Music To My Ears...

As long as I've been in Saudi Arabia, the only music I've been listening to has be the rock playlist, for working out, and some peaceful music when I meditate. Today was a different day. A colleague suggested that I listen to Arabic music to further put me in touch with the Arab culture. I browsed Youtube to find Arab music that I found enticing. I pride myself in having a diverse music collection and a consumer of good music regardless of the genre, yet I am surprised that I did not look for Arab music sooner. Music has always be something I love. From Charles Mingus to composer Samuel Barber. From A Tribe Called Quest to Slayer. I try to enjoy all forms of music. I played my first instrument, the trombone, and sang in the choir in elementary school. In high school, I played the trumpet, cornet, mellophone, French horn and sang in the choir. Music has always been a part of my life. Unfortunately, my post secondary years were wasted opportunities. I could have played in the band or sang in the choir. Or even practiced on my own. I decided to leave "Musical Chaz" back in Dallas. I remember one of my last performances in Dallas. My senior year in high school, I was competing for the title of "Mr. Lincoln", the name of my high school. We had to put on our best suit, I had a zoot suit, answer some questions, and display a talent. My talent was playing trumpet. At the time I was only in the choir. I attempted to play in the band, and sing in the choir, but along with my other responsibilities I simply could not do it. So I dropped the band from my schedule. Anyway, as I said, my talent was playing the trumpet. I performed songs from my favorite soundtrack, and still my favorite to this day, Mo Better Blues (Mo Betta make it Mo Betta). The crowd enjoyed my performance. However, I did not win. Probably because I bombed the question part of the competition. But as I walked off the stage, I remember my band teacher telling me that I really had talent and that I was wasting it by not being in the band. I said thank you but I'm moving on. I was ready to start a new chapter in my life. By the way, losing that competition was not the reason I did not continue playing trumpet in college. Even though I had some good times in high school, it was not the greatest time in my life. To some of my readers, I'm probably preachin' to the choir. For others, not so much. Though college was my reset button, I do miss my trumpet and the feeling I had when I played it.

Back to my original point, my love of music. Music has always been there for me. Good times and bad. Thinking about my mother's passing always reminds me of the song "A Song for Mama" by Boyz II Men. My first year in college, 1999, was marked by Juvenile's "Back That Thang Up." Back when I was a young buck, my sister would pick me up from school. Every Friday, the local radio station would play "Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin" by MC Breed on the ride home. Think about your life. What songs relate to key events in your life? What music was playing when you proposed/or you where proposed to? What song was on the radio when you read your first college acceptance letter? What song do you now hate because your ex loves it? Think about why you have those feelings. Music invokes so many responses in your body. Muscles relax or contract. Hormones are released to either calm you down or rev you up. Think about what are your responses to music that you love or hate. Does it help you focus or do you lose yourself in a song that is on repeat?

Now, here is an instrumental version of a song called "Ya Msafer Wahdak", "Traveling Alone", originally sung by Mohammed Abdel Wahab. It's an extremely beautiful piece. It has reignited my desire for music that kneads my soul. Here is another rendition of the same song by The Michigan Arabic Orchestra. The second part is the first one in the "suggestions" area. I hope you enjoy them. If you have any suggestions for music of any genre or culture, send them to me! Or, if you have a favorite song, feel free to tell me what it is.


"Music is what feelings sound like." -Author unknown