A perfectly peaceful, spacious scene?
Nothing is faked/photoshopped – the two stilts really were standing perfectly still, at 8.43 am on 16 February 2020.
(photo copyright Doug Spencer)
“Serenity” and “stillness” in a photographic image are very much a matter of perspective, focus, selection.
You may be surprised to know that the two stilts were on a wetland right beside a road, well within the city limits of Jamnagar, Gujarat, in westernmost India.
At that precise moment many thousands of birds were making good use of the wetland’s far from pristine waters.
There was no shortage of noise, nor rubbish, and the air pollution was readily apparent to one’s eyes and nose.
Still, even if I had not been viewing the two stilts through a telephoto lens, the pictured pair of stilts did – however briefly – appear to a human observer as “a picture of perfect serenity”.
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Today’s musical selection is not Indian, nor was it inspired by birds.
It does, however, “fit” this scene.
Several Dave Brubeck compositions were inspired by his experiences in Asia.
Needless to say, Japan sparked his Koto Song.
It is a very “open” piece; if you see/hear some of the different versions that are available online, you will discover that Brubeck and alto saxophonist Paul Desmond liked to take a very improvisatory approach to Koto Song.
Discover more, here
My favourite version involves Brubeck and Desmond only, on their one duo album, recorded in 1975:
Another favourite, “atypical” Brubeck number is Calcutta Blues, from his quartet’s 1958 album Jazz Impressions of Eurasia.
Fear not – the album’s cover may be cornball, but not this haunting piece/performance.
Brubeck and Desmond’s colleagues are bassist Joe Benjamin and drummer Joe Morello.