4. NOT A 'PROJECT': A REAL BAND

23 June, 2011

Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog

@ Le Poisson Rouge

Listed under "projects" on Marc Ribot's website is Ceramic Dog. Listed under Ceramic Dog at #4 is "Not a 'project': a real band." And indeed it is a real band and a heck of a 
conundrum with no need for justification.

Comprised of Ribot (Guitars), Shahzad Ismaily (Bass et al.) and Ches Smith (Drums), 

Ceramic Dog is a raucously vibrant race between some perspicacious musical minds. No 
one needs to understand it all. Ceramic Dog is a mad motioning of contrapuntal and 

contrapunktal and Ribot is a guitar playing a guitar playing a guitar.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?

Julie Ryan, Sugar Painting, 2005, ink and gouache on paper 

SONNY SIMMONS & FRANCOIS TUSQUES: 

Vision 16 Festival, Abrons Center, NYC 

11, June 2011

A week ago it was 98 degrees and this evening half that. I am walking down Market St. near the Sea Port having just disembarked the water taxi that shuttles Manhattan-ites and tourists to and from Ikea. If you subtract the preponderance of giant plastic blue swag bags burdening the shoulders of each passenger it is one of the more glamorous ways to arrive to the city. Statue of Liberty to the left, sailboats boats to the right, the skylines all around and the free ride!

Walking I am chilled, the wind is whirling and a voice - a loud female voice - can be heard. The voice seems to be coming from behind me and I turn around because even with the whirl I felt the voice might be directed at me. A young well dressed woman then approaches me screaming “You B*#*tch! Are you following me? Why are you following me?” I have never seen her before and I am confused, I stutter in a calm voice, 

“Actually, I am ahead of you. You're following me.” She seems a little flustered by this, and then crosses the street and we both continue to make our way uptown together.