~EARLY on 23rd St – just before the INDEPENDENT !! more pix just posted – SUN MARCH 6/2:28 PM !!
on your way down there . . . for sure, don’t miss the JACK EARLY – INSTALLATION – at DANIEL REICH GALLERY – 537 A WEST 23RD ST.
that’s just on the other side of the street – the North side. just below – 10th Ave !!
or, as the gallery flyer for yesterday’s all day live music event – put it: 1 BLOCK UP FROM !! – THE INDEPENDENT ART FAIR !!
the whole front room – is taken over by – a black light installation.
so from the outside – the gallery looks black, as in shut !! – don’t let that, fool ya . . .
just on the other side of the metal & glass 23rd Street entryway – right on the cultural dot – like a kind of ‘no-words needed’ – is an alternative universe . . . a total environment – as opposed to a quote unquote: show.
step into the dark . . . and find the light !!
DANIEL had to put a sign on his door – that says: OPEN !! – in neon orange, no less.
an apt ‘found” sign – if I ever did see one !!
this is what the JACK EARLY installation looks like – on the other side of the door !!
total black-out. as in surreal.
it was fun to go back and re-check that – ceiling art – again, too.
never saw so much ‘ceiling’ art in my life. in New York City, before . . .
it’s lighthearted, and playful. but a grad student could write a thesis . . .
out of the dark – and into the light . . . a complete alternative environment – takes over – the usual white box- gallery space.
in the back room the multi-faceted JACK EARLY canvas – yes, that is PAUL McCARTNEY – is a fitting backdrop for many of day’s – afternoon long – guest performances . . .
this is ELIJAH TUCKER with SPECIAL GUESTS.
from left: ALEC SPIEGELMAN, ELIJAH TUCKER, and MARK WIXOM.
they were playing JACK EARLY compositions . . . s-p-e-c-i-a-l.
check out: ELIJAH TUCKER & GENEROUS MUSIC/myspace
check out: ELIJAH TUCKER
on the right – JACK EARLY himself, sat in on a few songs. here is his with ALEC SPIEGELMAN.
his music is – really low-down sweet and fine – special. harmonic. melodic. soulful. is that the word ?
A’cappella/Folk Rock/Pop
here’s the best bet: check it out on his myspace page – JACK EARLY !!
DANIEL was enjoying the moment – just like Alberto Magnan at the DUKE RILEY show (post below), he seemed to be taking great pleasure in hosting the guest musician friends of his artist – and allowing them space to perform – live – in the art world.
here he is with JARED VICTOR MASTERS – who plays ‘Roots’ inspired music.
in fact DANIEL REICH was lookin’ positively snazzy – and, well why not, he was the host. the show was great. everyone was having really the finest of times. refreshments included !!
MORE PIX !! – A CHELSEA MORNING WITH JACK EARLY – A LIVE ENSEMBLE PERFORMING THE MUSIC Of JACK EARLY
so, you know where – the Victrola – and the ability to custom press the first home-recorded wax records – is coming at ya, from ?
in the moment, so to speak.
Tha Tha ‘THE KINGS SPEECH’, of course. GEOFFREY RUSH makes that first recording of the King’s voice – on one – in his office. oh yeah.
all good. Jack’s Victrola – plays custom recordings of him and his friends – playing his music . . .
ask Daniel to give it a spin for ya !!
note: little correction – technically, that’s a vintage DISK RECORDER in THE KING’S SPEECH. You could not record on the Victrola. but it’s the same family, re: early hand-wound phonographs.
CAPTAIN KIRK, DR. SPOCK and JARED VICTOR MASTERS – enjoy the musical offerings.
ALEC SPIEGELMAN also played a solo set.
so did CAROLINE MURPHY. and she was asked back for a few encores – she was that lovely.
this was amazingly – the first time she had meet Jack Early – or seen his music – but her voice and timing was a perfect match.
you could say – a match made in (musical) heaven.
CAROLINE MURPHY – in front of the Jack Early canvas.
check out: carolinemurphy.org
then for change of pace – performance artist – THORGY – made an entry.
I think Thorgy – might stand for Thor – as in Viking, and Fergie – for the singer – but I’m not sure. but think that might be a safe bet.
and actually – for real – the performance was quite moving. very low key, but entirely apt & entrancing.
and I wouldn’t usually say that.
Thorgy lip-synced and glided to Jack’s music. . and even the Victrola seemed to sway – to the romance.
Jack Early, left – watching from the audience . . . remember it was all under the spell of the black light’s black magic.
Thorgy did 3 brief sets – with different costumes.
her prance and Jack’s music – another match. strike. in the dark.
out of the dark . . .
and into the light: (left) GEOFF BENTZ, who is a copywriter at BBDO, and OWEN REYNOLDS who works for the gallery.
Geoff works on those funny M&M’s commercials . . .
and then, in walks JOHNATHAN MORPURGO – you could spot him a mile away – a real live wire – if I ever did see one !!
JOHNATHAN MORPURGO – his friends call him – JOMO – get it ? mojo. in reverse. talk about life in an alternate universe.
not only was his great wool hat – in my very fave color palette of the moment – orange, yellow and green – but it also matched – the Jack Early rainbow spectrum !!
JOHNATHAN MORPUGO – aka – JOMO. so, not only is he a fellow archivist & lover of art & history – and therefore a bro to my heart !!
as well as being in tune – with my color spectrum !!
but, he also knew who I was. my secret life – !! – as a cult celebrity . . . I josh you not.
yeah. ok. turns out, he just saw WE LIVE IN PUBLIC – last week.
check out the film’s photos: top row, 4th from the right – yeah, that’s me.
and yes, he thought it was funny how Daniel Reich had no idea what WE LIVE IN PUBLIC was – just like the rest of the NYC art world.
what have I been . . . telling ya: NYC 2011 – du du duality !! it’s all about the alternate universe.
DR SPOCK, JOMO and TIF.
so, talk about Jack Early icons . . . and Jack Early friends . . .
J. TODD (TIF) FERNANDEZ – a radical gay rights mover and shaker and a member of the Radical Faeries.
I think this is a good intro: J.TODD (TIF) FERNANDEZ
a little more Thorgy . . .
yes, she was – that good.
Thorgy even brought a gun !! a little red hand pistol !!
one more – out of the dark . . .
and into the light. Daniel Reich intern JENNY – was serving the lovely refreshments . . .
gourmet chocolate chip cookies, bottles of Peroni beer, and chocolate truffles hand-made by MR. JOMO !! – who else !!
no doubt about it – JoMo must be – mojo – spelled backwards.
and we already got a MR. MOJO – more on that later – so that’s a good thing.
but they still rhyme. the young and the powerful. amen.
JACK EARLY and friends – outta the dark and into the light – even the Victrola was swaying – with de-light.
ALL PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
JACK EARLY’S EAR CANDY MACHINE – DANIEL REICH GALLERY – JAN 21-MARCH 5, 2011