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  • Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock Pen An Open Letter

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    Kom Wongsawat
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    Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, who have been friends for over 40 years and pioneers in jazz music, wrote an open letter to the next generation of artists. They encourage artists to [1] focus on becoming the best human possible through empathy and compassion, [2] embrace new creative pathways and avoid repetition, and [3] understand that obstacles are really new opportunities. They believe that by following these principles, artists can use their work to help construct a more peaceful world.

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    Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock Pen an Open Letter

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    Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock Pen an Open Letter

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    Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, who have been friends for over 40 years and pioneers in jazz music, wrote an open letter to the next generation of artists. They encourage artists to [1] focus on becoming the best human possible through empathy and compassion, [2] embrace new creative pathways and avoid repetition, and [3] understand that obstacles are really new opportunities. They believe that by following these principles, artists can use their work to help construct a more peaceful world.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    107 views4 pages

    Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock Pen An Open Letter

    Uploaded by

    Kom Wongsawat
    Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, who have been friends for over 40 years and pioneers in jazz music, wrote an open letter to the next generation of artists. They encourage artists to [1] focus on becoming the best human possible through empathy and compassion, [2] embrace new creative pathways and avoid repetition, and [3] understand that obstacles are really new opportunities. They believe that by following these principles, artists can use their work to help construct a more peaceful world.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 4

    3/8/2016 WayneShorter&HerbieHancockPenanOpenLettertotheNextGenerationofArtists

    WayneShorter&HerbieHancockPenanOpenLetterto
    theNextGenerationofArtists

    23hoursagoBy:Mon

    WayneShorterandHerbieHancockhavebeenfriendsforoverfortyyears.Inthepursuitoftheirart,
    theyveshatteredboundariespreviouslybelievedunbreakable,theyverevolutionizedtheconceptof
    innovation,andhavechosentomaketheendeavoroflivingcompassionatelyandcourageouslythecenter
    oftheirlives.

    FromtheirearlydayscomposingandplayingtogetherwithMilesDavisinDavisSecondGreatQuintet,to
    branchingoutandflourishingintheirindividualendeavors,WayneandHerbiescontributionstotheworld
    ofmusichavebeennothingshortofextraordinary.Together,theyvewonacombinedtotaloftwentyfive
    Grammys.Despitetheircountlessaccolades,theyllbothinsistthattheirgreatestachievementslieintheir
    rolesashusbands,fathers,andhumansofthisearth.

    AftertherecentrashoftragediesaroundtheglobeinthepastyearfromParistoSanBernardino,wehad
    theopportunitytoaskWayneandHerbiehowthenextgenerationofartistscanrespond.Belowisanopen
    letterwiththeirthoughts.

    __

    http://nesthq.com/wayneshorterherbiehancockopenletter/ 1/4
    3/8/2016 WayneShorter&HerbieHancockPenanOpenLettertotheNextGenerationofArtists

    TotheNextGenerationofArtists,

    Wefindourselvesinturbulentandunpredictabletimes.

    FromthehorrorattheBataclan,totheupheavalinSyriaandthesenselessbloodshedinSanBernardino,
    weliveinatimeofgreatconfusionandpain.Asanartist,creatoranddreamerofthisworld,weaskyou
    nottobediscouragedbywhatyouseebuttouseyourownlives,andbyextensionyourart,asvehiclesfor
    theconstructionofpeace.

    Whileitstruethattheissuesfacingtheworldarecomplex,theanswertopeaceissimpleitbeginswith
    you.YoudonthavetobelivinginathirdworldcountryorworkingforanNGOtomakeadifference.Each
    ofushasauniquemission.Weareallpiecesinagiant,fluidpuzzle,wherethesmallestofactionsbyone
    puzzlepieceprofoundlyaffectseachoftheothers.Youmatter,youractionsmatter,yourartmatters.

    Wedliketobeclearthatwhilethisletteriswrittenwithanartisticaudienceinmind,thesethoughts
    transcendprofessionalboundariesandapplytoallpeople,regardlessofprofession.

    FIRST,AWAKENTOYOURHUMANITY
    Wearenotalone.Wedonotexistaloneandwecannotcreatealone.Whatthisworldneedsisa
    humanisticawakeningofthedesiretoraiseoneslifeconditiontoaplacewhereouractionsarerootedin
    altruismandcompassion.Youcannothidebehindaprofessionorinstrumentyouhavetobehuman.
    Focusyourenergyonbecomingthebesthumanyoucanbe.Focusondevelopingempathyand
    compassion.Throughtheprocessyoulltapintoawealthofinspirationrootedinthecomplexityand
    curiosityofwhatitmeanstosimplyexistonthisplanet.Musicisbutadropintheoceanoflife.

    EMBRACEANDCONQUERTHEROADLESSTRAVELED
    Theworldneedsnewpathways.Dontallowyourselftobehijackedbycommonrhetoric,orfalsebeliefs
    andillusionsabouthowlifeshouldbelived.Itsuptoyoutobethepioneers.Whetherthroughthe
    explorationofnewsounds,rhythms,andharmoniesorunexpectedcollaborations,processesand
    experiences,weencourageyoutodispelrepetitioninallofitsnegativeformsandconsequences.Striveto
    createnewactionsbothmusicallyandwiththepathwayofyourlife.Neverconform.

    WELCOMETHEUNKNOWN
    Theunknownnecessitatesamomenttomomentimprovisationorcreativeprocessthatisunparalleledin
    potentialandfulfillment.Thereisnodressrehearsalforlifebecauselife,itself,istherealrehearsal.Every
    relationship,obstacle,interaction,etc.isarehearsalforthenextadventureinlife.Everythingisconnected.
    Everythingbuilds.Nothingiseverwasted.Thistypeofthinkingrequirescourage.Becourageousanddo
    notloseyoursenseofexhilarationandreverenceforthiswonderfulworldaroundyou.

    UNDERSTANDTHETRUENATUREOFOBSTACLES
    Wehavethisideaoffailure,butitsnotrealitsanillusion.Thereisnosuchthingasfailure.Whatyou
    perceiveasfailureisreallyanewopportunity,anewhandofcards,oranewcanvastocreateupon.Inlife

    http://nesthq.com/wayneshorterherbiehancockopenletter/ 2/4
    3/8/2016 WayneShorter&HerbieHancockPenanOpenLettertotheNextGenerationofArtists

    thereareunlimitedopportunities.Thewords,successandfailure,themselves,arenothingmorethan
    labels.Everymomentisanopportunity.You,asahumanbeing,havenolimitsthereforeinfinite
    possibilitiesexistinanycircumstance.

    DONTBEAFRAIDTOINTERACTWITHTHOSEWHOAREDIFFERENTFROMYOU
    Theworldneedsmoreoneononeinteractionamongpeopleofdiverseoriginswithagreateremphasison
    art,cultureandeducation.Ourdifferencesarewhatwehaveincommon.Wecanworktocreateanopen
    andcontinuousplanewherealltypesofpeoplecanexchangeideas,resources,thoughtfulnessand
    kindness.Weneedtobeconnectingwithoneanother,learningaboutoneanother,andexperiencinglife
    withoneanother.Wecanneverhavepeaceifwecannotunderstandthepainineachothershearts.The
    moreweinteract,themorewewillcometorealizethatourhumanitytranscendsalldifferences.

    STRIVETOCREATEAGENDAFREEDIALOGUE
    Artinanyformisamediumfordialogue,whichisapowerfultool.Itistimeforthemusicworldtoproduce
    soundstoriesthatignitedialogueaboutthemysteryofus.Whenwesaythemysteryofus,weretalking
    aboutreflectingandchallengingthefears,whichpreventusfromdiscoveringourunlimitedaccesstothe
    courageinherentinusall.Yes,youareenough.Yes,youmatter.Yes,youshouldkeepgoing.

    BEWARYOFEGO
    Arrogancecandevelopwithinartists,eitherfromartistswhobelievethattheirstatusmakesthemmore
    important,orthosewhoseassociationwithacreativefieldentitlesthemtosomesortofsuperiority.Beware
    ofegocreativitycannotflowwhenonlytheegoisserved.

    WORKTOWARDSABUSINESSWITHOUTBORDERS
    ThemedicalfieldhasanorganizationcalledDoctorsWithoutBorders.Thisloftyeffortcanserveasa
    modelfortranscendingthelimitationsandstrategiesofoldbusinessformulaswhicharedesignedto
    perpetuateoldsystemsintheguiseofnewones.Werespeakingdirectlytoasystemthatsinplace,a
    systemthatconditionsconsumerstopurchaseonlytheproductsthataredictatedtobedeemed
    marketable,asystemwheremoneyisonlythemeanstoanend.Themusicbusinessisafractionofthe
    businessoflife.Livingwithcreativeintegritycanbringforthbenefitsneverimagined.

    APPRECIATETHEGENERATIONTHATWALKEDBEFOREYOU
    Yourelderscanhelpyou.Theyareasourceofwealthintheformofwisdom.Theyhaveweatheredstorms
    andenduredthesameheartbreakslettheirstrugglesbethelightthatshinesthewayinthedarkness.
    Dontwastetimerepeatingtheirmistakes.Instead,takewhattheyvedoneandcatapultyoutowards
    buildingaprogressivelybetterworldfortheprogenytocome.

    LASTLY,WEHOPETHATYOULIVEINASTATEOFCONSTANTWONDER
    Asweaccumulateyears,partsofourimaginationtendtodull.Whetherfromsadness,prolongedstruggle,
    orsocialconditioning,somewherealongthewaypeopleforgethowtotapintotheinherentmagicthat
    existswithinourminds.Dontletthatpartofyourimaginationfadeaway.Lookupatthestarsandimagine

    http://nesthq.com/wayneshorterherbiehancockopenletter/ 3/4
    3/8/2016 WayneShorter&HerbieHancockPenanOpenLettertotheNextGenerationofArtists

    whatitwouldbeliketobeanastronautorapilot.ImagineexploringthepyramidsorMachuPicchu.
    ImagineflyinglikeabirdorcrashingthroughawalllikeSuperman.Imaginerunningwithdinosaursor
    swimminglikemercreatures.Allthatexistsisaproductofsomeonesimaginationtreasureandnurture
    yoursandyoullalwaysfindyourselfontheprecipiceofdiscovery.

    Howdoesanyofthislendtothecreationofapeacefulsocietyyouask?Itbeginswithacause.Your
    causescreatetheeffectsthatshapeyourfutureandthefutureofallthosearoundyou.Betheleadersin
    themovieofyourlife.Youarethedirector,producer,andactor.Beboldandtirelesslycompassionateas
    youdancethroughthevoyagethatisthislifetime.

    http://nesthq.com/wayneshorterherbiehancockopenletter/ 4/4

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