Coming back to music after a year of rehab

On March 13, 2021, almost a year ago, I suffered from a large intraparenchymal hemorrhage in my brain. When I read this in my medical records, unsurprisingly, I needed to look it up. I learned that this kind of stroke, caused by a congenital issue in my brain, was “more likely to result in death or major disability and therefore constitutes an immediate medical emergency”. I feel so very fortunate to have made an almost complete recovery (and I plan to make it 100% in the near future!). But it hasn’t come easily. I’ve been working very hard at it.

My right hand was robbed of its strength and sensitivity such that I couldn’t hold a toothbrush and had to write with my non-dominant hand. So I’m happy to announce that I’m back to playing the bass with my new jazzy-funk band Tricky Zipper, and, more recently, have begun recording a cello part on a song for the third album by my dear friend David Ritchie. After a summer of barely being able to play a scale in tune without dropping the bow, I have finally begun to enjoy playing music again! Thank my lucky stars!

I’m back to continuing work of my Canada Council-funded project, Dual Citizen, exploring my sense of belonging both to urban environments and to more natural landscapes. I’ve decided that it just going to take as long as it takes. This is the first time I will be combining my love of photography with music. It a rather epic endeavour and I look forward to sharing it — in time!

The last recording gig I had before this crisis, was playing bass for the track Don’t Walk Away on the album Pinky Swear by the Toronto-based vocal group Manifesto. This album was made with creative tenacity during lockdown. At last, I my work has made it to vinyl — PINK, no less! Check out the album on Bandcamp.

What the world needs right now is the joyfulness that Kelly Clipperton and his fab group are bringing the world. I’m very happy to be part of that!