Jazz

I witnessed something I haven't seen in a really long time. Maybe never. I witnessed a breathtaking performance of (very) young musicians playing 45 minutes of jazz at the Chemanius Jazz Fest last weekend. The Kenton Dick Quartet. 

Photo Credit: © 2016 Cole Thompson

 You don't know what breathtaking really means until you find yourself holding your breath until the very last note then letting it out in a gush. Their performance wasn't only mind blowing to watch - I mean, the ease by which these young musicians played their music - much of it original compositions - was spectacular; but it also inspired me to write this poem-ish piece:




Jazz is about tension. 
The litany of disconnected, discordant notes, 
Beats and grooves, 
Skipping errantly and recklessly along;
Like a runaway train,
 Careening around the bend,
Daring to launch itself off the rails.
All seemingly impossible and unresolvable. 
And then;

 Suddenly,

 Exquisitely,

 It intersects with itself and the story is told. 
And the breath you've been holding?
Releases into a wondrous sigh.

As I sat there and was swept away in the music, inspired to write that little missive, I couldn't help but relate every word of it to my life.  Every. Single. Word. 

So - I feel this little poem should be what introduces a piece of work that I've been labouring over for the past 3 years.  It began as the story of me meeting my dad after 51 years.  It is such a great story and people were amazed by it when I told it. It brought me joy to tell it.  So I wrote it down.  And in the course of writing it down it turned into a story of my own self-discovery - and revealed what a stunning life of grace I've lived.  

So - with unbelievable excitement mixed with terror - I am debuting my new blog/book - A Crimson Cord.  It's my heart on a plate and I am terrified for people to read it. But I also know I've been charged to tell my story.  We all have a story and I just happened to write mine down. Did I mention I'm terrified for people to read it? Yeah - and just like jazz music, it won't appeal to everyone.  But to that one person who connects with it - finds themselves in it - here it is. A Crimson Cord. 




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