Diary of a Pandemic
Out September 1st
Album Tracks
Quarantined
It wasn’t until I was quarantined to my apartment that I understood the true gravity of the situation. That is why I thought it would be fitting for this piece to be my first entry. Now don’t get me wrong, I am well versed in the art of self-isolation and reflection, but this was a different matter altogether. Brought out some emotions I never felt before, maybe even the world has never felt before…
The Virus
Covid 19 isn’t the only thing that is invisible to the naked eye, and it sure is spreading quickly from person to person. I was taught that God never gave us the spirit of fear. For anything that can imprison you in your own body as fear does can not be from God. Yet here we are… but then again so is God.
Social Distancing
My favorite seasons are spring and fall. And nowhere else are they more elegant than in the midwest. I am blessed to be spending most of my social distancing in nature. All of the nearby nature reserves became my lifeline. It is the same peace that you receive when you are in the presence of The Most High. There is something humbling when you realize that the world is truly beautiful and more so, we are apart of that Beauty.
The Stages of Grief
Being an empath I am constantly bombarded by the energies of others. Slap on a pandemic and you have a recipe for all the stages of grief. The unknown can be a scary thought and everyone deals with it differently. Taking on all of these energies at once can be exhausting, Luckily I have an outlet for such things.
Patience
Jazz is the American art form of expression. I thought I would try and speak in the vernacular of the locals. A very special thank you to flutist Lloyd King for his help on this project. It was truly a beautiful conversation.
Freedom Of Mind
There were always brief moments of clarity, those “aha” moments. Moments of intense inspiration like a gift from the universe. With the world on lockdown, we still have our dreams, our ideas, and thoughts. We are so much more than our physical attributes, and we have barely scratched the surface of the soul.
The Princess Fairy
There is nothing more inspiring than the imagination of a child. The idea is to maintain this throughout adulthood. I frequented the enchanted garden often. There I played leapfrog on clouds of pillows, became a big bad wolf, joined in the Anthem of Elsa’s Frozen and if I was really lucky, I would have the privilege of having tea with Her Majesty The Princes Fairy Zoe.
Parents
Being a parent is one of the hardest and most joyful experiences. I am still struggling to redefine myself after I became one. I found myself reflecting on my own parents. They did the best they could. Can I do any better? I guess time will tell if I am awarded the Nobel prize for parenting or become the root cause in a therapy session. Whatever the outcome, it is an honor and a privilege.
Trauma
I am often heartbroken by how terrible we can be to each other sometimes. It is so easy to judge someone or have personal prejudices against one another. But how well do we even know each other? I hope one day we can look at each other and see how connected we are. The similarities far outway the differences. Maybe we don’t like what we see in ourselves in others. Either way, the truth is stranger than fiction. All of the riotings, protesting, and looting are just symptoms of a malignant disease, and only love can cure it. however, we must first be willing to admit that we are sick.
Passacaglia Variations
I have always been enamored by fugues, canons, and passacaglias. As a matter of fact, it is the bases of my improvisation. I blame my strict Catholic and British colonial upbringing for that one. I dedicate this piece to my first piano teacher Mr. Carl Johnson. He agreed to teach me only on the premises that I play for church. He was the first to introduce me to Mr. Handel, one of the earliest improvisers.
Cerebellum
What is consciousness? Can we ever reach enlightenment? What about Christ consciousness? Are we supposed to be striving for such a thing? If so How is obtained? And no I’m not talking about psychedelics or some drug-induced psychosis. Where is Nirvana, or Valhalla, or Shangrila? I always believed heaven and hell are right here on earth and it’s by our choices that decide where we spend most of our time. How intentional can we be with those decisions? More importantly how much control do we really have? Does it take discipline or strong character or are we slaves to our impulses?
Oh Yea
The name of this piece was initially called “A Day in May”. I know right, very Shakespearean. Well, it was indeed inspired by Shakespear. I always loved his plays.” shall I compare thee to a summers day, thou art more lovely and more temperate….” I heard that England had maybe one or two days in May that were absolutely gorgeous and the rest of the year was dreary and damp. I reflected on my situation here in the midwest, with its brutal winters contrasted by the beauty of spring. Oh yea! Spring is here!
Gabriel The Arch-Angel
Do you believe in angels? I do. I have met quite a few in my lifetime. They always seem to appear when I move to a new place or I am going through a really hard time, or sometimes they appear just to let me know I’m not as alone as I think I am. I’m not talking about celestial beings although I believe in them too. The angels I am talking about appear as human beings with the most beautiful souls. They come to assist and help. During this tumultuous time of uncertainty and fear, we need a guide, a protector, a friend, a guardian angel.