Art and Music and the '80's

Re-reading an Elizabeth George mystery For the Sake of Elena the other day, I came across this passage about an artist: "And always she filled the environment with music. Listen to me, if you stimulate one sense, you stimulate others, she explained, art can't be created if the artist himself is an insensate void. See the music, hear it, feel it, feel the art. And the music would start - a haunting array of Celtic folktunes, a Beethoven symphony, a salsa band, an African mass called the Missa Luba, the nerve-shaving whine of electric guitars."

And I realized how true it rang for me. I love music, I was a music major in college and graduated with a degree in both vocal and instrument music, along with a teaching credential. I played trombone and was in all types of ensembles from brass choirs to an all girl jazz band. I also spent part of my life as a dramatic mezzo soprano singing semi-professional opera. So, as you can see, my music tastes are many and varied.

The interesting thing is, evenings at home relaxing will find me listening to Vivaldi, Jack Johnson, Joni Mitchell and Cecelia Bartoli, among many others, but when I'm creating I hone in on stuff with a beat, and not just any beat, that crazy, retro, dance-mix '80's beat. ABBA - bring 'em on, Duran Duran - oh yeah, Men Without Hats - you betcha! Nothing works better for all the dripping and splattering that I do.

My older daughter gave me a wonderful Christmas present of a four disc set of the best of the '80's - so with that and my Mama Mia album I'm all set to create away!! Not generally the sort of thing one likes to admit, but as Chris would say, "You're my peeps - you deserve to know!"