'Living Delicious' This TV Interview gave me a chance to talk about storytelling, story listening, the brain and ideas about the art of telling stories- FUN, fast! (29 minutes)
'Making Waves: A Thinking Bigger Blueprint with TV/Radio' ('08 interview with Eric Wolf on his 'Art of Storytelling Show', a nationally prominent podcast series)
photographer OlivierKoning's portrait of Jeff Gere in Kahala Magazine
2010 HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR MR. JEFF!
I tell in the Exchange Place (1 of 6 tellers) at the NATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL (Oct. 1-3, Jonesborough, Tennessee)... it's my first visit & first chance to perform at America's premier storytelling event (a pilgrimage of sorts). It's a Big Deal!
Two weeks later I host/produce the 22nd Annual TALK STORY FESTIVAL (Oct. 15-17, 4 mainland guests: Cathryn Fairlee & Margie Brown from California, Jim Green & Pat Braden from Yellowknife) and the best local talents. Afterwards we tour to Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. This is my current obsession.
I’m still reeling from NSN’s NATIONAL STORYTELLING CONFERENCE (July 29- Aug. 1) in LA. Yes, l told (Western Regional Showcase), assisted recording this gabfest, and stayed up late. So much input! I also presented the iTales Mix, a themed storytelling download project (on Audible.com & iTales.com, a huge potential audience, which will consume the next year or two). After, Susan Klein, Alton Chung, Lyn Ford and I gave a MALIBU HOME CONCERT (Aug. 2). After a standing ovation, a woman said, “I’ve seen all these shows, and this was the best”. The show grew out of my tell at the LA Storytelling Festival ’09. Lyn, Alton and I did a CD, 'Cultures in Collision' (2007) which I gave to hostess, who invited them too.
YELLOWKNIFE STORYTELLING FESTIVAL (May 27-30, Northwestern Territory, Canada, 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle). Performances & Workshops with many regional talents (read my article about it). Immediately after I did my annual Oahu’s Summer Fun Tour (3 shows daily, 6 weeks, 5-6,000 kids).
NORTHLANDS STORYTELLING CONFERENCE (April 22-25, Wisconsin) I was part of a group evening concert, did a ‘Fringe” hour of "Pele: True Contemporary Tales of the Volcano Goddess" and the 'IN YOUR FACE' Workshop first done at the Talk Story Conference. It was exciting to contribute (first time in that part of the world) to meet and hear so many new storytellers.
PLANS FOR 2011
I'll be working quietly on the iTales Mix (2 hour themed shows, national scope).
I'll produce a 'Talk Story' Summer Camp in July at Kualoa (windward Oahu, possibly NSN's 'Year of Regions' event). It improves the Talk Story Conference format (in my opinion)= no expensive hotel & food bill (or grumpy staff), a less packed programming, more swimming, canoing, and swapping, more local families, and a kid strand. The Parks Depatment has a private Camp available with big heavy Army tents. I will research B&B accomodations nearby. Add on a few days before and after for cultural field trips too. Yep!
THE PICTURE BRIDE BOOK is a BIG project quietly unfolding: Barbara Kawakami, an 89 year old local Japanese-American woman, interviewed the Picture Brides (women who came from Japan to marry photos of Japanese cane workers) before they died in retirement homes in the 80s. I have known her for 20 years. I am helping (coaching/typing/talking) her write them up. She says I’m perfect because 1) I’m not Japanese and ask all the obvious questions. 2) I’m haole (Caucasian) so I speak my mind. 3) I love her and love story, so my questions and suggestions challenge and inspire her to write a book that isn’t just for academics, but will reach ‘everyman’. It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. Barbara’s exhibit of immigrant clothing, Textured Lives, is at the Japanese American National Museum in LA. Next year it comes to Hillo & Maui (Oahu?)
HERE'S AN EDITORIAL COMMENTARY (INSPIRING?) MADE ON THE STORYTELL LIST-SERV (8/2010)
Dearly Beloved,
In storytelling performances, we have all been witness to miracles; a teller/tale that just puts a story into your heart, touches you deeply, and stays with you to revisit and draw nourishment from for weeks.
That is art, high art.
It is a given, it is assumed that they have on a clean shirt and show up on time and stick to the time-limit. Of course. But we are talking about what happens within that allotted time. To do something simple is very very difficult.
Every art requires immense and continual practice, discipline, study, failure. It is not a discussion of 'rebel' or 'elephant art' or 'outside the box'. This numenous, efficent, life-altering power in a narrative is at the heart of our craft. It is the center. A novice who 'hits' this awesome center is indeed gifted, and if there is enough
positive feedback, perhaps they will begin to travel that long road to understand what they have so naturally done. And will do the work to be able to do it again and again.
Some devote themselves to classes, guilds, readings, etc. and will never touch high art. Sorry. And this is common. The lives of the 'common' storyteller is still enriched in the giving of story. It is a great hobby to cultivate. But Singular and Exceptional is rare, of course, and those who live there are sought out and rewarded... and have a business card, website, etc... it's what they do when given the gift of an audience's attention that matters. It matters the most. They speak art. It feeds us. It takes us away. We live fuller.
Though everyone has a story, few create events with a tale. Even practiced tellers (myself for example) occasionally find themselves in a rarified moment that is far beyond the high percentage, sure-fire crowd pleasing standards we all have in our back pocket. We stumble into ART. I aspire to live there more.
I wish (as do my storytelling students and Parks staff workshop attendees) that there was a prescription, a pill, a well trod path that could be taken, or given, or eaten. I wish there was a computer program for 'original, singular, unique'. .. see the irony here?
What fascinates me about storytellers is how many different ways there are to 'take an audience away'. And that the best tellers have a unique voice, a singular tone. They are the hand-crafted chairs (Bill Harley). What they have in common is that they work magic with an audience. It is a living breathing, laughing wonder. It is art.
SO?
So let's turn off the computer, go into the study, the street, the class, the library, and tell. And tell again. And try something different, and search and work and study. And tell some more. So let's devote ourselves once again to finding that voice and pitch and tone within us that makes our tellings Art.
Amen.
The 21st Annual Talk Story Festival again featured Hawaii's best tellers (Lopaka Kapanui, Kathy Collins, Dan Kelin II, Alton Chung) & 3 mainland guests ,(Michael Parent Lyn Ford, Kuniko Yamamoto) on 3 FREE nights (October 9-11) at McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Park (right on the beach). 8 tellers had 20 minutes each night. We again added dramatic lighting, sign interpreters, and video recordings were projected beside the stage (3 cameras, live switching, which air all year on Olelo: Public Access TV (Story TV). Sign Interpreters on the stage interpreting all stories. It remains the oldest & largest storytelling celebration in Hawaii, sponsored by the Parks Department (with others).
SO HOW DID THE PRODUCTION GO? Technically it was nearly flawless with a great new team monitoring sound, lighting (tinkered constantly, even as the audience was coming in), and again, Leeward Community College's TV Production Students manned cameras, set-up/ break-down. Two great directors composed the angles into shows. It felt weird for me to actually be able to listen to the stories! My wife Dominique served (again) as stage manager.
Artistically, Alton brought the new Okinawan Historical Tales to the stage for the first time (which premiered at the Okinawan Center later). Moira Maeda-Nakamine did a spooky set for the 1st time (and a Plantation Village Ghost Tour for Halloween). Kathy Collins rocked the house Fri (Tita) & Sat (comedy/tragic tales on Widowhood). And 3 Waianae ladies did a great job to end Sat. Yes, we had two from the National Champion High School Slam Team on Sunday- magnificent!
ATTENDANCE: We packed both Friday and Saturday nights (500 seats +). Sunday there were some 300 committed listeners. A Sunday afternoon workshop (Lyn Ford, Kuniko Yamamoto & I) had 30 people. A follow up Tuesday night Storyteller Summit (Lopaka Kapanui, Alton Chung, Kuniko Yamamoto & I) had a disappointing 6.
PUBLICITY: It took me awhile to get amped up to 'hit the media' after the Talk Story Conference, but the line-up got me going again. There were articles in each newspaper. Saturday the Advertiser featured a photo on the front page heading (Kuniko) and an article in Island Life! I was on all four AM TV News shows, my :30 PSA played for 2 weeks and we were on the popular Perry & Price live radio show (with Tita) Saturday. Posters were put in all the City buses.
Here's a web article with some photos from the first night.
TALK STORY CONFERENCE July 16-20, 2009 (Oahu)(+ Maui after)
This was a Really Big Story Party, consuming 8 months of effort and coordination. It was perhaps the biggest production I've ever done. Co-produced by the National Storytelling Network (NSN) as a Pacific Regional Conference with my small non-profit, some 60 people from across the nation (and Australia, Thailand, Japan & Canada) and 100ish Hawaii residents attended workshops, general sessions, opening and closing riturals, swaps, ate together and enjoyed two concerts (Island Spookies & National Stars, both video recorded). All of this happened in the Queen Kapiolani Hotel in Waikiki. After, July 20-22, tours to Honolulu Museums were offered. From July 23-26, 20 continued to Maui for tours, a concert, and fellowship.
STORY TV For 18 years I've been airing storytelling shows on Olelo: Public Access TV. They post shows on-line, which you can watch. Go to OLELO: Public Access TV, VIEW ON DEMAND: look for anything STORY TV (sprinkled in a long list)(they're constantly updated). Here's the direct link to these shows
Fall 2008 Shows
Video Clips of Storytelling!
