Category Archives: Shakuhachi

New CD coming!

As many of  you know, John McDonald, the composer at Tufts University just north of Boston, has composed a CD of music for me: quite a few solos, a duo, and pieces for shakuhachi and piano and shakuhachi and contralto. Now that it has been recorded and we have chosen the takes, the next step is to get it to the music publishers.

The CD is called “Haunt,” an idea that appeals to John in its meaning of a place to which to return again and again. As it may take some time before the CD is released, I hope to give you an early taste of some of the selections on it. In fact, what I’d like to beguile you  with is the first half of the title work “Haunt”, for shakuhachi and piano. It ends with an improvisational section between the two instruments which surprised and delighted us every time  we heard it. Look for it in this section soon.

Advertisement

The Art and Flow of Aikido

I had a lot of fun doing the sound for this film, “The Art and Flow of Aikido”, by Aikido instructor Ted Goodman, who teaches in the area. Ted approached me to do this three years ago, but the project went no further. Then he came to my performance at Tufts University in April and said  he was ready to record me. In the event, we did our high tech recording in a few short sessions by placing a microphone on a low stool,  accompanied by Ted’s hypoallergenic dog, who kindly remained silent during the process. Ed Keith, a student of Ted’s, edited the sound.

The film is to be broadcast on the Arlington, MA Community Media Television in July 2013.  See the schedule at acmi.tv