The Affair
During Christmas of 2010 my mama had me and my sisters take all of our baby books, pictures and other saved documents with us. Mama is the queen of purge, especially someone else's stuff. We did have a great time going through all the photos though, identifying them and getting the ones that would remain with her in order. During this walk down memory lane I came across some interesting info. I found out that I'd begun having an affair -- as a BABY!
Excellent record keeper that she is and with me being the first born, she kept some pretty good records. What lead me to discover the affair was in the 1st year baby book. Mama said "she doesn't respond much to lullabies and nursery rhymes, but prefers jazz." That's where it all began, my love affair with music.
I've said before that the first jazz I remember hearing was West Montgomery's album A Day in the Life. Coming up, me and later on my two sisters heard it ALL in our house. Every genre of music. My pops introduced me to Jose Felciano, Miles Davis and James Brown. We always had top notch stereo equipment in the house and musical instruments. My sisters and I all took a stab at piano and clarinet. My pops played guitar, my mom and baby sister have the voices. I guess me and the middle sister got the ears because playing was really of no interest but listening and concert going was our forte. Concerts in those days were not these $150.00 affairs you go to now. I think tickets to my first concert -- The Aqua Boogie Tour were like $15.00 for Parliament/Funkadelic no less. Needless to say I miss those days (for the ticket prices).
I have a great affinity for musicians and DJs. In fact I was once married to one. There were times when we were either broke or lazy and not wanting to go out and I would BEG him to spin some music. He would cave eventually and I would close my eyes and go to work on the living room turned dance floor. I would get lost in it.
I still do to this day.
I hear a lot about how the music today is wack, I've even said it myself "Oh I can't understand what he's saying". Or when everybody started doing the autotune thing, I'm like these people are not Peter Frampton, Roger Troutman nor Teddy Riley -- leave it alone. Yet the beauty of music today is our limitless access to it via technology. I've listened to music that I never would have come across on my own all thanks to technology. I don't think that tech killed the music business I think it's been a boon in fact, especially since radio actually DOES SUCK -- (I do not listen to it other than our local jazz station, WCLK who continues to produce QUALITY). The best part is, the discovery of it is FREE and the purchase of it in digital form is reasonable, if only concert ticket prices would follow.
So what are you getting at with this rambling post?
Music has marked every memorable as well as every mundane moment of my life. Music is something that often times I just close my eyes and get lost in. Music is that thing that is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes. Music gets me through the struggle and through the good times. Listening to it for me, is a spiritual practice always has been, always will be.
My wish is that everyone could hear music and feel it in their soul. Though that cannot be so, I would bet that if you listen to the Emperor Coltrane once -- you will be moved.
I bet the little girl in "sock it to me" shirt is listening to Coltrane on her daddy's reel to reel.
