THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot

My family and I are nestled in Palm Springs for the week because of the big heartedness of our friends John and Heidi, who let us use their house-by-pools-and-tennis-courts just so the family could have a vacation from the last nine months. Yes, we are still sheltering, but on a whole new level.

Everyone was asleep last night except for me, so I took a moment to write down my final post for the year….my top 15 list of things that got me through 2020.

We have been pretty vehement about the sheltering concept since the beginning, not even opening up to restaurant dining, etc. when it was something you could do before the second wave hit. And while we are ready for this all to end, we know there is still a ways to go and that 2021 will be another strange….hopefully better…year.

The number one thing that got me through this year was my family and friends, especially my wife, kids and my Mom as well as my brothers, their kids…and of course our dog, who we are with pretty much all the time these days.

Here is the rest of the list, incomplete to be sure.   

And may I wish you and yours a good new year; may 2021 be so much better for us all. With Biden’s win this year (definitely the best event of 2020) things are already looking rosier.

My top 14, in no order

1. Lovers Rock: The second installment of Director Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series was SO VERY MUCH needed in time of Covid: to vicariously live an 80s sound system party in London.  The film was done with full-cups of love and skill, with the extended, intimate dance scene featuring Janet Kay’s Silly Games its crown jewel and one of the best movie moments in years. It should win an Oscar.

2. The Man Who Laughs: This epic novel by Victor Hugo was not only the best thing I read this year, but one of the best books I have ever come across.  The tale of disfigured Gwynplaine has such a thick sadness to it, that when I turned over the last page of the story in my 1895 edition of the book, there looking right at me was a simply drawn unhappy face.  But damn was it good, with master story teller Hugo in maybe his finest moment.

3. Criterion Channel: After cutting the cable chord, forcing an end my TCM era, Criterion rose to the occasion curating decades of classic/forgotten/genre-creating-and-splitting films that has kept me coming back for more. My friend Lou Cove and I text each other regularly with new Criterion finds. For me, last week, it was watching the Ornette Coleman documentary.

4. Poetry: It is so great to see the big poetic comeback. And since adding it to the newsletter, I have been reading a lot of poetry. Just a few of the poets that inspired me this year:

• David Whyte (thank you Jon Rubin!)

• Robert Frost (always)

• Ariana Reines

• Diane di Prima

• Kenneth Rexroth

5. New York Review of Books: My favorite magazine, which continually blows my mind with its long form journalism. I don’t post many of their articles because of the fire wall for non-subscribers, but for a taste, here is the beginning of an incredible article about poetry from the next issue.

6. On-line shopping sites: Nothing replaces the mom and pop store. Ever. But when we are not going out into the world I am thankful to:

• Vitacost: A great place to shop for organic herbs, cooking oils, flours, teas, anon. The closest thing to a hippie whole earth outlet that I have found (feel free to suggest others).

• Bookfinder: Not being able to shop for books in shops was killing me. Bookfinder kept me going with thousands of small shops as well as big ones to hunt for any book throughout time that you might be looking for (that being said, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORES!).

• Discogs: I have been both selling off parts of my collection while still selectively buying. Discogs has been the epicenter for this action (my store is here). Bandcamp has been just incredible this year as well, with their Bandcamp Fridays that have galvanized the floundering working-musician reality.

7. New Music, in no order (including a song from each)

• Flaming Lips: American Head

• Howlin’ Rain: Under The Wheels: Live From The Coasts, Vol 2

• CCR Headcleaner: Street Riffs

• Greg Dulli: Random Desire

• Ethan Daniel Davidson: Come Down Lonesome

• Sam Burton: I Can Go With You

• Gwenifer Raymond: Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain

• Bonnie Light Horseman: s/t

• Jonathan Richman’s Just a Spark, On Journey From the Dark series

8. Old Music: Spotify told me my two most listened to songs of 2020 were Townes Van Zandt’s At My Window and James Carr’s The Dark End Of the Street but then again, because of the kids, Maroon 5 were also given big spins…so go figure.

• The Velvet Underground: A decades-long consistent most-listened-to band

• The Spacemen 3: Same

• Bunny Lee Productions: I have been on a tear all year, listening to Bunny Lee’s early productions like The Uniques, Slim Smith, Derrick Morgan, John Holt. May he rest in peace.

• Amos Milburn

• Billie Holiday

• Duke Ellington: the more I age the more I love the Duke.

• Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde: This was the year I completed my collection of mono-mixes of the album (there are three different ones originally released in different countries)

• The Bee Gees: After seeing their amazing documentary I have been listening deeply to their first four records.

• The Pogues BBC Sessions: Best Record Store Day release of last few years. Essential listening

9. The Mount Tam trails: Sunrise hikes with the dog. Nothing better and definitely grounding during these crazy months

10. The Farm Stand: In Forrest Knolls there is a farm stand that sells the best in local organic produce in a completely Covid-safe way. A well-worth drive through the country for those in the Bay Area.

11. Shabbat Dinners: The days bleed together…the weeks bleed into each other as well…and Shabbat has become that anchor to separate time, one week from the next. Lighting the candles, taking a breath, putting on Ellington, eating delicious food, checking in with the self. Oh. Yeah.

12. The Library of Congress: I get consistent inspiration and knowledge from this greatest of governmental institutions…and love the deep musical dives to be taken at any time on their website…and am so thankful to Todd Harvey for his great work at the Folklife Center.

13. House Boating: The ultimate Covid family adventure. Cannot wait to anchor at a cove again.

14. This Newsletter: This digital offering takes time to do, but I love doing it….the research, the reading…thank you all so much for digging in and passing it along!

See you all next year.