Last night I sent in the songs and artwork for my new EP, “The Moon Jig and other dances,” and I wanted to tell you how it came to be because I think it’s an encouraging story. If you’ve a mind to create something fast, no waiting – well, this is for you.
Over the last year I’ve found myself at the piano many nights after supper, lightly, easily, pleasurably making stuff up, listening as the Muses whisper in my ear, and generally enjoying it all. I record these little jigs and dances on my iPhone and don’t think too much about them, but some of them go into my everyday repertoire because they feel good to play and they invariably put me in a good mood.
Last week I took stock of these tunes and found there was a more substantial harvest there than I’d thought. As creators, much of our artistic effort is arduous in the sense that it requires courage, planning, and substantial investments of time. But here was this little gathering of sprightly tunes that had grown up like wildflowers on a forest path without the labor of a careful gardener. How lovely to find you’ve been “working” steadily without knowing you’ve actually been at work!
On Saturday night I mentioned to Lauren Passarelli that I’d like to record a half-dozen of these tunes “sometime,” and she, brilliant engineer/collaborator/producer/musician that she is, shot back, “How about tomorrow?”
The next day we spent six happy hours recording on my own beloved and freshly-tuned baby grand. Lauren has a new rig to hold mics inside the piano and it worked like a charm. We took a hot chocolate break in the middle, but otherwise, we fell right into the absorbing FUN of recording: trying a take, screwing up repeatedly, doing it again, finding the groove, and finally, nailing it. What a wonderful day: truly one of the best and happiest of the whole year!
Monday I set myself the task of painting something for the cover. I wanted to keep the swift motion of the last days and not get bogged down in planning, so I set out my paints and papers and got to work in that serial way that children do it: one painting after another. That, too, was absorbing and FUN, and the stakes felt low. There’s always more paper, right? Keep messing around until you like something. What a lovely way to pass the evening!
On Wednesday, I spent the afternoon designing the front and back cover – only to learn at the very end when it was all done that my design had disappeared into the ether. There went three or four hours of work and experimentation.
But as is ALWAYS the case, there’s a silver lining. When Oasis, the manufacturer, called on Thursday to check on my order, I asked if they’d bump me up to Priority status to make up for the glitch in their system. Andy, the project manager, listened with sympathy and finally decided to make “an executive decision” and expedite “The Moon Jig” so it will arrive before Christmas – proving conclusively that good can always come from bad, especially when you ask nicely. 
Last night, Lauren brought over the beautifully mixed and mastered tunes and we uploaded them along with the re-designed artwork.
From idea to upload in just six short days. Six FUN, exciting, engaging, learning-rich, cheerful days. So, my dear fellow Creators, take heart and remember that the year is not over yet, and that while some projects require months and even years, some do not.
I hope this encourages you to get to it, stir yourself into action, and MAKE SOMETHING TODAY!
PS – These tunes are deeply influenced by J.S. Bach – the shapes, the lightness, the quick fingers, the JOY in them: “To Bach, the Minuet. To Chadbourne, the Jig!”
