 |
|
|
Monday May 3, 1999 Subject: WD/Sacred Accoutic Space/health issues... who could ask for more? ___________________ Well, I gotta say that I'm pretty excited.... Just took the hand off of the Wandering Didge from the Deputy, Raleigh Adams, down in Sacramento. We met at the Franciscan Church that he attends and I'll tell you folks, Raleigh is not exaggerating when he describes this |
place. It was joyous just to stand in this place and absorb it's beauty and spirit, let alone to be allowed to play in this sacred place. I must admit it felt a little odd at first,... playing such a primal and primitive instrument amongst the high arches, prolific stained glass and statues of the saints, but Raleigh was quite matter of fact about it. Once I began playing the reverberance of the hall was pure magic and I at once began to feel comfortable and allowed the space to move my playing. |
|
page 1
|
|
|
We played a number of Didgeridoos while there... a couple of Agaves, some traditional Eucs and then we had a passing over of the WD. I finished up by playing a little from a 4 ft long bass bamboo flute to satisfy my melodic yearnings. Yes... it was a delightful morning and Raleigh and his wife Linda captured most all of it on video tape... Way cool! What to say about the WD,... She's an elegant little lady and I think it accurate 'for me' to describe her in the |
feminine. With the unusual flare at the mouthpiece I would describe her as having full lips with a slender neck and throat. Then with a graceful arch she flares ever so gently to her mid section where her proportions even out with a slight undulation just before the bell which remains even without flaring. One is tempted to treat her softly and gently and Raleigh gave her a blessing to produce a calming effect as the didge is played but I'm finding that she has the opposite effect |
|
page 2
|
|
| on me. I find her to have quite a sassy attitude and is incredibly responsive. She doesn't have a big voice (low bottom end) and is not very responsive to vocals but she responds incredibly to power playing so don't be fooled by first appearances and impressions.... This baby can scream. It's quite possibly the fastest and most responsive didge I've laid my hands and lips on so far. Upon the first couple of playings I was driven to fevered states of passion and blistering speeds. I'm sure that it's the fastest that I've |
ever played. Now after our first passionate embraces I'm beginning to explore her subtler nuances and I'm finding her very articulate... certainly not the tonal quality I'm used to (I've been enjoying big booming Agave horns lately) but her expressivity is really quite amazing. There are so many things I want to try out on this didge but unfortunately I have very little time..... Up to Reno to record with the band once called Pangea on Tues. and Weds (Thanks BTW for all the name |
|
page 3
|
|
| submissions). On the way home from Reno I stop in at Lake Tahoe to sit in with another band on Weds. evening. Friday I head to Shasta for a Fiddle and Art Fest over the weekend and then Monday John Arntz comes out to my studio to record a little with the WD and then he'll escort the Didge to the coast and all the WD participants in the San Francisco Bay area. Only one short and busy week,.. I'm not sure I'll be ready to give her up that soon (sigh...). Sometimes it's |
terrible to fall in love so easily. Feeling sorry for me yet? Don't I'm having one hell of a good time even if the pace is a bit frantic at times. So why, your asking, does Blonski mention health issues in the subject line? Well as it turns out the Deputy has been suffering from a head cold for the last four weeks that he hasn't been able to shake. In our hand off ceremony Raleigh played a few licks and then handed it over to me and |
|
page 4
|
|
| then I began to play. I'm not too worried, I haven't been very prone to catching colds since taking up the Didge (and I share didges with thousands annually) but I'd say this will be as good a test as any. Don't worry... I've got some of Allan Shockley's Antiseptic Didge Spray to treat the didge with before passing it any further. So far so good... but I'm going to make myself up a 'Magic Potion' preventative home remedy just to be on the safe side. Disclaimer....Just so you know... I'm a professional |
and you shouldn't try this at home. Well, that's it for the moment. I hope to have something recorded later in the week... I'm just not sure which direction to go with her... subtlenuances... power playing... blistering speed... Oh what the heck,.. a one minute everything but the kitchen sink passion play, Isn't that all that us guys are good for anyway? (Hehehe..) David A. Blonski at.... |
|
page 5
|
|
|
Thursday, May 06, 1999 Subject: WD rocks at Cinco de Mayo Bash! _____________________ Well, even thought it's 4 in the morning here in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains I still had to write this post to let you now how things have gone for the WD and me. Monday was the handoff with Raleigh at the church... Tuesday and Wednesday was spent in |
Reno, Nevada with the 'Artists formerly known as Pangea' (I took my list of names but nothing has stuck so far). They were so impressed the WD and it's story that they now want towrite a song around her as part of one of the CD projects we're working on. Then on the way home I stopped in to sit in with the band "The Bodhi Tree" at a Cinco de Mayo bash in South Lake Tahoe. The band already had the crowd rocking but we raised the roof another notch when I |
|
page 6
|
|
| kicked in with the WD. We started out one set with three of my 'Performance Didges' and the crowd nearly went through the roof. It was an awesome evening and I made a lot of new friends. "Bodhi Tree" really cooks and is among the most impressive bands I've seen recently... the percussionist already had one of my didges that he plays occasionally in the band but I think I hooked the other two members this evening and they offered to play on my next CD project. If they do I'll really be tempted to use "Blonski and |
the Beaters". The Bodhi Tree has a web site at www.bodhi-tree.com Voted best band in South Lake Tahoe.... They definitely have my vote! Check them out! I didn't arrive back home till 3 in the morning but I'm still so amped from tonight's gig that I can't sleep. Yeah... the Blonski boy has been strutting his stuff and having the time of his life... It just gets better and better.... David A. Blonski |
|
page 7
|
|
|
Friday, May 07, 1999 Subject: WD @ BOULDER? ____________________ Brandi wrote... " I think its important for everyone to get private time with the instrument, at least a week and learn it personally. I think its a solo thing, where the participant expresses, with as little outside influence as possible." While I been very vocal about keeping the WD |
moving and getting it into as many hands as quickly as possible I have to agree with Brandi,... specially since I now have the didge. I'm already working on various devious schemes to allow me to keep it for a couple of extra days... at least until we (the Artists formerly known as Pangea) have a chance to compose a new song for her on Tuesday and Wednesday. When John shows up on Monday we'll spend the afternoon recording in the studio... if I can come up with something to take to the |
|
page 9
|
|
| band I'll hand it off then... If not, I'll arm wrestle him for possession so I can take it up one more time to meet with the band so we can work on the new song and then I'll mail it down to him or another person on the list on Thursday.... unless of course I can come up with another devious plan. So unless there's another N. Cal participant that want's to take advantage of my offer to record their WD track here in my studio, the WD's visit with me will only last a week to a week and a half at | most. For those with a curious nature, the WD's firstyear on the road has averaged to about one participant a month.... Since it's hit the US the pace has picked up a little and I'm hoping that California will average out to 2 or 3 participants a month. So while we all have waited or wait with a certain amount of anxiety it's best to not hold ones breath. As far as Boulder is concerned... As good as the idea sounds, the WD seems to travel at it's own speed. If it happens to |
|
page 10
|
|
| fall into the hands of someone coming out to the gathering at the right time it may very well turn out but it may be a hard thing to count on. Even at top speed it will take two or three more months just to make it through California, then it's on to Nevada, Arizona, Utah and then probably Colorado. She's been on the road for over 1 year and 3 months so that's really quite an amazing accomplishment already... Looks like we'll be following her travels for years to come. David |
Mon, 10 May 1999 WD - Reality Check/Back from Shasta Fiddle Fest __________________ "So it really comes down to the person that has the WD at the time of the gathering,...." |
|
page 11
|
|
| going to Boulder as being against the idea of the WD being at the gathering. I just stated that it had a life of it's own and if it falls into the right hands at the right time then cool! But since the WD travels at it's own pace it may be a difficult thing to orchestrate and count on. Personally, I'm all for the sharing thing... I took it to band practice... I played for a couple hundred gyrating party animals at a Cinco de Mayo bash and I even took it to a Fiddle Festival where it had exposure to thousands of people. In less than a week | I've played it in Sacramento, Reno, Tahoe, and Shasta. If the WD wasn't headed to SF in a few days I'd take it to another even larger music festival at Yosemite but (sigh..) I've got to follow my own advice and keep her moving. I've loved performing with the WD and sharing it's story... I think that it has too cool of a story not to share... I'm even considering writing a story for our local paper(s). I've also had a half a dozen grateful pullers take a turn with the WD. I know that when the WD makes it to |
|
page 12
|
|
| San Francisco that it will go on display for a few days at Clarion as an honorary member of the "Wicked Sticks" collection and that Stephen Kent plans to do a public performance with the WD. So it appears that the WD will have private time and public exposure alike. Who knows?.. we may even see a collection of press clippings included in the journal after a while. In the meantime I plan to have a great time working with John Arntz in the studio tomorrow so I hope to have a couple of new audio clips to post on | the WD site in a few days... a friend with a digital camera took a few pics so maybe I'll include a pic of me playing the WD at my Didge display at the Fiddle Fest and maybe I can grab an image off the video that Raleigh & Linda shot in the Church. My advise on this on-going thread is everybody take a deep breath and let go.... Regardless of what any of us think, the WD has a life of it's own and it's just passing through. Those of us fortunate to participate will be able to interact with her |
|
page 13
|
|
|
in the way we feel best for our personal situation. I perform... next person may hide away in their room... next person will go sit on a ledge overlooking a canyon or river... someone else will take it to a classroom... It will all be... simply perfect. ____________________ Monday, May 17, 1999 Subject: Wandering Didge _________________ From: John Arntz: "Alison Jane Arntz was born on |
Monday, May 10 at 4:16 in the afternoon- precisely the time that I would have been playing the WD at your place- perhaps even recording something. Baby and mother are doing well. I am very proud of them both. Since she surprised us by coming early we are ctching up (our house is somewhat taken apart because of a remodel...) My email is also giving me fits, so i have not been able to receive in more than a week. This is a long way of me saying that I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Please |
|
page 13
|
|
|
send the good news to the list. When i resurface in a while I will connect with Clarion for the WD. Meanwhile I hope to connect with you some day and thank you again for the offer to come to your place and play. Thanks for everything!" John Arntz BTW - the Wandering Didge will be dropped off with Fred Tietjen at Clarion's Wicked Sticks Gallery tomorrow. Clarion is likely to be the central hub from which all the participants in the San Francisco Bay area |
will connect for their turn with the WD. I plan on recording my WD track tonight so I hope to have it posted soon. David ___________________ Date: Tuesday, May 18, Subject: WD at Wicked Sticks Gallery Well I dropped off the WD (sniff) with Fred Tietjen at the Wicked Sticks Gallery at Clarion Music in San Francisco and it's in good company with the finest collection of Didgeridoos in |
|
page 14
|
|
| North America. I've got to tell you that I've been to Clarion several times over the last couple of years and the new collection that just arrived is by far the best I've ever played. Fred handed me didge after didge that blew my socks off. If your on the west coast and you have the opportunity I'd make a point of checking these instruments out. They have a backroom where you are free to play... even for hours at a time if you want,... and no purchase is required. These are rare one of a kind sticks made by Djalu and Howell... Yes, at | $600 - $1000 they are a bit pricey but they're the finest didges that money can buy and considering the fact that if you wanted to purchase the finest flute, sax or guitar available you'd have to spend $20,000 or more it makes these instruments seem pretty reasonable. Clarion also has a very flexible layaway plan if you find something that you absolutely must have but need time to finance the purchase. But honestly, even if you have no intention of buying one of these 'wicked sticks' you should still make |
|
page 15
|
|
| it in to try out some of these amazing instruments. Along with having an hour with the most incredible collection of didges this reporter has ever seen I additionally got to have a very informative one on one chat with Fred while dining in Chinatown. Like our good friend Peter Brady, most of Fred's knowledge of the Didge and Aboriginal Culture comes from direct contact with the Aboriginal Community. When Fred returns to Australia to Document the 5 day Djalu Didgeridoo Workshop we'll all be able to benefit | because, in addition to putting together a slide show presentation at Clarion, he is also getting ready to put up a Web Site that will document Djalu's work and the information will be nearly 100% Aboriginal source material. I, for one, have always been impressed by Fred's personal integrity and years of commitment to serve Aboriginal Artists and their Community. The outstanding quality of the Wicked Sticks Collection is just one of the results of this and I applaud Fred for his efforts. BRAVO! |
 |
page 16
|