Music is an art form among many others. As an artist, we seek to convey our thoughts to the listener or the viewer. Our creations are often portraits or reflections of experiences we have had, and sometimes expressions of some aspect of how we view life on an esoteric level. Art in a sense imitates life. It is a dangerous thing, however, when life begins to imitate art.
When I was studying music at Berklee and living in Boston, I came to the Christian faith. I can tell you that studying the faith has had a dramatic impact on my character and personality...which has in turn influenced the music I write. While music is an integral part of my life...it is by no means a source for discerning what is truth. At some point in our lives, we eventually ask the questions; Where did I come from and where am I going? For me personally, music has never really played any major part in finding the answers to these questions, be it listening, playing, or studying music. I’ve often heard people talk about how music can be a channel of some sort to the spiritual world. If this were true, shouldn’t the musician’s life demonstrate this? I raise this question because I’ve heard many artists imply that because someone is so gifted musically, they automatically become an authority figure on God and Spirituality...without ever really studying different faiths or philosophies. I’m not building a case for any religion at this point, I’m just making an observation.
Every religion ultimately must address 4 things: origin, condition, salvation, and destiny. In other words, where did I come from, what is my condition, how can I change my condition for the better, and where am I going? Listening to other people’s music (despite how powerful and emotional it is to me) is not really my first choice in trying to find the answers to these very serious questions. Some of the best musicians who have ever lived (in all genres) led empty and unfulfilled lives in that they were constantly depressed, and never able to enjoy the achievements they had worked so hard for. Their music...as beautiful as it is and as much as it has helped other people, could not save them from themselves. Miles Davis changed the face of music many times over and his musical legacy still lives on today.
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