· “Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn,” by Jack White of the White Stripes is for Andrew. Like Jack White (to whom I attribute heaps of respect for resuscitating quality rock-and-roll), Andrew is a Renaissance Man. I especially hope Andrew will soon hop a plane and get himself to the isles of Thistles and Cill Rimhinn because the ancestors are assuredly calling him home.
· To Ashley I bestow the confidence imbuing poem “Imagine a Woman” by Patricia O’Reilly. It is meant to be read and reread throughout our life. I hope Ashley similarly takes this poem and gifts it to all of her women friends.
· To Joshua I gift “National Anthem” from one of my all time favorite albums Kid A by Radio Head. The driving base rhythm supports the brilliantly orchestrated layers of dissonance, electronic, voice, and horns in this composition. When I recently watched Josh sprint around the track I thought of this particular composition because it has both control and sublimated power.
· To Kelli I give “Soul Shaker” by Sean Hayes. It speaks to losing a soulmate who is before his time in this world, a spirit that is bigger than this world is yet able to comprehend. The onus of epitaph falls to that person who can singularly understand his mark on the world. It is an overwhelming responsibility and Kelli has done a remarkable job conveying her friend’s gifts.
· To Charity I gift “The Moon” by Cat Power. I especially like Charity’s genuine voice when she reads her own work, and I wish she could hear what it is I like. There is a genuine, distinctive, and ageless quality about it that catches the ear very nicely. I have become a recent admirer of the slightly husky, atonal quality of Cat Power’s recordings that sound like the artist is using home style pre-digital recording technology. The overall impression isn’t sanitized. Like Charity, she sounds real.
· To Meredith I gift Frazey Ford’s “Firecracker” from Obadiah . I very much enjoy these lyrics and I feel that Meredith is well-suited to the character sketch Ford has created. Meredith has the ability to start her own fire and through her ceaseless imagination, she is able to rise above the cold, shrude people below, laughing all the way. It is a gift we all need to grab hold.
· To Kelly I give Jonsi’s “Go Do” . It is vibrant and uplifting directive of sorts to help get one up and moving and doing. It seems like this piece would be fun to turn the volume up and drum along to on your recently unpacked drum set.
· To Gordon I give my all time favorite poem, “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver. This is the one poem that I would like read at my wake. I think back to Gordon’s friend the tree and that singular leaf. I think about finding affinity in new homes and finding a sense of place because of those natural beings—trees and geese-- that provide us with a compass, a sense of belonging in the world.
· In its hay day I admit I got sick of hearing Natalie Merchant’s “Wonder” because it became overplayed. Thankfully enough years have passed. When I think about Amy the lyrics make new sense; this is definitely the only song that I can choose for Amy. What can I say--Amy confounds me.
· For Richard I gift “Lucky Man” by the Verve. I know that Richard possesses a creative voice, intelligence, and reflective nature that is not due to luck. He has analytical skills and a range of voice in his own writing that is remarkable; this type of genius comes from hard work. I think it is in part because Richard is a particularly good listener that Richard will prevail in whatever he chooses. Whoever is lucky enough to have Richard in his class is truly blessed.
· To Frank I gift Gogol Bordello’s “My Companjera” from Trans-Continental Hustle . I love the Gypsy music renaissance that has taken off recently, especially this group’s emotional sounds, stage antics, story, and global plight. Frank’s beautiful high top red converses that perfectly compliment his black-red checked tie and bandanna are a welcome gypsy scene to me. I admire Frank for gathering and supporting the companjeras in his vet circle every week.
· Kesia, you were really, really tough for me. Your own voice seems to be still evolving. As I have told you, I am especially impressed with your ability to carefully and honestly interpret your classmates work. You have a great foundation of learning which has provided you with an especially open mind and provided us some valuable guidance I think. So to you I gift Tori Amos’s Corn Flake Girl because you are a distinctly unique unabashed philosophical tinkerer: pure gold.
· Noelle gets “ Imitosis” by Andrew Bird because there is a whimsicality to his music that reminds me of her dialogue piece and her love for the quirky actors.
I also chose this because of lyrics: “Painfully shy”: When I was your age, I took a class from Professor Hatsantonis, a Medieval and Dante Scholar at the University of Oregon. Intimidated by the surrounding Greek and Italian speaking classmates, I rarely piped up in class. One day he openly called me a “Vaz”. He said that like an empty vase I only swallowed the surrounding knowledge, but would never display my blooms of insight to the class. Remember that you are never “basically alone.” Show us your blooms.
· To David I gift Trombone Shorty’s Backatown from Big Red Cotton. I think you will really enjoy his muscular sound and energy and reinvention of Louisiana big band sound. I like it when tradition persists because someone has invested the energy to pull forward with him the greats against all odds. I saw that concept in your wrestling video. Wrestling has sustained some major blows; schools continue to shave wrestling from their athletic program. A reinvention and reinvigoration of tradition was a theme that I caught in the slides you shared.
· To Wayne I give the instrumental “Ocean” from the John Butler Trio. Here is an environmental activist who works extremely hard (and eloquently) in order to get us to stop being “ridiculous” as Kelli so aptly put it. Who in his right mind would attempt to capture the ocean? See what you think of this instrumental. It reminds me how blessed we are to be near the ocean.
- Cat is a rebel, much like Sibelius who sought to get us out of our comfort zones where we don't do any mind expanding. Growth can be painful but it is worth it. To Cat I bestow Luonnotar (OP 70) by the Classical Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Sibelius experimented with diatonic dissonance--capturing a range of light and dark. Innovation and creativity come from our ability to expand and encompass rather than (falsely) reconcile or avoid dissonance. See what you think.
