Book Review: Nik Bärtsch on Aikido, Ritual Groove Music, and "Zen Beginner's Mind"

We take a break from our regular programming for a deep exploration into the fascinating world of Swiss pianist, composer, and "cultural entrepreneur" Nik Bärtsch. In this episode, Lindsay reviews his conceptual book, Listening: Music, Movement, Mind, co-authored with his wife Andrea Pfisterer (a fourth Dan Aikido teacher and biologist). We explore the profound intersections between music, martial arts, and nature, breaking down Bärtsch’s concept of "Ritual Groove Music" and how he translates the "Zen beginner's mind" into his compositional process. We also look at the history of his long-running Swiss ensembles, Mobile and Ronin, and his dedication to building community through open-house Monday hangs and the long-running "Montags" concert series in Zurich.

You can purchase Nik Bärtsch's book directly at: https://www.nikbaertsch.com/

*Note: Birch Grove Media is not sponsored by the artist or their book sales- we just really like their work and want to share!

Chapter Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Finding books at the Berklee College of Music and Big Ears Festival

01:08 - Reviewing Nik Bärtsch's Listening: Music, Movement, Mind

08:56 - Who is Nik Bärtsch? (Ronin, Mobile, and "Cultural Entrepreneurship")

14:06 - "Ritual Groove Music": Stravinsky, Morton Feldman, and James Brown

18:02 - The "Zen Beginner's Mind" and the concept of Effortless Mastery

19:17 - How Aikido relates to live musical performance

33:02 - Listening vs. Hearing and Joe Zawinul's boxing routine

36:23 - Treating musical practice and rhythm like martial arts katas

41:50 - Community building: Open house Mondays, the Montags series, and EXIL

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