Deadlines

 Hmmm.  They creep up on ya.  Well, now's the time to get busy.

Hak'kın emrin tutalım

 I am struck by the elegance and simplicity of Sadun's composition for bowed tanbur which accompanies the words of the Sufi writer Muhibbi.  I had started work on this one page of music that he had given me upon returning to the Northwest last year.  I've since transposed to another akkord (Turkish tuning terminology) and back the original that I tried.  It's flowing smoother now, definitely.
I hear similarities in my nascent interpretation as somewhat related to the Serbian gusle singers (single-stringed fiddler epic storytellers).   I resonate highly with the words, but I have yet to discover their actual meaning.  Perhaps the meaning comes through in other ways? 

Autumn, Winter, and the Shape of things to Come

I look to Winter in and write some musick.  It's looking a little later than what I had previously surmised.  And I hope that all who enjoy Wandering check back occasionally as free mp3s are posted in the interim to the new and final revised album release.  It will be available Beltaine,  2010.  

Season of Watering

Okay.  Something new.  Fall is now upon me, and I find my direction for the forthcoming album quite different from where it started.  My aging computer gave up the ghost.  I am therefore speculating on a particular hardware electronic device to replace the need for it. 

Don't get me wrong.  I love computers.  My primary digital audio production workstation will continue to be Ableton Live, and I plan on integrating the portable computer back into my (at least for larger venues) live performance schema.  But with falling back on my acoustic instruments (including my voice) and simpler hardware (both digital and analog) for creative incarnation, I find a newness and freshness that is immensly inspiring in this Season of Water.

The Lamp

The magician's lamp should be something that aids his gnosis and receives the forces that he generates.  The lamp is the weapon of inspiration in the original sense of the word--it inspirits him.

Peter J. Carroll

I'm finding a tiny oil lamp I bought off some guy at the Grand Bazaar lasting well over an hour!  Excellent.  Of course, Carroll's words are metaphorical in the context of the essay, but the lamp I purchased made me think of the symbolic association, so there you go.  

March 17, 2009 ~ Into Crooked Musick Studios

Lots of remodeling and acoustical treatment to be done to Crooked Musick Studios, but should be finished shortly.  As noted on the home page, look for the first album release in Fall, 2009 with a tour to follow Spring 2010.  

Mar. 3, Framton on Severn, Splatt Bridge, England

 Wonderful decompression time spent aboard my friend Isidora's narrow boat!  Memories abound of hot tea tea in the morning and occasional journeys up the Sharpness canal to visit the Gloucester docks and cathedral or a café at Saul junction.  Our initial night aboard the Kimberly in Oxford also afforded some moments of relaxation at the market at Gloucester Green.  Thank you Isidora!    

Feb. 2 - 17, 2009 ~ Istanbul and Denizli (Part II)

While shopping for instruments at the bottom of Taksim, I met the delightful daughter of a shop owner that pointed me in the direction of the Turkish Music State Conservatory near Tesvikiye.  There, upon being told to return on Monday (and after doing so), I met Sadun Aksut, an accomplished and internationally-known tanbur player and educator.  He was instrumental in developing a deeper understanding  the intricacies of Turkish music theory and practice, and was always warm, welcoming and sympathetic to our language barrier.  My many thanks for the open-ended invitation to study with him upon my return to Istanbul. 

The city of Denizli and our gracious host Ali were amazing.  After a trip to the immense travertine (limestone) formations at the thermal springs of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Heiropolis, I played a somewhat impromptu performance at Taçev, a rock bar in Denizli.  I do believe it was a rare thing for the Turks in Denizli to hear an American yaylı tanbur player at their local rock bar!  Good times and thanks again to Cem, the owner.  I look forward to visiting again very much.

Upon returning to Istanbul, I met with Sadun one last time, wrapped up affairs with travel, gifts, and such and headed for England and our friend Isidora.

January 29-February 1 ~ Istanbul Part I

We stayed at the Anzac Wooden Guest House the first two nights of our time in Istanbul.  Omar is a kind and helpful host.  These initial moments are spent casually absorbing the sites and sounds of Sultanahmet:  The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern (where there was a live sufi music concert), and a small music instrument shop, where I search for just the right bağlama, sipsi, and def.  We have a great night starting with dinner at a local fish restaurant with live musicians playing clarinet, cümbus and doumbek, and then later enjoy drinking rakı with Omar and his friends and other guests while I play tanbur.

Later nights were spent at night clubs and cafés in Taksim with other locals and travelers and our first host Yalin, a fabulous guy. This weekend we will also try to get to the hot springs and ancient city of Heiropolis in Pamukkale.   

Jan. 13-28, 2009 ~ Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria

We spent about eight days in Budapest, and had a wonderful time.  The mineral spas are delightful, and the city itself is quite beautiful, I think.  I spent a fair amount of time at an ethnic music instrument shop and even tried the traditional Magyar bagpipe called duda. While they can be a very beautiful instrument in the right hands (like the Bulgarian gajda, which I am more familiar with), mine, I decided, were not the right hands.  Oh well.  The shop owner was very accommodating and helpful.  We also met a few travelers from England, Portugal, as well as local Hungarians and had a wonderful time carousing.  

In Cluj-Napoca, Romania, we stayed with Florin, a web designer and photographer.  He was very warm with infectious laughter that kept us in stitches.  We went to a few cafés and a club and thoroughly enjoyed the night life.  I regret not exploring more of the Transylvanian countryside and mountains, but the weather and other logistics did not permit it.  Perhaps on my return . . .

Bulgaria did not present itself as an inviting country; on the train, we were harassed for not having the proper tickets and then fleeced for money.  We also received the same type of treatment on the public transport in Sofia.  The conductor on the tram was basically a common thief, and I shall say no more about it.  Our hosts Miro and Valena, however, were very welcoming.  They greeted us with dinner and good conversation. We will miss them as a warm and friendly presence in the predominantly sad (to us it seemed so) and dirty city of Sofia.  We opted to take a two-and-a-half hour bus trip to the Thracian city of Plovdiv.  Unfortunately, the ancient Roman amphitheater there was closed.  We strolled through the old town portion of the city, perused a CD shop and bought a "music of the Rhodope mountains" CD, and then headed back to Sofia to catch our bus to Istanbul.     

January 12, 2009 ~ Jastrebarsko, Croatia

Now, we are getting a taste of Winter here in Croatia.  The stark white landscape can be fairly featureless from the train, but Plitvicka Jezera has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth!  The half frozen waterfalls and lakes there are amazing.  We drove there with our couchsurfing friend Domagoj.  Previous to that we hiked for a short while near his home in a serene and frosty nature preserve.  Over the weekend, we met with other couchsurfers in Daruvar to eat, drink, hike and sled as well as visit the local swimming pool-spa.  Croatians are fabulous people, very friendly and inviting.  We also make some Serbian friends along the way, and the same must be said for them.  I was unable to make a connection with a Croatian traditional musician as he was not at his normal home in Zagreb when we were there.  I was hoping to talk with him about the old traditional bagpipes and other wind instruments.  We are however, planning on going through Bulgaria, the home of the form of the gajda which I have played.  Perhaps I can meet some musicians there and connect with the gajda once again.  Because of a train mixup, we are having to catch a midnight train to connect with another to get to Budapest, but such is the style of this adventure! 

December/January ~ Venice, Naples, Rome, Italy

Venice's flooding had almost entirely subsided by the time we arrived.  The city is a maze of streets and canals that had us lost numerous times.  I finally found the hat I was looking for in a small shop.  Perfect!  Venice does have a certain charm even in the winter and riding the large canal boats gave the impression of stepping into a painting come alive.  Lunch with our host Claudio was a delightful seafood affair with tiramisu to finish.  

Pina Tomari was a fair bit depressing with all the litter, sad polluted little streams, and prostitutes.  We were glad to leave.  Naples did not impress me either.  The pizza, however, was delicious.  Otherwise, it was a bit like Los Angeles, only smaller.  Pompeii redeemed this area of Southern Italy for us and was truly extraordinary.  

We headed north to meet with our next host, Martine.  Martine was actually traveling herself and had agreed to let us watch her flat and two cats while she was away in Spain and Morocco.  We were in need of some downtime anyway.  Latina Scalo, 45 minutes outside of Rome by train was our home for the next couple of weeks.  We subsequently made day trips into Rome for sightseeing.  Rome treated us fabulously during this time. The metro is cheap and though food is expensive around the tourist areas, one can find affordable eating with a bit of searching and occasional trips to the market.  New Year's was amazing, and the streets around the Colosseum were packed with people and fireworks.  On our last day, we have lunch with John and Sebastian (friends and neighbours of Martine) in the stunning mediaeval  mountain village of Sermoneta.  

December 15, 2008 ~ Prague, Czech Republic

Prague captured my imagination with its exquisite architecture and bustling holiday allure. Our hosts were Matus, a very good-natured Slovakian and his flat-mates and a few days later, Martina, a young Czech woman full of energy and charm.  Matus' flat-mate Ivan showed me his fujara, and I was captured by the sound.  I'd heard of the Slovakian instruments before and listened to their haunting sound on recordings, so it was great trying to play one.   Charles Bridge, St. Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle were amazing.  Still, I longed for a bit more of the rural areas before long.  We left Prague and headed for Venice, hoping that the winter flooding had subsided somewhat. 

December 7, 2008 ~ Berlin, Germany

It is now very much Winter in Berlin. Alexanderplatz a bustling holiday market with carnival rides, glühwine, bratwurst, and cozy gas heat lamps next to the vendors. Otherwise, it's quite commercial. But this was to be expected, I guess. Janet, our host is very sweet and accommodating, and her flat mate David very friendly. Berlin has become quite a center for artistic endeavour, and I regret not being able to check more of it out. Our last day, we have a delicious and relaxed lunch of Thai food with Janet and Triston, an American who has lived in Berlin for the last five years.

November 27, 2008 ~ The Netherlands

Feeling the need for the familiar manifests itself with a stopover back in the Netherlands for Thanksgiving.  At the Flying Pig Hostel in Noordvijk, Daan, a local, teaches me a backgammon game called Tric Trac.  The coast is even more cold.  But the ocean is peaceful, and Orion and The Great Bear are quite visible in the clear night sky. 

November 25, 2008 ~ Caldes de Malavella, Spain

Here in Catalonia, the landscape is a bit more moist than near Madrid.  Perhaps, this is owing to the late season and this area's proximity to the coast.  Actually, we are gifted here with a few days of moderately cold but sunny weather.  We are about an hour outside of Barcelona by train.  It has struck me that much of Spain's natural areas (at the very least in the places we have visited) have a fairly broken feeling.  I catch some sounds in the nearby farmland and wooded area near our host, Eduard's home.  We hear of a mineral spa in the nearby town of Santa Columa Farners.  In our effort to take a bus there (one does not exist now, apparently) we end up catching a ride with a very sweet woman who was being picked up from the bus stop by her friend.  We don't really know where we are going, so they helpfully drop us off at the Orion Spa near town.  Now, we had visited one other indoor spa near Argelès-Gazost, France.  Our host Marc told us that there were other special spas just for senior citizens.  And so in Santa Columa Farners, Spain, we realized after an hour or so of swimming in their little bubbly swimming pool for eleven euro that we were in one of those geriatric spas and health centers.  THAT was why practically every single old person stared at us looking a little befuddled!  Nevertheless, I grabbed a bit of ambient sound on my recorder from the large and stately lobby with numerous couches and groups of senior citizens coming and going. 
  

November 21, 2008 ~ Lisbon, Portugal

Portgual is an amazing country, and Lisbon in particular reminds me of Portland very much.  It also is a city trying to reinvent and reinterpret itself.  Lisbon, however, has had a much rougher time of it as far as history tells us.    Upon reluctantly leaving the city, my psyche is filled with the sun glinting off the Tagus river and our walks down Avenida da Liberdade and elsewhere throughout the city.  The night life is thriving, and even the strangely situated Fábrica Braço de Prata cultural center attracts a lively crowd.  The recent Azphodel performance there was made possible by our kind friend, the mathematics teacher, João, who referred me and by Patricia, the administrator of the FBP.  Also, our gracious couch-surfing hosts, João and Eric were extemely kind and instrumental in helping uncover Lisbon and Portugal for us.  Many thanks to all!   

November 12, 2008 ~ Santiago de Compostela, Spain

There were some amazing sights in Santiago, Galicia.  We spent time in the old district, attending a service at the cathedral.  Honestly, the most amazing part of the church was the enormous organ above the congregation.  The service seemed a bit rushed but fairly identical to what I'd experienced as child.  We went for café con leche at the nearby Acapella café and a walk in Parque Alameda.  John, a theoretical physicist, is our couch-surfing friend here in Santiago.  He is kind and a fabulous cook.  On our last evening, we meet an offshoot group of some couch surfers at a local wine bar and munched tapas contentedly.  Santiago is wonderful, but our next morning is an very early one to catch the train connection to Porto and then Lisbon.         

November 7, 2008 ~ Argelès Gazost, France

We are at the foot of some of the tallest mountains in the Pyrenees.  We arrive by bus (a result of the current SNCF train strike in France) in Lourdes, and our new couch-surfing friend Marc meets us there to drive to his village.  There are surely so few crisp, warm, and bright days left in late autumn that our time here feels very blessed.  Marc is an excellent host and also a musician (He plays the accordion).  The next day Marc drops us off in Lourdes, and we walk to La Grotte and the surrounding areas.  I had mentioned to my mother that I would light a candle at the cathedral for my recently deceased uncle.  I light one for her as well and one for Tawny and I.  The city is beautiful save for the gaudy religious shops (There are so many!)  Later, we tour the fortified castle overlooking the city.  The intensely-worn steps leading to various ramparts convey the age of the fortification like nothing else to me.  The view is breathtaking.  Back in Argelès Gazost, I realize that I could live here as well.  But, short of that, we will certainly be back for a backpacking trip, perhaps part of the future plan to walk the Camiño de Santiago.   

October 31, 2008 ~ Calan, France

For the last few days we have stayed with a newly-found couch-surfing friend Enora in Calan, Bretagne.  She is is quite wonderful and takes much care to see that we have a good time and are comfortable.  She is also an accomplished musician who has played the Scottish highland pipes for many years but presently enjoys violin.  Breton music is whimsical at times but powerful, evoking a landscape that I feel very at home with (much like the Pacific Northwest in the United States).  We travel to the North Atlantic coast in nearby Lorient and later have a musical gathering with a quite international group of travelers and musicians at Enora's.  The music consumed us for hours.  On Samhain, we celebrated the Breton music and dance festival called Fez Noz.  Simply indicating a night feast, the soirée  can take place at any time, but this one was particular to Samain (the Breton spelling of Samhain).  Fabulous images and sounds abound! (the old pipes [binoui khoz] reminded me of my half-forgotten love of Bulgarian bitov music and the gajda (traditional Bulgarian bagpipes).  

October 26, 2008 ~ Noordvijk, Netherlands

We've stayed that past couple of nights at the Flying Pig in Noordvijk.  The bowed tanbur was getting some rave reviews in the back room ajoining the patio for awhile the first evening, and I enjoyed talking with other travelers quite a lot.   The beach is fairly featureless, busy with people walking and kites flying, but it is warmer than Oregon's coast at this time.  I've found some nice shells, starting a new book, and on the third afternoon, relaxing a bit back at the hostel on a rainy cold day.

October 23, 2008 ~ Amsterdam

We just left England and it was a wonderful visit.  Avebury henge, village, and church were amazing.  We could feel the stones pulsing with power.  We stayed at a bed and breakfast and then went to Glastonbury, the chalice wells and the tor where the ruin of St. Michael's Church lies.  It was a beautiful view of five counties and the Southern English countryside.  We then went to our friend Isidora's live-aboard canal boat in Framton on Severn near Gloustershire.  A short drive brought us to Tewkesbury and a local abbey.  I recorded some amazing moments on my hand-held recorder of the huge organ there (It was just the organist warming up, but ...)  We are in Amsterdam, Netherlands right now and relaxing at a hostel.  Amsterdam is mellow and friendly.  Everyone bicycles here, so we are at home and definitely feeling it is a sister city to Portland.  

Oct 9, 2008

 Truly wondrous visions and sounds from everyone at Conflux!  Thanks to all for their effort in the Azphodel portion of it.

There has been forming in my mind a story that I'd like to impart in a serial fashion while on holiday abroad.  Our loose itinerary winds throughout the British Isles, Continental Europe from Iberia across to the Apennine peninsula and up to the Rhineland and Norddeutschland.  From there, over the Carpathian Mountains to the South Slavic lands and finally to Anatolia and the Black Sea coastline of Northern Turkey. It is because of this pilgrimage that these stories need to be told.  See you all soon . . .

August 7, 2008

I'm reminded of how much death and loss and music and  hope share modalities of expression.  I think how much concentration on what really matters is key.  

Ah.  And a preview of one of the upcoming tracks for the album Sacrament has been added and plays upon loading the home page.  Peace and enjoy . . .

June 13, 2008

Happy Friday 13th!

The store is up and running, new images and updates have been added to the Performance page and the About page with plenty more to the site all around in the coming weeks. Peace.

June 1, 2008

Off to California for a short but much-needed break.  Wandering will be available for download shortly.

May 31, 2008

 I have designs complete for a unique hybrid-derivative instrument similar to the yaylı tanbur, also akin to the Serbo-Croatian gusle.  I'm quite excited to start pricing materials and such.  It will be part of a larger body of new instruments that will find home primarily on the stage but will also be integral to the next studio release.  

May 29, 2008

 As the Sun nears its apex, Azphodel is undergoing a rapid transmogrification.  Expect a full album-length release in 2009.  Some may wonder how to get the album Wandering.  It was originally intended as a limited CD release back in October, 2007 and is now out of stock.  Fortunately, for those that may be curious, the original tracks will be available as mp3 downloads shortly, I promise.  The further limited run (20 copies) of Wandering for East Meets West has an additional unlisted track:  Masmudi is the first and then the sequence reflects the CD liner notes.  
After that?  Well, Azphodel is sailing to Byzantium by way of numerous overseas destinations to engage with the lived experience that is the global musical community.  

May 12, 2008

A few updates are coming, check the Images page for East Meets West photos, and soon  perhaps a general new look will be forthcoming. 

EMW was amazing!  My thanks to Serpentine and everyone who was a part of the whole thing.