Musicians and Money

I book a small concert series - Cambridge Drive Concerts - and we've been blessed to present scores of amazing musicians, both touring folk and locals.  I'd be hard pressed to pick favorites.  We do our money more or less like a house concert, have no guarantee, and frankly the musicians don't walk away with very much.  We have a small but very appreciative listening audience, excellent equipment, and the sound is as good as you'll hear anywhere.  And I try to be as hospitable as I can.  All that said, I've had musicians with reputations who should never play a venue that small and others who simply could not afford to book our venue given the above parameters.  I certainly understand their position.  They are out there on the road sharing their music and trying to make a living.

On the other hand, I do struggle philosophically with the idea of being a "professional artist" or even owning one's "product" as a musician or painter or whatever.

Here's a TED talk by Amanda Palmer that addresses some of my struggles in an interesting way... What do you all think of what she has to say?

dancing about architecture

Steve Martin reportedly once said that "talking about music is like dancing about architecture." I understand that. Music can be described and analyzed. There are rules and formulas that can be written down and passed on. There are techniques that can and must be learned in order to make music. Still, when it is all it should be, music becomes a spiritual experience that truly is beyond words... indeed, if what we say with music could be said with words, we'd do that. But we can't because there are things that must be communicated that are beyond words. So we make music. And music - vibration/harmony/melody/rhythm - is built into the very fabric of creation.

Zoe Keating is a cellist who makes sublime music using a cello and looping technology. This video is a short interview where she talks about her music and expands upon the ideas implicit in the Martin quote.

Christian Music?

The other day I was talking with someone about the Cambridge Drive Concert Series and the person asked me whether or not we presented Christian music.

It is a curious question, isn't it? I answered, "no," but now I wonder whether that was the right answer. I'm not entirely sure what the question means. In my theology, to be "Christian" involves a commitment to try to follow Jesus. How could a song do that? You might argue that lyrical content could define a piece of music as either "Christian" or not, but you'd need to be very careful there. What about instrumental music? There have been times when cultural definitions have come into play and certain intervals, rhythms, or even specific instruments have been declared anti-Christian... In some traditions, having instruments at all is still considered idolatrous. It wasn't that long ago that Larry Norman asked, "why should the Devil have all of the good music?" Now you wouldn't find many churches in SoCal that don't have a band with bass and drums. As times and cultures change so have those definitions of sinful music. And what about a song with lyrics that never mentions God? Can it be "Christian?" The Song of Songs in the Bible is interesting in that it never mentions God and includes material that according to many definitions might be labeled as pornography, especially if the euphemisms where translated into modern language. So context and interpretation become important. So what does the question mean. What is "Christian" music?

After thinking about it, I'd push the question in a different way and ask myself, "what is the role of music (or art) in the yearnings of God?

I have a clear answer to that question. We do art or music because we are created in the image of God, at least part of which means that we are by nature, creative. When God created, God pronounced what had been made as "good." We can continue to add to the beauty, the goodness of creation by what we create. In creating, we show forth our nature as human beings. In creating, we present new ways of experiencing and knowing the creation and of experiencing and knowing God.

So... I'd have a hard time finding much art that isn't "Christian." Sure there are some things out there that are just gratuitous and even some that just make the world uglier, without inspiring us to see with new eyes or hear with new ears... but sometimes even those works tell us about the pains and frustrations of being human and illuminate the work yet to be done.

Next time I think I'll answer "yes... Christian, but not necessarily religious" and let the questioner figure out what that means.

inspiration & showing up

I didn't read the book - Eat, Pray, Love. I did see the movie and other than the first scene in India, which rang soooo true to our first moments in Inida, didn't find it particularly engaging. So, I likely would never have watched Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk.

My daughter, Alexis, put it up on her blog so I was obligated to watch it. It is a wonderful talk about the creative process. I was particularly struck by Gilbert's admonition to just show up and do your job. It got me thinking that showing up and doing your job is at the core of everything, not just creativity. Whether it be caring about the homeless guy at the corner, voting in an election, playing in the church band, being there for a grieving friend, whatever... it doesn't matter whether we are successful, whether we change the world, whether we make a difference that anyone else can see... what matters is whether or not we are (and here's the theological word) faithful.

So show up. Do your job or your part. And leave the results to God.

beauty in small places

All too often I am too busy to pay attention to the small beauty all around me. Driving to Goleta, the hills are deep green now sprinkled with yellow mustard flowers and blue lupine. It is easy to drive past without being conscious of the beauty.

In our home, it is even more easy to miss the beauty. In December, I found a local artist named Kevin Loughran who makes the most wonderful, functional, pieces of art for a home. He is a gentle spirit who really does make the world a more beautiful place. In his words

In nonferrous metals I build long term solutions for living graciously in a plastic world. I have been forming, etching and patinating metals into art for the past 25 years. I like to take the mundane in everyday objects and pay respect to their marvelous functions. That is why I presently work in switch plates, doorbells, and dimmers; to honor the beauty of the small things in our lives.

I feel very good about the quality and sensibility of my work as an expression of my obsession to create beauty.

We're slowly replacing switch plates in our home with his work... as reminder of the beauty that is all around us if we only look.

This one is by our entryway


Thanks Kevin for bringing a little more beauty into our daily lives!