Further Along the Canal

Canceled credit card?
Visa dolorosa.
Porridger’s Almanack (Breakfast of Ganglions)

Five years ago, I was a four-stone apology. Now, I am two separate gorillas.
 

— the late, great Vivian Stanshall in the persona of Mister Apollo,
a parody of body-builder Charles Atlas.
“Wrestle poodles and win!"

As reported yesterday, a clarinet and bassoon have been most satisfactorily integrated into Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used to Be. I have since been working on just that same task with Down along the Canal to Minerva Road. The work isn’t exactly slow, only it requires reflection and application. “auto-pilot” will not serve us here. Also, I had my weekly socializing at Lulu’s this afternoon, including a very nice turkey and rice soup. In large part the work is fairly intuitive, since there are many passages more or less in a “big band” vein, so that the additional voices are readily welcome. Something new which I want to try when we are all assembled, since I have very capable improvisers in the band, is the insertion of some free solos. I anticipate some success on that head. I have ample time. I’m thinking an arbitrary “soft deadline” of 24 April just for something to aim towards. There are also Jazz for Nostalgic Squirrels and the Op. 197 Fantasia into which to fold Greta and Todd, and perhaps also Dark Side of the Sun. Hey, you never know.

Separately, my friend Josh reports that the recorders had a good reading today of the Op. 198 Fantasia, which will be part of the Good Friday service in Arlington.