I remember reading a quote by Ray Charles once in which he said music was a necessity of life for him, like food or water. It was an integral part of his very being. I may not play an instrument or sing (at least not in public!) but I can recognize mastery in others. I want to share with you a few of the musicians, singers and songwriters who bring music to life for me with their extraordinary gift for expressing my deepest feelings, longings and dreams.
When my children were young, they were lucky enough to have Duncan Addison as a piano teacher. Duncan embodied music. It flowed from every cell of his being. Watching him play the piano, teach students or conduct a choir was like watching joy in motion. Although he has since passed away, I smile every time I think of his boundless love of music and how eager he was to share that love with everyone he met.
Last week, one of my favorite local musicians was playing in our city square. Juneyt is originally from Turkey and is one of the most gifted and versatile guitarists I’ve ever met. He seems equally at home playing popular cover songs as he is performing challenging flamenco pieces, many of which are his own compositions. He recently released his debut album, Ocean, and is already making plans for a second one. Naturally, given that I dance flamenco, that’s the music that makes me sit up and take notice.
He leans forward over his guitar, caressing it like a lover, body swaying with the melody, fingers alternating between tapping the wood and deftly picking at the strings. The haunting sound and increasing intensity of the rhythm cause the rest of the world to fall away and all that remains are the soulful vibrations – of passion and of life.
Another local singer and songwriter who is making a name for herself is Sue Baker Proud. The joy and ease with which she sings fills my heart with light, and her lyrics seem divinely inspired. In remembrance of 9/11 and her visit to Ground Zero, she wrote Only Love Remains. The first time I heard it, I was moved to tears.
Sue is working on her first CD and will be performing on October 2 at 1:30 p.m. at The Museum in downtown Kitchener. She will be singing a song she wrote as the result of a silent auction bid for the Dream for Uganda event.
Recently a friend sent me a link to a trio of breathtaking singers, Il Volo. Just teenagers, when these three Italian tenors start to sing, audiences are spellbound. Where do these powerful voices come from? I delight in the obvious joy they feel when singing, and the twinkle in their eyes in anticipation of the audience’s reaction.
How blessed we are that these artists (and others like them) exist! The pleasure they bring into the world is two-fold: they’re doing what they love to do, and we get the joy of listening to them!
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Dream BIGGER 