Andy McKee - Ebon Coast
Andy McKee never disappoints. Every time I hear something new from him I appreciate the style a little bit more. A few years ago, my pal John told me that his grandfather closes his eyes when he listens to music that he thinks is really beautiful. I decided to try that, and it literally changed the way I listen to certain kinds of music. Sometimes I get into this certain mindset where if I’m in the right place, I can forget about everything else and let the music be my complete focus. When there are no other distractions in the music, complex mixtures of tones and intertwining scales make me feel like I’m almost inside of the music, like it’s all around me or something. It sounds stupid, I know. It’s usually only in music without words from a guitar, piano, or harp. Or sometimes with a really great choir. Certain pieces like Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium can do it too. Anyways, when I close my eyes, that sense is not being used. My eyes are not looking around and causing my mind to sway. My attention isn’t on anything else when my eyes are closed. This causes my hearing sense to heighten and my attention to focus in. My girlfriend Rita knows now when we’re in church or somewhere else and listening to awesome music, I’m not actually sleeping. I kind of worry sometimes that other people think I’m sleeping, but it doesn’t keep me from doing it.
