Hi there,
I decided out of the blue the other day, that I was going to have a Super Duper Summer, and that I would wish the same for everyone else too. I know, it sounds silly, and uh, childish; in fact it's the kind of thing I would have said when I was a little girl. But this year, I'm choosing a summer that feels like what that phrase might represent: simple pleasures, time for what you love best, being playful without pressure, freedom to goof off with best buddies, and plain old fun. It just feels right this year - luxurious even, to relish the extraordinary pleasures of reading, writing, composing, playing, being outdoors and seeing family and friends. I know, words wise, that might sound dull, but I just got back from visiting my sister and I can attest to the joys of watching a corgi sniffle the grass, the thrill of iris in late bloom, and the magic and drama of a big summer storm. My mother, who was known for her peculiar phrases, ("I'm off like a dirty shirt!" "It will get worse, or it will get better!"), used to say: "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill!". Well this year I think it feels good to make a "mountain out of a molehill". To make a "big deal" out of the little stuff in life. I was at a party last Friday, and someone mentioned they were spending two months in Turkey this summer. Well, good for them. I feel richer, somehow, with just a few days last week in Idaho. It might sound remarkable to some, but the three and 1/2 hours talking in the car on the way to the mountains and another three and 1/2 hours talking on the way home with someone I've known my whole life seemed like time well spent. Along the way I realized too, how beautiful America is: you don't need to go to the Swiss Alps when you can go to, (I bet you couldn't guess...), Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, do you?
I'm sure to many people, a musician appears to perform for the thrill of being on stage, or for the glory of showing off their skills. Well, to me, and it's about connecting with others - communicating and sharing this world that we all live in. Jazz is a world where all are welcome - a shared passion is the only "ticket" needed. And this summer, at a time when many of our "friends" now are often people we have never even met, I choose to spend my time connecting through my music with real live people, (August 4th in Boston at Regatta Bar), spending time in nature, reading good "old fashioned" books, and of course, composing. This summer, that's MY definition of Super Duper!
So however, or wherever, you spend your summer and your Fourth of July, I hope that it is filled with all the things you truly love, with "play time", with nature, with freedom to goof off a bit, with family, friends and fun.
Wishing you a really..... Super Duper Summer!
Lisa
