Video: "Inspirations For Orbit"

May 19th - July 7th 2013

2013 COLA Individual Artist Fellowships Visual Artists Exhibition

at Los Angeles Municipal Arts Gallery

4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027

http://www.lamag.org/?page_id=2300

Our video "Inspirations for Orbit" (31:51) created with Michael's past works with Leisei and various other artists's photos edited by Leisei Chen. Currently the video is displaying among all 2013 COLA individual artists fellowship artists.

A Heartfelt Exchange With Carole ♡

Hello Michael.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but is this your music?
Carole

Hi Carole,

Yes your are right! Michael White's composition & music from X-Factor, Elektra/Asylum album in 1978. In 2010, it re-released in CD.

http://amzn.to/Pp7glL

We perform a acoustic version of this song in LIVE as well. This photo, link below, probably captured when we were playing and singing the song at a concert in May 20th 2012 : )))

http://on.fb.me/W1t334

LOVE. HEALING. INSPIRATION. HOPE.
Leisei & Michael

Hello Michael.
That is so amazing.
As a young jazz dancer years ago I would dance to your song and I can honestly say that I would be swept away by the magic of it and lose myself in the melody. It was my favourite song to dance to. I stopped dancing after having my family and this song became lost in memory until I heard it on face book one day. It made my heart beat faster and actually moved me to tears when I listened to it. All those magical memories of dancing to it came flooding back. I had to buy the album straight away and now I play it nearly every day.
I am extremely honoured that you have replied to me and want to thank you for making such beautiful music that steals my heart.

Yours sincerely
Carole

Spirit Dance CD Reissue

This morning we saw groups of cute little Armenian boys with grand fathers and mothers in the mall where we take a walk everyday. Reminding us of "Praise Innocence", the song in Michael's first Impulse album "Spirit Dance" 72', this song is considered the first JAZZ album with children singing! THEN we got home, got a message from Ian Scott Horst left on our facebook wall saying "Do you know about this cd reissue?

Hey we did not know Oh well kind of know . . . :))) What we know is we are in SYNC with the UNIVERSE! LOVE IT ♡ 

Salute to Michael's Legendary Album "Spirit Dance" is finally reissued just yesterday September 14th 2011 in JAPAN, as a part of  the Impulse Record 50th Anniversary Reissue Total 20 Titles which all were highly requested for CD reissues, and in the high quality CD series called SHM-CD. it will be on sale in September 20th 2011 in USA, now in pre-order worldwide. 

NOW we can answer all our fan's inquiry and request, yes Spirit Dance is in CD!!! LOVE from Leisei & Michael

Buy Spirit Dance in USA at DustyGroove : Amazon

One of the killer albums that Michael White cut for Impulse Records in the early 70 – a sweet set of spiritual jazz that took his instrument to a whole new level! Normally, the violin isn't an instrument we love in jazz, but White really transforms it here – playing it with a stretched-out, spiritual sound that's almost like a saxophone – really hitting a fresh sound that's mighty nice. Other instrumentation includes a nicely organic blend of piano from Ed Kelly, bass from Ray Drummond, and percussion and flutes from Baba Omson – often building in the way you'd get with a Pharoah Sanders album, but with a gentler, more personal sound. There's a bit of vocals at points from Makeda & Wanika King – and tracks include "The Tenth Pyramid", "Spirit Dance", "John Coltrane Was Here", and "Unlocking The Twelfth House" - dustygroove.com

Buy Spirit Dance in JAPAN at cdJAPAN : Amazon

Michael White Solo

Michael White Solo - Grand Performances - Build An Ark
from Jennifer Ruggiero on July 23. 2011

R.I.P. Billy Bang

©The New York City Jazz Records
Michael wrote a tribute text for Billy Bang, published in June 2011 Issue Of The New York City Jazz Record

In Sync With The Universe

Yesterday Michael & Leisei were chilling out at "Barnes and Noble" in the Americana for coffee where they have a beautiful third-floor balcony. We were looking out at the fountains, the lawns surrounded by trees, children laughing and playing, old JAZZ playing through many many speakers, birds flying over hopping and pecking crumbs. "Peace in Chaos" : ) so to speak with the sun shining blissfully.

On the way out, we were coming down an escalator, got to go through bookshelves to get to another. Then all of a sudden, we smelled good fragrances and STOPPED, PAUSED, LOOKED around . . . Ahhhh it's the music section Ahhhh the Jazz section.

ZOOM! TWO JAZZ books on the shelve came to Leisei's eyes, we found out that Michael was featured in those books : )

John Coltrane: His Life And Music By Lewis Porter

It was on Page 367 " - 1962 - May 1-20. San Francisco. Jazz Work. DB, July 5 says Dolphy, Wes Montgomery, and violinist Michael White sat in during the last day, when there was a matinee and possibly a final evening show as well."

Michael never mentioned it till 6 years ago, his brother Teddy reminded him to make sure we should add it (playing with John Coltrane) onto our press kit. Yes, Michael has been and still is the man looking ahead hardly ever looking back, busy improving his music, playing and dreaming. But in recent years we have looked into all of his musical histories. Also with modern technologies, we have found quite a bit of written proof. And nowadays he is more willing to share his stories with the public!

Freedom, Rhythm, & Sound - Revolutionary Jazz Cover Art 1965 to 1983 By Gilles Peterson & Stuart Baker.

A beautiful hardcover weighs tons : ) with an incredible collection of revolutionary jazz album cover art from 60s & 70s! It featured the cover art Michael's Impulse Album "Pneuma", and "The Blessing Song" was also featured on their accompanied two set compilation CDs "Freedom Rhythm & Sound Revolutionary Jazz In The USA 1965-80" from Soul Jazz Records 2009. We were happy to see that many of our friends and Jazz masters were also featured Cecil McBee, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Phil Ranelin, Prince Lasha among others.

When we are in the ZONE, our senses will over-ride any pre-conceived notions & knowledge, and we flow with least resistance. Then we know we are in TUNE, in SYNC with the UNIVERSE * . * * . * Receiving through and sending out. We love those moments!

With LOVE, Leisei & Michael

Mastery Of JAZZ A Hint From The Wes Montgomery Story

We were commenting on Buddy Montgomery's Birthday, January 31st on Facebook led us reminiscence of this story his older brother Wes Montgomery the great Jazz Guitarist. 

Wes Montgomery's great Jazz guitar style came from LOVE of his family. He had a day job when he was coming up so he had to practice at night and he did not want to wake up his wife and children, practicing very softly and quietly let to his style of playing. 

Well lucky him that is exactly one of the keys to master JAZZ, "play each sound slowly, softly and quietly like going under your skin" said and say by Many Jazz Masters. We also know great Jazz players practice like this for many hours a day. This way, one can develop the great sense of touch and strength, sounds refine and get bigger naturally with effortless ease, resonate with everything and ring eternally. So as playing fast will be easier too . . It's truly a win win situation :))) It requires discipline to practice this way and the result is significant! It's exactly as the TAI JI & Qigong practices too, they help us rise ENERGY - Life Force to endure JAZZ discipline!!! Put one's self in that mode to practice and taking time can be hard at times, it also might require a kind of life style to do so. We hear many JAZZ players nowadays with complex technical facilities, sounds impressive and exciting. But sounds tight and dry, noisy and not complete. They might probably are not taking time for this kind of discipline . . . 

The TIME well spent for the Mastery of JAZZ is PRECIOUS we witness. The sounds will last a long long time and deep to hearts of people through generations "Timeless and Ageless" Everything will pay off at the end!

Michael performed with Buddy Montgomery at a JAZZ festival in Minnesota. Michael also performed with Wes Montgomery, at the John Coltrane Quartet, John Coltrane, Jimmy Gallison, Elvin Jones, and McCoy Tyner with Eric Dolphy, the gig in San Francisco 1962 as a special guest. It was recorded on the book "John Coltrane: his life and music" (p.367) by Lewis Porter

Wes Montgomery - Impression 1965 : Wes Montgomery (guitar), Harold Mabern (piano), Arthur Harper (bass), Jimmy Lovelace (drums) who was our dear friend, great touch we miss him too !

Billboard 09.04.71 "ABC Free Form Convention"

Billboard 09.04.71 "ABC Free Form Convention" - Page 8 -

"MICHAEL WHITE, free form violinist, performs while being recorded live at the Kabuki Theatre. His album is slated for early fall release. Other artists from the Impulse and ABC/Dunhill line who 'helped wind up the convention included Mel Brown, John Lee Hooker, Clifford Coviter, John Klemmer and Danny Cox. . . "

Early fall release probably means Michael's First Impulse Release "Spirit Dance". We were wondering if there is the LIVE recording still exist from this convention?

Michael's First Appearance With Impulse Recordings

"Astral Traveling" A Memorable Recording. The producer Ed Mitchel called Michael one day asking him to join the recording and being BIRD SOUNDS. This Recording led to sign by Impulse with His leading FIVE Recordings "Spirit Dance"71' "Pneuma" 72' "The Land Of Spirit And Light" 73' "Father Music Mother Dance" 74' "Go With The Flow" 74'. The Impulse Tours with Bands of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, John Klemmer and Michael White Quartet for major International Jazz Festivals appearances, Jazz Camps, Colleges * . * See Below "Program Set For 73' Montreux Festival" What a lineup!!!



A Very Supportive Environment with Impulse Recordings. Artists were free to express their music through his/her musical visions fully without restrictions or demands. Michael also was in order to keep all his mechanical rights of his compositions as well as his band member's compositions for all five recordings.

What a blessing!

Pharoah and Michael were known each other way back and played together around 1948 in Oakland. Pharoah came from the Little Rock Arkansas so his nick name was "Little Rock". They formed a group called "Oakland Raiders" with Young Jazz Greats in Oakland such as Ed Kelly, Smiley Winters, Skippy Warren etc. They went to Jazz Clubs in San Francisco often to have Jazz Jam Battles with "San Francisco Raiders" :))))))))))

william, pharoah, michael @catalina's 11.08.08 photo by leisei chen