When we talk about organizations, or other forms of collective action by groups of people, we often speak as if we have dominantly conscious control. But evidence from a range of disciplines suggests that we’re not really in conscious control of much — individually or collectively. – Andrew Taylor

The metropolis does not have a high profile in generally accepted narrative of jazz and other progressive music, although it should: Mexico City has a thriving community of skilled, sophisticated and risk-taking musicians, having produced and attracted modernists and innovators in all the arts since at least the 1920s. – Howard Mandel

It’s been 10 years since I published what seems to have been some prescient commentary about the now (belatedly) completed Jean Nouvel-designed 1,050-foot tower (known to CultureGrrl readers as The MoMA Monster). – Lee Rosenbaum

The New Year seems to be a good time to try to set down some of my basic thoughts about the need for and the path to effective community engagement. As often happens on this blog, this is a very rough first draft. Refinements will follow. – Doug Borwick

As I watched Dolemite Is My Name on Netflix the other day, I realized that I never anticipated living to see the end of movies as a public and collective viewing experience. Yet it’s well on the way to happening. This led me to ask: what other things did I fail to envision taking place in my lifetime? – Terry Teachout

Here’s an item purloined (with his permission) from bassist Bill Crow’s column “The Band Room” in Allegro, the publication of New York Local 802 of the American Federation Of Musicians. – Doug Ramsey

For his album Long Waves, the Italian trumpeter and flugelhornist assembles a group of contemporaries to play his compositions and a couple of cherished standard songs. Ambrosetti’s fluid improvisations, sometimes with a Miles Davis bent, are consistently impressive. – Doug Ramsey

It was disheartening to realize that almost all of the statements issued yesterday by museums and their professional organizations “condemn[ing] the targeting of cultural sites for destruction” failed to cast blame for those shameful threats directly where the blame lies — on President Trump. – Lee Rosenbaum

During the cultural Cold War, President John F. Kennedy delivered eloquent speeches claiming that only “free societies” fostered great creative art. But no one scanning centuries of Western literature and music could possibly believe that. Where did this Cold War dogma come from? One Nicolas Nabokov. – Joseph Horowitz

No picture this time because food was so bad. The kitchen, which prepared the takeaway in front of me, tried hard and worked like crazy, getting it hot and out. – Jeff Weinstein

I gave the newly expanded Museum of Modern Art a test it was bound to fail by revisiting on the Sunday after Christmas—a tourist-heavy time of year. Below is my report card, along with some pro-tips for navigating the obstacles and minimizing the amount of time wasted in waiting. – Lee Rosenbaum

It’s a provocative claim, and I’ll admit my first reaction was to dismiss it out of hand. And yet … – Douglas McLennan

Spinning Song: Duck Baker Plays The Music Of Herbie Nichols
In the New York jazz scene of the 1950s and early sixties, the breadth and depth of his talent won enormous respect for pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. One of those affected by Nichols is Duck Baker, a fingerstyle guitarist from Richmond. – Doug Ramsey

This was the year of our national discontent and contentiousness, as manifested in the artworld by the rallying cry, “Decolonize Museums!” – Lee Rosenbaum

“Did you see my cardoons?” Mike pointed to a pile of leafless, longer celery. I have eaten cardoons, I remember, at an optimistic Sicilian-only restaurant in Manhattan, long- and quickly gone, and in one other place, forgotten. Never saw them in a market before, and the produce guy, who pretends to know me, was proud. I looked, touched, and didn’t buy, a cooking coward. Then I drove back. – Jeff Weinstein

The formidable Norwegian soprano Lisa Davidsen, making her Metropolitan Opera debut in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades, is right now New York’s most talked about opera singer. I caught the final performance in the run, on December 21 – and discovered myself mainly thinking about the Bolshoi Opera’s historic four-week New York season of 1975. – Joseph Horowitz

Do all uncooked foods talk back? Snap crackle crunch; that’s how cerealized infants learn words for eating. Yet the sound of celery is curbed by wilt. And then comes heat, and silence. – Jeff Weinstein

… when it seems that everybody is looking back over their shoulder more with nostalgia than disgust. I am not immune. Scrolling through some old emails, I came across this one called “from NELSON ALGREN’S LETTERS TO RAJAH.” – Jan Herman

In my skeptical post last month about Cree artist Kent Monkman’s plans for the Metropolitan Museum’s Great Hall, I recklessly ventured some premature commentary. This “squeamish critic” has now eyeballed Monkman’s magnum opus is visually intriguing and intellectually thought-provoking. – Lee Rosenbaum

Mrs. T, who is a very private person (that’s why I refer to her as “Mrs. T” in this space) and thus has been reluctant to be entirely frank about her illness in public, decided last night that it is time at last for me to start writing with complete candor about the increasingly desperate state of her health. So … here goes. – Terry Teachout

“America’s forbidden composer” is Arthur Farwell (1872-1952), leader of the “Indianists” movement in music. Politically, he seems hopelessly incorrect today. But his significance is not merely historical. He composed some of the most original and compelling American piano, choral, and chamber music of the early twentieth century. – Joseph Horowitz

A succinct statement and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is essential to arts organizations for internal and external reasons. This post is a response to the increasing number of such statements I am seeing. – Doug Borwick

Early in my career, I had two contrasting contacts with Donald Marron, the much admired art connoisseur, philanthropist and financial-markets professional, who died on Friday at age 85. Both of those experiences left me impressed with Marron’s energy, empathy and acuity, even though I was on the hot seat during our second encounter. – Lee Rosenbaum

Emily Cass McDonnell, who stars as Hilda in the New York premiere of Lucas Hnath’s The Thin Place, knows that it works because of magic. An important part of the experience happens near the beginning of the play when Hilda engages an audience member. But not in any usual way. – Margy Waller

Talking NY Phil: “I’d wish for less attention and money to be squandered on overhauling the hall and more on improving the mix of musicians (guest soloists and visiting conductors) and on reimagining the programing, to make it more innovative and eclectic.” – Lee Rosenbaum

Richard Kostelanetz has produced many titles in his Archae Editions line of books over the past eight years via Amazon’s print-on-demand publishing service. But a few weeks ago they suddenly disappeared from the Amazon site. … – Jan Herman

The latest piece by choreographer Allison Orr — known for creating dances performed by forklifts, sanitation trucks, and the like — is From the Ground Up, made for Wake Forest University’s Facilities and Campus Services departments. Hundreds of people gathered at the Quad to watch lawnmowers waltz, housekeepers twirl and heavy equipment dance. – Doug Borwick

Any burglarized homeowner knows that a five-minute response time isn’t good enough when you’re dealing with grab-and-go criminals. Art museums should not be lured into false complacency with high-tech gadgetry. They are no substitute for the most basic, essential component of art stewardship — human guards. – Lee Rosenbaum

Our Thanksgiving team of William S. Burroughs and Norman O. Mustill has been a longtime happy pairing. It still is. So here they are again, sweetened by Heathcote Williams’s words in a narration-cum-montage by Alan Cox. – Jan Herman

How do you capture the scale, the struggle, the elemental extremity of mountain climbing? In the theatre? It’s simpler than you think. After all, they both use the same kit. – David Jays