coincidence that it was the “night of guitars,” so to speak. But an impressive array of guitar talent, with Nels Cline, Jeff Parker and Jim Campilongo. Musically, I was more interested the Scott Amendola Band, which included Cline and Parker. They moved back and forth being grooves and more free-form pieces, which for me is a good mix for “club music.” The Campilongo Electric Trio was a bit more conventional, with more of a jazz and country feel in some pieces. But Campilongo did come out to play with the Scott Amendola Band as well. Yes, three virtuosic guitarists all at once.
I also ran into some folks I had recently met at Blue Six. We had talked quite a bit about making music, but didn’t exchange contact info. Quite the coincidence to run into them again so soon at Cafe du Nord. This time we made sure to stay in touch afterwards…
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CatSynth pic
Submitted by Zonkout:
The synth is apparently a Moog Prodigy, though it was a bit challenging to recognize. Thanks to Halliwell Hobs for the identification.
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Weekend Cat Blogging: Another busy weekend
Between rehearsals, work, and social activities, this Sunday morning is our first break at CatSynth for Weekend Cat Blogging. And so we make the most of our time, with photos from the studio:
and downstairs:
Luna had just done something very cute, lifting up the red-and-green mouse-on-the-spring toy with her paw. It’s one of those countless things that just happens – they are not photographed, but just enjoyed in real time, and then recorded in words.
Weekend Cat Blogging is being hosted by Kate and Puddy from “Puddy’s corner,” which features a scratching post and tunnel, a nice leopard-print house, a chrome light stand, and other sundry items. It looks like a nice spot for a cold Australian winter day.
The next Weekend Cat Blogging will be hosted here at CatSynth!
The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos has a new home, which will be hosting the first anniversary edition this weekend. We’re supposed to contribute a “bad thing” that Luna has done. That’s a bit of a challenge, actually.
The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted today by Kashim and Othello.
And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator. It’s edition #199!
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The Eighth Annual Transbay Skronkathon BBQ
The announcement for my upcoming show with Polly Moller and Company this Sunday. Folks in the Bay Area are encouraged to come by for free music, food and interesting people.
THE EIGHTH ANNUAL TRANSBAY SKRONKATHON BBQ
21 Grand
416 25th St., Oakland, CA 94612
Sunday, July 13th – 12:00 Noon to 11:00pm
FREEThe annual Transbay Skronkathon BBQ is an all-day marathon music and BBQ
extravaganza. Admission is free, but we’ll pass the hat for the benefit
of the Transbay Creative Music Calendar. We’ll have a couple of charcoal
grills out in the alleyway for your food-searing pleasure (BRING STUFF
TO GRILL!) and a huge roster of the Bay Area’s best creative musicians
inside for your listening pleasure.The Transbay Creative Music Calendar is a newsletter devoted to
experimental music in the Bay Area. Published monthly, it’s four to
six pages of lively coverage, including features, artistic rants,
reviews and announcements of music so far out that you won’t hear
about it anywhere else. It’s available free at many local music venues
and independent record stores, and is mailed free of charge to anyone
interested enough to subscribe. The entire contents are also available
over the world-wide web at www.transbaycalendar.org.Performance schedule:
12:00 Morgan Sully
12:25 Jay Korber
12:50 Mana: Michael Mantra and DJ Cypod
01:15 Michael Guarino, solo percussion & electronics
01:40 ANIMAL VEGETABLE TELEVISION
Ron Chornow (percussion, Found Objects, Clarinet.)
Gary Schwantes (Winds, Electronics)
02:05 Baker/Djll duo [tentative]
Jen Baker & Ron Heglin (trombones),
possibly with Tom Djll (trumpet)
02:30 Respectable Citizen
Bruce Bennett (keyboards and electronics),
Michael Zbyszynski (Winds and electronics)
02:55 Sophisticuffs
Jeremy Kearney (bass), Micaela Petersen (drums),
Errol Stewart (guitar)
03:20 Dan Plonsey
03:45 Dirty Patina
Thomas Scandura (drums),
Morgan Guberman (bass),
Gene Baker (trumpet)
04:10 League of Art Game composers
Luke Selden, Cole Ingraham, Peter Musselman,
Chad McKinney, Curtis McKinney
04:35 Yoyo Mama
Sandra Yolles (electronic percussion),
Bob Marsh (electric strings, voice and tap shoes)
05:00 Headloss
05:25 Polly Moller & Co.
Polly Moller, Amar Chaudhary, Bill Wolter, Jim Carr
05:50 Chris Brown & James Fei
06:15 Hydrogen Pellets [tentative]
Cactus Daniel Hintz & Elvis Johnson (both electronics)
06:40 John Shiurba (guitar) & Scott Rosenberg (reeds)
07:05 Jon Raskin (sax) & Kanoko Nishi (koto)
07:30 lx rudis (electronics)
07:55 RTD3
Ron Heglin (brass),
Tom Nunn (percussion),
Doug Carroll (cello)
08:20 KINDA GREEN: Tom Djll (trumpet), Tim Perkis (electronics)
accompanying archival recordings of John Cage readings.
08:45 REEL CHANGE with Dada films
09:30 Jorrit Dijkstra & Phillip Greenlief (alto saxes)
09:55 Ba-NewMus Discussion List Duo
Ava Mendoza (guitar), Moe Staiano (percussion) -
Midnight Monday: we’re back
and someone is getting caught up and pets and scritches.
Check out more Midnight Monday at House Panthers
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Bon Voyage
It’s always hard to go away on a trip and leave the ketzela behind. But Luna will be in good hands while I am gone, with our new cat sitter.
And this trip is very necessary. There has been a lot of fun, excitement, love, playfulness and beauty in our new life, but there are a lot of things that have been difficult. Getting away for a few days seems like the right thing to do. Even that simple decision has been challenging, with plans gone awry and sore feelings among friends dominating the start of this journey. But as things move forward, there might actually be a little peace, inspiration, and even a little fun.
In the meantime, please visit other Cats on Tuesday. And we’ll be back soon.
