Is it the music that heals?

I’ve read a few studies that suggest that there is a genetic component to compassion and empathy in humans. It develops in infanthood and is engrained to assure we won’t always go around killing each other without some feeling because, after all, that wouldn’t be good for the continuation of the species the studies suggest. As a musician I know without a doubt the power of music to heal, lift the spirits, and soothe the soul. Recently on a trip with a dear friend to MD Anderson hospital for some pretty serious tests I was reminded just how important music is to comfort and elevate the mood.

I drove my friend fifteen hours to Houston taking three days to do it because he was in such pain. It is so hard to see anyone in pain, much less someone you care about. For many years I have played my Native American flute in Hospice and hospital settings and was aware of the emotional impact it had. I couldn’t see the people I was playing for but the families and loved ones would find me as I was leaving and tell me how for just a moment their loved one was peaceful, breathed deeper and slower or smiled at a familiar tune. When my Greyhound Chipo passed over it was such a sad night as I held her in my lap while my flute music was on loop in the bathroom stereo. She would sit as I played and practiced and I knew this would comfort her. When my Greyhound Ancho passed over I held her in the cold Vet’s office petting and comforting her and asked them to play my CD as we eased her pain. I have men come to me at my shows in tears saying they have never cried at a concert before until hearing me. It is such an honor because I know how hidden people are about their emotions. Yes music heals, but not always the music you think.

So driving back from Houston my friend was feeling quite down having some hard to digest news. All the music I was playing just made me nervous. I have stopped listening to news period. It is too much gossip. So I said hey you brought your iPod plug it in. Soon sing-along tunes were blaring. See, this is what I mean by healing is personal, like musical taste. So many think only a certain type of music should be healing, but it really is whatever music makes someone feel good. If it is Guns and Roses, Opera, Pop, New Age it doesn’t matter. It isn’t for us as musicians to presume to know what will be comforting or healing. Just play the damn thing with all your heart and hope it touches someone. Once I was playing in Hospice and played Summertime, the Gershwin song on the Native Flute. It is also part of the Jazz standard collection of songs. When I was packing up a woman came out and told me thank you and that her husband was a saxophone player in the past and it was the first time in six months she had seen him smile. I felt lifted by a cloud of gratitude.

As I help my friend through his challenges, adjust my schedule, cancel gigs, worry very much about income I think about my life as a musician. Also I think about who is my support system and realize I don’t really have one. A friend visiting me in Houston said I have a lot I’m going through. I don’t think so. It isn’t me who is facing the challenge of serious illness, side effects, pain and laying out end of life decisions like so much paperwork. I’m just a trusting comfort who happens to have the time because I make music for a living. I’ve never needed a support system, or admitted I needed one. My family is wonderful but come with born again baggage, no offense of course; my listeners want me funny, happy and positive. My friends—well I just don’t know. So I retreat into my music balancing the path of making art and music that never stops flowing with the increasingly hard task of supporting myself. I suspect I will be doing my best to continue to comfort people and make them feel something through my music. That said I’ve learned that sometimes the most healing sound is the silence of your breath just being present.

Maybe listening to music is one of the things in life that doesn’t require a judgment. You know, you listen and it happens without you needing to react. It doesn’t care about your body language or facial expression or if your texting while it plays. It is comfort, like a friend. And to me, that is what a friend should be, someone who is willing to be with you, unconditionally. I only aspire to that.

This weekend I’ll be performing a rare solo concert in Las Cruces where I live. It is Sunday, October 10, at 2:00PM part of the “Afternoon Concert Series” at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 225 W. Griggs Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88005. I look forward to this. This is something I’ve been pursuing for about 5 years and received an unexpected message out of the blue. What an honor considering the caliber of people who have performed there. Check my calendar for more info. Hope to see you there.

Here is a sing-along tune from my cd A Place Called Peace:

Are you a Fan? A Friend? Or a Fran?

I’ve learned to keep my expectations simple. When you are a musician you really need to know what you are walking into but also plan for contingencies—and let me tell you are some big ones at times. Personal examples would be being double booked with another act, not being on the calendar because the person who booked you quit and took everything, getting the worst possible time slots at a festival, your instrument not making it to your destination..etc. As far as before performing I find a quiet time to focus before I play. I ask my brain, lungs, hands, arms etc. to please work together harmoniously and thank them. Then I map out in my mind what I’d like to have happen with a performance. Simple things really like playing or singing in tune, being 100% present, making people feel a little better than before they listened and that the sound, noise, weather all support what I’m doing. Making money and having a huge, appreciative audience is a bonus.

Since the Facebookization of the web what used to be called friends is more a strangely related cross between a forum, message board and high school. I meet people from Facebook who drive hours to my shows and I am always amazed at how it seems we know so much about each other. In reality we don’t. Being a public figure/entertainer it is getting a little hard to find out how to balance people I don’t know, but know my music and my posts ergo know (or think) they know my psychology, tastes, spirituality etc. No different than music mags who used to ask musicians what their favorite food or color was only to have fans show up to shows with cans of ravioli and all wearing Chartreuse t-shirts.

Before Indian Summer Music Awards in Milwaukee

I have come up with a new term for people who are Facebook friends and fans I call them “Frans.” A Fran is a fan you let friend you. Recently a fan asked me why I didn’t accept their friend request and I chose to not to answer instead giving my trademark half smile. Frans come to you through your music, videos, performances or other connections. The bring expectations that you Are your music or your stage presence. As they get to know you on Facebook or twitter they are usually astonished or offended to find out you have really bad days, use profanity freely, post photos of your not so fully-clothed body and goddess forbid, don’t share their political, religious spiritual preference. Flute people want to talk about procuring flutes, (a lot) Hang people want to talk about the cosmic healing powers of the Hang, New Agers want to talk about spirit doing this or that, Karma or give you lectures about the law of attraction. What do I want to talk about? Food, music, bathroom humor, Seinfeld, Homer Simpson, travel and how poor I am always begging people to buy my CD’s and anything that comes to mind. I suck at talking about how my music makes someone feel, or how much I move them or what I was thinking when I wrote a song or a certain blog or what I was playing at 2:03 in a video I posted two years ago. Huh? You think these things are planned? Heck I’m happy to get through a song with energy left to sign CD’s.

Frans expect you to be someone they’ve formed in their minds through selective status updates or tweets. It is a great and accessible new world in the cyberverse. What I hope to happen is people like me as a person first, and then my music, my philosophy, my passion for food and cooking etc. I try to be as authentic and unscripted in my cyber life as real life, but there are many many complex things I don’t want to share and some Frans can downright make me uncomfortable when they show up to my shows with lists of questions, invite me to lunch then pull out a folder of questions for me. These aren’t journalists; these are relative strangers wanting to pump me for who knows what. I know I’ve lost some fans recently in the past two months when I drew a line and said if these questions, life and music lessons continue I would need to be paid. Oh well. See I’ll say it again; this is how I make a living. A very meager, tight living but information is education and my time should be as respected as any other professional’s time like a doctor, accountant, and plumber. Being authentic gains you few friends and, based on my sales, VERY few fans who actually buy your music. So if you’re gonna Fran me at least buy a CD much like you would buy date a drink first…. Thank you for reading these blogs. I hope they offer some entertainment and insight into life as an independent musician.

This video is from Indian Summer Fest where I had a blast playing solo at the awards show doing Double-Barrel Train Wreck and a First Flute Song story and dance with the cutest kids ever. They were wonderful and so sweet afterwards. What a blast. When I began playing this song there were literally hundreds of Dragonflies and Butterflies that flew in over the crowd. You can see some of them but to experience the sheer number and choreographed dance they were doing as I played was absolutely awe inspiring. Thank you for reading my blogs. I appreciate you.

 

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Indian Summer Settling in......

Banking into O'Hare over the Chicago Skyline

As the Earth begins to finally tilt north I can sense the change in season, and in myself. Fall has always been my favorite season. I was born in September but don’t think that is it. In New Mexico we pick and roast green chilies in fall and the smell of them roasting in every parking lot and backyard is intoxicating. The smoky, earthy and musky smell is like no other. We have our major fiestas in the fall when it begins to hint of cooler nights. The sun is moving north over my beloved Organ Mountains. Myself, I become even more pensive than usual seeing the rich metaphors in natures and the seasons. The type of gigs I play also changes back to my stable of fall festivals and indoor concerts. I never feel I’ve worked hard enough by the time September rolls around. Must be some linkage to starting school this time of year from elementary to college—I don’t know. When you are an artist you never feel you have worked hard enough, dug deep enough, took enough time with a project. That is why live performance is so attractive to us as musicians. It is ephemeral. An album is a document people can listen to over and over and over, hopefully. So often it takes me months before I can really listen to my own album detached enough to enjoy it. Just after it comes out it is like a special dish you’ve tried for your friends and keep feeling like you need to apologize for it saying well this is my first time trying this recipe, there is probably too much this or that. A new album is like that too. Eventually it becomes your signature dish that everyone must have the recipe for. Humans are funny that way.

I’m in the upper Midwest again in Chicago then on to perform at Indian Summer Festival. I’m honored to be included as a performer after winning the ISMA Best Native Flute Album last year. What is amazing it the awards are judged by independent judges in the field of being music professionals. Several of the judges stopped by to talk to me after I won last year and I was humbled by what they said about my music without knowing a thing about me. That is validation that is priceless and wonderful to hear.  I was hoping to get to Iowa to perform after Indian Summer.  I didn’t enter this year and probably missed the NAMA’s too but that is okay. I don’t need to chase these awards. All things in the right time and with the right intention. I perform at the ISF Saturday at 12:30pm, then during the awards show and again Sunday at 11:30am. Come on out if you live anywhere near the area and be sure to get me to sign your CD for you. I’m always happy to do that. I was hoping to do some shows in Iowa after Milwaukee but some serious family health matter mean I have to clear my gig slate for the rest of September. I’m still plugging away and always interested in performing at House Concerts, for Flute Circles, Drum groups, concerts etc. Just email me at booking@randygranger.net for info okay.

I hope your fall is reflective and abundant. We are beyond fortunate to enjoy the quality of life we have in the US. Music is the glue my friends. The arts are the salve that reminds us of beauty and what we are capable at our best moments. My new album Pura Vida – This is Pure Life is available on iTunes now at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pura-vida-this-is-pure-life/id384128875.  You can hear song clips; download individual songs or the whole album at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com and iTunes of course. You can always order directly from my website and receive a signed CD on my order page.  I am getting really great feedback and I’m happy for that.

Thank you for reading these notes.

Randy