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.
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