A Tale of Two Newsletters

Lovelies,

A history of newsletters in two parts.

Part 1

For ten years I sent a newsletter with my music news.

It was boring, promotional, tedious for me and, I assume, for you.

Then four years ago I did the unexpected: I approached my computer and with a wildness reserved for art wrote exactly what I felt like writing. Thus was reborn my newsletter as a thing more worth reading: an ill-advised level of revealing narration of my creative life.

Part 2

Last year I created Muzi, a mobile app that helps you access greater creativity. Muzi needed a newsletter so I dutifully pulled one together. It was boring, promotional, tedious for me and, I assume, for you.

And I thought to myself, I know better! I promptly recalled my wildness and started writing the newsletter from the volatile, cringy, saucy small true things of my creative life.

Actually there's a Part 3

The better these two newsletters became, the more they side-eyed me with an obvious truth: THEY ARE THE SAME NEWSLETTER!

I consider this great psychological news! I'm cohesive!

And thank goodness. Because let's be honest. 1, No one needs to hear from me twice a month. 2, I have but one idea worth sharing per month. 3, I'm not over here trying to die of newsletters.

So!

Like freshwater rivers flowing into a salty, sparkly sea we arrive at MUZINGS, the new site of my creativity cogitations. You'll hear what's up in my creative life: music productions, songwriting, collaborations. You'll hear what's up in my Muzi life: creativity coaching, talks, app developments. Truly these things have never been separate – which reminds me of my most favorite creativity soapbox: EVERYTHING we do flows into the same creativity sea.

Incidentally, even as my newsletter looks a little different, I hope you'll keep doing what you've been doing... that is, writing me back.

I am so very happy to write to you all.

I had so much fun talking creativity with Amy Lynn Durham on her podcast, Create Magic at Work. Amy is wonderful – so much capacity for creative projects, uplifting others, holding space for meaningful conversations. I am truly honored to share my creativity work on her platform.

We talked about what discipline means in the context of creativity, how to resource for creativity, and how on earth I came to write for Journey.

Don't get me started on how much I love working with David Hobbes. Oh, too late. I love working with David Hobbes!

Dave and I are both... precise... so when we work together it's EXTREME. Like, how many versions of a bridge can you send in one text chain? Ten? Twenty?

Twenty!

Anyway, here is a song with a lovely bridge not to mention verses, etc.

I produced Dave's debut album a couple years ago and this is the first single from his anticipated follow-up. I'm extra grateful to my team for supporting me in trying new percussive things: Jason Slota (drums), James DePrato (guitar), Daniel Fabricant (bass), Gabriel Shepard (engineering and attention to the live loop of it all), Reto Peter (mixing), and Ken Lee (mastering).

I co-wrote, produced, played piano, and sang background vocals.

Being inspired by the creative work of others is serious business for artists.

It’s our job actually.

Whenever we create, whether we realize it or not, we are in dialogue with the creative work that came before us and the creative work happening all around us. But something alchemical happens when we lean into that process.

I tell writers, read every novel twice. The first time, for pleasure. The second time, to figure out how the author did what she did to you.

I tell songwriters, listen to every song fifteen times. The first ten to dance around your kitchen. The last five to chart song form, chord structure, melodic journey. 

Every time you are moved by creative work, let yourself be in love. But don’t JUST be in love. Also study.

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