Sometimes,
I like to play
with lyrics,
while maintaining
the melody.
…
‘Rusted laptop lying by the grass
Stories lining, in the seams.
Timeless styling, reference love between,
Cherished moments and what they mean.’
…
Which song
have I
played with?
Play the Answer. (Diana Krall’s version)
This is my kind of collaboration.
Eclectic and Soulful.
My friend William Watson, and his friend Ebi Kagbala, are Death To Tennis, and they’ve been cultivating a series of interludes with musicians from New York City and Seoul.
Styled in Death To Tennis.
Rhythm their own.
Unique.
I’ve been listening to them for the last few days,
and this one is one of my faves.
On the packed commuter train to school,
Ryuichi Sakamoto would simply listen;
to the sounds of the journey.
Identifying a series of sounds
that would occur on every trip.
The journey was playing
its own piece of music.
A symphony of everyday sounds
that most would’ve heard,
but too few would’ve listened.
Doors opening.
Doors closing.
The squeeze of the brakes.
The rolling of the wheels.
Clicks and clacks.
Brushes and rasps,
and
the rhythm
of the rails.
When you’re so immersed in what you’re doing.
Reading or writing,
Painting and drawing.
The path draws you in,
the flow that turns you on,
and time fades away.
Absorbed,
In the hues of sound.
And the colours of taste,
When what you feeling
and doing, dances.
Leading your ideas
in to a tango.
or your thoughts into a Waltz.
Opening up the doors
to your dance floor,
allowing your mind to play,
to create something unique.
Simplifying the use of inspirations …
The curves along the side of a grand piano are blended into the shape of the platform.
Super smooth, and polished black, akin to the exquisite finish on the outer rim wall of a Fazioli Piano …
A woven textile upper, with additional stitching, for extra texture, and to catch the red ribbon into the upper.
Earlier today, I was reminded of seeing Ryuichi Sakamoto perform on the South Bank, so I thought I’d include one of the songs he performed that night; Energy Flow from the BTTB album – here.
Or this link, for a slower, much more recent recording …
The comfort is in the keys 😉
A sneaker idea to show how one source of inspiration can keep on giving.
Using the framework from under the lid of the piano, like on the platform wedge, as inspiration for the moulded frame to hold the foot in the shoe. The rest of the upper being an ultra flexible and comfortable woven or knitted textile.
Something a little lighter, more open tonight …
The heel design inspired by the structure under the lid of the Piano … some section open, some sections closed …
While the keys take centre stage on the front strap.
…
I like to play with words as well play with shoes… and when perusing on a title for this post, the word Symphony came to mind, closely followed by the incredible Verve song … and then with a sweet and satisfying note of synchronicity, I find this beautiful cover of the same song, recorded with a perspective overlooking the very details that inspired the design above.
Encore …
… inspirations continue to resonate from the beauty inside a Fazioli Piano …
A platform wedge mule.
Holes on the frame – that I assume are an integral part of being able to create the depth of sounds – provide a lovely inspirations for the detail through the heel of the wedge.
The horizontal structure bars become a moulded section of the vamp, that provides a secure fit to the woven, textile upper – inspired by the pattern created by the strings and ribbons on the bridge…
And a raised footbed reflecting the levels in the frame.
Ever since my last post, I’ve been intrigued to see what might transpire by using the patterns and detail under the lid of a Fazioli Piano, as inspiration for a collection of shoes.
The lines that provide the structure of the plate.
The curves on the bridge, and shapes they create.
A plain bootie style helps to enhance this initial idea for a heel.
The search for inspirations that resonate can be a fascinating part of the process when designing shoes and developing ideas.
It’s an intriguing journey and results in more unique, distinctive ideas when the source of inspiration is a little more unusual.
I’m neither a pianist nor a connoisseur of Pianos, but since my last post, I’ve been intrigued by the various tenuous links I started to notice.
The immediate visual, scenic connection, of a piano being played on a beach reminded me of The Piano; the 1993 film written and directed by Jane Campion. It had been years since I’d seen the film and was curious about the detail, so I sat and rewatched it a few nights ago. Aspects of the opening scenes – the protagonist being rowed across a sea and landing at a dramatic beach – reminded me of Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, which I wrote about in New Letters recently.
The night preceding The Piano, I’d watched The Power Of The Dog; a slow burning masterpiece also written and directed by Jane Campion. I’m not sure whether it’s a theme in her movies, but there was – playing a smaller but significant role – a piano!
Nick Cave’s tongue-in-cheek letter written in response to a fan also came to mind.
He’d been asked which Piano he’d played for his Idiot Prayer performance at the Alexandra Palace.
It was a Fazioli.
Handcrafted in the North East of Italy, in a small town called Sacile.
They are a beautiful instrument.
Herbie Hancock won’t play anything else, and has them written into his contracts.
The view inside a Fazioli is exquisite. An elegant colour palette and intricate pattern of strings; perfectly positioned and rich in vibrations.
All laid beautifully inside their polished majestic case.
“An instrument that reacts to your thoughts and leaves nothing else to desire! …
No other instrument inspires so much love, joy, freedom and brilliance as Fazioli!”
Inspiring words from Georgian pianist Ketevan Sepashvili.
Earlier today, I spent some time immersed in the music of Hania Rani.
Especially this video, shot in Iceland, directed by Neels Castillon, featuring dancers Mellina Boubetra, Janina Sarantsina and Fanny Sage.
A beautiful mix of being dramatic, while exuding calm; elegance and emotion.
This performance too.
