#每周手账30：be grateful, trust, be gentle. ☁️

Dear Rosé,

Just ended my last class with Mr. Bauman and there are still so many things to learn. I really want to feel what they feel being a black American musician rooted in New Orleans. What is in their spirits?

Unfortunately, life goes on. As now industries seem to start recovering from the pandemic, schools are preparing to reopen. Although there are still many uncertainties, cases are still raising like crazy but people want to believe vaccines can protect us from the deathly Covid-19. Gigs are slowly coming in. I guess this is another round of never ending adjustment and adaptation, and I am feeling a little more overwhelming, unstable, uncertain, anxious, at the same time excited again. I am not sure about this mixed feeling and emotion. Like Mr. Bauman said, "it is like you're excited, but at the same time not sure."

Things are getting a lot busier. 

And I always want to stay grounded at uncertain times like this. 

 

I want to remember the words Mr. Bauman told me over and over again:

- consistency, do it everyday.

- to remember a song, you need to learn it by ears. (by heart)

- give yourself 10 years time from now.

- learnt the chords on piano and listen to the song when you're doing other work, etc. there are many things going on when you are away from your horn.

- read and get to know about black American history because this music came from there. many institutions don't talk about that because many racisms still going on. they screwed up and this is why I'm doing this. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and John Coltrane, have sacrificed their lives trying to bring this music out there.

- listen a lot. keep the music playing in the background, it can be Bill Watrous etc. 

- many great musicians but not all really understand what's going on. like those on Instagram playing licks, you just can't feel it. you gotta surround yourself or play with someone like that. (real musicians) 

- don't try to learn too many things at once.

- you need to be able to sing the melody.

- try not to look at the chord chart. I'm not thinking about the chord changes anymore when I play. after I have practiced this everyday.

- keep reaching out to people.

- come to New Orleans, come over here one day and listen to what is it about. it is a bunch of musicians playing together and just "click".

- New Orleans food is flavorful and not so healthy. Beignet's sugar will fall onto your shirt. lol

- future is bright.

“Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans. It has given me something to live for” - Louis Armstrong #NewOrleans #louisiana #NOLATwitter pic.twitter.com/Mw9oL6Go4y

— Nous Foundation ⚡️ (@nousnola) September 8, 2021