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Old 09-03-2004, 09:28 AM   #2
AsimHanif
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 495
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Re: The Zen of Jazz.....

OK Mathew. You just struck a chord with me. I started playing drums at age 6 and continued religiously until I was around 18. I took some time off and started up again at around 25. I went to Drummers Collective in NY and was coached by Kenwood Denard (Sting's former drummer).
I mainly listen to "old" jazz though- Monk, Coltrane, Parker, Dizzy, Miles, etc but also like a lot of blues from Robert Johhnson to S.R. Vaughn and Robert Cray. Also love that Louisana sound.
I really feel a connection between jazz and aikido- the freedom of movement, the ad libbing, the centeredness, etc It is a very Zen-like performance art.
In my aikido club I have another drummer and a friend of mines who visits often is a capoira stylist and jazz drummer. The DC area is ripe in jazz.

BTW- tell Clapp Sensei I said hi. We trained together a few times at Baltimore Aikido Academy. We had a good time.
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