Shinn the Writer

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Why Music?

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​I’ve often quoted Tommy Tedesco, famed guitarist of the amorphous “Wrecking Crew” who once said that there are four reasons for taking a gig. 1) Money 2) Experience 3) Connections, and 4) Fun. I add 5) Obligations to this list. I’ve been busy of late, but using these criteria, I kinda wonder why.

 

My band, the Blues Daddies seems to be unable to get together much at all. We’re on the list as a backup act for the Solano Stroll, but that’s only a month from now and I really don’t think we could be ready in time. But we’ll see. I’ve played at two Strolls, and though they pay pretty well as gigs go, both of which were let downs which led to nothing new, gave me no special new insights… but I committed to doing this year’s event if called upon.

 

My Second Wednesday of the Month Social musical gathering didn’t meet in July, since hosts Matt and Kira were out of town. It’s a fun group of people and I’m glad I was invited in. It’s very casual and we don’t really work on anything. More of a pure jam, a bunch of fun people. I have to realize that I’m pretty much the senior citizen of the group, although there are a couple of other geezers who show from time to time. I’d hoped there’d be more in the way of contacts and new experiences. Still, the fun makes it all worthwhile. Every three weeks or even every two would be good, even if I’m learning little and making no valuable contacts.

 

I have a couple of ongoing musical partnerships in the neighborhood. I see them both as a chance to branch into new material and genres, but I don’t see either of them really taking root as a true collaboration. I’m finding it more and more difficult to compromise enough to get true synergy going. Both are local. I could try getting the three of us together, but to what end? One has become part of the Wednesday group. I enjoy playing music with both of them, but simply don’t see any combination of the three of us going anywhere.

 

I performed at a 4th of July party in the neighborhood with another neighborhood guitarist who seemed to have a similar repertoire to me, but for whatever reason he was reluctant to take the lead on anything so it became more an unproductive jam than a collaboration. As I was exchanging guitars, two dogs decided to get into a fight. Somehow the two guitars and I all survived it. I hope someone enjoyed the music.

 

I was contacted this last month by Corless, one of the musicians at the church, asking if I’d work with her on a song for an upcoming service. We had less than three weeks to put it together, but she would sing the lead and the chords were simple. The song (“February 7”, written and performed by the Avett Brothers) came together quickly. The only vocals I did were to harmonize on the chorus.

 

My main contribution was playing a guitar part over the chords my partner played. For that, I channeled a cross between the guitar of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Carefree Highway” and the general style of the greatly missed Maury Muehleisen, the guitarist behind the also greatly missed Jim Croce (the two died in a plane crash after a concert.