Jack Balls? Wait, I think he said ball and jack!
Tonight I went to Terra Blues in the village and was treated to an evening of artistry by blues guitarist, Jr. Mack (www.jrmack.com). His ability to take the blues and add his light hearted yet, soulful touch to not only the strings of his acoustic guitar but also to the melody of the classics he sang inspired me. He took an American art form known for the feeling of being heartbroken and down because of life's relentless assault on those who love hard and have found themselves in less ideal situations, and infused it with hope, humor, joy, truth, grace, subtlety and effortless grit.
Have you ever seen Jordan play a game of basketball in person, or Michael Jackson onstage? Did you ever hear Marvin Gaye sing Sexual Healing acapella or listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in surround sound or watch Tiger Woods greet the world by lapping the field in the '97 Masters? What about Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, or hear Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech from the time he took the podium until the famous words, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we're free at last!"?
I'm not saying that Mr. Mack is the blues equivalent to these icons or their iconic moments in history. No disrespect to him at all as I was moved to write this blog entry because of his performance tonight. What I am saying is that art's potential is all around us every day. Art isn't only created by the iconic figures whose ability to combine the gifts of talent, skill and knowledge into the perfect storm that captivates our hearts and minds. Its potential is in all of the scribbled out lyrics, the break ups, the struggles, the broken hearts and the cries to the Lord full of hope that He heard you and will bless you. Art's potential is in those missed jumpers in the driveway, the hours of rehearsal and the march for a cause greater than yourself.
Art is life. It's the blues when the good times roll and also when you're Joliet bound. I want to thank Mr. Mack for reminding me of that this evening.
Have you ever seen Jordan play a game of basketball in person, or Michael Jackson onstage? Did you ever hear Marvin Gaye sing Sexual Healing acapella or listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in surround sound or watch Tiger Woods greet the world by lapping the field in the '97 Masters? What about Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, or hear Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech from the time he took the podium until the famous words, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we're free at last!"?
I'm not saying that Mr. Mack is the blues equivalent to these icons or their iconic moments in history. No disrespect to him at all as I was moved to write this blog entry because of his performance tonight. What I am saying is that art's potential is all around us every day. Art isn't only created by the iconic figures whose ability to combine the gifts of talent, skill and knowledge into the perfect storm that captivates our hearts and minds. Its potential is in all of the scribbled out lyrics, the break ups, the struggles, the broken hearts and the cries to the Lord full of hope that He heard you and will bless you. Art's potential is in those missed jumpers in the driveway, the hours of rehearsal and the march for a cause greater than yourself.
Art is life. It's the blues when the good times roll and also when you're Joliet bound. I want to thank Mr. Mack for reminding me of that this evening.
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