Values in the Classroom: People
One thing I hope to do more often, but briefly, is to share occasionally some thoughts on how we can seek to about pursuing the mission of the academy in a unified way. I’d like to spend the next few weeks going through our values. The values of an organization should permeate everything it does. […]
Nothing New Under the Sun
There is nothing new under the sun, but sometimes it can be memorable and powerful to speak old truths in new ways through song. Many people thing that money and possessions, and enjoying those things naturally go together, that surely if you’ve got money and you’ve got stuff that you will enjoy it. But […]
What Can We Learn from Jarret’s Jeering?
Keith Jarrett is a beautifully artistic musician. His music is so excellent it deserves our attention. And he certainly deserves to be acknowledged for both his discipline and the art he brings to the world. But I would like to suggest that we can learn something from his annoyance at the people he makes music […]
Busking is Our Art in the Streets, Not Begging for Cheese
I still remember when Erykah Badu first hit the charts. At least I remember hearing Tyrone. And I loved it. I thought it was unique, soulful, and powerfully expressive. We came across this today: Erykah Badu singing in the streets of New York; singing for money. The title of this article is quite provocative and […]
Mitchell and Mystery in the “S” factor
One of my favorite components of music is the “s” factor. Telling a powerful story is an art all in itself that some musicians and lyricists have just got in ways that make the rest of us sink back in our favorite chair in awe, disbelief— maybe even if we are honest— in jealousy. I know, […]
Horn Playing as a Spiritual Activity
Tom Harrell, undoubtedly one of the most prolific, beautifully artistic, and technically stellar trumpet players alive today sees horn playing as being a spiritual activity and discipline. This short little clip from his interview for Sound Tracks on PBS is worth the watch, if nothing else because Tom Harrell is a musician you should get […]
Breath and the Spirit
In my first post on this subject, Horn Playing as a Spiritual Activity, I addressed the fact that many musicians have at least thought about a connection between playing a wind instrument and spiritual activity or discipline. Today I’d like to touch on a key truth that we should all understand as horn players. […]
Shedding In the Street?
Can regular time in the shed (the practice shed) actually be a problem? In The Tuned In Musician I muse a bit on one possible negative impact of regular disciplined music practice. Of all people, realize that in no way do I intend to discount the value of music practice as a discipline. On the […]