“I can look at a fine photograph, and sometimes I can hear music”  Photography great Ansel Adams, knew what he spoke of when he coined the above phrase.  He was also a superb pianist.

I don’t know how much one art form blends into another, but it does seem that the visual and audio arts keep close company.   To me any great art gently provokes all of our senses.  When I see a fine photograph I not only can hear the music, but I can often feel the texture.  I can listen to some great music, and it will always provide me with a plethora of pictures in my mind, from lakefront sunrises to mountain storms, to the musicians performing.  Whether I know what they look like or not.  I was fortunate to give one slide show that was “blended” with music of my choosing and I surely would have continued with other musical photography if I  would have done more slide shows.

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) is going through their fund-raising phase, and we are fortunate for that fact.  PBS pulls out many of their best musical concerts in an effort to raise funds.

Joe Bonamassa, arguably the greatest blues guitarist today has another awesome concert on PBS.  He is rapidly becoming a superb blues singer as well.  http://jbonamassa.com

If someone would have told me that I would listen to a multiple hour concert, of ten men, singing old rock and pop tunes, a capella, and I would love it, I would suggest that you make an appointment with your doctor.   None the less that was the case with the PBS Straight No Chaser http://www.sncmusic.com concert.  Incredible voices with  some corny but good showmanship made the concert go by all too quickly.

A Peter Paul & Mary PBS concert from 1986 and many other musical events make this a season of musical celebration.

I have been recently writing a little more about my personal musical preferences.  I mentioned that I especially enjoy singer/songwriters.  I do listen to many different genres of music. I love classic rock, including hard rock. My age would suggest that it would be a natural for me. I also like folk music including Irish and Scottish Folk. I have been known to listen to some bluegrass and a lot of blues.  I like some gospel including bluegrass/gospel.  I enjoy country a lot although I would say that current pop/country is long on singing talent but very short on good songs.  I will listen to current Indy Rock and Garage Band Rock although I find very little that currently moves me. I love old Motown and some seventies soul.  Since I was a small child I have listened to some Big Band sounds.  My preference is swing music or a great singer and a “torch song”   Sinatra and Etta James (both gone now) are favorites of mine as holdovers from the Big Band and Motown/early rock era respectively. I did my time in disco way back in the day and found about 5% of the songs to be compelling. I feel pretty much the same about the current techno/digital sounds of Paula Abdul, Jenifer Lopez, Madonna and the like. While each of those three have singing skills that are average (my opinion) and have above average entertainment skills, most that are using a digitally altered  format are of small  talent levels. Even someone like me could sound good in the realm of electronic voicing.  No real need for talent.

Perception is reality and I know that it might be logical to think that I lack any musical taste at all, being that I like so many different kinds of music.  I am actually very picky about the specific songs/singers/bands that I like within those various types.  I have just never closed my mind to any format.  Classical?  Opera?  Rap?  Never say never.

Here’s wishing you music in your life