Shut up and play!

Shut up and play!

These are words are repeat to myself at random times when the slough of despond overcomes me.

As a performing musician I assume the pleasant responsibility of continually preparing for my next concert. Much of my writing in this Blog will concentrate on the experience of living and working in a temporal artform.

The emotional roller coaster of my musical work--preparing, reviewing, marketing, selling and then delivering the goods--proves both envigorating and exasperating. After 30 years of doing this stuff, I find myself surprised when I observe cyclical patterns in the process. The zealous enthusiasm of new projects that seem to scream out for all my attention; followed by the archeological unearthing of new insight or detailed awareness as I try to dig deep into music that feels so vital and important; and then finally, I must forget it all again in the sweep of the moment as the learnings sythesize into a larger whole and the music is put forth to an audience.

So through it all, no matter the inner dialogue of voices critical or disparaging, or even frustration that my dogs have run off again and I must fetch them from the city's Department of Animal Services--my mantra remains, "Shut up and play!"