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)
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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

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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!
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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

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 22

Exercise
Yoga and Chikung this morning and again tonight.


Trumpet
Long slow warmups
Reviewed several Brandt etudes
Played tunes tonight (runnin' keys)

Books
Pumping Ions - Tom Wujec
Did some visualization and random word exercises

Creativity Workout - Edward DeBono
Random word exercises related to some future photography projects I want to do.

Music
Listening to:
Samuel Barber - Piano Concerto Op. 38
Stravinsky - Firebird

Podcast
Alan Watt - Cutting Through the Matrix
June 19 Podcastra

June 21

Books
Couldn't resist going to the used book sale at Book-Off in Shirokanedai yesterday. Couldn't believe it! I got all this stuff for about $10! Picked up a couple of great little things:

I'm collecting and reading/studying all of DeBono's books now. Great ideas on creativity..especially "lateral thinking."

***See the documentary below***

I had kind of forgotten how much I used to enjoy looking at mind-bending illusions.

I was lucky to find 2 old issues of my favorite magazine right now.

I'm really looking forward to spending some time in this book and studying about one of my favorite composers!

Documentary
I was amazed/shocked the first time I saw this documentary. In fact, this is one of the things that started me a mission for the past 3-4 years to get down to where the "rubber meets the road" regarding the reality of the world we live in and the one that is being presented to us..hahaha..talking about mind-bending illusions!

"The Corporation"
***see the book above***


Random Word
Spent some time sitting in a cafe at the bookstore this evening and doing some random word exercises that I saw recently in Tom Wujec's book, Pumping Ions.

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!