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Inspired by Point Reyes National Seashore

Audio on Soundcloud:

Based on the story of Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, as a boy escaping from Tibet during the Chinese invasion of 1949. Specifically the part of the book that describes the crossing of the Brahmaputra River. Features Nicholas Bennett on Warr Guitar and vocals and Miles Rytting on Drums.

I don’t remember what’s going on in this one…

Mid March 2015 – Once again I had the privilege of backpacking with two of my favorite people in the world; my son Miles, and my stepfather Erwin. These guys are really great traveling companions, always ready to go, well prepared and fine with whatever happens.

The destination was Bullet Canyon, a tributary of the San Juan in the Grand Gulch area of southern Utah. On the second day of the trip, while looking for a spring Erwin wanted to see, we stumbled on a place in the canyon wall where Puebloan cliff ruins exist. We climbed up and ate lunch in someone’s home from long ago. The canyon is named “Green House”, describing the coloring on the ruin walls. After a long hike back to camp, we played a little “Zen Ball” – a game of accuracy where you have to throw a ball to each other without moving your feet ( because you are surrounded by cactus). When night arrived it provided a clear sky perfect for star gazing. Erwin was able to use his binoculars to show us Jupiter’s moons and the Orion Nebula in Orion’s sword. This was an amazing day that made me think of what living outside must have been like, and how much of the world we miss by living inside.

Click below to hear the song “Green House” inspired by the day:

First recording of my modular synth utilizing a modular sequencer, the structure is as follows:

tune 16 notes in a sequence
track 1 – at a slow rate – play them through various pedals to get long evolving and sustained tones
track 2 – change pedals slightly and overdub again at a random point
track 3 – change synth slightly and overdub again at a different higher pitch
track 4 – speed up the tempo and play synth through a ring modulator, playing with the available knobs on the synth and ring mod.

It’s pretty ambient and creepy and probably hard to listen all the way through – but seems to somehow evoke some imagery: ice, deserts, space, not sure what.

A recent trip to San Rafael, with a visit with close friends. A trip full of heavy and beauty. An other retreat with music a month later provides backdrop for this scrapbook media entry. The music is an acoustic cover of the song “Malachite” written by the band Jakob, performed by the “Aquacats” ( Nick, Shane, Dan and Kent )

in a previous life – I wanted to put experience to music. I’m starting a series, short pieces of movies and photos with music, that strive show the sense of my experience in the environments.