so that was Benning poem which in Javanese means if there’s a star in the
Javanese means if there’s a star in the
Javanese means if there’s a star in the sky it’s a famous piece of crunching
sky it’s a famous piece of crunching
sky it’s a famous piece of crunching music I spent the last year in solo Java
music I spent the last year in solo Java
music I spent the last year in solo Java studying several styles of music but
studying several styles of music but
studying several styles of music but mainly this type of music crunching it’s
mainly this type of music crunching it’s
mainly this type of music crunching it’s played mainly on Western instruments so
played mainly on Western instruments so
played mainly on Western instruments so guitars ukuleles cellos which were
guitars ukuleles cellos which were
guitars ukuleles cellos which were introduced by the Portuguese in the
introduced by the Portuguese in the
introduced by the Portuguese in the 1500s during their exploration of what
1500s during their exploration of what
1500s during their exploration of what was then known as the Spice Islands the
was then known as the Spice Islands the
was then known as the Spice Islands the Portuguese also brought maritime
Portuguese also brought maritime
Portuguese also brought maritime laborers from India and Africa so you
laborers from India and Africa so you
laborers from India and Africa so you can imagine the interesting combinations
can imagine the interesting combinations
can imagine the interesting combinations of music that may have occurred on these
of music that may have occurred on these
of music that may have occurred on these long ship voyages once these ships reach
long ship voyages once these ships reach
long ship voyages once these ships reach their destination this music combined
their destination this music combined
their destination this music combined with local Indonesian traditions he
with local Indonesian traditions he
with local Indonesian traditions he created crunch on I had an amazing year
created crunch on I had an amazing year
created crunch on I had an amazing year in solo Java and as a musician I was
in solo Java and as a musician I was
in solo Java and as a musician I was exposed to this entirely different
exposed to this entirely different
exposed to this entirely different language of music so different tuning
language of music so different tuning
language of music so different tuning systems different rhythmic sensibilities
systems different rhythmic sensibilities
systems different rhythmic sensibilities I spent a lot of my time street
I spent a lot of my time street
I spent a lot of my time street performing with several local musicians
performing with several local musicians
performing with several local musicians here are two photos of a group that I
here are two photos of a group that I
here are two photos of a group that I often played with Cody bliss and bliss
often played with Cody bliss and bliss
often played with Cody bliss and bliss is an Indonesian word that means devil
is an Indonesian word that means devil
is an Indonesian word that means devil but the group uses it as an acronym that
but the group uses it as an acronym that
but the group uses it as an acronym that means when Indonesia honors its
means when Indonesia honors its
means when Indonesia honors its ancestors Indonesia is successful there
ancestors Indonesia is successful there
ancestors Indonesia is successful there was a little restaurant or they would
was a little restaurant or they would
was a little restaurant or they would play every night for tips and they
play every night for tips and they
play every night for tips and they invited me to join them so I started to
invited me to join them so I started to
invited me to join them so I started to sit in and play instruments and sing and
sit in and play instruments and sing and
sit in and play instruments and sing and I think my voice actually developed a
I think my voice actually developed a
I think my voice actually developed a lot during this time partially because I
lot during this time partially because I
lot during this time partially because I was learning how to cut over the sound
was learning how to cut over the sound
was learning how to cut over the sound of motorbikes going by and the busy
of motorbikes going by and the busy
of motorbikes going by and the busy restaurant chatter and sometimes they
restaurant chatter and sometimes they
restaurant chatter and sometimes they would show me crunching songs that I
would show me crunching songs that I
would show me crunching songs that I hadn’t learned yet or sometimes they
hadn’t learned yet or sometimes they
hadn’t learned yet or sometimes they would follow along why played an
would follow along why played an
would follow along why played an American folk song and I still think
American folk song and I still think
American folk song and I still think back and I really appreciate that they
back and I really appreciate that they
back and I really appreciate that they took time out while they were working to
took time out while they were working to
took time out while they were working to share their music with me so despite all
share their music with me so despite all
share their music with me so despite all these great experiences there’s
these great experiences there’s
these great experiences there’s something that I struggled with in
something that I struggled with in
something that I struggled with in Indonesia they call it jon kabat or
Indonesia they call it jon kabat or
Indonesia they call it jon kabat or rubber time it’s perfectly normal to
rubber time it’s perfectly normal to
rubber time it’s perfectly normal to show up 20-30 minutes even an hour late
show up 20-30 minutes even an hour late
show up 20-30 minutes even an hour late for an engagement
for an engagement
for an engagement and I had the most trouble with this
and I had the most trouble with this
and I had the most trouble with this when I was scheduling rehearsals with my
when I was scheduling rehearsals with my
when I was scheduling rehearsals with my new bandmates
new bandmates
new bandmates so I text all eight of them individually
so I text all eight of them individually
so I text all eight of them individually no group text and my Indonesian was poor
no group text and my Indonesian was poor
no group text and my Indonesian was poor at best and finally we would find a time
at best and finally we would find a time
at best and finally we would find a time that worked for everybody and then I’d
that worked for everybody and then I’d
that worked for everybody and then I’d be surprised when none of them had shown
be surprised when none of them had shown
be surprised when none of them had shown up 30 minutes after the fact but I found
up 30 minutes after the fact but I found
up 30 minutes after the fact but I found an interesting parallel to this idea of
an interesting parallel to this idea of
an interesting parallel to this idea of Jon Kabat in the music that I was
Jon Kabat in the music that I was
Jon Kabat in the music that I was learning it’s called a Rama which means
learning it’s called a Rama which means
learning it’s called a Rama which means temporal density and in cron Chong there
temporal density and in cron Chong there
temporal density and in cron Chong there are two densities there’s uncle and
are two densities there’s uncle and
are two densities there’s uncle and double in uncle the melody flows over
double in uncle the melody flows over
double in uncle the melody flows over the basic pulse and there’s notes in
the basic pulse and there’s notes in
the basic pulse and there’s notes in between but in double time stretches out
between but in double time stretches out
between but in double time stretches out and twice as many notes come in to fill
and twice as many notes come in to fill
and twice as many notes come in to fill the space between so this is gaining
the space between so this is gaining
the space between so this is gaining Taiwan in uncle and double on the very
Taiwan in uncle and double on the very
Taiwan in uncle and double on the very top line you’ll see the melody that I
top line you’ll see the melody that I
top line you’ll see the melody that I was singing and just beneath that is the
was singing and just beneath that is the
was singing and just beneath that is the instrument part and then in double
instrument part and then in double
instrument part and then in double you’ll see that the same melody appears
you’ll see that the same melody appears
you’ll see that the same melody appears but this time the instrument is playing
but this time the instrument is playing
but this time the instrument is playing twice as many notes so there’s an active
twice as many notes so there’s an active
twice as many notes so there’s an active shift in perspective the same melody
shift in perspective the same melody
shift in perspective the same melody material appears in both uncle and
material appears in both uncle and
material appears in both uncle and double but in double you’re given more
double but in double you’re given more
double but in double you’re given more space to consider and kind of luxurious
space to consider and kind of luxurious
space to consider and kind of luxurious in this same melody for me these shifts
in this same melody for me these shifts
in this same melody for me these shifts in a rama felt like a metaphor for my
in a rama felt like a metaphor for my
in a rama felt like a metaphor for my shift
shift
shift into rubber time i had come to in an
into rubber time i had come to in an
into rubber time i had come to in an Asia to study music much as I had been
Asia to study music much as I had been
Asia to study music much as I had been as a music student in America so the
as a music student in America so the
as a music student in America so the tune was the same but here tine felt
tune was the same but here tine felt
tune was the same but here tine felt stretched out and I found myself waiting
stretched out and I found myself waiting
stretched out and I found myself waiting around pretty often but that time and
around pretty often but that time and
around pretty often but that time and space was never empty in the same way
space was never empty in the same way
space was never empty in the same way that more notes come in to fill the
that more notes come in to fill the
that more notes come in to fill the spaces during shift Cinerama something
spaces during shift Cinerama something
spaces during shift Cinerama something always occupied the extra time that I
always occupied the extra time that I
always occupied the extra time that I had in Java for one thing I was almost
had in Java for one thing I was almost
had in Java for one thing I was almost never alone while I was waiting there’s
never alone while I was waiting there’s
never alone while I was waiting there’s always someone around who wanted to chat
always someone around who wanted to chat
always someone around who wanted to chat or share tea and snacks
or share tea and snacks
or share tea and snacks and it was in these little pockets of
and it was in these little pockets of
and it was in these little pockets of time that I probably gained some of my
time that I probably gained some of my
time that I probably gained some of my deeper perspectives into
deeper perspectives into
deeper perspectives into Asian culture so what people valued we
Asian culture so what people valued we
Asian culture so what people valued we as people thought their culture is
as people thought their culture is
as people thought their culture is evolving or ways that it was staying the
evolving or ways that it was staying the
evolving or ways that it was staying the same and I wonder what might year would
same and I wonder what might year would
same and I wonder what might year would have been like if I’d been able to
have been like if I’d been able to
have been like if I’d been able to schedule everything back-to-back and I
schedule everything back-to-back and I
schedule everything back-to-back and I wonder what I would have missed if
wonder what I would have missed if
wonder what I would have missed if Indonesia hadn’t stretched out the time
Indonesia hadn’t stretched out the time
Indonesia hadn’t stretched out the time for me I should add that when I first
for me I should add that when I first
for me I should add that when I first got to Indonesia I practically begged
got to Indonesia I practically begged
got to Indonesia I practically begged people for crunching lessons and the
people for crunching lessons and the
people for crunching lessons and the response I always got was something like
response I always got was something like
response I always got was something like lessons no no you just go and listen and
lessons no no you just go and listen and
lessons no no you just go and listen and then when you’re ready you play so I was
then when you’re ready you play so I was
then when you’re ready you play so I was baffled by the idea that I couldn’t pay
baffled by the idea that I couldn’t pay
baffled by the idea that I couldn’t pay someone to teach me crunching for a tidy
someone to teach me crunching for a tidy
someone to teach me crunching for a tidy little hour but I ended up learning so
little hour but I ended up learning so
little hour but I ended up learning so much more when I was street performing I
much more when I was street performing I
much more when I was street performing I couldn’t schedule this knowledge I just
couldn’t schedule this knowledge I just
couldn’t schedule this knowledge I just had to be there and I had to listen
opportunities tend to pop up when we
opportunities tend to pop up when we attend to the moment and leave space
attend to the moment and leave space
attend to the moment and leave space instead of scheduling everything
instead of scheduling everything
instead of scheduling everything back-to-back also rubber time works in
back-to-back also rubber time works in
back-to-back also rubber time works in both directions so for her so started an
both directions so for her so started an
both directions so for her so started an hour late I could expect them to go two
hour late I could expect them to go two
hour late I could expect them to go two hours over if I’d scheduled something
hours over if I’d scheduled something
hours over if I’d scheduled something right after I probably would have missed
right after I probably would have missed
right after I probably would have missed all of the good stuff I think that all
all of the good stuff I think that all
all of the good stuff I think that all this also speaks to the importance of
this also speaks to the importance of
this also speaks to the importance of listening I’m sure you can imagine that
listening I’m sure you can imagine that
listening I’m sure you can imagine that pulling off these shifts in a Rama in an
pulling off these shifts in a Rama in an
pulling off these shifts in a Rama in an ensemble takes an incredible amount of
ensemble takes an incredible amount of
ensemble takes an incredible amount of really intimate listening I created a
really intimate listening I created a
really intimate listening I created a crunch on group when I got back to
crunch on group when I got back to
crunch on group when I got back to Richmond it’s called rhomboid and for a
Richmond it’s called rhomboid and for a
Richmond it’s called rhomboid and for a long time we struggled to make these
long time we struggled to make these
long time we struggled to make these shifts as a group but over time as we
shifts as a group but over time as we
shifts as a group but over time as we learned to listen more deeply and
learned to listen more deeply and
learned to listen more deeply and practice over and over again something
practice over and over again something
practice over and over again something finally fell into place and now we’re
finally fell into place and now we’re
finally fell into place and now we’re able to navigate this shifting flow of
able to navigate this shifting flow of
able to navigate this shifting flow of time together I can’t pretend that I
time together I can’t pretend that I
time together I can’t pretend that I don’t stress out about time anymore but
don’t stress out about time anymore but
don’t stress out about time anymore but I do feel like I’ve relaxed a lot you
I do feel like I’ve relaxed a lot you
I do feel like I’ve relaxed a lot you know even if rehearsal started an hour
know even if rehearsal started an hour
know even if rehearsal started an hour late we always pull it off the
late we always pull it off the
late we always pull it off the performances everything still got done
performances everything still got done
performances everything still got done and I didn’t have to rush
and I didn’t have to rush
and I didn’t have to rush in fact I couldn’t rush the melody
in fact I couldn’t rush the melody
in fact I couldn’t rush the melody needed to unfold in its own time and it
needed to unfold in its own time and it
needed to unfold in its own time and it was my job to enjoy the spaces in
was my job to enjoy the spaces in
was my job to enjoy the spaces in between and find out what they were
between and find out what they were
between and find out what they were filled with
”
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