Somewhere Beyond the Sound

Kelly tells a story of Bobby Darin.  He was so fond of Big Sur in California and particularly Pfeiffer Beach--with its natural arch which allowed waves to crash through with intense beauty--that he often sang "[Somewhere] Beyond the Sea" at that beach, even producing a recording there.  We would talk of this every time we visited that beach near where Liam was born.

Yesterday provided a glorious mix of sun and partial cloud cover (which made it easier to see mountains) at the secluded mile of beach I walk between Scatchet Head and Maxwelton.  I brought my lightest guitar along and paused several times to play and sing Irish and Folk Songs (I'll learn "Beyond the Sea" with sheet music today for my next sojourn).  Thoughts of Bobby Darin were pretty strong as I played for the beauty and peaceful solitude (one old dog and its owner did eventually walk by).

When asked if he has read The Great Gatsby, an English professor responds, "Have I read it?  I haven't even taught it yet!"  Around this time last year, when I committed myself to playing music professionally again, I concluded I would never do much with guitar:  for all my years of dabbling, I had never developed a consistent technique.  Too much time trying to be like Eddie Van Halen and Ygwie Malmsteen and not enough on rhythm guitar playing; not enough grace and coordination to play and sing at the same time.  Then, my school sought a guitar teacher for 7th & 8th grade, and I found myself volunteering.  This granted me the opportunity to smooth out my playing, learn to sing and play at the same time (which some of my students pick right up), and become a somewhat avid guitarist again (only somewhat because of time spent on violin and cello).  With gratitude I think of mom and dad and their patience in my Van Halen days when I insisted on practicing with a loud amplifier in order to become adept at avoiding feedback (or using feedback musically a la Jimi Hendrix).