I wanted to give a little insight to my musical experiences here thus far, which have been interesting…

I’ve had two days of rehearsals now with the band Mizrob. What I didn’t realize–in fact found out today, before the second rehearsal–was that Mizrob was a creation of the Bactria Cultural Centre to promote Tajiki music–it’s actually a ‘super band’–kind of like ‘Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’–of superstar Tajik musicians.

The first rehearsal was basically a meet and greet–the band, in various forms, play together–maybe not all at the same time, but here we had 2 multi-string players, saxophone (soprano, a shock), bass guitar (which was a major shock…) drums, and percussion. I didn’t expect any modern Western instruments, let alone a soprano saxophone and electric bass. The two things that got me more though were the electronic drum set and the recording studio with top equipment, an Apple computer with Logic–not Garage Band or even Pro Tools–Logic!, and Mackie speakers…those of you who are composers and recording engineers will understand the oddity of such equipment in the poorest of the former Soviet republics, in the middle of Central Asia…it’s like going to a neighborhood go-kart race, and some kid shows up with a Formula 1 racer…

Anyways, come to find out that the leader of Mizrob actually writes for films and does a great deal of ‘modernized’ traditional music, actually adding more pop/rock elements like distorted guitars that are contrasting traditional instruments. It’s interesting…I’ve noticed this kind of thing in a lot of Eastern countries: taking their traditional styles and making them more appealing by adding pop/dance/film-score type elements. The results in general have been, oh, less-than-successful in my opinion…I haven’t really heard the work that the Tajik musicians are doing save one song that we are doing together, which I’ll get to.

So…the first rehearsal was really a run through/clean up of their piece, which I’m playing on, and my piece which, let’s be honest, they hadn’t looked at yet.

Their piece falls into this Tajik/pop style…guitar riffs in an almost classic rock mode, with soprano sax playing the more traditional melody more, um, traditionally. The riffs are a good hook–the tune, albeit simple and really meant to appeal to an audience, works. There’s not much to it since it takes basic elements from each style, but it works, and the audience will leave singing it–I am adding a voice to the melody (playing alto sax), and taking an improvised solo in, well, more of my style, which if you’ve heard me live, sounds something like the love-child of Grover Washington Jr. and Eric Dolphy…I think I frightened them just a little…

Anyways, my piece was difficult for them. I was right to have rewritten everything before I sent it…they don’t really read music…or at least very little, and the one’s who can didn’t bother to look at it. So, I basically am teaching them the piece orally, which is also super fun because my interpreter doesn’t know musical terms. My Russian amazingly has come back better than expected, but I have come to find out that although most people here speak some Russian because it was part of the USSR, they don’t really speak it well…they don’t really speak proper Tajik, which is a Persian language, well either, from what I have been told. This is a challenge.

The hardest part has been with explaining a Samba rhythm…I actually thought that this would be easy, and explaining the chordal structure would be hard–wrong again–the leader of Mizrob was able to understand (mostly) my chordal structure and explain it (he even got the C+7 and the Bsus4, which are way out of any traditional music style), but the Samba rhythm…the drummer kept trying to make it rock–I’ve learned that people here play two different styles, Tajik and rock…jazz is out of the loop, and Brazillian Samba, forget it! By the end of today, I got him doing something close…I don’t know how he got there, but he started playing something akin to a Calypso…I was like ‘Great! Fine! Close enough! Do that!’.

The other issue has been trying to get these guys to go, well, a little nuts with their playing…their playing, even in the styles they know, are very controlled and exacting…granted, traditional music tends to be this way: very conservative. My piece is a stretch for them because there is a lot of group improvisation in it, which they are not used to, and my Russian isn’t good enough to explain–and I use the proper terminology here–’going ape-s#!t’, which is what I want at the end of the piece.

We have another rehearsal tomorrow, and one last one before the show–it should be OK.

I did meet some Kyrgyz jazz musicians today–these guys speak English, know their jazz history, and a couple of them have been to NYC (the bass player actually studied with Ron Carter). There is also an open jam session tomorrow evening with all of the musicians in the festival, which should be an experience…

…I hope I don’t scare them…I have to find the Russian phrase for ‘going ape-s#!t’…

More soon!

And remember, it’s not too late to lend your support!

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Dear All,

Greetings from Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Here is a posting on the Dushanbe Jazz Festival (in English and Russian):

Press-release

Dushanbe: 27 April, 2010

Jazz is back in Dushanbe

From April 30 through May 3 Dushanbe will host the Second Dushanbe Jazz Festival. The Festival is initiated and financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through its Regional Art and Culture Programme, and implemented in cooperation with Bactria Cultural Centre and the Sattorov Tajik National Conservatory.

The program of the Festival consists of three gala concerts that will take place in the Mayakovsky State Russian Drama Theatre and in the Aini Tajik State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The Tajik National Conservatory will accommodate a Jam-session of the Festival participants, a series of workshops and a round table.

Besides Tajik musicians, the Festival will also bring together musicians from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, among which are both beginners and distinguished masters of jazz, and the guest of the festival Demetrius Spaneas from USA.

The Second Dushanbe Jazz Festival with aspirations of the First Jazz Festival held in Dushanbe last year, aims at promoting jazz music in Tajikistan in its ethno-jazz national form, through searching for original ideas, trends and styles of ethno-jazz compositions, as well as disclosing new talents who are willing to demonstrate their abilities in jazz music, which is yet to be developed in Tajikistan. The primary artistic goal of the festival to be attained by Tajik musicians lies in exploring national forms of jazz based on musical traditions of makom and falak. Other participants of the festival have also been offered to include two compositions based on Tajik makom and falak into their concert program.

Apart from the concert component the festival includes several sub-projects like contests, creative laboratory, master-class, film demonstration, round table, and production of the CD.

The organizers regard the Festival as a platform for the Central Asian regional cooperation from another angle – through music. It is also hoped that organization of the festival will eventually become a tradition that will promote the development of jazz and impromptu music in Tajikistan, foster exchange of creative experience and facilitate integration of Central Asian music cultures with those of other countries.

Tickets can be obtained at the box offices of the Mayakovsky Theater and the Opera and Ballet Theater. Price per ticket – 10 Somoni

****************

Program of the Second Dushanbe Jazz Festival

30^th of April

11:00 – 13:00             Master-class in the Tajik National Conservatory

-          Bakustic Jazz (Azerbaijan)

30^th of April

18:00 – 21:00             Jam session

1^st   of May

9:00 – 11:00               Master-class in the Tajik National Conservatory

-          Quartet of Khomenkov-Osipov (Kazakhstan)

1^st of May

17:00                           Gala concert in the Opera and Ballet Theater

-          Bakustic Jazz (Azerbaijan)

-          Akhmad  Bakaev (Tajikistan)

-          Khomenkov-Osipov Quartet (Kazakhstan)

-          Jasur Khalilov (Tajikistan)

2^nd of May

10:00 – 12:00             Master-class in the Tajik National Conservatory

-          Akhmad Bakaev (Tajikistan)

-          Salman Gambarov (Azerbaijan)

-          Abduvali Abdurashitov (Tajikistan)

2^nd of May

16:00                           Gala concert in the Mayakovsky Theatre

-          Saulty Peanuts (Kyrgyzstan)

-          Avesto (Tajikistan)

3^rd of May

10:00-13:00                Round table in the Tajik National Conservatory

3^rd of May

18:00                          Gala-concert in the Mayakovsky Theatre

-          Dajesh (Tajikistan)

-          Payvand (Tajikistan)

-          JAM FIVE (Uzbekistan)

-          Mizrob (Tajikistan)

-          Demetrius Spanias (USA)

*****

Пресс-релиз

Душанбе: 27 апреля, 2010

Джаз возвращается в Душанбе

С 30 апреля по 3 мая 2010 года, в Душанбе пройдет Второй Душанбинский Джаз Фестиваль. Инициатором и спонсором Фестиваля выступает Швейцарское Управление по Развитию и Сотрудничеству через региональную программу искусства и культуры. Организаторами Фестиваля являются Швейцарский Офис по Сотрудничеству в Таджикистане совместно с Культурным Центром Бактрия и Таджикской Национальной Консерваторией им. Сатторова. 

Программа Фестиваля состоит из трех гала-концертов, которые пройдут в Государственном Русском Драматическом театре им. Маяковского и в Таджикском Государственном Академическом театре оперы и балета им. Айни. В Таджикской Национальной Консерватории пройдет джем-сессия участников Фестиваля, серия семинаров и круглый стол. 

Помимо таджикских музыкантов Фестиваль соберет музыкантов из Азербайджана, Казахстана, Узбекистана и Кыргызстана, среди которых есть как новички, так и признанные мастера этого жанра. Гостем Фестиваля будет Деметриус Спанеас из США. 

Второй Душанбинский Джаз Фестиваль, в поддержку стремлений Первого Джаз Фестиваля, который прошел в Душанбе в прошлом году, ставит перед собой цель продвижения джазовой музыки в Таджикистане в его этно-джазовой национальной форме, посредством поиска оригинальных идей, направлений и стилей этно-джазовых композиций, а также путем раскрытия новых талантов, желающих продемонстрировать свои способности в джазе, которому еще предстоит развиваться в Таджикистане. Первостепенная художественная задача, поставленная перед таджикскими музыкантами, заключается в исследовании национальных форм джаза, основанных на музыкальных традициях макома и фалака. Остальным участникам Фестиваля было также предложено включить в свою концертную программу две композиции, основанные на таджикском макоме и фалаке. 

Помимо концертной программы, Фестиваль также включает несколько подкомпонентов как, например, конкурсы, творческая лаборатория, мастер-класс, демонстрация фильмов, кру4глый стол и производство CD.

Организаторы Фестиваля рассматривают его в качестве платформы для регионального среднеазиатского сотрудничества с другого угла – через музыку. Они также надеются, что организация фестиваля превратится в традицию, которая будет продвигать развитие джазовой и экспериментальной музыки в Таджикистане, содействовать обмену творческим опытом и ускорит интеграцию центрально-азиатской музыкальной культуры с культурой других стран. 

Билеты можно приобрести в кассах театра им. Маяковского и театра Оперы и Балета им. Айни. Стоимость билета – 10 Сомони 

**************

Программа Второго Душанбинского Джаз Фестиваля

30 апреля

11:00-13:00            Мастер-класс в Таджикской Национальной Консерватории

-          Bakustic Jazz (Азербайджан) 

30 апреля

18:00-21:00             Джем-сессия

1 мая  

10:00 – 12:00             Мастер-класс в Таджикской Национальной Консерватории

-          Квартет Хоменкова-Осипова (Казахстан) 

1 мая

17:00                     Гала Концерт в Театре Оперы и Балета

-          Bakustic Jazz (Азербайджан)

-          Ахмад Бакаев (Таджикистан)

-          Квартет Хоменкова-Осипова (Казахстан)

-          Джасур Халилов (Таджикистан)

2 мая

10:00 – 12:00             Мастер-класс в Таджикской Национальной Консерватории

-          Ахмад Бакаев (Таджикистан)

-          Салман Гамбаров (Азербайджан)

-          Абдували Абдурашитов (Таджикистан)

2 мая

16:00                           Гала концерт в театре им. Маяковского

-          Соленые орешки (Кыргызстан)

-          Авесто (Таджикистан)

3 мая 

10:00-13:00                Круглый стол в Таджикской Национальной Консерватории

3 мая 

18:00                           Гала концерт в театре им. Маяковского

-          Даджеш (Таджикистан) 

-          Пайванд (Таджикистан)

-          JAM FIVE (Узбекистан)

-          Мизроб (Таджикистан)

-          Деметриус Спаниас (США)

http://heredushanbe.canalblog.com/archives/2010/04/27/17707500.html

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As I frantically pack and organize for my travel tomorrow, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported this project. I am both honored and humbled by your support. I will do what I can to honor your faith in me–and I will do all I can to create peace through dialogue. Music may be the means, the method, but the Spirit of Peace transcends all methods…it is the message that counts most.

I also want you to know that I will be posting updates when possible on both facebook and twitter; for some reason, there are application issues that are making this cluncky (said almost as eloquently on both twitter’s and facebook’s homepages), so I’ll do what I can. I may also try to post here when I have access to my host’s computer–I haven’t attempted posting here via Blackberry yet, and I have enough difficulty using a full-size keyboard…

The next time you hear from me will be from 11 time-zones away (at least from Boston).

Best wishes to All,
Demetrius

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One of the most interesting aspects of these projects is actually the means and methods of getting to my destinations. The funny thing about Central Asia in general is that there is no direct way to get to any of these countries…granted, airlines in the recent decade or two have started centering around ‘hubs’, but even with that in mind, travel to the more undesirable locations is become less and less direct.

I got lucky with my tickets. Usually to get to the ‘Stans, you need at least 4 or 5 different flights that crisscross Eurasia in every which direction…and with that, many times you need travel/transit visas just to change planes in a country’s airport…a royal pain in the neck that adds to costs and time.

So, not counting domestic flights within Tajikistan (plane and helicopter) and Azerbaijan (who knows here?) my itinerary looks like this:
Boston-Frankfurt-Riga-Dushanbe-Riga-Moscow-Baku-Riga-Frankfurt-Boston

Everything goes through Riga…I didn’t realize that Riga was such a hub of Central Asian travel. My final route through Riga actually keeps me there overnight (29 hour layover), but considering the fact that this is the only extended layover, that’s not bad. Heck, Boston-Frankfurt-Riga-Dushanbe will take two days alone…

Moscow always bothers me…I hate traveling through Moscow…they always find a way to make it uncomfortable for you. The biggest problem is the transfer of terminals. One has to be extremely careful here; there are not only different international airports, but depending on what direction you are going in, you have to switch terminals at the big airport (Sheremetyevo), as well…the terminals, however, are on opposite sides of Moscow…they don’t tell you this, and they don’t tell you the fact that you have to get a transit visa (at least $200) to take the minibus (that ONLY goes between the terminals, mind you) because you have to step foot on Russian soil.

It gets worse…

Then, what they don’t tell you is that if you have less than 4 hours between flights, you have to pick up your baggage (they only transfer it for you if you have more than 4 hours), go through passport control, customs, and recheck-in at the other terminal…you will NEVER make it…I missed flights there, and it’s so frustrating…

Luckily, I’m in one terminal only this time. My only concern is that I am getting my Azerbaijan visa at the border–there was no time to get it beforehand since the Azerbaijan leg came about so recently. Now, the US Embassy in Baku and the Ministry of Culture in Azerbaijan are taking care of me…it will be no problem getting in once I pay the $131 visa fee at the border. My concern is that when I transfer in Moscow, will the Russians give me difficulty about not actually having a physical Azeri visa and not let me board the plane unless I pay some fee (probably unofficially, if you get my drift…). They cause problems for travelers because, well, they can…

I’ll probably have the US Government and the Azeri Ministry call the Moscow people to ensure this doesn’t happen…what I really need is a letter, in Russian, with a big stamp on it…Russians are all about the official stamp…it’s like Pavlov’s Dogs, they see an official stamp (or unofficial, it’s really just the stamp’s physical presence…) and they must obey…I was thinking about getting my own stamp for my travel documents…it doesn’t matter what it says…I could walk into Russian passport control and say “the power of the Stamp compels thee!!!”, and they would let me in…:)

The other travel issue that I wanted to bring up is the problem traveling with instruments, again most especially to this region.

Personally, I hate to travel with instruments–but this is what I do, so I’m not complaining–one smallish one is OK, but when I need to take more or larger instruments, travel can become a nightmare…

Luckily, as my career progressed from freelancer/ensemble member to soloist, my instruments got smaller…gone were the many days of traveling with a baritone sax. You have never experienced real luggage issues until you’ve fought to get a baritone sax as carry-on luggage…I once stood in the entrance of the jet, not allowing anyone else on until they let me bring the baritone on…that was 20 years ago; you can’t do that now.

When I was on the road with The Funk Brothers, I had to travel with soprano, tenor, and baritone saxes…not to mention instrument stands. For this, I had (have still) an item that I lovingly dubbed “The Coffin”…a double hard shell golf bag case. I put the baritone and soprano and the other equipment, including clothing, and put the whole thing under–carry my tenor on. This thing was over 5-1/2 feet tall and weighed like 150 lbs., and you had to move it upright on it’s hind wheels…it doesn’t fit in a cab, so I had to take the subway with it…good times, let me tell you…

When I toured Eurasia for a year, I brought 4 smallish instruments: alto sax, clarinet, flute, and alto flute. For the first three, I bought a vintage tri-pack case so that all three could travel together. My thinking was that I could compact them in a small area–I didn’t bring the tenor because i knew that it wouldn’t fit on most plane’s overhead compartments, but this would.

What I didn’t realize was that European flights started restricting for weight as well as size…this was a big issue. I had a 5 kilo restriction, and this case with all the instruments in it was pushing 20kilos. For the most part, I managed to get away with it by swinging it around and pretending that it was far lighter than it was–this not only worked in getting me on the plane, but also in causing tremendous damage to my arm and shoulder…

I only got caught once…where, you may ask…yes, MOSCOW! They weighed it…caught, like a rat I was…I did what every seasoned traveler to those countries did–I offered money. Maybe it was because the person’s superior was standing there, but I was waved along with disgust.

I did have an experience where my case was too big for the cabin. The flight was a 1970s (maybe…) propeller plane, unpressurized, that sat like 15….Kyrgyz Air…from Tashkent to Bishkek over the mountains, barely…THAT was an adventure…

The other issue I had was, if you can believe it, also in Moscow. They tried to tell me that I bought my instrument there, that it was a Russian antique, and that I was trying to smuggle it out of the country…now, my instrument was made in the late 1980s, was stamped “Made in Paris”, and I had travel customs documents for it from Port of Exit, NYC. I won this one, but was almost arrested–always travel with documentation.

This trying to get money for instruments is prevalent in the former Soviet Union. Even though it is absolutely obvious that the instrument couldn’t possibly be from there, they will still try. Of course, I have smuggled music and equipment INTO Central Asia–Uzbekistan to be honest–and through customs…they needed stuff, I had access, I supplied them with items that they couldn’t get, like clarinet and saxophone reeds, mouthpieces, electronic items, and other important things.

But that’s another story.

For this trip, I have decided to take the alto sax, only. I wanted to take the flute, but again, that would add a second bag beyond the regular carry-on. I also think I want to only play one horn for this month and be intimate with it–I’m keeping it simple this time. I did get a super new alto case, though. It’s streamlined to fit under the seat in front on a plane, can withstand 1,500 lbs of weight, and yes, is bullet-proof…but it is pretty sexy looking.

Please check out my current project here:

http://kck.st/caG86z

‘Till soon,
Demetrius

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It is my pleasure to announce that my composition The Ballad of Olga D. will be presented as part of NMNMNE’s (New Media New Music New England) project What if? 60x60x60. This will be held at the Axiom Gallery in Jamaica Plains (Boston) on April 29th, 2010. You can also view (and play with!) the project on-line at http://www.nmnmne.org/what_if.php

Since I will be in Tajikistan during the presentation, I am unable to attend (yes, missing yet another performance and presentation of my music due to performing on another continent…), so if anyone attends, please let me know how it was.

Demetrius

Here’s the info:

What if? 60x60x60
And, the New Media Curious Festival party!
Next Thursday April 29 730 PM
Media artist Gene Gort and composer/sound artist Ken Steen of New Media New Music New England bring us an audience participatory experiment in audio and video called What If? 60×60×60. The project uses 60 video clips and 60 sound compositions that are 60 seconds in duration each. Contributors of the clips were selected from a call to New England mediamakers. During the event, audience members select one number each from a video and audio designated list. These selections will determine the evening’s program of 60 works, resulting in a 60 minute screening. What If? 60×60×60 investigates the serendipitous relationship of sound and moving image in terms of coincidence, shifting context and potential meanings that result. Check out the online version of the project at http://www.nmnmne.org/what_if.php and http://www.nmnmne.org. Gene Gort, Ken Steen and Boston mediamakers will discuss the experimental project following the screening.

And after that, stay for the New Media Curious Festival Party! Have some snacks, sip a refreshing UFO lager and chat up all the friendly, fascinating people in art, experimental moving images and technology in Boston and beyond!

See the Festival Poster!

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After a very, very stressful week of not having my computer and limited access to not only the Internet, but to any music files, I’m delighted to announce that I have finished the new composition for the Central Asian Jazz Festival, “Open Letter to Dushanbe”.

This will be the featured work at the Festival; I just sent it via email to Bactria Cultural Centre.

This is actually a newer, leaner version. I started with something far more ‘through-composed’: writing counterpoint and harmonies and exact parts almost more in a ‘classical’ style that many modern jazz composers seem to prefer. This week in an email I decided to ask whether or not the traditional musicians could read Western notation…they said they could, somewhat…

…my experiences have taught me that in such situations, adapt to them…

So, I rewrote everything last night in an expanded lead-sheet form, which really makes more sense. That way, the traditional musicians can improvise and embellish around the basic melody and chords that I wrote. As long as the form is followed, it should be quite a unique–and fun–experience!

If you’re interested in supporting this project, please visit: http://kck.st/caG86z

More soon!
Demetrius

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Greetings,

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to collaborate on projects in Azerbaijan with the Azeri Ministry of Culture, the U.S. Embassy in Baku, and the Peace Corps. This will continue the work that I have been doing for years in the former Soviet Union–bringing American music and stimulating cultural dialogue–as well as connecting to my current project in Tajikistan.

I am also pleased to announce that adding these Azeri projects will not add to my costs, even though I will be traveling and giving concerts and lectures for an extra 10 days; the US Embassy in Baku will cover all expenses, which for an independent artist means a great deal.

And it was actually through my publicizing and promoting this project both through Kickstarter and other on-line sources that the US Embassy in Baku found out about what I was doing–fantastic!!!

Of course, finding ways to get from location to location will be the interesting part…flights are rare, and there will be nothing short of 3 to 4 legs between destinations…I may be traveling via yak and lodging in a yurt, but that’s the fun of it!!!

Again, if you or anyone you know may be interested in supporting my project in creating cultural dialogue and presenting American music to Central Asia, please visit:

http://kck.st/caG86z

More soon!
Demetrius

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Kyrgyzstan…it never ceases to amaze me the risks that people will take to achieve a better life and freedom for their families and loved ones; it also never ceases to amaze me the atrocities that oppressive governments will achieve to keep control over their citizens…this is why I go to these places to help open up these societies to the West…only through dialogue and mutual understanding can these areas become more free…people want freedom, to be able to communicate, say what they want, be what they want…they want their governments held to the same standards as the West.

 I’m only an artist, but artistic dialogue can be the first step to mutual understanding and realization of both self and others.

As you know, I’ve been to Kyrgyzstan. I worked with very progressive people: artists, journalists, educators…all wanted nothing more than dialogue with artists and scholars in the West. They want to learn from us, and share themselves…and we have so much to learn from them…

The more open the society, the more protection individuals have from their corrupt governments…simple, easy… Dialogue brings openess. I’m not a political person, I care only for the human condition…my travels in Uzbekistan showed me the lengths that government will go for fear of loss of control…but to open fire with live ammunition into a crowd of protestors…that is something that I honestly am having difficulty fathoming.

These people left the yoke of an oppressive Soviet Union and were swayed under the influence of corrupt officials–yes, they were ‘democratically elected’, but as we have seen around the world, this has a different definition from society to society.

Of course, the blame can be laid on any number of participants–we can argue about it indefinitely. And we live in a society where we can argue about it…we don’t live in their situation. That’s what we forget. Unless we see it first hand, we really don’t get it.

This is why dialogue and mutual understanding, even through something as basic as the arts, can be the beginning of the creation of a peaceful society.

It all starts with a conversation.

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Dear Friends,

I invite you to join me in bringing American music to Central Asia.

I am currently working to establish artistic dialogue between the United States and Tajikistan. This project will include a three-week Artist Residency sponsored by the Bactria Cultural Centre and the US Embassy in Dushanbe (26 April-12 May 2010).

As many of you know, establishing creative international dialogue is the main focus of my career. I believe that cultural diplomacy can lead to mutual understanding and peace between nations. To date, my projects have spanned three continents, including several former Soviet republics and most recently China.

Some information on my current project can be found here:
http://www.dspaneas.com/2010/04/open-letter-to-dushanbe/

I have decided to gather partners to help support this endeavor by joining Kickstarter.com, which is a wonderful funding platform for artists to raise awareness, while giving incentives to supporters who take part in these projects.

You can find information about my project here, including ways you can participate:
http://kck.st/caG86z

Please help me spread the word to people who would be interested in creating and supporting cultural dialogue.

Peace,
Demetrius

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Open Letter to Dushanbe

As many of you know, I have been invited to be Artist-in-Residence for a three week period in Tajikistan in April-May 2010. This is a joint collaboration between the Bactria Cultural Centre and the US Embassy in Dushanbe. The program’s goal is to create an opportunity for interaction among musicians from different cultures, as well as to offer a chance for cultural exchange between Tajikistan and the USA. My residency will include collaboration with local musicians, being the featured artist at the 2nd Central Asia Jazz Festival in Dushanbe, a planned trip to mountain villages in the Pamirs region for further artistic collaboration and community outreach, and several talks and presentations at educational institutions.

American Jazz has become a symbol of freedom and democracy for these artists. They want to learn about it and understand it; they also want to share what they are about. This is the beauty of artistic dialogue: we will all emerge from the experienced changed–we will have a deeper understanding of each other and of our unique cultures. The real treasure has always been in learning how open the people of these countries are, even though their governments are so oppressive. It’s a beautiful and powerful spirit that never fails to move me. My hope is to bring recognition of these artists in the West so that others here may learn of the richness of their culture.

For the Festival, I was asked to create a new work that blended traditional Tajik music with Jazz. I am to work with the famous Tajik ensemble Mizrob, and basically write something that mixes my music with theirs.

There is always a fear that writing something that eclectically combines musics from different traditions will come across as, well, trite. You and I hear it all of the time, and I have unfortunately participated in projects that did this very poorly and were created for the sole purpose to have ‘multicultural’ impact and create publicity and spin. Many times, this is the standard rather than the exception.

I had thought long and hard over this, and decided to actually go with my first inclination, which is I believe the purist in spirit. As far as multiculturalism goes, nobody exemplifies it his life and career as much as Charles Mingus. Mingus was always striving to find his ‘identity’; coming from a multi-racial background–and I mean multi-racial: white, black, and Chinese, and growing up in Hispanic Arizona –he was always in-search of his background, but mostly identifying himself as being black, and was a powerful artistic voice in the Civil Rights Movement.

He was (is!) also one of my greatest influences.

Mingus wrote a number of ‘tribute’ works to great jazz composers. One of the most wonderful is a musical suite entitled Open Letter to Duke (on the album Mingus Ah Um), which is a tribute to his greatest influence, Duke Ellington (Ellington is also one of my strongest early influences; in fact, I created a composition/history class that I taught at New England Conservatory that focused on Ellington and Mingus). The suite combines multiple styles: hard swing, free jazz, Latin, ballad, all in one piece, switching styles progressively, as well as overlapping them.

Seeing the potential parallel, I’ve decided to write a piece called Open Letter to Dushanbe (the capitol of Tajikistan). I plan to base the piece structurally on the Mingus suite, imply the melodic structure of Ellington, and harmonically base the rhythms and chordal structures on Tajik/Persian scales…and, for fun, superimpose Brazilianesque rhythms over the Persian.

I need to write this within the next week…should be quite a challenge, but fun.

The interesting part will be how the traditional musicians read and understand what I want them to do; I know that they read at least a little Western musical notation, but I am unsure their familiarity with jazz concepts and free improvisation–and there will be a great deal of free improvisation, as well as the more Tajik/Persian melodic evolutionary improvisation. Good thing that I have studied and played Persian-based music so I understand at least the basic concepts of their forms of improvisation.

But…we’ll see what happens. Of course, that’s half the fun of it.

For me, the title also invokes the beginning of a conversation, a dialogue, which is what all this is about.

I’ll be writing more about this evolving project very soon. Most especially, I’ll be discussing methods in which artists (well, me) can and have fundraised for these types of projects, what the possibilities of support are now in the economically-shattered world, and how one can help projects they believe in while getting something in return.

Until soon,
Demetrius

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