NEWS FROM THE FRONT
May 2008
This month I've decided to depart from my typical format, and cover a few music-related topics.
Hiphop Appreciation Week
First off, Hiphop Appreciation Week is the third week of May.
For those unfamiliar with my involvement in Hiphop, I have been flipping lyric for 12 years.
One World Tribe's third CD, due out this summer, will contain at least two tracks of my original lyrics,
Lockdown, and
4-20 (Liberation Day).
I first performed KRS-ONE's Beef from Edutainment, then began writing and performing my own lyrics with OWT.
Now KRS-ONE is a sponsor of the
Temple of Hiphop, a focal point for Hiphop Appreciation Week.
To find out more about the celebration, here are some links to get you started.
Hiphop Declaration of Peace
Mayor of Detroit Honors Hiphop Appreciation Month
Things you can do for Hiphop Appreciation Week
25 CDs representing Hiphop
Grafiti Art
Hiphop Appreciation Week events in San Diego
Wikipedia on the Temple of Hiphop
The Hazards of Jamming
Something on the order of 60 - 65 percent of all professional musicians will experience some work-related pain related to muscle strain, overuse, and inflammation.
When I first encountered that statistic a few years ago, I was surprised even though I have included discussions of injury-preventing technique in my lessons for most of my teaching career.
Since I am healing a partly work-related injury, I thought a discussion of the path I took to do so would be of interest to at least some of the musicians out there.
First, some background.
When I was in my early 20s, I experienced a sudden difficulty walking, coupled with extreme muscle pain. In my supposed healthiest years, I was walking with a cane and unable to handle my own equipment.
After rejecting some unconvincing conventional treatments, I acted on the advice of a friend and went to an acupuncturist.
The short story is that I worked with Brian Schulz in Boston for a total of eight years.
The first four consisted of acupuncture treatments, macrobiotic diet counseling, and visualization. I also did four years of Bioenergetic Therapy (the real kind) which was perhaps the most intense thing I have ever done.
Working with Brian set me permanently on the path of alternate healing, although that does not include a total rejection of Western Medicine.
In alignment with that, my family now sees Dr. Keith Jordan, a chiropractic M.D. in Cleveland who also does Applied Kinesiology, Total Body Modification and a number of other techniques used for decades in England, Canada and other places, but totally rejected by the N.I.H.
Dr. Keith Jordan
216.521.2225
Optimal Wellness Center
Cleveland Ohio
Now, about two months ago, the family attended our every-few-months checkup with Dr. Keith.
I had some knots in my right shoulder area, which Dr. Keith worked out and did what we call release work.
One thing that happens with this kind of work is that the 'stuckness' moves out through the periphery (your arms and legs.)
Things went okay with the leg, just having to work on stretching and massaging the ankle for a week or so.
The arm was a different story, however.
Somewhere along the way, playing drums or working extra hard during a practice, combined with over use of computer mouse, the elbow was weakened, and as the 'stuckness' moved out, the elbow locked it in.
The result was intense pain in the actual elbow, and a series of related pains that travelled throughout the arm and shoulder assembly.
Eventually it became obvious that I was going to need some treatments.
Now some might be tempted at this point to go to a conventional M.D., but my experience has been that the pharmaceutical approach taken by most physicians simply forstalls real healing, and for someone who is coming up on fifty with no medications, vitamins or health problems, this is more time than I want to take in the wrong direction for me.
I knew Dr. Keith would be booked six months in advance, and I have some local resources that I work with on a regular basis.
My local chiropractor is Dr. Wade Shaffer, who does excellent work with my occupational difficulties, and keeps my neck in great shape.
Dr. Wade adjusted my collar bone and worked out much of the stuckness in the back and neck area, allowing me to concentrate more on the acute situation with the elbow.
Dr. Wade Shaffer
814.836.8989
Another part of the unfolding plan is always massage.
I see Maureen McCaslin of Tear of the Moon Essences.
Maureen has worked on me and my family since I have been in Erie (almost twenty years.)
She does excellent massage work (not an easy task on someone who likes deep massage) and does the most effective Reiki of anyone who has worked on me.
I really feel her energy when she works in that way, and have experienced palpable results many times.
Maureen McCaslin
Tear of the Moon Essences
Massage Therapist
Erie, PA
814-836-8121
Since I had to schedule the massage for the next week, I decided to try a new resource.
Dr. Keith Jordan has a brother Kevin, also a chiropractic M.D., and also versed in the alternative techniques mentioned earlier.
I was able to get an appointment the day before the massage, which was perfect timing.
Dr. Kevin worked very hard on me, using chiropractic techniques, energy work, acupressure, and other diagnostic and therapeutic tools to relieve my situation.
I left his office feeling much better, and looking forward to my massage.
Dr. Kevin Jordan
440.205.1889
Directory Listing
Mentor Ohio
After Maureen worked on me the next day, I was much improved, but still not completely healed.
I knew it was now just a question of time, rest and my own acupressure and massage, along with some evening icing, courtesy of Dr. Wade's advice.
Finally last Friday I seemed to find the point that unlocked that final stuckness, and have finally turned the corner on the injury.
There is still work to be done, but one can feel the difference between an improving injury and one that just hangs on.
My point in telling this is to encourage all of you to seek these non-invasive therapies whenever it is appropriate.
The people that I list all have experience and are not afraid to recommend a blood test or X-ray if they think it's appropriate.
Nor are they ignorant of Western Medicine and the places where it is most useful.
Like me, however, they believe that allowing the body to heal is the most desirable course, and getting back to that path is the only reason for deviation from it.
Quick Round Up
Cat's A Bear appears at the Breeze in Erie (14th and State) with Jazz Saxophonist
Ernie Krivda on Saturday, May 17.
Call the Breeze at (814) 455-7766 for more information, or get on
Joe Dorris' Jazz email list to keep up with upcoming events.
3bop appears at Scotty's on 3rd and German in Erie, PA on Friday the 23rd.
As usual, leader Steve Trohoske, drummer Brad Amidon and myself plan on cutting loose at our favorite local Cigar Bar.
Until next time,
peace - f
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CD Baby.com is our newest mp3 store!!!
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Cat's A Bear
Tito: In Search of a Revolution
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Eye Of The Pyramid
Frank Singer
Generations String Quartet
J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm
Music From Another Planet
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Primate Gestures
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Family Values
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Quantum Events
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Smoke Shadows
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Imagination Doctors
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Live At Forward Hall
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Crossing Oceans of Time
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Beyond Attention
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Moving Through The Elements
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Near Journey's End
One World Tribe
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The latest double-disc CD from J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm
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makes double-disc number twelve of these collective improvisation
expositions.
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Cat's A Bear
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