sounding out is feeling a little rusty. don’t worry, cobwebs are not gathering on the keys, and my sax gets plenty of practice. but i have not been listening to the call of the wild as much. so it is such a pleasure to revisit places of greatness. those two caves are amongst my favourite spaces to resonate. both have a very unique and different atmosphere. a few seconds in rydal cave, and the constant dripping takes you into a different world. however, today has many distractions and people come in and out througout the session.
some nice encounters and cool conversations, but i am used to a more intimate connection to the space itself. normally, i only play to birds, and possibly maybe the spirit of the rock… or to quote some of my musical influences, ‘i talk to the wind’ and ‘the trees are all agreed’. the intention is not to create a spectacle for visitors, however, it’s nice to make someone’s day, and the smile of wonder as kids wave goodbye is kinda cool.
i may not be totally in the zone, but very excited to play this place. and i hope you can hear it…
wind in the reeds
alto saxophone, 13 april 2024
rydal cave
shapes in the shadows
alto saxophone, 13 april 2024
rydal cave
in contrast, cathedral cave is all stillness and suspension. but here too, groups of people visit the site until late. by then, it gets cold and tired, and the saxophone feels it. i still manage to get a good stretch out of this session. some abstract passages offer a nice relief but most of my playing is quite harmonic this time. i feel i’d like it to be more adventurous, but i do not choose what the space inspires. still, i think that the symmetrical shapes which have been my main focus give an interesting colour to my melodies. it is good to realise that what i have been practicing is gradually feeding into my playing, without having to think about it. you dig?
taking steps
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
peaceful at the top
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
down the cloughs and the hollows
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
slow drift
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
the ragged edge
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
mirrors
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
avalanche
alto saxophone, 14 april 2024
cathedral cave
nexttime studio 