It's Not A Competition

Earlier this week, Bassline inquired if I was down for some praise team practice. I jumped at the chance. Since I was introduced to the concept of praise team, I've had reverence for them. For the uninitiated, praise team is simply a group of people who lead the praise and worship section of a worship service. Usually it averages about 4 or 5 and is coed so that all the amazing harmonies can be projected. During college, the praise team had the power to make my day. The rest of the service could be banal, distracting, and even upsetting. But if the praise team's section was on point, the heavens were lifted for me.

Anytime I get to see people practice I try to go. I'm not so sure why I am always into the inner workings of things or the motivations behind such actions, but they always intrigue me. This time around, we were dealing with a haphazard praise team, busily setting up things for a special day at their church the next day. Mostly they were unprepared, yet wanted to be perfectionist. You couldn't fault them. They were still jovial and about Jesus, which is what the whole thing is supposed to be about. But you could also hear frustration, cause even they knew they weren't entirely getting it.

Out of nowhere, I felt a pull to guide some of the ladies. And point out some mic issues. And issue some advice on tempo. I don't know where it came from. Save for Bassline and his two friends, I didn't know any of these people. And within minutes they were asking for more help. I wish I knew more about the thing I love so much. I wish I had stuck with those piano lessons and learned theory. I wish I listened to more of the music so that I would know every part.

But I think knowing too much would take away some of the allure. I analyze everything enough. Praise time is the only time, I feel myself letting go completely. Singing your heart out with a bunch of like-minded people is part of my vision of heaven. And thankfully the team is never in competition. They just all want to win.

And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Since the wee hours of Monday morning, I have not had internet service. This is something that has been annoying at worst and pretty tolerable overall. Every once in a while I did have the notion to check for an important e-mail or search for some random item on the internet, but they weren't life or death so things were cool.

(I did wish I could have blogged a conversation me and Mocha had the other night on our way home. We were trying to figure out why music, video games, and DVD's were released on Tuesdays. How did they come upon this arbitrary day? Wouldn't it make sense to move it to Thursday? You beat the bootleggers. People would like to have it for their weekends. Who wouldn't love to test out the new game over the weekend or play that new CD on your vacation up the coast? It just makes sense. And we would get to hear new stuff much earlier. Just a thought brought to you by Mocha Latte.)

Today I got to go to the girls' program because they needed a male staff just in case this one particularly big girl had an issue. At first I was reluctant, but I eventually warmed to it after the lovely reception from the program coordinator and some of the girls I've worked with over there. Even though I played with Bratz dolls for most of the evening, it was a wonderful change of pace. I got to dance. I got to sing. I had fun. And the girls are more appreciative. I'm not sure if it's something that's natural or learned, but they are. They are just more expressive too. I think what would grind on me if I worked there regularly would be how often they are emotional, which is nightly. My boys aren't emotional that often and we usually respond to their physical outbursts. The emotions might come much later and with a whole other staff. But like Wu-Tang, I'm for the children and I'll work with either set.

The cool part of tonight was realizing how awesome music is. Banana skipped ahead on the Robin Thicke she was pumping on the way home to hear just one section of the song "Complicated." Just the simple way he sang this half bar of music tickles Banana just so. After it was over, it was on to the next track. Abrupt as it may seem, I am totally the same way. There's a bass lick at the end of the chorus in The Spinners "I'll Be Around" that always gets me.

Anyway that's all for now. More postings to follow since I am celebrating early Friday this week.

Unexpected Realization

Waking up to country music blaring in your house two days in a row is somewhat disconcerting.

(Triple M Post!)

Breakthrough

So I'm listening to Rapper Big Pooh's "My Mind" for the umpteenth time since the sun set on another glorious Sabbath. Now I found the song just before the Sabbath hours descended upon us but whoa. Before I get into the beauty of the song and make this a post for my other blog (Wait, you haven't been?), let me get to the real point.

The dude that sings the hook is Darien Brockington. Now the only way I know him is that he sang some hooks for Little Brother, my current favorite group. He also had an EP that I got my hands on and also he just released an album late last year I haven't been able to touch. Anyway, he's got a couple joints I keep on repeat. His voice is cool. Nice vibe, nice lyrics.

Now listening to him, I'm loving his voice even more. But I'm also realizing that this guy just happened to get on because his college friends happened to be serious about the music thing and he had some talent to lend. Now he has an independently released album. He tours a little bit. Plus he has a bunch of MySpace friends. What is stopping me from living this lifestyle?

I usually have joked that I would love to be a background singer, but honestly could it be so bad? Even just hook singer. If I got to D-Brock's position I would be happy as a clam. What better way to spend youth? Then you take that experience and move on. Or add on to it. Who knows where it could go? So why not get serious about it? How much would it hurt to actually try?

That random call from a former co-worker to sing on her baby daddy's record doesn't sound so ludicrous all of a sudden.

Oh Porcelain Goddess

Getting rid of concentrated evil first thing in the morning is a very liberating experience.

And gospel is probably best heard in the morning

The Power of Music

- So we converted one boy to underground hip-hop and already is perspective on life has changed. He already recognizes that there is something missing in today's musical landscape that is not absent in the Jurassic 5 (clean version) we loaded on to his PSP

- Another boy loves Brazilian music and hums cheerily along with it without realizing that the world continues to turn.

- My favorite boy spent 4 hours today with my iPod, happy as a clam. Why? The Beatles playlist. Compilation CD forthcoming.

- Finally, another boy who suffers from mental retardation randomly spit out a Nas lyric today as he was trying to get himself back together. Seems he likes the Mariah Carey/Joe - Thank God I Found You (Make It Last Remix) I put on the burned CD's I made for the kids.