...In Edgewise

Big Fun December Oregon concerts!

2011-11-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

This annual gathering is a closeness to the longest night of the year. Bring your own special candles or use a donated on made from the finest beeswax. S p a c e to hold –– no between tune patter or verbal stories, just a unique guitar concert in two sets for the community. Donations are welcome, and no one will be turned away for lack of $$.

Tsunami Books is at 2525 Willamette, Eugene, OR 97405


Lisa Markley and Bruce Balmer live in Dallas, Texas –– Kerrville friends with bright jazz-inflected tunes, fine musical chops and a sense of humour and excellence. They don't make it up here often so this is a rare treat for the Willamette Valley and a great way to unwind before the holidaze descends. $3 - $5 sliding scale. Cozmic Pizza is at 199 W 8th Ave. in Eugene. All ages are welcome.

Ridin the Midwest on an Equinox wind! UPDATE

2011-09-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Grovefest 2011 Photo © Nicholas Cutean

Howdy folks!
Time for the booga booga of another meanderthal adventure as I head to the midwest for s series of gigs and visits. Here's the first blush of dates and slightly pruned raisin consciousness appearances for you to eschew and plan ahead for. The Great Bundance is upon us as the seasonal Turn turn turns and that means music, and the opportunity to celebrate the Great Awakening after the Great Asleepening. I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible and have a taste of another midwest autumn.

Here's the pertinent info for your refrigerators. Hope to see you here or there!

bq

•• OCTOBER 2...GROVEFEST...GLENVIEW IL
I play at 11:55 am on the stage and later on at 2:45 pm in the Kennicott Courtyard without a PA. Both are fun. I have played this fest for about 15 years. Music outdoors and food, gorgeous autumn day and nice folks!

The Grove National Historic Landmark is at 1421 Milwaukee Ave. Glenview, IL 60025 for Google map and their phone is 847.299.6096

•• OCTOBER 7...MOLLY'S CAFÉ at THE PEOPLE'S CHURCH...CHICAGO, IL...7:15 pm
An evening of two sets in this gorgeous old church as a part of their monthly coffeehouse. This venue is not wheechair accessible. All ages are welcome.

941 W. Lawrence Avenue in Uptown... just West of Lake Shore Drive; East of red line el at Lawrence stop. www.peopleschurchchicago.org/jazz.htm

•• OCTOBER 13...SALT of the EARTH...FENNVILLE, MI... 7 pm
Two sets in a good listening room with good food and folks. $8 cover. Dinner available but not mandatory. Reservations are a very good idea as the place fills up fast. Call ahead now 269.561.7258 to reserve seats.

Salt of the Earth 114 E Main St. Fennville, MI 49408 www.saltoftheearthfennville.com

•• OCT 21...THE EDGE...CRETE, IL...6:30 pm...All ages welcome
It's a new coffeehouse in Crete not far from the old Teapots Café. I am doing two nights here this trip; this one wordless guitar music like the new album and November 11 here worded and singing.

1366 Main St.   www.theedge-coffeehouse.com

••FRIDAY NOV 4...COFFEEHOUSE AT FIRST LUTHERAN PARISH HOUSE... 7 pm...ROCK ISLAND, IL This is a gorgeous library concert space where Quad City people gather to warm hands and hearts. My fourth year here and always waylotsa fun and great cookies too. The one and only Chris Dunn opens the evening once again with his thoughtful wit and tuneage.

1620 20th St. Rock Island, IL 61021   309.788.9661

•• FRIDAY NOV 11...THE EDGE...CRETE, IL...6:30 pm...
Two singing sets this time. All ages welcome!

1366 Main St.   www.theedge-coffeehouse.com

•• NOV 12... THE BUZZ...OAK PARK, IL...6:30 pm...All ages welcome
I played here a couple of years back with Vernon Tonges. It is a small all-ages venue that sounds good and is close to my new nephew Charlie's home so I'll get to see him too!

905 S. Lombard Ave, Oak Park, IL. 60304 708-524-2899 www.thebuzzcafe.com

If you’d like to host a house concert with me, drop a line and we’ll figure out a good date. It’s easy and simple to host one and your friends and family will love having live music without a club scene attached. Bulletins as they occur.

September in Eugene as The Turn begins

2011-09-02T00:15:00.000-07:00

Quite a lot of music fun this month is planned before I head east for a couple of touring months. The harvest is coming right on time. I saw a little maple beginning to change already and I can smell the cottonwood bark in these trees. Yes summer was different this year for us all. Perhaps everything always is. Enjoy these gorgeous days and nights.

Here are several opportunities to hear QTN Wordless Guitar music alå Guitarred and Feathered and song singing gigs in the Eugene area.

Thanks to you all for staying in touch and being a part of the music for me.
bq

*********QTN music this month in Eugene!*********

•••FIRST FRIDAY   7 pm•••
for the Splinters show
881 Willamette

•••SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4   8:30 pm•••
QTNSTRUMENTAL WORDLESS GUITAR
SAM BOND'S GARAGE
4th and Blair   21+over

•••SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10   1 pm•••
EUGENE SATURDAY MARKET
8th and Oak

•••FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16   7:30 pm
QTNSTRUMENTAL WORDLESS GUITAR
ALLANN BROS. BEANERY
5th and Olive
All ages welcome

•••SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17   7:30 pm•••
QTN singing at TSUNAMI BOOKS
25TH and Willamette
All ages welcome
Sliding scale cover
No one will be turned away for lack of $$

QTN in JULY Oregon Country Fair and more!

2011-06-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

The simmering of summer to you all and especially to you in the parched dry southland.

Just got back to Northwest and relieved to be out of the heat. Kerrville was sweet amazing dusty and dry as the land the Fest is on hasn't seen any rain since November. Time to put our collective noggins into the idea of rain for the southwest of this country. It's never been this bad there and summer has only just begun. Texas was just declared a statewide disaster area... and Arizona and New Mexico have both been on fire and can't be too far behind. Portland Peter suggests diverting the Mississippi River which has been flooding through a viaduct to carry it to Texas...That's why California is possible, (and in trouble too thanks to the rapidly disappearing Colorado River...)

Anyways a busy July looms for me and even though some of you getting this are not near the Northwest, I am sending word to let you know that our Oregon Country Fair set this year will be streamed live via the internet so you can listen in from anywhere in the world. Yes web or net is something to get caught in, but alla same, this is a fun way to listen in realtime... and who knows what will happen with a band like this...

The Qband opens the 42nd Oregon Country Fair, Friday, July 8 at 11:55 am Pacfic Time and it will be broadcast on the radio locally as well as streamed worldwide at www.KLCC.org. You folks in Denmark and France will have to set your clocks accordingly. Anyone can record the set too to listen to over and over.

This year's band features:

Jason Montgomery on upright basso profundo
Lewi Longmire on mandolin
Oliver Steck on accordion
Perhaps Billy Oskay on fiddle and other surprises too in a 50 minute set of QTN tunes.

Life in the fest lane indeed. Pass the word on.
I have been told that I must make a FB event page for it too. I still like the old way best but I will accede accordingly... http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141922852551115

If you're coming to the Fair, my other "official" set will be Saturday July 9 on Shady Grove Stage at 2:15 pm. Look for us "unofficially" on the path, at Tofu Palace, Friday night by Blue Moon for Dana's Cheesecake's anniversary celebration, Sunday evening busking and maybe even in the sauna. In other words, the endibilities are postless...

Post fair looks like this and all these dates are in the Eugene area...

WEDNESDAY JULY 13 Scobert Park Gardens, 4th & Blair- Eugene 6:30 pm. Picnics and all ages
SATURDAY    JULY 16 South Eugene Mausoleum, with Raina Rose and Andrew Pressman
                    RSVP for more info through email
SUNDAY         JULY 17 Sam Bond's Garage, 408 Blair Blvd., w/ special guests 8:30 pm, 21+ over

Post Kerrville Texas gigs!

2011-05-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Have been having a wonderfilled time in Texas. It's still real dry but there is some sprinkling going on today and the air is mistymoisty and water is falling from the sky. They need lots here so send it thisaways if you have too much.

Here's a shot from last night's concert at Artz in Austin. I've been playing with these folks for a looong time. That's jim Hancock on the left playing his magical mandolin and Carolyn Norulak on the right, fluting it up on "Darkness Comes". Always feels like coming home seeing and playing with friends from long ago.

Here's the poster for the upcoming Father's Day concert at Jovita's on Sunday Juneteenth post fest. The rest of the updated schedule follows. I'll be out at the Crow's Nest in Quiet Valley for the next few weeks.

Click the poster to enlarge or print...

• THURS. MAY 25 - SUN. JUNE 12 ...THE 40TH KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL!
Join the special anniversary year festivities. I've been to more than 30 of em and will be out there the whole time again, most nights up 'til early singing and pickin at the Crow's Nest. I host the Ballad Tree, Sunday June 12 at 3 pm on Chapel Hill so come share a tune. There's a new CD of campfire recordings this year: Songharvest 2011 available too at Staff Rekerrds and Mainstage merch area.

• FRI. JUNE 17...FLIPNOTICS ** • Austin • 1601 Barton Springs Rd. 8 pm
I'm sharing the evening with the luminous musicbeing of world traveler Amy Annelle and the beatnik jazz of Ike Eichenberg. Haven't played here for a couple years. We each will do a set and Ike will sit in with me (and possibly others) too.

• SUN. JUNE 19.......JOVITA'S • Austin • 1619 S. First St. 7:30 pm
Our annual Father's Day concert (perhaps the 10th or 11th year) with the one and only Robert Vignaud on bass and special guests. The last time here was a blast. A fine sound system, plenty of room, all ages welcome, Tex-Mex food and libations!

Sign up for the mailing list at www.QTNRG.org.

QTN in Texas and spring newsletter!

2011-04-28T03:47:00.000-07:00

QTN at 1803 House Concert 8 May 2011 Photo by Raina Rose

Folkville Reunion coming!

Upcoming Texas gigs! Spring newsletter follows!

Dates for live music in Texas. Bring yr friends and kids and neighbours. Print it for your refrigerator art if you want too. Request QTN music from KOOP, KDRP, KUT and KFAN.

                ***BRIAN CUTEAN TEXAS WITHDRAW'L SPRING CONCERTS***

• SUN MAY 8.......... HOUSE CONCERT • Austin • Bruce Chandler's Birthday concert. Email me for address at www.QTNRG.org. Come at 6 pm, music at 7.

• SAT MAY 14........ HOUSE CONCERT • San Marcos • Tracy and Joanna's Potluck dinner/BYOB. Music at 6:30. Seating is limited. Don't wait to RSVP to 512.392.6636 or email trweinberg@yahoo.com. Directions with RSVP.

• SUN. MAY 15........FOLKVILLE REUNION • Austin • Thrice Café/Café Caffeine, 909 W. Mary 4 pm - ??? featuring all Folkville performer alumni:Therapy Sisters, Ky Hote, Bill Oliver, Frank Hill, Gail Lewis, Brenda Ladd, Norm Ballinger, El Monte Slim and many many more. These folks have all been playing and writing great songs for more than 30 years! There'll be a tribute to Weldon Brewer too and possibly memorabilia! NOTE: Cafe Caffeine has now become Thrice Cafe. www.thricecafe.com

• WEDS. MAY 18....ARTZ RIB HOUSE, 2330 South Lamar Blvd. with Nancy Scott and Ky Hote – Nancy Scott hosts, kicking off the evening at 7:30 or so. Musical fun and mayhem with half hour sets for each. "We''re all here because we're not all there."

• THURS.MAY 25 - SUN. JUNE 12 ...THE 40TH KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL! Join the special anniversary year festivities. I've been to more than 30 of em and will be out there the whole time again, most nights up 'til early singing and pickin at the Crow's Nest. I host the Ballad Tree, Sunday June 12 at 3 pm on Chapel Hill so come share a tune. There's a new CD of campfire recordings this year: Songharvest 2011 available too at Staff Rekerrds and Mainstage merch area.

• THURS. JUNE 17...FLIPNOTICS • 8 pm • Austin • 1601 Barton Springs Rd. Sharing the evening with the luminous music of world traveler Amy Annelle and the beatnik jazz of Ike Eichenberg. Three sets and Ike will sit in with me some too.

• SUN. JUNE 19.......JOVITA'S • 7:30 pm • Austin • 1619 S. First St. Our annual Father's Day concert (perhaps the 10th or 11th year) with the one and only Robert Vignaud on bass and special guests in the mix. Last time we played here was a blast. A fine sound system, plenty of room, all ages welcome, Tex-Mex food and libations!

                           ****QTN SINGING THE BOING OF SPRING!****

Here I am again, on the corner again, back where I belong, where I've always been... and all the green green green of this swiftly tilting blooming season I wish you (even if it's not quite happening where you live yet). Everything previously preposterous is clearly postposterous now and is there any time to be ponderous (perhaps preponderous)? Is there really any time? Emit DNA and time.

Many miles and moons since the last word dance from here and I thank you for reminders to compile and send. It has been a busy time since Solstice, not quite the winter I was reaching for, but many amazing things take place and who was it that said it's too late to stop now...

Obviously many systems are going full tilt these days and each day is an adventure. Staying in touch is good and music is still a fine place to go where no one can find you for awhile and a blissed respite (good thing it's not illegal...). Gardens are important to make if you like to eat, so dig out those old Mother Earth News and Foxfire mags and dig.

There's a couple of sections here:

A. Heading south - going through Texas withdrawl
B. New QTN videos coming to pocket tubes everywhere
C. Summer plans: Oregon Country Fair news/Colorado
D. Guitarred and Feathered, Bite-sized Mantras and CDs
E. Regarding Facebook

A. Heading south Getting it all tucked in, ready to scoot from the Northwet to the heartland where Texas is already on fire and rain is sorely needed. Doing my best to send boxes of rain and need an assist in doing the great rain dance for that hugest of huge states.

Yes, heading for the 40th anninversary Kerrville Folk Festival, one of my favourite times of the year. Imagine 18 days camping with many many others, beneath a huge sky, far from city cars and electrical wire fields, sitting up late singing and stargazing, sharing tales and silence and all that's coming up very soon. Staying true to my ancient migration pattern, I am and will soon be around the Hill Country playing up a musical storm in many places before and after the Fest. If you are on the Texas area list, those details are coming. If you live in other places and are heading that way, let me know and I'll add your address for the sending too.

B. New vids In January, I played a concert at the gorgeous new Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland with Billy Oskay and Jason Montgomery. Thanks to John Schroeder and his five camera crew, the evening was filmed gloriously and is being edited now for a future DVD. Get in your webcar and drive on over to the new Hibidiville channel and enjoy three QTN tunes now here.

C. Summer plans I've been performing on stages at the Oregon Country Fair for the last 22 years and I've just been asked to open this year's 2011 OCF on their mainstage at 11:30 am, Friday July 8. The Fair is held in Veneta, Oregon and is a huge weekend Festival with eye-popping bright moments of colour, imagination and consciousness.

In August, I am planning dates in Colorado and New Mexico for the first time in many years. Not sure what all this energy is about but I like the idea of seeing those folks again. More on this in a later update.

D. Guitarred and Feathered has been getting airplay on nearly 100 stations across the nation and across the seas as well. It is, like my other discs, instantly available to order, download or listen to through www.QTNRG.org or CDbaby. See the CDbaby QTN page here.

Bite-sized Mantra Cards inventories are replenished and available again too here and there are still a few copies of LOLOLOLOLOLO, the colouring book available too.

E. Regarding Facebook Yes there is a FB music page for Brian QTN here but it has no email capability or the ability to collect "friends". I do sometimes leave posts there and can respond to comments, but am mostly email-oriented in terms of messaging and that works best if you have personal communication.

Thanks for caring about these things and for emailing and asking why there's been so much time between newsletters. Thanks for coming to concerts, for buying CDs and other projects and for keeping me moving to the communities I care about. Many thanks too for the couches and meals, hilarity and fellowship. I could not do this without all of you. The adventure is way different than before but still a good way to present these gifts that come through. My favourite quote since I headed out on the road the first time is from Pharoah Sanders who I finally got to meet and thank last year:

The music never goes away even if the people who make it do. that's the whole point of creating something above and beyond yourself, whether it's music or anything else. What I do is to attempt to bring forth the master spirit within us all and exalt that spirit through my music. To me, music is a giving process on the part of the musicians involved, nothing more and certainly nothing less. All the other aspects of the performance or of the music itself are secondary to the presentation of the gift.            Pharoah Sanders

In all this chaos and confusion of recent natural disasters, massive suffering and human ineptitude, foxes continue to pillage the hen house and not just for the eggs. There are many social distractions redirecting collective sorrow and anger from constant streams of yet another great train robbery in the old "watch this hand, not that one" routine. Now more than ever before, it has become a crime to have your savings plundered and be out on the street, in the world.

It's amazing how states screaming the loudest about having to slash budgets for social services, seniors and collective bargaining are also budgeting the commensurate amount toward tax breaks for businesses already taking over cities, discarding city councils and civil servants (read about Michigan's daily advenutres if you thought news from Wisconsin was bad) and this is not science fiction or a conspiracy theory. If you haven't been paying attention, there are many states currently (with others lining up) unashamedly undoing every last shred of what democracy was supposed to look like all the while turning up the volume on stupidity and arrogance to unheard of levels.

This is the time we knew was coming in these lives and vigilance is not obsolete and neither is feeding and caring for our closest community. It is a good time to pay attention, grow food and become involved in whatever way you can.

As a wise guy once said "The only thing there is to atmosphere is sphere itself!"

Bright moments amidst it all to you all.

Your cornforest spondent
bq

Señor Wences rides again!

2011-03-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

Archeology

2011-03-09T23:52:00.000-08:00

dig

the secret is thanks to sedimental fools dusting off the ashes of timeburn

dig

the evre elastic clues revealed in pots of water and earth,
clay tablets with reed'd shapes spelling tales
long and deep as ocean is wide
and solid as heaven is true

the only way we can know what happened here 250 years ago
(even before BCE as writ was first wrought)
is because someone took the time to write it, draw it or paint it
grounding its lifeforce into earth terms
passing down tales of creation and destruction
and every variation
through many generations
changing through gestations

the only way we can tell how thinking has evolved –
even as it is timeless –
is to decipher forgotten tongues
into today's remarkable lexicon of jargon,
repartee, turn of phrase,
unforgettable soundtracks and
the beepbeepblip of images and sound
that used to be 60 second spots,

then two 30s

now four 15s, and often unworded

BEEP –––– message conveyed

dig

the libraries of babylon
filled with previous generations' tools and belongings
are aflame now that more than 25 years information has been reduced to 0001001110100100101001000111101

not written through hands

and nothing to hold
feel
smell
touch
in direct transmission

no handwriting
as intrinsic clue to the moving hand

can bytes and pixels survive to be transposed in the another future?

ancient sumerian musical notations are
still playable today
on instruments rebuilt
from surviving pictures and instruction

huang po
whose sages who,
abandoning learning,
came to rest in spontaneity

mark twain
whose autobio is finally public,
a century beyond his greatly exaggerated passing

the shard of an ute pot
made 7000 years ago
textured like woven basket

like a tale woven into
collective unconscious,
referred to by metaphor
a shorthand in commontongue,

a tale handed down, woven into a collection of the most sacred word
made up of all sacred words from many times before

somewhy proclaimed as prophecy

although
it seems like it's one thing after another,

the same thing over and over
is more like it,

woven into belief systems, enforced by theology's
overfull basket of world woe

now the libraries of sumeria are burning
with the loss of personal historical perspective
perceptive in the connection 'tween handwrit and heartmind,

the mystery of that moving hand and flaming pen
that writes and having written, writes on
even as one can barely hold on to it
and can't take time to read what it's writing
(though the bumpersticker proclaims "the penis: mightier than the s word")

dig

beneath the surface
like you're reaching into sky
languages blossom
with a puff of breath blowing centuries away

beneath the surface, bituminous layers peel back
showing rainfall
tools
charred ash and bone
burial customs
weather pattern skywriting
cave paintings' glyphs of creation
as hootowls relay calls dark night on

han shan writing poems on rocks

leonara's theatre temple of the word

heckle and jeckle's 20 second theme

oceansky sound

heronfeather's steelypowderblue

dig a little deeper

lukachukai navajo elders
singing the arizona night

hamza el din's ancient nubian oud

kenneth patchen: "...so many little dyings, it doesn't matter which of them is death"

señor wences, johnny, pedro and cecilia chicken

the first named author, enheduanna, ornament of the sky,

now dig

d

o

w

n

now dig

dig yes

now dig

know

New Guitarred and Feathered review

2011-02-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

Brian Cutean gets "Guitarred and Feathered"
By Gary Tuber
Chicago Folk Music Examiner

Clearly, Brian Cutean, code name "QTN," has a sense of humor. Starting with the title of his latest CD. Guitarred and Feathered, the liner notes acknowledge Harpo Marx for the lyrics, and Marcel Marceau for background vocals.

It's an instrumental CD!

Besides, Marceau was a little flat a few times.

Seriously, though, folks, Guitarred and Feathered consists of ten beautifully-crafted original compositions by Brian. Just guitar. You can play the CD in your office, and the boss won't get mad. If (s)he does, get another job. You don't need to work for such a Bozo (no offense to clowns everywhere).

How to convey a sense of humor through an instrumental CD? Well, short of playing The Pink Panther, or Dueling Kazoos, you don't. The jokes stop when the guitar starts. This is as it should be.

Did I mention it's distributed through Burnttoothbrush Records? Of course it is.

Guitarred and Feathered is just great guitar work, so enjoy. And smile as you try to pick out the Marcel Marceau harmonies.

Check out Brian's web page: QTNRG.org.

http://www.examiner.com/folk-music-in-chicago/brian-cutean-gets-guitarred-and-feathered

A very special evening of social troubadours!

2011-01-05T01:29:00.000-08:00

QTNews Autumn Wintry Rising Fall

2010-12-10T00:41:00.000-08:00

Hello to you all where'ere ye be.
A long while since I pecked these plastic keys for a newsy blast to you all. So much for keeping up with a quarterly letter to keep the dialogue flowing.

This edition contains:

A. Wintry harvest musings
B. New QTN wordless CD and Colouring Book
C. "Food" is finally a downloadable single!
D. QTN Reverbnation page
E. A fun interview posted for your enjoyment
F. Bite-sized news

A. Ahhh, the turn of the trees, smell of a woodsmoke fire, the rains, chanterelles, and bounty of the year’s harvest. It's more than a quarter past the time of another Heron Moon and with the blush of new apples and pears, peppers and kale to hard squashes to store for winter, t'would be a grand time to be on the Upper Left Edge of the country except I headed east instead to the midwest for another road spin and still won't be back for another week or so.

Moving between worlds as much as I do makes me think of bats. Bats as a totem are transformative instigators and luckily, there's plenty of bat energy for me this year again. For the last several summers, a l'il bat has lived behind a fabric picture hanging on my porch. Since everything was late this year, it wasn’t around for the early part of the summer like previous years but returned the beginning of September. A good companion that bat and a fine presence who circles around my head when I was outside in the yard in the evening, flying back and forth through the porch grabbing moths and mosquitoes.

Just before I left Oregon for fall meanders, at 4 in the morning, little bat flew in the loft window. In sleepiness I figured it must’ve been outside making all that noise but when I opened my eyes, there it was flying around in the cabin looking for a way out. I got up to open the door and flew around my head one last time and left. Next day, I saw it had gone for good as his behind-the-picture hiding place was abandoned. Like me, he was on his way to other adventures. As Yogi Berra has said so eloquently "You can observe a whole lot just by watching."

Seeing the change of the season from the land I began in is always a big turn of events no matter how many times I’ve done it. Slanty light is rarified wherever we find ourselves as we find ourselves transforming in ways we never could imagine. There's plenty to move through and renegotiate; plenty to sift through and release. Stuff to let go of is only the tip of the iceberg. Lettuce bee.

This time of year we are encouraged to reflect on where our gratitude lies and to say thank you thank you in appreciation. Humility and respect - the most important watchwords in every situation. Having a tough time with somebody or a strange situation in life? It seems humility and respect gets us lots farther than opinions and pride. Listening is still better than going on and on defending a single person phenomena. I am reminded of the lyric: " Nothing is often a very good thing to do and always a clever thing to say."

Now the season turns again towards the cold, contracted and sleepy. Darkness comes and its a good time to listen deep, to lighten loads, to make more space for breathing, creative repose and for casting aside excess and remembering to hold space. A good time too to set intention for winter months and transformation into the new decade named the 20tweens by a recent Rock Island concert audience. Alas,
nontheless is all the more so here we go into the next tidbit...

B. My new CD of wordless guitar music, Guitarred & Feathered, is out and flying this year, getting airplay on many stations around the country and world. Ten tunes on one guitar, gorgeously recorded, wrapped in splendicious artwork and a great gift for yourself or someone else dear to you. Copies are $17 postage paid and can be mailed to you directly in time for whatever hoopla you have planned. Also new this year: a QTN colouring book folks have been enjoying since Kerrville. It's called LOLOLOLOLOLO and you can have one sent to your post (or to the kid of your choice) for $6. The cover is posted here and kids of all ages are enjoying it plenty. Break out the crayons and go have some fun. Ordering CDs or colouring books with a check by mail or through my website using paypal is easy and the most artist-friendly way to get hooked up with fun music and stuff. CDbaby continues to be a help in getting this music out to the world too. If you have a CDbaby account, write reviews of any QTN albums on the pages too. My page is here

C. Food -The SINGLE! So many folks still ask for my out of print 45 from nearly 10 years ago (!). Now Food (People Need Food) has finally being released worldwide as a downloadable hi-res single. at CDbaby. Within a week or so, it will be available through iTunes and other outlets for $1.25. At last you can put it on yr mixtapes and iPods. It's electric, beautiful and was recorded with the dynamic duo of Adam and Kris and it sizzles! Go here for more.

D. A new ReverbNation page online is where I've posted tunes to hear. It's a webpage but there's nothing to join and is easier to navigate than Thatspace which seems to have been abandoned (for good reason). If you have suggestions of songs you'd like me to post, let me know. Sign up there for the mailing list if you haven't already. There is a FB-enabled link too for those of you so inclined here and an FB Artist page here The FB page is odd, put up before it was deemed necessary to make a "profile" first, so I never have. It's a good way to say hi and pass around news all the same, but email still works best to reach me. Stop by if you haven't yet and wave.

E. A new QTN interview with Jeremy Bonfiglio was printed by the St.Joseph Herald-Palladium last month when I played in Michigan. It's posted on this same blog so just scroll down the page for the interview post.

F. Bite-sized Mantras were out of stock but are back in action now. Thanks for the letters and inquiries. A bit late but still in time for the holidays, order decks here.

Giving thanks I am and not just because it is the officially-sanctioned time of year to do that. Some folks on this list have been with me a very long time. May you know your support and beholdance is much appreciated. For coming out to hear live music, for offering places for me to stay while this peripatetic way continues. for the thoughtful letters in return and sharing the music I make with the others you love, it is all a circle and as it says in "Everywhere I Need to Be", I couldn't go the distance without you.

Your corn forest spondent,
bq

Wordless Solstice #4 at Tsunami Books

2010-12-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

...12 hours after the total lunar eclipse! Come hear.

New QTN interview!

2010-11-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

Troubadour lets music do talking

By JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO - H-P Features Writer

Thursday, October 14, 2010 2:08 PM EDT

For a musician who has most often been lauded for his lyrical storytelling, making an all-instrumental guitar album may seem like an odd choice.

But that's just what Brian Cutean (aka Brian QTN) has done with "Guitarred & Feathered," the new CD that features the Oregon-based troubadour, one guitar and a whirlwind of sound.

"I know it's not what people expected, but I felt like I wanted to stretch and do it," Cutean says by telephone from Chicago Heights, Ill. "It seems like we've entered a part of history where everybody's words, opinions and thoughts can be published instantly. Sometimes that's too many words even for me, someone who loves words."

Cutean, who has regularly stopped in Southwest Michigan during the harvest season for the past 10 years, will bring his new instrumental works along with his popular lyrical tunes to South Haven on Sunday when he plays Foundry Hall.

"I've been making instrumentals for more than 20 years," Cutean says. "I just didn't put all of them on an album before. Sometimes I get wrapped up in wordplay and cleverness, so I wanted to make something that was 100 percent universal; to play music that was in my heart that everyone could get because there's no language limitations."

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Cutean says he became enthralled by the urban blues and acoustic folk scene of the 1950s and '60s that came through his transistor radio.

"You know that question, what was your first motor skill besides feeding yourself?" Cutean says. "Well, mine was putting little orange and yellow plastic records on a windup record player at 2 or 3 years old. Then I got my first transistor radio before I was 5, and you just can't do that to a kid without having serious repercussions."

Cutean got his first guitar at age 10, he says, in response to The Beatles and the garage-band scene, but didn't take to the instrument until he was 12 or 13. By the time he turned 19 he had left for Austin, Texas, where he spent the next 13 years playing that city's burgeoning music scene. He became a favorite at the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival in 1980, and has appeared at the Oregon Country Fair every year since 1988 after leaving Texas for the Pacific Northwest, where he now makes his home.

His first album, "Lubricating the Species," was released on vinyl in 1988, followed by "Is As Does Is (1996), a bare-bones live-in-the-studio guitar, voice and harmonica set that is still lauded by audiophiles, "Parakeetfishhead" (1999) and "Hearthearthearth" (2004).

"Career choice is a funny thing," Cutean says about his musical odyssey. "It reminds me when The Roches were on NPR and Neal Conant asked them, 'When did you decide you'd start making a living at this?' And Terre Roche, after 30 years in the business, said, 'We're still waiting for that to happen.' It's a music thing. I don't really know that I actually decided it, it's just something I've always loved doing. I feel privileged that people like to come to my concerts and like to buy my recordings and that this has been going on for almost 30 years. I think that's pretty amazing."

Although Cutean hints at settings with the titles of such tracks as "Tuned (To Her Piano)" and "Theme from Handpainted School," he says "Guitarred & Feathered" offered a different challenge to his typical songwriting style.

"I think in some ways I still focused on the story, only I didn't tell it with words," Cutean says. "I found something on the guitar I liked and went with it. Songwriting to me is still a mystery. Every time I write a song it's like I never wrote a song before. I still have to get out of the way and find out what it's showing me."

Although Cutean is proud of the all-instrumental album, he says he couldn't imagine not using music to tell stories of a certain place, in a certain time.

"I think storytelling has to be the world's second oldest profession," he says. "In the troubadour fashion you pick up a story from over here you pick up a song from over there. You notice what's happening in the world around you. You take a big breath and hopefully it all makes sense at the end of the evening."

That, Cutean says, is something he feels compelled to do, even on the days he feels a little like Terre Roche.

"People always want to know if I'm making a living in music," Cutean says. "The answer is I have a life in music. It may not look like anybody else's life. It may not be the most lucrative existence in terms of keeping the wolves away from your door. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

jbonfiglio@TheH-P.com

Originally posted at http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2010/10/14/features/2139749.txt

QTN returns to Rock Island!

2010-11-12T22:54:00.000-08:00

Come on out for a QTN concert in the Quad Cities area. The venue is in Illinois at the Rock Island First Lutheran Church Parish House, 1620 20th St and the concert is Friday November 19 at 7 pm.

This is my third year here and it's a wonderful warm room with many friendly folk. Chris Dunn is doing the opening set honours and he is very entertaining and energetic too.

Call 309.788.9661 for info and directions.

Benefit for Anne Feeney in Chicago

2010-10-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

(cloud photo© by QTN)

A gorgeous Michigan feathersky!

This update is for a late booking where I will be singing along with others. Anne Feeney is one of my dearest folk music friends and concertmates for more than 20 years. She has tirelessly advocated for peace and justice, worker's rights, healthcare and many other good causes all over the world with humour, grace and compassion. Now she is in Pittsburgh doing radiation treatment and has just finished another round of chemotherapy for a fast-growing tumour in her lungs. Her medical bills are understandably astronomical given the price of healthcare these days. So...

Saturday October 24, 7:30 pm, The Benefit for Anne Feeney is at the People's Church of Chicago, 941 W. Lawrence, Chicago. Performers include Al Day Trio, Amy Dixon-Kolar, Andrew Calhoun, Kristin Lems, Awesome Folk Band, Niki Leeman and Brian Cutean. Suggested donation is $10 but no one will be turned away for lack of dough re mi. All proceeds go directly to Anne for her health needs.

There's on street parking for people with cars, but meters need to be fed until 9 pm. The closest el stop is Lawrence on the red line, or the Lawrence Ave. bus that gets off right on that corner of Sheridan and Lawrence.

If you can't make the show but would like to contribute to Anne, send a check made out to ANNE FEENEY, c/o Rev. Jean Darling, The Peoples Church of Chicago, 941 W. Lawrence Ave., PO Box 408319, Chicago, IL 60640-8319. We will bundle them all together and get them to Anne the day after the show.

For more information, there is a Facebook page here

More to come.
Thanks for reading and for supporting live music and the folks who make it.

bq
www.QTNRG.org

Here's a new interview article from the St. Joseph, Michigan Herald Palladium.

Autumn road around the Great Lakes

2010-10-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

(Equinox moon © Kimm Still)
Suddenly I find myself in Chicago again before the trees change this year and looking at a burgeoning calendar. This is a quick send with be more coming soon as there surely will be updates and additions.

If you’d like to host a house concert with me, drop a line and we’ll figure out what a good date is. It’s easy and simple to host one and your friends and family will love having live music without a club scene attached.

Hope to see you all soon and may your harvest be abundant.
bq

***BRIAN CUTEAN'S AUTUMN MIDWEST ADVENTURE***

• SUNDAY OCT 3 – GROVEFEST I play at 1:30 pm on the stage and later on at 2:45 pm in the Kennicott Courtyard without a PA. Both are fun sets and it looks like a sunny cool day coming up. I think I have played this fest for about 15 years. Music outdoors and food, gorgeous autumn day and nice folks!
The Grove National Historic Landmark is at 1421 Milwaukee Ave. Glenview, IL 60025 for Google map and their phone is 847.299.6096

• THURS- SUN OCT 7, 8, 9 The FARM conference (Folk Alliance Regional Midwest) singing some, listening some and visiting with musical friends. See the website www.farmfolk.org/gathering.html and volunteer if you want. This is a great annual gathering for pickers, presenters and all kinds of folk.

• SATURDAY OCT 16 – SATYA YOGA STUDIO 7:30 pm. Saugatuck, Michigan My annual Michigan concerts are fewer than usual this year but always more than before. Satya is a gorgeous place and worth the drive for the area’s autumnal tree show and the local farmer harvest goodies out of the city suburb stream. All ages are welcome and the cover is sliding scale $8 - $10. The center is at 3385 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck, MI 49453 and can be reached by phone at 269.857.7289. satyayogacenter.net

• SUNDAY OCT 17 – SPECIAL AFTERNOON CONCERT AT FOUNDRY HALL, 3 pm, SouthHaven, Michigan – This is a gorgeous old theatre and concert space. They sometimes do afternoon shows and I love playing here. All ages are welcome and a sliding scale cover. www.foundryhall.com

• SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7, HOUSE CONCERT, 3 pm, Oak Park, IL (Doors open at 2:30) – Opening for Mad Agnes with Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones and Mark Saunders ! This east coast trio will move and delight you and after many many wonderful years, it is their farewell tour so if you don’t see them this time, you won’t. Don’t let that happen! For info, directions and reservations, contact Nancy at nancylclark@yahoo.com or 708.848.2205.

Questions? Answers? Rags? Bones? Bottles?

Give Pizza Chants!

2010-08-25T13:56:00.001-07:00

BlueMoon 2009

2010-08-15T02:49:00.000-07:00

Give Pizza Chants!

2010-08-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

Qband at Oregon Country Fair 2010

2010-07-27T00:15:00.001-07:00

Suddenly: JULY!

2010-07-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Howdy live music lovers!
Here we are again on the verge of another summer (if it ever gets here) and that means summer travel, gigs and the annual Oregon Country Fair. I'm just freshly back from Texas where it was hot and hotter and now that I opened my cells up to let all that heat in, I'm chilly up here and I'm sure folks in the rest of the country would just tell me to please not talk about it anymore, so allow me to deftly change the channel...

My time in Texas and Kerrville was splendicious and full and I heard plenty of new amazing songs, met and visited with all kinds of folks. I'm doing several concerts with Texas friends in July and August. Come on out and get an earful of songs new and less new.

The new wordless guitar CD, Guitarred and Feathered, is getting airplay on nearly 50 stations here and abroad and if you haven't got a copy yet, you can order through my website or through CDbaby or itunes. Of course, I get the most bang out of your buck when you order CDs here, but the others are fine too. Go here to listen to whole songs from the latest. This is the one record of mine that every culture on the planet can get 100%. There is a new colouring book too (Lolololololo) but you'll have to come to a gig to find one.

Here's the Fair schedule and upcoming Northwest gigs in July:

• JULY 9, 10 and 11 The 41st OREGON COUNTRY FAIR - Veneta, OR
Friday: Shady Grove Stage, 12 noon
Saturday: Community Village Stage, 12 noon
Sunday: Blue Moon Stage, 12 noon This one may be broadcast live on KRVM.org. and other places sponteancious and suddenly. I have a great band this year featuring Lewi Longmire on mandolin, Jason Montgomery on bass and for the first time, Chris Kokesh on violin fiddle. (Come see Chris' set right before ours Friday at Shady Grove at 11 am). Hey! how'd all three days get noon sets??

• WED. JULY 14 - SCOBERT PARK - Eugene, OR, 7 pm
Bring a picnic and the kids. Special guests are likely.

• SUN. JULY 18 - SAM BOND'S GARAGE - Eugene, OR, 8:30 pm
With some version of QTN's Country Fair Band and sets from Seattle/Austin's Jack Wilson and a late set from Hendrikz McLeod who hail from Austin/Ashland. 21 and over, $5

• THURS. JULY 29 - MISSISSIPPI PIZZA - Portland, OR, 9 pm
With sets from me, Raina Rose Band and Austin's legendary Some Say Leland.

• FRI. JULY 30 - AXE AND FIDDLE - Cottage Grove, OR, 8 pm
With me, Raina Rose Band and The Pines from Minnesota, $5

Then in August, I'll be playing at the first PORTLAND FOLK FESTIVAL. Check out the line up of artists there too.

As Baby Gramps would say: See you suddenly!
bq

QTN Texas Withdraw'l Tour 2010 Update and correction

2010-05-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Howdy to all the Texas tribe and all the pilgrims headed here for another Kerrville Folk Fest (kerrvillefolkfestival.com) as well as all of you everywhere. Time to play a lot of music, sweat plenty, walk everywhere, have time to visit and get away from these crazy computers for a breather. I am celebrating a new CD, Guitarred and Feathered and a new colouring book.

Here are concert dates I hope to see you at and a reminder to come make your home in The Valley for a few weeks. Last minute updates posted here or sign up for email: QTNZYME (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Thanks for all your kind wishes and thoughts!
See you suddenly!

• THURSDAY MAY 13 – THE ELEPHANT ROOM – 3rd and Congress, Happy Hour, 6 to 8 pm. This annual reunion of Austin pickers from long ago is early evening, organized by Stanley Smith and features a plethora of talent: Dave Scheidel, Stanley Smith, Ike Eichenberg, East Side Flash, Beth Galiger, myself and many many others.

• FRIDAY MAY 14 – SAN MARCOS HOUSECONCERT, 6:30 pm Call Amy Sue at 503.737.8490 for details or email me for the address. Facebook enabled? See an invite here

• SUNDAY MAY 16 – CAFE CAFFEINE - 908 W.Mary, South Austin, 5 to 7 pm with bassman Robert Vignaud. We usually get a concert in June but this year it looks like we'll be celebrating Robert's b-earthday instead. Always a pleasure to make music together with guests popping up spontenaciously. Two sets of tunes and all ages welcome. Sliding scale cover. Special guest the one and only Frank Hill!

• AUSTIN SECRET SHOW – With The Blue Hit and McMercy Family! Location announced here

JUST ADDED! • FRIDAY, MAY 21, AUSTIN HOUSE CONCERT – Off 290W in far south Austin, 8 pm with Cindy Pitts opening. $10 donation. Address, directions and info, call 512.288.5562, 512.431.9347. Right on the way to Kerrville and just before Land Rush!

• MAY 27 to JUNE 13 – KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL – 18 days of music and in-tents community. Sing around the Crow's Nest until dawn. Lots of incredible daily concerts and I host the Ballad Tree Saturday June 12. Come sign up and share a tune, a poem or tale with a great attentive group.

Vernal Equinox like Opportunity!

2010-03-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Portland CD release!

2010-02-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

brian QTN's wintry whirly wheee heee news

2010-01-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

cover image ©2010 kimm still

A wintry whirly wheeeheee hee – oops howdy, uh-oh and a double take what th-? to you all from way over here on the Upper Left Edge to way over there wherever you may find yourself. It's time once again for a brief seasonal toast (with homemade blackberry jam) streaming through the dreaming mind and pen of Cuteanonyms.

The sections are:

A. Continuumusings
B. Guitarred and Feathered News
C. Magazines feature QTN's way out writings
D. Website updates

A. Continuumusings –– I'm still looking for that "long winter's nap". It must be here somewheres cause it looked just like me yesterday. Now the Caribbean's rumbling, the collective gasp has endured another mass extinction and another massive diaspora and then those crazy Mer'cans got so mad that the annual State of the Union was going to be on the same night as the season premiere of whatever the flavour of the week is, they petitioned the White House to move to another night. And then the White House did...We interrupt this program for an important bulletin..... er...sorry...we'll come back later I guess...Topsy turvy, yep, it all completely is. What is the State of the Onion anyway?

Mighty good time to take a couple of big deep breaths...

A big solar eclipse was the way we ended 2009 and in a few weeks (on February 14) we go from placid steady Ox year to wild ferocious Lucky Tiger (and a heavy metal tiger at that). Yes centrifugal force is amazing indeed: here we are glued to the sides of this ride where the bottom falls out again and again and the whole contraption tips and tilts and whirls and rolls like the one at Throwupland USA you swore you would never get on again...

Good thing there is a community, lifemusic and a little fire to warm our many hands. Interesting times indeed... Where would we be without us? Even still, what will we bring forth in creativity next to contribute to the whirldsphere?

B. Guitarred and Feathered News –– Yes, it's true, a new QTN CD has hatched and already is on the wing. Guitarred and Feathered is ten wordless guitar tunes recorded at GungHo Studios with Billy Barnett recording at the board. The package is a glorious combination of Kimmm Still's magical photography, gorgeous paintings by Theresa Gray and a soundtrack of wound wires and wood. It all looks and sounds great to me and I couldn't be happier with it. Thanks to all who have sent enthusiastic appreciations and words of delight.

Guitarred and Feathered can finally be ordered securely online at my website. Click the album cover on the home page. Ordering by mail with a check is fine too. Just send me your order through email at the website. A CDbaby page is coming and soon it will iTuneable everywhere else in the known multiverse too. A big radio mailout is imminent too so send me the name of the program on yr local radio station that plays acoustic or instrumental music, and I will make sure they get a CD too.

There is a fun new interview/article about the album here and a downloadable radio interview from December live on KLCC's Fresh Tracks. Go here and click on "Audio Archives", then put my name in the search.

A new online radio station, RadioGuitar here plays nothing but instrumental guitar music 24/7, so along with Fahey, Renbourn, Jansch, Kottke, Peter Lang, Michael Hedges and many others, guess what else is playing right there regularly in the mix? Yep...the new one... Click "station" on the homepage and listen in. There's nothing to join and music keeps coming out. I've wished for a station like this many times over the years.

C. Magazines feature QTN's way out writings –– A newspaper from England and a couple of online absurdist magazines have printed QTN written musings lately. The physical paper is called Eccentric City and you can read all about it and even order a copy here. This issue also features a poem by margareta waterman whom I have performed with for many years and an extensive article by Darlene the Raven.

Two online journals feature QTN in their newest issues too. One is called Corporeal Flux and the other is Full of Crow along with such other esteeemed company too. Make sure to check out the great cover home page and the smattering of crow quotes sprinkled throughout...

D. Website updates –– Besides the new GnF page, my website also has a winter CD sale going on: 3 CDs (not including the new one) for $38 postage paid. Order online or through mail.

I'd say it's all hands on deck in this tilty wobbly dinghy we're riding in and we all have more than enough to do to stabilize it. I have an optimystical feeling that 2010's Tiger may shake change from the deepest pockets of dysfunction. Perhaps it's time to read Arthur C. Clarke's book again... Breathing clear and discerning what is significant, questioning intention and leaning into the sharpnesses... There's nothing new under the sun, but the old ways still have great value.

Many peaceful wishes I send for the emerging year. Welcome to all the new babies and thanks to Howard Zinn. It is a positive thought to note that his "People's History of the United States" is now considered an academic textbook in many schools and that is huge.

May you always be able to laugh inappropriately and listen to the space between the wordthoughts.

You corn forest spondent
bq

Alberto says...

2010-01-14T00:07:00.000-08:00

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of others; above all, for those whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends; and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of others, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received and am still receiving." - Albert Einstein

New Year's Resolution: Move Your Money

2009-12-31T00:43:00.000-08:00

www.moveyourmoney.info

Solstice season gigs in the Willamette Vallley!

2009-12-04T01:14:00.000-08:00

Lotsa fun gigs coming this month and next. More news to come soon.
Here's two for Willamette Valley denizens; Concert with Jim Page and Chris Kokesh and the 3rd Wordless Solstice.

Midwest tour update!

2009-10-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

Here are a few additions and changes to dates previously posted.

Winter is indeed inevitable at this stage...
More to come soon
Here's the new schedule:.

• FRIDAY OCT. 30 - HOUSE CONCERT IN BUCKTOWN- 7:30 pm
A lovely home and great folks in the same neighbourhood as The Charleston where I have played several years in a row. In fact, it's a half a block away and I hear there will be a set from the one and only Barbara Hollek too! RSVP for the address or call 773.227.0830 for address and RSVP.

• SATURDAY NOV. 7 ROCK ISLAND PARISH HOUSE, ROCK ISLAND, IL – 7 pm with an opening set from the one and only Chris Dunn. This is such a great place for an acoustic house concert type show in a classy old huge study plus I get to hear Chris Dunn sing and play again! $5- $12 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of fundages.
First Lutheran Rock Island Parish House, 1600 20th St., Rock Island, IL
61201 309.788.9661

• SATURDAY NOV. 14 –TEAPOTS CAFE, BEECHER, IL – 8 pm
This is a good room and unique venue (a combination coffeehouse and antique store) in the far south suburbs. A good sound system and an intimate place for close up music. Come out for my fourth time here. Bring yer requests and friends of all ages
Teapots Café and Antiques, 610 Gould St., Beecher, IL 60401, 708.946.9920

QTN Midwest Autumn 09

2009-10-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

An equinox howdy from high above the Rocky Mountains!
Time for another action-packed winding road with places to play and dear souls to see and visit. In short, time for a QTN autumn tour. This is late getting out, so I'm going to be brief.

Having said that, I want to let you all know that Guitarred and Feathered, the wordless guitar record I have been making is finally finished and already at the manufacturer. That means I'm gonna be a poppa of sorts again and the possibility exists that it will be traveling with me at least in the mid/late part of this tour. More news about Guitarred and Feathered will be in the newsletter which ought be heading to yer emailbox any day now. If you would like me to send you a real objet d'art souvenir postcard about the new album (with refrigerator-quality art), send me a postal address here and I will wing you one immediately.

Here is the most recent schedule of my month:.

• THIS SUNDAY OCT. 4 There are two QTN shows in the north suburbs:

SUNDAY OCT. 4 • 1...GROVEFEST, GLENVIEW, IL... 1:30 pm on the Stage and 3:30 pm in the Courtyard. I perform two sets here– one on the Mainstage and one in the Kennicott Courtyard without a PA. I've been a part of Grovefest and have played there for many years now. It is usually a golden autumn day, the people are great, the light is superb, there is food and cider and everyone is welcome. Bring the kids and parents by all means.
The Grove National Historic Landmark, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, IL. 60025, 847.299.6096

and then that same day:

SUNDAY OCT. 4 • 2...LAKE COUNTY FOLK CLUB, MUNDELEIN, IL –7 pm.–Limited to 80 seats so reservations are recommended. Call 847.271.1584. This'll be two QTN sets at a great place, a fun gig and my second time there. Probably be special guests appearing spontenaciously too! Mexican food is availble for order at the restaurant too so bring an appetite.
Concert at El Barrio Restaurant and Lounge, 1122 Diamond Lake Road, Mundelein, IL 60060

• WEDNESDAY OCT. 14–FOUNDRY HALL, SOUTH HAVEN MI – 7 pm –This is a theatre space in a little community, the folks are great to work with and care about presenting music. Tickets at the door are $5 and all ages are most welcome.
422 Eagle St, South Haven, MI www.foundryhall.com, 269.767.5453.

•FRIDAY OCT 16 – LIVE! FROM THE LIVING ROOM, PONTIAC, MI Friday, October 16 – 7:30 pm–It's been a couple of years since I have been here, done that-- a concert close to Detroit. Last time I played here, Paul McCartney was playing less than a mile away. We had a good house anyway. Two whole sets for $5 at the door.
Live! From the Living Room Acoustic Showcase, 7 N. Saginaw St.
Oakland Arts Building (next to the Blue Note Cafe)
Pontiac, MI, 48342 Contact 248.860.2307 for info.

• SATURDAY OCT. 17– SATYA YOGA CENTER, SAUGATUCK, MI–8 pm – A gorgeous bright Yoga Studio is the perfect place for a QTN concert. This is an all ages place with a big open space to sing in and Michele and her family are thoughtful hosts, welcoming us all to enjoy a Harvest Concert here. $8 suggested donation and no one turned away for lack of dough re mi.
Satya Yoga Center, 3385 Blue Star Highway Saugatuck, MI 49453269.857.7289
www.satyayogacenter.net

• SUNDAY OCT.18 – QTN-STRUMENTALS AT SALT OF THE EARTH, FENNVILLE, MI – 7 pm - 9 pm. This will be an evening of Wordless Guitar Music as QTN plays for the dinner crowd at the recently opened Salt of the Earth Café on the main street of downtown Fennville, a new incarnation in the same space as The Journeyman Café. I have played here before and I haven't yet but i will. Go figure. Good food, good folks, no cover, but donations are accepted. Bring yer hearty appetite.
Salt of the Earth Café, 112 E Main, Fennville, MI 49408 269.561.7258 www.www.saltoftheearthfennville.com

• SATURDAY NOV. 7 – ROCK ISLAND PARISH HOUSE, ROCK ISLAND, IL – 7 pm with an opening set from the one and only Chris Dunn. This is such a great place for an acoustic house concert type show in a classy old huge study and a potluck meal before. Plus I get to hear Chris Dunn sing and play again! $5 - $12 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of fundages.
First Lutheran Rock Island Parrish House, 1600 20th St., Rock Island, IL 61201 309.788.9661

Bumpercrop o' tunes

2009-09-12T12:04:00.000-07:00

Guitarred and Feathered News!

2009-08-14T02:33:00.000-07:00

Guitarred and Feathered is a new 10 song recording of Brian Cutean's wordless guitar music to be released in 2009 Harvest time. Send an email and request this postcard by going to www.QTNRG.org and click on Email QTN. Preorder a copy (or three), assist its delivery to the whirld and lubricate the species all in the same swell foop.

Picpeek from Oregon Country Fair

2009-08-09T23:55:00.000-07:00

From left: Tiny Montgomery, Jeff Hobbs, Kris Deelane, QTN, Tim Heaton, Linky Dickson

Photo by Sukita.com

2009-07-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

2009-07-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

Here's an update on the upcoming tour dates including venues for Anee Feeney's Sing Out for Single Payer Tour. I am playing a on the dates listed below. Please note changes in times and locations and come on out and support this history-making tour. Check out the full schedule at annefeeney.com/specialevents.html

JULY 17
EUGENE Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow with Adam & Kris, Anne Feeney, Wickline, Raina Rose, Green Mountain Grass, Jason Luckett and Patrick Dodd! The Very Little Theater! 2350 Hilyard St.,Eugene, OR 97405-2954 www.thevlt.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm

JULY 19
EUGENE
Sam Bond’s Garage with Alexa Woodward and Linky Dickson! 8:30 pm, 4th and Blair, www.sambonds.com

JULY 21
VANCOUVER Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow
Unitarian Universalist Chruch, 4505 E 18th St., Vancouver, WA 98661; 360.254.8703...7 pm with Adam & Kris, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Wickline, Anne Feeney and Jason Luckett

JULY 22
SNOHOMISH Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow
at River's Edge, 1011 First St., Snohomish, WA 98102 360.568.5835
with Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Wickline and more! www.riversedge.bz

JULY 23
OLYMPIA Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA...8 pm with Adam & Kris, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett, Wickline and more!!

AUGUST 25
PORTLAND St Francis Park Vestpocket Concerts at SE 12th and Oak. Bring kids, friends and a picnic but please no alcohol.

QTN SUMMER MUSIC

2009-07-03T02:11:00.000-07:00

• Back to the land of treegreen and oceansky after being long in the land of heartland and hugesky to the south and east. I've just been to the huge exceptional Kerrville Folk Fest community that appears every year, affects the whole worldland and comes back into being again 49 weeks later, next Memorial Day. What happens when you put a core group of a couple thousand who live on the same 25 acres for nearly a whole moon? There is no other experience or 12 fret program like it. (kerrvillefolkfestival.com)

• Summer means life in the fest lane and so here we go again zooming into the 40th Oregon Country Fair. This year I get to play with a sweet band featuring Tim Heaton on basso profundo, Tiny Montgomery on slide and guitar, Linky Dickson on washboard, voices (and who knows what else), the unexpected fiddle and/or soprano sax of Jeff Hobbs and of course the spontenacity of other musical surprises woven into the sparkle of the Fair. If you are thinking of attending, buy tickets in advance. They are not available at the gate. (oregoncountryfair.org).

Even if you can't come to the Fair you can hear our Saturday July 11 2:15 pm (Pacific time) set on the Blue Moon stage streamed live on KRVM. See the *** at the bottom for information about KRVM's streaming live worldwide online. This year faraway folk can tune in vicariously and hear it all as it's happening at krvm.org.

• Anne Feeney has put together almost four dozen acclaimed musicians to launch the Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show. Modeled after the traveling chautauquas of the 1930s, these concerts will take place nightly from San Diego, CA to Bellingham, WA. I will be in on the concerts in Eugene, Portland, and Vancouver, Snohomish and Olympia in Washington state and other confirmed performers are Adam + Kris, Austin's Green Mountain Grass, Raina Rose, Jason Luckett, Patrick Dodd and others
(annefeeney.com/specialevents.html)

• Here's where you can come hear me live in the next few weeks. Things change in this rapidly expanding universe, so check for updates often.

JULY 10
Oregon Country Fair --SHADY GROVE STAGE 2:30 pm
JULY 11
Oregon Country Fair --BLUE MOON STAGE 2:15 pm
JULY 12
Oregon Country Fair --ENERGY PARK STAGE 3:15 pm
JULY 15
Eugene's Scobert Park near the corner of 4th and Blair 7 pm with special guests
JULY 17
EUGENE Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow with Anne Feeney and others!
The Very Little Theater! 2350 Hilyard St.,Eugene, OR 97405-2954
www.thevlt.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm
JULY 19
EUGENE Sam Bond’s Garage with Alexa Woodward and Linky Dickson! 8:30 pm
4th and Blair
JULY 21
VANCOUVER Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow
TBA
JULY 22
SNOHOMISH Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow
at River's Edge, 1011 First St., Snohomish, WA 98102 360.568.5835
http://www.riversedge.bz
JULY 23
OLYMPIA Sing Out for Single Payer Healthcare Roadshow TBA
AUGUST 25
St Francis Park Vestpocket Concerts, PORTLAND at SE 12th and Oak. Bring a picnic but no alcohol.

***Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Oregon Country Fair with KRVM! Listen to their live broadcast from the Blue Moon Stage at 91.9 FM in Eugene or via streaming audio online at KRVM.org. My quartet plays Saturday July 11 at 2:15 pm Pacific Time (that's 4:15 pm in the midwest).

And check out who's playing on their live broadcast schedule. There are several notables whose names you will recognize. Kerrverts also pay special attention to Peter Wilde, Green Mountain Grass and David Jacobs-Strain who are all Kerr-notables. The others are all great too. VIsit the Fair vicariously live streaming into your home or recorder...

All times are Pacific Time

Friday, July 10:
4:30 PM - Bongo Love, Afrocoustic sounds of Zimbabwe
6:00 PM - Joanne Rand, Psychadelic- Folk- Revival

Saturday, July 11:
12:00 PM - Magical Mystery Tour, from the Fair, with hosts Ed K & TC
2:15 PM - Brian Cutean, Gypsyhooplamojobopmedicine Music
3:30 PM - Laura Kemp, Bluefolk Jazz-Grass
4:45 PM - Green Mountain Grass, Gonzo-Grass
6:00 PM - The Sugar Beets, Soul Empowering Grooves

Sunday, July 12:
3:15 PM - LoCura!, Vibrant Reggae, Flamenco, Cuban Son
4:45 PM - David Jacobs-Strain, Fiery Roots Guitar
6:00 PM - Peter Wilde, Alt-Americana

Friday June 12 in Austin

2009-06-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

QTN Music in May in Texas!

2009-05-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

QTN Music in May

Tuesday May 5

The Secret Show

8 pm

with Raina Rose, Ted Hadji, Jitterbug Vipers

myspace.com/theaustinsecretshow

Thursday May 14

Elephant Room - Austin

5:30 -8:00 pm

with Stanley Smith, Dave Scheidel,

East Side Flash, George Ensle and others

21 and over

Friday May 15

South Austin House Concert

Live Oak Neighborhood

7:30 pm

RSVP for address by emailing my website

All ages are welcome

Jim Page & QTN in Portland Wednesday April 29!

2009-04-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

cool as they usta

2009-04-13T03:28:00.000-07:00

you could find anybody cool as they usta
but how many still remember to see
who could imagine the things in a circus bag
all the accessories anyone could need

you seem to resemble a different kind of mere or
reflecting the meaning of nonsense
walking with a tooth long as elephant biting
you could be writing a book

inside idea truth lies like an anthem
an ocean of stillness couldn’t listen to sad
plenty of money is the call of the millioned
you could imagine the size of that hole

so anyone hears keening running like praying
a trickle of water sounds dripping on rocks
'til every emerge urgency surges in urging
purging the feet of the socks

for way inside stillness, pulsings exude
including concluding protruding
tipping vast jars mixing senses together:
hearing velvet,
smelling C#,
tasting blue

Concert at Tsunami Books

2009-04-06T02:58:00.000-07:00

who are we to say

2009-03-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

who are we to say
we cannot be the ones to say:
the infinence of these beings
are splendid in design and conception
incomparable in capacity
(even through blindspot lessons and flux)
and, in the fruits of the deepest knowing,
more expansive with each deeper breathing?

and who can say these fragmented selves
are not the perfect vehicles
for expressing waves of emotion
we are designed to receive and interpret
with some measure of grace and forbearance?

one octave at a time
in several simultaneous octaves,
universe expands and contracts
in accordance with the measure
of our radiance and beholdance.

why would we ever be taught to think
we cannot handle rites of passage
that temper and widen the knowing fibres
of these potentiating beings?

whose decision was this anyway?

how could it not be okay
to know many ways
to touch, receive and heal
ways to transmit
ways to unfold and re-center
to care for our deepest selves
(and through that, each other)
to expand beyond the obvious
not searching, but watching
carefully open
and tunefully aware.....?

QTN Concert in Astoria, Oregon Sat. March 28

2009-03-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

QTN's Whirly Winter Wordscape

2009-02-15T02:08:00.000-08:00

Hoppy now ears to you all over the turning whirldsphere.
We are perched at the end of an era, the end of an error or perhaps even the ear of Ananda. Many fine things are beginning now too. Long time no send update. Thanks for all the encouragings to keep 'em coming. 2008 was a busy yahhhhhhh of a year with plenty of travel and zoooom and it is looking to be that way again. After a brief wordy wonderwander, there are four newsy items:

A. A winter CD deal with an added treat.
B. New wordless music webpage
C. QTN and Robert Vignaud deal with their inner Tube...

Indeed it is quite the New Ear to Real Eyes and changlings everywhere are off to a swimming start especially in low-lying areas around the Pacific Northwet after mudslides, avalanches. underwater highways, snow before the first day of winter that wouldn't go away, rain that wouldn't stop, more than our usual quota of freezing fog and too many other exciting events.

Winter is a good time to begin again and, since 2009 is the last year of the Uh-Oh Decade, we're going to need a new name for the next ten years, something more eloquent than "The Teens'. Be the first to coin a new name, send it to me and I'll post it in a future newsletter. I plan to be a better corn forest spondent in 09 than I was last year. Everything got away in the mad dash across the dotted lines dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot...

We arrived into an Earth Ox year January 26 and that sounds like a good urge to exercise personal and communal fortitude and hard work to create the great renewable a-bun-dance. Do we ever have work cut out for us all this next year or what? And besides being an Ox year, with all the job layoffs, is it also the Year of the Ax? Stay tuned, but let's think in terms of possibility instead of dread. A good time to not buy the fearmind or anything superfluously.

Here's a hearty toast to future projects burgeoning and coming into form. Another toast to electrically crisped slices of bread with a blackberry jam session. Here's to being bread in the bone and to being well bred(ed). It's the yeast I could do really. I am already full up this winter with what I hope to accomplish before the mad year descends again so no more loafing here either.

Time for blips:

A • Been waiting for the perfect time to order CDs from me? All signs say it's now. I'm ringing in the new by moving out the old in order to come up with $$ to finish two new recordings. Here's the deal: order Hearthearthearth, Parakeetfishhead and Lubricating the Species CDs and get all three for $36 postage included. Plus, I'll send a free, signed bonus disc of 4 unreleased QTN recordings from the archives with every three for two order. Order online at QTNRG.org using Paypal, my website has been configured to reflect the winter deal. Bite-sized mantras can still be ordered through the website too and have their own domain now at www.bitesizedmantras.com. It's bare bones for now, but we hope to make this one fun soon.

B • A new page for QTNstrumentals has been hatched online for those of you who have enjoyed the wordless guitar music I play and for those who are curious what it's like to not deal with all those pesky lyrics and meanings. Visit www.myspace.com/QTNstrumentals and have a listen. Say howdy there if your a spacer or put in a friend request too. The other page is www.myspace.com/brianQTN. "Food" is still in the top 300 of 3000 songs on Neil Young's 'Living with War' protest song page at neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwsongspage.html. Thanks to all of you still clicking on it to keep it going up the chart. At one point it was in the top 30. I hear you can even see the "Food" link briefly in the CSNY movie about the "Living with War" tour of 2007.

C • We've been Tubed! A new video has been posted from last Father's Day at Jovita's in Austin. The ever-amazing and multi-faceted bassist extrordinaire Robert Vignaud has posted us performing "Standing People Trees" and I hear there may be a couple more videos to come. Copy and paste this in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIQPyNLyw0E and watch and listen. Leave a comment if you're an inner youtube-r. Say 'Yes i yam."

Thanks for all the feedback, personal emails and encouraging hilarity.
There sure are a lot of people in me. Thanks for being one of them.
Your corn forest spondent,
bq

Beards sing songs!

2009-02-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

Emerge Urgency Oh Nine

2009-01-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

Now that present time is teeter-tottering on the brink of the urge to emerge from a doddering old gaping sar-chasm embracing the wandering why, we are leaning into sharpnesses of frugality, becoming becalming centrifugality holding together the centre of a widening entropy gyre, flying apart concentrically at the seems-to-be.

Shards of sparkling carnival-glass-thought refract light and refocus caramelizedarkest night into a fractalfriction clarity in expansive contractivity; filling and emptying like a breathing Balkan goat bladder bleating a slightly mazurka’d tsardas.

And it isn’t all lost, so what’s found is the sound of one unlimited heart smiling in tandem with other unrestrained smiling hearts and melding into a chorus of silence and holding space, expansive in being and using imagination to image-a-nation/world transitioning through problems created by the mind of previous times, outside any limitation box and turning those problems with a holographic nuanced eyemindheart (a mirtrhful mindful heartily aware of limitless potential coming now through the dreaming door long lost tho available at every given moment).

Yes. To know.

And doesn’t the adept abruptly adapt, then interrupt a corrupt inept process adrift in shiftless error-correction creating an updraft of uplifting laughter after its aggregate cohesion collapses?

In the newness of a whirl becoming, we can learn to discern what is significant on beyond preconceived notions and postprocedural analysis-paralysis. We can release instinctual habitual rituals and re-turn turn turn again to those thrilling days of Evermore where wayward thoughts and pilgrim wanderings of nomadosophy point the closest way to egress, and we can evolve and proceed to our most fervent analogous whole.

With just a turning of the cards, history unfolds another infinite number of infant potential futures and repasts, faster than the speed of ahhhh and the whoa of whew, where ideas spill unnegated, ever the spark of the next subsequent Is –– and unrehearsed, barely pronounced (tho more than a likely guess), tiny like a windchime and oftener than not.

GINSLE MTUMBE

2008-12-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

GINSLE MTUMBE

was an embrace long sought after by certain cleverly manipulative and sometimes blessed auto regurgitator salesmen from nearby Pokeena. You could hear a waistline snigger wretchedly with oakmeal before anybody got to work by 9:30 in the monday, monday, but after that hoo boy! even the electric pencil shavings were pretty loud.

By quitting time, the wobbly salesmen loaded serenely but miserably on a platform heel-eeummm-gummm unnnnloader desperately searching for the vaguest silhouette of something very very bright.

Every year around Talking Spumoni Day, the salesmen would all spew out dogma and eventually wish each other GINSLE MTUMBE right down to their forebears. And every year, three lucky effrimzimblitzds (as they were called) were chosen by Random Sample to join the ranks of discarded gumboots. Lucky for them, they never knew what hit ‘em. But everybody wondered...

Eric Beeslow and Penkie-Wenkie-Enkie were having lunch at Entrail’s House of Lubricant when the topic turned to Talking Spumoni Day and the Random Sample. Let’s listen in:

“You know Penkie-Wenkie-Enkie, somebody’s bound to be chosen and it sure feels like it’s gonna be me this year, sure as my name is Eric Beeslow. Wouldja pass me the Chunky Spread©?”
“Oh, be quiet Eric,” Penkie-Wenkie-enkied, “Every year we have this same conversation. You’d think by now either you would have been chosen or at least nominated. How many times do you wanna die anyway?”

A commotion in the restaurant broke off any more conversation. Three agitated embroiderers were trying to sew some green beans together and then a group of Oriental men over in the corner stood on their chairs and bowed repeatedly to each other exclaiming “Thank You” “Thank You” over and over and over. The Maitre ‘D’ spontaneously combusted in front of everybody and left behind only a tiny heap of smouldering blue ashes when all a suddnely, all the food asploded into kisses and one man, a Mister Hobarth Empeñada I believe, began crying real tears when his grapefruit wouldn’t shut up.