Phillip Greenlief writes, “Several years ago (2007, if i am not mistaken), I wrote nearly 40 fragments while watching Michelangelo Antonioni’s trilogy: L’AVVENTURA, LA NOTTE, L’ECLISSE, featuring the great Italian actor Monica Vitti. The music was inspired by the films in a big way, and in particular i was interested in the way Antonioni uses setting as a character, or how the environments might reflect or influence the narrative.

“Once I developed the fragments into compositions, I contacted Lisa and Jason … for many years they had worked as DUO B, and so it was irresistible to chose a bass and drum unit that had already established a deep rapport and a creative approach to composition.

“A few years went by, and Jason moved to Berlin. a few more years went by and he returned to the bay area, and now (2022) we have once again set out to make this music come alive. The compositions are as wildly divergent as Antonioni’s themes, settings, and moods. the connective tissue is Vitti herself, and again, the way environment influences action. the trilogy explores the difficulty of maintaining lasting relationships, and – I hope – this ephemeral quality is embedded into the music.”

Well, here it is late 2024 and Phillip now operates out of his new home in Maine, traveling the world and returning to the Bay Area on occasion. For instance, this occasion, as Citta di Vitti reunites once again to plumb the conflicted emotions of Antonioni with their abstracted musical response, continuing a long running conversation without words about the human condition.

Nothing beats an encounter live in our bookshop with the musicians, but if you’re far afield or laid up, you can view it on our on our Facebook page and YouTube, live and also after the fact.

Donate to support the stream if you can possibly afford it. Cables need to be replaced, a camera needs repair and the computers need updating. Plus, we ask: who will help fund the musicians and the stream if not you? Send your contribution via Venmo (@birdandbeckett) or Paypal ([email protected]). Thanks to the many who have already embraced their role in keeping the culture flowing! And, of course, thanks to the artists who are the workers at the core of our culture.