Sunday, April 18, 2010

Day Six - Band Practice

Whew! After participating in two worship services led by Rick Muchow of Encouraging Music I was almost too giddy to get anything worthwhile done.  The mass choir experience is so new and so exhilarating .. needless to say I just needed to settle down after all this excitement.  Luckily a friend invited me to lunch and through our quick catch up and check in, peace and clarity settled in.

Then I raced from San Francisco to Berkeley dragging along my keyboard to rehearse with the band.

Though its been a few weeks, I am always amazed at how quickly we snap together at band practice.  We have played together now for over two years now and I sincerely love the guys in the band. They are each such exquisite musicians with personalities and experience that make us like an exotic bouquet of flowers.  We sketched out our set list for this Sunday April 25th's performance for the National MS Society Walk Event at Crissy Field.  It will be a gorgeous experience and we are grateful for this and every opportunity to share our music for a worthy cause. For more details see http://www.nkechi.com/crissyfieldsf

Once home and back at the ranch I cooked dinner and praised  my Creator for existing.  And now to practice piano in preparation for future this show and future band practices.  Supposedly I'm on voice AND keys now.  Uh oh.

Blessings :-)
NKECHI LIVE!


Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Day Five - Piano Lesson

Today was fun.  Slow, simple, full of surprises and just plain quiet fun.  Accepting the gift of a good night's sleep helped tremendously.  Allergies have me a little slower than usual these days, but I am grateful for any reminder to take it easy, or easier than I usually let myself.

First part of the day began with accepting the great weather as a a true blessing.  In fact the opportunity to experience any kind of weather is a Blessing :-)

The real excitement started as we entered Marin on way to what I believe is my first ever real piano lesson from Bonnie Hayes.  Kind of amazing considering I've somehow been tinkering around and writing songs on keyboard and/or guitar ever since a few years ago she strongly suggested to her Musicianship for Singers class at Blue Bear School of Music that we pick up some kind of instrument.  I somewhat protested then, but by the next week I have been gifted a keyboard from a garage sale and hauled it into class.  Yup, just like that I began playing though up until today I never really quite knew what I was doing.

Today was the best day ever to take my first fficial lesson.  Not a minute too early nor a minute too late.  Just a full circle completion on a cycle started a few years ago by a wise teacher.  I am so grateful.  Today Bonnie Hayes unlocked the mystery of which hand goes where and what each of the hands do while playing piano.

Landed next at Glad Tidings for Saturday night service and an opportunity to participate in mass choir led by Rick Muchow of Encouraging Music.  Two more worship services tomorrow.  Encouraged is an understatement of the contentment that comes from worship.

In between all of this was a brief stop to Caffe Trieste in North Beach where, I caught a glimpse of the monthly music showcase.   I left there grinning cheek to cheek from the joy of seeing my elders as both audience members and performers.  A sweet elderly lady talked me into sitting for a bit and a new world opened up.   She introduced me around.  I noticed everything piano and marveled at how much rehearsal it take to play as any of them do.

Yup, so now comes the encouraging challenge of daily practice.  I'm laughing at the thought of it.  Somehow, someway there will be time for it, I am sure of it!

Blessings :-)
NKECHI LIVE!


Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Day Four - ...and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi

Awestruck by the most magnificent presentation and performance of Marcus Garvey's new play "..and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi."  It is so complex and so brilliant and so mind expanding that the much needed sleep I hoped to get is trying to run the other way while the enormity of this collage of history Marcus Garvey tells has left me awestruck and speechless.  It is a must see and one day soon I hope a must read. There is really no verbal explanation that can give this play justice.  The experience, as in the singing, the acting, the story, the directing.  Wow!  Breathtaking!  A must see.  So Please see It.  http://cuttingball.com/season/09-10/and-jesus-moonwalks-the-missisippi/

..and Jesus did Moonwalk the Mississippi in such a beuatifully and humbly way as Free discovered who wshe was always meant to be.

Blessings :-)
NKECHI LIVE!

Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Friday, April 16, 2010

Day Three - Silent Rehearsal

I chose to go silent for a day.  Actually it chose me.  Just when I sat to write after rehearsal for Abigail, the Rock Opera and then stopping by to peak in on a few friends's fundraiser for Diabetes called Sugar Rush, my computer decided to do its update shut down thing.  So I paused, silently. Simultaneously my Blackberry phone was doing its blank to white screen thing.  Another gift of silence. So I giggled and instead started reading The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novegratz.  It would definitely have been a later night, but I chose to take the silent cues in ode to those I Iove who might rather not want to hear a keyboard, tip, tip, tapping late at night.  Off computer and off phone is equivalent to a silent rehearsal giving an opportunity to let the music in my mind be heard or written down.

This Sunday the band and I rehearse for The MS Society walk Sunday, April 25th at Crissy Field.  Can't wait to sing and play in the outdoors with a view of the Gold Gete Bridge.

Blessings :-)
NKECHI LIVE!

Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Day Two - Going with the Flow

Long Day.  Sort of.  Just about right and mostly quiet. Felt long mostly because of what I thought I'd be doing versus what I did get to do.  What I didn't get to do was make it on to Facebook. What I did do today was listen, listen in, listen to my body .. and go with the flow.

"So you're going with the flow?" said the lady at the gym as she and I chat about how rewarding it is to perform in the community of a choir.  She described a picture of a log in a river and that while the river is finding a way around the log it digs deeper first.  Aha, that was it.  Lately my Spirit has been searching deeper for its true purpose, again, and the same as every other artist I know.  The quiet that descended on me seemed to be charting new territory and the word deeper made sense.  I was so excited by her spontaneous offering that I asked if I could pray with her.  I seem to have this habit of praying to call down Heaven at the seemingly most obscure times.  So I prayed with her and Miracles started to happen.


Walked in to the lobby and lo and behold, there was CNN doing a special report on the science of prayer.  Aha!  And talking about a book titled How God Changes your Brain.


All I could think was, "Didn't He make my brain?'


By this time I was reminded that my day was no longer my own.  I became a willing participant to His flow and Divine timing.  At that moment I saw a few people I hadn't seen since who knows when.  Got to catch up with one gal face to face and invite her to our mass choir performance at Glad Tidings Church this weekend April 17th and April 18th. Our catch up chat was so extended I completely missed getting online for my usuals.

Meanwhile, I did get a lot done.  I listened to my body.  Nurtured my allergies and enjoyed the hot towels on my back.  I confirmed a piano/guitar/songwriting lesson for this weekend.  Was of service to a friend.  And later rallied in support of another friends gig at No Name in Sausalito.

Took me a minute to remember that going with the flow is the only kind of online that really makes sense these days.  Going with the Flow and Listening in is Being Online!

Blessings :-)
NKECHI LIVE!

Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Day One - Joy

I awoke this morning with the clear and present thought that today was Day One without really knowing "yet" what it is Day One of.  Just clearly Day One.  This I know for sure. And so it is.  This day April 13th 2010 is Day One of whatever more will be revealed.   After my usual prayers and praises I was struck by the reality that Joy is a choice.  Really a choice.  A seemingly painful and senseless choice when doubt tries to run the show.  The idea seems almost childish when there are so many things not to be joyful about going on in our material world.  Last night I had the sneaky and suspicious reminder through a fortunate and synchronistic sighting of a friend that I never really know what is going on in the Big Picture.  Imagine that. Yup, little old me really has no real idea what is going on in the Big Picture.  Yet somehow, simply and joyfully, and without judgement, I stooped to pick up a cup someone had dropped at a cafe and Walla! a person who proved to be an answer to a dilemma my brain had just been tangled with showed up.

I realized last night that I almost would rather have pondered the dilemma for a little longer, when out of the blue a friend sighting answered the problem I wasn't sure I yet wanted solved.   Upon seeing my friend I broke into a smile.  A knowing smile reminding me that I'm like a like a caterpillar trying to use her feelers to control the weather.  As silly as that seems, my feelers need to be joy filled lest they be rendered almost useless by my Creator.  Oh yeah.  I suppose I am responsible to treat my attitude.  When I am clear and present and joy filled solutions and capabilities emerge.


Joy, despite any worldy circumstance is the better attitude with which to work through anything.  Joy sometimes is willing action to do the next right God thing.  Aha!


When I finally got back to Joy today out came a song I'm titling Caterpillar song.   It figures!


Blessings in Your Day :-)
NKECHI LIVE!

Astral Soul Songstress/Visionary
Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Monday, April 12, 2010

Day Zero

So today is Day Zero of Something .. or the Other.  I am not exactly sure what, but I "knew" today I was to begin.  So I am.  And being a former techy, today I suppose is t+0 = Day Zero of that thing.  Tomorrow will be Day One. Whatever it is that I am beginning will surely reveal Itself over time lest I just ramble on, and ramble on, and ramble on which wouldn’t be a Surprise for those who know me well.  However this Desire is seemingly quite different.  It is a Sincere Desire to please my Creator by carry through whatever He has called me to do.  Sounds pretty high stepping, and maybe it is, but in Truth this need to ramble has particularly rumbled in my Spirit since Easter and finally erupted this morning after a series of events which I'll elaborate on later. Something about watching the insane and reckless abandon of Ali G.  I never really had looked much into who this comedian is as a human being until just a few days ago when me and mine were watching YouTube clips of his interview with Buzz Aldrin. When I laugh to his absurdity there is a piercing of Joy that erupts my soul.  I started to ponder why he was put on the planet, as though it is mine to ponder, and all I could do was smile. As I pondered some more all I could do was smile and laugh some more. 

I love Joy.  I believe Joy is a Gift from from Complete Surrender.

Last night I sent a friend my schedule.  It was filled with the usual smattering of church and Spiritual activities that anchor my soul to the planet.  What I did not send him then, was the time I need to set aside to create and enjoy music.  Imagine that!  I mysteriously set aside without even thinking that which nourishes me. Fascinating!  So I cancel even the thought of not doing music.  It is that for which I have been called.  Music, music, and more Music.  The creating, the writing, the listening, the enjoying, and the Being that which I already am.  A Songstress, Songwriter, Musician, Minister of sorts in no particular order.

I am so grateful for this unexpected reminder.

Blessings in Your Day :-)
NKECHI LIVE!

Acoustic Soul Songstress