Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>>> "COMMON GROUND" IS FUNDED BY
THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE FUND AND THE CITIZENS
OF MINNESOTA.
WWW.CAPTIONASSOCIATES.COM
>>> HI, I'M RACHEL JOHNSON.
AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON
"COMMON GROUND."
IN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE, WE
FOLLOW BILL SMITH THROUGHOUT THE
COLORFUL PROCESS OF CREATING
SMALL BATCHES OF HAND CRAFTED
SPECIALTY SOAP.
PLUS, WE CATCH UP WITH THE
MUSICAL GROUP TEA TUM FOR A
PERFORMANCE IN GRAND RAPIDS.
THE BAND IS COMPRISED OF YOUNG
MINNESOTA MUSICIANS WHO
INTEGRATE FOCUS, ROCK AND
BLUEGRASS USING CLASSICAL
INSTRUMENTS.
>> I STARTED MAKING SOAP ABOUT
TEN YEARS AGO AS HOBBY.
I'M A NUCLEAR ENGINEER BY
TRAINING.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I
LIKE THE CHEMISTRY, I LIKE
MAKING THINGS.
BUT THERE'S A LITTLE CALL FOR MY
PROFESSION IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
TO DO.
AND THIS IS THE THING I WAS
CONVINCED I SHOULD TRY.
MY NAME IS BILL SMITH AND I MAKE
SMALL BATCHES OF HAND CRAFTED
SOAP, MUCH LIKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER
WOULD HAVE MADE.
AND I MAKE MY SOAP RIGHT HERE IN
MY KITCHEN.
TODAY I'M GOING TO MAKE CEDAR
MINT SOAP, WHICH IS MY
BEST-SELLING SOAP.
I'M GOING TO MIX MY LYE AND
WATER, TO DO THAT PROCESS I'LL
WEAR RUBBER GLOVES AND SAFETY
GLASSES AND MASK.
IT IS THE ONLY DANGEROUS STEP IN
MAKING SOAP.
IT'S ONE I RECOMMEND YOU BE
CAREFUL WITH.
SO I NEED MEASURE MY WATER.
I'VE MADE SO MUCH BATCHES OF
SOAP, I HAVE IT MEMORIZED.
I USE DISTILLED WATER.
SOME PEOPLE USE GOAT'S MILK, YOU
CAN USE BEER, YOU CAN USE WINE.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS YOU CAN
USE FOR THE LIQUID.
THIS IS PURE LYE.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE GRANULATED
SUGAR.
AND EVERYTHING IN SOAP MAKING IS
DONE BY WEIGHT, BECAUSE VOLUME
CAN VARY WITH TEMPERATURE.
THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS
ALWAYS USE STAINLESS STEEL
TOOLS, YOU DON'T WANT TO USE
WOOD BECAUSE ORGANIC AND LYE
ATTACKS ORGANIC.
YOU DON'T WANT TO USE ALUMINUM
BECAUSE IT REACTS.
SO NOW I HAVE MY MEASURED LYE.
AND MY MEASURED WATER.
WE'RE GOING OUT IN THE GARAGE IF
YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME.
SOAP IS TECHNICALLY A SALT.
AND IT'S A MIXTURE OF A FATTY
ACID AND A STRONG BASE.
AND THIS TEMPERATURE WILL SHOOT
UP TO ABOUT 190 DEGREES, ALMOST
TO BOILING.
AND THEN COOL DOWN.
IF YOU DO SPLASH OR SPILL A
LITTLE BIT, YOU CAN NEUTRALIZE
IT WITH VINEGAR, ANY HOUSEHOLD
ACID.
SO THAT IS -- THAT'S STEP NUMBER
ONE.
WE JUST PREPARED THE STRONG
PACE.
IN PREPARATION FOR TODAY, I
PREPARED A LYE AND WATER
SOLUTION THAT IS ALREADY COOLED
DOWN, BECAUSE I DON'T --
CHEMICAL REACTIONS PROCEED
FASTER AT THE ELEVATED
TEMPERATURES.
THIS IS WAY TOO HOT.
IT WOULD PROCEED TOO FAST.
I CAN'T WORK WITH IT.
WE'LL NOW PREPARE THE OILS TO
MIX WITH OUR BASE, SO THE FIRST
OIL I'M GOING TO WORK WITH IS
PALM KERNEL OIL, WHICH IS THE
HARDEST OIL I HAVE.
THIS IS FROM THE NUT OF AN OIL
PALM TREE AND THEY SQUISH THEM,
EXPRESS THE OILS AND IT MAKES
FOR A GOOD, HARD BAR.
IT HAS A GOOD CONDITIONING OIL.
ALL THE OILS HAVE DIFFERENT
PROPERTIES.
SOME ARE SOFT.
BUT THEY MAKE GOOD LATHER.
SOME ARE HARD, BUT THEY TRY YOUR
SKIN SO IT'S MAKING A GOOD BAR
OF SOAP IS A BALANCE OF THE
DIFFERENT OILS.
THERE'S AN INFINITE RIGHT.
NOW WE'LL GO TO MY COCONUT OIL.
NOW IT'S NOT QUITE AS HARD.
IT IS SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
BUT IT'S A LITTLE SOFTER.
OKAY.
AND THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS IS SUNFLOWER OIL AND IT
MAKES FOR A GOOD CONDITIONING
BAR.
NEXT ONE I'LL DO IS OLIVE OIL.
THAT IS THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF
MY SOAP.
IT MAKES A GREAT SOAP.
MAKES A NICE, HARD BAR.
BUT THEY DON'T LATHER VERY WELL
AND PEOPLE LIKE LATHER.
THE OTHER COMPONENTS ARE USED TO
MAKE A HARDER, LONGER LASTING
BAR TO MAKE A BETTER LATHER,
MAKE A LONGER LASTING LATHER,
MORE CREAMY LATHER.
IT'S GOOD CONDITIONING BUT IT'S
FAIRLY SOFT.
NEVER REALLY SETS UP AS WELL AS
I WOULD LIKE PERSONALLY.
I JUST HAVE TO BALANCE ITS
DOWNSIDES WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
THEN THERE'S ONE MORE COMPONENT
AND THAT IS CASTIR OIL.
IT'S AN ACID THAT COMES OUT OF
CASTOR BEAN, BY ITSELF IT WOULD
MAKE A TERRIBLE BAR OF SOAP.
SO THAT'S ALL THE OIL.
SO NOW I JUST HAVE TO BLEND
THIS.
IT WILL TURN COMPLETELY
TRANSPARENT AS ALL OF MY OILS
MELT.
AND NOW THAT I HAVE FULL PRODUCT
AND CRANK THE HEAT UP, AND STIR
THIS AWAY FOR ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES, UNTIL I'VE -- YOU CAN
STILL SEE I'VE GOT PALM KERNEL
OIL HERE.
SO I WANT THOSE TO DISSOLVE.
WE'LL PROBABLY GO TO ABOUT
130 DEGREES.
I TEND TO MIX MY SOAP AT ABOUT
125.
SO I'LL LET IT COOL FOR A FEW
MINUTES.
AND THEN I'LL MIX MY LYE AND I
HAVE SOAP.
WHEN I MIX MY LYE AND WATER
SOLUTION WITH MY OILS, THE SOAP
MAKING PROCESS STARTS
IMMEDIATELY.
I NEED TO HAVE MY SCENT AND MY
COLOR ALREADY PREPARED.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DEAL WITH
THAT ONCE I'M MAKING SOAP.
I'LL MEASURE OUT MY CENT AND
MEASURE OUT MY COLORANT.
SO THIS RECIPE CALLS FOR A HALF
A TEASPOON OF GREEN CHROME,
IDENTIFY, WHICH IS A MINERAL OIL
OXIDE.
SO I WANT TO DILUTE THAT WITH
SOME DISTILLED WATER.
NOW WATER SOLUBLE DYES I'LL ADD
TO MY LYE MIXTURE BEFORE IT PUT
IT THE SOAP, WITH THE OIL.
I TRIED MAKING A TIE-DYED SOAP
ONCE, BUT IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.
YOU HAVE FIVE COLORS IN FIVE
MINUTES.
IT'S VERY HARD TO DO.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH
SCENT.
YOU CAN AUGUST FRAGRANCE OILS,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY SCENT
AT ALL.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE
PARTS OF MAKING SOAP, ESPECIALLY
IF YOU'RE USING STRAIGHT
ESSENTIAL OILS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE PRICEY. SO THIS
I NEED FOUR OUNCES.
SO NOW WE HAVE CEDAR MINT SCENT
AND WE HAVE CEDAR MINT NOW.
I HAVE MY WATER SOLUBLE COLOR,
WHICH I'LL ADD TO MY WATER AND
LYE SOLUTION.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO ADD THIS
TO MY MELTED OIL, WHICH IS NOW
AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE.
AND THE PROCESS OF SOAP MAKING
WILL START.
MODERN SCIENCE HAS COME UP WITH
THE STICK BLENDER.
THIS MAKES SHORT WORK OF IT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SOAP,
YOU NEED ONE OF THESE.
NOW THIS GETS NOISY.
START BLENDING THROUGH TOGETHER.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY THIN AT
THIS POINT.
IN A FEW MINUTES WHAT YOU END UP
WITH IS A THICK PASTE, IT'S LIKE
PUDDING.
BUT THIS IS BECOMING SOAP RIGHT
NOW.
SO IT'S COLORED SOAP, BUT I
HAVEN'T ADDED ANY SCENT YET.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S BECOMING A
LITTLE THICKER.
AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO ADD
MY CEDAR MINT SCENT AND MIX IT
THROUGH AND PUT IT OVER IN THE
MOLD.
YOU'LL SEE RIGHT AWAY THE CEDAR
MINT TENDS TO SET THIS UP FAIRLY
QUICKLY.
IT WILL START TURNING INTO
CHUNKS SO I HAVE TO BLEND THIS
THROUGH.
YOU CAN SEE THE TEXTURE CHANGE
IMMEDIATELY.
SO I HAVE TO GET THAT SCENT ALL
THE WAY THROUGH.
IT'S THICKENING UP.
QUITE FAST.
OKAY.
THIS IS PRETTY CLOSE TO READY TO
GO.
SO AT THIS STAGE WE TAKE OUR
PUDDINGISH CONSISTENCY AND POOR
IT INTO THE PREPARED MOLD.
THE HAND CRAFTED SOAP MAKING
BUSINESS IS VERY BUSY FROM JUNE
THROUGH DECEMBER.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE LAG TIME IN
MAKING SOAP, TERRIFY START IN
JANUARY.
I'VE MADE 3,000 BARS SINCE
JANUARY 1st OF THIS YEAR
ALREADY.
GETTING READY FOR THAT, BECAUSE
I CAN'T MAKE IT AT THE
LAST-MINUTE.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME.
I ACTUALLY MADE MYSELF A TOOL
FOR LEVELING THE SURFACE.
THIS IS LIKE WORKING CONCRETE.
I JUST GET THE SURFACE SMOOTH,
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO MAKE
CONSISTENT BARS FOR THE PUBLIC.
WHEN I SELL THEM, I WANT
CONSTANT WEIGHTS.
AND THIS MOLD WILL MAKE
48 4-OUNCE PARS OF SOAP.
SO WE'LL SET THIS HERE.
I ALWAYS COVER THEM, BECAUSE IF
YOU DON'T COVER THEM, YOU CAN
END UP WITH A WHITE -- IT'S A
HARMLESS POWDER ON THE TOP.
THEY CALL IT ASH.
THIS IS A REACTION GOING ON.
IT MAKES SOAP.
AND IT'S BECOMING HOT.
AND ALL OF THE OILS ARE REACTING
WITH THE LYE.
AND IT WILL HEAT UP FROM THE
CENTER TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE AND
BECOME CLEAR.
AS IT TURNS INTO SOAP, AND THEN
AS IT COOLS BACK, THE REACTION
COMPLETES, IT WILL TURN SOLID
AND OPAQUE AGAIN.
TWO DAYS AGO, I MADE THE SAME
SOAP CEDAR MINT.
SO THAT I'D HAVE SOME THAT'S
GONG THROUGH THE GEL PHASE,
HEATED UP, COOLED DOWN AND SOLID
AND READY TO BE DEMOLDED AND CUT
INTO BARS.
THIS IS 48 BARS OF TWO-DAY-OLD
CEDAR MINT SOAP.
OKAY.
AND THIS WEIGHS ABOUT 16 POUNDS.
SOME OF THAT IS WATER WEIGHT,
WHICH WILL DRY OVER THE NEXT SIX
WEEKS AS I LET THE SOAP CURE.
BUT IT IS USEABLE SOAP TODAY.
I CUT THIS -- I PUT THIS PLASTIC
ON TO KEEP IT CLEAN AND AWAY
FROM THE ATMOSPHERE WHILE IT'S
SETTING FOR THOSE TWO DAYS.
SO NOW I HAVE A BLOCK OF SOAP
LINED WITH FREEZER PAPER.
THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO TAKE
ALL THE PAPER OFF.
BUT TWO DAYS AGO THIS WAS THE
SAME PUDDING YOU JUST WATCHED
COMING OUT OF THE POT.
AND IT IS NOW ONE BIG BLOCK OF
SOAP, READY FOR CUTTING INTO
BARS.
NOW I USED TO CUT ALL MY BARS OF
SOAP BY HAND.
BUT WHEN YOU MAKE AS MUCH SOAP
AS I DO, THAT GETS VERY
DIFFICULT.
I HAD HUGE CALLOUSES AND SORE
HANDS.
SO WHAT I DID -- RATHER THAN CUT
THEM ALL BY HAND, I WENT OUT AND
BOUGHT A WIRE FRAME CUTTER,
WHICH IS JUST PIANO WIRE,
STEPPED FOR HEIGHT.
I'VE GOTTEN PRETTY FAST AT THIS.
BECAUSE I'VE MADE HUNDREDS OF
BATCHES OF SOAP AT THIS POINT.
BUT AS I WAS SAYING FOR A SMALL
HOME SOAP MAKER, YOU CAN DO THIS
WITH A KITCHEN KNIFE AND IT
WORKS PERFECTLY, PERFECTLY WELL.
THIS JUST MAKES A NICE
CONSISTENT PRODUCT, SINCE I'M
TRYING TO SELL THEM.
OKAY.
SO THAT'S ONE LOG.
TWO LOGS.
THREE AND FOUR.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE
HEIGHT ON MY CUTTER, SO THAT I
CAN CUT THESE SMOOTH ON THE TOP.
BECAUSE I LIKE A NICE CONSISTENT
LOOKING BAR OF SOAP.
IT MAKES IT EASIER TO WRAP AND
IT'S A CONSISTENT PRODUCT.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE
GETTING AND TIGHTEN UP MY WIRE.
I DO IT ALL BY EAR.
OKAY.
AND THEN IN IT GOES.
AND WE RUN THE LOG THROUGH.
AND WE GET A CONSISTENT
RECTANGULAR LOG OF SOAP.
AND I'VE WORKED IT OUT PRETTY
DARN CLOSE WHERE I DON'T HAVE
MUCH WASTE AT THIS POINT.
AND ACTUALLY NONE OF IT GOES TO
WASTE BECAUSE THESE ARE WHAT MY
FAMILY USES FOR SOAP.
WE JUST ROLL THEM UP.
THAT'S HOW SOFT THEY ARE.
THEY'RE ROLLABLE.
AND THAT IS A BAR OF SOAP THAT
WE GET TO USE.
SO NOW I'M READY TO CUT BARS OF
SOAP.
AND THE PROCESS OF CUTTING BARS
USES ANOTHER WIRE FRAME CUTTER
THAT I PURCHASED, WHICH HAS ONE
INCH CENTERS FOR THE WIRE.
YOU CAN BUY HE'S AT ONE AND A
QUARTER, AROUND AND AN EIGHTH.
SO WHAT I DO IS I TAKE MY LONG,
LINE IT UP WITH THE TWO ENDS.
IT OCCURRENCE OUT THESE ARE ONE
INCH.
IT'S 12-INCH LONG.
ONE INCH CENTER IS ON THE WIRE
AND I'VE JUST MADE 12 INDIVIDUAL
BARS OF SOAP.
JUST LIKE SO.
THEY'RE QUITE SOFT AT THIS
POINT.
THEY'RE USEABLE.
THEY LATHER JUST FINE.
THEY HAVE ALL OF THAT -- YOU
KNOW, THE GOOD PROPERTIES.
SO AT THIS POINT EVEN THOUGH
IT'S USEABLE SOAP, I PUT THEM
DOWNSTAIRS FOR 4 TO 6 WEEKS AND
LET THE WATER EVAPORATE OUT, SO
THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERED A
FINISHED BAR, READY FOR SALE.
THAT MAKES A NICE, LUSCIOUS BAR.
YOU DON'T KNOW COMMERCIAL BAR
DOES THAT, BECAUSE THEY GRIND
THEIR SOAPS.
COMMERCIAL SOAPS ARE BOILED BY
THE TON.
THEY'RE MADE FAST IN ABOUT FOUR
HOURS.
THEN THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, COOLED
AND GROUND AND THAT'S WHEN YOU
SEE SOMETHING SAYS TRIPLE
MILLED, MEANS IT WAS GROUND
THREE TIMES TO MAKE IT WHO
KNOWLEDGE .
THEN THEY RUN IT THROUGH A HUGE
PRESS.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A
COMMERCIAL BAR OF SOAP, THEY
TEND TO CRACK WHEN YOU GET DOWN
TO THE LAST LITTLE BITS, BECAUSE
THEY'VE ALL BEEN GROUND AND
FRACTURED AND JUST SQUISHED
TOGETHER.
THESE ACTUALLY ARE ORGANICALLY
ALL INTERTWINED MOLECULES.
THESE YOU CAN GET DOWN JUST THE
THIN LITTLE SLIVER AND THEY TOLD
TOGETHER.
IT'S MUCH MORE LABOR INTENSIVE
TO DO IT THIS WAY AND NOBODY --
COMMERCIALLY NOBODY DOES.
THIS THIS IS AN UNSCENTED AND
UNCOLORED BAR OF SOAP RIGHT
HERE.
SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY
MUCH WHAT YOUR GRANDMOTHER WOULD
HAVE MADE 100 YEARS AGO.
WE GOT AWAY FROM THAT FROM THE
1920s THROUGH THE 1960s,
MASS PRODUCTION WAS WHAT
EVERYTHING WAS ALL.
ABOUT SOMETIME IN THE LATE
60s, MAYBE WITH THE WHOLE
TARTE CATALOG, THE BACK TO
NATURE, BACK TO THE LAND
MOVEMENTS, PEOPLE STARTED MAKING
THEIR OWN SOAPS AND FURNITURE
AND BEER AND WINE AND WE HAVE
THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT NOW.
PEOPLE ARE GETTING AWAY FROM TV
DINNERS.
ALL THAT KINDS OF STUFF.
THERE'S AN APPRECIATION FOR THE
CRAFT THAT GOES INTO IT AND THE
QUALITY.
AND THAT'S IN ALL FACETS OF OUR
LIFE.
>>> MY NAME IS RYAN.
I PLAY THE CELLO.
I STARTED PLAYING WHEN I WAS
ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD.
I STARTED PLAYING CELLO
CLASSICALLY FOR ABOUT SEVEN
YEARS AND I GOT KIND OF TIRED OF
THAT AFTER A WHILE.
I JOINED A HARD CORE METAL BAND
WITH, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY
SCREAMING VOCALS.
MY MOM GOT ME WHEN I WAS ABOUT
12 AND PLAYED WITH THAT AND KIND
OF BRANCHED OUT TO CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC.
I'M GOING TO SCHOOL RIGHT NOW IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
AND THAT IS REALLY DIVERSIFIED
MY MUSIC BASE AND STYLE.
¶ ¶
>> WE HAVE THIS BAND TEA TUM.
MY FRIEND PLAYS GUITAR AND SINGS
AND STUFF.
THE GENERAL OVERALL STRUCTURE.
I SAW HIM PLAYING WITH A GROUP
ONE DAY.
AND IT WAS REALLY COOL.
THEY WERE DOING A COLLABORATIVE
PROJECT.
HEY, WE SHOULD TRY JAMMING OUT.
IT SOUNDED GREAT.
WE WERE LIKE WE SHOULD GET GREG
IN HERE.
AND HE JUST WALK INDEED.
AND WE STARTED PLAYING AND WE'RE
LIKE THIS WORKS PRETTY WELL.
SO WE LEARNED A COUPLE MORE
SONGS AND THEN WENT ON THE
STREETS, PLAYED FOR MONEY AND
STUFF ON THE NICOLLET,
MINNEAPOLIS.
AND WE TALKED TO A FRIEND DEREK
IN PERPICH.
HE RECORDED OUR FIRST CD.
IT'S KIND OF WHERE IT STARTED.
¶
>> MY NAME IS OTTO.
AT THE PERPICH CENTER I'VE BEEN
BUILDING MYSELF, WHERE I WASN'T
AT A NORMAL SCHOOL.
I CAME IN WITH A SENSE OF MUSIC
THAT WAS REALLY CLASSICAL AND
BASED ON SHEET MUSIC, AND REALLY
THE RECREATION OF MUSIC, RATHER
THAN THE PRODUCTION OF MUSIC.
SO I GUESS AT PERPICH WHAT I'VE
REALLY BEEN TAKING AWAY IS KIND
OF, YOU KNOW, MY OWN VOICE.
AND BEING ABLE TO SAY WHAT I
WANT TO SAY THROUGH MUSIC AND
THIS BAND THAT WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER IS JUST THE PERFECT
REFLECTION OF THAT, THE SKILL
THAT I'VE BEEN BUILDING.
¶ ¶
[APPLAUSE]
>> I'M GREG NOVAK.
I PLAY THE PERCUSSION OF THE
BAND.
I PLAY THE CAJON, IT'S A BOX.
AND IT'S A BOX.
I HIT AND I ALSO PLAY THE BONGOS
OCCASIONALLY AND SOME OTHER
PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS,
TAMBOURINE, BELLS.
IT'S FANTASTIC PERFORMING WITH
THIS GROUP.
IT'S -- IT'S AN EXPERIENCE
REALLY BECAUSE ALL OF THESE GUYS
ARE SO TALENTED.
WE'VE HAD ONE OFFICIAL
PERFORMANCE AT A COFFEE SHOP IN
MORRIS, WE USUALLY DO IT IN
DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS RIGHT ON
NICOLLET MALL.
WE MAKE A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY
THERE.
THAT'S WHERE WE MEET A LOT OF
OUR FAN BASE.
PEOPLE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK OR
WILL FIND US ONLINE.
FIRST SEE US OUT ON THE STREETS.
¶ ¶
¶ ¶
¶ ¶
¶ ¶
[APPLAUSE]
>> I'M HAVING A BLAST WITH THIS
GROUP, BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY
DON'T EXPECT THAT TO BE COMING
FROM A VIOLIN OR LIKE IN
FREEMAN'S CASE THE CELLO.
I JUST REALLY -- I'VE BEEN
TRYING TO BREAK OUT OF THE
CLASSICAL BOUNDARIES.
LIKE WHEN I STARTED ON VIOLIN, I
STARTED BOTH THE SUZUKI, THE
CLASSICAL METHOD AND ALSO
AMERICAN BLUEGRASS, LIKE AT THE
AT THE SAME TIME.
MY TEACHER WAS TRAINING ME TO
PLAY FIDDLE MUSIC AT THE SAME
TIME AS CLASSICAL AND ALSO
STARTED INTRODUCING ME TO JAZZ
AND IMPROVISATION THAT LATER.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN
HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH IN THE
PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
MY MAIN STUDY IS JAZZ, LIKE
THAT'S MY MAIN FOCUS.
BUT THEN EVERYTHING I LEARNED IN
THERE CAN CONNECT TO EVEN A
FOCUS GROUP LIKE THIS.
AND WHERE I CAN TAKE SKILLS THAT
I'VE BUILT UP IN IMPROVISATION
AND APPLY IT TO THIS MUSIC.
¶ ¶
¶ ¶
>> FOR ME I JUST REALLY LIKE TO
SHARE MY MUSIC WITH OTHERS AND
SEE THE SMILES THAT IT BRINGS TO
THEIR FACES AND KNOW THAT LIKE
ALL MY HARD WORK THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR IS PAYING OFF THROUGH THE
OTHER PEOPLE ENJOYING MY MUSIC.
>> FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE PLAYING
ON THE STREET ONCE AND THIS
MOTHER CAME ALONG WITH HER
LITTLE SON.
AND HE WAS JUST CRYING AWAY.
BUT THEN RIGHT AS THEY PASSED
US, HE HEARD THE MUSIC AND
LOOKED UP AT US AND JUST HIS
SMILE CAME UP ON HIS FACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE LEFT HAPPY AS
CAN BE.
AND JUST MOMENTS LIKE THAT ARE
WHAT REALLY MAKE IT.
>> I WOULD SAY WHEN ASK WHAT WE
PLAY, WE PLAY TEA TUM MUSIC.
I WOULD SAY WE'RE ALMOST OUR OWN
GENRE.
>> THIS MUSIC I REALLY FEEL LIKE
IS CLASSICAL MUSICIANS: WE'VE
BEEN TOO ENGRAINED IN THE
CLASSICAL TOO LONG.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY PLAY COVERS
OF POP STUFF AND STUFF.
IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ONE OF
THE FIRST TO BRANCH OUT FROM
THAT.
TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THE CAGE,
THE TECHNICALITY AND REALLY
FOCUS ON THE CELLO AS A REALLY
COMPATIBLE INSTRUMENT IT'S AS
DIVERSE AS YOU CAN PLAY, AS MANY
GENRES ARE.
PEOPLE STILL IT SEE AS A
CLASSICAL CELLO INSTRUMENT,
THREE-PIECE SUITS AND IT DOESN'T
REALLY HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.
>>> WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS
EPISODE OF "COMMON GROUND."
THANKS FOR JOINING US AND WE'LL
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
IF YOU HAVE A SEGMENT IDEA FOR
"COMMON GROUND" PERTAINING TO
NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA, CONTACT
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US
AT (218)333-3022.
TO VIEW THIS EPISODE OR ANY
"COMMON GROUND" SEGMENT, VISIT
US AT LPTV.ORG.
TO ORDER INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS OR
ENTIRE EPISODES OF "COMMON
GROUND," PLEASE CALL
(218)333-3020.
"COMMON GROUND" IS FUNDED BY THE
MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE FUND, WITH MONEY FROM
THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE ON
NOVEMBER 4th, 2008.