Whew! Back from Dallas, where my mother, sister, and I spent Thanksgiving with my brother Brian, sister-in-law Cheryl, and new–and first-ever–nephew, Samuel. This trip down there was my introduction to Sam, and I must say, he”s cute as a button. Handsome, too, and with gobs of personality. I would go so far as to say that, when it comes to all-around, world-class winsomeness, this little guy has monopolized the market. He”s certainly got his mom and dad wrapped around his little finger, not to mention his grandma and aunt. As for me, well…”Uncle Bob” (gotta get used to that concept!) found himself feeling unashamedly moist around the eyes as he sat there in the couch, looking down at that sleeping little black-haired baby boy cradled in his arms.
This is my third blog posting on a website dedicated to jazz and the saxophone, and frankly, I don”t feel like writing about either. Music, after all, is just a slice of something much larger called “life,” and at its best, music gives voice in some way to what life is about.
When I was a young man, I defined so much of life, and myself, by music. I saw through a very narrow lens. But the lens has grown much bigger as I”ve gotten older. My playing has improved–but more importantly, by the grace of God, so have my heart and my outlook on life. A long history of shaping experiences somehow filters in to inform the stuff I play and–when I slip on my singer/songwriter hat–the songs I write, infusing them with an added dimension, a richness I hope my listeners can feel.
In a strange way, as music becomes less consuming, it becomes more meaningful. The less that music is its own message, the more it has something to say. It becomes a voice for many things. In some way, from now on, little Samuel will find his way to and through my horn. Not through any conscious effort on my part, I”m sure. But there will be a little more gentleness, an added dash of laughter, an extra playfulness, a deeper sense of wonder, and a touch of sadness as well, all with Sam”s wide, innocent brown eyes behind them.
Life is a long song. May we play it sincerely, passionately, and well.
L’chaim!
