In My Mind’s Zen Garden

Tired… exhausted…. completely wiped out….

These are words that describe how I felt yesterday.

My last 4 gigs had been with Flamenco Nova!

. . . .

I’m just glad it was a Sunday and the family and I didn’t really have anything major to attend to or do.

So, for most of the day yesterday I just lounged around in my pajamas, got online (until the internet access gave out early in the evening).

[ I just got internet access back some minutes ago, so I'm a happy camper once again ]

Internet Addiction: It’s a way of life.

Anyway, I have to emphasize to “family” members that I need to be rested before performances.

After years of performing various types of venues and musical genres, I find I need certain things attended to in order to have a great performance:

1. Rest: I need rest at least for 4 hours before any gig. People need to understand that a performer can give his heart and soul into a performance if s/he has rested and prepared mentally for the gig.
2. Ginseng! I’ve run out, and I’ve realized that this herbal extract has always been my friend through thick and thin.
3. Vitamin supplements! It really helps and I can feel the difference when I don’t intake some form of vitamin and mineral supplement prior to a gig. The liquid form is the best, and added with the Ginseng, one can’t go wrong!
4. Caffeine! Together with the vitamins, minerals and the ginseng extract, it ensures that I have enough energy to get through the performance and then some.
5. Yoga: I confess I haven’t been doing my regular daily routine lately. And it shows. And I probably wouldn’t need any of the above enhancements, if I just did Yoga every single day.
6. Time: I need plently of time to mentally prepare, get to the gig early and setup, so that I can kick back and rest before the performance.

Nowadays, I don’t really practice at all. Maybe as long as I’m performing a lot during any given week, then I just practice on the gig, as Miles Davis used to say. Buddy Rich claimed to have never practiced.

And I think that, especially in jazz performance, one needs to spend a bit of time away from the instrument. Because you need to “miss it” so to speak. Then one approaches the instrument in a fresh and clearer way.

[ L-R: Nathan, Me, Jordano and Jeff ]

. . . .

Anyway, I performed last Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so I guess it’s understandable that I would be exhausted, given the level of musicianship and energy needed for these gigs.

So, I’m feeling like I was not happy with my performances by Saturday night. I felt like I really sucked bad.

Rest today. Yes, because tomorrow is another performance!

And I must buy some ginseng extract at the health food store!