The Joy Of Music
Several weeks ago, my friend Laurie asked me if I'd like to come to her work and play for her clients. Now I sort of knew what Laurie does, in a general way. She works with people who are handicapped. When I got there, I was a little uncomfortable at first. Her clients all have some degree of mental disablility. Some are rather severe. I really couldn't understand what most of them were trying to say. I watched what she and her co-workers do for about a minute and was completely amazed. I have a new degree of respect for her. But I digress. This page isn't really about that. This is about music, and the effect that it has on people.

One woman in particular made an impression on me. She was blind, and has some degree of retardation, as well as some physical disabilty. When I started playing, she started clapping in perfect rhythm. I did some songs that I thought everyone could enjoy, and they all clapped at various speeds and seemed to enjoy themselves. But this one woman captured my attention. I played "Stormy Monday", and was very surprised when she started singing along with me. Later, I did "Over the Rainbow," and not only did she sing along, she sang harmony and knew where the key change was coming even before I did it. Mind you, this is my own arrangement of the song, and most people don't change keys in it. Laurie later told me that her father was a jazz musician.

By the end, any nervousness I had was gone. It was replaced by a feeling of satisfaction that for one hour, these people were having a good time. My music may have changed their lives in a tiny way for the better. I know mine has been.

Getting In The Spirit
Christmas is less than a week away. Still, somehow it seems like it's sneaking up on me. People keep asking, "Are you ready?" I guess the answer to that is more complicated than a yes or no.

If they mean have I done any shopping, then the answer is no. I really haven't put much thought into buying gifts and all the chaos that goes along with it. If they mean something else, well the answer is maybe. I've been doing Christmas Carols in my shows for a couple of weeks now. Not so much because I've been moved by them, but because it's sort of expected this time of year.

Then Sunday, something put me in more of a festive spirit. I was playing a gig at the Sierra Inn in Swain. There was a family who was having a private party in the big dining room. They were mostly adults, but there was a little girl with them who looked about 6 years old. She was dressed in a nice little holiday dress with fur collar and cuffs. She just looked Christmasy. I saw her pull up a stool and climb up it to examine the tray of cookies that was on a counter just above her natural reach. She seemed enchanted with the different shapes and colors. Later, I saw her eyes light up when I started to sing "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" She was just sort of bopping along to the music without a care in the world. Right then and there, the holiday spirit came over me. For all I know, this kid is a terrible brat, but at that instant, she was the epitomy of innocence. So much of Christmas has become tied up in what we get someone, or what someone gets us. It was heartwarming to see someone so joyous because of a song I was singing. She in turn gave me a gift she will never know she gave......the spirit of Christmas.

A Step Above
A while back I wrote a front page and stated how it seemed foolish to me that I spent a lot of money to see some big name acts when there is so much great local talent you can see for little or no cost. Well since then I've seen Winton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on Monday, and James Taylor on Wednesday. I now wish to retract my previous statement.

That's not to take anything away from the local talent, but I can't imagine how the other two shows could have been more enjoyable. Winton and James, while two very different types of musicians, are incredibly talented. There's a reason they can charge more for one ticket than a lot of local guys get for an entire gig: they're worth it.

Monotony
I heard a band play Sunday night. I don't even know what they called themselves. They were all in their early 20's I guess. I think they played more than one song, but I can't be sure. To me, it sounded like one long jam with no discernable melody to the song. I'm not saying they weren't talented. They obviously knew their way around their instruments. What got to me was their choice of music. No variety gets boring pretty quickly to me.

Actually, the whole jam band movement is lost on me. Maybe it's because I'm older than the average fan of the genre. Maybe it's because I don't use drugs. Whatever the reason, I have no use for ten minute guitar solos that don't advance the melody of the song.

Do you know what the Grateful Dead fan said when he ran out of dope? "Hey, this music sucks."

Last Minute Gig
This Sunday, December 11, Pete Collin and I will be playing an afternoon gig at the Sierra Inn in Swain, NY. We'll start around 4 PM. This is a cool little bar at the base of the mountain. If you want to unwind after an afternoon on the slopes, this is a nice place to do it. Great food without the ski resort prices. Thanks to Lynn Waite for recommending me.



On a separate note, I've joined myspace.com. It's a web community where people can post photos, music, blogs, and other personal stuff. Frankly, the only reason I did it is because a lot of other musicians are there and they recommended it. It seems like little more than a place to leave smartass comments about peoples' pictures, but nonetheless, I'm there at www.myspace.com/westguitar

Old Friends
I got an email today from an old friend. It's been a while since I've heard from her. She explained that she hasn't really kept up with her correspondence because she's been having a bit of a rough time lately. I'll spare you the details, but the bottom line is that she was reluctant to keep in touch because she didn't want to be a burden. My response is that if you can't burden your friends, then what good are they? It's easy to be someone's friend when times are good, but a true friend is the one who is still standing there with open arms when it all hits the fan.

This seems to be the week for old friends because I spoke with another old friend of mine yesterday. He grew up two houses up the street from me, and we were inseperable until his family moved out of state. Over the years we'd make contact on and off, but it wasn't unusual for us to miss a few birthdays or forget the Christmas card a few years in a row. Still, there was always that bond of early friendship that has lasted. We can go months without talking, and it still takes us about ten minutes to catch up and feel as if we're a couple of ten year old kids again.

At the end of the film, "It's a Wonderful Life," Clarence the angel leaves an inscription for George Baily: "No man is a failure who has friends."

What a great thought for the holidays.

The Treasure of Local, Live Music
On Wednesday, I served as M.C. for the fifth anniversary party of Daily Perks Coffee House in Rochester. There were about a dozen performances during the night. Styles ranged from independent rock to jazz to blues to country to classic pop, to poetry. There were performers in their teens and performers in their sixties. Some were professional musicians and some were simply open mic regulars. The variety was impressive.

While everyplace has its own unique groove to it, I don't think the amount of talent in Rochester is a unique phenomenon. Pick up any city's newspaper and you'll see all kinds of entertainment listed. There's lots to see and hear out there.

I recently bought two tickets for a concert by a big time star who is coming to town in a couple of weeks. I ended up spending over $100 for the tickets. The show at Daily Perks got me thinking about how foolish it is to spend that kind of money when there is so much entertainment available in the local community for a tiny fraction of the price. Don't get me wrong. If I could charge $50 a ticket to one of my shows and get anyone to show up, I'd sure do it. Until then, I think I'll make an effort to support some of the local talent that's out there struggling just like I am to make a buck or two doing what we love. I hope you'll do the same.

'Tis the Season
It's time to dust off the Christmas carols and get in the spirit. I don't mind it now that Thanksgiving has passed. In truth, I've been practicing some of them with my guitar students for a couple of weeks now.

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing a couple of Christmas shows, both solo and with Pete Collin. Pete and I have been doing these shows for a few years now, and they always get me in the mood for the holidays. Please check out my gigs page for a show near you and join me for some good cheer.

I am Thankful
I'm writing this on Thanksgiving morning. It's a little predictable, and perhaps a bit corny, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to reflect on my blessings.

First and foremost, my loved ones and I are basically healthy. That's huge! I'm also thankful that I more or less get to do what I love. I've worked jobs that I've hated before, and every day just sucks a little more life out of you. Being able to play music for a living is amazing.

In a more general sense, I'm thankful that I am an American. I've spent enough time in other countries to know that there is no place on earth as blessed as the U.S.A. That's not to run other places down, but there's just no other country that offers its citizens the opportunities for success the way we do. While I'm on this topic, I'm also thankful for the men and women who serve our country to ensure we have those opportunities. They are truly heros.

I hope that as you count your blessings, you find yourself as fortunate as I.

Lightning In A Bottle
There's a famous epidsoe of Seinfeld where George is insulted, but he thinks of the perfect comeback........two hours later. He goes to great lengths to recreate the situation so the offender can get his. Only it's just not the same.

A few years ago, I started going to an open mic every Sunday night. It's where I met a group of musicians whom I now count amoung my friends. For a while, we were all in situations where we could stay up late on a Sunday night just playing music and having a good time. Some of the best music I've played and most fun I've ever had were at those open mics. But things inevitably change. People get new jobs or enter relationships that force us to re-evaluate our priorities. The old gang isn't a staple there anymore.

I still go to that open mic, although not as frequently. It's not the same. There are new regulars, or sometimes just not many people at all. Occasionally one of the old gang will make an appearance and we'll reminisce about the good times. It's rare though.

I guess the moral is to make sure you take a moment to smell the roses. Appreciate the good times while they're happening because they are all too often fleeting.