CS: What has been inspiring you lately?
CR: The resilience, bravery, and power of the Palestinian people. Living with an aging dog. Watching people close to me fall in love. The power of community — the communities of Los Angeles amongst the tragedy here.
CS: Favorite musicians, artists, thinkers and why (current or general)?
CR: This is a current list of people on my mind. There are far too many to name but a far are: Yara Asmar, Steve Knutson, Marja Ahti, Irvin D Yalom, Susan Alcorn,
CS: Favorite films, books, etc. and why (current or general)
CR: Books Currently:
- The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog – Bruce D Perry/ Maia Szalavitz
- Sociopath – Patric Gagne
- Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner
- Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates
Also, one film, (my number one choice on a long haul flight with those shitty little TV screens — “Interstellar” (lol)
CS: Favorite record no one else has listened to?
CR: Feels like a slight to categorize music I love in this way. By making this selection, I do not mean at all to minimize the efforts of an artist I truly believe to be prolific, hugely imaginative, and more influential to my life than he knows. I just think that outside of a small community, folks may not be as familiar.
Prahnas – Toy Keyboard Too: Cormac McCarthyism
CS: Best thing you’ve seen on Youtube (recently)?
CR: I was thrilled to find that Olivia Block’s record release show at Constellation was recorded and saved online! The Mountains Pass was one of my favorites of last year.
CS: Dream trio/quartet/quintet with historical figures?
CR: Bernard Parmegiani, Harold Budd, Steve Roden
CS: Last performance you saw that expanded the way you think about your own work?
CR: Getting to see Ellen Arkbro perform on the same concert as me in Berlin for CTM festival was inspiring. Not sure our musics have a lot in common but seeing her work with Microtub ensemble and experience her in a soundcheck environment was a wake up call for me to take what I do much more seriously.
CS: Record you most wish you had played on?
CR: Probably a drum kit contribution to any Daniel Johnston related music. I don’t think I would have had a positive impact or anything to contribute besides a backbeat (lol) but I think to be around, especially for those early on recording and rerecordings of individual cassettes, would have been magical.
CS: Recording people would be most surprised you listen to?
CR: I believe, or like to believe, that I am quite transparent with my friends and strangers about the wide range of music I listen to. Lately, I have been frequently thinking/remembering the 2006 album “Konvicted” by the pop artist Akon. The back to back hits (and respective feature verses) of Smack That (feat Eminem) and I Wanna Love You (feat Snoop Dogg) is a stand out moment.
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Enjoy claire’s Artist Profile at the Soundstream!