- Glen Hansard, Iron City, Feb. 2, 2015
- Triumphant Trumpet: Tamberg Trumpet Concerto, Haydn Trumpet Concerto and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4, Alabama Symphony Orchestra with conductor Carlos Izcaray, Alys Stephens Center, Feb. 13, 2015
- Punch Brothers, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Feb. 27, 2015
- La Boheme, Wright Center at Samford University, March 13, 2015
- Authentic US presents an evening with Josh Vasa and Sanyasi, Desert Island Supply Co., March 21, 2015
- Wye Oak with William Brittelle, Alabama Symphony Orchestra Classical EDGE series, Alys Stephens Center, March 26, 2015
- The Music of John Williams from the Movies of Steven Spielberg, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Wright Center, Samford University, May 2, 2015
- Garth Brooks with Trisha Yearwood, BJCC Legacy Arena, June 13, 2015
- The Watkins Family Hour with Secret Sisters and Buddy Miller, City Winery, Nashville, Aug. 1, 2015
- Taylor Swift, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Oct. 24, 2015
- Chris Thile, Alys Stephens Center, Nov. 2, 2015
- Damien Rice, Iron City, Nov. 15, 2015
- Jeffrey Butzer and T.T. Mahoney perform “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Saturn, Dec. 20, 2015
I hope we can all live more fearlessly
Yoga teacher training involves a lot of confrontation within a safe, supportive environment. As we’ve read through a variety of books, responded to those with reaction papers and verbally processed the lessons we’re learning on and off our mats, the members of my trainee tribe have opened up to one another. We provide grace when an individual struggles to offer it to him or herself.
But that’s not the environment we’ll teach in. Most yoga classes I’ve attended have been warm and welcoming, but I know I won’t often walk into a room full of people who already know my idiosyncrasies and care for me anyway. It’s just as likely that I’ll encounter students who have never taken a yoga class before, and that they’ll be side by side with those who are plenty comfortable moving through sun salutations with little direction.
Our homework before the next training weekend was to teach two 60-minute classes. That’s a fairly open-ended assignment; we could teach each other, or we could teach a class of only one person. (Our instructor specified, though, that our student must be human. No cat yoga for the purposes of this assignment!) I decided to challenge myself by inviting any of my friends to attend these two classes. I’ve also got a number of friends who have expressed interest in trying yoga, and so offering a free class is a way to invite them to try the practice I so love.
That’s how I found myself in front of a motley crew of yogis yesterday afternoon. The class included a couple of people who have practiced before and a couple who had very little experience with yoga, plus a young child. (He brought a book in case he got bored. That’s my kind of kid!)
I spent the days prior to this class determining what I wanted to include, considering modifications for some of the more challenging poses and building a playlist that would help me gauge time. I ran through the class mentally several times, and practiced it myself before the students arrived. As a result, I was comfortable making some adjustments as I went, removing a particularly challenging pose and substituting something more restorative.
Teaching a group that’s not training to be yoga teachers also brought other issues to my attention. If I teach a predominantly beginner class, I might want to break poses down in even more detail. Little things that I’m accustomed to, such as whether the tops of your feet should be flat on the ground or your toes should be curled under, become challenges for those who haven’t seen upward facing dog before.
I’ve got plenty to learn, of course, and I’m grateful for the friends who helped me process these lessons yesterday. I’m still listening to my yoga class playlist and reflecting on how much fun that first experience was! You can find a modified version of the playlist on Spotify; Atoms for Peace and The Beatles aren’t available through that format, so later I’ll add an iTunes playlist where you can buy each of these songs. The class was a heart-opening sequence that peaked in camel pose, and I tried to reflect that in my song choice, at times through the music and at others based on lyrics.
Join me for another round on 2 p.m. Sunday at Desert Island Supply Co. Can’t make it this week, but want to stay up to date on future classes? Sign up for my yoga mailing list.
Today’s subject line is from the Dixie Chicks’ “I Hope,” which appears on their 2006 album “Taking the Long Way.” It’s still my favorite.
The big city calls and your daughters are smiling in the windows of apartment buildings
As we took in the sound of Gabe Witcher’s bow dancing across the strings of his violin and Greg Garrison’s carefully chosen plunks of the bass chords, I was overwhelmed again by Punch Brothers’ debut album, “Punch.” When I reviewed the album at the time of its 2008 release, I spent six weeks obsessing over it before putting it aside for three months. The music is absorbing, and I needed a beat away from its introspective content.
I had wanted to play this album for my boyfriend since we began dating two years ago; he’s an audiophile and a classical music fan. I knew this album would sound fantastic on his speakers, and I suspected the composition, which takes cues from classical music and jazz, would grab his attention.
After the recording ended, I noted that my interest in attending Alabama Symphony Orchestra performances–particularly the masterworks series–was likely influenced by this album, and most certainly by its primary composer, Chris Thile. Before meeting Put, I attended a handful of ASO special events. But I had never been to what I thought of as a “proper” symphony performance. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but I wanted to find out. (Put took me to hear the ASO perform one of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies during our first few months dating. I’ve been hooked.)
In other words, “Punch” was a game changer for me. But it certainly isn’t the only album that holds that distinction. Caedmon’s Call’s “40 Acres” was the first album to make me realize sometimes the best songs aren’t on the radio. It took a while for it to click, but “Abbey Road” was the album that kickstarted my Beatles fan-dom. I don’t know what made me hear the album differently than the first five or six times I played it, but once it made sense, I couldn’t get enough.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, and I know I’m not alone. I want to know: Which albums have been game changers for you?
Today’s subject line comes from Punch Brothers’ “Blind Leaving the Blind: Third Movement.”
I must be traveling on now ’cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see
We’re one week from the debut of “Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music,” and I can hardly wait! I’m also excited to share the book’s most recent press coverage. Alec Harvey, the managing producer of entertainment, dining and travel at Alabama Media Group, asked me to share my favorite songs recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. It was a challenge, and I couldn’t stop at my original list of five (so you get a bonus song!). But here’s the fun thing: You can listen to these and other songs yourself via the Spotify playlist below. I’d like to know, what are your favorite examples of the Muscle Shoals sound?
Carla Jean Whitley knows a lot about Muscle Shoals.
For the past year or so, the managing editor of Birmingham magazine has been researching and writing her first book, “Muscle Shoals Sound Studio: How the Swampers Changed American Music.”
The book, a history of the famed recording studio in northwest Alabama, details the many superstars who have recorded there, the songs they sang, and, of course, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, a group of studio musicians better known as the Swampers. Read more “‘ Muscle Shoals Sound Studio’ author details her favorite songs recorded there” at al.com.
Today’s subject line comes from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” which was originally recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Learn more about the studio
Loving local music
You would think I’d be tired of these songs by now. But you’d be wrong.
I’ve been lucky that my life and career have allowed me a lot of opportunities to support Birmingham, the city I love above all others. This spring, that included judging entries in the Alys Stephens Center’s ASC Commissions Birmingham songwriting contest. Beginning in January, the ASC invited local songwriters to submit videos of their original songs for this contest. Over the course of three weeks in April and May, a panel of judges reviewed the 86 submissions, rating them on qualities such as originality and how much each song reflects the city.
Yes, that means I listened to and rated 86 songs. That task became even more difficult after the judging panel narrowed the list down to 12 finalists. I listened to those 12 songs over and over and over again in an effort to determine which stood out the most.
I was in great company on this panel, which included Chris Confessore, resident conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra; Eric Essix, UAB Department of Music instructor and president of Essix Music Group/Essential Recordings; composer Yotam Haber, director of MATA Festival; Bobby Horton, musical historian and composer; Kimberly Kirklin, director of the ASC’s ArtPlay; Scott Register, host of “Reg’s Coffeehouse” on Birmingham Mountain Radio; and Jessica Simpson, owner of Artistic Endeavors, LLC. It’s a talented group of people with a range of preferences, and so I wasn’t surprised to learn that the finalists reflect a variety of genres.
This weekend, the top three contenders will be announced, and each will receive studio time to record their songs.
Join me and the musicians on June 21 to celebrate LOCAL, a free festival featuring music, food, brews and goods. The event will include merchants such as Oli. O, Green Bottle Candle Co. and Stone Hollow Farmstead Pantry, food and drinks from Steel City Pops, Octane and others and performances by the contest’s 12 finalists. In the meantime, take a sneak peek at the finalists. My votes have already been cast, but I’d love to hear what you think of this talented group.
Only the curious have something to find
Tonight I revisited the soundtrack to my 20s.
I’m not sure I could have previously pinpointed what that sounded like. But as Nickel Creek performed a variety of songs from their four main albums, I felt as though I was taking an audio tour of my past.
“The Lighthouse’s Tale” took me back to Saturday game nights during my senior year of college. We knew two albums were sure crowd pleasers: a mid-90s rock mix a friend made, and Nickel Creek’s self-titled album.
“This Side,” in hindsight, was the perfect song to carry me into that awkward year after college. The band released that album the month I would have started my senior year (had I not decided to finish early). Life felt foreign, indeed, on that side of graduation.
“When You Come Back Down” is one of several songs that remind me vividly of moving back to Alabama and finally chasing down my dream: a career in journalism. When I enrolled in grad school at Alabama, I wasn’t sure I would make it in this field. I had always been told I was a good writer, but I knew journalism was a competitive, intense industry. I realized how much I had to learn in my first semester, thanks to the Intro to Reporting class (a course I earned a B in, but now teach). I was terrified, but I was taking a chance I believed was worth taking.
It was hard to believe it would pay off during nights when I would lie awake, obsessing over how I could strengthen my resume and skill set in order to get a job. When I couldn’t quiet my mind, I’d return that self-titled album to my CD player. By track three, “Out of the Woods,” I would be breathing easier. By the song’s end, I would usually fall asleep.
My favorite band seemed to change with me, with instrumentals on each album exploring new territory (I love “Ode to a Butterfly,” but “Smoothie Song” and “Scotch and Chocolate” took my growing interest in instrumental music a step further). Every time “First and Last Waltz” begins, I remember again how it seamlessly transitions into “Helena,” showing how a voiceless piece of music can set the tone for what’s to come.
“Doubting Thomas,” and “Why Should the Fire Die?” as a whole, carried me further still. The album came out while I was working my first job. I knew journalism was the right fit–I loved it even more than I imagined I might–but I was also struggling with the adjustment that accompanies working full time and figuring out life on your own. The answers weren’t always easy, and the journey didn’t always look like what I expected.
“Reasons Why” has always encapsulated the struggle of those unmet expectations. There were nights, particularly in 2002, when I would play the song on repeat. It remains my official favorite song of all time.
When I first heard “Hayloft” on the band’s latest album, I was taken aback. It felt jarring in the context of both their previous work and “A Dotted Line.” But the song has grown on me, and seeing it performed tonight reminded me of how much Nickel Creek has matured in the 13 years I’ve loved their music. These songs and musicians have been the soundtrack to my growing up.
Nickel Creek, Alabama Theatre April 16, 2014
Destination / The Lighthouse’s Tale / Scotch and Chocolate / This Side / Rest of My Life / Out of the Woods / Ode to a Butterfly / When In Rome / 21st of May / Anthony / Smoothie Song / You Don’t Know What’s Going On / Reasons Why / Doubting Thomas / Elephant in the Corn / Somebody More Like You / Hayloft / The Fox
Encore: First and Last Waltz / Helena / Cuckoo’s Nest / Where Is Love Now
Maybe I’m a little behind
I ordered my first Mac laptop this week. It took a lot of deliberation; I had held off for years because I suspect that once I go Mac, I won’t go back. But in the past year, I’ve completed more freelance projects than ever, and I expect it’ll be a boon in my full-time and side work to have access to the industry standard for writing and design.
Buying a Mac, as many of you know, is quite a commitment. They’re generally more expensive than PCs, so deciding to take the Apple plunge is a big deal. But then you’ve got to decide which model MacBook you want. The Air is light and sleek, but not quite as powerful as the Pro. The Pro is a beast with a fancy screen, but not quite as portable as the Air.
But these days, neither of the newest models come equipped with a CD drive!
And this is how I’ve come to learn that I’m a weirdo because I still use CDs. Don’t be mistaken, I’m also a big fan of the cloud; my Google Drive is perpetually teetering at 90 percent full, and I have to clean out my Dropbox frequently. I also backup files to a 1 Terabyte external hard drive. I’m drinking the Kool-Aid, in other words.
I also buy CDs. I receive them from record labels (still, although not as frequently as I once did), and I keep a bin of them in my bedroom closet. Although technology is generally pretty good to me (WordPress hasn’t failed me yet!), I’m not comfortable relying on it for my entire music collection.
So after much debate and a number of people telling me I should let go of the notion of a built-in CD drive, I made up my mind. The older MacBook Pro isn’t only cheaper, it’s also exactly the machine I want.
Because after all, I’ll need a way to load these guys onto my fancy digital devices.
The dream that you wish will come true
I’m a writer. I’ve considered myself a writer for as long as I can recall. And so, I’ve dreamed of writing a book for as long as I can remember.
That dream–probably my wildest–is being granted, and I was thrilled when my local coffee shop/bookstore asked me to write about the process for their excellent blog, Postscript. I’ll be contributing to that blog during the next eight months as I research and write, and I’ll likely continue to share as the book goes to press and author events begin.
I hope you’ll join me on the ride.
The other week I received a thick envelope from my publisher. My signed contract was inside.
And now, I have to write a book.
Today’s subject line is from “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” because Disney songs are always appropriate.
2013 concerts
- Alabama Symphony Orchestra performs Haydn’s Symphony No. 88, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9, Alys Stephens Center, Feb. 2, 2013
- Members of Amici perform selections at Art and Arias, Birmingham Museum of Art, March 8, 2013
- Birmingham Opera performs “The Magic Flute,” Samford University’s Wright Center, March 15, 2013
- Over the Rhine, WorkPlay, April 6, 2013
- Theaster Gates, “‘Tis So Sweet or I Need Sugar Lawd,” Birmingham Museum of Art, April 25, 2013
- Brahms: A German Requiem performed by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Alys Stephens Center, April 26, 2013
- Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Aaron Jay Kernis: Musica celestis, Elgar Enigma Variations, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Alys Stephens Center, May 31, 2013
- Trunkstock featuring BoomBox, Billy Cox Band, Jason Bailey Band, Avondale Brewery, June 15, 2013
- Josh Ritter with Milk Carton Kids, Alys Stephens Center, June 29, 2013
- St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Woodrow Hall, July 12, 2013
- Matthew Mayfield and Blue Cut Robbery, Southern Living’s Biscuits & Jam, Avondale Brewery, Aug. 4, 2013
- The Black Jacket Symphony Presents The Beatles’ White Album, Alys Stephens Center, Aug. 23, 2013
- Three Broadway Divas with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Wright Center, Sept. 27, 2013
- Atoms for Peace, War Memorial, Nashville, Oct. 3, 2013
- Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Berlioz’s Harold in Italy performed by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Alys Stephens Center, Nov. 2, 2013
- Milk Carton Kids with Jim Bianco, WorkPlay, Nov. 3, 2013
- The Secret Sisters, Sound and Page, Nov. 7, 2013
- Sandra McCracken featuring Kenny Meeks, Sound and Page, Nov. 14, 2013
- Jason Isbell, Iron City Birmingham, Dec. 15, 2013
2012 concerts
- Birmingham Mountain Radio anniversary party, Workplay, Jan. 6, 2012
- Punch Brothers with Loudon Wainwright III, Alys Stephens Center, Jan. 28, 2012
- Mike Doughty concert, reading and q&a, WorkPlay, Feb. 10, 2012
- Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires, Bama Theater, Tuscaloosa, March 23, 2012
- Great Book of John and Lauren-Michael Sellers, Relax by the Tracks at Railroad Park, April 12, 2012
- Sharon Van Etten with Flock of Dimes, Bottletree, April 22, 2012
- Punch Brothers, Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, April 30, 2012
- The Head and the Heart, Birmingham Mountain Radio in-studio session, May 5, 2012
- Todd Simpson and Mojo Child and Gip Gibson, Relax by the Tracks at Railroad Park, May 10, 2012
- Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Alys Stephens Center, June 16, 2012
- Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, July 3, 2012
- Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, WorkPlay, July 29, 2012
- War Jacket, WorkPlay, Aug. 4, 2012
- The Great Book of John, Preston Lovinggood and The Grenadines, Communicating Vessels, Aug. 10, 2012
- Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters with Hayes Carll, Alabama Theatre, Aug. 12, 2012
- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, WorkPlay, Aug. 17, 2012
- Azure Ray with SoKo, Bottletree, Sept. 4, 2012
- The Secret Sisters with Dillion Hodges, Vulcan AfterTunes, Sept. 22, 2012
- Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Alys Stephens Center, Oct. 6, 2012
- Jason Isbell with Andrew Combs, Vulcan AfterTunes, Oct. 21, 2012
- Neil Young with Alabama Shakes, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Oct. 25, 2012
- A Charlie Brown Christmas performed by Jeffrey Butzer and T.T. Mahony, with Jeffrey Butzer & the Bicycle Eaters and Chad Shivers & The Silent Knights performing “The Ventures’ Christmas Album,” Bottletree, Dec. 21, 2012