Light

...Even In The Darkest Place
Friday, March 18, 2011
for Michael on the far side of the Pacific
and for all those displaced by the Japanese tsunami

By nature I'm a pessimist, not having been blessed with nearly enough faith to actually believe that there can be light 'even in the darkest places.' Light (or salvation) may eventually appear in the form of an epiphany, a spiritual breakthrough, or the fortuitous turning of a corner, but the darkest places are generally filled with a bleak despair and hopelessness that seem to possess no boundaries, much like a town with no cheer. And while lost amidst that blackness, promise and possibility are far from being close at hand. Adrift on a sea of anguish, you find yourself completely alone and forlorn, unable to be touched by anyone or anything. The experience is perhaps something akin to finding yourself aboard a sinking ship while the water around you is ablaze with fire. Rescue and illumination may arrive with the dawn, but only after you've been dragged through a living hell and have reached the absolute lowest of emotional depths. That my friend is the darkest place, and no light can penetrate the murk of gloom that occupies its every corner.

Despite my inherent cynicism, I've nevertheless attempted to create light within a darker place over the course of two sets of music, both featured below. Why? No specific reason, it's just an exercise with music. I'm just trying to keep things interesting here, you know? That said, '...Even In The Darkest Place, Pts.1&2' strives to find a comfortable balance between black and white, despair and hope, imprisonment and pardon, condemnation and redemption, darkness and light. Heavy, huh? Not really. In all honesty, there's no parable to be told within the sounds. They're not intended to portray some sort of ludicrous battle between the forces of good and evil, or anything such nonsense as that. There's not even an overabundance of drama or conflict within them, just some moody music with a bit of thought behind it.

If you happened to enjoy 'Inside Looking Out' posted back in February of 2010, you might also find '...Even In The Darkest Place' to be an equally evocative and satisfying listen. If you didn't, well give this a try anyway. Go on, it won't hurt you. Somewhere I've heard it said that even in the depths of darkness the force is with you. Believe it if you will, but I don't.

...Even In The Darkest Place, Pt.1

1) Ravel's 'Invocation To Pan By The Nymphs' And 'The Prayer Of Daphnis'
Charles Munch & The Boston Symphony Orchestra
for Harmony
2) You Take My Breath Away/Queen
3) Under Ice/Kate Bush
4) Wishing You Were Here/Chicago
5) All The Time There Is/Brian Auger's Oblivion Express
6) Frumerie's 'Pastoral Suite For Flute, String Orchestra, And Harp'
Sarah Lindloff & The Swedish Chamber Orchestra
7) Love's Riddle/Steve Miller Band
8) Yes, The River Knows/The Doors
9) Bibo No Azure/Endless Flight/Babel
Ryuichi Sakamoto & Gustavo Santaolalla
10) Smokey Day/Colin Blunstone
11) Chance Of A Lifetime:L'Auberge du Sanglier:Pengola
Caravan
12) Rainy Day/The Rascals

...Even In The Darkest Place, Pt.2

1) Ravel's 'Sunrise With Daphnis Prostrate At The Grotto Of The Nymphs'
Eugene Ormandy & The Philadelphia Orchestra
for Harmony
2) 3/4 In The Afternoon/Kenny Wheeler
3) Highway Song/Aztec Two-Step
4) Sometimes I Cry/Les McCann
5) Unbroken Chain/Grateful Dead
6) I Talk To The Wind/King Crimson
7) Maud And Roland In North Yorkshire (from 'Possession')/Harry Rabinowitz
8) The Bridge/Mark-Almond
9) Sorta New/Chico Hamilton & Euphoria
10) Sometimes In Winter/Blood, Sweat & Tears
11) Hello/Mike Keneally
12) In The Darkest Place/Elvis Costello