Fiddle About!

I had a wonderful experience this week while playing my weekly gig at the Nyack Farmer's Market.  Just about the end of my time playing the market manager came up to make a request.  She wanted to "You and Me" a song of mine that she especially likes.  being that Ian Moore was there onstage getting ready to take over and play his set, he suggested that we do the song together.

     Ian is an amazing performer, a singer of songs and a story teller, who mixes in wonderful dancing with his fiddle playing.  He is also a fine composer.

     I was very happy to have him accompany me on the song, but also a bit nervous.  I get worried of being able to play and sing at his caliber, well not worried really, I flat out know I'm not in the same league.  But I was so excited for the idea too.

     I showed him the chord progression and gave him a quick idea of what the song is, that took about 15 seconds, and then we went at it.  That was quite enough time to let Ian know where to go with his part.  That's the kind of player he is.

     It was work for me to keep my mind in the attitude of he performer because I so wanted to be the observer and get the full affect of Ian's playing on one of my songs.

     He played a beautiful line, quite sensitive and appropriate, but creative.  I was very moved.  It seemed as though others listening were too.

     Sometimes 1+1 don't make 2, they make so much more, or Moore, Ian Moore.  I love that guy.

The great Ian Moore.( photo from https://www.reverbnation.com/ianmooreplaysfiddle )

     

Song writing, for me is like

Song writing for me is like looking out in the woods and seeing a shape in the bushes.  I can tell something, someone, is there, maybe a fox, or a dog, or a coyote, or a deer, but I have to look harder, be patient, in order to discover what, who it is.
If I see the flick of a tail I might realize it's a deer, or a dog.  I look a bit more and determine the color of it's coat, and then the general size.  And so it goes until I have a confident idea of who it is I am discovering.
Then, I need to spend some more time finding out the particulars of this particular being.  If I say I know it's a dog, or even a dog with a black and brown and white coat, about 50 pounds, with a long tail, I still don't know the disposition of this particular dog.  That take time and more observation, listening for a growl, or whine, or wiper, or friendly bark.
And so it goes.  This is how songs get written for me.  So far.  It can take a little time to become well acquainted with a new song.  Patience is always a virtue, as well as a willingness to listen, and look, and discover.

https://richardamaldonado.bandcamp.com