My head has stopped hurt after being bashed round the head. Thanks for all your kind words. I now have conjunctavitus -ggrrrr:
Had a conversation with some dodgy geezers:
I'm playing on friday in London - doing a half hour set with Skylinerz:
Probably my only London gig this year.
A conversation of interest on facebook:
Why some days do i just not play well? like improvisation wise? Why?
Jeff Duke likes this.]
Neil Alexander at 6:16pm June 23
Getting to a place where you can always create something interesting takes just as much practice as technique. But we all have that issue, dig?
Matt Stevens at 6:33pm June 23
Some days it works - some days it don't
Joel Levy at 7:11pm June 23
It's anata baby, beyond concepts of good and bad. Then all is well :-)
Matt Stevens at 7:12pm June 23
Wise, confusing words
Joel Levy at 7:45pm June 23
The state of 'no mind' is where true creativity comes from, in any field. The western equivalent is called being in the zone.
Why do you think Mr McLaughlin named his second group 'Shakti'? Same thing :-)
Matt Stevens at 7:47pm June 23
Got it - i've been there but it wasn't there today - why is that? It doesn't relate to the amount you practice or anything really? WHY!!!!!!
Joel Levy at 8:02pm June 23
Yours is not to question why, just to do ;-)
Patronising spiritual quote of the day!
I guess there's no practice required for some people as it flows naturally, for others certain things can help (some form of meditation beforehand to clear thoughts away, or do a Tenacious D and smoke a bong then hit record hehe).
Just realise that you didn't have a 'bad day' or do anything 'wrong' - you just didn't go there this time, simple as. Beyond concepts :-)
Matt Stevens at 8:53pm June 23
True improv is spontaneous composition therefore to come up with anything you need to be inspired - normally listnening to ornette coleman or kind of blue or the mahavishnu or crimmson or bad brains will help. I don't want to recycle i want to create
Joel Levy at 9:11pm June 23
You are already inspired, that's why some musicians have an awareness of 'channeling' music through them. Kevin Shields talked about this in an interview that I read a few years ago.
If you don't want to recycle then don't listen to other artists :-) Only half joking, I understand the inspiration.
"The practice of Zen mind is beginner's mind. The innocence of the first inquiry - what am I? - is needed throughout Zen practice. The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities. It is the kind of mind that can see things as they are, which step by step and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything"
Matt Stevens at 9:14pm June 23
Good stuff joel can i recycle this conversation for a blog post? I'll credit you. The Zen thing tyes in with what Miles Davis was saying to John Mclaaughlin when they were making In A Silent Way and he said "Play like you can't play"
Joel Levy at 9:28pm June 23
Of course Matt, I'm glad you understand the concept of no concept hehe.
You don't have to credit me though, it was channeled remember :-)
Namaste - "The light within me honors the light within you."
