I hadn’t planned to take a two week break from blogging to start 2021, but here we are. It’d be nice to say it was some sort of social media cleanse – because that sounds like a rather trendy, yet smart, thing to do – but it wasn’t. Truth is, I’ve been tired. Getting through …
Part of the reason I enjoy Word Wednesday is that it gives me a good excuse to go back through dusty old digital folders looking for something to post. Sometimes, that’s all I find. Other times, it’s like opening a time capsule into where my head was at during a particular time. This one comes …
Apologies to my thousands of readers for my absence over the last week or so. Allow me to explain. Or perhaps I should follow the advice of the great philosopher Inigo Montoya and just sum up? I spent most of last week trying to catch up, and then get ahead, so that I could enjoy …
The story of learning to play bass is a strange combination of curiosity, necessity, hubris, and stupidity. I was leading the band at church and we always had trouble finding and keeping bass players, which I was later to find out is a common thing everywhere. A good bass player is like a good plow …
When it comes to reinventing the blues while not losing one ounce of where it all came from, I don’t think there’s anyone else doing it better than Fantastic Negrito (@MusicNegrito). Without apology or exception, he keeps pushing expectations and the idea of what the blues can be. Oh, and did I mention he also …
Miles Davis was a fascinating person. A titan among musicians, insightful, mysterious, cool – he had the whole package working. This morning, my mind got wound up early after watching this story from Herbie Hancock. When it comes to music, I’ve always leaned towards playing too many notes. I’m sure why, but that’s my natural …
The Friday Five is a semi-regular feature here on the blog where I post about some things from the past week that I’ve enjoyed reading, listening to, watching, or am just thankful for. Cory Wong – “Sidestep” (live) I’m probably wicked late to this party, but better late than never. Damn is this funky! Cory …
The Friday Five is a list of things that I’m thankful for, inspired by, or have found interesting over the last week. #1 – Ibrahim Maalouf – S3NS … This listening recommendation came by way of a Tim Ferriss newsletter. Maalouf is a French-Lebanese trumpeter and composer that combines a variety of musical styles and …
There are times when I’ll have music on while writing. It can be a pleasant way to add a little life into the room, drown out whatever might be happening outside – a bit of functional white noise. Sometimes, the rhythm works its way into the poem itself and I find myself typing as fast …