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Lecture: Dr. Karl Young |
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On Friday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m., Karl Young will present a
lecture/demonstration of the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo
flute, which is becoming more widely recognized in the United States both
for its haunting sound and its historical association with Buddhism. The
history of the shakuhachi in Japan and the west will be described, and
pieces from some of the more prominent lineages as well as some modern
pieces will be played as illustration. One of the few
instruments explicitly designated as a tool for spiritual practice, it was
legally banned for non monastic use in the Murumachi and Kamakura periods
in Japan. In the west it has been used in a variety of contexts, from
Buddhist practice to use by new age hucksters promoting "blowing Zen." But
the historical record is far from settled and many argue that a strain of
hucksterism has prevailed throughout the history of the shakuhachi. For
example, the original government documents designating the official Zen
sect, known as the Fuke-shu, were allegedly forged. As the
shakuhachi makes its transition to the west, all of the wonders and
contradictions usually associated with the transplantation of a religious
or cultural tradition are manifest. Contemporary composers, such as Toru
Takemitsu and Pauline Oliveros have utilized the haunting sound and
spiritual associations of the shakuhachi effectively, and a handful of
players are currently trying to establish a voice for shakuhachi in jazz.
Karl Young is a
physicist who has been studying and performing on the shakuhachi for more
than 20 years, both as part of his Zen practice and as a musician. He has
studied with Yoshio Kurahashi, Karu Kakizakai, Riley Lee and Philip Gelb
among others. As a jazz musician, Young has long sought the sweet spot for
the shakuhachi as a vehicle in jazz. View
images
from this event!
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