| Let's face it. The world will not end if | | | | pleased or not. |
| there isn't another new age music CD on the | | | | |
| market. So why bother? Why play when most | | | | So, what is new age piano improvisation good |
| people don't care or want to hear the kind of | | | | for? Absolutely nothing - except the joy it |
| music you like? The answer lies in the nature | | | | can bring to you and to me when we enter the |
| of art itself, for the world really does not | | | | flow and the music pours out of us. It is so |
| need art. It can survive without painting, | | | | precious to be able to do this. So fleeting |
| sculpture or music. It can survive, but it | | | | it may be too. A second or a minute of |
| would be a pretty dreary place. | | | | forgetting yourself at the piano is a sacred |
| | | | act. One that grows and develops. It matures |
| But the main reason we play is not for the | | | | of itself. Much like meditation. If one |
| world but for ourselves. We must play for | | | | practices the art, one grows in proportion to |
| ourselves first and if people hear and like | | | | that practice. |
| it fine. If not, that' s fine too. As long as | | | | |
| we don't deprive ourselves of the enriching | | | | But this kind of growth is spiral in nature. |
| experience improvisation can bring. | | | | There are times that the music seems lifeless |
| | | | and dull. At these times we feel the same |
| When I first started playing I wanted to | | | | inside. But a day or two later, we are in a |
| create something others could admire. | | | | new place and the music flows like water. |
| Something that people could say, wow, listen | | | | This is a mystery, this process. One can only |
| to that. That guy is really good. But I was | | | | go with it and not fight it. You are creating |
| miserable and miles away from the true | | | | art second by second when you improvise. This |
| purpose of playing music. It wasn't until a | | | | kind of beauty is fleeting - but is the most |
| year or so later that I realized that if I | | | | precious. Guard it. Cherish it. And if you |
| don't please myself first, no one would be | | | | feel inclined share it with the rest of the |
| pleased. Nor did it matter if others were | | | | world. |