That Bigger, Crazy Dream

For the last few days I've been in Texas. I came down to play a couple concerts and attend and participate in two conferences. The first one ended tonight.

I make music because I need to for my own sake, but truth be told I've always had this bigger, crazy dream that I could be part of Jesus changing culture – through creativity and music and truths and generosity replacing the way things are now.

For instance: in the push to establish themselves, a lot of musicians put each other down, compare themselves, get really focused on money, get cynical or bitter, or manipulate people to get what they want. Also – equally disconcerting -- they compromise artistically, not being as creative or excellent as they could be. They sometimes just play what people want to hear rather than bringing something more substantive. Other times they play what they feel like playing when the people really need to hear something else. And on and on.

This particular conference stirred up old dreams again: I want a great band with diverse and international elements (South African guitar, Jamaican vocals, a French horn, trombone and trumpet, upright bass, drums, perc, and a multi-instrumentalist lead player). Someday. That's my dream band. In the short term I want a great bass player and drummer who really connect with both the music I write and this purpose I have for my music -- and I'd like some people I can really work with for a while and get not only solid, but get to that miraculous place called synergy where (as Bono puts it) "God walks in the room".