Learning in Action

Yesterday was a bit of a low energy day for me and I had the gig at Electric Maid.  A nice spot to perform but with no green room, the performer is exposed.  Good stuff for me to work with.  How to connect with arriving friends and keep a sense of myself and the intentions to which I aspire.  I was the second performer of the evening after a solo electric guitarist Jon Camp. 

Asking for help as I hit the stage the first piece began too quick.  The energy of Dancin' Free was bubbling and I held on for the ride.  Gathered Hearts was fine and The Call had a special quality hovering about.  Senseless Loss was intense, and Dandelion Wish was a bit sloppy.  Livin' the Dream appeared fine.   Scattered Hearts was also intense as it should be, but then I really began to notice my energy and focus was draining.

I had trouble beginning the next piece, Opening, and I fumbled in it a few times.  I began thinking of dropping the next piece Forget-Me-Knot as the emotional content of this piece hits close to home.  Forget-Me-Knot arrived in the aftermath of my Brother's death.  There was one other piece after this and then I could be off the stage.  Then I heard myself and I knew I must play the Forget-Me-Knot.  I must execute the set in the order written and maintain the balance of the music.  What was going on inside of me, I am not sure.  But with focus fading, and the mistakes within Opening, I suspect that fear was manifesting.  And it was, but the fear was not allowed to flower.  I learned and grew from it, and the last two pieces were played strong.

Photo by Jackie Moore

Live at the Electric Maid

 

Taking a break from practice this morning, I was organizing my desk when I came across my notes form Phillipe Petite's Creativity: The Perfect Crime.  Interesting character who does high wire walks outdoors.  One nugget I wrote down is territory is a three dimensional detail.  This holds true for a stage also.  As I'll be on one this coming Sunday night 4/12/15 at the Electric Maid beginning at 7pm, Petite got me thinking about the details.  Shall I perform standing or seated.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages for me.  What best serves the music is the question I must consider.  I have more freedom in my body when I stand & play, but for a 40 minute set my focus is better seated.  When I stand I sometimes I move into positions that compromise my playing, yet when I sit I stiffen.  Both could be an option, but would require a different set of details to be worked out.

Besides having some new material for this show I'll be joined by Naan Violence (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n4zQkEVAvs ) does wonderful sitar instrumentals, sometimes with drone and is on a label that specializes in cassette tapes and avant garde music. And Jon Camp (www.soundcloud.com/jon-camp or www.facebook.com/joncampmusic ) will be performing solo electric guitar instrumental compositions. One critic said of him "Jon Camp's short but fully formed compositions have a time traveling effect on the listener. These songs inhabit their own world...."

Overall a great night of music.  Come on out, support the artists and support the Electric Maid.  A bit about the Electric Maid - this is neither a bar nor a restaurant. Just a nice space to come out & hear live music.  Let's help to keep the doors open of this one of a kind venue located mere steps from the Takoma Park Metro Station.