So, why have I never been to an Amos Lee concert until tonight? Or, perhaps the better question is, why have I never owned an Amos Lee album until tonight? (downloading all four albums as I type) Thanks to my good friend, Jill, I have finally discovered Amos Lee.
I know I’m behind on the Amos Lee bandwagon, and it’s not like I’ve never heard him before, but wow, what a show! The man is great on stage, even in an environment like the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, where half the audience is hammered and has no awareness of how loud they are to the people around them. Even then, he still commanded the stage. Great music, great lyrics, great in-between songs, great to his band,. The only not great comment I have is about the hat he chose to wear, because it covered up his great face and was a little too Seattle for me (yes, I live in Seattle, but sometimes I get tired of Seattle style). But I got over the hat business the minute he started singing and playing. I have a new crush, in that harmless crushing on a famous person I’ll never meet way. 🙂
Since I am now a devoted fan, I made it my business to Wikipedia him. The man used to be a school teacher. Swoony Chelsea. I’m glad he made the music career happen so we can all be blessed by that amazing talent, but the school counselor in me believes that anyone who can work with students deserves some serious props! There’s a rumor he taught special ed–can anyone verify that? I would get extra swoony if that’s the case…
His songs are full of stories, experiences, and feeling, but also have some great beats and grooves. He sometimes emulates 70’s sounds, but they’re his own. His voice is unique, and he had the audience laughing at times. He let one of his back-up singers be featured as the main voice on this hilarious song about “Angel Latte” (that guy was amazing!), and he chose to do “Fat-Bottomed Girls” by Queen as the second to last encore song. Awesome!
If you don’t know Amos Lee, look him up. I’ve embedded a video of his newest hit (on the Ellen show, because that’s a two-in-one treat!). Listen to the lyrics–there’s more to it than you first might hear…and then go buy or download an album if you don’t already have one. Just do it. Immediately.
It’s the start of Thanksgiving week, and so I, along with many others from the US, am considering what I’m grateful for. There have been years when this has been rather challenging, but there has always been something I could name (even if I couldn’t feel it right then). This year, thankfully, I am able to see and feel the bounty clearly. Not because anything in my life has changed dramatically, but simply because I’ve been prepping for the holidays since June. Well, not exactly. But I have been focusing on claiming my joy, no matter what the circumstance or time of year.
As I mentioned in previous posts, back in June I lost my voice. I lost it big-time. I lost it on the night of a small performance. That small performance was quite horrible, and that’s not an exaggeration. In the following weeks, although I felt physically better, the voice thing was lingering on. I had to cancel one church solo job I had, and the performance I did in late July, while infinitely better than early June, was still shaky. Pitchy. Blech. I’m sorry for anyone that was attending and is also reading this. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I received the recording that I realized it…
Well, it’s almost the end of November, and somewhere along the way, the voice went back to normal. At some point I stopped focusing on it, and just focused on claiming my joy. I alluded to some thoughts I was having around this in another post, but basically, I had to come to a decision that no matter my circumstance or situation, I had every right to know joy. Feel joy. Live joy. This was a somewhat tough concept for me to grasp, but thankfully I was pretty determined. In the end, what it comes down to is that regardless of my status in the world—career, financial, relationship, friendship, family, talent, etc.—I was created in joy. If that’s how I was created, it can’t leave. It has never left. My understanding of it, my belief in it, etc., may alter my thinking about this, but the fact itself remains.
Wow.
I can’t tell you how freeing this was. Completely liberating. I haven’t felt this light in ages. It’s not that I don’t have down days, or sad moments. It’s just that, overall, my feeling of joy is deep. Instead of joyful moments that are situational, joy just is. It’s so great! So when considering my gratitude this Thanksgiving, I am most grateful for this: a realization that joy is innate—not just in me, but in everyone. My hope is that you can feel it, too.
The side benefit of that, of course, is that I got my voice back. And with that, I can sing freely and joyfully. At church, with my Songbirds group, in the car, Christmas carols, etc. Singing has always been a happy experience for me, but now it is a joyful expression. I promise you, there is a difference.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t continue to create sad songs… 🙂
There’s something about coming together in song that can really lift your spirits. Of course, that might depend on the song. But in general, I think, the idea of coming together to share a message—be it of hope, happiness, sadness, desperation, peace, or other thoughts and feelings—helps people gather strength. It might be strength in confidence. Or perhaps strength in perservering through challenges. Or strength in expressing love towards others. Pick a strength you’d like help with…if you are moved through music, it’s likely you will feel even just a tad stronger after a musical experience that embraces togetherness.
How sappy did that sound?! But really, I promise I’m sincere! 🙂
So on that note, helping to nurture my strengths are multiple blessings in my life. As I’ve mentioned many times in previous posts, there are a few musicians (singers) in my family. However I also benefit by having a group of women I get to sing with twice a month here in Seattle. It’s nothing professional, mind you, but exists purely for the joy of singing. Coupled with the obvious benefit of simply getting a group of soulful (and amazing!) women together to chat before the music starts. We call ourselves Songbirds, and I know that each of us treasure the time we get together for a variety of individual and shared reasons. These are women who don’t necessarily spend a lot of time together outside of the group (though some do, of course), but are kind and open and welcoming. And of course, we all love to sing.
A number of these women agreed to hone a couple of the songs we like to sing for the recital I did with my mom and sister last fall. Channing, the unofficial leader of the group, led us through a version of “I’ll Fly Away” and another song we like to sing when we have new Songbird participants at a meeting, “Mother”. I’ve included one here, mainly to demonstrate how much fun we have!
I also have a lot of fun singing with my family. Over the years, my sister and I have been able to do a few things together, mainly at family weddings. In our mother-daughter recital last fall, however, all three of us were able to come together. We did three songs: “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, “I Don’t Know Why” by Shawn Colvin, and a gospelish hymn. During rehearsals, it was interesting to note how different our individual musical selections were, and how we all had different practice methods. I think we learned a little bit about each other through the process, including how to work more harmoniously together.
I’ve included “I Don’t Know Why” here because it’s a long-time favorite of mine, and I feel pretty happy that we were able to make it work as a three-person song. The lyrics are lovely!
Lastly, I’m including a song that my sister and I have done not only at the recital, but also at a few open mics this past year. She has managed to learn to play the guitar just enough to get through this song (and a couple others). She’s on the lead vocal here (and has a fantastic voice!), and I do harmony. A very unusual situation, as harmony isn’t generally a skill I have. But it works here, and if you like The Be Good Tanyas, you’ll probably enjoy this, too. Since it’s their song and all. 🙂
It’s worth mentioning, I think, that although coming together IN song can be incredibly inspiring, moving, strengthening, and more, coming together THROUGH song can also be all of those things. And by that I mean that although we might not all sing, or participate in some group song event, we can certainly be moved by witnessing others participating. Just look at how the song “Imagine”, by John Lennon, has affected people over the decades. And look at how Michael Jackson’s death stirred the world last year. It wasn’t just about his music, of course, but his music was definitely his legacy. And he inspired so many people through the years with his songs.
I know I’m not saying anything new or original, but I can’t help commenting on something that keeps me excited on a regular basis. I’m just so grateful for how much inspiration we have out there, it’s hard to contain!
In the past 5 years or so, I have come to realize how very fortunate I am to have such an artistically talented family. As I’ve mentioned before, both my mom and my sister sing. We were raised in a household of theatre people, who also had strong musical leanings.
So my mom’s side was quite influential. While my brother and dad don’t lean so much musically, they definitely have an appreciation for it, and my dad explores other artistic avenues (photography, writing, etc.). That said, on my dad’s side we’ve got a whole other set of talented folk! My cousin is a wicked guitar player. (Excuse me, but I lived in Boston for a while, and they like to say wicked. Feel free to join in.). As well, he has a beautiful singing voice. Of course, as he plays in a punk band, Virgin Islands, that singing voice doesn’t really get exercised too much. This weekend, however, at another cousin’s wedding, we were graced with the beauty of Chris’ voice. Please enjoy (without paying any attention to the horrible video) Chris Meyer singing “She is Love” by Parachute. You won’t regret it. I liked the song before. I love the song now.
Along with my “blood relatives”, through marriage we’ve been blessed with some other fantastic cousins. One got married this past weekend, and the other got married last year. The wedding and reception last year was practically a musical festival (which, not surprisingly, thrilled me!), with guests performing originals and covers, the groom frequently joining in, a live band, and an end of the evening filled with ipod dance tunes. Thank the lord for great dance music at weddings! This year, the wedding itself was filled with beautiful music, and the music at the reception included another great set of dance tunes. Oh, how I love dancing at weddings! Kind of makes me want to try crashing a couple… 😉 But I digress.
Well, the groom of last year also happens to be the brother of the bride this year. As such, he also performed in the wedding. Steve Shepro sang a lovely version of “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz (yet another fabulous song!) as the processional. Unfortunately, I didn’t take out my phone in time, but please enjoy what I did manage to capture (including more random wedding footage).
Finally, in a slightly separate category, the bride can dance! This is not a skill I have, though I certainly pretend. My cousin’s wife, Summer, is also a dancer. She performs regularly through various Seattle burlesque shows, and as her skills are crazy amazing, I try to NOT dance next to her at weddings. My aunt also has some pretty rockin’ moves, and I love watching her tear up the dance floor. These women have little to no inhibitions about being in the spotlight, and add to the inspiration that is my family.
All that to say that I have been increasingly grateful to be surrounded by creative individuals in my life. It’s only recently that I realized how much of that influence is comprised within my own family, and how blessed I am to have it on all sides. The temptation to compare myself to them has diminished over the years, and now I just get to take it all in and let it feed my own desire to create. Here’s to the fabulousness that is (or can be) family!
You should see the family at karaoke! 😉 But I’ll save that for another entry…
There are about 8 billion subjects rolling around in my head that I’d like to expound on in tonight’s post. But I fear I won’t have any readers if I don’t limit it to just a couple. So in an attempt to keep it short (OK, not exactly short, but not as long as it could be), I’m going to tackle the following thoughts (I will hopefully actually keep it limited here, but I am known to ramble, so apologize in advance):
Losing my voice teacher
My recent performance
Starting with #1: Kelly Ash (look her up—she’s truly talented!), my voice teacher, has just moved to NYC to pursue her masters in vocal performance at…drum roll, please…NYU! This is really an amazing accomplishment, if you haven’t already guessed. NYU’s program is quite competitive, and not surprisingly to me at all, Kelly got in. Go Kelly! She deserves every bit of goodness coming to her, and I’m thrilled for her new opportunities.
Of course, this means I have lost my voice teacher. I think if you’ve worked with someone over a long period of time, you might understand what this loss means. Even if you haven’t, you can probably guess at what it means. That said, I never thought I’d miss her as much as I do. After all, I’m 35, and she’s only 23 (just turned 23, at that). I might be a “young” 35 (hopefully not too young!), but she is definitely a “wise” 23. I think partially based on my limited view of this age difference, when I first started with Kelly a year and 8 months ago, I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d be able to build the rapport I desire in a teacher. I’d had a great rapport with my former voice teacher back in Boston (way back, like 2002!), and just didn’t think I’d find anyone that could live up to my expectations. And I was wrong. I was most definitely wrong.
Now, Kelly and I have never hung out. We’ve never done things socially, or met each other’s friends, etc. But even so, she knows where my songs come from. She knows the personal nature of all of them. Really, ALL of them, because I didn’t start writing until I started working with her. And I know pieces of her personal life, as well. She’s played me songs that weren’t quite finished, and still raw. These things make an impact. So when I was driving my little goodbye gift over to her apartment the day before she left, I found myself getting rather emotional. It didn’t help that I was listening to The Head and The Heart, and was right in the middle of songs about saying goodbye, losing friends, etc. Totally unintentional, I swear! (Though I bought her a copy, because I’m pretty sure she’ll love it, too.) But I just considered how for a year and a half, I’d spent one hour a week with this person, and it was a very safe place for me. A safe place that also happened to nurture my creativity. Other than with my previous voice teacher, this is the only other time I’ve experienced that kind of combination. And since I was writing, this student-teacher relationship actually made a deeper impact on me creatively.
This leads me to thought #2. My recent performance. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Kelly has pushed me to do some performances, or recitals, if you will, in the time I’ve been working with her. She also taught a vocal workshop, with Mikaela Romero, to a handful of students (including my sister and me), and had us all perform in a showcase in June. That’s when I lost my voice, and it didn’t go well AT ALL. However, they were presenting another showcase in late July, and Kelly asked me to do a full set at the end of it. The idea being that I could present many of the songs I’ve written over the year, which might not happen again for a while since she’s leaving. And I’d get to work with a band. A BAND! Do you have any idea how much fun it is to work with a band? Oh my, it’s so great! I’ll save more on that for another post, however…
In the end, I did 11 songs, most with full band back-up, and a couple with partial band or a single instrument. It was a ton of fun, and though I was all sorts of pitchy (left over lost voice remnants), I’m so grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with professional musicians in a jazz club-type venue (Lucid Jazz Lounge, as I’ve also mentioned in previous posts). I didn’t do all of my songs, and I tried to choose ones with differing styles and subject matters. I have a lot to work on with timing, stage presence, and more, but I’m still pretty thrilled that I have enough of a body of work that I could offer 11 original songs to an audience. And I’m also really thrilled that though the audience wasn’t all there to see me, they actually stuck around for the whole thing. What an uplifting and supportive atmosphere!
I’ve chosen two songs to embed here (taken on iphone video, so sound and picture aren’t great). The first I call “What It Was,” and it’s a little bit jazzy. I’m not really a jazz musician, but I wrote the first two verses in the car after going to one of Kelly’s shows (who is a jazz musician). A happy example of being inspired by others’ art! The second song is really taken from my experience as a high school counselor. A job that I dearly love, and am so grateful to have. It’s an issue that has not only cropped up frequently at my school, but is cropping up frequently around the country right now. I don’t have all the answers on how to fix it, but it breaks my heart every time I hear about someone in this situation. These students persevere, no matter what. Strength in Spirit, I think, is what I would call that. This song, however, isn’t so much about strength, but about the confusion and fear of the what’s next. It’s called “The Unknown.”
I dedicate this post to Kelly Ash. A songstress who has helped me find my own song, and who brings good wherever she goes. Thank you. I am so grateful. 🙂
Lilith Fair. Oh, how I wanted to go to Lilith Fair back when it was representing women in music at their strongest! At least at the strongest they’ve been in my lifetime. Unfortunately, I never went during the first years it was offered, and so this time, thanks to another friend who felt similarly, we made it happen in the Portland area.
Lines at Lilith Fair on a not very warm day
Cold and rainy--thankfully we had a tarp!
Lilith Fair is a celebration of women in music. If you don’t already know this, it basically means that all the singers/groups are women, or are fronted by women. What a great concept! When it was first started, by Sarah McLachlan, women were really “taking the stage”, so-to-speak, in the musical entertainment world. Natalie Merchant, Jewel, Sarah, Paula Cole, Fiona Apple, and the list goes on and on. It was a time in the late 90’s (I think!) when there was a lot of marketing by the big labels going into women’s music. It was wonderful! Since that time, and as far as I know, before that time, I have not seen women hold the spotlight in the same way, Of course, there are women artists out there doing great things. Some of them are getting recognized (Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Sarah McLachlan with her comeback album, India Arie, Brandi Carlile, and so forth). But from my perspective, there is not even close to the amount of effort being put into marketing women’s current music that there was at that time.
Now, I don’t necessarily feel like it needs to be the same again. We don’t need to repeat history, of course. But it would be nice if equal attention were given to both men and women artists in the music field. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if our young girls were given role models in music that hold a strong message about self, discovery, and strength? Not every song needs to be a “strong” song, and not every song needs to be a great example. Just a little more would be nice…
I’ve spent some time thinking about this. There’s a station in Seattle, KMTT The Mountain, that I’ve listened to since high school, when it first started. This station has always been what I’d come back to when I lived out of state and would come home for visits. When I moved back in 2005, it was the first station I added to my car radio. In a way, it’s been a bit of a comfort. I’ve always liked the DJ’s, but most importantly, I’ve always loved the music. They were definitely all over the women in music trend of the 90’s, and had a great balance of fun, upbeat songs, and slower, thoughtful ones. Lots of easy-going music—adult contemporary, I guess you could say.
Now, The Mountain has unfortunately lost its soul (if I must be dramatic), as of this past fall, apparently due to a new Station Director, or Program Director, or something. But regardless, I can’t really listen to them anymore because they drive me crazy. They’ve added classic rock to their priority list. Sporadic was fine, but as most of the programming? No, thank you. Seattle really didn’t need another classic rock station! That said, they still promote the music I love through concerts, etc. They also promote it through their CD’s.
If you look at the past 5 or more years of Mountain CD’s, you’ll see tracks by mostly men. A handful of women (maybe 1, or 2, or 3) grace those CD’s, but men are really getting the promotion. Don’t get me wrong—there are some amazing men out there, too, and they all deserve a place on the CD’s. But shouldn’t it be shared? The Mountain is owned by Entercom, which owns a lot of radio stations around the country. I’m not sure what drives this more—the labels or the stations or the customers—but I find it interesting (and frustrating) that even the music field is still feeling the inequality of women in the workplace.
So Sarah McLachlan basically creates a comeback album, reinstates Lilith Fair, and tours the country. Tickets aren’t selling like hotcakes, and people aren’t as excited as they were a decade ago. Why is this? I think it’s because women aren’t getting the commercial promotion they were at that time. The same strong artists aren’t creating hits. The artists that are at Lilith Fair are good (for the most part), but they’re not as well known. They’re well known, just not AS well known. And it may have something to do with the fact that Sarah’s been out of the scene for a little while, and this is the first year Lilith was relaunched. There could be a million variables. But I have to say it makes me a little sad.
Regardless, I’m so glad I went. It didn’t have the same vibe that I’d heard about from people who’d gone in the past. It wasn’t nearly as crowded, the same camaraderie on stage wasn’t present, and the organization of it was a little wacky. But I was introduced to Sugarland (hello, country!) and fell in love with them, saw Erykah Badu do her amazing thing (though it was a very short set), and discovered that I must have A Fine Frenzy recordings. And most of all, as mentioned in my earlier post, I was able to witness Sarah McLachlan at her finest. I hope Lilith Fair gathers steam through the summer, and I hope that the labels will take the bait and promote the heck out of these women so that next summer, and the summer after that, there can be more movement for women. We empower each other in so many ways, this is just one, but it’s one that can really reach your heart.
Sugarland is a seriously good time!
I was really behind the Sugarland bandwagon, but I've fully joined now!
I just got back from a whirlwind trip through Portland, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and then Portland again. Unintentionally, it’s my summer of Portland!
Portland's "Waffle Window" in the Hawthorn neighborhood. I've never known of one of these in another city!
One of many amazing views from The Presidio in San Francisco
The trip was all by car, and keeping me company through much of that trip were some fine, fine musicians. In the form of recordings, of course, but even so those musicians can really keep you going.
I bought the new albums by Sarah McLachlan and Sarah Harmer just before heading to SF. I have this funny thing about not downloading albums by artists that I really want to support. I know I’m supporting them through their downloads, too, but for some reason having that physical album makes me feel like I am contributing more to their support network. They put some effort into creating not just a sound, but also a look for their album, and I want to honor that endeavor.
Sarah Harmer’s new album, “Oh Little Fire” is great. It’s fun, it’s interesting, it’s true to form to her previous albums. Particularly to her earlier albums (which offer such songs as “Basement Apartment” and “Almost”). I’m really enjoying it so far, and am looking forward to listening to it more and more, hopefully gaining some musical inspiration along the way. “Late Bloomer” on this new album is a particular favorite! She’s inspired me in the past, and I really enjoy singing her songs. I love how she writes—rarely an obvious statement in a verse or line, and yet the feeling definitely comes through. I aspire to be that interesting lyrically!
Sarah McLachlan…well…really, what is more fantastic than a Sarah album?! Seriously, I’m hard-pressed to think of any music that inspires me more than Sarah’s. I also can’t think of another artist I’d rather sit down and have a conversation with. That woman is truly amazing on so many levels. (Shameless admiration on my end, obviously!) If for some reason you don’t already know her (how is this possible?!), check out this video:From the minute I was introduced to her music back in college, I have never stopped feeling inspired and moved by it. Of course, with artists like Sarah, it goes beyond the music. She uses her music to give back, to reach the general public and others who need it, and she helps us all celebrate each other and acknowledge the important offerings of women by founding things such as Lilith Fair.
I’ll go into Lilith Fair on another post, because I had the privilege of attending it this year and have way too much to say on that subject. In the meantime, however, let me expound on Sarah McLachlan just a little bit more. Despite the change in her personal circumstances, her album, “Laws of Illusion“, remains honest and hopeful, moving and deep, insightful and uplifting. She is the essence of feminine in her demeanor and her music—strength, honesty, and beauty all coming through in her lyrics, songwriting, and interactions with her audience. Yes, I worship this woman. 😉 While I cannot BE Sarah McLachlan, she certainly emanates qualities I am striving for. Obviously I express these qualities in different ways, but it is very nice to have an individual to admire from afar who also seems relatable.
Oh I wanna learn, I wanna know
Will our history crush us or can we let it go?
I’m not the girl I was but what have I become?
I’m not so willing anymore to bend
Still pleasing and conceding but I’m not gonna lose myself again
In a previous blog post I mentioned the need to surround yourself with people that inspire you. An amendment to this would be that this inspiration doesn’t necessarily have to come IN PERSON. Professional artists can be just as uplifting, even if you don’t know them.
I am so thankful for the individuals that continue to bless us with their creative gifts!
A couple weeks ago, right before a culminating performance from a vocal workshop I’d been doing, I lost my voice. The rehearsal just before the performance was shaky. The performance, however, was just plain poor. My voice just kept dropping as the evening went on, and I couldn’t hit all my notes. I sounded like a boy in puberty! Naturally, we had a big crowd which included a lot of people I didn’t know. Thankfully, they were a forgiving crowd and I definitely informed them as to what was happening. All that said, while things are better overall since that week, I still can’t sing.
It is very tempting to be distressed by this. And believe me, I have definitely had my moments of “why?!” “Why is this happening to ME?!” Moments of self-pity, if you will. But at the same time, it’s also been an opportunity to reflect. To reflect on the meaning of song in my life. Of singing. Of performing. Of music in general. And also to reflect on the qualities that come with these that I feel I express. Do these qualities have to be exclusive to singing, or creating songs? Are there other ways that I can express these qualities? If I could never sing again (which isn’t going to happen!), would I feel a deep sense of emptiness?
I think it’s important that we both acknowledge the amazing talents and qualities we’ve been blessed with, and also realize that if something were to change one or more of those talents or qualities, our lives would not be empty. There are so many things that help define who we are, and the concrete “things” that are in our lives (be it a job, or a home, or a talent, or a person, or a car) do not create that definition in and of themselves. So on that note, here is what I’ve learned over the past couple weeks…
My joy is determined not by what is in my life, but by where I choose to put importance, and how I choose to respond to any given situation. It goes deeper than that, but that is one factor for me in learning to be joyous. If I lose someTHING, or someONE, that I deem ultra-valuable to me, my response to this loss will go much farther in determining my happiness and joy than that loss actually would. My qualities are bigger than the material expressions of them. If I appear to lose my voice, that does not mean I’ve lost my ability to express.
These are ideas I’m working with as I heal. Finding joy in the now and the many ways there are to express is my goal. What’s yours? 🙂
A little bit of God's expression...even in the Vegas area. 🙂
Expression of childhood perfection. Balboa Island, CA.
These folks are ready to express...in the form of a Mamma Mia singalong gathering. Wahoo!
My neighbor's form of expression consists of "planting" bowling balls in the garden. Seriously.
On Monday night of this week, I had the privilege of attending the Inside Out Jazz Awards at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. The awards show was created by David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid and founder of Strength Through Unity, a foundation dedicated to healing Haiti.
creating a water filtration system in Haiti
This was an incredibly inspiring evening. But it went beyond that. It was also entertaining, emotional, fun, hopeful, educational, and full of a great sense of community. The fact that they were able to use Benaroya Hall also offered a nice level of sophistication. Seattle isn’t known for its dress-up opportunities, and it was nice to see so many people dressed up and enjoying the evening. (Don’t get me wrong—there were plenty of jeans-clad folk, too!)
Jazz has never been my favorite style of music. I can appreciate it, and do, but always prefer the vocal stylings over instrumental pieces. But having a few people in my life who are very connected to the jazz community has altered that feeling a bit. I find myself listening to it on occasion in the car, and sometimes after a show that moves me, I’m inspired to write something with a jazzy feel. Watching the Inside Out Awards allowed us to enjoy various styles of jazz, and then honor the people creating them.
Adrian Sims
Leif Totusek
Kelly Ash
Clarence Acox
Mt. Zion Liturgical Dancers
It also ventured into other territories: spoken word, R&B, dance, gospel, etc. Much of it was simply focused on music and creative arts. But a nice portion of the show was also about education. Education around the situation in Haiti, and what is being done to help by the Strength Through Unity foundation. Education about what is happening in Seattle on a grassroots level to bring music to the community, and what the Seattle jazz community has done to help out David and his foundation, ultimately benefiting Haiti.
Evan Flory-Barnes conducting "Acknowledgement of a Celebration"
Evan is part of my friend Jason’s band, the Jason Parker Quartet, and that’s pretty much the only way I’ve seen him perform. I learned on Monday that Evan has a whole lot more going on! He received a grant called “Meet the Composer” that allowed him to compose a piece and have it performed. He composed a piece for an entire orchestra! Imagine how complicated that must be! Just after the intermission Evan came out to conduct this orchestra in an amazing multi-part piece. It was so beautiful! The icing on top was the dancing that was also choreographed for the piece. It was modern with hip-hop and somewhat improvised, created with dancers from a variety of companies in the Seattle area. Watching a piece comprised of classical musicians, a jazz composition (with classical and hip-hop touches), and dance brought home for me what the arts can do to bring the community together.
Dancers in Acknowledgement of a Celebration
And in the end, isn’t that what creating is all about, anyway?
Surrounding yourself with encouraging people is really helpful when you are trying to accomplish something. If you are trying to accomplish something creative, it’s also helpful to surround yourself with at least a couple creative individuals, or at least this is what I’ve found.
My friends Darrah and Jason Parker got married last fall. Both of them are very creative individuals, and have careers in an artistic field. Darrah is a professional photographer–it’s a new business, launched within the last year. She’s taken a lot of brave steps to make this happen, including quitting her full time job. Her photos are beautiful, and the way she views life is very prevalent in them. She seems to actually find the humanity in an inanimate object–now that is a gift! You can follow Darrah at her website–her gallery, Etsy store, and blog can all be found there.
Her husband, Jason, is a professional jazz musician. Trumpet player, to be exact. He’s been living as a professional musician for a number of years, and has his hands in a number of projects to make it work. Jason has been patient in creating this path for himself, and that has paid off. His music is tight, he has developed a very good reputation in Seattle and beyond, and he moves in and out of a number of music/jazz circles in the area. He keeps a blog documenting his path, which includes some of his music, as well as many ideas on how to keep the energy flowing.
(Jason playing “Bashert” at their wedding reception, which he wrote after meeting Darrah)
What I’ve noticed is that I love checking out both Darrah’s and Jason’s blogs weekly. I love reading their updates, noticing their progress, and seeing what new ideas they’ve come up with to inspire themselves and others. It reminds me that like all things, creativity is a process, and it’s ok if it doesn’t come all at once. In fact, sometimes it can take quite a while to feel inspired enough to even want to create something. No need to feel awful about that. But no need to let that stall you, either. Sometimes we need to build a habit of creating, or exercising the creative side of the brain. Other times, we simply need a break. We need to dive into something that has nothing to do with obligation, or creating, or a deadline. For me, that usually means watching a movie, or following some TV show (like Lost, or Glee, or Parenthood–other people’s creations!). Sometimes it means reading a book. Sometimes it means doing my spiritual work. And sometimes it means taking a walk or going on a run. If I don’t do that last one for obligatory reasons, I often find myself gaining inspiration as I go. Plus I get to look at pretty things on the way. It’s a win-win! A win-win as long as I can get motivated enough to go, that is. 🙂
Last night, after attending my school’s play, I went to Lucid Jazz Lounge in Seattle. The Jason Parker Quartet was doing their final show of a 2 week west coast tour. They sounded tight! Night after night of performing together seriously paid off, and the energy in the room was fantastic. Even though it was late for me, I found myself in a great mood as soon as I walked in. I have to finish a song by Tuesday for a class I’m in right now, and their show inspired me enough to get it basically done today. It was a reminder that it’s important to keep the music playing, and soak in the vibes of those who are doing it and loving it. That’s the kind of contagion I want to nurture!
By the way, since I want to be held accountable, I practiced the guitar 3 times last week. That’s 2 more times a week than I had been for the past month, but about 2 less times than I’d planned on. Here’s hoping for more inspiration this week!
A Living Song 