interview with A THOUSAND CRANES by rich kimball
A THOUSAND CRANES are a band that we at the 423 gallery have been raving about for a couple months now. we recently asked travis kerschen of ATC 10 questions.
what is sacred music?
It uses the music as a vessel for communion with what is held sacred by the artist. The musician tries to make good music, but pays equal attention to trying to attain a sacred state within or externally. I am inspired by Vajrayana (from Tibetan Buddhism) and so I try to put myself in a meditative state while writing and performing the music, and the context of the music is on a sacred theme from that belief system (lovingkindness, interdependence, compassion, equanimity, peace, impermanence, etc.). What is sacred can be defined as what is held as an ideal state of humanness or worldness by an individual.
who/what/where does A THOUSAND CRANES find common ground?
A Thousand Cranes finds common ground in desire to use music to transcend, in noise/experimental music, in improvisation, in creative expression. We find common ground in conscientious living, music, arts of all forms, Houston, TX.
how does A THOUSAND CRANES succeed?
A Thousand Cranes succeeds by keeping up with the path we choose both in artistic creation and in every day life.
where does A THOUSAND CRANES fail?
We fail when we fall into the "ego" trap, and become concerned about our reputation or popularity or turn out at a show.
how has the houston music scene evolved over the years, and where is it at now?
It has evolved very nicely, thank you very much. From sharecropper blues to third ward blues to folk to tejano to rock and roll and psychedelic rock to funk and disco to punk to noise and experimental to rap and r&b. All these musical forms keep evolving, and the artists share a cultural background and musical lineage.
how does meditation factor into the music of A THOUSAND CRANES?
Many of the songs are created as meditations and when they are performed I try to put myself in a meditative state. The meditative state can sometimes be deep and trancelike, and sometimes it isn't. The meditations are generally buddhist themed.
who/what influenced you to make music?
Specifically, my family influenced me to make music. My family is very creative and expressive. As for bands or artists that have influenced me to make music, which haven't? And the artists/genres who influenced A Thousand Cranes, include Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Soweto music, Ali Farka Touré and Boubacar Traoré, Yoko Ono, Indian Jewelry, Mexican and Latin folk music (huasteca, huapango, huarache, son veracruzano, etc,) African music, South Asian folk music, reggae, Swarm of Angels, Philip Glass, John Cage, Rusted Shut, A Pink Cloud, hip hop, jazz, free jazz
tell us about your song 'wounded crane'?
"Wounded Crane" is a compassionate embrace of our dark side, our ugly side, our feared side, our fearful side. It is an acceptance of what it means to be completely human.
describe houston to someone who has never been to texas?
Houston is a subtropical humid city. It is large. It was built on marshes and bayous full of alligators, pumas, and all sorts of wildlife. It is the fourth largest city in the United States. We have the Houston Rockets.
describe america - on its present course- in 5 years time?
The powerful forces of capitalism and industrialization have been destroying the collective sensitivity to others in America for a long time. We appear to be approximating a third world country with the disparity between the wealthy and the poor. Our endless wars and imposed fixation on terror and security is pushing us into cultural neurosis and paralysis. On the positive side, it is destroying itself like all empires do. And with it's death it is possible for a healthier society to emerge. In 5 years America will see more bicyclists and people recycling more because of economic necessity. Middle class people will be more conscientious about what they are spending their money on.
A THOUSAND CRANES will be performing at a benefit for sedition books on saturday august 15th @ super happy fun land in houston. for more information visit the ATC myspace:
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