Wholeness is Greater than the Sum of the Parts

When I play music with others, there is an interesting meeting taking place. I started playing music to express myself and to get to know myself better. Playing with others allows me to know myself in terms of how I'm different and unique compared to others. I discover that as a musician, I'm stable and steady. I know a large repertoire of songs. I also grow in unexpected ways from being influenced by the people I play with. I become more fluid and free. I start to improvise songs never written before.

I recently recorded one of my songs, The Sound of Rain, with my friend Kurtis Kujawski freely improvising to the song. To me, it really shows how the interaction between structure and flow can create a wholeness more beautiful than each part.

When I play with other people I play less for my own sake and more for the sake of the music itself. Being part of something greater makes me realize what my true talents are and inspires me to develop new ones too.