Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Artist Never Stops

Now that I have a moment...

Let me catch up... I have just finished my second year at Ky GSA (link on the right) and it was a fantastic experience once again.

The only thing that I have to say is that this world is full of mediocrity and it takes something like this program to remind you that raw, unharnessed talent still exists.  It is just misdirected into public acceptance.

Yes, I do believe that we should pander to our audiences... and that we are servants to our craft... but that isn't the reason why any of us got into this world.

We got into it because we want to express ourselves!!!  Yes, do justice to those who came before you... but they are gone and you have to pick up the torch.


Stop waiting for permission and take the risk... because if you don't.. it is your story that you never told.


My experience these past few weeks has reminded me of where I come from and who I've met and what I've seen.

I got to recently play some tunes with the great pianist Harry Pickens and it reminded me that when you play with a musicians with such experience and such depth musically, and in Harry's case, human wisdom...he is a very heavy person who has been around the block a few times... he is quite experienced in life...  to be around someone like that... and the countless others... Dave Taylor, Dave Liebman, Markowitz... the list goes on... at such a young age for me... really left an impression on how this world is.

To find a photo recap of the last few weeks, please visit Smugmug

(you can browse the entire program and all of the incredible pictures taken by Kevin Flores)

peace and love before I head out to the military world that is Ky marching band.