Tyler Spencer – Live – Cafe Mundo

Without knowing, consciously, that Tyler Spencer was a “local” musician – I’ve seen Tyler around.  Over the last year, our paths crossed with more frequency. He rides MTB, is a student mountain biking (NICA) coach, shows up at Newport Area Trail Stewards meetings and has been involved in the Coast Hills Classic Mountain bike race.  At some point, I friended him on Facebook and learned about his new album Sonar becoming available on iTunes.  We downloaded Sonar and begin jamming his tacks during our morning commute. (https://music.apple.com/us/album/sonar/1478790328)

I’m constantly making new Didjeridu and play religiously. I’ve experimented with many different materials and approaches to crafting this instrument and have narrowed it down to what I feel is the best possible Didjeridu for people to play, no matter what skill level you’re at. – Tyler Spencer

It is typical for Reed and I to crank the tunes driving, especially on the way to school.  As we started listening to Sonar the album grew on me the way good music does.  It’s often the best music that gets better with each listen. Such as the case with Tyler’s Sonar.  The better the music got the more I became intrigued with Tyler, his musical process and the mystery of his primary tool – the didgeridoo. On Sonar he’s laid the solid trance like and hypnotic beats. As a “former” multi-instrumentalist (and perhaps at some future date continued musician) I know that nailing these beats is no simple achievement. They are good. I also become intrigued with the didg riffs on these tracks. What is happening?! How many tracks? What can be done with this didgeridoo? Fascinating.

Reed. 9 years old. Super stoked to experience Tyler in real time. Cafe Mundo 9.9.19. We left early because it was a school night and I wanted him to get his rest. We could hear Tyler opening one of our favorite jams from Sonar as we were pulling away. I kind of regret that now…

Wikipedia: “There are no reliable sources of the exact age of the didgeridoo. Archaeological studies suggest that people of the Kakadu region in Northern Australia have been using the didgeridoo for less than 1,000 years, based on the dating of rock art painting”.  It wouldn’t surprise me if this instrument goes further back in the depths of time…

I have so much more to learn about Tyler and the history of this instrument.  I feel like I have seen photos of him in Australia hunting for trees to craft new instruments. So much to verify and correlate. I believe he designs, crafts and sells these instruments, as well.  “My life’s work is dedicated to the crafting and playing of the didjeridu. These pursuits have taken me around the world and helped forge strong ties to the didjeridu community.” (www.primaltones.com)

As I began editing the video I realized that 10 years ago Spencer had a show at Café Mundo and was witness to a “angel like entity” who he would later marry.  I assume this encounter would later cause his current roots to be planted and grow.  This show may be his last at Cafe Mundo. Lorie and Greg have sold the restaurant and property to pursue (www.realcannahoney.com)  Reed and I are very grateful to have seen Tyler play live at Mundo. This video’s intro from Tyler discusses the narratives and origins of meaning. It’s significant in this universe – Lincoln County’s Universe – and the sounds that we all experience. Enjoy…!

Ernest Bloch Legacy Project (2009 Historical) – HD Conversion

Recently, I was asked to provide the original video from a project I had forgot about in quite some time. The new project has something to do with Lincoln County Historical Society and Ernest Bloch. Curious to find out what it’s all about. Nevertheless, the key players were asking for the material so I began digging.

As a videographer file management is a process with best results when your highly organized. I rarely engage in paid freelance these days and I’ve got many files poorly spread across numerous hard drives. Fortunately, I found the native file sessions and appropriate folders – incorrectly name for text based searching.

The original video below was created published on January 18, 2008. It was created to be part of the celebrations commemorating the 50th aanniversary of Bloch’s death on July 15, 1959.

At the time internet and You Tube were pretty fresh. DV and TV was considered as publishing possibilities. The camera format was Mini Mini 3 CCD. However, no filming was required here. A photograph driven project. I channeled my best Ken Burns. And, still feel the work is well done.

I realized that this could be converted to HD so I set down an grinded it out. The result is much improved (above). Most of the time suck was reconsidering “safe areas” that were allowed for in the day to avoid cropping on TVs. But, the transition movement was essentially left unchanged.

The music chosen was music Bloch composed while living in Agate Beach, OR. David Ogden Stiers is the narrator.

During his lifetime, Ernest Bloch was known as “The Man from Agate Beach.” More about Ernest Bloch at: (http://www.ernestbloch.org/)

I just found this video – super cool… On July 21, 2018, the larger Ernest Bloch Memorial Wayside was formally dedicated, with the the 1976 Memorial being moved to and included in a new installation featuring a new monument, five benches, and an interpretive sign*, now referred to as Ernest Bloch Place. (https://youtu.be/6b8XRSMRTEs)