I have admired the craft of Clarence Clemons for a long time. He plays a mean saxophone, for the Boss, and in his individual musical ventures. After writing my prior blog, "What Matters Most, Toast & Bees", sitting at my computers typing, creating and sending salutations to friends, my mind wandered to Clarence.
I once watched an interview with Clarence Clemons and he spoke of his earlier life, a season of time during which he worked for a human services organization. He remarked about how difficult the work was, rewarding, but hindered by bureaucracy, inefficiency and pain. So, he took his musical talents and climbed and descended the scales, bringing joy and a richness to others by diverting down a different road. A wise man, talented musician and a person I came to admire. If you've never listened to his solo work, you are in for a treat.
Early in my life, I developed an affinity, appreciation for and love of Jazz, a true American art form. Originated in the brothels and social pain in the America, improvisation and genius of so many fine musicians rocked my world and that of so many others. From that vantage point as a teenager, I discovered the Blues, Soul and the Rock n Roll of my times.
Throughout my life, I've acquired an appreciation for many musical forms, including Country, Rap, Hip Hop, Bluegrass, Classical, and so on. Music is a medium that can transport us to incredible highs and to connect us with the lowest of human despair...The talent of most musicians leaves me in awe. Just as a fine novelist, great basketball player, orator, research scientist, or others possessing great talent wow me. Therefore, I celebrate our common heritage, our divergent interests, disparate talents and our human diversity. The more I mature, age, the more I appreciate this biological soup that allows us to share so much DNA, yet to ascend so many different ladders of success with which to touch one another. Be you a housewife, teacher, minister, doctor, priest, rabbi, veterinarian, author, comedian, business executive, professor, musician, poet, or just a fellow celebrant in life, I am glad that you are on my family tree. See, I am interested in you, in us as a people, a species and as a reflection of a greater power. So, let's be free, you be you and I'll be me...Put aside all pretense, that's so much nonsense. Let us celebrate our diversity, shared humanity and the intimacy that comes from shared human experience, love of our fellow inhabitants on our ascendancy to a place greater than we inhabited before we touched. Move toward a place of glory and service. Reach down and help someone get a leg up...
Clarence? Transport me along your melodic highway...Oh, yeah, I can hear those sweet tones, improvisations and love. Thank you for sharing your gift and thanks to the rest of you for sharing your stories, talents and humanity....Now, where are my headphones? Matilda!!! Bad girl. She rolling over? Yeah, you're cute; and I'll let you listen too. Guess my Australian Shepherd likes Clarence too. She's got great taste.
Peace.
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