Steve Ball

Tuning the Air: Final 2006 Show

Evening: attended the final show of the year by Tuning the Air. This was a sort of homecoming, almost like coming home for Christmas. The show was hot, and up an octave from my last visit -- this is now really a show worth seeing. Poor Regina was under the weather, but I wish she could have experienced this show and compared this to our first together -- this was a major leap forward.

Afterward, I crashed the 'cast party' with TravisM and shared memories of this past year in context of the past thirteen in Seattle and twenty-one within the extended Guitar Craft family.

Curt and Jaxie presented a series of 'semi-prepared toasts' to honor the contributions of those at this table, and we extended this by also remembering and toasting those who have contributed to the Seattle Guitar Circle projects over the years.

From memory, here's a partial list of those whose names were mentioned (or acknowledged outloud or silently with gratitude for their both visible and invisible contributions to the ongoing work here since 1993:

Tony Geballe
Bill Van Buren
Bill Forth
Mark Perry
Joanne Raciciatti
Peter Kardas
Karen Thomas
Debra Kahan
Bill Rieflin
Chris and Meleah Gibson
Scott Adams
Mikol Colton
R. Chris Murphy
Sanford Ponder
Brock and Heather Pytel
John Sinks
Trey Gunn
Deborah Gunn
Tobin Buttram
Steven Rhodes
John Henning
Elisabeth Perrin
Janette Rosebrook
Dean Jensen
Patty Olenroth
Sandra Prow
Kathy Ottersten
Adrianne Helinski
Andrei Kozlov
Travis Hartnett
Travis Metcalf
Chad Belgarde
Greg Sundberg
Derek DiFilippo
David LaVallee
Rob Taylor-Manning
Steve Turnidge
Taylor Sherman
Pablo Mandel
Jim Gomez
Andrew Boscardin
Doug and Julie Brettin
Stephen Golovnin
JT Milhoan
Jeff Brown
Walter Harley
Curt Golden
Jaxie Binder
Bob Williams
Frank Sheldon
Ingrid Pape Sheldon
Igor Abuladze
Trey Donovon
Joel Palmer
Tony Garza
Howard Snyder
Diana Garcia-Snyder
Greg and Stani Meredith
Teo Hannum
Peter and Maggie Dervin
Paul O'Rear
Lee Silberkleit
Andrew Boyd
Martin Schwutke
Fernando Kabusacki
Christian de Santis
Paul Richards
Hideyo Moriya
Bert Lams
Tom Redmond
Robert Fripp

I may have missed some (and/or botched spelling for a few) in this list. Perhaps if I'm missed someone, you can let me know?

Quite a night.

* * *

Leaving the Mission

Evening Work: Leaving the Mission (4.2M mp3).

Some breakthroughs today, on many levels. And, this evening, a quick and quirky reflection of what it takes to leave a warm nest, mostly inspired by an insightful email from Paul O'Rear.

* * *

December Remember

Afternoon Work: December Remember (5.7M mp3).

This is a quick guitar sketch that jumped right out of my morning practice. I've been generally feeling in seven all day today. Vocal melodies and harmonies popped out as well.

Perhaps words will arrive this evening.

In the Song Tile photo: the beaming face of Aidan Eckert. Unlike Captain K who is obviously looking up towards the heavens with sad, naive, and empty eyes, Aidan is looking directy out at you with an unfocused but intense innocent curiosity.

* * *

So, what am I working to Remember in December? Here's a short list:

who I am: what is necessary next to build on my work of the past 21 years?
how I am: collaborative, while true to my own innate vision and mission
why I am: loyal to my own sense of asymmetry, melody, harmony and context
where I am: in transition in more ways than I can simply articulate here

* * *

Captain Kumbaya (vocal version)

Evening Work: Captain Kumbaya (Vocal Version) (3.3M mp3).

when I look down
I clearly see brown dirty ground
under my feet
building on what is below
minions opinions pure ego
cheap geeky creeps
piling heaps
of cheeky petty sweaty prose
from fat headless beasts
with fists of meat
grinding their teeth
minus the beef
pounding a sound
claiming brown is coming back
it's the new black
someone's sleeping lord

when you come around
I hear this sound
four seconds long
a microsong
massaging the air
everywhere
starting the show
soft crimson glow
ascending dual parts
preceding Start
opening a Window
to the heart
a soft glassy cue
a mini jewel
short splashing swirl
four color Pearl
someone's crying lord

* * *

Earlier Today: energetic guitar calesthenics and sitting for two, then rehearsal for three voices and three guitars including a new acoustic version of Siberian Khatru brought to life by Lee. Also, some discussions about this busy time of year and our potential New Years Eve show.

We also exchanged some quiet comparisons of close family and friends with grave health situations - this added a certain gravity to the energy of the day.

Ran into excellent bass soloist, Brendan Wires, at dinner this evening. Brendan and Travis Hartnett seem to be wired into the same gig circuit.

* * *

Week Recap

Quick Recap: an extremely active social week including dinner Thursday evening at Wild Ginger with my friend Buzz Bruggeman, as well as Thomas LeVine and a slew of interesting folks inlcluding David Allen, of Getting Things Done fame.

Then, dinner again at Wild Ginger on Friday evening before attending the Annual David Whyte reading at Benaroya Hall with Pat and Kristy Rodden and the Whidbey crew.

Saturday morning began with sitting for two, acoustic calisthenics, and rehearsal followed by invitations to four back-to-back holiday events. We made three of the four events, finally heading home with more than enough compelling conversations to process for one day.

Late evening: work on transforming Captain Kumbaya from instrumental sketch to a vocal song. Almost there.

* * *

For me, from his new book, this was the highlight of the David Whyte reading on Friday night:

Start close in,
don't take the second step
or the third,
start with the first
thing
close in,
the step
you don't want to take.

Start with
the ground
you know,
the pale ground
beneath your feet,
your own
way of starting
the conversation.

Start with your own
question,
give up on other
people's questions,
don't let them
smother something
simple.

To find
another's voice,
follow
your own voice,
wait until
that voice
becomes a
private ear
listening
to another.

Start right now
take a small step
you can call your own
don't follow
someone else's
heroics, be humble
and focused,
start close in,
don't mistake
the other
for your own.

Start close in,
don't take the second step
or the third,
start with the first
thing
close in,
the step
you don't want to take.

If this resonates for you, go see David speak in person. Or attend one of his workshops.

And, please buy his books. His written words, while essential and eloquent, do not quite transmit the intensity, power, and history that his own speaking delivers. His written words transmit an energy that is both tangible and essential, but, much like a music recording vs. a live show, there is no (written) substitute for being in the presence of a master.

* * *