in the face of a melt-down and resulting reactions from the web, i found a post so relevant and actual that i’d like to share the following quote:
“
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
If we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!
Inter-dependence, of course, is a fundamental law of nature. Not only higher forms of life but also many of the smallest insects are social beings who, without any religion, law or education, survive by mutual cooperation based on an innate recognition of their interconnectedness. The most subtle level of material phenomena is also governed by interdependence. All phenomena from the planet we inhabit to the oceans, clouds, forests and flowers that surround us, arise in dependence upon subtle patterns of energy. Without their proper interaction, they dissolve and decay.
It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.
During the second half of my stay in France, visits to locations were a little more leisurely and i took the opportunity to revisit other know locations.
The town of Auvillar towers over the Garonne river, located on the travel route to Compostelle, it features an old covered market square built with measures for grain and cereals – some of which are now rare.
It is a busy place with tourism and local trade, and similarly, the church is buzzing with bursts of activity. In between visitors and prayers, i managed to squeeze a little empty space with melodic overtones…
While travelling across the pyrenees, a few places punctuated the journey. in Barèges, spa town situated high up in the mountains, a powerful torrent crosses the town. After an energising meditation by the water, i stopped in the small local chapel to keep my practice fingers running along. And of course, inspired by the gentle yet powerful vibe, i recorded a couple of pieces.
In luz, it was a pleasure to revisit the 12th century building of the fortified Templar church. The solid outside wall are drenched in sun and exposed to wild elements while the inside, in contrast, is dark and completely still. This displacement mirrored a space i could feel between the force and gentleness of the natural elements, so present and powerful in the area.
My head still in the rushing waters of torrents and high mountain glaciers after a day walk. i stopped for meditation in a small town, on the road returning from gavarnie. for once, i did not have my saxophone with me and decided to put to use a brand new shakuhachi i had just finished making. Its frail and gentle sound filled the grand space of the church and suddenly echoed the force i’d felt while watching the creation of a new waterfall from snow melting.
The last day in the mountain area, i had to make a couple of stops, just to review an amazing church i remembered from my previous trip. In the small passage town of Cieutat, the church was still just as overwhelming, but the more active feel of that particular morning removed some of the mystical quality. These last two visits were punctuated with flower duty, water changes and general church bustle. As i settled into the feel of the place, i caught myself playing similar chord structures and colours to what i had played during my last visit there. Was this harmonic movement really in the stone? Part of this place… For a second, i had a weird flashback, and yet made no effort to repeat the material from memory. And of course the improvisation took me somewhere else, but i could sense that that same colour / feel / tone was in the music, only slightly different – like a person you know well and meet again further down the line of their personal history.
Rushing down the mountains and on the road back to civilisation, on the way to my next gig, another quick stop took me to St Martory church… The flower duty and water changing provided background and clear marks where the atmosphere was saturated with the underlying sound of the nearby river. At first, the drone of passing water merged with traffic entrained me to play long overtones and focus on the interplay between harmonics contained within the breath sound. Soon, a pulse developed, water rippled, melody splashed. gesture. movement and form.
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le repos des plaines
alto saxophone, 02 june 2016
église de st sardos
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jours de lente
alto saxophone, 02 june 2016
église de st sardos
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roads and waterways
alto saxophone, 27 may 2016
église de st martory
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new flowers
alto saxophone, 27 may 2016
église de st martory
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the journey of water
alto saxophone, 27 may 2016
église de cieutat
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crest lines
alto saxophone, 27 may 2016
église de cieutat
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ripples from falling pebbles
2.1 shakuhachi, 26 may 2016
église de gèdres
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contrepoint de rivière et vent
alto saxophone, 25 may 2016
église de luz
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courte descente libre
alto saxophone, 25 may 2016
église de luz
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road squiggles
alto saxophone, 24 may 2016
église de barèges
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torrent under a low sky
alto saxophone, 24 may 2016
église de barèges
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sarrasin champart
alto saxophone, 17 may 2016
église de auvillar
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millet avoine
alto saxophone, 17 may 2016
église de auvillar
This year, my trip to France has been much focused around a series of concerts with my friend Henry Herteman. And i will share many documents of these in a future post.
Sounding out is of course always active as i have my saxophone everywhere i go, and if not, some new shakuhachi is near at hand. So any opportunity, or rather, any possible place i encounter is always a pleasure.
But this time, only a few choice cuts are on the menu. i have instead concentrated my efforts on old favourite locations and a few surprise finds. Each recording is also shorter and more focused.
In this post i present the first half of my explorations while at the beginning of my journey. and it begins very early on, after driving through the night, and a coffee break after dawn, i found myself walking around the picturesque town of Pierre Buffière and discovered the church was open. So not quite into the first leg of my trip, and still in transit, i decided to make a morning call and enter the dark resonant space that offered a cool haven and a change of pace.
A sense of movement is still in me, slowly tuning in to the stillness of the place. A clash between the bright day starting outside and the dark interior. Feeling tired and displaced. My mind wanders and continues its journey into imaginary landscapes. Traveling light and swift.
Soon after settling down into my new home, i visited the local church that remains a favourite with its vast sound. St Sardos is a quiet village with outsized church design. Its magnificent reverb is inspiring and lifting while calming and instilling silence. A strange combination that seems to bring out of me the most gentle melodies and adventurous harmonic work made possible by the very long tail.
As soon as i started making a sound, i slipped into a timeless zone. all is suspended.
And finally, the third location i present today is the deep blue interior of Verdun sur Garonne. This place is so very poignant, it always had a deep effect on me.
The strange feeling of a known place. But a different one that has traces of memory so fine it escapes the touch.
There is no other way to describe this session, but with a quote: it is the time my saxophone gently weeps.
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paysage connu
alto saxophone, 06 may 2016
église st michel, verdun sur garonne
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mémoire augmentée
alto saxophone, 06 may 2016
église st michel, verdun sur garonne
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des phi au point de faille
alto saxophone, 06 may 2016
église st michel, verdun sur garonne
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cascade de blues
alto saxophone, 06 may 2016
église st michel, verdun sur garonne
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l’oubli
alto saxophone, 06 may 2016
église st michel, verdun sur garonne
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first shade
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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painting in relief
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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the convent
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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if i knew
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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raining red
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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silent flower
alto saxophone, 05 may 2016
église de st sardos
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by night and by day
alto saxophone, 04 may 2016
église de ste croix, pierre buffière
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by vales and hills
alto saxophone, 04 may 2016
église de ste croix, pierre buffière
nexttime studio 