Friday, December 14, 2007

Radar Sherpa performs at Ventura grade school

Radar Sherpa performed for Charter School in Ventura on Wednesday the 12th of December. Special thanks to Daniel Ash for providing the sound system and Rita for asking us to play. This performance consisted of Clay (movement artist) and myself on the didjeridoo.

Clay and I arrived and Rita showed us where we could set up. This was an outdoor show and took place on the lawn behind the school after lunch during recess. We decided to conduct the show informally allowing the curiosity of the students to draw them to us.

Several kids queried me about the didge while I arranged my sound system and the array of didjeridoos that I had brought. Clay, in his white t-shirt and black sweat pants, stretched and mentally prepared himself. Then, like a hang glider launching itself off a cliff, I began to play my small 'd' didjeridoo which I made from recycled PVC. Clay instantly began a slow motion martial art informed movement which, combined with the didj, began to concentrate a whirlpool of awareness. Within the first minute, we had 100 children gathered around us, so closely, that Clay was left with just enough room to maneuver.

After 10 minutes or so, the first song had ended and so I spoke a bit about the didjeridoo. I began by thanking the aborigines in Australia for developing and preserving the didjeridoo. Next, I talked about how didges are made. I explained how, traditionally, didges were made from the activity of termites hollowing out eucalyptus branches and painted with natural pigments and that is the way they were made 50,000 years ago.

I began to play again and with my body warmed up, the dreamtime became our reality. Clay spun one of the students around on his shoulders and the vibrations of my didge filled the air. I'd grabbed my seven foot yucca didge which I call Wormhole, for the latest song and was glad I did. It's length lent itself perfectly to the polyphonic resonations and Tibetan Buddhist chanting demonstrations that somehow come from within this body of mine.

Soon, Clay was being mobbed by 25 girls, all of them wanting to be his dance partner. Clay handled his popularity with grace and aplomb, apologizing for not being able to dance with all who wanted. From my vantage point, it appeared as though Clay had become as popular as a young Paul McCartney. I enjoyed the response we had been gifted with and allowed me to power the dreamtime with gratitude, love and joy.

Afterwards, Lisa the pricipal and Rita excitedly thanked both Clay and I. They were amazed at how much their students enjoyed the performance and requested a return performance on Earth Day.
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Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Healers' Fair at *Yoga West* NOV 10 Saturday night 7PM

Radar Sherpa will be performing this Saturday night 7PM at Yoga West located at 1535 Robertson Blvd, L.A., California. The band will consist of 2 musicians and a movement artist. I'll[Mike DiDj] be playing the didjeridoo with Raphael on the tongue drum. Rafael has a special gift. When you hear him play, you immediately ease into a blissful trance. When we play together, the world slips away and you are left in the ecstatic dreamtime. Clay will help interpret the sonic symphony with his own remarkble and distictive style mixing grace and power in ways never seen before. He has elements of ballet, martial arts and yoga fused together. I combine many different techniques in my didge playing - one of them being genuine Tibetan Buddhist chanting, designed and refined to tune your endocrine (chakra) system. Our set will last approximately 45 minutes and begins shortly after 8PM.

Come on out for a great time. It is 20 dollars to get in. There will be two performances and various healers from a vast array of healing traditions offering their services gratis.
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Saturday, August 18, 2007

Radar Sherpa performing in Malibu

Radar Sherpa will be performing tomorrow at at Gull Way Estate. The event begins at noon and ends at 4PM. M.E.C.C.A.A. has organized this event as a benefit for the California Wild LIfe Fund. The location is Malibu just off PCH. Chris Jone will be performing with his Hula Hoop. Shai Ardebilchi will be manning the drums. Clay White will be using the staff and Kali sticks as well as incorparting martial arts and acrobatics. Mike DiDj will be conjuring the dreamtime with his didjeridoo. Here is the link: M.E.C.C.A.A.. Click on events. Click on Wing Ding August 19th. We expect to go on stage at 2:30PM.

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Monday, August 13, 2007

Radar Sherpa: a profound sense of madness

Radar Sherpa performed for 30 minutes at a classic Jeffray party in Meiners Oaks Saturday night. Clay and I arrived at the scene an hour before our 10 PM performance. In typical Californian fashion, everything was layed back and up in the air. We figured out the logistics and I spoke with the amazing DJ Toby about him providing some background atmospherics to help fill in some of the sonic dead space since I'd be the only musician. Toby agreed to listen and see what he could do. I spotted a friend, Sean Goddard and asked if he'd shoot some footage. He readily agreed and I handed him the Sony video camera. The clock struck ten and Toby turned down the music. I spoke softly and clearly into the mike: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, may I call your attention to the white screen where Clay will be silouette dancing. I am DiDj and I will be providing the music thru the didjeridoo and Toby will be spinning some delicious tapestries. Please sit back and enjoy or not it is up to you." With that I began the vibrational discourse with Clay. I could barely see his shadow out of the corner of my eye. Starting off with some ancient Tibetan Buddhist chants, the audience seemed to be entranced by Clay's beautiful movements and a hush fell over the hundred or so party goers that had arrived. It relaxed me to have the spotlight on him while I launched the breath thru my vibrating lips. Toby managed my mike volume trying to get me as loud as possible. The mike had some feedback. It was supplied by Johnathon and is amazingly sensitive. Toby found the sweetspot and I began to find my groove. The first 5 minutes or so it was just me and then Toby began to ease some drums and space music into the backdrop for me to paint my sound on. After 15 minutes I paused and checked in with him. "Keep going," he said "I'm having fun." Thus, reassured that I was not bombing and I began anew, refreshed and now warmed up, the tones became easier and I found the rhythm that is always there waiting. The DJ found some amazing tracks and I lost myself in the dreamtime, hearing the music in my heart, mind and soul and releasing it thru my body. Soon, the voices are polyphonic and I am playing my tailbone, spine, heart, vocal chords, tongue, diaphagm, sinus cavities and various organs. The clock strikes half past 10 and I let my outbreath fade away seamlessly into the night. I hear some scattered applause and then more clapping some yelling, I bow and smile. Friends and folks come up to me and bow and thank me. Such a nice feeling comes over me. I can feel the relaxed aura of the crowd charged with an excitement. I slip out the back way and put my Slide Didge into the black beam.

After getting back into the party, Clay finds me. He is super charged, stoked, he looks like he has just been surfing some big waves. He says: "I was just telling Johnathon that you are the only musician that has the ability to invoke a profound sense of madness into my entire being." I smile and feel honored by his statement. Clay gets what I am doing more than anyone I have met.
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