The Mystery and Awe Of This World




I don’t ride the train too often anymore, but when I do, it tends to be the G. A few quick stops connect home and the shop, and the Metropolitan Avenue side of the trip is often host to buskers. Some good, some not so good, but the effort they put into coloring these in-between moments of city life are always appreciated.

And every once in a while, the wait for the train is mesmerizing; soulful. Last night was one — Zack Orion and his partner were the magic to hurry me home.

If I’m heading somewhere and the train hasn’t arrived then my banjo case, heart and mouth open up and I try to bring myself and others back to the mystery and awe of this world. No one truly knows what is right or wrong or good or bad or gorgeous or gross but there is always that feeling of warmth and fuzziness that comes from spontaneous human interaction, especially when harmony and melody is involved. I mentally dedicate a lot of my sounds to all the performers that inspired me—there always might be someone around the corner in any given town or city that will rip you open, fill you up with love and sew you shut with dental floss. This be why I busk.
Z.O., in an email to Vijith Assar

I’ve been passively working on reasons to introduce live performance to Art From the Heart for a little while. Though we’ve traditionally done DJs — I know too many great ones not to — I love keeping options open for as long as I can, before production wheels hit the road.

And the evening of the day that I confirm the project space for AFTH2012, the case is made. It lands on my lap, like a leaf. Such is the mystery and awe of this world.

22 February 2012, 15:21

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