O.K., folks. After my wife set me up to begin blogging last February, I’m finally posting my first blog. (She’s also the webmaster for my website and my personal creative feedback person, fellow creative, and best friend…. Thank you, my beloved.)
This blog will follow my adventures as a ‘creative’; that’s what I call someone who must create in some way, shape, or form of expression and share it with others on this journey called Life. My path as a creative involves music and language. I’m also a lover of good books and films and deep spiritual experiences, dialogues, and insights. I’m an appreciator of melody and harmony and how that shows up and is revealed along the way.
Last week was a powerful experience of that. What happened first on Thursday morning was a musically inspired meditation, sparked by a melody I spontaneously sang that was full of Spirit longing. This continued with images during my meditation. After meditation, I was compelled to get out my guitar with pen and paper and work on capturing the song that had begun to be revealed to me while sitting quietly. To view a chart for this song, click here. When I sang the newly birthed song for my wife, she cried. Thank you, Spirit for the blessing of music!
On Friday, I went to San Francisco with my good friend, Joe E., to hear the Neville Brothers and Dr. John in concert. Dr. John played a tight set and he’s an old pro. He even played electric guitar, complete with solo, on one song. That was a surprise. I didn’t know he played guitar along with keyboard. (I was in the right place, but it musta’ been the wrong time…) The Neville Brothers were tight and polished with in-the-pocket funky grooves, steamy sax playing, and soulful singing. The highlight for me was Aaron Neville singing a passionate version of Sam Cooke’s classic hit, Change Gonna Come.
I was so inspired by hearing Aaron sing live, that on Saturday, I decided to sing the same song for a gig I was scheduled to play on Sunday. So, I charted it and practiced singing it in Aaron’s style with the falsetto voice and tremolo tone. Wow, that ain’t easy to do! It is fun, though.
Finally on Sunday, I sang both my new song and the Neville-inspired tune at my monthly gig at a local area Science of Mind church. What really got my attention was the quietness of the congregation after I finished singing Beauty Rises Forth, my newly written song that was gifted to me in my meditation a few days earlier. I sensed that folks were sitting with the energy of the song in musical contemplation before responding with their appreciation. I was surprised by this audience pause and it was a powerful reminder for me about the impact that music from the heart and soul has on people.
Stay tuned for further adventures, ruminations, and observations. I will see where it goes from there.
