Much of April was spent on various activities in South America. Therefore, report and photos here seem to be a bit of a travelogue. However, the general thrust of things will be clear.
Before leaving I was guest at the press day that Robert Fripp gave in London:
A rich and full day of address and questions: really, to acknowledge the 50thanniversary of the formation of King Crimson. Many special anecdotes, comments, observations – many of which will go into my ongoing writing on the same. I have already produced a lengthy piece on King Crimson I/ 1969 which appeared on the DGM page:
https://www.dgmlive.com/in-depth/DoctorMikeKC69
Also, a shorter essay to be found here:
http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/music-n/king-crimson-i-1969-50th-anniversary-essay-2019/
Then, quickly flights to south America. Time to catch up with my favourite cat – Hiro.
We have a Musica en Moviemientocourse, with some 20+ participants including 17 players. Really good to see this initiative now taking off with its own momentum. Many more events planned for the forthcoming months including another performance project I shall be attending in November.
More socializing and catching up with friends and acquaintances. Fooling around with a Phone app with Lucho:
What will they think of doing next?
I take a trip down to Patagonia. Spectacular vistas of glaciers and mountain scenery in the vicinity of Calafate:
I then travel on to Santiago, Chile, where I give a lecture on King Crimson I / 1969 at the university there. A good crowd in the audience and a great team to interpret for me
Amazing in-depth level of knowledge over KC history here – and great excitement for forthcoming shows. My Powerpoint lecture is here – minus the audio files:
http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/music-n/in-the-court-of-king-crimson-i-with-bourdieu-santiago-2019/
After the show I get to enjoy Peruvian food and their version of Pisco sour:
I am then treated to a few days on the Pacific Ocean. Great treat with spectacular sunsets. Also, incredible beaches and wild life:
Being in Argentina and Chile, my listening/ reading has been influenced by this. So, my book of the month is People in the Roomby Norah Lange. It first appeared in the 1950s and is by the Argentinian writer Lange who somewhat pre-dated nouveau romanwith its focus on the narrator and the stories she invents after spying on three women across the street; therefore, disclosing her own relationship to life, dying and relationships. As she concludes, ‘As long as they’re here. Nothing will happen’, before realizing that the ‘only thing to have happened was my fear’. So, partly a story of overcoming fear and how.
My CD of the month is Frecuencia Lex– Chilean electronic pop. Lovely driving beats around infectious sound tonalities and melodies!!
