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YOUNG CHILD IS INSPIRED AS GREEN PLAYS PIANO AT THE RITZ IN WASHINGTON DC
I had a free evening while shopping for colleges with my teenage daughter. The Georgetown waterfront bar waitress answered, “Well, we used to have a piano here. There’s a nice one around the corner at the Ritz Carlton.” It was an ebony Steinway in the corner of a large plush living room.
I eased on to its quilted leather bench, quietly tossed a motif into the room just below the conversation level, and waited to see if anyone approached to arrest me. Soon Abraham’s Theme filled the space, then some George Winston, Will Ackerman and Easy which I wrote with David Field. A concierge stopped doing busywork to listen; the room changed energetically.
While I was playing, a young African boy left his family gathering at the fireplace, approached the piano, watched the hammers striking the strings, and contemplated my sounds for some time. In an interlude, he asked sweetly, "How did you learn to do this?" (Sonoma County Gazette, Nov/2011) Read on further....
 Ani Weaver photos of Jerry at
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 Green Music Center,
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I discovered using a piano as biofeedback training for unwinding tensions associated with a congenital spasticity. I listened to the qualities in sounds that reflected my breathing, posture and attitudes, finding simple motifs/phrases that were building blocks of music; I was exploring the sounds of my inability to play music, and backed my way into finding healing music within me. Musicians trained to play composed music are unprepared to practice this inner-listening; I would like to introduce you to this practice with your voice or other instrument, in movement or stillness…. listen within, then together, we find connection in the sounds of shared spirit.
Feedback Piano: Somatic Attunement by Jerry Green
Jerry discovered the use of piano as biofeedback training for unwinding tensions associated with a congenital spasticity. His physical limitations led to improvisational curiosity with simple harmonic fifths, which he then heard in new age and classical themes, enabling him to discover his own musicality and develop his listening abilities. His once mostly private feedback studies have gained appreciation at contact-improv dance gatherings, restaurants, churches and special events.
Original improvisations on themes by George Winston, William Ackerman, Vangellis, Bach, Beethoven, Schuman, Eric Satie, Ralph Towner, Arvo Part and Ludovico Einaudi.
You are invited to begin this inquiry with me by tuning into this Elemental Sound/Movement Meditation. In it you will find connection with me through my piano that I’m unable to convey in words.
"Green perfectly brings out inside music
FEEDBACK PIANO EXPLAINED: (5 min)
Losing your enthusiasm for making music? bored? given up?
STUDY WITH ME: If you are among the musically discouraged, or would like to employ an instrument to explore self-awareness and expression, consider having a lesson in somatic attunement with me. This can be learned with any musical instrument.
Alex Kahn, Director of Orchestral Studies at SSU, heard me play and described my work as addressing “the alchemy of sound.” invited me to appear as guest lecturer in his course. I think his term is an apt counterpoint to idea of "playing musical compositions" that speaks to my own transformational intentions. I am particularly interested in understanding how to distinguish these goals from music lessons or studying “how to play piano.”
Cost of a first lesson: whatever it's worth to you. (707) 494-6994 or Email.
"Your very personal improvisations are haunting and thought-provoking. Congratulations!" Antonio Iturrioz, Concert Pianist. "Oh, my. I'm listening now and feel my whole body slowing down." Theresa Koetters, RN, MS
"Your presence yesterday and sweet music was so relaxing. It put everyone at ease, perfect for our theater audience." Suze Cohan, Occidental Art Center
"Made me want to stretch out and dream." Pat Schoch, Sebastopol Center for the Arts "Beautiful, healing and life affirming music. " Reb Shifrah Tobacman "Totally beautiful." Sky Nelson "You stay really present as you play," Michael Stocker, Bio-Acoustician/Musician “I can hear the listening in your playing… it’s inspiring.” Steve Pryputniewicz, Piano Tuner
"Splendiferous!" Hosanna Bauer "euphoric!" Mark Feldman "Beautiful piano ... lifting my spirits ... bringing immediate joy ... thank you so much." Yael Raff Peskin "It's so lovely to move to." Zuza Engler, Soul-Motion Teacher “Mysterious and calming....Your piano playing is all that, and more..... Smooth, rich, velvety...like warmed dark chocolate.......” Shoshana Geller ”Your music makes me feel like a deep reflecting pool.” Chance Massaro "You won your Oscar a long time ago in my book." Linda Heath
“Your inspiring compositions link my inner landscape with the phenomenal world.” Michael Zeligs, Recording ArtistFrom The Successful Brain Fair: "Jerry's playing made the chatter & chaos in the room disappear so I could drop deeply into receiving the various treatments being offered." Katja Grace "I love your music and so do my dogs. It soothes us all. Your CD should be played at animal shelters to calm the frightened and lonely dogs and cats. You play like an angel." Karen Meganck, Psychologist (By the way, several dentists use my music in their offices....)
"With your music we could sense the peace as strangers united, and our our hearts centered as Presence took root." David Parks-Ramage, Interfaith Council of Sonoma County
Feedback Piano has been enjoyed at these venues:
The Love Choir Sebastopol
Center for the Arts Sebastopol
Coffee Catz Sebastopol
Brown Street Grill Sebastopol
The Jenner Inn Jenner
Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa
Congregation Rodef Shalom San Rafael
Eastbay Jewish Community Center Berkeley
Congregation Kol HaEmek Ukiah
Russian River Performing Arts/ Conservatory of Music Guerneville
The Ritz Carlton Washington DC
The Finley Center Santa Rosa
Occidental Center for the Arts Occidental
Laguna Foundation Fundraiser Sebastopol
Paws for Love, Silent Auction 2/9/13 Santa Rosa
Successful Brain Fairs 2013, '14, '15 Santa Rosa
After the Honeymoon Website
House Concerts for Peace Sebastopol
Interfaith Council of Sonoma County Santa Rosa
Northbay Jobs with Justice Benefit Santa Rosa
Your event could be next....
MY FIRST CD RELEASE available as download only: FIRST TAKES Jerry Green, solo piano LOOK RIGHT TO DOWNLOAD
EARLIEST GREENER PIANO SOLOS
Abraham’s Theme by Vangellis (from Chariots of Fire) is featured in my coming out medley that includes my improvisations on themes by George Winston (Thanksgiving, DECEMBER,) William Ackerman (Processional, RETURNING,) and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. (Recorded live Center for Spiritual Living, Jan/'11)
ARVO PART'S ALINA AND YITZAK'S NIGGUN
Arvo Part’s compositions draw us into the space between dynamic intervals with grace and beauty, reaching far beyond the notes themselves. He builds a jewel-like tapestry of sound in which we can abide and simply feel. Alina is the seminal work in Part’s original style of composition, called “tintinabuli,” or little bells, chimes. Alina is built on the notes B and F#, which are also the main tones in my composition, Yitzak’s Niggun. (Recorded live Center for Spiritual Living, Jan/'11)
“Jerry goes straight to the heart and soul of the music. He's an astounding person to play music with, and completely unique. I welcome our future collaborations and his contributions to the musical world.”
David Field, Recording Artist.
NOW PLAYING:
The improvisation you are hearing now represents many levels of inner-listening. Poland’s Oskar Schindler clearly listened to the beat of his own drummer in the most troubling of times. John Williams told Spielberg, "You need a better composer than I am for this film." Spielberg replied, "I know. But they're all dead!"
But Williams tuned in past the mortal boundaries of his own abilities, and he listened for all the spirits lost to their own callings. There the music is timeless and beyond the reach of nationality and religion. By listening to the harmonies in this theme, I can feel sounds emanating from the vast silence of not knowing. (recorded January 2012 at Mesa Recording Studio.)
FIRST TAKES
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SAMPLE FIRST TAKES:
LISTEN to Satied Greens
Windham Hill music included Erik Satie’s piano compositions, which he called gymnopedie. When criticized as mediocre musician, he replied that he was actually a phonometrician, one who measures sound. In my mind, he laid the foundation for the evolution of inner listening, which culminates today in the contributions of Arvo Part and W.A. Mathieu. Satie’s reference to being a gymnopaedist, (dancer) also tells me he pioneered somatic attunement in music, what began for me as biofeedback training for congenital tensions.
Inner-listening genome? Trend? This is one of two pieces that merited selection by Pandora for classification in their Music Genome Project. We will soon discover their pick of other recordings that reflect the qualities of my music.
jerry(at)greenermediations(dot)net