Jon Kypros jinashi shakuhachi japanese bamboo flutes

The most important and overlooked quality in shakuhachi, IMO

2012-02-07T21:23:00.003-05:00

It's often overlooked or at least not talked about much and after making hundreds of shakuhachi it's the most important criteria for me. It's something I'm calling "breath feel" and it's how the breath/embouchure feels in response to any one shakuhachi. For example, some shakuhachi respond to a controlled tight embouchure while others respond to a looser embouchure. So while a shakuhachi may sound amazing it may not have a feel that best suits the player.

Breath feel is a very personal thing. To find one's breath feel one has to be a proficient player with the ability to adapt to a wide variety of shakuhachi which in turn requires exposure to many shakuhachi. Sadly this is rarely achievable by most of us.

So, while a shakuhachi may be pretty or sound amazing it actually might not feel good or feel best. There is a shakuhachi out there that would feel amazing to you and not to someone else. This is another reason why the variety that jinashi provide is so important to me as we could really never hope to fabricate the ideal shakuhachi for everyone.

Ro on~

A little bit more on how I make a shakuhachi

2012-02-02T02:10:00.002-05:00

There are many ways to make shakuhachi in order for them to suit certain types of music or players. For example, some shakuhachi makers craft shakuhachi with large finger holes and deep blowing edges which make for a louder sound, however, many traditional techniques on such shakuhachi become faint or impossible to play. On the other end of the spectrum are shakuhachi that are made with small finger holes and shallow blowing edges which can squeal or sound stuffy. Below I will go into detail of how I go about making well balanced root end shakuhachi for the playing of honkyoku music of The Edo period.

The finger holes - going back to the old way of opening them slowly by hand
Back in the Edo period competent makers were also players who would naturally make shakuhachi that were well suited to the music they played which was mainly honkyoku. They also had to open the finger holes slowly by hand which gives the maker a more intimate connection and understanding of the finger holes. Today, however, most all makers use drill bits followed by some undercutting. In my work I went back to the old method of opening the finger holes slowly by hand without the use of drill bits. This has given me insight into the placement of finger holes and their effects on the timbre and playability or capabilities of a shakuhachi especially for the playing of honkyoku music. I meticulously shape each finger hole while checking techniques to insure that they not only work but perform well.

The blowing edge or "utaguchi"
The depth of the utaguchi or blowing edge should not be too deep or too shallow for ideal playing of Edo period honkyoku and for the execution of deep meri techniques such as ro no dai meri which is a whole step below the fundamental (1.8 "D" should play "C" for ro no dai meri). Too deep of a blowing edge can make deep meri notes hard to play. Conversely, a very shallow blowing edge can make notes stuffy or sputter. For my shakuhachi I make medium sized blowing edges for good volume tone and execution of meri notes.

The chin rest
The amount to which the chin rest is carved down is of the utmost importance in order to have good posture and tone. With the majority of shakuhachi chin rests the player has to either tilt their heads down and/or raise their arms up higher in order to get a good tone. I carefully carve my chin rests to insure that a solid full tone can be achieved with proper comfortable posture.

The bore
The bore has the largest effect on the sound of a shakuhachi, specifically, the volume or size of the bore in relation to the length of the shakuhachi. Selecting bamboo with the right length to volume ratio for the desired outcome is paramount. This is one of the reason I harvest all of my own bamboo. Next is the shaping or adjusting of the bore such as how much the nodes are removed, if any additions or subtractions are made, and if lacquers are used. Each piece of bamboo has a unique precious voice and to me lacquer often causes too drastic of a change. I prefer the warm natural sound of the bamboo.

The highest goal for me is to make the least amount of changes to the bore as possible. I try to do most bore adjustments using subtraction or careful sanding and shaping. Sometimes additions are needed in which case I use pure bamboo powder and 100% safe glue. These adjustments are made to augment the "air flow" our acoustical impedance in the bore in order to increase the envelope of weak notes so that they can crescendo with a nice full tone. This is especially important on key notes on the shakuhachi which are the most expansive.

In the end it is all about balance for me. Making jinashi shakuhachi is a great puzzle all about balancing things just right for each particular shakuhachi.

Performance with shakuhachi flute for Jun Kaneko at Mint Museum Charlotte North Carolina by Tod Kubo

2012-01-21T14:39:00.000-05:00

I had the honor of performing shakuhachi at Jun Kaneko's private party at the Mint Museum in Charlotte. The performance was created by Tod Kubo. It was a privileged to get to perform under the direction of Tod Kubo along with performer/dancer Karen Christensen and percussionist Josh Walker.

Tod Kubo created a seamless flowing set of three performances based on water, wind and fire in which we essentially became an active "living" art piece. It was a very nice feeling for me knowing that people could "tune in" or out as they wished and that they did not have to feel obligated to applaud.

It felt like I was conversing with the shakuhachi. I enjoyed listening to people talk and laugh as much as hearing our sounds echoing in the huge hall. Thanks goes out to Tod Kubo for creating a opportunity for this kind of unique unpretentious expression.

Me rehearsing/testing the acoustics with my shakuhachi at The Mint Uptown for performance for Jun Kaneko

Before performing I had a chance to look around The Mint Uptown and I was surprised to find Madake bamboo sculptures!

This "performance" was for a private party in honor of the artist Jun Kaneko

Performer/dancer Karen Christensen danced and elegantly created origami, no easy task!

Heading "backstage" after last performance for Jun Kaneko (notice huge installation in background)

Tod Kubo (choreographer), me (Jon Kypros-shakuhachi flute) Karen Christensen (dancer/performer) and Josh Walker (percussionist). Performance for Jun Kaneko at The Mint Uptown in Charlotte North Carolina

Free shipping on eBay, free bindings and free alterations, more free leather caps and bags

2012-01-14T12:06:00.002-05:00

I've made domestic shipping free on most of my eBay items as well as free Priority mail international shipping on all of my expensive root end shakuhachi with the option to up-grade to Express for only $15. I've also added cheaper international shipping for my friends in Canada. I can also offer lower rates to South America if needed.

Most all of my shakuhachi can now be pre-bound for free and all root ends and some "just above root ends" now come with free alterations such as moving finger holes. Most all shakuhachi now come with free leather caps as I've found a great source of leather here locally. All shakuhachi come with a free black UV storage humidity bag.

I hope the new year is treating you all well! Ro on~

Here is a really nice (if I say so myself) 3.0 made from local "goma" Japanese root end bamboo. Take a look here.

shakuhachi news: since I've moved to the mountains of Asheville North Carolina

2011-12-02T22:29:00.005-05:00

Now that the blog is back to being a dedicated blog without any "commercial" content I'm happy to be writing about my adventures since I've moved to Western North Carolina.

When I first got here I was thrilled to meet Keiji Oshima of Haiku Bamboo Nursery. Keiji and his wife Stefani have been growing madake and other Japanese bamboos in the mountains of Hendersonville North Carolina for over 30 years! Lucky for me he's just 45 minutes away.

Me and Keiji cutting a bamboo pole for making shakuhachi

The bamboo poles Keiji sells are perfect for shakuhachi flutes. He cures them with coals or "aburanuki" and then lets them dry in his "bamboo pole warehouse" for years.

Later, in the winter, Keiji dug me a root end piece. I can't wait to make a shakuhachi flute out of it!

Me and Keiji at Keiji's haiku bamboo nursery in the mountains of Hendersonville North Carolina

Since we moved to Asheville in the spring I took the opportunity to hunt down and ID bamboo groves in the area! Bamboo can only be identified in the spring by expertly examining the new shoots. This is a really arduous process as a bamboo grove in spring is hot and infested with bugs!


Me ID'ing bamboo groves in Asheville NC

Hot dirty and covered with bugs! ID'ing bamboo in the spring is hard!

As soon as a moved here I had the oppertunity to share shakuhachi at The Asheville Bamboo Festival! I had a great time and met new friends.


Me playing shakuhachi for people visiting The Asheville Bamboo Festival 2011

Just a few weeks later I was honored by being asked to play shakuhachi with esteemed Butoh dancers at the unveiling of Tetsunori Kawana's giant madake bamboo installation in Charlotte North Carolina at The Mint Museum Randolph.

Me playing shakuhachi with Asheville Butoh dancers for the unveiling of Tetsunori Kawana's giant madake bamboo installation at The Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte North Carolina

Now that things have died down and winter has set in I have been able to harvest some local bamboo!

I almost fell into a stream harvesting bamboo!

I learned some new harvesting techniques from Keiji Oshima like how to cut limbs off, the best saw to use and another way of digging roots ends by using a sharp mattock cutter!

Me using sharpened mattock cutter to harvest bamboo for shakuhachi flutes, Candler North Carolina

Alana was sick on our Alabama harvesting trip but this time around she was able to dig her first root end here in our new home of Asheville!

Alana harvesting her first root end for making shakuhachi flute, Asheville North Carolina

All in all, it has been one amazing year which is quickly drawing to a close. On the 31st of this month of December I will be a year older. I can't wait to see if this year has any more surprises left!

Lastly, I updated my website giving it a new look and feel. I change things a lot on the web, as some of you may have noticed over the years. I'm always trying to find what works and feels best. I think this may be the final incarnation of my website flutedojo.com and this blog.

I hope 2011 has been a good year for all of you in shakuhachidom. Ro on~ Jon

Blog back to being a blog! New website! Shakuhachi for sale moved to new website

2011-11-28T11:55:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say that this blog is back to being a blog. All shakuhachi for sale have been moved to my new website which I just finished making. Check it out at flutedojo.com

Look forward to more blog entries soon as winter is a time of harvesting bamboo for making shakuhachi and I have already been at it here in my new home of Asheville, Western North Carolina!

#2 free shakuhachi flute instructional video - embouchure pressure & the octave Kan

2011-09-21T19:11:00.002-04:00

Here's the new video which covers embouchure, pressure, and getting the octave Kan:

Shakuhachi and Butoh Performance at Tetsunori Kawana Bamboo installation in Charlotte

2011-08-16T09:47:00.003-04:00

On Sunday the 14th I had the privilege to perform shakuhachi with Butoh dancers at the Charlotte North Carolina Mint Randolph for the unavailing of Tetsunori Kawana's latest bamboo installation. I was happy to find out that the huge bamboo wall was made out of Japanese Madake bamboo growing in America.

Erik and Julia Butoh dancers with Jon shakuhachi flute at Tetsunori Kawana's bamboo installation in Charlotte NC

I got to perform with founding member of Anemone Dance group Sara Baird as well as Erik Moellering, Julia Taylor and Julie Becton Gillum of ashevillebutoh.com. Butoh is an amazing dance that takes many shapes and forms. Julie explained some of Butoh's history to me in the dressing room and I was enthralled.


Jon Kypros shakuhachi flute - Tetsunori Kawana bamboo installation Charlotte North Carolina 2011

Alana used her artistic talents to make me a wonderful and educational shakuhachi stand setup which fit right into the feeling of a Museum. I rushed out when I could but thanks to Alana and her informational boards many people learned about shakuhachi in my absence. All in all, it was a wonderful day beyond words. I got to play shakuhachi flute in a giant Madake sculpture with amazing Butoh dancer and spread the sound and knowledge of the shakuhachi flute.

Between acts I rushed out to share shakuhachi with visitors at the Mint Randolph

Here's a video of me playing while Julie Becton Gillum dances butoh through the huge madake bamboo sculpture of Tetsunori Kawana

#1 free shakuhachi flute instructional video - holding the flute and getting your first sound

2011-08-03T17:12:00.004-04:00

I made the video shorter, changed a few things around and pumped up the audio!

For more on correcting poor posture visit Esther Gokhale's website egwellness.com

A Journey to Wellness Part 2 - My shakuhachi injuries & "Primal Medicine"

2011-08-01T12:58:00.011-04:00

Caveman with shakuhachi flute via GIMP editor

I have various RSI injuries and postural problems from playing and making shakuhachi flutes as well as other common activities like writing this blog and managing my website. In part 1 I saw what modern medicine had to offer. Modern medicine is wonderful and sometimes it is the only solution, however, there can be other routes. Since surgery and medications are often irreversible I opted to explore noninvasive options.

In recent times a number of people have been embracing evolution and what nature can teach us. Evolution is happening right now in front of us in the modern world. Posture of the modern person slumps forward to do front work on computers and assumes exaggerated postures associated with fashion and modern ideas of beauty. Certain fashions, especially footwear, change the way we walk and stand. We are also trying to adapt to the large amounts of sugar in our modern diets which mostly come from grains.

To find an answer to my problems I decided to find people who were looking back in time or at cultures that are not influenced by fashion and modern living. The two individuals I found were Esther Gokhale on posture and Mark Sission on nutrition. Both of these people are straight forward and rely on real evidence backed by millions of years of evolution.

My journey to recovery is not a "quick fix" surgery, rather, it it is a total change of my body through my choices. Just as my posture gradually shifted from the perfect posture of a baby to the hunched modern posture that I have now, it will also need to gradually shift and change over time through my concentrated efforts.

Butoh and Shakuhachi at Tetsunori Kawana's bamboo installation in Charlotte, Mint Museum Randolph

2011-07-29T09:26:00.002-04:00

August 14th (Sunday) 2011
Mint Museum Randolph
2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte, NC, United States, 28207

I'll be performing shakuhachi with Butoh dancers from Anemone at the unveiling of Tetsunori Kawana's bamboo installation at the Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte North Carolina. I met with dancer Sara Baird the other day to discuss Butoh dance and how to incorporate my improvisational shakuhachi playing. I don't have much exposure to dance, however, I am familiar with Kabuki theater which is a predecessor to Butoh. Kabuki used to be raw and covered taboo subjects, however, it was watered down when it became a part of mainstream Japanese society. Butoh has been described as a return to the nitty-gritty, a modern Japanese dance rebellion, and maybe just too much to try and describe.

Other than Butoh dance and shakuhachi there should be many other artists who specialize in things Japanese. The bamboo installation will be a giant 80 something foot wall which you can enter into. It should be, like Butoh, beyond explenation. Luckily I have a camera!

Tetsunori Kawana Bamboo Installations

Anemone Butoh Dance

New aburanuki fire curing madake bamboo photos

2011-07-14T10:37:00.003-04:00

oil/sap on madake bamboo after heating over hot coals aburanuki

I've finally added the aburanuki fire curing photos to the site here. Aburanuki is the process of using hot coals to extract the oils from madake bamboo before sun drying and further indoor drying.

2011 Asheville North Carolina Bamboo Festival and Shakuhachi bamboo flutes!

2011-07-12T18:59:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of being a vendor at the SEC 2011 Asheville North Carolina Bamboo Festival this past weekend. The festival was started by Stefani and Keiji Oshima (haikubamboo) some 5 years ago to bring awareness to the many uses for bamboo.

Stefani and Keiji Oshima of Haiku Bamboo at 2011 Bamboo Festival

Keiji Oshima of Haiku Bamboo checking out my shakuhachi flutes at the 2011 Asheville North Carolina Bamboo Festival

I had the pleasure of introducing shakuhachi to many people for the first time. It was a real pleasure and I learned how to explain shakuhachi in a direct way. I avoided history lessons and tales of Komuso using the flute as a weapon *yawn.

Me Jon Kypros of flutedojo.com demoing shakuhachi flutes for people at the 2011 Asheville North Carolina Bamboo Festival

Me playing shakuhachi flute for a child. I often wonder if someday the shakuhachi seeds I plant will sprout into a new player. Kids are the best, they often want to hear all of the shakuhachi flutes and I love to play them!

I had the pleasure of meeting Steve (photographed below playing a 2.4) who purchased one of my early 2.4 root ends from back when I was in NYC. It was a real pleasure to meet him as I rarely ever get to meet people I sell my shakuhachi flutes to over the internet. It was really serendipitous! Steve is an accomplished musician and you can hear samples of some of his work on his reverbnation.com page.

Steve who purchased an early flute of mine trying a new one at the 2011 Asheville North Carolina Bamboo Festival

All in all the Festival was a pleasure and I felt extremely privileged and "at home". Best of all I made friends!

Madake in America - A visit to Keiji Oshima's Madake bamboo in North Carolina

2011-07-07T19:23:00.008-04:00

Me Jon Kypros (right) cutting one of Keiji's poles

In my first week here in Asheville North Carolina I have had the pleasure to visit Keiji and Stefani Oshima's bamboo warehouse. The bamboo warehouse is nestled in the hills of Hendersonville, North Carolina just thirty minutes from my new home. I have been looking forward to this day for some time! Keiji not only grows and sells madake, as well as 14 other species of bamboo, but he is also an artisan and makes many fine crafts such as bamboo baskets. Keiji is the only American who teaches people all about growing madake bamboo and he is the only person here in The US who sells madake bamboo.

From his website www.oshimabambooschool.com - "Keiji Oshima left his native Japan for America over thirty years ago. Although he has lived all over the United States, he found that both he and the bamboo liked Hendersonville, North Carolina best."

Keiji processes his poles with heat "aburanuki" and then in the sun which gives them a fine finish. It was a pleasure looking through his bamboo.

Keiji was very friendly and I was surprised when Keiji and his wife Stefani offered to let me work at their Haiku Bamboo Nursery as in "intern" or "apprentice" in order to learn about madake.

The poles I purchased were beautiful...

They made great sounding shakuhachi flutes. Most went out for commission. If you would like to order some please contact me or check eBay.

Guide on how to clean shakuhachi bamboo flutes jinashi and jiari

2011-06-14T11:57:00.006-04:00

What is the solution?

There are a lot of ways to clean a shakuhachi bamboo flute. Some people use expensive natural plant extract oil tinctures or essential oils while others may use harsh bleach cleaners. In the middle of the road is the truly amazing distilled white vinegar or DWV for short and Baking Soda or BS... DWV is more effective than essential oils at killing mold, fungi and eliminating odors and it does not leave a lasting scent nor does it stain the bamboo. The same can be said of BS.

DWV and BS is safe to touch, breath, brush your teeth with and eat. DWV and BS production is far less detrimental to the environment than essential oils and bleach. Just a 5% solution of DWV and water kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of germs (viruses) and there is no reason not to use undiluted 100% DWV. DWV and BS are great multitaskers. People use DWV to soften hard water in the washing machine, for the rinse cycle in dishwashers and to make pickles ;) BS is used for deodorizing, scrubbing, baking food, brushing teeth, etc. etc.

Although the initial smell of DWV is strong it is harmless and it fades away completely, usually in just a few days. You can make the sent more pleasant by adding citrus peels or a small amount of citrus solvent to DWV. Citrus is thought to boost the cleaning power of DWV. Citrus solvent scented DWV also leaves no lasting odor or colors. However, those with citrus allergies should of course avoid citrus solvents and cleaners. Go grab some DWV and BS from your local market, that is, if the older Grannies "in the know" haven't bought it all up ;)

How to scrub the bore

There are so many ways to go about scrubbing a bore, be it bamboo or lacquered. To name just a few, a dowel rod with a sponge or the like attached to the end or the readily available wide eray of dryer vent brushes.

With these simple safe tools you can keep any natural jinashi bamboo shakuhachi bore or lacquered jiari shakuhachi clean as a whistle ;)

Japanese Madake bamboo in The US and Japanese cherry blossoms in Washington D.C

2011-04-26T10:25:00.008-04:00

Left, me and my father with Japanese madake bamboo in Alabama. Right, Japanese cherry blossoms in Washington D.C.

It is my honor and privilege to be pioneering the use of Japanese "madake" bamboo growing in The US for shakuhachi flutes. Madake growing in The US brings to mind the beautiful flowers on the "sakura" Japanese cherry trees in Washington D.C. that were gifted by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo in 1912. In 1906 thousands of Japanese Cherry Blossom trees were imported by the famous botanist David Fairchild who introduced some 200,000 plants to The US which included Asian bamboos.

I can imagine early 20th century botanists, maybe even David Fairchild himself, bringing the humble yet noble Japanese Timber Bamboo called "madake" to America in the hopes that one day an American citizen of any race could enjoy madake bamboo, which like them, may have been transplanted on a foreign shore.

It makes this Cypriot Greek American feel immensely grateful~

Ro on~
Jon

*Phyllostachys bambusoides, common name Japanese "madake" giant timber bamboo is the bamboo of Japan made famous by its use in numerous Japanese arts and crafts.

American Japanese Madake Harvesting Odyssey Part 3 "The last few days"

2011-02-28T21:12:00.004-05:00

After days of digging I could barely believe how much Madake was coming out of these groves. We went back to Jim's so I could dig some of his bamboo and make a flute from it for him.

Tuscon approved this piece for his master Jim...

After digging Jim's piece we had a chat and then I played shakuhachi for him in his house, thanked him for everything and said farewell. Without Jim this whole trip wouldn't have happened...

There was still one grove that we had not yet had the chance to dig at and it was coming down to the wire. The owner of the land wanted to be home however he worked pretty much all day everyday. We were actually on our way back to the hotel when we noticed his wife's car in the drive way. We quickly spun our car back around to try and catch her and hopefully get the OK. After a brief chat she said it would be fine. At first I wasn't sure if many pieces would come from this grove because it was so large. I figured that most of the grove would be huge stalks...

This grove would produce the most pieces of any of the groves. The soil was wet from a light rain and snow which froze and thawed which loosened the soil and made it extremely easy to dig.

There were quite a few "goma" pieces as well in this grove. "Goma" die and dry/cure in the ground and are prized for their natural markings called "spalting". The name "goma" which translates as sesame seeds comes frome the natural bamboo resins oozing out and drying into little seed like dots.

This grove had a certain magic to it, a really envolping feel that was a lot different from any other grove. The grove was bordered on two sides by a creek. Some animals had made large holes in the ground and the bamboo rhyzomes shot out and down into them like some kind of subteranean creature.

I've always found rhizomes incredibly interesting and these really were the most fantastic I had ever seen. For me they really represent the resilience of bamboo and remind me that the bamboo grove is one huge plant connected by thousands of these underground highways. It's bamboo's cardiovascular system.

After an incredible day, and our last full day, I realized that I had to come back to this grove the following morning. However, a lot of work had to be done that night at the hotel. A lot of work!...

Back at the hotel, the bamboo had to be unloaded, cleaned up, weighed, packed into boxes, and finally loaded back into the car. Cleaning the roots can be a tricky and delicate stage. One slip up and you could ruin a piece of precious bamboo. Even though me and my father were very tired we had to keep our wits about us, the work had to get done that night. As the piles started to slowly shrink so did our energy. Once the last of it was done it was time for a meal, a beer and a hot shower.

The next morning me and Alana got up early to visit the grove one last time. We were greated by frost covering every leaf of the bamboo...

The frost began to melt with the rising of the sun which created an amazing orchestra of sounds. I added a few of my own sounds to the mix...

I managed to get the camera from Alana and take a shot of her.

With the end of this journey nipping at my heels I took some time to stop and reflect...

After reflective for a bit we snagged a few more pieces before we were chased out by wild dogs that came out of nowhere. We got back just in time to check out of the hotel, race over to FedEx and then off to the airport. Soon my bamboo would be following right behind me, headed for home....

Our time in Alabama had come to a close. As the plane banked it afforded us one last view of the city. The groves hidden by the dark, awaiting the next visitor. I couldn't help but wonder where I might find my self in the future. I closed my eyes and pictured some unexplored grove, imagining the sound of the wind through the leaves.

American Japanese Madake Harvesting Odyssey Part 2 "The Groves"

2011-02-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

After Jim showed us to the groves it was time to harvest. We were all taken back by the size of some of the groves. Japanese Madake is a giant bamboo so normally most pieces will be much too large for shakuhachi. However some of the groves had perfect conditions for growing smaller sized stalks and yielded many fine pieces for flutes.

We decided to start with a smaller grove and warm up a bit to the more tricky larger groves. It can actually be a little treturous inside of the grove. Branches threaten eyes, you can slip and fall, there are holes, roots to trip on, wild dogs, etc.

Thankfully the first day was mild and we didn't even have to wear jackets while working. The first grove was mostly on the side of a hill and the soil was heavily compacted clay and rock. It made for hard digging but healthy bamboo. I was surprised at how finely shaped the bamboo was for shakuhachi.

Scouting the grove for pieces is really exciting. The first grove, while smaller in comparison to the others, had a high density of pieces just right for shakuhachi. Shakuhachi making is all about the length to width ratio so selecting the right sized pieces from the start is essential.
There are of course many other things to consider when selecting the bamboo such as nodes, roots, age, and curvature.

At the end of day one we had quite the harvest and would actually come back to this grove two more times.

On the following day we decided to move up to the next largest grove. It started raining which makes the grove pretty precarious. I figured it would be a great time to climb all around. I was scouting for good pieces of course ;)

The second grove had an even higher density of shakuhachi sized pieces. We unded up coming back to this grove three or four times.

We stuffed the car with culms. It was a great couple of days with four more to go! Be back with more soon...

American Japanese Madake Harvesting Odyssey Part 1 "Jim Mortensen"

2011-02-16T17:15:00.019-05:00

I'm still amazed at how much Japanese Madake there is in America. This particular harvesting odyssey took us to Northern Alabama. With its rolling hills and humid subtropical climate, which is geographically parallel to Japan, I knew that we were in for quite a harvest. My expectations were far exceeded. I can't describe how amazing it is to find all of this Japanese Madake in America and to pioneer its usage for shakuhachi flutes. I'm extremely thankful, beyond words.

I located the bamboo through Jim Mortensen of jmbamboo.com who has been identifying Madake groves in the area for years now. Japanese Madake is identified by unique "spurs" on the new shoots. Although we were harvesting in the dead of winter we managed to find a dead sprout with the spurs still intact, as seen on the left.

Some of these groves had stalks that toward overhead at eighty to one hundred feet high. The feeling one gets inside the groves is indescribable. It really transports you. Bamboo produces lots of fresh oxygen as well, more than any plant on land and I imagine it adds to the euphoric feeling. When you step out of one of these massive Madake groves you can hardly believe that it can exist so close to the "outside" world. It's almost like being underwater and looking up and out at the sky.

We visited seven groves and each had it's own unique atmosphere. But before I get into all that I want to go back to the beginning of this odyssey, back to Jim's bamboo.....

The drive was a lot of fun with lovely winding mountain passes. In just a short while we arrived at Jim's greeted by a small patch of vibrant green bamboo.

His driveway is a steep slope which leads to a small bridge nestled between two impressive groves of bamboo. At the bottom, Jim's dog Tucson stands guard. After receiving Tuscon's approval we passed over the bridge, parked and met Jim and his Son. We were in awe of Jim's slice of heaven. Me and my Dad Harry walked and talked while Alana took these amazing photos.

Jim showed us around his twenty five acres of bamboo with over one hundred species including his giant Moso grove, seen on the left (Jim is far left). Jim is an incredible individual who's love for bamboo really shines through. We were all smiles, bamboo has a way of doing that.

With the tour complete I took a moment to sit, relax and truly soak in the beauty of the groves. With the peaceful sounds of the shakuhachi echoing among the bamboo, I was able to share with Jim the purpose behind this adventure.
Afterwards we set out to look at the groves in the area with Jim and his son as our guides. Thanks for reading and I'll be back with much more...

Day 3 bamboo harvest update

2011-02-02T19:37:00.001-05:00

Day 3 of the harvest and what an adventure it's been! We've climbed downed bamboo, shimmed up trees, jumped streams and braved the freezing rain all in search of those special pieces for shakuhachi. Can't wait to give you the full story once I'm home! I'll keep posting along the way. For now, some warm grub and a hot shower are calling my name!

Day 1 bamboo harvest update

2011-02-01T21:12:00.003-05:00

I met with Jim the other day of Jmbamboo.com He showed us around his amazing bamboo groves. Jim then took us to some Madake groves! More soon!

Now arriving at, Bamboo!

2011-01-30T21:54:00.004-05:00

It's the end of day one here and everything went smoothly! Tomorrow we meet with Jim the bamboo farmer. On the way to the hotel we were greeted by a vibrant flash of green along the highway... Bamboo! Not Madake but healthy, a good omen.

A Journey to Wellness Part 1 - My shakuhachi injuries & Modern Medicine

2011-01-13T06:52:00.043-05:00

This is the story of my repetitive injuries from excessive shakuhachi making and playing.

Prologue
For eight years I have crafted, studied, performed, and practiced shakuhachi full time on top of life's daily chores. All of these things contributed to me developing multiple injuries mostly in my right arm. I have tried many things to get well with varying results, however, I have never received any definitive answers which I am now seeking from modern medicine.

Part 1 - My shakuhachi injuries & Modern Medicine
After xrays and a visit to the Orthopedic surgeon I went in for a Nerve Conduction Test or EMG. With this test you get zapped by something akin to an electric dog collar which makes your tendons and nerves twang like plucked Shamisen strings. The results showed that I have neuropathy in several places which is an impingement of nerves and tendons. Apparently as a skinny ectomorph I am genetically predisposed to these sorts of injuries due to narrower passageways for my nerves and tendons. Below you can see a funny picture and video that my partner Alana took. In the video you can hear the gentleman explain the various conditions I have in my right arm.

A lot of beneficial things have come about as a result of my injuries. I often think of the old Chinese parable Sai Weng Shi Ma, which reads:

Once upon a time, there lived an old horse breeder named Sai. One day, Sai's best horse ran away to the enemy country. After word got out in the village Sai's neighbor and rival Chang came by to see if he would finally break his composure, however, he found him sitting, the picture of serenity.
"How can you be so calm!? Surely this is bad luck!"
In a low voice Old Sai said, "Good luck Bad luck, I do not know..."
Chang left scratching his head in wonder...

A while later, Old Sai's prize horse came back bringing with it many horses from the enemy country. Chang went over to congratulate him.
"Now this is good luck! Why are you not celebrating?"
"Good luck bad luck, I do not know..."

The very next day Old Sai's only son fell down while riding one of the new horses and broke many bones all over his body. Chang came by sure that he would finally see some reaction out of Old Sai however he was as calm as always and only replied,
"Good luck bad luck, I do not know..."

Not long after his son's accident a great general came to the village recruiting all able-bodied young men, however, Old Sai's son was not drafted due to his injuries. Some time later, the village got word that the general and all their sons were killed in combat. Chang had lost all three of his sons. In a rage, Chang came demanding.
"Admit it Sai! You Old fool! This is good luck! Are you blind?! Your son was spared! I have lost everything!"
There was a long pause while the neighbor wept...
Old Sai took a deep breath and in a small voice said,

"Good luck bad luck, I do not know..."

Thank you for reading and check back for more in this series. For now I must also say, good luck bad luck I do not know...