Hello!

Hope you've been faring well this month -- and that this pairing rounds out your February with a great sip and sounds. I know I loved piecing this together for you.

Enjoy!

“...and there is a Catskill eagle in some souls that can alike dive down into the blackest gorges, and soar out of them again and become invisible in the sunny spaces. And even if he forever flies within the gorge, that gorge is in the mountains; so that even in his lowest swoop the mountain eagle is still higher than the other birds upon the plain, even though they soar.”

― Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Juice

In art, those that know how to play with darker hues always win my heart. Some of my first loves in painting were masters of contrast, be it the chiaroscuro of Caravaggio or the stark shadows of de Chirico.

Stefano Amerighi (let’s count him among our Italian artists for today) is a technically virtuosic, devotedly biodynamic winemaker in Cortona, whose wines speak with authority and intrigue.

Assertive and dark, intense without being brooding – Amerighi’s 2022 syrah exudes finesse and freedom in perfect balance.

The wine is fragrant with olive brine, dark plum, rosemary and bitter bark. It's wildly expressive and elegantly sleek on the palate – concentrated while still feeling lifted and exhilarating. It's a testament to both nature and intentional winemaking.

Union Square Wines carries this vintage.

Jazz

Saxophonist and composer Donny McCaslin is best known for his work on the extraordinary Blackstar (ISO Records, 2016), David Bowie’s final album that explores some of the furthest ranges of dark and light that I can think of in pop music history.

McCaslin’s own work contains the same strain of emotive fearlessness paired with his unreal technique, in abundant evidence on his album Lullaby of the Lost (Edition, 2025.)

The record embraces a darker palette that pulls from progressive and industrial rock, pairing improvisation and production beautifully.

Emerging in mystery, with hard-edged processed vocals and sounds, the track “Solace” immediately juxtaposes depth with a sunbeam melody line in McCaslin’s tenor, underpinned by roiling drums and subterranean electric bass. His solo climbs and winds; untethered and boundless.

The song builds into outright exaltation, followed by a thrashing metal crescendo that soars from the depths into celebration.

If you like this selection as much as I do, consider supporting the music by purchasing it here.