Day 11

"If the rhythm takes me, I go."

Raasti



I met a guy named Raasti in the square today.  

Raasti builds djembe drums in town and he heard about my experiment through a mutual friend.   

My good buddy Mark was also waiting for me and the 3 of us locked a sweet groove for 20 minutes in the square.  We went over the 15 minute limit, but it was worth every second. 

As we were leaving, Raasti said to me, "If the rhythm takes me, I go."  

He summed up the entire experience of my life. 

Rhythm moves all of us in a unique way. That is its gift.  How we nurture that rhythm is entirely up to us.    

When i drive home, I think about what I just played.   

Vocal melodies, rhythms and ideas hit me and I want to jump up and down in the car and do back flips.  But I can't.  So I reach for my tambourine instead.

Day 10  Homecoming

"Every traveler has a home of his own, and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering."

Charles Dickens


There was a car waiting for me in the parking lot this morning. 

My friends surprised me in the square today, all the way from Nairobi Africa!!! 

Rhonda, Michael and family arrived back for a 10 day visit.  What an awesome suprise to see them waiting for me in the square, ready to play.

It's a cool feeling when you see someone you haven't connected with in ages and immediately you are transported back to that time, to that place and the feeling never changes.  Those people mean the world to you.  

When I started For Vibration up at the house, Rhonda and Michael were 2 of the very first folks to dive in with me and take the ride.  They embraced the mystery and the groove and they helped create a scene up in Nyack.   I am incredibly grateful and filled with gratitude.

Lucky to have such cool people in my life.  

Today was a great homecoming. 

Day 9  

"Where I come from we say that rhythm is the soul of life, because the whole universe revolves around rhythm, and when we get out of rhythm, thats when we get into trouble."

Babatunde Olatunji


Babatunde was blasting in my house before I went out to play this morning. The energy and feeling of his playing was inspiring and motivating me to Push the Groove,  I came down to the square ready to do business.  

Aaaaahh the freedom to just go out and play.  It is a blessing and a gift. 

And then, someone dropped a 50 Dollar bill on my computer Bag.

What a Day !

I got in my car and couldn't stop singing   

MY SOUL SINGS  MY SOUL SINGS !!!!!   LA LALA

It's amazing how much fun you can have with an egg shaker

Day 8  

“I don't think you should die until you're ready. Until you've wrung out every last bit of living you can.” 

Libba Bray



I received some tragic news last night about a friend who passed.   Whenever you hear about death, it hits you right in the gut.  It makes you think about life from a whole new angle. 

Day 7 

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” 

John Lennon


Scott was waiting for me as I pulled into the square today.  Scott and I are both drummers and we share a giddy kid like excitement for playing drums.   I mentioned in a previous post the art of collaboration -- about joining forces with another human being to achieve greatness.  I immediately felt that connection with Scott.  My playing was better because he was with me today.

I think Scott and I were so excited to be out there playing and listening to each other. There was so much subtle interplay going on between our djembes.   I felt like we were both dreaming at certain points today. 

It didn't feel like Monday morning.

Loving thIs experiment

DAY 6 Family

Without a family, man, alone in the world, trembles with the cold.

Andre Maurois

Today I was reminded how important it is to groove with your family.  My wife woke everyone up to come play with me in the square!  I was so happy.  There's nothing better than playing djembe and grooving with my kids and my wife.  

My family gives me the juice to go out and make it happen in this world.  Connecting  and plugging in is the glue to a happy home.  I connected with my family today and gave them a piece of me.  In return, they gave me a great memory I will never forget.

When you wake up tomorrow morning, take 5 minutes to dance around the table, sing a song, clap your hands, stomp your feet,  play a djembe or just bang on some pots and pans... and have FUN.  Connect and give them a piece of you.

Day 5.  Meaning

Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning.
                                                      Joseph Campbell

Campbell's quote is fitting because today something shifted.  I'm starting to find some meaning at 7:30 in the morning.  I'm not struggling as much to wake up and get out there, I'm excited to see where the experiment takes me and the sounds that are being created are a thrill.  I am playing and exploring the meaning behind all of it, behind this time in my life right now. 

Today I swing into creative mode with my djembe and everything feels a little bit looser.
Maybe because it's Saturday and I have more space to open up, explore and create?  
As I find my rhythm, another visitor arrives to play.  It's my friend Lisa.  I feel grateful and energized with her being there.   Without missing a beat, she sits down and grabs a shaker.  Unfortunately, you can't see Lisa in the video but you can hear her playing.  Lisa is officially in the groove pocket.

When I arrive home, I am inspired to add a few melodies against the video in Ableton Live, my music sequencer.

The meaning for me today is to create this right now, in this moment.  

Enjoy.

Day 4.  Embrace the Mystery

Although I have a routine that's beginning to settle, I still don't really know what is happening.  It is a mystery.  Each moment that I'm playing, passing me by.  I'm waiting for someone to come by and just start shaking their head like, "What the hell are you doing at 7:30 in the morning, beating a Djembe Drum?"  But that is just my ego talking.  Deep down I really don't care.  Something is pulling at me to continue to play and express my groove pocket so early in the morning. I'm connecting with the town, with myself, with the seagulls and the spirit that lives up and down the block. 

So early in the morning, It always feels like its going to rain.  

But then the sun comes out of nowhere and it is beautiful.  

Just like the mystery in the morning weather,  the mystery of not knowing and surrendering yourself to whatever happens.  Usually what happens is beautiful.

Day 3. Team

Driving over to Main Street today.   Different energy. people moving about. Farmers Market is setting up and preparing itself in the square next door and I'm feeling excited and a little buzzed. Finally some activity in town other than seagullls, garbage cans and busses. 

8 minutes into the experiment, a car drives up. I notice a friend getting out of his subaru and and it is amazing.  you can actually see at the top of the video as his car rolls through, my reaction.  One of my all time favorite people to be around, Tom Kelly.  

Tom steps out of the car and proceeds to join me for 12 minutes in the middle of town.

The most delicious wave of soul, groove and spirit I could have asked for.  The universe brought it and delivered. 

Tom clearly brought a whole new energy and perspective to my groove pocket. He uplifted the entire square with his efforts. Just showing up and providing support and a willingness to dive in with me and play no matter the outcome. Today, Tom was my co pilot on Main Street and we were traveling at serious altitudes,  at 7:52 AM.

It made me realize how powerful the art of collaboration is. When two or more people band together with a common goal and desire.  In this case, communicating through rhythm.

There is nothing more powerful than a group of people singing, dancing and grooving together.  Playing alone and playing with Tom was a HUGE difference,   I felt the power and the energetic shift immediately when he sat down to join me.   

I walked away from the experience completely amped and the rest of the day was magical.

I'm firing on all cylinders.

And I'm just waking up.

Day 2  Ritual

Something about day 2 of anything makes you feel like your climbing up a mountain. But it is a productive habit. a healthy routine, a great ritual in the morning.  I enjoy the drive over to the square.  Sip some hot coffee and focus on the groove. 

I was speaking with someone in town recently about the idea of ritual.   The essence of our conversation surrounding habit and routine.  He shared his thoughts with me and said, "Don't let ritual control you --- YOU control the ritual. "  

What an empowering thought.

So I begin to shape and control the ritual in the morning.  

Shakers and beat box flow from my heart and fingertips on day 2.

Also had a duet with the garbage man earlier in the set . He didn't realize he was in the band making music with me. 

I'll try and post that up later.