By Matt Lavelle
Whew!
You have to hit the ground running when you're in the midst of the grand transition.In an attempt to create an actual functioning life of music I'm dashing through the snow to leap over old worn out rope bridges over caverns to try and reach my holy grail.An actual stable life in music.
It's OK though,.I have a plan.
Having just spent 2 weeks in Europe with Sabir Mateen's OMNI-SOUND,.I have seen things I previously only have seen in dreams.I didn't even know that buildings still existed from the year 1267,.but there I was in a church in Germany from that long ago.Then in Florence Italy,.they took it to the level known as next when I found myself literally standing over ruins from ancient Rome that were overtaken by a flood.Even the Hotel I was in was over 800 years old.People think that Jazz folks are carried away with TRADITION? Let's see how we're playing 1,000 years from now.When it comes to tradition,.Europe has America knocked out cold.
Can't say I didn't like it though.I LOVED it.When I meet people that actually care about the important things in life,know how to take their time and live their lives without having to hustle 24/7 to survive, I take notice,.and understand why the exodus of Jazz musicians to Europe has been happening for so long.It's not easy to get music happening in Europe as I'm starting to learn,.but maybe folks can breathe a little easier,.and write a little more music,.without having the gun of survival pointing at them before they go to sleep and as soon as they wake up.A world where music comes first somehow.I would love and plan to increase the dynamic of my relationship to the world,.and cant help thinking of Europe as way to do it.As I flew back from Milano,.I thought to myself “I will escape the cultural death of New York."
Strong words,.but I'm feeling them more than ever as I'm waiting to start training for a new day gig next week.I just have to make it there intact..
Let's see...New York City...Christmas time...Tourists...(I just was one)
YES! I will head down to the subway and play Christmas tunes.It's too cold to play brass outside,.and it would be just weird on Bass Clarinet.I'll take the flugelhorn downstairs and try to smooth it out with the Little Drummer Boy,the Faithful,those who want to spread Joy to the world,Frosty,and of course my man Rudolph.Rudy has grown up quite a bit,.but still has that red nose to guide Santa's sleigh.I asked him to put in a good word for me with Santa to hook me up with my next gig.I just gotta focus on music full time Santa,.I just gotta..
To get to this platform to try and jump to the next,I had to go get memories that will last a lifetime and take years to process.The music and playing with master musicians will always be the first thing I cherish.Along the way I received the gifts of other perspectives without my NYC blinders on.I know Jazz musicians have trooped through Europe for decades,but this was all new territory for me,and far far away from the galaxy of Washington Heights.I encountered the style and grace of Munich.The quiet but determined Marberg.The down home folks in Bayreuth.Prague on the edge.The Ancient traditions of Florence.The view in Varese.The concert hall in Milano.These things taught me many things,.however it was the beautiful people I encountered that taught me so much more.The best thing I learned is that is that there is a common good in all people,.and I sensed hope that one day we actually will all get together and move on.I hope to be there on the front line when it actually happens,.maybe towards the end of this lifetime around 2050.
Now to just get there intact.Wherever I'm supposed to be,I hope I can just stay on the path and get there.Through that Transition.
I know that when I do get there,.another destination out will appear on my star chart soon enough.
Whew!
You have to hit the ground running when you're in the midst of the grand transition.In an attempt to create an actual functioning life of music I'm dashing through the snow to leap over old worn out rope bridges over caverns to try and reach my holy grail.An actual stable life in music.
It's OK though,.I have a plan.
Having just spent 2 weeks in Europe with Sabir Mateen's OMNI-SOUND,.I have seen things I previously only have seen in dreams.I didn't even know that buildings still existed from the year 1267,.but there I was in a church in Germany from that long ago.Then in Florence Italy,.they took it to the level known as next when I found myself literally standing over ruins from ancient Rome that were overtaken by a flood.Even the Hotel I was in was over 800 years old.People think that Jazz folks are carried away with TRADITION? Let's see how we're playing 1,000 years from now.When it comes to tradition,.Europe has America knocked out cold.
Can't say I didn't like it though.I LOVED it.When I meet people that actually care about the important things in life,know how to take their time and live their lives without having to hustle 24/7 to survive, I take notice,.and understand why the exodus of Jazz musicians to Europe has been happening for so long.It's not easy to get music happening in Europe as I'm starting to learn,.but maybe folks can breathe a little easier,.and write a little more music,.without having the gun of survival pointing at them before they go to sleep and as soon as they wake up.A world where music comes first somehow.I would love and plan to increase the dynamic of my relationship to the world,.and cant help thinking of Europe as way to do it.As I flew back from Milano,.I thought to myself “I will escape the cultural death of New York."
Strong words,.but I'm feeling them more than ever as I'm waiting to start training for a new day gig next week.I just have to make it there intact..
Let's see...New York City...Christmas time...Tourists...(I just was one)
YES! I will head down to the subway and play Christmas tunes.It's too cold to play brass outside,.and it would be just weird on Bass Clarinet.I'll take the flugelhorn downstairs and try to smooth it out with the Little Drummer Boy,the Faithful,those who want to spread Joy to the world,Frosty,and of course my man Rudolph.Rudy has grown up quite a bit,.but still has that red nose to guide Santa's sleigh.I asked him to put in a good word for me with Santa to hook me up with my next gig.I just gotta focus on music full time Santa,.I just gotta..
To get to this platform to try and jump to the next,I had to go get memories that will last a lifetime and take years to process.The music and playing with master musicians will always be the first thing I cherish.Along the way I received the gifts of other perspectives without my NYC blinders on.I know Jazz musicians have trooped through Europe for decades,but this was all new territory for me,and far far away from the galaxy of Washington Heights.I encountered the style and grace of Munich.The quiet but determined Marberg.The down home folks in Bayreuth.Prague on the edge.The Ancient traditions of Florence.The view in Varese.The concert hall in Milano.These things taught me many things,.however it was the beautiful people I encountered that taught me so much more.The best thing I learned is that is that there is a common good in all people,.and I sensed hope that one day we actually will all get together and move on.I hope to be there on the front line when it actually happens,.maybe towards the end of this lifetime around 2050.
Now to just get there intact.Wherever I'm supposed to be,I hope I can just stay on the path and get there.Through that Transition.
I know that when I do get there,.another destination out will appear on my star chart soon enough.
