Possibilities

I recently watched a documentary on Herbie Hancock that I've seen several times before but something stood out to me in this viewing. He was talking about his time with Miles Davis and and the advice had been given. Miles told Herbie to always be in the moment when playing on stage. He said that he shouldn't be judgemental of his environment. If a player is not at his/her best that night or if you just don't dig what's being played, toss your opinions aside and just make music with what you are being given. Always be open to the possibilities that are in front of you. I thought this was so profound because this is what playing music and living life is all about. Most of us spend so much time criticizing and trying to bend things to our will, instead of just experiencing life and making something beautiful out of every situation. I often hear musicians complain about how this music sucks or how that cat can't play and it really tends to bring the vibe down. I get to play with a lot of different people, some better technically than others but what I've learned to do is to listen and pick up on the tendencies of the people I'm playing with. Once I know what they prefer or what their tendencies are, whether they rush, drag or what have you, I can then play with them to help create something beautiful in THAT moment and I find that I always walk away having learned something new about myself and my own playing. It is a must to divorce yourself from any kind of negative speak or energy when it comes to playing music. Man just show up prepared to always contribute to exploring the possibilities. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth

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