Everything In Between

Why we play and a glimpse of what's to come.

40 Ocean Studios

A Music Theorist, a Philosopher and a Psychologist walk into a bar...

Why do we play? For me it has always been natural. From the first moments as a child sitting at the piano, releasing those first few notes seemed the only thing. Their potency was unmatched, especially to the near blank slate that was my musical mind at 4 years old. Music was vast and mysterious to me then. For almost a decade after those nascent notes I expressed and felt music only by feel, a seemingly natural extension of my own emotional state and developmentally concurrent with learning to speak English. Growing up 'speaking' music allowed me a fluency with it later in life, of which I am so grateful.

Just as we learn of verbs, nouns, conjunctions, gerunds and participles I began to hear and understand intervals, triads, scales, tensions and rests. The more I discovered the more I hungered. There was a moment I will never forget; I had decided, after a tumultuous time of feeling quite directionless, to change schools and pursue music as a career. To this point in my life I had done quite a bit of personal study into music theory but never with the consistency and depth required by an academic institution. I told myself I would devote my conscious mind to thinking, speaking and exploring music theory. I would be 'in it' all the time. It was difficult at first, facing the holes in my knowledge base but I persisted and read, wrote and dreamt of music.

As I delved deeper the theory began to take new shape and meaning. Other areas were illuminated, other questions asked. Where did this system come from? Why do I feel as I do about a particular style of music? What color is that chord? Does everyone hear as I do? Why do we play? The answers to those questions (I'm still working on answering most of them) lead me to other fields of study; philosophy, psychology, spirituality and history.

While I am a professional musician by day, as with many of us the practice, study and perfection of our art never stops. Studying music has allowed me the most beautiful introspection and allows me to continue to know myself day by day, moment to moment. The opportunities, people and places I have encountered because of music are boundless. As I continue my study and journey I hope to give a home here to my personal philosophy of music, love, life and everything in between.

So why do I play? Because regardless of my ability or knowledge level it has always felt right. It settles my mind, relaxes by body and calms my often bubbling emotions. A friend commented "You're so free." about my guitar playing and to me this was the highest form of praise. It is what we all seek in some form or another, an ability to feel wholly connected with the moment and the action. A removal of all barriers that our egos and society imposes upon us detracting us from being present. Finally the old adage: Where words fail, music speaks. For me there is no better medium with which to express myself. Whether teaching, writing, performing or arranging music I find a nuance, a je ne sais quoi where I can frame a feeling or thought most exactly and elegantly.

Writings on the wall

In addition to music I hope to highlight some other passions of mine as time allows. I practice yoga and meditation daily. These have permeated deeply into my ethos of music. I enjoy fantasy novels (usually of inordinate length), reading and writing poetry, painting and sketching. Slack line for balance, distance running for endurance. I could devote an entire blog to my love for the ancient game of Go (What is Go?), chess and other games of strategy. Cooking on my collection of cast iron cookware provides a chance for a symphony in every dish and of course life would be incomplete without one more tattoo.

Whatever your medium I hope you enjoy my small intellectual and spiritual garden here and thank you for taking the time to read and explore. I will be posting weekly so stay tuned, subscribe and feel free to comment!

Album Suggestion of the Week:

The Antidote

Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band

#helloworld #whyweplay