My Favorite Place to Play in Tokyo/Yokohama

My favorite "jazz" club in Tokyo-Yokohama. Airegin (Yokohama) near Kannai station. Airegin is the home of a great music festival called the International Impromusica Festival. I've always enjoyed performing at Airegin cause I've always felt the music is put ahead of anything else. Sometimes there are good audiences and sometimes I've played for only 2-3 people. Regardless, there has never been any kind of bad vibe from the owner. It's all about the creativity. Especially in this day and time when the money seems to control all, it's so important for artists to have a space to create and let ideas flow. Airegin is just that kind of space.

August 21

Noticing that there is a major distinction between creating ideas and doing the necessary execution to bring the idea into reality.

I'm wondering if there could be a right-brain left-brain connection problem. People that are great creating ideas seem to have trouble sometimes with the step by step methodical execution of the idea/plan. The "grunt" work involved in making the idea into a real thing appears to be boring for some.

There's really nothing creative about sitting in a room [for hours, days, weeks, months, years] and practicing scales/chords and technical studies. That is a very left-brain kind of activity. However, it's quite necessary if one has any hope of being able to do the execution required to bring out that idea that's floating around in the inner ear.

August 12

Haven't posted on this blog for 12 days after doing 72 days in a row.

It's called "hitting the wall."

August 5

"If you don't know history, it's like you were born yesterday."

Howard Zinn

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

July 28

The Future of Music on NPR
Great interview with David Kusek (Berklee College of Music)
Click on the above link and listen/download the interview.

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?

July 27

James Cameron talks tech, "Avatar" at Comic-Con

"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....^_-


Clark Terry - "Storyteller" (video interview)

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.

Tom Wujac Speaks at TED

Brain Chow Post 6/6/09 re: Wujec

July 19

Today

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).

July 18

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.

Fireside Chat With Dave Holland
Fireside Chat With Tom Harrell
Fireside Chat With Lester Bowie
Fireside Chat With George Coleman
Fireside Chat With Anthony Braxton
Fireside Chat With Billy Harper

July 17

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

July 13

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!!!

Marc Copeland: An Aesthetic Manifesto
Interview With Marc
Official Website

"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

Primacy of the Ear (pdf)
Third Stream and the Importance of the Ear

July 12

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.

Naito Tadayuki Official Website

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.

Gary Bartz interview


Today went to a new cafe in Takasaka called the Malidali Cafe
Malidali Website

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.

Wayne Shorter
Juju

Joe Henderson
Page One
Lush Life
In 'N Out

Monk
Monk's Dream

July 11

"Every morning when I pick up the horn, I'm a beginner."

Armando Ghitalla

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.

July 9

Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer
Culture Industry

"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."

Wikipedia - Culture Industry

Wikipedia - Culture Industry

The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception
Chapter 1 from Dialectic of Enlightenment - Adorno/Horkheimer

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


Charlle Haden on NPR
Interview on "Ramblin' Boy" (text)
Audio Interview
Interview on Democracy Now
Text/Video/Audio/MP3

"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

July 8

"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.

July 7

Creativity/Projects



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






John Grisham on Writing

June 28

Sometimes I really love rainy days. Today was one of those days. Woke-up late today, got a good warm-up on the horn, ,did chi kung/yoga, had my blueberry/banana juice and talked with family. For me that's a great way to start the day. This old building I live in has one of those great tin roofs. I think they were especially made for rain. If it's one of those slow steady rains, there is kind of a rhythm to the sound of the rain landing on the roof. I spent several hours alternating between playing the trumpet, clearing/reading email that came in last week and checking out some new websites I've been introduced to. Here's a sampling of what I got into today.

Newsletters/Websites/Videos
Mind Map Inspiration
Murderous Musings in Creativity
Creative Liberty
Open Culture
Mycoted
Creative Education Foundation
Creativity Exercise Blogs
Kristina Dryza Official Website (friend of mine in Tokyo-SUPER creative!)
Futurethink
Futurethink Newsletters
NASA Newsletter
iconoculture
Creative Pro Newsletter
Creative Pro - "Mag Covers that Broke the Rules"
James Mahones' "Practice Portal" Blog (happy to call him friend)
Lateral Action
Creativity - Wiki
Creativity - Graham Wallas

Speakers at Google


Links for Creativity Sites on Creative Liberty
YouTube "Smart" Videos

92st Y
Neil Gaiman and Chip Kidd
20th Anniversary of Sandman


FreeJazz
Got this book from Senzoku on Friday. Looks like it could give me more insight into the "free jazz" scene.



Yoga Journal
Count your blessings..have gratitude.


WebProNews
"Dow Jones Exec Describes Google as Digital Vampire"
Interesting reading the story and then the comments and trying to take the side of each one. A good creativity exercise I think.

Finally, around 9pm I decided to go into Ikebukuro for a jam session. Walked a few blocks from the house with my horn listening to Alex Jones' podcast and suddenly asked myself, "Why am I walking to the station, taking a 15 minute train ride, another 15 minute walk to the club and then have to pay $25 (¥2500) to get in and only play a couple of tunes?" So I turned around and took my horn back to the house. Just couldn't pay $25 to sit-in. That's why there really isn't any kind of good jam session scene in Japan where the musicians can come together as a community and hang and talk and play. The club owners want to "feed" off of us and continue to drain a group of people that are already struggling financially.

Went to Mister Donut and spent a couple of hours reading more about Victor Vasarely and doing exercises from DeBono's book, "Creativity Workout." Tonight I continued with some of the "random word" exercises. Did exercises related to "pairing", "grouping" and "connecting."

June 26

Quote

"The painter passes through states of fullness and of emptying. That is the whole secret of art. I take a walk in the forest of Fontainebleau. There I get an indigestion of greenness, I must empty this sensation into a picture. Green dominates in it. The painter paints as if in urgent need to discharge himself of his sensations and his visions."

Christian Zervos and Pablo Picasso, "Conversations with Picasso"
Cathiers d'Art, 1935
The Creative Process, pg 59

Interview
Jon Hassell | Ambassador From the Fourth World

June 24

Music
Had a fun gig last night with the Jeff Curry Trio at the New Marunouchi Building in Tokyo. It was great playing again in a piano-less trio. No offense to all the piano players I know. It's been a while and felt good. Harmonically, I like that freedom. Also, it felt comfortable to play flugel in that group with the wood bass and wooden drums and in a large open space. Tone of the instruments seemed to match up well. I need to consistently play in a group like that because maybe sometimes I rely a little too much on listening to piano players for the form. When playing in this type of trio I sometimes feel like I get lost in the form or am on the edge. That used to bother me a lot more than it does these days. I just figure if we lose the form, that's how somebody on the bandstand was hearing it and let's go with that. It used to be a source of tension and stress. These days, my thinking has completely changed about those things. I love a quote I heard yesterday...

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original."

Ken Robinson

Art
Living in Tokyo? If you're into going to museums, you have to use Tokyo Art Beat's handy little guide to the Tokyo Art Scene.

Tokyo Art Beat Website
Tokyo Art Map (download) PDF

Powered by Tokyo Art Beat

Magazines
I've enjoyed Z magazine because of the wide spectrum they cover. Just scanning through magazines like this can open up some new areas of thought.



Exercise
Doing a new yoga pose today. Great for stretching knees, legs and ankles. Been having a lot of pain in my left ankle recently. Sometimes it has been difficult to walk. Going to the doctor SOON!
Utthita Parsvakonasana


Movie
Saw a great 1954 Japanese movie today at Shin-Bungeiz theater in Ikebukuro. They're having a film festival celebrating the work of Kyo Machiko. The name of this movie was Shunkin Monogatari (The Story of Shunkin).
Shin-Bungeiza Theater



Misc
Sat in a cafe doing some DeBono random word exercises tonight. Did one called "double effect." The results were really surprising.