By Jim Sullivan
Sunday, June 13, 2010
“I’ve never been invited to things like this, to meet a politician,” said Damon Krukowksi, half of the indie rock duo Damon & Naomi, Friday night. “I always felt we came last, not just as artists, but as self-employed people.”
Krukowksi and partner Naomi Yang were among 120 independent musicians, nonprofit workers and band managers at Q Division Recording Studios in Somerville gathered to dine, drink and listen to Gov. Deval Patrick speak.
Patrick, who spoke for 15 minutes and took questions for another 35, referenced his father right away. Laurdine “Pat” Patrick played saxophone for the avant-garde jazz legend Sun Ra for three decades.
He said he didn’t possess his dad’s musical talent, but stated, “I am one of us.”
Patrick said he considered the arts as not just a “nice thing on the side. I think of it as how we complete our community.”
Patrick spoke about finding solutions for those in the arts such as spreading the word about what they create and securing affordable health care.
He suggested that one answer for arts funding might be to approach owners of the four major sports teams. He said he knew three of those owners and said they were looking for investments.
“We’ve got a lot of the bones and a lot of the flesh,” Patrick said, of a diverse Boston arts scene, “but how do we organize it and promote it?”
Mia Howard, marketing manger at Boston Lyric Opera, said, “For him to stand up and say ‘Art was part of my life and continues to be’ is important.”
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