Changes in music, changes in life
One of the greatest changes for me in moving to Southeastern Pennsylvania has been going from lake life to river life. Many of the natural settings I’ve used for my music videos are from New Hope, PA where I have lived for the last few years on the Delaware River. It’s been an inspiring area of the U.S.A. to live in. Life on the Delaware River is full of change and surprises. The river is never the same from season to season. I featured one of my favorite spots in “Goodbye River” and “River of Ice”.
When I began the music program at Bucks County Community College in the fall of 2021 I began several changes at once. It was the season of transition for me. A transition from a semi-professional musician to a professional musician. I had finally decide to give my dream all of my attention. On top of that I changed my principal instrument from the drum kit to the electric guitar. I had always dabbled in guitar and in 2013 I began taking private lessons which lasted on and off until I committed to the music program at BCCC.
My focus at school was on jazz guitar, a style of music known for “playing through changes”. It didn’t take long for me to experience how life lessons mirror music lessons. I had been both a student of the mind and a baseball player. I knew going in that mental activity is inseparable from movement. Even when the two appear separate, it is merely an illusion of attention. In both psychotherapy and baseball we devote intense mental study to guide the briefest of movements. Improvising through the simplest of ii - V - I chord progressions was no different. Life goals and playing music require we align and re-align our attention with our movement, constantly as we play through the changes.
Of course my professors made it look simple. However, for me following the simplest of rhythms, in time, could be a dubious task, let alone navigating chord changes while improvising. Timing is often, everything. One of the most helpful refrains delivered to me in class was to, “anticipate where you are going next”. Like a catcher who prepares to call out “first base” on a hit to right field or “second base” on a hit to left field. Be prepared, know the territory, and embrace uncertainty. There were many moments when my body lacked the strength, memory, or energy to get where I was going and I learned another valuable lesson; Practice, practice, and practice some more, all the while embracing the uncertainty of how and if you will get where you set your mind to.
The videos I’ve worked on since last November were created as I waited to begin my bachelor’s degree as part of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. My enrollment was delayed in September of 2024 and I had hoped to start in January 2025. As luck would have it, my house didn’t sell and here I am in May of 2025 going back on the market. I’ll keep practicing, recording, and blogging as I see how and where things unfold. If you are a fan of my music and would to contribute to my journey, please consider buying a DVD of my videos or making a donation. I’ll be posting about another music project soon!
