Sending peace to all my people worldwide. Musicians, writers, breakers, beat makers, dancers, artists, poets, revolutionaries, wisdom keepers and all sentient beings, this is the story of “Bamboo by the Bay.”
In 2007 I walked into a rare arts gallery looking for unique treasures. The owner of the gallery was a collector of antiques, sculptures, fine art and instruments from different regions of Asia. After looking at the unique pieces in the front I felt a magnetic pull towards the furthest corner of the gallery where the light was dim and the artifacts were not as well polished. Underneath a large standing stone dragon I found a dusty barrel of old bamboo flutes in many keys, shapes and sizes. I spent hours playing all the flutes I could, intuitively seeking a flute that might deliver the sweet sound I was hearing in my mind. After several failed attempts to play some of the old flutes I found a Xiao bamboo flute, in the Key of F, made in China many years ago, still in mint condition. The Xiao is a very ancient Chinese instrument, thought to have developed from a simple end-blown flute used by the Qiang people of Southwest China in ancient period. Xiao flutes are known to be more difficult to play, they require a certain breath and this was the only flute I played with which I could generate sound. I have preserved this flute and deeply appreciated its rich resonance for over a decade. Although I still feel I have much to learn about this precious instrument, I have always felt a strong impulse flow through me to create music, made with Xiao flute and deep Hip Hop frequency. To honor the life and the spirit of this instrument I wish to share with you the “Bamboo by the Bay” album teaser, a short Xiao/Trip-hop mix to introduce the rich tones of the music and the wisdom in the rhythm. Album release: May 9th, 2017. Stay tuned ~
