So I'm back in Indy for a little bit!
Sean Imboden's large ensemble (who I've helped direct and contribute to before) is on the move again. Two dates are planned, one at the Jazz Kitchen, which is a venue with a national and international draw for performers of this music, and the other one outside, for Eagle Creek Park's Jazz on the Point series. Since I've continued to perennially generate material as part of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, Sean shot me a message again asking if I wanna bring in some of the new work to the orchestra--and some of the 'greatest hits' we've done well in the past, naturally--and of course I agreed. I like Sean a lot, I like his playing and writing a lot, and he really gives me a lot of latitude in terms of what I can bring in to his orchestra, so it was a no-brainer. As I write, I'm in my childhood bedroom typing away at midnight. My parents still live here, though they've been insinuating a move for 4 or 5 years now, so I've chosen to spend some time with them. They're also taking care of my business partner's two cats, since their living situation in Chicago doesn't let them keep animals (especially a high-strung orange male and a nervous eccentric tortiseshell female). These were two animals I saw every day when living in Bloomington, and it's good to see them and hang out. The tortiseshell female is no exaggeration one of my favorite cats--impossible to read, has a single expression (penetrative stare), total sweet-pea. Likewise, I suppose, with my parents and my whole childhood. They're still getting used to me firing on all cylinders and having my life pretty under control, but that's just a growing pain. I will say, though, that coming back really feels very comfortable, and I'm a little suspicious of that. I know how things work here, what to expect, how these performances with SILE will play out, the kind of people who will be around. I know the jokes and the references to make, and I fit this place hand-in-glove without really trying. I feel quite relaxed in my own private Land of the Lotus-Eaters, and that there is what I sometimes call the 'kiss of death' to students-- the small beginning signs of a chain of events that will lead to an overall stagnation or deficiency in your technique or art. In one of my last chances to speak at length with David Baker, he related: "If you feel like you're getting comfortable--GIT!" I take that pretty seriously. I've heard it said that you can't go home again. For me right now, I think, I totally can. But that's something to keep an eye on.
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