COVID Music Project - Part 3
Author: Richard Moxley
[email protected]
Date: December 9, 2020
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Ottawa Jazz Happenings or of JazzWorks Canada.
Introduction
Rick continues the saga of his COVID music project, involving regular emails of home-baked recordings coupled with historical information and personal anecdotes. If you haven't already, it is suggested that you read Part 1 and Part 2 first.
COVID Music Project - Part 3
... Management 301 (Is this it?)
Having dealt with most of the technical and production issues in the first two installments of this series on distributing music via an email list in the time of COVID, I would like to focus on the recipients of this music and what I have learned from their perspective. The best place to start was to review the feedback which I have received, keeping in mind that this project is unrolling against the backdrop of a pandemic, which has altered all of our actions in terms of socializing and relating to others.
While direct feedback has been a useful model, it was limited to the material which I have already sent. It is also based on a model of a single relationship between myself and each recipient. What has been interesting for me to observe is the growth of relationships between people on the list interacting with each other and myself, using music as the common medium of exchange. It has been rewarding for me to be a part of that.
I first noticed this growth of relationships with the people whom I have used on the recordings and their circle of friends. As time has gone on, this has expanded to form six concentric circles of people connected though their similar love of music and shared experiences. In hindsight, it is not too surprising, given that JazzWorks (in our particular case) brings people together who are connected by music. What has been surprising for me is to find out that this was happening to people that I have known for many years and who do not have a connection to JazzWorks.
Many of these personal experiences are related to the geographic areas where people have either lived or visited, for example Brazil, England, Caribbean, Italy, and Mexico. Being a lover of bossa, I was particularly intrigued with Bob's experiences as a trade commissioner in Brazil, telling me about a favela he looked over and the development of Brasilia, Brazil's new capital. Or Gordon's walk along the beach at Ipanema looking for that tall and tanned girl. Or Nancy's memories of visiting Berkeley Square with her husband in the 60s.
Music brings us together in many ways through our shared experiences. For example, we all experience Christmas in our own way; however, those who love music also experience it strongly through the many carols which have been written over the last few hundred years.
What I have discovered in the last two months is that, with the two songs I distribute each time, recipients like and appreciate the situational notes that are sent out with the songs. This has evolved and grown as a result of the positive feedback. My objective is to try and make my comments interesting, informative, and entertaining. I have learned that relating a story to a song makes it even more memorable and relevant for the recipient.
This year, I will be distributing a set of Christmas songs and carols, which I hope will draw people together and provide joy in this particularly stressful period of our lives. I plan on making this a group effort, to reflect what Christmas and music are all about. I will be asking for some volunteer singers.
On the technical side, I have resurrected Windows Movie Maker to use in associating pictures and videos with the music, which I will be distributing. This will be limited to my own material to avoid copyright issues. Much of the music that I have created was composed while visiting different countries – Barbados, Bequay, Florida, Mexico, etc. It was a time in my life when I took many thousands of pictures. The pictures highlight the music or the music highlights the pictures; take your pick.
My original plan has been to try and distribute one email with two songs each week – one standard that I like and one I have written. The plan was to run out of music when we have a couple of successful vaccines.
Well good news “it looks like that may well happen”.
Meanwhile, spoiler alert, not so fast, we will all be facing a rough five or six months ahead of us. So in the interim, please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Follow the current heath guidelines and keep in touch with as many people as you can. At the end of that time, I intend to make many of the songs and video's available on the Internet to download. When that time comes, I will have chosen a suitable storage and access system and will inform JazzWorks.
I would like to thank JazzWorks for providing me with an opportunity to document and communicate information on this project to its members.
Richard Moxley
[email protected]
P.S. If you would like to receive Rick Moxley's COVID Project emails, please let him know.
Rick continues the saga of his COVID music project, involving regular emails of home-baked recordings coupled with historical information and personal anecdotes. If you haven't already, it is suggested that you read Part 1 and Part 2 first.
COVID Music Project - Part 3
... Management 301 (Is this it?)
Having dealt with most of the technical and production issues in the first two installments of this series on distributing music via an email list in the time of COVID, I would like to focus on the recipients of this music and what I have learned from their perspective. The best place to start was to review the feedback which I have received, keeping in mind that this project is unrolling against the backdrop of a pandemic, which has altered all of our actions in terms of socializing and relating to others.
While direct feedback has been a useful model, it was limited to the material which I have already sent. It is also based on a model of a single relationship between myself and each recipient. What has been interesting for me to observe is the growth of relationships between people on the list interacting with each other and myself, using music as the common medium of exchange. It has been rewarding for me to be a part of that.
I first noticed this growth of relationships with the people whom I have used on the recordings and their circle of friends. As time has gone on, this has expanded to form six concentric circles of people connected though their similar love of music and shared experiences. In hindsight, it is not too surprising, given that JazzWorks (in our particular case) brings people together who are connected by music. What has been surprising for me is to find out that this was happening to people that I have known for many years and who do not have a connection to JazzWorks.
Many of these personal experiences are related to the geographic areas where people have either lived or visited, for example Brazil, England, Caribbean, Italy, and Mexico. Being a lover of bossa, I was particularly intrigued with Bob's experiences as a trade commissioner in Brazil, telling me about a favela he looked over and the development of Brasilia, Brazil's new capital. Or Gordon's walk along the beach at Ipanema looking for that tall and tanned girl. Or Nancy's memories of visiting Berkeley Square with her husband in the 60s.
Music brings us together in many ways through our shared experiences. For example, we all experience Christmas in our own way; however, those who love music also experience it strongly through the many carols which have been written over the last few hundred years.
What I have discovered in the last two months is that, with the two songs I distribute each time, recipients like and appreciate the situational notes that are sent out with the songs. This has evolved and grown as a result of the positive feedback. My objective is to try and make my comments interesting, informative, and entertaining. I have learned that relating a story to a song makes it even more memorable and relevant for the recipient.
This year, I will be distributing a set of Christmas songs and carols, which I hope will draw people together and provide joy in this particularly stressful period of our lives. I plan on making this a group effort, to reflect what Christmas and music are all about. I will be asking for some volunteer singers.
On the technical side, I have resurrected Windows Movie Maker to use in associating pictures and videos with the music, which I will be distributing. This will be limited to my own material to avoid copyright issues. Much of the music that I have created was composed while visiting different countries – Barbados, Bequay, Florida, Mexico, etc. It was a time in my life when I took many thousands of pictures. The pictures highlight the music or the music highlights the pictures; take your pick.
My original plan has been to try and distribute one email with two songs each week – one standard that I like and one I have written. The plan was to run out of music when we have a couple of successful vaccines.
Well good news “it looks like that may well happen”.
Meanwhile, spoiler alert, not so fast, we will all be facing a rough five or six months ahead of us. So in the interim, please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Follow the current heath guidelines and keep in touch with as many people as you can. At the end of that time, I intend to make many of the songs and video's available on the Internet to download. When that time comes, I will have chosen a suitable storage and access system and will inform JazzWorks.
I would like to thank JazzWorks for providing me with an opportunity to document and communicate information on this project to its members.
Richard Moxley
[email protected]
P.S. If you would like to receive Rick Moxley's COVID Project emails, please let him know.