Music Alive

The gang gathered back together last Tuesday night.  Kevin had dropped Gailanne off at the home of Pete Peterson, a musician and song-catcher in the tradition of Alan Lomax.  He has a vast library among his scattered guitars, fiddles, & banjos.  Gailanne is staying there as she researches the origins of several songs.

Kevin immediately took a liking to Pete and his musician-wife, Kellie.  We were invited back for dinner along with Shameka, another Goddard student visiting with us, and two other musician friends, Jane and Alan.

Cerro Ancon, Panama reminded me of wild US

As our bellies filled with delicious dinner we inevitably drifted towards music.  Shameka, Kevin, & I framed the quartet of Alan on stand-up bass, Gailanne on fiddle, Kellie on guitar, Jane on fiddle, and Pete on banjo. They offered the folk explanation on the difference between bluegrass, and the Old Time music they played-- "Blue grass musicians play the song to highlight their solos, Old Time musicians highlight the song."  Jane shared that an integral piece of this music is that the musicians generally all know the same songs that have travelled through generations and geography.  They come together and play them-- often as strangers-- and develop language.  As much as there is creation and contribution each member listens.

In his Scottish brogue Alan told us that some nights he plays a G chord for four hours.  In that process he never again plays nor hears that chord the same.

A night like this makes me want to burn my IPod and only hear music live.  I'm thankful that Kevin serenades me frequently.  It's so lovely to hear music in community.

Pete leaned over to Shameka between songs and asked if she liked the music.  She affirmed that she'd always appreciated banjo music because her grandfather was a blues banjo man out of New Orleans.  Pete asked his name and she answered, "Johnny St. Cyr."  He blew a low whistle, picked up his banjo, and got to pickin'.

As Shameka & I walked into the starry night filled with crickets, I asked, "What is this life?  How are we having such vast & big experiences?"  She giggled and said, "I know.  It's great."