Music Born from the Page: Bushwick Book Club Presents Chris Rael’s ‘Guilt Sport’ at Howl! Arts — February 5th

Bushwick Book Club: Chris Rael’s ‘Guilt Sport‘

Howl! Arts opened their doors to an extraordinary evening, hosting and co-producing the Bushwick Book Club‘s celebration of Chris Rael and his book Guilt Sport. Eleven musician/composers each took the material to heart, writing original songs inspired by their individual readings of the text — and the results were nothing short of remarkable.

What struck me most behind the lens was the sheer range of interpretations. Each performer brought something entirely their own to the stage, turning a single book into eleven distinct musical conversations. The variety was genuine, the musicianship exceptional, and the performances delivered with the kind of warmth and presence that makes an evening like this feel genuinely alive.

Howl Arts proved once again why it remains one of NYC’s vital creative spaces — the kind of venue where exactly this sort of adventurous, boundary-crossing work finds its rightful home.

These photographs are my attempt to hold onto some of that energy — the moments between the notes, the connection between performers and audience, the quiet intensity of someone lost in a song they wrote themselves. Included in the evenings lineup were the following artists. Patricia Santos (@cellopatramusic), Anni Rossi (@annirossi), Henry Tenney (@hankytee), Rima Fand, patrick brennan w/ensemble (@patrickbrennansound), Alejandro Vargas (@billyplastered), No Discipline (Ed Pastorini, Susan Hwang (@soozee3), Marlon Cherry (@marlon.cherry) and Chase Horseman (@chasethehorseman), Chris Rael (@raelsy), Penny Arcade, Don Rauf (@donrauf) and Charlie Nieland (@charlienieland). All the talent is not depicted in the following photographs!