Herb Leff creates extremely interesting experimental music with a variety of instruments, including singing bowls. Creating rich textures and a multitude of unique sounds, his music is like nothing you have heard. Full of percussive chaos and meditative expanses, it is truly an experimental experience. Here is what he has to say about the bowls. You can hear his work on SoundCloud under Herb L. or on Bandcamp at herbleff.bandcamp.com
| How did you discover antique singing bowls? |
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I discovered singing bowls several decades ago at a local international gift store here in Burlington Vt, whose owner made frequent trips to Nepal to acquire specially selected inventory. I feel fortunate to have found some antique bowls there before they became as scarce as they are now. However, a few years ago I got a modern bowl at a Tibetan gift shop in Lake Placid NY (where I also met my now friend Techung, an outstanding Tibetan musician). This particular bowl, while not an antique, excited a new fascination with the whole domain and soon inspired me to develop an entire room in my house into a special metal-percussion music studio--joining my pre-existing primary electronic studio and my "let-loose" basement acoustic percussion hangout. While developing the new metal-music paradise I discovered Joseph's internet site and drew liberally from his wide-ranging offerings to greatly expand my palette of especially large singing bowls. |
| What do you find special about the antique bowls and collecting them? |
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All the singing bowls in my collection provide wonderful sonorities, and yield what I consider to be perhaps the most beautiful sounds available from any musical object or instrument. |
| How do you work with them (professionally or personally) and how do they benefit you and others? |
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Making experimental music is my primary creative activity now. My singing bowls are an essential part of my acoustic music production, especially for my more mellow and meditative works. The key goal for me in all my music is to do something that I love that produces something other people can also have the chance to enjoy. |
| Do you have a favorite story about your experience? Or tell us about your favorite bowls. |
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Since making music is my nearly all-consuming passion, it's hard to isolate a "favorite" story. I can only say that the feeling (and attendant sounds) of total absorption in any production session, when that occurs, is awfully hard to beat. |
| How has Joseph and The Singing Bowl Museum (or formerly Himalayan Bowls) been part of your singing bowl journey? |
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In my experience and estimation, Joseph has created the most complete, reliable, and knowledge-based site for high-quality Himalayan bowls on the internet. In addition, I sense that he not only adores, understands, and enjoys sharing these treasures, but also has deep gratitude and concern for their makers and custodians in Asia. His carefully curated inventory, pristine sound samples, and very reasonable prices have enabled me to comfortably expand my musically tailored array of singing bowls as key instruments in much of my music. |
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