That has been my big question:
- is it that important to have opinions?
First of all, if we look at things from a high perspective, let’s say from space, the little things happening here or the thinking, the ideas, become very little… even non-important.
And that is from space… imagine further than that. Fighting for opinions becomes vain.
Why this versus that? Or the opposite? It’s about all the same…. and only one perspective, not the entire truth.
So… why?
Why standing for something that is even not the truth?
Oh, well… nothing is really bad, or good.

All have the same taste; all is gray, nothing black, or pure white.
Nothing is like cubism, or experimental. We know what we will have in the plate.
All dressed the same – salvation will come from the teenagers – everybody is nice – I dunno what happen when the door is shut though. They have to relieve somewhere… Friend with everybody, respect everyone, never use bad words, talk about… Oh My! I was about to talk about it!
Gosh!!!!
- yes… Gosh… using other name could hurt some people. Please, let’s be nice here…
We MUST be compassionate.
We MUST understand… and blah-blah-blah-yadee-yadee-yadee
We MUST be nice, and behave….
We MUST say what is common sense, what everybody say, dress the same way…

Everything is accepted, and nice, and fun… correct. All the same.
Here they do not know what is good… Food with taste, persons with personality, and the salt on lips you kiss, the bitterness, acid, smell of sweat on body -do they sweat? -… No, all is sweet.

Someone who can play with nuances, from a whisper to a roar, well, forget about it.
That could hurt. Good music, the ART. People who can be GREAT, and sometimes bad. BUT… you live an experience. They take your breath out, it’s outside of patterns, and you do not know what will happen.

Also what make people interesting is when they have their opinions.
Artists with opinions, positions, aesthetic like Cecil Touchon, James Brody, and other who live their art, not the ones who produce because it is their business, but the ones who make it because it is their nature, the stream running in their veins, the soul in their blood. They are not able to refrain it. It’s coming out alive and exploding!!!! And I want to be surprised, I want to live experience, I want to taste the bitterness not just the sweet, I want the acid, the smell… not always a sugary-light fragrance…

I read this article by great guitarist Ruben Diaz:
http://www.rdiaz.org/rd-art%208.html

And realized something misses a lot here:
- PASSION
- passion of the opinion, passion of point of view. Hombre with cojones, I mean, man with balls, like Ruben. The strength of passion.

FEELS GREAT TO TO HAVE ALIVE PEOPLE.
Ruben is alive; Ruben is a Latin guy that goes beyond the nice little chit-chat with stuff coming out of the newspapers, common blogs and T.V.

So, I will probably never go to space… would need too much gas and time for it.

This weekend, on my way to the Round Top Guitar Festival I was thinking about all that. And, then… it happened again:
- Bad performances of so called “artists” with no personality, no nuances and poor, very poor technical skills.
And guess what? People enjoyed it. I mean people thought they liked it. Because they are so used to gray, they even do not know what a great interpretation anymore is, they are not used to something else, they live in a gray world where everybody is so nice… of course.
Honestly… I could not stand the mediocrity. I have been use to great musicians, great interprets, people taking risks on stage, people with personality.

Thus, I left the concert hall after the second tune…. went to the second concert and the mediocrity was there again, but with a plus:
- the common-little-entertaining-nicely-funny-introductions to each music.
Yeah, you always have that, it is a sickness. People think they have to be “funny” when they talk to an audience. Did you notice that? At a speech, even a wedding… they think they have to be kinda’ funny. By the way, they would have to tickle me to make me laugh or even smile.
They usually are so boring, so… without any surprise. Everything has to be kinda’ perfect, white aligned teeth, perfect hair cut, Docker pants…. EW!
Grey music of course (except they played some Ginastera… but they took a polite one).
At dinner people told me:
- It was nice, wasn’t it?
And for the first time in my American life, I looked at them and said:
- no, they played like shit. It was boring, and if they played music, they are not musicians.
Felt so good to be bad. So good to be alive again! So good to express opinion.

Thank you Ruben, you are refreshing!
And gray people, go to hell. It does not exist anyway… so… go nowhere. Opinions are great, and if you do not agree, good for you, we will have something to talk about now. Not just your last T.V show…

What is the coolest place on Earth to see all the new gears for musicos locos?
Where is the place to meet rockstars, sexy girls – houlalala! – have cool parties at night, jam with friends, have a perfect weather every day (huh, almost every day… last week wasn’t as good as usually…), play Alhambra Guitars… and go back home with tons of inspiration and projects?

The NAMM show in Los Angeles, of course! 

Model for Industry Growth

As always, I went directly from the plane to the NAMM without stopping at the hotel. The bed wouldn’t see me a lot for the next few days… Geoff was waiting for me and right away, as we get into the convention center, the thrill possessed me – and is not gone yet. Music everywhere! And people from all around the World, which is really cool!

Are you famous? That is funny… Tell me “where”.

You know what if cool too? When you do not know anything. Especially about people, if they are famous in their world or not. Then, you just meet the true person.
Two or three years ago I went to the library and it was incredibly packed! I picked up a few books and went to calm area where a tall, bulky black guy was seated at a table… doing nothing… just getting bored apparently and I sat down with him.
Born talker… well… I started the conversation with him. And he was a cool dude. We talked about the kids – ours, of course… – I asked about his life, and he shared with me his passion for football – not the real one, everywhere in the World they know real football is soccer, but that is another story – that he started playing football when he was very young in East Texas… became professional and all these things about his life.
I shared my snack with him – tall and fat as he was, nobody thought about feeding him… come on! - and we kept going on the chit-chat. All of sudden, the whole crowed from the other side arrived like just one man! Came revering my new buddy, asking for autograph, ask if I was a friend… This dude is a famous football player who came for a press conference and present a movie about his life.
I even cannot recall his name but only the fact that we crossed the boundaries because I did not know who he is. And I do not care about football anyway… and whether people are known or not. Just bring them to a different place and their fame is nothing… even the talent – try to play guitar for farmers in south east Laos… who do not give a damn… and you will grasp what I’m talking about.

Being Famous… is a new job.

You guys understand now that, being famous, is relative.  And, really, do you want to be an icon? Not having life anymore and pushed to become who the heck people think you are? Is that what you want? Everything you do being watched? And for what? You go to another country and nobody knows you… and if you go to Rain Forest you will realize the Yanomami Indians revered their shaman but do not give a damn about

A game for you

So, I got a game for you… I took a bunch of pics at NAMM – if you want to read about the new guitar you will have an article on my PhilBlog – therefore, look carefully at those SO KNOWN people and give me their name… if you have the complete list, I offer you… huh… my picture with an autograph… no, that sucks… huh…. a CD?… Some French Fries… By the way, we (zee french peepele – read people please) did not invented the French Fries, neither the French manicure… we call that American nails (no, no… this is the truth)… I will tell you where French Fries are from and will offer you a good recipe if you put a name under all the pictures… How cool is that, huh?  Okay, see you guys. And do not worry if you are not known, if you are not a “People-Magazine-type-of-person”, the ones who love you  know you, and you can be real with them all the time.

My First Good Burger — Yumm!

Years ago — like a real long time ago — I was touring in California and took the boat from San Francisco to Sausalito… Ah, that was really nice trip by boat.
Arrived at lunch time, my nose started to thrill as I was walking on Bridgeway. This joint right on the street was grilling juicy, nice, thick – just rigth thick – patties… I ordered a burger and, since this blessed day, I test – and taste – all the possible burgers…

M&O Station Grill: A drooling shock!

After visiting new galleries, my friend Cecil Touchon - no, he’s not French either…- started to look for a place to eat. No, to have an experience rather than just feeling up our stomach. All started with the smell… Mmmmmm…. it was the prelude to wonderful time. While waiting for my order – “The California” (in memoriam) –  I started to look around. And, being from France, this place gave me the feeling to be projected into a movie. Just a great Americana Diner kind of place. Event the restooms look cool! Seriously. And the chef takes time to toast your buns… and to REALLY cut potatoes to make you  French Fries, or sweet potatoes. You get the point:
- the owners, Dany and Rosa Badillo, aim for quality.

No wonder the place started to be packed as we stepped out to enjoy our burgers on the patio. Because they also have a patio.

Why M&O?

That’s “M” for Marvin and “O” for Obie as in the Leonard brothers, well known for that Fort Worth icon, Leonard’s Department Store. The restaurant adjoins the Leonard’s Department Store Museum. Inside the restaurant a door will take you to Fort Worth History. Dany very kindly took me into the Leonard’s Museum and, like a kid, I listened to him telling the Fort Worth History. It’s from Dany that I learned Fort Worth had a metro before. Pictures are inside the museum… and the tools used at the time. Not just a lunch, but an experience beyond what we where looking for. Before Cecil and I left the place, we get a warm double chocolate brownie… just for the road

Because, I will tell you folks, when it’s good, you do not feel “full” – is that a great feeling by the way? – you are satisfied… happy… a smile on your face. Rosa and Daniel can give you this type of feeling. And, if you go there on my behalf, Rosa will tell you why the French Fries… are not French. 

 

 200 Carroll Street #110
Fort Worth – TX
(817) 882-8020

The Round Top Festival Institute is a musical institute established in 1971 by pianist James Dick in Round Top, Texas.  James Dick was born on a small farm in Kansas. His father was an auto mechanic. They raised a small wheat crop and grew vegetables.
- “We were dirt poor. We didn’t think so. We didn’t realize that we were just ‘poor’ but we were. Daddy…got paid every two weeks and when I was in high school it was just dollars…twenty, thirty-two- fifty…just dollars…and yet somehow we didn’t consider ourselves poor. We still had enough money to pay $3.50 for my piano lessons. I didn’t get scholarships from my teachers.”

While pursuing a distinguished career as a concert pianist, he began the Festival-Institute in 1971 with concerts in the Winedale performance barn. Many of the Festival’s first concerts were in tents on the property of supporters. Slowly, and with remarkable care, he and the brilliant team he has created have produced a remarkable institution with a 200 acre campus of incomparable beauty. The wooded countryside on the edge of Round Top nestles wonder after wonder. Stone bridges lead to beautifully restored Victorian homes surrounded by clever herb gardens amidst crumbling ruins. It’s dreamlike.

They also serve great food… but no French Fries that, by the way, are not French! Do you know why?

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
During the 45 minutes the violonist played, only 7 persons really paid attention and stopped for a while to listen to him.

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition

About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32… which is good for 45 minutes but…
Nobody knew he is Joshua Bell, one of the most famous world’s musician.
He played at the station some of the most difficult pieces on his 3,5 millions dollars Stradivarius!

Two days before his subway performance he was performing a sold-out concert at the Boston theater where the average ticket price was $100.
And… this is a true story.
« Washington Post » organized this subway concert to observe people’s perception as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

Questions were :

• At an inappropriate time, a in common public space, can we still perceive the Beauty ?
• Do we stop to appreciate it ?
• Are we able to recognize talent if nobody tells us ? 

One of my conclusion after reading this article is:
If we do not take the time to appreciate and listen to one of the best World’s Musician playing some of the most beautiful pieces of music, how many beauty are we missing in a life time?

I just found a new goal: Being the World’s worst guitarist.
NO! Do not read it again… it’s what I meant:
THE WORLD’S WORST GUITARIST !

Firts of all, there is no competition. Seriously, everybody in the classical guitar world wants to become the best. As a Youtube junky, any video I’m watching presents the “Leading Guitarist of His/Her Generation”. Sometimes the dudes claiming – or presented, it’s not them writing comments about themselves, are you kidding? they are too busy practicing in their bedroom - are just a few years appart… but they all are the leading guitarists or His/Her generation… so, maybe in the new world a generation is just a few years appart… or months… or those guys do not watch videos on Youtube… I do not know. Leaders are busy you know.

Thus, this morning… seeing there is no future for me with all those leading guitarist of his/her generation… I decided to become the Worst. Find me any competitor now. Do you know anybody who will tell you: I am the Worst?

What is “Leading Guitarist of His/Her Genreration?”

A leading guitarist is a Virtuoso. What is a virtuoso? Someone playing really fast – metronome companies won’t go broke soon… trust me. They can extend their finger in crazy fashion, even when they have little hands and big guitars… They have a terrible life, confined in their bedroom, with a metronome and try to play this Villa Lobos’ Etude faster than anybody… even when the tempo is… Allegro Non-Troppo… meanings not too fast. It has to be… very fast if you are a virtuoso…. and the “Leading Guitarist of His/Her Genreration”.
You also can recognize the virtuosi because they all play the same music pieces… and they compete to be the fastest (I guess the Leading… blahblahblah ranking stuff change every minute and the problem is to update the title of “leading so and so” in real time. Hard to go to your computer if you have to practice the same piece over and over…) So, the best does not mean “Unique”. By the way, when you are unique… you have no competition and cannot be the best. To be the best, you have to take part to the competition and do what others are doing… And then, it’s hard….

You can also recognize the “leading blahblha…” beacause at the concerts – where normal people looking for music are showing up – you see a group of guitarists from the other categories… Not a lot of people though.

How to be the Worst Guitarist in the World?

Well, there is a nuance between the “Worst” and someone who cannot play. It means you have to play the guitar but not enough to be good. Even not a little bit good. But practice from time to time to make sure your keep your status. If you practice too much… you become too good… if you do not practice at all well, you cannot play guitar anymore.

You can see it requires a lot of subtility. Being the Best: you have to play all the time! Stay in your room and practice, practice, practice.

I also can see another advantage to be the worst, it will be good for the best ones, as they can really see how good they are, the ones-on-their-way-to-be-the-best, it will valuate their effort and see there is worts then them… even if they are not the best yet. The ones-who-are-not-in-those-categories-but-who-know will laugh at me. What a joy to provide good time to the folks who are not in the main categories but still struggle to make a living as Classical Guitarist (yeah, it’s specific to classical guitarists… again…)
The people who do not play will just come for the music, like to a normal concert what… They do not really care if you play fast or not… they just want to have a good time… more than that if possible…

Where is the Art?

Now we come to the core of the question missed since the begining… Where is the art? Art is the victim in all that… not just the Art… but the classical guitar concerts…. empty halls… for classical music in general.  Yeah, it’s specific to Classical Guitarists… Rock guys do not have this problem… Jazz and Blues neither… they play music, not practice finger sport. Where would I read: This Classical Guitarist will move your soul, bless your heart with a deep interpreation of this piece… also I would love a piece I do not know! Please… PLEASE!!!! A composer I never heard of… Not something from the Segovia-Barrueco-Russell’s repertoire. I want to discover new music pieces, I want to dream, laugh, cry, I want you move my heart… I want you point at a new world of possibilities… I want to hear a great range of tones… a singing expressive guitar. The Bel Canto!

I want some art! Thank you…
Eddie Van Halen is the best in the world anyway…

Inspiration

This morning I received music from avant-garde composer Jeff Harrington.

That is the kind of music I have not listened to in a while… And, it’s the essence of the Art. The one that grabs my soul, draws a landscape, surrounds me, makes me feel and think, develops the “Intelligence of the Heart”.
Truly, Jeff is an artist and doesn’t try to be the replica of anybody.

The kind of guy who inspires you to be yourself.
Notice it’s not: “to become yourself” but: “be yourself”.

This is how and why we love and appreciate great artists. We look at their creations with a ‘Wow’ effect; their magic touch enlight the world, give sensations, feelings and, by pitching ourselves into a different mood, open us to a different thinking.

Thus, I took a trip back to the time I was 16. Studiying composition with Jacques Charpentier, having nights of passionate discussions about art and meaning of life with my friends, or nights at Paul Calatayud’s studio where I was practicing while he was painting. Being “Mutual Inspirations”; becoming richer inside because of this human exchange, Heart-to-Soul.

Harrington’s music sent me back to this day I spent at Juan Miro’s retrospective where I went because I did not like his painting and wanted to understand it; stayed 8 hours filling my heart and soul with Miro’s universe, cried in front of some paintings, laughed, dreamt and had inspiration for the years to come. Kandinsky, Paul Klee and many others nourished my life and inspired me… to be an artist every day.

I love their work because they are personal, because they dare to be themselves, like you love other artists, writers, politicians, your sweet half and… others.
Some of you – and do not tell me it’s not true (I am watching you…) – are looking for the “keys of success“, “how to feel up your pocket with money” (I realized I have to wear different jeans… the pockets, once full, do not contain that much, I would starve after a week), “how to have everybody knowing who I am” (I got a recipe: do something crazy, like this pianist stating every where she is Mel Gibson’s doll… Now she sells posters of her big boobs and we still do not know how she plays piano), “the fans tearing my clothes down as I arrive in a Palace Hotel in L.A” (You better have to dress yourself at Wal-Mart or Ross, otherwise it will cost you a fortune). It’s like a new job: Being Known.

And this cyber space is filled up with new gurus who studied the successful businesses and put them into patterns trying to sell you the way to success (Why aren’t they running successful business themselves then?), all the jobbers who “know” how to become a millionaire – especially when they are not – how to flip houses and become reach – truly, I’m wondering why the realtors don’t keep the houses for them to run such business… House flippers LOL! It looks like the stuff outside will make us happy, right? But, happiness is not something from the inside… Well, you get the point.
Happiness is From-The-Inside.

Living a dream

First of all living a dream is what will make you happy and know why you wake up in the morning. And that will be your first success.
Philippe Petit read an article in a French newspaper about the Twin Towers construction project. Way before they have been built. Then, he did not have a day without dreaming about walk on a wire stretched out between the two buildings.
Thomas Johnson was working on wood under a tent in Ghana and moved to the US with $20 in his pocket. Hi is now running a flourishing and successful business here in America and has been consulted personally by the President of America. (read about him on my blog).
And others like Obama and more…

They do not limit their dream, limit themselves. Like Johnson says:
~ do not look at the ceiling but at the sky; because it has not end.

What great examples those people are for us… They really show us the waypath to follow.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

This morning I was about to answer to more emails about my story. Well, thank you! Actually y’all know that when we connect at a concert or clinic I always ask you the questions you are asking me

People’s life is so interesting and, I love learning from you guys. How you succeed, how you live, love, solve problems, what make you happy…  seeing this whole flow of life, all those infinite events surrounding, embedding us, make me feel melted in the World. All that is so beautiful! It is always a honor when people connect with me: so many are interesting!

But, okay, now the answers to your questions:

Was I a child prodigy? Am I from a family of musicians?
Actually not at all. Nobody in my family plays an instrument. It was really by chance I started to play guitar. Around my 13, I went to a shepperd workshop in Luc en Diois, Ardeche - South of France – one of the shepperd was playing guitar and taught me two chords: C Major and A minor. You only have to move one finger to create a completely different sound, mood and expression. That was, and still is, fascinating! 

My brother Jean Paul was in the military and use to come back home from time to time with a guy, Jacques who was playing guitar. Thus, on weekend I had my informal guitar lessons but the shock was a rainy Sunday afternoon. I turned on the TV and saw this black guy enjoying an up be-bop tune. As the camera zoomed out I could see this guy… was the guitarist playing and having a blast: Wes Montgomery! His hands were so big! It seemed motionless. The strings were poping and slapping on the fingerboard as he was passionately blasting the guitar with his thumb! Wes was not using a pick but the thumb. He composed a tune called the Thumb though.

The next day I went to many guitar stores enquiring about a guitar teacher playing like Wes… and I found one: Serge Donsey. When I arrived at his appartment, what a surprise! The door opened and a tall black guy opened!!! Serge is from les Antilles. We connected and he became my mentor. From him I learnt Classical, Brazilian music, and, of course, Jazz! The lessons were days long… Serge were showing me everything and I was absorbing like a sponge. No need to tell you, back home I was playing, playing and sleeping with my cheap Yamaha guitar… Serge is also so interesting; reading about science, philosophy, religions… he used to keep me for dinner he is a great cook) and we talked. One of the things I kept in my mind was:
“Be a specialist of the non-specialization”
We cannot climb like monkeys, run like horses or swim like dolphin… they are specialized… but, us, human beings, we can do a little bit of all that. What a fabulous skill in life! You can survive in any place!!! And survive to me was the word. My mom was single, Italian cooking in a restaurant and working two other jobs. We were living in a one bedroom apartment and it was a struggle for her to make it at the end of the month. Jean Paul, my brother who is seven years older than me, was taking care of me… I had to make my money to pay for lessons. The first place was at the Italian restaurant “La Gargotte” where, before school, I was cleaning fish, cut the french fries (I will tell you why they are not French) setting up tables, chopping bread… and get my weekly money to pay for my passion. I learnt the value of work, organization and to be fast and efficient.

Finally Serge get me ready to audition at the National Conservatory. I made it in and that was another world. My guitar teachers for classical were one of the best duet in the World: Ako Ito (you get she is from Japan.. ) and her husband Henri Dorigny. One day with Ako, the other with Henri. Both so different and complementary. Jacques Charpentier, one of the most famous composer, was my composition teacher and his classes were hours of creativity and passion. Deep culture and connecting the arts, history, philosophy… The great thing in my education was not to have music teachers but artists sharing with love and passion their knowledge.

The summer was always with one of the most unbelievable guitarists and man I met: Alexandre Lagoya. He formed with his wife Ida Presti the most prestigious guitar duet from history. When she died in 1967, he started teaching and a few years later, a solo career. Great character, passionate virtuoso… I always had complex about my cheap guitar… everybody had a Ramirez like the master. Classical is for rich people in Europe, for the elite, and we were poor… One morning after a jamming night with friends in the dormitory, I grabbed my guitar standing against the wall and ran to the lesson with Maestro Lagoya. As he wanted to demonstrate something, he took my guitar and, I realized this guitar was not mine… the sound was rich and loud, incredible dynamics… who’s guitar was that??? As he gave it back to me, I realized it was mine… but played by a master! Okay, you do not need to have a great guitar but to become a great musician. I decided to work more my intonation and have all the juice out of this piece of wood. Later, with the same guitar, I won the Arles International Guitar Competition. I was the youngest (17) and the reason I competed was the 1st prize: a guitar made by one of the world greatest luthier Paulino Bernabe, from Spain. I got it!!!

Gosh! that was like a dream!!! My brother still has my old Yamaha…
Therefore I started to book my first serious shows. I was a model at that time and working little jobs, and decided to become a performer. Thank you Internet, I do everything electronically now. At that time, I learnt typing and get my first typewriter to send letters with tape to everybody. Follow up with phone calls, riding buses to go to appointments and developed my career. Well, it cost a lot of my little money to get prospects, right? and huge amount of work. Therefore, I must have the show, I MUST. If they throw me away when I get in through the door…. I will come back through the window.

My ability on guitar?
Everybody is puzzled by my technique. I got a secret and share it with you today… seriously… are you ready? Okay, let’s go.
When I was a kid I was practicing up to 10 hours a day. 4 hours only technique in the morning and my repertoire in the afternoon… Yes, TEN HOURS. The first time I heard the flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia, playing at a dazzling speed, like you see me doing nowadays, I could not sleep! My target was to play that fast… even faster!!! That’s why I came up with all my “new” techniques and share that with you. What you learned from me in a one hour clinic took me thousands of hours of practice, thinking, frustration… I got to be the best!

Now you know all the “how it started”> a few pics of where I was leaving and my influencial persons will complete the story.
Peace and Light to you. Thank you for being so interested in this human being playing on a piece of wood (but Alhambra LOL) and strings (but… D’Addario of course).
Guys, it’s such a daily honor to be connected with you, thank you! This is why I always answer emails and comment – more than I practice now! – it’s because of the gratitude I have toward you. YOU make me feel and understand everyday how this world is a beautiful creation, how amazing you are. For that, I give you all my best, at each second we spend together.
Love and Light to you…
AW! The French Fries subject!!!!! I got tons of mail about it… okay, next time now…

Philippe

The new CD “Mistura da Bossa” is now available on y web site:
http://www.philippebertaud.com/Boutique/CDs/MisturaDaBossa.htm

Mistura da Bossa

In 2000 the meeting with the great Bossa Nova singer Denise Pinaud gave birth to a duet. Mixing our different languages, we toured intensely, played on TV shows and eventually recorded this CD in Rio de Janeiro.

Join us for an Imaginary Travel, from the Choros to the Voodoo Music.
You will find in addition the Villa Lobos’Preludes and Choros # 1.

Read more:
http://www.philippebertaud.com/Boutique/CDs/MisturaDaBossa.htm

Listen to songs:
Garota de Ipanema – the Girl from Ipanema

Choros # 1 – Heitor Villa Lobos

Enjoy!