Is about the music or the spirit?

“My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever.” 
― Bob Marley

Final performer's concert RNAFF 2013

Greetings friends. I hope your summer has been peaceful and filled with good things. I’ve been on the road bringing my music to as many listeners as possible. In June and July I was fortunate to play at the inaugural Renaissance of the North American Flute (RNAFF) festival at the Smokey Mountain Heritage Center and hear and play with some of my favorite musicians and visit with great friends. The fest was filled with warmth and mutual support that I hope will continue to infuse future gatherings. It rained everyday but we toughed it out together. My workshop and performances were well received. My borrowed booth tent collapsed under the collected rain and many folks rushed to help me not be eaten by the tent. 

We do what we need to do as artists because we are compelled to express the inspiration and creative force within us. It’s like you sign up to be the tool and once you do it uses you and you’d better express or the energy builds up. That’s what causes the insanity, substance abuse, ill temper and depression. My audiences lately have been very open about how my music makes them feel. It seems spirituality is the number one thing people want to talk about. If my music helps take them there I’m honored. I don’t think it is anything special about me, just the creative force or source expressing more purely as I become more in inline with my soul’s purpose here in this life.

After that I headed over to North Carolina for some great gigs and to stay with two of my dear road friends Ed and Dawn. We have so much fun together eating, cooking, playing music and maybe enjoying a tasty beverage once in a while. I’m so grateful for the road friends I’ve made over the years of touring. Looking forward to even more. I did a full day in NC or a flute–playing workshop, master class, potluck and full concert. It was a great, if not long day and I loved every second of it. I always do. As musicians you have to love what you do, all of it. The grind, the touring, the fans, the questions, the lack of sleep all add up to our way of life. It is what it takes to do get your music out there to new listeners, keep current fans and make a living.

Saint Anne's Chapel

Another concert I did was in an amazing reclaimed Chapel called St. Anne’s Chapel, on a former tobacco plantation in Tarboro, NC. Here is an article: Tarboro The spirit and energy of the place was incredible. Turnout was wonderful for the space. The humidity was brutal and I could feel the sweat dripping down my back and legs. My hair used to be straight. Ha-ha. We followed the concert with a meditation during which I offered some of my unique techniques and drumming. The owners Kevin and Trish Wilson are doing a beautiful job of building a community of high consciousness in the midst of some entrained religious conservatism. Ble

ss them for that. I can’t wait to return.

I ended this tour with another visit to Handpangea near Asheville. Another great festival of hand pans with great music and a chance to renew friendships and make new friends. I led workshops on playing the flute with hand pans and using hand pans in Hospice. I especially enjoyed the Hospice workshop participation. My friend Robin Burk who recently certified in MCCT and who plays handpans was a valuable asset and offered the clinical perspective.

After some gigs in New Mexico I now find myself doing concerts in Iowa and the Chicago area with a return to the 9^th annual World of Faeries Festival, which I love. Gloria and David Yeager, the WOF organizers pour their passion, energy, resources and love into this festival every year and I’m honored they’ve invited me back all these years. Please let your friends know about it. It is in S. Elgin, IL northwest Chicago area and close to Milwaukee, Indiana, Iowa etc. It is held on the Fox River in a beautiful Oak Park. Magical. The theme this year is Airship Coud 9 Steam Punk and I’ve been busy on my outfit and hat. When on the road it’s a good idea to do “Pick up gigs” to increase your chance to play for new people and hopefully increase your revenue. Be creative about price etc. If you just say I need, for instance $500 for the night venues aren’t likely to take a chance on you. If you say well let’s do a door charge with a percentage split or donation et

My homemade Steampunk Hat

c. Like I said, be creative. Make it a good experience for the venue host and don’t whine, demand or deceive. Your music will have to sell itself. I personally love the challenge of playing to a brand new audience. I’m always open to a gig in your town like a house concert, church, clubhouse etc. you name it. No venue too small in my way of thinking.

Upcoming shows:
JULY 31 - Radiant Om Yoga, 7694 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights, Iowa. 5:30 PM play for Community Yoga Class followed by concert at 7:00PM www.facebook.com/events/179144032266059/ www.radiantomyoga.com/‎ (515) 270-4820

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AUGUST 2 - Batavia, IL The Holmstead, 700 W. Fabyan Pkwy. 7:00PM. Private concert.

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AUGUST 3, S. Elgin, IL The World of Faeries Festival "Steam Punk" 1PM, 4:15PM Directions: http://goo.gl/maps/NzCyi

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AUGUST 4, S. Elgin, IL The World of Faeries Festival "Steam Punk" 1:45PM, 4PM

Kicking around the southwest getting ready for summer touring.

Greetings I hope this summer is finding you and those close to you safe and happy. Last Blog I reported I was up for several New Mexico Music Industry Awards. I am happy to report I won one of those nominations in the category of New Age Contemporary. I was surprised and honored as I accepted the award for all the hard working musicians in my part of New Mexico. It was a top-notch awards ceremony with amazing performances, formal banquet and all the major players in New Mexico Music. Lest you don’t think that is much several are Grammy winners and recently Oscar winners. Music is big and close to the burgeoning film industry here as well. I met the two other musicians from Las Cruces who were also nominees, C.W. Ayon in Blues and Mick Harris in Pop. C.W. Ayon won his very competitive category. Though we had met half-an-hour before the awards show I hit it off with he and his wife immediately. Maybe it is because we are both extremely hard-working independent artists. Or maybe it was that we were all three sitting at tables nursing beers because no one would talk to us. The music industry in New Mexico is heavily represented by the northern cities of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Most have never been to Las Cruces, which is, incidentally New Mexico’s 2^nd largest city. I introduced myself to one of the major distributors of Native American Music who was presenting that night. He dismissed me quicker than you can open a beer saying, “I was wondering who ‘Randy Granger’ was.” Okay. I was polite and professional and slightly embarrassed that I had been so nice to him and his wife.  He was presenting two of the categories I had multiple nominations in and mispronounced my name. I wanted to show my award to him afterwards but thought better of it.

Awards do count. Especially the awards where you don’t have to beg every Facebook friend, relative and acquaintance to go vote for you. These awards were pre-judged by New Mexico music pros then sent out to some seriously qualified national judges. I mean seriously well known. I was blown away by that. The people who weren’t talking to me before all of a sudden were seeking me out saying hey we have your music in heavy rotation at our station could you record a station ID? It is all part of it. Awards for independent musicians help bring us cred, attention and better paying gigs. You have to make really good music first though. No substitute for music that sounds killer, has feeling and raises you above the hundreds of thousands out there. Here is some good press we had in our local papers http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_15156196 my hometown of Hobbs, NM ran a front page story and interview on my award. I was so happy knowing my family would read it and feel proud. They have always supported me in everything I’ve done. You can read the articles and more at my website http://www.randygranger.net/press.html.

I was in Santa Fe playing some shows and thought the awards ceremony was Saturday night so I rushed to my room after playing followed by a trip up to 10,000 Waves to soak in the communal tubs. Drove an hour south to Albuquerque only to find it was the wrong night. I just laughed at myself and went back ending up with a great night strolling in and out of live music venues around the Santa Fe Plaza. I conducted a flute playing workshop for the Albuquerque area flute circles and had a wonderful time seeing some friends and meeting new ones. Melissa Dominguez, a Santa Fe photographer and college friend I hadn’t seen in too many years took some really nice photos she let me post here. Yes that’s a Kilt I’m wearing. Specifically a Utilikilt which I absolutely enjoy wearing both on and off stage. You’ll love their approach and humor.

My schedule for this year’s International Native American and World Flute Association’s (INAFA) convention for me is:

Lead a Clinic titled “The ABC’s of Playing the Native American Flute” in Lecture Room 143, July 15^th at 1:00 PM

Perform July 14^th at 7:30 PM with Michael Graham Allen aka Coyote Oldman in Gantner Concert Hall

Perform Solo concert: July 15^th at 3:00 PM in the Phillips Recital Hall

You can find out all about the Convention at http:///www.inafa.org. For the first time INAFA will be allowing main performers to offer private lessons during the Convention. You can email me directly for info an costs at lonegranger@netscape.com. I have over 15 years teaching guitar, percussion, voice and Native flute along with being a lifelong, classically trained musician I have worked with some of the best flutists such as Michael Allen and R. Carlos Nakai. If you want to get an intense private lesson and evaluation feel I don’t have much free time at the convention so slots are going quickly. I will also have a booth with my Indian Summer Music Award and NM Music Industry Award winning CD’s, t-shirts and more. I plan to have two new CD’s available and am working on the details now and will be ordering them soon. I am so absolutely excited about these new CD’s.

I’ll be playing in El Paso at the end of June. You can always bookmark my calendar at http://www.randygranger.net/calendar.html. While up north in Wisconsin I will do a few other gigs including the 6^th Anniversary World of Faeries Festival in South Elgin, IL. I am open to booking some House Concerts or flute circle performances/workshops. Email me if there is an interest. I look forward to seeing again the friends I made at the 2008 INAFA Convention. Don’t be shy. Say hello.

See you down the trail,

Randy 

Native American Flute Firefly music in the Texas Hill Country.

From the West to the Atlantic

Having left my town of Las Cruces early on Sunday morning the first order was to get two large coffees and a breakfast burrito at our local Pic Quick. That could fuel me for several hundred miles. Good thing because the 9-1/2 drive to San Antonio is bleak I tells ya, bleak. Save for the wind turbines on the mesas, the prolific road-kill and constant Buzzards you see mostly the trucks in front of you. What I can never grasp is the huge amounts of dead animals on Texas and Oklahoma roads. In New Mexico we just don’t have that. The NMDOT is good about that. I do notice that none of the Deer have their heads in Texas. I understand the whole cut off the head take the antlers thing but if they are Does? It becomes unsettling after a while. I’m wondering if it isn’t the state meat of Texas.

I made my way into San Antonio. My brother is a Pediatrician and Capitan in the military and was based in SA for a while, but recently moved to Japan otherwise it would have been nice to visit. It was wet and raining but I went to the river walk and had dinner at Casa Rio which is the restaurant who takes credit for starting the idea of bringing diners on boats. It was nice to hear so many languages walking by and see the boats. Only thing it is really dark in so many of the cities I visit and after a rain especially so. I went and took some shots of downtown and had a conversation with a homeless guy with no legs. He went on and on about Texans. Turns out he is from Nebraska. I gave him a buck for his story and turned in. I have had trouble sleeping since I was a boy and still do. Sometimes I sleep and sometimes not when I’m on the road. When I was a boy I would hear loud music before the heater started. It was a combo of tambourine, drums and guitar. On top of that I saw creatures coming in and out of the walls and the occasional shadow walking the hallways. I was tortured by nightmares where I was being held down on a metal table as creatures around me cut pieces of flesh from me. You can imagine what my reaction was when I saw The Sixth Sense.

The next day I made it to New Orleans. Hurricane Ida was just ahead of me and made land that night. It was raining and windy but not much more. I walked to the Mississippi river front area near Café Du Monde. It was really dead because of Ida the bartender said. When I’m traveling alone I often eat at the bar and probe the staff for places to see or hear music etc. There was a great Jazz guitarist playing in the corner not looking very happy. I thought of how many “out of this world musicians” there are in NO all doing this kind of gig for tips. Meeting hotel and B&B owners they eventually ask about my music and instruments. So I take the time to explain about the Native Flute and Hang and have practice answering really uninformed but sincere questions about Native peoples. I see it as real opportunities to maybe inform and open dialogue, and of course talk them into buying my CD’s! I made my way over to the Mississippi and played my version of “Hallelujah” on the banks. It is a Leonard Cohen song but Jeff Buckley probably has the best know version. He drowned in the river while on tour sadly.

I stopped in Palm City Beach to break up the 10-1/2 hour drive to Tampa where my cousin lives. This was a great stop. The waves were really high and cresting white right outside my balcony. I’ve learned that states visitors center’s have free maps and books of coupons for hotels, restaurants and more so I found a place called Flamingos for a good price. It wasn’t pink however, yellow. Across the street was a place called Shuckem’s, bar-type place with local beer and lots of fried things. How can you go wrong? It is a place I had seen on the Food Network, but forgot until I saw the thousands of $1 bills covering every inch of the walls and ceilings. The story goes that he was about to go out of business and the people at the hotel across the road staples one’s and said when he needs rent money to take the bills down. My British waitress explained it all to me. I drew on the bill and stapled it to the ceiling next to the surfboard. If you go there take a pic for me please.

My cousin lives near Tampa with her partner. They are both in the TV news business and I hadn’t seen her in about 8 years. They invited me to stay with them before I went on to the festival in Melbourne. They took me down to Ybor City a cool area of Tampa. Kind of retro-hip/bohemian with a touch of Cuba. It was great and we ate at a Spanish placed called The Columbia. I wasn’t sure if that meant the Drug Cartel or the Coffee. Neither as it turned out. The tapas and salad were delicious and we laughed often. Their dog, Godiva, is a real sweetie and reminded me how much I miss my dogs. It was interesting for both of us I think, catching up and remembering what we never knew. We come from some pretty disastrous homes yet we both are pursuing happiness as well we can and don’t dwell on the past or blame anyone for our current state. It helps being wry and open about things and we are. I told her stories about our ancestors she hadn’t heard and about all the ghost stories which she was suitably skeptical about being a producer and all… I’ve included my uncle, her dad, in a song or two that I’m recording soon. He was a help when I was younger and very lost. I gave her a jar of salsa I made and carried across six states and three time-zones…

The skies have been gray and low with lots of moisture but overall not too bad. It is surprisingly cold here with a promise of blue skies and mild temps. I’m playing in the evening mostly so I hope it keeps warm for the audience. I will be playing solo and with the flutist Coyote Oldman, aka Michael Graham Allen. That alone is always worth the drive. He is a musician and flute maker I have so much respect for and happy to also call him a friend. In 2003 when I was first thinking about playing the Native American Flute I wrote Stephen Hill, Hearts of Space founder, and asked about spacey Native Flute Music and he turned me on to Coyote Oldman. Late 2004 I got my first flute from him and was moved to tears at the beauty and craftsmanship of his flutes and the sound was cooing. Five years later to be sharing the stage with him is humbling and deeply meaningful. http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091113/LIFE/911130309/Rhythms+festival+honors+native+pride

Here are some things I’ve learned a few things driving so much:
• Car commercials are the same everywhere with people yelling at you.
• If you want someone to get off your bumper, turn on your blinker
• Be careful at rest stops. People are in a hurry to get to the restroom.
• The “non gourmet” coffee has way more caffeine
• Resist at all costs the leathery hot dogs in the rollers.
• A real smile can diffuse any situation you find yourself in.
• Audiobooks are the Only way to pass 12-hours drives.

Randy

Sundance Film Festival. How to strech your comfort zone.

Sometimes you do things as an independent musician without any real sense of how things will turn out. I like to trust that something good always comes out of everything I do. About 3-1/2 hours into my trip from Las Cruces to Salt Lake City I had an omen but kept moving on. I had smelled an acrid odor that I thought was either an Acid spill on the interstate or a cloud of wicked smoke. I usually travel with nuts, fruit, peanut butter, some bread and always a bottle of Tabasco. When I stopped to get gas in Bernalillo I was digging around my paper sack for an orange and found the source of the eye burning smell—my bottle of Tabasco had come open and spilled all over the bag and my back seat. Arrrgh! No wonder my nose was running and my eyes were red.

So fast forward to the Sundance Film Festival. First of all there is no parking in Park City, Utah during the festival which is ironic. You will get fined or towed, period. I parked at the Park and Ride about 7 miles away from Park City that is of course after driving the mountain pass from Salt Lake. Let me tell you what Mormons repress in every other aspect of their lives they make up for in their driving. As I waited for the shuttle with two Hang drums, a heavy case of flutes and a bag with my CD’s, maps, passes etc., I thought about what I was doing there and a shiver of doubt ran through my bones. I said to myself you are here, 14 hours away from home, so do it and make the most. Walking uphill to the venue dodging wealthy people with Bluetooths and fur I was a little ragged by the time I got there. Okay so the gigs in the pub/clubs were okay. I know the promoters took a chance bringing someone like me to an atmosphere that is like Hollywood meets Mardi Gras with a touch of Spring Break in the Snow. I appreciate the chance to showcase what I do. That being said my brand of peaceful music that is as mystic as it is ethereal requires a little, shall we say, attention. But hey, I figure these people need peace too eh? I wasn’t daunted and played my ass off for whomever….which was usually the other musicians and the bar staff. The highlight, as always, was meeting the other musicians and hearing their work. There is a camaraderie knowing we all must give 100% regardless. Still the surreal quality of me playing my Hang, Native flutes and singing in the midst of deal making and celebrity gawking is the stuff of independent film. Hmmm any directors taking note out there?

As I was clinging to a tiny bar on the shuttle going back to my frozen car at midnight completely weighed down by my cases which were literally cutting off the circulation in my arm I was trying not to touch the man’s butt accidentally with my numb fingers. I just laughed. I overheard a girl from Buffalo reading off the list of celebrities she had seen to a woman she was sitting next to, a stranger. She rattled off, Mariah Kerry, Nick Cannon, all the Baldwin brothers, Paris Hilton, Allie McDowell, etc. etc and Ashton Kutcher whom she said was a jerk because he saw them coming with a camera and lowered his head and dashed into a café where they had to wait an hour for him to come out and he ignored them. Imagine that. Ummm it’s called Stalking. Adam Durtz of Counting Crows was in a pub where I was playing and a buzz quickly filled the place making its way back to the upstairs, tiny lounge room where I was playing. It’s okay he couldn’t have got through the crowd of 700 or so and since no one knew we were back there it didn’t matter. I’m being sarcastic a bit because I would have rather played closer to the “Front Door.” It took me 30 minutes to get out the door and I must have bruised 30 people with my instruments and I tried to get to my shuttle which had its last run at midnight. I flew downhill only to slip on the ice and wreck my already aching ankle. I sat next to some film maker from New Jersey who went on a diatribe about “my people.” I think he meant Indians, or maybe musicians who the hell knows? He offered to do a shamanic energy healing on me but I declined. Too funny.

One of the Sundance venues I played was the Rose Wagner Arts Center. There are several theaters that were screening films. I played in the lobby in-between films. My sets were acoustic and it was the strangest thing. People are so desperate to document their Sundance experience they were taking pictures of themselves in front of the Banner with my name on it as well as standing next to me playing. They were all qued up for the film on these ascending stair cases and would applaud after every song. That was wonderful. A guy came over and was asking about my instruments, like always happens, but he seemed really curious and specific and he listened and bought some CD’s so I was extra patient. I introduced myself and he said he was Robert Townsend and his film was about to screen. I shook my head and said, “Oh you have the film ‘Black Comedy’ which I thought was about dark comedy.” He pointed to his skin and said, “No it’s Black comedy.” D’oh! Color me stupid. He was really cool though and I finally took my HAPI drum over to him and had him play while I played a duet with him on flute. Talk about awesome. The picture is a little dark because I had the flash off. Now that I’ve been back home I’ve seen Robert Townsend in practically every show and series on TV. Isn’t that how it always is?

Overall I made some good contact and know if I had more time to prep I would actually see some films and make better use of my time. Living with arthritis can take its toll however. Being in the frigid icy cold, 9000 ft. elevation, driving, standing and hauling my gear around then slipping on the ice wasn’t fun. One day I took 12 Aleve just to function.

It takes courage and trust to put yourself in a position you aren’t familiar with. Stepping outside the comfort zone of Native American flute festivals and churches is something I do all the time. I do it for several reasons. 1. I need to make a living. 2. The peacefulness of my music needs to reach as wide an audience as possible. 3. I grow from the experience. So maybe some people heard me and carried some of that stillness home with them and maybe I was humbled even more knowing I was not as important to the promoters and club owners as some of the other, more sexy, acts were. Maybe the delusions I have about being my own celebrity is why I’m not intimidated by anything. Who knows? I’ve played as a street musician, in front of thousands, done countless live TV and Radio interviews and have probably made of fool of myself every time. One thing I did come away with was what M. Night Shyamalan said in an interview I saw. He said that his film, and Tarrentino’s, Robert Rodriguez and a few other indie directors all debuted at Sundance the same year and what he finally learned was to be as much himself, to embrace his own style as much as possible. That way no one can compete with you because no one else IS you. I take that to heart.

Enjoy this slideshow. Wish I had some of that video and pics I saw people taking of me. Maybe they will share.
Randy

Utah Bound - Sundance Here I Come

Happy New Year everyone. I hope peace and contentment enfold you every day of the year. It’s been a busy start for me and my Blogging is slacking along with my belly from too much holiday Tamales, wine and general indulgence. But I’m doing something about it. I’m leaving today to play five shows at during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Brrrr. One of the venues is the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center Theater. Cool.

I was talking to the promoter who booked me and he was saying not to expect people to be to attentive when I play at the two Bars on Main street. He was saying people are there to schmooze and deal more than listen to the musicians. In fact, he said, he heard Riki Lee Jones at the same venue and she had to tell the crowd to please shut up. I thought well at list I’m being ignored by a higher class of people. Hey I’m moving on up. Truthfully it doesn’t bother me in the least. Last year 45,056 people attended Sundance film festival many of them the richest and most powerful people in the Biz. This year playing at the same time I am at the ASCAP Music Café (and why wasn’t I included in that?) is John Rzeznik and the Gin Blossoms. Damien Rice and Wynona are also performing. Woody Harrelson and Josh Brolin are doing a live panel/performance thing across the street and Robert Redford has his Sundance Resort just down the road.

I’m not one for celebrity watching and have met my share but promise to get photos if I can to post. The “cheapest” room I found in Park City was about $190.00 a night. Yikes! I’m staying in Salt Lake and driving back and forth. By all accounts there is NO parking in Park City…..ironic huh? You have to park at designated, cash only, lots and take the shuttle into the town. I’ll be lugging two Hang drums, a case of Flutes and a backpack full of CD’s around sloshing through the snow. Isn’t my life glamorous?

I look forward to bringing my style of Southwest Americana Peaceful music and touching that part of people that is the silent sentinel. Imagine my Hang ringing out into that snow filled air and flutes connecting with the ancient ancestors who once roamed that land. Yeah. I know something good always comes out of every performance so I’m not concerned at all. I’m gratefully at a place in my life where I’m actually content with who I am and what I do. I feel nothing need be enhanced or diminished. It has taken a lot of work to get here and I hope you can feel some of that contentment in whatever you do. The ambition, politicking and whispered lobbying I’ve seen musicians do is not for me. Making a living at making people happy or peaceful is enough for me and funny enough as soon as I relaxed into that, opportunities are presenting themselves without effort. Whew. Talk about the law of attraction eh?

The real goal for me is to; of course, get my music placed in films. I love love love independent film and have done some film work with my music but am excited and look forward to seeing my name on the credits of a film debuting at Sundance, or Cannes and more. One of my songs “Chaco Moon Meditation” is on a compilation CD that is being passed out to all the registered attendees so I’m happy about that. I’m grateful for these exotic instruments that help me to express something unique. Well it’s a 13 hour drive so I better get on the road. I’ve downloaded a bunch of free Podcasts on iTunes so I’m ready….

Be Well
Randy

DNA Music in my blood and yours too.

What is it about music that is so conducive to healing and emotions? I've been wondering this and mostly just accept it. Some recent experiences have brought it home. I know how affected I am by music and see the affect on listeners and sometimes hear from them about being brought to tears or moved by my songs. Other times I hear from people how much they hate my music and me in general. Hey, at least they are listening and are usually from either Canada, Germany or France and hear it on YouTube. Go figure ha ha.

I listen to podcasts when I'm travelling the hundreds of miles to gigs. Recently I was listening to a Living Dialogue with Dr. Larry Dossey about the late scientist, Susumu Ohno, who took strands of DNA from humans and other species and assigned notes or musical values based on a really complex method which you can read about at: http://www.mimg.ucla.edu/faculty/miller_jh/gene2music/previouswork.html His wife is a violinist and performed the notes, which resembled a musical score. The result is something called DNA Music and when you listen to it knowing what it is you will be so struck with awe. The music sounds rhythmic and like a modern Bach or Mozart. It sounds like a Hang drum or celestial Harpsichord. Go to http://whozoo.org/mac/Music/samples.htm to listen. I've noticed things like melody and pitch are universal and people react to harmony and dissonance the same way across so many cultures. My main instruments, Voice, Hang drum and the Native Flute are all instruments that are exposed and expressive in direct ways.

Last weekend I was in Phoenix at the FarWest Folk Alliance conference where me and hundreds of other Folkies listened to tons of music and went to cool workshops about the music industry. All these people united in music was special. I did a showcase and overall felt flat and stale. I think when I am trying to impress industry people and be something more than I am at the moment I lose connection to that source of creation flowing through me and my Ego (the part of me who wants things) takes over and pushes the 'real' me out of the way. That is why doing concerts and informal performances are always so fun for me and the audience—I'm there for them and they are there to hear me. Oh well, I did it and heard some amazing music and met some fantastic people regardless.

I stayed an extra day with my musician friend Saggio and his wife Barbara. They live west of Phoenix in a Geodesic home. They were such gracious hosts and lead Healing Music Meditations one of which I was lucky enough to attend and offer some music of my own. The affect the music had on the attendees was very peaceful and healing I thought. Saggio and I played a lot of music on our combined 5 Hanghang, Native Flutes and the wonderful variety of instruments. Being amongst so much music I lost track of time and worries. What a retreat! I've heard it told that when we are being creative we are tapping directly into THE source and things like depression and pain can't enter our mind. I felt that lately and driving back to New Mexico I was blasting Coldplay and Snow Patrol and reconnecting with my own music in a new way.

Music is real and part of the now that I think Eckhart Tolle writes about. This weekend I'm playing at the 37^th annual Renaissance Faire in my home town where they get about 35,000 visitors and as I play my Hang and Flutes I'll be aware that my music is part of something larger, innate and immediate. I'll remember to let it flow and get the hell out of the way……haha. See you all there! Check my Calendar for the performance times.

Here is a video I call Hang Heaven because being surrounded by 5 of them is pretty cool. It's a little improvised song on a couple of them.

Have a wonderful musical weekend Y'all!

Randy

Hang Heaven

Milking the music Muse. And a video too...

I heard an inspiring interview this week with a master Cello player, Bernard Greenhouse, who is 92 and still practices hours every day and plays concerts. It wasn’t his age that was inspiring but his passion for music and something he said about the rare ability to communicate emotionally through music and if the players feel it on their skin then the audience will too. He was a founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio who just played their final concert at Tanglewood this weekend wrapping up a successful 53 year run. Rehearsing in a lonely thing to do sometimes. It is amazing how 4 hours can just whiz by when I’m working on music or “wood shedding” as we musicians call it.

The real joy of course is when I get to perform for people. That exchange is incredible. There is an art to playing expressively. I’ve been working on a workshop I’m presenting at the Oklahoma Flute Festival in October on just that subject. Sure there are techniques but ultimately the musician has to feel something before they can translate that. I love the mystery of music. The way a passage of music in a movie or a singer at a funeral can immediately touch us so deeply is….well something I don’t want to deconstruct. Many flute players talk about playing from the heart. Being a professional musician means playing from the heart while you are keeping the audience engaged, entertained and hopefully in their seats for 90 minutes. My approach has always been to work up a set that is paced in tempo, energy, familiar, brand new and length of songs. When you think about it I play some pretty relaxing music and run the risk of making my audience doze off or start doing yoga poses. So far they seem to stay awake and usually say things like, “I could listen to your music all day.” That’s when I mention the CD’s for sale. Ha ha.

An interesting thing about the Hang is that there are really only about 7 or 8 notes including octaves (the same note just higher) and you wouldn’t think it would be very expressive. That was one thing that drew me to the Hang. The challenge of playing it emotively expressively was something I wanted to try. An interviewer asked me recently how long it took to learn the Hang. I paused and said, “Oh, I’m still learning.” Like Bernard Greenhouse I’m still working to get as much expressiveness out of my instruments and myself as possible. I think that is why we want people to listen to us, really listen. A lifetime of practice, passion and being completely open to inspiration and feeling things thoroughly all distilled into a four minute song. Whew! Here is a link to the interview I mentioned with Bernard Greenhouse: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93844925 It’s only about six minutes.

Ok, this is my attempt to be expressive on the Hang. The song is “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. I love this song and melody and am trying to use both my HangHang more. Let me know what you think. Daniel, a hang player from Florida, called the video Grunge Hang. That’s too funny.

Dancing to keep the lights on. Illinois gig travelblog.

“I’m just one little Indian/Dancing to keep the lights on
One little Indian/Singing to light the sky
Just one little Indian/Dreaming of the old ways
One little Indian/Looking for the Red Road home”—Randy Granger

I’m back in New Mexico from a Midwest gig trip and appreciating the drier climate, bigger vistas and Green Chilie. This trip took me up to South Elgin, Illinois to perform at the World of Fairies Festival with stops in Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Albuquerque. Being a musician in the southwest USA means you travel quite a vast distance for paying gigs. In the Atlantic northeast area, west coast and some part of the south you can book shows where you only need to drive 90 miles to the next town and sometimes closer. It is about population density and out west cities are far apart meaning you cover hundreds of miles—ah the things we do for fans…

Having just completed a tour up to Wisconsin I wasn’t too excited about a repeat 23 plus hour drive but a traveling companion agreed to come along up until Bloomington, IL. It helped having someone to talk to and laugh at how there seems to be a black hole of time between Amarillo and Oklahoma City that slows down time. Maybe it is the largest cross in the Western Hemisphere along I-40 that warps the space/time fabric. Whatever it is it is one of the longest 260 miles known to human kind. St. Louis is quite nice. I stayed in the Soulard District with its brick buildings and streets. I imagined how St. Louis must have been so beautiful in its heyday. I will say it was so hot and humid there that the word sultry didn’t suffice. The next morning I walked over to take a photo of the Archway to the West the famous landmark. It was so smoggy that only the top of the Arch peeked above the haze giving a creepy, surreal quality to the morning. I-40 through Missouri has giant billboards about every twelve miles advertising XXX Video Arcades, Stores etc. They are invariably located next to churches with or without steeples. One XXX is right next to a billboard for a church and a giant Bowling Pin. We looked and looked for a bowling alley or something but didn’t see one. What the enormous bowling pin is doing there is still a mystery. The XXX Arcades usually adversities free trucker parking and have names like The Lion’s Den, Pleasure Palace and Big Louie’s Too. Too funny. I was in too much of a hurry to explore them further.

I did visit Abraham Lincoln’s tomb and his home in Springfield, IL. Climbing the stairs and gripping the same handrail he and his family touched was moving. He had so much weighing on him I imagined he paced quite a bit. His tomb is gracious, austere and understated. Much like the man.

The World of Faeries Festival was mostly beautiful people in as beautiful setting along the Fox River west of Chicago. People drifted along in canoes and the crowd was dressed up in costumes somewhere between pixies and Middle Earth. I met some really wonderful people including The Gypsy Nomads and Knotty Bits. I heard some excellent music and got a chance to see other performers which is always a wonderful privilege. My own sets went really well and I was just awed at times thinking I’m bringing my music, my stories, and my culture to people 1500 miles away. I debuted a new story I perform with Indian Buffalo Drum where I tell the story of how Wind brought the first flute to the people because he was lonely and didn’t have a voice. It was fun. Playing the Native American flute and Hang drum for total strangers and winning them over is a tremendous amount of work and also a real honor. If there had been more people in attendance I would have sold many more CD’s—enough to cover the new Struts my car needs….yikes.

Such is the life of a working musician. We need to be paid for the work, investment, energy, rehearsing, preparation, travel etc. that we put into our act. We bring an intangible quality to venues. What we need from venues is to advertise and get the word out as much as possible. I usually send out my own press before gigs but the promoters get touchy about that so I stopped doing that. I’m not complaining about any one in particular mind you, just some thoughts in general that the outdated adage of “Well at least you made enough for gas money..” line we’ve all heard from bar owners for years is an attitude that leads to mediocrity and lack of professionalism. It’s like me saying well there weren’t many people out there so I just gave 40%. You know what I mean? Hey 2 or 2000 I’m giving all I got regardless. I, like many others, work really really hard to make sure when you come to my show that hopefully something transcendent will happen. You know, those moments when we all feel connected and know that an unseen inspiration is at work through this unlikely goof on stage. That requires a commitment and willingness on my part to get out of the way and bring all my training, gifts, talents and inspiration into focus and give give give everything. It is hard work. It is exhilarating and draining and it what I do everyday. And sometimes I make enough for gas money and sometimes I don’t…….ha ha ha. There is a line from one of my songs that goes, “Are you one of those legendary souls/Who hears God’s whispers?/I said I really do not know/Right now I’m living at my sisters….oh oh oh.”

Here is a video of various people dancing and a fire eater I made between sets. I love any festival where people feel free enough to dance. The song is Hang Jig from my 2008 release The Roswell Incident.

Be Well and thank you for reading these blogs.
Randy

DANCING THE HANG JIG

Ego? What Ego?

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being. - Goethe

I always try to believe the best of everybody -- it saves so much trouble. Rudyard Kipling:

I’ve been thinking about Ego this week. Ego has come up on my tour where I witnessed some exploding Egos, an Ego self-destruct before my eyes and had a radio interviewer project their ideas of being a performer onto me. Revealing the details of the distasteful acts is too much like gossip so I’ll spare you the ugliness. Suffice to say that thank goodness for my training. As one performer was going off on me complete with name calling and false accusations I began to get angry then asked for help from my much wiser soul. Suddenly a feeling of compassion and even embarrassment for the frothing ego in front of me took hold. I stopped and said I was done with this conversation and walked away....not as cleanly as I would like but I ended it.

I believe when I perform I am expressing freedom. The freedom that comes from knowing I am doing exactly what my gifts, abilities, dedication and hard, hard, work allow me to do. The urge to express and create is compelling for me. “It” drives me not the desire to be celebrated, recognized, win awards or even make a living. If the arthritis in my joints got so severe I couldn’t play any instruments I would sing A Cappella. The point being is that the need to express, the creative force surging in my dreams even, is strong and regardless of instrument or art form it will be expressed. The Ego cannot sustain self-expression or inspiration; it can only sustain delusions, self delusions. Performing, doing interviews, marketing and promotion are the vehicles we use as artists to communicate and connect with others. A song only comes to life for me when someone hears it. In that communication that is creation recognizing itself. And that is cool.

An example of how Ego stagnates things is when musicians or writers have “blocks.” Blocks, I think, happen when the artist thinks they can create something and so draws on their limited power complete with all the baggage and self delusion they possess. Soon the superficial reality of Ego gets angry and resentful that people just don’t get it and it feeds itself convincing us we are above and superior to everyone etc. ICK! What a load of compost. I know. I’ve been there. Not anymore thankfully. I know I must feel something real and let it gestate in me so that when I come to my music all that feeling meets with my years of training, insight, skill, muscles, breath and now a distillation of that experience is communicated through an instrument and ultimately a microphone, a recording, a product…etc. Then I have to write about it, send it out to radio stations, Magazines, Newspapers, Promoters, Booking Agents, etc. etc etc. and subject that deeply personal experience to criticism, reviews, sales and play charts, audiences that sometimes listen and sometimes don’t. So I ask you…What Ego? I’m self-employed musician, a Journeyman; there is no time or room for Egotistical thinking. Are you kidding me? Anyone who chooses to subject themselves to this sometimes wrenching process should be examined not celebrated. Not that I’m whining mind you. I just think giving a working musician’s point of view regarding Ego might be entertaining.

Sometimes friends will tell me, like 6-months after a gig, they really thought my concert or interview was great but didn’t want to tell me at the time because I might get a big head. I just laugh and say right driving myself 22 hours to do a gig is really A-list. So why do I do it? Because I have something unique to express and I’m completely open to sharing that experience with an audience. Volunteering at Hospice, adopting Racing Greyhounds, being my friend’s caretaker after surgery and seeing just how happy my music makes people sustains me and keeps me absolutely grounded to the fact that relationships are most important. They connect us. Recently I had a few extra hours before a gig in Oklahoma City and visited the Oklahoma City Memorial site of the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah bombing. I was so moved by the serene reflecting pool and especially the 168 empty chairs for each person killed. There are a few smaller chairs for the children killed. Wow. Talk about powerful. I’ve included a couple of photos I took.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope I’ve revealed something interesting, insightful or at least entertaining. I always welcome your comments.

Randy