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Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life, Ray Brooks. HJ Kramer Inc. Tiburon California. 2000.
I am a librarian in a public library. Typically this translates to mean a lover of fiction, bestsellers, whatever is popular on the horizon that feeds the public’s entertainment bug. Not the case with me. I read almost solely non-fiction, philosophy, anthropology, religion, and music, are some of the topics that I invest my reading time in- that very limited time I have outside of musicking, of which shakuhachi plays a significant part.
When I decided to take the shakuhachi seriously I decided that I would like to read a bit about it. One of the books I purchased was Blowing Zen by Ray Brooks. I ordered it from an online retailer and didn’t see too much about it on the site or elsewhere. When it came I was intrigued, but also afraid that it would be a waste of my time (read: non-educational).
Brook’s book is a superb document bearing witness to a journey of musicianship in Japan by a Westerner. Blowing Zen is both entertaining and educational. In it Ray Brooks describes both his personal experience learning the shakuhahchi, as well as his voyage through the inner shakuhachi circles of Japan. The depictions of Brook’s experiences within Japan culture are especially insightful for those of us who have not yet made the jump to the shakuhachi’s cradle. Further, Brook’s reflection on learning the shakuhachi, including his writing on his teacher’s (including Katsuya Yokoyama, among others), and his experience in the iemoto system are priceless.
I have been reluctant to think of my experience with the shakuhachi as a “journey”, mainly for anti-new-age reasons, though one finds it difficult not mapping one’s own progress along with Brooks in the reading, looking ahead, or behind. I have discovered that we shakuhachi players might have a lot more in common than what I previously wanted to admit in our journey with this instrument. Brook’s book was a delight to read, insightful for my own experiences with the shakuhahchi, and in learning from his experiences. By the end of the book I was grateful to Brooks for writing it, and would recommend it to others- particularly those who do not have access to Japan, and those who do not have access to a teacher (though no instructional pointers are given in the book).
-Michael Andrew Doherty. October 20, 2008
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Thanks for the book recommendation. I have put in a request for the book at my local library. I look forward to a good read.
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I would also highly recommend 'A Shakuhachi Odyssey' and 'The Single Tone', by Christopher Yohmei Blasdel. Ray Brooks' book is fine, but these two represent better signal-to-noise ratios, for my money (to slavishly mix metaphors).
Chris Blasdel has spent the better part of his life in Japan, and with the shakuhachi. Two fine books.
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edosan wrote:
I would also highly recommend 'A Shakuhachi Odyssey' .
Ditto.
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edosan wrote:
I would also highly recommend 'A Shakuhachi Odyssey' and 'The Single Tone', by Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
I agree. I would also highly recommend this book.
Christopher's intimate account of great people, to whom he became close, is delightful to read. You sense the atmosphere of the place, time and vibes; the people described in this book are real people. People who lived for their art. It is a great book!
Both in Japanese and English!
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edosan wrote:
I would also highly recommend 'A Shakuhachi Odyssey'...
I haven't found where I might get my hands on this book. Any advice?
-M
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I don't know if you want to buy the book. In case you do it is here: http://tinyurl.com/5arorg
The library at SOAS, University of London (where I am) has it. So, perhaps libraries strong on ethnomusiciology books.
Good luck!
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As far as I know, "The single tone" is the English version of "Shakuhachi Odyssey, whch was written by Chris Bladel in Japanese. So seach for "The single tone" instead.
It sure is an amazing book, and curiously enough I get a similar feeling when reading it and when I blow the shakuhachi; I find it has a very relaxed and profound rythm...
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At Chrisopher Blasdel's own website you can order a signed copy directly from him (in Japan) for $26 shipped, or contact Monty Levenson as below:
Monty Levenson, P.O. Box 294, Willits, CA. 95490. Tel: 707-459-3402, Fax: 707-459-3434, E-mail: monty@shakuhachi.com or his web site: www.shakuhachi.com
To order a signed copy directly from the author, please make out a check for $26 to cover the book price, postage and handling to Christopher Blasdel and send to: No. 1003, 5-15-1 Kamisoshigaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-0065, JAPAN
This information from Chris's website here:
http://www2.gol.com/users/yohmei/books/Ebook.htm
http://www2.gol.com/users/yohmei/Etop.htm
Updated 10/22/08 to reflect price change per Christopher.
Last edited by 4ExpandingBliss (2008-10-22 11:55:05)
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My local library only carries Chris Blasdel's "The Shakuhachi - A Manual for Learning". Is that an equally good book to his "The Single Tone"?
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fouw wrote:
'Shakuhachi Oyssey' is the original Japanese title of 'The Single Tone'.
Got it. Thanks!
-M
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airin wrote:
My local library only carries Chris Blasdel's "The Shakuhachi - A Manual for Learning". Is that an equally good book to his "The Single Tone"?
This book is worthwhile as well, but is an instruction manual, and also has a pretty good history of the shakuhachi written into it. 'The Single Tone' is autobiographical.
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Loved the book blowing zen. It is very informative and gets you wanting to go pick up a flute.I especially, liked the part about his own personal shugyo. I need to try one of those.
Last edited by purehappiness (2009-05-02 09:26:30)
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