it's all about the nitty gritty

my mother-in-law suggested that we decorate our home for the holidays.  it would help the environment for the kids, build tradition, and strengthen our family ties.  i must say (through clenched teeth) that bonnie feig is right.  our kids like it when we put out stuff for easter, valentine's day, birthdays, thanksgiving, the fourth of july, and of course christmas.  the only day that we kinda stink at is halloween. we have a skeleton and a smiling frankenstein that stick into the yard, and a couple of jack-o-lantern stuffies that share mantle space with a dancing ghost.  we do have the occasional neighbor who puts out spider webbing at the front door, carved pumpkins on the stoop, and bed sheet ghosts hanging from the trees.  but this year, one neighbor wrapped up the award for most amazing halloween decorations in the whole wide world.

holy guacamole.  this guy went all out.  the huge pirate ship in his front yard is beyond description.  several skeleton pirates have hoisted the jolly roger flag high in the air and cannons blast from the bough, leaving a trail of smoke.  the shaky plank and the rope bannister lead to barrels of gun powder and a shrunken skull.  a mermaid is carved into the front of the ship.  a framed portrait of the mona lisa and her wandering eyes sits on board.  pirates are playing cards adjacent to the ship, with a scary lady taking aim at the head of her cheating card partner.  another skeleton plays eerie violin etudes that are blasted through a speaker while hanging out under a peculiarly placed basketball backboard. trick-or-treaters flocked to this house, and parents outfitted with cameras wandered close behind.

i had the opportunity to talk with the gentleman responsible for the awesomeness this evening about the how and why.  he told me that he chose halloween as the holiday to go big with for his kids, because the month of december is too cold for getting all the christmas lights strung outside.  he also explained that all of the pirates are made with pvc pipe, and that the ships and signs and tables all break down and store flat in the garage (aka - the booty lounge).

i enthusiastically divulged that i was blown away at the spectacle and appreciated what he was doing for the community. he told me that, although it's all basically powered by a fire-code-violating labryinth of extension cords and held together with tape and twine, the joy he finds in it "is all in the details."

hey buddy... you need another drink like you need a hole in your head

i love projects that are detail oriented. i remember seeing the cirque de soleil production KA in las vegas, and was so appreciative of the attention to detail.  the music lined up with the movement impeccably.  the lighting both highlighted and foreshadowed.  each facet of the the costuming addressed both fashion and function.  the visionaries were seeing things with a macro/micro duality.

anymore, i am insistent upon rehearsing music projects of which i am associated.  i have found that by working out material, ensembles are able to establish a strong rapport and sense of trust while ironing out some fancy transitions and tricky grooves.  jazz and improvised music often sells itself short in this department, ironically enough, by it's own shareholders.  some think that reviewing the material thins the spontaneity.  others claim that it's a hassle to drive around, secure a space, align schedules ... just to rehearse.

individual artists take no issue with honing their craft meticulously and tirelessly.  the duos/trios/groups of any number that have managed to keep themselves relevant have done so with an inimitable and unspoken musical communication amongst each other that is, most likely, discovered and developed in rehearsal.  make the commitment to details. that's where the good stuff is at.