When I first started to blog, I dreamed of doing a video series called “Music Therapy: Takin it to the streets.” It would look similar to Jay Leno’s street videos, but instead of catching people off guard and making them look stupid, I wanted to unveil the awesome capacity for making music in the regular, average person on the street! After all, our natural state as human beings is feeling good, being well, living authentically, & expressing ourselves through music, dance, and art… whatever FORM that takes. So, the video below is a step closer to that dream coming true.
I ran into John Fitzgerald of Remo last weekend at the WRAMTA conference, and he said something that struck me: “Kat, it’s not musicians who make music. It’s people who make music.”
In all my time spent preaching that if you have a heartbeat, then you are a natural born rhythm-maker, I had never thought of it *that* way before!
I tested John’s theory during a visit with my neighbors Clyde and Carol in the video below. Apparently, Clyde doesn’t claim to be a musician, but he makes some mad music with me anyway… Enjoy~
Special thanks goes to my jazz piano teacher Jay Jay Lim who generously shares with me tons of piano improvisation tricks that I use regularly in my therapy practice.
Also, if you’re wondering about the marimba, I got it from MusicWorx! Here’s Rachelle Norman’s post on the lap marimba.
Did he say, “When’s my solo?”??? I love it! This is fantastic, Kat. Great work! More!! More!!!
Yes – That’s exactly what he said! Thanks, Julie – I will test out some more Takin it to the Street videos =)
Kat, this is AWESOME!!! I agree with Julie – give us more videos in this series
Thanks, lady! I’ll definitely do more of these. Thanks for watching =)
Like like like a thousand times!!! This is great!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks J! Glad you like it =)
hey wow cool!!! I totally love this to pieces! the video. the concept! :^) I just finished my last lesson of the evening – a girl on the spectrum, only second lesson – and keeping her fingers on 5 simple notes on the piano, I was totally *blown away* by the incredible music she was willing to make with me. Willingness is where it’s at… #Clyderocks!
Agreed! #ClydeRocks =)
This is an awesome video, Kat! I love that you and Clyde showed so clearly that it’s not that difficult to make music – real, expressive, awesome music. So cool!
P.S. Thanks for linking to my post!
You’re welcome, and thanks for posting that with such great timing just before mine! I saw yours and it gave me a little more oomph to finish editing this video. Thanks for your inspiration!
Let me add my kudos as well. Another thing that struck me when watching this video is the vulnerability that’s required to feel comfortable in making music in our culture.
So many of us are quick to dismiss our creative, musical nature…
Hi Faith, Great observation re: vulnerability. I totally agree. There is a great deal of depth in an experience like this.
And… we’re bringing the music-making back! One beat at a time! =)
Kat, this is AWESOME! What a fantastic concept! And Clyde’s music-making was so instinctual! Fantastic! I can’t wait for the next one.
p.s. I think you have awesome neighbors!
Thanks for checking it out Crista!
Wow! I LOVE your approach. The video’s just great. Wow! I look forward to seeing more of your work. (Did I mention Wow!)
Thanks Bob! I’m super passionate about this stuff, and it seems that you are too! Enjoying your blog as well.
That was amazing! I loved the video. I can’t believe how well he played. It’s amazing what we have in us that we never know until someone else brings it out.
I do believe that music flows through us and that music is a foundation of our lives. I just never knew that it could come out of ordinary people so naturally.
Very nice.
Hi Terry! Crazy, right? Thanks for checking this out =)
Just saw this now and love it!! It makes me smile!! What a great experiment – you should do more!
Thanks Joy! Glad you got a kick out of it =)