Friday in Denver

02009-07-31 | Photos | 4 comments

Today, two interviews at noon. First a phoner with Jim Beal of the San Antonio News, followed by a live phoner with Luke on KDNK-Radio in Aspen. The conversation with Jim Beal was a little more in-depth and I am looking forward to finding out what he will write.

Thanks for your comments. Seems like the vote is for me to continue writing. Hey, after all you are paying for the subscription and I meant it when I wrote that I would be fine with no longer writing journal entries if that’s what you want. :-) (((Music and words don’t always mix well, I have always maintained. It is the reason I prefer to make instrumental music. Writing in an online Journal could be considered a contradiction of that, or even hypocrisy if one was unkind. I am sure adding a slideshow to my solo-concerts is a contradiction as well, considering how often I talk of not letting visuals overwhelm the music… I am comfortable with that. Too me much of life is a beautiful, surprising, even shocking contradiction.)))

I think Marijose made a great suggestion in her comment and I enjoyed the links to Neal Stephenson and Anne Dillard, who are much more eloquent than I could ever hope to be. Over the last couple of years I have received too many emails from irrate fans who were upset that they did not receive a reply.

I will continue to try to answer emails and @ottmarliebert tweets when I can. Please don’t expect me to follow you on Twitter, to read your blogs and to look at your Flickr. I don’t have the time. (((I you want to read between the lines that I am not willing to make the time, I will not disagree with you)))

I spent too much time online as it is and if anything would like to reduce that amount. I see that Stephen feels similarly because http://www.myspace.com/stephenduros, http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Duros/ and http://twitter.com/stephenduros are no longer valid addresses. Can’t say I blame him. It’s a time-suck and you know how I feel about MySpace and Facebook. Let him concentrate on his third album. I have heard the tracks he is working on and feel that it will undoubtedly be his strongest album to date. Great music! We can always go to his blog to find out more.

A subscriber, who wants to remain anonymous sent in this link s/he feels might be relevant:

Robert Fripp on June 02, 2007 in Mendoza
Thanks for your clear description of the life of the professional musician. This is exact and precise.

In my field, I would add the description of performing in front of continuing cameras and recorders, and the extensive commentary on how those acting in this fashion have the right to do so, even where this is non-consensual; even where their behaviour is utterly without innocence. Plus an endless demand for autography and bowing to the demands which celebrities rightfully bow before – because fans have the right! And then the commentaries on how declining these demands is rude.

The difference between the innocence of a child and that of a master is this: one is a given, the other is assumed. Mastery (please forgive the gender specificity) confers the assumption of innocence within a field of experience. This is exceptionally hard and can only be the outcome of many years of training. In a word, discipline. I don’t claim this for myself, but it is possible to move into this space from time to time.

Whether we persist is largely a result of what we see our work in life as being. Sometimes, the conditions of the world are such that we admit it is not possible for us to continue in the same way. Then, we look at how we may be true to the spirit of our intent, our calling, and accomodate the externalities of our life to approximate to the best fit. Sometimes, we simply head in another direction completely. Sometimes, we take a sabbatical. Sometimes, the work we left returns to claim our attention. Sometimes, we just drop our concerns and eat cake with coffee.

But if we are silent for a while, something may speak to us from where life is really real, and tell us the way to go.

This earlier Diary post may be somewhat related and certainly speaks to why comments are enabled in this Journal and not in the Diary.

Woke up before 06:00. A few photos from an early morning walk in downtown Denver:




I included this last photo because I like the idea of an oil & vinegar bulk store. (((I have two large stainless Klean Kanteens for that purpose))) The store is at the corner of Market and 15th and I haven’t been inside yet.

The Good, The True and The Beautiful: A Conversation with Ottmar Liebert
Submitted by Jamie Lynn Miller on Thu, 07/30/2009 – 03:44
“Doesn’t everyone love trains?” World music virtuoso and world traveler Ottmar Liebert poses the rhetorical question, talking excitedly about his favorite mode of travel. The multi-Grammy nominated artist grew up across the river from the Cologne, Germany train station, the sound of the train whistle and the mystique of faraway places always nearby.

More here. I don’t think I actually said the good, the true and the beautiful in the cellphone-interview, but it was a bad connection and I am glad it came out like that. Plato said it first, didn’t he? And then Wilber expanded on it.

4 Comments

  1. Carmen Ortiz

    Ottmar, of course you should be writing…no one wanted you to stop!:) No expectation of responding is understandable.:)

    Per request of Judey Sawyer ~
    7:30pm EST – A moment of silence – that the Tibetan people are freed from their oppression, destruction of their culture and themselves.
    I’m there Judey…

    Love & Peace, something that one can’t get enough of.

    Reply
  2. Carolynn

    OL, I often think of how blessed I am to be fan of yours. It is so rare for a performer/artist to have a forum such as this. It is also extremely rare for said performer/artist to have a public e-mail address. We at Ottmar Friends are really fortunate to have this “relationship” with you…for there to even be a chance that you might answer an e-mail or reply to a post in this journal. We are so blessed that you allow us to see this personal side of you. PLEASE don’t stop writing. Don’t stop the subscription! I may not always agree with everything that’s written here, but I’m happy to have the opportunity to read it and have an opinion.

    Thanks,
    Carolynn

    Reply
  3. Carol

    Please, Ottmar, keep on doing just what you’re doing.How many times a day I check out my favorite site…here…You should always do what you feel like doing. You give us so much.

    Reply
  4. Brenda

    Just a thought that was humming in my mind this evening and a personal metaphor for me regarding Ottmar-Friends and this form of communication of this present century. My experience of communication within Ottmar-Friends is like, let’s call it people you meet possibly daily, monthly, yearly on – Ottmar’s Busline – Trolley Car – Cab- Train – Grocery Store – Doctor’s Waiting Room – we all have different lives, incomes, families, looks but we hold a common ride of our day as do the people that let’s say Ride Ottmar’s Bus – (Remember? Song of childhood- The Driver alway’s said “Move on Back” :) Tires go Round and Round..))
    We as community move differently then people of let’s say 50 year’s ago. Yesterday’s waiting on the corner for the bus is like today’s waiting for the computer to load up files. As we board the bus, the driver “Ottmar” greets us because we purchased the correct token and we have full access to whatever seat is available on the bus. Our seat maybe in the middle, front or way in the back but our seat changes to the time of day we arrived. As we travel, we form a community of common travelers, that choose to stay, however long the time will allow, in our precious seat on the bus. Each time we board the bus we meet new stories that are trapped within people that change us. People hoping that someone would like to listen about their day. Whatever the weather may bring, well, maybe, you may get a window seat view and tune or two. It is comforting, to find a secure busline , in our fast paced world, that transport people to the possibility of trusting a stranger on the bus, in a small gesture, of sharing their seat, before they alert Ottmar that this is their stop of day. They depart. We know that we will meet again and each time learn the wisdom of a stranger. During the ride there was a New’s Story To share, a smile, handshake, and time to just listen to all passengers and to be thankful to see a familiar face on Ottmar’s Bus Line. Yes,the bus is always on time to pick us up so we are never late.

    Reply

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