A collection of improvisations recorded live (to video) at the
cave (studio) in Naperville IL USA during the Winter of 2021.

Petroglyphs

Illuminations

Pieces conceived in late summer and early fall of 2021.

Ruminations

New Thing

Shakuhachi

Improve videoed live at the cave in Naperville IL USA
on February 15th 2021. A piece for mostly white instruments.

Monday February 15th 2021 Cave Painting #5

Improve done live to video at the cave in Naperville IL USA on
February 8th 2021. Music for mostly white instruments.

Monday February 8th 2021 Cave Painting #4

An improvisation on white instruments. Recorded live to
video at the cave in Naperville IL USA on February 5th 2021.

Friday February 5th 2021 Cave Painting #3

Improvisation recorded live to video at the cave in Naperville IL USA
on February 4th 2021. Music for white instruments.

Thursday February 4th 2021 Cave Painting #2

The first in a set of improvisations recorded live to video at
the cave in Naperville IL USA. This was recorded on February
3rd 2021. Music for white instruments.

Wednesday February 3rd 2021 Cave Painting #1

Illuminations #1 for black, blue, and white electronic instruments.
Recorded to video on June 6th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday June 6th 2021 Illumination #1

Illumination #5 for multicolored electronic instruments.
Recorded June 20th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday June 20th 2021 Illumination #5

Illumination #3 for multicolored electronic instruments.
Recorded June 13th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday June 13th 2021 Illumination #3

Illumination #2 for multicolored electronic instruments.
Recorded June 12th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Saturday June 12th 2021 Illumination #2

Illumination #4 for multicolored electronic instruments.
Recorded June 14th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Monday June 14th 2021 Illumination #4

Rumination #1 for gong, blue, black, and white electronic instruments. Recorded to video in Naperville IL USA on July 11th 2021.

Sunday July 11th 2021 Rumination #1

Rumination #2 for gong, black, and white electronic instruments. Recorded to video in Naperville IL USA on July 16th 2021.

Friday July 16th 2021 Rumination #2

Rumination #3 for black and white electronic instruments (DotCom Modular and Moog Voyager). Recorded to video on July 21st 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Wednesday July 21st 2021 Rumination #3

Number 7 in the ruminations series. This one was done using the Lyra-8, Mellotron, Wiard 300 Series Modular, Haken ContinuuMini, and processed rin gong. It was recorded in Naperville IL USA on October 18th 2021 in real time.

Monday October 18th 2021 Rumination #7

Rumination #8 for processed Rin Gong, Lyra-8, Mellotron, Haken ContinuuMini, and Behringer 2600. Recorded October 20th 2021 in Naperville IL USA.

Wednesday October 20th 2021 Rumination #8

Fungus (a tone poem) for Mellotron, 5U Modular Synthesizer, Lyra-8, and Voyager. Recorded January 16th 2022 at the studio in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday January 16th 2022 Fungus

Lyric Expansion for white instruments and piano bass. Recorded January 23rd 2022 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday January 23rd 2022 Lyric Expansion

February Day With Coffee, for Piano Bass and White Electronic Instruments. Recorded to video February 4th 2022 in Naperville IL USA.

Friday February 4th 2022 February Day With Coffee

Electronic Interlude for Wiard, Processed Rin Gong, Behringer 2600, and various Eurorack modules. Recorded February 6th 2022 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday February 6th 2022 Electronic Interlude

Music for Wiard Modular Synthesizer, Assorted Eurorack modules, Processed Rin Gong, and Haken ContinuuMini. Recorded February 10th 2022.

Thursday February 10th 2022 Moment Of Moaning

Nut #12, a meditation for Lyra-8, Haken ContinuuMini, and small modular system. Recorded March 7th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Tuesday March 7th 2023 Nut #12

Fixation #1 for Haken ContinuuMini and modular system. Recorded July 28th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Friday July 28th 2023 Fixation #1

Fixation #2 for Mellotron, Minitaur, and 2600. Recorded August 7th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Monday August 7th 2023 Fixation #2

Fixation #3 for ContinuuMini and small modular system. Recorded August 8th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Tuesday August 8th 2023 Fixation #3

Fixation #4 for ContinuuMini and small modular system. Recorded August 13th 2023 in Naperville IL USA

Sunday August 13th 2023 Fixation #4

Fixation #5 for Mellotron, Minitaur, and 2600. Recorded August 17th 2023 in Naperville IL USA

Thursday August 17th 2023 Fixation #5

Fixation #6 for Gong and small modular systems. Recorded August 21st 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Monday August 21st 2023 Fixation #6

Fixation #7 for mellotron, angel wing begonia, and small modular system. Recorded August 25th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Friday August 25th 2023 Fixation #7

Fixation #8 for shakuhachi, angel wing begonia, and small modular system. Recorded August 25th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Friday August 25th 2023 Fixation #8

Fixation #9 for Mellotron, Rin Gong, and small modular system. Recorded August 27th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Sunday August 27th 2023 Fixation #9

Fixation #10 for Mellotron, Rin Gong, and small modular system. Recorded August 28th 2023 in Naperville IL USA.

Monday August 28th 2023 Fixation #10

This track was recorded on a 1.8 jiari shakuhachi in 2013.
The piece is supposed to represent the overcoming of 
difficulties and is used for training, in order to practice
extremes.

Yamagoe (Reiho)

This is a Japanese folk piece (Minyo), performed solo on a 1.6 shakuhachi (rokusun).

Kaigara Bushi

Japanese folk piece performed (by me) on a 1.8 shakuhachi (hasun).

Komoro Mago Uta

This is the simplest of the honkyoku repertoire. It comes from a Buddhist piece called Choshi and has been reinterpreted through Watazume and Yokoyama Katsuya. I play it here on a nishaku (2.0 shakuhachi).

Hon Shirabe

A pilgrim's song for solo shakuhachi. Played on a hasun (1.8 shakuhachi).

Komuso Nagashi

Mount Horai is a mythical place from Taoist belief. It is a place where the dwellers are free from old age and death. This piece is from a rinzai Zen temple, Kokutaiji, located in Toyama Prefecture and is based on a chant. It was collected and notated by Jin Nyodo through monks in that temple. I'm playing it on a 1.8 jiari shakuhachi.

Horai

Mark Biegel (on cornet) and me (on shakuhachi)
doing a take on the traditional Japanese folk melody
(drinking song) Kuroda Bushi.

Kuroda Bushi

This is a solo shakuhachi piece originally from the Kanto
area. It is a basic piece in the Kinko repertoire, but my
version is one that has been interpreted through the
teachings of Katsuya Yokoyama (via his student Michael
Chikusen Gould). It is said to have been played by monks
while begging alms. Here I play it on a 1.8 Kinshyu shakuhachi.
Recorded March 10th 2016 in Naperville IL USA

Hifumi Hachigaeshi

This is a solo piece for shakuhachi that was based
on a traditional festival lion dance. I'm playing it on
a rokusun (1.6) shakuhachi.

Azuma Jishi

This is a personal interpretation of a very old and
traditional solo piece for shakuhachi. It is based on
the Taizan-Ha variation of the piece Kyorei. I learned
it from the version codified by Yoshinobu Taniguchi.
It is played on a rokusun (1.6) shakuhachi.

Soo Kyorei

This is a version of Choshi (Basic Tuning) a
piece in the solo shakuhachi repertoire that 
came out of the temples (this version from
the FudaiJi). I've recorded it on a 1.8 Jiari
shakuhachi.

Choshi

This is a complete version of Kyorei (I posted a partial
version earlier) played on a jiari 1.8 shakuhachi (hasun).
This is one of the oldest pieces in the solo shakuhachi 
(Buddhist) repertoire.

Kyorei (Hasun Complete)

I've posted another version of HonShirabe before. That one
was played on a 2.0 shakuhachi (Nishaku). I'm posting this
one for my students. It is played on a jiari 1.8 shakuhachi
(hasun). This is one of the most fundamental pieces in
the solo shakuhachi repertoire.

HonShirabe (Hasun)

This is a Reibo ("yearning for the bell") melody
transmitted by the monks of the Fuke sect at the
Shoganken temple in Iwate Prefecture.
I'm playing it on a jiari 1.8 shakuhachi (Hasun).
The notation I used was from Yokoyama Katsuya's
school of playing.

Shoganken Reibo

This piece is supposed to conjure up the state of
being as expressed by the Chinese poem: "The enlightened
soul is like the solitary moon, its light engulfing all". I'm
playing it here on a 2.4 shakuhachi (nishakuyon). It comes
to me via the Katsuya Yokoyama score and his school of 
playing.

Shin Getsu (Nishakuyon)

This piece was written by Jin Nyodo, the shakuhachi master and collector of traditional Buddhist pieces in 1941. It is very much in the
style of traditional Buddhist meditation pieces. The title
translates to "Big Harmony" and refers to the cycle of life. The
piece depicts the life of an individual from birth to passing and
rebirth. It was performed on a 1.8 Kinshu shakuhachi.

Daiwagaku

Koka No Uta written by Nomura Seiho and
arranged as a solo by Yoshinobu Tanaguchi.
I'm playing it on a TaiHei 1.8 shakuhachi.

Koka No Uta

The name of this piece literally translates to "Three Valleys". It
is said to depict a journey over mountain peaks and down into
the valleys between. There are many pieces with this name, but
this one originates from the Nagoya area and was transmitted 
via the Kokusai Shakuhachi Kenshukan (the Yokoyama Katsuya 
school of playing). I'm performing it on a 1.8 shakuhachi. It was
recorded in Naperville IL USA Sept 19th 2016

Sanya

Recently, due to the death of a good friend and teacher of mine,
I inherited an historic instrument. One made by Jin Nyodo (1891-
1966). Jin Nyodo is one of the most famous shakuhachi players
in Japanese history and is a direct descendant in the lineage of
the Fuke sect. While his interpretation of the Koten Honkyoku is
unique and unparallelled, Jin Nyodo's playing reflects directly
back to the origins of this ancient music. He was also a composer
and maker of instruments. I realized that I could play a Jin Nyodo
composition (Daiwagaku - Great Harmony) on an instrument 
made by the composer.

Daiwagaku (Jin Nyodo Hasun)

This piece is a variant of the Taizan Ha version of Taki Ochi.
Taki is the word for waterfall in Japanese. I’m playing this
from the score written down by Taniguchi Yoshinobu. Here
is what he says about the piece:
“It is necessary to practice playing this piece at a quick pace
so that you can develop a smooth technique and also to help 
bypass any thought. One should play this song over and
over so it feels and flows out naturally. Its tempo and rhythm
are the main aspects on which to focus.”

Taki Ochi

This is a piece from the Buddhist repertoire. The notation 
I'm using for this piece was written down by Teruo Furuya,
a student of Katsuya Yokoyama (Both masters of the instrument).
It was based on a performance by Riley Lee of a Chikuho version
of the piece. The piece is very old and references the "Ah" sound,
which, in some schools of Buddhist thought, represents "Basic Essence".
I'm playing it on a Hasun (1.8 shakuhachi). This was recorded
in Naperville Illinois USA on February 6th 2017.

Ajikan (Hasun)

This is an old piece that comes from the temples
(Buddhist traditional music). It is said (and the
title suggests) that it is a requiem (a prayer for the
departed). I'm playing it on a long (2.5) Jinashi
shakuhachi (one that only has lacquer and not 
hardening material coating the inside of the flute).
This was recorded in Naperville IL USA on July 10th
2016.

Banshiki

It is said that parts of this piece represent the breaking of
waves on the shoreline. The title suggests this as well as
the breaking through to enlightenment. This version is my
interpretation as handed down through the teaching of
Katsuya Yokoyama. It was recorded in Naperville Illinois USA
on April 2nd 2018. It is being played on a 1.8 (hasun) shakuhachi.

Daha (Hasun)

Traditional Honkyoku (Japanese Buddhist Piece) Performed on Shakuhachi.
The title refers to "Unhindered Purposeful Inaction". I recorded this on a
standard 1.8 length shakuhachi using a Zoom H4 recorder in 2010. This
piece is said to have originated around 700 years ago.

Koku

A lighter piece from a collection by Takashi Tokuyama. I think it is from a traditional
folk piece. The name refers to yearning or yearning for love.

Uta Ren Bo

A piece that is supposed to focus the player on his or her breath (in order
to grasp the essence of one's own mind).

Sokkan

This is a short Japanese folk piece (Minyo) recorded on a Kinshu hasun (shakuhachi)

Kaneyoshi Bushi

Traditional Japanese shakuhachi solo piece (Honkyoku). This is
said to be one of the three oldest pieces in the repertoire. It's played
on a 1.8 jiari flute.

Mukaiji

Koku performed on a 2.4 shakuhachi. This is from
the Yokoyama school (i.e. I learned the piece from
Yokoyama Katsuya's notation)

Koku (2.4)

I am, on the maternal side, Haplogroup T
(Subclade T2) and, on the paternal side,
Haplogroup Q (M242)!
I have been walking the earth since the
early '50s. I am an ex-mill-rat,
ex-(Calumet)region-rat, ex-chemist,
dead-mathematician, ex-programmer,
musician, composer, earth-walker.
I have two musical directions, I play,
perform, and teach traditional Japanese
classical music for the shakuhachi
(an end blown bamboo flute), and I play,
compose, and perform experimental
electronic music. All the electronic music I
compose and perform is and can be done
in real-time (i.e. I don't use multi-tracking
or computer manipulation for my compositions).
Whenever I record anything, either electronic
or on the shakuhachi, it is done in real-time
just as it would have been done on the stage
or in an intimate setting.

mafirman

Pinned to spotlight

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