Space Bar
winding up, letting go, gigs
Greetings future humans,
All in all 2025 felt deeply liminal. I felt in process and largely without product. The year felt like an ellipsis or like someone leaned on the space bar accidentally. There was a lot of forming and shaping. I spent a lot of time with myself. I danced a lot and this was good. I started climbing again then got injured, then started back up and got a lot stronger, then got injured again. I read many books and watched a lot of movies. A year of input; I think 2026 will be more about output.
A few things that felt particularly standout this past year in no particular order: I chopped off my hair and for the first time in my life made friends with my curls (huge); I finished my songs album, Glass, coming to your ears (and eyes) soon; I traveled to Berlin and spent special and inspiring time with friends and heroes; I made a piece for dance, sound, and quilt with Corinne and Rachel. I started learning the art of ~mixing~
I closed out 2025 with some stunning sunsets and a few really great shows in the Bay Area, including with a new trio composed of myself, Fred Frith, and Simon Hanes. We played two short and sweet shows, one on either side of the 2026 axis. It felt like a great way to usher in spontaneity, openness, and new connections at the threshold of a new year. I also got to share an incredibly sweet and special night playing my songs with Cory and Pele. Every time I get to play these songs (the ones that are on the aforementioned soon-to-be-released album) with new people I am able to see them in a different light, to reimagine their possibilities and in doing so revisit the feelings they hold in a fresh a way. Playing in a room full of people from many different parts of my life - including my middle school band teacher and my parents - a lot of feelings came to the surface I think this bubbling of emotion helped me connect to the core of the songs in a way I haven’t felt for a while.
Now I’ve reminisced and we’re onto the future. I’m ready to unfurl - to release the windup that was last year and let. her. rip.
Here’s what I’m currently reading:
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Outline by Rachel Cusk
Artful by Ali Smith
Here’s what I’m listening to:
Fred Frith - Guitar Solos
Eiko Ishibashi - Antigone
Miles Davis & Milt Jackson - Quintet / Sextet
Devin Shaffer - Patience
Joanna Sternberg - I’ve Got Me
Kate Bush - Best of the Other Sides
E+E - Nativity Mix
Swap Babies - Furnished Man
Gigs this month and a few next:
1/11 Next Jazz Legacy Band at Winter Jazz Fest (Nublu)
1/17 Cassandra Jenkins at Stone Circle Theater
1/22 Tribute to Derick Bailey Improv Night at Roulette (curated by Wendy Eisenberg)
this band is wild:
Eliza Salem drums
Ryan Sawyer drums
Kate Gentile drums
Nora Stanley sax
Emmanuel Michael guitar
Charmaine Lee voice/electronics
Patrick Holmes clarinet
Anna Abondolo bass
Conner Simmons bass
Chuck Roth guitar
Mari Rubio violin and electronics
Wendy Eisenberg guitar
1/31 Tsons of Tsunami at Barbes
2/2 North Brooklyn Composer Performer Ensemble at The Woods led by Steve Long
2/7 Ski Team at Sultan Room for Lucie’s album release show!
xo,
N
Bonus film recommendation because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since seeing it last month: Sentimental Value. I also watched Oslo, August 31 (another by Joachim Trier) and thought it was stunning as well.