May 29

Reading
Dumbing Us Down - John Taylor Gatto (p.r./act.)

Lateral Thinking - Edward DeBono (p.r.)
Exercise
Morning/Evening Chikung

Listening
Dance Suite, Sz 77 - Bartok
Slovakian Dance - Bartok
Improvisations Op.20, Sz 74 - Bartok
Alan Watt Podcast May 25 (Cutting Through the Matrix)
Alan Watt Podcast May 27 (Cutting Through the Matrix)
Alex Jones' Podcast May 28
Lenswork Podcast May 27
Some ask my why I listen to Alan Watt. A few years ago, I was very frustrated (had been for 30 years) because I felt like I could never get real news on tv or in newspapers. I went on a search for real news. Well, eventually I stumbled on Watt's podcast and was amazed. I wasn't amazed because he talks about current events and/or the political world and the garbage they feed us daily. No, he is several layers removed from all that and has developed an interesting perspective based on years of research into old books, documents, reports and following the movements of big foundations/think tanks. During most of his podcasts, he mentions books/writers as far back as Plato that have shaped the world we live in and has really helped me to see more clearly the flow-direction-movement of society today...the people/organizations that want to control it...and why. I have most of the books he has mentioned. Was able to get most of them online as pdf files. I guess in the beginning I did that because I was so surprised with things that he was saying, I wanted to check him out and see if these things were for real. The "waking up" process was a little shocking at first but, now I feel a lot less stressed and my mind is more freed up for creative thinking.

Design
Experimented with a new business card design. Got an idea to put my upcoming gig flyer on the back of my business card. Will continue working on this. Seems like a lot cheaper and slightly unique way of getting the word out.

Teaching
Taught an ensemble class today. Instead of playing some of the standards we've been working on, decided to play "free." Talked a little about that vocabulary....free jazz. Does that mean that other kinds of jazz isn't free? If it isn't free, what is it? No answers today. Anyway, it was so interesting to hear how creatively the students played when we dropped all the "rules." It took a few minutes for them to lose their shyness and fear of mistakes. I had remembered that recently one of the students mentioned that M.C. Escher is her favorite artist. I have been reading Escher on Escher - Exploring the Infinite.




I took this book out of my bag and we talked about Escher and his work. We looked at a few examples and I asked the ensemble to "play" his "Symetry Work 25". Hahaha..everyone looked kind of gave me a strange look. But, a few minutes later it was amazing to hear what they came up with. So damn creative! Showed them a photo I took in Shibuya train station a few days ago outside the Fukutoshin Line. Asked them to imagine they are in charge of doing a soundtrack for a documentary about this artist and they have to compose/improvise some music for the film while this work is being shown. Again....they were sooooo creative!