The Poison Pie Publishing House presents:

April 1, 2026
On the following night, Andromache experienced a variation of the first performance. She discovered that the band never played a song precisely the same way twice. Certainly, a readily recognizable structure defined each piece but the musicians felt no obligation to reproduce a work note for note. On the contrary, any incidental stimulus—a dreamy smile on the face of a woman in the crowd or the out-of-time toe tapping of her husband—served as the seed of an improvised shoot that grew into a unique and unforeseen embellishment.

written while listening to:  Ramon Moro Quartet - Blue Horizon (Aut Records, AUT068, 2020, Italy, cd, discogs.com)

April 2, 2026
This second concert provided Andromache with a premonition of life on the road with the band. There was repetition. They played many songs from the night before, though their repertoire was much larger than could be performed in a single outing. Some tunes were rotated in and others out, at the apparent whim of the bandleader. This repetition was not without its allure. Something well beyond the need to make a living drew the musicians to perform. She likened it to the craving of the lotus eaters for their fruit, a pleasurable impulse hard to resist.

written while listening to:  François Lebègue, Guillaume Gargaud, Ernesto Rodrigues & Eduardo Chagas - Sound Bridge (Creative Sources, CS 442 CD, 2017, Portugal, cd, discogs.com)

April 3, 2026
The turn-out for the second performance equaled that for the first. Villagers who had missed the earlier show, were brought to the front of the line to be preferentially admitted. The rest of the tavern was filled by those who wished to experience the musical spectacle anew. Lampo was again well pleased and compensated Papa Krokodeilos and his musicians handsomely. Mama Chloë had quietly made a special request of Lampo's wife. Before the band left, Andromache was presented with a pair of leather boots, far better suited to the season than her sandals.

written while listening to:  Christoph Erb, Magda Mayas & Gerry Hemingway - Phyla Music (Veto Records, EXCHANGE 023, 2025, Switzerland, cd, discogs.com)

April 4, 2026
As Andromache drifted into sleep that night, she wondered what the following morning would bring. She had spent all of three days with the troupe and already her whole life had changed. She could not dismiss a foreboding that her good fortune could disappear as quickly as it had arrived. She curled into a ball and pulled the blanket tightly around her. Not for the last time did she fear that, upon waking, she would find herself lying on hard stone in the damp air of the utter darkness in the labyrinth, her adoption by these musical travelers revealed as a dream.

written while listening to:  Derek Bailey & Paul Motian - Duo in Concert (frozen reeds, fr24v, 2023 (rec. 1990), Finland, lp, discogs.com)

April 5, 2026
Waking in morning light, Andromache breathed in the chill air and exhaled a sigh of relief. Her fantasy would persist another day. She donned her boots and found with gratitude that an unknown woman had done her the favor of breaking them in. She helped with breakfast and with packing up camp. No one explained what would happen that day and she did not ask. She was content to allow events to unfold without her knowledge, expectation or approval. If Andromache's companions found her lack of curiosity unusual, they said nothing of it.

written while listening to:  Doo-Dooettes with Keiji Haino & Rick Potts - Free Rock (PSF Records, PSFD-131, 2002 (rec. 1982), Japan, cd, discogs.com)

April 6, 2026
They traveled with the rising sun warming their backs. This direction would have come as a relief to Andromache, if only she had known of their position relative to Knossos. Her slow passage through the labyrinth had delivered her west of the capital, so their progress now put the city farther behind her. She certainly had no desire to risk her newly won liberty by venturing into the proximity of King Minos. Also unbeknownst to her, scarcely a week earlier the band had left Knossos after several performances, none of which had merited royal notice.

written while listening to:  Joëlle Léandre - Lifetime Rebel, disc 4 (RogueArt, ROG-0137, 2024, France, cdx4, discogs.com)

April 7, 2026
Papa Krokodeilos had led his troupe to Crete last summer, drawn by a shared desire to see the world and to visit the cradle of the Minoan empire. The cost of passage had been arranged by a benefactor. Their reception had been favorable; the months spent upon the island were such that no one regretted coming. Still, their stay had not been intended as anything more than a tour. His thoughts, like those of the others, turned to departure, an act which required a wealthy sponsor, unlikely to be found in rural parts. As such, their path was yet vague and unhurried.

written while listening to:  Sara Schoenbeck - untitled (Pyroclastic Records, PR 16, 2021, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 8, 2026
Walking without express purpose in this company invited many opportunities for Andromache to learn more about her companions and vice versa. They had accepted her but knew almost nothing of her story. Often one or two played as they hiked and conversation filled the gaps. "And where it is you call home?" asked Hektor. Recalling a seafarers' proverb, Andromache replied, "My home is wherever I should lay my head." Though sympathetic to this sentiment, they regarded her reply as elusive. Their flutist remained a mystery to be unraveled in time.

written while listening to:  Jah Wobble & Evan Parker - Passage to Hades (30 Hertz Records, 30HZCD14, 2001, United Kingdom, cd, discogs.com)

April 9, 2026
Whether from genuine curiosity or to deflect attention from her reticence to speak of herself, Andromache then put the same question to Hektor. His answer proved as much a drama as had Megara's tale of life among frost giants. "Hera delivered me as a gift to Argos, or so I have been told by the temple priestesses who adopted and reared me." She interpreted his words to explain without self-pity the practice of abandoning unwanted newborns, in his case one with a clubfoot and a deaf ear, to the beneficence of the gods.

written while listening to:  Tomeka Reid Quartet - Dance! Skip! Hop! (Out Of Your Head Records, OOYH 041, 2026, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 10, 2026
It turned out that not a one of them hailed from Crete. Nor did they share a common birth place. Their fellowship had been assembled one member at a time in much the same manner, serendipitous and haphazard, by which Andromache had joined their number. There were vague references during the ensuing conversation to past members of the band. It had not occurred to Andromache, though it seemed quite normal in hindsight, that musicians might come together for a while and make what music they would before parting ways.

written while listening to:  Hans Lüdemann TransEuropeExpress Ensemble featuring Rita Marcotulli & Luciano Biondini - On The Edges 3 (Budapest Music Center Records, BMC CD 320, 2023, Hungary, cd, discogs.com)

April 11, 2026
The notion of members leaving the band struck Andromache as incongruous with her own admittedly brief experience among them because she perceived the group as a family. Of course, no blood linked them but they had a papa, a mama and a grandpa. Nobody would leave their own family unless by dire misfortune. On this last point, Andromache was well versed, having had all relations with her kin severed by her selection in the lottery to lift the siege of Athens. For the rest of the day, she kept close to Mama Chloë.

written while listening to:  Agustí Fernández - Aesthetic of Prisms, disc 3 (Fundacja Słuchaj!, FSR30/2024, 2024, Poland, cdx7, discogs.com)

April 12, 2026
The contours of the land nudged them toward the southern coast. The air grew warmer with their descent. The Great Sea came into view beyond the hazy shoreline but their road kept its distance, leading west through green juniper and carob while the tamarisk waited for spring to leaf. They encountered isolated homesteads. Naturally, the arrival of eight strangers, several of off-putting countenance, was met with a guarded reception. Once the innocuous nature of the travelers was established, the families on the farms were generally welcoming.

written while listening to:  Caroline Kraabel for the London Improvisers Orchestra - Portrait of a Lockdown (self-released, no catalog #, 2020, United Kingdom, digital files, discogs.com)

April 13, 2026
The people of the troupe were meant to make music and did not hold their talents in reserve strictly for those who could pay. Come evening, those residing within earshot of the news—family of all ages and farmhands alike—gathered in a sheltered spot in the yard. In this informal setting, the resulting performance possessed a more adventurous spirit, at least in Andromache's view. The musicians experimented with variations to the songs. Still, they returned to familiar standards, sure to please their rustic audience.

written while listening to:  Kamasi Washington - The Epic, sides A & B (Brainfeeder, BF050, 2015, United States, lpx3, discogs.com)

April 14, 2026
In exchange for this entertainment, the owner of the estate provided what modest hospitality lay within his means. The band was invited to pass the night in the yard. Food and wine were shared. A bit of bartering for supplies was conducted. Best of all, judged Andromache, came after the show when the musicians relaxed among the family. She watched the mother change and swaddle an infant while a toddler tugged at the hem of her chiton. In the labyrinth, she had thought such bucolic scenes lost forever to her eyes.

written while listening to:  Ravenna Escaleira - Vagabondage (Relative Pitch Records, RPRSS043, 2025, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 15, 2026
They came to Palaiochora, a town of a thousand souls, set on a narrow peninsula. The final stretch of road followed the beach where many small fishing boats were hauled ashore. It became immediately clear to Papa Krokodeilos that this port did not serve vessels of a size suitable for passage off island. All the same, they stayed two nights, the first to rest their tired feet. On the second, the weather was clear and the seaside temperature quite pleasant. They played an open-air concert in the central square, generating sufficient funds to replenish provisions.

written while listening to:  Steve Lehman Octet - Travail, Transformation, and Flow (Pi Recordings, PI30, 2009, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 16, 2026
They followed the irregular curve of the coast, making for Kydonia, a major port, which would better suit their needs. Traversing from south to north required crossing the mountainous spine of the island. The elevation rose as they left civilization until the road became a remote path, tracing the outline of rugged bluffs. A stone's throw to the left, the ground plunged hundreds of feet to the blue sea below. Their passage attracted the curiosity of a colony of black shag, a lesser cousin of the cormorant, who wintered on the rocky cliffs.

written while listening to:  Elizondo, Ojeda, Taveira Trio - Cerentenyal (Ramble Records, no catalog #, 2023, Australia, digital files, discogs.com)

April 17, 2026
Each day that Andromache spent in the company of her bandmates provided new glimpses into their individual personalities and the collective dynamics of the group. What she had initially mistaken as a rude and unpredictable tendency for Hektor to ignore her was revealed to be the result of his partial deafness. She chastised herself for her snap judgment then made a conscious effort to casually move into his line of sight before addressing him. For her efforts, she was subject to a tirade on the uncomfortable confines of a tent occupied by three men.

written while listening to:  Charles Ives - Symphony No. 4, Three Places in New England & Central Park in the Dark (Deutsche Grammophon, 423 243-2, 1988 (rec. 1970 & 1976), Germany, cd, discogs.com)

April 18, 2026
"I have the fix to your problem," said Triballos as they sat around the campfire eating dinner one evening. "Let the starlight be your blanket. Grandpa and I will then fit nicely." Hektor scowled. "I have a better solution," he barked. The tone of his words portended an argument. Andromache glanced at Mama Chloë, who watched the pair placidly. "I shall wed Synder and then, as man and wife, we can share a tent." This announcement came as a shock to Andromache, who had not been consulted on the matter. "Will you have me?" he asked.

written while listening to:  John Zorn & Fred Frith - The Art of Memory (Incus Records, CD20, 1994, United Kingdom, cd, discogs.com)

April 19, 2026
"Hold your horses!" shouted Triballos. "If there be one among us with a claim to Synder's hand, it is the stalwart dwarf! After all, was it not I, who led her to the campfire with the melody of my aulos on a bitter night not long ago? Was it not by my music that she escaped a wintry grave?" Andromache blanched. The abruptness of this interest in her as a mate induced an anxious panic. All eyes turned to her, waiting for a response. The absurd thought that they might expect her to choose between suitors this very minute paralyzed her, mind and tongue.

written while listening to:  Hank Mobley - A Caddy for Daddy (Blue Note, BST 84230, 1966, United States, lp, discogs.com)

April 20, 2026
"What a couple of children, you are," muttered Mama Chloë to fill the silence. Papa Krokodeilos chimed in, "You've got a thing or two to learn about courtship." He attempted to lower the tension by sharing an anecdote of his own masterful wooing of Chloë. It was a long, pointless story and, by the end, everyone had lost interest in further discussion of the matter. In no way did Andromache regard this as a satisfactory resolution of the matter but she too had no desire to reopen the conversation. Instead, a dread seed took root in her heart.

written while listening to:  Sonic Youth & Jim O'Rourke - Invito Al Ĉielo (Sonic Youth Records, SYR 3, 1998, United States, lp, discogs.com)

April 21, 2026
As the hour to retire drew near, Andromache pulled Mama Chloë aside. "I will be happy to sleep under the stars." This was the best plan that she had come up with since dinner. A second potential remedy, namely using her proceeds from the performances to purchase fabric to make another tent, was complicated by her ignorance of how the group finances worked. She was not ready to act on the most dire alternative, namely fleeing into the wild while the others were fast asleep. "Shush yourself, child" Mama Chloë replied, "We'll have none of that."

written while listening to:  Joe Morris, Brad Barrett & Beth Ann Jones - Abstract Forest (Relative Pitch Records, RPR1243, 2025, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 22, 2026
They passed the ridgeline and began their descent of the northern slope. A day later they arrived at a quarry, where slabs of sandstone were extracted to serve as building materials for the port of Phalasarna on the western shore. Although the stonecutters and haulers performed arduous labor, the arrival of a musical troupe sent a wave of excitement through the workers. In the evening light, nearly all of them returned to the pit, for Papa Krokodeilos found the acoustics and angular geometry of the man-made excavation to his liking.

written while listening to:  Aki Takase, Daniel Erdmann & Kazuhisa Uchihashi - Tanto (Innocent Records, ICR-029, 2025, Germany, cd, discogs.com)

April 23, 2026
The band was organized on broad tiers left behind where stone had been removed. Unlike many venues, this stage provided ample space for each musician. The men were arranged on two levels in the rear and the women on a lower tier before them. Their audience, while tired, was rowdy and Papa Krokodeilos led the band through a set of lively tunes. This was the first performance for Andromache since her two unwanted proposals. She sought relief in playing but the sanctuary of the music was tainted. Her bandmates heard a wisp of dread in her flute.

written while listening to:  Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane - untitled (Jazzland, JLP-46, 1961 (rec. 1957), United States, lp, discogs.com)

April 24, 2026
Their compensation at the quarry was meager. Though brief the hike, Papa Krokodeilos had them stop in nearby Phalasarna to perform to a crowd less frugal with their wages. By shifty appearance and overheard conversation, the musicians gathered that many of the seamen were pirates. All in the band felt reassured when their leader informed them that they would not seek passage aboard one of the suspicious galleys moored to the stone quay. Still pirates love music no less than other sailors and the performance in Phalasarna was especially festive.

written while listening to:  Isidora Edwards, Biliana Voutchkova & Zosha Warpeha - A Far Within (Relative Pitch Records, RPR1253, 2026, United States, cd, discogs.com)

April 25, 2026
Shortly they rounded the northwest corner of Crete, arriving at the Bay of Kisamos, bound by two prominent peninsulas. At the port of the same name, they stayed two nights. As in Phalasarna, the goods delivered to this port were bound for the inland city of Polyrrhenia. Papa Krokodeilos inquired along the wharf regarding passage but, finding no offer too good to pass up, he resolved to stick to his original plan and continue to Kydonia. The band played one successful concert in Kisamos and declined the invitation for an encore performance.

written while listening to:  The Oscar Peterson Trio - We Get Requests (Verve, V6-8606, 1965, United States, lp, discogs.com)

April 26, 2026
They spread the hike to Kydonia over two days. It was a flat route that gave the donkeys little trouble. When Grandpa Dumpling played a rhythm to their walking, his timing was off, for ruts marred the well-traveled road and he was frequently jostled along with everything else in the cart. The travelers walked in orchards of olive trees, green throughout the winter, though spring was yet to summon their blooms. They passed also by vineyards, where rows of barren vines clung to posts and reached blunt, pruned limbs toward a gray sky.

written while listening to:  Neil Young - Dead Man, sides A & B (Vapor Records, 9 46171-1, 1996, United States, lpx2, discogs.com)