Funny How Things Change

I moved to Olympia from New Hampshire in August 2006, after living for three years in a town that had NO Funk bands. Added to that was the fact that I had no car to transport myself to meet musicians in other towns. I spent a lot of time alone, practicing acoustic guitar and writing solo fingerstyle picking songs.

When I moved here, I had high expectations that I would join an established group of friends and musicians, and that we would collaborate in putting together a Funk/Jazz/Soul band. That hasn't manifested, leaving me feeling pretty disappointed and bitter for a few minutes. But life offers opportunities in many disguises, this is a lesson I have faced often. I have continued to forge forward, finding my own voice and passion in Blues and Funk music. I realize that I can't lean on others to make my life successful, it's really a matter of dedication and hard work. Of course, when the time comes to form a band, it will be nice to trust that everyone is into the music and each other.

Learning a Musical Language

Practice, practice, practice...for hours, days, weeks, months, etc. That's great for getting technical facility on the guitar (or whatever instrument one plays). But what about the particular musical genre/style? It's like learning to speak another language, absorbing the different voices and regional differences that comprise that music style. Then there's the aspect of "hearing" the music in a deeper way that allows the musician to converse with others in that style.

That's the level I'm seeking to attain, one where I can "feel" the spirit and become one with the music as I'm playing it. I watch other musicians who have that spirit and, to me, they seem to "own" the moment while they're playing; they're not just playing a bunch of licks strung together, hit-or-miss, but they're raising the music to a higher level by feeling the spirit of it. So it's not so much a matter of technical skill as it is a dedication to the soul of the music