Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ
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#1 2007-12-09 07:12:47
- Musgo da Pedra
- Member
- From: South of Brazil
- Registered: 2007-12-02
- Posts: 332
- Website
Modern music...
Hello...
In these days in which we are so worried about timbristic or let's say tone color in the shakuhachi we have been making, I would like to ask to the forum members what they think about the ways that the new MUSIC composed for/with the shakuhachi are taking...
It's a tendency on the humanity the search for immediate pleasures, we look for fun ... It's really reflected in music. If we play shakuhachi to someone who doesn't have heard about the flute(or the flute itself) or doesn't know anything about it's history, a lot of times we'll hear a boring question: "Can you play jazz on it?" or "Do you play a well-known music?(they hear the shaku sonority as strange improvisations from a martian hippie?). At least I hope never be asked to play a samba on shakuhachi... I think that a lot of people forgot their sensibility somewhere over the way....
If by a side some modern players can compose music that can put our knees to the floor, on the other side we hear music that just "get in through one ear and get out through another", sometimes without make any shake in our soul...
Balance is the key as in the whole life aspects... But the human being has inclinations. To where these are taking the music?
Omnia mea mecum porto
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#2 2007-12-11 08:12:02
- Jeff Cairns
- teacher, performer,promoter of shakuhachi
- From: Kumamoto, Japan
- Registered: 2005-10-10
- Posts: 517
- Website
Re: Modern music...
Hi Musgo da Pedra,
As for the directions of new music for the shakuhachi, I think it's an open book. Due to the fact that the shakuhachi has expanded into something more than an instrument of Japanese tradition, the number of voices available to it are limited only by the number of personalities behind the blowing edge and beyond that, there is an unlimited potential. I for one love the traditions as they have given me a grounding, but I'm very intrigued with what some people are doing. I've never really been able to appreciate atonal and environmental music in one sitting over extended periods of time, but recently, thanks to random play on my ipod, I've come to really enjoy Phil Gelb's Purple Wind CD, as well as Christopher Blasdel's new recording with Byron Au Yong, Breath Play. I get inspiration from improvising My compositions don't particularly appear improvisational, but they largely come from explorations.
As for your question of inclinations, I haven't necessarily seen any trends happening, and for that I'm happy.
cheers
Last edited by Jeff Cairns (2007-12-11 08:17:42)
shakuhachi flute
I step out into the wind
with holes in my bones
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#3 2007-12-12 10:53:38
- philipgelb
- Chef, musician, teacher
- From: Oakland, California
- Registered: 2005-10-08
- Posts: 135
- Website
Re: Modern music...
Thanks for mentioning one of my CDs! At the same time i cringe think someone actually listens to one of my early recordings like Purple Wind as personally, i cant stand it 
Will be releasing some new recordings, next year including a duet project with my musical partner, the amazing pipa player, Jie Ma.
Philip Gelb
shakuhachi player, teacher & vegetarian chef
Oakland, CA
http://philipgelb.com http://myspace.com/philipgelb, http://myspace.com/inthemoodforfood
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#4 2007-12-12 11:23:16
Re: Modern music...
philipgelb wrote:
At the same time i cringe think someone actually listens to one of my early recordings like Purple Wind as personally, i cant stand it
Ha! Phil, I love this attitude towards art!
I think failure (real or perceived) is a permanent companion to any serious endeavor in shakuhachi. It insures humility, reinforces the benefits of beginners mind and strengthens determination. It reveals that we are really only competing with ourselves.
Don't look back!
Ken
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#6 2007-12-13 20:14:39
- Jeff Cairns
- teacher, performer,promoter of shakuhachi
- From: Kumamoto, Japan
- Registered: 2005-10-10
- Posts: 517
- Website
Re: Modern music...
Cringeful and invigorating (after the humility of course.) Look back and forward, look up and down and occasionally side to side. Look in and look out; something's always coming at you and you're always going somewhere. Phil, it may not be your best work, but I'm glad you did it.
shakuhachi flute
I step out into the wind
with holes in my bones
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#8 2007-12-13 23:10:42
- Moran from Planet X
- Member
- From: Here to There
- Registered: 2005-10-11
- Posts: 1524
- Website
Re: Modern music...
philipgelb wrote:
Will be releasing some new recordings, next year including a duet project with my musical partner, the amazing pipa player, Jie Ma.
Sounds wonderful already. (I was disappointed when you told me last year that Purple Wind was out-of-print. But I guess you aren't).
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I am all out of bubblegum." —Rowdy Piper, They Live!
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#9 2007-12-14 08:30:45
- Jeff Cairns
- teacher, performer,promoter of shakuhachi
- From: Kumamoto, Japan
- Registered: 2005-10-10
- Posts: 517
- Website
Re: Modern music...
chikuzen wrote:
That sounds very much like Fuke's poem? Are you Fuke?
I have never read any poetry attributed to Fuke (though it may well be that he was merely channeling me at the time 
) that I'm aware of in this particular incarnation, therefore any similarities to the aforementioned must be accredited to the mysterious workings of the universe and I'm damn happy to be a part of it.
shakuhachi flute
I step out into the wind
with holes in my bones
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