The Mindful Bard: Alive
by Wanda Waterman
The Voice Magazine, Volume 22 Issue 26 2014-06-27
Album: Alive
Artist: Hiromi
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity.”
– Billy Joel
“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
I remember an English professor at Dalhousie who taught us that if we had a thought that we couldn’t put into words, perhaps we should consider that it wasn’t really a thought. At the time this made perfect sense. But although it was a great way to push us to become better writers, time and experience later taught me that some thoughts and feelings run too deep for words. Nothing illustrates this better than the music of Hiromi. (Read the article here.)
The Mindful Bard 
I could not agree more, music can cause feelings or through music feelings can be expressed, which are difficult to put in words. And Hiromi is obviously a great example, but by far not the only one.
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I’d love to hear your views on other jazz artists who speak volumes without words.
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Well, I like to think that this differentiates great musicians from good musicians. The great ones can indeed create feelings. A master in my view was Duke Ellington, who could create specific moods with his music. Listen to him playing with John Coltrane “In a sentimental mood”.
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