Coming up as a teenager, adults would always ask, “What do you want to be?” I would respond with “scientist’ or “athlete”. As many kids speak on that that is great and important. As a teenager, getting a feel for greatness I knew what I had to do. I was inspired. That’s when Music began for me.

I started out on guitar. My parents bought me a hundred dollar guitar for Christmas. It laid there forever in my heart and my bedroom corner perfectly unused for nearly a year. That is until I was introduced to jazz music in freshman year of high school. My music teacher played the sounds of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Horace silver and the movement of an era that fell upon deaf ears. For forty minutes at the end of everyday I had a little more appreciation for art.

The influence of music happened for me as I realized its stand alone beauty. For me, music has a quality of presenting itself all on its own. Music, specifically Jazz, has empowered me a lot. And, guitar is a magnificently fine instrument that I have much appreciation for.

The question of ‘becoming’ had a lot to do with the exploration of music, honor, and self-expression. My class, my bandmates, my first act was a very important event for me in becoming an artist. 

Being the ‘Artist’ is still an ongoing challenge for me. There are many mediums available today that weren’t around during my high-school years being wielded by kids much younger. I’m not a fan of overused horse-beaten phrases. A conversation with the recent scholars and their one-point-x thousand followers is a lost cause. My voice is more important to me than my reach. And, the need for self work goes on.

Quality is important. Art is to supposed to be colorful. Music, vibrant. People who don’t work purposefully should stick to silicon. So many talented souls were lost trying to express themselves. In an artistic sense, there is nothing mediocre about one’s quality of life.

Inspiration keeps meaning when I surround myself with purposeful creators. Like my influences in high school. Playing music doesn’t have the same advantage as it had, there are no cheerleaders to impress. Performance has whatever meaning I give it, and with that playing music changes. I believe, heart in mind, with some care and a little attention I can achieve something better than I had set out for.