Musica Viaggio

Yesterday we packed off the Yamaha Digital Piano to be forwarded onto our next location.  It looked for a while there like we might have to send it back to Edinburgh and do without for a few months.  In fact, up until about 5 days ago we didn't have a clue what to do.  Gradually this week the pieces of the puzzle came together and it was a bit hairy for a while wondering whether the courier would show up to take the piano away before we left this place but it is off now on its journey to meet us shortly at our next destination.  We also had a surprise visit from a Catholic priest but that's another story...

Where are the roadies?

Just over a year ago now we never believed we could travel with the guitar with only the two of us to carry everything.  Since November 2012 we now have a new friend to somehow move around Europe with and help bring through this Music.  Slowly we have graduated from ukulele and melodica to guitar and piano as this Music grows.

A typical SoulJahm day over these last few months has looked like this...

We wake some time in the morning - can range from 8am to 11am - depending on how our sleep patterns are.  (We've been known to stay up all night working on a video or mixing a song if we're on a roll and often we don't get to bed until 3am or so anyway).  After breakfast, we usually do a little bit of singing to loosen us up a bit as our bodies are often 'riddled' with all kinds of energy blockages after being asleep.  Then we each retreat to our own spaces to practice individually on our instruments.  This practice can go on for anything between a couple of hours to 4 or 5 hours.  We usually work in 25 minute chunks, taking a 5-10 min break for the duration of these hours.

Some time around 4.30 - 5.30pm we sing songs together for an hour or two before it gets too late.  If we could we'd sing and play all hours of the day and night.  After this we'll sometimes practice a little more on our instruments and then have tea (dinner).

I split my time between guitar, voice and piano - guitar work throughout the day while Kate is on the piano and then either after we've eaten in the evening (8-9pm) or later at night (1am or so) I will get an hour or so on the piano.  Kate will work on web stuff during this.  If we are working on a song or video we will spend the hours between 9pm until we go to bed working on these things.

Every few days we make a trip to the shops to pick up some food, but essentially this is how we live each day, although it can change depending on what is going on and how the energy is affecting us on any particular moment throughout the day.  On certain days, the energy can be so strong that we have to spend most of the day napping or are compelled to sit 'meditatively' and do little else.

When we came into this apartment we intended to learn Italian and for the first few weeks were quite serious about it.  Soon we realised we were over-ambitious and could only focus on one language at a time and that language is Music.  We'd still like to learn Italian one day and feel it will be necessary for the development of this Music but it seems that time is not now.