A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 31, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 1 of whatever comes next
8:44am
Packing, cleaning, restoring, with the plan to be out and on our way home by noon. I always enjoy the first morning sitting on the day after the course has been completed. No schedule. No sense of joining in as part of a course. Just what we do every day. A new beginning.
The sun is inexplicably out. Going to take as much advantage of that in the cleanup as possible.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 7
A Tuning the Air Journal
Friday October 30, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 7
5:19pm
My body is sore, as though I ran a marathon yesterday. Hmmm.
Largely a day of looking after details in order to complete the course with care. A little light at the sitting, which is not so uncommon on the morning after a gig when beginners are involved. Conservation of energy requires awareness and practice. I joked with Jaxie at breakfast that at an earlier time in the history of Guitar Craft, at breakfast an announcement might have been made that we had another gig that night, and would be loading out in 4 hours.
Good comments and even a few observations about last night’s gig shared over breakfast.
For myself, 2 (or 3, depending on how you look at it) back to back meetings with Robert and a rolling assortment of the usual characters. First, the TTA performance team+4, looking at and completing the work we had undertaken for the week. Then the NAFGC (aka, the nafgooses) to look at the support that the Office needs, and ways that we can/will effect that. With just a little personnel shifting, this morphed into a GC Histories meeting. Several things came clear to me through these meetings, almost as a side effect. I hadn’t gone into them asking for answers, or even particularly focused on the questions, but at several points there were very clear decisions that presented themselves. One was very directly related to one of my aims for this course. The other was more of a surprise.
I had just enough time to grab a shower before lunch. It occurred to me that the shower stall was not designed to be used by an actual human being.
Two of the team departed this morning. One was due to a commitment for tomorrow and we were aware of it from the beginning. The second was unforeseeable, involving an emergency at his job. Their absence, while unavoidable, is definitely noticeable.
Great lunch of leftover soups. A performance/demonstration from Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude, of the circulation work they had undertaking in the morning. Another beauty from Patrick, and a poem from Erin as well. Office work and a bit of practice for me at the afternoon. Tea time was the course’s Merchandising Opportunity. Great bazaar-like atmosphere. I blew out all of the strings I had.
Met with Chris, Travis and Taylor on money matters after Tea, to wrap up the course finances, and get everyone paid. Barring a large surprise, it looks like we will not lose any money, and may even bank a buck or two.
House of Guitars at 6pm. Final meeting on the schedule for 9pm.
11:46pm
Substantial House of Guitars. One “when ready…” and from there it played itself. Three movements. Occasionally fell back on the reliable. But real moments of group movement. Ended with a whiz that didn’t quite reach last night’s altitude, but reached for it at least, and came close.
SSG on supper. Wonderful. The Blessing calling to be uttered, and then there it was. Silence with a capital.
Course complete. Just details now. But inattention to details can undo everything, so attention yet to be paid.
Looking forward to my own bed and my own shower, not to mention the monster.
Friday October 30, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 7
5:19pm
My body is sore, as though I ran a marathon yesterday. Hmmm.
Largely a day of looking after details in order to complete the course with care. A little light at the sitting, which is not so uncommon on the morning after a gig when beginners are involved. Conservation of energy requires awareness and practice. I joked with Jaxie at breakfast that at an earlier time in the history of Guitar Craft, at breakfast an announcement might have been made that we had another gig that night, and would be loading out in 4 hours.
Good comments and even a few observations about last night’s gig shared over breakfast.
For myself, 2 (or 3, depending on how you look at it) back to back meetings with Robert and a rolling assortment of the usual characters. First, the TTA performance team+4, looking at and completing the work we had undertaken for the week. Then the NAFGC (aka, the nafgooses) to look at the support that the Office needs, and ways that we can/will effect that. With just a little personnel shifting, this morphed into a GC Histories meeting. Several things came clear to me through these meetings, almost as a side effect. I hadn’t gone into them asking for answers, or even particularly focused on the questions, but at several points there were very clear decisions that presented themselves. One was very directly related to one of my aims for this course. The other was more of a surprise.
I had just enough time to grab a shower before lunch. It occurred to me that the shower stall was not designed to be used by an actual human being.
Two of the team departed this morning. One was due to a commitment for tomorrow and we were aware of it from the beginning. The second was unforeseeable, involving an emergency at his job. Their absence, while unavoidable, is definitely noticeable.
Great lunch of leftover soups. A performance/demonstration from Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude, of the circulation work they had undertaking in the morning. Another beauty from Patrick, and a poem from Erin as well. Office work and a bit of practice for me at the afternoon. Tea time was the course’s Merchandising Opportunity. Great bazaar-like atmosphere. I blew out all of the strings I had.
Met with Chris, Travis and Taylor on money matters after Tea, to wrap up the course finances, and get everyone paid. Barring a large surprise, it looks like we will not lose any money, and may even bank a buck or two.
House of Guitars at 6pm. Final meeting on the schedule for 9pm.
11:46pm
Substantial House of Guitars. One “when ready…” and from there it played itself. Three movements. Occasionally fell back on the reliable. But real moments of group movement. Ended with a whiz that didn’t quite reach last night’s altitude, but reached for it at least, and came close.
SSG on supper. Wonderful. The Blessing calling to be uttered, and then there it was. Silence with a capital.
Course complete. Just details now. But inattention to details can undo everything, so attention yet to be paid.
Looking forward to my own bed and my own shower, not to mention the monster.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 6
A Tuning the Air Journal
Thursday October 29, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 6
2:03pm
It’s gig day. Personal work for the morning. Not really much to do beyond that. Everything is as “in place” as it can be. Robert spoke a little at breakfast about the energy that is lost in unnecessary talking, and proposed that drives to and from the gig be quiet. We are taking up an exercise to keep us on and in touch with the course throughout the road trip. A travel meeting. I practiced for most of the morning, which was a treat. Very little hanging out going on. Not sure how others have been occupying themselves. Even gave myself permission to take a short nap (actually, Fernie convinced me it would be okay, and who am I to argue with Fernie?). Showered and ready to go. Just need to dress.
I depart with the advance team at about 2:45pm. What will be, will be.
Likelihood of journalizing beyond this, today, is very low. Obviously not carrying the laptop on the road, and we return at midnight.
Thursday October 29, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 6
2:03pm
It’s gig day. Personal work for the morning. Not really much to do beyond that. Everything is as “in place” as it can be. Robert spoke a little at breakfast about the energy that is lost in unnecessary talking, and proposed that drives to and from the gig be quiet. We are taking up an exercise to keep us on and in touch with the course throughout the road trip. A travel meeting. I practiced for most of the morning, which was a treat. Very little hanging out going on. Not sure how others have been occupying themselves. Even gave myself permission to take a short nap (actually, Fernie convinced me it would be okay, and who am I to argue with Fernie?). Showered and ready to go. Just need to dress.
I depart with the advance team at about 2:45pm. What will be, will be.
Likelihood of journalizing beyond this, today, is very low. Obviously not carrying the laptop on the road, and we return at midnight.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 5
A Tuning the Air Journal
Wednesday October 28, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 5
6:47am
I was to bed fairly early. Pretty buzzed, so sleep was not coming immediately, but as I recapitulated my day, I did manage to slip away.
Awoke in the morning, thinking, “I don’t feel at all rested.” There was a reason for this. A glance at my clock told me it was 3:03am. Rolled over and made it back to sleep without too much fuss. The next time I awoke, it was 5:38am, and this time it was for good. My mind was already racing around everything that has to be done in order to get us to the gig and back. Saw several meetings that are needed on the schedule for today. Heard what I will need to tell the entire team in terms of how to prepare for and be “on the road”. Wrestled with all the logisitical difficulties we will encounter with a group this sized at the Abbey. My mind was not quite wittering, in the sense that it was all relevant and necessary planning. But it was on automatic pilot and had been going, so far as I could tell, from before I actually woke up.
A couple of guys came strolling into rehearsal last night after we had already begun, causing us to have to stop, reset the circles to accommodate them, and begin anew, repeating some territory already covered. Sometimes I wish I had the capacity to be that blithely clueless. How much easier would my life would be?
After a few minutes this morning, it was clear that no more sleep was in my near future, so I surrendered to being awake, and got up, painfully aware of how much of a clatter I was making dressing in the dark, and came up to the dining hall in order to sit and contemplate these matters over a cup of coffee before the sitting. It would be very nice if my sitting was not occupied with this stuff, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope.
10:02am
Sitting, good. Discussion about last evening’s rehearsal over breakfast; a little more "stuff" than I need or want, but probably good and necessary for the group as a whole. Thirty minute TTA Production Team meeting that actually ran thirty minutes. Now a bit of time for personal work as the Gnarlies (aka “Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude”) are working out their stuff in the Chapel until lunch. Strings to be changed. And I need to meet with Howard to go over what he missed in the meeting with Robert yesterday.
3:17pm
Sounds like the Gnarlies had a barn-burner with RF at 10. I elected to practice. My loss. I continued through to lunch, taking breaks to change strings, to talk to the Fremont Abbey director about details for tomorrow, and to Travis about some transportation issues as well. In the late morning the Gnarlies worked again with Frank, Sandra and Jaxie on a circulation exercise. I popped in a couple of times, and once again found myself happily unnecessary.
Lunch was a low-key affair. Soup, humus and egg salad on pita. Awesome. The afternoon is mapped out. Gnarlies currently working with AT, although Frank was looking a little under the weather with a headache, and I am concerned for him. After Tea, the TTA Performance Team is on to go through some available repertoire for Robert to audition, so that he will have a pool to dive into for the show. Body Beat. Quiet time. Then, dinner. The evening will be the effective dress rehearsal for the gig.
6:38pm
Hell Boy appearance at Tea! The Chord from Hell with Hellboy Eduardo. No broken strings, so I’m not certain it counts.
Quiet time. We met with Robert re TTA repertoire for the gig, should it get called. I think Jaxie has a better feel for this than I do. When he calls on us, I’ll just look to my left with panic in my eyes, and follow her lead. After he departed, we ran a number of pieces. I was reminded how much I enjoy playing with this group. The hour was over too fast. Body Beat, with definite signs of improvement and assimilation. Kashmir is on for supper tonight.
11:53pm
Kashmir kicked ass.
Wonderful rehearsal. No latecomers. I guess that lesson was learned. We dealt with blocking and whizzing, with a little bit of circulating. Mostly instruction from the Conductor on what kinds of communications he would be doing, and some of the ways he might be doing them.
Bob was able to make it up for this rehearsal, which was completed quite early, so the TTA performance team + Pablo, Mary Beth and Fernando stayed in the Chapel for another hour running repertoire. Except that Bob had to drive back to Seattle, and we all have a gig tomorrow, I could easily have kept going and going. We began with a pretty substantial audience, but we outlasted every one of them. I was getting fatigued, but energized, if that makes any sense.
Evidently I was not alone. When I got to the dining hall there were a number of folks hanging out, some drinking tea and chatting, others practicing quite seriously, challenging one another with very difficult exercises. I had some work to do on the computer – boring shit like vehicle lists and cell phone number lists for the road trip tomorrow. By the time that was done, I was no longer buzzed, and so now I am ready to sleep. Long day tomorrow.
Wednesday October 28, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 5
6:47am
I was to bed fairly early. Pretty buzzed, so sleep was not coming immediately, but as I recapitulated my day, I did manage to slip away.
Awoke in the morning, thinking, “I don’t feel at all rested.” There was a reason for this. A glance at my clock told me it was 3:03am. Rolled over and made it back to sleep without too much fuss. The next time I awoke, it was 5:38am, and this time it was for good. My mind was already racing around everything that has to be done in order to get us to the gig and back. Saw several meetings that are needed on the schedule for today. Heard what I will need to tell the entire team in terms of how to prepare for and be “on the road”. Wrestled with all the logisitical difficulties we will encounter with a group this sized at the Abbey. My mind was not quite wittering, in the sense that it was all relevant and necessary planning. But it was on automatic pilot and had been going, so far as I could tell, from before I actually woke up.
A couple of guys came strolling into rehearsal last night after we had already begun, causing us to have to stop, reset the circles to accommodate them, and begin anew, repeating some territory already covered. Sometimes I wish I had the capacity to be that blithely clueless. How much easier would my life would be?
After a few minutes this morning, it was clear that no more sleep was in my near future, so I surrendered to being awake, and got up, painfully aware of how much of a clatter I was making dressing in the dark, and came up to the dining hall in order to sit and contemplate these matters over a cup of coffee before the sitting. It would be very nice if my sitting was not occupied with this stuff, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope.
10:02am
Sitting, good. Discussion about last evening’s rehearsal over breakfast; a little more "stuff" than I need or want, but probably good and necessary for the group as a whole. Thirty minute TTA Production Team meeting that actually ran thirty minutes. Now a bit of time for personal work as the Gnarlies (aka “Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude”) are working out their stuff in the Chapel until lunch. Strings to be changed. And I need to meet with Howard to go over what he missed in the meeting with Robert yesterday.
3:17pm
Sounds like the Gnarlies had a barn-burner with RF at 10. I elected to practice. My loss. I continued through to lunch, taking breaks to change strings, to talk to the Fremont Abbey director about details for tomorrow, and to Travis about some transportation issues as well. In the late morning the Gnarlies worked again with Frank, Sandra and Jaxie on a circulation exercise. I popped in a couple of times, and once again found myself happily unnecessary.
Lunch was a low-key affair. Soup, humus and egg salad on pita. Awesome. The afternoon is mapped out. Gnarlies currently working with AT, although Frank was looking a little under the weather with a headache, and I am concerned for him. After Tea, the TTA Performance Team is on to go through some available repertoire for Robert to audition, so that he will have a pool to dive into for the show. Body Beat. Quiet time. Then, dinner. The evening will be the effective dress rehearsal for the gig.
6:38pm
Hell Boy appearance at Tea! The Chord from Hell with Hellboy Eduardo. No broken strings, so I’m not certain it counts.
Quiet time. We met with Robert re TTA repertoire for the gig, should it get called. I think Jaxie has a better feel for this than I do. When he calls on us, I’ll just look to my left with panic in my eyes, and follow her lead. After he departed, we ran a number of pieces. I was reminded how much I enjoy playing with this group. The hour was over too fast. Body Beat, with definite signs of improvement and assimilation. Kashmir is on for supper tonight.
11:53pm
Kashmir kicked ass.
Wonderful rehearsal. No latecomers. I guess that lesson was learned. We dealt with blocking and whizzing, with a little bit of circulating. Mostly instruction from the Conductor on what kinds of communications he would be doing, and some of the ways he might be doing them.
Bob was able to make it up for this rehearsal, which was completed quite early, so the TTA performance team + Pablo, Mary Beth and Fernando stayed in the Chapel for another hour running repertoire. Except that Bob had to drive back to Seattle, and we all have a gig tomorrow, I could easily have kept going and going. We began with a pretty substantial audience, but we outlasted every one of them. I was getting fatigued, but energized, if that makes any sense.
Evidently I was not alone. When I got to the dining hall there were a number of folks hanging out, some drinking tea and chatting, others practicing quite seriously, challenging one another with very difficult exercises. I had some work to do on the computer – boring shit like vehicle lists and cell phone number lists for the road trip tomorrow. By the time that was done, I was no longer buzzed, and so now I am ready to sleep. Long day tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 4
A Tuning the Air Journal
Tuesday October 27, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 4
11:17am
Awake early for some reason. Sitting was not harassed by thoughts of exercises for the guitar circle, which was a pleasant change. Profound Silence visited about 15 minutes in, hung around for a while, and popped back in for breakfast.
Robert worked with Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude on the essentials of keeping time for the first hour of the morning. Fernie, Jax and myself in the Buddy role. For me that primarily means sitting off to the side inwardly counting my ass off, and beaming it into the circle as best I can. No evidence of particular success. Kindergarden time.
House of Guitars next.
12:57pm
House of Guitars. Still figuring things out.
10:45pm
Having to reach deep back into my memory now. Lunchtime feels like a lifetime ago. Getting to that point where convenient moments in the day to recapitulate are getting rarer and rarer.
After lunch Jaxie, Sandra and Frank met with Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude in the Chapel. Sandra and Frank were working their magic on the team while Jaxie worked with them on a guitar exercise she has been chewing on for a day or so. Since lunch I had been sitting in the dining hall to practice, for the first time since I arrived, and elected to stay with it rather than attend this meeting. It felt very good. About 30 minutes into the meeting I did pop in briefly, just to see how it was going, and to offer Jaxie any moral support she might need. In fact, it was going swimmingly well, and they had already gotten much further than I had really expected. So I listened for a few minutes, had a smile or two, and then went back to my practice, delighted to be unnecessary.
At Tea, the team from the chapel marched in, surrounded the dining area, and demonstrated what they had accomplished. It was glorious. I told Jaxie is was a minor miracle. Tony was even more effervescent.
After Tea, Tuning the Air Performance Team+4 met again with Robert in the Chapel to take yesterday’s work a step or two further. Went well beyond that. More later. Or maybe not. Eventually. Some future history I would think.
Body beat; always a tonic.
After dinner, our first Orchestra rehearsal in actual formation. The Tuning the Air Performance Team is the inner circle, augmented by Mary Beth, Pablo and Fernando; a formidable group. Left an open seat for Bob, who will be joining us tomorrow night for rehearsal and Thursday for the gig.
Robert walked us through the general shape of the evening. Tonight’s “When Ready, Please Begin” instructions were particularly silly. Served to loosen up the team, I think, and there were some very good moments, it seemed to me. At least from my seat it all seemed very promising. If nothing else, it was fun, which it was definitely not feeling this morning.
A lot of energy generated for me, for whatever that is worth. Makes the prospect of going to bed a little daunting, but I think that is where I am headed.
Tuesday October 27, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 4
11:17am
Awake early for some reason. Sitting was not harassed by thoughts of exercises for the guitar circle, which was a pleasant change. Profound Silence visited about 15 minutes in, hung around for a while, and popped back in for breakfast.
Robert worked with Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude on the essentials of keeping time for the first hour of the morning. Fernie, Jax and myself in the Buddy role. For me that primarily means sitting off to the side inwardly counting my ass off, and beaming it into the circle as best I can. No evidence of particular success. Kindergarden time.
House of Guitars next.
12:57pm
House of Guitars. Still figuring things out.
10:45pm
Having to reach deep back into my memory now. Lunchtime feels like a lifetime ago. Getting to that point where convenient moments in the day to recapitulate are getting rarer and rarer.
After lunch Jaxie, Sandra and Frank met with Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude in the Chapel. Sandra and Frank were working their magic on the team while Jaxie worked with them on a guitar exercise she has been chewing on for a day or so. Since lunch I had been sitting in the dining hall to practice, for the first time since I arrived, and elected to stay with it rather than attend this meeting. It felt very good. About 30 minutes into the meeting I did pop in briefly, just to see how it was going, and to offer Jaxie any moral support she might need. In fact, it was going swimmingly well, and they had already gotten much further than I had really expected. So I listened for a few minutes, had a smile or two, and then went back to my practice, delighted to be unnecessary.
At Tea, the team from the chapel marched in, surrounded the dining area, and demonstrated what they had accomplished. It was glorious. I told Jaxie is was a minor miracle. Tony was even more effervescent.
After Tea, Tuning the Air Performance Team+4 met again with Robert in the Chapel to take yesterday’s work a step or two further. Went well beyond that. More later. Or maybe not. Eventually. Some future history I would think.
Body beat; always a tonic.
After dinner, our first Orchestra rehearsal in actual formation. The Tuning the Air Performance Team is the inner circle, augmented by Mary Beth, Pablo and Fernando; a formidable group. Left an open seat for Bob, who will be joining us tomorrow night for rehearsal and Thursday for the gig.
Robert walked us through the general shape of the evening. Tonight’s “When Ready, Please Begin” instructions were particularly silly. Served to loosen up the team, I think, and there were some very good moments, it seemed to me. At least from my seat it all seemed very promising. If nothing else, it was fun, which it was definitely not feeling this morning.
A lot of energy generated for me, for whatever that is worth. Makes the prospect of going to bed a little daunting, but I think that is where I am headed.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 3
A Tuning the Air Journal
Monday October 26, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 3
9:11am
Awoke to the sound of actual rain. Welcome to the Pacific Northwest! Pleasant, really. I rather like this weather, and it is early enough in the season that it hasn’t yet worn out its welcome. I decided to pack up my most necessary stuff – guitar and computer – and move up to the dining hall, so that I won’t actually need to go back to the cabin during the day.
During the morning sitting, as I was struggling to stay with the exercise we are taking on for this course, an exercise for guitarists “who fly at a slightly more modest altitude” came to me that would address some of what I observed in the circle last night. At the head table over breakfast Robert, Jaxie and I wrangled a general schedule for the day that would accommodate a number of recognized needs. Robert will work with the TTA Performance Team, plus Tony, Fernie, Pablo and Mariana, first thing this morning. This will be followed by the House of Guitars. After lunch Jaxie, Frank and I will work with a group in the chapel on the exercise that I saw this morning. And then after Tea the TTA Full Company will meet to discuss logistics for Thursday. Somewhere in there I will need to phone the director at Fremont Abbey to discuss logistics on that end.
11:07am
Like some kind or wormhole opened up.
Now sitting in the minor cacophony of the dining hall. Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude have just completed a session of work on rhythm and counting. There is a lot of energy in the room. Some of it is a little out of control, but a lot of it is being very constructively directed. It is hard here in the winter, since private space for personal practice or small group work is very scarce, and so there is activity in every corner of the room.
House of Guitars is next on the schedule.
6:39pm
Quiet time, my favorite thing on the schedule!
House of Guitars was quite good. Feeling better than last night; that is for sure.
Lovely lunch. At the part of the course where “what's to eat” begins to feel like it is of primary importance. Patrick and the Gangsters providing music.
After lunch, Frank, Jaxie and I worked with the team on some listening and improvisation exercises, which began slowly but really developed into something interesting. Meanwhile the TTA Performance Team + guests worked with Sandra, on circulation, I understand, but I haven’t heard a direct report. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, Igor had to go back to Seattle. He is hoping to return tonight or tomorrow. Don D, who was waylaid by a bad back, did email to say he would be arriving tomorrow.
After Tea, a half-hour logistical meeting about Thursday, which ran over an hour. Necessary, but energy-sucking. For relief, body beat was next. And now, quiet time before dinner. The evening is not formalized yet.
7:38pm
Dinner running juuuuuust a tad late. The impending middle?
10:42pm
Well, dinner was late, but it was delicious. And guaranteed to raise the methane level in the room tonight.
House of Guitars. Feeling a somewhat selfish need for some comfort, I sat with a bunch of my TTA-mates. It is a joy to be in proximity to people that I know for a fact are listening. Whether anyone in the room realized it or not, it was a loose walk-through of how an OCG performance goes. Robert conducting the flow. There was one unqualified miracle. There was some stuff. Had a bit of fun playing with and off of Tony and Mariana who were sitting across the circle from me. There was some other stuff. Some really great moments of connectedness. Some epic cluelessness. The Orchestra in all its glory.
Monday October 26, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 3
9:11am
Awoke to the sound of actual rain. Welcome to the Pacific Northwest! Pleasant, really. I rather like this weather, and it is early enough in the season that it hasn’t yet worn out its welcome. I decided to pack up my most necessary stuff – guitar and computer – and move up to the dining hall, so that I won’t actually need to go back to the cabin during the day.
During the morning sitting, as I was struggling to stay with the exercise we are taking on for this course, an exercise for guitarists “who fly at a slightly more modest altitude” came to me that would address some of what I observed in the circle last night. At the head table over breakfast Robert, Jaxie and I wrangled a general schedule for the day that would accommodate a number of recognized needs. Robert will work with the TTA Performance Team, plus Tony, Fernie, Pablo and Mariana, first thing this morning. This will be followed by the House of Guitars. After lunch Jaxie, Frank and I will work with a group in the chapel on the exercise that I saw this morning. And then after Tea the TTA Full Company will meet to discuss logistics for Thursday. Somewhere in there I will need to phone the director at Fremont Abbey to discuss logistics on that end.
11:07am
It is December 1985. A grey, winterish day just outside of Charles Town, WV. I remember the light very clearly. I think it is morning, but that is not so clear to me. I am sitting on a chair in the ballroom of the Mansion at Claymont Court. My back is to the windows that are on the right side of the room as you enter, which in my experience means that I am facing south [although I cannot, here at Raft Island at this moment in 2009, verify this]. Robert is standing in front of his chair in the circle, directly across from me. He is showing someone a new part. Robert counts, and we play the second “A Minor” section of Eye of the Needle, and I hear it for the first time with the harmony part added.This morning, as I was sitting in the chapel in the circle, facing very roughly south, Robert sitting to my left, and the group mapping out Eye of the Needle, when we got to the second half of the F# Minor section, which also contains this harmony structure, I was very suddenly transported back to that moment. It was not a memory. I was present in that moment.
Like some kind or wormhole opened up.
Now sitting in the minor cacophony of the dining hall. Those Who Fly At A Somewhat More Modest Altitude have just completed a session of work on rhythm and counting. There is a lot of energy in the room. Some of it is a little out of control, but a lot of it is being very constructively directed. It is hard here in the winter, since private space for personal practice or small group work is very scarce, and so there is activity in every corner of the room.
House of Guitars is next on the schedule.
6:39pm
Quiet time, my favorite thing on the schedule!
House of Guitars was quite good. Feeling better than last night; that is for sure.
Lovely lunch. At the part of the course where “what's to eat” begins to feel like it is of primary importance. Patrick and the Gangsters providing music.
After lunch, Frank, Jaxie and I worked with the team on some listening and improvisation exercises, which began slowly but really developed into something interesting. Meanwhile the TTA Performance Team + guests worked with Sandra, on circulation, I understand, but I haven’t heard a direct report. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, Igor had to go back to Seattle. He is hoping to return tonight or tomorrow. Don D, who was waylaid by a bad back, did email to say he would be arriving tomorrow.
After Tea, a half-hour logistical meeting about Thursday, which ran over an hour. Necessary, but energy-sucking. For relief, body beat was next. And now, quiet time before dinner. The evening is not formalized yet.
7:38pm
Dinner running juuuuuust a tad late. The impending middle?
10:42pm
Well, dinner was late, but it was delicious. And guaranteed to raise the methane level in the room tonight.
House of Guitars. Feeling a somewhat selfish need for some comfort, I sat with a bunch of my TTA-mates. It is a joy to be in proximity to people that I know for a fact are listening. Whether anyone in the room realized it or not, it was a loose walk-through of how an OCG performance goes. Robert conducting the flow. There was one unqualified miracle. There was some stuff. Had a bit of fun playing with and off of Tony and Mariana who were sitting across the circle from me. There was some other stuff. Some really great moments of connectedness. Some epic cluelessness. The Orchestra in all its glory.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 2
A Tuning the Air Journal
Sunday October 25, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 2
8:55am
A much more Seattle-like morning. Yesterday the weather gods gave us some very fair and sunny weather to greet the arrivals. Today, back to cloud cover and a persistent chill in the air.
Up for sitting at 7:15. Dark in the chapel when we arrive. Breakfast was quiet. That didn’t seem so unusual. This does not strike me as a noisy group. Last June was almost painful at times. Kitchen meeting and first guitar circle this morning. AT for high flyers after lunch. The “low flyers” have rhythm and counting exercise to address.
12:49pm
Watching my opportunities and inclinations to maintain the journal throughout the day beginning to dwindle. We shall see.
Full House/Kitchen meeting in the morning. Many people here who have not had much experience in the Kitchen, or any. This makes things interesting.
First guitar circle at 11:00am. 33 of us sitting, and Robert on his feet. My arithmetic makes that 5 people in the kitchen preparing lunch. Happy to be sitting in the circle rather than standing in the Buddy role. On the other hand… Circulations. “When Ready, Begin”, once with the instruction “Rhythm”, once “Slow to Fast and Back Again”, and once “Low to High”. Always a remarkable experience. Vast cluelessness. Wanking of all sorts. A moment or two, but nothing that would inspire much in the way of Hope. Some circulating with rhythm. Arghh. Circulating assigned notes on the low string, accompanied by a rotation of attention exercise. And then some organized Whiz circulations, also including attention rotation; never quite achieved escape velocity.
Wondering if desperation is really a necessary component of Day 1. A chocolate left on my pillow by a kind soul changed my state, if only a little. Much needed and appreciated.
8:33pm
Good afternoon of work. After lunch, the “Gnarlies” worked in the chapel on counting to 5, 6 and 7, while the high flyers worked with Sandra in the dining hall on “Up” in the form of arising from a chair. A lot of attention required to do something that more or less does itself once you have the hang of it.
Jaxie was in thinking about playing “Brasil” at tea, but after the morning circle I was very hungry to circulate for real. Myself, Jax, Bob, Igor, Ian, and Chris, with Adrian and Tony. I asked for a key suggestion, and Jax immediately responded “the note of your choice.” There you have it. 10 minutes of pure joy, ending with impromptu zithering.
After Tea, some downtime while the AADers met with Robert. Jaxie pulled out the score to a Charles Ives piece she has in mind, and there were enough TTAers close by to work out the circulation part. I was reading, but distracted by what I was hearing, and eventually joined in on the piano left hand. It will be very beautiful.
Body beat with Tony at 6pm, which I needed very much, if only to get my body moving a bit. We went ahead and performed “Brasil” at dinner. Not our best effort, but always a winner.
Large Circle in the chapel coming up at 9:15.
10:31pm
Big Circle. Big, as in 38 people sitting down and Robert on his feet. Orchestra in full exploration mode. “When Ready, Begin.” The first one was completely disrupted by a latecomer who somehow failed to grasp that there was something going on, and managed to blunder around behind the circle, and command all attention in the room, rather than wait quietly until the opportunity to join the group presented itself. A lot of information in every improv. Some good moments. A lot of wanking. Some real listening, and some of whatever the opposite of listening is. Very clear to me that the whole thing hinges on our presence within the group. Doziness is death. Robert gave some very useful direction about what it takes to be in the performing Orchestra, for those with ears to hear. A bit of whizzing, which came close to what we know it can be, at least for bursts and moments.
Not quite as desperate feeling as earlier in the day, but in that place where I just can’t imagine how we are going to get from here to there.
Over dinner, in a discussion about the Alexander Technique work we had done earlier, I described the moment when we move from sitting to standing as “and then a miracle happens.” The Orchestra moving from a pile of guitar players into a cohesive unit is a lot like that.
Sunday October 25, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 2
8:55am
A much more Seattle-like morning. Yesterday the weather gods gave us some very fair and sunny weather to greet the arrivals. Today, back to cloud cover and a persistent chill in the air.
Up for sitting at 7:15. Dark in the chapel when we arrive. Breakfast was quiet. That didn’t seem so unusual. This does not strike me as a noisy group. Last June was almost painful at times. Kitchen meeting and first guitar circle this morning. AT for high flyers after lunch. The “low flyers” have rhythm and counting exercise to address.
12:49pm
Watching my opportunities and inclinations to maintain the journal throughout the day beginning to dwindle. We shall see.
Full House/Kitchen meeting in the morning. Many people here who have not had much experience in the Kitchen, or any. This makes things interesting.
First guitar circle at 11:00am. 33 of us sitting, and Robert on his feet. My arithmetic makes that 5 people in the kitchen preparing lunch. Happy to be sitting in the circle rather than standing in the Buddy role. On the other hand… Circulations. “When Ready, Begin”, once with the instruction “Rhythm”, once “Slow to Fast and Back Again”, and once “Low to High”. Always a remarkable experience. Vast cluelessness. Wanking of all sorts. A moment or two, but nothing that would inspire much in the way of Hope. Some circulating with rhythm. Arghh. Circulating assigned notes on the low string, accompanied by a rotation of attention exercise. And then some organized Whiz circulations, also including attention rotation; never quite achieved escape velocity.
Wondering if desperation is really a necessary component of Day 1. A chocolate left on my pillow by a kind soul changed my state, if only a little. Much needed and appreciated.
8:33pm
Good afternoon of work. After lunch, the “Gnarlies” worked in the chapel on counting to 5, 6 and 7, while the high flyers worked with Sandra in the dining hall on “Up” in the form of arising from a chair. A lot of attention required to do something that more or less does itself once you have the hang of it.
Jaxie was in thinking about playing “Brasil” at tea, but after the morning circle I was very hungry to circulate for real. Myself, Jax, Bob, Igor, Ian, and Chris, with Adrian and Tony. I asked for a key suggestion, and Jax immediately responded “the note of your choice.” There you have it. 10 minutes of pure joy, ending with impromptu zithering.
After Tea, some downtime while the AADers met with Robert. Jaxie pulled out the score to a Charles Ives piece she has in mind, and there were enough TTAers close by to work out the circulation part. I was reading, but distracted by what I was hearing, and eventually joined in on the piano left hand. It will be very beautiful.
Body beat with Tony at 6pm, which I needed very much, if only to get my body moving a bit. We went ahead and performed “Brasil” at dinner. Not our best effort, but always a winner.
Large Circle in the chapel coming up at 9:15.
10:31pm
Big Circle. Big, as in 38 people sitting down and Robert on his feet. Orchestra in full exploration mode. “When Ready, Begin.” The first one was completely disrupted by a latecomer who somehow failed to grasp that there was something going on, and managed to blunder around behind the circle, and command all attention in the room, rather than wait quietly until the opportunity to join the group presented itself. A lot of information in every improv. Some good moments. A lot of wanking. Some real listening, and some of whatever the opposite of listening is. Very clear to me that the whole thing hinges on our presence within the group. Doziness is death. Robert gave some very useful direction about what it takes to be in the performing Orchestra, for those with ears to hear. A bit of whizzing, which came close to what we know it can be, at least for bursts and moments.
Not quite as desperate feeling as earlier in the day, but in that place where I just can’t imagine how we are going to get from here to there.
Over dinner, in a discussion about the Alexander Technique work we had done earlier, I described the moment when we move from sitting to standing as “and then a miracle happens.” The Orchestra moving from a pile of guitar players into a cohesive unit is a lot like that.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 1
A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 24, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 1
11:00am
Up for the sitting in the chapel/ballroom. Breakfast. A morning of Housecraft. The property is in generally very good shape; certainly a little better every time we are here. The new (though not so “new” anymore, I guess) caretaker seems to really care, and so the facility continues to incrementally improve. Still, we need to go over the space from stem to stern so that it is at Guitar Craft standards (one of the reasons they like us here – I very much doubt there is any other group that reliably leaves the place in better condition than they found it). I was on Saint George duty for the first part of the morning, and then back to promotion duties for Thursday’s show, taking one glorious break for 20 minutes on Frank’s table.
5:25pm
The property is in very good shape. Total Level T, top to bottom and front to back. The ballroom is ready for us. The kitchen is up and running. All is good. The flood of arrivals has begun. Robert arrived around noon with Jaxie and Ingrid. Patrick is here. Tom is here. Fernie is here. The gang’s all here.
Lunch was soup. Very good. A recipe that Travis learned from Patty, which has served us very well. Spoke with Robert about logistics for the show on Thursday. Promotion may now begin. The show will be announced to the course at large at the end of the inaugural meeting.
Afternoon of putting the show out for the public to see: facebook postings and events, myspace, twitter, the Tuning the Air mailing list, my mailing list, you name it. I wonder how many people here with internet capability on their phones will have already learned about it by the time the meeting begins.
Nearly everyone has arrived, and no disasters or incidents. A couple more with later flights, but everyone should be here by suppertime. And then, the fun begins.
7:20pm
Supper running a tad late. It’s a tradition. Came back to the staff compound and worked on a guitar exercise for 15 minutes. First time I’ve picked up a guitar since I arrived. Felt strange. Familiar, but peculiar.
Working on formulating my aim. I have a sense of its essence, but haven’t quite found a way to articulate it that carries the spirit of the thing.
10:50pm
The course is on. No longer the “Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II Preparation” retreat, course, or anything else. Now, it is the Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II.
Saturday October 24, 2009 – Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II, Day 1
11:00am
Up for the sitting in the chapel/ballroom. Breakfast. A morning of Housecraft. The property is in generally very good shape; certainly a little better every time we are here. The new (though not so “new” anymore, I guess) caretaker seems to really care, and so the facility continues to incrementally improve. Still, we need to go over the space from stem to stern so that it is at Guitar Craft standards (one of the reasons they like us here – I very much doubt there is any other group that reliably leaves the place in better condition than they found it). I was on Saint George duty for the first part of the morning, and then back to promotion duties for Thursday’s show, taking one glorious break for 20 minutes on Frank’s table.
5:25pm
The property is in very good shape. Total Level T, top to bottom and front to back. The ballroom is ready for us. The kitchen is up and running. All is good. The flood of arrivals has begun. Robert arrived around noon with Jaxie and Ingrid. Patrick is here. Tom is here. Fernie is here. The gang’s all here.
Lunch was soup. Very good. A recipe that Travis learned from Patty, which has served us very well. Spoke with Robert about logistics for the show on Thursday. Promotion may now begin. The show will be announced to the course at large at the end of the inaugural meeting.
Afternoon of putting the show out for the public to see: facebook postings and events, myspace, twitter, the Tuning the Air mailing list, my mailing list, you name it. I wonder how many people here with internet capability on their phones will have already learned about it by the time the meeting begins.
Nearly everyone has arrived, and no disasters or incidents. A couple more with later flights, but everyone should be here by suppertime. And then, the fun begins.
7:20pm
Supper running a tad late. It’s a tradition. Came back to the staff compound and worked on a guitar exercise for 15 minutes. First time I’ve picked up a guitar since I arrived. Felt strange. Familiar, but peculiar.
Working on formulating my aim. I have a sense of its essence, but haven’t quite found a way to articulate it that carries the spirit of the thing.
10:50pm
The course is on. No longer the “Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II Preparation” retreat, course, or anything else. Now, it is the Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Moving to Raft Island
A Tuning the Air Journal
Friday October 23, 2009 – Moving to Raft Island
Up as usual. Sitting as usual, Greg there as well as Howard and Eduardo. 8am lesson as usual. End of anything usual.
Morning busy-ness preparing to depart to the OCGII Prep Retreat. A call from a participant in SF; down with the flu, and participation unlikely. Email from another in the Midwest; back thrown out, and participation in question. I’m picking 2 people up at the airport. Call from one, whose flight was delayed and rescheduled and would now arrive later. The “flight status” page on the website for the airline of the other arrival is out of commission. One of those days.
Ultimately sorted the flights out. MS was put through the ringer getting through immigration. 90 minutes of harassment. Ridiculous. But she’s here and that is all that matters. Back to my place where she met Melvin, who was rather miffed about his impending abandonment, but still managed to be charming. Packed my car, grabbed some lunch at the local pub – the final carne before the course – and hit the road, picking up the late arrival at SeaTac and continuing on to Raft Island. All went without a hitch, except for the inexplicable traffic and the periodic downpours. Preparation of the facility went like a well-oiled machine. Tony the chief cook for supper. I popped in to help from time to time, but focused on some course-related business for the most part. The chapel transformed into a ballroom with neither muss nor fuss.
Wi-fi available in the staff cabin. Bonus! Frank, Tony and me, with Fernie arriving tomorrow. The adjacent room will be for Sandra and Jaxie, who arrive tomorrow. Party central.
The primary course-related business of the day related to an email that came to me and Jaxie this morning: “after yesterday evening's performance, and waking this morning, i have the sense of The OCG performing at TTA next thursday, subject to your views.”
Well, duh.
Friday October 23, 2009 – Moving to Raft Island
Up as usual. Sitting as usual, Greg there as well as Howard and Eduardo. 8am lesson as usual. End of anything usual.
Morning busy-ness preparing to depart to the OCGII Prep Retreat. A call from a participant in SF; down with the flu, and participation unlikely. Email from another in the Midwest; back thrown out, and participation in question. I’m picking 2 people up at the airport. Call from one, whose flight was delayed and rescheduled and would now arrive later. The “flight status” page on the website for the airline of the other arrival is out of commission. One of those days.
Ultimately sorted the flights out. MS was put through the ringer getting through immigration. 90 minutes of harassment. Ridiculous. But she’s here and that is all that matters. Back to my place where she met Melvin, who was rather miffed about his impending abandonment, but still managed to be charming. Packed my car, grabbed some lunch at the local pub – the final carne before the course – and hit the road, picking up the late arrival at SeaTac and continuing on to Raft Island. All went without a hitch, except for the inexplicable traffic and the periodic downpours. Preparation of the facility went like a well-oiled machine. Tony the chief cook for supper. I popped in to help from time to time, but focused on some course-related business for the most part. The chapel transformed into a ballroom with neither muss nor fuss.
Wi-fi available in the staff cabin. Bonus! Frank, Tony and me, with Fernie arriving tomorrow. The adjacent room will be for Sandra and Jaxie, who arrive tomorrow. Party central.
The primary course-related business of the day related to an email that came to me and Jaxie this morning: “after yesterday evening's performance, and waking this morning, i have the sense of The OCG performing at TTA next thursday, subject to your views.”
Well, duh.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuning the Air 167
A Tuning the Air Journal
Thursday October 22, 2009 – Tuning the Air 167
Just serves to prove what I already know: the performer has no idea how the performance is going. For the entire set I truly did not know. I was not having any kind of negativity, or anything like that. I simply couldn’t tell. The Zeppelin medley was the only place I had a strong sense that this was really good.
The word from people I trust not to shield me from the truth is that is was a very good show.
Tomorrow the entire team, except Bob and Meleah, are moving down to Gig Harbor for the Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II Residential Preparation Retreat. This may have some interesting implications for next Thursday’s show.
Tuning the Air 167
Thursday October 22, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #5
Preshow:
Thursday October 22, 2009 – Tuning the Air 167
Just serves to prove what I already know: the performer has no idea how the performance is going. For the entire set I truly did not know. I was not having any kind of negativity, or anything like that. I simply couldn’t tell. The Zeppelin medley was the only place I had a strong sense that this was really good.
The word from people I trust not to shield me from the truth is that is was a very good show.
Tomorrow the entire team, except Bob and Meleah, are moving down to Gig Harbor for the Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists II Residential Preparation Retreat. This may have some interesting implications for next Thursday’s show.
Tuning the Air 167
Thursday October 22, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #5
Preshow:
Joel Palmer ImprovisationsSet:
Entrance and Zither - F Harmonic MinorEncore:
Tuning The Air - F Harmonic Minor
Zither - F Harmonic Minor: double reverse
The Wig Maker (Gibson)
Sigh and a Kiss (Williams)
Cultivating the Beat (Williams)
Prelude XXII in G Minor (Shostakovich)
Circulation in C Harmonic Minor
Voices of Ancient Children (Kabusacki/Nunez)
Batrachomyomachy (Geballe)
Aquarela do Brasil (Barrosa)
Circulation in C Major
In My Room (Wilson)
Address the audience, and musical chairs.
Tuning The Air - KfaD scale
Mevlevi Greeting - KfaD scale
King for a Day (Jensen)
My Precious Dream (Binder)
The Bus Artist (Abuladze/Metcalf)
Kashmir (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
Twilight (Williams)
Thrak (Fripp) [The composer was in the audience. How could we not?]
Lament (Geballe) [Likewise]
Monday, October 19, 2009
Evening Rehearsal at the Wilsons
A Tuning the Air Journal
Monday October 19, 2009 – Evening Rehearsal at the Wilsons
Gathered at the Wilsons at 8:30. Chris under the weather, so we were 8 in the circle. Began by going over the corrected score for La Rueda that Luciano sent in response to my questions. This was pretty quick work. We couldn’t exactly run the piece without Chris, but with all of the arpeggio circulators present we did manage not only to verify the parts, but to get it up to tempo and have a good look at balance and blending details. Very good work, and a clear sense that this could be up and running in pretty short order.
A couple of runs through Eye of the Needle before a break.
Last part of the rehearsal dedicated to Scorched Air. All of the circulators present, so we began with the low clockwise circulation. Once that was well established and up to tempo, on to the double circulation. Several runs through the entire piece. Still not quite ready for primetime, but beginning to show signs of life.
The question, not entirely rhetorical, posed was “how do we keep these pieces (La Rueda and Scorched Air) viable and current when we will not be rehearsing together for a couple of weeks?” The entire team, except Bob, will be moving to Raft Island for the Guitar Craft course on Friday, so it will not be possible to have full group rehearsals until the Monday after the course, 2 weeks from now. Of course, there will be a lot of work together, and that is always beneficial to the group and the show – in many ways better than rehearsal, or at least a valuable change of routine with a good dose of new information – but these are pieces that need to be practiced together if they are to be performed, and if nothing happens with them between now and our next rehearsal, we will be back to starting over with them, and that isn’t a particularly attractive future.
The rehearsal ended with some discussion about the show itself, both details and more general qualities. We don’t sit and talk about this as often as we once did, and it was both necessary and refreshing.
One more show before the course, likely with a few of the arriving participants in the audience. No idea what the show for the following week will be. It could be that the company will simply slip away for the show, and the course will go on in our absence. Or, perhaps we will bring some additional players along and incorporate some of the work we are doing in the retreat as a kind of special project. Hell… maybe we’ll pack the whole course into vans and cars and have a Tuning the Air extravaganza – it’s a Guitar Craft course and one never knows what will happen.
Monday October 19, 2009 – Evening Rehearsal at the Wilsons
Gathered at the Wilsons at 8:30. Chris under the weather, so we were 8 in the circle. Began by going over the corrected score for La Rueda that Luciano sent in response to my questions. This was pretty quick work. We couldn’t exactly run the piece without Chris, but with all of the arpeggio circulators present we did manage not only to verify the parts, but to get it up to tempo and have a good look at balance and blending details. Very good work, and a clear sense that this could be up and running in pretty short order.
A couple of runs through Eye of the Needle before a break.
Last part of the rehearsal dedicated to Scorched Air. All of the circulators present, so we began with the low clockwise circulation. Once that was well established and up to tempo, on to the double circulation. Several runs through the entire piece. Still not quite ready for primetime, but beginning to show signs of life.
The question, not entirely rhetorical, posed was “how do we keep these pieces (La Rueda and Scorched Air) viable and current when we will not be rehearsing together for a couple of weeks?” The entire team, except Bob, will be moving to Raft Island for the Guitar Craft course on Friday, so it will not be possible to have full group rehearsals until the Monday after the course, 2 weeks from now. Of course, there will be a lot of work together, and that is always beneficial to the group and the show – in many ways better than rehearsal, or at least a valuable change of routine with a good dose of new information – but these are pieces that need to be practiced together if they are to be performed, and if nothing happens with them between now and our next rehearsal, we will be back to starting over with them, and that isn’t a particularly attractive future.
The rehearsal ended with some discussion about the show itself, both details and more general qualities. We don’t sit and talk about this as often as we once did, and it was both necessary and refreshing.
One more show before the course, likely with a few of the arriving participants in the audience. No idea what the show for the following week will be. It could be that the company will simply slip away for the show, and the course will go on in our absence. Or, perhaps we will bring some additional players along and incorporate some of the work we are doing in the retreat as a kind of special project. Hell… maybe we’ll pack the whole course into vans and cars and have a Tuning the Air extravaganza – it’s a Guitar Craft course and one never knows what will happen.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Vancouver Open Circle
A Tuning the Air Journal
Sunday October 18, 2009 – Vancouver Open Circle
Managed to sleep in just a little. Once up, I hung out with the boys for a while. About 10am Pablo and I headed out for a little sight seeing and some breakfast. As best I can work out the math, it has been more than 7 years since I’ve been up here. How did that happen?
At 11am we went to the studio space where the Circle would take place; a combination graphic design office, artist loft and recording studio in an industrial neighborhood along the port. Very workable space. Our host, a friend of Pablo’s, is a jazz guitarist of long standing. NST is new to him, and he has borrowed a funky acoustic guitar for the day. Sotirios arrived, and they began arranging the room we would use, moving furniture out and setting up chairs. I practiced.
A few of the attendees began drifting in. Pablo and Sotirios were in charge of working out the tuning issues. Plenty of extra strings on hand. As 1pm approached, Pablo began to look a little nervous that people would not show. He needn’t have been concerned; at 1pm there was a deluge. All but one or two of those who had signed up were there. The circle would be 11, plus me on my feet. Tuning continued for some time. One nylon string guitar needed to be tuned down to A, and then capoed at the 3rd fret in order to accommodate NST. By 1:30 we were able to begin in earnest.
It was a pretty straightforward beginner’s circle. We began by bringing some attention and awareness to the body and then moved on to a graduated series of circulation exercises. Largely noise and chaos at the beginning. The presence of a can of beer that accompanied one of the players was a first. But after an hour of work together, a good sense of group began to emerge.
We took a short break. In the second half we worked with more rhythmic exercises, culminating in a bit of thrakkishness. I noticed a very discernable change in the group as soon as this combination of counting and visceral music was introduced. Given what I had seen at the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised at how far we were able to take this. At about 3:30, I sensed that we were where we were going to be able to get, and drew the circle to a close with a circulation. A lot of energy in the room.
After restoring the space, back to Pablo’s place to pick up my overnight bag and wish the family farewell. Uneventful drive back to Seattle, other than a slightly slow border crossing. Stopped off for supper at the local pub, where I ran into Andy and Crystal. Then home to a rather miffed cat.
Sunday October 18, 2009 – Vancouver Open Circle
Managed to sleep in just a little. Once up, I hung out with the boys for a while. About 10am Pablo and I headed out for a little sight seeing and some breakfast. As best I can work out the math, it has been more than 7 years since I’ve been up here. How did that happen?
At 11am we went to the studio space where the Circle would take place; a combination graphic design office, artist loft and recording studio in an industrial neighborhood along the port. Very workable space. Our host, a friend of Pablo’s, is a jazz guitarist of long standing. NST is new to him, and he has borrowed a funky acoustic guitar for the day. Sotirios arrived, and they began arranging the room we would use, moving furniture out and setting up chairs. I practiced.
A few of the attendees began drifting in. Pablo and Sotirios were in charge of working out the tuning issues. Plenty of extra strings on hand. As 1pm approached, Pablo began to look a little nervous that people would not show. He needn’t have been concerned; at 1pm there was a deluge. All but one or two of those who had signed up were there. The circle would be 11, plus me on my feet. Tuning continued for some time. One nylon string guitar needed to be tuned down to A, and then capoed at the 3rd fret in order to accommodate NST. By 1:30 we were able to begin in earnest.
It was a pretty straightforward beginner’s circle. We began by bringing some attention and awareness to the body and then moved on to a graduated series of circulation exercises. Largely noise and chaos at the beginning. The presence of a can of beer that accompanied one of the players was a first. But after an hour of work together, a good sense of group began to emerge.
We took a short break. In the second half we worked with more rhythmic exercises, culminating in a bit of thrakkishness. I noticed a very discernable change in the group as soon as this combination of counting and visceral music was introduced. Given what I had seen at the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised at how far we were able to take this. At about 3:30, I sensed that we were where we were going to be able to get, and drew the circle to a close with a circulation. A lot of energy in the room.
After restoring the space, back to Pablo’s place to pick up my overnight bag and wish the family farewell. Uneventful drive back to Seattle, other than a slightly slow border crossing. Stopped off for supper at the local pub, where I ran into Andy and Crystal. Then home to a rather miffed cat.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Rehearsal, House Circle, Course Management Meeting, and a drive
A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 17, 2009 – Rehearsal, House Circle, Course Management Meeting, and a drive
Good crowd in the living room in the morning. There was a dance audition at Fremont Abbey, so all of our activities took place at my apartment.
Jaxie was out for the rehearsal, and Howard was under the weather, so there was a certain limitation on what we could address. Tony had his guitar with him, so we invited him to sit in with us, and for the first hour+ we worked on circulating “any note”, with the metronome, in eighth notes at tempos that began at quarter=120bpm and worked up to 186bpm. Bill helped with observations about out timing. With 8 players, eighth notes are regular in the circulation, so it is easy to fall into simply playing in time rather than actually circulating. We spoke about the AT theme the high flyers will be addressing at next week’s Guitar Craft course, which will be “Up”, and how that might be incorporated into how we are as we circulate. Before the break we moved to eighth note triplets, at a considerably slower tempo. In a circle of eight, this is a little more challenging, and we were not as consistently accurate in either the timing or the flow. Some discussion of why this might be.
After the break, on to La Rueda. We weren’t looking to play the piece, per se, but to go through the score and verify the parts. Tony was in Howard’s seat, and had to pick up the initiating notes of each bar, which he did quickly. Over the course of an hour, we identified a number of questions, places where the recording and the score were at variance. After the rehearsal I emailed Luciano for some clarification.
The House Team arrived at 1pm; Greg, IgorK and Mary Beth on board, with Christina under the weather and so staying home. We worked entirely in C Major, once again addressing diatonic arpeggios, triads and seventh chords, with an ear toward recognizing their quality and significance.
Jaxie, Chris and Travis arrived at 2:30 for a final pre-course meeting, focusing on the finances, travel, and all of the assorted details that are needed to get a Guitar Craft course off the ground.
At 4pm the meeting was over, and I loaded into my car for the (rainy) drive up to Vancouver, to spend the evening with Pablo and Melina and the boys before tomorrow’s inaugural Vancouver Open Circle.
Saturday October 17, 2009 – Rehearsal, House Circle, Course Management Meeting, and a drive
Good crowd in the living room in the morning. There was a dance audition at Fremont Abbey, so all of our activities took place at my apartment.
Jaxie was out for the rehearsal, and Howard was under the weather, so there was a certain limitation on what we could address. Tony had his guitar with him, so we invited him to sit in with us, and for the first hour+ we worked on circulating “any note”, with the metronome, in eighth notes at tempos that began at quarter=120bpm and worked up to 186bpm. Bill helped with observations about out timing. With 8 players, eighth notes are regular in the circulation, so it is easy to fall into simply playing in time rather than actually circulating. We spoke about the AT theme the high flyers will be addressing at next week’s Guitar Craft course, which will be “Up”, and how that might be incorporated into how we are as we circulate. Before the break we moved to eighth note triplets, at a considerably slower tempo. In a circle of eight, this is a little more challenging, and we were not as consistently accurate in either the timing or the flow. Some discussion of why this might be.
After the break, on to La Rueda. We weren’t looking to play the piece, per se, but to go through the score and verify the parts. Tony was in Howard’s seat, and had to pick up the initiating notes of each bar, which he did quickly. Over the course of an hour, we identified a number of questions, places where the recording and the score were at variance. After the rehearsal I emailed Luciano for some clarification.
The House Team arrived at 1pm; Greg, IgorK and Mary Beth on board, with Christina under the weather and so staying home. We worked entirely in C Major, once again addressing diatonic arpeggios, triads and seventh chords, with an ear toward recognizing their quality and significance.
Jaxie, Chris and Travis arrived at 2:30 for a final pre-course meeting, focusing on the finances, travel, and all of the assorted details that are needed to get a Guitar Craft course off the ground.
At 4pm the meeting was over, and I loaded into my car for the (rainy) drive up to Vancouver, to spend the evening with Pablo and Melina and the boys before tomorrow’s inaugural Vancouver Open Circle.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Tuning the Air 166
A Tuning the Air Journal
Thursday October 15, 2009 – Tuning the Air 166
Up in the pitch black dark for the morning sitting. Happily, the weather seems to have abated somewhat. Tuesday was blustery and rainy, and yesterday was borderline torrential at times. I have no solid, quantifiable, evidence that rain keeps people away from the show, but it does feel like it would be a deterrent. In truth, it seems that really good weather, especially in the spring and summer when the sun doesn’t set until late at night, is more demonstrably bad for attendance. But maybe it is all entirely in my imagination.
Good lesson with Mary Beth, working on playing all of the parts of Eye of the Needle. She is pretty much there, and even the parts she is less proficient with, she at least knows how they go and understands how they work with the other parts. After the lesson we headed over to Fremont Abbey Arts Center to hang the banner and set out the sandwich boards.
Now home, doing some cooking so that I will be able to have a solid midday meal before heading out for the show. Practicing as well. One lesson coming up in the early afternoon.
Rumor is that there is a birthday in the team today. If it is true, Horn Up Your Ass will likely make an appearance in the encore. If not, I don’t imagine Christina’s cake will go uneaten. We’ll just have to find a different reason to celebrate.
Tuning the Air 166
Thursday October 15, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #4
Preshow:
Thursday October 15, 2009 – Tuning the Air 166
Up in the pitch black dark for the morning sitting. Happily, the weather seems to have abated somewhat. Tuesday was blustery and rainy, and yesterday was borderline torrential at times. I have no solid, quantifiable, evidence that rain keeps people away from the show, but it does feel like it would be a deterrent. In truth, it seems that really good weather, especially in the spring and summer when the sun doesn’t set until late at night, is more demonstrably bad for attendance. But maybe it is all entirely in my imagination.
Good lesson with Mary Beth, working on playing all of the parts of Eye of the Needle. She is pretty much there, and even the parts she is less proficient with, she at least knows how they go and understands how they work with the other parts. After the lesson we headed over to Fremont Abbey Arts Center to hang the banner and set out the sandwich boards.
Now home, doing some cooking so that I will be able to have a solid midday meal before heading out for the show. Practicing as well. One lesson coming up in the early afternoon.
Rumor is that there is a birthday in the team today. If it is true, Horn Up Your Ass will likely make an appearance in the encore. If not, I don’t imagine Christina’s cake will go uneaten. We’ll just have to find a different reason to celebrate.
Tuning the Air 166
Thursday October 15, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #4
Preshow:
Joel Palmer ImprovisationsSet:
Entrance and Zither - F Harmonic MinorEncore Potential:
Tuning The Air - F Harmonic Minor
Zither - F Harmonic Minor: double reverse
The Wig Maker (Gibson)
Sigh and a Kiss (Williams)
Cultivating the Beat (Williams)
Prelude XXII in G Minor (Shostakovich)
Circulation in C Harmonic Minor
Voices of Ancient Children (Kabusacki/Nunez)
Batrachomyomachy (Geballe)
Aquarela do Brasil (Barrosa)
Circulation in C Major
In My Room (Wilson)
Address the audience
Tuning The Air - KfaD scale
Mevlevi Greeting - KfaD scale
King for a Day (Jensen)
My Precious Dream (Binder)
The Bus Artist (Abuladze/Metcalf)
Kashmir (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
Twilight (Williams)
49 Notes (Golden)
Eye of the Needle (Fripp)
Lament (Geballe)
Little Gangsters (Little Gangsters) (Abuladze)
Music for a Found Harmonium (Jeffes)
Thrak (Fripp)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Rehearsal at the Wilsons
A Tuning the Air Journal
Monday October 12, 2009 – Rehearsal at the Wilsons
All nine of the performance team were present for this rehearsal. A night of fairly heavy labor. Or, perhaps just a little labored. Energy seemed low, generally. Could simply be seasonal; the sun is rising about 7:30 in the morning and setting about 6:30 in the evening, the weather is chilly and wet, and all in all there is a strong pull toward hibernation. But life goes on and we have schedules to follow.
We began by reviewing the re-orchestrated Zeppelin circulation, getting Bob up to speed on what we worked out on Saturday. Even though this circulation is not strictly metronomic, we put in some time with the metronome in order to hone the sense of flow.
That done, we moved on to “Scorched Air”. Although this was in the set last season, it is not (yet) to the point where we can drop it and pick it back up easily. After a break it requires a fair amount of detailed rehearsal work to get back into performance trim, and even when it is up and running it needs to be played at every rehearsal. The bi-directional circulation is especially tricky, but that is only the tip of the scorched iceberg. The work together in rehearsal highlighted the amount of personal work we need if we are to reanimate this beast.
For the final part of the rehearsal, we moved on to “La Rueda”. Like “Scorched Air”, it is all about the circulations, and very difficult to work on except when we are all present. This one is still very new, so the first part of any rehearsal inevitably focuses on simply remembering parts. The circulating, itself, is not too terribly difficult, and well within our comfort zone as a group. We just don’t really “know” the piece yet, and so a good portion of the rehearsal was focused on details of parts and accuracy. Tony and Christina popped in on their way home from the House Circle meeting, and sat in on the tail end of this rehearsal. Christina moved inside the circle and we were able to do a couple of runs through before we called it a night.
Monday October 12, 2009 – Rehearsal at the Wilsons
All nine of the performance team were present for this rehearsal. A night of fairly heavy labor. Or, perhaps just a little labored. Energy seemed low, generally. Could simply be seasonal; the sun is rising about 7:30 in the morning and setting about 6:30 in the evening, the weather is chilly and wet, and all in all there is a strong pull toward hibernation. But life goes on and we have schedules to follow.
We began by reviewing the re-orchestrated Zeppelin circulation, getting Bob up to speed on what we worked out on Saturday. Even though this circulation is not strictly metronomic, we put in some time with the metronome in order to hone the sense of flow.
That done, we moved on to “Scorched Air”. Although this was in the set last season, it is not (yet) to the point where we can drop it and pick it back up easily. After a break it requires a fair amount of detailed rehearsal work to get back into performance trim, and even when it is up and running it needs to be played at every rehearsal. The bi-directional circulation is especially tricky, but that is only the tip of the scorched iceberg. The work together in rehearsal highlighted the amount of personal work we need if we are to reanimate this beast.
For the final part of the rehearsal, we moved on to “La Rueda”. Like “Scorched Air”, it is all about the circulations, and very difficult to work on except when we are all present. This one is still very new, so the first part of any rehearsal inevitably focuses on simply remembering parts. The circulating, itself, is not too terribly difficult, and well within our comfort zone as a group. We just don’t really “know” the piece yet, and so a good portion of the rehearsal was focused on details of parts and accuracy. Tony and Christina popped in on their way home from the House Circle meeting, and sat in on the tail end of this rehearsal. Christina moved inside the circle and we were able to do a couple of runs through before we called it a night.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sitting, Rehearsal, and House Circle
A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 10, 2009 – Sitting, Rehearsal, and House Circle
Good turnout for the sitting. Tony here, and Bill back from the road.
To Fremont Abbey Arts Center for rehearsal. Eight in the circle, with Bob AAD. Bill, Tony and Christina in the center. The group felt a little scattered to me, so we warmed up with 15 minutes of right hand work on a single string, gathering in the energy. From there to some circulation work with the metronome, beginning with eighth notes on a 120bpm setting, and working our way up to 156bpm.
My observation from Thursday, which kept coming back to me all day yesterday, had to do with projecting notes, and the difference between that and simply playing louder. I saw on Thursday that we need to put some intention into notes in order to carry them out into the room, and that this is qualitatively different from simply turning up the volume. We began experimenting with this on the Shostokovich prelude. We began with the left hand, played by Travis, Ian and myself, with the intention to have our notes converge in the center of the circle; to send them to this very specific spot. Quickly remembered that we also need to play to one another, and included that in the intention. Moved to the circulated right hand part, playing it with the same kind of intention to send the note out, but somewhat more complex in that the circulation vectorizes around a star-shaped pattern and that connection needs to be attended to. I listened from various parts of the room, and made some suggestions about keeping the level of all six guitars the same.
For my ears, this work made a huge difference in the vitality of the piece.
Moved on to the closing circulation of the Zeppelin medley, which has not been satisfactory yet this season. My answer, and the feeling seemed to be generally shared, was that the parts needed to be redistributed so that it is no longer vectorized and back into a straight circulation. Not the first time we have had to do this, so we made pretty short work of it. Ian sat in for Bob, and will teach him his part on Monday. We should be good to go.
After a short break, Bill took off and we moved on to a rather intensive look at the rhythm section for the “King for a Day” solos. In the Great Hall, this has been the scariest thing we play. We have managed to dodge any train wrecks, but we have definitely rounded a few corners up on two wheels, and I always come out of that part breathing a major sigh of relief, which is not really the feeling I am aiming for when performing a piece of music. We dissected it and then reassembled it in an array of forms. Extremely informative. In the end, I didn’t feel as though we had come up with a “different” way to play it, but I was very definitely hearing it differently, with a much better grasp of what to listen for as we sync these parts together.
Another short break, and in the final half hour we took advantage of Tony’s presence to review some details and correct a couple of misapprehensions on both “Batrachomyomachy” and “Lament”. If he can come on Monday, when we are all together, I’d like to run “Where Is The Nurse?” by him as well.
Primary plan for Monday, however, is “Scorched Air” and “La Rueda”.
On to my place for a meeting with the House Circle; Greg, Mary Beth, Igor K and Christina on board for today. For the first half, we took another look at how note choices affect a circulation. Working in A Minor, I moved the team from Aeolian/natural minor to Dorian to Phrygian, and then to both Melodic and Harmonic Minor. In the HM work we focused on listening for the seventh, and responding with the E7 chord.
A break, and then on to learning the basics of the six-note phrase the Performance Team is using for the Division of Attention exercise, working through the six forward and the six retrograde displacements.
A good day of work.
Saturday October 10, 2009 – Sitting, Rehearsal, and House Circle
Good turnout for the sitting. Tony here, and Bill back from the road.
To Fremont Abbey Arts Center for rehearsal. Eight in the circle, with Bob AAD. Bill, Tony and Christina in the center. The group felt a little scattered to me, so we warmed up with 15 minutes of right hand work on a single string, gathering in the energy. From there to some circulation work with the metronome, beginning with eighth notes on a 120bpm setting, and working our way up to 156bpm.
My observation from Thursday, which kept coming back to me all day yesterday, had to do with projecting notes, and the difference between that and simply playing louder. I saw on Thursday that we need to put some intention into notes in order to carry them out into the room, and that this is qualitatively different from simply turning up the volume. We began experimenting with this on the Shostokovich prelude. We began with the left hand, played by Travis, Ian and myself, with the intention to have our notes converge in the center of the circle; to send them to this very specific spot. Quickly remembered that we also need to play to one another, and included that in the intention. Moved to the circulated right hand part, playing it with the same kind of intention to send the note out, but somewhat more complex in that the circulation vectorizes around a star-shaped pattern and that connection needs to be attended to. I listened from various parts of the room, and made some suggestions about keeping the level of all six guitars the same.
For my ears, this work made a huge difference in the vitality of the piece.
Moved on to the closing circulation of the Zeppelin medley, which has not been satisfactory yet this season. My answer, and the feeling seemed to be generally shared, was that the parts needed to be redistributed so that it is no longer vectorized and back into a straight circulation. Not the first time we have had to do this, so we made pretty short work of it. Ian sat in for Bob, and will teach him his part on Monday. We should be good to go.
After a short break, Bill took off and we moved on to a rather intensive look at the rhythm section for the “King for a Day” solos. In the Great Hall, this has been the scariest thing we play. We have managed to dodge any train wrecks, but we have definitely rounded a few corners up on two wheels, and I always come out of that part breathing a major sigh of relief, which is not really the feeling I am aiming for when performing a piece of music. We dissected it and then reassembled it in an array of forms. Extremely informative. In the end, I didn’t feel as though we had come up with a “different” way to play it, but I was very definitely hearing it differently, with a much better grasp of what to listen for as we sync these parts together.
Another short break, and in the final half hour we took advantage of Tony’s presence to review some details and correct a couple of misapprehensions on both “Batrachomyomachy” and “Lament”. If he can come on Monday, when we are all together, I’d like to run “Where Is The Nurse?” by him as well.
Primary plan for Monday, however, is “Scorched Air” and “La Rueda”.
On to my place for a meeting with the House Circle; Greg, Mary Beth, Igor K and Christina on board for today. For the first half, we took another look at how note choices affect a circulation. Working in A Minor, I moved the team from Aeolian/natural minor to Dorian to Phrygian, and then to both Melodic and Harmonic Minor. In the HM work we focused on listening for the seventh, and responding with the E7 chord.
A break, and then on to learning the basics of the six-note phrase the Performance Team is using for the Division of Attention exercise, working through the six forward and the six retrograde displacements.
A good day of work.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tuning the Air 165, Part Two
A Tuning the Air Journal
Friday October 9, 2009 – Tuning the Air 165, Part Two
Set up went even smoother than last week. The team arrived at 5pm, and by 5:30 everything was substantially in place. Joel arrived and set his gear up. A few technical bugs in the form of some buzzing in the amplifier were pretty much the only wrinkles for us. By 6pm all of the assembled performance team members were warming up together, and the rest arrived shortly. We ran a number of pieces, including material not in the set. “Where Is The Nurse?” was particularly hot.
At 7:30 the full team gathered in the circle and the performance began. Joel set the ambience. After the show I asked him how it went – I am in the green room during the preshow, and can’t really hear. He seemed generally pleased, and identified a few changes and improvements he sees for next week. Very happy to have a human being tuning the room for us.
Doors opened at 7:45. Shortly after 8, we went on. Fair sized audience, including some new faces as well as old friends. Tony was in the audience, sitting in front of Travis, which for some reason I found amusing during “Batrachomyomachy”. All went well. All of the challenges we have discovered remained challenging, but I sensed that we are learning how to negotiate them. “Sigh and a Kiss” was a stunner. Meleah’s lighting continues to evolve, and there were moments in which the music and lights were not separate at all; breathtaking.
Rousing and heartfelt applause as we exited. A number of guitar aficionados in the audience, and so I felt that “Little Gangsters” was called for in the encore. Called “Little Gangsters”, “Thrak” and “Lament”, and out we went. Bob, obeying an intuition, took a slightly unexpected route that threw me just a bit. Clearly the right thing, but I was a little too dozy to go with it, and so our re-entrance was not as beautifully choreographed as we would like, but live and learn. The Gangsters delivered. Before “Thrak” I suggested we “raise the roof”, and we did. The work in rehearsals this week clearly showed benefits. “Lament” was lovely. I had called it, at least in part, because Tony was in the audience. I could see him as we played, and felt moments of emotional upheaval that I usually don’t have in performance.
Tomorrow, rehearsal and work with the House Circle.
Friday October 9, 2009 – Tuning the Air 165, Part Two
Set up went even smoother than last week. The team arrived at 5pm, and by 5:30 everything was substantially in place. Joel arrived and set his gear up. A few technical bugs in the form of some buzzing in the amplifier were pretty much the only wrinkles for us. By 6pm all of the assembled performance team members were warming up together, and the rest arrived shortly. We ran a number of pieces, including material not in the set. “Where Is The Nurse?” was particularly hot.
At 7:30 the full team gathered in the circle and the performance began. Joel set the ambience. After the show I asked him how it went – I am in the green room during the preshow, and can’t really hear. He seemed generally pleased, and identified a few changes and improvements he sees for next week. Very happy to have a human being tuning the room for us.
Doors opened at 7:45. Shortly after 8, we went on. Fair sized audience, including some new faces as well as old friends. Tony was in the audience, sitting in front of Travis, which for some reason I found amusing during “Batrachomyomachy”. All went well. All of the challenges we have discovered remained challenging, but I sensed that we are learning how to negotiate them. “Sigh and a Kiss” was a stunner. Meleah’s lighting continues to evolve, and there were moments in which the music and lights were not separate at all; breathtaking.
Rousing and heartfelt applause as we exited. A number of guitar aficionados in the audience, and so I felt that “Little Gangsters” was called for in the encore. Called “Little Gangsters”, “Thrak” and “Lament”, and out we went. Bob, obeying an intuition, took a slightly unexpected route that threw me just a bit. Clearly the right thing, but I was a little too dozy to go with it, and so our re-entrance was not as beautifully choreographed as we would like, but live and learn. The Gangsters delivered. Before “Thrak” I suggested we “raise the roof”, and we did. The work in rehearsals this week clearly showed benefits. “Lament” was lovely. I had called it, at least in part, because Tony was in the audience. I could see him as we played, and felt moments of emotional upheaval that I usually don’t have in performance.
Tomorrow, rehearsal and work with the House Circle.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuning the Air 165
A Tuning the Air Journal
Thursday October 8, 2009 – Tuning the Air 165
Just 2 of us for the sitting this morning. Straight to a guitar lesson. Then Mary Beth and I headed over to Fremont Abbey Arts Center to hang up the “Tonight!” banner and set out the sandwich boards.
My teaching schedule has been decimated this week; a combination of whatever cold/flu is going around and a simple confluence of scheduling issues, so I have an unusual amount of free time today. Bonus! I am in the middle of an irritating and time consuming but necessary task, and this helps. Plus I can warm up at my leisure before the show.
The biggest news for tonight is the return of Joel Palmer to the preshow. The boom boxes sufficed, but there is nothing quite like having a musician who can think on his feet and respond to the circumstances. On the table:
Tuning the Air 165
Thursday October 8, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #3
Preshow:
Thursday October 8, 2009 – Tuning the Air 165
Just 2 of us for the sitting this morning. Straight to a guitar lesson. Then Mary Beth and I headed over to Fremont Abbey Arts Center to hang up the “Tonight!” banner and set out the sandwich boards.
My teaching schedule has been decimated this week; a combination of whatever cold/flu is going around and a simple confluence of scheduling issues, so I have an unusual amount of free time today. Bonus! I am in the middle of an irritating and time consuming but necessary task, and this helps. Plus I can warm up at my leisure before the show.
The biggest news for tonight is the return of Joel Palmer to the preshow. The boom boxes sufficed, but there is nothing quite like having a musician who can think on his feet and respond to the circumstances. On the table:
Tuning the Air 165
Thursday October 8, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #3
Preshow:
Joel Palmer ImprovisationsSet:
Entrance and Zither - F Harmonic MinorEncore Potential:
Tuning The Air - F Harmonic Minor
Zither - F Harmonic Minor: double reverse
The Wig Maker (Gibson)
Sigh and a Kiss (Williams)
Cultivating the Beat (Williams)
Prelude XXII in G Minor (Shostakovich)
Circulation in C Harmonic Minor
Voices of Ancient Children (Kabusacki/Nunez)
Batrachomyomachy (Geballe)
Aquarela do Brasil (Barrosa)
Circulation in C Major
In My Room (Wilson)
If we are going to address the audience, here is where
Tuning The Air - KfaD scale
Mevlevi Greeting - KfaD scale
King for a Day (Jensen)
My Precious Dream (Binder)
The Bus Artist (Abuladze/Metcalf)
Kashmir (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
Twilight (Williams)
49 Notes (Golden)
Eye of the Needle (Fripp)
Lament (Geballe)
Little Gangsters (Little Gangsters) (Abuladze)
Music for a Found Harmonium (Jeffes)
Thrak (Fripp)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Rehearsal at the Wilsons
A Tuning the Air Journal
Monday October 5, 2009 – Rehearsal at the Wilsons
Gathered at Bob and Jaxie’s at 8:30. Chris’ tai chi class was running a little late, so we worked the Performance Team’s division of attention exercise for a few minutes until he arrived.
Took advantage of having the compete team in one room at one time, and looked at circulated pieces, specifically the Shostakovich prelude as well as some detailed work on the cascades and zithers in “In My Room”. Recapped some of the work from Saturday with rhythmic issues of timing, specifically the Bonham Whiz from the Zeppelin medley, and “Thrak”.
After a short break, we moved on to learning “La Rueda” in earnest. Chris, Jaxie and I form the “rhythm section” and we moved to another room with the score and worked out our circulation, while Howard worked with the remaining 6 on the main circulated arpeggio. This work moved pretty quickly. The rhythm section had our part together in about 30 minutes, and when we joined the arpeggiators we found them about ready to go, with only the coda left to learn. Putting it together was not difficult, working with the metronome at a slightly down tempo. With the context, Jaxie and I came up with a good working bass line for 2 sections that needed filling out. The arpeggiators learned the coda, and we were able to run the entire piece several times. Working without the metronome shone a light on some difficulties we will still need to overcome, and a little research into reconciling the recording with the score to iron out some details and subtleties. But I am hoping it will be ready for performance in a week or two – this largely depending on our available rehearsal time and in particular our opportunities to run it in the performance space, which is crucial.
Monday October 5, 2009 – Rehearsal at the Wilsons
Gathered at Bob and Jaxie’s at 8:30. Chris’ tai chi class was running a little late, so we worked the Performance Team’s division of attention exercise for a few minutes until he arrived.
Took advantage of having the compete team in one room at one time, and looked at circulated pieces, specifically the Shostakovich prelude as well as some detailed work on the cascades and zithers in “In My Room”. Recapped some of the work from Saturday with rhythmic issues of timing, specifically the Bonham Whiz from the Zeppelin medley, and “Thrak”.
After a short break, we moved on to learning “La Rueda” in earnest. Chris, Jaxie and I form the “rhythm section” and we moved to another room with the score and worked out our circulation, while Howard worked with the remaining 6 on the main circulated arpeggio. This work moved pretty quickly. The rhythm section had our part together in about 30 minutes, and when we joined the arpeggiators we found them about ready to go, with only the coda left to learn. Putting it together was not difficult, working with the metronome at a slightly down tempo. With the context, Jaxie and I came up with a good working bass line for 2 sections that needed filling out. The arpeggiators learned the coda, and we were able to run the entire piece several times. Working without the metronome shone a light on some difficulties we will still need to overcome, and a little research into reconciling the recording with the score to iron out some details and subtleties. But I am hoping it will be ready for performance in a week or two – this largely depending on our available rehearsal time and in particular our opportunities to run it in the performance space, which is crucial.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Monthly Open Circle and Rehearsal
A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 3, 2009 – Monthly Open Circle and Rehearsal
Nine in the living room for the sitting, including Don D who was in town from Ohio just for the day. Caught up with Don over coffee at my place before heading to Fremont Abbey Arts Center for the Monthly Open Circle.
The list that Igor K sent me of those attending the Circle had 8 names on it, including 2 newcomers and one old-timer we have not seen for quite some time. I knew there would be more than that, since Performance Team members are notorious for not RSVPing.
There were ultimately 14 in the Circle, plus myself on my feet. Neither of the first-timers showed. So I had a large Circle made up entirely of experienced players; some more experienced than others, but nevertheless a much higher level than an Open Circle. So I threw the Open Circle concept out the window and invited the Orchestra to visit. It did not fail me.
Moved on to some circulation exercises in F Harmonic Minor, taking advantage of the high E on Jaxie’s guitar and the high F on Igor’s. So we worked from the lowest C up to an F that few Circles have access to, 4 octaves and a fourth. Circulated a graduated series of diatonic triads, diatonic sevenths, and diatonic seventh combined with the mode they define.
I could have gone on like this all day, but time was not unlimited.
Most of us were grabbing lunch or a snack in the break, so it was close to 12:45 before we got down to work in earnest, Don D sitting and observing.
Began with a Division of Attention exercise based on the Running Fives figure from “Eye of the Needle”, counting in 4-bar groups of 4/4 bars. From here to reviewing the placement and count of these lines within the piece. We played through the entire piece several times, with everyone playing their usual parts until the sections with these Running Fives appear, and for those sections everyone playing that part in unison. Pretty revealing, and useful. We finally played the full piece in its full arrangement, and I found that I was able to hear that part, which I often play, with new ears while maintaining contact with my own part.
On to a few rhythmic issues that have arisen in the performance in the Great Hall. Specific work on the Whiz section of the Zeppelin medley, and then moving on to “Thrak”. With “Thrak”, the honeymoon seems to be over, and our weaknesses quickly became very apparent. Addressed them in various ways that revealed much. Ended with a very funny version of a Thrak-related exercise that Tony, Trey and I did for a few weeks at Red Lion House. At this point it began to get fun, and we actually had to cut it off in order to move on to other necessities.
A short break, and then I asked Howard to re-present Luciano’s composition, “La Rueda”, with a particular arrangement I had in mind for the circulations. It involves 6 players on the main part, organized in such a way that the melody rolls across the circle like a wave. The accompaniment part is circulated by the remaining three players: Chris, myself, and Jaxie. We drafted Don to sit in for Jaxie, and in this way we managed to learn the first two sections of the piece in rather short order. It was clear that this is going to be a winner, and so we will follow up in whatever time we can carve out of our rehearsals.
With thirty minutes left, Chris had to leave to go to work. Don put his guitar away, and the remaining 7 of us ran “Cultivating the Beat” and “Where Is The Nurse”. I asked Don if he had any requests, and he responded with “Batrachomyomachy”, which we played. Igor found a brand new mistake to make. Much laughter. The rehearsal was complete.
Saturday October 3, 2009 – Monthly Open Circle and Rehearsal
Nine in the living room for the sitting, including Don D who was in town from Ohio just for the day. Caught up with Don over coffee at my place before heading to Fremont Abbey Arts Center for the Monthly Open Circle.
The list that Igor K sent me of those attending the Circle had 8 names on it, including 2 newcomers and one old-timer we have not seen for quite some time. I knew there would be more than that, since Performance Team members are notorious for not RSVPing.
There were ultimately 14 in the Circle, plus myself on my feet. Neither of the first-timers showed. So I had a large Circle made up entirely of experienced players; some more experienced than others, but nevertheless a much higher level than an Open Circle. So I threw the Open Circle concept out the window and invited the Orchestra to visit. It did not fail me.
- When ready, begin.
- When ready, begin again, Fast.
- When ready, begin again, Autumn.
- When ready, begin again, Rhythm.
Moved on to some circulation exercises in F Harmonic Minor, taking advantage of the high E on Jaxie’s guitar and the high F on Igor’s. So we worked from the lowest C up to an F that few Circles have access to, 4 octaves and a fourth. Circulated a graduated series of diatonic triads, diatonic sevenths, and diatonic seventh combined with the mode they define.
I could have gone on like this all day, but time was not unlimited.
- When ready, begin again, F Harmonic Minor.
- When ready, begin.
Most of us were grabbing lunch or a snack in the break, so it was close to 12:45 before we got down to work in earnest, Don D sitting and observing.
Began with a Division of Attention exercise based on the Running Fives figure from “Eye of the Needle”, counting in 4-bar groups of 4/4 bars. From here to reviewing the placement and count of these lines within the piece. We played through the entire piece several times, with everyone playing their usual parts until the sections with these Running Fives appear, and for those sections everyone playing that part in unison. Pretty revealing, and useful. We finally played the full piece in its full arrangement, and I found that I was able to hear that part, which I often play, with new ears while maintaining contact with my own part.
On to a few rhythmic issues that have arisen in the performance in the Great Hall. Specific work on the Whiz section of the Zeppelin medley, and then moving on to “Thrak”. With “Thrak”, the honeymoon seems to be over, and our weaknesses quickly became very apparent. Addressed them in various ways that revealed much. Ended with a very funny version of a Thrak-related exercise that Tony, Trey and I did for a few weeks at Red Lion House. At this point it began to get fun, and we actually had to cut it off in order to move on to other necessities.
A short break, and then I asked Howard to re-present Luciano’s composition, “La Rueda”, with a particular arrangement I had in mind for the circulations. It involves 6 players on the main part, organized in such a way that the melody rolls across the circle like a wave. The accompaniment part is circulated by the remaining three players: Chris, myself, and Jaxie. We drafted Don to sit in for Jaxie, and in this way we managed to learn the first two sections of the piece in rather short order. It was clear that this is going to be a winner, and so we will follow up in whatever time we can carve out of our rehearsals.
With thirty minutes left, Chris had to leave to go to work. Don put his guitar away, and the remaining 7 of us ran “Cultivating the Beat” and “Where Is The Nurse”. I asked Don if he had any requests, and he responded with “Batrachomyomachy”, which we played. Igor found a brand new mistake to make. Much laughter. The rehearsal was complete.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Tuning the Air #164
A Tuning the Air Journal
Friday October 2, 2009 – Tuning the Air 164
Picked up Mary Beth and we got to Fremont Abbey just before 5pm. As we pulled up, I realized that I had forgotten to bring the boom boxes, so I dropped her off and went home to get them. Only about a 7-minute detour, but just one more reason I will be glad when Joel returns to the show next week. When I arrived, there was a full crew assembled for the setup. We gathered and began together. It became pretty clear that, for this season at least, set up is going to be a breeze. We were basically ready in about 30 minutes. I am thinking that in another week or two, once we have settled into the routine, we will be able to push our arrival time back at least a half hour.
We warmed up on various pieces, including several that are not in the set. I have to maintain a certain restraint to keep this warmup period from becoming a rehearsal. The aim of this work is to get ourselves in tune with one another and accustomed to the sound of the room. It is definitely not the time to try to “fix” anything, and we do our best to refrain from anything but general observations pertaining the to specific performance we are preparing for. I have, on more than one occasion, caught myself calling someone out during the warmup for a specific playing or timing issue they have, and it is always a mistake. Bad for morale and bad for the performance. In rehearsal this group is very good at being as candid as necessary, while maintaining good will. When I think of how many bands I’ve been in where the players can’t say what they are thinking until they have worked themselves up into a major emotional state, this is a quality that I do not take lightly or for granted. But the warmup for performance is a time for a certain kind of focus.
We took a few minutes to work out an adjustment to the entrance at the opening of the show. It was noted last week that when we begin the “twinkles” in the green room, it is not actually audible in the performance space. Consequently we lost the gentle transition from pre-show to performance. We worked with having the green room house team member, Igor K, crack the door very slightly, and then, after a nod from me, open the door slowly. An improvement, for sure, but it will also be a lot smoother when we are cross-fading with Joel’s live improvs rather than the boom boxes.
Generally good show. A very supportive audience, both friends and newcomers.
A bit of a struggle for me at times, in the sense that I felt that we sounded a little dozy. Perhaps forgetting the boom boxes should have been a hint at my own state. For the most part mistakes were minor, and they clearly came from moments of inattention and not any kind of lack of ability or because we are attempting something that is beyond us in any way.
But what do I know, really? I have learned from long and hard experience that if I sit in the performers chair, but listen with the Music Director’s ears, life is full of internal conflict and questionable perceptions. One false start, on the Shostokovich prelude, but no train wrecks or even near misses. A couple of absolutely transcendent moments on balance. Both “Tuning the Airs” had something, and the circulations were very good; C Major was absolutely flying at moments.
We thrakked for the encore. The primary 5 and 7 groove was as well played as I have ever heard/felt it, and was decidedly devoid of the frantic twitchiness that I generally associate with performances of this piece. Lovely, and a genuine pleasure to be a part of. A little wobbliness at moments in the rock and roll sections, but I think this was more about negotiating the acoustics of the room, rather than a difficulty with the piece itself. A little more work with the metronome, and a little more experience with the room, and this should be a winner.
After “Thrak”, I had a niggling sense that something was knocking on the door, but didn’t quite recognize what it was or what to do with it. I almost called “49 Notes”, but let it go. Jaxie emailed me this morning and identified it as “Eye of the Needle”, and I instantly saw she was right.
Friday October 2, 2009 – Tuning the Air 164
Picked up Mary Beth and we got to Fremont Abbey just before 5pm. As we pulled up, I realized that I had forgotten to bring the boom boxes, so I dropped her off and went home to get them. Only about a 7-minute detour, but just one more reason I will be glad when Joel returns to the show next week. When I arrived, there was a full crew assembled for the setup. We gathered and began together. It became pretty clear that, for this season at least, set up is going to be a breeze. We were basically ready in about 30 minutes. I am thinking that in another week or two, once we have settled into the routine, we will be able to push our arrival time back at least a half hour.
We warmed up on various pieces, including several that are not in the set. I have to maintain a certain restraint to keep this warmup period from becoming a rehearsal. The aim of this work is to get ourselves in tune with one another and accustomed to the sound of the room. It is definitely not the time to try to “fix” anything, and we do our best to refrain from anything but general observations pertaining the to specific performance we are preparing for. I have, on more than one occasion, caught myself calling someone out during the warmup for a specific playing or timing issue they have, and it is always a mistake. Bad for morale and bad for the performance. In rehearsal this group is very good at being as candid as necessary, while maintaining good will. When I think of how many bands I’ve been in where the players can’t say what they are thinking until they have worked themselves up into a major emotional state, this is a quality that I do not take lightly or for granted. But the warmup for performance is a time for a certain kind of focus.
We took a few minutes to work out an adjustment to the entrance at the opening of the show. It was noted last week that when we begin the “twinkles” in the green room, it is not actually audible in the performance space. Consequently we lost the gentle transition from pre-show to performance. We worked with having the green room house team member, Igor K, crack the door very slightly, and then, after a nod from me, open the door slowly. An improvement, for sure, but it will also be a lot smoother when we are cross-fading with Joel’s live improvs rather than the boom boxes.
Generally good show. A very supportive audience, both friends and newcomers.
A bit of a struggle for me at times, in the sense that I felt that we sounded a little dozy. Perhaps forgetting the boom boxes should have been a hint at my own state. For the most part mistakes were minor, and they clearly came from moments of inattention and not any kind of lack of ability or because we are attempting something that is beyond us in any way.
But what do I know, really? I have learned from long and hard experience that if I sit in the performers chair, but listen with the Music Director’s ears, life is full of internal conflict and questionable perceptions. One false start, on the Shostokovich prelude, but no train wrecks or even near misses. A couple of absolutely transcendent moments on balance. Both “Tuning the Airs” had something, and the circulations were very good; C Major was absolutely flying at moments.
We thrakked for the encore. The primary 5 and 7 groove was as well played as I have ever heard/felt it, and was decidedly devoid of the frantic twitchiness that I generally associate with performances of this piece. Lovely, and a genuine pleasure to be a part of. A little wobbliness at moments in the rock and roll sections, but I think this was more about negotiating the acoustics of the room, rather than a difficulty with the piece itself. A little more work with the metronome, and a little more experience with the room, and this should be a winner.
After “Thrak”, I had a niggling sense that something was knocking on the door, but didn’t quite recognize what it was or what to do with it. I almost called “49 Notes”, but let it go. Jaxie emailed me this morning and identified it as “Eye of the Needle”, and I instantly saw she was right.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Tuning the Air Tonight
A Tuning the Air Journal
Thursday October 1, 2009 – Tuning the Air Tonight
The sun has crossed that magic threshold, and so it is definitely dark outside when I get up in the morning at 6:30am.
Immediately after the sitting, I was out the door to hang the banner and set out the sandwich boards for tonight’s show. A couple of lessons today, beginning at 9am, and some clerical work. Some practice in schedule. I’ll pick up the House Manager at 4:45 in order to arrive at Fremont Abbey at 5pm to begin setting the stage.
Here is the plan:
Tuning the Air 164
Thursday October 1, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #2
Thursday October 1, 2009 – Tuning the Air Tonight
The sun has crossed that magic threshold, and so it is definitely dark outside when I get up in the morning at 6:30am.
Immediately after the sitting, I was out the door to hang the banner and set out the sandwich boards for tonight’s show. A couple of lessons today, beginning at 9am, and some clerical work. Some practice in schedule. I’ll pick up the House Manager at 4:45 in order to arrive at Fremont Abbey at 5pm to begin setting the stage.
Here is the plan:
Tuning the Air 164
Thursday October 1, 2009
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Seattle, WA
Fall Season Show #2
Preshow: Boombox Extravaganza
Entrance and Zither - F Harmonic Minor
Tuning The Air - F Harmonic Minor
Zither - F Harmonic Minor: double reverse
The Wig Maker (Gibson)
Sigh and a Kiss (Williams)
Cultivating the Beat (Williams)
Prelude XXII in G Minor (Shostakovich)
Circulation in C Harmonic Minor
Voices of Ancient Children (Kabusacki/Nunez)
Batrachomyomachy (Geballe)
Aquarela do Brasil (Barrosa)
Circulation in C Major
In My Room (Wilson)
Tuning The Air - KfaD scale
Mevlevi Greeting - KfaD scale
King for a Day (Jensen)
My Precious Dream (Binder)
The Bus Artist (Abuladze/Metcalf)
Kashmir (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
Twilight (Williams)
Encore Potential
49 Notes (Golden)
Eye of the Needle (Fripp)
Lament (Geballe)
Little Gangsters (Little Gangsters) (Abuladze)
Music for a Found Harmonium (Jeffes)
Thrak (Fripp)
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