"a way to track my activity related to creativity and things that i've found helpful to generate new ideas. waste of time? possibly. talked with students about doing a lot of these things to get them out of the music building and experience life. so, maybe this is a way to track myself and to provide an example to some of my students."
New Experiences When I talk with students about creativity, I like to emphasize that it is so important to try new things and have new experiences. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant or expensive. While I've been in Karuizawa, I've been trying some new food, going for walks, and taking photos. Today, I even tried a couple of local beers.
Saw this amazing site today riding along in the bus from Tokyo to Karuizawa. Fortunately, I had my camera on the seat beside me and was able to grab a quick shot of this beautiful green valley.
I had been feeling really stressed for days before this trip. As soon as I saw this site and was able to get a photo, all of the tension and stress left my body. Amazing. It was such a simple thing that brought transformation. and it happened so quickly and effortlessly.
As I dig deeper into this "creative process" project, the more I find it's really the uncomplicated, effortless things that seem to create and/or bring me back to a state of "flow."
As independent musicians, should we make CD's in the future? Just record tracks and sell them online? How to build a base of people interested in our music? Record deals? Do we need the major labels anymore? Just use the recording as a promotional tool, as a business card? Wondering where the creative process plays a part in all of this. Branding?
"I think it's really more of a bonus at the moment that you sit down and watch the movie that you feel more immersed in it and more physically present. I actually think 3D engages more areas of the brain, just the way we process 3D images. It makes you more aware and more present as you're watching the film because there's more brain activity." James Cameron talkstech, "Avatar" at Comic-Con
Interesting comments. As time goes on, I look at the way movies, TV, etc are used to deliver messages/info to the masses. It's intriguing to me that those in the industry are trying to find more ways for us to be totally immersed in the media experience.
Soylent Green A dystopian movie from 1973 that presented material about a 2022 overpopulated world in which most of the resources had been exhausted. They've been planting the seeds for quite a while....^_-
Probably my biggest influence on the trumpet and in jazz. Always noticed that Clark Terry and others in his generation have been great storytellers with or without their instruments. I can remember sitting around campfires listening to my Grandad tell stories for hours. I just couldn't get enough of that. This week, I'll be looking into storytelling and storytellers and thinking about how that shows up in making music, improvisation and the creative process in general.
Got an email this morning from Derek Sivers (formerly CD Baby). Derek has recently returned from the TED Talks at Oxford. Honestly, with so much information flying at me, I had forgotten about TED. Just check-out the website and the videos of the speakers from all the previous TED Talks. What a great resource for creative material. Topics are just completely all over the grid. As a creativity exercise, it's fun to try to connect seemingly totally unrelated ideas/topics to come up with fresh new perspectives. TED Derek Sivers blog about TED
"For example, I plan to live in a dozen different countries around the world, for 1-3 years each. Most of my friends think I’m weird for this, but at TED I met four separate people who have done this or are doing it now." Sivers
It was just last week that I talked about this same idea with some friends. I was thinking more like a 5-year plan. That gives plenty of time to immerse in the language/culture.
Recently, I've been doing a lot of ear training. I've played a lot this past few years and gotten caught up in the flow of practicing at home and running out to do gigs/rehearsals. Now I'm in a stage of going back and doing all the things I was doing when I was 23-26 years old. I'm back to doing Ran Blake and Marc Copeland exercises daily. So, I've been wondering about the effects of perfect pitch on one's creativity and /or improvisational ability. Abosolute Pitch Wiki Perfect Pitch Research on Pierfect Pitch
I was scanning over some books on Amazon and ran into several books that I read back in the 1980's and 90's. Going to have to go back over them soon. As I recall, the most important page in Think and Grow Rich is page 32 or 36. Here Hill gives the common steps that all of the successful folks he interviewed seemed to take on their path to greatness.
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill Winning Through Enlightenment - Ron Smothermon Transformation #1 - Ron Smothermon Transformation: The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard - Robyn Simon and Walter Maksym Actualizations: You Don't Have To Rehearse to be Yourself - Stewart Emory Handbook to Higher Consciousness - Ken Keyes
When I think of the creative process, I'm often drawn to movies and actors. Maybe some would think that strange coming from a trumpet player.
In the early 1990's after I left my gig as a trumpet soloist in the Navy Commodores Big Band in Washington, D.C., I found myself back in my hometown of Elkins, West Virginia. Some have asked why I made such a move. Well, it's a long story for another day. All I can say today is that at the time, things might not make sense. However, if you look back years later, events seem to fit together like a puzzle. At age 32, I was diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer. So, I think it made perfect sense that I was back in my hometown with my spiritual support group around me.
While living in Elkins, I was around some community theater folks. Occasionally, I played for some of the shows. It was always great fun.
During this time, I was playing in a club called Captain Tease quite often. It was one of those clubs that musicians can play almost style of music and people seem to really respect the spirit of the music. The was an actor from Elkins who had spent a number of years in New York named Dale Wilson. Initially, I knew Dale from his radio work in Elkins. He had a great voice on WDNE. It was years later that i found out about his talents as an actor and his years in New York.
Dale used to come to my gigs often. We had many good conversations during my breaks comparing the improvisational world of jazz musicians and the world of acting. I knew that Dale had a heart condition and I was always concerned about his habit of having scotch, peanut butter pie and chain-smoking at my gigs. Dale had so much to say about timing, rhythm and grounding. I really felt like I was in the presence of a master. Unfortunately, Dale passed away soon after. I'll have to say, I knew he REALLY lived his life. So, when it came time for him to pass on to the "next stage", I didn't feel sadness. I knew this was a guy that really "turned over every stone" and checked out life completely.
From that experience, I started to pay a lot more attention to the actors' world. People in Japan sometimes ask me about my favorite actor or movie. Without question, my favorite actor is Al Pacino and the movie is a movie that Pacino was in called Scent of a Woman.
Below are some of my favorite Pacino clips. Also you will see Pacino and DeNiro together in a clip from "Heat." DeNiro is probably #2 for me.
Was talking with my son about the possibility of him doing an independent study for a semester. Just the sound of that is interesting to me. Independent. Study. I was standing in the shower thinking about that this afternoon and wondered, "Why doesn't everyone do independent studies through school?" What is the other option.....dependent studies? Yeah, I remember going in and sitting for 90 minutes and frenetically taking notes. Not really listening to the lecture. Just trying to grab what I could, knowing that I would need to regurgitate some of that info in an exam. 2-4 weeks later I would have very little memory of anything on the exam much less all those notes from class. I know without a doubt, if I had done independent studies, I would have been a completely different student. Ah, there I go again, going against the system. Silly me. Independent studies?! Now that wouldn't prepare me for an assembly line now would that? I wouldn't be a very valuable human resource would I? Just listen to that. HUMAN RESOURCE.....
Maybe now would be a good time to introduce one of my favorite writers/speakers/researchers on the background of the formation of the education system in America. Below you will be able to listen to John Taylor Gatto being interviewed by Alex Jones.
I've been hearing terms like politically correct, conspiracy theory, freedom fighter, militants, evil-doer, climate change, globalization, race card, hate speech, physically challenged, Indigenous citizens, Native-Americans, Flight attendant, peacekeeper, and pro-life. I wonder where a lot of these words come from. Kind of sounds like "newspeak" from 1984 to me. Hard for to me to put into words. But, I wonder how much my thoughts are "programmed" by the language. We often talk about computer languages and programming computers. How much are we "programmed" by our language? The media is so powerful and persuasive now. It's so easy for them to adjust the language. How does this affect my thinking, my view of reality, my ability to create and improvise. Living in a foreign country gives me an opportunity to observe people using a different language and the corresponding behavior, thought patterns and perceptions of reality. Since the basis of this blog is about creativity/improvisation, it makes me curious about the effects of language on my creativity.
Spent some time today going through a wide variety of things but, the one that really "got me" was the info on "mind uploading." OMG!!! It reminded me of a meeting I had a few months ago with a guy that works with an online virtual reality company similar to Second Life. We were having an interesting talk about futuristic kinds of things. I couldn't believe it when he casually told me that people will eventually be loaded onto discs! I was thinking, "What?! Did I hear him correctly?" Oh my, we're living in interesting times...
Lateral Action newsletter came today. I've really been enjoying this newsletter. Always great information on the creative process.
In this issue, the question is posed about multi-tasking. Is it productive? Is it even possible? There is also some good info from "flow" and creativity guru Csikszentmihaly about the "zone" of creativity and how we access it.
Couple of hours of trumpet in the morning (SLOW-SLOW-SLOW) Singing tunes..Strayhorn, Monk, Ellington..and some standards
Long walk
Movie Dark Knight-Batman Started watching the dvd (about half). Friend of mine told me that the propaganda and "predictive programming" is so up in your face. Try to finish it tonight (7/20).
Long gig today (12 hours) at one of THE most famous luxury item stores in the world. I say that only because as I was playing, it was AMAZING watching people. That's all I can say....just AMAZING.
Had a lot of "breaks" during this gig today so I got to do some reading. Read a lot of interviews from the Jazz Weekly website.
Reading Vein of Gold Notes: Mind Map dreamtime imagic-nation causal plane walking "cross the bridge" into a "space"where our imagination and thoughts start to take a physical form vibration 6 rhythm (desire + energy) + imagination (thoughts)= manifestation (solid form) dreams (thoughts) become reality
"As we walk, we "cross the bridge" into the realm of desire and imagination."
Julia Cameron - Vein of Gold pg. 32
DeBono Creativity Work-out Exercise #9 Value Pick 5 random words Which word creates the most value (Expensive, Safest, etc)
Exercise #10 Multiple Connections Pick 2 random words Create multiple connects for these words (Go beyond the obvious) _____________________________________________________________
If You Want To Write - Ueland Chapter 3
"But the moment I read Van Gogh's letter I knew what art was, and the creative impulse. It is a feeling of love and enthusiasm for something and in a direct, simple, passionate and true way, you try to show this beauty in things to others, by drawing it."
Ueland - If You Want To Write pg 19
___________________________________________________________ I've read in multiple locations in the past 2 weeks, the value of walking in the creative process. Taking a simple walk. Who would've guessed? Once again, it's the simple things. I can attest to the importance of walking, not only for the obvious health values, but also the way in which taking a 30 minute walk can free up the mind. I started intentionally taking daily walks about 5 years ago. I can't imagine the number of miles I've covered in those 5 years. There really does seem to be some connection between the rhythm that you get into on a longer walk, coupled with the breathing that causes me to be able to go deeper with my imagination. Sometimes there is a flood of new ideas, things to do, new insights on projects, new melodies, old melodies, etc. Julia Cameron speaks of the importance of walking in the Vein of Gold. She explains how valued walking was to creative/spiritual groups all through history. Walking is an improvisation. I've asked students if they take the same route to school everyday or to their train station. Invariable, the answer is yes. Trying a new route is fun. It can be really surprising (even in your own neighborhood) what new things you will encounter just trying a different route. That's the same kind of idea as playing tunes in the same old keys. Try a tune in a new key. It's surprising what new ideas pop-out unexpectedly because the fingers aren't able to run through the same old patterns. Suddenly the subconscious is released! ___________________________________________________________
If You Want To Write-Chapter 5 Action (Walking-everyday)
"I will tell you what I have learned myself. For me, a long 5 or 6 mile walk helps. And one must go alone and everyday.
My explanation of it is that when I walk in a carefree way, without straining to get to my destination, then I am living in the present. And it is only then that the creative power flourishes"
Ueland - If You Want To Write pg 43
Today taking care of "odds and ends." drivers License renewal phone office-new battery teaching at Senzoku dentist internet work cafe-Couple of hours of reading trumpet-late night long-tones
Taught final ensemble class of the semester today. Gave the students a copy of my latest CD. I gave them the CD because I wanted to stress to the students the idea of doing a complete creative project from beginning to end. Create a concept/idea Composition/arranging Forming a band Rehearse the band Perform Record Post Production Design/Photo/Art Sales/Marketing Follow-up gigs/tour
We talked about being involved in every step of the process rather than doing a
"corporately controlled"
project. Talked about how the culture is being created from the top down. (PR-propaganda-brain washing) Documentary: Century of the Self Edward Bernays - "Father" of PR (Propaganda) Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
It's funny..serendipity I guess. This morning as I was packing to leave for the day, I put together the CD's for the students (to talk about "concept/idea oriented projects") and put an old issue of LENSWORK magazine in my bag. At the cafe, I started reading Brooks Jensen's editor's notes and he was talking about "portfolio-oriented projects" for photographers. It's really a great article and applies perfectly to musicians as well as photographers.
Notes: why do folios? project-oriented photography material included (quantity) varies from artist to artist & project to project consistency throughout the project there is a "big picture" idea that encompasses the project portfolios are about ideas-another level above just photos tells a story creates emotion
Some ask me why I would want to read about all of these different subjects. I ask, "Why not?" I'm curious. It's the same as walking into a magazine shop and picking out 5-10 magazines of seemingly unrelated topics. Actually, for me part of the fun is seeing how connected many of these subjects really are. Plus, I'm led down roads and streams of thought that I could have never imagined.
Practice Morning/afternoon/evening sessions Slow-slow-slow practice A lot of interval practice today. Learned the Monk tune: We See
Food
Spent some time reading at Mister Doughnut today. Had to try a new mango/peach/orange frozen drink and green tea doughnut. Have to keep tryin' new things!!!
After Mister Doughnut, went across the street to SATY department store/cinema complex. Stopped in the entrance and donned a pair of 3D glasses with some kids to catch a preview of a new Disney movie.
Movie KNOWING - Nicolas Cage
Reading
Picked these things out randomly this afternoon to take to the cafe and read. Kind of surprising later when I got into the reading. Julia Cameron was referring to Ueland and her book in Vein of Gold. And then I started reading a great interview/article in Scientific American on the Creative Mind and found that Cameroon was one of the writers being interviewed.
If You Want To Write - Ueland In chapter 4, Ueland speaks about the necessity for idle time in the creative process. Constant "busy work" can block the flow of new ideas. She says to not feel guilty about having periods of inactivity.
Vein of Gold - Cameron Your Mode of Transportation: Walking Cameron speaks of the importance of walking as a creative tool. She cites examples throughout history of creative/spiritual people making daliy walks a part of their creative process. This also goes hand in hand with Ueland's comments about being willing to have periods of idleness (which could include taking long walks each day).
Scientific American Mind "The Creative Mind" A valuable article with tons of info given in a very straight forward manner. In a nutshell: Capturing Surrounding Challenging Broadening
"But if it is the dreamy idleness that children have, an idleness when you walk alone for a long time, or take a long, dreamy time at dressing, or lie in bed at night and thoughts come and go, or dig in a garden, or drive a car for many hours alone, or play the piano, or sew, or paint alone; or an idleness-and this is what I want you to do-where you sit with pencil and paper or before a typewriter quietly putting down what you happen to be thinking, that is creative idleness. With all my heart I tell you and reassure you: at such times you are being slowly filled and re-charged with warm imagination, with wonderful, living thoughts."
If You want to Write - Brenda Ueland pg 33
"Walking is the most powerful creative tool that i know. Although it has fallen into disuse in our hurried times, it may be the most powerful spiritual practice known to man.
A creative life is a process, and that process is digestion. We speak of "food for thought" but seldom realize that as artists we need thought for food."
Did some practicing today but, mostly listened to music all day/evening. I'm listening to a lot of things that I studied in the past with Marc Copland. Started listening to a T. Monk tune called We See. Repeated listening and singing the melody. I'll "put it on the horn" tomorrow.
Sample of my listening today: Tom Harrell - Look to The Sky Cd Studied most of these solos before so I'm just starting to sing them again. Love Kenny BArron's playing on this album.
Tom Harrell/Bill Evans We'll Be Together Again CD (Again, reviewing a lot of solos)
Bartok for Children
Clark Terry Havin' Fun CD
Tribute to Strayhorn CD Singing melodies and bass lines A number of these tunes I want to start doing on gigs.
Keith Jarrett Poinciana Just In Time All of You
Miles Davis Round Midnight CD reviewing a lot of solos (singing)
Miles Davis Someday My Prince Will Come CD reviewing solos especially Hank Mobley's on Old Folks (one of my very favorite solos ever!)
Gary Bartz My Shining Hour (Love his vocabulary)
Booker Ervin The In Between The first "jazz" lp I ever owned. I love Booker's playing as much as ever.....reviewing/singing his solos. Also, Richard Williams is playing great trumpet on this album. One of my favorite players. I remember hearing him live with Clark Terry when I was in junior high school.
Chet Baker Once Upon A Summertime CD Maybe my favorite Chet recording. His solo on A Song Is You is a classic. Also, I've been a huge fan of Greg Herbert (tenor sax) since first hearing this recording. Sadly, Herbert died young. It was obvious that he listened to a lot of Trane and Dexter but unlike most of the young cats out of that school, he didn't over play. He really exercised some restraint. Beautiful player....
The Best Thing For You Some great playing by Chet, Kenny Barron and Paul Desmond
Dexter Gordon Doin Alright CD Reviewed/Sang a lot of Dexter's solos and Freddie Hubbard's solos
1955 CD Singing solos
Coltrane Stardust Sessions Love Trane and Wilbur Harden's solos on this album. I mention Wilbur Harden when people ask me my favorite players. Everybody says, "Who?"
Freddie Hubbard Byrdlike One of my favorite Freddie recordings.
Kenny Dorham Quiet Kenny reviewing/singing solos
Lee Morgan Memorial Album This album "rocked my world" around 1978-79
Was really a great day of listening. When I was studying with Copland, I was always learning new solos. Had to walk into the lessons and sing the solos with the recordings. It was a great way to absorb the jazz language. Since living in Japan, I've gotten away from doing some of those things. As a result of doing this blog everyday, I'm feeling the urge to get back to those things that I used to do daily to help creativity.
Trumpet Doing a lot of extremely slow practice. Trying to mentally hear everything and then sing before playing. Used to do this kind of thing when I studied with Marc Copeland back in the 1980's. What a great teacher he is/was!!! I'm finding now that a lot of his ideas are similar to Ran Blake's. The past few days, I started thinking about my experience with Ran Blake. It was really an intense few days in his workshop as it was an equally intense couple of years studying with Marc Copeland. I really know now that for various reasons (most of them silly) I've gotten away for doing a lot of things that I was working on daily during and after my time with those guys. Time to get "deep in the shed" again!!!
"Music is an aural art. Let me repeat, music is an AURAL ART."
Ran Blake - The Primacy of the Ear
"It is the ear’s strengths (and limitations) which are the most important elements in the creation of an individual style, not the ability to reproduce memorized, virtuosic licks at roller-coaster tempos. When musicians have this skill, along with imagination and perseverance as well as the ability to communicate, they are blessed. In our school curriculum it is the ear which is ignored in favor of analysis, reading of scores, and especially technique (although sometimes these pursuits are not mutually exclusive)."
Ran Blake - Third Stream and the Importance of the Ear from the College Music Symposium, Journal of the College Music Society Volume Twenty-One, Number Two Fall 1981
I really enjoy spending time designing gig posters. I hope to be able to do more and more of this in the future not only for myself but, for others also.
Had a really interesting gig yesterday at Time & Style in Roppongi (Tokyo) and Midtown. Time & Style is a very hip interior design shop which sponsors monthly jazz events. Did the gig with bassist, Ken Kanoko and drummer Mike Reznikoff. In addition, famous Japanese photographer Naito Tadayuki was having his exhibition in the same space. So the music, Tadayuki's photos and the hipness of Time & Style made for a great event.
Had interesting moment when we asked the audience to express how they felt sitting in Time & Style listening to live improvised music. Several people expressed themselves. I told me we were going to play a "free improvisation" based on the feedback they had just given us. I love doing that kind of thing. I think we got pretty close to the feelings they had described to us before the improvisation.
Returned to the rice fields in Kita Sakado on Sunday to take a few more photos and observe the progress. I was curious to see if the rice is doing well because this rainy season has had surprisingly little rain. As you can see, the rice is coming along very well. The fields are well irrigated.
Reading "If You Want To Write - A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit" Brenda Ueland
Terrific, down-to-earth book on the creative process. One of the best books I've ever scene on the subject!
Notes (to myself for "If You Want to Write") Everybody has talent, originality and has something important to say. The creative spirit is there waiting to be unleashed...do it...daily! To write (create) freely without inhibition for the love of it..no expectations ($, fame, etc).
Listening Miles Davis ESP Sorcerer (Prince of Darkness is my favorite tune on this one. Like what Ron Carter and Tony Williams were doing with the "time" during Miles' solo. Great communication between Tony and Wayne. Like the change of "vibe" when Herbie enters to solo and especially how he stretches his melodic phrases in the first 2 choruses. Heard Tony Williams talk about the way they used to change the time/feel at a workshop years ago. Basically he said that they never talked about it and that sometimes it worked out beautifully and other times it just fell apart. He emphasized that we (the public) only heard the times it worked on those great "live" recordings. He was stressing that it's really important to "go for it" and try to "get out of the box." So what if it falls apart? On The Corner(Luv all the grooves on this album!!!) We Want Miles Back Seat Betty is the one for me on this album!!! Love the way they take their time and build tension in the beginning of this tune. So much space..not cluttered....simple. Miles playin' the blues..always. Tutu
I don't "get it." So many "jazz" musicians have voiced their disappointment or dislike of these electronic recordings that Miles did. I feel like he was doing the same thing he had always been doing with a different groove placed around it. Miles always played the blues. I admire his creativity and willingness to remain open and take chances.
Dave Holland Prime Directive Just started listening to this album this week. Trying to absorb the tunes (melodies/harmonic structure)...listening and singing the melodies. Will work on the solos after I get more understanding of the tunes.
In 1979, Ghitalla came to WVU for a masterclass. I remember playing the Hindemith Trumpet Sonata for him in the afternoon. That night we had a party for him at my teacher's house. Everyone was afraid to talk with him. He was on one side of the room and all the students were on the other side. I sat down on the sofa and started telling him that I was was leaving WVU soon and going to Boston to study at Berklee (down the street from the Boston Symphony Hall). He was extremely warm and kind. I asked him for some advice and he quoted the statement above.
"You don’t try. That’s very important: not to try, either for Cadillacs, creation or immortality. You wait, and if nothing happens, you wait some more."
This has been one of the most difficult things for me over the years in sports, music and business. I can remember my coaches always saying, "Don't try so hard!" Seems like "trying" has always choked off the flow for me. Reminds me of the ideas in Zen and also some of Deepak Chopra's writings. There is always this idea of detachment that play's a huge role in one's development. I feel like I'm always walking a fine line of "caring too much" (trying too hard) and having an attitude of not caring (detachment). It's when I do have a feeling of detachment or I'm distracted by something that I feel most creative.
"Culture industry is a term coined by Theodor Adorno (1903–69) and Max Horkheimer (1895–1973), who argued in "The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception," that popular culture is akin to a factory producing standardized cultural goods - through film, radio and magazines – to manipulate the masses into passivity; the easy pleasures available through consumption of popular culture make people docile and content, no matter how difficult their economic circumstances. Adorno and Horkheimer saw this mass-produced culture as a danger to the more difficult high arts. Culture industries may cultivate false needs; that is, needs created and satisfied by capitalism. True needs, in contrast, are freedom, creativity, or genuine happiness."
Ran Blake Around 1994, I was fortunate enough to spend about 3 days, 8-12 hours a day in Ran Blake's studio in Boston going through his "Primacy of the Ear" method and being introduced to the concept of the Third Stream music department at New England Conservatory. Needless to say, it was an intense few days. I'm still thinking about things he said and trying to put things into practice that he introduced me to. Ran Blake's Official Website Ran Blake on Wiki WBUR Interview - Ran Blake Interview-audio Third Stream Music
"I’ve been so lucky to play with great musicians, most of whom I wanted to play with and I sought out when I was in my younger stages, and, you know, I wouldn’t do anything different, except I would seek out as many musicians to life the way I am and dedicated to beauty the way I am, because it’s not really about categories, like jazz, it’s about beautiful music and playing music from all over the world with other musicians who are dedicated, because it’s up to us to bring beauty back into this world. It’s up to people in the arts, the painters, the writers, the composers, the dance troupes, everybody, the actors, the people who write poetry. You know, it’s up to us to try to make a difference in this world and try to make this planet a better to live for all the human beings and stop the cruelty and the devastation that’s going on, you know, and have a great place."
Charlie Haden - Democracy Now Interview September 01, 2006
"I'm trying to immature." We always hear people talking about being mature or wanting to have a mature sound. Wanting more maturity in their decision making or in their work. I'm all for that. But, I'm also thinking that more of a "child-like" way of being is important in the creative process, also.
Tom Waits I enjoyed hearing what Tom had to say about songwriting. Especially interesting to hear him say that the room is an instrument too!
Haneda Photos Went to Haneda airport today and got some shots from the observation area on the top floor of the terminal. Kind of rainy though.
Chomsky on FinklesteinNoam Chomsky is one my very favorite writers and speakers. Here is an interesting excerpt in which he describes the "institutional control" that is prevalent in the book world.
Reviewing this issue of Lenswork this morning, I was reminded in the Editor's Comments about the importance of project oriented creating. For example, in the world of photography, Brooks Jensen prefers to already have visualized a project and then go out and go after the photos to make the final project a reality. Of course it's fun to also have days when we doodle, improvise freely, take photos randomly and just kind of float through the day. Jensen's comments were part of a larger article dealing with procrastination in the creative world and offering suggestions how to overcome it.
My first introduction to project oriented music making was when I moved to Washington, D.C. in the early 1980's. I was teaching trumpet lessons at a music store in Fairfax, Va and was around a lot of rock musicians. They were always talking about their projects. Some of them were involved in bands that had never played in public but, had been getting together once a week for 2-3 years. I always thought that sounded like a great idea. In Tokyo, I'm surrounded by "force" in the "jazz world" that seems to push everyone to put together projects that might last 1 day/1 gig (afternoon rehearsal/evening gig).
Interview
Slide Hampton One of my very favorite improvising musicians. I was at a jam session in Pittsburgh and was amazed at Slide's "storytelling" on the horn. I heard other cats just trying to successfully "make it" through the chord changes. But, Slide was operating on a completely different plane. He was so relaxed, no tension (apparent) in the body. His motivic development was beautiful.
I recommend listening to both parts of this interview. If you can't, definitely listen from 2:11 of part 2. You will be listening to a true "master" speak volumes in 2.5 minutes.
Part 1
Part 2
Charlie Haden/Pat Metheny
Lester Young on Reading Music
Dexter Gordon on Being an "Oddball Artist"
Quotes from Karl Marx
Practicing Working on Carmine Caruso exercises today. Because of the physical nature of this work-out, I usually do these only 3 times a week. After reading Kenny Werner's Effortless Mastery again (it's been a few years since I first went through it), I suddenly noticed a great similarity between some of Werner's "Steps to Change", Caruso's 6-note exercise, Marc Copeland's ear training exercises, tai chi and my chi kung work-out.
Ed Neumeister Creative Practicing - Practice Creatively, Part I of V
"STELARC is an Australian-based performance artist whose work explores and extends the concept of the body and its relationship with technology through human-machine interfaces incorporating medical imaging, prosthetics, robotics, VR systems and the internet."
Spent some time this morning researching a few "posthumanist artists" (Stelarc-Wright-Orlan), reading the above essay and listening to Noam Chomsky's talk given recently in Harlem. Had to leave early for a rehearsal and a gig. Nice gig tonight with a new band led by Tim Lyddon. Tim has recently moved to Tokyo from New York. I really like Tim's harmonic vocabulary. Gives me space to go a lot of places melodically. Gives me options for color. He is a great listener.
After Mister Doughnut, went across the street to SATY department store/cinema complex. Stopped in the entrance and donned a pair of 3D glasses with some kids to catch a preview of a new Disney movie.
