tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post2508174961319716420..comments2023-08-14T06:38:10.714-05:00Comments on SomaQuest: Tell Tale SignsMaryBeth Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05616718309840912954noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post-68935885806671389732008-10-22T21:03:00.000-05:002008-10-22T21:03:00.000-05:00I'm also a big Dylan fan and one of the things I'v...I'm also a big Dylan fan and one of the things I've noticed about him over the last 45 years is his refusal to be pinned down and categorized. If he becomes known as one thing ("folk singer"), he becomes something else. If his style is said to be a certain thing ("Christian"), he changes it. He demonstrates a desire and need to change in order to battle expectations. Although he went through an artistic low period, especially in performances, for the past 15 or 20 years he's been back on the beam, touring almost constantly and writing and singing some of his best albums. Yet, he is not a perfectionist; he goes for feel, meaning, and communication and at this stage he definitely moves with "ease, comfort, and grace," If one has listened to his last 4 CDs, including Tell Tale Signs, one cannot help but notice he avoids self-consciousness and embraces self-awareness.<BR/><BR/>He and Moshe would have gotten along well. Good post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post-37308336983341629222008-10-22T10:08:00.000-05:002008-10-22T10:08:00.000-05:00Dear MaryBeth: I too have been a huge Dylan f...Dear MaryBeth:<BR/> <BR/> I too have been a huge Dylan fan since the first 1962 LP. I even bought the CD versions of all my favorite Dylan LP's over the years.<BR/> I have been fortunate in that as a member of a number of symphony orchestras I have made over 50 recordings of classical works (as well as videos and CD's and the weekly radio broadcasts on KUHF) and have been able to hear myself. Its continues to be a learning experience even after 34 years of performing in orchestras. The bad thing is that it feeds on my obsessive perfectionism. But, I may have told you this before, I heard an interview with Renata Tebaldi a few years prior to her death. She mentioned she was so hard on herself as an artist that she never listened to any of her recordings. This is a woman who was arguably one of the greatest sopranos ever and recorded more than 80 operas! I was impressed seeing one of the final interviews with Paul Newman. He too had a true artist's perspective on things. He said woefully that if he had it to do over he would have done many things differently in Cool Hand Luke and The Hustler. And here we thought all of these years, "how could these performances have possibly been any more perfect?"<BR/> Send me more words that will help me gain a sense of balance as an artist. Be well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post-32435220520281156502008-10-22T10:07:00.000-05:002008-10-22T10:07:00.000-05:00Hi MBS,That post really hit the spot. Soooo true a...Hi MBS,<BR/><BR/>That post really hit the spot. Soooo true about recording self <BR/>conciousness. So many hours spent in the recording studio TRYING to <BR/>get it to swing. To play a "good solo". It takes a while to learn <BR/>that extra caring about what people think gets in the way. Feeling <BR/>how the effort narrows attention down to listen mostly to me, to <BR/>make sure my part is acceptable. Then taking a breath and asking, <BR/>what is going on with the music that is happening now? Hearing how <BR/>the piano is phrasing his lines, where the drummer feels the beat, <BR/>letting the listening to the sound of the group play the music. In a <BR/>way it is easy!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing your thoughts so generously Mary Beth, and <BR/>listening too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post-54715651455207984622008-10-22T06:52:00.000-05:002008-10-22T06:52:00.000-05:00I remember a man approaching me after I gave a suc...I remember a man approaching me after I gave a successful workshop that covered some tough issues. "You do this work without effort." I smiled inside and thought of the countless hours and years of preparation and practice so that I could appear easy going and tuned to the group. Each step is a journey to perfection of one kind or another. It's sometimes hard to be patient.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610308883759039294.post-48629355247581584032008-10-20T13:09:00.001-05:002008-10-20T13:09:00.001-05:00You, an intense 11 year old? Really? How surprisin...You, an intense 11 year old? Really? How surprising! :)Sirenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442037187145114418noreply@blogger.com