23/06/2007

Art of Music


My eyes were closed and although my lips were moving I didn’t sing. I’m never really sure what my hands are doing but I know they are hardly my own. Moments like these are the ones I always treasure but never really seem to remember or miss, moments like these have kept me alive. It’s the closest I feel to something greater then myself, which is why it’s so vital that the composer is in the right spirit. My mood becomes his.
This car will be my prison/play ground for the next 45 minuets. Unlike the driver I embrace traffic. These times are few and never wasted.

“You don’t have a clue what’s going on do you”? That was the voice of the infantile drummer to my left.
From what I hear he is better then most drummers twice his age. Was I offended by his bluntness? Not at all, it was spoken like a true musician.
Its an age ol argument and I’ve lived with enough musicians to know there is no winning.
It was a good song unlike the other 13 on the CD. It spoke to me.
All I needed to know is what the man was saying, what he was feeling, the rest I’ll leave up to the two guys sitting on my left. They haven’t stopped discussing mathematical terms for a triplet. They will inspect every inch of the composition until its nothing more then a few sheets of paper, thin and lifeless like the carcass of animal trophy.
But what about the song that had me on the verge of spiritual climax?
Could it be this was just another manifestation of the famous “glamour our glory?
I know what your thinking. It’s true, I am a clumsy musician, not even worthy of the title.
If anyone has labeled me as a musician chances are they’re not one them self.
Perhaps there should be another word for people like us. A music lover.
Ah yes, the music lovers, that shanty little group of people who belittle perfection.
It’s true, in fact I’m more likely to fall in love with a song just because it has heart felt lyrics then I am likely to fall in love with a flawless progressive rock symphony! Why would some one as simple as me bother with music they don’t understand, can’t sing to, can’t dance to; it’s empty sounding brass.
Now please don’t quote this back to me along with the insinuation that I don’t believe in professionalism. I do, it’s profound and highly commendable. What I don’t believe in is ripping a song to pieces because of its quality or because it’s a simple “3 corder”. I don’t believe in verbally bashing some one’s music when its clear they did it in their bedroom with some bogus recording program; overlooking a great song completely based on its quality. "heh"
I think there is a line to be drawn some where and I believe family composers have a pretty good balance and understanding of where that line is. And maybe what I lot of us don’t see, is that when we step over this line “spiritual inspiration vs mathematical perfection”, our audience will practically turn tail and run! Unless they are a musician, ah yes, that hand full of people will oooh and ahhh”, then they’ll take it home and either rip it apart, or they’ll try and come up with something better.
We straightforward listeners look for simplicity, inspiration. We look for a voice that speaks our thoughts.
So how do we begin concluding that some one is more then a musical perfectionist” and divinely anointed and capable of lifting our spirits to the Lord? Well it’s kind of hard to find a single example of some one who is professional yet completely anointed because there are so many! I’m a bit overwhelmed by the idea of picking just one fruit from our cornucopia of brilliant, musical saints.
I guess to make this faie I’ll just go ahead and state that it’s a personal friend of mine, we all win this way as you can conclude that I need to get out more and we can skip the beheading while I make more friends as musician’s all over the family decide they need to get to know me better. Huray!
There is no need for a drum roll, you probably already guessed my choice prospect, Niki Rudow. Ah yes, pretty soon this blog will turn into a club for Niki-lovers.
But think about it, Niki is a trained professional, but there is no doubt she is anointed, many of her songs speak to us on a personal level. She sheds sweet little tears almost each time she goes up to sing.
She probably doesn’t feel worthy or capable. The Lord uses these kinds of insecurity to his advantage.
Franchesco has some crazy gift as well. His songs leave me dazed; I tripped out watching him perform live at word stock.
Another sample and one of my all time favorite music guys is Jaz. Not many people know he is the mastermind behind some of Godfrey’s best songs. I guess he recognized that he did not yet have the “professionalism” needed to produce these songs so he turned them over to the greater mastermind. That in itself is a real sign of humility, it says “take the songs, we need them, the Lord gave them to me, I am just the messenger”.
This kind of selflessness is what earned the family a few more classics such as; some of my personal favorites “life of a missionary” “I’ll die when you die” and many more.
Music is a feeling in your heart that swells and grows and if your in touch with the spirit enough, will some times surface so that others can enjoy and be moved.
To me there are few things more physically or spiritually gratifying as when I am lying on my back feeling the warm sound of my acoustic guitar against my belly. Its simple, my guitar never tires harder then I do. I will never catch her trying to impress any one; she is honest and forthright. My relationship to my guitar has been one of the truest in my life.
On her back is carved some of my favorite music lovers; names like Elizabeth De Gallon, Jaz, Steven B, Chris G, even my brother Jaydee. As hard as I plead Sam drummer didn’t make it, I guess the powers knew he is a math man. I still feel the sing. As close a friend as he may be he always has failed me musically. “You didn’t even show up for my set at word stock man”!
I meant to get more names carved into my Michelle but it dawned on me that I didn’t know any one there. It would be a façade to tattoo just any of your boy friend’s names on your back”, I felt the same way about my guitar’s back.
Genuine is really what we should go for.
The song is old? So is the best wine. The song is flawed? What is a flaw but the white spot on the puppy’s ear that gave him his endearment? The singer’s awful? I’m listening to his words.
How many people were won to the Family through some average Jo musician? Both my parents were.
Let’s not discourage our music lovers people! Without them music has no pulse. Without them who will do more then scrutinize the mu? Who will be there just for the sake of coming inches away from your beating heart, who will genuinely love your sound oblivious to how it works? Who will there be to thrash themselves about and head bang riotously, or should I say righteously. NICE!

Wow, I just had a major revelation. You know how it says in the bible “calf and the lion together”? How about “the musician and the music lover together”?
Show some love
I love you Sam!

4 comentários:

thisisme disse...

I agree...

A few days ago I had a discussion with a musician about the same topic. He was insisting that those who can play more chords, or that can hit more notes, are better then those that may not be able to do as much but portray feeling in their music. In total, it was more to him that quantitiy and mathmatical theorem is the scale to base talent, not emotion.

I told him "Look man, Music is art correct? Just as much as painting, acting, writing or any other form of entertainment is art as well. In each of these categories there are two types of people: the mathmatical theorist and the one who is the true proprietor of being labeled a practitioner in his feild. Art is defined as taking the emotion that you feel at the time and portraying it to another and making them feel it as well. If somthing fails to do that, even if it is mathmatically perfect, it is not art and, therefore, has failed in its entire purpose of existence.
All artists be they writers, actors, painters, or musicians are in the pursuit of beuaty, of emotion, of what is defined as Art. The mathmeticians mearly theorise about their feilds, they are like those that talk about sex too much to practically enjoy it. If you work with art then be an artist, not a mathmatician."

Marie Clay disse...

wow, I couldn't have worded it better, nor did I. this should be a post of its own

Anônimo disse...

oh fun

crazynik disse...

oh I just love you hun...(and I don't deserve such nice things said about me.) Cheers to a fellow music lover
Huge hug and kiss