My first official lesson with Christian Howes

Christian Howes, my Kungfu Master!!!
Yesterday was my first lesson with him --- officially. He gave me a lesson on the streets before, which was REALLY cool!
I got to Brooklyn, in his apartment, and took an almost 2-hour lesson with him.
It was great, I learned so much from him.
The lesson went back to the same problem I always have: Using much ears.
Before I started jazz, it was my sightreading that really sucked.
Now that my sightreading got better (much better), the intuition problem has taken over.
In jazz, I still trust my ears too much, I do not memorize chords too well.
Chris pointed this out to me again and again during the lesson.
He also explained the "4 in 1" theory to me.
So much to learn, so little time...

Oh, yes, he also passed me a gig, thanks Chris! I dunno how to thank you!

In NYC

Touched down late around 11.30pm on Friday night.

I went back home with a Queens Lincoln cab, 15 bucks, not bad.

The house was a mess. Mice droppings everywhere in the kitchen, food got eaten by those dreadful little creatures. Seems like they've open up some doors for themselves again.

Not gonna take care of those yet.

物是人非事事休, 欲語淚先流

Well I didn't cry, but I felt heavy when I saw the same things settling in the house but everything has changed personally.

I couldn't bear to look at it, so I went straight to Dong Hyun's house. He invited me to go there anyway.

We had Book Chang Dong soon doo bu before we headed to his house.

Stayed overnight, tasted my first cigar in my life.

Next day (Sat) was the rehearsal of POA.

After POA, I went to find CY, had lunch with her (actually, with myself, she had lunch). Then I went to her place to chit chat. Then I called Tian up and we met up to have dinner together with his girl.

3 of us met up with CY together again.

We went back to CY's apartment to drink. CY told me that HP called her up to ask her not to let me drink, I yelled in my heart, saying,"Fuck you bitch! Enjoy your sweet time with Sctt and don't bother me OK?!! It's my freedom to anything I want now! What do YOU care about?!!!"

So we all got drunk and BIG LOVE, we talked and laughed. So happy...

Yay~~~

The Evil Twin recording session!!

Jeremy and me are staying in LA for a few days, and decided to record ourselves so that we can put our clips on MySpace, since Ken offered to record us before.

So we finally did it today.

My bow was broken last week because of a small accident, so in the mean time I'm repairing it, I have to have a new bow. I had been thinking of buying a carbon-fibre bow anyways, so today we went to Studio City Music a.k.a. Eric Benning Violin Shop near the big movie studios. I got a Jon Paul Bravo model, original price was 210, but Eric gave me a discount and it became a 200 dollars deal. Out of my expectation, he asked me to choose any rosin I like! He told me to better choose the expensive ones. So I chose the Liebenzeller Metall-Kolophonium rosin, the Gold II series. According to Eric, Liebenzeller is the first person who put metal into the rosin to avoid rapid melting!

I tried out the bow in the recording session when we got back to Ken's apartment, man, I love the bow-chops it produces! It's so crispy, and it's definitely worth more than that price! Yesterday I used Jeremy's cello bow to record a trial take, haha!

Anyway, we took many takes today within the 4.15pm to 6.30pm, including another song, Crystal Silence, with only one take. I think "Get It" had us do 5 takes. Don't remember. We decided to choose the last take. At fist we wanted to choose the second last, but we suddenly realize we didn't switch on the mic... so there were only pick-up sound that sounds pretty ugly by itself. Shit... had to redo it once more, but we were glad to find that it was the best take!!

It's 3am now, Ken is still mixing "Get It"! Thanks buddy, you're amazing!!

Catalina jam

I should post my video when I jammed in Catalina's. You can't really see my face (again). You can also hear HP's voice behind asking Sctt to help her take the video and Sctt's answer. Pretty interesting. But please, focus on the music. Haha!

HMI 2006 (Final Week)

Ray Pizzi's quote of the week:

I don't care what scales or modes you play in a slow ballad man. As long as you make the bitches horny!

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Last week was a blur to me.

Because I found out something that would make me feel so bitter that I wanna kill myself.

It was in Catalina's, HMI organized a jam session in there. As usual, I sat in a corner with other fiddlers. HP sat with her girlfriends and this percussionist Sctt who likes her together on one table. I felt a gush of jealousy running to my heart.

Then they sat so close and talked to each other's ears and flirt.

Then later after the thing, I saw them got down from the bus and walked towards his car and went away.

I almost killed myself then.

I never knew how much I care. But now I think I know.

But I can't do anything, because I was the one who asked for a breakup in such an ungodly timing. I should be responsible!

The rest of the week was pretty emotional, lots of tears and alcohol (both from me and her).

But anyway, we had our string ensemble concert on Wednesday which went very well, though JC's program was too long. Also, my E string popped when my group started to play the first few bars. But luckily Hebe came in to switch her violin with mine. Later she even put on a new E string for me! Thanks Hebe!

The rest of the week was filled with jealousy and bitterness. I couldn't even remember the music much. For example, the Maria Schneider concert should've been great but all I did throughout the concert was peeking what they were doing in the far side of the plaza...

My heart was filled with anger!!!

But I know I hurt her too much, too much... there's no way for me to go back to her and tell her to come back, that would be shameless!! Plus, I really need time for music!!

See how complicated I am? I don't even understand myself anymore...


Anyway, the grand finale was great! Well of course, if you ignore Ahn Trio by purpose! Haha!

Michael Daugherty's Ghost Ranch was absolutely amazing, and very nice to be played too. Paul Chihara's The Tempest is cute too. Of course, it's Paul! He's cute himself.

The concert ended with Abe Laboriel's crazy bass solo in Peter Gunn. He is AMAZING!!

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Coda:

Now I'm in Ken's house, after checking out yesterday (sunday, 8/13).

Yesterday we were all very tired because of the crazy Toga/Mattress party we had after the concert.

We came to Ken's place, had lunch, then went on to the airport to send HP off to Portland, Oregon.

Life without HP is a little peaceful, for I don't have to see them being together. But I miss her a lot, I dunno if she feels the same. Maybe not... She has Sctt.

My heart is still aching, and also burns with flame. That bastard promised me that he will give me peace of mind just to go through the last week of the institute, and yet, they went to the beach together, sat so close in the concert... It totally burns me into flame.

Motherfucker...

HMI (3rd week)

It's been a cool week because we didn't have to go through all those difficult orchestra parts. Music's quite easy this week, I was glad. I guess the hardest parts were Tian's and Ulf's pieces. Easy week.

JD and Bill Cunliffe did some crazy changes on Rhapsody in Blue, but it was worth it. I almost cried when I heard Pascal's solo in there. Rhapsody in Blue with rhythm section in the cadenza, man that's a bold but creative move! And fuck that woman who shouted, "Wrap it up!" She clearly doesn't know shit about being a good audience, not to mention knowing music.

JD's brought our spirit up a level this week, cuz he kept on saying, "Playing music is supposed to make you FEEL GOOD. If you don't feel good, those cats in the audience won't dig it. If you feel good, the cats will feel good too! You dig?" Yes I dig, JD! And he always shouted, "SING IT!!! SING IT!!!" We did, it's another tear-jerking moment when we played the slow part. Damn, he's got some magic there, our Mr Penguin.

The concert in Marina Del Rey was awesome, but it can't beat the concert a night before --------- the chamber orchestra concert.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba totally tore it up!!! I saw Marianne's tears after Gonzalo played the first song! Yes, I was totally touched too.

Then Turnage piece is some shit man, I love it!!!

* * * * * * * * * *

Coda:

I really like HRK, but too bad, HRK has bf...

Well, I guess I shouldn't think about that for now, I don't want a gf now, and plus, it's just a summer fling...

But well, my point is, I really like HRK!

Maybe because she looks like Sodam? Dunno... maybe...

Ray Pizzi's Quote of the Day

"Don't play to fill up the space; play to fill some space"