musical musings

After we'd put this week's edition of the BluePaper to bed, Dennis, Rhonda and I sat down together for our weekly post production "staff meeting" at the Meteor.

It was good to have Rhonda back at the bar after her year long staff meeting sabbatical to have her new baby boy. Dennis and I both agree that she adds a touch of graceful elegance to the proceedings.

Anyway, they watch TV at the Meteor the same way I used to (back when I actually did watch TV) sound down, music up. I was on my way to resume my stool after "seeing a man about a horse" when I glanced at the TV that was set to the weather channel. Somewhere in America it was snowing like hell and as it does sometimes when I see snow scenes, that Michael McCloud lyric, ". . .I'd rather be here just drinkin' a beer than freezing my ass off up north. . ." smiled through my mind.

When I got back to the meeting my focus shifted, for a second, to something Aerosmith rockin' on the box and unconsciously my left hand mimicked the lick on an air guitar that wasn't there. Always impressively observant, Rhonda caught me doing it and asked if I played guitar. I told her I did and she wondered, after all the time we've known each other, why she didn't know that.

I explained that in Key West, no one really does and while I used to work on stage up north, now I only play for my own peace of mind. (like Sherlock Holmes playing his violin)

Well, I was doing exactly that a few days ago when I decided to change out the strings on the old D-50. While I was getting it done I thought back to a recent conversation I'd had with friend and famous sax-man, Marty Stonely about creative expression.

We agreed that whatever creative medium we were into; be it sax or guitar playing, painting or writing, taking photographs or shooting video; the energy invested in the creative expression is always constant and uniquely personal.

hmm. . . I mused as I tuned up my new strings, if the energy is a conscious constant, regardless of the medium employed, then the relationship between individual forms of creative expression must be inherently harmonic. . .

. . .and, with just a touch of design sense, I concluded, all the 8 or 9 mediums I work with could be brought to a single stage, a paradigm performance as an orchestra.

If I didn't lose you along the way there, you'll understand that I've discovered a new creative direction for the new year.
So, as we say at the BluePaper, "stay tuned". . .