Thanks to all- Closing Blog down

Greetings friends, followers and fans.

Its been over 4 years since i first started this Blog. Originally intended for friends and family to view photos from my travels worldwide. This was, ofcourse, well before Facebook! The Blog certainly has come a long way since i started using it in 2008 and the current trend of blogs make mine look somewhat dated! With many other sites to update the blog has slipped for me in the past couple of years, with very few posts, despite many followers from allover the world!

Its safe to say this blog has done pretty well, even though its intention was never to gain thousands of unique visitors! With approximately 15,928 total page views to date! :)

 Ive decided to officially shut down the blog, i will keep everything 'live', but ill no longer post here or add any updates. The last 2 years have been very productive for me, alot has happened, and changed in all aspects of my life. Im glad to say, all these changes have been for the better! :)

Im currently working on several 'projects'. If you wish to keep up to date with all that im doing, personally and in my work, music and business life please view the links below.

Thanks to everyone who has viewed, followed and took the time to view my blog here. Some great memories for me that i feel proud and lucky to of experienced are shared here. Its a great feeling to know so many people take an interest and the statistics of this blog show that (hence the photo).

So, thanks to everyone and follow the links below to find even more 'cool stuff'.

Warm Regards,

Nick

Able Towers,
Newcastle Upon Tyne Thursday 22nd November 2012, 21.59

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My personal Facebook Page - I only accept requests from people i know personally :)

https://www.facebook.com/nickable

My Facebook Guitar Page

https://www.facebook.com/NewcastleUponTyneGuitarLessons

My Personal Website

http://nickablemusic.com

My Guitar Website

http://newcastle-guitar-lessons.co.uk

My Learn Indian Music Website

http://learnindianmusic.com

My Twitter

https://twitter.com/NickAble

My YouTube Channels
http://www.youtube.com/newcastleguitar

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My LinkedIn

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/nick-able/11/218/2a1

From India to Spain and El Libertador A showcase of new works in progress by North East based artists. From India to Spain From India to Spain explores the encounter between two musical cultures. Through diaspora there were people who left India and settled in the South of the Iberian Peninsula, having a vital influence not only on Flamenco music but also Flamenco palos and dances.The project features Nick Able (sitar) who has travelled the world with Anouska Shankar, Mayte Beltrán (Flamenco dancer) who performed in the Carlos Saura film Flamenco-Flamenco, Spanish ethnomusicologist/guitarist, Paco Bethencourt and multi-talented musician/percussionist Jeremy Bradfield. Co-commissioned and supported by GemArts and ¡VAMOS! El Libertador Simón Bolívar was the seminal, influential and contradictory figure behind the independence of Latin America from Spanish colonial rule. He liberated Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru and fought to establish a unified republic in the form of Gran Colombia. Ultimately his vision and dream was rejected and it withered away and he died a bitter and lonely man. This monologue performance with actor Alex Elliot is presented as a work in progress in both Spanish and English. It has been written and directed by Nikolas Barrera and Alex Elliot. With elements of the script based on Bolívar’s speeches, the work mediates on universal themes of ambition, dreams and failure. El Libertador is supported by Arts Council England

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9 years ago today

Today, the 3nd Janurary 2012 marks 9 years since i left the UK, traveled to India to live and study with the legendary Maestro Ravi Shankar in New Delhi.

So much has happened in the past 9 years and the time spent with my Guru (Guru-ji is the term we use to address the teacher) has taught me so much, and continues to have an impact on my daily life.

Thinking back it was a very exiting but terrifying journey. Id never really traveled before apart from one trip to the USA and one family holiday when i was about 12. To make matters worse my fight from Newcastle to New Delhi via Amsterdam was delayed for 12 hours! I was stuck in Schiphol Airport with not much to do apart from think about what was ahead of me. When i finally arrived in New Delhi i was stunned, the first thing that hit me, just as i stepped out the plane was the smell. When i got my luggage and made my way to the exit i was shocked yet again by the several hundred people outside, many of whom came over to me in a very forceful manner, taking my bags, trying to get me into their taxi etc. It was complete madness! I was picked up by Guruji's driver and taken to The Ravi Shankar Centre, the title given to The Shankars home where i would be living for the next 4 months. It was early afternoon, sun shining and upon arrival i met Guruji for the first time. I was taken to my room which was very basic compared to the rest of the house. I had a single bed, three shelves and a bathroom with a shower and a bucket. The walls were bare apart from one framed photograph of Guruji. It was clear this was a place made for serious practice and study of music, nothing else. I smiled to myself when i went into the bathroom to put out my personal items and found some plastic toy bugs, spiders and cockroaches in the sink! The Shankars has placed them there to try to scare me as id shown a big fear of big bugs and was worried id see a lot of them in India! I was told to rest as id had a long journey and i spent the evening settling in.

The next morning i was told to come to the music room at 11am, where id meet with Guruji for my first lesson. I was loaned a sitar as mine was being made and would take some time. I went into the music room very nervous, Guruji was sat on the carpet along with Kenji Ota, another student from Japan, and Gaurav Mazumdar, a senior student of Guruji who would be coaching me in the first few weeks.

Guruji's first words to me, once i sat on the floor opposite him with the sitar on my lap were

'Ok lets see what you can do'

My jaw dropped.

Stay tuned for more soon...