A New Year to begin again....
The New Year finds Laurie and I having a relaxing day at home...relaxing. I was on the computer most of the day, doing a video recap of 2014. I didn't think it was a bad year, Laurie said she was glad to see it go. As the year came to an end, I was reminded doing the video as to the synchronicity of everything and how that interconnectedness joins us all. For me the strong force of connection is music, and the gift that is given us that play music and as Mr Fripp has said, "get taken in to it's confidence" .
In a year that finds me playing in two bands my original band MeccaLily and my (mostly) cover band The Strattones, I feel very blessed on a regular basis to get to play with such fine musicians and great friends. To those that don't play, and I know you've heard this before, it's never to late. I really believe anyone can get involved in music and in doing so enrich your life. Join a choir, pick up guitar, piano, uke, harmonica, there are many places to start, and many people to help you along the journey. Many of my friends who are studied, degreed musicians are teachers, and very conscientious ones at that. They have so much to offer and you maybe surprised that many principles that apply to music also apply to how we live our lives. The thing is most of us know of the magic of music. Whether you play or are an avid or casual listener, who among us cannot say they have not been moved profoundly by music at one or more times in their lives.
The glimpse of the riches and magic that lie just beneath the surface of our world, can be glimpsed by the soaring voice, a child's ear being opened, a stunning interpretation on a familiar favorite or the discovery of some new unknown sonic landscape that transports us to another place, time and person.
I was reminded of this, and especially it's importance to our young folk, in watching the last 3 episode of Dave Grohl's Sonic Highways. The concept for the show was to stay in 8 American cities, with great musical heritage and write a song based on that experience while there. The cities were Chicago, Nashville, Austin, LA, New Orleans, Seattle and New York. I love Dave and the Foo's but let me say, this show blew me away. The history and connections discussed and the people interviewed were stunning. All musicians and music lovers should check this out. The last show was in NYC the site of so many musical memories for me and such a rich musical history. Recording at The Magic Shop it really was a magical web that wove the final pieces of this series together. As the Foos are on a break a family walking by the studio, recognize Dave. They say they are big fans, the kids are musicians and are even learning some Foo's. Dave invites them in for a tour of the studio. I want to see what that young brother and sister are doing in 10 years hence. I would bet something musically special. The threads formed in the show culminating in Dylan, Woody, Public Enemy, Kiss, CBGBs, Bowie and so much else, wove this tapestry of why we need music in our lives and culture that it sent my mind spinning. That I met Flava Flav on a NYC subway platform, on my way to my first Guitar Craft show, that with my daughter seeing Robert Fripp at the Wintergarden in 1998 and between shows going up the WTC. Than we saw Midnight Oil and visited Ground Zero in October of 2011 to see Midnight Oil in times Sq and returned to see Robert at the Wintergarden in 2010...well the connections, emotions are really infinite and indescribable.But all this goes back to music. I leave you with a quote from Robert Fripp that continues to resonate with me on a regular basis:
“In strange and uncertain times, such as we’re living through, sometimes a reasonable person might despair. But hope is unreasonable and love is greater even than this. May we trust the inexpressible benevolence of the creative impulse..”
Be creative in whatever media draws you in. For me it 's music and I hope that I may be more open to let it "bring me into it's confidence".
