This week, I’m sharing a movement from an improvisation session I did with Berlin Philharmonic principal cellist, Georg Faust.

So first of all, here’s the link:

Movement 2 DL Link

Here’s the story:  I met Georg on a plane to Oslo, Norway.  I was sitting in the emergency row, and he was sitting in the emergency row.  We started talking about life and the world.  Come to find out that he’s a cellist – and that has my attention.  Then find out he’s with possibly the best orchestra on the planet – the Berlin Phil.  Wooo!

So, we compare notes about life and music and really hit it off.  On the way out of the plane, I gift him a copy of World Rising and let it go.  No real thought of a musical relationship, but a generous heart is a very good thing.

About 5 months later, I hear from him that the Berlin Phil is coming to LA for a performance at the Disney Hall.  So we agree to grab lunch on the Venice boardwalk.  I found Georg to be a kindred spirit – how music is a spiritual practice and how important it is.

I suggest that “sometime” we should get together musically.  He agrees.  We walk back toward his hotel in Santa Monica continuing our discussion.  I’m about ready to get into my car, and I think maybe we should just make the music happen on this trip – instead of deferring into the future (something I’ve done too many times in life).  So I suggest that we get together and “try some things” the next day – as he’s not needed by the orchestra until the following evening.  He agrees.

Next morning, I pick him and his 1703 Italian cello up and bring him back to the house.  I’ve arranged a piano tuning and set up the ProTools system to record everything at 96K/24Bit (which is the best quality anyone could ever want).  And we play.  For about an hour.

He’s surprising me with his musicality and experimental nature – something that does not come easily to many ‘classical’ players.  And we record it all, then pack up and I bring him back to the hotel.

And that’s it.  He heads out for Hawaii after his Disney Hall performance, and I go back to the struggle.

I’m constantly amazed how music can just erupt into the extraordinary with the simplest tools.  And now we can capture that magic as it happens.

Life truly is grand.

Do you feel it?

Peace and love,

Ben Dowling

PS:  To hear more of the session, click here…

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