Music Alive

The gang gathered back together last Tuesday night.  Kevin had dropped Gailanne off at the home of Pete Peterson, a musician & gatherer of all things Old Time Music. Among his banjos, fiddles, & guitars were books upon books.  The soundest archive resides in his well-tested brain.  He, like Gailanne, is a song-catcher.  She's using his resources as she develops her semester's content.

Kevin immediately took a liking to Pete, and his musician wife, Kellie.  Kevin was invited back for dinner.  I drove Shameka so the Goddard crew could reunite along with some musician friends of Kellie & Pete: Jane & Allen.

Cerro Ancon, Panama reminded me of bits of wild US

In his lovely Scottish brogue, Allen explained that Old Time music is differentiated from Bluegrass through the following old adage: "Bluegrass musicians play the songs to highlight their own solos.  Old Time musicians  play to highlight the songs."  Jane went on to share that part of the magic of Old Time music and culture is in playing together.  Musicians constantly jam together informally because most within this world have a shared catalogue of songs to pull from.  Playing music becomes communication.  As much as one is playing, or creating, they're listening & gathering other cues from the musicians around them.  Allen said that some nights he plays a G chord for four hours.  However, in the course of that experience he relearns G.  He never hears it nor plays it the same.

Shameka, Kevin, & I gathered close at hand.  Hearing so much live music-- this night, a few nights before when Kevin & Gailanne shared music, prior to that in Taina & Gaetano's yurt, & at Goddard-- I really started to wish I could burn my Ipod.  I'm so fortunate to hear Kevin play for me a lot, but it's even lovelier to have community creating together.

Pete asked Shameka if she liked Old Time music.  She affirmed, sharing that she's always loved banjo because her grandfather was a blues banjo player from New Orleans.  Pete asked his name & Shameka responded, "Johnny St. Cyr."  Pete's eyebrows raised in recognition & he got back to strumming.