"Anthem" by Leonard Cohen

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

Making music can not be confined. What a liberating experience it is to free the soul with sound. Doors that are closed are perceptual self imposed doors. Just like with limiting consciousness and awareness. All limitations are self imposed. Reality is what we make it. Live and love, life and music.

Improvisation

Great interview on improvisation with John McLaughlin.  Check it out

http://www.johnmclaughlin.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/McLaughlin_Interview.pdf

"John McLaughlin: Improvisation is, simply put, being and living this very moment. No one can hide in music, and
improvising in music is to be truly in this very moment and being completely yourself, with all your qualities and faults.
It is probably the most honest state for a human being to be in, whether in music or life. The great thing about
improvisation in general is that the listener is taken by the very spontaneity. This is our most natural state.
I don’t feel qualified to speak about holistic awareness and other states of mind. To me, when we are completely
spontaneous, we stop thinking and only act. This is the ideal state for any kind of creative work, whether musical or
other. I don’t really know about bringing relationships into being either, sorry . . . what I do know is that people who
are in an environment of spontaneity express deeper aspects of their own being. For the most part we function on a
discursive level of awareness. To act spontaneously leaves this state behind and allows the deeper aspects of our
nature to flow naturally."

"John McLaughlin: I am convinced that to be honest with myself in music as in life will never lead me astray. Being
honest with yourself in art can lead you to some strange places and discover surprises about yourself, even strange
things. We are very mysterious beings in a constant state of discovery. I do feel that we must pursue these aspects of
our being, since they are there for some reason or other, or perhaps for no reason at all. The only “trap” I see in
improvisation in music is when restraints are abandoned. Without these restraints, which can be in the form of
complex harmony or sophisticated rhythmic cycles, we can easily drift into self-indulgence.
I actually feel very strongly that perfect discipline equals perfect freedom. Of course, it is essential to forget everything
you’ve learned once you start playing. This is no easy task and requires dedication and humility. In any event, the first
lesson one learns when trying to improvise is that one is unbelievably inarticulate and incapable of saying anything of
merit. This feeling can and does continue throughout life, incidentally. So humility is really the first lesson.
Basically: if you’re playing, you’re not thinking and if you’re thinking, you’re not playing."

creativity an insanity

All human beings are wired to create......not just procreate. Providing a creative outlet dissipates psychosis. Suppression of creativity makes a human crazy. It is a sad shame that society for the most part doesn't sufficiently value creativity. This is demonstrated by cuts in art, music, theatre and other programs that cultivate and encourage creative expression.