Soul Music

After yesterday, I realize that the term "starving musicians" often comes from the fact that we musicians don't stop long enough to eat because we're SO caught up in what we're creating and working for!  We're consuming soul food at those times...and it feeds the fire in our bellies that 'drives' us from within... Several of us worked on various music projects throughout the day and in different collaborations.  Each was intense and all involving.... the last part of the day, though.... despite the weariness and a few hunger pangs, was an epiphany of musical development!!!  Read on.... :)

Yesterday also taught me that sounds, to me anyway, are music, and then melodies are a different kind of music, and therefore a series of sounds in arrangement.  We were working on putting my poem, Le Couer De Ma Vie, to music... and Andrew, the pianist, said he was just playing a series of sounds to begin with, and as the poem was narrated, these sounds turned into melody....  WOW!  I'm not professionally trained, and my music is shared more by passion and interest than by theory....  so, this was a whole NEW way of looking at musical accompaniment. Those sounds were music to my ear...Musical sounds versus musical melody...hmmmm.... Images in music... hmmm   Music creating imagery, exploding with words, thoughts, emotions... hmmmm

To me, as Andrew played, I heard the trembling fresh green leaves of the aspens quivering in the warmth of spring sun, and the rays filtered through the days of spring's renewal, evolving into evening twilight, from sun to moon glow, and then to northern lights... I heard waters trickling into rivers, and the birds and a whole choir of nature resound with joyous celebration of spring...and THEN the music began in earnest in a whole new way as the poem's imagery and theme began to transition into its middle point and rise to conclude with a celebration extraordinaire of music, imagery and full gratitude for life and living!  

Sounds...music....feeling...celebrating "moments within moments"... THAT's what keeps the music going!!!  In this case, it's what enhances each word, brightening the imagery, making it personal and real... bursting into life and light!

Days like this are the ones that make a person SING out LOUD for joy and dance a happy jig with the notes of every "sound" in the world around us...deep down into our souls, welling up into sunshine and light! :) 

I have to personally thank each and every one of the amazing people I am so blessed to work with and collaborate with.  You are each an inspiration in your own way and share so much with our world!!!