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Wafu (in Japanese: Wafuu,
??)
may. at first sight, be translated as "harmony", or: " in a harmonious way".
Basically, "Wa" means "peace" while "fu" means "wind, and together Wafu means "peace(ful) wind".
Figuratively, however, the Japanese themselves use the compound to express something uniquely Japanese, or: "Japanese Style".
In the culinary world, Wafu is a term being used to describe Japanese influences and elements in a non-Japanese cuisine.
In other words: Wafu can also be used as a term for East meeting West which was indeed the reason for this tune to be entitled "Wafu Dedication".
In 2006 my brother and I were asked to play a couple of concerts at the master chefs Jan Hurtigkarl and Jakob Mielcke's gourmet restaurant in Ålsgårde
in North Sealand, Denmark.
For a period during 2006, the highly recommended restaurant offered a menu consisting of Japanese elements mixed with superb delicacies of the Western culinary world.
A "crossover" menu.
Or, in Japanese: A Wafu Menu. And that did in fact become the headline and the title of the musical menu, too.
As some of you may know, Torsten was - and still is - studying Japanese culture, language, and not least, Japanese music.
When he was younger he studied the Japanese bamboo flute "shakuhachi" in Japan, where he was taught the classical culture of Japanese shakuhachi music
and the secrets of the playing of this exciting eastern instrument by renowned shakuhachi players like Ozawa Seizan (Kyōto Myōan Taizan-ha Shakuhachi)
and Yokoyama Katsuya (Tōkyō Kinko-ryū Shakuhachi).
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At some time during Mielcke & Hurtigkarl's Wafu Menu season, Torsten and I were invited by Jan to create a,
so to speak, "musical Wafu menu" which should follow the culinary menu.
And so we did: On December 2 and 16, 2006, we played Wafu concerts after having enjoyed Jan Hurtigkarl, Jakob Mielcke and their staff's excellent Wafu menu.
This tune, Wafu Dedication, was played first time in public at the Wafu concerts.
I got the idea for the tune in the summer of 2006. It took shape during the autumn 2006 when Torsten and I were practicing our repertoire for the Wafu concerts.
In this quite short version I only play a very limited part of Wafu Dedications Part 1. Almost as if it was just an introduction for Part 2.
But in the longer version, which we played at the Wafu concerts, Torsten plays the shakuhachi in Part 1 followed by the Indian tablas in Part 2.
Then East really meets West.
The guitar is tuned in DADGAD. It is based on some 12/8 fingerpicking patterns - in the A verses mainly in the key of
d minor and D neutral.
Later the key shifts between D major,
d minor and D neutral. At 3.15 there's also a part in e minor followed by some melodic lines.
I play most of the tune with open, ringing tones, mainly featuring the groove and the swing, the open sound of the guitar and the rather special chords in some parts.
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