Have you ever been so inspired by someone, a song, event, place, performance and you couldn't explain it? Well that is exactly what happened to me the first weekend of Aug. of 2008. I was online looking up some Leonard Cohen music to add to my ipod I went to www. youtube. com to see what I could find. I typed in his name and a video of him performing Hallelujah came on. I had no idea that it was a Leonard Cohen song, I had always thought it was a Jeff Buckley song. I clicked on it, and had a chuckle it ws a cheesy 70's performance but a beautiful song nonetheless. Then I saw a video of Jeff Buckley performing Hallelujah live in Japan. So I clicked on it an in that instant my life had changed. There is only him on the stage w/ his guitar and a mic.~ wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt (that is now so familiar of him wearing in his performances). The minute he opened hismouth to sing, I absolutely died. I had never heard anything like his voice before and I doubt I will ever again. I just sat in my char hypnotized by him, his voice which could've only been given to him as a gift personally from the angels in Heaven. Every note he sang and every chord he played on his guitar just washed over me. Everything about him permiated me. His voice, a voice from the angels ( a true belssing) his guitar playing his fingers playing each not just washed over me. I let the whole performamce so simple, passionate and pure washover me. I had no idea what was happening to me. I had never been affected by anyone's music in my life EVER!! Each time I watched the video I took it all in, let it sink in. With each note sung with a voice which held tidal waves of vocal acrobatic bliss a fire was lit inside of me. Something, a feeling, a connection, a hunger a need had been unearthed from the deepest reccess of my soul. In that moment his voice reached my ears it all exploded in a visceral fire bomb in my veins. Create, create, create is now all I want to do. Any way possible~ dance, sing, paint, draw anything to feed this monster that he and his music that has uncaged inside of me. After watching the video of that life changing performance for about the 10th time, (His face, mouth, fingers, eyes. ) I had to find out WHO was/ is this man who posessed such a soul stealing, heart rushing voice? Who is the man who can sing in such a way to affect me like this?? What I didn't understand was why? Is this affecting me now?? I had heard him sing Hallelujah many times, and ofcourse I loved it and I had/have it on my ipod. I had always known who he was, I remember when he passed away. I was 18 or 17 and I saw it on MTV news. I thought it was sad and a loss of such great talent but it didn't really affect me beyond that. Fastforward 11 years and now a song I had heard tons of times by a man who I knew of already had gotten under my skin. Why and how could this affect me so deeply, now in my life?? I couldn't explain it?? What happened to me. How hungry I felt, how blessed I was to have found him and that particular performance. How uncomfortable and amazed I was that he had been able to reach me so many years after his passing (via youtube no less). For a week afterwards i hadbeen trying to figure out what was going oninside of me? How can I put it into words? How can I describe Jeff Buckley and his music to anyone?? I couldn't even do it in my own mind to myself. Words started flashing in my mind to describe him- Talented yes. Passionate yes. Beautiful yes. Blessed yes. Gifted yes. But these words were all too common to describe someone as uncommon and extraordinary as Jeff Buckley. I had no way to pinpoint the words to describe what he stirred inside of me w/ his fierce ability to stand on a stage by himself and give so much of himself through just one performace. Again words were flashing through my mind about how I was feeling~ Excited yes. Hungry yes. Amazed yes. But again words all too common to describe such unexplainable feelings that I hadn't felt in years. I couldn't really think rationalize it in my mind, heart or soul until I started to think about how much music meant/means to me. This is the only explanation that I have been comfortable to give myself as well as others and I hope it is as clear to you as it is to me. Music like like water to me, I need it to survive in no way am I musically inclined. I But I love music, I have it in my life everyday like I said I need it to survive. And do know the water in the Alps?? Or the water deep in the glaciers?? The water so pure, so sweet, so delicious? That is Jeff Buckley to me. Jeff Buckley is the purest, sweetest, crispest water in nature The water so high in the mountains that no one can even imagine climbing that high to try and taste it Jeff Buckley- his talent his everything is the water that is so deep in the glaciers that you or I or anyone else coouldn't even begin todig deep enough to reach its purity. He is the water in nature that is so high up or deep down it is untouchable. Jeff Buckley is the best water in the world! Emily:O)
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