Hi dearest music community, fans, friends, family and comrades,

Needless to say, it has been a difficult adjustment for musicians and performing artists in the time of Corona. Personally, I haven’t felt much of the online live-stream exhibition impulse. Perhaps that will change, but for now I’m focused on turning inward, practicing, researching, studying and absorbing. Moving slowly, deliberately and with intention. I’ve been learning to play alto sax, which has been a joy in a rather dark period, and have gone back to studying Carnatic music regularly with my teacher in India online. I’ve been deeply enjoying reading, watching films on the Criterion Channel, and deep listening to records, sitting down and taking notes, watching interviews of my favorite artists, and just generally reflecting. Cooking game has definitely been on point, and grateful to be able to buy food and eat it, realizing it is such a privilege.

This Friday May 1 (May Day), Bandcamp is again waiving their fees, which means 100% of what you spend goes directly to musicians. They actually care about independent musicians! They will do this again on June 5 and July 3, midnight-midnight Pacific time. Recorded music is so dope! Hear it how we meant for you to hear it, without the sad audio quality of live-streaming or the corporate intervention of Facebook, Instagram or Twitch (owned by Amazon). I would be so grateful if you purchased any of my recent releases, including Elder Ones’ From Untruth (Northern Spy, 2019) and Amirtha Kidambi & Lea Bertucci Duo Phase Eclipse (Astral Spirits, 2019). Since it is hard and expensive to ship from the post-office right now, I suggest going via Bandcamp instead. For the recent re-issue of Elder Ones Holy Science (Jazzman UK, 2016) on vinyl, please buy from my favorite record store on earth, Amoeba, or your local record store online.

https://amirthakidambi.bandcamp.com/album/from-untruth https://amirthakidambi.bandcamp.com/album/holy-science

https://kidambibertucci.bandcamp.com/album/phase-eclipse

https://www.amoeba.com/holy-science-lp-amirtha-kidambi/albums/4214209/

I’ve also just posted some incredible live videos of Elder Ones playing at Jazz Cerkno in Slovenia last year. I hope you enjoy them! I think it was one of our most burning sets. It truly reminds me of the power of live music and the very important social and communal aspects of music making. The eternally long and grueling travel day, the audience reaction, the hang after with musicians and fans…You can see them on my website or my Vimeo channel here: https://vimeo.com/user43136777

While I am safe and secure for the time being, my heart is with those who are on the front lines. Our health care workers, but also those who work for the city, sanitation, transit, infrastructure, domestic workers, in-home nursing, delivery, grocery, pharmacy, postal service, and of course those working in warehouses, factories and fulfillment centers. This May Day, a symbolic day acknowledging workers and their struggle, and we must stand in solidarity with those who are risking their lives, while corporations see sky-high profits without sharing them with those who make it possible. Please do not cross the picket lines this May Day, as workers strike around the world, at corporations including Amazon, Whole Foods, Instacart, Target, Walmart and others. Also, if you are able to stand in solidarity with those in your building, a rent strike is planned here in New York, as we have not seen any relief for renters, since this crisis started. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7j8zw/amazon-whole-foods-instacart-workers-organize-a-historic-mass-strike

Thanks for your continued support. I truly hope we will all be stronger in the ashes of this disaster. It is time to rise up, support one another, through radical love.

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

xoxo,

Amirtha