Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Power of Music

I left my house Friday morning at 8:00am on route to the airport heading for Houston, it was a morning just like any other except for one thing, a good vibe was in the air.  Because of rush hour traffic I decided not to take the express way but rather drive through the city and it's neighborhoods so that I wouldn't catch the usual morning pissed off attitude.  While riding through West Philly there was a middle aged gentlemen in front of me with his radio rather loud (enough so that I didn't need to use mine) playing James Brown's Cold Sweat which I was rather surprised to hear but happy to hear.  While stopped at a light I looked over to my left and saw a kid on his steps waiting for a school bus and when he heard the music he began to dance (which was a shock as well) but happy to see him feeling the JB spirit.  Sitting on the porch was an older gentlemen possibly his grandfather who also almost simultaneously started bobbing his head and singing at the same time which I don't think anyone else was paying attention to but me.

Two blocks down as cars were backed up at a stop sign there was a lady cutting her hedges and as the car in front of me pulls up (still playing James Brown) the lady stops, turns around and starts to do the shimmy and shake then proceeds to sing and continue cutting her hedges.  I really don't think anyone one else even saw or understood what I had just witnessed and it reconfirms that (good) music is powerful, especially the music of James Brown.  Here you have an early morning scenario, 5 different people all who felt the same spirit to sing and dance,  I really wish I could've caught the guy driving and told him that even though he was unaware of what he had done, he brought happiness to several people unintentionally. 

This is one of my favorite photos from a Hot Peas & Butta party, this young lady was really in a zone as the music played.  The DJ has a responsibility to play good music for people to dance to and if your not doing this you should not be calling yourself a DJ.


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