Naturally, a tongue tied weirdo like me was drawn to music. It became my voice that transcended this prison of self-expression. I could communicate through a medium that was purely subjective and void of hard-fast rules of interpretation. Yes, for one to freely express themselves through music they must learn the physicality’s of a medium (e.g. an instrument) and communicate in such a way that others understand. This is similar to spoken language… from the muscle memory of our vocal chords, tongues, breathing – but different in the fact that it is not an ability inherent to the species.

We all have an ‘inner-voice’ we use to solve conflict, rationalize our motives, etc. When this voice failed to answer problems I turned to music. Even as a young child I remember this need to use a ‘tune’ to calm myself. When I had trouble sleeping I would hum myself to slumber. As a teenager, rather than pen a love letter – I would write a love song.

I’ve always been fascinated by the human response to music. It is a need. Regardless of race, gender, intelligence, age, ethnicity, the human species requires music. I might go as far as saying we need it like we need love, oxygen, community, etc.

Sometimes we find a very literal connection through verse and lyrics, but on a subconscious level, we are moved in a metaphysical way that we cannot rationalize. Some say the connection is through the rhythm of our hearts… I tend to believe it is the language of our spirit. A part of the human condition that we cannot explain through physical sciences or philosophy. It simply is…

Over the years I have heard from students, friends and family a longing to make a personal connection with music. The cliche is often, “I’m tone deaf.” NO, you are not. If that were the case you would not be able to communicate with me! In spoken language we require ‘tone’ to express ourselves (in the way we modulate our voice). To be ‘tone deaf’ would mean an inability to communicate.

The hippy in me believes we all are in tune with the resonance of the universe.

We are simply distracted by our day-to-day existence to nurture our voice.

Like many, I came of age to MJ’s music. My earliest memory is this:

I grew up next door to a foster home. Yes, I have numerous stories about the friends I made in such a transient atmosphere that surrounds that of a foster homes, but here is my favorite one. I remember this guy, he was maybe the oldest to ever end up there. He was a quintessential 80′s bad boy.

He drove a Camero, looked like John Travolta – and I thought he was ‘cool’! One afternoon I was playing in the yard, I was maybe 9 at the time and he pulled up in the driveway blasting MJ’s “Don’t Stop till Ya Get Enough“. I still remember that feeling of curiosity that came over me when i heard it. I walked timidly towards his car–first time ever approaching the guy. I politely and nervously asked, “Excuse me, who is that singer?” I was certain he was gonna blow me off, but he rolled down the window a bit more, turned his head in that way a badass Camero drivin’ 16 year old would and said, “It’s Michael Jackson.” All I could say was, “Ok, thanks.” But I just stood there. He must have sensed that I wanted more, after a bit of hesitation he said “You want a copy of the tape?” I was shocked and without too much eagerness, said, “Yes, please!!” He popped his copy out of his cassette deck and handed it to me. I believe I was still in midst of saying ‘thank you’ as I ran in my house to give it a listen.

For years after I dug MJ (and other 80′s music that i shall not name!). Talking to my brother yesterday we recalled the night that the full length version of Thriller premiered on MTV. We had to beg and plead our parents to allow us to stay up. They obliged. I still vividly remember that experience. It wasn’t just a ‘video’. It was cinematic vignette set to music. The world had seen nothing like it up until that time. It was sexy, scary, fun and set a precedent for a style of music video that carried on for decades.

In his later years his music never really seemed to have that infectious ‘groove’ that first turned me on to the MJ phenom. Yes, I grew older and my taste changed, etc. However, when I was in music school I was introduced to the playing of a wild haired solo guitarist named Tuck Andress. A one of a kind player who weaves bass lines and percussive back beats into his solo guitar playing without ever loosing a nuance of melody. In the introduction of his instructional video he performs a rendition of MJ’s “Man in the Mirror”. Sometimes a version like this shows you the brilliance behind a song that often times gets clouded in radio fatigue.

Have a listen, you’ll be surprised.