I so love the moments when music melts away what separates us and let us experience this oneness with all who are present. It is such a powerful feeling and reminds me why I do what I do. I feel so lucky that I get to create/share experiences like that in my work. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does, it is tremendous.
The very last shows of 2019 at The Jazz Gallery was Gretchen Parlato’s “the stars or space between.” It was commissioned by The Jazz Gallery as part of our Fellowship program and Gretchen premiered the suite this past weekend on Friday and Saturday.
The music explores the polarity and symbiotic relationship of things that seem opposite. It was personal and honest and adventurous and incredibly beautiful. She took us on a journey which made us realize how we are all the same despite our differences. Songs sprung out of her experiences and struggles of being a new mother is the one many of us can relate to regardless of where you come from and where you stand; feeling of losing oneself and then finding oneself is what we all go through in different stages of our lives no matter what languages we speak.
At the end of the very last set, we all held our breaths and sat in complete silence for a good three seconds (which is a very long time) before the audience side of the room broke out into passionate applauds. I think we were all literally stunned by what we just experienced collectively and that we needed to come back down to earth, so to speak.
I sat in the middle of The Gallery for three out of four sets that we presented. It was palpable when the energy of the room began to come together and moved with the music and stories it was weaving. Each set felt slightly different partly because we had different sets of people with different energies in the audience but I can tell you that for 75 minutes we sat together, our energy merged and we felt something together. We felt things that binds us: love, fear, doubts, breakdowns, breakthroughs, pure joy, and compassion. I think we were all so encouraged and energized by all that we were feeling. We were reminded of our humanity and it felt good to soak in it, albeit for a short period of time. You might think that I am being a bit dramatic but I’m telling you that I saw it in the glowing smile on every face as they were leaving The Gallery. Oh yeah, cathartic is the word I’m looking for.
Music can be powerful and the role of artists play is so very important. Ever so more now because we live in the time we live in.
We find ourselves in the midst of divisiveness at the level that I haven’t witnessed in my lifetime. Social media escalates what’s happening. At times, it feels like we all exists in small bubbles and we lost touch with each other completely. The world we live in seems so isolating and lonely through our computers and devices. I know that technologies that are supposed to bring us together and foster understanding are actually making us lonelier than ever. We are losing compassion and tolerance. But I don’t feel that way when I’m at most live music events.
When an artist is honest and open and willing to share with us the audience, I feel good about being human and being alive. At some shows, I feel so fortunate to have witnessed whatever has just happened. I can believe in the goodness of people and I am hopeful. I honestly believe that music is a powerful force for positive change in the world. Artists can bring out universal understanding and connection by digging deeply inward.
And this is my thoughts at the end of 2019. Things seem dark and desperate on many days but I also know so many torch bearers who light our ways with their music. Thank you for the work you do and for giving us the lifeboats. If you are not an artist, that’s OK. Come out to a concert, any concert, and spend time with real humans and share your energy. It will do you good. Really good.