The next chapter

While its been a while since I've dedicated any time to posting my thoughts in more than a three line fb or tweet update, things have been in full swing. Over the past 5 months, I've surrounded myself around a group of talented musicians who compliment my writing style, and challenge me to explore other genre's that I traditionally haven't engaged.

My overall mood is one of gratefulness. I'm in a time of transition, new experiences and challenges which always strikes the chords deep inside me that usually brings feelings, moods, and thoughts to paper in some form of song. Whether or not they make it to the studio or just another healthy soul cleansing is yet to be determined.

I've questioned if anyone is interested. I've questioned if I have a story interesting enough to captivate an audience. I've questioned whether or not I care! I do and I don't. I do to the point that it would be cool if someone did, I don't in that I'm not going to let that stop me from moving forward.

So here is to what will be. I'm looking forward to this next chapter and thankful for all the previous and the lessons I've learned! It is with a grateful heart that I say thank you to each and every person who has been involved in my daily transformation!

A preview of whats to come:

"With time comes more gray, with more seconds, another day, another year, and all I fear!
With You comes the truth, with love, a reason to move, from this past, follow and trust this will last!" je

Some time!

I haven't blogged in a while, so way to much to write about.

Partnered with a new musician, then things flipped and confirmed with me again why I have to move forward in this with me and my wife, and all the other pieces move in and out. I'm blessed to have worked with all the talented people I've worked with thus far, but no one knows more of what I want than me and it seems I have a tough time painting that picture to others. I have this wonderful little concert in the middle of my brain, yet my fingers don't know how to make some of the sounds that I hear, but my mouth doesn't know how to explain what those sounds are much better than my fingers. So I will continue to teach my fingers one note at a time what to do, slow going unfortunately, but none the less, forward motion, the end is in sight, and I'm positive it will be quite wonderful when I get there! If not, then I'll laugh at myself for making a bigger deal over peanuts! Peace and God Bless!!

je

songs

currently working on several new songs, and their feel, purpose, and overall mood matches everything else that has been flowing out of my busy brain over the past 3 months. while it matches everything in the recent past, the songs that were before this latest break were and still are very different on most levels. I'm not sure if that has to do with a maturing process, increased knowledge of my craft, or just a season, but I feel like I'm starting to define my sound and that is the one thing I've had the most trouble with. I listen to and enjoy so many different genre's of music, i move in and out of different ones when I'm writing, which is fine for self therapy, not so great when you are trying to market and define your music to people. So here is excitement that I've found my yolk, and hope that people that are looking for sounds and words that come out of that will find me.....

Axes

I've played tons of guitars over the years. There is so much to know about them and the different sounds each make. I truly am a life long student. I am very satisfied with my current arsenal which includes Taylor, Fender, Ovation, Univox, Washburn, and Yamaha. Like any collection, there are still some holes that need to be filled somewhere in the future. Among those are a 1. Telecaster Deluxe, preferrably white to match my strat, but I could live with one of fenders pastel colors as well 2. Gold Top Les Paul with P90 pickups like the 56's 3. Taylor Full Orchestra Cut away KOA guitar (absolutely gorgeous sounds) 4. Gibson j-200, the older the better!! 5. All original Early 60's Strat (color doesn't matter) There's probably a few more that I could mention, but those are probably my top 5 in no particular order.

Today or Tomorrow

It's easy to get caught up with the idea of tomorrow. I am constantly pushing and planning and analyzing what’s next. There are tons of books that will teach you the best and newest way to seize it. I can’t say I’ve read many, but I’ve scanned a few, but I am guilty as any of overlooking what’s in front of me. While sitting here, staring back at me on my laptop screen is a picture of my daughter and son. A quick reminder for what all the pushing and planning is for. Its pictures like these and simple glances that I get from my children or wife that reminds me not only to slow down and enjoy today, but its during these moments that the I’m most creative and its easiest to capture moments and put them to paper. Literally in the middle of this blog, my daughter asked me who was going to tuck her in, and told her nobody, only to look back at my words, eat some crow, and chase her up the stairs and show her who’s most important to me. The rest will work its way out, and the moments that I didn’t let tomorrow control are the one’s I’ll remember.

The Difference

I’ve been skimming a book for the past year. I pick it up and read bits and pieces of it from time to time. It really is one of my favorites. The author is the pastor of a church that isn’t so sure that the church as a whole is as relevant as they should be. I don’t mention the name of the book or the author because what I get out of it might not be at all close to what the books motive is. None the less, there is a statement in the book that says “I knew it was time to do my own thing when I realized I didn’t care how big it got.” He would have been just as happy with 20 likeminded people meeting in someone’s living room every week as he would have been with 10,000 likeminded individuals meeting in some building. I’ve come to this same conclusion with my music. The number of people that are eager to listen doesn’t change the fact that I’ve got something to say and I choose to say it through music! With that being said, several thoughts pop into my head. 1. Who do I choose to listen to? 2. Why do I listen to them? 3. How does it affect me? Those are questions I’m asking myself and the substance of my next few blogs. Do you ask yourself these questions, and what are the answers if you do……? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Writers Block

As a songwriter, ideas seem to come in waves for me, some are complete thougths, some snap shots, it seems that the snap shots end up in a multi volume notebooks full of cool phrases and incomplete stanza's. After the waves stop, I ultimately go back to these phrases and try to finish or complete the idea. In the past, the ones that I have finished end up being subpar material full of cute wording that lacks substance and heads to the chopping block. A very small few end up making the cut and turning into something worth sharing. I'm getting to the point where I would just assume leave them alone if they didn't come to me in completion, but I worry that there's an idea or phrase that could turn into something much bigger than me. What would you do with these ideas if you were in my shoes, or maybe you wear a pair similar to mine and have the same problem.