Posts by EllenB

As I was hiking the Swiss Alps, using walking sticks, I felt like I had four legs. I first did this back in the mountains of Colorado after I found some dried Aspen roots that I used for walking sticks. Later I scurried up desert rocks using my hands as two more paws. I mentioned…

I was stuck three days in an Italian hotel room quarantined with Covid. After I got over feeling guilty for not taking a test sooner and possibly infecting others, for not getting a second booster before I left, for letting down my trio because we had to cancel the concert in Udine, for having the…

I would love to have some place where people with differing views can talk and listen to each other. I find that sometimes I cannot even talk with my left leaning friends because they so strongly hold their beliefs as gospel as much as my right leaning friends do. This actually relates to music as…

I was lucky enough to meet and play with wonderful improvisers from the U.S., E.U and Great Britain during the “Ictus Music Festival” at Teatro Out/Off in Milan, July 4-7, 2022. “Ictus” is Andrea Centazzo’s label celebrating 45 years. Four days of wonderful improvisations where Centazzo combined players in different ensembles. The way people listened,…

I was looking through some of my writings from the pandemic year and I found the following from February 2020. It’s worth sharing because I believe that thinking small holds us back from challenging ourselves. And I’m dealing with what do I want and what am I willing to do for it. It’s interesting to…

I like what I don’t know. I just got on the Amtrak to San Juan Capistrano one Sunday because I just needed a trip. I feel free when travelling because what happens is not predetermined, therefore it can’t be wrong, or have been better or different. (I don’t do much research—therefore I don’t have expectations.)…

The hardest thing is for me is to stay and repeat an idea until it transforms. I don’t want to be one of those players who rehash the same ideas or rely on “licks” to structure a solo. I have to keep reminding myself of the times that I stayed with an idea until I…

I’m always inspired after a Monday’s Zoom meeting “Conversations on the Art of Is” – with Stephen Nachmanovitch & Larry Livingston where we continue our wide-ranging discussions on music, life, and what it is to be an artist in this time. Educators, improvisers and performers share our thoughts, questions and inspirations that we are working…

I recently took a trip to Kansas City for their International Film Festival where the short rom-com I wrote, “Loves Me, Loves Me Not”, was being screened. Almost every step had a hitch. I’m so glad of the lessons I’ve learned in the film/acting training. The biggest two are “always keep a positive attitude” and…

Perfectionism and follow through. I have been plagued with these two curses. I don’t know if I can’t follow through because I’m a perfectionist and rarely happy with what I do, or if I can’t get things to the level I’m happy with because I can’t follow through to the next step. I have interval…