Obsessed

Welcome to my re-branding party!

Just kidding. There's no party. I just decided that it was time for a change and to create an outlet for myself that was less riddled with privilege and pretension. Or at least one that was less homey, and a bit more professional.

I thought I'd represent my edgier new look (pun intended) with a fantastic video I found about the man behind Cut Brooklyn knives. This video is from a series called Obsessives, which highlights artisans who are exceedingly passionate and knowledgeable about their crafts. This is my favorite video from the series with the St. George Absinthe video coming in at a close second.

As an oboist I work with knives on a regular basis, but the thing that struck me most about the interview was the language Bukiewicz uses to talk about knife-making and how similar that is to how oboists talk about reeds.

"I remember every knife that I've made...I mean 'cause they're all a little bit different. Like you had, 'Oh yeah, I remember I had to struggle with the tip on this one...' They all have a little bit of story behind them."

Although oboe reeds don't have the lifespan that knives do, they receive an insane amount of care and attention from conception to the day they become so lifeless you have to retire them. I remember each reed in my reed case: how the texture of the cane felt when I scraped it, the size of the opening, its strengths and weaknesses, how it played in its prime, and for what major performances I used it. All oboists are obsessives. It comes with the job description.