Porter Nickerson. What a delight! Meet rock and blues musician Willy Porter and his musical jazz counterpart Carmen Nickerson. I've been an ardent fan of Willy's since the 90's, before he and Carmen teamed up. And now I'm won over by both. Porter and Nickerson have been collaborating for many years now, with their latest release titled Bonfire to Ash. That interview's coming soon - to our next American Spark with May-Lily Lee podcast.
Carmen Nickerson and Willy Porter with May-Lily Lee
“ My goal is to share the strength and majesty of ancient cultures via beautiful, spiritual sculptures and clay pottery”
Kanika Marshall is an Elk Grove, California artist featured on American Spark. Kanika is as vibrant as the works you'll witness her creating. I snapped this in her garden after the shoot. http://kanikamarshall.com
Our favorite Mississippi artist, H.C. Porter, has published her latest book, Blues @ Home: Mississippi's Living Blues Legends. She's a widely respected documentarian of life in Mississippi, and has been photographing and painting the Magnolia State for three decades. Her latest project is a collection of paintings and stories of blues talents including the legendary B.B. King. This book is so well-crafted it feels as if the blues musicians are reaching out to you from every page. http://hcporter.com
May-Lily's copy arrives!
H.C. Porter
Vasti Jackson from Blues @ Home
Catie Curtis is the real deal. Dubbed a "folk-rock goddess" by The New Yorker, she's a singer/songwriter who doesn't put it out there unless it's honest, real. A jewel of the folk circuit, she's shared the stage with Cyndi Lauper, Mary Chapin Carpenter and the like, and recorded a duet with Kris Kristofferson. If you're a listener of indie-folk, chances are good you were falling in love with your sweetheart while her music played in the backdrop. You've probably heard her songs in any number of films and TV shows. And she leads songwriting retreats, too. I was thrilled by the opportunity to direct a music video for her song, Four Walls (below). We had a lot of fun shooting it. Since that project, she's released another CD - check out While We're Here. It's possibly her best yet! http://catiecurtis.com
Four Walls directed by May-Lily Lee. Featuring Emily Williams. Production assistant Elijah Sarvey.
“Use the creative process - singing, writing, art, dance,
whatever - to get to know yourself better”
“The heat of autumn / is different from the heat of summer. / One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider ”
Lisa Russ Spaar is a poet we love. A professor at the University of Virginia, she's written a new book of poems, Orexia, coming out this year. With several books to her name, this prolific writer is not new to the enigmatic world of poetry. In 2015 she was awarded the prestigious Pushcart Prize for her poem Temple Gaudete.
"He's playing a cigar-- I mean a guitar-- I mean a cigar box!" Justin Johnson of Nashville is our favorite cigar box player. If you close your eyes, you'd never guess that's what he's playing. The traditional instrument dates back to a time when musicians without means used whatever was on hand. Justin tours the U.S., and his recent album, If Walls Could Talk, is a gem worth checking out. Note: he's using a loop pedal which you start to notice around 1:30. Steeze factor.
http://www.JustinJohnsonLive.com
I've been known to find treasures in thrift stores. One of them is this CD released by Rounder Records in 1986. The artist, Ted Hawkins is gone now, having passed away in the 1990's at age 58 after many life challenges. In the years since his death, throngs of indie-music listeners are still discovering him. American audiences didn't take notice, but Europeans did once they heard this album, and he enjoyed a stint on the club circuit overseas. Eventually he returned to California's Venice Beach where he continued to perform as a busker. This track, Don't Make Me Explain It, has a great vibe.
Michael Fazio, Owner
On a drive in the Northeast, we discovered in Hartford, Connecticut a great not-so-little shop that restores pipe organs. This is a rare art form. That's why the folks at Austin Organs have been all over the world breathing new life into these instruments. This story by WNPR spotlights their 100-year history.
Henda Jackson works on making "frog" actions
“You have to be a musician, an artist,
an engineer, [and] an electrician”
Netflix has signed the papers to adapt bestselling author Kristin Hannah’s Firefly Lane series. But this hardworking author and Bainbridge Island resident is no firefly-by-night. Perhaps you’ve read one of her 30 books. The Nightingale? The Great Alone? The Firefly Lane series is the story of a pair of lifelong friends, Tully and Kate, and how their three-decade friendship is destroyed by secrets and betrayal. www.kristinhannah.com
“Finding your passion isn’t just about careers and money. It’s about finding your authentic self. The one you’ve buried beneath other people’s needs”