June 30

Over the years, I've been witness to some I consider craftsmen/masters. They seem to be always "doing the work." This doesn't mean being a workaholic. Balance is also key. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Characteristics such as consistency, steadiness, balance, persistence, unchanging, undeviating yet, selfless/egoless were obvious. They never seem to be seeking fame or reward and are undaunted and fearless about failure.

"Work alone is your privilege, never the fruits thereof. Never let the fruits of action be your motive; and never cease to work. Be not affected by success of failure."

Bhagavad Gita

Interview
Bill Evans discussing improvisation and the creative process


Creativity Exercise
DeBono's Creativity Workout #7 (pg 34)
Random Words - Combining Random Words to Deliver a New Value

Composition

Today I finally took action on a project I've thought about for a long time. I'm starting to write an etude book for trumpet. Just what the world needs right? Hahaha..well, I'm writing (hopefully) in my voice, the way I speak on the horn. So, there might be something there for someone to take a look at. But then again, it doesn't really matter. I just want to get this down on paper. Kind of "clearing process" for me.

Listening
Edward Elgar - Enigma Variations
Keith Jarrett - Live in Tokyo 1996

Movie
Syriana
Watched this movie probably 5-6 times already. One of the best geopolitical films I've seen. A little too realistic.

Reading
Effortless Mastery - Kenny Werner

Keith Jarrett - NY Times - Jazz Martyr
Keith Jarrett: Zen in the Art of Jazz
Michael Michalko, 100 Monkeys (Collective Unconcious)
Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
by Deon Du Plessis
An Enlightened Approach To Success
Kenny Wheeler Interview

Food/Drink
Having a new wine tonight from a company called Concha Y Toro (Sunshine - Merlot) and listening to Keith Jarrett. A great wine from Chile and the piano playing is pretty good too!

June 29

Reading
Was taking a look (again) at "Zen in the Art of Archery" today. This is probably the most important book I've ever read relating to playing my instrument. I recommend this book to anyone in the arts. As I read this book, I just substitute the word trumpet every time Herrigel uses archery.

"What is to be done? How does skill become "spiritual," and how does sovereign control of technique turn into master swordplay? Only, so we are informed, by the pupil's becoming purposeless and egoless. He must be taught to be detached not only from his opponent but from himself. He must pass through the stage he is still at and leave it behind him for good, even at the risk of irretrievable failure. Does this sound as nonsensical as the demand that the archer should hit without taking aim, that he should completely lose sight of the goal and his intention to hit it? It is worth remembering, however, that the master swordmanship, whose essence Takuan describes has vindicated itself in a thousand contests."

Zen in the Art of Archery - Eugen Herrigel, pg 72

Art
Wassily Kandinsky
I'm a HUGE fan of Kandinsky's work. I started reading this book of Kandinsky's today. This is a follow-up to his first book, "Concerning the Spiritual in Art." In these two books, he outlines the dynamics involved in his painting regarding texture, time, and even drawing parallels between color and musical pitches and the emotional effects.

"Composition V" 1911 - Wassily Kandinsky

Music
Chet Baker Interview
In college I really got into a deep Chet "thing." Probably lasted from 1980 to 1983 when I had moved to Washington, D.C. I was never into the stuff Chet did in the early years. I was very attracted to his playing just before he died. He spent all that time in Europe after having new teeth put in. I thought his playing in the later years had really changed. To my ears, his sound had become darker and more soulful. He was always a person that had a good balance of space in his melodic lines. I think in the later years, he had really mastered the use of space. His improvisations really remind me of a painting. His use of space along with the harmonic color and his vocabulary was very much like a painter.


Chet Playing Cherokee in Antwerp
I included this video cause it's nice to hear Chet "fly." A lot of people would be surprised to hear him playing like this on Cherokee. A lot of people only associate Chet with My Funny Valentine and other moody ballads. That's something I like about his playing. He could play as fast as anyone but, he wasn't the kind of player that felt a need to have to show you that all the time. Maybe cause he had reached such a level of maturity and detachment, he didn't have to be "up in your face."

I remember reading something pianist Hal Galper mentioned in the liner notes of a recording I was listening to a lot in the early 80's. Galper was talking about his time working with Chet in Europe. Galper talked about how Chet was a master at not playing too much.

"Chet always knew how to leave the audience wanting more."
Hal Galper

Performance at OPCM

Free Rein, a performance at OPCM on April 3, 2009 from mxxx palmer on Vimeo.

Poetry Reading: Ted Kooser


Stevie Wonder wrote this tune for Michael Jackson
I Can't Help It (Live)


Edward Elgar
I started looking into Elgar's life and music today. Here is a rare clip of him conducting his own incredibly famous "Pomp and Circumstance."
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