There are some rare times in our lives we’re given exactly what we need, when we need it. I’m deeply humbled, and honored, to say that I’ve just been awarded a residency at A Studio in the Woods, an artist’s retreat just outside of New Orleans, in a natural reserve of bottomland hardwood forest. I’ll be there for six weeks in the autumn, working on a new project, and very occasionally — emphasis on very — returning to New Orleans to give readings and lead workshops. It’s an incredible honor, and could not come at a better time.
The Studio has long held a special place in my heart for the role it played in aiding Michael White’s album Blue Crescent to birth, to my mind one of the finest traditional jazz albums recorded in the past five years. White wrote the bulk of Blue Crescent during his own residency at the Studio after Hurricane Katrina; the thought that I’ll have the same opportunity to concentrate on my work is quieting indeed.
I’ll post more details as they become available, but until then, the Studio website is worth visiting — especially for the opportunity to contribute to their work.
benjamin morris 