This is a hard one. We artist types are so often assumed to be on some magical trajectory to Nirvana, free of self-doubt, and the other usual self-immolatory behavior of which we humans are all too capable. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth, and every night on stage is an exercise in getting out of one’s own way. I am unsuccessful more often than not in my attempts to put down the detritus long enough to shine a little, and maybe bring a smile to someone who needed it, to simply be utterly present.

I’ve never been much of a formal student. I well and truly sucked in college. But give me something directly relevant to my experience of the world and I leave no stone unturned in pursuit of understanding. They don’t bestow degrees for that sort of thing, alas, alas…

That brings me to this last week, having seen some musicians that are living it full time, rather than trying to stuff a musical career into the same life as owning a business, and being a father.  It’s hard to own up to the fact that time after time I have made choices-essentially talked myself out of the virtuosity I know lies within. What a shock….what a revelation.

Disillusionment. I rather like that word. It has a negative connotation, but it shouldn’t. It means “letting go of one’s illusions” which I think is a good thing. So as I peek out from behind the curtain, approaching half a century on this planet, I begin to see clearly. I think it’s time to face this ghost.

I saw Esperanza Spalding last night. It takes a lot to blow a jaded old picker like me out of the water, but she did it…..again and again. She is the real deal through and through. Heartfelt thanks to Howard Epstein, the man behind the Miami University Artist Series for his efforts in bringing her to the area.

And what first inspired her? Seeing Yo-Yo Ma on Sesame Street! This show is in danger because a certain party wants to sacrifice it on the altar of austerity, but in vain. It will fix nothing, only damage. Arts are too important to leave by the wayside as we continue to throw money away elsewhere. But because we live in a country where short-sighted people continue to conspire to deny young artists avenues to advancement by cutting arts funding, Ms. Spalding nearly dropped out of music entirely, broke and exhausted, in spite of having a full scholarship, because there isn’t enough money to help brilliant, committed students with living expenses. How many other talented artists never make it past this point and are consigned to artistic oblivion by want of a relatively small amount of money? It took Pat Metheny to convince her that she had something special.

I was told by a local orchestra conductor who is a Romney supporter that he was fine with Romney’s desire to cut all funding for the arts. His reasoning is that all art should self-fund, because if it is “good” art, it will be commercially successful. My belief is that this is a very dangerous road. If the only “good” art is that which is thought to have commercial potential, then we are leaving our artistic legacy in the hands of the lowest common denominator: the tastes of those least able to appreciate more complex forms of art. If a 3 and a half minute song that sells millions of copies is the longest thing upon which you can manage to focus, then I dare say a Mahler symphony doesn’t stand a chance, nor does the orchestra that performs it.

Art, even art for which one may never develop an appreciation is an integral part of civilized society. We de-fund it at our own peril.

I have to say, Mr. Metheny also had a potent effect upon me when I saw him in the early ’80s. He made me want to explore improvisation, which wasn’t something many classically trained violinists did then. Thanks again, Pat…..for everything.