Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

ABRAXAS wrote:

Based on the overtones of his art, the anecdotal material about him blowing off everything to live in a tent by a river, and only occasionally issuing a recording on obscure labels in format that insures a limited audience, I'll wager that he doesn't really lose much sleep over where he "fits in" anywhere.

Pure speculation on my part, but a respectable position if so. IMHO.

I think he's a process artist, intentional or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_art

Tairaku wrote:

ABRAXAS wrote:

Based on the overtones of his art, the anecdotal material about him blowing off everything to live in a tent by a river, and only occasionally issuing a recording on obscure labels in format that insures a limited audience, I'll wager that he doesn't really lose much sleep over where he "fits in" anywhere.

Pure speculation on my part, but a respectable position if so. IMHO.

I think he's a process artist, intentional or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_art

Excellent!

Like how Jackson Pollock died, that was a work of 'Process Art".

K.

Chris Moran wrote:

I'd love to hear some ideas and critique from Mujitsu.

I'm not that familiar with Sabu so I can't really offer a fair critique. However, I do find the clips refreshing enough on their own terms to hear more.

This is an interesting discussion. It makes me wonder what and why it is that a particular expression moves us or not?

Chris Moran wrote:

Big avante gardist whom I refernse: Lou Harrison and Harry Partch, Josef Beuys. But probably too old school for this discussion.

In school, those avant gardists, along with John Cage, William Burroughs, etc. were our 'old school' foundation. Bill Colvig was a big instrument making influence. All night sound collage radio with Negativ Land was also a lot of fun! Recently, Jim (Abraxas) introduced me to the incredible free improvisation of Arrington de Dionyso.

ABRAXAS wrote:

Based on the overtones of his art, the anecdotal material about him blowing off everything to live in a tent by a river, and only occasionally issuing a recording on obscure labels in format that insures a limited audience, I'll wager that he doesn't really lose much sleep over where he "fits in" anywhere.

Pure speculation on my part, but a respectable position if so. IMHO.

I get a charge out of artists who don't ask permission and feel no interest in defending their 'own' path. They just get to work.

Chris Moran wrote:

[

For me, defense has to be a part of being an artist -- as much as it is to be a philosopher.

Philosopher is already dealing in words. Artist or musician is working in a different medium, the stuff has to speak for itself.

Tairaku wrote:

Chris Moran wrote:

[

For me, defense has to be a part of being an artist -- as much as it is to be a philosopher.

Philosopher is already dealing in words. Artist or musician is working in a different medium, the stuff has to speak for itself.

That would be excellent, and rare,, to debate a piece of music with music, or color with color, .....though usually it is necessary to use words.

Certainly a different perspective of understanding when it can be articulated with words. Perhaps not actually understood until it CAN be articulated with words.

We would be debating with music when we 'jam' together. Sparring with music. a 'Shika no tone 'duet.

K.

A lot of these threads feel like "Process art".

K.

ABRAXAS wrote:

finding out about Mats Gustafsson.

This album is astounding:

http://www.amazon.com/Background-Music- … amp;sr=8-1

edosan wrote:

Chris Moran wrote:

1. I love the way he turns "ecclesiastics" into a verb, like 'gymnastics'. Fcking brilliant. Damn, that's good, inspired poetic writing just on its own.

Um, last time I checked, 'gymnastics' was a noun, as in 'mental gymnastics', and ecclesiastics is just a synonym for the class 'minister/priest/cleric'.

Not a particularly big stretch on that one (sorry).

I stand corrected, but remain stretched. I got excited by the irregular (or 'incorrect') use of the noun ecclesiastics which describes two or more clerics (objects, things). The way he uses ecclesiastics in his sentence is a noun describing a condition or process. It reads "and the ecclesiastics of Albert Ayler and Don Van Vliet in exactly the same way as if he said "and the gymnastics of Albert Ayler and Don Van Vliet".  That is a very original use of the word ecclesiastics.

The "of" is what excited me. Like Bill Clinton getting excited about "is."

Words give me woodys. (I'll write you a nasty email later.)

Last edited by Chris Moran (2009-12-14 00:11:58)

Face it X. old people never like the music the teenagers are making. Even shakuhachi teenagers.

Chris Moran wrote:

That is a very original use of the word ecclesiastics.

I won't belabor the point [could, but won't], mostly because I appreciate a woody. 

Last edited by edosan (2009-12-14 12:07:22)

Hi all, missed a lot of good stuff here but just thought I'd jump in.

Karmajampa wrote:

A lot of these threads feel like "Process art".

K.

Hi Kel, Yes, I agree, everything here can be process art. I find that my experience with the shakuhachi in all it's facets is about process - from blowing Sasa buki to making a flute to giving a lesson to performing. Every moment has significant weight in this chain.

Since we're on an art kick, here is a piece I saw in the early 80's that continues to have an impact on me today.

http://www.communityarts.net/readingroo … he_rop.php

Life artists Tehching Hsieh and Linda Mondatno spent a year joined together by an eight foot rope. This work continues to challenge the notion of art. History has shown that groundbreaking art never speaks for itself right away. Furthermore, it is usually attacked by the old guards. Not until time passes can we learn to accept and appreciate how it enriches our lives. This goes for evaluating  shakuhachi. Just switch the term art for shakuhachi in these discussions and you'll see what I mean...is vintage shakuhachi...um..art out of tune? I'll bet a shakuhachi that in the future, today's A=440 - 442hz shakuhachi will be out of tune for our descendants

Judging shakuhachi objectively is necessary for those who need the flute to do a specific thing. In the same way that a piece of art has to fit into a specific environment for some curators. This does not belittle the art, it's a valid choice and an important one as it reveals a certain level of taste, sophistication and indoctrination.  But, do not let that hinder your appreciation for art at any price. One just has to get a glimpse of the bigger picture (history mostly). There is a lot of art in this world and many ways to enjoy it.  Picasso said something like, "When I was a child I drew like Raphael. It took me my whole life to draw like a child".

What period of Picssso are you interested in?

Namaste, Perry

Edit: Just read the Flute Prices thread. Maybe my posting should go there

I dig Sabu's commitment. Some cool sounds too. In a similar vein, Riley once said something like "do you want to watch someone meditating?"  For me, anything done with commitment is interesting at the least.

Last edited by Yungflutes (2009-12-15 13:07:15)