Aside from all of the traditional obstacles one must overcome (time, money, the will of others, and forces of nature) to get something done, the most formidable obstacle is oneself. Before we make a decision, we gather our resources and marshal our forces in order to ensure its success, but there are usually too many possibilities to consider. So it comes down to faith. Faith that we already have the resources within us to handle what comes next. Faith to understand that even if we end up on a road that is not of our choosing, it can still lead us to our goal, and maybe even provide us with some views we have never seen before. It comes down to faith in oneself.
The Tarrier: A few years back I was playing chess with a dear friend. On this particular occasion I was winning most of the games handily until the endgame. Turn after turn, my friend watched as I missed opportunities for checkmate as I tried to bring in more pieces and even get an extra queen. I lost a few of those games and the most embarrassing of them ended in a stalemate. He loves to bring that one up inconversation. 'You did everything you needed to do, and then you tarried.
' In future games, whenever we found anyone guilty of that crime, (bragging and taunting seemto be more important than the actual games with us) we labeled him 'The Tarrier,' and joked that it sounded like one of those Blue Note titles, like The Sidewinder orThe Preacher. In case you are interested in the music here, The Tarrier is a blues shuffle and was partly influenced by Oliver Nelson's Yearnin'. The ensemble trading with thedrums was inspired by Thad Jones' "Tiptoe."Dijon Dance is dedicated to Jack DeJohnette, one of my favorite drummers. The song was inspired by Jackie McLean's 'Demon's Dance,' a record that featured Mr. DeJohnette andsuccessfully straddles the dividing line between 50's hard bop and the modal and freer styles popularized by Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane in the 60's. I was trying to invoke some of that spirit here.
Be Still (While I Remove ...
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