Interview with Melissa Caruso-Scott and Michael Dorf, curating The Stone, June 2009
by Adam Schatz
For the second installment of Know Your Curator, we have a special double-issue. June at The Stone is a doozie, with a calendar stuffed with non-stop magician-musicians. But what makes it truly special is that the curatorial duties are split between two patrons who are both responsible for paving the way for a club like the Stone to exist. The first two weeks have been booked by Melissa Caruso-Scott, the former co-owner of Tonic, a club in the Lower East Side that she opened with her husband in 1998, that catered to the city's experimental and adventurous jazz tastes for 9 years before closing in April of 2007. They opened up right about when the curator for the second half of June, Michael Dorf, began moving away from his entity The Knitting Factory which he founded in 1987 at the age of 23. The Knit set the standard for Tonic as a place that could have incredible music every night, and be a community center of sorts for the best musicians in the city to creatively interact. As Dorf moved on (and has since returned, opening the awesome venue and wine bar City Winery), the Knit drifted into a corporate black hole, and Tonic relieved the pain of that loss for just long enough so that the Stone could open. It is sad that all three of these great clubs cannot be open at once, fueling the music with the strongest of forces, but for now this collaboration between the three intertwining histories is the best that we've got.
Melissa and Michael were kind enough to answer a few questions about the booking process, what they've been developing in their spare time, and whatever else they felt like saying. Go to the Stone all month, sets at 8 and 10. There is not a sour grape in the bunch.
Melissa Caruso-Scott
S&R: For this month at the Stone, you're teaming up with Michael Dorf. How has the booking process been? Have you talked over the schedule much, or did you simply divide up the dates?
MCS: Michael and I have some similar and exquisite taste in music (if I do say so myself) so we had a few exchanges so as not to book the same artists. It was easiest to just divide up the weeks (I'm doing the first two and he the second).
S&R: What have you been up to since Tonic closed?
MCS: Mostly taking care of my sweet two year old boy. He loves hearing live music but we only go to matinees. I spend a lot of time listening to him play the harmonica. He's a natural.
I have a few music projects brewing. I've also started doing PR for a few bands (be sure to check out Amir Ziv (June 4th/The Stone) Heather Greene (July/tbd) and Barbez (August/Le Poisson Rouge) which has been great. I hope to do more of that.
S&R: Do you go to shows? What are you listening to these days?
MCS: Not as often as I would like! I'll be at The Stone a lot in the next couple of weeks though. If I'm in a nostalgic mood I like to put on my Frank Sinatra & Carlos Jobim album. I've also been listening to Air, Regina Spektor, Johnny Cash, Marco Benevento, Goldberg Variations and Radiohead. I'm all over the map. I love listening to Malphas, Mark Feldman & Sylvie Courvoisier's CD around dinner time and we listen to Jazz for Kids in the morning. Carmen McRae can really get our day going.
Michael Dorf
S&R: For this month at the Stone, you're teaming up with Melissa Caruso-Scott, the co-owner of Tonic, which somewhat succeeded your efforts at the Knitting Factory, and in lieu of Tonic's closing, the Stone has in turn succeeded their efforts. How does it feel to be back to booking small dark room with whoever you want?
Michael Dorf: When Tonic first opened, like a romantic lover, I was jealous. But quickly, it was very clear that Tonic was going to be a very important hub of activity, much like the Knitting Factory was for the previous decade. As the Knitting Factory was booking more rock and pop at that time, it sunk in that this was really good for the entire scene, as putting avant-garde and experimental music on and integrating it with more commercial music was our approach to expanding the audience. When John announced the Stone, I was very excited and proud. Not just that the concept was so menschy, if not a bit meshuggana, but that it was being name for the greatest patron of the Knitting Factory AND Tonic, Irving Stone with his amazing wife Stephanie. They came 5 nights a week to the Knit for an entire decade. I could not have been happier to see the connection on many levels. I was honored to be asked to book the second half of June, splitting the month with Melissa and asking a lot of our mutual friends to play. The schedule has about 50% of whom I would have booked in June of 1989, twenty years ago, and about 50% of newer artists which I feel are carrying the vibe of it in their own style.
S&R: Has it been a break from the booking scene for you between your departure from the Knit and the opening of your new City Winery? What else has been on your plate?
MD: I left the Knitting Factory in 2002 and been very active producing festivals, various concerts, and other activities. I've been producing a series of shows at Carnegie Hall, which are tributes to my favorite songwriters which have included: Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and earlier this year, R.E.M. This has been a lot of fun artistically, bringing 20 great artists in to each do a cover of these terrific songwriters. Having Bruce jump on stage for the finale to 2800 people or REM do the same is a real thrill. These tribute shows have also been fundraisers for music education for under privilege youth and have raised over $300k net for the organizations. Of course, I've done my share of Jewey philanthropy and music gigs in this time, with Jewzapalooza, Israel 60, among others. I also founded a Hebrew School in Tribeca called Tribeca Hebrew. City Winery is the most selfish project I have ever done. It was conceived for middle-aged short Jews like me who want to see a concert in a classy joint, have a wine list with really good juice available, and have it served in a real glass, among delicious food items. I need a good chair for my butt. What can I say, but that is what I want to do with my little time. Of course, we are also making great wine here and this has become a real passion of mine. So between making wine and booking music at CIty Winery, things are very busy.
S&R: How do you think the experimental music world has evolved since you first began presenting shows? How have your approaches developed over time?
MD: My approach has never changed as a non-musician, and professional listener. I like artists that are taking risks, but in touch with what is moving their audience. How are they making art that is compelling, challenging, and yet, distinctive with their own signature? Like wine, a winemaker can start with a similar instrument (their grape) and some will make delicious easy to consume product and others will make challenging, yet uniquely flavorful wine. Both are great and what is amazing is how subjective the interpretation of the elements is. I do put real value, as a producer, in observing the fans connection to the music coming from the stage. In terms of seen changes, from what I have seen is the older cats have gotten slightly more refined with the work, if not a tad bit conservative. I like listening to the newer work of a lot of the old players on the scene, as it brings back great memories. I am also listening a lot of singer songwriters who have many various Americana influences.
