Monday, August 31, 2009
August 15
Recently, heard about the trumpet player Florent Brique. Been checking out his band. Here is a nice groove they did at the Vienna Jazz Festival.
Really creative project.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
August 14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrence_McKenna
http://deoxy.org/media/McKenna
My buddy Curtis turned me on to McKenna today. Woke-up, came in and sat dow at the computer and there were the links sitting in front of me in a chat box.
Monday, August 24, 2009
August 13
Am currently involved in "Japan Music Week" and the Jinnan Jazz Festival. Already, the creative juices are starting to flow. Feels good!
Search for Japan Music Week on FACEBOOK for more info.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August 12
Haven't posted on this blog for 12 days after doing 72 days in a row.
It's called "hitting the wall."
It's called "hitting the wall."
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August 10
Effortless Mastery Message #004: What Musical Depth is Really About Inspirational message from Kenny Werner
Many people are trapped in the delusion,
"Music is important. I am only valid if I play it correctly."
Because of this misconception many musicians live and die
and never know the true joy of music in their lives.
Many jazz players feel that there is an experience in
improvisation that they are not having, or not having enough of.
Classical musicians also report "dryness" in their renderings
of the great composers.
It's like the priest who secretly has no love for God.
The customs are observed, but there is no true feeling.
If the lamp is not lit, music can be as dreary as anything else.
Along with the desire for a deeper experience
comes an intense drive to be a better player.
These aspects often work against each other.
There is only one true purpose to music.
It exists for our enjoyment and enrichment only.
I think a hint that reveals this is the fact that
the verb to commit the act of music is "play."
How serious is it supposed to be if we're supposed to "play?"
It's very hard to let go in the combat of performance,
but the Effortless Mastery exercises will help you
to claim music for your own pleasure.
This realization liberates performers
from the tyranny of the wrong note.
Instead of sweating their performance,
they look forward to it with delicious joy.
After all, it is the performer's "guilty pleasure.
We will talk more about this in subsequent emails.
For now, just understand that:
The greatest performers in any game are the ones
who experience the pure joy of playing more
than the responsibility to play it correctly . . .
"Music can flash through the musician
like lightening through the sky . . ."
if it is unobstructed by thoughts.
Therefore, the elimination of thoughts is a very relevant issue.
That's why the first step in the book
is practicing the elimination of thoughts.
So...
Can you witness your hands moving on your instrument,
your club or your tennis racket without being attached?
Can you throw a dart, pitch a ball or shoot a basket
without caring about hitting the mark?
Can you focus on your breath
without being attached to how well you play?
Thank you for being here
as part of our Effortless Mastery Community.
Kenny Werner
and
Dr. Andrew Colyer
P.S. How are we doing?
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Ie.0J&m=1q3hs9dV2_7vP1&b=6Zr_aAIbKd6A9nP3ooUK6A
Dr. Andrew Colyer
ConsciousWorldMedia.com
86 Quarfelt Road, Clinton Corners, NY 12514, USA
Many people are trapped in the delusion,
"Music is important. I am only valid if I play it correctly."
Because of this misconception many musicians live and die
and never know the true joy of music in their lives.
Many jazz players feel that there is an experience in
improvisation that they are not having, or not having enough of.
Classical musicians also report "dryness" in their renderings
of the great composers.
It's like the priest who secretly has no love for God.
The customs are observed, but there is no true feeling.
If the lamp is not lit, music can be as dreary as anything else.
Along with the desire for a deeper experience
comes an intense drive to be a better player.
These aspects often work against each other.
There is only one true purpose to music.
It exists for our enjoyment and enrichment only.
I think a hint that reveals this is the fact that
the verb to commit the act of music is "play."
How serious is it supposed to be if we're supposed to "play?"
It's very hard to let go in the combat of performance,
but the Effortless Mastery exercises will help you
to claim music for your own pleasure.
This realization liberates performers
from the tyranny of the wrong note.
Instead of sweating their performance,
they look forward to it with delicious joy.
After all, it is the performer's "guilty pleasure.
We will talk more about this in subsequent emails.
For now, just understand that:
The greatest performers in any game are the ones
who experience the pure joy of playing more
than the responsibility to play it correctly . . .
"Music can flash through the musician
like lightening through the sky . . ."
if it is unobstructed by thoughts.
Therefore, the elimination of thoughts is a very relevant issue.
That's why the first step in the book
is practicing the elimination of thoughts.
So...
Can you witness your hands moving on your instrument,
your club or your tennis racket without being attached?
Can you throw a dart, pitch a ball or shoot a basket
without caring about hitting the mark?
Can you focus on your breath
without being attached to how well you play?
Thank you for being here
as part of our Effortless Mastery Community.
Kenny Werner
and
Dr. Andrew Colyer
P.S. How are we doing?
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Ie.0J&m=1q3hs9dV2_7vP1&b=6Zr_aAIbKd6A9nP3ooUK6A
Dr. Andrew Colyer
ConsciousWorldMedia.com
86 Quarfelt Road, Clinton Corners, NY 12514, USA
August 9
Interesting.
I'm amazed at how an art form like jazz has been reduced to bgm (background music) at cocktail parties and hotel lounges/bars.
I've been told often by agents/managers in the past several years, "We are interested in you being seen and not really heard. We don't want your jazz fans coming here to listen to you. They don't drink enough and stay too long. We want a quick turnover in the seats."
And some "posers" or non-players have the "balls" to say that improvised music is dead? Ha ha the language hasn't died, only some of the speakers of the language have lost their way.
We create our culture or we let our culture be created for us.
If you dare to find out more about the culture creators, read this one....^_-
I'm amazed at how an art form like jazz has been reduced to bgm (background music) at cocktail parties and hotel lounges/bars.
I've been told often by agents/managers in the past several years, "We are interested in you being seen and not really heard. We don't want your jazz fans coming here to listen to you. They don't drink enough and stay too long. We want a quick turnover in the seats."
And some "posers" or non-players have the "balls" to say that improvised music is dead? Ha ha the language hasn't died, only some of the speakers of the language have lost their way.
We create our culture or we let our culture be created for us.
If you dare to find out more about the culture creators, read this one....^_-
August 8
"When you play jazz, you have to live it. You know, those notes mean something. They don't just come from your brain, they come from your heart and soul too. So I think in order to have that heart and soul, you have to experience life. So I relate my music to my life and my lifestyle. You can't separate the two."
Woody Shaw interviewed by Louise Gilbreth 106.7 Jazz Masters WRVR
Saturday, August 8, 2009
August 7
Can't say enough but, don't want to say too much about this interview. Lawrence says some priceless things. I would put some quotes here but, there are simply too many. Young creators really should listen to this (many times) and older creators should listen to get "re-grounded" into the things that drew them into the creative world in the beginning.
Lawrence Williams Interview (video
Art of Lawrence Williams
Lawrence Williams Interview (video
Art of Lawrence Williams
Thursday, August 6, 2009
August 6
http://kennywernerlive.com/effortless-mastery-reminders/madame-chaloff-and-the-secret-of-music-your-effortless-mastery-reminders-015
Kenny Werner says so much in 7 minutes! Love what he says about the "creativity of the last note."
I've been thinking so much lately about some of things I heard in the video this morning. Maybe I'm not crazy..hahaha. This idea of free jazz..free improvisation...what is it? Werner says that when we are playing tunes with chord changes, we're not free until we "master" the chords/scales. I believe that. It's not about the chords or the scales, it's playing the tune a million times and mastering those aspects of the tune until we become free. We are not free to really improvise until we pass through that stage. I've had so much trouble the past few years to get my groups to even memorize the music before gigs. It's such a common problem, I've recently started to think maybe I'm foolish. Learning to play the tune seems like a logical first step (with music or learning by ear). Next I want to memorize the tune/chords/scales. Listen to different versions. Play the tune in different keys. Memorize and sing solos of others that have recorded the tune just to understand how they perceived the structure and learn vocabulary. Maybe even learn the tune on the piano, slowly playing the chords, singing the chords, singing bass notes, singing the melody. These are all small steps towards gaining freedom "inside" of a tune.
I've been thinking so much lately about some of things I heard in the video this morning. Maybe I'm not crazy..hahaha. This idea of free jazz..free improvisation...what is it? Werner says that when we are playing tunes with chord changes, we're not free until we "master" the chords/scales. I believe that. It's not about the chords or the scales, it's playing the tune a million times and mastering those aspects of the tune until we become free. We are not free to really improvise until we pass through that stage. I've had so much trouble the past few years to get my groups to even memorize the music before gigs. It's such a common problem, I've recently started to think maybe I'm foolish. Learning to play the tune seems like a logical first step (with music or learning by ear). Next I want to memorize the tune/chords/scales. Listen to different versions. Play the tune in different keys. Memorize and sing solos of others that have recorded the tune just to understand how they perceived the structure and learn vocabulary. Maybe even learn the tune on the piano, slowly playing the chords, singing the chords, singing bass notes, singing the melody. These are all small steps towards gaining freedom "inside" of a tune.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
August 4
Lightning in a Bottle: Creating, Presenting, and Preserving Jazz
Philoctetes
Philoctetes - Home
At 1:34:00, Shoenberg and Pope talking about the composition process.
__________________________________________________________
Listening to Pope's band, I'm reminded of my experiences teaching at summer jazz camps and/or beginning improvisation classes. Over the years, I noticed time and time again young students of improvisation become paralyzed and unable to play because of their fear of chord changes. Some of the most successful ensembles I've had were started by playing "free." I might have the bass player play a pedal note or ask the drummer to start playing some kind of a groove. It's always amazing to see/hear how creative these young people are. I want them to get a taste of creating, to get the experience (without limitations) of improvising. It's possible later to slowly introduce songs that incorporate chord changes/scales and more complex harmonic language.
That being said, I often play with musicians who've been playing for years and dislike or feel uncomfortable with "free" improvised music or "free jazz." I think that is part of the reason that young players are afraid to enter the world of improvisation. The "educational system" in the world of improvisation seems to throw a lot of rules and complex ideas at young people that don't have a clue. The result: fear.
Recently, taught an ensemble of young players. They are a few years into the "indoctrination process of chords/scales and learning the bebop language. I happened to have a book of some of M.C. Escher's works in my horn case. We spent a few minutes looking at some of Escher's work and I asked them to improvise one of his designs. They seemed a little apprehensive. So, I asked them to imagine that we are in the studio and doing a soundtrack for a documentary on Escher's life and work. We have been handed a copy of this design and the producers want us to come up with some music to put behind this scene....NOW. It was amazing how creative this ensemble became. I was in shock. In that class we played some standard jazz and funk tunes but, when they created this free improvisation of a design by Escher, it was by far the most beautiful and sensitive playing they had done in weeks!
A great performance by Odean Pope and his Trio followed by an hour of discussion about the creative process and improvisation. Odean makes some special comments about inspiration and the role that plays in his improvisations and compositions.
Philoctetes
"The Philoctetes Center for the Multidisciplinary Study of the Imagination was established to promote an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of creativity and the imaginative process."
Philoctetes - Home
At 1:34:00, Shoenberg and Pope talking about the composition process.
__________________________________________________________
Listening to Pope's band, I'm reminded of my experiences teaching at summer jazz camps and/or beginning improvisation classes. Over the years, I noticed time and time again young students of improvisation become paralyzed and unable to play because of their fear of chord changes. Some of the most successful ensembles I've had were started by playing "free." I might have the bass player play a pedal note or ask the drummer to start playing some kind of a groove. It's always amazing to see/hear how creative these young people are. I want them to get a taste of creating, to get the experience (without limitations) of improvising. It's possible later to slowly introduce songs that incorporate chord changes/scales and more complex harmonic language.
That being said, I often play with musicians who've been playing for years and dislike or feel uncomfortable with "free" improvised music or "free jazz." I think that is part of the reason that young players are afraid to enter the world of improvisation. The "educational system" in the world of improvisation seems to throw a lot of rules and complex ideas at young people that don't have a clue. The result: fear.
Recently, taught an ensemble of young players. They are a few years into the "indoctrination process of chords/scales and learning the bebop language. I happened to have a book of some of M.C. Escher's works in my horn case. We spent a few minutes looking at some of Escher's work and I asked them to improvise one of his designs. They seemed a little apprehensive. So, I asked them to imagine that we are in the studio and doing a soundtrack for a documentary on Escher's life and work. We have been handed a copy of this design and the producers want us to come up with some music to put behind this scene....NOW. It was amazing how creative this ensemble became. I was in shock. In that class we played some standard jazz and funk tunes but, when they created this free improvisation of a design by Escher, it was by far the most beautiful and sensitive playing they had done in weeks!
Monday, August 3, 2009
August 3
Went to Miyakojima in Okinawa last year. Maybe it's just about time to go there again. Miyakojima is a tropical paradise, actually closer to Taiwan than the main southern Japanese islands. I didn't see any evidence of over-development there. Lots of wide-open spaces, sugar cane farms, beautiful white sand beaches and quiet. I'll have to say, in the past few years, except for my occasional trips to West Virginia or west of Tokyo to the Japanese alps, I felt the most inspired to create while on Miyakojima. I just love nature. That's it. Period. Very difficult for me to feel inspired living in the city. I guess I can create anywhere and under a lot of different conditions. But, if I had my preference......
August 2
The Power of Nightmares
(parts 1-3)
Another documentary presenting more ideas on the process in which "the system" has guided our thinking and perceptions of society and the world around us. With this constant attack on our senses and thinking, I wonder how the growth of creativity is stunted and/or limited?
http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares
(parts 1-3)
Another documentary presenting more ideas on the process in which "the system" has guided our thinking and perceptions of society and the world around us. With this constant attack on our senses and thinking, I wonder how the growth of creativity is stunted and/or limited?
http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares
August 1
"Trumpet player Clark Terry summarizes the creative process as "imitate, assimilate, innovate". Listening to other musicians can give you ideas you may wish to develop further, and being able to successfully duplicate what they are doing is one step toward being able to express yourself. Next, you must understand why the things you are playing sound the way they do, so that when you want to create a particular sound, you will know how to achieve it. The theory presented in the following sections can help you structure your thoughts, and can also help you identify the sounds you hear. However, analytic processes are an aid to the creative process, not a replacement for it. Two analogies, one with language and one with mathematics, should help make this clear.Trumpet player Clark Terry summarizes the creative process as "imitate, assimilate, innovate". Listening to other musicians can give you ideas you may wish to develop further, and being able to successfully duplicate what they are doing is one step toward being able to express yourself. Next, you must understand why the things you are playing sound the way they do, so that when you want to create a particular sound, you will know how to achieve it. The theory presented in the following sections can help you structure your thoughts, and can also help you identify the sounds you hear. However, analytic processes are an aid to the creative process, not a replacement for it. Two analogies, one with language and one with mathematics, should help make this clear."
Jazz Fundamentals - Marc Sabatella
http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-3.html
July 31
After listening to the first tune, you'll here some interesting comments from Hargrove about creativity and where the music comes from.
Roy Hargrove on Music
Roy Hargrove on Music
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