Jazz for All

Last Sunday night, I was invited to Paul's "Philosophers' Seminar" special night at Cafe Limelight. The top item on the agenda was view "Wynton Marsalis with Eric Clapton" at the Lincoln Center, NY, September 13, 2011. It is a life-changing experience.

Courtesy of http://wyntonmarsalis.org/discography/title/wynton-marsalis-and-eric-clapton-play-the-blues

I was always living under the impression that Jazz was reserved for the elite, or for the white, as some of my favorite writers complained. But the concert has changed my mind. First of all, I witnessed a collaboration between Marsalis and his ensemble. Everyone was working for the same goal: giving the excellent music for their audience. Next I could not help noticing a rare support. Whenever one person was playing, his neighboring partner would show his encouragement and admiration, which would spread to the whole ensemble. Last but not least. there was a strong atmosphere of welcoming inclusion, rather than exclusion. Such a spirit is truly rare in our life.

Inspired by the performance, our group decided to forego the rest of items on the agenda. Instead we shared and devoured two big pizzas!

Ithaka: Let's Enjoy the Process

Cousin Milton mailed us Ithaka by C. P. Cavafy after receiving our sympathy card for the passing of his wife Helen. I did not see it until a week later, but have been fascinated ever since.

In a goal-oriented world, enjoying the process is not part of an equation for quick success, thus not appreciated. Ithaka, however, has again brought us back to the basics: when we set out on our life journey, pray the road ahead is long. Be prepared for all kinds of adventures, but do not fear; absorb all the knowledge along the way, so we can be wise in the end. Ithaka, the destination, might not live up to our expectations. But in the process, we have already experienced everything for the first time and gained all the riches life can offer. This is the reason why we do not need to hurry the voyage but keep Ithaka, our destination, in mind.

Such a simple truth is not unknown to me. More than two decades ago James Prestini mentioned it almost daily when I started to work for him. But time dulls our senses and obstacles in life may turn us into cynics. This is one of the reasons we still need art and literature in a digital age. Beauty in poetry, for instance, is able to directly communicate with us, especially when we encounter disasters or crises, such as the loss of a dear family member.