Sunday, June 20, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Shakuhachi Grand Master Kakizaki Kaoru in L.A. this weekend!
Kaoru Kakizakai will be in LA this coming weekend (6/19 & 6/20). The original plan was for him to be at the Windward School, but they're turning off the electricity (something about maintenance) so we're gathering at Bill Schultz's place in Marina del Rey.
Still some lesson slots available, and two good group classes are scheduled for late Sunday afternoon.
Contact Bill at shozan@prodigy.net for details.
Awesome opportunity, L.A. folks!
To learn more about Kakizakai-sensei:
http://www.kakizakai.com/
http://www.shakuhachi.com/R-Shaku-Kakizakai.html
Still some lesson slots available, and two good group classes are scheduled for late Sunday afternoon.
Contact Bill at shozan@prodigy.net for details.
Awesome opportunity, L.A. folks!
To learn more about Kakizakai-sensei:
http://www.kakizakai.com/
http://www.shakuhachi.com/R-Shaku-Kakizakai.html
Shakuhachi BBQ: No modicum of decorum on Forum
So maybe I was falling on my sword a bit when I was copping to being a contributing part of the recent disturbances at Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ aka "Shakuhachi Forum".
If you haven't noticed yet, the Forum is on a brief hiatus. This may have been what has prevented you from posting on your favorite topic for the past two days. Better cancel that service call to AOL. ;0)
I have been reassured from the forum admins that the hiatus will be brief.
As with the last time the Forum took a fishing holiday, the main reason lay in the utter exhaustion (and numbing boredom) of the admins dealing with "the usual posturing, grandstanding and general nastiness from and between a handful of members."
No names were mentioned. I'm almost sorry mine wasn't. My contribution to the forum is a steady spooning out of sarcasm-lite emboldened by a dangerously thin functional knowledge of shakuhachi. In-other-words, I'm generally not taken seriously. (Thus my self-image as a rabble-rousing rebel and innovative thinker has been thrown off the cliff of Higher Knowledge and dashed senselessly to the bloodied Rocks of Reality below where my ego writhes in pity and self-contempt, cast aside like a sucked orange. But I digress ...)
Brian and Ken actually "struggle" to maintain a balance between "Free Speech" and providing a modicum of decorum befitting a forum about shakuhachi (sorry for the rhyme scheme).
I wouldn't be anywhere near so generous. It's just too damn bad that we don't have software that has a good "IGNORE" function on the BBQ. I think some of the mutual poop-casting might diminish if it did.
The Forum does have a BAN function, however. It's just that the admins would have to play the damnable job of pulling the hangman's trap door: comparisons to Stalin, Mao or the H-name wouldn't be far behind. More trudging through the muck, more soul-sucking boredom. End of History.
Why bother?
In my deepest, darkest fantasy I await my appointment as Shakuhachi BBQ Judge-Jury-&-Executioner. That'll fulfill my Napoleon Complex (the true reason behind any blogger's motivation).
Then Brian and Ken can just blame me.
Until then, if you think you are part of the problem that is mucking up our Beloved Shakuhachi BBQ Forum, c'mon over to a little temporary Google Group called "International Shakuhachi Collective" that I have hastily set up and populated with a lot of smart-ass topic threads. Either respond to one of my teasers or start your own thread and give it your best. I really want to hear from you uncensored and out in the open. 'Kay? Love ya! xoxoxoxo
http://groups.google.com/group/international-shakuhachi-collective
The International Shakuhachi Collective (The People's Republic of Big Bamboo Love & Goodwill) will close upon the Grand Re-Re-Opening of Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ aka "Shakuhachi Forum."
For history on the first BBQ hiatus of 2009 read: http://shakuhachibeat.blogspot.com/2009/02/shaku-ouchy-forum-and-other-tails.html#comments
Enjoy your vacation, boys! Y'all come back now, ya' hear?
If you haven't noticed yet, the Forum is on a brief hiatus. This may have been what has prevented you from posting on your favorite topic for the past two days. Better cancel that service call to AOL. ;0)
I have been reassured from the forum admins that the hiatus will be brief.
As with the last time the Forum took a fishing holiday, the main reason lay in the utter exhaustion (and numbing boredom) of the admins dealing with "the usual posturing, grandstanding and general nastiness from and between a handful of members."
No names were mentioned. I'm almost sorry mine wasn't. My contribution to the forum is a steady spooning out of sarcasm-lite emboldened by a dangerously thin functional knowledge of shakuhachi. In-other-words, I'm generally not taken seriously. (Thus my self-image as a rabble-rousing rebel and innovative thinker has been thrown off the cliff of Higher Knowledge and dashed senselessly to the bloodied Rocks of Reality below where my ego writhes in pity and self-contempt, cast aside like a sucked orange. But I digress ...)
Brian and Ken actually "struggle" to maintain a balance between "Free Speech" and providing a modicum of decorum befitting a forum about shakuhachi (sorry for the rhyme scheme).
I wouldn't be anywhere near so generous. It's just too damn bad that we don't have software that has a good "IGNORE" function on the BBQ. I think some of the mutual poop-casting might diminish if it did.
The Forum does have a BAN function, however. It's just that the admins would have to play the damnable job of pulling the hangman's trap door: comparisons to Stalin, Mao or the H-name wouldn't be far behind. More trudging through the muck, more soul-sucking boredom. End of History.
Why bother?
In my deepest, darkest fantasy I await my appointment as Shakuhachi BBQ Judge-Jury-&-Executioner. That'll fulfill my Napoleon Complex (the true reason behind any blogger's motivation).
Then Brian and Ken can just blame me.
Until then, if you think you are part of the problem that is mucking up our Beloved Shakuhachi BBQ Forum, c'mon over to a little temporary Google Group called "International Shakuhachi Collective" that I have hastily set up and populated with a lot of smart-ass topic threads. Either respond to one of my teasers or start your own thread and give it your best. I really want to hear from you uncensored and out in the open. 'Kay? Love ya! xoxoxoxo
http://groups.google.com/group/international-shakuhachi-collective
The International Shakuhachi Collective (The People's Republic of Big Bamboo Love & Goodwill) will close upon the Grand Re-Re-Opening of Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ aka "Shakuhachi Forum."
For history on the first BBQ hiatus of 2009 read: http://shakuhachibeat.blogspot.com/2009/02/shaku-ouchy-forum-and-other-tails.html#comments
Enjoy your vacation, boys! Y'all come back now, ya' hear?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Shakuhachi Forum shuttered for lack of decency
But, really folks, it's been pretty indecent for a while with self-described "zen priests" writing in-depth about their personal brand of pornography(ies). Then there are those who were using the forum as their personal pimp, whether to show off their drying urushi or creating daily chatter to promote workshops. Perhaps it was the painfully long, self-obsessed soliloquies ...
Then ... THEN, we had The Perfect-Bore Jiari Scientists Versus The Wild Jinashi Hippies. Nobody won that one.
In the meantime, if you just want to rant at another flute player or say something indecent about a jiari, go to Google Groups and search for International Shakuhachi Collective. Join so you can rumble in the jungle, dudes and dudettes! Mud wrestle till your hearts' content, just please do it with your clothes on. We'll give the tired old-fogies at the BBQ their well deserved rest. Hopefully it'll just be a brief summer snooze.
If you have any REAL shakuhachi news please comment on this post and I'll develop a real, independent post out of your comment if it is fit to print.
Then ... THEN, we had The Perfect-Bore Jiari Scientists Versus The Wild Jinashi Hippies. Nobody won that one.
In the meantime, if you just want to rant at another flute player or say something indecent about a jiari, go to Google Groups and search for International Shakuhachi Collective. Join so you can rumble in the jungle, dudes and dudettes! Mud wrestle till your hearts' content, just please do it with your clothes on. We'll give the tired old-fogies at the BBQ their well deserved rest. Hopefully it'll just be a brief summer snooze.
If you have any REAL shakuhachi news please comment on this post and I'll develop a real, independent post out of your comment if it is fit to print.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Shakuhachi Watch, June 12 (UPDATED 6-24-10)
Two notables on eBay:
2.8 Shakuhachi by Perry Yung with ivory utaguchi inlay (pictured above): RELISTED 6-24-10)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140420525904#ht_9182wt_802
excellent+ 2.0 / B wooden japanese shakuhachi:
http://cgi.ebay.com/excellent-2-0-B-wooden-japanese-shakuhachi-RARE-/270592214322 (Not currently listed; may have sold)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Shakuhachi Prices: "Do you take unemployment checks?"
Years ago on Tom Deaver's older Bei Shu Shakuhachi website, he mentioned that the standard of pricing a shakuhachi was equated with the shakuhachi buyer's monthy salary times 2. It's an old Japanese traditional thing. "Old" meaning 19th century. Late Edo, early to mid Meiji.
Naturally the buyers would have been fairly well-to-do (at worst upper-middle class*), maybe landed people with enough leisure time to learn and enjoy playing shakuhachi. Not too many farmers and laborers taking up shakuhachi in old Japan.
I noticed today, in keeping with the poor economy worldwide, that some shakuhachi makers and sellers are moving more toward accepting deposits and time payments for their wares. Many have been doing this for a number of years, but today is the first time I've seen a seller's terms made public on their website (in English). Case in point being Tom Deaver's website: http://www.ch-you.ne.jp/users/tom-tom/index.html
I know Monty Levenson at Tai Hei Shakuhachi has been doing an installment practice for some time. One frequently notes "HOLD" notices on flutes on his site. Now more than ever. Mejiro in Japan has more "Reserved" notes on their flutes, new and used. I'm sure many other makers and sellers make time payment accommodations for customers on a case-by-case basis. Tom Deaver is still the only one who actually spells it out on his website (in English, that is).
Might be something for more sellers to think about doing. A lot of people do not like to ask. But if they know they might have a chance at financing an instrument, they might more seriously consider the prospect. The age of putting 3 or 4 thousand dollar flutes on a credit card seems like a fond memory for those who used to be fortunate enough to have good jobs and good credit scores. The downside is increased bookkeeping, but that just may be the new cost of doing business in a very flat economy ... in a "jobless recovery" -- whatever the hell that's supposed to mean.
*upper-middle class in modern terms: At least one mortgage (preferably not an ARM), 2.5 kids with at least 1.5 bound for college, 2 cars in the driveway with one being a Soccer-Mom SUV. At least one full time career job (still employed).
OR ... one monthly trust fund check, not adjusted for inflation.
*upper-middle class in Old Japan: 500 koku of rice, give or take a few koku.
--30--
Naturally the buyers would have been fairly well-to-do (at worst upper-middle class*), maybe landed people with enough leisure time to learn and enjoy playing shakuhachi. Not too many farmers and laborers taking up shakuhachi in old Japan.
I noticed today, in keeping with the poor economy worldwide, that some shakuhachi makers and sellers are moving more toward accepting deposits and time payments for their wares. Many have been doing this for a number of years, but today is the first time I've seen a seller's terms made public on their website (in English). Case in point being Tom Deaver's website: http://www.ch-you.ne.jp/users/tom-tom/index.html
I know Monty Levenson at Tai Hei Shakuhachi has been doing an installment practice for some time. One frequently notes "HOLD" notices on flutes on his site. Now more than ever. Mejiro in Japan has more "Reserved" notes on their flutes, new and used. I'm sure many other makers and sellers make time payment accommodations for customers on a case-by-case basis. Tom Deaver is still the only one who actually spells it out on his website (in English, that is).
Might be something for more sellers to think about doing. A lot of people do not like to ask. But if they know they might have a chance at financing an instrument, they might more seriously consider the prospect. The age of putting 3 or 4 thousand dollar flutes on a credit card seems like a fond memory for those who used to be fortunate enough to have good jobs and good credit scores. The downside is increased bookkeeping, but that just may be the new cost of doing business in a very flat economy ... in a "jobless recovery" -- whatever the hell that's supposed to mean.
*upper-middle class in modern terms: At least one mortgage (preferably not an ARM), 2.5 kids with at least 1.5 bound for college, 2 cars in the driveway with one being a Soccer-Mom SUV. At least one full time career job (still employed).
OR ... one monthly trust fund check, not adjusted for inflation.
*upper-middle class in Old Japan: 500 koku of rice, give or take a few koku.
--30--
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Shakuhachi Watch, June 9: Another treasure (updated)
A very nice Chikusing 2.1 with an urushi-coated root and Sogawa utaguchi inlay. Awesomely good price. Really nice "old" sound and with plenty of room for breath and punch. Inline tone holes. An excellent komuso flute. (If Perry didn't guarantee this flute, I would.)
RENEWED LISTING: 2.1 Chikusing nobekan
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Shakuhachi Watch, June 8: Another good deal
Looks like a slightly older Monty Levenson Tai Hei with five nodes — maybe six nodes.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170495569023
Hard to Beat at $399 ! SOLD. Also look at the Kaneyasu 1.8 below, if it's still there. That one SOLD too.
Shakuhachi Watch, June 7
Kaneyasu Dodo 1.8 Jinashi Shakuhachi from Perry Yung on Vimeo.
Best Buy of the Week (pictured above):
AUTHENTIC-KINKO-1-8-JAPANESE-SHAKUHACHI-BAMBOO-FLUTE KANEYASU DODO MASTER MADE JINASHI 2 PIECE SOLD.
And here are two 2.0 shakuhachi from Mejiro in Japan which look great: if you wind up purchasing one of them I would love to run a video review of one or both of them on the blog here:
Previously owned Chikuyu 2.0 with a whopping Cap size 12 at 512 grams ! — This is a Brian Tairaku Ritchie size instrument.
New Neptune jinashi 2.0 Not an inexpensive shakuhachi at over half a million yen, but we'd still love to hear about it.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Shakuhachi Watch for June 2, 2010
Pictured above: New affordable and excellent Chinese Madake shakuhachi at Mujitsu.com, 1.8 to 2.2
and on eBay here are a couple of items and sellers you can trust:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AUTHENTIC-EDO-PERIOD-JAPANESE-SHAKUHACHI-BAMBOO-FLUTE-/140413284668
2.1 CHIKUSING SHAKUHACHI BAMBOO FLUTE by PERRY YUNG relisted
EXCELLENT older 3.0 Jinashi shakuhachi
1.8 SHAKUHACHI TAI HEI MONTY LEVENSON
About "antique" shakuhachi sellers from Japan on eBay: There is a lot of misleading crap on eBay trying to pass for real shakuhachi. About the only "antique" seller on eBay from Japan I've ever had good luck with is koro-koro1. He actually will take a return if needed (he has a stated return policy) and he's been the source of some interesting and workable fixer-upper instruments for the DIY crowd. But even there, be discerning. Have a good idea about what you're buying.
Stay away from sellers like temjin55 (he frequently uses the term "old music") who knows nothing about shakuhachi, sells some really awful bug-ridden flutes and has a no-return policy (which I cracked, but that's another story). Very few of these "antique" dealers from Japan know squat about their national instruments. It's saddening and maddening.
About "bargain" new flutes from American-garage makers on eBay: Stay away from the American-garage "shakuhachi" makers from Texas and Southern California who shouldn't be advertising their wares as shakuhachi at all. They have great prices, lousy instruments that cannot play through the octaves in tune and are a terrific waste of money and time. Great prices, though! They also have "no returns" policies.
Never, ever buy a shakuhachi from a person with a "no returns" policy. Just say NOH!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
WSF 2008 Vids gets raving review before DVDs are even seen!
No sooner than festival producer Riley Lee announced the release of the Sydney World Shakuhachi Festival 2008 DVDs, than a minor participant in the event publicly thrashed the producers for not including ALL listed festival performers in the final edits of the festival videos.
After all, if Google can keep their eye on everyone, why can't Riley?
To read the details see: http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?pid=32107
After all, if Google can keep their eye on everyone, why can't Riley?
To read the details see: http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?pid=32107
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 2010: Sydney World Shakuhachi Festival 2008 DVDs!
The long awaited DVDs of the Sydney World Shakuhachi Festival 2008 are finally now on sale!
This link takes you to the "WSF08 DVD order page", which has all the information you need to order these DVDs.
These timeless DVDs present the highlights of WSF08. Lindsay Dugan has done a brilliant job filming, editing and producing these DVDs. Though not quite as good as having been there :-) they certainly are a must for anyone who missed the Festival. The DVDs are also an excellent way for the lucky ones who did attend WSF08 to relive some of their innumerable great memories of the Festival.
I just ordered the complete collection. :)
May 2010: David Sawyer Hangs Out Dojo Shingle in Colorado
Our favorite place to shop for Japanese made shakuhachi in the USA, japanshakuhachi.com is now also the online home for the newest teacher in Mujuan shakuhachi family. From his website, David informs us:
Shakuhachi Grand Master Kurahashi Yodo II (Kurahashi Yoshio) asked David Yūdo Sawyer to form the second of only two Mujuan dojo branches outside of Japan, the other being the Texas branch under Stan Kakudo Richardson. Mujuan dojo originated with Kurahashi's father, Yodo in Kyoto.The lineage goes all the way back to the 1930's and originates with the historical shakuhachi player Jin Nyodo, who amassed a very special collection of old honkyoku solo pieces from all over Japan.
David is offering in-person lessons in Louisville, Colorado and one-to-one lessons via the Internet.
Read more at http://japanshakuhachi.com/mujuan.html
david@japanshakuhachi.com 303-666-5581
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Shaku-OUCHY Forum and other tails, February 2009
For those of you coming here in search of answers as to why the Shakuhachi Forum is on hiatus, I have absolutely no inside news. :) They say it well enough themselves on their new homepage.
Hopefully they will be back in full swing as of the first week of March.
Using the Papal "We" ... _we_ have to remember as members of forums and mailing lists that these sites exist for recreational and educational purposes ... at the pleasure of the people who host them. These sites were never designed nor intended as free-for-alls for sectarian bickering, pissing matches or unabashed self-promotion. That's what USENET is for.
Unfortunately, I think (and I don't know) that Shakuhachi Forum has become a very high maintenance item for its owners.
My fear is that it may be more trouble than it is worth.
If it isn't staying ahead of the game technically with service providers and Web site security issues like spammers (or worse), it is time consuming and energy sapping playing referee to warring members and strident idealogues.
Certainly I couldn't give it the time and energy it needs. I can barely keep a single blog updated once a month. (See my posting before this one with a personal note on that.)
I would very much hate to see Shakuhachi Forum go. You may be able to dictate _with_ common sense (and the 'benevolent dictators' of the Shakuhachi Forum have done a pretty good and thankless job of that) BUT, you cannot dictate common sense itself.
The USENET term Eternal September refers to "continuously degraded standards of discourse and behavior" in Web newsgroups and on forums. Let's hope this is not an Eternal February for Shakuhachi Forum.
Shakuhachi Forum and the the Shakuhachi Mailing List have been vital in allowing sincere students and enthusiasts a place to communicate across borders. Even when the forums suck or the members suck or the economy sucks, these places on the Web do and will enhance the long tradition of shakuhachi just by being there. Temporary burps, starts and restarts notwithstanding.
I encourage people to make comments here to share their thoughts and ideas.
Perhaps Shakuhachi Forum needs to go subscription, five bucks a month to a PayPal account. A percentage of the proceeds can go to a bamboo grove preservationist group in Japan or to buy a sandwich for a starving gray whale.
Perhaps screening prospective members DNA samples ...
No, wait. Scratch that.
-30-
Hopefully they will be back in full swing as of the first week of March.
Using the Papal "We" ... _we_ have to remember as members of forums and mailing lists that these sites exist for recreational and educational purposes ... at the pleasure of the people who host them. These sites were never designed nor intended as free-for-alls for sectarian bickering, pissing matches or unabashed self-promotion. That's what USENET is for.
Unfortunately, I think (and I don't know) that Shakuhachi Forum has become a very high maintenance item for its owners.
My fear is that it may be more trouble than it is worth.
If it isn't staying ahead of the game technically with service providers and Web site security issues like spammers (or worse), it is time consuming and energy sapping playing referee to warring members and strident idealogues.
Certainly I couldn't give it the time and energy it needs. I can barely keep a single blog updated once a month. (See my posting before this one with a personal note on that.)
I would very much hate to see Shakuhachi Forum go. You may be able to dictate _with_ common sense (and the 'benevolent dictators' of the Shakuhachi Forum have done a pretty good and thankless job of that) BUT, you cannot dictate common sense itself.
The USENET term Eternal September refers to "continuously degraded standards of discourse and behavior" in Web newsgroups and on forums. Let's hope this is not an Eternal February for Shakuhachi Forum.
Shakuhachi Forum and the the Shakuhachi Mailing List have been vital in allowing sincere students and enthusiasts a place to communicate across borders. Even when the forums suck or the members suck or the economy sucks, these places on the Web do and will enhance the long tradition of shakuhachi just by being there. Temporary burps, starts and restarts notwithstanding.
I encourage people to make comments here to share their thoughts and ideas.
Perhaps Shakuhachi Forum needs to go subscription, five bucks a month to a PayPal account. A percentage of the proceeds can go to a bamboo grove preservationist group in Japan or to buy a sandwich for a starving gray whale.
Perhaps screening prospective members DNA samples ...
No, wait. Scratch that.
-30-
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